Old Faithful Geyser was showing off: spewing his endless stream of hot mineral water high into the blue sky. He is definitely the oldest "character" I met on a recent trip to Calistoga, Calif.: about several million years old, if you go way back to his humble geothermal beginnings deep underground. In the late 19th century he was released from his primordial prison and has reigned intermittently ever since. A friend and I sat and watched him for a while as we munched on a selection of take-out delicacies from Sushi Mambo. Not a bad way to begin a four-day immersion into the heart, soul and taste buds of this charming town.
Sam Brannan, California's first millionaire, was no fool. He arrived in the area in the mid-19th century and had a vision: to milk the natural hot springs of this fertile area and create a spa town. Long before that, the native Wappo people knew of the healing powers of the mineral waters, and Brannon soon cashed in on that knowledge.
Calistoga rests at the northern tip of the 35-mile long Napa Valley. About 5,400 residents populate its 2.5 square miles, which are blessed with the perfect micro-climate and mineral rich earth for grape growing. The result: 50 wineries. Mix those natural ingredients with a host of delightful individuals and what you get is a laid-back, homey 50s-feel town with genuine hospitality.
Solage Calistoga on the Silverado Trail was my "home" for the first night in town. It is a member of the Auberge Resorts Collection and is a vision in white, natural wood and grapevine artistry intermingling in individual cottages. Each has sliding doors opening to a private patio with a singular view of a protected native woodland. Two bicycles stood by my front door and if I hadn't preferred to take advantage of the Solage's spa with its three pools filled with healing mineral waters of varying temperatures, I might have joined others heading off in all directions on the property trails and into town.
My comparative laziness paid off: Robert Lane and his "Aqua Vibrations" entered my life. Robert is a Deepak Chopra-taught floating meditation leader. Through water exercises, relaxation on a rubber raft and the combination of his chants and the reverberate sounds of lightly struck colorful crystal bowls underwater, he induced a profound sense of well-being. Magical.
Wellness continued at the Solage Spa with the triple threat: First came "Mudslide," where I was slathered head to toe in silky smooth clay mixed with a tincture of lavender and left to "bake" in a large sauna. At just the optimum time, I'm whisked away to another room and "steamed" in a porcelain tub filled with scented mineral water. The third room produced the "Primordial Sound Meditation": lounging in a zero-gravity chair, wrapped in blankets and headphones, I both felt and heard the music as its vibrations stimulated the chair while the same "sound" from the headphones lulled me toward sleep. (Remember, this is a spa town, after all!)
Not to be outdone, Solage's restaurant Solbar treated me to various taste bud sensations. The lovely Laura guided them towardsthe sweet pea soup with its crunch of finely chopped cucumber, introduced them to the buffalo mozzarella made fresh every day on a nearby buffalo farm, and satisfied them with the poached halibut smothered in handpicked wildflowers.
