Supergirl (and family) in St. Helena
On 680, Superdad remarked that when he was at Stanford, "going to Napa" meant "going nuts"--a reference to the mental hospital up in Napa at the time. When *I* was at Stanford, "going to Napa" meant driving Grandma's 1984 Chrysler LeBaron convertible with white-sided wheels and sparkling silver hubcaps over the Golden Gate Bridge and along Highway 29 to go winetasting with some friends. Ten years later, Supermom, Superdad, and I were motoring the Highlander along 680 (less traffic) and over the Benicia Bridge to cruise into St. Helena on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend. I've become my parents in more ways than one--two of them involve taking back roads to avoid traffic and going places on Saturday instead of Friday night (also to avoid traffic). Or maybe we're just people who shouldn't live in a densely populated metro area. At any rate, we made good time and arrived at the wacky Hotel St. Helena at the same time as Superbro and girlfriend and my parents' entire neighborhood. We were in town for a close family friend's wedding the next evening. We had some merlot in the hotel bar with statues of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, as well as a few gnomes, and went to dinner at Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen. It's a cute place with inventive cuisine and really great water glasses, but That Guy ended up at the table behind us, and he was so loud and annoying that we were sort of relieved to head back to the hotel.

When I went to look at the guestbook, I realized that the husband of one couple had signed his wife's name, and where others put their addresses, wrote, "House of Ill Repute." Their neighbors put their names down and wrote, "Neighbors of Ill Repute." We continued with Friends of Ill Repute, Children of Ill Repute, etc. They may regret having a guestbook now that we've been there.

The hotel is filled with old dolls and toys and antiques--the rooms feel like a guest room at someone's house. I slept comfortably and woke up the next morning to run around town. I actually ran down Highway 29--the traffic doesn't hit till late morning--and then through the back streets of the town, along a beautiful walking path that borders several acres of grapevines, with a view of the mountains that frame the Napa Valley. I admired the cute Victorians along the way and made friends with two black lab puppies who were supervising their owner's painting of a white picket fence. Aw.

I got back in time to have the "European-style breakfast" advertised in the hotel brochure--along with my parents and the whole neighborhood. It was great to catch up with everyone--my parents are fortunate to live in an area where most of the kids are in the same age range, and everyone is incredibly supportive of each other. I have gained a deep appreciation for long-term friendships and community support by watching my parents and our family friends from the neighborhood model kindness and caring.

Everyone peeled off for various outings--one couple went to see a cousin up in Calistoga, one group was going to see some tourist sites and taste some wine--and my family suited up, hopped in the 'lander, and drove off down the Silverado trail--well, after Supermom and Superbro, the most stubborn members of the family, spent a half hour digging the middle seatbelt holder out of a jam underneath the seat.

I was innapropriately dressed--when I think California summer activities, I immediately put on shorts and a tank top. I also had my trusty Chaco sandals on for good arch support. Most of the other ladies out tasting were wearing wedge sandals, Seven jeans, and much tinier tank tops, plus makeup and jewelry. I figured I would just pass for a high schooler and let it go. We tasted some great wine, admired some lovely gardens, stopped for lunch at Oakville Grocery, and headed back to rest and get ready for the wedding.

The wedding was spectacular. Beautiful outdoor ceremony, wonderful indoor dinner, amazing food and wine, great band. We headed home with the other neighbors when we had danced ourselves into the ground, and when we returned to the hotel, thought it would be a great idea to check out all the other rooms. My parents had the hugest bed anyone had ever seen, and Nancy and Tom from around the block (next door neighbors of the groom's family) had the smallest bathroom known to man. No one could stop giggling. I thought, wait till I tell all their kids about this!

I had enjoyed my run that day so much that I got up early Monday morning for a repeat. We had breakfast again and said goodbye--another way I am my parents is that we get an early start when driving home on a holiday weekend. We cruised home, enjoying the strains of Faith Hill and The Judds. September is probably the most beautiful time in the Napa Valley, and it was such a treat to get up there with my whole family and many of our oldest friends to celebrate love, marriage, family, and friendship.