icon to add to your experience.
Locals Talk
Marie Dolcini
Wine Country
- When I took the Hotel Matchmaker test these are the words I selected:
- urbane, creative, epicurious, unpretentious, artistic
- My favorite activities include:
- gardening, biking, beach outings with my kids, traveling with my chef husband through Italy and staying on working farms, reading The New Yorker and This Old House, playing tennis and soccer, eating the Slow Food way, teasing my cat, restoring my historic home, ridiculing the current administration.
- I was born and raised in:
- Cleveland, OH
- I currently live:
- Napa, CA
- What do I do to make a buck?:
- Freelance writer
- 5 things I love about the San Francisco Bay Area:
- 1. The seasonally-specific views of the vineyards and mountains from the Valley floor; 2. Kayaking down the Napa River and stopping for beers at the Marina. (Great scenery, good exercise and an intimate look at the river environment and local birdlife.) 3. The world-class art collections at the Hess Collection and di Rosa Preserve; 4. The plethora of great wineries and restaurants; 5. The benefits of small town life only 50 minutes from San Francisco.
- My favorite local hidden treasure you shouldn't miss:
- Uva Trattoria & Bar in downtown Napa. It's a popular local haunt with outstanding food, convivial atmosphere and the only place in the Valley with live music five nights/week.
- My perfect day spent in the San Francisco Bay Area:
- I'd start with breakfast at Sweetie Pies in the Hatt Building in downtown Napa or at ABC Bakery on 3rd Street. Then I'd pack a picnic of great artisanal breads and cheeses, olives, imported prosciutto, 3-bean salad and fresh fruit (be it from Dean & DeLuca or Trader Joe's) and bike up Silverado Trail for an afternoon of wine tasting and inspirational vistas, followed by dinner on the terrace at Martini House in St. Helena, Redd in Yountville, or Don Giovanni in Napa. Then perhaps end with dessert or a digestivo at the bar at Uva in downtown Napa for some live jazz and local color.
