The Cellar Door Cafe

Right after kickboxing on Saturday I showered and we all piled in the car to drive over to Santa Cruz for lunch at the Cellar Door Cafe. I figured I had burned enough calories between the 2 hours of weight training and then the hour of kickboxing. David, Lauren and Cooper are at the kitchen bar, our favorite place to watch all the action as we eat.


Below is a large chalkboard on the wall with the list of the producers and suppliers of the ingredients that day, all the farms. Lauren, being a very clever young woman asks "Is the boy happy because the girl is dirty?"


Ha! Smart girl!

The Chef, Jarod Ottley sends out a complimentary dish of fried Brussels Sprouts with smoked chevre. We also ordred Smoked fingerling potatoes with aioli and a fantastic pizza. It was Lamb sugo pizza with sheep's milk ricotta.  My plate is below, I had only one piece but could easily have eaten half the pizza.


Cooper and Lauren said it was the best pizza they had ever eaten in their lives (yes I know they are only 17 and 18, but they eat a lot of pizza!).

David then had Santa Cruz abalone, winter roots, castelvetrano olive and pickled carrot. I had a similar version of this last visit, it is amazing.

I typically order any seafood because it is so fresh and unique here. I had Eureka sand dab. Monterey squid, white beans and cippollini. Heaven on my plate!

Both Cooper and Lauren had the same thing: seared skirt steak, warm cabbage salad, fried farm egg. The moans and groans from the two of them were never ending. Cooper said it was the best steak he has ever eaten. I explained they use great local meats- but he said it wasn't just the meat, it was HOW it was cooked.

Oh, I finished my plate....could have even eaten the skinny little bones I guess! 

We ordered some cookies, but the server brought over a huge platter of desserts, including my favorite Dark chocolate cookies with caramel mascarpone. I explained that we hadn't ordered that, and she turned to look at Jarod, who just nodded his head, instructing her to place the platter in front of us.

Dessert was on the house. Lauren took one bite of the cookie and I thought she might try to whisk mine away from me! David and Cooper thoroughly enjoyed the date cake with maple and walnut.

Jarod come over and chatted about the upcoming holiday, the restaurant would be closed for a couple of weeks (good for them, bad for us). Lauren and Cooper expressed their pleasure with the whole experience and we vowed to return again soon.

Life is Good

How often do you have those days? Those days when you drive in the car, singing at the top of your lungs? I seem to do that a lot- but then I have a convertible and it makes it oh so much more fun!

I got an email from Roy, he sent it Thursday night but I didn't see it till I checked my email at 4:15 am on Friday.  Can we train at 2:00 instead of 12:00? 

Heck yes! It means I leave work at 11:30 and hit Santana Row right away - Lululemon just got a new shipment in the night before and they received one of my two favorite bra tops in Paris Pink! It's like the one I am wearing here, but HOT PINK - called the Hot n' Sweaty Bra. The name alone makes me all excited!

Then off to Vintage Wine Merchants for some stocking stuffers for Cooper. I cannot name them on the blog or he will see what they are. 

Then grocery shopping- we will have Chateaubriand with shallot sauce tonight- roasted potatoes for the boys, Brussels sprouts for me. 

Stacey emails just before 1:00 - "Aren't you training with Roy today???" She is there at his place at 1:00 and normally I would be there first but I am not.

Roy and I train shoulders. He said this is the first week that we have not been able to progress in weights since we started training. We started back in March, so that is quite some time. Keep in mind that he changes the program every three to four weeks, so each week I show progression, but not this. I think it is because we have been doing low reps, high weight.

For instance, I am doing a barbell shoulder press with 105 pounds, that's quite a bit. 5 sets, 5 reps each set.

I suppose Roy needs to have something new next week!

The heavy weights mean long rest periods. We chat about bodies, what people find attractive, what people like. I am still astounded by the women who want to be skinny, painfully skinny, with huge breasts and very thin arms. It just doesn't make sense to me.

Roy asked if I know of Jessica Biel. I told him yes, I think she is stunning. 

Roy said polls have shown that most women think she is too manly- too muscular. 

WTF??

As David always says: The masses are asses.

Roy and I finish shoulders and we box- although the air is cool we end up taking it outside in the sunshine, the cool air and sunshine feels good. I can feel myself feeling more confident, I cannot wait until my next session at AKA tomorrow!

After I am home, we visit Mark and Virginia, then come home and eat. I have two great emails waiting for me.

One is from Alicia. She lives across the street from my father in law and reads my blog everyday. She has been working diligently since we met last Christmas on shaping up and trimming down. She told me she has lost 12 pounds! That is amazing! 12 pounds is a huge accomplishment, especially for someone who works taking care of children in her home. This is probably one of the most challenging jobs you can have, and she has done a great job!

Great Job Alicia!!

Then I had an email form Rita Barry of Fitblooger. I will be their featured blogger on January 2, 2012!  An auspicious day for all fit people! I am so excited and cannot wait to come up with a great post for this day. 

Soon to bed, It's leg day and the gym opens at 6:00 am. then I have kickboxing with Jerome Turcan at 10:00. 

And then....lunch with the boys and Lauren at The Cellar Door restaurant in Santa Cruz!

Getting Big and Enjoying Life

It was Thursday, the day before Veterans day which was a holiday for all of us. I sent David an email:


"Cooper and Lauren are going to Halu before their play- want to go out to dinner?"
"Yeeeeeeeeeeeesssssss"
"Cellar Door!"


I make reservations online through open door and get home at 5:30. We live in San Jose, on the Los Gatos border so we are right at the Santa Cruz Mountain foothills, the Cellar Door Cafe is over the hill in Santa Cruz on the other side of the mountain. It would take almost an hour with traffic.


As we drive over the hill I am talking about my "bigness". I want to get big, I am trying to get big and amazingly, my diet has been working. I have cut starches back to only 3.5 ounces ONCE a day (after training) and increased protein 2 ounces every meal, which is 12 ounces more a day- almost a pound of lean meat/eggs/fish. I have grown, I am 13 pounds more than I was 5 weeks ago. And, most is muscle, there isn't much fat, really. I have done a good job. 


But, I am still allowing myself to enjoy life and eat, drink and be merry on occasion. Tonight was one.


David said "It's a holiday! We are off!"  "Well" I said "I still have to get up at 4 am to go to the gym". "Your choice" he happily shouts as he zips along the mountain road. "Don't wake me up when you go!"


We arrive and I ask to sit at the bar, we love to talk with the chef and watch the action. We love this restaurant and we are lucky to have such a fantastic place so close. We sit and the server greets us "Hey guys! Nice to see you again!" I don't know her name but she is a wealth of knowledge regarding food and wine. 


She brings us a glass of wine then places a dish in front of us. "Chef has sent this out for you!"


Notice she said "Chef" and not "The Chef". Jarod Ottley is respected and he is "Chef". He waves and smiles, he has sent out a beautiful dish of Fried Brussels Sprouts with Smoked Chevre. 


Heaven. Absolute heaven. Jarod walks over and greets us welcoming us back. Here David is enjoying the sprouts.

And more sprouts. They aren't breaded, just fried and the cheese is smooth and smokey.

Bread from Companion Bakery around the corner, olive oil and salt.

The pizza oven and the prep area where Jarod stands and creates the masterpieces he sends out to the anxious patrons. 

We shared Local Greens, Lemon, Almond. It isn't just a salad, it is a lovingly created piece of art. The greens are local and dressed by hand, then carefully stacked on the glass plate. The couple next to me ask what it is, they want one too.

David then has Pork Belly Confit, Cippolini, Torn Bread and Bean. He has had a slightly different version of this before, he likes it very much.

I had Monterey Squid, Squash Blossom, Sunchoke, Corn. Oh I ate half before I took the picture!


A French fellow sat down next to me and we chatted, he ordered the Duck Confit.

I look at the menu and see "chocolate cookie". I ask the server about them, could they be the fabulous cookies I had last month? She talks to Jarod, no they are not the same. But Jarod will make them just for me, as a special treat!


She tells me they changed the serving size, they used to serve 6 and realized it was way too many. Funny, I ate all 5 last time, David had 1.


Here they are, my special cookies, little sandwiches, so I actually did get 6 (two per sandwich). Last time I guess there were actually 12! David didn't even have a bite.

They all watch as I thoroughly enjoy each cookie. Then the two women sitting next to David want to know what I am eating. They don't see this on the menu and they want them. Oops, Chef will need to make more I guess!

David said he would have me home in time for bed, we arrive at 8:30, I relax with a glass of sparkling wine then off to bed, 4:00 am comes early.

Next Saturday is Passport Day, we have wine shipments to pick up and they happen to be in Santa Cruz, I have made reservations for lunch at the Cellar Door again. We told Jarod we would drop off some of our wine for him.

Post Competition Celebration Lunch

Sunday I couldn't sleep in too late, I am wired to get up and go. I woke about 6 a.m. and read the paper, David got up early too and I asked for breakfast. An avocado, mushroom and cheddar cheese omelet with one piece of sourdough toast.


No pastries, I have all the time in the world really. The days following a competition are so fun, filled with eating and celebration.


We went to the farmers market and I ate some fruit, oh the flavor was wonderful! I bought great vegetables and meats. On the way home I texted Virginia- Ramos Fizzes in 15 minutes! She and Mark came right over, Sophie leading the way in her little battery operated car.


Then it was over to Santa Cruz for lunch at the Cellar Door Cafe. We are so lucky to have this stunning restaurant so close.

 

I knew what I wanted as soon as I talked to the server. The Aioli Monstre. A huge platter of cold poached seasonal vegetables and seafood, served with aioli (garlic mayonnaise).

Oh there was wine too, after all, Bonny Doon is a winery! I am not a "cheesecake Factory" gal, quantity does nothing for me, it is quality I want. I am a foodie, I know great food, I eat only the best. I know the best restaurants, hit me up when you are looking for something....

Here is the platter up close, next Sunday is the last day this is on the menu, then they are honoring the change of the seasons, and moving to bouillabaisse, I will be there for that!


My platter has cauliflower, carrots, green beans, Romano beans, wax beans, stuffed egg, shrimp, cherry tomatoes, basil, radishes, scallops and halibut cheeks! Each morsel is delicate and fresh as can be, you dip it in the garlicky mayonnaise and it is heaven on earth. 

It is an open kitchen, we like to sit at the counter and chat with the chefs. David is enjoying Pork Belly Confit, warm cabbage salad and fried yolk. 

It doesn't sound great but it was, I tried it!

I could have licked the plate. I joked with the server that I should have just eaten the darn shrimp tails too....

Dessert. Dark chocolate cookie, caramel mascarpone. Sounds simple, and it was. Simply delicious!


David ate one.

I ate the rest. They make them there, the cookies were slightly crispy outside, sort of like the crackly top of a brownie, then dense and moist inside. Like a sophisticated Oreo. 

This is one of the few restaurants Cooper will go out of his way to eat at, he knows great food too. I highly suggest you make a trip here, it is worth the drive over the hill.