Great Day In Elk -- 2009

It's a small community, just a little over 200 people, but they do things in a big way. Every year in August, they host one of the North Coast's best celebrations-Great Day In Elk. The day begins with a parade...not a large one, but one where quality is definitely emphasized over quantity. Everyone falls in behind the last of the parade and follows it down to the Greenwood Community Center. There, music, food, a greased pole climbing contest, a cake raffle and a myraid of other events run into the late afternoon and lead up to a community-wide dance that evening.

It has been a "don't miss" event since I moved here three years ago.

Great For Lunch or Dinner

Now that I've been up here a couple of years, I've developed a few favorite places I like to go. And I have learned that what makes a restaurant a favorite is more than just the food. It is a combination of the food, the atmosphere and here in Mendocino, the owners.

Moosse Cafe is one of my favorites. The owners, Carolyn and Misha, are hands-on. They have imbued the restaurant with their personality. And it flows from them on through their staff. Professional, accommodating, friendly.

And the food is creative without being overdone. Organic, fresh and seasonal, half of the menu changes daily. But my "don't miss" item on their menu is the Belgian chocolate dessert.

So if you are up in Mendocino, be sure to stop in for lunch or dinner at the Moosse and tell Misha and Carolyn that Guy says hi.

Garden Setting, Food, Wine, Music -- Winesong! 2009

One of the best events on the Mendocino coast will be taking place this year on Friday, September 11 and Saturday, September 12. Winesong! is a nationally-recognized charity wine auction and tasting attended by more than 1,000 guests from across the country and around the world. They gather in the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens for wine and food tastings, music, and both silent and live auctions featuring rare vintages, special bottles and hard to find vertical collections from cult wineries. And the word is out among wine-loving bidders that Winesong’s vacation packages to leading wine regions offer unbeatable experiences. Trips to France, Italy and New Zealand all feature visits to world-famous wine producers, tastings of older vintages and meetings with the winemakers.

Around The Inn

Sometimes I forget just how zen the inn is. From the temple bells and the herb garden out front, to the flowers and beautiful view of Smuggler's Cove off the back deck, there is just a peaceful and relaxing energy that surround you when you are here.