SANTA ROSA

SANTA ROSA
Anne asked me if I would like to ride over to Santa Rosa with her on Saturday. This was an offer that I couldn’t refuse. Not only would I be able to spend the day with my oldest daughter, but I would be viewing the beautiful scenery in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys! While I don’t dwell on it, I do reflect on the fact that I have the same wanderlust that was in my Mother’s genes. I, too, like to have new experiences. After my Dad died in 1963, my Mom would dress in the morning, as if she were going out. Usually, she had no such plans. But, her younger friends were aware of how she liked to “Go” - whether it be shopping at the Mall or grocery store; a movie; or playing cards - it didn’t matter (she didn’t drive). It didn’t make any difference to her where they were going. They would give her a phone call, at the last minute, knowing that they wouldn’t have to wait for her to get ready. She would stand at the front door waiting for her ride.
Anne had to take her Lexus over to the Dealer, for it’s 120.000 mile “check“. She picked me up at Quail Creek at 8:45. She drove South on I-80 to Jamison Canyon (#12), and then West over to Highway 29/12. Then, North on that, to Carneros Highway, where we headed West once again. Some fields in low-level areas were flooded from the recent rainy week. It looked like “wetlands” .
We passed the Napa Valley Wine Train on it’s early morning run, chugging along about 5mph, North up the Valley. This is a three hour round trip. The fare depends on your choice of lunch - $49.50 in the Silverado Lunch Car (not air conditioned in the summer); $94.00 for the Gourmet Express Lunch; and $124.00 for the Vista Dome Car Lunch. Separate kitchen cars serve each of these cars’ menus. Anne mentioned that the Napa Valley tourist revenues are only second to those of Disneyland!
West on the back road #116) to Petaluma, and then on to Santa Rosa. Petaluma is a very picturesque city. We passed a lot of grazing cattle - a great pastoral scene. Of course, the Clover Dairy was nearby. It seemed too early for the yellow mustard seed, but there it was - a spectacular sight. The yellow plants “are used as a cover crop in vineyards to reduce erosion, and add nitrogen to the soil. The plants also provide “firm footing during wet weather“, to provide access to the vineyard during the winter months.
We arrived at the Freeman Lexus Agency about 10:00 - her scheduled appointment time. While she was checking in with the Service Manager, I helped myself to a warm peanut butter cookie, (there was a jar of dog biscuits nearby!), and a hot cocoa. It really hit the spot on this rainy Saturday. The unique machine, dispensed coffee (after grinding the Starbucks beans); de-cafe -( or half coffee and half de café); or cocoa! The dispenser was a beauty, as one would expect from Lexus. Being a native from the mid-west, I have always used the word “Cadillac” as a standard measure of “Quality”. Today, it is “Lexus”.
Still waiting for Anne to finish with the Service Manager, I went over to the display case. The agency building is new and a very nice facility. Not only did the architect do a great job designing it, but it was quality materials and workmanship! I was impressed with the large-white imported -tile squares for flooring! I picked up a Lexus brochure and was studying the picture of the red convertible. Magically, a Salesman came up and asked me how I liked it. (silly question). I said, “How much?”. He said , “About $40,000. I have one in stock, would you like to see it?”. I declined. I didn’t want him to see an older man drool on his spotless white tiling. I was surprised by the low price. I thought that it would be at least $60,000. Then, I bored him by telling him about my convertible. I told him that I had bought a brand new -1941 Chevrolet Convertible - black top, red leather seats, white side walls and fender skirts - top of the line - $995! He didn’t comment, as Anne approached. Later on, I did the arithmetic. In 1940, I was earning 50 cents an hour. So, it took a years’ worth of my earnings to pay for that car. Today, many people could buy that red Lexus convertible for a much smaller fraction of their annual earnings, than my deal. Another way of looking at it. The Lexus convertible costs 40 tome as much as my convertible. Yet, 40 times my 50 cents an hour is $20. I am sure most people earn more than this today. (At least those who still have a job!) So, what about the good old days?
A Lexus “Loaner” was waiting for us outside. I was impressed! It was a beauty - Black exterior with black leather- interior trim. It had 4550 miles on the odometer, and a new model had a sticker price of about $30,000.The lady that had Anne fill out the “loaner” paperwork, checked her out, briefly, on operating the car. She told Anne “To start it you put your foot on the brake, and push the button.” (I don’t know if I could adjust to no key!) She didn’t tell Anne how to shut off the engine, so I asked her. She said, “Push the button.” What she didn’t say was how you check the fuel gage, when refueling before bringing the car back, without turning on the engine??
I was amazed by the 180 degree view behind you, on the GPS screen on the dash, when backing up! Of course the GPS system is amazing, too.
We are back on #29, heading north to Yountville for lunch. Anne pointed out a flock of herons, wading in the “wetland” caused by a lot of rain during the past week. We pass the “Red Hen” which used to be a furniture store, then antique sections on consignment. (Anne had a spot in there for a while). There was also a great restaurant next door. Marie and I enjoyed spending many hours at both places. Sometimes, I thought that it was our recreation. Anne said that the facility was up for sale. That figures, I guess. A sign of the crummy times.
We are approaching Yountville, where we will have lunch. The California Veterans’ Home is located here. It is a huge facility, and a great landmark. I have seen a lot of the veterans in town during the years,. Anne told of talking to a guy with a motorized scooter - most likely a veteran. She asked him how fast that thing would go? He told her, “Not fast enough!”.
Anne mentioned Thomas Keller, who owns The French Laundry restaurant here in Yountville. It opened in the summer of 1994 This is a special restaurant, because of it’s high quality reputation. The French Laundry has received many dining awards. Reservations are required - no “walk-ins”. Then, you can be on the “wait” list for two months, even though the meals costs $250 for a nine course lunch or dinner. But, this is a bargain, because it includes the gratuity! While I have never eaten here, Marie and I did peek in the window once.
Keller opened another French restaurant down Washington Street from the French Laundry - “Bouchon“, in 1998. They opened a bakery next door a few years later. Next, came their ad hoc Restaurant, again, on Washington Street. The restaurant serves just one fare per evening - family style. A four course dinner costs around $50.
Anne treated me to lunch at the the Bottega restaurant in Yountville. It is at the North end of the Vintage 1870 shopping complex (V Marketplace)- near the closed stand-alone Compadre restaurant. (Anne said that the Compadre was closed. Marie and I have eaten there a few times. The Compadre specialized in Mexican food, and the quality was very good.)
Anne and I had a bowl of minestrone soup at Bottegas, and it was very good. You can’t beat soup on a cold -rainy day like this. I judge a restaurant by whether it has tablecloths and cloth napkins. The Bottega has both. The tablecloth was so clean that they served the French bread right on the tablecloth. Of course, the celebrity chef, Michael Chiarello, who owns Bottega's, is also a big boost! When we left the restaurant, it was pouring rain. Anne brought her umbrella from the car, but I left mine there, as it wasn’t raining when we got out of the car. It was raining so hard I felt that it had to be a shower (or cloudburst). I suggested that we wait outside, in the covered dining area, until the cloud passed. Which we did.
As we were backing out of the parking lot, a wheeled “Cable Car” passed by in front of us. Anne said that the city of Yountville purchased the car from Napa. The service runs along Washington Street in Yountville, and across the #29 highway to the Veterans’ home.
Anne drove on a street parallel to the highway. I have lived in the area for over 50 years and I had never been on it. It was very picturesque, with some very nice homes along the way. I asked Anne the name of the road, and I was surprised when she said “Yount Mill Road”. I was impressed,
until she admitted that she peeked at the GPS screen.
Anne cut back on 29, heading North. We spotted the Wine Train heading South on it’s return trip to Napa. At the Oakville Grocery (it has been there for as long as I can remember), she turned right on to Oakville Cross Road, and headed East over to Silverado Trail. On the way, Anne pointed out the Plump Jack Winery on the left. She also said the San Francisco’s Mayor Newsome had a vested interest in the winery. It is fronted - at roadside - by a wall of beautiful Rutherford rock.
Anne took a right on to Silverado Trail - a beautiful stretch of highway. Observing this magnificent scenery of rolling green hills, and vineyards on both sides of the road, is well worth the trip to the Napa Valley just to observe it. In the distance, Anne spotted what looked like smoke. We thought it might be an illegal burn, but then, we saw another similar sight a little later on. We decided that we were looking at wisps of clouds (fog) nestled in the crevices of the hills instead.
Anne returned to Highway 29 by taking Oak Knoll from Silverado Trail westward. She headed south on 29 towards Napa, and stopped at the UPS Store to pick up her mail from her postal box, and run some copies of articles for me. She offered to drive me back to Fairfield, but as long as the car would be ready at 3:30, I didn’t want her to do all the extra driving. So, we headed back to Santa Rosa, to pick up her car.
She drove through Glen Ellen on the way back. We are in Sonoma County now. This is a small community (about a 1,000 residents), but it is very picturesque and inviting. It is known locally, primarily, for Jack London’s Wolf House. Before entering Glen Ellen, we passed the large Sonoma Developmental Center on our left. Then, we passed the Kunde Family Estate Winery in Kentwood.
We passed the Oakmont Retirement Community. Marie and I toured this complex 60 years ago when we visited the Fashbaughs. Bob and Jean lived in Santa Rosa, and they managed the Golden Bear Lodge near Oakmont. I knew the Fashbaughs back in Ypsilanti, before the war. They, in turn, visited us in Antioch. My former boss, Ken Black, at C&H Sugar in San Francisco, and his wife Dorothy (who was an executive Secretary at Standard Oil in San Francisco) retired to Oakmont around 1970.
Anne went out of her way to drive through the Fountain Grove area north of Santa Rosa. I am glad that she did, as I wasn’t familiar with it. It is a very nice area! The boulevard runs miles through the hills, with it’s many curves - cause for a 35 mph speed limit. Winding up and down the hills, I kept thinking what a thrill it would be, to ride a “Soap Box” cart down that terrain. Or, better yet, if there were snow, a bobsled or toboggan ride. We passed the large Varenna Senior Living Community facility on the right. It overlooks Fountain Grove Lake, and the Fountaingrove Golf and Athletic Club. I was very surprised how Santa Rosa has grown since the last time I was there many years ago. The population was probably 100,000. In 2007, they estimated the population to be 154,000. It will be interesting what they come up with in this years census.
We then headed back down southbound on 101 to the Dealers. The car was scheduled to be ready at 3:30. We arrived at 4:10. The Service Manager said her car wouldn’t be ready fir two more hours! So it wasn’t a total loss, I had another cookie and cocoa! It was interesting when Anne checked out. The cashier said “That will be a thousand eighty one”. While Anne wasn’t surprised, I was. I forgot that we were in Lexusland. The lady recited that large number like I would say, “That’ll be ten dollars!”
Anne spotted a double rainbow off to our left, as we headed down 101. It was not only unusual, but very picturesque. She cut across to
Highway 12 on Route 116, and home. We arrived back at Quail Creek at 7:15! It was a long day. I was surprised that I wasn’t “beat”. I guess the pleasure of the trip trumped any weariness. As my Mother used to say (at my age) after her busy day,” It was a good tired”.
It seems a little out of whack. I have spent about as much time preparing this Blog, as I did on the subject trip! Ray L’Amoreaux
January 27, 2010.