Travel – Page 37

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) – Croissant from Pavel’s Backerei (Pacific Grove), Mission San Carlos Borromeo and Dinner at Aubergine (Carmel)

May 30, 2021 mmm-yoso Croissants, Fine Dining, Memorable Meals, Monterey/Carmel/Santa Cruz - Monterey Bay/Peninsula, Road Trip, Travel

We woke quite early on our "getaway day" in Pacific Grove. But we just took our sweet time packing and such.

While the Missus was getting ready, I decided to head on back to Pavel's Backerei to grab a croissant to share. It was just past 7 am and I guess the "Art Store Cats" knew we were leaving and decided to not be in the window on this morning?

There was also a line outside the bakery….even longer than the last time. It did move quickly though and before I knew it I had made it in.

Where I ordered a croissant and ogled the donut bigger than my head….. I purchased my croissant and headed on out.

Pavel's Backerei
219 Forest Ave.
Pacific Grove, CA 93950

And while I was sad that the Art Store Cats weren't available, it didn't mean that there weren't interesting things to see……

Sadly, the croissant wasn't very good; lacking in butter, not flakey enough, and too doughy.

And soon enough we were off to our next stop; Carmel. We arrived quite early to the city that has no street addresses, we were staying at 7th Ave & Casanova Street, no street lights, and where you need a permit to wear high heels……really, you do. We got to 7th and Casanova early and were able to check-in! Dropped off our bags and then headed out.

I'd heard some really good things about the Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, it was the center of Missions in California and Saint (as of 1988) Junípero Serra is entombed there. There were no other visitors when we arrived. We paid our $6 admission and walked on in………

This Mission is the only Spanish Mission in California that has its original bell and bell tower. The grounds are beautiful and on this day as the only visitors, tranquil….

We were captivated by the place……

One could only imagine how things were when Junípero Serra himself walked these grounds from 1770 to his death in 1784.

And while there are controversies about how Native Californians were treated by the "Catholic Invasion", much of what we see as today's California has sprouted from the seeds planted by Junípero Serra. Who was canonized by Pope John Paul II on September 25, 1988.

It is well worth visiting regardless of your views.

We then drove back to the Green Lantern Inn, parked our car and just decided to do some exploring….which included a walk down to the beach…..

And then doing some shopping……

Because we were able to check in early, we even managed to have a nice afternoon nap, before heading off to dinner, which was at the only Michelin Starred place in SLO-Cal, Aubergine. I had picked our accommodation because it was basically a half block from the L'Auberge Carmel, where the restaurant is located. During this time of Covid, dining was carried out in the courtyard of the hotel. We arrived and were seated in a manner of minutes. There were heaters provided, the staff was amazing.

Service was indeed at the Michelin level. It was impressive to see….when it started raining, the chef came out to help his staff clear the water from the tops off the tents……while still working to serve the Wagyu Beef mains in person. After having been thru more than a couple hefty wine pairings, we decided to get a single "Sommelier's Tasting" ($155) to share. We told our Server that a single glass would be fine, but he insisted on splitting the tasting……more points for the service here.

The amuse bouche courses were a great indicator of what the meal would be like. From the decadent anchovy ,artichoke, spinach tart with bee pollen, think savory, complex sweetness, mild vegetal flavors, wrapped in crispness. And the briney Taylor Sheldon Oysters with caviar! My goodness! The South African Bluefin was excellent, perfect texture, very clean tasting……

First up was the Sawara – Japanese Spanish Mackerel in a Nasturtium "Pesto", which was more like a broth.

The calamansi pickled carrots were amazing…..the fish, perfectly cooked, moist, flakey, the "pesto" added an interesting mild bitter-sweetness to the dish.

The smoked maitake mushrooms in a shiro dashi was amazing.

Such wonderful smokey-earthy flavors, which held up to the savory broth; which had hints of sweetness to balance things out.

You definitely wanted to get every drop of the abalone porridge……my goodness this was so good! The pieces of abalone were so tender; buttery-sweet-savory, with a mild oceany brininess. The tomato added a hint of sweet-acidity to help cut the luxurious richness of the porridge….a porridge!

Also at this time some Parker Rolls were brought out.

Which did really well with the Aged Duck.

My goodness, the dry aging of the duck breast made this so tender. The fat had rendered off perfectly….this was a plain amazing dish.

And then for the last main…..well, it was "drama" time……

My goodness, triple seared a technique that I believe originated in Japan. Just the smell of the meat almost knocked me off my seat!

A small container of a wonderfully balanced jus was brought out.

And then a plate with several purees. And then the dish was put together on the table.

This was another amazing dish; from the wonderful, pure, clean beefiness…….to the texture, the perfect bite……..just crazy good. The eggplant puree was awesome as it seemed to capture the "soul" of the eggplant. An unforgettable dish.

The Missus enjoyed the wine pairing and desserts.

From the service to the food, this was an exquisite meal, and I'm quite surprised the place only has one Michelin Star. Dinner was not cheap coming in at a grand….but heck, with no international trips on the horizon, this was the meal we needed and wanted.

Aubergine at L'Auberge Carmel
Monte Verde & 7th St.
Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921

Arriving back at our accommodation, one block from the L'Auberge Carmel, I broke open a beer I had gotten earlier in the day. I had gone out while the Missus was resting looking for a shop to grab a bottle.

Walking up the street I saw a couple; she had a mask on and he was walking around sans mask. They came across a sign stating that there would fines starting at $100 (This was during November of 2020) for not wearing masks. The guy freaked out and he and the woman, who I'm assuming is his wife started getting into quite the argument. I walked on over….not quite sure what response I would get, reached into my back pocket and pulled out a spare mask I had in a baggy.

"Good afternoon sir, why don't you try this on to make sure it fits?"

"Uh….um…oh……."

I was ready for some kind of weird response…perhaps he'd yell at me…..or worse, so I said:

"Getting fined for not wearing a mask, whether you believe in it or not sure can ruin your day, and we're loving Carmel and I would like to make sure you do too!"

The woman sighed and thanked me. The guy, nodded ok, and put the mask on…….

And hopefully, we had a happy ending to a rather tense situation…….

I'm still not quite sure why I did it. Maybe it was the tone of sad disappointment in the woman's voice….I'm not sure; but I'm hoping all worked out well.

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) – Pacific Grove Walking Tour and Dinner at Jeninni Kitchen + Wine Bar

May 16, 2021 mmm-yoso European Restaurants, Mediterranean Restaurants, Memorable Meals, Monterey/Carmel/Santa Cruz - Monterey Bay/Peninsula, Road Trip, Travel

After our walk down Ocean View Boulevard, we returned to our accommodation and freshened up. The Missus still wanted to do a bit more…..and I had been captivated by the wonderful homes we had seen during our walks. So, while the Missus rehydrated, I did some searching online and found a self History and Architecture Walking Tour presented by the Chamber of Commerce. I thought this would be fun and so did the Missus! So, we headed on down to the Chamber of Commerce near Jewell Park. The CoC was closed to visitors due to Covid; but there was a phone number to call. I called and asked if I could get a copy of the walking tour map. The woman who answered was really friendly and told me to "come on down and give us a call and we'll slide you a map under the door!" I told her I was right outside….soon enough, I saw shadow and the walking tour map was slide under the door! And we were off.

Before we headed off, I took a quick glance at the intro to the walking tour. Apparently, Pacific Grove was started as a Methodist retreat in 1875, when the Pacific Land Improvement Company donated land for the retreat. Instead of plagiarizing the pamphlet, if you want to know more, please enlarge the photo below.

We loved that the walking tour basically started less than a block away, down Forest Avenue.

The houses were chosen based on style. And there was one particular style of home I was particularly interested in after listening to an episode of 99% Invisible. Yes, I was kinda geeking out in a very strange way.

So my apologies in advance…….

The first home was in the American Foursquare design.

Known for the "boxy" shape, this design was deemed "transitional" during a period right before the Craftsman style came into vogue.

At this time (November 2020) there seemed to be some work going on at the home.

A few steps away was a very colorful Pueblo Revival style home.

Seeing the homes and understanding the designs really gave me an appreciation of styles and design. As in a Victorian Beach Cottage (Victorian design with wood ornamentation around the porches) versus Folk Victorian design (photo to the right).

The next stop was my favorite; the one I mentioned earlier.

It is a Kit House.

These homes were sold by companies like Sears, Roebuck and Company and arrived by train, delivered to the site by wagon ready to be assembled. Legos, Lincoln Logs, and similar toys came to mind when I thought about these type of homes. The one distinguishing item is the fastening bolts on the corners of the structure. Can you imagine; ordering your home delivered ready to put together…..and we think Amazon is a revolutionary tech company!

At this point in time; we were just starting to enjoy the walk…..regardless of the architecture.

Th next home was of Gothic design….steep roofs, projecting wood work…porch trim.

Versus Gothic Revival.

At about this time, I started thinking about the folks who live in these homes. Man, how would you feel about folks walking around gawking in front of your house????

And because we were paying so much attention to the homes, we started noticing other homes……some of which had interesting designs.

Or those that had something interesting in the window as we passed.

Of course, soon enough we were "back on track" with the next home, which was in the Vernacular style……which can be described as respectful to other forms, but based on what is available, but based on "local needs"? Not sure about this one.

The next one is a style I think we're familiar with; the Queen Anne style. With the towers and gables, it looks like something out of a movie set, doesn't it?

The next one was quite interesting as I thought that it was just "a barn".

This is called "Board and Batten" style and is noted for the vertical wood siding covered by more narrow boards called battens. This is Ketcham's Barn and is a meeting place for the Pacific Grove Heritage Society.

Our next stop was back on Lighthouse Avenue.

This structure, built in 1904- 1905 was built in the Romanesque style; which I think we're somewhat familiar with.

A bit further down you see colorful storefronts with large bay windows.

Those features and the ornamentation identify these as building in the Victorian Commercial style.

Our last stop was the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, which is in a Spanish – Mediterranean Revival style.

The last stop was perfect as we were staying right up Forest Avenue. We made one additional stop to do some shopping and get some gifts and then headed back.

Of course we did a check-in with the "Art Store Cats".

After a short nap break we headed out for dinner. I had made reservations at a place I'd read a bit about and where the menu seemed interesting; Jeninni, which was located right across those Victorian Commercial style buildings we passed earlier.

**** Jeninni Kitchen + Wine Bar has closed

There was quite a large outdoor set-up. We asked to be seated in the corner away from other folks eating and drinking.

There was something quite fascinating about the menu; interesting combinations. While I would usually shy away from these type of dishes, I was intrigued. And from our first dish of the night, the Radish and Lardo Tartine ($13), I knew we would have a wonderful meal.

The decadent richness of the lardo combined with a wonderful light pungency of the local radishes was a great combination. The bread was fantastic; we were told it was baked locally. The fennel seeds added nice anise tones and the mustard flowers had a light mustardy pungency…..not a typical mustard kick per se…..more like a pat on the head if you will.

I'm not a fan of sweet items in my salad; but I must say, the sour-tangy-lightly sweet pickled raisins in the Kale Salad ($13) was a hit.

The Missus loves kale so this salad with the bitter kale, nutty pepitas, and milky-savory pecorino was perfect for Her.

Or favorite item on the night were the Eggplant Fries ($8)….it was so good that we had a second order.

Perfectly crisp outside with an amazingly moist and buttery interior, seasoned with a mildly sweet-smokey Urfa Pepper which just highlited the smoky-nuttiness of the eggplant. This was definitely delici-yoso!!!

The Crispy Lamb Shank ($32) was also delicious. Think of it as Lamb version of "Crispy Pata".

Like the other dishes, this was a wonderful combination of textures and flavors; crispy-crunchy lamb skin, moist and tender meat, wonderfully gamey in flavor. The broth was harissa based; but I tasted something quite familiar….I asked and it was confirmed it was kaffir lime leaves. The Missus loved te perfectly cooked chickpeas as well.

Service was friendly and professional. While it's hard to put your finger on precisely what type of food this is; I'll just call it delicious! This was a memorable meal and we can't wait to return!

Jeninni Kitchen + Wine Bar
542 Lighthouse Ave.
Pacific Grove, CA 93950

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) – Pavel’s Backerei, The Bookworks, and a Walk to Monterey on Ocean View Boulevard

May 8, 2021 mmm-yoso Bakery, Caffeine Fix, Monterey/Carmel/Santa Cruz - Monterey Bay/Peninsula, Road Trip, Travel

**** Just a quick post without much food for today!

I woke fairly early on our first morning in Pacific Grove, did some email checks, then while the Missus was waking up, I decided to head out to get something for us to munch on later and headed right up the street to Pavel's Backerei which was a block away right across the street from the Grove Market. Of course I went to check out the "Art Store Cats" along the way. Looks like they were just getting up as well.

There was already a line outside of the Bakery ay 715 in the morning when I arrived.

The line moved very quickly and soon enough I was in the bakery….man, these pastries were huge……

I got a cinnamon roll for the Missus and the Farmer's Breakfast Brochen for me.

This would end up being way more than enough to hold us until dinner.

Pavel's Backerei
219 Forest Ave.
Pacific Grove, CA 93950

By the time I got back to our room; the Missus was ready to go. So, we headed out. My plan was to take a walk along Ocean View Boulevard, starting from the Kissing Rock and then walk on over to Cannery Row in Monterey. It would be a nice walk. As we were passing thru Jewell Park…..

The Missus decided that She needed to get Her caffeine fix for the day, so we headed back to Lighthouse Avenue. Passing more wonderful looking houses along the way.

So we back tracked a bit and headed to the Bookworks.

And both had Americanos before our walk.

For some reason, I love this photo with the reflection of the street sign in it.

The Bookworks
667 Lighthouse Ave.
Pacific Grove, CA 93950

Bolstered by our coffee, we headed back out and walked on down the 17 Mile Drive. then down Esplanade Street to Ocean View Boulevard, where we found the Kissing Rock.

The Kissing Rock is a spot where two granite rocks meet to create an arch……..and the stones "kiss". It was a fun place to start our walk down Ocean Boulevard toward Monterey.

The walk down Ocean View Boulevard is well worth the time.

From the sea breeze, to the homes, the the view…..

And all of the Memorial Benches along the way.

It was at one of these benches where the Missus and I sat, with the stunning view of the Pacific, where we hoped the souls whose names and quotes were inscribed, would be ok with us having a beautiful view, appreciating Pacific Grove.

Finishing thing up; we were soon at Lovers Point Park……it was starting to get a bit more crowded…….and where we saw this sculpture.

And a poem by Lorrane M. Duncan was inscribed below it:

"Innocent once you and I
Scaled huge sea rocks climbing high
To point and dream starry eyed
As sailboats skimmed by

Then our sea turned dark with war
and touched each one with sorrow
Child-like faith beamed out fresh hope
For a safe tomorrow

Stand with me, look out to sea
memories, yesterdays scenes,
Come alive, we'll dare new dreams
Look with a childs eye."

Soon enough we were in Monterey; Cannery Row…..in the time of Covid it was quite eery….

With nary a soul to be found; in this, the land of Steinbeck, one wonders what he would have made of the "Cannery Row" on this day.

There were very few people to be found…the occasional person walking down the street, the Meter Maid still hard at work.

An almost apocalyptic scene being played out in front of us.

In a place where the Monterey Aquarium draw thousands……

The price of the pandemic truly struck at my soul on this day…..

And yet I was glad that people were not gathering in hordes, spreading Covid-19. And had hope that we would manage to get beyond this…..

We headed up Prescott and made our way back to Pacific Grove…….it was a nice walk.

And of course, we checked out what was going on with the "Art Store Cats" on the way back.

It looked like they'd had a tough day…..it was time for a nap……..

Thanks for stopping by!

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) – Peidras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery, Pacific Grove, and Dinner at Passionfish

May 7, 2021 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Monterey/Carmel/Santa Cruz - Monterey Bay/Peninsula, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Road Trip, Seafood, Travel

We had really enjoyed our time in Cambria; from dinner at Madeline's to walking the wonderful trails at Fiscalini Ranch. But it was time to head to our next destination. I walked into Cambria and back to Cambria Coffee Roasting Company for our caffeine fix, we packed, then headed on out. Our next two evenings would be spent in Pacific Grove. The Missus had been to Monterey several times; I've always thought it too touristy for me and decided that perhaps we should stay just a short stroll away. Plus, there was a restaurant I'd always wanted to try out.

We stopped several times along the way, first at William Randolph Hearst Memorial State Beach.

And took a walk along the wooden pier.

On this day, it was a peaceful and scenic spot…….the breeze from the Pacific lightly caressing your face…..a lovely November (2020) day.

Just a few miles up the road was our next stop; the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery.

There was a lot of parking and a nice boardwalk where you can view the Elephant Seals. This was November, when according to this website, the large male Elephant Seals will start arriving.

No huge males on this day….just a bunch of adorable Elephant Seals relaxing and sun bathing.

And the occasional seal taking a dip to cool off.

We both found this stop relaxing and entertaining.

Maybe next time; once it's back open, we'll check out the lighthouse further on up the road.

We drove up Highway one thru Big Sur (this was before the portion of Highway 1 collapsed). Only stopping once near Big Sur Station.

We made good time to Pacific Grove and arrived before check-in. Which, in the time of Covid was done touch free……everything was done by key code; we never saw a single employee during our stay. I called the provided number and was told we could check in an hour earlier than scheduled. Still, there was a bit of time to kill. So, we found parking on the street near where we were staying and decided to do some exploring.

Pacific Grove is known as "Butterfly Town USA", so we decided to walk on over to the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary down Lighthouse Avenue.

First thing I noticed were how charming many of the homes were.

In fact, this would lead us to a fun little walk later on during our stay.

Loved this sculpture at the Post Office on Lighthouse Avenue; it's called "Butterfly Kids".

It was a nice walk to the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary.

Monarch Butterfly's usually start appearing in October to stay over the winter.

And yet we saw none as we walked the trails…..

And so we decided to sit on one of the benches for a while. After a few minutes we saw two Monarch Butterflies….unfortunately, those would be the only two we would see.

And while we were a bit disappointed to only see two; it has now turned to sadness upon reading this.

Our accommodations were at the historic Pacific Grove Inn, a Queen Anne style mansion built between 1904 and 1908.

The Missus was a bit leery about staying in an old house like this, creaky floors and all; but I got us a huge room on the top floor, which was way more room than we needed. I mean, how often are you able to stay in such an historical house….with no one to bother you?

I'm sure that in times not driven by the pandemic there might be some great amenities; but I truly liked being left alone to my own devices.

Dinner was a place I'd been wanting to check out for years; a favorite of the late Ed from Yuma, Passionfish. In fact, Ed did a three part post on the place. Of course, with Covid-19 I wasn't sure what was in store. It was all outdoor dining in the area at this time and the restaurant had done a wonderful job setting up on the patio upstairs in front of what looked like a nail salon.

Service was very efficient and professional, the restaurant had even created a satellite drink/wine station upstairs so customers could get served quickly. Ed had mentioned the amazing pricing of wine at Passionfish; bottles are sold at retail prices. Of course, we really weren't going to do entire bottles, so the Missus got Hers by the glass and thoroughly enjoyed things.

We started things off with some Buttermilk Biscuits.

My goodness; these were some of the best I've ever had; perfect, moist, wonderful flavor, a great balance in texture……man this was good!

The Spicy Fish Stew was a bit of a disappointment. It was quite bland; really tasting like a watered down mariscos consomme that one could get from a Taco truck.

Dungeness Crab Salad was excellent.

The sweet-savory crab meat, along with the almost buttery avocado was a nice one-two punch. The vinaigrette added a perfect touch of aciditiy.

Sea Scallop was perfectly seared; still rare in the middle. We both loved the caper-walnut topping.

Though we found the artichoke risotto cake to be a bit too mild in terms of flavor.

Smoked Trout Ceviche Tostadas were a bit overwhlemed by the spicy salsa and the mild tones of the smoked trout were lost.

Passionfish was a pioneer with regards to serving sustainable seafood and we were excited to try at least one fish dish. So we ordered the Rockfish, with a Jicama-Mint Salad, Rice Crisps, and Cashews. The fish was cooked perfectly; tender and moist. The spicy nuoc mam sauce might have been a bit too much for such a delicately flavored fish, but you couldn't complain about how well the fish had been prepped. Not a big fan of the grapefruit, but the Missus liked it. Loved the greens, a nice combination of bitter-savory-sweet and the cashews added another layer of savory-nutty tones.

All in all a very nice meal; a couple of dishes that missed the mark a bit; but wonderful service and the Missus and I talked about Ed….how he'd be viewing the pandemic, etc.

Passionfish
701 Lighthouse Ave.
Pacific Grove, CA 93950

On the way back we noticed something in the window of this art store.

It was a cat!

We loved it! From this point onward, we'd always stop and check out the "art store cats" to see what was up! They kept us entertained on our walks back to our accommodations.

We were really enjoying Pacific Grove!

Thanks for stopping by!

Paris – Snack Shopping at Le Comptoir de Mathilde, À la Mère de Famille, and Jacques Genin. Cheese Tasting at Le Cheese Geek.

April 24, 2021 mmm-yoso Beer, Cheese, Desserts, France, Paris, France, Travel, Wine Bars/Wineries

After our lunch at Maison de la Truffe the Missus had planned on picking up some "treats" for Her friends and coworkers. Of course, She had already purchased a few items from La Grande Epicerie, but wanted to stop at a few more places. I had done a bit of research the previous night; lookin at options fairly close to where we were staying. So, we headed back to the 3rd and onto Rue Rambuteau for our first stop – Le Comptoir de Mathilde.

Part of a chain of shops and franchises across the country.

By this time; the Missus was focused on caramels and chocolates.

Quite chain like and commercial….but fun to stroll thru.

Le Comptoir de Mathilde
42 rue Rambuteau
75003 Paris France

Less than a block away we were now in the 4th, was another popular chain; this one based in Paris named À la Mère de Famille.

The woman working was so nice and friendly that we bought a couple of boxes of chocolates.

À la Mère de Famille
23 Rue Rambuteau
75004 Paris, France

The shop I saved for last was Jacques Genin also in the Marais. You can read more about the Chef and his shop on David Lebovitz's post. Anyway, just looking at the place tells you quite a bit.

I just hung back and let the Missus do Her thing.

She put together quite a lovely (and expensive – but of course you can tell that, right?) box for Herself.

Jacques Genin
133 Rue de Turenne
75003 Paris, France

After which we headed back to our accommodations.

For our last evening in Paris I wanted to do something fun. I had read about Le Cheese Geek on a wonderful post from Madame Fromage and ended up booking a cheese tasting.

Our tasting took place at Fromagerie Saisons which was pretty close to where we were staying. Everything about our booking was easy. We ended up at the cheese shop a few minutes before our tasting and were quickly welcomed in. The tasting took place in the "cave" below the shop….but first; we had to pass all the tempting cheese for sale.

Our guide thru this tasting was Fabrice; who was engaging and had a great sense of humor. Our group of ten was diverse; from "curd nerds" to their friend who just came along for the ride.

Typical question – "is it ok to eat the rind?"

Fabrice – "yes, of course…" and he went on to to explain.

My remark – "just don't do that with the babybel, ok….unless you like rubber…."

We had a nice selection with a nice pairing.

First up was a farmer's cheese made from raw goat's milk in ash named Le Roumé. This was so very light, with a mild acidity, with a nice clean finish.

It was a nice start.

This was paired with a very nice and clean Sauvignon.

Next up was a wonderful Brebis.

This amazing Brebis d’Estive from the mountains of the Aspe Valley is from the farm of Maxime Bajas whose entire herd consists of 100 sheep! It was so wonderfully savory and nutty to my palate, with a mildly rich finish.

This was served with Candied Piment d’Espelette and was served with a nice Gamay.

This was an amazing duo of Comté, a Comté Jeune aged 8 months and a Vieux Comté aged from 36 – 42 months. Both from Montmorot. This was nice example of a difference in taste and texture of aged chesses.

Next up was my favorite duo of a wonderful Camembert de Normandie, so deeply savory and earthy, made from a maker whose entire herd consists of 80 cows; paired appropriately with a nice apple cider. And the Munster, very ripe and "footy" from Alsace.

The last cheese was a wonderful Roquefort, made by a small producer Maison Carles which works with mold from the local rye bread. This was served with a Tawny Port….something I hadn't tried before this tasting, but has now become part of my routine with Roquefort.

Our tasting with Fabrice and Le Cheese Geek was delicious, educational, and most of all a lit of fun. Since our visit, Le Cheese Geek now has a permanent location in the 10th Arrondissement. As with most of these type of events, things are currently paused due to Covid; but by all means give them a try once we're over this pandemic.

Le Cheese Geek
31 Rue Sainte-Marthe
75010 Paris, France

This being the end of May (2019), it was still quite bright outside as we walked back to our accommodations. And though we had initially thought that perhaps we'd grab a small bite to eat on the way back, we were pretty full.

As is kind of my tradition on my last night in a locale, I purchased a beer on the way back to the apartment.

Where we just packed up, caught on emails and messages, then relaxed.

I'm always so thankful that we're able to travel and have these wonderful meals and experiences. And even more thankful to be able to share them with you.

Yes, we may still be stuck at home right now; but one day, hopefully soon, we'll be able to travel again. And we'll make the best of it.

Thanks for stopping by!

Paris – Boulangerie Régis Colin and Maison de la Truffe (Since closed) in La Grande Epicerie de Paris

April 23, 2021 mmm-yoso Bakery, Croissants, France, Paris, France, Sandwiches, Travel, yoso-silly

We slept well after our wonderful dinner at Pertinence. Though the Missus got me up at 630am……because, well, She needed you know what. Yes, this was the Paris moment I mentioned in my Gala Chicken/Zion Market post. Sigh…….well, I needed to head on out. I showered and got dressed, then headed out to find a Pharmacy.

Things were pretty quiet on Rue Montorgueil at 7 in the morning. Mostly just delivery trucks and such. I headed down, then back up the avenue checking out the Pharmacies; all of them closed. I later learned that most Pharmacies in Paris open between 800 – 900 in the morning. I passed Pharmacy after Pharmacy, all closed. Man, I was having a longer hitless streak than Chris Davis! Finally, in the Marais, I came across an open Pharmacy and walked in. I headed to the Fem Hygiene aisle…..and was kinda stumped; so I started taking photos and sending them via text message to the Missus. Soon enough, I heard a loud clearing of the throat behind me…..yes, I was busted by the Pharmacist…..a fairly serious looking woman…..with one eyebrow raised, checking out the Asian guy with a maxi-pad obsession.

"Monsieur, what are you doing???"

"Ummmm, I need to buy pads for my wife."

"Hmmmm…..but why the photos Monsieur?" Yeah, like she really believed me.

Right then the Missus replied to my text instructing me on what to purchase. Relieved, I showed the woman the text, grabbed the package and we walked over to the register to pay. After ringing me up, she looked at me, warmly smiled, and said:

"Monsieur, you are a good man!" And handed me my package. Ah yes, more souvenirs from Paris.

On the way back to the apartment I decided to reward myself and grab a croissant. I'd seen a place on Rue Montmartre, which runs parallel to Rue Montorgueil that I wanted to try. By this time of the morning; folks were starting to get out and about.

The Boulangerie I was interested in was Régis Colin as I had seen the le Prix du Croissant sign near the doorway earlier.

**** Boulangerie Régis Colin has closed

So, I went in and got a croissant aux beurre. The system was interesting, you tell the nice saleswoman what you want; she bags it and enters it into the register; you then pay via a machine….so the staff never touches currency…..a hygiene thing I guess.

The croissant was delicious; nice balance of butter to salt; flakey, light and airy, moist……..a definite winner!

Boulangerie Régis Colin
53 Rue Montmartre
75002 Paris, France
Hours:
Monday – Friday 630am – 8pm

After finishing up the croissant we headed out, but not very far for our morning "pick-up" at Café Montorgueil and people watched for a bit.

After getting our caffeine fix, we headed off……with not much in mind.

I had wanted to check out La Grande Epicerie de Paris, a fairly high-end ("haute") food/grocery store so we headed off to the 6th and 7th. I've stated that there always seems to be something interesting to see; no matter how many times you've been down a street. This time around, I noticed this impressive building on Rue du Renard.

Apparently, this is the Syndicat De L'épicerie Française, originally built in 1901, which used to (I believe they still have an office in the building) the grocer's union.

And off course a little more than a block away is the Hotel de Ville – that would be City Hall to us American folks.

Crossing over to Île de la Cité.

It was a beautiful day in Paris. Of course, we took another look at Notre Dame (this visit was at the end of May 2019). The tragic fire had just occurred about 6 weeks earlier.

It was such a sad sight to see…….

Crossing over the Seine to the Left Bank, down Rue Saint-Jacques, then taking a right turn on Boulevard Saint-Germain we came across a street market which kept us occupied for a bit.

From here we strolled down the street, then turned on Rue de Sèvres…..

Stopped for a short; ahem, break at the Hermes store…..luckily, the Missus didn't find anything She was interested in and my credit card lived to see another day. Finally, across the street from Le Bon Marche we got to the La Grande Epicerie de Paris. I probably should have taken more photos in the huge store; but was just plain distracted.

After all this walking….well, I was feeling a bit hungry. And just at that moment I saw Maison de la Truffe…….I looked at the menu…foie gras and truffle? Croque-Monsieur with truffle……smoked salmon with truffle? Are you kidding me? We decided to grab a "light" lunch here.

Sadly, as I was getting some general info on Maison de la Truffe, I read that the place has closed…….so I'm just going to mainly post photos.

I will note that the young man waiting on us was a joy and the food was surprisingly good…..of course with things like truffle oil, truffle chips, and truffle salt…..

And the Croque-Monsieur with Truffled White Ham and Gouda…..and a few nice, fragrant shaved truffles for the heck of it.

It's too bad this shop closed as we really enjoyed our shared meal. There are other locations around Paris and I hope to be able to check them out one day. On our second trip to Paris in 2019 we'd visit another similar shop in BHV Department Store which wasn't nearly as good as this one.

Oh well……..I'm glad I got to try them out.

And also buy some fairly pricy food gifts for friends.

La Grande Epicerie de Paris
38 Rue de Sèvres
75007 Paris, France

Paris – Boulangerie Collet, Dinner at Pertinence, and the View She Never Tires Of

March 30, 2021 mmm-yoso Bakery, Croissants, Fine Dining, France, French Restaurants, Memorable Meals, Paris, France, Travel

It had been a fun day so far and after taking a short break at the apartment; the Missus wanted to head on out again. So, off we went to the Marais, and resumed our "lèche-vitrine". We eventually came across a wonderful green space; Paris is full of these little parks. This one had a lovely garden, benches (of course), and wonderful waterfalls. I came to find out that this was Square du Temple.

It was a lovely little oasis.

On the way back to the apartment, the Missus said She was feeling a bit "peckish" and I mentioned checking out another Boulangerie right around the corner from the apartment, Maison Collet.

And we got ourselves a croissant aux beurre to share. This was a bit overdone, hard, dry, and lacking in the amount of butter I enjoy.

Well, it was good to try. Another one for the books.

Boulangerie Collet
100 Rue Montorgueil
75002 Paris, France

We managed to get in a short nap, then got ready for dinner. We had reservations at a restaurant in the 7th Arrondissement, Pertinence, which held a Michelin star. As has been our habit in recent years, this one was helmed by a Japanese Chef, Ryunosuke Naito from Japan and Kwen Liew from Malaysia. The little restaurant serves only 14 covers a night!

The sun was still shining rather brightly as we finished our walk to the restaurant. It was the end of May (2019) and the sun doesn't set until past 930pm during this time of the year.

It's a clean, spartan dining room and the only folks working were the two chefs!

There is what looks like some kind of sleek manhole cover in the middle of the dining area, which turned out to be a hatch to the cave below. During our meal, the Chef had to run down to grab a bottle, the fellow eating at the other table went "ooooh" and looked at me humming the tune of Mission Impossible. I answered with "Monsieur James Bond"! And he cracked up….who said the French don't have a sense of humor?

Speaking of wine; we took the 6 course tasting menu (105/€). The Missus got the wine pairing, which cost a supplement of 70/€ and was enough for the both of us to share…..as for me; I got the caviar supplement at 30/€ which was worth every last bit of money.

After the wonderful and warm bread bites, the amuse was brought out; a Green Pea Foam, light as a feather, with a slight sweetness and tart from the kiwi jelly.

And then the first dish……the Langostein which came with a Konbu Sauce and a Miso Sauce. Check out that caviar; which really complemented the plump, sweet-briney langostein.

I preferred the konbu sauce with this as it heightened the nice seafood flavor. Also loved that nothing was over-seasoned.

The Missus loved this bottle of wine the best.

Man, look at the size of that Foie Gras…….

And yet, it was the thin slices of pickled daikon that really impressed me. It also was a nice foil to the rich-livery foie gras. Not a big fan of the Amaretto sauce though.

When the Red Mullet came out; I really didn't know what to think as it looked like a solid piece of fish; but it was amazing and my favorite dish of the meal.

The skin was light, yet very crisp, it was a treat indeed. The flesh was perfectly moist and mild in flavor….cue in the caviar. The grilled lettuce had a nice sweetness to it; but it was the celery micro greens that were really amazing, packing quite a punch of flavor!

Next up, the pork neck, which was done medium rare – yes medium rare…..I trust places like Pertinence. And this was very tender, considering it was pork neck, and had a touch of anise lingering on the tongue.

Man, I was pretty full after this……I usually leave dessert totally up to the Missus; but this time it was Roquefort with Umeboshi Caramel Camambert. How could I resist???

This was a fine and enjoyable meal. Service was excellent and relaxed, the dishes well paced, quite impressive with the restaurant staffed with only the two chefs. It was well worth the price!

Pertinence
29 Rue de l'Exposition
75007 Paris, France

Since we like to eat rather early; our timing was perfect as we left the restaurant and headed up to Rue Saint-Dominique and then up Avenue de la Bourdonnais crossing the Seine on Pont d'Iéna to see the sight the Missus never tires of.

And then we headed back to the apartment……

And then off to sleep. Where I'm sure the Missus was dreaming of the "City of Lights".

Thanks for stopping by!

Paris – Jefrey’s Cocktail Bar, Stohrer, Sainte-Chapelle, and Café Montorgueil

March 18, 2021 mmm-yoso Bakery, Caffeine Fix, Cocktails, Croissants, France, Paris, France, Travel

**** Sorry, not much food in this one, but if you like amazing stained glass…..

Our train from Stuttgart arrived right on time to Paris 'Est. We then caught the metro to Les Halles to the apartment where we'd be staying. On our last visit to the Missus's favorite city, we found that we really enjoyed staying on the Right Bank and I found an apartment close to a street we loved on a prevous visit. After getting the keys to our flat and freshening up for a minutes….well, you know the Missus, She wanted to get out and about. I had a route in mind and we headed East on Rue Grenata and then took a quick turn on the corner. The Missus was wondering why I seemed to be going around in a circle when we came to my first destination….to which I replied to Her "voila!"

This is Passage du Grand-Cerf, a shopping arcade if you will. Created in the 19th century, these glass ceiling shopping arcades once numbered over a 150….but most are now gone. There are a few left; the most well known….at least to me is Galerie Vivienne. There is such charm in places like this….it transports you to a different time. The window shopping….or as the French call it "lèche-vitrine" which literally means "window licking" is fun. I'm guessing those folks with their faces right up to the windows….steaming it up with their breath do look like they are licking it. We've all seen (or done) that, right?

From here we headed down to the Seine, taking Rue Sainte-Denis until we came upon this square right in back of Les Halles.

The rather lovely looking square has quite a grisly history. It is now called Les Fontaine des Innocents and was once the site of a cemetery. I had read that the cemetery had become so full that the bodies were pushed into the cellars of nearby residents. Eventually orders came down from Louis XVI to move cemeteries out of the city for sanitary reasons.

And so the residents of Holy Innocents' Cemetery were moved. But it doesn't quite end there. Apparently, all the intact skeletons were moved to what is now the tourist draw, the Catacombs of Paris.

And it's not only large squares and fountains. Right on the corner of Rue de la Reynie and Rue Saint-Denis I saw this.

Which for some reason grabbed my attention. After doing a bit of searching…luckily the inscription on the monument is readable; I came to find out that this is a monument to Eugene Scribe a popular Playwright and Author.

That's the Tour Saint-Jacques ('Saint James's Tower'), which is all that remains from a church, Church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie ('Saint James of the Butchers') which was sponsored by the butchers at the nearby Les Halles. The church itself was destroyed at the end of the French Revolution. But by contract the tower was saved. There's something around every corner in Paris it seems.

Our last trip to Paris had been in November of 2018 (this was the end of May 2019) before the horrible fire at Notre Dame in April of 2019. We were horrified watching it on the television. We took a walk past….the fire had just occurred the month before and we were wondering what we'd see.

We were happy to see that Notre Dame was still standing; but saddened at the damage.

We crossed over to the Left Bank on he Petit Pont and strolled around for a bit…this is the lovely Square René-Viviani.

Then passing the super crowded (with tourists) Shakespeare and Co.

And then decided to go turn around and head back…..and grab a café allongé on one of the cafe's near to where we'd be staying.

And so, we ended up at Café du Centre on Rue Montorgueil a half block from where we were staying.

There's something about this mostly pedestrian market street that we enjoyed.

It was lively. And yes, there are tourists. But there seemed to be the hustle and bustle of everyday like as well.

I'm wondering how much Covid-19 has affected the café culture in Paris. There's something wonderful about sitting outside with our café allonge….you can spent 10 minutes or 3 hours with your coffee if desired….you can read a book, a paper, socialize, or just be like us and watch the world go by. It just seemed so therapeutic.

Losing this would be tragic.

Café du Centre
57 Rue Montorgueil
75002 Paris, France

After spending a good amount of time just chilling, we headed back to the apartment.

The evening we had reservations at a place I posted on earlier. Before dinner, I wanted to grab a cocktail from a nearby Cocktail Bar I had read about named Jefrey's. It was just one street down from where we were staying.

**** Jefrey's has closed

It's a cozy little place with both upstairs and downstairs seating. We had two of the four seats at the bar. We loved the service here; the folks working were so friendly.

While working through a round of the standards….you know, an Old Fashioned for me, etc. We chatted with the bartender who was so knowledgeable and friendly.

After mentioning that I enjoy smoky flavor profiles he recommended that I try the "Smokey Monkey" made by, well, Monkey Shoulder. It was really wonderful. Sorry to say, I was told that while Monkey Shoulder is available in the U.S.; Smokey Monkey is not.

We were happy to have found a place to grab a cocktail in the neighborhood and would revisit on later trips.

Jefrey's
14 Rue Saint Sauveur
75002 Paris France

Sadly our dinner at Le Pont de Sichuan didn't live up to the first visit. But that was ok……

The next morning I got up and did a couple of things online; then it was time to grab a croissant.

I decided to head to the oldest Patisserie in Paris, Stohrer which has quite a history, dating back to 1730 and just happens to be on Rue Montorgueil.

Another claim to fame that Stohrer brought the Rhum Baba to France. It is claimed that the modern version of this cake was in this spot sometime around 1835.

I stood in line and ordered a croissant au beurre, which looked lovely, nicely lacquered, crackly, but on the dry side and not quite to our taste in terms of the butter flavor.

It was not bad….perhaps I should have gotten a rhum baba as well, but it seemed to early in the day.

Stohrer
51 Rue Montorgueil
75002 Paris, France

After having the croissant, we headed out. I had purchased advance tickets for Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie. We got to the location right before opening and were quickly allowed entrance.

The very gothic exterior of Sainte-Chapelle is somewhat obscured by the surrounding buildings. And you really don't get the full scope of the chapel.

And then you enter and are simply awestruck at the beautiful stained glass.

There are over 1,000 biblical scenes depicted in the stained glass of the upper chapel in the photo below!

And the lower chapel!

Originally built over the period of ten (!) years – 1238-1248 as a Royal Chapel by Louis IX to house relics including the supposed Crown of Thorns.

The chapel was damaged during the French Revolution, but restored in he 19th century.

Amazing!

Sainte Chapel resides in a large complex of structures originally called Palais de la Cité, now called the Palais de Justice.

Right next to the Palais de Justice is a place with a grim and dark past; once a palace, the Conciergerie became a place of detention after the French Revolution. It is where the Revolutionary Tribunal tried "enemies of the Revolution". During a two year period (a year of which is called "The Reign of Terror") almost 2800 people were executed by guillotine.

Entering the barren and haunting halls is quite an experience if you know just a bit of French history.

And even in the most somewhat innocuous places, the reality strikes you. The lovely courtyard looks so peaceful…..

Until you look up and notice the scary looking spikes; still in place, to keep prisoners confined.

There's a memorial room in La Conciergerie that lists out the 2,780 names of those condemned to death, with some very familiar names.

Whew….we needed a break.

So, we headed back to the apartment and decided to stop for another caffeine break. This time at the place next door to Café du Centre, Café Montorgueil. We actually found that we enjoyed this café quite a bit….it had more of a relaxed local vibe and was actually cheaper than the place next door, go figure?

We enjoyed our Café Allonge; while watching time and people slowly pass……

Café Montorgueil
55 Rue Montorgueil
75002 Paris, France

Before we knew it, an hour had gone by. We decided to head back to the apartment for a short break……

Before heading back out to do more exploring, shopping, and then of course; dinner!

For those that took the time to read this rather long and rambling post, I thank you! And I'd especially like to thank both Kerri and LaurieH who both mentioned missing our travel posts….thanks so much for the kind words!

Cambria (During Covid-19) – Fiscalini Ranch, Cambria Coffee, Shamel Community Park, and Dinner at Black Cat Bistro

March 4, 2021 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Caffeine Fix, European Restaurants, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Road Trip, Travel

During our roadtrip last November, our second stop was in Cambria. We had really enjoyed our dinner at Madeline's the night before. From the food, wine, and wonderful service….it was such a nice experience. We were looking forward to our full day in the town. Man, it really felt good to be travelling for a bit. We had really missed it.

I had gotten up early in the morning. The office had an urgent request so I was on my laptop and the phone for a bit. After my call, the Missus wanted a cup o' Joe. So I got dressed and headed out.

I crossed Highway 1 onto Main Street, which was quite sleepy at this time of the morning.

I really enjoyed the quaint, artsy, but unpretentious vibe of Cambria…..and a definite sense of humor!

A few blocks down was my destination; Cambria Coffee Roasting Company.

While I understand that there's a deck seating area upstairs with a view of the street; at this time, due to Covid restrictions it's closed. Basically, a table was set-up in the doorway and you could place your order.

And then you stand aside until you are called. I was happy to note that Cambria Coffee does pour-over…..which would make the coffee snob in the family (the Missus) happy. So, I got a coffee and a pour over for the Missus.

It was nice to see locals seeing each other….during these times, with the social distancing and such, I'm sure it's a treat for those on fours legs as well for those on two.

I went and walked on back to our room. The Missus enjoyed Her coffee. While not quite on the same level as Birdrock, She did enjoy it.

Cambria Coffee Roasting Company
761 Main St.
Cambria, CA 93428

Bolstered by caffeine, the Missus was ready to head out. I had done a bit of research and planning for this trip to keep the Missus busy. One thing that caught my attention was Fiscalini Ranch Preserve. Previously owned by the Fiscalini family since the late 1800's as a cattle ranch, it was sold in the 1980's to a developer. The plan was to create a residential area, much like what surrounds the ranch. Fortunately (for us), the developer went bankrupt and the North Coast Small Wilderness Area Preservation was formed and raised 11 million dollars to purchase the property. The preserve consists of over 400 acres of trails which straddle both sides of Highway 1. You go from one of the last Monterey Pine Forests to the beautiful coast.

There are at least 17 trails available all of which are well maintained and makes for rather easy hiking. I decided that we should start at Huntington Road entrance, basically just an gate with street parking and walk along the Ridge Trail.

Where we quickly came upon an interesting bench.

This one is known as the, well, Dolphin Bench of course. We'd come to really enjoy the wonderful and quite artistic benches crafted with driftwood along the way.

We hiked along the Ridge Trail coming upon the pine forest.

And then meandered down to the Bluff Trail, which was scenic and beautiful.

And course there are those benches that I mentioned earlier….they really looked like works of art to us.

We took our time, sitting on the benches and enjoyed the views along the way.

These were the Missus's favorite benches.

Once we reached the North Windsor Boulevard Entrance, we headed back up the SeaClift Trail and eventually back from where we started.

Fiscalini Ranch Preserve was a fun, relaxing, and needless to say beautiful way to spend our day in Cambria.

It was time well spent.

After our hike, we headed into Cambria's East Village to do some shopping.

Which was a lot of fun……

We headed back to our very comfortable room at the El Colibri for, at least for me was a well earned afternoon nap.

I had made dinner reservations for this dinner at a restaurant in the East Village. I asked the Missus to get ready a bit early….She was a bit perturbed, but went along. We got into the car and instead of heading across Highway 1 I took a right turn down Windsor Boulevard and right at the turn down the hill stopped and parked at Shamel Community Park.

As we walked from the parking lot to the beach, the Missus got it…..

And boy was it beautiful!

Doesn't get much better than this, does it?

After the stunning sunset, we headed to our dinner destination, finding parking on the street. And enjoying the wonderful fun and artsy décor along the way.

Dinner was at Black Cat Bistro. The menu looked interesting…. We were seated in a covered porch area. During this time SLO County was under the Red tier and had 25% indoor, we requested outdoor. There were only two other couples during our whole meal….all from out of town and the other two parties had such cute and well behaved pooches with them.

The meal started in fine fashion with a delicious Crab Cake and Shrimp Salad ($17).

The shrimp was fried perfectly, the batter was light and crunchy, the shrimp sweet, plump, and oh so tender. The crab cakes was well made, full of crab meat, moist, the breading stood up well in the face of the remoulade sauce. The arugula added a nice balance as the mild bitterness helped to cut the richness. This was easily the best dish of the night, a memorable dish.

Next up was the "Paso Robles Pork Belly" ($15).

Love the addition of Gigante Beans; the pork belly was fine, the sauce was too salty and sweet for our taste.

Next up; the Gnocchi ($14). The gnocchi is fried giving it an interesting texture…..but beyond the light crispness, the interior was too mushy.

We did enjoy the earthiness of the mushrooms paired with the pleasant bitterness of the radicchio. This added a nice dimension to the plate, though that cream sauce just wasn't to our taste.

The last dish of the evening was the main reason I decided to book our dinner at Black Cat Bistro; the Strozzapreti ($25). The Missus loves strozzapreti and strigoli, the wonderful toothsomeness of the pasta. This was a vegetarian version which the Missus was more than happy to order.

There was just too much going on in this dish and the pasta was over cooked and on the mushy side, lacking in that nice chewiness the Missus enjoys. We enjoyed the purple cauliflower and Romanesco….the Missus just loves Her cauliflower. The currants seemed a bit too much for the dish as was the cream sauce. We would have preferred a bit more restraint in the saucing of the dish….but hey…..this is the US, not Italy. Sometimes, simple is best.

Overall a nice meal; friendly staff, the other two parties were from out of town and come to Cambria yearly. The Black Cat Bistro is a favorite of theirs. The Missus enjoyed the wine pairings as well.

Black Cat Bistro
1602 Main St.
Cambria, CA 93428

As you can see; we didn't go to bed hungry! We really enjoyed Cambria and will be sure to return.

Clearing Out the Memory Card – Teotihuacan, Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and a Revisit to Pasillo de Humo (CDMX)

December 26, 2020 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Mexico, Mexico City, Travel

Well, the Missus keeps insisting that we had only one trip this year; our recent roadtrip. I reminded Her that we did two trips early in the year, San Francisco and Mexico City. I went ahead and started showing Her our photos. Honestly, I don't blame Her for thinking those trips didn't happen this year….January and February just seem so long ago now.

Anyway, while I was looking at some of my photos; I thought I'd better get me act together and start doing posts. I'm going to try to limit my verbiage from this point on and let you enjoy the photos, though I think I'm not going to be very successful.

Before our trip to CDMX, I contacted a Driver named Aaron Cruz that came highly recommended by a couple of the Missus's coworkers and heck is even the subject of this thread in TripAdvisor. Anyway, contacting and arranging was easy. And on the day of pick-up, I went out and quickly picked up some croissants from our favorite bakery down the street.

Aaron was on time and got us to Teotihuacan in no time at all. Both the Missus and I had read about this amazing UNESCO World Heritage Site and were excited about our visit. Needless to say; it delivered.

Entering from the Southwest entrance, the first thing you come upon is La Cuidadela (the Citadel), which is theorized to be the main square of the city. Within the walls is the Templo de Quetzalcoatl ("Temple of the Feathered Serpent") which is said to be the last of the three pyramid built at Teotihuacan. There are six levels of the pyramid each of which is decorated with the sculptured heads of Fire and Feathered Serpents. Discoveries are still being made to this day around and under the temple.

The main street that lead past the Pyramid of the Sun and ends at the Pyramid of the Moon is called Calzada de los Muertos ("Avenue of the Dead") currently runs for about 2 kilometers and is thought to have been even longer during the height of Teotihuacan's existence.

There are what appears to be former dwellings and structures along the west side of the avenue and there's quite a bit to see here as well.

Right across the way is the very impressive Pirámide del Sol ("Pyramid of the Sun") which stands at 216 feet (65 1/2 meters) tall.

It's a fairly steep climb to the top, but totally worth it.

The views from the top are amazing.

We celebrated making it to the top by having our croissants…

While enjoying a wonderful view of Pirámide de la Luna ("Pyramid of the Moon").

You notice the photos of dogs above……they all seemed well behaved and really mellow. The most impressive dog was the one that was sleeping at the top of the Pyramid of the Sun! Man, to think this pooch climbed up all those steep stairs!

We headed back down and made our way to the Pyramid of the Moon. It's not just all huge structures at Teotihuacan. There are some interesting murals; like this one of a Puma.

And then we made it to the end of Avenue of the Dead.

And soon enough the Missus had me climbing up the Pyramid of the Moon; which for some reason seemed even steeper than the Pyramid of the Sun!

And the views from here were no less outstanding. The area in front of the pyramid is known as the "Plaza of the Moon" and the part of it with the central altar is known as the "Teotihuacan Cross".

After carefully working my way down the pyramid; we headed toward the Northwest Entrance where we'd be meeting Aaron and took some time to visit the Palace of Quetzalpapálotl to take in the wonderful carvings and bas-reliefs.

And soon enough; it was time to be on our way.

Aaron mentioned that we still had some time and recommended visiting the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. So naturally, we said "of course".

We parked on a side street; under the altar and headed up Calz de Guadalupe. There are actually two Basilica's here. The "Old" Basilica.

Which was finished in 1709. Because of unstable ground the church started sinking and; if look at it from an angle it is actually leaning.

Because of this; a "New" Basilica was completed in 1976, which looks very modern.

The Old Basilica was closed and went under repairs for many years and had just recently been reopened; so we got to check it out.

The entire complex called Villa de Guadalupe is composed of several churches, chapels and is where Juan Diego saw the apparition of the Virgin of Guadalupe (the Virgin Mary) on December 12th, 1531.

At the top of the hill is Capilla del Cerrito.

Along with other structures like "Las Velas del Marino", which from what I was told is an offering of gratitude for being saved from at shipwreck in the 18th century. It was rebuilt in the 20th Century.

There is much to see here; like La Ofrenda by Aurelio G.D. Mendoza.

And while exploring the various temples and churches, whether it's on an fault line and slowly separating from it's foundation; yet still standing upright due to "the will". Quite interesting to say the least.

Or perhaps the oldest church on this site, dating back to 1649…the Antigua Parroquia de Indios, it's all quite amazing to see. Faith plays out everyday here.

And then to end things off, we visited the "New Basilica" to end our visit here.

This was quite an amazing day and frankly we were bushed. Luckily, I had reservations at a place right down the street that we enjoyed on our previous visit, Pasillo de Humo. I'm not going into detail here, you can read my previous post. I will say, service was great and, at least for us, doing the appetizer thing might be the best way to go here.

And when picking from the Mezcal "trolley", my favorite is the "Ojo de Tigre"…..

This was just as good as the last time we visited.

Pasillo de Humo
Av Nuevo León 107
06100 Cuauhtémoc, CDMX, Mexico