When I set out to write about the Stanford Inn, I thought I was covering a niche vegan resort above the Pacific — a wellness getaway for plant-based travelers. What I found was something harder to pin down: a business shaped by grit, personal reinvention, and a deep connection to the Mendocino Coast. Jeff and Joan Stanford showed up in 1980 with around $20,000 and a plan to start over. Their story is one of slow, steady transformation — of a place, a partnership, and a piece of land.
I’ve lived in Northern California for over 20 years, and I’ve sometimes taken it for granted while chasing bigger headlines. But reporting on the Stanford Inn brought me back to what makes this region worth writing about: complex people, raw landscapes, and unexpected depth hiding in familiar places. This wasn’t just a story about a hotel — it was a reminder of why local reporting still matters.
Read more about it here at SFGATE.
