Don't forget to vote

Sacramento, California: Just a little reminder... like you need another... to get yourself down to the polls tomorrow and exercise your franchise. If you don't vote, you can't bitch... and you have to pay your taxes whether you vote or not. So I say: vote, pay your taxes and bitch. And just in case you are wondering how I can be preaching to vote when I am a thousand miles away from my home? We have already voted, by mail. (Oregon is now 100% vote-by-mail.)

Personal note to My Mother: sorry for the language, Ma. "Complain" just didn't have the same oomph.

DT couldn't leave Napa without a final burger at Taylor's Automatic Refresher! Plus, we needed to stimulate the local economy by doing a little gift shopping.

Chicken strips are my obsession


Chicken strips from Taylor's Automatic Refresher in Napa, California -
excessively crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside


Cheeseburger

Again, everything was really delicious - but we I over-ordered. After placing the order for two cheeseburgers, we I decided to try the chicken strips too. I couldn't even eat half of my burger. One of the chicken strips and the pumpkin shake are in our fridge/freezer now. No fries were harmed in the snapping of this photo.

After lunch and shopping, we packed-up our motorcoach, hitched-up the Honda and drove 60-ish miles to Sacramento. Just as we pulled into the RV park at the State Fairgrounds, the clouds opened up. It is like a little cloud is following us around!

This evening, for the first time in five years, it rained so hard we lost our internet and television satellite connection. Hard to believe, isn't it? We have been through several doozy thunderstorms (remember this night and this night?), but this is the first time we have lost our satellite television reception due to a storm. Terrible rain storm, Manila-style, in Sacramento tonight.

When the rains died down, My Husband (he's such a mensch) drove me to downtown Sacramento to my Favorite Restaurant in the World - Biba - where we enjoyed another perfect meal, guided by Reuben, our favorite waiter.

We have never seen an empty table at Biba until tonight

Biba changes her menu with the season and autumn is the pork season, but we were still able find delicious selections. I had a wonderful starter with grilled artichoke hearts, buffalo mozzarella and olives, while DT enjoyed Biba's pillow-like gnocchi dressed in a smoked mozzarella red sauce. For the main course, I chose the baby Petaluma chicken, deboned and grilled under a brick. Hubby had beef filet, served with the most scrumptious grilled gorgonzola polenta rounds ever to come out of a kitchen. Reuben tried to tempt me with a glass of pinot grigio - but I had him on the first sip. "What is it?", he asked. I replied, "Pinot Grigio, Californian, northern, in the French style." Nailed it! Knowing he could not be beaten, Reuben brought me a bottle of Italian Pinot Grigio.

This is the first time we have ever been to Biba when the restaurant wasn't completely packed, noisy, hopping and mesmerizing. We don't know if it is because of the weather, the economy, the road construction or because the restaurant is near the Capitol the eve of the election... but it was like a ghost town at Biba tonight. The food did not suffer, our service was perfect as usual... but it was still strange.

Chicken grilled under a brick with roasted potatoes and broccolini


Beef filet with roasted vegetables and gorgonzola polenta rounds

It was another wonderful food-filled day. Until my next update, I remain, your "it's snowing in the Sierra's" correspondent.

RV Park: Cal Expo RV Park - We are in the "back part" in a level gravel parking area in a pull-through full hookup site. We stay here quite often, but the main (paved) camping area is on a serious slant and some campers may find it difficult to get level. Bath house, laundry, wifi (not working this week!) and close to shopping, state fairground, and freeway access. $32.