USA Vacation 5: About Wine Country and the Route Back to L.A. Through Solvang and Santa Barbara

Next destination: wine country. More specifically, director Francis Ford Coppola's wineyard in Sonoma.

If you are ever in the area -- and even if you don't like wine -- a visit to this wineyard is nice for a day trip.  Rolling acres of grape vines, interesting architecture and fresh air are an added incentive.

For movie buffs, bits and pieces from Francis Ford Coppola's career adorn the estate.

Of course, there are the wine tasting bars but if you are driving or if it's too early in the day for you, check out the winery's restaurant, Rustic. You can enjoy a delicious steak or chicken lunch under high ceilings, and the ambience isn't too bad, either.

On the way back to Los Angeles, our route took us near Solvang, the little Danish town in California. For someone actually living in Denmark, this experience was slightly bizarre, especially as many of the Danish landmarks were copied here on a smaller scale. But definitely an interesting pit stop on a long car ride. The Asian toursists seemed especially fascinated by it.

Another pit stop on the way back to L.A. was in Santa Barbara. What a nice town! I can also see why this is a great university town with it's proximity to the beach and nice areas. 

And that was the last leg of our holiday in USA. For you readers who waited patiently while I was enjoying the Danish summer and procrastinating on getting the blogs posts out, thanks for hanging in there! I can only recommend a few weeks in California and Las Vegas -- maybe there was a little too much shopping involved but, oh my, it was an amazing holiday!

Street Market On Copenhagen's Little Bit Of Paris

One of my favorite streets in Copenhagen, Værnedamsvej, has welcomed springtime with a street market on this beautiful, sunny Saturday.

Værnedamsvej is a small street that connects Gammel Kongevej and Vesterbrogade on Frederiksberg. It's been known as the street that is a little bit of Paris in Copenhagen, because a number of French restaurants and shops as well as the French private school, Lycée Francais, are located on this street. It's a great area to explore if you want your morning muffin and coffee, new threads or a gastronomic fix, as lots of local Frederiksberg and Vesterbro residents do.

Crowded with happy people with strollers, dogs and bikes, there was a great feel to the street market, helped along with funky music that set the beat for everyone.

 

 

 Local shops had some great offers and displays for the day.

Check out the local optometrist's funky window display.

Some people had also arranged their own little flea markets with used clothes, dvds, porcelain and a lot more.

And then there were the more special things on sale. Like these vintage lamps...

...and these spotlights, which looked like they came straight from the rafters of a theatre.

 The restaurants and cafes of Værnedamsvej had their bit of the street market, too. 

People were also enjoying a little something for their taste buds in the sun at popular spots, like Les Trois Cochons...

... the wine bar, Falernum....

...and one of my favorite cafes from when I lived up on Gammel Kongevej, Caffe Viggo.

The guys of Cafe Viggo added to the street party feel as well by manning a hot dog stand. Nomnom!

The lucky ones, like these guys, had great vantage points from which they could follow everything going on up and down the street.

But whether or not there's a street market or party going on, I'd recommend a trip to Værnedamsvej if you like small, cozy shops, good food and wine.

APRIL: Happiness Is...

... resurrecting flowers you thought you'd killed off the year before. And knowing that you can say, "I'm an orchid-killer no more".

... when a photo opp turns out a more interesting photo than you expected.

... seeing the effects of spring. Finally!

... a long-awaited wedding gift for a pair of coffee lovers -- a Nespresso machine.

... the first latte from the virgin run of said coffee machine.

... finding out the name of your current favorite song hitting repeat on Spotify, this time by a local Danish artist.

... filling up your on private bar stock with leftovers from your second wedding party.

Saturday Stupor Aka. Spoils of A Wedding Party

Getting over a (second) weddding party after a day of preparations, intense dancing and only one hour of sitting before finally getting some sleep at 4 a.m. makes for a very tired bride.

I needed a breakfast of quiche and cake, a relaxed walk down Gammel Kongevej while window shopping and a dose of caffeine in the sun by Planteriet and Sankt Jørgens Sø (Saint George's Lake) so that....

...I had strength to go back home with my husband and sort through all the wedding presents that needed unwrapping and the spoils of the party that needed storing. As if that was a hard task.  (Note the irony?)

I DO love wedding parties...especially my own! That's why it's so great that I've had the privilege of having two...or is it three....?

Self-Pity City

Being at home for several days with some virus that seems to have a clingy obsessiveness over me is not my idea of a fun week. In a matter of days, I have unfortunately become a little too tired of my tv shows and a little too happy with my list of online webshops. My bank account might disagree with the course this sick leave has taken, though.

I've collected the customary number of paraphernelia of the staying-home-from-work-because-I-don't-want-to-infect-everyone patient. There's your Kleenex (extra soft!), nasal spray, menthol rub, takeout coffee (the husband is a darling, you see), glass of OJ (need that extra vitamin C dose)...and my phone, TV remote control and a book within easy reach from my vantage point on the couch. Oh, and as an extra treat, a nice helping of the husband's homemade nougat crunch icecream. 

Ok, so being sick has its perks too...

But I still want to get off this couch and out of Self-Pity City soon! 

Amorous Cappuccinos

A whiff of romance was served up in cappuccinos for my husband and I at Cafe Ritazza at Copenhagen Central Train Station.
Kind of makes me go, "aaaaaw!".
:-)

MARCH: Happiness is...

... French (bulldog) kisses

... an enormous Danish birthday layer cake

... Croque Madame and elderflower drink for lunch at restaurant Jean Claude on Østerbro

... a frothy cappucino following said lunch at Jean Claude

... my favorite menu from Sticks 'n Sushi (tastes even better when it's someone else's treat!)

... espresso fondant cake with hazelnut ice cream, also at Sticks 'n Sushi

 ... ironic, humorous posts found on Pinterest

... a new funky song to add to my Spotify morning jams playlist.