2026 Silverado Resort - Day #1

A long Day.

Rolling from Carmichael about 9:15 am, we dropped Tiber at Best Friends. After a stop for sandwiches, we got to Drew and Carmen's at 11:30 am. We had a great visit. I loved the chance to see Dawson. I enjoyed the opportunity to tour the studio.

From there, we headed into San Francisco. We picked up Jack as he left work. Stopping at his apartment to get his golf clubs, we headed towards Napa. It turned out to be a little bit of a slog. We hit a lot of traffic on 37 and 12.

We pulled up to the Silverado Resort about 3:15 pm. Like we did with the Wongs in 2022 and the Gainsleys in 2025, we are spending two nights at the resort and playing the North and South Courses. Getting checked in, Sharon had a reserved a two bedroom condo. It is nice, but a lot further from the new lodge than our previous trips.

After getting settled in the condo, we headed back to the golf course. The package allows you to play on the day that you get there. Although the Wongs did this, we didn't do this before.

On the course just after 4 pm, we played nine holes on the North Course. I was very happy with how I played. In the past, the Silverado courses have beat me up and taken my lunch money. Although I had problems on the par five 9th hole, I was striking the ball well. My chipping was slightly improved. The greens are tough; I three putted four of the greens.

With a couple of mulligans off the tee and one gallery loss, I ended up with the liberally scored 57. I played both of the par three very well.

Back at the room, we got cleaned up for dinner. We drove into downtown Napa for dinner at Compline Restaurant. We split Crispy Chicken Wings, Berkeley Burrata and a Winter Salad. For entrees, Sharon Chicken-Fried Devil’s Gulch, Quail, Jack had Chicken Trufe Tortellini and I had Uni Carbonara. Sharon was a little disappointed in the meal.

Although Jack crashed, Sharon and I finished the night watching the first thirty minutes of Survivor 50 on the AppleTV.

2022 Berkeley - Day #3

Sharon found a route from the Claremont Hotel through the UC Berkeley Campus on RunGo. We ended up walking just over four miles in about an hour and forty minutes. The walk went past the Claremont Court Gate and Street Markers and looped around the bell/clock tower on campus. We stopped along the way at the Strada Cafe for a light breakfast.

Getting cleaned up and packing up the room, we rolled from the hotel about 11:45 am. We headed to Drew and Carmen's house. We spent about an hour and a half visiting in the backyard.

Jack rolled up in Sharon's car about 1:30 pm. He is moving into an apartment with Jason in San Francisco.

The five of us went into Orinda and had lunch at the Four Bore Tap Room & Grill for lunch. Sharon had a Steak BLTA salad [flat iron steak, blue cheese crumbles, onion strings, bacon, avocado, red onion, balsamic vinaigrette], while I had the classic burger.

We started for home about 3:30 pm. I had been considering going home through the delta, but Waze said there wasn't much traffic on 80. Taking 24 to 680 to 80 to 50, we were home in just over an hour and a half. Given that it was the end of a holiday weekend, I was shocked how light the traffic was!

Drew took Jack and a load of boxes to Jack's apartment in the City. Both Sharon and I are looking forward to having Jack and Drew so close in the bay area.

2022 Berkeley - Day #2

We had a light breakfast at the East Bay Provisions at the Carriage Entrance to the hotel. Sharon had a burnt breakfast burrito, while I had a ham, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich.

The plan for the day was a hike in Tilden Park. We drove to Drew and Carmen's house. After a tour of the house, Drew, Sharon and I headed into the park. We parked the car at the parking lot for the Steam Trains & Golden Gate Live Steamers.

We hiked the Seaview Trail. The trail has some fantastic views of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge and the bay. In total, we hiked 5.9 miles in just under three hours. A map is here.

Dropping Drew back at his house, Sharon and I headed back to the hotel and got cleaned up. Since we skipped lunch, we headed to the Limewood Bar & Restaurant for a glass of rose and a snack (another cheese plate).

We finished the evening with dinner at the Revival Bar + Kitchen. This turned out to be a disappointment. We had a nice drink at the bar and chatted with the bartender. When we went to get seated, the large restaurant was empty. We were the only customers!?!

As a starter, we split a solid kale caesar [snap pea, carrots, radish, crispy quinoa, grana padano, fennel]. For mains, Sharon had painted hills braised beef short ribs [green polenta, broccoli & shiitake relish, demiglace], while I had wild california king salmon [spinach, crispy red bliss potatoes, fennel relish, cherry tomato, basil & fennel relish]. The entrees were not good.

2022 Berkeley - Day #1

In the early afternoon, Sharon and I took off for Berkeley. We are spending two nights at the Claremont Hotel. With Drew and Carmen settled in a house in Orinda, we wanted to stay somewhere close by. I suggested this hotel and Sharon jumped on the idea.

We rolled up to the hotel just before 3 pm. The room was ready. The hotel is a little bit of a maze. We had to go down a floor from the lobby to the spa, hike across first floor, take an elevator up to the second floor and then find the room. It is an odd layout. The room had a nice view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the bay.

After getting settled in the room, we wandered back to the front of the hotel. There is an outside area set up with a bar in a trailer. The seating area has great views of San Francisco, the bridges and the bay. We had a glass of rose and a Cheese Board [selection of artisan cheeses, honey, preserves, grilled sourdough].

We had dinner in the Limewood Bar & Restaurant in the hotel. We split a Garden Salad [spring lettuce, asparagus, radish, shiso vinaigrette]. For entrees, I had a Heritage Pork Loin Chop [garnet yams, sauce charcutiere], while Sharon had 1/2 a Fried Chicken [fried potato salad].

The food was only ok. Both of us were surprised at how causal the restaurant was; we expected something a little more upscale. Additionally, the restaurant and the hotel in general was overun by families with small kids which seemed odd.

We finished the night watching Dynasties II: Elephant.