Tasca d’Almerita Nero D'Avola

Of those people I've met here who aren't Napa natives, every one of them has come to pursue a dream. And not just in wine.

Today I had my photo taken for the bios page of my new company's website. Granted, I had an acting / modeling phase when I was in my early teens, but I've never grown quite used to being photographed. Yet, the photographer, Dona of KopolBonick Studio put me completely at ease. In fact, I ended up staying and chatting with her after we'd finished.

Like me, Dona is not from Napa and has experienced life in the "real world." Coming from Chicago, she truly appreciates the open and inviting culture that this environment offers, a culture that has enabled her to turn a passionate hobby into a career: photography.

What is it about this place that makes us feel we can do anything? Whether it's to become a photographer, a winemaker, a chef, people truly believe that anything here is possible. It's somewhat ironic given the generalization that the west coast is less driven than the east - that over here people work less and play more - but maybe there's something to that.

I've always felt more at home in European cultures than in my own, and I find the California lifestyle to be more on par with the European way of life. It's not that we don't work - believe me we do (it's only my second week and I have stayed late regularly each day). Yet, the difference is that here a job isn't just a job; it's a way of life, a part of who we are. We choose what we do based on our passions. We love what we do. And so we do it well, and we succeed.

I had my first "bad" meal in Napa tonight. Perhaps bad is too strong a word, but it simply wasn't up to the quality of the many other great restaurants I've been to here thus far. I walked away disappointed, not so much because I didn't thoroughly enjoy my meal, but because it left me with the sense that the chef doesn't feel passionate about what he does. I can't imagine devoting my life to something and not giving it my all.

Still, I must admit the Tasca d’Almerita Nero D'Avola on the wine list was good.

The disappointment faded quickly as Nathalie and I drove home from dinner, taking in the orange and purple sky as the sun set behind the clouds (yes, there were some clouds today!). It reminded me that anything is still possible, that tomorrow is another day - and I'm lucky enough to be spending it here.