What a whirlwind trip. On Friday, I drove down to the hotel in Burlingame with a stop in SF to visit two fly fishing shops, Leland and Orvis. On Saturday, drove up to SF and parked in a garage right across the street from the Nikko Hotel where I participated in Track 2 of the Epson Print Academy. That was an all day deal. But as soon as it was over, it was up to Sutter to catch a bus to Fillmore to make my stop at the Bittersweet Café.

I talked with one of the gals in there about how our first tasting went. She suggested that when smelling chocolate to rub it with finger or fingernail to better release the aroma. She wasn't too surprised that the Cluizel "Los Anconés" bar came across so poorly even though it's one of her favorites. American palates are more used to Hershey than Amedei.

I browsed through the dark bars and bought two Domori bars, Apurimac and Carenero Superior, a Valrhona Palmira, two Pralus' Vanuatu and Ghana. I also bought a Chocolove orange-flavored bar which is my guilty pleasure.

After leaving the Bittersweet Café, it was over to Post to catch a bus back over to Mason so that I could see Lavay Smith and the Red Hot Skillet Lickers at the Biscuits and Blues club. I bought her latest CD which she very nicely signed for me.

Sunday, it was the long drive home. The first stop was in Santa Rosa to pick up some Trader Joes goodies for my wife .... and some more chocolate bars. Then it was through town to Omelette Express for the best breakfast in town. On the road again, I listened to a recorded SF Giants game while wiling away the miles slowly making my way through the orange Chocolove bar.