Sunday, August 22, 2010

Wineries, from A to Z (or at least W)

So, what goes well with a stay at our inn? A glass of El Dorado County wine of course. And what wines we are lucky to have in the area....just a short hop in the car and in minutes you can be tasting something to please your palate. So, with the titel in mind, we will start with A is for Auriga Wine Cellarslocated in El Dorado County in Northern California. "Auriga" is the ancient Greek and Roman name of a constellation in the Northern hemisphere and is commonly referred to as the "charioteer." They can be found at
3500 Carson Road, #D2
Camino, CA 95709
(530) 647-8078
Friday to Sunday – 11-5

Friday, August 20, 2010

Shafsky Family History

Berkeley Daily Gazette Pretty cool, found Albert's obit in the Berkeley Daily from April 3, 1934

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

El Dorado Western Railway: 2010 Folsom Historic Railroad and Transportation Festival

El Dorado Western Railway: 2010 Folsom Historic Railroad and Transportation Festival This is a great weekend!

Historic Victorian Homes geocache

Yes, so we all know that Steph likes to geocache, so of course it was only a matter of time before it was VERY close to the bed and breakfast....GC1ZY41 Historic Victorian Homes (Traditional Cache). So, next time you are in our area, have your GPS (and who doesn't these days?)....try and find this one.

Friday, August 13, 2010

C is for Colibri Ridge Winery

Colibri Ridge Winery & Vineyard is a small family owned winery located on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Foothills in the southern part of El Dorado County . The winery & vineyard are located high on a ridge top within the "Fair Play" American Viticultural Area (AVA). They are located about 30 minutes from our Placerville bed and breakfast and are open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. tell John we sent you!

Bed and breakfasts

After eight years in the business we have learned much about people, ourselves and the area. Most of it has been wonderful. We have been lucky to have some of the best guests ever....and thankfully the bad ones have been few and far between. We think we are doing alright and love to meet new friends at check in time. As a fellow innkeeper says, "All guests bring joy, some by arriving and some by departing." Here's to another 8 years...and yes, Lily says hi/woof.


So, just what is a bed and breakfast to you? Wiki online's definition is here Bed and breakfast - Wikipedia. Stay with us and see what you think....

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Wine in the Foothills this Fall

With so many vineyards to taste at, you could easily spend a week in El Dorado County tasting to your hearts content. There is sure to be something to please you palate! Why not use Placerville and our bed and breakfast as a home-base and explore the new "gold" in the foothills--above the fog and below the snow. El Dorado wineries are about a one hour trip from either Sacramento or South Lake Tahoe, and about 2 hours from Reno or the San Francisco Bay Area. El Dorado has familiy-owned wineries, friendly tasting rooms and great views. Many times you will be served by the winemaker or their family members, all while enjoying great views of the foothills.

What's a Gandy Dancer Room?


Well, because Steph really likes trains...really. Some of you may know her Jeep plate is STM TRNS--get it? Steam trains....

What is a Gandy Dancer? It has been debated but here is a definition from World Wide Words.

Want to know more about railroading? Visit the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento when you are visiting us. We try to go see the latest exhibits at least once a quarter.

Steph also played with big trains before becoming an innkeeper at places like theGolden Gate Rail Museum in San Francisco and the Niles Canyon Railway in Niles, near Fremont, CA.

Not sure what started the love of trains but we have ridden many. Roaring Camp in Felton, is a favorite run thru the redwoods or to the beach in Santa Cruz. Travel over trestles, through towering redwood groves and up a winding narrow-gauge grade to the summit of Bear Mountain as conductors narrate the history of Roaring Camp, the railroad and the forest!

Or the Verde Canyon in Arizona. The Verde Canyon Railroad is the #1 outdoor attraction for visitors coming to Sedona, Arizona and is an easy 25 mile drive southwest on scenic Highway 89A. Of course if you are going to AZ, you might as well take the Grand Canyon train too!

Of course, there are books in the Gandy Dancer about gandy dancers,the Disney Railroad, V&T, SP and the ATSF. Along with photos, models and other books on rail history to get you dreaming of your next trip by rail or building a scale railroad of your own.

Monday, August 09, 2010

Upcoming events near our Placerville Bed and Breakfast

Each of these is just steps from the bed and breakfast....


Starting at 5pm, AUGUST 21tst Art Walk on Main Street
 Main Street galleries and merchants host changing art shows and late night shopping. Starts at 5pm until about 9pm. For more info, call (530) 295-3496 or visit the El Dorado Arts Council



AUGUST 28th, Girls’ Night Out
6PM to 9PM. This event focuses on activities that appeal to women. Historic Main Street merchants stay open late for shopping, fashion shows, floral arranging, special sales, crafting demos, free drawings, health and beauty demos, massage, restaurant specials, samplings of olive oil, wine, cheese, chocolate, and much more. Sponsored by Placerville Downtown Association. For info call (530) 672-3436.



SEPTEMBER 26th, Antique Street Faire
[Antique Vendor Agreement]
8AM to 3PM in Historic Downtown Placerville - The 22nd Annual Antique Street Faire closes Main Street to host over 100 antiques & collectibles peddlers for this huge event. Food, refreshments, and more. Admission and parking are free. Sponsored by the Placerville Downtown Association. For info call (530) 672-3436.



OCTOBER 16th, Art & Wine Festival
6PM – 9PM. Over 35 foothill wineries will offer samples of their wines inside merchant locations on Historic Main Street in Placerville. In addition, the works of many local artists will be featured and the “Banners on Parade” community art project will be displayed with the banners to be auctioned for sale that evening. Music at The Bell Tower, art demonstrations & hors d’oeuvres, too. TICKETS ARE LIMITED for the wine-tasting, but the music is free and will be available for $30 each in September at Main Street merchants.We are happy to have the El Dorado Winery Association as a sponsor again this year for the Art & Wine Festival. Thanks, EDWA, for your continued support! For info call (530) 672-3436.



Would you like to join us for an event?!