Category: Towns

Discover Sonoma County destinations

Shady Oak Barrel House Concocting Unique Sour Beers

Steve Doty of Shady Oak Barrel House is one of the most highly regarded newcomers to the local craft beer scene. But it wouldn’t be right to call Doty a brewer. Pulling from his experience in the wine industry, he’s more of a blender, with a little bit of mad scientist thrown in. Since December, […]
Sonoma Cider founders Robert Cordtz, left, and his father, David, at their production facility in Healdsburg, on Tuesday, March 1, 2016. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat)

Healdsburg’s Sonoma Cider a Bubbly Success

The challenge with making apple cider in Sonoma County is an ironic one: it can be hard to find apples. Especially when you’re shopping strictly for certified organic kinds. But the team at Sonoma Cider in Healdsburg is working to change that, one juicy piece of fruit at a time. In 1940, the county reached […]

Bella Rosa Coffee Company: Building Santa Rosa’s Perfect Cuppa Joe

Four years ago, Jon Bixler and Cynthia Buck didn’t know a thing about coffee, but they did know David Greenfield. A bear of a guy with a shaggy gray goatee, piercing hazel eyes and a penchant for welding together brilliant contraptions for roasting coffee, Greenfield had a million-dollar idea without a home. With more than […]
The Fremont Diner in Sonoma is famous for its chicken and waffles. The wait for a plate can be up to an hour on busy weekends, but these chicken and waffles transport your taste buds straight to the South. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)

Food & Wine Magazine Named Fremont Diner Among “Best Diners”

Fremont Diner was just named among the “best diners” in America by Food & Wine magazine. Now it will be even more crowded, but everything works quite smoothly and the food is always interesting. It’s definitely a creative diner, rather than what we might think of as a traditional one. So often you see two […]

Ibis: Rare Birds Spotted in Petaluma

Written by Eric Gneckow for the Petaluma Argus-Courier. Many hundreds of bird species have made an appearance in the expansive wetlands of southeast Petaluma, delighting birders and casual observers alike. But every now and then, one species takes the spotlight. In what one wetlands activist described as a potentially once-in-a-generation event, a group of white-faced […]

Wildflowers Blooming in Sonoma County

Written by Mary Callahan for The Press Democrat. It’s early yet, but splashes of color that have recently appeared amid bright grasslands and shaded local woodlands tell of glorious weeks to come, as spring takes hold and this year’s crop of wildflowers bloom into life. Even in a region with the comparatively temperate climate we […]
This photo was shot at 120mm and shows the full perspective of El Capitan, with the amazing isolation created by the angle of the setting sun illuminating Horsetail Falls. (Jim Nevill)

Yosemite Firefall Captured by Bodega Photographer

Written and Photographed by Jim Nevill for The Press Democrat. Photographers from around the world have Yosemite National Park firmly planted on the top of their bucket lists, with the naturally occurring “firefall” phenomenon among the most spectacular events to witness there. This year, between Feb. 15 and 19, I was able to photograph one […]
A sample flight of bears at Bear Republic Brewing Co. in Healdsburg in 2013.

Bear Republic to Open New Brewpub in Rohnert Park

Bear Republic Brewing Co. will expand in Sonoma County by opening a brewpub in Rohnert Park, at the site of the shuttered Latitude Island Grill. The new brewpub will be in addition to its original location in Healdsburg and its new production facility in Cloverdale. It is expected to open within a year. The deal […]