The Hometown

We rolled into Healdsburg from Manteca mid-day Friday ready for a well-deserved recovery weekend at home. The sights of Healdsburg are certainly familiar to Cristy and I, but for everyone's benefit I thought I'd do a quick write-up with a few pictures.

Our first stop on Friday was at the Healdsburg Bar & Grill for lunch with my mom. After a wonderful lunch and a stop at the bar to see penalty kicks between Uruguay and Ghana, we did a quick walk around the square before heading home to regroup. We completely unpacked the car with the intent that by Monday morning we could introduce some organization to our chaotic backseat.

Saturday was a vintage Healdsburg day. After a Downtown Bakery breakfast, we went to Garrett Hardware for containers and knives and fishing gear. But despite Cristy's protestations, we did not go home with one of the chickens available for purchase at Garrett. Next we had lunch on the square at the incomparable El Sombrero. Not many taquerias get a review in the San Francisco Chronicle, but then again, there aren't many taquerias like El Sombrero. A couple chicken tacos and 'Hecho en Mexico' Cokes later, and we went over to Bovolo for some fantastic gelato (which I was reminded is radically different than ice cream).

That evening we had dinner at Dry Creek Kitchen which was much better than I remembered it. And afterwards we stepped through the phone booth into Prohibition Wine Bar on Healdsburg Ave to order a glass of Halling wine. Have to support local growers.

On the Fourth itself we stayed home for a bacon, egg, trout, and biscuits breakfast before watching the victorious A's and the disheartening Giants. Dinner was smoked chicken from our new outdoor smoker and then watching the Healdsburg fireworks from the back porch.

All in all a wonderful weekend and a great time to recover, re-equip, and get ready for the next 3,000 miles. Tuesday we drive north to Redwood National Park and on Wednesday will finally leave the Golden State.