SOTOLA Seafood Rest. – 231 Esplanade, Capitola, CA, (831) 854-2800, sotolabarandgrill.com
Q-tips say: Nice bar type restaurant. Full Bar, we had a oysters on the half shell and split a burger along with house made chips. The bartender was awesome – made the drinks just like we like them. Nice water views.
Went on a holiday weekend so parking is scarce but we eventually found a parking space and walked to the restaurant.
JADE CATHAY – Dim Sum/Cantonese 1339 N 1st St., San Jose, CA –(408) 392-9388, jadecathay.com
Q-tips say: Great way to celebrate Chinese New Years in CA. Good food, nice clean restaurant and, as you probably know, they walk around with carts filled with food and you can pick and choose what you want to eat.
Chinese New Year celebration in San Jose Museum of Art in San Jose CA – 110 S. Market St., San Jose CA 95113, (408) 271-684, sanjosemuseumofart.org
Q-tips say: Nice museum and this Chinese New Year’s Celebration offered making your own fortune cookie out of paper, since this was “the year of the dog,” we made dog faces on paper and bookmarks. The little people were enjoying the creative crafts along with the older people. Then we colored our astrological sign and they made a button out of it.
Then came the dance of the snake, etc. The best part of all it was “FREE.” You need to get tickets earlier to participate but all was free.
Then off to lunch for Sum Dim.
CANEPA CAR MUSEUM – 4900 Scotts Valley Dr., Scotts Valley, CA –(831) 430-9940, canepa.com
Mrs. Q found this museum and knew it would be a hit for the Mr. Heaven for any car aficionado. Alll types Just Arrived, Collector Cars, Race Cars,Motorcycles,Transporters and they are all for sale. canepa.com/inventory
Make sure you stop where they are actually repairing the cars.
Planning on taking our grand-son to see them – just remember look in awe but NO touching please.
Empire Grille Rest. – 6155 CA-9, Felton, CA, (831) 704-2130, empire-grille.com
Q-tips say: Good food, great service & now a “full bar.” Our drink choices were: Our usual drinks – an Old Fashion up & the Mr. had a Perfect Manhattan up with the dirty ice on the side.
Both had: BRAISED SHORT RIBS- fall-Off-The-Bone Beef Short Ribs. Braised with Carrots, Celery, Onions, Garlic, Ginger, Basil, Greek Oregano and Red Wine. Served with Creamy Horseradish, Potatoes & Veggies.
The little guy had: kid’s menu – pasta with butter & cheese and a side of veggies. He really likes his bread and butter.
Dinner w/ Grandma & Grandpa at Empire Grill.
Everyone enjoyed their meals and the little guy and Grandma went around the restaurant looking at old photos of the area.
MALONES Grille Rest. – 4402 Scotts Valley Dr., Scotts Valley, CA – (831) 438-2244, http://Malonesgrille.com
Q-tips say: Full Bar, decent ambiance, and good service. Great drinks from the full bar. Mrs. Q had: The FRED: sliced prime rib, caramelized onions, tillamook cheddar & jack blend, au jus. The Mr. had: Prime Sirloin: sauteed mushroom, shallot cream pa sauce, robuchon potatoes. Mrs. Q liked “FRED” but the Mr. did not like the prime sirloin because the meat was too tough.
Cowboy Bar & Grill – 5447 Hwy 9, Felton, CA
Q-tips say: The Q’s shared the Yahoo Plate$18 –pound of St Louis cut spareribs, smoked for 6 hours, finished on the char broiler with your choice of sauce: Kansas Red, ginger bbq, sweet jalapeno, or Carolina mustard wash. Asked for the sauces to be on the side and also came with corn bread and honey butter & we ordered a side of slaw. Was just ok – but the drinks were good, as was the service. Mrs. Q is willing to try this place again but the Mr. is not so sure.
OK – tried them again because it is so close and convenient and they have a full bar and Mrs. Q really wanted to it to be so good so decided to try the hamburgers. This time we got take out. Well, another disappointment. Asked for them to be cooked Medium and they were well done. YUCK! Think it is ADIOS to Cowboy Bar & Grill.
OK – The Q’s were with out a car (our daughter had a follow up Dr. apt. and our son-in-law was at work), so Mrs. Q suggested to the Mr. that we take a walk, on a very dreary rainy day, to Cowboy. Well, the Mr. had a cup of Chile and some of Mrs. Q’s chicken wings and she had the rest. We enjoyed our lunch. Perhaps, there is hope yet for Cowboy Bar & Grill.
Riva Fish House – 31 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, CA, (831) 429-1223, (831) 429-1223, (831) 429-1223, http://rivafishhouse.com – Great views from the Wharf.
Q-tips say: AWESOME seafood. We shared a whole dungeness crab with butter – the special of the week. Began with a cocktail from the full bar and enjoyed steamed clams with garlic, wine, butter, and lemon.
Along with a cocktail and some bread & butter made for a really delicious dinner.
Mrs. Q says: Can’t wait to go back and try something else on the menu.
CAFE MARE – 740 Front St, Ste 100, Santa Cruz, CA (831) 458-1212, cafemare.com
Q-tips say: Nice ambiance, super service & great food. Mrs. Q had the Carpaccio di Manzo – Thinly sliced raw filet mignon topped with fresh lemon juice, E.V.O.O, hand shaved parmigiano & capers. The Mr. had Vitello Classico – Veal scaloppini with a choice of marsala with mushrooms, piccata sauce. The rest of the Family had various pasta dishes. Mrs. Q says: the drinks were superb.
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Veal Piccata
Carpaccio.
ONLY THE BRAVE – All men are created equal… then, a few become firefighters. Only the Brave, based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, is the heroic story of one unit of local firefighters that through hope, determination, sacrifice, and the drive to protect families, communities, and our country become one of the most elite firefighting teams in the country. As most of us run from danger, they run toward it–they watch over our lives, our homes, everything we hold dear, as they forge a unique brotherhood that comes into focus with one fateful fire.
Q-tips say: Loved this movie. Only the Brave tells the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots who risked their lives to stop wildfires across the country. A group of people who you grow fond of during the course of a film band together in the most dangerous of circumstances for a common cause. All of them do a great job of creating a chemistry and realness between each other. In order to feel anything when these men are entering the flames, there has to be real friendships and relationships built between the actors as these real life heroes. Perhaps more than anything else, the movie completely nailed the bond between the team of hotshots. Going along with the bonds they have with each other, the film focuses heavily on a few of the men’s personal lives.
