This past weekend, I flew to San Francisco to celebrate my friend Elaine. She is getting married in a few weeks and it was her bachelorette party weekend. Elaine has a kid and we are all over 30, so our version of partying was not “Vegas style.” I had a good time (and helped plan it). It was a nice little escape for 36 hours, and gave my husband a chance to bond with our daughter (“trial by fire” are his exact words). Here’s a recap of what we did:
An interesting Uber ride to the airport
My flight was at 6:45am, which meant I had to leave no later than 5:15am. There was no way I was going to ask my husband to wake up our daughter to take me to the airport, and honestly no real sense in asking anyone else for that kind of favor. Thank goodness for Uber. We had a special promo code through our credit card for first time users (yes, it’s taken me this long to use it!), so my ride was free! I chose the carpool option, so there was another girl in the car that the driver picked up first. Why was my ride interesting? Because my driver was deaf! The app notified me of that, so I was prepared for it. Juan, the driver, communicated only once through notepad on his smartphone, which was to ask which airline I needed. I responded by typing on my notepad. The entire ride was silent and wonderful. I definitely prefer a silent ride, especially so early in the morning. I tweeted about it, and to my surprise Juan favorited it and retweeted it! His handle is @DeafUberDriver which is all kinds of awesome.
First time on @Uber to #LAX awesome experience. My driver was #deaf . #EqualityForAll #nicesilentride use my code for #discount rubyh225ue
— Westside Mommy (@WestsideMommyLA) June 27, 2015
If you want to try out Uber, use my link or code: rubyh225ue to get a discount on your first ride!
Lunch at Hog Island Oyster Co. at Oxbow Public Market in Napa
We had the most delicious lunch at Hog Island Oyster Co. There were 8 of us total, and a few of us split some oysters. We had raw oysters and BBQ oysters. We also shared the halibut poke, kale salad, marinated olives, and a grilled cheese sandwich. My favorite items were the BBQ oysters and the halibut poke. The server told us they caught the halibut the day before, so it was super fresh.
It’s too bad we got there too late and missed the farmer’s market at Oxbow Public Market, but it’s probably better that we did because there were already enough amazing things to check out (and smell!). It’s definitely a place I’d like to take more time to check out the next time I’m in Napa.
Oxbow Public Market Website
Hog Island Oyster Co. Website
Wine Tasting at Frog’s Leap Winery
On my (two) previous trips to Napa Valley, I was stuck visiting the same wineries that didn’t require a reservation. This time, I did some research and asked friends for recommendations. There are so many wineries, it’s difficult to know the vibe until you get there. Luckily, my good friend Nancy, who recently moved from Los Angeles to Napa, volunteered to scout out a few places for me. My criteria was a friendly, relaxing atmosphere where we could take our time drinking wine. Frog’s Leap Winery turned out to be the perfect place for that. After checking in (we made a reservation for 3:15pm), they directed us to the garden and said we could sit wherever we wanted and check out the grounds with our wine. There was a beautiful garden with flowers and vegetables, a barn with chickens and sheep, and a water fountain. Each section had an amazing view that made you feel like you were in your own private oasis. The wines were pretty good, and the staff was friendly and knowledgeable.
We spent a leisurely couple hours there chatting, exploring the grounds, and basically taking in the scenery. When it started to get too warm, we made our way inside and chatted with the bride-to-be about this and that. I highly recommend Frog’s Leap Winery!
Dinner: Chef Michael Chiarello‘s Bottega at V Marketplace
Yountville is a quaint little town that is home to some of the most amazing restaurants. Elaine, the bride-to-be, made a reservation for us at 5:30pm at Bottega. She brought a magnum of wine she’s been saving to celebrate the occasion. The wine was from a special private dinner she attended at the home of Chef Michael Chiarello, and her bottle was signed. Everything that arrived at our table was delicious and amazing. We ordered almost every appetizer on the menu. It was tough to choose a main course but I ordered the half duck. I was not disappointed! It was perfectly crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside.
The service was fantastic. I would definitely return.
Sunday: Private Pole Class at S-Factor San Francisco
One of the things Elaine got into before meeting her fiancee was S-Factor. I’m happy to say I introduced it to her (I had gift certificates for a free intro class and convinced her to take it with me) while she was living in LA, but after that first class she was the one who signed up for a series of classes. She loved it so much, she continued to take classes after she moved to San Francisco.
We all had a really fun time. It was a private two-hour class, which consisted of stretching and cardio for the first hour, then pole tricks for the second hour. Elaine’s mom even joined us, which made the whole experience even more special for Elaine. The instructor is a mom (so cool!) who also teaches prenatal exercise classes at the studio.
I don’t have any photos from this experience for obvious reasons. One of the things I like about S-Factor is they keep the lighting low and there are no mirrors. The whole experience is to help you feel confident and free with yourself and your own body.
Our class happened to be on the same day (and near the location) as the Pride Parade (and it was extra special that day), so we caught a glimpse of history as well.
Lunch in Oakland at Burma Superstar
My friend Leo introduced me to Burma Superstar a few years ago and I’ve made a point to dine there every time I’m in the bay area. I really want them to open one in LA because the food is so delicious and unique. My favorite items are the Tea Leaf Salad and the Samousa Soup. All I have to say is you must try it!
Check out some pics on my Instagram feed from my meal at Burma Superstar!
Back to LA
I flew back to LA with a belly full of food and a smile on my face. I had a great time with my friends and was so happy I was able to celebrate my friend. I’m thankful my husband survived. I did a good job of not calling him often (like I did the first time I left him alone with her overnight), because I’m more confident in his parenting and my daughter is no longer an infant. This was a much needed getaway with the girls, but I really did miss my baby!
