For anyone dreaming of owning a patch of beauty in an oceanside community, a brand new home just hit the market in Bodega Bay.
The three-bedroom, two-bath home was designed with a nod to classic Craftsman style and is currently listed for $1,350,000. The property sits on a hill along the town’s main drag, Highway 1, and has partial views of the bay beyond.
The 1400-square-foot dwelling is airy due to its open floor plan, with the kitchen and eating area adjoining the living room. Maple cabinets throughout the home add delicate warmth to the color scheme and tiles in grays, greens and blues enliven the palette with a freshness that seems to reference a seascape. The countertops are made of on-trend concrete.
There’s a gas-burning fireplace in the great room and solar panels on the roof. The small redwood groves that surround the house can be viewed from the home’s good-sized windows, many of which are double-hung, which is typical of Craftsman style. The eye-catching mahogany front door, handcrafted by a Bay Area artisan, has horizontal windows from top to bottom that allow more light into the space.
The home also features midcentury design elements, such as large slider doors. The combination of Craftsman style and midcentury design works well here, and creates a sense of openness and a seamless indoor/outdoor aesthetic.
The best views (and fresh ocean air) can be enjoyed on the sweet little rooftop patio, accessible via a wide outdoor staircase. From here, you can see the Bodega Harbor and Spud Point Marina. There’s also a patio in the yard with patches of redwoods surrounding the area. Bodega Bay’s little strip of downtown shops, such as Fishetarian Fish Market, a surf shop, plus kite and taffy stores, is just minutes away.
Click through the above gallery for a peek inside the home.
This home is listed by Steve Hecht and John Chute of Artisan Sotheby’s Int’l Realty. For more information, call/text Steve, 707-481-8474, or John, 707-540-5331, or visit CoastalAgent.com
Crafting the perfect cocktail is an art form. When done well, the finished product is a thing of beauty. But few put much thought into one of the most important ingredients of a great cocktail. A new Petaluma company is on a mission to change that.
“Cocktail enthusiasts spend lots of time and money on the perfect spirits, mixers, glassware, bitters and tools — yet the ice is often overlooked,” said Charles Joly, resident mixologist at Abstract Ice. “Ice is the unsung hero of the cocktail.
Abstract Ice was launched earlier this year by Todd Stevenson, Ash Notaney and Leon Sharyon, formerly of Lagunitas Brewing Company. After making a name for themselves in the craft brewing world, the trio has turned their attention to creating crystal clear ice in unique shapes and sizes.
A number of Sonoma County craft distilleries, including Griffo Distillery in Petaluma and Hanson of Sonoma Distillery, have already taken notice of Abstract Ice’s artful cubes and added them to their drinks. Local restaurants like Healdsburg’s The Matheson, Sonoma’s Wit and Wisdom and Petaluma’s Brewsters Beer Garden have also incorporated Abstract Ice products into their bar programs.
In addition to cooling a drink, ice also helps dilute it and adds texture. Available in different shapes and sizes, Abstract Ice looks more interesting than regular square ice cubes and also helps control the dilution (or melting) process. (The ice melts more slowly because it is dense and has a large surface area.)
“We use their ice because they level up every drink we put them into,” said Jenny Griffo, who owns Griffo Distillery with her husband, Michael. “It definitely is hard to make an amazing Old Fashioned like we do if you don’t have premium ice like Abstract’s to prevent quick melting and then a watering down of the cocktail.”
Abstract Ice uses water from the city of Petaluma for their ice cubes and a patented technology to provide an additional level of water purification. (Water frozen in a traditional freezer traps dissolved air and impurities, resulting in cloudy ice.)
“Abstract Ice is made in a controlled process with water in constant motion while it is being frozen,” said Ash Notaney, president of Abstract Ice. “The constant motion prevents the entrapment and results in perfect, pure, clear ice.”
Looking to step up your own cocktail-making game? Abstract Ice is sold in select Sonoma County stores, including Wilibees in Santa Rosa and Petaluma, Bottle Barn in Santa Rosa, Charley’s Wine Country Deli in Petaluma and Big John’s Market in Healdsburg. In addition to pure ice, the company will soon release ice containing California-grown flowers and fruit sourced from local farmers markets.
Joly recommends cocktail enthusiasts temper the ice – take it out of the freezer and let it rest for a couple of minutes – before adding their drink of choice. Tempering prevents the ice from cracking and keeps it clear.
“Mix and match the different cubes and don’t just limit yourself to cocktails,” said Joly. “I love sipping an iced coffee over our Orbs.”
It’s never been easier to travel along the Mendocino coast with your dog. Dreamy waterfront hotels and beautiful botanical gardens welcome pups and you can bring your four-legged friend to wineries and restaurants, on rail bike rides — even when kayaking. With so many options, it’s ruff to choose, but here are some favorite dog-friendly destinations on the Mendocino coast. Click through the above gallery for details.
Shrimp po boy, barbecue chicken and cracklings at Saucy Mama’s Jook Joint in Guerneville. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
There’s no question who is in charge at Saucy Mama’s Jook Joint in Guerneville.
Inside the bustling barbecue spot, owner Yvette Bidegain flits from table to table, with a giant smile and infectious giggle. Here everyone is “honey,” as Bidegan fusses over customers, smooths over minor service wrinkles and leaves a broad wake of hospitality.
Even on a sober Sunday, the joint has the Saturday-night feel of a lively rural roadhouse, with waitstaff bringing out plate after plate of ribs, cornbread waffles and the evening’s special Shrimp & Grits as fast as the kitchen can keep up.
Saucy Mama’s puts the soul in soul food by fusing the deeply Southern flavors of Bidegain’s family’s Louisiana heritage with her own California culinary twists.
A Sonoma County native and the seventh of nine children, Bidegain inherited the barbecue legacy of her father, Leroy Richardson of Richardson’s Ribs. Raised in Mississippi, not far from New Orleans, Richardson arrived in Northern California in the early 1950s, hoping for a new life and armed with an arsenal of family recipes.
Owner Yvette Bidegain at Saucy Mama’s Jook Joint in Guerneville. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
A wall paying homage to Richardson’s Ribs, owned by Bidegain’s father at Saucy Mama’s Jook Joint in Guerneville. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
In the late 1970s, Richardson launched his barbecue business at the Sonoma County Fair, pressing his children into service at an early age, Bidegain said. The business evolved into a roving barbecue food truck and three restaurant locations in Santa Rosa and Sebastopol.
“There were nine of us, and my parents had us all in the kitchen,” Bidegain said. “We worked our buns off. The (restaurant business) is either something in you, or it’s not.”
The last Richardson’s Ribs restaurant closed in 1995, just a year before her father’s death.
But his recipes live on in Bidegain’s fledgling kitchen. Pictures of the family, menus and other homages are enshrined on Saucy Mama’s walls.
Like Richardson’s Ribs, Bidegain’s restaurant is a family business. Her husband, Tim Kobus, helps run the place, and her daughter and granddaughter work as servers.
Kobus, like Bidegain, wears several hats. On a recent day, he was stirring a giant pot of grits while directing kitchen staff. He also helped with the lengthy and often painful build-out process of the space that had stood empty for three years and was heavily damaged by flooding in 2019.
The restaurant business, however, is a second act for Bidegain. The 62-year-old spent most of her adult life working for Caltrans; she recently retired after 36 years. With her four children grown, she needed a new project.
“After the kids grew up, I had a void in my life,” she said. “I had all this extra time when I retired. I said, there has to be something out there that no one else is doing.”
Soul food was her answer.
Equipped with tried-and-true recipes, she launched a catering business just before the pandemic started. But with few events to buoy the enterprise, Bidegain turned her sights to the idea of a pop-up food business at Guerneville’s Stumptown Brewery.
With little local competition for her unparalleled fried catfish (honestly, the best I’ve ever had); smoked beef ribs; chicken skin cracklings; and best-in-class sides like three-cheese macaroni, collard greens and black-eyed peas, she found a ravenous audience.
Bidegain isn’t just the boss — her keen palate is behind all the dishes. Her first-time special of shrimp and grits, which she insists we try, is a jumble of poached shrimp, onions and garlic atop a bed of creamy, golden cornmeal that’s cheesier than a prom photo. Cornmeal waffles fan out on top with “crack” butter that lives up to its name.
There are generations of heart and soul in every bite.
Saucy Mama’s menu isn’t overly long, so there’s room for additional specials, including an occasional crawfish boil, jambalaya and smothered pork chops. Saucy Mama’s doesn’t have a website or social media, so plan for food exploration rather than expectation.
And leave the high-profile barbecue joints to amateurs, because they’ll never have the authenticity and passion Saucy Mama’s brings to Guerneville.
Best Bets
Shrimp po boy, barbecue chicken and cracklings at Saucy Mama’s Jook Joint in Guerneville. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
Crispy Fried Catfish Entree, $20: The seasoned cornmeal crust has a flavorful, crunchy texture, unlike greasy, bready batters. Inside, fresh catfish is moist, succulent and not fishy (like most frozen, imported catfish we’ve tried).
Shrimp Po Boy, $18: A small French loaf is cut into a boat (rather than sliced through), holding onto a delicious, saucy mess of fried shrimp, lettuce, tomatoes and remoulade sauce. Unlike a mayonnaise-heavy aioli, the remoulade has a tart vinegar punch with mustard and capers. The hidden fried pickle is a sweet-sour surprise.
Cracklin Chicken, $8: Deep-fried chicken skin with hot sauce. You love it or you hate it.
Extras (sides), $5/small or $10/large: Sides are everything at a barbecue spot, because no matter how good your ’cue is, if you can’t make a decent slaw, you’re sunk. Macaroni and cheese is made with four types of cheese and cream. Okra is deep-fried and tossed with onions and bacon. Collards are OK but lack the vinegar bite we like.
BBQ Pork Ribs Entree, $23.50: Fall-off-the-bone ribs slathered with sweet sauce are on point. Fried chicken, hot links and barbecue chicken are available as entrees or a la carte. Comes with the famous cornbread waffles. Pick two extras.
Save room for Banana Pudding ($6), Pecan Pie ($7), Peach Cobbler ($6.50) or the rarely found Sweet Potato Pie ($6).
Saucy Mama’s Jook Joint is at 16632 Highway 116, Guerneville, 707-604-7184. Open from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. saucymamasjookjoint.com
USA Today has announced its annual 10Best Readers’ Choice travel awards, highlighting “the best of the best” in the U.S. in categories such as food and drink, hotels and things to do. This year, 10 Sonoma County businesses were among the winners, which were chosen by a panel of experts and then voted on by USA Today readers. Click through the above gallery to see the winners. See the winners in all USA Today 10Best categories here.
Sarah Doyle, Sofia Englund, Julia Green and Linda Murphy contributed to this article.
Clockwise from top left, Cajun Spiced Catch of the Day, Shrimp and Grits, Bacon + Cheddar Hushpuppies, Collards + Mac and Cheese, Southern Fried Chicken Dinner, Smoked Trout + Baby Lettuces from Easy Rider in Petaluma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
I’m suddenly feeling nostalgic. A little more than halfway through 2022, many of us have probably forgotten the fledgling restaurants that impressed us when they opened just months ago. Here’s a reminder of some of the best openings of the year so far. Click through the above gallery for details. And stay tuned for more restaurant openings.
The pool at Kenwood Inn & Spa. (Courtesy of Kennwood Inn & Spa)
With more than 425 wineries, an epic food scene, a striking coastline and towering redwoods, it’s easy to understand why Sonoma County is a honeymoon hotspot. There are plenty of picture perfect local hotels to check into after saying “I do,” from expansive luxury resorts to intimate, family-owned inns. Click through the above gallery for seven favorites.
The Charlie Hustle fried chicken sandwich from Jam’s Joy Bungalow in Cotati and Sebastopol. (Courtesy of Jamilah Nixon-Mathis)
If you’re not a commuter to Santa Rosa, Petaluma or one of the other towns along the SMART train route, you might not have had a chance to ride the North Bay’s passenger rail line. But with a dozen stops from the Sonoma County Airport to Larkspur and a handful more planned, there is more to do along the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit line than go to the office.
Here are eight stops, from north to south, that offer things to see and do within a short walk from each station. You can take the kids or your out-of-town visitors to the Charles M. Schulz Museum or shop for antiques in Santa Rosa or even pick up fresh produce in the farmers market at a historic Frank Lloyd Wright building. Plus, you’ll save gas and parking-meter money.
Outdoor tasting at Bricoleur Vineyards in Windsor. (Courtesy of Bricoleur Vineyards)
USA Today has announced its annual 10Best Readers’ Choice travel awards, highlighting “the best of the best” in categories such as food and drink, hotels and things to do. Among the winners this year are two Sonoma County wineries.
Windsor’s Bricoleur Vineyards and Healdsburg’s Orsi Family Vineyards were named among the 10 Best New Wineries of 2022 — Orsi came in on No. 8 and Bricoleur on No. 9. Nominees within this category, like other 10Best categories, were chosen by a panel of USA Today experts. Readers were then allowed to vote once per category, per day, for four weeks before the contest closed and the winners were announced.
“After opening the doors of our first dedicated tasting room and winery in Healdsburg only one year ago, we couldn’t be prouder of this accolade,” said Bernie Orsi, owner of Orsi Family Vineyards.
Orsi, whose roots trace to Italy’s Lucca region, began his winemaking career by planting Sangiovese and Montepulciano grapes 25 years ago. His winery and tasting room, located in the former Geyser Peak Winery just west of downtown Healdsburg, serves 11 estate-grown, limited production Italian wines, including rare varietals such as Biancolella, Schioppettino and Negroamaro. (The winery’s 2018 Schioppettino was awarded Double Gold and Best of Class in The Press Democrat’s 2022 North Coast Wine Challenge.)
Food and wine pairing at Bricoleur Vineyards in Windsor. (Paige Green)Estate Sauvignon Blanc with Mussels and Roasted Estate Beets at Bricoleur Vineyards in Windsor. (Courtesy of Bricoleur Vineyards)
Mark and Elizabeth Wall Hanson and daughter Sarah Hanson Citron opened their Bricoleur visitor center in 2020, just before COVID-19 ground tastings and group gatherings to a halt. They had transformed a horse ranch with vineyards into an outdoor haven for visitors, with a lake, culinary garden, rose garden and a shaded pavilion.
As it turned out, Bricoleur’s outdoor setting was ideal for pandemic-times tastings and the winery soon earned recognition for its food and wine pairings. The new Rooted tasting experience pairs small-plate courses with estate-grown wines from the Russian River Valley vineyard and the Hanson-owned Kick Ranch in the Fountaingrove AVA. The current menu includes Kick Ranch Sauvignon Blanc with Organic Fennel Nage with Mussels and Clams; and Estate Pinot Noir with Anson Mills Organic Spelt Risotto, local mushrooms and smoked bacon lardon.
“I’m so proud of our team,” said Mark Hanson about the USA Today 10Best award. “Our chefs are so creative and, working in sync with our farmer, they’ve crafted innovative estate-to-plate dishes that complement our wines … and our hospitality team welcomes every guest like family.”
Stone Ashe Vineyards in Hendersonville, North Carolina, took the No. 1 spot on USA Today’s 10 Best New Wineries list. See the full list here.
Sofia Englund and Linda Murphy contributed to this article.
Bricoleur Vineyards is open 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Thursday – Monday by appointment only; reservations can be made by visiting bricoleurvineyards.com or by calling 707-857-5700. 7394 Starr Road in Windsor, bricoleurvineyards.com
The Orsi Family Vineyards tasting room is open 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Thursday – Monday. Reservations and walk-ins are welcome. 2306 Magnolia Drive, Healdsburg, 707-732-4660, orsifamilyvineyards.com
The patio at Layla restaurant at MacArthur Place in Sonoma. (Courtesy of MacArthur Place)
The upscale Layla restaurant at MacArthur Place in Sonoma is temporarily closed.
Brunch, lunch and dinner service are on hold, although guests of the hotel can have breakfast at the restaurant. Layla is slated to reopen “before Labor Day weekend” according to publicists, with a new menu from Executive Chef Jordan Hoffman. The Bar at MacArthur also is closed to outside visitors but remains open for guests.
Outdoor dining area at Layla restaurant at MacArthur Place in Sonoma. (Karyn Millet/MacArthur Place)Breakfast at MacArthur Place Hotel and Spa in Sonoma. (Emma K. Morris)
The renovated hotel and spa have been through a tough few years, after the parent company, IMH Financial Group, entered into bankruptcy protection in 2020 and COVID-19 temporarily closed the restaurant.
