Notes from the Innkeeper

Heirloom Tomatoes

2008-05-08T08:45:00.000-07:00

Of course we're partial to the Napa Valley, seeing as how we're pretty much in the center of it, especially when it comes to Napa Valley vacations. We do acknowledge our neighbor on the other side of the mountain, though: Sonoma County. They have lots of great wineries and some fantastic restaurants. It's definitely worth a day trip from the Inn, should your schedule permit.

One big event that's especially fun is the Heirloom Tomato Festival at Kendall-Jackson Vineyards. They showcase more than 150 different types of heirloom tomatoes, plus there's lots of food and wine. The K-J Wine Center is about a 35- to 40-minute drive from the Inn, and our staff will be happy to give you directions. And here's an inn-sider's tip: this event ALWAYS sells out, so if you are interested in going, I suggest that you purchase your tickets now. Here are the details:

Date: Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008

Time: 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

$: $55 per person before June 30; $65 thereafter

Tickets: call (800) 769-3649 or visit their web site

Note: The pics are from the K-J gardens...

Working Lunch

2008-04-28T15:13:00.000-07:00

Most of the time being an innkeeper is a lot of fun. You get to meet lots of new people, play around (a lot) on computers and with Photoshop, and make decisions like whether to add more pepper to my Clam Dip recipe or not. Sometimes, though, it can be tough, tough, tough, especially during "working" lunches when my staff and I visit local restaurants to stay up-to-date on what's current and cool here in the Napa Valley, and also network with our neighboring wineries friends. Let me tell you, this legwork and checking things out can be gruelling!

Case in point: Last week, myself, the Inn's manager, Deniese, and our marketing manager, Tim, met at Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen in downtown St. Helena with the Nord family. While their primary focus is on the family's vineyard management company, they also recently have released their own wine label, Nord Estate Wines. We met with the Nords both to learn the "story" behind their wines and, of course (!) taste. I'm excited to say that their wines are quite good. And here's the cool part: we're adding the Nords to our Inn-cursion wine tour program, and they're going to do their tastings in the vineyards. Fun! Anyway, just know that we're working hard, hard, hard to make your stay at our Napa Valley inn as relaxing, fun, and as special as possible.

Painting in the Valley

2008-04-14T13:20:00.000-07:00

For those of you who wish to unleash (or even better, discover!) your inner artist while visiting the Napa Valley, we suggest that you check out Alla Prima Studio, which runs a series of 1-, 2- and 5-day painting workshops. Led by owner/artist Gretchen Kimball, you'll discover some of the most magical and visually attractive places in the valley.

Contact Gretchen directly for details.

Alla Prima Studio

allaprima.studio@gmail.com

(707) 265-8536

Spring is Springing!

2008-04-07T15:48:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note that our grounds are really beginning to "blossom." And it won't be long before Maury will be planting our expanded on-site garden, too. And you didn't hear this from me, but coming soon a BIG announcement from our Napa Valley getaway. What, you want a hint? O.K., one word: chicks!

We hope to see you soon.

Afternoon Wine Service

2008-03-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

Yes of course, as a guest at our romantic St. Helena inn, a full breakfast for two including one hot egg dish and our now-famous make-your-own-waffle waffle bar are included in your room rate. What many guests don't realize -- and quickly come to love -- is what we call our "afternoon wine service", which is also complimentary. Everyday from approximately 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. we serve appetizers and pour wine. Now note, these aren't little "tastings" -- these are full-glass pours from one of our neighboring winery friends. (The wineries are happy to introduce you to their wines, so it's a win-win-win for all concerned.)

Anyway, here are few pics from a recent wine service. Hope to see you soon!

Cheese

Dips

Napa Town New

2008-03-17T11:09:00.000-07:00

As most locals will tell you, in the past, the actual town of Napa hasn't been that great of a place to visit. Sure, there are some cool restaurants there. And some shops. But otherwise...

Now, though, with Copia in and the just-opened Oxbow Public Market down the street, the town of Napa has become, in my opinion, definitely worth a visit during your Napa Valley stay.

Wow, the Oxbow Public Market is fun! Lots of food and wine goodies, including Taylor's Automatic Refresher and The Fatted Calf, plus other shops, including a very cool antique store. Within walking distance are several other restaurants and wine "lounges", which make it a great place to nibble, stroll, taste, and, of course the big "P" word--PICNIC.

Contact our front desk staff for more information and directions, or to arrange transportation to and from the Market.

Envy Wines, Calistoga

2008-03-09T13:07:00.000-07:00

I always enjoy directing our guests to great nearby wineries, particularly when they're run by a friend of mine, which is the case with Mark Carter and his Envy Wines. The winery is located just north of Calistoga on Tubbs Lane. Mark and his winemaker partner Nils Venge produce small-production, high-quality wines using, of course, Napa Valley fruit. I stopped in recently for a tasting and found Mark there doing what us innkeepers and winemakers do: paying attention to details (in this case, hand-drying wine glasses in the tasting room).

The next time you visit our Napa Valley bed and breakfast, be sure to work Envy Wines into your schedule: you won't be disappointed.

Envy Wines

1170 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga 94515

707-942-4670

envywines.com

Where to Stay: Mendocino

2008-03-09T12:58:00.001-07:00

Coming soon: Carter House Inns...

Where to Stay: Sonoma Coast

2008-03-09T12:50:00.000-07:00

For those of you who want to venture west of the Napa Valley to the Pacific Ocean, we recommend you consider staying at the Sonoma Coast Villa & Spa, near the towns of Bodega and Bodega Bay.

The Sonoma Coast Villa is a true destination resort, with 18-rooms on a Tuscany-inspired layout, a complete spa facility, and an on-site chef who prepares breakfasts and dinners for guests only. For directions or to assist with reservations, contact our front desk staff.

Sonoma Coast Villa & Spa

16702 Coast Highway One

Bodega, CA 94922

(707) 876-9818

Art at the Inn

2008-03-04T09:39:00.001-08:00

I know many of you love our grounds and the surrounding Napa Valley countryside. What we forget to mention to potential new guests, though, is the artwork in most of the rooms. Most of the paintings have been done by my sister, Kate Sands, who also helps with the interior design of the rooms. Here are a few examples of her pieces (these appear in room 19, which I stayed in recently):

If you have questions about any of the artwork in the rooms, or in the Inn's common rooms, please leave a comment here or ask our staff. We also can help arrange an "antiques outing," gardens tour, or "art quest" for interested parties! We look forward to seeing you soon at our fabulous Napa Valley bed and breakfast!

Calendar of Events

2008-03-04T09:38:00.001-08:00

In an effort to help you know about, and plan for, special Napa Valley food and wine events to coincide with your visit to The Wine Country Inn, we've put together this list of fun food and wine times. PLEASE NOTE: Always check directly with the organization first, as we cannot be held responsible for any schedule changes or cancellations. Enjoy!

The following organizations have ongoing events throughout the year:
Alla Prima Painting Workshops
allaprimastudionv.com

COPIA Tours
copia.org

Merryvale Winery
"Spit on the Floor" barrel tasting, second Saturday of every month
merryvale.com

Napa Valley Opera House
their events calendar

St. Supery Winery
their events calendar

Wineries of the Napa Valley
their events calendar

Other sources for Napa Valley events
napavalley.com
everymealafeast.blogspot.com

Clam Dip Heaven!

2008-02-25T10:14:00.000-08:00

As you know (or should know!), included in your stay with us at the Inn is what we call our afternoon wine service. From 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. we have a local winery visit us and pour wine for our guests (all complimentary, of course) and we serve appetizers and other little goodies. Here's one of my favorite dips. Enjoy!

Jim's Clam Dip

8 oz cream cheese

8 oz Mayonnaise

1 small can clams (drained and rinsed)

1 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tsp lemon juice

1/2 Tsp salt

1 heaping Tbl chopped garlic

Take all ingredients EXCEPT the clams and blend together in a food processor until smooth. Add the clams and stir. Chill before serving.

Napa Valley Everyday

2008-02-17T12:28:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody. Now obviously the Napa Valley, and in particular St. Helena near The Wine Country Inn, has some fantastic restaurants (for a quick list of our favorites, view this link on our web site). While these restaurants are known for their high-quality dining, I also wanted to share another food option I love, which my friend Tim calls "Napa Valley Everyday": and that's Buster's Southern Barbeque in nearby Calistoga.

I love Buster's for their great tri-tip sandwiches with his special sauce. (And yes, as Buster says, "hot" means HOT.) Their sides are great too, like the chili beans, cole slaw, and my favorite: the garlic toast. Buster's makes a great lunchtime stop when you're out winetasting, or for a simpler dinner when you've had three or four nights of upper-end dining. For directions and other info about Buster's, please call our staff toll-free at 888-465-4608.

The outdoor grill at Buster's:

And for more Napa Valley food and wine options from a Valley "insider", check out Tim's blog: Every Meal A Feast.

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-11T08:34:00.000-08:00

While we like to think it's always a romantic time when you visit The Wine Country Inn, we know that's especially true during holidays and special occasions, like anniversaries, birthdays, and...Valentine's Day. The next time you visit our Napa Valley bed and breakfast, be sure to check out our "special goodies" that can help make your stay even more special, such as ballons, flowers, fruit and cheese plate, and my personal favorite: a brownie and port!

Happy let's-make-any-day-a-special-occasion day.

Vintage Jewelry

2008-02-05T13:34:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to tell you that Saturday, February 9, Rosanne from Studio on Main in downtown St. Helena (which is two miles south of us here at The Wine Country Inn) will be at the Inn during our complimentary afternoon wine service showcasing many of the pieces in her vintage jewelry collection. The pieces are beautiful (trust me, I know, as my wife [!] is beginning her own personal vintage jewelry collection!) and make great gifts (guys, hint, hint---Valetine's Day). We hope to have Rosanne back at the Inn at various times throughout the year. If you'd like more information on her collection, free free to contact her. And as always, we look forward to seeing you at the Inn and have our online booking system ready should you want to book directly. Below are some pics from Rosanne's collection. Cheers!

Laguna Aurora Borealis hex-cut hand-knotted necklace:

Vendome art glass Easter egg necklace and earring set:

Vintage Amythest ring:

New in 2008

2008-01-28T19:35:00.001-08:00

We're always trying to make our Napa Valley bed and breakfast inn even better than the year before. With 2008 now here, we thought we'd share some of what we plan on doing new this year, so please visit our web site.

(Want a partial hint? One word: waffles!)

Napa Valley Mustard Festival

2008-01-14T11:25:00.001-08:00

All, just a quick note as you think about planning your next trip to the Napa Valley: the 15th annual Napa Valley Mustard Festival runs Feb 2 through March 29. This is a nearly two-month celebration of food, wine and art exhibitions up and down the Valley. The events are fun and, of course, the Valley has that special beautiful appearance, as the wild yellow mustard jumps out at you amid the still-stark black grapevines. Also, as I mentioned in my previous post, February, March, and April are great times to visit the Napa Valley for the simple fact that there aren't as many people here as during the "high season" of July-October.

For more information about the Napa Valley Mustard Festival, check out their web site.

Also, Studio on Main in downtown St. Helena (a few minutes from the Inn) has available for sale the poster for this year's Mustard Festival (see below), and even signed by the artist, Jesse Miller. It makes a great gift and/or decoration in your home or office. Contact Studio on Main if you're interested.

I hope to see you again soon at the Inn.

Winter Secrets

2008-01-07T09:17:00.000-08:00

Today I'd like to share a Napa Valley insider's secret with you: Yes, it's our "winter time" right now, and that means the occasional dose of rain (which can be, sometimes, quite large). But winter is also a GREAT time to visit the Napa Valley. It's true--I kid you not!

Why is this time of year a great time to visit the Napa Valley? Well, for example:

* There are far fewer people, making it much easier to dine and taste wine.

* The wineries and restaurants are much more relaxed, meaning that it's much easier for you to make a personal connection with them.

* And at the Wine Country Inn, you can stay AND save money with our off-season rates.

And if in fact it does rain, you can always curl up with your loved one by a fire in your room with a great bottle of wine and one of our cheese and fruit plates and, well...you'll figure it out.

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-17T13:57:00.000-08:00

Our best to you and yours this holiday season, from all of us at The Wine Country Inn.

Things I didn’t squeeze into the newsletter.

2007-10-30T10:16:00.000-07:00

First off I want to say that our hearts go out to those in Southern California who have lost their homes or been displaced by the fires. It is hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that Northern California is having such a sparkling Fall, while Southern California is experiencing one of the greatest disasters in its history. If it would be of any help for the next month or so, and you need a place to stay or just want to get out of the smoke, come stay with us. I will give you any room I’ve got for our cost of servicing the room, say $75 for a standard room and $125 for a suite or cottage.

Secondly I can’t stress enough how important your comments are. At the end of every month I sit down and read through the comment sheets left behind in the rooms. Not only do I get a great insight as to what you want or how we could have done something better, I also get very warm encouragement that I truly cherish, as well as pass onto my staff to encourage and motivate them. Plus we have a staff bonus program where, on a good month of comments, they can earn a bonus just as big as their normal two-week check. It is huge for them. I have struggled, however, in responding to comments that I thought deserved my response. If you were expecting a response and did not get one, I apologize. Occasionally I am lazy and don’t get around to it, but mostly I can’t tell who the comment came from. Many comments are not signed in a way I can read them and many put a date that could either be your check-out date or check-in date so I don’t know who to send the response to. In the future (I just thought of this as I was writing) I will put a little box on the Comment Sheet to check if you want a response, along with a line to print your name. In the mean time, if you still have something that you feel needs a response, please e-mail me at jim@winecountryinn.com .

Along the lines of comments, if you would really like to help The Wine Country Inn thrive (and help put my kids through college) you could go to Trip Advisor, Yahoo Travel or any of a bunch of other sites and post your comment there. That would be really cool.

The not-so-cool thing about blogs is that the older entries get buried down below. If you want to see what else I have had to say, please scroll down.

See ya soon Jim

Nooks and Crannies

2007-10-01T10:37:00.000-07:00

It's Tim, the Inn's Marketing Manager, subbing for Jim who's on vacation. (Only a Napa Valley resident LEAVES the Napa Valley for a week in October, right!) Anyway, I just wanted to share some photos that I find of interest regarding the Inn's grounds. We try to make every part of your stay as quiet and relaxing---and romantic---as possible, and that includes strategically placing "out of the way" tables and chairs around the Inn's grounds for quiet reflection or, even better often (!) sipping a glass of Napa Valley wine while nibbling on some cheese and crackers. Here's one example of what I call on the Inn's grounds the "nooks and crannies" that allow you to enjoy the wonderful Napa Valley weather, yet still feel secluded and private with your special partner:

And while the Northeast and Midwest get most of the press for their amazing fall colors, ours aren't too bad either (in places):

We hope to see you at The Wine Country Inn and Gardens soon.

Farmers and Alchemists

2007-09-19T10:45:00.000-07:00

Man, it must have been 20º this morning! OK, maybe 30º… or 40-something. I don’t know, but it was cold. Then it will heat up to a lovely 80º by this afternoon. That’s Napa Valley at harvest time. The most glorious weather you can imagine (at least that’s what the grapes think). And they are thinking life is pretty good this year. They got to come out early in the spring, hang around through a mild summer (what global warming?), then slowly start storing up for winter by tucking away all that wonderful sugar.

I haven’t talked to a winemaker yet that isn’t excited about this harvest. They like a medium-sized crop, with lots of ‘hang time’ and almost, but not quite, bursting with sugars. Well, they got it this year. As of today, September 19^th, the white grapes are mostly in and the red grapes are mostly still hanging around, waiting for that last little blast of heat we always seem to get in October.

The thing about wine is that you can always learn something new if you keep your ears peeled. To be honest, even though I live here, I spend most of my time running the Inn or writing on my next novel. I don’t peruse The Wine Spectator or hang on Robert Parker’s latest words, so sometimes I am a bit behind the times. But a couple years ago I started hearing about brown seeds as an indicator of when red grapes should be harvested. I have lived in the Napa Valley for forty three years and the only real determining factor I ever heard about was Brix, the percentage of sugar in the juice of the grape. Brix was king.

Well, for some winemakers, brix is nowhere as important as the ripeness of the fruit. And this is determined by the color of the seeds and flesh of the grape. Try this; buy some seeded red grapes at the store. Bust one open. Chances are you are going to see a flesh that is slightly reddish close to the skin, then turns quickly to a light green closer to the seeds. The seeds will almost certainly be green. Now, this is ok for eating grapes, but the word is that for world-class, full, layered red wines, the green has got to go.

My brother makes a Cabernet called Hourglass with a winemaker by the name of Bob Foley. My mother grows the grapes for this cultish wine. Bob is a very sharp guy and one of the best winemakers in the Valley. That doesn’t mean he is the most popular guy around. We can look out over my mother’s vineyard in September and marvel at the beautiful crop. But we worry about the rain, an early frost, mildew, not enough heat and a bunch of other things that can still go wrong. Then Bob comes out and says, “Let’m hang”. October comes, with mild days and cold nights, dark clouds looming in the forecast and Bob says, “Let’m hang.” Late October arrives and other vineyardists are scurrying to pull their fruit, having lost the gamble of letting their crop fully ripen before the first big rain, and Bob says, “Let’m hang.” My mother is imagining no income for the year and my brother is fretting about an entire vintage missing from his sales chain, and Bob says, oh, you know what he says.

Now half the fruit is shriveled and ugly, the rest is near falling from its stems and Bob comes out to check the fruit. He breaks open eight or ten berries from different parts of this incredibly small vineyard and says, “OK, you can pick the grapes on the flat, but the hillside plants need a little more time. MORE TIME!!! It is early November and every other grape in the Valley has been picked! In 2005 they picked the last of the grapes around the 15^th of November. There is still no way of knowing what this year will bring. The fruit looks beautiful right now.

Such is the life of a few people trying to make the best wine they possibly can (and trying not to go broke in the process).

Slow Food for Slow Times

2007-08-13T13:18:00.000-07:00

I just started writing/researching my second novel (the first is languishing on an editor’s desk somewhere in New York City). The topic of this new novel is global warming. It is set in 2045, so like my first story, it will be classified as Science Fiction.

This weekend I had a great birthday party where Lorinda and I invited four couples over to brainstorm what the Napa Valley might look like in forty or so years. We invited a couple that is involved in solar energy, one that has an energy-medicine business, one that has a retail photography shop here in town and one that is involved in internet promotions. Unfortunately, Father Mac from our local Episcopal Church was not able to attend.

We had a very lively discussion. The invitees were all across the board when it came to predicting the future problems and solutions we might face. From apocalyptic destruction to brave new worlds of technological amazement, the discussions bounced around the room. The only conclusion we all agreed upon was that our consciousness as consumers needs to include the ‘true cost’ of the foods and other products we consume.

That brings me, this Monday morning, to the topic of this entry. The tomato. Over the last three years the Inn has developed some pretty impressive vegetable and herb gardens. We are mostly growing tomatoes and peppers since I love making salsas for wine service in the afternoon and to slather over the egg dishes the next morning. This time of year I even make a V-8 type juice for breakfast from these vine-ripened fruits and veges that have never even seen a refrigerator. This year we are also harvesting cucumbers, zucchini, melons, pumpkins, mint, and various other herbs.

So, what is the ‘true cost’ of a vine-ripened, organically and locally grown, never refrigerated tomato in comparison to a machine-picked, chemically grown and ripened, refrigerator-stored, tomato that could have been packed and trucked hundreds or thousands of miles? Tastewise there is no comparison. So, being a devout hedonist, that is a huge cost to me. But what of the other costs? Storing and moving the water for corporate farming is a big deal. Manufacturing and transporting pesticides and fertilizers cannot be very pleasant to our world. Building, maintaining and running cultivating and harvesting machinery have similar costs. The processing, packaging and transporting the fruit adds to the impact. What happens to the irrigation water, laden with chemicals as it leaches into the ground? Then there are the nutritional and health costs of the choices we make for our bodies.

Don’t even get me started on the horror stories I have heard about the production of cotton. They make me want to run around naked, screaming.

I certainly don’t have answers to any of these questions, and I am not going to immediately stop shopping at Costco, but as a very small cog in an unbelievably large machine, I am continuing to burrow, looking for a way to leave my children with a better world than I currently envision.

Why not Hotels.com and others

2007-07-26T12:13:00.000-07:00

Occasionally a guest will ask me why they were not able to find The Inn or book The Inn on Hotels.com or some similar site. The answer is quite simple. The vast majority of booking sites charge a minimum of 30% commission on the rooms they book. THIRTY PERCENT. Travel Agents only charge 10%.

How can a hotel survive by giving 30% of their Gross Income away? They can't. Our profit margins are just not designed that way.

Or are they? Obviously the hotels using these services are not going out of business. So how do they do it? I don't know exactly, but let me make some educated guesses.

The first hotels to sign up for these services probably did quite nicely. Especially if they were in a highly competitive market and they had no other way to distinguish themselves from their competitors. These booking sites drove ample new business to their doors. Business that they would not have gotten through any other means. Cool! So what happened when their competitor next door started using these new booking sites. The original hotel's share went down, but they were already committed to this new model so they held the course. As more and more hotels joined the fray, everyone's profit margin started to plummet.

As I said earlier, profit margins for a hotel are not designed for a 30% rake off the top. But now everyone was knee-deep in this new system. What would give? In a strong hotel market the answer was quite simple. Now that everyone was in the same boat, it was time to raise rates. If the public was so determined to book hotels in this way, let them pay for it. Everything will even out, the booking sites can have their 30% and we can get our profit margin back.

However, in a weak or even moderate hotel market that may not be an option. The only option these hotels have is to cut costs. The first cost to go is usually preventative maintenance, then staff services, then capital improvements. Though the price doesn't go down, the overall experience for the guest does.

Fortunately the Napa Valley has not yet fallen into this trap. I would much rather spend my time thinking up new, cool things I can do for my guests, what new improvements they will like, what added staffing I can put in to make things run smoother, than trying to figure out where to cut something so the guests won't notice, who to lay off or how to get by two more years with some falling apart air-conditioner or some such.

What do you think? Is booking on Hotels.com that much more fun than picking up a phone and talking to a nice helpful, real person that will help you pick the best room for your needs (oops, did I kinda backload that question with the answer I want you to give me)?

Comfort, the constant quest

2007-07-07T08:35:00.000-07:00

This is my first real post. The first one was done by my PR guy to get me off the stick and blogging.
So, let's dive right into it. I am a hedonist. I love comfort and pleasure. So, I guess I am living in one of the perfect spots of the world. The Napa Valley has great weather, great people, great foods, great wines, great beauty... pretty much everything I need for an extremely pleasurable life.
So, why would I travel? The answer is obvious (adventure, new sights, romance) but it leads me to another question. What comforts am I leaving behind when I travel and how can I take comforts with me? The answer is; without eight suitcases, a butler, a maid and a valet, it just isn't going to happen. It turns out traveling is anywhere from a hassle to a major pain.
As a hedonistic Innkeeper, can I change the world? One of the great pleasures I get out of life is providing a comfortable, relaxing, sexy place for couples to reconnect and rejuvenate. My intent is to make this blog (at least in part) a forum for new and creative ways to chip away at the hassles of travel. I would like to talk about subjects as broad as general tips for comfortable travel, down to specific suggestions on what I as an Innkeeper can do at The Wine Country Inn to help you relax and get in the mood to give or receive pleasure (that may sound overly suggestive, but it was not meant to be. I find pleasure can come from the smallest thing if I am in the mood to receive).
What do you think. Anybody out there want to play 'Innkeeper For The Day' and ask questions like: I always wonder why a hotel couldn't...? or Wouldn't it be great if The Wine Country Inn would...? or Why don't the airlines...?