Simplicity is relaxing

We took our much anticipated field trip to The Alexander Valley today. It seemed like more fun to go to old haunts that we like and look at their lighting than to look through catalogs or online. We would rather have really interesting lights hanging over our huge kitchen island than the large pot rack that is currently there. With its stainless steel finish and the empty hooks hanging from it, it reminds me of something that might have come from a slaughterhouse, so it will soon join the morgue faucet in oblivion.

We had lunch in Geyserville, a wide spot in the road at the top of the Alexander Valley--a large valley of vineyards, wineries and quaint old houses. There are also a few tasting rooms, large edifices of dubious taste that don't really fit into the bucolic scene, but given the fact that in OilMan's memory the valley was planted in prune trees and his uncle managed a sheep ranch on its slopes, most of the winery buildings are fairly new. Some did better than others at fitting in.

The Medlock Ames tasting room is, in our opinion, one of the places that fits its location. Originally a country store, the general outlines of store plus gasoline pump outside was kept, with a wide porch instead of the pump. Inside is a large room with a few tables, the tasting bar and a huge farm table. In the back of the building is what they call a speakeasy--a working version of the watering hole/gathering place that has always been there. I love the crisp austerity of the room, which is kept from looking "surgical" by its use of unique lighting fixtures, funky materials and fresh arrangements of fruit and/or flowers. Today there were branches of red/orange pyrocantha berries and persimmons. There is a wall of windows which opens to a patio with a view of their large garden and the valley beyond.

We discovered that today is our neighbor Bruce's birthday, so we bought a couple of small bottles of wine for him. We don't know if he drinks wine, but I guess we'll find out.