Cotton Candy Prosecco at Queen Mary Tea Room

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After spending a week in Salem, Oregon with family, I boarded a plane in Portland, headed for Chicagoland. But I intentionally booked a seven-hour layover in Seattle on the way home to experience Queen Mary Team Room in the Ravenna neighborhood, north of downtown. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Opened in 1988 by proud owner…

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The Best North Beach Food Tour in San Francisco

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Welcome to beautiful San Francisco! Let’s spend the afternoon eating our way around the city’s historic North Beach district, better known as Little Italy. We’ll try all the delicious cheesy and tomato-y recipes our Italian-American friends are famous for, plus some cold, refreshing surprises in this four-course adventure. Booking this food tour was no happenstance.…

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Return to Fine Dining at Erna’s Elderberry House

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In a few short months, our friends José and Roya will be first-time parents! This sweet couple has been our rock through the pandemic with every Zoom happy hour and game night around our tiny dining table. When Roya announced her pregnancy, we shouted “road trip!” and promised to take them on one last fancy…

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3 Places to Hydrate in Morgan Hill

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Welcome to Morgan Hill, California, the rapidly expanding south valley city that started as a bedroom community for Silicon Valley, but is quickly asserting itself as a thriving center of culture in its own right. Downtown restaurants like Odeum and Prova entice with flavorful dishes created by a Michelin Star-awarded chef. Yearly events like the…

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18th Barrel, Beer & Wine Tasting Room

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Taste the best of both barrels. – 18th Barrel Tasting Room Bye bye Napa Valley, hello Central Coast. The fertile soil between San Jose and Los Angeles has quickly grown to rival the classic wine trails of Northern California, with family-run wineries and tasting rooms popping up along the countryside. The sunny, but mild climate…

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Vertigo Coffee Roasters – Local Delight

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As residents of San Juan Bautista, we’re often asked “Do you like living in a small town? Isn’t it quiet and uneventful? What do you do to have fun there?” Yes, no, and Vertigo. Named for Albert Hitchcock’s famous movie of the same name, Vertigo Coffee Roasters is just down the street from the bell…

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Water+Leaves, Rescued Honey By The Sea

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I visited Water + Leaves on a rainy coastal morning, when Fisherman’s Wharf was bustling with delivery people carting in fresh produce to the harbor-viewing restaurants. This tea bar/coffee shop at the end of the wharf was quiet and clean, with a single barista behind the counter. A bearded man sat in the corner and…

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Small Bites At The White Hart Tea Room

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Turning 29 again is always a special occasion, so I treated my mom (the birthday girl) and my grandma to afternoon tea at The White Hart in Pacific Grove, just blocks away from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This gorgeously restored old Victorian home overlooks the sparkling Monterey Bay. After we selected a loose-leaf tea to fill…

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Swedish Vibes in Santa Cruz

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A walk through downtown Santa Cruz reveals what you’d expect – hippie-dippie clothing shops, vegan eateries and artisan coffee nooks galore. But unceremoniously nestled at the northern end of downtown lies Agency, a break from the Santa Cruz stereotype. Quietly offering contemporary home goods and northern-European vibes, this feast-for-the-eyes is my window shopping fantasy. The store’s transfixing…

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