Sharon Richards

One could say that I’m giddy simply from the effects of wine tasting at 6 wineries today plus a glass of wine at lunch . In reality, it extends beyond that and I am thankful to be celebrating an early 25 years of marriage with my husband, Dave. We first visited the valley in the summer of 1988 on a road trip from Vancouver, BC to southern California. That was my first introduction to wine tasting and I fell in love with the wineries, process, wine makers stories and the wine. In 1989 we moved to Marin County in northern California and thus began my picnic and wine tasting adventures to Napa and Sonoma Valleys. I have fond memories of dinners at Domaine Chandon, wine tastings and cave adventures at Beringer Brothers and rides up the side of the mountain at Sterling. Picnics at V. Sattui and Rutherford Hill were shared with our family and friends. We had lunch today at TraVigne in St Helena and I have fond memories of taking our daughters there when they were 3.5 and 1. We’re staying at The Vintage Inn in Yountville. We first stayed here about 18 years ago, not long after it opened. We ate that time at The French Laundry, before it became so famous. Now Yountville is full of other beautiful hotels and more of Thomas Kellers restaurants: Bouchon and Ad Hoc. Last night we ate at Bouchon and it was yummy: warm goat cheese salad to start followed by an entree of crispy skin daurade with seasonal roast vegetables. I’m secretly hoping that my wine tasting intake and increase in fish eating, along with no red meat eating, will mystically and magically help strip that cholesterolish build up of plaque off my arteries note to my readers: I’m not naive about this but one certainly needs a sense of humor in life while traveling, wine tasting, and dining in Napa Valley. Until the next meal and delicious tasting, Bon Appetit!

It feels somewhat surreal to be sitting here in the park at Hyde St Pier after 15 years since moving to Seattle from the bay area in California. I find myself reflecting on memories, friendships, experiences and the births of both my daughters. They were born in Santa Rosa in 1992 and 1994. Dave and I Iived north of San Francisco for 8 years. We traveled in and out of the city frequently . Going to church at The Vineyard of SF, taking our family and friends on cable car rides, meals and tours in the city. No wonder our girls have memories of steep hills – we took them dozens of times in baby backpacks and strollers on the cable car ride back and forth from Union Square to Fisherman’s Wharf. We lived in Novato, Larkspur, San Anselmo and San Rafael. I have wonderful memories and friendships gathered in each of those homes. Parties abundant were shared with our friends in our backyard pool at our home in San Rafael. We owned a small motor boat with our dear friends The Nichols and took day adventures up the Petaluma River, to Angel Island and one memorable 4th of July out on the bay, in the fog, sipping on hot chocolate. Many hours were spent with family and friends strolling the walkway in Sausalito and Tiburon, with ice cream at Lapperts and lunches at Spinnaker Restaurant and Guaymas. Times of sun and sand were shared at Stinson Beach with the Cahns, Lilley and Nichols families. I drove back and forth over the Golden Gate Bridge too many times to count and Bethany (my eldest) still remembers the ‘rainbow tunnel’. I find myself reflecting on ‘why did we move?’. From the sun and beauty of this place? It was a threshold we chose to cross to be closer to family, new job opportunities and the feelings that it was time for a change. I cherish the joy and sorrows of our time here in California. I am grateful for ‘California’ friendships and memories and thankful for the Washington friends and memories I now hold dear. Tonight Dave and I head north to Napa Valley to celebrate our 25th anniversary ( a month early . We shared many a wine tasting adventure both in Napa and Sonoma with our kids (on picnics), family and friends. I have heart warming and uproariously laughter filled memories of taking Bethany Merwin and Sharon Vorous wine tasting to celebrate their 21st birthdays – what a hoot that day was. I remember with warmth and sadness wine tasting with my Dad and the fun we had post the great quake in 1989 when there was hardly a soul touring Napa. One of our favorite restaurants to eat at was ‘Travigne’. I think we’ll make a stop in there for memories sake. When I was a teenager, and my parents would remark on ‘how can it possibly be that 15-20 years have passed?’ I used to think they were kind of weird. Now I understand

I recently returned from a week in Palm Springs, Feb. 6 – 10, 2012. With awareness that the definition of giddy is: affected with vertigo, dizzy, frivolous and lighthearted, impulsive and flighty; my ‘giddy in Palm Springs’ was an experience of lightheartedness.  I was traveling solo (which I don’t do very often), the sun was out and I had 5 days to experience and do whatever my travelers heart desired.

January was an emotional month in our household of 5. Both my  daughters (college and high school senior)  experienced some significant ups and downs in their lives and my ‘mothering’ heart hurt and ached for them as Dave and I sought to parent and journey with them into some sad and difficult places. Very dear friends of ours are going through a painful time of journeying with their son (recently diagnosed with cancer) and his family. Our next door neighbor’s wife of 52 years passed away the day I left.  I’m primarily an introvert and have realized over the past number of years that my heart needs time and space for quiet, solitude and rest in order to continue to be present to myself, my family, friends and others. Palm Springs was my destination of choice for my ‘solitary retreat’.

My grandparents, Tilly and Tucker Battle, owned a home in Indian Wells when I was young. My memories of the desert are: palm trees, swimming in their pool, drinking date milkshakes and driving Gramps’s golf cart The last time I visited the Palm Springs area I was 13. It had been a long time.

My hotel of choice was The Ace Hotel in Palm Springs. I upgraded to a room with an outdoor patio and fireplace and was so thankful that I did. The reviews on Tripadvisor  adequately described what I expected and I enjoyed my time at this hipster/fun/funky spot. The food from their restaurant on site, King’s Highway Diner was particularly delicious and I loved being able to sit by the pool, order a margarita, chips and salsa and soak in the sun, read my Kindle, people watch and rest in their hammocks. The weather on my first evening  was cool, so I flipped the switch on my outdoor patio fireplace, ordered room service (an excellent burger and fries) and kicked back in the quiet and enjoyed my meal solo. If you’re a fellow parent reading this then you know the delight in not cooking, nor having to clean up afterward. Giddy would definitely describe the lightheartedness that I began to experience in my heavy heart. I sunk into the comfy rocking chair and gazed for a long time at the flickering flames and listened to the quiet desert night.

The next day was overcast and grey so I ventured off to Joshua Tree National Park. I stopped in at the Joshua Tree Visitor Center, paid my park entrance fee, chatted with a very kind park guide and headed off with a picnic lunch (from the deli on site) and my map. What an incredible place. I walked the one mile loops at Hidden Valley and Barker Dam and then did the moderately/strenuous 3 mile Ryan Mtn hike. Although there were other people around, the silence and absolute quiet of the desert surroundings were amazing. I was once again amazed at all of my internal ‘head chatter’ but was able to enjoy the quiet, solitude and peace of the desert. I could feel my heart lightening (although pounding hard on the 3 mile climb). It was good for me to be outside, alone and in the quiet.

Over the remaining days the sun came out, the temperature hit the low 80′s and I soaked in as much Vitamin D as humanly possible. The hotel has these fun cruiser style bikes that guests can borrow so I was off the next 2 mornings biking and exploring the neighborhood. There’s something about riding a bike on flat roads in the early morning sun and heat of the desert that is soul lifting and heart lightening. Morning coffee and breakfast at Old Town Coffee Shop in Old Town La Quinta was delightful and I’d recommend heading there for some delicious coffee, fabulous frittatas and delicious muffins. Lunch in Palm Springs at the Blue Coyote was great Mexican food: deliciously strong margarita, chips and homemade guacamole and fish tacos were a wonderful accompaniment to a sunny day.