Sugarcane Life: Girls Day in Napa, part 1

Sometimes moms need a day off, a chance to eat a meal without feeding someone else, without restraining a child, without keeping an eye on every plate and glass on the table, without scarfing down food in order to restrain said child from jumping off the high chair/throwing food/grabbing sharp utensils/spilling drinks/general mischief.

Amelia and I just came back from a 7-week trip to the Philippines, where we had lots of willing babysitters between grandmas, aunts, and yayas. In short, we were spoiled and are grateful for it. My brilliant friend Han provided the brilliant idea of a mom's day off. After 3 weeks of being back home, I declared a day off for myself and I was going to take hostages with me!

My sister Ricci has been living in the SF Bay Area for 3 years and has never been to Napa (oh, except for that time when she ate at French Laundry and had every course topped with white truffles). As a 4th year medical resident, she has few days off so we decided to go on her very next day off.

One of Ricci's best friends Rosie is a new mom of 2. Enough said. When Ricci texted her, Rosie readily agreed (after checking with her baby daddy).

Here we go!

First stop, Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc for temporary relief from hunger.

Wine and hogs. A preview of things to come.

Prixe fixe family style 4-course menu. First course is mixed green salad with cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, pickled red onions, toasted pecans, shaved fennel, palladia croutons and sherry vinaigrette and a side of Bloody Mary.

Second course of beef braised short ribs with cornmeal pancakes, poached eggs, apple relish, broccoli di ciccio and stewed peppers. Because the pancakes weren't bad enough, we also got the optional third course of blueberry french toast.