Napa Valley, 1976

Flashback: I arrived in Napa during the spring of 1976. I had been living in Marin County amongst the elite (Tiburon, Belvedere, Sausalito) and the rock'n'rollers (Fairfax, San Anselmo, Mill Valley and Bolinas) for years... rents were high and Napa Valley seemed like a good alternative: close enough to maintain contacts in Marin and the city, a rural atmosphere and cheap!

Actually, I was drawn here by an offer of a waitress job from Gerhard and Nancy Twele, owners of Fisher's Coffee Shop, downtown (Gerhard was to create Gerhard's Napa Valley Sausage decades later...). Napa was not known for wineries then. All I knew about it were the jokes about the state mental hospital, the roadside produce stands and the seasonal visit to one of many Christmas tree farms.

I do remember that when I did make up my mind to move here, it was after I drove upvalley and saw Beringer and Christian Brothers wineries, like fairytale castles... and so began my life of hospitality, food & wine appreciation in California's soon-to-be most popular wine country.

to be continued...