Wine bottles and flowers at Quattro

I lucked out last week. After getting home from Cartagena at 1 a.m. on Monday morning, all I had to do was put in five days of work, then I was off again for a night at the Four Seasons in Palo Alto followed by a Sunday in Healdsburg and a relaxing Columbus Day off.



Sure, the Four Seasons is just 30 miles from SF, but with all the luxury that’s involved in simply staying at a Four Seasons, it felt like way more of an escape. We were treated to a phenomenal dinner at Quattro, the hotel’s sleek, airy restaurant. And while chef Cartumini’s tuna tartar, charcuterie, pasta and salmon were all delicious, my easy-to-please, cheap-date side came out—I loved the housemade focaccia from the breadbasket. I thought about it in the tub while watching Sex in the City repeats, dreamt about it throughout the night, and the next day at the pool, I was tempted to ask for a few pieces. In fact, the only other bread that comes close in my book is Bar Tartine’s doughy rustic bread (which I realize is in a completely different genre).


The tub-side TV

So if you need a not-too-far escape, I’d recommend the Four Seasons. The tub-side flatscreen TV, never-want-to-get-out-of beds and the full-service pool (that’s blocked from the wind) make for some great R&R outside of the city—and an original splurge getaway on Valentine’s Day.

Rumor has it that there are some pretty good rates for locals on the weekend (once all of the Silicon Valley execs take off).