It was Tuesday evening on August 7th and we were heading back to the East Bay after spending the day in Napa Valley. It didn’t take long for me to notice that I was totally at peace. (And no, I had not been consuming alcohol. My drinking days ended about 10 years ago.) This was that peace I experience whenever I’m traveling to new or familiar destinations. It was not my intent to write or create a video about this experience, but it was so completely satisfying I had no choice.
The day started with me picking up a friend from college at the Oakland Airport. I hadn’t seen Charlotte since the late 90’s and we had many life-changing stories to share. We had breakfast at Bette’s Oceanview Diner which was a delicious way to start the drive to Napa Valley. We stopped at 3 wineries in Napa Valley so my friend could do some sampling: Robert Sinskey Vineyards, V. Sattui, and Cosentino Winery & Tasting Room. (Thank you to Lawrence T and Nathan R for your winery suggestions.) Fortunately for me, V. Sattui has some very good grape juice. Our time at Cosentino’s was cut short because dinner time was quickly approaching.
The French Laundry
We arrived at The French Laundry for our 5:15 pm dinner. Now, it was time for that child in me to come out and play. I was finally giving myself the birthday present I wanted 5 years ago, but didn’t want to spend so much money for a dinner. You should never let a price tag stop the fruition of a dream.
The windows in the new kitchen allow you to watch the various chefs in preparation mode. I watched one doing a re-imagining of a cheese and crackers sandwich. The video shows the photos of the amazing presentation plate by plate, only one is missing. What you won’t see, in the video, is the superior customer service that embodies all who work there.
My friend’s comment sums it up for me.
“I have never eaten like this in my life. Every bite was a wonderful experience. I would love to do it again.”
Charlotte H.H.B.