Day One

Thursday, August 21, 2014
Novato to Reno 214 miles

We left our house at 2:45p and hit traffic almost immediately on Hwy 37… slow slog off and on (mostly on) til Auburn. We got to Calvary Cemetary (just before Roseville) about 5p (90*!) and, with the help of a gardner (who also kindly turned off the sprinklers), found Mom’s grave. Left some of Dad’s ashes with her and said quick hellos and a prayer for her, Sis, Tim, Timmy and the rest. That’s Dad on the lower edge.

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We made great time after Auburn and checked into the Grand Sierra Resort (old MGM then Hilton) by 7p.  Really nice room, new linens, towels and very clean.  Went downstairs to the Charlie Palmer Steakhouse and had an excellent dinner at the bar.  Saw the tailend of the Eagles/Steelers game with cocktails (Chivas on the rocks with an olive and a very dirty Ketel One martini up.  Surprise.)  Comfortable bar chairs, nice servers.  We both had filets (once again we could have split one as we each wrapped up at least half for the cooler… ) medium rare with glazed shallots and a cabernet reduction (BUTTER!! Delicious.) which came with the “CP House Salad” that sounded so pretentious but was so good we are going to copy it at home:  small inner head of butter lettuce with crispy smoked bacon and shallots, grape tomatoes and homemade (you can tell) ranch dressing. We both only left small shards of shallots on the plate.  Bob got a twice baked Parmesan truffle potatoe (I tried a bite: super rich and creamy and addictive) and I had a side of assorted sauteed mushrooms (cremini, shitake, portobello) that I could not stop eating (more butter….it really is magic for flavor and unctuousness which must be a word because no nasty red underlining).  We got a bottle of Opolo ‘Summit Creek’ Zin from Paso Robles which was excellent and only $40 (the second cheapest bottle of red on the list).  Corked it and I had a glass in the room while catching up on emails while Bob had half of a chocolate eclair from the bakery downstairs.  First half-day of vacation was a good one!!