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Some days are just worth living more than others.  And this was one of them! 

My friend, and fellow ActiveRain blogger, Elizabeth Weintraub had decided a couple of weeks ago that we should get out of Dodge, and head to Yountville in California's Napa Wine Country.  "We can do lunch at The French Laundry," she gushed.  I had heard wonderful things about The French Laundry, but also knew it wasn't open for lunch during the week.  Still, I wanted to go to Yountville since I hadn't been through the little village for several years.  I also suspected there would be other equally delightful places to eat, so I remained silent.  However, Elizabeth caught on a few days later, and suggested we try Bouchon Bistro instead. 

The forecast weather wasn't good.  Of all the perfect days on the calendar this week, today was predicted to have rain.  Still, we had put this trip off a week, because it was inclement weather last Wednesday as well.

Half way to Napa the rain was pouring on Elizabeth's little Porsche, but the seat warmers were on, and the top was up.  And any day on the road is a good one:-)

As we approached Yountville, I carefully read Elizabeth's Googled directions, but because we were laughing, and living each other's triumphs and woes in chatter, I missed that the line at the bottom of the first sheet was a divider from the directions for the odyssy back home.  As we cruise through Yountville, and exited near Highway 29 once again, I said, "Oh Google took us through the little business district, before putting us back on the highway."  It was a couple of miles, before I realized we were heading back to Sacramento once again:-)

We righted our course, backtracked and quickly enough managed to stay dry in the parking lot between the car and the entrance of Bouchon.  Once inside, I knew this was going to be very special, and a perfect place to spend a couple hours on a rainy day.

The cuisine of Bouchon Bistro is traditional Lyonnaise - from Lyon, France. It includes dishes with sausages, duck pate, or roast pork.  We opted for "Sole a la Dieppoise" - which consisted of roulades of petrale sole, bouchot mussels & Maine lobster with globe artichokes, fennel hearts and mussel cream.  I also ordered Bouchon's special mushroom soup, and devoured that, while humorously watching Elizabeth on a new adventure trying "Escargot de Bourgongne en Cocotte" (braised Burgundy snails, with garden peas & puff pastry in a mushroom cream).

Dessert, "Marquise au Chocolat" was an orgasmic chocolate mousse delight with burnt orange cream.  I am sorry I didn't take a picture of it, but you couldn't have tasted it anyway:-)

When we made our way out of Bouchon, we noticed the grey skies had parted and blue skies, with puffy clouds and warmth were awaiting us.  We visited Bouchon's Bakery next door, visited a friendly dog, and enjoyed an amazing ride home - Part way with the car's top down, but the seat warmers still on:-)

There is one thing I have learned about the living of days.  When energy needs spending, I set course east for the beautiful mountains of the Sierra Nevada, to pare excess energy and mind stuff suffocating my soul. 

But to the west are the shimmering waves of the great Pacific Ocean.  The sea restores what has been lost. 

But closer to home even still, is the Wine Country of Napa Valley and Sonoma - which not only soothes, it anesthetizes, while presenting whimsical delights.

No matter where one sets their compass, within 100 miles of Sacramento, an alternative universe awaits.