Vacation Diary 6A~~~a Dancing Fox and JLo

I know Darklings what a combination,

I didn't think I'd post so soon but right now I'm unwinding after a busy day, then I will freshen up and go to dinner.

I've had the most fun in my wine tour, meeting people and discovering things.  Lodi appears to be the Zinfandel capital of the world and by going to the Chamber of Commerce it's like being at a huge wine tasting, so many varieties on display.  They really push it.

The Thursday Farmer's Market occurs in the evening, when things cool down and it was a wonderful experience with food, handcrafted items, entertainment, quite the event.  But Lodi in the San Joaquin County has like Napa, Calistoga and Sonoma and parts of San Jose, the perfect conditions for wine growing, but the evenings tend to be very cool after the hot days in Fall, so having a heavy sweater does pay off.

I bought so many things that I had to buy another suitcase,  I didn't bring my Samsonite as I wasn't planning to use an evening gown, but Lodi is not very back watered either---my concierge directed me to a Kohl's Department store in town where I found a roller weekend duffel bag in the Jennifer Lopez collection in Cheetah Print---growl!  Just perfect for all you Gothic animals out there.

And perfect for me if I plan to use just a weekender,  I've been in touch with Doyle and he says he has several weekends planned for us in October so for me to be prepared to travel some more, which I'm looking forward to.

Several times for lunch I went to the Dancing Fox Deli, I know Darklings, what an unusual name, but evidently its after the fable of the "Fox and the Grapes" and I remember as a child when I and the family was camping, one twilight evening my father and I went to a meadow and we saw a pair of foxes and they were hopping around like they were dancing, it was a special magical moment that I and my father shared

But getting back to the Deli I have to say that each time I have had an excellent lunch, I was told by a regular that sometimes it varies depending upon who is the cook or food preparer, but I have not been disappointed, their cranberry salad has become my weakness.

And I have found several brands of Zinfandel to add to my growing wine collection.  Doyle has also told me that my other weakness, Pumpkin Spice Latte is now being offered at Starbucks---the timing seems so perfect I think I died and went to heaven.

I know Darklings it may not seem so Gothic but wine and knowing good wine is an experience one should have, it is the "blood of the earth" as some people have referred to it and the pressing of the grapes signals the beginning of the end of the growing season, to be followed by the culling or slaughter of the herds and the preserving of the fruits, vegetables and meats for the hard dark winter that comes, it signals the dark period to come.  And for us to survive we must drink the "blood of the Earth".

Now I'm going to get into the shower and head out for dinner,  I'm going to indulge at the Wine and Roses Restaurant one last time, and then tomorrow home again.  But Doyle will spoil me a little when I get home and I'll be happy to see Belladonna, I bought her a sweater that's black with skulls and cross bones knitted into it perfect for Halloween or a Goth dog.

Later Darklings