Plan a Unique, Perfect Mother's Day Getaway

No diets. No schedule. No traffic. Just a few of the specifications for my mother’s ideal vacation she had been craving for months. I decided to take my mom on an early Mother’s Day trip and what destination fit the bill for my mom’s no diet, no schedule, no traffic vacation? Home to world-renowned chef-driven restaurants, more than 400 wineries, and not a chain restaurant in site: The Napa Valley, of course.

“You should come back for your honeymoon.” That’s what my mom said as we pulled up to our hotel tucked away in a 250-acre valley, Meadowood Resort and Spa. With two swimming pools, two restaurants, a spa, hiking trails and tennis courts, this is a village in itself. Wandering the grounds, you'll see eco-fitness classes taking advantage of the property's hilly terrain. Private cabins are scattered through the landscape and our room itself was a clean, country style with an all white king-size bed, fireplace and separate living room area and large terrace.

Photo: Guest Room at Meadowood

Photo: Guest Room Terrace at Meadowood

Meadowood is the ideal destination for a revitalizing weekend, with its spa offering Yoga, pilates and wellness counseling. For a hotel to sit in the Napa Valley, exquisite cuisine is a must. And Meadowood far exceeds that requirement with its Garden and Spa menus and the four course seasonal tasting menu. Guests are welcomed every afternoon to a tasting and discussion of local wines. Guests who want to wander can choose a picnic site and the hotel kitchen is happy to prepare a picnic with a local, gourmet spin on traditional picnic items.

Photo: Cuisine at Meadowood

After checking in, our female seventh sense led us to Woodhouse Chocolates. Owners John and Tracy Andersen use no preservatives in their unique chocolates. The baby blue bag I left with was filled with a Fritos chocolate bar (yes, the chips) and a package of the savory bars, spiced with Cumin, Paprika, Chinese 5-spice and Sea Salt.

Photo: Woodhouse Gourmet Chocolates

That night we broke bread at Ad Hoc, where a different 4-course menu is featured every night. Chef Thomas Keller recently received the French Legion of Honor, so it’s no surprise my mom and I let out sighs of satisfaction over a chilled pea soup with pecans and fresh crème, a lemon juice and olive oil marinated salad of lentils, roasted peppers, mushrooms and artichoke, sole with white bean puree and a seasonal fruit tart.

Photo: Fresh Bread and Wine Ad Hoc Restaurant

Photo: Scrambled Eggs with Marmalade

The next morning, feeling the spirit of the Napa Valley, we had wine for breakfast at CADE Winery. This Gold LEED certified organic winery sits at almost 1,800 feet elevation, offering a panoramic view of the valley. An infinity pool overlooks 21 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines, for which the winery uses 67% less water than most wineries. “I could drink this all day.” That’s what my mom said about the 2008 CADE Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain. And she doesn’t even drink. Private food-pairings can be held in the cave where the wine is actually made. Guests sit at a long table made from parts of a World War II submarine amidst barrels of wine.

CADE organic winery

Photo: Drinking Wine in Napa Valley

Photo: CADE wine barrels

Our second tasting brought us to Logan-Ives House at Long Meadow Ranch. This1874 renovated home has a yard that serves as neighboring restaurant’s culinary garden and leftover produce is sold to local restaurants and farmers markets. The vegetable water that results from the property’s olive oil production is put back into the ground, providing essential nutrients to the soil.

Photo: Culinary Garden in Napa

Photo: Wine Tasting Room in Napa

For lunch our second day we dined at Mustard’s Grill where I ordered the sweet honey-mustard Pork Chops. Mustard’s had one of the first culinary gardens in Napa. The gardener doesn't use any pesticides but instead plants flowers throughout to attract pollinating bees and bug-killing hummingbirds. Another note-worthy sustainable effort is an arrangement with the local garbage company that collects all food waste from the restaurant and turns it into compost for the restaurant garden.

Photo: Mom picking vegetables

Ready to be pampered, we returned to our hotel for full body relaxation massages. My masseuse told me that snoring is the greatest complement a client can give. If that is true, I paid him a very large complement. It’s rare that a massage gets me that relaxed.

We ended our day with a farm to table dinner at Farmstead. My mom and I looked out onto the garden where our arugula and twice-cooked beet salads came from. All livestock comes from heritage breeds, meaning they are 100% grass-fed. I finished my dinner with the currant cake accompanied by olive oil ice cream, which is surprisingly delicious!

Arugula and Beet Salad

Early the next misty morning I met with The French Laundry’s culinary gardener Tucker Taylor who showed me around the 51-plot garden, which provides produce for all three of the Thomas Keller restaurants. Every afternoon the gardeners make a list of the available produce that the chefs base the menu for the following day on.

Photo: Thomas Keller's The French Laundry

Before hitting the road back to San Francisco Airport, my mom and I stopped by Hotel Bardessono for some French toast covered in Strawberry Compote with a side of Mascarpone cream. Director of Marketing Paul Sposare gave us a tour around this Platinum LEED certified hotel with 940 solar panels and motion sensors in every room to save energy. The hotel has a full time culinary gardener and all restaurant products come primarily from local sources. The most elite element: the “spa butler” who will come set up a serene scene before your massage and even draw you a bath upon request.

Photo: Energy-saving guest room at Bardessono

Photo: Outdoor Patio at hotel Bardessono

Photo: Rooftop pool at hotel Bardessono

I hope I met my mom’s request of “no diets, no schedules, and no traffic.” I can tell by the tranquil look on her face on the drive home and the classic jazz—which she only plays when she’s feeling extremely peaceful—that I probably did.

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