How to Celebrate Black History Month in Sonoma County

Eki Shola, front, sings and plays keyboards with Michael Fortunato, back left, playing saxophone, at the Out There Exposition in Santa Rosa on Sunday, April 29, 2018. (DARRYL BUSH/ FOR THE PRESS DEMOCRAT)

Black History Month has been celebrated in the United States for more than 50 years. The first event took place in February 1970 at Ohio’s Kent State University. Six years later, in 1976, the monthlong celebration of Black history and the achievements of Black Americans was officially recognized by President Gerald Ford. But the story of Black History Month began decades earlier.

In 1915, Carter G. Woodson formed the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). (The organization is now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, or ASALH.) Dr. Woodson, a scholar and the second African-American, after W.E.B. DuBois, to obtain a PhD degree at Harvard, wanted to honor Black history and heritage and ensure that these were recognized as a significant part of American culture. Under his leadership, the ASNLH created research and publication outlets for Black scholars with the establishment of the Journal of Negro History in 1916 and the Negro History Bulletin in 1937.

In February 1926, Dr. Woodson established Negro History Week. (He chose the month of February because it is the month in which both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln were born.) The weeklong celebration, which included historical performances, lectures and parades, became the precursor to Black History Month — Dr. Woodson aspired to expand the observance as he wanted Americans to learn about Black history throughout the year, not just during one week.

At the time of Dr. Woodson’s death in 1950, mayors across the country supported Negro History Week. The celebration gained momentum in the following two decades and eventually evolved into Black History Month. Fifty years after Dr. Woodson announced the first Negro History Week, President Ford recognized Black History Month “as an important element of the nation’s bicentennial celebrations” and urged all Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

On January 31, President Biden made his second proclamation in support of Black History Month. The official statement noted that while the United States was founded on the idea that “all of us are created equal and deserve to be treated with equal dignity throughout our lives,” the country has often failed to live up to that promise.

“The long shadows of slavery, Jim Crow, and redlining — and the blight of systemic racism that still diminishes our Nation today — hold America back from reaching our full promise and potential,” the proclamation read. “But by facing those tragedies openly and honestly and working together as one people to deliver on America’s promise of equity and dignity for all, we become a stronger Nation — a more perfect version of ourselves.”

Honoring Black History Month in Sonoma County

Black History Month is celebrated in a variety of ways across the United States and in Sonoma County this February. The theme for this year’s Black History Month is “Black Health and Wellness” and it acknowledges the contributions of Black Americans to the medical field as well as racial inequalities within the health care system.

On Feb. 26, Petaluma Blacks for Community Development (PBCD) will host a virtual event and exhibit in collaboration with the Sonoma County Library to address this year’s theme through music, dance and a discussion among a panel of local medical practitioners.

Faith Ross, co-founder and vice president of PBCD, is organizing the event and exhibit, which she said will pinpoint some of the causes of racial disparities within health care and highlight the progress that has been made in this area.

“Our exhibit this year is Black health and wellness, and so we’re looking at the factors that created some of the problems for Black people and of course the start of that was slavery,” she said.

Ross said that the enslavement of Black people combined with the challenges, suffering and injustices of the Jim Crow era have created lasting trauma that continues to impact both the mental and physical health of Black Americans. 

“But on the other side of that was the total resilience of Black people in their determination to make it in this new country,” Ross continued. “And so we’re talking a lot about the Black scientists and medical people and the hospitals that they created and how we brought so much to American history — we call it Black history but it really is American history.”

Faith Ross, president of Petaluma Blacks for Community Development stands in front of the Petaluma Historical Library Museum where the annual program for Black History Month would normally take place but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the nonprofit decided to hold a virtual event this weekend. (CRISSY PASCUAL/ARGUS-COURIER STAFF)
Faith Ross, vice president of Petaluma Blacks for Community Development. (Crissy Pascual/Petaluma Argus-Courier)

Ross and her colleagues at PBCD are assembling a panel of medical professionals from around the county for their virtual event, along with several other special guests who will provide entertainment and edifying conversation. 

Guest speakers and performers will include Bay Area gospel and R&B singer Sharon D. Henderson; Petaluma-based poet, rapper and educator Kayatta; and former professional football player, mental health advocate and author of the children’s book “Carter: My Dream, My Reality” Tyrell Zimmerman. Representatives from PBCD’s Grapevine Youth Leadership Program will also present a special video during the event. (Learn more about this event and register here.) 

A series of events

Throughout Black History Month, Sonoma State University will be hosting a series of events, both virtual and in-person. Mendel Murray, a professional academic advisor at SSU, said this year’s celebration is centered on the theme of Black pride, and there will be plenty of opportunities for students and community members to participate. 

“I want for those that are part of the Black or African-American community to take away some sort of pride and joy for where you come from,” Murray said. “I think for those that are not a part of that community to just be aware of some of the issues that people in the Black community are facing and really just be an ally to us — understanding our issues and being by our side as we’re going through life.”

Murray believes that learning about our history and background is fundamental to understanding who we are: We need to know where we came from in order to have a better understanding of where we are going. And by taking the time to listen to those from different backgrounds we can learn something about who they are and where they came from; we can understand them better and also be able to better support them. 

“It’s just listening more than you speak,” he said. “Everyone has a voice, everyone has something that they want to say. But I think that when it comes to this conversation of race and different cultures, it’s really about letting the people who’ve been oppressed speak.”

Rohnert Park Vice Mayor and City Councilmember Jackie Elward. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat)
The Black History Month events at SSU include a virtual conversation with Rohnert Park Mayor Jackie Elward. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)

The university kicked off the monthlong celebration with an opening ceremony on Feb. 1 centered around the topic of perseverance. Keynote speaker, Dr. Sharon Fuller, a professor of women and gender studies, highlighted what the Black community has overcome and achieved. Other SSU events this month will include a virtual conversation with Rohnert Park Mayor Jackie Elward, free weekly yoga sessions, movie screenings, reading groups and an art night.

A closing ceremony will be held Feb. 25 from 7-8 p.m. at SSU’s Student Center in Ballroom A and will feature an open discussion on the topic “What it means to have Black pride.” (See the full list of SSU’s events here.)

Creating an anti-racism poster

The Sonoma County Library is hosting several virtual events during Black History Month, including family story times, book club meetings, documentary film discussions and more. (See the full list of the library’s events here.)

The library is also offering a “#GoodTrouble Action Pack” poster project for teens throughout the month. The project is in response to the Black Lives Matter poster that was found burned at the Sebastopol Regional Library last month, and the goal is to provide young people with the opportunity to speak out against racism with posters of their own, which will be displayed at libraries across the county. Students from grades seven to 12 can register for the library event to receive a free poster-making kit. 

There are a host of other ways to honor, celebrate and learn about Black history here in Sonoma County — whether it’s sitting down with a recommended book or movie or attending educational and interactive events. Below is a selection of virtual and in-person events, exhibits and performances you can attend this month.

Events

Rohnert Park City Council meeting – proclamation in support of Black History Month, Feb. 8

Rohnert Park Mayor Jackie Elward will announce a city proclamation in support of Black History Month at the council’s next meeting on Feb. 8 from 5-6 p.m. Join the meeting over Zoom here.

Family Storytime Celebrating Black History Month, Feb. 9

Join a Sonoma Library children’s librarian for an interactive Zoom story time celebrating Black History Month. Family story time includes reading, writing, songs and fun games to play together, for families and caregivers with children 0-6. This special family story time will be held virtually on Feb. 9 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Registration is required, and registration will close one hour prior to the story time. 

The Black Student-Athlete Experience, Maintaining Black Pride, Feb. 15

Dimitrous Chattman, former student athlete at San Jose State, will share the story of his transformative journey from educational to sports management with professional football teams and coaches. The talk will be held at Sonoma State’s Student Center in Ballroom B on Feb. 15 from 7-8 p.m. The event will also be livestreamed on Zoom.

1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park, 707-664-4246, studentcenter.sonoma.edu

African and African American Folktales, Feb. 16

Renowned storyteller Kirk Waller will share African and African-American folktales through music, song, movement and spoken word during a free virtual event hosted by Sonoma Library. The event will be held on Feb. 16 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Register for the event here.

Failures of School Desegregation, Feb. 23

Dr. Kayla Walters Doughty of Sonoma State University’s sociology department will facilitate a reading group workshop to discuss unequal education and some of the consequences of school segregation. The workshop will review selected works on school segregation during a Zoom meeting on Feb. 23 from 5-6:30 p.m. Register here to attend the free event.

Black & Politics with Rohnert Park Mayor Jackie Elward, Feb. 24

Join Sonoma State University’s Black Student Union and community in a discussion with Rohnert Park Mayor Jackie Elward as she shares her journey in politics. The event will take place on Feb. 24 from 2-3:30 p.m. in SSU’s HUB Cultural Center, in the Student Center’s Ballroom B.

1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park, 707-664-4246, hub.sonoma.edu

Boosting Resilience and Creativity with Dr. Eki’Shola Edwards, Feb. 25

Award-winning musician and lifestyle medicine physician Dr. Eki’Shola Edwards will share her personal story of resilience and hope along with simple techniques to foster creativity and wellness in a virtual presentation. The event will take place on Feb. 25 from 6-7 p.m. Learn more and register for the free event here.

Black History Month Closing Ceremony, Feb. 25

Sonoma State University will close out its month of celebrations with a closing ceremony focused on the topic of Black pride. Black-identified organizations on campus, along with other members of the student body and community, will highlight more of the achievements and successes of the Black community. The event will take place in SSU’s Student Center in Ballroom A on Feb. 25 from 7-8 p.m. The event will also be livestreamed here

1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park, 707-664-4246, studentcenter.sonoma.edu

Black History Month Celebration: Black Health and Wellness, Feb. 26

In collaboration with the Sonoma County Regional Library, Petaluma Blacks for Community Development is hosting a Black History Month celebration centered on the theme of “Black Health and Wellness.” A panel of local medical professionals will discuss racial disparities within the health care system, and special guests will provide engaging dialogue and entertainment through music, dance, readings and more. The event will happen over Zoom on Saturday, Feb. 26, from 6:30-8 p.m. Learn more and register here.

Exhibits

Black Health and Wellness, Feb. 12

Petaluma Blacks for Community Development is facilitating an exhibition on the theme of “Black Health and Wellness” at the Petaluma branch of the Sonoma County Regional Library, opening on Saturday, Feb. 12. The exhibit will feature historical and recent information on racial disparities within the health care system as well as the Black community’s numerous contributions to the medical field.

100 Fairgrounds Drive, Petaluma, 707-763-9801, sonomalibrary.org

Black and White in Black and White, Currently Online

The Petaluma Historical Library & Museum has a virtual exhibit of last year’s physical exhibit “Black and White in Black and White: Images of Dignity, Hope and Diversity in America,” curated by Douglas Keister. The exhibit includes information on Black history in America as well as historical photographs, music, biographies and interactive features. Explore the free virtual exhibit here.

20 Fourth St., Petaluma, 707-778-4398, petalumamuseum.com

Performances

American Rhapsody, Feb. 12-14

The Santa Rosa Symphony will host award-winning pianist Michelle Cann for a three-day concert covering the works of notable composers, including William Grant Still and Florence Price, both esteemed African-American composers whose work comprised many “firsts.” The concert will be held Feb. 12-14 in Weill Hall of Sonoma State University’s Green Music Center. Learn more and buy tickets here.

1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park, 707-664-4246, gmc.sonoma.edu

Fire Shut Up in My Bones, Feb. 12, 16

Rialto Cinemas is celebrating Black History Month with two encore screenings of award-winning composer Terence Blanchard’s “Fire Shut Up in My Bones.” The opera is an adaptation of Charles M. Blow’s memoir of the same name and follows the poignant, coming-of-age story of a young Black man from the south. It’s the first opera by a Black composer presented at The Met. The two encore showings will be held on Feb. 12 at 10 a.m. and on Feb. 16 at 1 p.m. Learn more and purchase tickets here.

6868 McKinley St., Sebastopol, 707-525-4840, rialtocinemas.com

A Radical Friendship, Feb. 19

The Congregation Shomrei Torah will host the performance of a play by Jane Marla Robbins that imagines Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel meeting to address civil rights issues and forming a special kinship. Nicholas Augusta and Robert Bauer will star in the two-person play and Raven Performing Arts Theater’s Artistic Director Steven David Martin will direct. The play will be performed Feb. 19 from 7-9 p.m. Learn more and register for the event here.

2600 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa, 707-578-5519, cstsr.org

The Most Romantic Restaurants in Sonoma County

The restaurant at Farmhouse Inn in Forestville. (Farmhouse Inn)

As Valentine’s Day nears and love is in the air, it might be time to plan ahead to take your sweetie out for a date. From a romantic spaghetti dinner to a hidden gem wine bar, there are plenty of romantic spots in Sonoma County for your night on the town. Click through the gallery above to see our top picks.

A Sonoma Valley Wedding With a View

Consider theirs a love story of multiple meetings and second chances. In 2017, Taña Recacho, who works in real estate, and Robert Zimmerman, a chief revenue officer for a technology company, first crossed paths at The Battery, a club in San Francisco. For nearly a year, the couple continued to run into each other at social events, but didn’t think much of it, explains Robert, who was raised in Australia. But in 2018, the two met up at the BottleRock music festival in Napa, and this time, something was different. They ended up spending the entire weekend together, both at the festival and at Robert’s home in Sonoma, a stunning spot perched high above the valley floor with treetop views for miles. And this time, the two fell in love.

Just a year later, time stood still as Robert proposed to Taña, just as the sun sunk down over Sonoma Valley. The couple say it was an easy decision to celebrate their wedding at home, where they first fell in love. “We have these two beautiful oak trees in our backyard where the sun peeks through the branches sometimes, and we thought, ‘This would be a spectacular place for a wedding,’” says Robert. “The property has a great energy about it, too.”

Photo by Claire Lewis, Tia & Claire Studio.
Taña and Robert’s wedding. (Photo by Claire Lewis, Tia & Claire Studio)
Photo by Claire Lewis, Tia & Claire Studio.
Photo by Claire Lewis, Tia & Claire Studio.

Taña had a vision of being surrounded by flowers throughout the day of the wedding. A lush ceremony arch of peonies, roses, and hydrangeas in nearly every shade of pink looked gorgeous against the backdrop of low stone walls and rolling oak woodlands. Verdant table arrangements incorporated even more roses and peonies in silver votives and low glass vases. The couple even had pink and white rose petals floating in the nearby swimming pool.

As the ceremony began in front of 20 vaccinated guests, Taña’s brother, Josiah, led the bride down the first part of the aisle, while her nephew, Andrew, joined her for the rest of the walk. Robert’s two grown children, Mason and Madison, were also present. “My son told me that his favorite part of the wedding was seeing how happy I was, waiting for her to walk down the aisle,” Robert says. The ceremony was led by Taña’s longtime best friend, one who gave her “stamp of approval” to Robert as a suitor early on in the relationship. After the couple said their vows, they took shots of tequila to launch into celebration mode.

As guests enjoyed dinner at long tables set up outdoors on the patio by the pool, the couple had their first dance to “Robarte un Beso” (Steal a Kiss From You) by Colombian singers Carlos Vives and Sebastián Yatra. The song has special meaning on several levels: Both Robert and Taña are half Colombian, and the song played on the radio during their car ride to BottleRock together. “We’d play it over and over again after hearing it when we first started dating. Robert would even sing it for me,” Taña laughs.

The couple spent the early evening hours enjoying cake and wine and connecting with their guests while two classical Spanish guitarists played softly in the background. Later, the newlyweds played pool with their families and opened gifts. Robert and Taña say the wedding weekend was everything they’d hoped for — an elegant celebration of love and second chances. “We’ve both been married before, so this relationship feels like we’re beginning again,” Robert explains. “It feels good to enter this new chapter of our lives.”

Resources

Photographer: Claire Lewis, Tia & Claire Studio 

Flowers: Tori Patocchi Floral Design 

Catering: Mazza Catering 

Cake: Patisserie Angelica 

Music: Daníel Fríes 

Hair/Makeup: It’s a Date at The Powder Room 

Wedding Dress: Lovely Bride 

Groom’s Suit: Brunello Cucinelli 

Wine: Scribe Winery, Opus One Winery

A Couple Combines Cultural Traditions at Their Sebastopol Wedding

Gauri and Jeremy’s celebrations began with a traditional Hindu ceremony officiated by Gauri’s father. Later, the couple changed into Western wedding clothes for a second ceremony led by Jeremy’s brother. (Photo by Aly Tovar)

“It was quite the planning adventure,” says bride Gauri Namkung of her May wedding to Jeremy Namkung at his parents’ home in Sebastopol. Gauri, an education researcher, and Jeremy, a music executive and rapper, met way back in 2009 at a teacher training program in Oakland, where they now live, and both taught at public schools there for several years.

But it was Sonoma where they felt they could pull off the wedding they’d always hoped for. After Jeremy proposed quietly in their Oakland apartment in February 2020 (“Just no big public proposals, please,” joked Gauri at the time), they tabled wedding planning as the unknowns of the pandemic took shape. “But after a while, we just decided that instead of waiting for that big wedding sometime in the future, we really just wanted to be married,” Gauri explains. They felt a smaller celebration at the rural home in Sebastopol where Jeremy grew up would fit the moment. “It just honestly felt like a different world up there, this place filled with rolling hills and trees—so beautiful,” says Gauri.

Photo by Aly Tovar.
Gauri and Jeremy. (Photo by Aly Tovar)
Photo by Aly Tovar.
Gauri and Jeremy. (Photo by Aly Tovar)

The couple mapped out a daylong event with a traditional three-hour Hindu ceremony in the morning, led by Gauri’s father, a priest, followed by a vegetarian lunch catered by a well-known South Bay chef originally from the Indian state of Maharashtra, where Gauri’s family has roots.

After a break to regroup and switch up some of the decor, the couple returned for a second, Western-style ceremony led by Jeremy’s brother. An evening wedding meal of Japanese noodles and sushi, also vegetarian in keeping with Marathi tradition, was served in individual wooden bento boxes.

Throughout the day, there were drinks and casual to-go snacks from a cocktail trailer parked at one end of the outdoor garden. “We created these smaller environments, special seating arrangements like little pods, which worked out well,” explains Gauri. “And then right before the wedding, most of the guests could be vaccinated. So those who felt comfortable could talk and move from pod to pod.”

Gauri and Jeremy. (Photo by Aly Tovar)
Gauri and Jeremy. (Photo by Aly Tovar)

To pull off a multicultural celebration that felt so deeply joyful in uncertain times felt like a victory for the couple. Jeremy, who is half Korean and half Canadian, enjoyed the process of researching and planning the Hindu ceremony and wearing the traditional kurta. “It was fun, and also very meaningful, for us to sit down together with Gauri’s parents and have them guide us through the rituals,” says Jeremy.

During the first ceremony, there was a quiet moment when the couple stood facing each other, surrounded by their guests, as a symbolic curtain was held up between them. “That was one of the times I could take a pause,” says Gauri. “And in that moment, I looked around and realized, ‘Oh my gosh, these are our people.’ I’ll never forget that.”

Resources

Planner: Samar Hattar, Blissful Events 

Photographer: Aly Tovar Photography 

Floral design: Angella Floral Design 

Marathi cuisine: Vishnuji Ki Rasoi 

Bento boxes: Ume Japanese Bistro

Cocktails: Wayfarer Mobile Bar Co. 

Hair and makeup: The Powder Room 

Bride’s Western dress: BHLDN 

Rentals: Bright Event Rentals 

Staff: GM Event Services 

Sound system: Grapevine Party Rentals

Launching a New Life: NASA Scientists Tie the Knot in Kenwood

Home for Marissa Rosenberg — a scientist who studies the physical effects of space travel on astronauts after they have returned to earth — is an aromatic slice of heaven in the small town of Kenwood. Marissa grew up there on a lavender farm next to Chateau St. Jean Winery. And while the farm was lost in the 2017 Nuns fire, her parents, Gary and Rebecca Rosenberg, built a new home with a formal ornamental garden of English lavender, purple salvia, and perennials in homage to what was lost.

The family calls the garden la Rêve de Lavande, or “lavender dream.” It made for a striking and sentimental spot for Marissa’s over-the-moon wedding to fellow scientist Jocelyn Dunn. “The garden has so much meaning for my family and friends,” says Marissa. “It just had to be there.”

Photo by Rebecca Gosselin.
Marissa Rosenberg, left, and Jocelyn Dunn.(Photo by Rebecca Gosselin)
Lavender blooms in the garden. (Photo by Rebecca Gosselin)
Lavender blooms in the garden. (Photo by Rebecca Gosselin)

The two met at a NASA conference when Marissa was a post-doctoral student and Jocelyn was an intern. Both later wound up at Johnson Space Center in Houston, with Jocelyn at the time serving as a human performance engineer helping crew members train in their space suits.

The couple had originally planned to wed in September 2020, but the pandemic forced a delay that later proved fortuitous. They reset for June 26, 2021, Marriage Equality Day, the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld same-sex marriage. The new date fell during the peak of the lavender bloom, and 125 vaccinated friends and family members were able to attend from all over the country and overseas.

As the ceremony began, the brides started down two separate winding paths through the garden, each escorted by her father. They joined up at a bridge they helped create, then crossed together to the ceremony site underneath a hand-built octagonal bower adorned with flowers. The ceremony was officiated by Marissa’s cousin and included many family members and nods to their blended roots, from a Celtic Handfasting to a Jewish Seven Blessings. “It was really important,” says Marissa, “for us to honor our ancestors.”

Wedding "cake" made of stacked cheese. (Photo by Rebecca Gosselin)
Wedding “cake” made of stacked cheese. (Photo by Rebecca Gosselin)

The couple’s “cake” was made of stacked wheels of cheese, including their favorite, Manchego. After the ceremony, a pair of bubble machines that looked like space shuttles sent bubbles flying all over. Then, as the sun set, 40 large tie-dyed balloons illuminated with LEDs lifted off and hovered over the garden like bobbing planets. Standing watch over it all was a 500-year-old oak tree, the only survivor of the fire, and an inspiration to the Rosenberg family during the long rebuilding process.

“At the time, when we had to postpone the wedding, it felt like the whole world was falling apart,” Marissa says. “But it was not the end of the world. I’m happy for our family’s health and safety, and that we had each other during the quarantine. Things turned out quite a bit differently, but I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Resources

Ceremony and Reception: La Rêve de Lavande

Photographer: Rebecca Gosselin Photography

Caterer: Cuvée Wine Country Events

Hair and makeup: Tasha Cohn

Ceremony vocals: Jessica Friedman

Wholesale flowers: Sequoia Floral International

Sparkling wine: Breathless Sparkling Wines

After Months Apart, a Couple Marries Under the Redwoods in Healdsburg

After planning their wedding while living in different countries, Erica and Justin Lakovic were finally able to celebrate together last October. Justin built the wooden arch under which they were married. (Jana Contreras)

Erica and Justin Lakovic looked forward to an intimate, relaxed October wedding underneath the majestic redwoods at Healdsburg’s Riverfront Regional Park. But before the couple could tie the knot, they had to navigate hours of planning and paperwork just to land in the same country.

Erica and Justin met in 2019 at church in Melbourne, Australia, where Erica had recently moved to work as a nanny. “We just hit it off right away,” she says. Justin, a mechanical engineer, proposed the following June, exactly one year after their first date.

Then things became complicated. Australia closed its borders during the pandemic, and Erica later returned home to Santa Rosa on one of the few international flights. She initially thought she’d go back to Australia, but was denied entry 17 times. So the two planned their wedding while living thousands of miles apart. “We had to get approval for Justin to even leave Australia, so there was a lot of stress there,” Erica explains. “It all worked out. He got here in September, a few weeks before the wedding.”

The couple spent their wedding night at AutoCamp in Guerneville. (Photo by Jana Contreras)
Flowers from Feather Flower Farm in Sebastopol. (Photo by Jana Contreras)

Erica and Justin married in the shade of the redwoods — trees they say remind them of their first date at an Australian park. For the ceremony, they stood in front of a wooden arch, which Justin built himself, draped in fabric and accented with blush, white, and burgundy flowers and feathery pampas grass. “After 14 months of wanting this moment, and for it to finally be there, it was just a magical moment,” Erica says.

Erica wore a flowing boho-style dress with floral details, and the couple wore Vans instead of formal shoes. “That was always something I dreamed of doing — wearing Vans to my wedding,” laughs Erica. The couple added other personal touches, too. Guests signed a globe instead of a guestbook, a nod to their trans-continental engagement. And the two took photos feeding each other burritos from Chipotle, one of their favorite spots.

For their honeymoon, Justin and Erica spent the night at AutoCamp Russian River, a gift from their wedding photographer and dear friend, Jana Contreras. Next up is spending a few months in Europe, says Erica. “We have a lot of adventures ahead of us, for sure.”

Resources

Ceremony and Reception: Riverfront Regional Park

Photographer: Jana Contreras Photography

Flowers: Feather Flower Farm

Cake: Nothing Bundt Cakes

Catering: Chipotle Mexican Grill

Wedding dress: Bliss Bridal, Petaluma

Accommodations: AutoCamp Russian River

A 1930s Petaluma Cottage, Listed for $1.3 Million, Blends Old and New

In west Petaluma, just a short distance from beloved neighborhood haunts like Ray’s Delicatessen and Petaluma Creamery, you’ll find a mix of historic residences, ranging from Victorian homes to 1940s properties. In this “charming pocket” of Petaluma, as realtor Yoko Kasai likes to call it, is an English cottage-style home from the 1930s, which is on the market for $1,295,000.

The 1,800-square-foot cottage, located on 509 Melvin Street, blends classic and modern design. Much of the original design elements have been preserved, including original wainscoting and arched doorways. White walls and modern light fixtures, like a black and gold drum pendant and white half-cylinder sconces, add a clean-lined crispness to the interior. Modern furnishings, including a midcentury modern dining table and upholstered chairs, look very much at home in the 1930s cottage. The original fireplace remains and is topped with a mantel ready for decorating. An original, built-in mail drop is another vintage accent. A rare bird’s eye pattern in the maple wood floors has caught the attention of prospective buyers, according to realtor Kasai.

Parts of the four-bedroom, four-bathroom home have been carefully renovated to blend with original design elements. For example, the bathroom boasts a modern marble shower stall with a bathtub nook and the kitchen has quartz kitchen countertops and new appliances.

In the home’s garden, there are dwarf lemon, lime and orange trees. Click through the above gallery for a peek inside the property.

This property is listed with Yoko Kasai of Front Porch Realty Group. For more information, call 415-847-6519 or email yoko@frontporchrealtygroup.com, frontporchrealtygroup.com

Bright and Modern Guerneville Condo Listed for $525,000

“The story is redwoods and river,” says realtor Noel Flores of one of his new real estate listings, a 1980s condominium nestled among trees by the Russian River.

The shingle-clad two-story, three-bedroom home is just a short drive from Guerneville and, with a community clubhouse and storage for kayaks and canoes, it’s well-situated for fun on the river and forest bathing. The property is listed for $525,000, a price point that’s a bit of a rarity in Sonoma County’s red-hot real estate market.

Vaulted ceilings lend a sense of spaciousness to the nearly 1,400-square foot dwelling. The design highlights the natural setting: large windows in the living room offer a dramatic view of the towering trees outside and each bedroom enjoys forest views. A clean-lined interior, painted white, allows the lush outdoor setting to take center stage.

The home has an updated kitchen with blonde wood cabinets, durable quartz countertops and an electric cooktop. All three bedrooms have en suite bathrooms. A wood-burning stove in the living room adds charm and great potential for nestled-in-the-woods coziness.

The staging by Woodland Stylists gives an idea of the property’s potential. Modern lighting choices — lamps and pendants with drum shades — blend well with the 1980s architecture while punctuating it with contemporary style. Textiles throughout the home add earth tones, plus splashes of mustard and graphic patterns, that create a well-blended and sleek look.

The home’s attached private patio needs no adornments, only a few chairs, as the redwoods and river create a naturally beautiful setting.

The townhouse at 17247 Verba Lane in Guerneville, is listed by Noel Flores of Continuum Real Estate. For more information, call 415-730-0554, or email noel@continuumrealestate.com.

Swedish Pizza Is Bananas. Now You Can Try It in Petaluma

Kebab pizza, another unique dish from Sweden, is served at Stockhome restaurant in Petaluma. (Stockhome)

Where diplomacy fails, pizza connects, because a crispy crust, sizzling meat and gooey cheese have no secret agenda other than being unified in deliciousness.

Pizza is the United Nations of food, offering a treaty in its toppings — which may be how banana curry pizza came to be one of Sweden’s most popular pies.

Banana. Curry. Pizza. Allow that to bend your mind. It’s now available in Petaluma at Stockhome restaurant, along with another Swedish favorite, kebab pizza, and, coming soon, steak and Béarnaise sauce pizza.

If you’ve never experienced the mixtape of Swedish pizza, prepare to be astounded. It starts with a thin cracker crust and a light-handed swipe of either traditional red (tomato-based) or white (cream-based) sauce. That’s topped with cheese and then, well, whatever Swedes think will go well on a pizza. Like bananas and curry.

Sweden also has “normal” pizzas, but some of the most nostalgic for expats are the uniquely Swedish creations, according to Roberth and Andrea Sundell, owners of Stockhome restaurant.

“Most people are like, ‘No,’” said Andrea Sundell about initial reactions to the banana-curry pizza combo. “But with anything new, it takes a minute to catch on. People are trying it because we love it, and we’re telling them to give it a chance. I took one bite, and it became my favorite pizza,” she added.

Banana Curry pizza and Pizza Bianco at Stockhome restaurant in Petaluma. (Courtesy of Stockhome)
Banana Curry pizza and Pizza Bianco at Stockhome restaurant in Petaluma. (Courtesy of Stockhome)
Interior at Stockhome. Photo: Elise Aileen Photography.
More Swedish dishes at Stockhome in Petaluma. (Elise Aileen Photography)

Chef Roberth Sundell is a native Swede who likes to introduce restaurant visitors to the specialties of his home country, like tunnbrödsrulle (hot dog and mashed potatoes wrapped in a soft flatbread), Skagenröra (shrimp mixed with mayonnaise, crème fraîche, dill and lemon juice on toast), the traditional julbord (Christmas buffet) and street food classics, which, thanks to the immigrant population in Sweden, include dishes like kebab plates and pita wraps.

“We’ve always wanted pizza on the menu and realized now was the time to do it,” Roberth said.

An a-peeling history

The first pizzerias in Sweden were opened by Italian immigrants in the 1940s. They were later adopted by international guest workers and refugee communities as low-cost first businesses, bringing forth the kebab pizza (Turkish) with gyro meat; Balkan pizza salad (“pizzasallad” in Swedish) made with vinegar-marinated cabbage and red bell pepper; and the banana curry pizza, with Caribbean bananas and spice influences from North Africa.

Pizza is not the only Swedish dish that’s benefited from the addition of bananas. The sweet yellow fruit arrived in Sweden in the 1940s, far later than in other European countries. It soon took hold, not just as a snack and breakfast food, but in savory dishes like Flygande Jakob (Flying Jacob), a baked chicken dish that includes roasted peanuts, bacon and bananas. So why not throw it on a pizza?

Chef Sundell makes his version with a light housemade tomato sauce (onion, thyme and red wine vinegar), three kinds of cheese (including the tangy Swedish cheese Svecia), sliced bananas and curry powder sprinkled on top.

“It’s just fun and silly and nostalgic,” Andrea said.

More to try

If you’re nervous about the banana curry pizza, try the Pizza Bianco ($22) made with a three-cheese blend of Swedish fontina, Gruyere and mozzarella, lemon crème fraîche and thyme. It’s so good we ate it for three days straight, reheated and cold.

Kebab pizza ($25) is the darling of the lineup, with crisp slices of lamb, roasted tomato, pepperoncini and garlic yogurt with cheese and red sauce. You will become a Swedish pizza convert.

As for the Banana Curry pizza ($23), it’s one of those things that sounds horrifying but makes absolute sense once you’ve tried it. The sweet, thin slices of banana become infused with curry flavor. Think of them as Indian-style pepperonis? Just go with it.

The Sundells will be adding more Swedish pizza to the menu soon, like the Bea pizza (thinly sliced steak with Bearnaise sauce). Their restaurant also serves Scandinavian beers with the pizza to complete the Swedish experience — or to help your courage with that Banana Curry pizza.

220 Western Ave., Petaluma, 707-981-8511, stockhomerestaurant.com

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