The 2nd of January, 2009

My Duck's B-Day! Whoopee! She being now 64 wanted the Beatle's "When I'm 64" to play so I found it on Youtube...of course...as part of the Yellow Submarine movie and played it several times for her. The cats purred along with it. Then we read the paper and off to Hurley's, my favorite restaurant, in Yountville. We've been many times, t'ain't cheap but the food...the food! Terrific by any measure. Certainly among the top 10 in the Bay Area and gives Bouchon virtually next door in Yountville a run for it's money. Today we got a table next to the fireplace sans fire...it was lined instead with 10 small candles...kinda funny but...ok. The service is impeckable and soon with our water came the menu's including a 2 course lunch prix fix at $18 US. Kelly took the salmon w/ mashed potatoes and the bread salad and I the Chicken Florentine w/wild mushroom risotto and the very delicious squash and pear soup. Each meal was wonderful and enhanced by the two glasses of wine we chose. Not a bottle as we had to drive both to Napa and then on to home some 25 miles distant. We DO NOT drink and drive while in the US. A good rule to follow. Always have a designated driver at hand or be one yourself and either don't drink or stop very early. Lunch was $58 US and I left a 10 dollar tip so 68 for both of us. Not bad given the quality of the experience. Afterwards we were off to Napa to find the new indoor market that everyone is talking about. After a not so encouraging roam about downtown Napa we gave up and returned to the car top search once again by the river. We found it soon thereafter. A big hall like those in many villages in France with a wide variety of small businesses dealing with either wine or food. No real bargains exist as this is Napa afterall. Nonetheless it was a nice place to while away some time and we will at sometime go there to buy cheeses and the occassional beautiful beef available. All in all a very nice day with my Ducky on her 64th.