|
|
Auberge Mendocino: A Dynamic Destination
by Pat Fusco
With a new proprietor and a new name, a popular Mendocino Coast
bed and breakfast exudes new vitality. Rachel’s Inn at Little
River is now Auberge Mendocino. Owner Richard Grabow says, “One
thing we’re not is a Victorian inn.”
The four buildings that make up the grouping on the ocean side of
Highway One have all been refreshed. Impressionist colors brighten
the original
 Main House where matching red sofas face a cheerful
fireplace in the reception area. The dining room walls are creamy
yellow, hung with French ceramics. Guest quarters in the outlying
buildings are decorated in moods ranging from demure to fanciful;
cozy rooms and larger suites all open to gardens or private decks.
Baths now have luxurious spa features, beds have comfy featherbeds
and duvets. In The Barn, a central sitting room serves four
guestrooms–all with fireplaces–and Parkside Cottage, the latest
addition, sleeps up to three.
Romantic Little River Cottage with its ocean views is more than
150 years old. Part of the inn’s expanded services is its
availability as a beautiful site for outdoor weddings on a tented
lawn. It has a full kitchen, a huge top floor master suite and a
smaller bedroom downstairs.
Breakfasts from the authentic country kitchen in the Main House
have a well-earned reputation. This is one area where there are no
changes! Asked for typical menus, Chef Karina Ulrich reeled off
some of the specialties: “Potato pancakes with smoked salmon and
sour cream, or eggs to order. Sometimes we have crepes or a
frittata, and always fresh fruit or a fruit crisp, and muffins.”
In December Auberge Mendocino inaugurated a series of stays
designed for those looking to begin the Atkins Diet or those
already on the regimen with a coffee tasting led by Paul and Joan
Katzeff of Thanksgiving Coffee, producer of organic, shade-grown
varieties, a series of winemaker dinners featuring Mendocino
County's boutique wineries and a chocolate lover's dream weekend
in early spring..Specially prepared foods, opportunities for
exercise (hikes from the property right into two state parks or
along the beach) and guides to local enticements (shopping, nature
walks) make for a disciplined but pleasurable time, with
encouraging moral support. This is no trendy marketing ploy for
Grabow. He has been an Atkins advocate for more than eighteen
years and has sought a place where he could include it in an
experiential way for guests.
The inn is an active participant in Mendocino’s seasonal events
like whale watching and Crab & Wine Days in winter. Grabow plans
special culinary activities as well, with a Christmas cooking demo
(take-home cookies a bonus) and a January coffee tasting led by
Paul and Joan Katzeff of Thanksgiving Coffee, producer of organic,
shade-grown varieties.
A spectacular setting overlooking Little River Bay, its recent
facelift and new energy about the place make Auberge Mendocino a
dynamic destination for weekenders and vacationers alike.
www.aubergemendocino.com, 800/347-9252; fax: 707/937-3620.
|
|
