Trip Report: Mendicino, San Francisco, and Points Between
 

I'll make this report in parts, as I get time.

It started with a pair of Delta vouchers, good for a round trip flight. Class E tickets being few and far between, it took many calls and hours on the phone until we snagged a mid-July round trip NYC to San Francisco, so that was the trip. Mrs. Peabody and I decided to finish what we strarted last year. (Last year's trip report is on the second page of my list if you click my name.)

We flew into SFO and the Budget Rental car was ready to go. No line. Don't understand why, since the price was great if you reserved on the internet and said you had a BJ's card or AARP or a bunch of others. We insisted on a compact car rather than the $1 upgrade to save gas money and to calm my nerves as I would be driving narrow twisty roads.

In little time, we arrived in Napa. Stayed at the Wine Country Lodge, which is really a motel in a nondescript part of town, but the king room was only 60 bucks or so using the Entertainment Card. That left extra bucks for for wine and food and also for breakfast at Sweetie Pie's rather than a bowl of instant (yuck) oatmeal at WCL.

In Napa, first we grabbed an hour or so of strolling to taste chocolates and check out some shops. Funny, but there was no one on the streets! Well, it was sort of hot. Like nearly 100 degrees. We cooled down at the wine store next to the Copia Center. Then it was time for jetlag supper.

Checked out Celedon, but the menu hadn't changed from a year before. So we went to Zuzu, a Tapas place on Main Street. I think this place must usually be packed, but it was only 6 PM and we had been going since 6AM eastern time. They had a great list of small plates and wine by the glass. Ordered Manzanilla sherry and palella for one and sizzling prawns and halibut seviche and ...
Each plate was enough for a few bites each, and was extravagantly flavored. So we got some viognier and some roasted yellow peppers stuffed with white anchovies and ... Eventually stopped eating and drinking, drove a mile back to WCL, and sacked out.

Last year we did Napa and Sonoma, big reds and powerful whites, so this year it was north to Hopland. Along the way we got strawberries at the roadside where the nice lady was picking for her stand. My advanced knowledge of physics and engineering provided cooling for such fare despite the 100+ degree heat: Just put 3 ziplocks of motel ice into one of those double reflective "keeps hot foods hot and cold foods cold for hours" shopping bags inside a $2.50 styrofoam Safeway cooler and the food and water bottles you put in the silver bag with the ice stays cold for a day.

Where was I? Oh, yes, Hopland at 105 degrees.

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So, there we were in the Russian River and Anderson Vally wine region. The goal: Interesting whites, pinot noir, and NO #$@!*%$ MERLOT. No Cabernet and no chardonnay either for that matter. No tours of vats and presses, no BS. And. unlike Sideways, no drunken stupors. Swirl, smell, sip, taste, spit, pour out. And no WMD's (wines of minimal distinction).

I won't bore you with details of the 30-40 wines we tasted that day. Plus olive oils and other upscale goodies. But we started at Hopland because the Web said that a winery there, Graziano Family wineries (they have three labels) made arneis, a while Italian varietal that is superb with food. They also had other Italian varietals and California stuff. Loved the muscat canelli and many of their others. Also worth the stop in Hopland are McNab Ridge (viognier) and McDowell (non-plonk white, port, and such). We were going to have lunch at a well recommended (on the web) brewpub but it was closed and anyway had stopped serving food.

So we ate at the Bluebird Cafe. Had kangaroo burger and ostrich burger. Skipped the elk. Really good! Fries were tops, and they have giant beef burgers for the wildlife-phobic.

Then we headed to route 128. There are at least a half dozen exceptional small wineries along the road. This area is rural, and the commercialism of NapaSonomaPayForYourTastesAndBuyTShirts is absent. Nice folks, and wines to savor without having to pick your own taste buds up afterwards. Several, including Navarro, Handley, and Maple Creek had picnic facilities and gardens.

Also, in Philo, I think, was a yellow building "Anderson Valley Wine Experience" that gave tastes of 4 even smaller wineries. The places along here make so little wine that if you don't come to them, you'll never see the stuff, at least out east. No one asked for a tasting fee, they were great to talk with, and recommended other places to taste that "you shouldn't miss ..."

Speaking of shouldn't miss, Maple Creek Artevino has a variety that is a hybrid of viognier and anther grape that made a knockout dessert wine. You shouldn't miss it. And lots of super pinot noir all over the place.

Also somewhere along 128 is a fruit farm that you also shouldn't miss. White peaches. Mmmmmmm.

We then drove along a tiny cut off road through the hills from 128 near Booneville to Ukiah. Scenic, twisty, narrow road. Great drive. Stayed at a motel on Ukiah's strip. Dinner was bread and cheese and strawberries and peaches and a little more wine, in the room.

It's late. More later.

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The original plan from Ukiah was to see redwoods either north to the Valley of the Giants (a scenic drive) or west to the Montgomery Woods State Reserve (said to have the world's tallest tree and a nice walk in the redwoods and tree ferns). Decided on the latter, but first: Breakfast. Went to Schat's bakery next to the courthouse and picked up a sack of sweet rolls (aka Danish, aka sticky buns). Then tried some world class brandy at Germain-Robin. They use classic French pot stills and California varietal grapes. Their cognac is better than the best French $300 bottles, according to the NY Times. I would agree except I have never tasted the $300 stuff. It is the best distilled spirit I have ever tasted. You can't find the place without directions so call them if you go.

Then we took the Orr Springs Road that goes from Ukiah to Mendocino. It is narrow and very scenic. We started in the 100 degree dry hilly interior and eventually reached the cool green redwoods, but the grove was barred with a "closed" sign and the small parking lot was empty. So we continued the scenic drive, dodging the occasional logging truck (no small feat on a shoulderless narrow 2-lane twisty road).

By the time we got to the Pacific at Mendocino, it was in the 60's and lunchtime. Ate outside at the Mendocino Cafe, post card view, BBQ for me, Thai Burrito (I kid you not!) for Mrs. P, and Old Rasputin Stout from the North Coast Brewery in Fort Bragg. The stout was way better than Guiness, so we added another place to see to our list.

Checked in at the Blackberry Inn 2 minutes outside central Mendocino. It had the best elements of a B&B without the problems of sky-high rates and bathrooms down the hall and no TV's. Also, it had one of the few rooms left in Mendocino, probably due to the music festival and arts fair that were both going on for the time we were there.

The Blackberry Inn is really an upscale motel-shaped family run enterprize. The rooms hide behind somewhat hokey wild west false fronts, but are large, comfortable, and very well furnished. Breakfast is fruit and homebaked goodies left in the room the evening before. Highly recommended. Their website is accurate, shows each room and the view from each room and has a great link list for area restaurants. We reserved the room a week in advance by phone.

Then we had about three days to relax. Mendocino is full of shops and art galleries, there was music at the festival (big band jazz in the tent, plus small venues), and a juried arts fair (no painted t-shirts). Fort Bragg is just 15 minutes up the coast and has more art and shops.

Highlights:

Cafe Beaujolais. Reputed as best restaurant in the region, required advance reservation. Modest disappointment as the carefully made food was oversalted and the wine list was mostly sold out. They do know how to make superb seafood, however.

Mendo Bistro, Fort Bragg. In a reconverted post-and-beam open second floor of a sawmill, had the best food of the trip. Modern fusion California style, plus a killer chocolate dessert platter. Inspired wine list.

North Coast Brewery, Fort Bragg. Listed as one of the best small breweries in the world. Brewpub grub was excellent (Texas burger, fish and chips) and a flight of 4 oz beer tastes. Inexpensive foodie heaven for the brew afficianado. Do not miss the Old Stock Ale!!!

Jalapino ginger jam at a storefront in Fort Bragg.

Mendocino cookie company. Sorry we only got a dozen.

Mendocino Chocolate Co. truffles and chocolate sauces.

The Wharf, Fort Bragg. Seafood restaurant on the river near its mouth to the Pacific. Watched birds, seals, and boats from the glass walled bar area. Food is excellent, even though I broke my rule and ordered ribeye steak in a seafood joint. It was superb. Calimari were superb. Portions were very large. Mrs. Peabody needed a doggie bag. I just gained weight.

Didn't know in advance that along the same dock were a bunch of outdoor seafood shacks with lots of people enjoying fresh from the boat fish at picnic tables. We'll try that next time we're in the neighborhood.

Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. All outdoors, includes everything from a fern brook ravine to rhododendron gardens to Pacific bluffs. Nice walk.

Decided to skip the midnight costume party for Hrry Potter at the bookstore. Only costume I had was to come as a muggle.

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Mmmmm white peaches!! Have you discovered the SF secret - apple bananas?

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Sunday, and time to head to San Francisco. For the first time it looks like the coastal fog may have retreated, so instead of 128 to 101, we went with Route 1 down the coast. Hit Gualala at lunch time. No idea where to eat when suddenly came the sweet smell of ... yes ! Barbeque!!! There in a supermarket parking lot was a BBQ pit. Chicken, ribs, sausage, hunks of beef! Locals buying for lunch and dinner. So we picked up ribs and chicken-garlic sausage sandwiches and headed back on the road. Chowed down a mile or so south at a state beach access with picnic tables. BBQ, fresh fruit, a bit of leftover rose wine. Oh, yes.

On the road but the fog is back. Headed inland to 101. Golden Gate Bridge was not visible much even from the approaches.

Got to the Stanford Court for 4 nights courtesy of Priceline at $75 per night. Their car court made unloading and check-in a breeze, then dropped the car at the rental agency a few blocks downhill. The Stanford Court was a lucky PL result. We got a queen bed with a courtyard room on an upper quiet floor. The outer rooms are subject to the noise of the three cable car lines that all run by it.

Being on top of Nob Hill puts you in a good location, but you need to climb a three block stair master hill to get there. We bought 3 day Muni Passports, and used cable cars (usually the California line which isn't full of tourists) to get up the hill.

San Francisco Highlights:

Modern Art Museum, Asian Art Museum, Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park.

Free chocolates at Ghiradelli, then 2 for one sundaes (from a coupon when I signed up for Ghiradelli's "gmail" list).

Breakfast pastries from Kuletto's.

Far East Cafe (prawns with honey walnuts, scallops with baby bok choy) fresh flavors and perfectly cooked.

Cafe Claude, real French, best escargots in many a year, lamb with white beans, fine menu and wine list, nice romantic meal.

R & G Lounge -- Salt and Pepper Squid, Clay pot beef and turnips, XO Prawns. Top notch. (Skipped the web-recommended crabs as thay would have tripled the cost of the meal.)

Osteria del Forno -- small, no reservations, fantastic food at a bargain price and wine by the glass in tumblers. Asked for a got a roast beef sandwich on focaccia to go for the plane the next day. Appetizers, entrees, wine, and sandwich and tax and tip for $67. Go if you can get in. We went very early so we could make it to the nearby show:

Beach Blanket Babylon. 90 minutes of sheer hilarity, music somewhat true to the original words, outrageous costumes, even more outrageous musical/verbal/visual puns, throwaway jokes funnier than most comedies' punch lines, and costumes and hats that alone are worth the price of admission. Not a bit offensive, you could bring your mother. I won't give away any of the jokes, which must change frequently as a lot of it was very topical, but you'll love the Hassidic version of "Macho Man", a light as air Madonna, and Louis the 16th channelling Uncle Miltie in drag but not in drag. Nuff said.

The plane left the next morning. Unfortunately, we had to be on it.