At this moment, six of us are sitting outside (get that, Seattle? -- OUTSIDE) at Café Lucy in downtown Napa. The sun is out.
Let’s see. Today’s guests are Mary Teresa Carney – born and raised in San Francisco - who is still convinced that civilization stops at the far ends of the Golden Gate and the Bay bridges. Not so much the Golden Gate, any more, she says, because she and husband David Anderson now own a small place in the Napa Valley. Truly, there are times when I agree with Theresa.
In addition, there’s Robert Atkins, conference director for the Silverado Resort outside of Napa, and Lynne Lindahl, a wonderfully rare person who grew up in the valley. Lynne now sells real estate.
The fifth is one of yesterday’s walkers, Linda Lee, who is still standing. And me.
We’re having lunch. Am I the first blogger in the universe to type and eat at the same time? I hope not. And I hope I’ll be the last.
More about the food in a minute.
We’re about halfway through “Kitchens in the Vineyard,” the sixth annual tour of an organization called Music in the Vineyards. If you’re down here in August, you might try getting tickets to the annual Napa Valley Chamber Music Festival. Call 707-258-5559 or visit www.napavalleymusic.org.
One Spring Saturday a year, the organization throws the tour as a fundraiser. We’re seeing five kitchens, sampling food and, of course, critiquing the design skills of various home owners and their hired minions and volunteers.
The first kitchen was very cool. Huge space including kitchen, twelve-foot-long island, dining table and family room. Beautiful.
The second home. Um. Nertz. They won’t like me, but hey, I didn’t like their house or their kitchen. To each his, her or its own. If people lived there, I’d be shocked. Sterile – even though it was designer jammed with stuff. You know that feeling?
Nothing from that kitchen I’d take home as a must-do.
Hey. More than likely nothing from any of these kitchens I’d take home as must-dos. I’ll show you my checkbook balance, which should give you a big reason why.
But it’s still fun. People live this way. Really they do.
Back to the food. It’s arriving. I need to eat. Thanks for reading. The wine’s good, too. A bottle of FRENCH wine. Put that in your crepes and eat it.
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