Wedding Weather: Lovely with a chance of Bubbles, Toasts and Friends?

P'ville, February 25 (Sac Bee photo)

Spring in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada is a wondrous time. The hills go chlorophyll green, dappled with magenta redbuds, blue ceanothus and improbably orange poppies. And the weather? As they say in New England, if you don't like it, just wait 5 minutes... So here you are at the cusp of the vernal equinox, wondering what to pack for a trip to Northern California. All I can say is bring layers...and maybe an umbrella. Expect blue skies with fluffy cumulus clouds drifting lazily by but don't be surprised if a spring shower or a brief hail storm of biblical proportions wanders through. Please note the picture of our village at right published by the Sacramento Bee just 2 weeks ago. And yes, the name of this blog is ironic, but you already knew that...

weather.com widget 03.07.2011 AM

There are many signs that Spring weather has arrived. Quince, plums and mustard are in bloom. Redbuds, crabapples, cherries and pears are budding. Buckeyes were leafing out a month ago. Pacific Tree Frogs are singing up a storm (love and amplexus to you, my dear). And the weather man is mostly positive for the end of the week--days in the low-mid sixties and evenings in the high thirties/low forties. Sounds like blue skies, green lights, short sleeves and zories to me. But don't place all your trust in an optimist...semper paratus are still words to live by.

Get me to the Church on Time!: Local Logistics

3 important tidbits below: directions to the wedding ceremony from Placerville or from the Sacramento area plus directions to the Shakespeare Club from the church.

For people staying in the Placerville area, getting to the Emmanuel Church in Coloma is fairly simple. To start, find your way back to the Shell station (near Mel's and Buttercup Pantry) on lower Main Street. This is where CA Hwy 49 crosses US 50. Follow  Highway 49, North about 8 miles to Coloma and the Marshall Gold Discovery Site State Park. The drive will seem like a lot further than 8 miles to most of you. Highway 49 is a 2-lane rural road for the most part. Plan 20-30 minutes for the drive. You will make several very tight turns and drive on steep grades as you drop into the American River canyon. Please watch your speed, take your time and enjoy the gorgeous green of the Spring foothills. If the weather warms a bit more you might just see a few blooming orchards or a hillside painted with California poppies. Click here for printable driving directions and a larger map. Double-click the Coloma portion of the large map to zoom in for a better picture of surrounding roads. It will take several zooms to expose an appropriate level of resolution.

Directions: Folsom to Emmanuel Church in Coloma

Coming up the hill from the Sacramento area on Saturday? This route is more direct (and less curvacious) than coming all the way to Placerville before heading down to the Emmanuel Church in the Marshall Gold Discovery Site State Park at Coloma. These directions are specifically from the Folsom Courtyard Marriott where a few people are staying, but they will work for anyone else who manages to find their way to Folsom (just East of Scaramento) on US Highway 50. Click here for printable driving directions and a larger map. Double-click the Coloma portion of the large map to zoom in for a better picture of surrounding roads. It willl take several zooms to expose an appropriate level of resolution.

Directions: Placerville to Emmanuel Church in Coloma

Getting to the Shakspeare Club from the Emmanuel Church. The ceremony should be over no later than 3:00 PM giving you at least 60 minutes to take in some Coloma interpretive displays, historic buildings or to mosey up to the Venezio Winery a few miles North on Highway 49. Leave yourself at least 30 minutes to get back to Placerville, pretty much a straight shot South on Highway 49. Pay attention now! The easiest way to get to the Shakspeare Club is to use a local shortcut. As you approach Placerville proper, passing the intersection of Highway 193 on your left and getting into some old Victorian homes, slow down to 25 and watch for a left turn onto Spring Street (brick home on your left) just where Highway 49 takes a sharp right and descend to US 50. .3 miles up Spring Street you'll get to the back of the Shakespeare Club with parking on both sides of Spring Street.

Spring St side of Shakespeare Club: Parking

If you miss the Spring Street turn and end up crossing US 50, no problem. Just proceed East on Main Street, turning left at the Courthouse onto Bedford. Cross US 50 and proceed up Bedford (one way), past the Shakespeare Club to the first stop sign which will allow you turn left and circle round back behind the Club. Click here for printable driving directions and a larger map. Double-click the Placerville portion of the large map to zoom in for a better picture of surrounding roads. It will take several zooms to expose an appropriate level of resolution.

Directions: Emmanuel Church to the Shakespeare Club

Keeping the betrothed up to date

Erika and Will have established a website to help manage RSVPs and other notifications. Please make sure you let them know what you are planning with respect to attending. They'd hate to run out of chive, crab & mushroom canapes on onion toast. We are all so looking forward to seeing you in March.

Pssst: password at the website is "whale"

Where to Stay in Placerville, Part 2

The only hotel in Placerville, the Cary House (reviews), has been here long enough to have registered Buffalo Bill, John Studebaker and, my personal favorite, Mark Twain who briefly wrote for our local fishwrap, the Mountain Democrat. We have had friends and family stay there over the years and they generally give good reviews. The rooms tend to vary in size and hot water may take a few seconds to get to the upper floors if you're an early riser, but all reports are that it's pleasant and comfortable. The Cary House is right on Main Street with two of the best local food shops a few steps from the lobby, Zia's Gelateria (reviews)and Dedrick's Cheese Shop (reviews).

As far as motels go, we have a few that are pretty typical. Blue's parents give the National 9 (reviews) their nod and use it regularly on their visits. More modern motels can be found 15-20 minutes west in El Dorado Hills and Folsom. The brand, spanking new Holiday Inn Express (reviews) at the El Dorado Hills Town Center is fairly predictable and located in a "mallish" development with more restaurants, theater screens and shops than you'll have time to visit. Of course, a walk over to the Nugget Market (reviews) will be rewarding if for no other reason than to ponder why so many people would come to a grocery store to buy prepared meals. (And to think that for years now, I was under the mistaken impression that grocery stores were places you bought ingredients to prepare meals...) Eclectic and gorgeous for a supermarket to be sure. A few minutes further west, the Courtyard (reviews) in Folsom gets solid reviews from business colleagues passing through. In  fact, I recommend it pretty much exclusively to folks visiting me in Folsom on business. And the Courtyard is right next door to Fat's Asia Bistro (reviews), a happening place with first rate, if spendy, oriental fare.

Where to Stay in Placerville

Eden Vale Inn

The real reason I came here this morning... With Will and Erika's wedding approaching, I thought this would be a good place to post logistics for all of the out of town visitors who will be arriving in March. I've made a few notes on the local Bed & Breakfast scene after personally inspecting each one. I'll get to the hotels and motels before long, though that news may be less interesting and possibly depressing. Read on for what we've observed about the local accommodations including:
Historic B&Bs

• Albert Schafsky House (reviews)
  Dave Sloan loved the place and the proprietors. Immaculate.
• GlenMorey Country House
  Dave Sloan has returned here several times. Cute family. One of the oldest homes in town. Ambience and friendly attentive innkeepers.
• Blair Sugar Pine B&B
  Great Victorian with a turret and lovely grounds.

New Wave B&Bs

• Bella Vista B&B (reviews)
  "New Victorian" home with drop-dead views of the Coloma Valley, spacious rooms and gorgeous bathrooms.
• Eden Vale Inn (reviews)
  One of the best gardens in the entire county. San Francisco chic in the foothills. The Hamlins are geniuses!

I have posted links to Yelp reviews if they're available,

Shorter days

After the coolest Summer in forever, wet weather has arrived a bit early this year. Great for the garden and even better for reading by the fire with a cup of cocoa or, better yet, mocha with a splash of bourbon.

Must transplant 50 tiny Digitalis (purpurea v. apricot and mertonensis) seedlings into larger 2" soil blocks today. Mertonensis germination was quite low (10/40) which probably explains their rare availability in nurseries. Apricot germinated at 100% so we're hoping for a wall of pink verticality outside the office window (behind a mass of medium blue Ceanothus) come Spring.

3 new garden areas established this year including:

• A woodland garden started last Summer when Charlie moved 8 yds of soil to add relief and bury the most miserable piece of lawn in the yard (dogwoods, Woodwardia, Huchera, a sprinkling of Alstromeria and 2 Brunnera macrophylla one (v Jack Frost?) with fantastic variegated leaves.
• Our fantastic, curvaceous rock-walled raised bed vegetable garden. Pulled up the last of the melons and cucumbers yesterday to make room for a lettuce patch. Tomatoes, peppers and eggplants hanging in there but not for much longer.
• Irish moss, Navajo sandstone fountain conversion of another over-shaded and struggling lawn.

2009 Last Gasp! It Takes a Village (Idiot) Ravioli Stuffing Event

...a Blue & Phil hand-made food production

Cast: Will visiting from Cleveland. Charlie up from Davis. Laurel home from Korea for a few days and Kirk home from DC. Carl also joined us from Washington, DC and a recent trip to Israel. Dave up from Hollister with much wine and cheese. Even Steve and Dickson stopped moving long enough to join the party.

Here's a recap of the menu (did anyone take pictures?) and crew. Must capture this before I forget the details.
Drinks
- lemon drops (Steve)
- lost count after (groan) 7 bottles of wine (Dave, Kirk, Carl)
Eggplant Parmesan (Dave, Kailey)
Stuffed pastas (Kailey, Laurel, Dave, Kirk, Charlie, Carl, Will)
- crab with lemon cream sauce
- shrimp and  pea with garlic butter
- butternut squash with sage cream sauce
- herbed cheeses with puttanesca sauce
Green salad (Dickson)
Chocolate gelato & coconut ice cream (Will, Charlie, Dave)

MIA this year :-( Marti, John, Laurie, George, and the Southern California cousins. Get well, John.
Tyler, good luck in Mali...you are going back, right?
Colin, Leah and Lydia and all...stay in touch.
Laurie, keep an eye on George. He needs tending...
Happy New Year