eating adventures Archives - Page 2 of 7

The two towers of Saint Vincent de Paul Rectory

Explore the Churches of Pentaluma

May 23, 2025May 22, 2025Silvia

In a recent adventure we stayed in Petaluma, CA. We had an amazing dinner at the Wild Goat Bistro. This farm-to-table restaurant combines fresh food with casual dining. We shared a salad and a wood-fired pizza. Both were inventive and very tasty.

As we walked out into the evening, we discovered the two towers of Saint Vincent de Paul Rectory. Drawn to the towers of this Spanish Romanesque-style church with its gold-painted details, we started an after-dinner stroll. Although we weren’t able to see the interior, the details in the outside decoration brought heaven to mind, and the rosette above the door pictures a version of Jesus.

To our surprise, we saw, just a few steps away, a much plainer-looking church. Nevertheless, the intricate gothic windows with their glass art are equally beautiful. This is the Unitarian Universalists of Petaluma, on 16 5th St.

The St John’s Episcopal Church, just another few steps away, on 40 5th St, with towers on top of the rotunda looks quite medieval.

And last but not least I spotted the square tower of the United Methodist Church.

This, of course, is only a short selection of the churches in Petaluma. It was interesting to see such different architectural styles within a short walking distance. We did not attempt to go into these churches. I’m sure all the glass windows are stunning, with sunlight shining through them.

Churches

Saint Vincent de Paul Rectory

35 Liberty St, Petaluma, CA

https://svdppetaluma.org/

Unitarian Universalists of Petaluma

16 5th St, Petaluma, CA

https://www.uupetaluma.org/

St John’s Episcopal Church Petaluma

40 5th St, Petaluma, CA

https://www.saintjohnsepiscopalpetaluma.org/

United Methodist Church

410 D St, Petaluma, CA

https://petalumaumc.org/

For more information on Petaluma churches I found this website: https://visitingchurches.blogspot.com/

Thanks to Rudolf Rentzel a Christian of Petaluma and the author of the blog: Visiting All the Churches In Petaluma.

I am not affiliated with any churches.

Entrance of Sonoma Harvest in Fairfield, CA

Taste Test Sonoma Harvest Products, Fairfield

April 25, 2025Silvia

We received a warm welcome at the Sonoma Harvest tasting room in Fairfield. Since it was our first time, we were cleverly guided to the olive oils through a lot of really cute kitchen items.

There are a lot of flavored olive oils to try. You can cleanse your palate with some croutons. Next are the vinegars. Again, there are many interesting flavors to elevate your salads. Have you ever had balsamic vinegar so good that you might want to use it as an ice cream topping? Yes, that’s here for you to taste (you have to imagine the ice cream right now – but the richness is mind-blowing!). From sour to sweet, the next station was their creative jams. The strawberry chocolate and spicy peach are delish! We skipped the spicy section, with a BBQ sauce and chili oil, but returned to the kitchen gifts. This is the place if you like to buy local products.

The Sonoma Harvest tasting room is located at 770 Chadbourne Road in Fairfield. It’s close to the Jelly Belly factory. Free tastings are Wednesdays to Sundays from noon to 4 pm.

I am not affiliated with Sonoma Harvest.

Tour the Jelly Belly Factory, Fairfield

April 18, 2025April 18, 2025Silvia

The Easter candy of my youth was chocolate eggs. So, it was surprising to me to learn that the creator of Jelly Belly was a German immigrant. I always thought of these bean-shaped candies with the most unusual flavors and bright colors as very American.

I had planned to recommend the tour of the Jelly Belly factory as a fun Easter activity. But the production is on hold for 3 weeks (until April 23rd, 2025). You might think that the Easter Holiday would be the last time of year when they would stop production to clean. We took the tour last week anyway. And even though the factory was not producing, we paid the full admission of $8. Again, you might think ….. This is a self-guided tour with videos informing you throughout the walkway. They also added some interactive stations with video games and Ronald Reagan memorabilia. Reagan is the President who brought Jelly Belly to the nation’s attention. Jelly Belly is very appreciative.

I did enjoy the factory setting as I am a fan of production line equipment – like Boichik Bagels and Cocohodo. I can also appreciate that everything got a good cleaning, for the next flavors of jelly beans. And, we were able to admire the large, shiny vats used to polish the beans – you got a very clear view of the entire factory as you walked the glassed-in walkway one story up.

The kids might enjoy the little train ride across the parking lot to the museum. The museum is included in the admission. There are a lot of photo opps here. The end is currently a big Easter blow-up art scene. I do think the artwork created out of jelly beans is impressive. We admired Harry Potter and Star Wars characters at the factory entrance.

Wishing you a Happy Easter (if you celebrate).

The Jelly Belly factory is located at 1 Jelly Belly Lane, Fairfield. Tours are $8 per person, $4 for children ages 3-17, free for under 2-year-olds. The self-guided factory lane tours and museum experience is open from 9:15 am to 4 pm daily, 7 days a week. I’d advise you to check their calendar for special events and closures before you go.

What is your favorite jelly bean flavor?

I am not affiliated with Jelly Belly.

Rolled cookie butter ice cream with fresh strawberries from Kween's in Mountain View

Roll up your Ice Cream, Kween’s in Mountain View

April 4, 2025Silvia

The trend to roll up ice cream comes from Thailand. It is sometimes known as stir-fry ice cream because the process of making it reminds you of stir frying. A liquid mixture is stirred constantly on a plate that brings down the temperature. Once frozen, it gets divided and rolled up.

Kween’s in Mountain View is a women-owned sweet treat dream. Besides the rolled ice cream, they sell scoops and freshly baked ice cream cookie sandwiches. I enjoyed a cookie butter roll with fresh strawberries. My friend let me sample her treat, Thai iced tea with crumbled up Oreos and condensed milk – also very yummy.

Kween’s has a few tables inside; we cherished being able to hang out and chat while eating the ice cream.

You can find Kween’s at 292 Castro Street in downtown Mountain View.

Have you tried rolled up ice cream?

I have no affiliation with this company.

Paper bags filled with produce from the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), Urban Tilth

Seed Power and Grow Justice at Urban Tilth, Richmond

December 20, 2024Silvia

When we arrived at the Urban Tilth, an urban farm in North Richmond, we struggled to find the entrance. But after we walked around it was clear we found much more than just a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) produce distribution center and urban farm. Urban Tilth’s vision is to be North Richmond’s farm and a neighborhood anchor for the whole community.

Multiple information signs show the future farm. Here are architectural drawings of a cafe, a native plant nursery, a workshop area, and many more ideas. You can see some of the buildings already in place. It was exciting to see how this idea takes shape. We also met some people working for the CSA. Everyone was passionate about being here. The produce looks great and walking around the old greenhouses we could see the potential.

They are not just organizing a fair food system. They want to transform it into a life-affirming system that creates a healthy, sustainable, and just community. I know they have the power to drive for change.

There are so many ways to become part of this movement. You can support Urban Tilth and get involved as a volunteer, learn about their educational programs, order their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) produce, or donate.

Celebrate October with a Cake, Alpine Pastry

October 18, 2024Silvia

This might not be a traditional Oktoberfest treat, but coffee and cake is always on the menu in Germany. As a German expat, I’m always on the lookout for good German cakes in the U.S. One bakery I highly recommend is the Alpine Pastry Shop in Concord.

They have a special Oktoberfest menu and a great cookie selection for the spooky season. And, it looks like they have tasty treats year-round. Still, if you are on the hunt for Bienenstich, you should act this month and order ahead.

The Alpine Pastry Shop is located on 1848 Willow Pass Rd in Concord, CA. Opening hours are Monday through Sunday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Do you have a favorite pastry shop in the Bay Area?

I did not receive any compensation from the mentioned business.

Order an Ice Cream Sundae, Fentons Creamery

August 9, 2024Silvia

Whether you believe that Fentons Creamery is the inventor of the rocky road flavor or not, you have to admit their small-batch, handmade ice cream is delicious. Bay Curious, a KQED podcast, demystifies the rocky road ice cream legend. But in the end even they can’t tell you for sure the true inventor of the flavor.

Personally, I am not the rocky road flavor type, so I won’t chip in here. Nonetheless, if you are a lover of decadent sundaes you should visit either the Oakland or Vacaville Fentons Creamery. They do serve diner food, like burgers and shakes, but make sure you leave plenty of room for the massive desert. Of course you can also join the line for getting a scoop of your favorite flavor. Just like the ending of the Disney movie ‘Up’ you can take your ice cream to go; or hang out outside.

According to their Wikipedia page Fentons is the “state’s longest continually operating creamery, with a small herd of dairy cows in West Marin.”

Fentons in Oakland is located at 4226 Piedmont Avenue. The Vacaville location is at the Nut Tree Mall, 1669 E Monte Vista Ave.

Other Bay Area must-try ice cream spots are:

Rocko’s ice cream tacos,

It’s-it ice cream sandwiches, and

Marianne’s

What is your favorite spot for ice cream?

Sign for the Flea Market at Berryessa, San José

Go bargain hunting, Flea Market at Berryessa, San José

July 5, 2024July 5, 2024Silvia

The Flea Market at Berryessa in San José is an institution established in 1960. On our last visit to San José I finally got to check it out. We were there late, close to closing time on a Friday. While some stores were already shutting down it was great to enjoy some stalls without hordes of people.

I got the impression that many of these goods are made in China. If you have someone in your life that collects Miss Kitty, for example, this is the place to go for gifts. I marveled at the cookware – restaurant–size pots and sieves! You can also find fruits and vegetables, and I heard, great Mexican food. I also loved the different types of piñatas!

The Flea Market at Berryessa is located at 1590 Berryessa Rd. San José. Opening hours are Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, from dawn to dusk. Admission is bundled with parking (Wednesdays free, Fridays $5, Saturdays $10, Sundays $20). If you decide to walk in you must enter through the Garden at the Flea entrance next to the Berryessa BART Station. Walk-in entry fee is free on Wednesdays and Fridays, and $3 on Saturdays and $5 on Sundays.

While someone once said to me that flea markets were their version of hell, I do enjoy finding treasures and bargains.

What is your take on flea markets?

People entering the California Honey Festival in Woodland (2023)

Taste some Honey at the California Honey Festival

May 3, 2024April 8, 2024Silvia

In February there is the Almond Festival in Capay Valley. Honey Bees are a business related to almonds and other orchards. These flying workers ensure that the almond blossoms get pollinated. A valuable byproduct is the honey that the bees produce.

The annual California Honey Festival on May 3rd, 2024 along Woodland’s Main Street celebrates everything honey related. From 10 am to 7 pm you can learn about honey bees, games for the kids, and honey tastings at every stand that sells the golden nectar. They have a stage for speakers and you can also meet the current Honey Queen.

The California Honey Festival is happening on May 3rd, 2024 along Woodland’s Main Street. The admission is free.

Follow the Bagels at Boichik Bagels Factory

March 29, 2024Silvia

I love seeing things being made. At Boichik Bagels in Berkeley you can watch the conveyor belts of doughy bagels being made into their glutenous treat. The factory is located at 1225 Sixth St. in Berkeley. Opening hours are from 7:30 am till 1 pm. If they run out of bagels they might close early!

When we got there to order lunch we were almost too late for the taste test.

And we were too late to watch the bagels being made, though we were able to try the bagels and their famous white fish spread. I definitely plan to go back and see the factory during operation hours.

Nonetheless I liked the big window where a whole school class could put their noses on to get a closer look at the machinery. But the most sensible thing was the block for shorter people – I saw a little girl standing on it – to get a better view.

The outside seating was great, except for the next door neighbor who has an automated triggering system that tells you you are trespassing even if you just crossed the street.

Boichik has four more locations in the Bay Area and is expanding. There is a factory tour on Saturdays at 8:30, but I’m not sure I can make it that early. I will report if I do. Mahjong Mondays 10am – noon might be an option for further exploration.

Have you ever seen bagels being made?

The Boichik Bagels factory is located at 1225 Sixth St. in Berkeley. Their opening hours are every day 7:30 am – 1:00 pm (or until sold out).