It’s been about a little over two weeks since
my last post as life has managed to get in the way of my creative flow;
however, during this time, I have had an opportunity to reflect on a wonderful
trip that I had with my mother to Mendocino. What this experiences has taught me is the importance of simplicity and plain, old-fashioned fun and how
they should be the most important ingredients in any occasion.
Let’s start with Mendocino. This coastal
village has been a long time family retreat of ours and was the same place that
Ashwin and I spent our honeymoon before jetting off to India this summer. The
village is charming, tranquil, and has an all-around relaxed vibe. My mom and I
had a three night, four day weekend planned for ourselves in this little haven,
starting late Friday morning. Our plan was to stop at Roederer Estate in
Anderson Valley, which is a winery that makes some exquisite sparkling wine. My
mom and I had stopped at this beautiful estate on our previous trip to
Mendocino two years ago and Ashwin and I also made a visit to the winery on our
way up in July Each visit was pleasant and we enjoyed the tasting experience,
even retreating to the outdoor patio to take in the spectacular views with a
glass of bubbly.
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The Roederer Estate tasting room sans snobby staff and patrons |
Unfortunately, this visit was far from
charming and relaxing. My mom and I met at the winery, dressed in casual but
decent clothes and found a spot at the tasting bar and waited to be served. Our
attendant had to finish her conversation with some middle-aged pseudo-rich guy
who was bragging about his burgeoning wine collection…you know the type. Long
story short, after one measly pour and being blatantly ignored by her and some
older woman with a large set of keys (I think she was the tasting room
manager), my mom and I just left the winery. The alleged manager looked right at us
and went on to pour glasses for people who arrived after us. I had never had
such lousy service at any winery nor have I ever felt so invisible.
I drove along Route 128 angrily until I
decided to pull into the Navarro General Store to calm down and get a bottle of
water. My mom joined me inside and we ended up purchasing a beer and a small
bottle of sparkling wine (albeit bitter and made in Ceres, CA) and sat out on
the picnic benches under the redwood trees.
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Navarro General Store - a welcomed retreat on Hwy 128 on the way to Mendocino |
We ended up having a great conversation and
laughing about the whole ridiculous, pretentious attitude of the winery staff
as well as the “Muffy and Biff” crowd that bellied up to the bar that
particular day. We continued on to
Mendocino and had a wonderful, relaxing weekend, which I will detail in another
entry. Right now, I just want to reiterate the importance of having a fun
experience, regardless of what you do. It shouldn't matter where you are or even how you are dressed (just be clothed), as
long as you are having fun and enjoying the company of those you love, whether
it’s at a French chateau or a roadside general store in the heart of the
redwoods.
Cheers!
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