A Brief Introduction…
We recently announced that we were reopening Ravens for indoor dining to vaccinated diners, after considerable thought. We were thanked and we were attacked. We found ourselves in an unexpected culture war. We are not about that.
What we are about: Hosting and Sharing…
We are hosts to travelers in a place of energy that emanates from the Earth, here, in this particular corner of Mendocino. We offer opportunities to sense/experience what is here – on these grounds with an historic and operating farm; on Big River Estuary in an outrigger canoe; in the forest, hiking, biking, or sitting on the trunk of a fallen tree; on the beaches and bluffs of Mendocino Bay that provide tide pooling, dog walks, and the opportunity to become aware of our relation to the not always peaceful Pacific Ocean. We human beings are from all of this, from the water, the sky, the earth. Here, guests reconnect to themselves, as if they were ever separated.
Connections…
Previous guest communications have reported our deep connection here and it is one which we want to share with you and your family. COVID-19 – the first global pandemic since our great- grandparents’ generation – interrupted this.
Creating a place for Children, too…
Now that we are reopening we want to create a safe place for not only adults but their children, who are unable be vaccinated. We also want to assure the safety of our staff who are under the age of sixteen. We decided that indoors we will assure social distance and as much protection as possible for children, limiting exposure to other non-vaccinated persons who otherwise could have received a vaccination. For those who are not vaccinated, we offer deck dining outside the dining room to all diners as well as delivery of “to go” meals for in room dining. There are tables in our gardens and on all room decks for “take out.”
Although in the U.S. and around the world, the pandemic, mask use, and vaccinations have become highly politicized, and science vilified, that is not what we are about. Rather we want you and all our guests and their families to travel to Mendocino to reconnect with your essence – nature – with fresh air, the constant movement of the forest, of coastal breezes and tides, of bird song, of grazing horses, deer, and even llamas.
Thank you for reading and our best wishes for a continued meaningful connection with nature.
Best to you and your families,
Joan and Jeff Stanford