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Mendocino: The New England Fishing Town in California

When the producers of TV’s Murder She Wrote were looking for the perfect stand-in for the fictional New England coastal town of Cabot Cove, they found it some 3,000 miles up this side of the East Coast in the northern community of Mendocino. Of California. So it’s no mystery that, with all the TV exposure, Mendocino has become one of the hottest getaways on the California coast.

The series ran for 12 years in total, filming its last episode in 1996. During that time, 264 episodes were broadcast to millions of viewers each week, each segment serving up a good portion of the setting in and around Mendocino. Interestingly, only nine episodes were filmed in the city: the other 255 shows used exterior footage that the producers took while they were in the city for those nine shoots.

When you visit this city for the first time, the seascape stretches out and touches your spirit. It’s not just Mendocino: The entire stretch of coastline heading north toward Mendocino offers one sight after another, each one a little more spectacular than the last. Driving this part of the 101 freeway, you really have to put in the extra effort to focus on your driving, lest you fall into some sort of meditative trance.

Mendocino is perched on a cliff overlooking the vast Pacific. It is a small town and really is exactly what you would think a New England fishing village would be. A mix of Cape Cod architecture and historic storefronts gives the town an almost theme-town look. Windswept trees, rolling grassy hills, and rugged cliffs are steps from the Village through several miles of coastal paths that are perfect for hiking and photo ops. Below are remote beaches and the rugged, rocky coastline.

In the Village you’ll find an array of eclectic shops – unusual records, unique musical instruments, vintage toys, you name it – mixed with historic homes, inns and great restaurants. With over 60 movies filmed here, it seems like everyone has some kind of connection to cinema. Blair House bed and breakfast was the fictional home of Jessica Fletcher, the character played by Angela Lansbury in Murder She Wrote. At Heritage House, her claim to fame is that the inn was used as the set for the movie Same Time the next year. And so it goes on.

Our overnight accommodation had no connection to the movies, although the popular MacCallum House bed-and-breakfast does have a strong connection to Mendocino history. This house dates from 1882 and was built by Alexander MacCallum, whose father-in-law was one of the first settlers in Mendocino. Eventually, the house became a bed-and-breakfast inn and went through a series of owners until it was purchased just two years ago by local residents Jed Ayres and Noah Sheppard.

Ayres, in his late thirties, took a rather unconventional route from Mendocino high school student to owner of MacCallum House. He got his start in the hospitality business while still a college student, working summers at Heritage House as a waiter, bellboy and assistant manager. But after earning his MBA, he took a summer internship with computer reseller AmeriData that eventually led to a position as General Manager of the company’s Bay Area office, overseeing 100 employees and $60 sales. millions. From there, Ayres moved into an even more prominent position with a new DSL provider that sadly went out of business the following year. It was time to make a decision.

“I wanted to move home and do something different and start a family,” Ayres explains. And that was how he and his old friend and local contractor Sheppard closed the deal to buy MacCallum House, where Ayres had once worked. Ironically, they bought the restaurant from Alan Kantor, who had hired Ayres as a dishwasher. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Kantor has remained with the restaurant and is recognized today as one of the area’s top chefs. Ayres has gone from dishwasher to semi-mogul, Mendoza’s version of Donald Trump.

In the short time that Ayres and Sheppard have owned the inn, occupancy has skyrocketed, due in part to the technical knowledge that Ayres brings to Internet marketing. The partners purchased more buildings, including the well-known Reed Manor, which is the newest and perhaps the most luxurious hotel in Mendocino. It is now known as the MacCallum Suites.

Our stay at MacCallum House was peaceful and relaxing, affording us a great opportunity to simply walk around the block to visit the local merchants or hike up to the headlands where footpaths offer stunning views of the coastline and the city itself. We stayed in the “Upper Barn Suite”, a second floor unit in a building across the lawn from the main house. This is the largest room on the MacCallum property and enjoys views of the ocean. The unit features a private terrace, as well as a stone fireplace, wet bar, refrigerator, and a spacious living room in addition to bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen areas. The furniture is generally old, or almost old.

Of course, dining at MacCallum House is a big part of the treat, and luckily we chose to dine there in addition to the breakfast that normally comes with your room. Both meals lived up to expectations. Breakfast, for example, might include a butternut squash omelette or red potatoes with cremini mushrooms or, the entree we tried, Lupe’s Breakfast Burrito, a delicious combination of apple and turkey sausage, scrambled eggs, white cheddar cheese, onions, peppers and sauce on a cool plate. tortilla. Most of the dinner menu items highlight main courses that are regional and fresh.

A little exercise should come after a great meal, and there is no shortage of places to walk in the Mendocino area. In addition to the trails mentioned above, there are many areas where you can hike rivers and streams and even enjoy the redwood forests. Near Mendocino, you’ll find a total of five state parks, as well as five state beaches waiting for your exploration. The hikes range from casual to moderately challenging.

A slightly different kind of ride is available when the many local fine art galleries open their doors for special artist openings and group shows between 5 and 7 pm. This is offered on the second Saturday of every month. In fact, the beauty of Mendocino has always attracted artists, and the Mendocino Art Center will even teach you how to become an artist.

Finally, if you think you have to go to Napa to experience California’s great wines, Anderson Valley is just a short drive from Mendocino. In all, there are 40 wineries and 16,000 acres of vineyards in Mendocino County. Anderson Valley, with its different climates at either end, offers excellent conditions for growing a variety of grapes.

Yeah, the one mystery Jessica Fletcher can’t really solve is how so much natural beauty ended up in one place: Mendocino, California. TAKE A LOOK

WHERE: Mendocino is about 150 miles north of San Francisco and is reached by taking Highway 101 North, then Highway 128 Northwest to the coast. Scenery abounds once you hit 128.

WHAT: Mendocino is one of several destinations along the Northern California coast that offer spectacular views and a special coastal charm. Mendocino is perhaps one of the most picturesque, which is why it has been used as a backdrop for more than 60 films. When you think of a California vacation, the coast often comes to mind and this is one of the most picturesque stretches of coastline in the entire state.

WHEN: Any time of the year. Summer is warmer, of course, but at any time of the year there is fog along the coast. If bad weather hits, Mendocino is more protected from flooding than most communities in the area, but it’s still close to water and can bring Pacific storms. Many people consider the weather to be part of the charm. Be sure to check out travel deals and vacation packages during certain times of the year that are considered “off-season.”

WHY: Great scenery and atmosphere, plus some of the best accommodation on the coast.

HOW: To learn more about MacCallum House, visit http://www.maccallumhouse.com or call 800-609-0492.

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