"kilikini" > wrote in message
...
>


<snip>

>> >> Now you know why the guy from Sideways doesn't drink f*cking merlot.
>> >>
>> > Really? I don't remember the movie explaining that way. Some people
>> > like Merlot, some don't - and he didn't.
>>
>> What the heck is Sideways?
>>
>> Jill
>>
>>
>
> It's the movie I think I told you about where the two guys go up to Napa
> Valley for a wine tasting tour. It's a dark comedy and I loved it!
>
> kili

Actually the movie was shot in and around Santa Barbara mostly over the mountain
into the Santa Ines Valley.

http://missions.bgmm.com/sanines.htm

The towns of Solvang and Buellton ( the home of Andersons Split Pea restaurant)
There are not "sideways" wine tours.

If your lucky you can go by "Neverland" hopefully they's change the name to
"Neveragainland"

Dimitri

On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 21:42:19 GMT, "Dimitri" >
wrote:

>
>The towns of Solvang and Buellton ( the home of Andersons Split Pea restaurant)
>There are not "sideways" wine tours.
>
Never say that. Never discount capitalism.

http://www.santabarbaraca.com/prof/sideways.php
There is a map, for self-guided tours
Special tour packages
Bicycle tours, and (drum roll please)
the Sideways Wine Club.

"Robert Klute" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 21:42:19 GMT, "Dimitri" >
> wrote:
>
>>
>>The towns of Solvang and Buellton ( the home of Andersons Split Pea
>>restaurant)
>>There are not "sideways" wine tours.
>>
> Never say that. Never discount capitalism.
>
> http://www.santabarbaraca.com/prof/sideways.php
> There is a map, for self-guided tours
> Special tour packages
> Bicycle tours, and (drum roll please)
> the Sideways Wine Club.

We used to go to Solvang years ago before it was "discovered" The Danish Inn
had a very famous chef and if you ignored the "smorgasbord" crowd in Bermuda
shorts and went through the bar there was a first class restaurant.
Unfortunately the old in closed and has since re-opened - quite acceptable but
not great.


Dimitri

Sideways - you gotta see it. I haven't had so much fun at the movies in
a long time.

Being a California-ite, the scenery is very familiar, including the
ratty bungalow and funky waitress apartment. Also the elaborate
wine-tasting emporium and the gorgeous vineyards in between hills.

We drove some of those Central coast back roads a couple of years ago
when we vacationed in San Luis Obispo. Hope that the movie doesn't
"ruin" the area because it is gorgeous *and* unpretentious; plenty of
good food and the folks aren't spoiled. Yet. People feel much more
"middle America" in that wine country (than in say Sonoma or Napa) -
Santa Maria is home to an indigenous grilling tradition and you'll see
lots of monster barbecue grills on the back of trailers or pickups.
More American flags and Support the Troops stickers than you see in
Northern California, to be expected with all the bases nearby. So all
you red staters who think you wouldn't be happy in California ought to
come for a visit - it's our red state wine country.

I'm not into wine tasting particularly - I like vineyards and the
wineries themselves, though, and great farmers' markets seem to go with
the territory (Thursday night in San Luis Obispo is a *huge* party,
with live bands and barbecue as well as fresh produce).

Oh I just have to say a little more for out-of-staters who don't know -
the beauty of this area is that you are within 40 minutes of the coast
and Big Sur. You could do the wine country for a couple of days, then
go to Hearst Castle another day and be back for afternoon tea. You
could go look at the livestock at University paddocks in the morning,
then attend a classical music (or jazz, or rock) concert at night. SLO
has independent bookstores, fabulous coffee, plenty of darling shops, a
restored river with cafes and walk downtown, an old mission, etc. etc.
The local paper called the area the Gold Coast and also Bliss State and
they're not kidding. And if you didn't want to pay SLO hotel prices
(which when we were there were a bargain, but it was the beginning of
the Iraq war and the only other guests were Army reserve officers
called up for maneuvers) you can stay in Paso Robles or Santa Maria or
whatever that town was where they stay in the movie.

The movie is a hoot. Jill, rent it on DVD or VHS if it never came to
Memphis. Then spend your vacation in the Central Coast - cheaper than
Europe now that the dollar is down. Closest airport would be Santa
Barbara; if you flew to LAX it would be a 3-4 hour drive (I think).
Four hours from San Francisco (by car).

Leila

>Actually the movie was shot in and around Santa Barbara mostly over the >mountain into the Santa Ines Valley.

See, I thought it was set in that wine district east of San Luis Obispo
- but that is the west end of the Santa Ines Valley, isn't it? I'm not
looking at a road map at the moment. We drove from Santa Barbara
through Reagan Ranch territory (no Reagan fan I, but I'd rather attach
his name than Jackson's to such beautiful country) and came out on 101
close to San Luis Obispo - 8 years ago on our honeymoon. We were just
driving, didn't stop anywhere. No place to stop that we could see, just
back roads and ranches. Then two years ago we drove a couple of the
"wine country roads" out of SLO, ending up in Pismo Beach. We never got
around to Solvang for some reason.

So I could be getting the Sideways locations confused, but I thought it
was Central Coast, kind of on the way to Santa Maria, back of Santa
Barbara. Oh well. Better get out of text based NG and look it all up on
the map.

Santa Barbara can be awfully tacky if you're a budget tourist. We were
not happy staying by the beach in a $120/night place (1998 dollars).
Too honky tonk. Ten years ago I went to a weekend workshop in a former
convent in Montecito, right next to the ranch where JFK Sr. honeymooned
with Jackie. MOntecito is a delight, Mediterranean, ocean views. But I
don't choose to spend my money on $700 a night resorts; the convent's
prices were more my style - spartan digs, wholesome food, beautiful
surroundings - just right for a retreat.

Leila

Looking at the map. Where was Sideways filmed exactly? Well, I got two
Central Coast wine areas completely confused. We did drive through the
Santa Ines valley 8 years ago (Sideways location); but the wine country
we ambled through in 2003 is north of the Sideways locale by 50 miles
or so.

My laudatory comments still apply. The whole area is gorgeous, and
offers down home towns (Santa Maria for instance) as well as upscale
cities (Santa Barbara) and tourist traps (Solvang).

Lest anybody think I'm being too California-centric, I've been hearing
amazing things about Portland and environs lately. A blogger bragged of
taking a "European vacation in Oregon" - they flew up from the Bay
area, rented bikes, used bike paths the whole time and the extensive
tram system, drank micro-brewery beer & local wine, ate local cheeses,
breads and produce, hung around in cafes. Etc. I'll be traveling to
POrtland in August to see for myself.

Leila