Winter Storm Watching
Some of the fondest memories I have from my childhood years in North Alabama are of summer afternoons spent reading on our porch swing, finding “shelter from the storm” under piles of quilts and pillows. We would count the seconds between each lightning strike and the following thunderclap, gauging how far away the storm was from our cozy perch.
The cloud and light show provided by those storms, and the “toad strangler” (as my Aunt Carol calls them) downpours that often accompanied them, are among the many things I miss since migrating to the Bay Area over 21 years ago. While it is nice to be able to almost guarantee dry weather for outdoor summer fetes, as I write this I and many others are praying for the once-guaranteed fall and winter rains to begin here, alleviating the high fire danger of ultra-dry brush.
So it should not be a surprise that I often seek out winter storm watching opportunities in my new home, and—bonus—these are often chances to catch sight of a whale, too. No whales in Alabama…
Head to the coast this winter to catch a storm, if you are lucky a whale sighting, and, guaranteed, a cozy perch and a delicious meal. From Parkside at Stinson Beach; to Marshall, where iconic Tony’s Seafood restaurant has been given a loving “facelift” by new owner Hog Island Oyster Co.; to Nick’s Cove, where the cocktails are as delicious as the BBQ oysters; to Coastal Kitchen at Dillon Beach Resort, where Chef Matt Elias serves a delicious clam chowder sure to warm your bones after a walk along the gorgeous stretch of sand (stay awhile in their brand new “tiny homes” and cabins); into the town of Valley Ford, where you will find farm-fresh huevos rancheros and other delights at Estero Café, artisan cheese tastings at Valley Ford Creamery’s new market, surf lessons and gear at Northern Light Surf Shop and cheese grits and fried chicken at Rocker Oysterfeller’s that rival any you’d find in my home state; on to Bodega Bay’s Inn at the Tides, where you can wake up to the sounds of seals frolicking in the harbor; continuing up Highway 1 to River’s End Restaurant and Inn in Jenner, where happy hour on the deck delivers sunsets that match any on earth; on through Ft. Bragg to the jaw-dropping Inn at Newport Ranch, where Chef Cooper Bogard will wow you with world-class meals to match the inn’s million-dollar views of the Pacific—and those whales.
