Out & About – If but for a week, in Yountville
Oh, Yountville, how I’ve missed ye. Gone for four years now, I’m grateful to Sharon Stensaas for letting me stay with her quite perfect dog, Gracie, while she was attending her granddaughter’s wedding.
It was an ideal start with Ranndy and Lin Piña picking me up at the airport, and a sparkling (Mumm) greeting by Sharon and Gracie. A spontaneous decision to dine at the Bistro Jeanty bar got even better when Tom and Carol Shirmang, along with their visiting family, came in. Tom’s son, Steve, his wife, Majken, and their boys, Sam (13) and Seth (10), are clearly Shirmangs, marked by their easy laughs and witty repartee.
On my first morning sojourn into town, I chased down Ivy Zellmer and Leslie Caccamese-Hill with her dog, Oliver. They’ve always made me smile.
It was pure joy to return to a favorite Friday night tradition of dinner with Pam Williams, Liz Moffitt, Julie Worthington and Susan Weichers (missing Kerri Dorman, Hillery Trippe and Sharon Stensaas). During the pandemic, we gathered in Liz’s opened-up garage, sitting six feet apart in our parkas and hats with our BYO dinners on our laps and several bottles of wine. Memorializing the venue, we nicknamed ourselves the Garagistas. Laughing ‘til you cry is part of the tradition.
Janet Clare-Gotch and Sherry Breitigam invited me to join them at The Mac for the Victoria Wyeth-led tour of “The Wyeths – Three Generations.” A delight is an understatement of the experience. Among the admiring crowd were Jay and Judith Caldwell. Chatting with museum director Laura Rafaty is always inspirational. That woman is brilliant at what she does (IMHO). She designed The Mac, and it is a must-see.
Janet and I then joined Iren and Ted Jenny for lunch to catch up over Iren’s delicious Persian chicken stew. And we did, covering a head-spinning number of subjects.
Another tradition I’ve missed is Music in the Park. I knew I’d see Sam Holland there. Her talent seems unlimited as she continues to create fun and engaging events to rival any town multiple times our size. Pam Zeidell and Jim Ladwig, Robin McKee-Cant and John Cant, and Charles and Kathy Ainsworth were all there, toe-tapping to the band. Great weather, great fun.
Wow! The dog park at Rancho de Napa is fantastic. Gracie and I met up with other former YV’ers Paul and Barb Larson, who were bird-sitting (that’s Buster Posey we’re talking about) for Angelika Wieling. Marilyn Cardone and Susan Dean popped over and we rollicked in some great shared memories. Jessica Turnipseed and Larry Lyon also stopped by and said hello.
Yountville may not be unique to impromptu get-togethers, but it does lend itself to be a top performer. The Breitigams, Joel and Sherry, texted to come by for a glass of wine. Joining them were neighbors Phil and Lori Wright. The Wright’s award-winning company Crushpad Provisions’ philosophy is “Great food should elevate exceptional wine.” So even the casual snacks by the pool were superb.
Next up on my tour de Yountville was lunch with our wonderful friends Steve and Kim Cook at R&D. It was Kim’s idea that I pen an O&A column while visiting.
I enjoyed another impromptu wine on the patio with Rob and Ivy Zellmer in their beautiful backyard haven surrounded by the colors and aromas of a summer garden. I was so excited when John Ritter and Carole Rose joined us. We completely entertained each other until dark.
Gracie and I anxiously awaited seeing Kay Lafranconi and Cindy Kapjian with Maddie and Olive at the YV dog park. Maxine Bardessono walked by with her caregiver, Amanda. She’s still got that same great laugh that makes me laugh to hear it. The park provided a very fun and lively romp. Cindy is having a blast coaching women’s tennis and badminton at Napa High School. She quilts to keep her creative spark aglow. Kay and the dogs are happy to do whatever they want whenever they want. Now, that’s the perfect retirement.
I know of no other small town that embraces bocce the way Yountville does. It’s the perfect combination of a party with a sport accompaniment. I wandered over on Wednesday evening to find lots of familiar faces. Some rightfully take the sport more seriously than the party. Marianne Lyon and I started Wordsmiths of Yountville several years back and shared many a poem. She, and her husband, Jim, are quite the bocce enthusiasts. Steve Rogers was hosting his sister, Rhonda Rogers Morgan, and her best friends during their visit here. I met Tom Bardessono’s wife, Amy. I’d say she shares his sense of humor. It was great to see Luca Bardessono too. Marco Wright, Steve and Karen Zanetell, Terry Bremer and even Captain Casual (John Dorenbecher) were all there cozying up to the pallino. I missed seeing you, Marita!
A PBR at Pancha’s with Pam Williams and Julie Worthington after bocce capped off my evening. Ren and Marilyn Harris really captured the vision with their remodel. Our bartender, Brendan Haeger, was very gracious, even encouraging us to go outside and catch the magnificent sunset.
With Lin out of town, I subbed in as Ranndy Piña’s plus one at the Sinatra Night hosted by Gary Jabara in the Pavilion at Estate Yountville. We sat with Joe and J’Lene Gennaro, his cousin, Greg, visiting from England, the Ainsworths, Sam Joens, Tim Horton and Lisa Adams Walter.
I could hardly stay seated, jumping up to say hello to so many old friends. Complemented by perfect Yountville weather, I spent time with Jennifer Brusstar, her son, Jack, and mom, Eileen, who have all moved to Yountville. And I chatted with Dave Means, Inez Brocco, Dee Heizer, Judi Hadfield, Rob and Rita (no last names necessary), Karla Reyff and Michael Beeson. Enjoying the Sinatra-esque crooning, I made my way around to see Charlene and Gabriel Silva, Julienne and Ross Albert, Nancy Caldwell and Charles Burke, Pad and Ganga Padmesh, Paula Simi and Laura Whittington.
A familiar sight from past Friday nights on the porch, it was wonderful to visit with Vivian Rittondale and Dawne Dickenson who introduced me to Ellen Nelson and Carol Holt. Michael and Rayellen Jordan and Carole Rose with her son, Kevin, and daughter, Kim, were there too. And I have to call out having a lovely moment with Chef Thomas Keller, who sported a fedora and could have easily passed for a member of the Rat Pack — very dapper!
Cheers to you, Yountville!
