The Total Dining Experience

Before I get to today's post, I feel obligated to tell you that I did NOT win $10,000 yesterday. I know you've all been holding your breath. Ok, now on to the topic on my mind today:

Probably the thing that my husband and I like to do most is to go out to eat. We don't see the restaurant/dinner out as a precursor to a fun event, we see the restaurant as the fun event. I think he's always been this way, but I have only learned this behavior since we've been together.

We are all about the total dining experience, which includes a cocktail (vodka tonic for me- mandarin vodka if they have it, jack daniels manhattan for him), appetizers, white wine, entrees, red wine, sometimes dessert, and always some Bailey's on the rocks for a nice after dinner treat. You can probably see why this has to be our entire activity for the night, as we are usually drunk and broke by the time it's over.

As I mentioned before, we are in a bit of a spending freeze at the moment, so there are no long dinners on the horizon for Bossy and husband. This has me remembering fondly our recent trip to Napa Valley, where we ate the best meal I've ever had.

If you are ever in that part of the world, I must recommend that you eat at Auberge du Soleil. Some friends recommended it to us, so before we left for our trip we called and made a reservation. They asked if we wanted to sit inside or out, and since it was August and incredibly HOT where we live, we instinctively said "Inside. Definitely". Mistake.

When we got to the restaurant, up in the mountains overlooking Napa Valley, we realized that eating outside would make this experience all the more fabulous. We didn't want to be difficult, so we kept our mouths shut. But our server could see us looking longingly out the window, and came over and whispered to us "I think I can get you outside!" We wasted no time in grabbing our drinks and racing for the door.

We got outside in time for the sunset, which was gorgeous, and proceeded to eat the most delicious meal ever. Everything was so good! So good I can't even do it justice. It was a four course meal with beautiful presentation and incredible food-- seared tuna, perfect steak, soup, bread, the all important cheese plate (a personal favorite), and of course dessert. I loved my dessert so much I took a picture of it. There's chocolate in those little dumpling things. Delicious!








All in all, it was a fabulous meal, and I think about it often!

Now that I've potentially overshared about this place, it's your turn. Like I said, we are always on the lookout for new places to eat, and I love to take recommendations. I know you don't know where I live, but I keep a little list (no surprise) of places I'd like to go if I'm ever visiting a certain city. So, just tell me your city and your restaurant of choice, and I'll add it to my list!

Can't wait to hear from you all!