ediblesf.com | 23 1 The farmhouse villa 2 Flour meets fresh air 3 Roasting by the fire 4 A symphony of bees 5 An idyllic view On the next page 1 A new perspective— recipe courtesy of NewTree Ranch 2 3 4 tastes like the place you’re in. Later, in the apple orchard, we chose a classic margherita pizza—simple and perfect—for a photo, resting it at the base of the branches where they rise from the trunk, as if it had grown there, another offering of the orchard itself. The order of the trees struck me too—rows so perfectly aligned, yet apples scattered freely, perfectly imperfect. Earlier that afternoon, we’d picked some ourselves—honey-sweet, sun-warm, the kind that ruin you forever for store-bought. After dinner, we moved to the fire pit beneath an open sky. A beautifully curated s’mores kit awaited— handmade skewers, artisanal marshmallows, and bars of exquisite chocolate that somehow managed to be both simple and decadent. Someone passed the box around, and suddenly there we were —adults talking about bees and balance and life, eating s’mores like kids, laughter rising with the sparks into the night. When I woke the next morning, a fine, silvery drizzle softened everything—the fields, the oaks, the bright day before. From my villa, I watched the rain settle across the landscape, quiet and clean, like the world exhaling. Inside: Frette sheets and bathrobes, homemade jam, fresh strawberries on the counter—all of it quietly perfect without ever feeling precious. Outside, tucked behind the dahlia garden, a Balinese stone soaking tub waited with a view of the open sky—the kind of place where you can sink in at night and watch the stars until the world feels still again. It’s not luxury that separates you from the world; it’s the kind that brings you back to it. Edward Newell, the founder of NewTree Ranch, told me that guests often arrive vibrating from everyday life, phones in hand, nervous about being disconnected. Parents think it’ll be hard for their kids to unplug, but it’s usually the adults who struggle. The kids slip right into it, like they’re remembering something their parents forgot. Maybe that’s what finding comfort in unexpected places really means: not escaping the world but remembering how to be part of it again. The hum of the bees, the rhythm of the rain, the taste of tomatoes still warm from the garden—all of it reminding me that comfort isn’t out there waiting to be discovered. It’s been here all along, buzzing softly, just asking us to listen. NewTree Ranch is located just outside Healdsburg. Explore retreats, rentals, and experiences at newtreeranch. com. 5
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTcxMjMwNg==