Northern California
The rugged, foaming coastline of Northern California is a dramatic meeting of land and sky. Salt-tolerant spruce cleave to the seaside, and craggy coves invite stillness.
If not by the water, my favorite way to spend an afternoon is on a fog-shrounded trail hike through old-growth redwood and fir forests. Driving through Portola Valley, the scent of damp loam and woodsmoke hang in the air. A leisurely weekend retreat to Sonoma brings the opportunity to savor the land’s bounty of cheese, wine, and soil-grown produce — raised, harvested and prepared in equally thoughtful measure.
The region is transportive and refreshing.
Personal Northern California Favorites
Muir Woods — in Mill Valley — Golden light splinters through the mature redwoods during late afternoon.
Stanly Ranch — in Napa — On the southern edge of Napa Valley, rambling vineyards contour the property. Best for botanical cocktails and fresh, garden-gathered crudités.
The deYoung Museum — in San Francisco — My favorite repository of the city’s noteworthiest fine art holdings, situated inside Golden Gate Park.
Stanford Educational Farm — in Palo Alto — A living laboratory for sustainable agriculture, where two-hundred varieties of herbs, citrus and florals are grown annually.
Little Saint — in Healdsburg — A buzzy bistro and natural wine bar with distinctly Californian interiors. The open kitchen serves as anchor, and lush bouquets of fresh herbs as decor.
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve — in Carmel — A rich marine habitat with sagebrush and cypress-canopied hiking trails that overlook costal bluffs carved impressively by wind.
The Ferry Building Marketplace — in San Francisco — My favorite weekend farmers’ market that features sustainable growers near sweeping views of the Bay.
Filoli — in Woodside — On the eastern slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains sits a country house and sixteen acres of formal garden. Best visited in late spring, when wisteria perfumes the air.
Marin Country Mart — in Marin — A curated, open-air village dotted with concept shoppes and organic cafés. The farmers’ market often features the freshest seafood.
T. Reggiardo Antiques — in San Francisco — The best dealer of 18th and 19th century decorative arts in San Francisco. A charmingly small space with a smart curation of pieces.
Troubadour Bread — in Healdsburg — Taste sourdough made with California-grown grain in a Wine Country café perfect to linger in during a warm afternoon.
Design District at Sacramento Street — in San Francisco — A collection of design-forward ateliers: March, Anyon, and The Future Perfect are best.
The Village Bakery — in Woodside — Served with whipped raspberry butter, slow-cooked blueberries and amber syrup, James Beard’s pancake recipe is excellent.
Cantor Arts Center — in Palo Alto — For smartly curated, rotating exhibitions. The The B. Gerald Cantor Rodin Sculpture Garden and neighboring Anderson Collection are unmissable.
Rustic Bakery — in Marin — Their olive oil and sel gris sourdough flatbread, baked commercially in Sonoma County, is perfect to pair with artisan cheese.
Tartine — in San Francisco — Turkey, carrot, and crisp butterhead lettuce sandwiched between generously sliced country bread is my favorite lunch. The interiors: relaxed and thoughtful.
Hudson Grace — in Marin — My favorite browsable selection of homeware essentials. Their hand-poured candles in heavyweight glass capture the coast’s essence with lingering notes of eucalyptus, cedarwood, fig leaf and grapefruit citron.
Olivier Napa Valley — in Napa — Their extra virgin olive oil is a variety first developed in California in the late 1780s by the Franciscan Padres in the settlement of the California Missions. It has a clean and bright flavor that pairs beautifully with sun-ripened tomato in early summer.
