Still catching my breath after a whirlwind trip to Santa Cruz, Napa, and Sonoma to talk to some favorite winemakers there.

The Italian crew and I tasted some great wines, including many that surprised us and reshaped our perception of California winemaking.

I’ll be posting my “Napa dispatch” this week on the blog.

But in the meantime, as I get my feet back on the ground, I just wanted to share the best thing I ate in Napa: a [California] Veggie Sandwich at the Yountville Deli (above).

It’s was everything a [California] Veggie Sandwich should be (I write California in brackets because back in my native California, they just call it a “Veggie Sandwich”).

It was served on ciabatta from Bouchon bakery (delicious) and note the mandatory sprouts.

Of all the good things to eat there (and there are countless restaurants, from refined to homey, where the food is phenomenal), this is the one thing I’m still thinking about: it’s one of those simple pleasures of life that’s so satisfying and so easy to find in my home state.

I have so much to tell about our trip: the wines and the people were truly compelling. So stay tuned…

And wow, as we sat at the bar at the Oakland airport yesterday (below), it was amazing to see travelers cheer the U.S. on in the World Cup.

Soccer started early for kids growing up in Southern California like me. But I don’t ever remember seeing so much interest and passion for the game.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned…