Go Bananas in the Banana Museum
I went bananas at the International Banana Museum near the Salton Sea and Coachella Valley! Who knew there was a museum devoted to bananas? And I couldn’t wait to visit since I love the yellow skinned fruit. Fred Garbutt is the man behind all things bananas and his wife Kym enjoys telling the story how...
The Mission Inn, a Storied History in Riverside Calif
Well Known In It’s Heyday I had heard about the magical holiday displays at The Mission Inn and they were a must see, but I visited in the middle of the summer to get a look at the inn. How It All Began Riverside, California, was home to a colony of healthy people who tried...
Thrilled to tour Hyatt’s kitchens
My recent stay at Hyatt Regency, Indian Wells, Ca. was extra special with the opportunity to tour the kitchen, rather kitchens. Pastry Chef Alicia Fernandez showed me how the pastries are made and the individual care taken with each item. She’s an “old school” taught chef and found her passion with cakes, tarts, macaroons and truffles. Nearly all...
Dallmann’s Chocolates old world candy with a modern twist
Dark chocolate caramel with fleur de sel is the favorite sweet treat at Dallmann’s Confections with handmade Mozartkugel close behind. Originally from the chateau dotted mountains of Austria, Isabella Valenica was raised in her family’s pastry shop in a small village which pays homage to Mozart. Keeping with handmade traditions passed on from generations, she...
Strawberry fields forever in Carlsbad
Picking your own freshly grown strawberries is family fun and refreshing in the U Pick strawberry fields of Carlsbad, Ca. Big red and juicy strawberries hang gracefully from the vibrant green plants, dangling in the farm fields waiting to be picked under the bright sun. This popular north county attraction is open April through...
Filoli Gardens, Northern California
Tulips in Filoli Gardens The Beauty of Filori Gardens With the fragrance of wisteria in the air, one million daffodils in full bloom show brightly in meadows near the Santa Cruz Mountains. At Filoli Gardens, forty-eight varieties of daffodils – including 65,000 golden dawns grace the low-lying meadow between the mansion estate and the...
