We’re starting to wind down some of the regular season. I enjoyed the recently wrapped Abbott Elementary, The Conners, and Grand Crew. Also the new series The Exhibit, Not Dead Yet, and Alaska Daily. And still catching up on some old streaming before I add anything new though The Great is calling my name and Queer Eye is a pretty good filler show.
Class of ’09 (Fx/Hulu) Series Premiere, Wednesday 5/10 – A thriller following a class of FBI agents from multiple time periods.
City on Fire (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 5/12 – An NYU student is shot and there are no witnesses, and the victim might be the key to a series of fires.
The Great (Hulu) Season Premiere, Friday 5/12 – Yay to a third season, it’s been fun watching Catherine and the court’s evolution.
Queer Eye (Net) Season Premiere, Friday 5/12 – Entertaining enough in a feel good way.
High Desert (App+) Series Premiere, Wednesday 5/17 – Dark comedy with Patricia Arquette, Matt Dillon, and more with Arquette playing and on again off again addict who decides to change her life and become a PI
Sisters (IFC/SundN) Series Premiere, Wednesday 5/17, 11pm – Two women discover they are half-sisters and embark on a road trip to find their alcoholic father.
Primo (Free) Series Premiere, Friday 5/19 – Coming of age never goes smoothly, comedy about a teen being raised by his mother and five uncles.
Ghosts of Beirut (Show) Series Premiere, Sunday 5/21, 10pm – Based on the manhunt for Imad Mughniyeh, a Lebanese terrorist on the run for over two decades
The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST, please check your local listings.
After focusing on all my best lists, I felt ready to do a little catch-up on something junky. So You did what was expected. Intrigued to see what will happen in the final season. Other than that there is always something new on the horizon.
Saint X (Hulu) Series Premiere, Wednesday 4/26 – Girl-gone-missing told from multiple POVs.
Sam – A Saxon (Hulu) Series Premiere, Wednesday 4/26 – Based on the true story of the first black policeman in East Germany, is he the face of the future or Public Enemy #1?
The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning (Pea) Series Premiere, Thursday 4/27 – Reality highlight, this bestselling book was the talk of the town for a while, and now they’re coming to America to look at our relationship with mortality and our stuff.
Love & Death (HBOM) Series Premiere, Thursday 4/27 – Two small-town Texas couples, an affair, and an axe (basically Candy from Hulu), by David E Kelly and Elizabeth Olsen is supposed to carry it.
The Nurse (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 4/27 – A Danish medical drama based on a true story of a nurse caught up in a patient’s death.
Citadel (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 4/28 – Spies had their memories wiped after an agency fell and now are being reactivated, Richard Madden, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Stanley Tucci.
Fatal Attraction (Para+) Series Premiere, Sunday 4/30 – A series based on the ’80s film, not sure how they’re going to draw it out but we’ll see, with Lizzy Caplan and Joshua Jackson.
Casa Grande (Free) Series Premiere, Monday 5/1 – A dramatic look at California’s migrant workforce and the wealthy landowners that hire them.
A Small Light (Dis+/NGC/Life) Series Premiere, Monday 5/1 , 9pm – Focusing on the real-life story of Miep Gies who played a critical role in hiding Anne Frank and her family.
White House Plumbers (HBO) Series Premiere, Monday 5/1, 9pm – Behind the scenes of the Watergate scandal with Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux.
Bupkis (Pea) Series Premiere, Thursday 5/4 – A fictionalized version of Pete Davidson’s life with Pete, Edie Falco, and Joe Pesci.
The Other Two (HBOM) Season Premiere, Thursday 5/4 – I watched the first season of this and found it funny before they moved it to HBOM which I now get so probably catch up.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 5/4 – I found the first season of Bridgerton fun enough but the second season wore on me, not sure I’m up for a spinoff prequel.
Silo (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 5/5 – The story of the last ten thousand people on earth, but there are many mysteries in their underground escape.
The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST, please check your local listings.
Like many of us, my dad likes to rewatch comedies. He’s gone through Seinfeld more times than I can count and he’s currently taking another tour through The Big Bang Theory. Once he gets hooked he’s hooked but not everything hits. So I’m always sort of thinking about what the next recco could be. The top picks I had for him were 30 Rock (newish to him) and Mom (rewatch). And the latest I’ve been thinking about personally are Bojack or Schitts Creek both of which I knew I wanted to rewatch the moment I finished them but have given it some time.
I figured I’d share my brainstorming with the masses, however massed they may be. Following is a decent but not an all-encompassing list.
The Classics
Cheers/Frasier (Hulu & Para+/Pea & Para+) – I did Cheers a bit ago and found it fun, I started with the spinoff Frasier but admittedly got distracted along the way.
The Golden Girls (Hulu) – I find this will be something I pause on when I just need something to distract me for like 15 minutes, dated but the ladies still got it.
MASH (Hulu) – I haven’t rewatched from start to finish but occasionally catch an episode and it really still holds up.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show (Hulu & Prime) – Aso haven’t done a rewatch here but it holds a special place in my comedy memories.
Dysfunctional Families
Arrested Development (Hulu & Net) – The beginning of this was a gem though the later renewals didn’t quite capture the magic.
Km’s Convenience (Net) – I wrapped this not long ago and it was really fun seeing this Korean-Canadian family navigate the store and each other.
Mom (Hulu) – A funny and at times very touching tale of friends and family in recovery, it’s a few different shows over its run but very funny.
Schitts Creek (Hulu & Prime) – Fish out-of-water family really grows throughout the seasons.
Friend Hangs
The Big Bang Theory (HBOM) – Also in the classic jokey shows, the characters grew over the years.
Bored to Death (HBOM) – I haven’t rewatched this but it was a super fun faux detective show.
Cougar Town (Hulu) – This starts rocky but finds its groove with the quirky friend hang comedy.
Friends (HBOM) – How can you talk friend hangs without this one?
Happy Endings (Hulu) – I just really enjoyed the characters and found much to laugh at.
The League (Hulu) – I care not about fantasy football or football, but this was a gem.
Will & Grace (Hulu & Prime) – At its best embracing the silly.
Workplace
30 Rock (Hulu & Pea) – Behind the scenes of a sketch comedy show Tina Fey created some great characters and moments.
Better Off Ted (Hulu) – Office issues taken to the next level in this R&D department.
Bojack Horseman (Net) – This animated series for adults make the best of its weird animal-human hybrid world with our washed-up protagonist, it’s a good mess.
The Office (Pea) – It’s funny I think of some of this comedy so cringy I tend not to go back but occasionally catch moments and recall how funny it could be.
Parks & Recreation (Pea) – Another took a minute to find its groove, here’s to Leslie Knope making te best of government and its cast of characters.
Not Just for the Ladies
Girlfriends (Net) – Tracy Ellis Ross leads the cast of friends living their lives, jobs, and relationships with and despite each other.
Sex and the City (HBOM) – I did a rewatch and found Carrie much more annoying but still quite fun overall.
The Mindy Project (Net & Hulu) – Also a workplace comedy but at its heart it’s a romcom, Mindy and her cohorts are all quite amusing.
Non-dad people, I would love to hear your picks for rewatching and what I am missing (for this only shows complete)?
Getting back to some of the backlog including Better Call Saul, Lucifier, Euphoria, Flight Attendant, and Harley Quinn. And of course dabbling with some new things.
Am I Being Unreasonable? (Hulu) Series Premiere, Tuesday 4/11 – The US premiere of BBC production about a woman grieving a secret loss, and it’s funny.
Single Drunk Female (Free) Season Premiere, Wednesday 4/12, 10pm – I enjoyed the first season of this train wreck of a person and curious to see where her sobriety takes her.
Florida Man (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 4/13 – An ex-cop originally from Florida gets more than he bargained for when chasing down a mobster’s girlfriend.
Obsession (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 4/13 – Probably not a good idea to have an affair with your son’s fiancee, drama ensues.
The Last Thing He Told Me (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 4/14 – Based on a book, Jennifer Garner stars as a woman searching for her husband.
Barry (HBO) Season Premiere, Sunday 4/16, 10pm – I just jammed through the first seasons of this and not sure I can wait a week between each episode to see what he gets into, reportedly the final season.
Waco: The Aftermath (Show/CMT/Para) Series Premiere, Sunday 4/16, 10pm – Focusing on the fallout and trials.
The Diplomat (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 4/20 – Keri Russell as a diplomat and contentious banter with her former ambassador husband Rufus Sewell, yes please.
Fired on Mars (HBOM) Series Premiere, Thursday 4/20 – Animated workplace comedy, you know, on Mars.
Mrs. Davis (Pea) Series Premiere, Thursday 4/20 – The previews on this make little sense but apparently, Betty Gilpin plays a nun trying to destroy an algorithm, Mrs. Davis.
Dead Ringers (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 4/21 – A modern take on the thriller film, Rachel Weisz steps into the twin gynecologists with some questionable ethics.
Somebody Somewhere (HBO) Season Premiere, Sunday 4/23, 10:30pm – I ended up really enjoying this outsider returns home story.
The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST, please check your local listings.
Caught the first of Marie Antoinette (PBS) and Lucky Hank AMC) and while neither made me press season pass both had enough promise for another look. I’m enjoying The Exhibit (MTV) where reality takes on art, Animal Control (Fox), and The Company You Keep (ABC). I have passed on True Lies (CBS), Gotham Knights (CW), and Digman! (Com). And after being sick for a few weeks I did some Luther (Hulu) rewatching which definitely stands up, this was in preparation for the movie Luther: The Fallen Sun (Net) which for me didn’t quite capture the magic. And I just started the latest season of You (Net) and as expected our protagonist can’t quite turn the corner from his old life.
The Big Door Prize (App+) Series Premiere, Wednesday 3/29 – A new comedy about the changes to a small town when a machine shows up that reveals your true life potential.
Wellmania (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 3/29 – A comedic wellness journey with Celeste Barber.
Unstable (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 3/30 – Rob Lowe brings his son along for the latest comedy of a father-son journey launching a tech company.
The Power (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 3/31 – What happens when teenage girls can suddenly electrocute people at will?
The Great American Joke Off (CW) Series Premiere, Friday 3/31, 9:30 pm – Dulce Sloan hosts and judges who has been the funniest.
Dave (Fxx) Season Premiere, Wednesday 4/5, 10 pm – This series, while having moments of adolescent humor, grew into something interesting and funny.
Beef (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 4/6 – Steven Yeun and Ali Wong face a road rage incident that brings out each’s darkest impulses in this dramedy.
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (Para+) Series Premiere, Thursday 4/6 – A prequel to Grease we see four outcasts don the pink jackets.
Jury Duty (Free) Series Premiere, Friday 4/7 – A new docu-style comedy where only one jury member is unaware that the rest of the jury and surrounding players are actors.
Tiny Beautiful Things (Hulu) Series Premiere, Friday 4/7 – Kathryn Hahn stars as an advice columnist whose life is falling apart in this comedy, based on the book by Cheryl Strayed.
The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST, please check your local listings.
The Oscars are out so now it’s my turn. I have a love-hate relationship with doing this list every year. But since it’s all subjective it’s not like there’s a right answer. Standard caveats apply, here goes.
Prey – This may not have been the best movie of last year but I was really won over by the prequel/reinvention in this franchise and Amber Midthunder as our protagonist.
The Menu – The kind of brutal flick I can get on board with, I like some comedy with my horror, and this take on the most exclusive of restaurants hit it just right.
Hit The Road – Iranian family road trip comedy-drama brought out each character and juxtaposed a family trip with a greater drama, with much success.
Kimi – A Steven Soderbergh that went somewhat under the radar, Zoe Kravitz gets in a fix trying to escalate something she hears while reviewing a recording, oh yeah and she’s agoraphobic, quite the thriller.
The Woman King – Badass warrior women protecting an African kingdom and each other as they battle the greater forces of slavery, engaging battles and emotional notes.
Everything Everywhere All at Once – This one you’ve heard of though you may not be able to get the title right, a fun multiverse that felt both epic and personal even if it might be hard to follow.
The Banshees of Inisherin – Weird is the word I find I’ve included when describing this but when these two friends’ relationship changes things go a little too far in this small Irish town.
RRR – I’ve read that this might not be the best representation of Indian films but leaving that aside it was a fun epic buddy film with music, romance, and action.
All Quiet on the Western Front – A brutal look at a young German volunteer for the army and the battles he faces, hard to watch but in many ways beautifully done.
Hustle – Pretty formulaic but formulas work for a reason, Adam Sandler’s as a basketball scout puts it all on the line for a player with extraordinary potential.
Honorary mentions: Bros, Do Revenge, Emily the Criminal, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Good Luck to You Leo Grande, The Gray Man,Nope, Rosaline, Stay On Board: The Leo Baker Story.
Now that I’ve caught up with top tv of 2022 I have a little more freedom to catch up on misc items and 2023 shows. And of course, catch a few more movies before I do my must-see movie list. I did rap Hacks right before my list, it was so good I cranked through. Now maybe doing You or a rewatch of Luther ahead of the movie just released. And of course a few new shows.
Ted Lasso (App+) Season Premiere, Wednesday 3/15 – I’ll likely take another pass at Apple+ to catch this season and Mythic Quest.
Class of ’07 (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 3/17 – What would happen if an apocalyptic tidal wave stranded you at your all-girls high school reunion, this comedy looks to show it.
Extrapolations (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 3/17 – A dramatic anthology series set in the new future where people are dealing with the effects of climate change.
Swarm (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 3/17 – Taking fandom a step too far in this horror thriller.
Agent Elvis (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 3/17 – Animated secret government spy Elvis.
Lucky Hank (AMC) Series Premiere, Sunday 3/19 – This is the new series with Bob Odenkirk this time he’s a chairman of the English department, adapted from Russo’s Straight Man.
Marie Antoinette (PBS) Series Premiere, Sunday 3/19, 10pm – Another take on this, which reminds me when is the new season of The Great coming out.
Digman! (Com) Series Premiere, Wednesday 3/22, 10:30pm – Animated archaeologists are apparently super cool.
The Night Agent (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 3/23 – An FBI agent gets pulled into a deadly conspiracy.
Up Here (Hulu) Series Premiere, Friday 3/24 – A musical RomCom set in NYC in ’99.
Great Expectations (Fx/Hulu) Series Premiere, Sunday 3/26 – Another take on this.
Rabbit Hole (Para+) Series Premiere, Sunday 3/26 – What happens when a master of corporate espionage is framed for murder?
Ride (Hall) Series Premiere, Sunday 3/26, 9pm – A rodeo family drama.
Yellowjackets (Show) Season Premiere, Sunday 3/26, 9pm – I recently let my Paramount+/Showtime subscription lapse so will check back in on this, maybe when another Ink Master is available.
Succession (HBO) Season Premiere, Sunday 3/26, 9pm – I haven’t started this yet with my HBOMax subscription but I hear it’s a fun one and I hear this is the last season.
The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST, please check your local listings.
TV years have gotten a bit murky. It used to be if it was on broadcast tv you watched it or you didn’t. Now with so much cable and streaming we’re often catching up. I know I am. Including all the cable channels who could watch it all?
And if I had the time I definitely don’t have all the channels. The biggest shift was I finally got HBOMax, but not until late in the year. I have definitely not caught up on all the 2022 fare, though you’ll see I was able to get started. I am also dabbling with getting different options for a limited time (e.g. Paramount+ and Apple+).
Recency bias may have resulted in some of this ranking but as you know on any given day who knows but you gotta land somewhere.
The Bear (Fx/Hulu) – If I’m lucky every season there is something new and special that draws me in, this was it for me this year, a very tense tale of a ‘real’ chef heading home to run a local restaurant after his brother dies and let’s just say things don’t go smoothly.
Hacks (HBO) – I just just finished this but was so drawn into these two women and their dysfunction and personal growth together as they turn an old-school comedian’s act into something new, Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder for the win.
Barry (HBO) – I can’t help myself with these painful shows where you can’t imagine how this is all going to work out, and Bill Hader’s hitman looking for a change in LA does it to a T.
Somebody Somewhere (HBO) – Ok so maybe the new HBOMax subscription was a good idea (and I’ve only scratched the surface); I was really drawn in by this look at a woman’s return to her small Kansas town and her struggle to fit in with family and found family.
Ghosts (CBS) – Based on an English show which I have yet to check out, Rose McIver plays a woman who inherits a family home and can see the undead, it brings lots of fun as we learn more about the long-term residents and watch them try to make a future.
Abbot Elementary (ABC) – You’ve likely heard about this one and for good reason, Quinta Brunson’s teachers in Philly has a ton of heart with its silliness.
Yellow Jackets (Show) – My Paramount+ temporary subscription led me to this (though I tried not to add any new shows) and couldn’t stop watching this time-split tale of present-day and the immediate aftermath of a plane crash filled with a high school girl’s soccer team, I mean that would traumatize anyone right?
Evil (Para+) – I’m a big fan of the King’s series and this is no exception, this show literally creeps me out with its trio of skeptics and believers investigating ‘occurrences’ for the church, and their personal lives are not unimpacted.
Reservation Dogs (Hulu) – Indigenous teens in rural Oklahoma do what they gotta do to make it to California while dealing with family and local drama, a nice mix of off-format, story, and character/relationship focus.
Ink Master (Para+) – This is my favorite reality show and as it was brought back it moved networks and changed judges but they were able to maintain the core of the thing (though I do miss Chris and Oliver), testing the skills of a tattoo artist to see who is the master
A few series that wrapped this year and while the final season might not hit the top ten, the series in their entirety were noteworthy (this is also a bit of a cheat to list more shows):
Animal Kingdom (TNT) – I enjoy a good crime drama and this So Cal surfing crime family sure brought the drama, it was a little uneven but I think quite good for what it was.
Atlanta (Fx) – Donald Glover really took artistic license but for the most part it was incredibly successful while also building rich characters and an interesting overall arc in this look at an up-and-coming rapper and his manager.
Better Things (Fx) – I just love what Pamela Adlon did with this semi-autobiographical dramedy about her family and her life surrounding Hollywood, this show was consistently in my top ten.
Claws (TNT) – Ok this was one heck of a campy show but if you want to watch a bunch of over-the-top nail artists take on some serious Florida crime these characters had heart and style.
David Makes Man (2021-OWN) – The first season of this was one of my favorite looks at coming-of-age both through the story and visuals and while the second season’s time jump wasn’t as successful for me it was still really interesting.
Dead to Me (Net) – Christina Applegate and Linda Cardelini play unlikely friends who won each other and me over with their approach to every ridiculous twist and turn they run into through their start with grief.
Deutschland 83/86/89 (2020-Sund/Hulu) – I caught these after the fact but loved the Americans-ish spy drama and the time jumps to see where it all went.
The Good Fight (Para+) – Christine Baranski can do no wrong and I enjoyed her years starting over at a new law firm following The Good Wife, they created something new but kept a lot of the elements of what made the former work through quirky characters, cases, and overarching issues, I actually paid to get the rest of this show.
Grace & Frankie (Net) – This show wasn’t revolutionary but the throwback feel of a screwball buddy comedy worked with not only great leads of Fonda and Tomlin but a fun supporting cast.
Killing Eve (BBC) – Ok this show kind of lost its way but that first season was enough to keep me in for moments of Eve and Villanelle’s relationship, assassins and spies, and some great outfits.
Ozark (Net) – This show pushed the edges of dark both metaphorically and visually but this family, with great performances, doing everything they can to survive, and maybe even thrive, through a money laundering entanglement with the Mexican drug lord, don’t get in their way.
Honorable mention: Alaska Daily (ABC), Dark Winds (AMC), Get Shorty (Epix), Only Murders in the Building (Hulu), Professor T (PBS), Reginald the Vampire (Syfy), Resident Alien (Syfy), Russian Doll (Net), Single Drunk Female (Free), So Help Me Todd (CBS), Upload (Am), Welcome to Wrexham (Fx), White Lotus (HBO).
There are also a few shows I am enjoying but not up to date on: Better Call Saul (AMC), Euphoria (HBO), and The Flight Attendant (HBO).
Is this just everything I watched last year? Sadly no. But I admittedly didn’t choose the smallest subset to mention.
For critics’ picks, there’s a good list at Metacritic. What were your faves?
I missed my personal deadline for top tv of 2022 but stay tuned, my new plan is to get it out this next week. I spent a little time working through The Dropout (Hulu) which while I don’t normally really enjoy based on true events was kind of fascinating and Seyfried in particular was really good. I also made my way through White Lotus (HBOM)and while I was not as enamored as many I could definitely appreciate the characters and watching things unfold, and yes I would enjoy an expensive vacation (without murder obvs).
I’ve also been catching some of the midseason shows to decide what to add to my repertoire. I’ve been enjoying Will Trent (ABC/Hulu) as one of those particular and successful detectives but the characters are all really good (ABC/Hulu), Accused (Fox/Hulu) with a what happened legal case of the week/anthology, Not Dead Yet (ABC/Hulu) a cute comedy where the woman writing obituaries sees the people she’s writing about. One episode of The Company You Keep has me intrigued with its Romeo and Juliet cons vs CIA, and willing to see if Night Court (NBC/Peacock) and Animal Control (Fox/Hulu) find their comedic groove.
Wreck (Hulu) Series Premiere, Wednesday 3/1 – A drama set in the world of a cruise ship as a guy tries to uncover what happened to his sister who disappeared.
True Lies (CBS) Series Premiere, Wednesday 3/1, 10pm – I was just looking to see when this was scheduled as I had an earlier date, a series take on the secret spy husband movie.
Daisy Jones & The Six (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 3/3 – Based on the book by Taylor Jenkins Reid, a musical-drama series on the rise and fall of a rock band.
Next in Fashion (Net) Season Premiere, Friday 3/3 – I tend to catch these fashion competitions but I think I missed this the first time around (either that or it was just unmemorable).
Grand Crew (NBC) Season Premiere, Friday 3/3, 8:30pm – I enjoyed this sort of friends hang show from last season and hope it keeps its mojo.
The Exhibit: Finding the Next Great Artist (MTV) Series Premiere, Friday 3/3, 10pm – Speaking of reality competitions, I might be interested in art.
Act Your Age (Bounce) Series Premiere, Saturday 3/4, 8pm – I might need to double check what Bounce TV is but they’ve got a new comedy about 3 ‘vibrant’ women in their 50s, with Kym Whitley, Tisha Campbell, and Yvette Nicole Brown
History of the World, Part II (Hulu) Series Premiere, Monday 3/6 – After 40 years they’re doing a sequel to the Mel Brooks film with various history sketches, Brooks EPs with Ike Barinholts, Nick Kroll, and Wanda Sykes as cast.
Rain Dogs (HBO) Series Premiere, Monday 3/6, 10pm – This dark comedy brings an ‘unconventional love story’ about a single mom, her 10-year-old daughter, and a privileged gay man.
You (Net) Thursday 3/9 – The second half of the season drops, I’ll probably tune into this after I crank out my 2022 tv list.
Unprisoned (Hulu) Series Premiere, Friday 3/10 – Kerry Washington stars as a therapist and single mom whose dad gets out of prison and moves in with her.
Luther: The Fallen Sun (Net) Premiere, Friday 3/10 – I knew they were making this Luther movie but had lost track, do I still have time for a series rewatch?
The Oscars (ABC) Sunday 3/12 – I’ve been ticking through a few of these but have some ‘in theaters only’ to catch up on.
The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST, please check your local listings.
You know I love a good vacation. For various reasons big trips haven’t been as much on my radar, so one of the things I decided is to take more long weekends away. One of my traditions is to do a spa visit for my birthday so this year I decided to combine the two.
First up wine tasting! A stop at Domaine Carneros was the perfect way to toast the weekend, I am a fan of sparkling. Next with sandwiches on hand was Gun Bun, my friend is a member so free tasting yes please (it turns out they no longer allow outside food so that became a sort of picnic). And whilst kicking around Napa it seemed like a good time to check out the outlets. Spending didn’t go crazy but I picked up a few basics.
Checking in at Southbridge in St Helena, I was able to snag an easy walk-in on a busy night to the casual Pizzeria Tra Vigne which is basically the same property (my room overlooked their Bacci court). I am limited to sourdough only for my pizza so I was delighted.
The next day’s complimentary breakfast allowed for a slow start before a walk along downtown St. Helena. It’s a small area but very charming stores and restaurants. Particularly Elyse Walker (cute though outside my price range), New West KnifeWorks (also outside my price range but the magnetic knife holders were gorgeous), some cute housewares stores, and yes I love that $27k painting (too bad it’s too big for my wall).
The wine tastings were all booked but I lucked into too gorgeous of a day not to sit outside with a glass of wine. And Farmstead offered the most picturesque location (the restaurant is also supposed to be very good). Next stop Health Spa Napa Valley for a massage. Even if I hadn’t booked a spa treatment would have been a good stop for the outdoor pool and jacuzzi with access from my hotel right across the courtyard.
Birthday dinner was Michelin starred Press which was overall very enjoyable. I did not opt for the tasting menu but had a lovely selection. The pink bay scallops were fabulous as was the dry-aged beef tartare (yes I like the occasional tartare). Also good (but not quite as exceptional) was the truffle-glazed chicken and chocolate creme. The atmosphere was also lovely and the service while incredibly friendly was a little disjointed with too many people.
On the drive back the next day a stop into downtown Napa. A brief stroll through Oxbow Public Market made a tough lunch call but ended up heading toward the river for the charming Angele to enjoy some sole and broccoli. A stroll through the first street shopping area felt a little lacking in adult targetted stores but enjoyed the Insta-worthy Wine Girl Napa Valley.
It’s really a relatively quick jaunt from SF so glad to enjoy being away for the long weekend. Happy birthday to me.
%7C(0%2C0%2C0%2C0)%7C(0%2C600)%7C(0%2C240)%22%7D%2C%7B%22overlay%22%3A%7B%22position%22%3A%22SouthEast%7C(30%2C30)%22%2C%22operations%22%3A%5B%7B%22image%22%3A%22image_manager%7C824d0495-a96b-4a94-8064-8faee8f9551e%22%7D%2C%7B%22resize%22%3A%22204x204%7Cmax%22%7D%2C%7B%22extent%22%3A%22204x204%22%7D%5D%7D%7D%2C%5D)
