Sunday, March 1, 2009

Last of Napa Valley, CA

The reading room at the St. Helena Public Library, in St. Helena, California.
Only after looking at the photo did I notice the open book shaped light fixtures. The library also houses the Napa Valley Wine Library.
The Dear Old Lady, on Oak Avenue, St. Helena, California
According to a marvelous new book by Joan Reardon, M.F.K. Fisher among the Pots and Pans, the celebrated author bought the old Victorian house in St. Helena in 1956. This seemed the only likely candide as I compared it to a watercolor illustration painted by Avram Dumitrescu.

14 comments:

Lori Lynn said...

Hi Tash - the first photo goes with theme day too, the glass windows looking out on the vineyard is stunning.

I always love old house pics. What a beauty. Hope you had a good trip.

LL

Keith said...

I've only been through the Napa Valley once but it left an impression. Very beautiful area. Love the reading room photo, so much to look at and so much color through the windows.

raf said...

Wow, Tash that first image is a knockout! Wonderful! And thanks for the lead on the new book! M.F.K. Fisher's "The Art of Eating" has long been one of favorites.

Petrea Burchard said...

Tash, your work is superb. The library interior shot is a stunner.

My word verification is "bubtan." I like it. I'm keeping it for future use.

humanobserver said...

That house looks very beautiful.

Patrizzi Intergarlictica said...

That's it, I am chucking it down the loo and moving to St. Helena.

I spent my honeymoon up there and in the hills just above in Calistoga. I love your use of the word 'candide' by the way.

Exquisite library.

Maya said...

What a beautiful place! I love the light fixtures. That happens to me all the time: I take a photo and only notice a cool detail like that later.

Pat said...

Isn't it funny what pops out at you when you view a photo after you've taken it? I love the light fixtures, and sure would like to own that house!

Marie-Noyale said...

The color and light of the first picture are stunning!

Juergen Kuehn said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Juergen Kuehn said...

What an atmospheric reading room and picture, too.
Great.

Abby Lanes said...

Your photos just keep getting more and more gorgeous. What a wonderful subject matter!

Kim said...

Tash, great sleuthing! That house is a little gem. I probably would have been tempted to go to the door and ask the current occupant if indeed it was MFKFisher's place, or more likely to the nearest genealogy research room or city records to look at the land deeds for that address.

Love your shot of the reading room, within and without, and especially the colors and the vineyard view. My all time fave bottle of wine was a 1979 Mount St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon that I bought in Mill Valley and we took on a picnic hike with us to a waterfall on the Mendocino Coast. If I could find a bottle of it today I'd pay through the nose for it. . .sigh. St. Helena is such a wonderful town, and wouldn't it be fun to eat one's way through that whole area with MFKFisher in tow. I wonder what she might think of the food and wine industry of the 21st century? Loved visiting with you!
-Kim

Avram said...

Yes, that looks like one of the houses I painted!