4th of July in the Wine Country

I went out to Sonoma with my best friend and another friend for the 4th, which has become something of a tradition for us. The area is so beautiful for a day outdoors and then the fireworks at night are outstanding. The fire department lobs them up a few at a time for 45 mins in Vallejo's field, with an extravagant finale for the last few. Quite low as well, so you really feel them going off.

We started at a winery that is associated with the Jacuzzi family!

They had a tasting room and lots of stuff to sell. I thought this oil/vinegar combo was cool.

There was a simply ancient grape vine, probably half a foot in diameter at the base.

We went up to Glen Ellen for a chocolate tasting room that wasn't open and found the Sonoma Development Center, one of California's oldest institutions for the mentally disabled. The state is phasing these places out, but it is a very sprawling complex, with architecture from an eclectic mix of California history.

From the 1880's main house

To mission revival

to 1960's modern

My camera didn't pick these up too well, but they were really pretty at the time