The many Paso-bilities

Visiting any winery in California is often met with a quick lesson in viticulture from the staff, while the rest of us all nod and feign an understanding in soil, Mediterranean climates and grape varietals.

Hearing these lessons for years now, about the great lengths it has taken to grow these vineyards, one could conclude that grapes seem difficult and finicky. Suppose Californians are the same way?

Do we need our soil just the right kind of sandy with a bit of rocky, our weather a crisp 70 degrees with a smattering of rain and fog, our sunsets glowing the right hue, all in an effort to become our own unique varietal that occasionally blends well with others?

And why these thoughts on a recent trip to Paso Robles? Why try convincing a Northern Californian varietal reader to blend well with Central Californian varietals?

Our first stop in search of these answers was to drop our roots and luggage at Adelaide Inn, a vintage (yet updated) motor lodge conveniently located in the heart of wine country, one minute from downtown, walking distance to the Paso Robles event center and fairgrounds and seconds from the freeway should one need a fast departure (luckily we did not).

Adelaide Inn is all the retro glam a modern vintage Motor Inn should be, bringing guests back to an era of when road trips were first trending. And if you remember this era, the nostalgia is still fresh here at Adelaide.

Interestingly, we had arrived in Paso Robles during the week, not weekend, which by default limited us away from the ultra touristy and often crowded hot spots that were closed on weekdays, and freed up our time to explore the lesser known gems (Plot twist: This was always the plan).

The good news is, there is no shortage of adventures in Paso Robles no matter what day you visit, and we enjoyed several great alternatives away from the well trodden wine trail.

Downtown strolling. The town center is literally that — a central park surrounded with an abundance of boutiques and eateries, but the main draw is the park itself which not only hosts scheduled and impromptu events, but also comes alive with twinkling lights when the sun goes down, as if it were its own blanket of stars to enjoy as they sway from the tree branches in the breeze. During our particular visit we were serenaded each day with street musicians and were able to support a farmers market as well.

Architecture sightseeing. Or as I like to call it, “Urban hiking.” One of our mornings we grabbed a drink and pastry at the ever hip Spearhead Coffee and then walked one block over to Vine Street to admire the plentiful, colorful Victorian homes under the long canopy of old growth shade trees. Not only is there Vine Street, but the buildings surrounding the town center have their own eclectic mix of Spanish colonial revival, mid-century modern and rustic masonry that seems to reflect the mix of history intertwined in the making of Paso Robles. It’s worth pausing to admire.

The art galleries. This discover y was a total delight. Studios at the Park is all the buzz with its local artist collective, and where we found several souvenirs to purchase from our trip. The reimagined auto garage pays homage to its original beginnings with a vintage car and gas pump entrance and from there it’s a colorful tour of various artists in residence and workshops.

Not far is Park Street Gallery, Deprise Brescia Art Gallery (which offers selfie photos ops with large scale butterflies) and the charming Dale Evers Studio where often you can meet Dale himself hard at work and strike up a conversation that sheds light on his wonderland of clever sculptures and concepts. Talking with Dale and being on the receiving end of a personal tour from him was a highlight of our time spent downtown.

Restaurants. If one didn’t know any better, you’d think Paso Robles was known for its restaurants rather than its wineries. While it seems like an impossible and daunting task to speak with any level of expertise on this topic having only visited five eateries, it is with confidence that we can say the cuisine options are nothing short of five star.

We enjoyed dinner and a FIFA game at The Den, a part of the California Coast Beer Co. campus (I’m calling it a campus since there were multiple buildings, subject matters and offerings, and outdoor communal areas for studying, napping or socializing) and we highly recommend this leisurely experience.

Additionally, we opted to skip over the long waits, reservations and Instagrammable dining options and landed one night at Thai Classic, a quiet and humble authentic Thai restaurant also downtown ran by a sweet family with impeccable taste and service.

Wineries. Of course no review of Paso Robles can be done without mention of wineries, and it would be a lie to suggest this wasn’t how we spent half our time here. As a Native Californian born and raised in a wine-progressive region (can that be a political stance?), it could be true that I have become the difficult and finicky varietal I speak of, who wants a particular wine tasting experience.

Not too pompous, not too typical. A right touch of unique without being so trendy. For us, we found the perfect blend with Niner Wine Estates and also J Dusi Winery. Niner Wine Estates won me over not only with excellent wine, service and their locally sourced lunch menu on offered on their patio, but also the stroll through the onsite chef’s garden. With hundreds of different blooming flowers, free roaming chickens and multiple shaded seating options, it was a dream to sit back and enjoy the stone masonry and vineyard views amongst the buzz of the bees, the birds, the breeze.

J Dusi came at the recommendation of our server at Niner, and we were grateful to have asked. J Dusi had a completely different appeal — small, humble but confident, and a feel of freshly designed with expansive windows to take in the bold blues and yellows of the outdoor patio. It felt like we had been transported to a charming boutique veranda on the Mediterranean. We sat outdoors to enjoy the weather and the rolling vineyard hills with minimal interruptions; only thoughtful timed service.

We finished our adventures each evening to return back at the Adelaide Inn, dipping in the crystal clear pool waters under the palm trees and also soaking in the spa. In addition to the much appreciated commonly included hotel amenities, each room and breezeway at the inn are framed with vining flowers and corner gardens of native plants and colors, a definite bonus for this particular Northern California varietal who loves her flora.

This stay at Adelaide Inn and exploring of Paso Robles confirmed our suspicion that we can and do blend well with others.

To book your getaway at the Adelaide Inn, visit adelaideinn.com

To explore Paso Robles, check out www.travelpaso.com

California native Dannah Nielsen explores the lesser known areas of our state and shares her travels in hopes to inspire you to find new and adventurous ways to also enjoy California. For more inspiration, follow @Ca.love.fornia on Instagram or contact her via email at dannah.nielsen@hotmail.com.