Monaloca

This past weekend Melina got to witness her first full-fledged wedding. She’s been to a few wedding parties in summers past, but Rosa and Frank invited the whole family to the full affair at Rosa’s family’s farm – complete with picture-perfect sloping vineyards and a newly-created terrace that doubled as a dance floor – in Sonoma County.

On the way up we managed to stop by one vineyard, Taft Street, which we discovered has its origins a mile down the road in a Rockridge garage, on Taft Street of course. (Double bonus: We liked the wine so much we joined the club and walked out with half a case. And the tasting room was both kid- and pet-friendly.) At the wedding itself I had a great time catching up with my BigTent friends and we all enjoyed lounging on a grass-covered hillside, eating strawberries (Nalani), and drinking wine (me), beer (Joey), and Martinelli’s apple cider out of a highball glass (Melina).

At age four, our “big” girl was full of questions and wonder. On the drive up she asked, “Will the marrying girl wear a long, beautiful white dress?” Of course. (I’d seen photos, so I was certain.) “Will she have the marrying thing on her head?” Maybe. It’s called a veil. “Will her nails be painted?” Probably. And sure enough, Rosa showed them off – fingers and toes – to Melina after the ceremony. My favorite question, in four-year-old deadpan, was “Will the marrying girl have boogers in her nose?” Well, everyone does, so yeah. Joey added that she’ll probably blow her nose before she walks down the aisle.

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