Who needs wine when you can have coffee instead?

First of all, I must apologize for my absence this past week.  I've been bogged down in a lot of administration for the past couple of weeks, and it all caught up with me on Friday. 

But enough about my stresses; this post is about de-stressing!  Well, a de-stressing location, at least.

I spent the weekend of the Fourth with my family up in the Napa Valley, swimming and grilling and chillaxing.  But of course no amount of lovely wine and family fun can replace my true love: caffeine.  A good latte can be surprisingly hard to find in the land of the grape, so here I've compiled for you my top three go-to coffeehouses in the Napa Valley area.

1.  First stop is always The Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company, in Saint Helena  They're five minutes from the house, they serve good, strong coffee at very decent prices, and there's plenty of seating inside and out (including my favorite table, which doubles as a chessboard).  As a bonus, they have a community bookshelf where you can swap out your latest romance or beach read for something a little more substantive, or whatever your fellow patrons have left behind.  Beware, though, they're often closed when I need them most (Sunday evenings before the drive home, 4th of July, etc).  Check their website before you get your hopes up!

2.  If I'm headed north, The Calistoga Roastery is a great place to stop in for a latte.  The big, airy space is covered in old-fashioned signs with goofy phrases, and you get the sense that the guy in the corner has been there with his paper and his coffee for hours.  It's that laid-back and welcoming, much like Calistoga itself.  The coffee is good, too, and there's nothing bad to be said about the large selection of eats, except maybe that they seem to run out of bagels too early for my liking!

3.  Finally, for those with extremely discerning palates and a little extra cash to spare, there's Dean and Deluca.  The coffee is delicious, and actually not that pricey, but you'll need a fat wallet just to enter the store; most of us have a very difficult time saying no to the ridiculous selection of pastries, cheeses, and artisan everything tasty that Dean and Deluca stock.  YUM. 

Of course every restaurant in the valley will also serve a perfect cappuccino, if you have room after a large meal and too much vino, but that's an article for another day.  For now I'll just leave you with these three great spots for a sobering sip before you get in the car and head for another vineyard!