Normally, the Friday Game Plan tries to be as inclusive as possible.
I know Napa Lowdown readers come from all walks of life. Different jobs, backgrounds, neighborhoods, beliefs, family situations, weekend budgets, and definitions of a “good time.”
But this weekend’s Game Plan is the exception.
Because Sunday is Mother’s Day.
And while I am not a mother, like many of you, I was born by one. So this week, I am taking the rare editorial stance that moms should probably get top billing.
Because we all know, deep down, how special they are. And how easy it is to assume there will always be another Sunday.
Napa trivia of the day: Is Napa County’s birth rate above or below the U.S. average?
For Everyone Else: Your Mother’s Day Cheat Sheet
I am actually going to start with everyone else.
The goal this weekend is simple: do not make mom project manage the day that is supposedly about her.
Do not say, “What do you want to do?” at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday with no plan, no reservation, no card, and a vague willingness to “help.”
That is not a gift.That is a meeting request.
A much better version sounds something like: “I found three ideas. We could do brunch here, walk around here, or I can take the kids out for two hours while you do absolutely nothing. You pick.”
So, if you are trying to send her somewhere, there are, of course, a ton of brunches.
A few options:
Mother’s Day Brunch at The Meritage Resort
This is probably the bigger, more polished resort option.
Tickets are $105 for ages 14+, $50 for ages 4-13, and free for ages 3 and under.
Mother’s Day Brunch at Creekside Terrace
A good Napa city option if you want to keep things a little more central.
Tickets are listed at $95 per person.
Mother’s Day Brunch at Silverado Resort
Another fancier “make it feel special” option.
Pricing is $105 for adults, $55 for kids ages 5-12, plus tax and 18% gratuity
Take your pick. The main point is not that brunch is the only answer. The main point is that “I already found a few options” is much better than “so what do you want to do?”
For something a little different, I also thought this was kind of a nice one:
Mother’s Day at The MAC
The Museum of Art and Culture in St. Helena is doing a Mother’s Day weekend thing with free admission, a museum store gift, and a “Big Butter Bench” photo op, which is weird enough to be memorable and sweet enough to work.
But if you want to keep it simple, Napa is also very good for that.
It could be as easy as getting her something special at the farmers market, booking a massage, sending her to a spa, grabbing flowers, writing an actual card, or giving her a few hours where nobody needs anything from her.
And honestly, one of the better Mother’s Day gifts I have seen is the solo hotel night.
Not because it is fancy. But because for the right person, the real gift is a clean room, a quiet bed, no dishes, no laundry, and no questions.
You just have to make it intentional.
For the Moms: Your Official Permission Slip
Sorry - like I said before, I am not one, so I am stepping out of my lane here.
But I did want to make a whole section just to say this:
Napa Lowdown is issuing an official permission slip to want what you actually want.
Not what sounds gracious.
Not what makes everyone else comfortable.
Not what photographs well.
What you actually want.
Based on the very scientific method of reading mom forums, Mother’s Day surveys, comment sections, and the general emotional temperature of the internet, the wish list is pretty clear.
A lot of moms want time with their kids. A lot want to see their own moms. A lot want a card that says something real. And a very large number seem to want one sacred window of time to themselves.
So here is a big list I pulled from the general Mother’s Day internet:
Sleep in.
Not cook.
Not plan the thing that is supposedly for you.
Eat a meal while it is still hot.
Leave the house alone.
Stay in the house alone.
Take a walk
Go to the farmers market and buy flowers for yourself.
Sit in your car for 12 extra minutes because it is quiet in there.
Say, lovingly, “I do not want to decide.”
Spend the day with your kids.
Spend part of the day very much not with your kids.
Want brunch.
Not want brunch.
Want something handmade.
Want a hotel room, a nap, a book, a massage, a long shower, or one afternoon where your name is not called from another room.
So if you are a mom reading this, pick one thing. Claim it early. Say it clearly. Feel free to issue the permission slip to anyone who needs to see it.
The rest of us will now attempt to behave accordingly.
So I am writing this closing a few days later, and I have to say: that wraps up one of the more unique Lowdowns yet. Apologies if you are a 21 y.o. college bro and this one did not resonate as much with you. We will be back to our regularly scheduled programming next week.
But if you are a mom, I hope you have a very special day.
The answer to today’s trivia: Napa County’s birth rate is below the U.S. average. Using the Census definition of women ages 15 to 50 who gave birth in the past year, Napa County comes in at about 3.3%, compared with about 5.0% nationally.
And on that note, thank you for reading.
Have a good weekend, Napa.