SLO

san luis obispo, aka SLO, was where jeremy and i spent sunday afternoon and monday. we left berkely after lunch and drove down, checked into our bed and breakfast and attended the manager's reception. they featured wine from local wineries, cheese, fruit and cute little meatballs with american flags in them. we met two other couples and talked for about two hours with them. jeremy and i left to find dinner - we would up walking just across the street and having a really nice dinner there. we went back to the b'n'b and fired up the jacuzzi tub. our suite was themed - they all were - and ours was "ah louis." mr. louis started one of the first chinese grocery stores in SLO way back when. they had framed receipts from the 1800s and pictures of him and his wife. the wallpaper and bedspread were silk with an asain floral print. we peeked into a couple of the unoccupied suites upstairs - they were so cool. we woke up the next morning and went down to breakfast - baked eggs with little american flags in them (serious obsession in the kitchen with american flags glued on toothpicks). we met the same two couples and had an enjoyable breakfast. we checked out and went walking around SLO, looking into some cool boutiques and visiting the local mission. the mission was really cool - we went through the museum that had all the original stuff that the mission people used and wore and looked at. the actual mission still holds mass but we got to look inside in between services. it was really pretty. we walked through the gardens and gift shop and then hit the road.

then, we drove out to a local winery. on the way we stopped at a stop light behind another car. when the light turned green the car in front of us started to go and a truck came barrelling through the intersection and took off the entire front bumper and demolished this poor girl's car. she had just bought the car 4 weeks ago and now it was destroyed. the kid that hit her was really shook up too but he was driving an old truck that barely had a scratch on it. we waited for the police to come and they took our witness statements and then we continued on our way. it was really really scary!

we went to the first winery we saw, the tolosa winery. we went into the tasting room, decided on our picks and enjoyed the different wines. we browsed the scent gallery, checked out the vats that they store and age the wine in and saw the big grape stomping machines. i really wanted to stomp some myself but they didnt offer that particular activity. we made out selections of which wines we wanted and then got in the car to look for some lunch. we found this great little pizza place and ate quickly then headed for home. we followed the coast all the way home - it was gorgeous!

cricket was SO happy that mom and dad were back and ready to play with her. she was very lonely while we were gone. auntie kris came over and played with her and made sure she stayed fat and alive but it isnt the same as having someone there to cat hat in the middle of the night!