Napa, California: Just a few miles from this campground is Kennedy Park. Tucked behind the city college, the park runs along the Napa River and has miles of hiking, jogging and/or biking trails, picnic grounds, a baseball field, soccer fields, great playgrounds, a boat launch and a golf course.

Our first tourist stop today was back to an old haunt, Domaine Chandon. At our last visit, we had paid for a tasting - so we knew what we liked and decided to just get some bubbly and order off their tasting menu for our "breakfast" (at 1p).
We are, by the way, professionals.


The vineyards are all-about trying to sell you memberships to their wine clubs. Usually membership is free, but they send you several shipments of wine per year and you just pay for the wine. Not bad, except you rarely can choose which wines the vineyard will send - it's up to the vineyard. I'm too picky to fall for this plan.


fennel slaw and chive creme fraiche. Duh.

As long as we were in Yountville, we popped over to Kollar Chocolates. Operated by a young couple, every piece of chocolate is lovingly handmade in their small shop. They also make gelato.




prepared hand-made Chocolate Kahlua candies in his kitchen
One last stop to the Oxbow Market for olive oil and fruit.

Dinner tonight was at Michael Chiarello's Bottega - back in Yountville (pronounced YAWNT-ville). Chiarello is the mastermind behind Napa Style and several TV shows. We love his Bottega Restaurant and tonight pretty-much nailed it as one of our favorite spots in Napa (if not America). I had a mixed green salad with oven-dried grapes (oven-dried grapes!!!) and hazelnuts. DT loved his appetizer of wood grilled octopus, olive-oil braised potatoes, pickled red onion & salsa verde.

Our entrees were NOT vegetarian. Dave ordered the pan roasted veal loin with tuna emulsion and wild arugula:

I was so excited about the whole grain mustard spaetzle that came with the smoked & braised natural short ribs that I just caved and ordered this spectacular meal.

We now have the most gourmet of leftovers in our RV fridge. If Lynne Rosetto Kasper stops by tomorrow, we have it covered.
GOOD NEWS! Work has started on our casita in Indio at the Motorcoach Country Club! Though our contractor sent photos this evening, Captain Jim and Mary also sent photos of larger size which you may/may not enjoy seeing. If you are interested in watching the casita project unfold, I have placed all the photos on a separate page.
Until my next update, I remain, your Napa correspondent.
SLOGGER REPORT: A faster-paced jog along the Napa River in Kennedy Park. No pain in my shins at all and no need for the iPod - red-winged blackbirds serenaded me the whole long while. I also saw herons, ducks, geese, gulls and a lizard. DT saw a big fat snake! 3 miles.
RV PARK: Napa Valley Expo RV Park - Our favorite spot to stay in the area. Very small, so reservations are essential. (Call (707) 253-4900 #102 Monday-Friday, 9am - 12 noon & 1pm - 5pm to make a reservation.) Long paved full-service pull-throughs, bathhouse and laundry. We paid $40 with our Good Sam discount.