Happy Stomach: Why I Had to Drive in San Francisco

Hiking in Berkeley

On my recent trip to San Francisco, I didn't really go to SF. We had one meal at the fabulous Slanted Door, and cocktails at Hard Water. But since we were staying in Berkeley, and going to Napa for a couple of days, we thought getting a car was a good idea.

It turned out to be a great idea.

Heated and cooled leather seats in the Mazda6

We stayed in Berkeley for 4 nights, at the Doubletree by Hilton Berkeley Marina. This waterfront hotel is a little off the beaten path, though you can easily bike, run, or take a free shuttle to the adorable shops and restaurants along Fourth Street.

Fermented tea leaf salad at Burma Superstar

Getting anywhere else is a bit more complicated. The shuttle takes you to BART, the train station, where you can get into San Francisco in about 20 minutes. But factor in waiting for the train, waiting for the shuttle, and a 10pm cut off, and we were glad to have a car.

And what a car

My daughter, hiking in Redwood Regional Park

Mazda loaned us its top of the line Mazda6 sedan. This 2018 Signature model, with came tricked out with a should red crystal pain job and soft nappa leather, had both a sunroof and heated steering wheel. Turns out we needed both. Our first couple of days, it was about 60, with clear blue skies. Then we had persistent rain, and temperatures in the 40s. That heated steering wheel made me forget that I left my gloves in New York. And rain sensing windshield wipers were great when the rain finally stopped. And started. And stopped...

The roomy Mazda6 trunk. We had 3 suitcases behind these

The car had heated and cooled seats, but we didn't need these features.

On a hike: Redwood Regional Park

With a car, we were also able to drive up to Redwood Regional Park, near the Berkeley Hills in Oakland. I was amazed at how short a drive it was to such excellent hiking. There are 40 miles of trails through a redwood forest.

Only the main gate charges for parking, and weekend only, April - October. If you use the main gate, you also have to pay a dog fee if you bring one. And almost everyone had a dog with them.

Checking out Oakland

Along the road from the Doubletree, a biking and running path

My daughter lives on the border of Berkeley, close to Oakland, and the Mazda6 was very convenient for driving around that neighboring city. We ate at Burma Superstar, a sister restaurant to Burma Love in San Francisco, where we ate last year. This is the original location and has the same excellent, very flavorful food. There are lots of vegetarian and vegan choices, but my meat eating brothers-in-law were pleased with their beef and lamp dishes.

Spicy tofu at Burma Superstar

My cousin's three year old was also happy with her plain white rice and veggie samosas.

Another day, we drove to the Oakland Farmer's Market and sampled our way through the lively market. There was local cheese and bread, along with unusual citrus to try. We even got large hunks of pomegranate.

The area near the market is filled with shops and restaurants. There is even a vintage movie theater that plays first run movies. On the weekends, a huge Wurlitzer organ is played before screenings.

We were so taken with Oakland that we drove there another time for a vegan brunch. Millennium has a Michelin Bib Gourmand award, which recognizes great food at a good value.

Brunch at Millennium: mushroom sandwich with pickled veggies 

Heads up driving

Berkeley has Bicycle Boulevards that give priority to cyclists. So I was happy to have the Head Up Display to help me keep my eyes on the road. The Mazda6 also had lane departure warning and lane keep assist. And the adaptive front lighting was useful in returning to the hotel late at night. The roads were dark and the adaptive lights also prevent you from blinding oncoming traffic.

The soulful Soul Red Mazda 6, on the waterfront in Berkeley 

Driving in comfort

We never had more than three people in the car, so we had plenty of room to stretch out. The roomy trunk easily fit all the luggage we brought. We had to bring a huge bag for our daughter of stuff she couldn't fit on her last trip. In a combination of city and highway driving, we got about 26 miles per gallon.

All this for $36,435.

Note: Mazda loaned me the Mazda6. I was not otherwise compensated. Opinions expressed are my own.

Feeling Virtuous: Lovely Dog Friendly Cafe in Alexandria

Vegetarian sweet potato tacos

Many restaurants claim to be dog friendly. But Virtue Feed & Grain goes a step further. The Alexandria, VA restaurant has a menu just for dogs.

Rules for dog friendly dining

Only the patio is open to dogs, and there are some rules. Though washing your hands before eating seems like a good life plan, not just for those bringing their pups.

Spicy fish tacos

The restaurant also has a kid's menu and has plenty of vegetarian options. I had sweet potato tacos, a veggie riff on fish tacos. Pickled jalapeños, pickled red onions and goat cheese gave it plenty of flavor.

Quinoa salad

The fish tacos had guacamole and a spicy green salsa.

We also had a veggie packed quinoa salad with beets, radishes, tomatoes and peas.

Dogs could get beef and rice or steak. There was even a vegetarian option; frozen yogurt 'bones' with apples. Too cute.

Staying cool in the Mazda3

Too hot to open the moonroof on the Mazda3

We drove a too cute Mazda3 Grand Touring, which easily fit four adults. Though Mazda doesn't make  hybrid or electric cars, its vehicles get great gas mileage. This fuel efficient car got 35 miles per gallon on the highway.

Great comfort to drive a car that is a top safety pick

The weekend we were in Washington, DC, it was almost 100 degrees, so too hot for biking to Alexandria. We were glad to have the car for the quick trip to Old Town Alexandria.

It was too hot to open the sunroof, but the car cooled off quickly. And since I tend to run cooler than my husband, he appreciated the cooled front seats and the dual climate control.

Mazda packs a lot in

Hatchback with rear wiper in Mazda3

The Mazda3 offers great value, too. The base price is under 25K, and that includes rain sensing windshield wipers, the sunroof, (called a moonroof) blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert.

The model I drove had a premium package for $1000 that included the nav system, radar cruise control, paddle shifters, lane keep assist, high beam control and heated steering wheel.

Note: Mazda loaned me the Mazda3 for this trip.

A Tale of 2 Mazdas: How to Mix Business and Pleasure

Choose your adventure: surfboard, bikes or kayak?

Many parents fantasize, while driving the carpool minivan, about the hot little convertible or speedy sports car that they would rather be driving. Mazda gave me the opportunity to drive both the sensible new 2017 CX-5, a compact sport utility vehicle, and the sporty 2017 MX-5 Miata RF, a hard-top roadster that opens up at the touch of button, at the recent Mazda Design Event.

Which Mazda is for you?

Perfectly framed: the Mazda CX-5 on the left and MX-5 Miata RF on the right

The surprising thing way, both cars managed to delight everyone. That the Miata was fun is a given. The two seater, particularly in the soul red I drove, and the smooth 6 speed manual transmission has fun built into its DNA (there is also a 6 speed automatic). 

The CX-5 has its own unique charms. Look, I love both a chocolate chip cookie and a slice of strawberry rhubarb pie. I'm not here to say one is better than the other. Sometimes you need a cookie, sometimes you want pie.

My focal point in my room's patio; around the corner, a private outdoor hot tub

And sometimes you have more than one person driving with you, or your dog, a couple of bicycles, maybe a kayak on the roof. The CX-5 fits the bill here, with extras like a crisp Head Up Display that incorporated speed limit, navigation and current speed, all projected at the perfect focal point.

The Mazda CX-5 also has rear doors that open wide, for ease of installing a child safety seat, strapping your kid into the seat, or helping an elderly parent into the car. Along with heated and ventilated rear seats, the CX-5 cossets all its passengers.

The MX-5 Miata RF; add some zoom zoom to your day

The lap of luxury, for less

Mazda hosted us at the exquisite Rancho Valencia Resort, where rooms are over $600 a night, and the cars driven by the other guests elected a well-heels clientele: Range Rovers, Bentleys and Mercedes-Benz automobiles dominated the parking lot. But the sparkly new Mazdas fit in, at less than half the price of those luxury cars. Which may be why there were two distinct Mazdas on display: a CX-5 for the daily grind and a Miata for weekend fun.

The only lemons are on the trees

Instead of splurging on a Bentley, you could buy both, and still have enough cash on hand to spend a weekend at Rancho Valencia Resort.

Lemon grove at Rancho Valencia

There is a citrus grove on site, with lemons and oranges, an olive grove and a rose garden

The 5 star, 5 diamond resort has a world class spa with a full complement of fitness classes included with a stay: pilates, spin, and an open air yoga pavilion where we took a class in Zazen, a seated meditation. Mazda designers study Zazen in Japan, a practice that involves keeping your eyes open and focusing ahead of you..

Outside the yoga pavilion

Posture is paramount, which translates into the Mazda design. Comfort is important. And the quiet cabin, whether in a convertible or an SUV filled with kids, lets you focus on the task at hand: driving.

Note: Mazda covered my transportation, lodging and food. Opinions and Zoom Zoom delight are all my own.