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So!
I decided to take some time off before Amoeba‘s seasonal travel ban goes into effect. Originally, I thought Ngoc and I might head in the direction of autumn leaves but it seems there not around most places and then we considered Seattle. A fact I had neglected to consider was that it’s nearly Thanksgiving and so plane tickets are slightly more expensive than buying a late 80’s Cessna.
So at the last minute, Ngoc tossed off the idea of Wine Country and so it was. I was discouraged by threats of high-priced lodging from others and my own fears about entering a world I envisioned as being completely foreign and intimidating.
We took off Friday a bit later than expected because, well, we didn’t plan things out much and my car was getting an oil change whilst the laundry was drying… &c. So things were a bit rocky to start but a couple of CDs later (Kirsty MacColl because those Sweater Week at Ross remind me of her, Aislers Set, Tracy + the Plastics and U2) We ate Vietnamese sandwiches from Mr. Baguette (or is it Baguette Express? I can never remember!) before and on the way up.
A few hours later (really, if you drive fast, San Francisco is only four hours from L.A.) we arrived in Napa. We parked and walked around a bit. Took in a romantic view of some waterway (save the shopping cart belly up in sludge) and looked for places to eat. We walked by some packed little cafe and then a place called Tuscany but Ngoc ruled it out on account of too little selection and not really sounding that good. We moseyed a bit more but a lot of the places were closing before 9:00 (on a Friday night!) so we reluctantly went back to Tuscany which was really quite good. I mean, really good. Creamy and rich and I knocked over a tea light and some middle-aged guy played “soulful” covers of Jobim and Crosby, Stills Nash & Young on a nylon stringed guitar. Some old people were doing that slow-motioned old people dance and seemed to be really enjoying it. Our waiter, Oscar, asked if we liked the music. I replied, “I like ‘Fever‘.”