Visalia

I had a birthday last week.  Not a major one, not at all.  I joked with Conrad and Van that for a gift they could agree that for that day (and that day only) I was 38, but alas, I am older.  Much older.  My beard is almost entirely white now, there is much grey in among what used to be strawberry blond on my head.

No matter, though.  It was a nice day, and we took advantage of it by hitting the road after lunch to head to Visalia.

I had been to Visalia once before, a little over four years ago.  As cities go, it's not major - I think I read that at 142,000, it doesn't quite crack the top forty list of biggest cities in this state alone.  But I think it's got some importance to it.  It's the county seat, it has a community college as well.  There's a lot of agricultural business that passes through town, and there's a lot of related services.  It's the gateway to Sequoia National Park (and somewhat to Kings Canyon as well).  It has some well-preserved history as well.

We stayed the night at the Darling Hotel in Visalia, a courthouse annex that has been converted into a boutique hotel. 

It's a handsome building, Art Deco style, and it seems to be a successful conversion.  Our room was perhaps a little small - a chair might have been nice to have, but where? - but the beds were very comfortable. 

And, really, the marketing is so ace. 

It was a scorching day, easily 100 degrees, and so we did what we don't often do:  head to the pool!

I have a local friend in Visalia I hadn't seen since last I was there.  Tyler lives a short walk (though in that heat he drove) from the hotel, so he came to join us for a dip before dinner.  Dinner itself was also in the building, in the rooftop restaurant, Elderwood.  Inside, please - I am sure the views are fantastic outside at cooler times of the year, but not that evening.

We had heard and have since heard again that Elderwood is one of the finest places in Visalia, but it's better for cocktails than food.  Certainly, their bar program was admirable - we got Green Points without any difficulty, for example.  I started out with the PB&B, a peanut-washed bourbon with lemon and banana liqueur. 

A whiskey sour, in other words, but kicked up a few notches.  We all were impressed with our drinks. 

I thought the food was fine enough - I was a little doubtful about mahi mahi with a three-cheese ravioli, but it made sense with the carrot sauce and the carrot top gremolata.  I don't know how, but it did.  The little blackberry and goat cheese tarts to start were tasty,

the Caesar salad was basic but fine, and the carrot cake for dessert hit the spot. 

Darn those guys for getting a candle on it!  Van treated us all (with Jennifer and Sanders buying a round of drinks through him), Conrad was at my side, and Tyler was great company, too. 

The birthday wound down, and I slept well.

The next morning, Conrad and I got up to stroll nearby to Bread Savage to meet Tyler for morning coffee and pastry. 

That gave us a chance to admire some of the downtown heritage - the legacy sequoia planted in 1936 (I think)

and the fine WPA era post office

- before tucking into a baked treat.  Van, of course, was asleep, but we did bring him something from Starbucks.  We were in no rush that morning, so Conrad and I strolled a little more,

then came back to the room with Van's oleato drink.  It was time to pack and head east after a nice night in a Central Valley city.