July 13, 2006

TIMESTRAVELS

TravelTalk
By Mike Cleary

Little River Inn in Mendocino is worth the trip up north

For years, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Mendocino Country benefited from a celebrity golf tournament held at the Little River Inn (www.littleriverinn.com). Every June, vintage Raiders, Niners and broadcasters would participate in one of the most casual, fun-filled and laugh-out-loud golf events on the planet. A couple of years ago, the charity decided there must be other interesting ways of raising money. It was a decision that left a big hole in our June plans.

This year we decided to head up there anyway, inspired in part by the inn’s Web site that advertised: "To find us, think Carmel and then head in the opposite direction." We had, in fact, just spent the previous weekend at Doris Day’s pet-friendly Cypress Inn in Carmel, so it seemed like the message was aimed at us. Besides, the Little River Inn is also pet-friendly. No, we don’t have a dog. We just like to hang around with people who do.

Another reason for the trip was the Little River Inn owners, Mel and Susan McKinney, are good friends and it had been awhile since we’d seen each other. Ironically, on the Friday evening we arrived the inn was hosting the new Big Brothers and Big Sisters’ fund-raiser. It turns out we gallant golfers had been replaced by an abalone feed of epic proportion.

It used to be that our choice of transportation was determined by the weather. Unsettled and chilly; we opted for my trusty, old sedan. Sunny and warm; we’d jump into Mary Ann’s 23-year-old classic sports car, put the top down and the let the wind blow through my imaginary hair.

Today we also factor in the price of gas. The sedan gets surprisingly good mileage. The vintage convertible turns into a gas-guzzling nightmare if you get stuck playing stop-and-go on the freeway. For this Mendocino jaunt, even though the day was heavenly, we chose the sedan because Highway 101 through Marin and Sonoma on a Friday afternoon is a hellish experience.

The joy of the journey begins when you head west on 128 through the bucolic Anderson Valley and the incredibly beautiful Navarro Forest. It ranks as one of our most favorite scenic drives.

The Little River Inn doesn’t change much and we like that. It’s also good news for generations of people who return expecting to once again enjoy a stack of Ole’s Swedish hotcakes, the Olallieberry Cobbler, the Pan Sauteed Sole or one of Sue Bondoux’s excellent cocktails served up in the Whale Watch Bar.

If there are any changes at this reliable country inn, they occur in fascinating ways. The latest addition to the staff is their new executive chef, Marc Dym, who came over from the respected Stevenswoon Spa Resort (stevenswood.com), which is just up the road. Marc had recently married a pretty young woman named Cally Graham who happens to be the McKinney’s daughter. It was decided by all that it would be a nifty thing if he came over to cook for the home team. By the way, the aforementioned classics remain on the menu, but Marc has added some exciting new dishes that show off his culinary talent.

Located two miles south of the village of Mendocino, the inn, which opened in 1939, sits on a hillside overlooking the dramatic and moody Mendocino Coast. I could spend the entire weekend on our deck, settled into one of their Adirondack chairs with an Anderson Valley wine, an Inspector Montablano mystery and the ocean view.

Mary Ann, however, makes sure we stay active. She likes to include some heavy-breathing exercise of the outdoor variety, then a refueling and a walk about in Mendocino. With any leftover time, she might throw in a spa treatment at the inn’s popular and nicely priced Third Court Day Spa

The exercise is a long run that starts just north of Fort Bragg on a shoreline trail that is part of MacKerricher State Park. I recommend it. Lunch is always the Mendocino Cafe with its eclectic menu, delightful garden and outside patio with a filtered view of the ocean. It is during our window-shopping stroll in Mendocino, that I begin lobbying heavily for my Adirondack chair time. Especially now since they all rock. That’s another nice change.

Cheers.