Wazuka: All Things Green Tea

Know for its Sencha and Matcha teas, Wazuka is a highly regarded tea town in Japan. Tea was brought over from China by a Buddhist monk from Kaijūsen-Ji  Temple who was studying in China almost 500 years ago. In 1580 tea ceremonies were being held in newly created tea rooms. Sencha was made by steaming its leaves and Japan begin exporting it by the 1800s, tea accounted for 80% of Japan's exports.

A tour of the production and farming of green tea can be found at  Obubu Tea Farm. It is best to spend the night in Uji as it is closer to the tea farm (you can find detailed directions from Uji to the tea farm on the website). As you get close to Wazuka, you will see the winding tea fields dotting the landscape at the foothills of Mt. Juba.

Greeted by our hosts, we started with several tea samples. We then headed to a van to check out the tea farm and to learn about farming. Our guide Hiro, navigated his van around the precarious hills of Wazuka and had a great sense of humor. The tour provides lunch in a local Wazuka restaurant, a green tea Soba noodle. We then drove to the processing facility and learned about curing. The explanation of hand-rolled Sencha made me apprecite the all the attention that goes into creating the tea. Finally, we made our way back to the house to get educated on temperatures for brewing, preparing Matcha with a whisk, the health benefits of tea. The twist on this part of the tour is a Genmaicha salad and a green tea martini. The only thing left undone was green tea ice cream.

Best Margaritas in Sayulita, Mexico

La Zouave's is a great place to sip margaritas on a hot night in Mexico. Their drink menu included Mandarin/Mint, Cucumber/Serrano, Grapefruit/Habenero and Ginger/Orange margaritas. All were refreshing with a perfect blend of herbs, peppers, and fruits and finished with a dark smokey salt on the rim of the glass. The cucumber in my second drink needed a spoon. A can't miss this place thats its located on Jose Marisca on the South side of town. The outside of the bar is painted dark red with an interior thats cozy reeks of "stay awhile". Or you can choose from thr candlelit tables outside.

Hike and Swim in the Foothills of the Sierras

Hiking to a swimming hole is a great way to beat the heat on a warm summers day. The foothills of the Sierras makes for some great roughing it swimming adventures. Who knew this could be so much fun!

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DIANA FALLS

Diana Falls is located near the town of Coulterville, CA. From the town center, you’ll take Greeley Road to Briceberg/ Bull Creek Road and finally make a slight right on route 2S05, at about 5 1/2 miles you will see a place to park. The trail is on your right if you’ve reached the bridge you’ve gone too far. Being a weekday and late in the season there was only one other car there, its owners were just walking down the trail when got out of the car. To get to the swimming hole it is a 1.4-mile hike to the falls. Because it was the end of the summer Diana Falls was dried up. Downstream but we found plenty of ice cold water as well as small falls that led to a pool.

CAMP NINE

Camp 9 is a local favorite and can be reached by following a road along the Stanislaus River to the Collierville Powerhouse. The road is an open range so don’t be surprised if you find cows hanging out in the middle of the road. As we approach the trail to Camp 9 swimming hole a loud humming comes from the power plant next to the Stanislas River. You’ll cross an awesome footbridge below the power plant. After crossing over the river you’ll hike about a 1/2 mile to get to the limestone swimming holes. The area is spread out enough that it’s easy to get your own space.

NATURAL BRIDGES DAY USE

Natural Bridges Trail is a round-trip 2-mile hike that gives you access to a limestone cavern that doubles as a swimming hole. As we approach the swimming area we can see interesting rock formations at the entrance of the cave. The cave interior has a magical quality and is enormous in size compared to the cave entrance. Water seeps from the cave ceiling and drips on my head as the light dances on the water. The cave or tunnel is 250 feet from one end to the other. We also ventured to the left of the cave about a 1/2 mile till we found a secluded swimming hole. Looks like there are many to choose from and the one we picked was mostly in the sun and the water was up to our necks. We drove by on a weekend and the parking lot was full. We went on a Monday andthere were only a handful of cars just to give you an idea of what to expect.

Camping Angel Island

Angel Island is about a 15-minute ferry ride from San Francisco. If you want to camp there it will take some planning, in order to reserve an camping spot on the island you need to book 6 months in advance. The website, California State Parks is where you can reserve a camping spot. There are several spots to choose from, Sunrise camp is down by the beach, and Ridge sites have beautiful views of both bridges on a clear day. I learned that ridge was everyone’s favorite area, but hardest to book. On Friday the State Parks release one week, six months out for Angel Island. Be willing to go on a weekday and to on a whim. Which is what I ended up doing after trying to reserve the year before and canceling due to cold weather. A week before I saw a weekday spot for Ridge camp 5 open up and reserved the spot for a night. The views and having an island to yourself is worth the wait.

I started the trip by bus and made my way to the Pier 41 to take the Blue & Gold Ferry to Angel Island. You can buy your tickets online for $19.50 per person there and back. Currently, the last boat out of the city is at 1:45 pm and last boat off the island is 4:35 pm. Be sure to check the schedule for any changes.

To get to the spot you will need to hike about a mile up a steep hill. I opted to reduce our amount of gear because of public transportation and the hike in. The spot was near Battery Wallace, a battery operating from 1900 to 1917. The day was spent exploring the island, enjoying the view, and hiking Mt. Livermore. The island is home of numerous deer, I saw at least 12 and came across several on the trail. For dinner, I brought some charcoal and cooked up some impossible burgers on the grill and ate dinner at a nearby picnic table as the sun set over the Golden Gate bridge.

Hiking Big Canyon Park, San Carlos, CA

This local hiking spot is a great place for a quick hike after work if you live near San Carlos, CA. The park is nestled below some scattered homes and makes for a great getaway that makes you forget that you are in a residential area. The Harold Drake Trail runs through a forested area that reveals the the canyon and is a nice break from the forested shade. The city parks location is at 3190 Brittan Avenue, San Carlos, CA. https://maps.app.goo.gl/Rt1HR4y4t17dSzRVA

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Laguna Honda Community Trail

The Laguna Honda Community Trail System meanders through the woods and around Laguna Honda Hospital. The hike has some interesting sights, including a small canyon, eucalyptus trees, a water tower and petting zoo on the Laguna Honda Hospitals grounds.

Hiking Bolinas Ridge Trail at Mt. Tamalpais

The New Year would not be complete without a hike to beautiful Mt. Tamalpais. The air is brisk, the fog is clear, the sun is shining, and the trail is deserted. Leaving early gets you clear freeways, quiet serenity, and an abundance of wildlife. The trail begins with a steep drop, the wind is fierce and this early the trail is mostly in shade. The hike is an up and back 7-mile hike on Bolinas Ridge Trail and the hike starts where Willow Camp Fire Road crosses it. You can find a map on the parks.gov page.

As the trail levels off I can see the beautiful Pacific Ocean and in the distance Devils Teeth know as the Farallone Islands. Finally out of the shaded area I make my way to the rolling hills that face away from the ocean and in the distance a coyote sunning himself. Thoughts of wildlife losing their space make me sad as a view of the coyote gets closer, he seems playful and happy. I give him space to make his way towards the forested area on the left. I feel relaxed and lay down on the side of the trail soaking in the sun when I notice a tick resting on my pant leg and quickly jump up and continue on the trail through the rolling hills. Up ahead in the distance on the trail is another coyote, he looks intimidating and is a lot larger than the playful coyote I saw 15 minutes earlier. I stop looking and don’t engage in eye contact and walk slower so the coyote doesn’t feel threatened. The coyote finally makes his way to towards a hole in the ground off the trail and I continue on the trail. Check out the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website on Keeping Coyotes Wild.

The trail makes its way through some redwoods closer to the Recreational Area, the trail ends at the road this is the turning around point as you make your way back Hang Glider Site #3. In total the hike is approximately 7 miles, 3.5 in and back.

Lemon Mocktails and Cocktails

When life gives you friends with lemon trees…make mocktails and cocktails. These two easy recipes were created after visiting some friends in San Diego that gifted us some lemons. You’ll need lemons, carbonated water, stevia for the mocktail , and sage for the cocktail.

Mocktail Spritzer / Lemonade

One Serving

1. Juice the lemons to make 1/2 cup of concentrate

2. Add 1 can carbonated water - 12 ounces

3. 6 drops of stevia extract

Vodka Sage Spritzer Cocktail

64 ounces

1. Juice the lemons to make 2 cups lemon

2. Add one large bottle 33 ounce bottle of carbonated water

3. 15 ounces of Trader Joe’s Versatile Spirit Vodka

4. 1/2 cup of muddled sage

Honey Mama's

Honey Mama's Nectar Bar is a unique experience. Kept in the cooler section, this handcrafted bar is made with natural ingredients, wrapped with brown paper, and sweetened with honey. My favorite is the Ginger Cardamom Nectar Bar made with ginger oil and cardamom. Other flavors include; Peppermint, Dutch, Lavender Red Rose, Mayan Spice, Nibs and Coffee, and Peruvian Raw. Checkout out their well-curated blog at The Honey Mamma's website . I found these at our local Co-Op, Rainbow Market!