May 08, 2012 guided by hunger We drove out to Sonoma Valley... guided by our hunger to explore our surroundings, and our desire to eat at the Fremont Diner. As we got further away from the Bay and closer to the Valley my surroundings began to remind me of the Hampton's. Maybe it was the sense that the country road was sprinkled with signs of upper class citizens. Regardless, the view was pastoral, with rolling fields and abundant vineyards. We found ourselves happy and full without a plan. I appreciate the laid back approach we all had for letting the day unfold, as it will. We decided to seek out a winery. None of us had a preference. Megan did a quick search and picked the closest but apparently coolest winery, "Scribe". As we drove up a long dirt driveway leading to an old beautiful house. We noticed people gathered in a field, and smoke swirling around teepee-like tents. The person directing cars informed us that it was a private party, meaning we needed to leave. I had a sense that this place felt familiar, it felt like a dream, like I've been here before and in a way I had...through a photograph. Before we turned around I got out of the car to take a picture of the grand but battered manor. I was caught off guard when two good looking guys came around the corner and almost immediately the one recognized my necklace. He was wearing a necklace made by the same craftsman. It was a Tim Whitten necklace, mine was given to me as a gift only two days previous. I began to realize the connection, Jay Carroll. One of the guys introduced himself as Andrew, the owner of the vineyard. He looked handsome and young, probably the same age as me, 30. The short conversation quickly turned into a personal invite to stay and enjoy the party. We did just that. Sometimes this world feels vast and limitless yet still proves to be intimate. Connections come full circle and then keep on growing.
