VISIT TO SAN JOSE

We arrived in San Jose on Wed the 27 @ 8:30 after a long set (3) of flights.  We were met by our friend, Reiad Chikhani and as soon as we got to their home, Sylvia immediately set to making green chili stew and sopapillas.  Nancy, who works at Weight Watchers, arrived later.  They woke up the next morning to a breakfast of pancakes, eggs and green chili stew.   We took a drive to Carmel and stopped along the way at Hecker Pass Winery where we sampled and bought some wine, saw the harvest of green olives, and witness a dog giving 2 cats buddy massages with his mouth.  The cats were in heaven.  As we passed the wine country, we stopped at an outdoor fruit and meat market and purchased lots of produce.  We stopped for lunch (some of the best fish and chips we have ever had) in Monterrey as we did a little sightseeing in Cannery row.  When we got to Carmel, Mason met a realter who wanted us to buy a home there (houses run in the millions).  Remember that Clint Eastwood was the mayor there at one time and its where the famous Pebble Beach Golf Course is. We told him we'd think about it - not!

Back in San Jose, we got to meet the Chikhani's daughter, Marla and her 1 year old son, Nathan. He is such a great baby and is so handsome.  He entertained us for a while.  Then we went home and made 3 apple pies before we went to bed.  On Friday, we cooked some more and they invited some neighbors and their son Stephen to come for dinner.  We had pico de gallo and salsa w/chips, sopapillas (for stuffing) taco meat, spanish rice, beans, lettuce, tomato, onions, cheese, also empanadas filled w/beef and potatoes, red enchiladas, carne and papas adovada,  and torillas.  We also made some Chicarones but they were gone before we finished cooking the rest of the meal.  Reiad watched and learned how to make everything so we know he'll be making more chicarones, tortillas and sopapillas soon.  There were a total of 11 of us at the dinner party and all seemed to have had a good time - We know they enjoyed the dinner.  There were a lot of leftovers! 

It gives Sylvia such pleasure to cook for others and Mason such pleasure to see her in her glory as well as cleaning up after her and taking as many pictures as he can.  We can't wait to go back when it warms up to go visit them at their house on the Delta. 

We hope to stay home for a few weeks before we set off again.

teaching how to make shape pancakes

homemade tortillas

ahh, massage!

drive thru forest

these a turbAN not turbO squash

WE WOULD HAVE BOUGHT THIS PUMPKIN BUT Mason hates pumpkin pies

Cannery Row

Sylvia giving this cook recipes and inviting him to come stay with us after he gave us a taste of clam chowder

That is a palm tree behind John Steinbeck's head not his hair and we didn't realize it till the picture showed up

Ocean view

Window shopping

The man in black was trying to get Mason to buy a $2million home from him.  We told him we'd think about it.

click on pictures to see the price of the homes

This is the one we want

Marla and Nathan

Reiad sampling

Pico de gallo

some of the feast

meat empanadas

Reiads bro

Stephen, Nancy and Reiads son

Nancy and Stephen