Thanksgiving Fun

I know we're deep in the throes of the Christmas season, and Thanksgiving is in the rear-view mirror, but I still wanted to share some of the fun of our Thanksgiving celebration here in the San Francisco Bay Area. My folks from Alaska, my aunt who lives locally here in the Bay Area, my husband and I enjoyed time together during Thanksgiving week. We went on some outings, did a little shopping in Montclair Village, ate well, enjoyed some entertaining DVDs, learned more about family history, and engaged in interesting conversations.

View from Merritt College

When it wasn't raining, we took a quick hike at Redwood Regional Park. I love how accessible it is (at least the first part, until the trail branches and heads up into the hills). It's definitely enjoyed by folks of all ages and stages of life. We saw some beautiful colored leaves, and found some native walnuts. We also stopped at Merritt College for fabulous views of the Bay.

Fall colors at Redwood Regional Park

Walnuts from Redwood Regional Park

For Thanksgiving dinner we tried Hotel Mac in Point Richmond.  The sky was dramatic on the way, and rain held off until later in the evening. I love Victorian architecture, and the whole notion of repurposing old buildings for modern use. The food was classic and delicious (some restaurants try to give a fancy spin on the Thanksgiving menu, but really, stick with the basics)! We had enough leftovers for turkey croissant sandwiches the next day. 

Hotel Mac Restaurant

Family fun

Hotel Mac

We enjoyed some very cozy evenings, with the fireplace going and rain outside, working crossword puzzles, and enjoying some good movies. Some of our favorites included It's All True, On the Basis of Sex, The Birder's Guide to Everything, The Art of Racing in the Rain, The Tomorrow Man, and The Hundred-Foot Journey. All are family friendly, at least at our age!

Relaxing by the fire

One big event was to experience Holidays at Filoli. We enjoyed the lights, decorations, music, garden and house. For details, see Filoli at Christmas. As mentioned, we have visited Filoli in all four seasons, and now Christmas (the fifth season). I suppose the only frontier left to explore, is the Filoli Nature Preserve!

Filoli during the holidays

My folks, husband, and I topped off our time together with a fine meal at Scott's Seafood Grill & Bar in Oakland. We have celebrated many occasions and enjoyed many delicious meals together at Scott's over the years. We enjoy the menu, the sunsets, the music, and the decorations this time of year.

Christmas tree at Jack London Square

Scott's Restaurant

Dinner at Scott's

I'm grateful for the time we spent together, and for friends and family who couldn't be with us, but are ever on our minds. There is always next year!