{from A St. Helena Glossary}
déjà vu n. [Fr.] 1: the sense that you have lived in St. Helena before, perhaps in another lifetime 2: the certainty that you could live here, quite happily, for the rest of this lifetime
A short anecdote about the lure of the valley. Some years ago, a careful survey was done of tourism in Napa Valley, especially concerning the behavior of repeat visitors. Over the years you’ve probably filled out such surveys: you know, “Check the box that best describes your...”—and all of that. Well, the researchers found that people returned so often that their questionnaires needed another little box for visitors who return 8 or 9 times.
Many of these loyal souls were wine buffs or sophisticated Bay Area foodies, but a fair number were people who got married here. They wanted to return, again and again, to renew their love for each other and renew the magic of that day. Whatever your reason for first coming here, the valley seems to leave an indelible impression on your heart. So if you find yourself fantasizing about living in St. Helena, you’re right at home. Or soon may be.
It’s not so surprising. The air is clean, the climate is delightful, the countryside is inviting and conducive to keeping fit, the food and wine are some of the best in the world, cultural and artistic activities abound, the lifestyle is relaxed and healthful, the medical facilities and practitioners and first rate, and the townspeople are genuine.
As we noted in the Shopping section of this website, if love isn’t in the air, then maybe it’s the wine or the water. Virtually every shop owner in our historic downtown is half of a committed couple. They fell in love and stayed in love. And that’s not uncommon around here. Part of living well, it would seem, is knowing when you’ve got it good.