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Lunch With Wine... Don and I expected a little wine with our lunch when visiting the sweet town of Sonoma. But we ended up getting lots of history with our cozy meal, in this old building from the mid 1800's.
Originally, the adobe building was the home of Don Salvadore Vallejo. By the late 1800's it became a hotel. In 1923, a Swiss-Italian family bought the hotel. The same family still runs it! Old Doors It was just after noon when Don and I stepped through the beautiful old doors.  They took us directly to the bar. The Old Bar The bar was charming.  I'm guessing not much has changed since it opened in 1923. Cozy Corner The walls across from the bar were covered in old photographs.  The checkered table cloths made me want to sit down with some Italian wine and pasta and read up on the family history. Whiter and Brighter The dining room also had a cozy corner or two, with a slightly formal feel.  Each table had a rose and black napkins and of course more framed historic photos. Another Cute Corner This corner near the old fireplace had a little bench seating and some cocktail tables.
I wonder what that funny little window-sized door is for? Tempting Stairs I was tempted to head up the old staircase and see if I could get a peek at one of the 5 guest rooms.
Oh how I wanted to stay a night and add to my 90-Notable Nights list! But we were only passing through. Time For Lunch We had wondered why the dining room was so empty, until we stepped out the back door.  What a lovely patio with a fountain, umbrellas and fireplace, checkered cloths and grapevines! A Sweet Little Feast I was pretty delighted with the crusty bread and olive oil, for starts. Don had a pulled pork sandwich, with pepper Jack and onion strings... on the softest roll ever.  My spinach salad with tons of bacon, beets and crumbled egg was just perfect. It was the perfect little feast before hitting the road. Jasper and Friend A dining adventure is always a little more memorable if you get to chat with a local.
As we headed out, I spotted this wonderful pair sitting together on the veranda. Jasper the pup, was seated on a pillow. I asked the gentleman in the purple shirt, if I could take his dog's photo. "Only if you take a picture of the two of us!" He laughed. "And send it to me." What a fun few minutes we had talking. The sweet fellow told me he was 80 and just didn't know what he'd do without Jasper. "Dogs teach us so much about living ...and about dying." He spoke those words in the most positive way.
What a great way to complete a dining adventure!
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The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
January 2025
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