Yountville: Lavender; hotel review

Wine Country

Lavender  

2020 Webber Ave., (800) 522-4140, (707) 944-1388.  8 rooms.  All gas fireplaces.  Afternoon snack, full breakfast buffet; room service.  Pets ok.  

Set a block back from this tiny town’s main street, in a quiet leafy residential area, the French country-style Lavender inn operates within the updated bones of a late 1800s farmhouse.  Its wraparound porch is furnished with wicker chairs and a romantic green-painted swinging wood couch.  Guests drive into the off-street parking area through a reformatted barn that now also holds the inn’s various maintenance rooms, then walk down a brick garden lane to the reception desk just inside the converted house’s side door.  Housemade cookies are always available along with the makings for a hot drink, and a communal seating area with comfy stuffed couches and chairs and an oriental carpet is provided in a tiny parlor with gas fireplace.  The music of Edith Piaf sometimes sets the tone.  An included full buffet breakfast with eggs is served off the lobby and, weather permitting, in the garden, and a complimentary late afternoon tea time with breads, cheeses, and pastries is also scheduled (sometimes local wineries also come to pour).  Complimentary newspapers are available in the lobby, and evening turndown service includes a delectable Le Belge chocolate.  A boules court (French bocce ball) is located on the front lawn, and old-fashioned bicycles can be borrowed to explore the surrounding countryside.  Three rooms have a jetted tub on their patio, and in summer guests can use the pool at Maison Fleurie--a sister inn located just two blocks away.  Books and games are available to borrow from the front desk.  Six rooms are in three duplex one-level units, and two rooms are within the vintage house.  All rooms have similar rustic decor, with buttery walls and colorful striped bed covers, and the duplex units each have a private patio.  

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image ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers   

Livermore: Casa Orozco; restaurant review

Greater East Bay

Casa Orozco  

325 S. L St./3rd St, (925) 449-3045. L-D M-Sat; $$.

 Located on the outskirts of downtown, the Casa Orozco  restaurant features a large open dining room plus a cozy bar extension. Margaritas are refreshing and varied and include a jalapeno-cucumber version. Lunch specials include pozole, tortilla soup, and huaraches, plus a veggie-friendly chile relleno or flauta stuffed with mashed potatoes. Shrimp enchiladas and seafood tacos are always good choices, as are dishes featuring shredded chicken, and specialties include a deep-fried chimichanga, enchiladas verdes, and tacos al pastor. Chips and both mild and hot red salsas are complimentary.


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image ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Oakland: Uzen Japanese Cuisine; restaurant review + things to do

880 South

Uzen Japanese Cuisine  

5415 College Ave./Hudson St., (510) 654-7753.  L M-F, D M-Sat; $$.  Takes reservations. 

Narrow and deep, this small spot manages to squeeze in a full-size sushi bar.  Sushi (vegan sushi, too) and sashimi are the strong points at Uzen Japanese Cuisine, but udon noodles, salmon free-range Rocky chicken teriyaki, tempura, and katsu don (fried pork cutlet) all share the menu.

Bella Vita 

5307 College Ave., (510) 653-1639.

Nearby, Bella Vita stocks a browse-worthy collection of locally handmade goods plus children’s items and some new and vintage clothing. 

Rockridge Home 

5418 College Ave., (510) 420-1928.  Daily 11-8. 

Across the street, the Rockridge Home gift and kitchen shop is stocked with a spectacular and colorful selection of goods.  You’ll find items for children, for organizing your home, and for thrilling a giftee.




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image ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Palo Alto: Coconuts Caribbean Restaurant & Bar; restaurant review

101 South

Coconuts Caribbean Restaurant & Bar  

642 Ramona St./Forest Ave., 2 blks. S of University Ave., (650) 353-2897.  L-D M-Sat; $.  

Though the oversize tables for four make easy conversation difficult, Coconuts Caribbean Restaurant & Bar is a haven for diners seeking flavorful island cuisine.  Jerk chicken and salmon are tasty choices, but don’t overlook the plentiful and unusual vegetarian dishes:  corn festival (fried corn dough; ask for some mango dipping sauce), fried plantains, spinach ackee triangles (Jamaica’s national fruit), spicy Irie tofu (Jamaica’s national dish; accompanied with seasoned spinach and lentils and a jerk dipping sauce), macaroni and cheese, sweet potato fries.  Rice and beans are paired with many main dishes.  Call for happy hour info and schedule for live steel drum music.  


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image ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

San Francisco: Sauce Belden Place; restaurant review

San Francisco

Sauce Belden Place  

56 Belden Pl./Bush St., Financial District, (415) 397-8800.  L M-F, D daily; $$.  Reservations accepted. 

Located down-alley, this one-room venue’s decor includes a pressed-tile ceiling and high seating.  Napkins are big—they are repurposed dish towels—and food is mostly tapas-style small “social plates.”  Though comfort foods aboundat Sauce Belden Place, you’ll see updated appetizer versions— sweet little two-bite mini chicken pot pies, meaty portabello mushroom fries with housemade ranch dipping sauce, bacon-wrapped meatloaf atop mashed potatoes.  Chef Ben Paula suggests sharing a large sampler platter featuring four each of a variety of appetizers assures so diners won’t experience “entrée envy.”  Brussels sprout salad consists of separate leaves tossed with bacon candy and dried cranberries and makes a delicious change from lettuce.  Unfortunately, many Happy Hour diners probably never make it to the entrees that include a buttery Maine lobster roll--the bun is made in house, and the shells from the fresh lobster are used to make a bisque--and fried organic chicken with whipped potatoes and gravy.  Happy Hour BOOMS--I joked to my dining partner that maybe we should carry on a conversation by texting--daily from 2:30 to 7 p.m., and microwbrews, bubbles by the glass, and creative cocktails are part of the mix (my fave is the tasty American Honey Side Car with Wild Turkey bourbon and triple orange liquor).  Dessert brings on oatmeal cookie dough bon bons and PB&J sponge cake with a vanilla ice cream center.  Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are available.  Sauce stays open until 1 a.m.

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image and video ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

San Francisco: SFJAZZ Center; things to do

San Francisco

SFJAZZ Center  

201 Franklin St./Fell St., Hayes Valley, (866) 920-5299, (415) 788-7353. 

When designing this new jazz venue, careful thought was put into giving it the stature of a concert hall but with the informality of a club.  Sightlines at the SFJAZZ Center are excellent, sound is tonally balanced, and seats are comfortable (their arms have a drink holder).  Featuring a kind of corrugated aluminum look in greys and blacks, it gives off a cool vibe.  Concerts begin on January 23.

More things to do in San Francisco

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videos ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Yountville: Ma(i)sonry Napa Valley; things to do

Wine Country

Ma(i)sonry Napa Valley  

6711 Washington St./Pedroni St., N end of town, (707) 944-0889.  Sun-W 10-7, Thur-Sat 10-10.  

Built in 1890 as a brandy distillery, this structure has local fieldstone and river rock features and brick walls that are 22 inches thick.  Its storied past includes stints as a speakeasy, school, bordello, LSD factory, antique shop, and B&B.  Currently it is an art and design gallery and wine-tasting facility as well as a National Historic Site.  Visitors to Ma(i)sonry Napa Valley are greeted with a complimentary tasting of one vintage (we heard, “Let me get you a welcome splash.”) and are invited to browse the two-story gallery and lovely outdoor space dotted with century-old olive trees and contemporary sculpture.  Should you want to do more extensive wine tasting, a collection of more than 50 wines from the small wineries represented here is available to choose from—perhaps a bright Blackbird Vineyards Arriveste Rose or an earthy red Casa Piena Our Gang Cabernet Sauvignon from vineyards that are “just over there.”  The staff is knowledgeable and hospitable, and you can purchase wines you like on site.

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image ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Yountville: Cosentino Winery; things to do

Wine Country 

Cosentino Winery  

7415 St. Helena Hwy. (Hwy. 29), (707) 944-1220.  Tasting daily 10-5:30; no tour. 

Built in 1990, Cosentino Winery produced the country's first designated Meritage wine.  Referred to as The Poet, it is a marvelous blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.  In a barrel room tasting here (held daily at 10am, 12, 2pm, and 4), I learned about toasting French oak barrels and sampled a pricey 2009 Chardonnay from Bacigalupi Vineyard and a 2005 Cabernet from the Secret Clone Vineyard (it is said the vines for the latter were smuggled in from Parma, Italy).  Bread sticks, cheese, and salami enhanced.



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image ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Point Reyes Station: Stellina (CLOSED); restaurant review

1 North

Stellina  

CLOSED  11285 Hwy. 1, (415) 663-9988.  L-D F-W; $$. 

It’s surprising to find such scrumptious offerings so far off the beaten path, but here it is at Stellina!  Though it is not complimentary, springy and  delicious Brick Maiden sourdough bread and housemade focaccia is served with a fine olive oil for dipping (the dreamy bread is made in a yellow house up the street and can be purchased at several local shops).  Splitting a salad and thin-crusted pizza (especially one topped with slow-roasted roma tomatoes) or a grilled cheese on that same wonderful bread is a good way to go for two, saving room for the ice cream sandwich of the day.  Oysters, pasta, and more than 30 wines by the glass are also on the menu, and most ingredients are local. 


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image ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
updated 7-25-18

Tomales: Tomales Bakery (CLOSED); restaurant review

1 North

Tomales Bakery  

(is now Route One Bakery)

CLOSED  27000 Hwy. 1, (707) 878-2429.  Thur-Sun 7:30am-4:30; $.

interior of Tomales Bakery in Tomales, California

There is just barely enough room to select and buy after passing through the flower-painted door rim of the tiny Tomales Bakery.  The syrupy, nutty sticky buns and “Puff Daddy”—a cinnamon-sugar covered croissant—are popular and tasty.  Sometimes you’ll be able to see pastries in process in the open kitchen.  A few seats are available outside.

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image ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Yountville: Mustards Grill; restaurant review

Wine Country

Mustards Grill 

The best place to be seated at this popular, well-established bar and grill (it’s been here now for a quarter century) is in the front area with its multi-paned windows.  Tables at Mustards Grill are set with crisp white napery, and the atmosphere is casual and chic and the menu imaginative.  Selections include soups, salads, and sandwiches--the grilled ahi tuna with basil aioli and the burger are particularly tasty--as well as entrees such as barbecued baby back ribs, Mongolian pork chop with sweet & sour red cabbage, and grilled hanger steak.  Fresh fish specials are also available.  Onion rings are thin, light, and superb, and served with housemade ketchup.  Varietal wines are available by the glass, and rich desserts and specialty coffees invite lingering.







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image ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Yountville: Goosecross winery; things to do

Wine Country

Goosecross

1119 State Lane, (800) 276-9210, (707) 944-1986.  Tasting daily 10-4:30.  Tours by appt.; M-F at 11 & 2. 

Located off a valley cross street, back among the vineyards, the friendly Goosecross tasting room is situated in a cozy barrel cellar.  The winery is very small, has no distribution, and only sells its wines here.  A tasting might include a crisp and fruity Pinot Gris, a smooth Merlot with a toasty oak finish, and perhaps a heavier Syrah with cherry, pepper, and black licorice flavors.  The video below demonstrates an orbital wine decanter. 

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video ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers  

Marshall: Nick’s Cove Restaurant, Oyster Bar & Cottages; restaurant review + hotel review

1 North

Nick’s Cove Restaurant, Oyster Bar & Cottages  

23240 Hwy. 1, 3 mi. N of town, (866) 63-NICKS, (415) 663-1033.  12 units (5 units on the water, 7 units across the street from the bay).  All fireplaces & wood-burning stoves; all kitchens.  Continental breakfast; restaurant; room service.  Pets ok. 

cottage at Nick’s Cove Restaurant, Oyster Bar & Cottages in Marshall, California

Clustered on either side of Highway 1, this collection of luxury cottage units were built in the 1930s, more than 80 years ago.  Tastefully updated but retaining a rustic ambiance, their unique atmosphere makes this the perfect spot for reflection, decompression, and rejuvenation.  

Five waterfront units are individual cottages, while seven more units across the road from the bay are split between three buildings.  Features vary.  As an example, detached Ruthie’s cottage (on the bay) features knotty-pine walls and has a sleeping area, a sitting area, and a small kitchen--all with a view out to the bay.  It also has an unsheltered balcony with plenty of room to sit and relax and soak up the fresh air and sounds of the bay.  The bathroom features noteworthy vintage chrome plumbing fixtures that work well and really pump the water—a pleasant surprise—and a lovely basket-weave marble floor with radiant heating.  Five units have a clawfoot bathtub.  

 Another example is Jerry’s (across the street), which also has an expansive view of the bay.  That view can be enjoyed from throughout the room, but it also has a roomy deck area in front where it is positively heavenly to sit and breathe in the fresh air and watch the limited world pass by--think a few people coming and going at the restaurant, herons diving in the bay for dinner, small boats docking at the pier. 

Upon arrival at Nick’s Cove, order up your complimentary "arrival oysters"--you can enjoy some of the area’s famous fresh oysters to be delivered to your room for an afternoon snack, or you can order them in the bar area and enjoy them by a vintage stone fireplace that is often set with a crackling fire.  A continental breakfast is included and brought to the room in the morning.

Featuring an exceptional view over to Hog Island and the Point Reyes Peninsula, comfortable Nick’s Cove Restaurant was recently spiffed up.  A glassed-in deck beckons on warmer days.  The mostly locally-sourced menu features fresh local seafood, including oysters, rock cod, and clams (for the chowder) from Tomales Bay.  When Dungeness crab season is on, the crab cakes (made with very little filler and perhaps some smoked paprika aioli for a little kick) are hard to beat, but the restaurant is known for its crab mac ‘n cheese and also prepares a crab Louis.  At lunch, the crab Benedict and burger with housemade brioche bun and pickles are choice.  Dessert includes hand-crafted s’mores for two—perfect for roasting in the restaurant’s fireplace. 

At some point you’ll want to visit the charming little boat house at the end of a 400-foot pier.  Snacks and drinks can be delivered or taken out there.

restaurant at Nick’s Cove Restaurant, Oyster Bar & Cottages
in Marshall, California

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images ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

updated July 2023