<p>Mustards Grill is good and a bit casual. V. Sattui Winery is very popular, they sell sandwiches, etc. and have places to eat outside. Opus One is architecturally interesting and worth just walkig around a little.</p>
<p>dadofsam,
H is a bit of a wine snob. He takes Robert Parker’s word as gospel.
We both enjoy dry wines, both red and white. I like my reds less ‘chewy’ and I don’t drink sparkling or sweet wines. H likes all varieties, even the sweet dessert wines.
Suggest away…</p>
<p>mominva: Most of the major wineries, and just about all the wineries on highwy 29, charge for tastings. My suggestions:</p>
<p>Freemark Abbey, long known for fine cabernets (Bighway 29 north of St. Helena) (try their dry riesling, if they still have any)
Corison winery, for even better cabernets. and what I finbd to be California’s best gewurtztraminer This is a small winery on the west side of Highway 29 south of St. Helena. You might get to meet Ms. Corison herself. You might want to call in advance.
Robert Sinskey
Caymus
Duckhorn for merlots (reservation needed)
Hagafen (best kosher wines in the States that are also very fine wines in general), on the Silverado trail near the south end
And there is a tasting room near BV whose name I forget. Used to be called the Napa Wine Company; last time I was there it called itself the “Cult Winery Tasting room”. This is a custom crush winery where a number of small operations make their wines. The tasting room features half a dozen or so different small wineries each week, as well as their own Napa Wine Co. wines.</p>
<p>Love, love, love Napa Valley; I envy your vacation. </p>
<p>We’ve stayed at several places from medium budget to high. Enjoyed Carneros Inn, but the ranch-hand cottage “agri-chic” isn’t my cup of tea, and it’s kind of isolated on that hill in Carneros. You need a car to go anywhere and the restaurant you can walk to had a fly problem and wasn’t that good. I preferred the older, comfy-quaint vibe at Harvest Inn in St. Helena. <a href=“http://www.harvestinn.com%5B/url%5D”>www.harvestinn.com</a> We liked being able to take the bikes out from the inn and cruise the back roads behind the main street of town, stopping at a coffee shop or farmer’s market. Very relaxing. </p>
<p>A couple of suggestions to plan ahead: check the entertainment calendar for the Mondavi winery to see if there’s a show (outside, picnic style) you don’t want to miss. We saw Cassandra Wilson perform there one year and it was the highlight of the trip. </p>
<p>Make an appointment to visit the area’s best-kept secret: the di Rosa Preserve in Carneros. Take a walking tour of the eclectic art collection spread out over the meadows, lake, and farmhouse-turned-art gallery established by longtime modern art collector Rene di Rosa. <a href=“http://www.dirosapreserve.org%5B/url%5D”>www.dirosapreserve.org</a></p>
<p>Definitely go to the American Culinary Institute for lunch one day. You can try different wines paired to the menu. Julia’s Kitchen at the Copia museum is also more fun for lunch than dinner. </p>
<p>You almost can’t get a bad meal at any restaurant in Napa — it’s such a food-centered place that even the roadside outdoor eateries are going to have Kobe beef burgers and sesame-crusted fish sandwiches. But I second the recommendation of Rutherford Grill for great food with a casual air and we also liked Celadon, over by the River Terrace Inn. </p>
<p>Don’t miss out on the couples’ mudbath/massage at one of the Calistoga spas. It was a great fun.</p>
<p>Oh my!
I wish our calendar and budget were limitless ;)</p>
<p>How is Copia and Julia’s Kitchen doing? I heard they were struggling…</p>
<p>dadofsam, I live “nearby” ( 25 minutes) too and I LOVE to eat there. I’d pretty much rather cook than eat out in my town in my town; we sometimes chose Napa over San Fancisco (which IS about 45 minutes away…) is there something I should know?</p>
<p>Wonderful dining - Tra Vigne in St Helena - dining under the vines - feels just like you are in Italy :)</p>
<p>Wonderful activity - take a balloon ride - absolutely amazing - includes pre-flight yummies and champaign lunch - just incredible - and romantic too LOL</p>
<p>Ahhh, this is making me want to go back NOW!! It was so much fun!!
To clarify, we had lunch at Bistro Jeanty and Mustards (and did the sandwich/picnic thing at Sattui - yummy and relaxing break between drinking and drinking and drinking (or should I say tasting and tasting and tasting).
Memories that stick out are: the Coppola Winery (formely Inglenook)-- very visually striking and cool stuff to see from the movie industry, Clos Pegase (also cool stuff to see and an intimate winery), Chateau Montelena (japanese gardens and really nice folks that pull all sorts of yummy bottles of special wines out the longer you stick around) Cosentino (he’s usually right there pouring for you) Mumm Napa (cool artwork and photographs), Clos du Val (beautiful grounds) and lots more. There was one… I think it was the Frank Family (he is ex-ch. of the Board at Disney- but they were just hysterical! Old hippie types with Marilyn Monroe posters/memorabilia (someone help me out with this… we stopped at the end of our day and I don’t recall all the details…)</p>
<p>As for the mud baths-- fun, but ours was too hot and I got burned! Red sploches all over me for several days. A tad embarassing…</p>
<p>The last funny (well, to us) thing… We stayed at Silverado (not all that attractive but a family member has a condo there, so ya can’t beat the price!!) Anyway, we get there, check in, and see a big sign for a conference going on that was a division of my H’s company - we ran into people that live down the street from us!! Small world!</p>
<p>I want to go back too!</p>
<p>I want to clarify that we stayed at the Carneros Inn shortly after it opened and the Hilltop Dining Room and the Farm dining area were not available to us the nights we were there. I’m sure they are spectacular, though. My complaint was with the aptly named Boonfly Cafe a short walk down the hill.</p>
<p>Another well-located place to stay is the Napa Valley Lodge, in Yountville, on the main road between Carneros and St. Helena. Newish place, charming rooms and walking distance to the French Laundry and other tony restaurants in Yountville. Depending on your dates, you might get a good deal on rooms there.</p>
<p>The Boonfly and Farm have markedly improved. The flies are gone:). Also, as the landscaping has grown in at the Carnernos Inn, the grounds are now full of roses and lavender and native plants…quite beautiful. And the view from the pool is amazing and you can have breakfast up there at the Hilltop. Ahhh. Can’t wait for summer.</p>
<p>Hold on, why am I telling you all this? It’s my favorite place. I love to go there and getaway. I shouldn’t be saying anything to increase visitors, that’s what is so nice, it’s really private and amazingly relaxing. Oh well, among friends and all that.</p>
<p>Maybe you’ll be there when we go!</p>
<p>I noticed that some of these places are quite expensive.</p>
<p>I like Auberge Du Soleil. My personal taste and my wife’s too is Meadowood over Auberge du Soleil. But they are both great. Meadowood is more walking friendly. Auberge Du Soleil is built into a hillside.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.meadowood.com/[/url]”>http://www.meadowood.com/</a></p>
<p><a href=“Auberge du Soleil in Napa Valley, California | Auberge Resorts”>Auberge du Soleil in Napa Valley, California | Auberge Resorts;
<p>Restuarants…many great choices listed in this thread. I am giving another vote to Tra vigne. I was there recently.</p>
<p>Haha. I will be hiding:).</p>
<p>However, do think about weather. April is still frequently raining. My son’s bday is end of April and we were always dealing with threatening rain. By June, you are pretty much in summer, although not all the way to the glorious bake the sorrow out of your marrow days of July and early August.</p>
<p>I love the summer, and sitting by the pool, but I grew up out here here. You might like spring - check to see when the mustard flowers bloom as they are pretty spectacular, as long as you have nothing against the color yellow of course.</p>
<p>BTW, dstark is right, we are not exactly giving you the budget version here so do let us know if you are looking for something a little easier on the waller.</p>
<p>Well, we are considering early to mid May. If we do that we can swing down to San Diego and help get our baby’s stuff into storage and her clothes home after her finals (last exam 5/19).</p>
<p>I am guessing we would like some wallet friendly suggestions as well, though we will have a couple/few splurge days thrown in.</p>
<p>Somebody mentioned Vintage Inn. It’s very nice and $100 to $200+ a night less than the top end places. </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.vintageinn.com/vintageinn/rates/index.html[/url]”>http://www.vintageinn.com/vintageinn/rates/index.html</a></p>
<p>Another $100+ less than Vintage Inn…</p>
<p><a href=“http://calistogaspa.com/?page_id=6[/url]”>http://calistogaspa.com/?page_id=6</a></p>
<p>I also like <a href=“http://www.hotelhealdsburg.com%5B/url%5D”>www.hotelhealdsburg.com</a>, an intown, sophisticated, quasi-New York kind of place. Town square of Healdsburg is really fun. This isn’t cheap, but it is less than Auberge du Soleil, which is $$$$$. On the other hand, I’ve heard that AdS is fantastic with amazing views. The HH is nice but no views or anything like that.</p>
<p>dstark-
I think calistoga spa might have been where I got overcooked in the mud bath! It was one of those spa places with the mud baths…</p>
<p>Jym: For me, it was worth the risk to see H up to his neck in warm mud. We had fun showering each other off and plunging into the hot springs jacuzzi. It’s just a hoot and worth it for the experience. <a href=“http://www.goldenhaven.com%5B/url%5D”>www.goldenhaven.com</a> </p>
<p>Though I’d probably just go with the facial and massage the next time.</p>
<p>^^ Jazzymom-
That was our intent too-- double mud baths and shower and all that. But mine wasn’t warm mud, it was HOT mud, and it got painful!! As I said, the red welts lasted for a few days!! Ouch!!!</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.goldenhaven.com/spatreat.html[/url]”>www.goldenhaven.com/spatreat.html</a></p>
<p>See Step 6. The blanket wrap. That was the best. I don’t think I’ve ever been more thoroughly relaxed.</p>