The wine hour at Brewery Gulch includes not only wine but the makings for a complete meal.
Mendocino Coast, CA — Many hotels have complimentary wine hours. But few — if any — have one on the scale of that at Brewery Gulch Inn & Spa.
Along with four local wines to sip, there is plenty of food to enjoy, too. Forget bento boxes; these are proudly nicknamed “Mendo boxes.”
They hold what’s described as “appetizers” but is in actuality enough to quality as a moderate-sized supper. That means, there’s no need to get in your car to find dinner afterward, if all you want to do is chill on the premises. At least that’s what I found when I was invited to stay as a guest recently.
The great room.
Local woodworker John Meyers crafted heavy-weight covered trays made of the same eco-salvaged redwood used in the construction of the 10-room inn, a rustic, tranquil retreat that borders 48,000 acres of meadows and redwoods of the Jackson Demonstration State Forest.
Cooked-to-order banana pancakes with blueberry compote is part of the breakfast included in your stay at the Kenwood Inn & Spa.
Kenwood, CA — A couple years ago, my husband and I happened to stay at a Four Sisters Collection inn. Since then, when we’ve traveled on our own, we’ve often chosen to stay at its properties in both Northern and Southern California.
So, when its Kenwood Inn & Spa publicists reached out to me recently to extend an overnight stay to check out its renovation of the two-and-a-half acre, 26-room Mediterranean-style property, I gladly accepted.
What makes Four Sisters lodging so appealing? The room rates are relatively reasonable, especially in comparison to other hotels in the upscale touristy areas they are located such as Santa Monica, Carmel, Healdsburg, and Yountville.
Chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies to enjoy during your stay.
Your stay at any property also includes a lot of complimentary extras, including fresh-baked cookies, a wine hour with cheese and charcuterie, and a full breakfast. When I’ve stayed on my own dime at its Healdsburg Inn, in particular, the main cook there is a delight, often going the extra mile to bake fresh apple cake or cranberry bread for guests. You can feel his pride, too, when guests dig in heartily with big smiles.
The Kenwood Inn entrance.Overlooking the interior courtyard.
It’s that more personal touch that I think sets these properties apart from a bigger corporate chain establishment.
Having stayed at the Kenwood Inn once before — 12 years ago — it was interesting to see the changes under the new ownership. The property previously had its own ambitious restaurant, headed by a former Gordon Ramsay-trained chef, that was open to guests and the public. Now, that has been jettisoned for a cafe that provides breakfast to guests only.
The glorious lamb neck shawarma and fixings at Bavel.
When husband-and-wife chef-owners Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis chose Bavel for the name of their celebrated Los Angeles restaurant, they did so because they cherished they way the likely mis-transcribed word, taken from the original Old Testament’s story of Babel, alluded to a time when everything was one.
These days, that may be but a wistful notion. But Bavel gives you a semblance of that hopefulness, as you step through its doors to the cacophony of diners of all walks and ages, clinking glasses, digging into big plates of grilled meats, and using their hands to enjoy puffy pita together with abandon.
The dining room.The patio.
And loud it is, as I found when I dined a couple weeks ago. The chic dining room with its ceiling of cascading leafy vines is especially raucous, and the comfortable front patio, where I dined, is only a few decibels less. It’s like being invited to a rollicking party at its height.
It definitely adds to the anticipation for the superb modern Middle Eastern specialties to come.
Petrale sole in broth at the restaurant at Sea Ranch Lodge.
Sea Ranch, CA — For those in the Bay Area longing for a serene staycation, look no further than the newly refurbished Sea Ranch Lodge.
Overlooking the Pacific Ocean on the Sonoma Coast just 100 miles north of San Francisco, this 53-acre property is the perfect place to unplug, unwind, unravel and thoroughly revel in the beauty of nature.
That’s just what I experienced when I was invited as a guest overnight recently.
The look of the property is all Scandinavian chic, punctuated by clean lines and exteriors the calming color of driftwood.
Pomo Native Americans once gathered kelp and shells from the shores. Early settlers established sheep ranching in the 1800s, which is reflected in the eye-catching ram logo of the property.
In 1964, a master plan was forged for the community that would preserve its natural beauty while allowing for the construction of 2,200 homes. Walk the trail above the beach and you’ll spot markers with more information about the community, including how the homes were built around a central meadow so that each one is afforded an unobstructed view. Some of the houses still sport the original Scandinavian-inspired sod roofs, too, with native grasses sprouting from them.
The newly refurbished Sea Ranch Lodge main building. The lodge features 17 rooms.A fire pit steps from the accommodations.
Sea Ranch Lodge, built in 1968, is one of the oldest buildings, which originally served as a community hub with post office, general store, and later a hotel.
A friendly goat at Banded Family Ranch, where hops are grown for Break Even Beermakers.
Amador City, CA — Like so many Chico State students, Aaron Wittman drank his share of beer. But he started making his own then, too.
Today, that master’s of English graduate, is putting those other skills to work prominently as beermaker-partner of Break Even Beermakers, where he’s making exceptional brews now carried by the likes of Michelin-starred San Francisco restaurants State Bird Provisions and The Progress, as well as their sister establishment, The Anchovy Bar.
Break Even’s Summer Bummer.
“Tiny but mighty” is how he describes the brewery. It was founded nearly four years ago by Kevin Carter and Cassie Davis, who also own the Imperial Hotel a few yards away, as well as the nearby 90-acre Banded Family Ranch that plays an important role in the beer making.
