California Wine Country Questions and Advice?

[Asomer]

Duane,
I just read an interesting article in the June issue of Traditional Home about a family-owned boutique hotel in the Russian River Valley area that boasts a Michelin starred restaurant, Farmhouse Inn. It looks cozy & quaint, not at all stuffy like The French Laundry has become. Could be worth checking out.

www.farmhouseinn.com

[karlos]

go to Carmel and Monterey and do the waterfront and aquarium lot of fun and the best aquarium in the us...good restaurant's there. also they will be bringing in all the cars for the pebble beach tour de elegance around the 20th. cool 1933 Bentleys etc for just a few mill each. Been there for car show a few years ago and it is great. and eat lunch or dinner at pebble beach golf club. the best food around and the view is 10 stars...then drive the 17 mile waterfront road to carmel for dessert . that's what us west coast folks do for fun!!! I go every year but keep going down the coast to the hearst castle , Avila beach best cool beach in ca! on the way to la jolla.

[karlos]

oops I didn't read July. the car show is aug 20th .in Monterey. still great times all around there. Got all the cushion inserts for my Kodiak sofa. boy its like a brand new sofa again and new chair. my dentist neighbor saw me taking all the old inserts out to the garage and saw me sweating like mad, it was a serious workout wrestling all those cushions out and back in... He could not believe Hancock and moore would send free cushion inserts to renew couch. the lady at the landfill was also shocked and had never seen that. she just sees all the Ashley junk go straight in the dump. LOL> that says a lot about Customer Service! will only buy this brand from now on- so don't retire anytime soon.

[drcollie]

I've been down to Monterey and Laguna Seca Raceway and all, really going to stay up in Napa this trip, BMWCCA has its annual Oktoberfest the the week prior to the Concours and I would love to go, but can't close the store for two weeks to go play.....

Karlos, you've had your H&M now about what...8 years? I can't remember exactly, but know we got you all new cores last month, free of charge and even the shipping was at no cost. Now you're starting to reap the benefits of Hancock and Moore as the furniture is getting older. It's not broken down (and it not going to) and as you see - with a core replacement it sits like new again. And yes, those cores are a workout to put in the casings. Did you know there is one man that does that at H&M as his job, just one guy stuffs every casing that comes through the plant, that's about 300 pieces a week. I've met him, and he's the nicest guy with arms like stovepipes, and he doesn't even break a sweat. I don't know how he does that day after day, it's an extremely hard job. When I come across a T-Cushion that requires a re-stuff, I bring a spare t-shirt that day because I know I will be a sweaty mess when done. They are seriously hard to do.

There is a lot of price resistance to H&M from consumers - I see that every day. It always sounds like a sale pitch when I tell them this maker's products will stand the test of time, just keep it clean and conditioned, out of the direct sunlight and replace the cores free of charge when needed. I know a lot of folks don't believe that - but when YOU tell them, it has a lot of impact - they need to hear that more often.

[karlos]

yep I have the sofa and chair and ottoman going on 8 yrs and its in super shape. all it needed was the cushion refresh. Man I thought I was out of shape stuffing 9 cushions in and out. needed a few beers to cool down after that!! feel better now that you said its a tough one too. Bet the bmwcca would be a kick to go to. do you need a car there and can you use the clubs? a 800 mile drive for me is doable too. don't you have to be a member for one year min. enjoy Napa, Monterey is kinda like a microbrew for me, its tugs at me every time im in the area!!! Karl

[TXCajun]

Karlos,

My favorite CA experience is when my husband surprised me with a week's stay in a B&B in the Carmel By The Sea neighborhood with all of those Hugh Comstock fairytale cottages. We went to sleep each night and woke each morning to the sounds of the ocean. We walked the little winding path alongside the beach into the village for lovely, late evening dinners. We took early morning beach walks which were absolutely serene. We drove to Monterey and visited that terrific aquarium. Everything is beautifully done and truly, some of the exhibits look ethereal. We spent a day hiking one of the redwood forests. Another day, we visited a few of the wineries...Yum! The entire week was perfect in every way: weather, drives, experiences, food. The best part is that we went in July. For those few glorious days, we escaped the brutal Texas heat of summer.

TXCajun

[karlos]

you have summed up that area perfectly. those cottages are magical!!! next to the sea id love to have one. clint eastwoood owns a restaurant in carmel and hangs out there in the bar. as he is part owner of many things in that area including pebble beach golf resort. just a cool quaint kinda rich town! im in seattle so we like to escape the fog! Karl