Page 156 – Sonoma Magazine

Interior Designer Shares His Favorite Sonoma Spots

February 2022

By Karen Kizer

Cesar Chaves creates beautiful home interiors, but he describes his own tastes as “kind of simple.” But subdued and simple doesn’t mean plain, he explains. His favorite piece of furniture, a sideboard he found on Craigslist and restored with paint in a bold, geometric pattern, shines with black-and-white drama.

As a young design school grad, Chavez built his business making over inexpensive furniture finds in YouTube videos. Now, he has a roster of personal clients and is the lead designer at custom home builder Salt Shed Design Build.

For the new year, Chavez recommends brightening the mood with new colors or accent walls. And he often looks for taller, more substantial interior plants in pretty pots or baskets to combat the post-holiday bareness that comes from newly-undecked halls. Of course, also in his new-year renewal toolkit is a method with the simplest of roots: “Maybe it’s time for a spring cleaning,” he says.

Click through the gallery above to read about some of the designer’s favorite local spots.

3 Favorite Pét-Nat Sparklers from Sonoma County

February 2022

By Stacy Briscoe

Yearning for a new sparkler? “Pét-nat” or pétillant naturel wines are light, playful sparklers generally produced via a single fermentation in the bottle. “It is a freshly fermented wine, bottled with still-active yeast present, giving the wine its natural sparkle,” says La Prenda Wines winemaker Mike Cox. Cox explains that traditional sparkling wines age for 12 to 24 months, which is great for the complexity of the wine, but means it can lose a bit of that snappy, fresh feel. Pét-nats have that crisp character in spades.

Pét-nat styles also bring out fruity, aromatic flavors, so winemakers often like to experiment with grapes other than traditional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Cindy Cosco, owner and winemaker of Passaggio Wines, made her 2019 pét-nat with Grenache Blanc. “These varieties have high acid, nice flavors, perfect for a sparkling base,” she says.

Because each bottle undergoes its own separate fermentation process, each bottle of pét-nat is unique, explains Cosco. And pét-nats often have an extra-big rush of bubbles upon opening. “I tell people who buy a bottle, stand back when you’re opening it. That thing—it can gush out pretty quickly,” she says.

Though this method of winemaking dates back to the early days of French wine production, there are no set rules about how exactly the wine style is produced. That’s lucky for Two Shepherds owner and winemaker William Allen. In the fall of 2020, he had to take a different route to create his popular canned pét-nat, Natty Pets. “We were planning to pick our Picpoul, had lined up a canning date—and then the firestorms happened. We had to do about half our harvesting in two days. There was no way we could stop and do the canning.”

To save the harvest, Allen froze the juice. Once things settled, he defrosted it, fermented it, then did a forced carbonation before canning the wine. “Our biggest driver is a consistent positive wine experience,” he says. “A lot of people think that this is the best of our three sparkling wines.”

Three to try

Passaggio Wines 2019 Grenache Blanc Pétillant Naturel

Aromatic with notes of white blossom, citrus and stone fruits, the palate is quite dry. “It’s almost like a very light, aromatic beer,” says winemaker Cindy Cosco. “I really like the bubbles on this.” Cosco says it’s great with brunch or a simple cheese platter, enjoyed with friends.

$30, 707-548-5366, passaggiowines.com

Two Shepherds Wine 2020 Natty Pets

Made from 100% Picpoul. “What better grape to use for sparkling wine than something called ‘the lipstinger?’” says winemaker William Allen. His canned pet-nat is bright, fresh, and dry, with just a touch of texture from 12 days of skin contact. Allen enjoys it as an aperitif, but also recommends it with sushi, ceviche, and empanadas.

$11 per 375-ml can, 415-613-5731, twoshepherds.com

La Prenda Wines 2020 Carneros Pétillant-Naturel “Cadillac”

A blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, winemaker Mike Cox describes this sparkler as fresh and fruity with lots of crushed strawberry and floral aromas. “It’s crisp—but not tart,” he says. Cox loves it with charcuterie from Salumeria Ovello on West Napa Street in downtown Sonoma.

$28, 707-938-7228, laprendawine.com

Where to See Steelhead Runs in Sonoma County

February 2022

By Nate Seltenrich

Approximately ten thousand steelhead smolts, from the Warm Springs Fish Hatchery, are released into the Russian River at the Healdsburg Veterans’ Memorial Beach Dam Fish Ladder in Healdsburg on Monday, January 24, 2022. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat)

Celebrating the return of spawning steelhead trout to the Russian River and its tributary creeks is a wintertime rite of passage in Sonoma.

And despite all that has changed in our world and theirs recently, the steelhead still run. While the annual festival remains on hold, those of us who could benefit from a reminder of their mighty resilience (that’s everyone, truly) can still seek out the chance to see spawning wild steelhead this February, near the peak of the run. Watch for them in Santa Rosa Creek, especially below Spring Lake near Summerfield Road; in Sonoma Creek, up as far as Sugarloaf Ridge State Park; and in Copeland Creek, near Sonoma State University.

“In general, when you’re going to see these fish is early mornings or late evenings. That’s when they’re going to be the most active,” advises Darrick Muir, senior hatchery supervisor at Lake Sonoma’s Warm Springs Fish Hatchery.

Steelhead move stealthily through urban sections of creeks: “Because of the lack of tree cover, they’ll scoot through quickly, late at night.” Take care not to disturb the fish, and be flexible — nature may not always cooperate.

On the Russian River itself, other potential areas to spot both wild and hatchery-raised steelhead include the fish ladder next to Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach, at least during low flows, and way out at the mouth of the river, from atop the coastal bluffs around Jenner. “You’ll see V shapes where they’re swimming through, sometimes in the waves,” Muir says. Or, from a kayak, if the water is clear, look below the water’s surface for lines in the sand on the river bottom — trails that mark the first steps of an ancient journey.

Local Winery Helps Rescue Adorable Baby Owls, Watch the Video

February 2022

By Dana Rebmann

Remember those early days of shelter-in-place when we couldn’t get enough of animal livestreams?

One of our favorite pastimes in the spring of 2020 was watching a YouTube video called “Relax With Sheep.” Filmed at Shafer Vineyards, the video stars a herd of sheep grazing between the vines at the Napa winery estate. The video, which is six hours long, turned out to be a great distraction; the sheep’s baas served as a soothing ambient sound.

Judging by the sheep video’s 315,715 views and 263 comments, it was also a hit with others — The New York Times even wrote an article about it.

Now, two years into the pandemic, Shafer Vineyards just released another animal video with a high cuteness factor.

After months of filming and editing, the Napa winery recently posted a four-part video series on their Instagram and Facebook pages that follows the rescue and rehabilitation of two adorable baby owls. On Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, Shafer Vineyards debuted a seven-minute version of the video on their YouTube channel.

The two great horned owls were rescued by volunteers from the Napa Wildlife Rescue (NWR) last March after they fell from their nests. They were rehabilitated together and then spent time on a sanctuary at the Shafer Vineyards estate before their release. The sanctuary had been donated to the wildlife rescue in 2016.

“We had a four-acre parcel that would do NWR more good than it would ever do us,” said Doug Shafer, president of Shafer Vineyards. “We met with them and learned they could use it as a rehabilitation site. It was an easy decision to donate the land for that purpose.”

Shafer Vineyards and the Napa Wildlife Rescue formed a partnership and the vineyard sanctuary now serves as a temporary home for rescued animals before they are released back into the wild. The volunteers and staff at the Napa Wildlife Rescue work around the clock to rehabilitate orphaned and wounded wildlife. The video provides a behind-the-scenes look at the nonprofit and its work.

Like the sheep that graze the Shafer estate, owls and other birds of prey play an important role in the winery’s efforts to sustainably farm and manage its more than 200 acres of vineyards.

“Raptors such as owls and hawks have been our partners in sustainable farming since the 1980s,” said Shafer. “More than 30 years ago, we erected hawk perches and owl nesting boxes in our vineyards to encourage raptors to find a home here and control the population of gophers and moles that would chew up vine roots.”

NWR relies on the support of volunteers and donations to protect wildlife. Follow the organization’s work on Instagram and Facebook.

Healdsburg’s Lo & Behold’s Hi-Lo Menu and Craft Cocktails Rule

February 2022

By Heather Irwin

“You have to try the chicken tenders,” says Lo & Behold owner Tara Heffernon as she mixes cocktails at the new bar and restaurant in Healdsburg.

My face wrinkles into a grimace. I don’t do chicken tenders. (OK, I do, but only in the privacy of my own home.) My husband spoils the ruse, exclaiming excitedly that yes, we would love the chicken tenders! Philistine.

However, these are no children’s-menu frozen-mystery-meat creations. They are Chef Sean Raymond Kelley’s “Almost Famous” tenders ($14), and they are the juiciest strips of crunchy, salty, fried chicken bits I’ve ever had. Dipped in homemade ranch with a side of pickles, they’re worthy of a standing ovation. Perhaps that’s my fourth cocktail talking, but dang, they’re tasty.

Heffernon opened Lo & Behold in January with co-owners Laura Sanfilippo and Kelley. The debut marked the return of two of the four founders of Duke’s Spirited Cocktails, a groundbreaking Healdsburg bar co-owned by Heffernon, Sanfilippo and their former business partners Cappy Sorentino and Steven Maduro. The four founders abruptly walked away from Duke’s in April 2021, after a rift with founding investor David Ducommon and just weeks before opening a second business, Burdock, with Kelley as the chef. (Ducommon opened Burdock with Michael Richardson as general manager and Chef Michael Pihl in June 2021.)

L & B Chilcano at Lo & Behold in Healdsburg. Heather Irwin, Press Democrat — L & B Chilcano at Lo & Behold in Healdsburg. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)

Housemade noodles with kimchi butter at Lo & Behold in Healdsburg. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat) — Housemade noodles with kimchee butter at Lo & Behold in Healdsburg. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)

After departing Duke’s, Sanfilippo said she and Heffernon didn’t have clear plans. Yet they jumped at the opportunity to open a new bar and restaurant when Mateo’s Cocina Latina closed just blocks from their old space. Lo & Behold went from concept to reality in less than six months. Kelley joined in to run the kitchen, and they raised $750,000 from family, friends and patrons for the new place.

The whole adventure is a complicated story with more twists and turns than a taffy pull. In a nutshell, Sorentino and Maduro have gone on to other projects but will likely appear behind the bar at Lo & Behold from time to time, according to Heffernon. The remaining trio — Heffernon, Sanfilippo and Kelley — has created a welcoming and inclusive space with a terrifically delicious menu of dishes at a range of prices, a heady cocktail list and a lively and lovely outdoor patio that’s already become a hot spot.

Belly up to this fun and utterly irreverent bar, because your mind is about to be blown with more than chicken tenders.

Here’s the lineup of best bets (however, after several hours of eating and drinking, we only got through a tiny portion of all that is available). Be sure to make a reservation before you go because already the word is out and the tables are hard to come by (though the bar is always first come, first served).

The food

Kelley’s menu spans the globe, with American, Mexican, Greek, Chinese and Southeast Asian dishes. Meat eaters and vegetarians alike will find plenty on the menu, along with several gluten-free dishes. All ingredients, however, are not listed on the menu, so do alert your server to allergies.

Crab Rangoon Dip, $18: This mix of crab, cream cheese, scallions and crispy wontons has long been my favorite on Chinese restaurant menus. Like fortune cookies, it has no real history in Chinese cuisine, but it doesn’t mean you can’t love it. This deconstructed version is heavenly, with creamy crabby dip and fried wontons for dipping. Can’t stop, won’t stop eating this. Find it in the “fresh seafood” section of the menu that includes oysters, shrimp cocktail and mussels.

Crispy Pork Spareribs, $19: Fried pork is always a good thing, and the tender meat of these ribs falls off the bone with the first bite. The salty-sweet black bean sauce should be bottled and sold. This dish has so much delicious umami it should have a warning label.

Winter Greens, $14: A messy bowl of bitter winter greens hides cheese-filled pierogi that are both soft and slightly chewy, precisely as they should be. Salty sesame brown butter brings the puffy jacket of the dish together.

Housemade Noodles, $16: Absolutely nothing compares to fresh noodles, and these cloudlike strands are perfectly cooked. Bathed in kimchi butter and black vinegar, they bite back with enough heat and sourness to be irresistible.

Chum Bucket of Fries, $6: The name says it all. These and a few $4 High Life beers are all you need for an afternoon of self-care. Take that, Beverly Healdsburg!

The drinks

Cocktails don’t take a back seat here. They’re front and center and put together with the same focused intensity and fun as the food menu. You’ll struggle to find a favorite, but that’s sort of the point. Drink up!

Phatty Margarita, $14: This margarita is phat. Imagine the usual margarita ingredients: tequila, Cointreau and lime, but with a round, creamy swerve. Avocado and coconut oil are the secret, along with a naughty little chicharron perched on top.

World’s Best Vodka Soda, $12: Locally made Young & Yonder vodka is the base for this drink, with “improved seltzer” and unicorn tears (it’s a tedious process, according to Heffernon). It is the best vodka soda, without a doubt, primarily because of the unicorn tears.

L & B Chilcano: Pisco sour-ish with the extra sour of golden gooseberry, lime and bitters, along with the bar’s ginger brew. Sans egg whites. Mind blown.

Overall, there’s so much to love about the return of these hometown gals who’ve made creative cocktails their stock and trade. The addition of Kelley’s kitchen expertise makes Lo & Behold an instant Healdsburg icon.

Lo & Behold, 214 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-756-5021, loandbeholdca.com. Open 11:30 a.m. to midnight Thursday through Monday.

New Brunch Pop-Up at Santa Rosa’s Spinster Sisters

February 2022

By Heather Irwin

Lox bagel from Marla Bakery pop-up at Spinster Sisters in Santa Rosa. (Courtesy of Marla Bakery)

Holy homemade bagels and challah, it’s a weekend brunch takeover at Santa Rosa’s Spinster Sisters (401 S. A St.).

Husband-and-wife-owned Marla_SR bakery will be bringing the goods to a pop-up each weekend from Sunday through May 8 at the restaurant in the South of A Street arts district. They’ll serve fresh-baked sticky buns, challah French toast and a rotating menu of breakfast sandwiches, salads and bagel plates with farmer’s cheese, smoked trout and pickles.

Larger dishes include an English muffin breakfast sandwich with apple cider-glazed pork belly, orange flannel hash, caramelized onion aioli, fried egg and Mizuna salad; oatmeal toast with almond butter and honey; and baked eggs with spring onion and potato cream, Marla chile crisp and griddled Marla bread. They also will sell fresh bread and pastries on the weekends until they sell out, along with coffee and espresso.

Crebble, a croissant-like muffin covered with with maple sugar and sea salt from Marla Bakery. (Marla Bakery) — Crebble, a croissant-like muffin covered with cinnamon and sugar, from Marla Bakery. (Courtesy of Marla Bakery)

Amy Brown and Joe Wolf previously owned Marla Bakery in San Francisco and gained a huge following for their classic Jewish breads, pies, croissants and unique inventions, including the Crebble, a croissant-like muffin covered with cinnamon and sugar.

The couple moved to Santa Rosa in 2019 and opened a new bakery in Windsor in 2020.

Reservations are recommended, go to exploretock.com and search for Marla_SR. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Sonoma’s Girl and the Fig Restaurant Brings Back Favorites From the Past

February 2022

By Heather Irwin

Sonoma’s historic Girl and the Fig restaurant will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year with 25 ticketed dinners that will highlight favorite menus from the restaurant’s past.

The first dinner is set for 6 – 9 p.m. March 6. It will feature a throwback menu from 2007 that includes rock shrimp cake with buttered cabbage, preserved lemons, celery root rémoulade and sherry glaze; grilled pork chop with cheddar beet gratin, braised greens, lardons and mustard sauce; and butterscotch pot de crème with an almond lace cookie. Two glasses of house wine for each guest are included.

Chef Sondra Bernstein founded the Girl and the Fig in Glen Ellen; it’s now located at the Sonoma Plaza, where it moved in 2000. The restaurant’s French-influenced menu, extensive wine list and cozy outdoor patio has made it a popular Wine Country destination. Bernstein retired from day-to-day operations in 2021, handing over the reins to founding chef and collaborator John Toulze. The anniversary dinners will be held at 21800 Schellville Road, Sonoma. Tickets are $65 per person. Reservations are required and can be made at bit.ly/3oS9JuL.

It’s FeBREWary in Sonoma County. Here’s Where to Celebrate

February 2022

By Linda Murphy

Fraser Ross pours a beer for the Friday crowd at Fogbelt Brewing Company in Santa Rosa. (Conner Jay/The Press Democrat)

Although the omicron variant surge forced Russian River Brewing Co. to postpone the Feb. 4 release of its revered Pliny the Younger triple IPA until late March, there’s no reason for anyone to cry in their beer: FeBREWary is here.

Each February, Visit Santa Rosa and local breweries collaborate to offer the Santa Rosa Beer Passport, a month-long series of tastings and events. Pick up free passports at any of the participating breweries and a handful of other businesses, visit the taprooms, enjoy a pint and get the passport stamped. Eleven or more stamps earns you a commemorative Santa Rosa Beer Passport bottle opener medal and lanyard.

To me, the bling is not the thing. The best thing about the passport is that it guides craft-brew buffs to many of Sonoma’s most inventive, cutting-edge breweries that also embrace old-school beer-making traditions in producing their pilsners, IPAs, sours and stouts. And passport breweries pull out all the stops during FeBREWary, with new and seasonal beer releases, comedy nights, contests and food trucks. It’s an offshoot of SF Beer Week, Feb. 11-22 this year, but Santa Rosa Beer Passport extends the “week” to a full month.

The two-week celebratory release of Russian River Brewing’s Pliny the Younger is now scheduled for March 25 to April 7, after the FeBREWary window closes. Yet Vinnie and Natalie Cilurzo’s RRBC taprooms in Windsor and downtown Santa Rosa will do their share of passport stamping through Feb. 28 and draw another round of locals and visitors to Sonoma County seeking sips of the internationally acclaimed Pliny. It’s a win-win for all.

A must-visit in February

Perhaps the most ambitious celebrant of FeBREWary and Santa Rosa Beer Passport is Iron Ox Brewing in Santa Rosa. Kevin Robinson established the company in 2015, first calling it Plow Brewing Co. and doing most of the interior construction and brew system assembly himself. In 2000, sales manager Vince Ferracuti became a partner and the name was changed to Iron Ox, a reference to their stamina and will to endure wildfires, the pandemic and new-business challenges.

“We scheduled an April 10 (2020) party to introduce the change from Plow to Ox,” Ferracuti said. But on March 17, statewide shelter-in-place orders shut down the hospitality side of the business. When breweries could finally reopen, it had to be outdoors.

“After a year of being closed, we got a tent permit for behind the taproom,” Ferracuti explained of the brewery on Industrial Drive in west Santa Rosa. “(FeBREWary) this year marks the first time we’ll serve indoors since the pandemic. We extended the horseshoe tasting bar (to run) along one wall, adding a few more seats. We’ll still have events in the tent, but also an indoor option.”

Iron Ox has packed February with several beer releases, including Smart Feller Triple IPA, Scythe Imperial Porter, Monkey With A Long Tail West Coast IPA, Oxytocin Raw IPA, Dieci-Lire Italian Lager and Star-View Hazy IPA. Come for the brews and stay for the Ro-Sham-Bo Tournament (Feb. 12), the Meatless Saturday Vulture Foods food truck (Feb. 19) and Comedy Night on Feb. 26.

3334 Industrial Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-843-4583, ironoxbeer.com

Other notable Passport participants

Bear Republic Brewing Co.: The Norgrove family and their master brewer, Rich “Ricardo” Norgrove, produce their flagship Racer 5 IPA and a couple dozen other ales in Cloverdale, having outgrown their original downtown Healdsburg location. The place to taste their brews and enjoy elevated pub grub is their Rohnert Park taproom and restaurant, which is dog-friendly (there’s plenty of outdoor seating and a dog park next door). The brewery is pouring three new releases in February: Spawn of Yaga Imperial Stout and two throwback beers from their Origins Series — the Hop Rod Rye IPA and the Black Racer IPA. There will be live music in the beer garden on Feb. 20 and 27, Pizza and Pints on Wednesdays and Trivia Night on Thursdays.

5000 Roberts Lake Road, Rohnert Park, 707-585-2722, bearrepublic.com; cruisinnorth.com/index.php/cruisin-bear-republic

Fogbelt Brewing Co.: Owners Remy Martin and Paul Hawley celebrated their eighth year in business together with a Saturday, Feb. 12 anniversary party at their Santa Rosa taproom. FeBREWary is devoted to new releases at Fogbelt, with the Godwood Triple IPA dropping Feb. 12 (Fogbelt beers are named for coastal trees), right after the Tree 76, a hazy IPA. On Saturday, Feb. 19, two exotic, barrel-aged beers will take the spotlight: Big Tree Imperial Stout, aged in bourbon barrels and blended with Candy Cap mushrooms and toasted pecans; and Methuselah Barrel Aged Sour with added zinfandel juice. The grain-fermented fun continues to Feb. 20 with bacon and beer pairings.

1305 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-978-3400, fogbeltbrewing.com

HenHouse Brewing Co.: This brewery, which began on a small scale in Petaluma and expanded to a larger facility in Santa Rosa, celebrates its “Stoked on 10” decade anniversary during FeBREWary. Ten beers brewed specifically for Stoked on 10, some made in collaboration with other brewers throughout the U.S. (and one in England), have been released since early January, and now’s the time to get them before they’re gone. The Big Chicken Double IPA was let out of its cage on Tuesday, Feb. 8.

322 Bellevue Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-978-4577, henhousebrewing.com

Old Possum Brewing: Beer tastes best when it’s accompanied by live music, and Old Possum delivers the combo on the evenings of Friday, Saturday and Feb. 25 and 26. Performers include Jacob Philip Benning, Brian Francis Baudoin, Nick Foxer and Dan Martin. The beer? La Rosita Lager and La Rosa Negra are special pours until Feb. 20; Interstellar Stout is now out in cans and Tonic Immobility IIIPA releases Friday, Feb. 11.

57 Sutton Place, Santa Rosa, 707-303-7177, oldpossumbrewing.com

More Passport participating breweries

Cooperage Brewing Co., 981 Airway Court, Suite G, Santa Rosa, 707-293-9787, cooperagebrewing.com

Moonlight Brewing Co., 3350 Coffey Lane, Suites A and D, Santa Rosa, 707-755-4951, moonlightbrewing.com

Old Caz Beer, 5625 State Farm Drive, Rohnert Park, 707-978-3974, oldcaz.com

Russian River Brewing Co., 725 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-545-2337; 700 Mitchell Lane, Windsor, 707-545-2337; russianriverbrewing.com

Seismic Brewing Co., The Barlow, 6700 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol, 707-544-5996, seismicbrewingco.com

Shady Oak Barrel House, 420 First St., Santa Rosa, 707-575-7687, shadyoakbarrelhouse.com

Steele & Hops Public House, 1901 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-523-2201, steeleandhops.com

Third Street Aleworks, 610 Third St., Santa Rosa, 707-523-3060, thirdstreetaleworks.com

3 Disciples Brewing, 501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-978-2459, 3dbrews.com

In addition to the breweries, you also can pick up passports at:

Belly Left Coast Kitchen & Taproom, 523 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-526-5787, bellyleftcoastkitchenandtaproom.com

Brew Coffee and Beer House, 555 Healdsburg Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-303-7372, brewcoffeeandbeer.com

Wilibees Wines & Spirts, 700 Third St., Santa Rosa, 707-978-3779, wilibees.com

Wilibees Wines & Spirits, 309 Lakeville St., Petaluma, 707-762-2042, wilibees.com

For information all in one place, go to visitsantarosa.com/beerpassport.

Chef Yotam Ottolenghi Comes to Santa Rosa’s Luther Burbank Center

February 2022

By Heather Irwin

Chef Yotam Ottolenghi. (Courtesy of Luther Burbank Center for the Arts)

Internationally known chef and educator Yotam Ottolenghi will join Forestville’s Chef Daniel Kedan at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts on May 6 for a discussion about how we eat.

Called one of the most innovative chefs and food writers of the past decade, Ottolenghi emphasizes a mix of philosophy, cooking and commonality in international cuisines that has resonated with millions.

Ottolenghi’s grilled aubergine with za’atar yogurt and pomegranate seeds. (Shutterstock)

With a focus on Middle East-influenced vegetarian and vegan cooking, the Israel-born British chef has authored several cookbooks, including “Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London’s Ottolenghi,” “Jerusalem: A Cookbook” and his newest title, “Shelf Love: Recipes to Unlock the Secrets of Your Pantry, Fridge, and Freezer.”

Tickets for the event are $39- $59, with VIP tickets for $99. Get tickets online at lutherburbankcenter.org, by calling 707-546-3600 or at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts ticket office (50 Mark West Springs Road in Santa Rosa).

A Dream Wedding at Sonoma’s Buena Vista Winery

February 2022

By Mya Constantino

In the spring of 2014, when Sumayah Rahman, a data scientist from Florida, and Doug Townsend, now a graduate student at the University of Texas at Austin, were each selected as finalists at a big research competition, they had no idea they’d meet their soulmate. But during a networking session the two ended up talking the entire time, bonding over a love of innovation. Later that day, Doug was named the winner of the competition, and Sumayah came in second.

In 2015, the couple, who began dating shortly after the competition ended, visited Sonoma County to go on a tour of local wineries. In the years that followed, Sonoma became the place that they visited together for tastings, hikes, and, their favorite of all, picnics. “We were long distance at the time, so whenever we’d meet in Sonoma, we cherished that time together,” Sumayah says. “It became our place.”

The couple knew they wanted an intimate and simple wedding ceremony, so when they found Buena Vista Winery, a venue rich in history and beauty, the choice was obvious. “We didn’t go over the top with decorations because of the natural beauty of the venue,” Sumayah explains. “Sonoma is meaningful to us, so it was perfect,” Doug adds.

The weekend of the wedding, the couple and their families and friends took a laid-back approach to celebrating, kicking back for hours outside on the patio of their rental house, eating, drinking, listening to music, and simply unwinding. “My dad was the chef that day, so he kept the food and drinks flowing,” Sumayah laughs. “That was one of my favorite parts. I loved being around everyone. It was special.”

The ceremony itself was a joyous event that offered several nods to the unusual way the couple first got together. A friend read a passage by astronomer Carl Sagan about the cosmos and the endless mysteries of life and love. Later, during the reception, Sumayah and Doug displayed the same original research posters they presented at that competition back in 2014 — with a first-place ribbon on one and a second-place on the other. “That really underscored the origin of our story, of bonding through science,” says Sumayah.

Sumayah wore a traditional saree wedding dress and intricate Mehndi henna designs on her hands. “It’s for good luck,” she explains. “The darker the color of the henna, the longer the marriage.”

As the warm August light faded into dusk outside the historic winery, the DJ opened the dance floor with “Uptown Funk,” a song that was released the same year the couple first met. Family and friends danced the night away in the courtyard under arching trees and twinkling lights. The couple say their wedding was everything they’d hoped for: intimate, simple, and elegant. Doug may have taken home the blue ribbon that spring day back in 2014 — but in meeting each other, they both won.