13/01/2013 8:54
AM
A side trip to
Temecula provided a welcome interlude from the Coachella valley. Cuda's
birthday began early at Coco's with a roadtrip treat from the waitress after
hearing about our birthday trip. ( FIRST RULE OF TRAVELLING: ITS ALWAYS
SOMEONE'S BIRTHDAY OR AN ANNIVERSARY ) The pecan pie was delicious and would
save me later from making a regretful pizza order. Upon arriving in Temecula we checked the
visitor centre and picked up some 2 for one tasting coupons. Our hotel check-in
was not untill 1oclock so we decided to look-around old town and do a few
winetastings. Old town Temecula was a great 10 block expanse of shops and
restaurants with speakers attached to lamp poles and pumping out some great
jazz background which created a great ambiance for our stroll through town. A
great cigar shop with lax smoking regulations grandfathered in before
California"s draconian anti-smoking laws allowed patron smoking inside the
shop . The wine tastings were ok but
very expensive at $ 15 a pop. After Oregon, Walla Walla and our own Okanogan
valley we were not overly impressed with the overpriced offerings of Temecula
valley. The wineries themselves were opulent with nice views and great store
selection, but most of the wines we tasted were very average especially at
their price points of $20 to $ 40 dollars a bottle.
We did 4 wineries
our first day along with tasty lunch of brie and flat iron steak arugula salad
at the Pinnacle restaurant at Faulkner Winery. The complimentary birthday
cheese cake did not prevent Cuda giving a scolding to the proprietorship on the
customer satisfaction card, regarding food items arriving at different times,
at no fault of server. Another winery and we were ready to go back to our
hotel. We stopped at a small store with a sign that read liquor and fine
cigars. We walked into an outrageously obscene display of fine tequila's and other alcoholic delights.
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so much tequila , so little time |
This store looked small from the outside but inside it was a liquor superstore.
I walked over to the till and noticed a modest display of cigars. Is this all you got I pouted to the energetic
proprieter. "Go to the room in the
back. He responded. I noticed a small refrigerator near the till stocked with
caviar. This was getting interesting. We opened the door to the cigar room
.BAM We had died and gone to heaven.
This cigar room was over the top and I've been in
some good ones
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As Cuda started her inspection of the big ring gauge beauties , I couldn't help going outside the room and shouting to the proprieter " I
want your F...ing job. For a short while Cuda and Shark swam in a fantasy ocean
of unlimited possibilities before finally forcing ourselves to settle for a red
bottle of cassalado anejo tequila and the winner of Cuda's best rolled large cigar contest. Back
at the motel we annexed an area on patio near the hot tub to enjoy our bounty.
Happy happy happy This was possibly the best tequila we've ever tasted and the
cognac sprayed bad boy we smoked was better than ok for a non Cuban issue.
The next day a great public market in old
Temecula where I finally found the shark tooth I've been looking for for 2
years since my last one broke. This market was great with a good balance
between food and crafts. More wine tasting and finally back home through the
mountains. A word about the Best Western we stayed at. Very enjoyable, great
spacious room with new carpet, excellent heated pool and spa, superior
continental buffet breakfast, great value for $67.00 Honestly, nothing to
whine about, really. ( The bad taste in our mouth from staying in a cheap motel
in
Yukima is gone )
