A Lovely Gluten Free Inn...

Tucked away on charming Randolph Street is the #1 Rated Inn in Napa, CA out of 84 inns...and believe it or not, it's entirely gluten free! I had the pleasure of staying at the Inn on Randolph a few weeks ago, during what was a perfect fall weekend in the valley. I'd learned of the Inn earlier in the year while working our booth for The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center at the Gluten and Allergen Free Expo in San Francisco this past February and since, had been dying to stay at the Inn and try it out, given that it's so close to home... yet just far enough away to feel like a mini vacation!

I'd done my research about the Inn on Randolph learning that it's owned by Karen and Dan Lynch, Bay Area natives who purchased the historic Inn two years ago and transformed this property into a dreamy escape. As a guest with celiac disease, I can say that staying at the Inn was an amazing experience and such a relief given that this B & B is entirely gluten free, alleviating any and all concerns of cross contamination from the Inn’s beautiful kitchen.

Karen has been gluten free herself for 7 years. After purchasing the Inn in 2011, (they closed it for 10 months to restore), gutting it down to the studs, and transforming this historic 19th century home into a stunning and peaceful modern retreat, she decided that she wanted the Inn on Randolph to be a completely gluten free B & B. At first she was cautious to advertise the Inn as completely gluten free, not wanting to cause non-GF guests to feel unwelcome or with the feeling that the Inn's quality of dining was not top-notch (which it is) given the reputation of some gluten free foods. However, as time has passed and the Inn's ratings have skyrocketed. It's become apparent that the word is out in both gluten free and non-GF communities that the Inn on Randolph is truly the place to go for rest, restoration and delicious food!

That accommodations at the Inn are even better than the food...we were fortunate enough to stay in the "Franklin" guest cottage just across the beautifully designed garden outside the main house. This gorgeous abode offers a romantic fireplace, plush linens (which they sell!) and a super cozy atmosphere. The cottage also has a private patio with a bistro set - the perfect setting for a lazy morning of reading and enjoying an organic cup of tea...along with a delicious gluten free chocolate chip cookie! The Inn consists of five large guest rooms in the main, historic house, along with five guest cottages neatly tucked inside the Inn's nearly half-acre property line. Each room and cottage share a similar design theme of warm, inviting colors, crisp linens and traditional furnishings, yet each room is also purposely designed to encompass its own unique, decorative attributes.

Owners Karen and Dan were kind enough to sit down with me for a an interview that included a complimentary, delicious glass of chardonnay from a favorite winery just "up-valley." Karen, the consummate host, is always checking in on guests who are lounging on the patio or in the beautiful library by the fireplace offering snacks or a glass of wine and great conversation. Both Karen and Dan, along with their staff, were extremely accommodating and genuine making the stay even more special and comfortable. They offered great wine tasting tips to boot, and even booked a tasting for us at one of their favorite wineries in the Valley, Frog's Leap. 

One of the more interesting things I learned from my interview with Karen and Dan was about the length of time they researched, contemplated and dreamed of finding just the right property to transform and create into their own to share with guests from all over the state and world. Or as Karen's intention stated, "let's build a place that we'd like to hang out in." They definitely got that right.

I particularly enjoyed spending time in their 100% gluten free kitchen discussing how Karen and her staff ensure that all guests with celiac disease or gluten intolerance are treated to delicious, SAFE, gluten free food choices. One of the other treats I discovered in the room was organic, gluten free bath products, (other than the body lotion) by EO, a Marin-based company specializing in natural and organic based body care products. 

The Inn also offers weekend-long, terrific gluten free cooking and baking classes taught by San Francisco allergen free baker, Jeffery Larsen. So after the first weekend of staying at the Inn, I was kindly invited back to attend the holiday baking class the following weekend. I attended one full day of baking, but I would strongly recommend signing up for an entire weekend of baking and wonderful comradery that forms between all of the guests sharing their stories and bonding over good food and creativity. 

The next class offering is the pasta making class, taking place in January 2014 - it's a MUST ATTEND for anyone who is gluten free and wants to learn the art of making pasta at home!!

Be sure to book WAY in advance so you don't miss a chance to stay at this historic, beautiful Inn in the heart of downtown Napa and just a short distance from the famous foodie-haven, the Oxbow Public Market. This great marketplace houses several gluten-free restaurants and a bakery including C-Casa and Cate & Co. And definitely do yourself a favor by not leaving the Inn until you've had their wonderful gluten free breakfast and bowl of their delicious, homemade granola!

Between the lovely accommodations, the wonderful setting and close proximity to some of the world’s best restaurants and wineries, this is a weekend getaway that can’t be missed.   I know I’ll be heading back as soon as I can get a reservation!

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas, Napa Style!!

Napa Valley Road Trip ~

There's something special about the Napa Valley besides the obvious...VINO...it's the smell of the air, the earth, and the beauty that is present everywhere you look, which makes it a fabulous place to visit any time of the year.

One of my dearest friends from the Basque Country, Nere, was visiting here for a month and had never been to Napa, so recently we decided to jump in the car and make a day of it! Mind you, the predicted forecast for that day was in the high 80's, however, by mid-day it reached 107 degrees in St. Helena! We were sweltering and needed something cold to drink, of course, but first we stopped at the delightful and newer Historic Napa Mill and Napa River Inn - Napa's only Michelin starred luxury hotel. There some terrific history to this site in downtown Napa and it's all chronicled on their website.


There are four lovely restaurants in the Mill to choose from, so we decided on something more casual and "safe" for me, the Celiac, and dined at the The Napa General Store's cafe. The store is darling, filled with eclectic and Napa Valley-based products, and the cafe offers indoor or beautiful outdoor patio seating - but it was already 100 degrees at lunch time, so we opted for a table near the bar in the air-conditioned dining room.

The day we ate lunch there, one of the specials was Gazpacho soup, which I adore! After careful discussion with our waiter, I was assured that the soup was 100% gluten-free, and it was. Muy delicioso! In addition, I ordered the Greek Salad served with plain grilled chicken and all the traditional ingredients (romaine hearts, feta cheese, kalamata olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, Red onion), sans the garlic flat bread, and did very well. The waiter brought me a freshly mixed side of balsamic vinegar and oil and was very careful to ensure that my meal was completely safe and delicious - so I enjoyed.

As we made our way north on Hwy. 29 towards St. Helena, we decided to only taste at wineries that I had never visited before, and given this was my friend's first time in the Valley, we had quite a few wineries to choose from. Our first stop was the glamorous Opus One - just for a photo op. A single tasting is $30, so we decided to go elsewhere for a little more "bang for our buck"...so to speak. It's worth the visit though, and the architecture of the main building is quite something to see. I have drunk Opus One before, and it's a lovely Mondavi & Rothschild joint creation.

Next stop - Peju Province Winery for a tasting and to enjoy the beautiful grounds and Rutherford Estate Wine Tasting Room.



We tasted five of their most popular wines and then decided to purchase their Provence California Red & White Blend Table Wine which is served chilled and I have to say, has gone very well with spicier, BBQ'd dinners - I've really enjoyed this bottle.

Our next stop on the drinking tour...haha, was at V. Sattui Winery. Little did we know that the rest of the free world had also decided it would be a great place to pick up some lunch, do a little tasting at the massive bar, and sit outside for a picnic! The family-owned winery was established in 1885 and is quite an impressive stop on the tour. The grounds are well-designed and beautiful, and Nere and I thoroughly enjoyed the lively "bar" atmosphere and the "$5 for 5 wines" tasting. As we sipped our vino and enjoyed the people-watching, we discussed how the atmosphere was similar in a way to that of bar-hopping in San Sebastian, Spain and all the fun that goes along with "El Tapeo", or meandering from bar to bar in search of amazing Tapas(Pintxos).


V. Sattui also has an authentic, old-world style deli and it's loaded with goodies that any Celiac would enjoy; beautiful Italian and Spanish cheeses, fresh-cut salami, ham, turkey, you name it, along with some delicious and safe salads and plenty of chocolate that would pair so nicely with that bottle of wine. It's quite possible to simply bring your own gluten-free crackers and create a delicious meal to enjoy on the grounds of V. Sattui, without any worries about what you are eating.


Our next stop was to the quaint and posh town of St. Helena. I have some dear family friends who live there, growing and bottling their own grapes at Shibumi Knoll, as well as owning one of the most spectacular 360 degree views of the Valley - see for yourself.


The view and their wine are so spectacular that I had to take my friend by the Knoll for a visit where she fell in love with the views and the essence of Shibumi Knoll. I'm a bit biased, but I can tell you that their Chardonnay is simply fantastic and one-of-a-kind, with so much passion and heart put into every bottle.

As the evening was creeping up on us, we made one last stop at the famous Mondavi Winery. We missed the tasting by 30 minutes, but were able to tour the grounds and give my friend a little history about one of the most famous California wine makers. Honestly, I just love their location and how the Spanish-style architecture fits in so well with its surroundings.



Our final-final stop was at Dean & Deluca to pick up a few snacks for the road, and don't we just love that store! There are a lot of gluten-free items for sale and though we can't partake in the beautiful bakery selections, there is yummy Gelato that will do the trick when a sweet-tooth ensues.

By the way, October is a spectacular time to visit the Napa Valley and partake in not only the harvest, but the gorgeous fall colors that are appearing on a daily basis.



Viva la Vida ~