Romancing the Roads (25 page)

Leaving Ashland, it is easy to get back on I-5 South. In less than an hour, you are in California.

California

On the
road from Ashland Springs, Oregon, past spectacular Mount Shasta and Lake Shasta, farm fields gave way to congestion, ultimately landing me in . . .

Berkeley and Oakland

Claremont Hotel Club & Spa

41 Tunnel Rd., Berkeley

510-843-3000 or 800-551-7266

www.claremontresort.com

The Claremont opened in 1915 as a “retreat for wealthy San Franciscans,” according to the brochure. It is a huge, bright-white edifice that sits atop a hill overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Finding the place wasn’t easy, and when I called for directions, the person on the phone practically had to form a committee to advise me on how to get there (an all-too-common problem at some hotels).

Once there, I was immediately greeted by well-attired, friendly attendants who happily granted my request to park my car close by. The entrance to the resort is impressive and tempting at the same time as you walk past a long hall filled with tantalizing shops and boutiques. I nearly had heart failure on checking in, though, when I was told that I didn’t have a reservation! The tune changed when I presented my confirmation number. A must-have!

This is a huge place, and I have to comment (again) that I do not think present-day hoteliers realize that one of their main responsibilities is to provide legible, frequent signage. As I followed the bellman to my room, I made mental notes as to the location of the pool area, sport spa, and even the elevators. Walking down the inside hallways, I knew I would have difficulty finding my way out (which proved true several times during my stay). Maybe I should have left a trail of birdseed.

My room was attractive, in restful, warm, beige colors. There were two double beds, a large TV/entertainment center, and a bar in a nook. All the rooms have been renovated, I am sure in a most California-attractive fashion. I had a great view of San Francisco and the bay, particularly as the sun was setting and the night lights came on.

The bathroom was well done: double vanity, toilet and shower in separate areas, bright heat lamps, and phone by the toilet (minus points, though, for the horseshoe toilet seat.)

A visit to the pool area was first on the agenda (sandals and cover-up recommended). It took a bit of exploring to get there. Your hotel key and hotel card must be presented at the pool desk. It’s a nice big area with a lap pool and a children’s pool. Because of its proximity to neighboring cities, the Claremont is full of families visiting for weekends and holidays. The pool areas are well laid out, so you do not feel that children have the run of the place. The chaises are close together, but not too close. At the poolside Bayview Café, you can eat indoors or out or by your chaise.

I dined at the resort’s
Paragon Bar & Café
(510-549-8585), which had a nice ambiance and adequate food and service. I ate breakfast at another restaurant at the resort, Jordan’s, now
Meritage
, and was somewhat disappointed. First, I was misled about the orange juice being fresh (fresh out of a container maybe), the ketchup tasted like tomato paste, the coffee was too strong, and the buffet was nothing to write home about. (To make amends, the next morning the maître d’ proudly presented me with real
fresh-squeezed orange juice. I didn’t think that would be a good time to mention that the silver needed polishing as well.) From all reports, fine tuning has been done, but I am relating what I experienced.

The twenty-thousand-square-foot
Spa Claremont
offers every possible treatment you can imagine. Although a busy place, this beautiful area will melt you “like buttah” the moment you walk in. Among the many options are the “Thai Journey,” “Mayan Temple Journey,” “Zen Trilogy Body Wrap,” “LA Stone Therapy,” “Rosemary Citron Dead Sea Salt Scrub,” “Coconut Body Polish,” and more. The spa is open to the public, so call ahead for your appointment. Like I said, it’s a busy place.

Visit this huge, impressive, historic property, and, even better, stay a night or two.

Around Berkeley

Downtown Berkeley
and the University of California are about a mile downhill from the Claremont. Around the campus, I was amazed, even shocked, by the large number of hippies who seemed to inhabit the sidewalks. These were no flower children at a Grateful Dead concert but rather young people in a near-indigent condition. Blame it on my mature eyes, but the thought that one of these homo sapiens could have been the child of someone I knew was unsettling. I felt for both the children and their parents. This is not a part of town where you’d want to park your car and go for a light stroll—at least, not when I was there and from what I was told.

Around Fourth Street, though, a very nice area has shops of all varieties, art galleries, and restaurants. There were many eateries to choose from, but because I was there early, some weren’t open yet. I ended up at a place called Crepevine.

Crepevine

1600 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley

510-705-1836

www.crepevine.com

Crepevine was delicious, inexpensive, and clean. (I hope it is still there!)

Going in the other direction (uphill) from the Claremont, you enter a very nice area with beautiful Victorian homes and fantastic views. It’s well worth a drive-through.

Ukiah

Vichy Springs Resort & Spa

2605 Vichy Springs Rd.

707-462-9515

www.vichysprings.com

Two hours north of San Francisco you will find this oasis. To paraphrase comments I have read, arriving at Vichy Springs you feel as if you are miles from any worries in a most tranquil setting. This 150-year-old Hot Springs Resort and Spa, with twenty-six rooms and cottages, is California Landmark 980. Here you will find the only natural, warm, carbonated mineral baths in North America, a hot soaking pool, an Olympic-size swimming pool, and seven hundred acres for walking, hiking, or strolling. The costs are sensible, the waters superb, and the atmosphere delightful. I am soon on my way to soak, enjoy, and discover.

Wine Train

1275 McKinstry St., Napa

707-253-2111

www.winetrain.com

One hour north of San Francisco is the Wine Train. Taking this perfectly restored train, with dining and lounge cars, is an adventure, and what a way to see the beautiful wine country of Napa valley. Round-trip takes about three hours and covers thirty-six miles. There are three options for travel, the most popular being the one where you ride in the car with the vista dome. You can dine in gourmet style, with three- to five-course menus, and enjoy wine, wine, wine. Each of the three price options is well worth it. The scenery probably becomes more beautiful (if possible) with each sip. I am anxious to find out.

San Francisco

San Francisco
is a gem of a city, although many years ago, when I first visited, it seemed less crowded and sparkled more than it did on my last visit. There is plenty to see and do in San Francisco, but remember to bring really good walking shoes (maybe even hiking shoes) as the hills of the city can be a challenge.

Driving Diva Alert:
When parking on a steep downhill slope, point your front tires toward the curb; point them away from the curb when you are parking on an uphill slope. This will prevent your car from joining the traffic without you.

San Francisco is, for the most part, pretty and friendly, but it is a big town and has some areas that you should definitely stay out of, such as the Tenderloin District and the area south of Mission Street. So much for a minus or two. There are hundreds of pluses.

The buses are good and clean, and the people are friendly. Have the necessary fare, and a handy bus map helps.

Prescott Hotel

545 Post St.

415-563-0303

www.prescotthotel.com

Lucky and delighted was how I felt about staying at this wonderful property. I would not call it a boutique hotel since it’s a bit more grand than that, with 164 upscale guest rooms. The Prescott is centrally located and convenient to nearly everything. As I arrived early and my room wasn’t ready, I had my car parked, stored my bags, and struck out into the city with a map and a lunch recommendation. More on the Prescott experience below.

Plouf

40 Belden Pl.

415-986-6491

www.belden-place.com/plouf

Plouf
refers to “the sound a stone makes when it drops into a French stream.” Within walking distance of the Prescott, it’s a great place to eat! I dined alfresco in the alley adjacent to the inside dining area. Although it was packed, it didn’t feel crowded because of how the long tables were arranged. This very nice seafood bistro is trendy and quite French, and the food is delicious in a garlicky sort of way. (That is meant to be a compliment.) The service is fast, and the challenge is not to spoil your appetite by eating all the delicious, garlicky, broth-soaked baguettes promptly put under your nose when you sit down. The prices are sensible and the atmosphere delightful.

I decided to walk off my lunch by strolling around
Uni
on Square
(www.unionsquareshop.com) with its mixture of famous brand-name shops, the not-so-well-known stores, and the “I don’t know how they stay in business” shops. Before too long, I found myself in
Chi
natown
(www.sanfranciscochinatown.com), where I purchased a very un-Chinese item (though it might have been made in China—aren’t most things?), which I highly recommend: a very large, strong plastic bag with a zipper on top that folds down to a manageable size.

Returning to the Prescott, I was glad to get into my room, rest, and organize for a bit. I was staying on the Club Level, which features complimentary beverages and hors d’oeuvres served by the exceptional Neoo. Amusing and warm, Neoo always remembers what you liked to drink.

See below for the restaurant at the Prescott and more.

Driving Diva Factoid:
The pet-friendly Prescott offers the following amenities for your furry friends: food and drink (pet food and bottled water); Kimpton freshly laundered, faux-sheepskin pet bed; special pet treats upon check-in; dog leash; an ample supply of disposable cleanup bags.

I really wanted to discover the areas and shops of San Francisco that are not featured in the usual travel brochures.

Ferry Building Marketplace

One Ferry Building

415-983-8030

www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com

Along the
Emb
arcadero
(www.embarcaderocenter.com) at the foot of Market Street, this fabulous open market has fine fresh vegetables, flowers, homemade items, and other delicacies. Street merchants also offer attractive jewelry, clothing, and even cooking demonstrations.

Fun Out-of-the-Way Shops and Places

Taking the
No.
1 California bus or the No. 38 Gea
ry bus and following the recommendation of some locals, my next destination was Cle
ment and Thirty-first streets.

Kimberley’s Consignment

3020 Clement St.

415-752-2223

www.kimberleyssf.com

I had the feeling that this probably wasn’t an ordinary thrift store, and, indeed, as I discovered, there were few real jump-out bargains. Persistent visits would probably lead to the discovery of bargains. The owner admitted, “Yes, we are high-end, but then, our items are high-end.” She told me that they are the oldest shop of its kind in San Francisco—Kimberley’s had been run by her late mother.

Jane Consignment

2249 Clement St.

415-751-5511

www.jane-consignment.com

Less than ten blocks away is the more reasonably priced Jan
e Consignment, “A Breath of Fresh Wear,” owned by Jane Wilson. The store is a little funky, but you will find bargains, and Jane is delightful.

Tandoori Mahal

941 Kearney St.

415-951-0505

www.tandoorimahalsf.com

Not too far from Jane’s, I had lunch at this inviting Indian restaurant. The host and hostess didn’t speak much English, but we communicated just fine using a little sign language. They pointed to a table covered with a crisp, white tablecloth (good sign) and then to a savory buffet. Though lunch was modest—two small appetizers and tea—Tandoori Mahal hit the spot.

After lunch, I took the No. 2 Clement Street bus to Fillmore Street in order to rest my aching feet. I had been warned that this part of town might be a huge temptation for me, with its many bookstores, health and beauty shops, bakeries, restaurants, and the mother lode for the Driving Diva: consignment shops! Within a few blocks I found a Junior League Store with first-rate items at sensible prices.

Next-to-New Junior League Shop

2226 Fillmore St.

415-567-1628

Victorian House Thrift Shop

2033 Fillmore St.

415-567-3149

This shop aids the California Pacific Medical Center.

Seconds-to-Go Resale Shop

2252 Fillmore St.

415-563-7306

This shop benefits the scholarship funds at the Schools of the Scared Heart.

One of the shops had a beautiful, huge screen that I not only wanted but actually needed, and the price was right. But I never could have wrestled it onto a bus or into a cab. Sigh.

The Fillmore area is definitely a place to spend the day . . . many times over and over.

Back at the Prescott, a bit weary but anticipating my dinner experience, I got a second wind, changed attire, and was ready to dine. I was anxious to experience the excellent Postrio.

Postrio

545 Post St.

415-776-7825

www.postrio.com

I report here what I enjoyed then. Upon entering, one descends a small flight of stairs into the restaurant. I was personally greeted by then general manager James Minch, whose professionalism, hospitality, and recommendations guided me through a most memorable meal: gazpacho for starters, then ginger shrimp curry over rice with coconut, garbanzo nuts, and lotus root. His wine choices were especially good, and dessert was downright decadent. Save both your pennies and your appetite for Postrio.

Sidebar:
James Minch, after many years at Postrio, has gone to Spr
uce.