As one of the headlining stars of the 1990s sitcom Sister, Sister (along with her twin Tia), Tamera Mowry-Housley has been charming TV audiences for three decades. That star-making role earned her back-to-back NAACP Image trophies for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series plus several other awards, while allowing her and Tia to springboard into other creative ventures, such as the Twintuition: Double Vision children’s book series and their own Style Network show.
These days, Tamera and husband Adam Housley always make time to slow down and savor the fruits of their labor at Housley Napa Valley, their Napa winery. They also love indulging in the Golden State’s spas and resorts—many that offer great activities for their two kids—farm-to-table restaurants, and first-class shopping spots, all of which Tamera shares with us here.
Where do you live? Napa Valley.
Why there? Napa is where my husband Adam and his family grew up—and they are sixth-generation Californians. On one of our first dates he took me to what’s now our family’s winery, Century Oak, and I helped him clean out the tanks after harvest. I love wine country and consider it my home and we have a winery and tasting room and coffee pub called BarnHouse. The outdoor-inside lifestyle, farm-to-fork food, and just the overall beauty of the region. Every season here is gorgeous! Plus, it’s easy to get anywhere we need to be for our TV projects.
Who or what is your greatest California love? Its diversity—in every way. You can be in the stunning mountains of Lake Tahoe and Shasta, you have all the coast, from San Diego and L.A. to the spectacular North Coast of Bodega Bay and Mendocino, and of course many wine regions. There are the plains of the Central Valley and the Gold Rush area of the foothills with little towns like Amador City and Sutter Creek. You’ve truly got everything in California, and the people here are as diverse and welcoming as the land. Plus in Northern California, the seasons change and do so without extremes, so I love the weather.
What is the biggest misperception about Californians? That we are blond-haired and blue-eyed. I debunk that one!
What is the stereotype that most holds true? Californians love the outdoors and the weather. Whether on the beach or the snow, we love to get outside. We are also very health conscious.
What is your favorite Golden State splurge? We love going to spas and resorts. Of course, we have them here in wine country, like Auberge or Stanly Ranch, but we’ve enjoyed them in Carmel at the Carmel Valley Ranch and numerous places in Orange County, San Diego, and even under the Golden Gate Bridge at Cavallo Point. Many times we even take the kids because there are so many with kid programs that cater to outdoor adventure.
Time for a road trip—where are you going? I would jump in the car with Adam and head to Tomales for some fresh oysters and then stop in Bodega Bay for the clam chowder and then end up in a place like Timber Cove along the coast or Mendocino to see the gorgeous ocean views.
If you could decree an official state culinary experience, what would it be? To enjoy just about any farm-to-table restaurant in the Napa Valley. There are so many amazing places to eat here. Off the top of my head, there’s Farmstead, Brasswood, Bistro Don Giovanni, Bistro Jeanty, Mustards, and small local places like Il Posto. Those are just a few of our faves. Plus, wine country has a ton of outdoor culinary events and fundraisers.
What is your favorite way to play in California? Go wine tasting. There are so many options! It’s a good problem to have. While we love Napa Valley and the amazing wines here, we also enjoy getting out to other regions and have enjoyed tastings in Suisun Valley—there’s a new Caymus location that is beautiful. In Lodi at Century Oak, of course. And in the foothills, the Central Coast, Sonoma, and Santa Barbara.
Where would you go for the ultimate shopping spree in California? We have been shopping at the Century City Mall for years, especially when Adam and I used to live just down the street, and they keep updating and making it better and better. I also love to find little boutiques. There are some amazing ones in L.A. and in the Bay Area. Lately, we had the chance to shop in the Santana Row area of San Jose and it was fantastic.
Best California song? It’s a tie between “California Love” by 2Pac and “Going Back to Cali” by LL Cool J, which was one of our wedding songs! He’s even seen our video!
How would your California dream day unfold? A perfect dream day is waking up to see the golden sunrise over the hills of Napa, then going on a spa date with my husband and wine tasting afterward, and then an amazing dinner. In between, horseback riding through the foothills and shopping at boutiques in one of the small towns. At the end of the day, cuddles and hugs from my kids as we watch the sun set over the ocean.