THE Bingo Event of the Year!

Well, last Saturday I attended my third Soroptimist Bingo Bash. Unlike your grandmother's church bingo, this one features appetizers, free-flowing wine, dinner, raffle prizes and 10 bingo games with the value of each game's prize package being between $ 800-$ 1000. As you can see, some people found the evening shocking.

Estates Gallery in Fort Bragg

Life on the North Coast is like a treasure hunt. I have been here almost 3 years now and I am still finding new and interesting places. With over 20 inches of rain in the last few weeks, the challenge has been finding places to explore in the rain.

Recently, I found Estates Gallery in Fort Bragg. It is a warren of stacks and small rooms filled with books and great places to sit and browse.

The store is owned by Richard Lina. He opened it in 1983 and through his diligence and knowledge, has filled it with the most interesting and amazing collection imaginable. It is the perfect place to spend a rainy afternoon.

The Calm After The Storms

1 week and 10 inches of rain later, the Mendocino Coast shakes off the bluster and reveals the heart-stopping beauty of the North Coast.

Choosing This Year's Heirloom Tomato Varieties

This year, we've decided to plant only heirloom tomatoes in the inn's Anderson Valley Heritage Garden. We traveled down to the Seed Bank in Petaluma to select our seeds.

This store, part of the Baker Seed Company out of Missouri, is a nirvana for gardeners.

This is one of the 30+ varieties we chose.

The Annual Chestnut Harvest

Last Saturday was the annual Permaculture Festival and Potluck at the Zeni Ranch. Located 15 miles down Fish Rock Road and high up on a ridgetop between Mendocino and Sonoma Counties, the Zenis have been working this land for well over 100 years. One of the great things about this continuity is that a discussion with any Zeni about sustainable farming and perennial agricultural systems is usually bolstered by stories of moonshining and revenuers.

But the true stars of this day are the dry-farmed chestnut trees brought to this country from Italy over 100 years ago. Tall and majestic, their branches stretch across 100 feet and more. The chestnuts themselves actually grow inside of prickly seed pods, so it is important to wear boots (to squash them out of the pods) and gloves to avoid getting stuck. Along with three friends that went with me, we were able to harvest almost 20 pounds!

Friends Come To Vist

A couple of friends from San Diego, Marshall and Lois, came up to visit this past weekend. I had a great time showing them around Mendocino and the Anderson Valley because they are both very visual people. Lois is in graphic design and Marshall is a photographer. I saw things I would normally never notice when I looked at things through their eyes.

What's The Best Thing On Our Menu?

That has to be the BAAT!

What's a BAAT you ask? It is bacon, avocado, arugula and grilled BGI Heritage Garden heirloom tomato over a thick slice of fresh sourdough bread. The combination of sweet and peppery Millionaire's Bacon, with the flavor of a garden-fresh heirloom tomato can't be beat. Of course, I may be a little partial since we grew those tomatoes from seed, so I guess you will just have to come and try for yourself.