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Blog entry from Sunday, 18 July 2004:
I just returned from an outstanding day in Sonoma and San Francisco. In Sonoma, Valerie, Erin, and I went to four wineries: Viansa, Cline, Schug, and Roche. By random chance, each of the wineries happened to offer free wine tasting, so -- aside from the bottles we purchased -- the day was very cost-efficient. Viansa featured dozens of free samples -- not only of wine, but of various dipping sauces. From the vast selection, I bought a jar of delicious spinach thyme pesto. At Schug, I purchased a 2003 Sauvignon Blanc, and at Roche, I sampled and bought a remarkably good strawberry-flavored dessert wine: a 2003 Merlot Carneros. My first wine tasting experience was a great one!

In the city, we partook in a family-style dinner at the Blue Mermaid Chowder House in Fisherman's Wharf. We dined on prawns, mussels, oysters, shrimp, crab, and an INCREDIBLE bowl of California clam chowder (New England clam chowder with artichokes added).