About Us

Michael and Hudson

My enthusiasm for Elements probably has a lot to do with my background. I left the corporate world, thirty-five years ago. I took up ranching, raising horses, in Napa. The laid back attitude in Napa in the eighties, probably is why I like Cazadero so much now. The Napa Valley also had a attitude about comfort, friends, great food, and wine. So it was natural, that I gave up ranching, and became a farmer. I raised Merlot Grapes, and developed Blackbird Vineyards.
When I came to Cazadero, I saw an opportunity to have a space where all my friends could gather. It seemed to be the ideal spot so much like Napa when it was more rural. Hospitality is second nature, its about making sure your friend or guest is comfortable, and mabe a little bit better than at home. Having a wonderful cooking area where several cooks could play seemed perfect. I also am a bit of a technical junkie. So Elements has more than the usual array of electronics, along with a standby generator. All of the electronics, and comforts of Elements is really about making sure that the details are really covered.
The one that seems most insistent in comfort at Elements, is my dog Oliver. (Oliver is a Giant Schnauzer). Elements has to be dog friendly, and often when my close friends join me, we end up with three or four dogs. I really like taking Oliver for walks to the waterfall, he somehow shows me all the new things that have happened, on the same path. He is at his happiest, laying on the sofa, staring out at the trees and wishing for a squirrel sighting.