New Years Eve - Greystone Restaurant

For New Years Eve we dropped off the bambinos at my parents place in Sonoma and then headed up to Calistoga to meet our friends, Toni and Derrick, at Solbar at Solage for cocktails and mocktails (me). Solage is a gorgeous resort in Calistoga, it reminds me of the Carneros Inn in Napa.  Afterwards, Carlos and I went to Greystone Restaurant at the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena.  The food was excellent but we weren't crazy about the atmosphere for New Years Eve. I definitely think this restaurant is a great place to stop for lunch or a casual dinner. The whole restaurant revolves around the kitchens (which makes sense) but for NYE, I was looking for a little less bright lights and chef's preparing food in front of me and more dinner by candlelight in a romantic corner of the restaurant. But, like I said before...the food is really, really good. The professional chefs were cooking, since the students were on winter break. We also sat next to Jim Caviezel (Jesus in The Passion of the Christ, Deja Vu, The Thin Red Line, Frequency) and his family at dinner. Of course, Factoid Fred, aka my husband, knew his name. I would have recognized his face but wouldn't have remember his name. It was pur first NYE not spent in SF in a long time and it was a nice change of pace (especially nice for Carlos who had a designated driver to drive us back to my parents place). Here's hoping everyone has an amazing 2011! 

**Pictures are all from my iPhone.