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Fantastic Memories at the Meritage Resort and Spa

I am still daydreaming about the party I attended with RB and my media/journalist friends a few weeks ago. It was the Re-Grand Opening Celebration at the Meritage Resort and Spa.

I can only describe my experience there as “living the dream”. I know it’s cliche, but I truly felt like royalty that evening. The Meritage Resort and Spa cut no corners on the evening, as guests were treated to champagne and caviar, salami and cheese trays, grilled foie gras, pork sliders, and an entire room full of desserts ranging from cakes and pastries to tall jars of M&Ms.

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I was so impressed with the expansion and all the new amenities at The Meritage, that I asked RB if he would bring me back there for my birthday a few weeks later. And he did. 🙂 We spent my 35th birthday at my favorite place in the world, the Napa Valley. We stayed in one of the new rooms at the Meritage, and the next day I worked out in the expanded fitness studio. The view from my treadmill looked out onto their private vineyards. The fitness studio also has Wieland doors that open and close with the season.

Reasons to stay at The Meritage:

  • 322 guestrooms and suites, including nine suites, plus access to 180 vacation rental rooms at the adjacent Vino Bello Resort for a total of 502 guestrooms and suites
  • Guestrooms and suites are designed to be a “home away from home” with high ceilings, open spaces and sumptuous bathrooms
  • Tuscan inspired décor with rich woods, comfortable seating, premium bedding, Gilchrist and Soames amenities, and many rooms with private balconies or patios
  • Wireless and wired high-speed Internet access, executive work desks, local calls and voicemail, complimentary morning newspapers and in-room safes
  • 32-inch plasma screen televisions, DVD and CD players, with access to the hotel’s library of DVDs and complimentary premium channels and iPod-charging clock radios
  • Spacious baths with marble-topped vanities, extendable magnifying mirrors and en-bath telephones
  • Plush bathrobes and designer toiletries
  • Mini refrigerators and bars, complimentary bottled water, coffee/tea makers with a selection of premium coffees and teas, ice buckets and corkscrews

Meeting and Event Space:

  • More than 50,000 square feet of indoor and covered outdoor meeting and event space, the largest meeting venue north of San Francisco and west of Sacramento
  • The two largest ballrooms in the Napa Valley both divisible up to 10 salons
  • Meritage Ballroom: 10,490 square feet, with two pre-function foyers totaling 4,300 square feet. Carneros Ballroom: 7,358 square feet, plus 1,564 square feet pre-function
  • Each ballroom opens up to a four-season covered terrace perfect for meals and receptions for up to 250
  • Luxurious entertainment Estate Cave: 3,992 square feet for events up to 200
  • Two boardrooms with fixed tables and two meeting rooms ranging from 250 square feet to 461 square feet
  • Multiple outdoor courtyards and piazzas for weddings, receptions and dining
  • Our Lady of Grapes Chapel for wedding ceremonies of up to 60 🙂
  • Member of Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI), a worldwide portfolio of distinctive meeting hotels and resorts

More Goodies:

  • Siena: Gourmet restaurant with Napa Terroir-influenced menu sourcing the best local, seasonal meats, fish and produce designed by award-winning executive chef to complement area wines
  • Crush Ultra Lounge: Sports themed entertainment space and bar with six luxury bowling lanes, a pool table, shuffle board, fireplace and dining
  • Blend: Café and bistro with gourmet coffees, à la carte breakfast and lunch offerings, pastries, gelato, retail with indoor and al fresco seating
  • Lobby Bar: Featuring some of Napa’s finest wines by the glass, unique cocktails and appetizers
  • Spa Terra: A unique underground luxury spa experience situated in the Estate Cave, Spa Terra offers a variety of treatments in 12 treatment rooms and features tranquil walls of water, whirlpools, steam grottos and a relaxation lounge to unwind and rejuvenate
  • Trinitas Cellars Tasting Room: Enjoy wine tasting in the Estate Cave with Trinitas Cellars’ award winning wines. Tastings include latest releases and multiple varietals. Wine-centric gifts and mementoes are also available in the tasting room or sign up for the Trinitas Wine Society
  • Two swimming pools and three hot tubs, with cabanas, fountains and outdoor fire places for mingling and enjoying beautiful Napa weather
  • Recreational amenities include a new 1,650 square foot fitness studio, bocce ball court, croquet lawn and hiking trails through the nine acres of hillside vineyards
  • Business center, high-speed wireless Internet access throughout public spaces, meeting rooms, full service AV, presentation and production management, conference and banquet rooms, concierge
  • Evening 28-passenger shuttle delivers guests to Downtown Napa’s restaurants, tasting rooms and theaters and the Napa Outlets
  • 525 parking spaces including some designated for hybrid vehicles and a Level II electric vehicle charging station
When it was time to leave The Meritage Resort and Spa, I almost cried. Being in the Napa Valley always makes me feel so happy and rejuvenated. I enjoy staying at The Meritage because it is only a little over an hour away from my home. So, if you’re in Sacramento like me, it’s a perfect little getaway. Stay tuned for more posts from that weekend, including a piece on Nichelini Winery and Falcor Winery. Two labels who make great wines, but have completely different histories.
You can find the Meritage on Facebook here and on Twitter here.

Posted by  |  June 24, 2012 | Categories: napa, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

California Love Truck Launches to Offer a Restaurant on Wheels Featuring Local Produce and Meats

Just received this press release from my friends at Casque Wines in Loomis. (That’s the home of my favorite wine, a 2008 Roussanne. :)) Come up to the winery on June 30th (next Saturday) and check out the wines and the brand new California Love Truck!    —cg

MoFo Truck will offer Distinctive Ethnic and Comfort Foods to Sacramento and parts of Placer County

The California Love Truck today announces the launch of their mobile food business to focus on distinctive ethnic and comfort food focused on local produce and meat products.  The California Love Truck is the dream of Johnny Breedlove, Jr. who gained his experience in the kitchens of a number of local high end restaurants. His goal is to take his unique mix of comfort and ethnic foods and provide a different twist to offer a restaurant flavor on wheels.

California Love Truck will be supported by Johnny Breedlove and two close friends who are all use to working in tight quarters from their kitchen experience. They will bring their new cuisine primarily to the streets of Sacramento with an occasional trip to Placer County for special events such as their launch party at Casque Wines in Loomis California on June 30th, 2012.  The truck will pull into the patio of this urban winery to introduce people from around the region to their amazing cuisine on wheels paired with some of the region’s top award winning wines from Casque Wines.

  • Breedlove gained his experience working in the kitchens of the Brewster’s Bar & Grill, Café Bernardo, Shady Lady and One Speed Pizza where he mastered the skills of butchering meats, seafood, poultry while prepping vegetables and food items in all mediums of ovens, grills and fryers.  He acquired hands on experience in all methods of broiling, grilling frying, sautéing, with the added skills of portioning, battering, breading, seasoning and marinating. Additionally he has a background in pizza dough and sauces.  In some of those stints he learned the art of maintaining inventory to ensure a smooth service period in an impeccably sanitary work area, which will aid in running his own business.
  • California Love Truck has a close knit team to prepare and then complete and cook the food in tight quarters while bringing the varied ethnic offerings with a twist.   To assist Breedlove with the food prep, cooking, and service include Eddie Torres, a graduate of the Art Institute, with a focus on refining the art in the food and a background in food and wine pairing will bring significant experience and presentation skills to ensure the food looks as good as it tastes.  Cordell Herrera has served as a line cook gaining his experience to keep it fast with high quality while dealing with the pressures of delivering a quality product.
  • Local produce and what is currently available will drive the menu which will change with the seasons.  Items such as Pork Belly Tacos and Meatball Sandwiches will feature Bledsoe Pork, Blood Orange Salad and Chicken Wings with an Asian Sauce that will capture the attention of any Ranch Dressing fan but open their world to bright, new and fresh flavors.
  • The California Love Truck Launch Party will be held on the back patio at Casque Wines on Saturday, June 30th from 6:00 – 9:00 pm.  Singer/Songwriter Jon Dufour will play a variety of original and well known songs from decades past, with some sing along to provide something for everyone.  The winery is located at 3273 Swetzer Road in Loomis California, just 3 minutes off of I-80 at the Horseshoe Bar exit..  It is located next to Loomis Basin Brewery so beer patrons will also be able to pick up food at the winery and take it to the patio at the Brewery to enjoy.  Click here for event details.
  • California Love Truck has lined up several locations including the Thursday night Sactomofo Roundup, Norcal Food Truck events all over Sacramento, and Wednesday Lunch at CalPers from 11-1.  They are still securing additional locations and recommend you follow them on Facebook and Twitter to hear about their current locations.  www.calilfornialovetruck.comFacebook: CaliLoveTruck
    Twitter: @CaliLoveTruck

ABOUT CALIFORNIA LOVE TRUCK
Lack of time shouldn’t mean sacrificing a quality meal in today’s fast paced environment where taking the full hour or longer lunch is hard to come by.  California Love Truck’s goal is to provide locals a pre- lunch, lunch, and late afternoon unique food experience. Their focus is on serving the best of local produce and meat products offering a distinctive flair with ethnic and comfort foods.  The California Love Truck team strives to provide the quality of a fine restaurant in a eat-on-the-run approach.  

Posted by  |  June 22, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Tahoe Dinner Party and Lemon Garlic Salad Dressing Recipe

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Last weekend, RB and I traveled to his house in Incline Village and hosted a small dinner party. This time, we served up a boneless leg of lamb from Superior Farms, as well as some of our favorite Paleo dishes. You can click here to find the recipe for the marinade we used on the lamb as well as on the chicken.

We also put my parsnip chips (recipe here), sautéed vegetables with dukkah (recipe here) a huge salad, a fruit salad with strawberries, blueberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew, and bacon wrapped dates on the menu. Maybe I’ll get RB to let me film a video demo for the bacon wrapped dates someday, and I will feature it here. 🙂

But in this post, I will give you a simple recipe for our favorite salad dressing so with all the pictures of dishes you might have seen on this site before, at least you’ll have something new to make. The dressing is also a great dipping sauce for grilled chicken or ahi tuna.

PS: The wine we served was a magnum of Scribner Bend’s Black Hat Tempranillo Lot 56 Reserve. Cheers!

And now the recipe… 🙂

Lemon & Garlic Dressing

Ingredients:
2 Tbs crushed garlic
1/4 cup lemon juice
1.5 to 2 Tbs olive oil
dash of salt (to taste)
cracked pepper (optional)

Directions:
Combine the ingredients in order, in a small bowl. I know it seems like a lot of garlic,
but it makes the dressing thick, and that is a very desirable thing! 🙂 After you have all
the ingredients together, you’re done, but make sure you give the dressing another stir
or two before you top your salad.

Tips:
1. Use the crushed garlic that comes in a jar, or make your own with a
food processor. You want the garlic to be pulverized for the best results.
2. Use the best olive oil you can find! Preferably Kotinos.

Posted by  |  June 21, 2012 | Categories: Recipes | Tags: , , | 1 Comment

Blueberry Pork Meatballs with Blueberry Sauce

Hey! In case you didn’t see it, I am in the Sacramento Bee today, as part of a round-up of blueberry recipes.

I am posting it again here because I wanted to explain my inspiration for my recipe. I wanted to contribute a dish to the Bee that wasn’t a dessert, or a breakfast item. Something original that used blueberries (which in their original state are very good for you), and didn’t candy them up. Most of all, I wanted to make a Paleo recipe! 🙂

So, if you’re invited to a potluck, or you are throwing a little party this season, this is the perfect dish to share. It might sound a little strange at first, but think of the classic turkey and cranberry combination, and you might see where I am coming from! 🙂

INGREDIENTS
4 dried figs
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons minced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon rosemary (grind in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle)
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Blueberry sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, finely diced
1 cup red wine
1/4 cup water
1 cup blueberries
1/4 cup lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon zest
4 tablespoons unsalted grass-fed butter
Dash salt
2 tablespoons honey

INSTRUCTIONS
Pulse the figs, blueberries and cinnamon together in a food processor; set aside.

Mix the ground pork, ground beef, minced onion, garlic, parsley, egg, ground rosemary, salt and olive oil together until well combined.

Then add the fig and blueberry mixture to the meat mixture. Mix well, leaving small chunks of the fruit intact. (Think chocolate-chip cookie dough.) Form the meat and fruit mixture into ping pong-size balls. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees while you prepare the sauce.

For sauce: Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium high heat.

Sauté the shallots until they are translucent. Add the wine, followed by the water, and reduce for about 3-5 minutes. Add the blueberries. As the skins burst open, add the lemon juice and zest. Let the sauce continue to boil and thicken (5 minutes).

Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in butter until it is completely melted. Salt to season.

Cool the sauce slightly, and add the honey to sweeten and help thicken the sauce a little more.

Pour the sauce over the meatballs and bake them at 350 degrees until the meatballs are slightly browned and before meat is cooked through.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest. (The meatballs will be cooked through with the residual heat.)

Posted by  |  June 20, 2012 | Categories: Recipes | Tags: , , , , | 2 Comments

Superior Farms Lamb Rack and Guest Post!

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Last week, Superior Farms sent me this beautiful rack of lamb along with a few other cuts of lamb to showcase it a recipe to all of you. On Sunday, (to close out my birthday celebration, and to celebrate seven months together), we grilled the rack and enjoyed it with our usual huge salad.

To prepare the lamb, you’ll mix lemon juice and olive oil in equal parts, and then flavor with sea salt, dried oregano and minced garlic to taste. Then marinate in the refrigerator anywhere from 5 to 48 hours.

Now for the wines!
One of the wines we purchased during our Seattle trip from Fall Line Winery, and the other wine was given to me at a media tasting at BevMo! We knew both wines were perfect for the lamb, and I did mention we were celebrating, didn’t I? 🙂

The first wine was Michael Pozzan’s Marianna (2009) (Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot) retailing at about $39-$40, and the second was Fall Line’s 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon at a $28 price point. (Also, it is apparently so good that it is currently sold out).

For your enjoyment, I have included the wine review, guest written by my Winer-in-Crime, Andy Harris:

The wine is simply called “Marianna”, of the 2009 vintage year, and is a proprietary wine produced by the exquisite Michael Pozzan wine company in Oakville, California, the epicenter of great Cabernet Sauvignon growing and producing in the United States.  This special wine is in the Bordeaux style as evidenced by its blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.  It comes in a beautifully tapered bottle made of thick glass and sealed in wax.  We paired it with rack of lamb prepared in the traditional Greek style, marinated in extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, organic oregano and sea salt.  This repast was taken outdoors in 90 degree weather with light and simple side dishes consisting of a lettuce salad and sliced Tuscan Mellon.  However, the lamb and wine were the co-stars, not unlike Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.  The wine was young by Oakville Cabernet standards but perfectly acceptable for drinking in 2012, 2022 or any time in between.  It was tannic and structured but beautifully balanced with the nuance of the three other blending grapes.  It showed its strength and heft in standing up to my heavy seasonings and hickory-smoked barbequing method.  This wine is characterized by intense red and black fruit flavors and a superb minerality in the finish.

For comparison’s sake, we also opened another wine to try with this dinner.  The other wine, a 2009 Fall Line Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Yakima Valley, was an intriguing pairing with the lamb because it, too, is a wine which typically gets blended into Bordeaux-style Washington State wines by Seattle’s eponymous wine maker, ex-Harvard economist Tim Sorenson. We’ve been to his winery and believe me, this guy knows what he’s doing!  The 2009 Yakima Valley Cabernet is a blend of sorts, even though it’s 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Tim sources grapes from three different vineyards to produce this tour de force of flavor without being overbearing with alcohol (14.4%).  The result is a very light and dry wine with a delicate finish.  It will also complement the aforementioned lamb, especially if you’re into lower tannins, floral bouquets and lots of subtlety.  Robert Parker rated this particular wine at an astounding 92 points!

You can find Superior Farms on Facebook here and follow them on twitter here. Look for more recipes next week, as we will prepare the ground lamb and the lamb shoulder from my Superior Farms shipment.

Posted by  |  June 14, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Run for Independence to Benefit Elk Grove Food Bank is June 30th

Join me and hundreds of other runners and walkers at this year’s Run 4 Independence in Elk Grove on June 30, 2012.

The race will be a 5 and 10K event with a kids run, and the funds raised at this event will impact seniors, men, women, children and the homeless by providing food, clothing  and services year round.

Register now for $30, before the price goes up on June 16.

How to Register:  Preregister online, use the mail in registration form, or pick up a packet before race day.

Packet Pickup: You may pick up your race packet and register on Thursday, June 28th from 3pm-7pm or Friday, June 29th from 10am -7pm at

The Running Zone
8470 Elk Grove Blvd., #135
Elk Grove, CA 95758
(916) 478-9663

Form a Team!  Now through June 14, we are encouraging families, friends, coworkers, neighbors and club members to join the movement to end hunger in Elk Grove by forming a team and participating together!

This year we have two ways to register your team:  Register online or use the mail in registration form.

Teams must be a minimum of 5 members for “official” team status.  Teams will receive special recognition at event. Choose a team leader to coordinate the registration for the team.  Please specify the name of your team on your registration form.

All teams must register and registrations must be received BEFORE June 15th.

For more information, visit the Elk Grove Food Bank Services’ Run 4 Independence website. You can find them on Facebook here and follow them on twitter here.

The Elk Grove Food Bank serves approximately 32,000 each year. This past year they had an unprecedented 40 percent increase, especially among seniors and children.

Posted by  |  June 11, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Sacramento Zoo King of Feasts Food & Wine Event is June 23rd! Enter to win a pair of tickets!!

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The animals will show you how to party at the Annual Sacramento Zoo King of Feasts – Food & Wine Luau on Saturday, June 23, 2012!

The event will be held from 6-9pm and feature 26 restaurants, 26 wineries and breweries, live entertainment, hula-hooping, three silent auctions and exotic animals throughout the lush setting of the 14-acre Sacramento Zoo.

Sacramento Zoo is located at the Corner of Land Park Drive & Sutterville Road

Ticket Prices: $50 in advance, $60 day of event. To purchase tickets click here or call (916) 808-5888. 21 and older please.

Proceeds from the event benefit Zoo improvements, education programs and wildlife conservation.

Would you like to win a pair of tickets to one of Sacramento’s BEST food and wine events? Well, you’re in luck! I am giving 2 tickets away right here on cavegrrl, next Friday, June 15th at 3pm!

All you have to do is:

1. tell me your favorite animal at the zoo in the comments section below, and

2. either tweet this post on twitter (with the hashtag #saczooKOF) or share this post on Facebook with all of your friends. USE THE SHARING BUTTONS BELOW 🙂 🙂 🙂

I am looking for lots of enthusiasm, people!! I will be awarding the person who has the most creative response and the most shares. (PS: You and your guest must be 21 to win/attend).

Talk about the event on twitter with the hashtag: #saczooKOF
Tell all your friends you are coming by RSVPing on Facebook here. 🙂

Posted by  |  June 8, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | 26 Comments

Primal Pre-Race Dining at… Piatti Mill Valley

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A few weekends ago, Running Bum and I took a little trip to Mill Valley to poke around at some property he is interested in buying. I tagged along with him to run a race the next day. The race, the Marin Memorial 10K, is one of the fastest 10K courses in the area, but it’s still a really tough course. No PR, and I was definitely not running with “fun runners” that day.

For our pre-race meal, we dined at Piatti. And we kept it Primal. Since Piatti is one of my sponsors on cakegrrl.com and will be migrating to this site at the end of the month, I wanted to show my audience on this site what we had for dinner that evening–without touching wheat/pasta/grains/rice.

Our appetizer was the Kobe steak crudo, secret sauce, capers, and tiny arugula. The dish comes with crostini, but we politely asked the server to see if he could swap it out for something else. Instead of telling every server in the world we are Paleo, I simply just say, “we are gluten-free”, or “we are wheat-free”. Our appetizer was served, honoring our special request, with a small side Caesar salad. Perfect.

Next up, we split a chopped romaine salad with salami, chickpeas, olive, peppers, artichokes, and two cheeses. I don’t freak out about chickpeas, and enjoy them about once a month, so I love them on this salad. I ordered the dressing on the side, but to be honest, this salad has so many goodies on it, I didn’t even need dressing or my typical balsamic and olive oil blend.

For the entreés, he went for the cioppino and I the espresso crusted filet, served with bloomsdale savoy spinach, extra vegetables instead of the mashed potatoes, Pt. Reyes blue cheese, and aged balsamic. We ate everything family style, as I love to get RB’s input on things I plan to write about. (Sometimes he even writes for me!)

The cioppino is probably the best I have ever had. The chef did something magical with his addition of a small amount of sambuca to the broth. The stew was heavy on seafood and once again by request we were able to get some extra vegetables on the plate instead of the bread that is typically served with cioppino.

The espresso filet is something I liked so much, I am going to try and replicate it at home. The execution was flawless both presenation and cooking-wise (medium rare!!). I tried to share it with RB, but I think I downed most of it. 🙂

By the way, this meal is going down as one of the best since we have been together. Of course, the meal at Place Pigalle still ranks supreme, but this one rates top notch on service and food quality. It just doesn’t feel or look like a chain restaurant.

Another win was the wine we drank with our meal. Piatti has a selection of wines available on tap called Barrel-to-Table (Piatti’s revolutionary barrel-to-table wine program pours these wines through a custom tap and barrel system which eliminates oxidation and brings the wine directly to the table using the most environmentally sustainable technology – no corks, foils or bottles.) So, yes, I will take the wine hose for $1,000, Alex.

Indeed, I was intrigued, so we tried the Kemiji Pinot Noir (a Barrel-to-Table selection), because we both thought it would be the best compromise for a pairing between the cioppino and the filet–and it was! Instead of playing around with a mere glass or a 1/2 Liter, we went for the Big Gulp–a whole liter for $55. 😉

That evening, we stayed at Marin Hotel and Suites. We took advantage of an Amazon sale from a couple of weeks prior and got the room at a very steep discount. RB and I just love steep discounts. 🙂 It was a pretty good room for the price, equipped with a mini kitchen: a coffee pot, microwave, full-sized refrigerator, sink, and dining area. A bonus for me was that the room had a clock radio by the bed with an iPod dock and speakers…I took advantage of it, and plugged in my iPhone so I could blast Born and Raised. 😉

You can find Piatti Mill Valley on twitter here and the Sacramento location here. The Sacramento menu changes around, but you can typically find my favorite salad (the salad pictured above) on it. 🙂 You can find Piatti on Facebook here.

PS: At the Sacramento location, don’t miss the summer music series every Friday night (hello, live music on the patio!) and the $10 wine list on Saturdays. 🙂

Posted by  |  June 6, 2012 | Categories: Last Night We Had a Paleo Dinner at:, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Sausage Party…

Yes, it’s true. Last Sunday afternoon, I was the only girl at the party…sitting at a table with 5 boys.

You see, Running Bum threw a party at his house (in honor of one of his friends on his 60th birthday).

And, a few weeks ago, the marketing people at al fresco sent me some coupons to try their product and show it to all of you.

So to help out on the food preparation, and because I sensed it was a good opportunity to try the different flavor options, I skewered up the sausages with a colorful bunch of vegetables, and we threw them on the grill.

The varieties we sampled are pictured below:

The sausage and vegetable kabobs were the perfect way to try the different flavors. The Sweet Italian sausages had a red and green bell pepper flavor, the Roasted Garlic had a more mild flavor, and our favorite, the Roasted Pepper and Asiago had a great red bell pepper flavor with just a touch of cheese. The sausages were flavorful enough on their own, so I am happy we tried them this way and not disguised in a complicated recipe.

The bonus is that each sausage is an average of 140 calories. And I am always looking for a calorie bargain.

It was fun afternoon. The party guests are all runners, and it was very entertaining to hear their stories, since I am kind of a beginner at the sport.

All the food we served was Paleo, because two of the guests besides RB and myself already follow the diet.

We also dined on pork and blueberry meatballs (recipe to come), a huge salad, and prosciutto-wrapped melon. Dessert was some 80% chocolate and bacon-wrapped dates. RB and I really love to entertain and cook for others!

To learn more about al fresco, you can find them on Facebook here, and you can follow them on twitter here.

Posted by  |  June 6, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Santa Rosa Marathon is August 26th, 2012


This year I will be running the Santa Rosa ½ Marathon on August 26, 2012.

About the Race:
The race start is 7:00 am. The marathon is a double 13.1 mile loop that starts in Juilliard Park in downtown Santa Rosa. It is a flat, fast Boston Qualified course that loops the entire scenic Prince Memorial Greenway.

The half marathon starts at the same location and completes one loop.

Disposable chip timing will be used. Results will be posted on the side of the timing van as soon as they become available and will be updated continually during the event.

Every marathon and half marathon runner will receive a quality wicking fabric T-shirt and a custom finisher medallion. The T-Shirt (and chip and bib numbers) will be handed out at the Health and Fitness Expo and the finisher medal will be presented to each runner as they cross the finish line.

The course is USATF Certified, and is a Boston Qualifier.

The marathon’s online registration is located here.

You can find the Santa Rosa Marathon on Facebook here.

This will be my 3rd half marathon this year, and I am very excited to visit Santa Rosa!

Posted by  |  June 5, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave a comment