There's so much thought and care put into everything from the grapes and the wine to the food and presentation, the landscapes and interiors. People work hard here to create an effortless and inviting experience. And they really seem to enjoy sharing the fruits of their labor.
You make new friends; Everyone, meet Ashley (Go-to Gal at Tres Sabores) Julie (Owner at Tres Sabores) and Stephanie (Interior Designer, Color Expert, and friend)...
and really REALLY enjoy spending time with old friends; Everyone, these are my sweet 'young' pals, Patrik and Steven who shared a wine and cheese paring, olive oil tasting, AND lunch with me at the Greystone Culinary Institute.
Where in the midst of a 'hard hitting' day of filming-you know, digging into this 'gritty' heart of St. Helena- a simple coffee break turns into an indulgent treat; Everyone, this is JoAnne, my friend, producer, all around awesome gal really enjoying that cappuccino and ice cream delight (what'd they call that again?) at Sogni di Dolci. Yummm.
And if you really let you heart and eyes expand to something wonderful and spontaneous, you might notice something like this...
That's right, this is a chicken in front of a piano in a barn....
This barn, the barn we found from a little 'open studio' sign we saw- and almost missed! Turns to be the studios of artist/sisters Jennifer Garden, printmaker (Everyone, say hello)...
And Anne Garden, painter and silk screen artist (we felt like instant pals when we met these ladies)...
The colors and figures in these works in progress are stunning. Jennifer does her printing downstairs and Anne paints up here in the loft...
You know you're in love with a piece of art when you see it and you're heart jumps and you immediately think, "I wish I had painted that". I want this painting!
It's true, as more and more people wander up to this magic place, the more tourist-y things begin to appear. But you can still be greeted and moved by the natural landscape, the presence of history and time, and the spirited makers that live here today.
I have just two more colors I need to add to my color palette...
I believe every lush shade, tint and hue of green can be seen in the scenic array of both tame and wild greenery out here. Here's my best shot at harnessing those colors to just two:
It's been such a cool investment of time and attention visiting St. Helena and Calistoga. As I said on day one, I wish I could spend a whole month here checking out the entire region; Sonoma, Healdsburg, Santa Rose... but alas, I have other things to do and other places to go. Rough life, it is.... not really :-)
Check back one last time tomorrow for a recap and whole color palette of my impressions of St. Helena. Feels great to share this with you.