Below are some photos of the Culinary Institute Of America’s corkscrew museum.

You’ll find every kind of corkscrew in the CIA’s museum that you can imagine, from deer antler handled ones, to small pocket models, high tech gas operated corkscrews, and whimsical figurine corkscrews.

Ivory and deer antler corkscrews such as those in the photo above were popular in Europe in the  1700′s – 1800′s.

The antique corkscrews in the collection, seen above, were designed to be carried in a gentleman’s pocket.

Directions To The the Culinary Institute Of America, Greystone Campus, located near the town of  St Helena, CA.  (Napa Valley)

The CIA Greystone campus, which includes a restaurant open to the public, is located on highway 29, just one mile north of St. Helena.  There are a number of activities available for visitors, including browsing the school’s store, wine tastings, wine classes, cooking classes and of course the corkscrew museum.

Below is a map showing the location of the Greystone campus.

My wife and I took the Napa Valley Wine train tour in September of 2011 and found the food and service to be of excellent quality.  We had previously read about the tour on TripAdvisor and saw that it had mostly great reviews, though some folks who were not accustomed to older trains complained about the slightly jerky motion of the train at times. This is just is normal for older railways and we found it to be just a part of the charm of it all.  The tracks that the wine train travels along were originally laid in the 1860′s, when the train brought tourists to the hot springs spa at Calistoga.

The Napa Valley Wine train consists of nine cars. There are four lounge cars, two dining cars, the Vista Dome car, the Silverado car and the kitchen car. Our seating was in the Vista Dome car, which provides a panoramic view of the hills, sky and vineyards. As we left the station a full moon was rising, and could be seen above our table as it rose in the sky.  Built in 1952, the Vista Dome car was lavishly restored and is one of just a few remaining in use in the world today. The lounge and dining cars were built between 1915 – 1917. Keep in mind that this is an antique train. Watch your step as you move from car to car and be careful in narrow hallways and on the steep stairs up to the Vista Dome car. Wine tastings are held in the Zinfandel lounge car.

There are a number of side tours available on the Napa Valley Wine Train. You may choose the evening dining tour, which is simply a trip to St. Helena and back, or one which features winery tours as part of the train ride. For up to date info on tours available, check Winetrain.com for the current schedule.

A Worthwhile Part Of A Napa Vacation

While some may find the Napa Valley Wine train a bit on the “cheesy” side, it’s not every day that you can dine in an early 1900′s rail car as it travels through scenic vineyards. If you have even the slightest affection for trains, you’ll love riding on a piece of railroad history in one of the most beautiful parts of America.  We found the food to be excellent, though a bit pricey, but “food with a view” always is. At the time of our visit the Vista Dome dining package was around $129, which includes a three course meal and a glass of champagne. (Note that the chefs use only humanely raised, hormone free meats and fish, and locally sourced fruits and vegetables.) We found staff on the Wine Train to be professional and courteous and we did not experience any delays in service. In St. Helena the lights go off for just an instant as the train’s locomotive is disconnected and moved to the back. The train is hooked up to city power in the meantime, and this takes only a few seconds.

Photos Of Napa Valley Wine Train

Below are some photos of the wine train that we took in September of 2011.

Below, inside the Vista Dome dining car. Glass of complimentary Champagne, orchid on table.

It’s simply unbelievable how the chefs on the Napa Wine Train can cook all of the meals served in the close quarters of the kitchen car. You can view the train’s kitchen car as you walk from one end of the train to the other.

Directions And Map To Napa Valley Wine Train

The train departs from the McKinstry Street Station in the Oxbow district, about five minutes by foot from downtown Napa. The station is located at 1275 McKinstry Street, which is the address you can use for GPS navigation.  Below is a map of the Napa Valley Wine Train location.

The phone number for the Napa Valley Wine train is 1-800-427-4124.

My wife and I stopped in for lunch in September of 2011 and found the staff very friendly and helpful in explaining to a novice how to shell an oyster. If you buy a half dozen or more of oysters, they’ll provide you with a glove and shucking knife, hot sauce and even a barbecue pit should you want to cook them. Mesquite firewood is available, or you can bring your own charcoal.

Above, one of the friendly folks at Hog Island Oyster company shucking a sample oyster for me to try. If raw oysters are not your thing, you can always grill them up on one of the BBQ’s located  next to the bay.

Hog Island Oyster Company has earned the first Food Alliance Sustainable Shellfish Certification and is a leader in sustainable mariculture. They sell wholesale, at farmers markets and have and oyster bar in Napa and San Francisco, as well as a traveling oyster bar which can come to your function.

Directions to Hog Island Oyster Company. It is located on Tomales Bay, about 49 miles north of San Francisco on Hwy-1. See the Google map below for directions.

This is a great little stop that you’ll enjoy even if you don’t like oysters. To get to Hog Island Oyster Co, take Hwy-1 north from San Francisco and follow it to 20215 Highway 1, Marshall, Ca. Their phone number is 415.663.9218

A number of secluded coves can be found along this hike. Bird watching at Bodega Head is some of the best around, and draws birders from all over the nation. Wildflowers blanket the hillsides in color in springtime, offering some nice scenes for photographers.

Directions To Bodega Head.

From Highway 1, drive through the the town of Bodega Bay. At Eastshore Rd, you will see a sign for the Bodega Bay Marina. Turn left here, follow the road down the hill, then make a right turn onto Bay Flat Road. Go past Bodega Harbor and follow the road southeast. Look for the Campbell Cove sign.  Just up the hill is a free parking lot and public restrooms. Stay on the maintained trails and off of the barren cliffs, as human caused erosion is becoming a problem. You can follow the hiking trail counter clockwise around Bodega Head. Along the way, you can hear the sound of seals and sea lions coming from Seal Rock just offshore. A local captain, Captain Rick, takes tourists out to seal rock.

As you come back down the hill, stop and take a look at “Hole In The Head” This huge hole was dug as part of a nuclear reactor project which was scrapped by PG&E years ago and then donated to the state park system. Lots of bird life can be found around the pond, and birders often set up tripods and use cameras with long lenses to photograph them.

Below is a photo taken along the Bodega Head hiking trail, looking back toward the town of Bodega Bay. There are actually a couple of hiking paths you can take here. One will take you down to the Salmon Creek/Bodega Dunes loop which will take you down to Bodega Dunes Campground. A map of the trails can be found in the parking lot at the top of the hill.

Below is a Google map of Bodega Head. You’ll find a better hiking map at the trailhead.

This huge solar energy project along IH-37 in San Antonio will eventually generate 26,570 megawatt hours of electricity each year. Thanks in part to the sunny climate and careful orientation of the solar panels, this will be one of the most efficient photovoltaic solar installations in the United States. Texas is now home to more wind farms and more megawatts of wind energy production than any other state, however solar power, from solar energy projects such as this one have lagged behind the rest of the world.  Cities such as Austin have taken a slightly different approach than the large solar power project south of San Antonio, instead opting to give residents rebates to place solar panels on their roofs. CPS, or City Public Services, is the nation’s largest municipally owned utility, providing gas and electric services to over 700,000 customers.  In addition to sourcing energy from plants such as the IH-37 solar project, CPS is getting wind energy from large wind farms located along the Texas coast, in San Patricio county and along Baffin Bay. In addition to the energy generated by the IH-37 solar power project, CPS will get another 27 megawatts of energy annually from the Tessera Solar project in West Texas.  Much of San Antonio’s power comes from power plants that burn natural gas, so this move toward clean, renewable energy will be good for the environment.

Below is a map of the area where the Blue Wing solar energy projects is located, south of San Antonio and North of Braunig Lake.

The old fort in nearby Ft. Davis was built in the mid 18oo’s to protect settlers and travelers from Apache, Comanche and Kiowa raiding parties.  It was named after the former U.S. secretary of war Jefferson Davis, who also later served as president of the Confederacy.  Ft. Davis was later home to the Buffalo Soldiers.  A nearby “must see” is McDonald Observatory, operated by the University of Texas  which is open to the public.  Telescopes are available for stargazing at the base of Mt. Locke.

Below is a map of Ft. Davis State Park

Below is a highway map of Davis Mountains State Park.

Directions to Davis Mountains State Park:

To visit Davis Mountains State park, drive 1 mile north of Fort Davis on State Highway 17 to State Highway 118N.  Travel west on State Highway 118N for 3 miles to Park Road 3 where you will enter the park.  Phone number for Davis Mountains state park is 432/426-3337

There are frequently burn bans in Davis Mountains State park when wood and charcoal fires may be prohibited. You can call the park phone number for information on burn bans and for reservations. Don’t miss this beautiful state park. It has much to offer visitors of all ages.

History Of Inks Lake in Texas

Inks Lake was named after Roy B. Inks, one of the original board members of the Lower Colorado River Authority, which has jurisdiction over the lake. The land was used for cattle grazing by a number of ranchers since the 1800′s until it was acquired by the state of Texas in the 1940′s. Inks Lake State Park, comprising some 1200 acres, was opened to the public in the 1950′s.  The granite hills surrounding the park, were home to various bands of Native American tribes before the mid 1800′s.  The lake is formed by Inks dam, on the Colorado River.

Things to do at Inks Lake State Park.

There are numerous campsites in the park including tent sites, RV sites and even backpack camping areas. Guided geology and nature tours are available. Fishing is often excellent in Inks Lake State Park, with crappie, bass and catfish the species most commonly caught by anglers.  One of the best times to visit Inks Lake State Park is in the springtime, when there are many kinds of beautiful wildflowers to see on the granite shores and hills surrounding the lake. Wildlife in Inks Lake state park includes songbirds, raccoons, opossums, white tail deer, and other small animals. Not far away from Inks Lake is Longhorn Cavern, which is also a state park open to the public.  If you have a chance to take the Vanishing Texas River Cruise, do so. This unforgettable tour allows tourists to see nesting bald eagles and other wildlife along the undeveloped shores of lake Buchanan.   The historic main streets of nearby Burnet and Marble Falls offer many opportunities for shopping and dining. Located just four miles from the park, Buchannan Dam, which creates Lake Buchanan, is the world’s largest multi-arch dam.

Below is a highway map of Inks Lake State Park.

Directions To Inks Lake State Park

Inks Lake State Park is located just 9 miles west of Burnet. Take State Highway 29 to Park Road 4. Then go south 3 miles to the park headquarters.

To find out about park details, such as closures, fire bans, etc. call the park headquarters at the following address or phone number:

Inks Lake State Park

3630 Park Road 4 West
Burnet TX 78611
512/793-2223

McKinney Falls State Park maps are available at the park office.

Directions To McKinney Falls State Park:

The park is located just a few minutes south of downtown Austin. Take US Hwy 183 to McKinney Falls Parkway. Follow the road to the park entrance as seen in the map of McKinney Falls state park below.  The address of the park is

McKinney Falls State Park,

5808 McKinney Falls Parkway
Austin, TX 78744
Phone: 512/243-1643

Below is a map of McKinney Falls State park, as well as a map showing how to get to McKinney Falls State Park.

Below is a map of McKinney Falls state park showing major roads and highways near the park.

This is a very nice state park and is well worth visiting. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

Over the years, things have changed dramatically on the islands of Hawaii.  Everyone has their idea of a perfect vacation, and, in spite of modernization, Hawaii can still fill many of the requirements of a great vacation.  It still has marvelous weather, gorgeous scenery, great food, and an opportunity to enjoy all that tropic islands have to offer.  Our favorite islands is Kauai.

Kauai is the fourth largest Hawaiian island, and the most remote, still known, internationally, as ‘the garden island’.  Like the others, it has become more developed over the years and the demanding tourist can easily find all the luxuries they find on the mainland.  Civilization on Kauai is the same as civilization in the most developed areas, but, by and large, the beaches are still peaceful and pristine, with glistening ivory sands and a backdrop of towering mountains.

One warning!  Make sure to observe all signs on the beaches.  Most beaches are safe for swimming during the summer months, but can be treacherous in winter, when you will encounter heavy surfs and rip currents.  Never swim alone, and if  you have children you want to make sure that a lifeguard is on duty at the beach of your choice.

Tunnels Beach is a  spectacular beach for swimming and snorkeling.  Here you will find all the underwater life you could hope to see.  You do not have to be a particularly strong swimmer to enjoy the snorkeling here.  In summer, it is a safe swimming beach for the whole family, but do observe any warnings.  Some claim to have seen whales here, but we have not.  Although this is a very popular beach, we always found a private spot somewhere on its long shore.

Anini Beach boasts a long, sandy shoreline, and calm water, thanks to the protection of an extensive off-shore reef.  Anini is the ideal beach for small children and inexperienced swimmers.  Although some do snorkel here, it is not ideal as the water may, at times, be cloudy.  This is a quiet beach, and a pleasant one to visit, whether you swim or not.

Polihale Beach, in Polihale Beach Park is a wonderful beach for strolling.  It is one of the longest beaches in the area, with ocean on one side and great sea cliffs on the other.  Another good family beach, Polihale offers the opportunity to stroll, beachcomb, paddle in the shallows and admire the many towering dunes.  Dune buggies drive this beach so be aware.  The safe swimming area at the south end of the beach is called Queen’s pond, its calmness protected by an off-shore reef.  Swimming in other areas is only for experienced swimmers and should be done with caution.

Poipu beach is another we enjoyed, but found it a bit crowded.  This is probably due to the many other activities that are available in the surrounding area.  Nevertheless it is an attractive beach, with safe swimming as well as snorkeling and scuba diving.

Our favorite beach, though definitely not a place to take children, is Hanakapiai Beach.  It provides spectacular views, especially in winter, when fierce winter winds crash against the shore.  In summer it is relatively safe for swimming, but definitely never in winter.  The hiking trail still leads to the beach, but always observe caution when near the water.

There are many other attractive beaches on Kauai, so many in fact that you will definitely want to return.  Kauai also offers the usual tourist attractions including shopping, luxury hotels, fine dining, romantic hideaways, and authentic Hawaiian luaus, featuring pig-roasting on the beach.  Kauai, and its beaches, demand that you come again.