We spent the 4th in Mendocino again this year — ironic since our own neighborhood has a parade and fireworks at the school, but it’s just fun to get out of town and go on what we’re now calling the “dog vacation.” Hana and Winston get to run around off leash at Big River and we sit out on the deck at the Stanford Inn drinking wine and reading books. Does it get any better than that?
This year we also walked into town to see the Fourth of July parade…after a harrowing crossing on a two lane bridge with cars whizzing by at 60 mph…it’s kind of like that scene in the Goonies where they’re walking on the railroad tracks and have to high-tail it when the train comes barrelling down the tracks…just without the train.
We watched the parade out on the patio at the Mendocino Cafe, where we’d had dinner the night before — the Thai firepot (w/ chicken) is a killer green curry with coconut milk, glass noodles and assorted veg. Surprising spicy for a place not dedicated to Thai food. Paired it with a Navarro Sauvignon Blanc (Anderson Valley).