Acme Burger at Acme Burger in Cotati. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Acme Burger, the doubly-delish Cotati restaurant from Chef Todd Kniess, is slated to open a second location in the former Union Hotel space on College Avenue in Santa Rosa. Kniess, who spent years in upscale Bay Area dining spots, opened Acme Burger in 2019, bringing his experience with local ingredients and sophisticated flavors to a fast-casual concept. Don’t worry, Union Hotel fans, the Occidental restaurant and Santa Rosa location on Mission Boulevard will remain open. More details as opening gets closer. The original Acme Burger is at 550 East Cotati Ave., Cotati, 707-665-5620, acmeburgerco.com.
Falafel Hut opening in downtown Santa Rosa: I’ve always felt a little disappointed that Sonoma County doesn’t have more fast-casual spots for falafel, shawarma, kebab, gyro, tabbouleh and all the accompaniments. The flavors of grilled meat, mint, cucumber, yogurt and tomatoes are among my favorites, and the simplicity of a great hummus or baba ganoush are so underrated. Good news! San Rafael’s Falafel Hut will be opening in the former Gerard’s Paella space on Fourth Street (hopefully) this summer, with all of the above. If you’re missing Gerard and his giant pans of paella, he’s on the move, serving at Old Caz Brewing in Rohnert Park as well as at the Novato and Fairfax Farmers Markets.
Kendall-Jackson Summer Series Returns: This series of farm-to-table dinners among rows of tomatoes, lettuces and peppers is one of the things I took for granted in the halcyon days before the pandemic. Now that it has returned, it continues to be a so-worth-it adventure with food prepared by the stellar Jackson Family Wines’ culinary staff (led by Justin Wangler) and plenty of wine. Four acres of gardens are the backdrop for this al fresco showcase of Sonoma County’s best produce and ingredients. Adding to the mix, Chef Tracey Shepos Cenami will add a tasty cheese component to each dinner. On June 12, guest purveyors will include Costarella Seafood and Chevoo Cheese, followed by Snake River Farms Beef and Valley Ford Creamery on July 10, Liberty Ducks and Dry Creek Peach on Aug. 14 and a vegetarian dinner featuring Mycopia Mushrooms and Nicasio Cheese on Sept. 11. In October, Ward Ranch Beef and Pt. Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. will be the guest purveyors. Sign up early; dinners tend to sell out fast. Details at kj.com/events/farm-table-dinner-series
Steak at Coyote Sonoma in Healdsburg. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Beverly Healdsburg, as locals sometimes like to call the once-sleepy ranch hamlet that now regularly welcomes celebrities and other well-heeled visitors, is not known for its beer and chicken wings scene. It thumbs its nose at play-along trivia nights on a patio full of rowdy dogs and rowdier families.
But what’s the one thing Healdsburg cannot abide, more than big screen televisions the size of small trucks or karaoke nights? Uninspired food.
That’s why we’re smitten with Coyote Sonoma, in a hidden-away space that once housed Sonoma Cider. Tim Vallery of Peleton Catering, the recently-installed chef who has turned a ho-hum menu into something worthwhile, brings together casual fun and simple but impressive eats that so rarely go together in Wine Country.
After being purchased by Wilson Winery in 2018 and turned into a tasting room, the venue lost its luster despite having a large indoor-outdoor space that’s perfect for music, food and entertainment. Frankly, it languished until Vallery took over the kitchen earlier this year and resuscitated it.
The tasting room and restaurant, located in downtown Healdsburg’s Mill District, is still finding its footing in the gaps between bar food and upscale dining, but we like the idea of Red Wine Arancini ($8) instead of frozen mozzarella sticks or a warm asparagus salad with lemon-thyme vinaigrette, pickled onions and a soft-boiled egg ($13) next to burgers and panini.
Part of that dynamic has to do with the audience. On a Wednesday night, Vallery warns us that the trivia night players will descend en masse around 6 p.m., all ordering food at the same time. His kitchen crew are at the ready as tables fill up, exactly as expected. Sandwiches headed for the panini press are lined up in formation, roasted cauliflower hummus dip stands at attention and chicken wings are prepped for annihilation.
Even socially distanced, the place feels like old times, when we could laugh and play games and shout trivia answers together. It’s a spot to grab a beer or four with vaccinated friends and family and just enjoy each other rather than obsessing about each bite.
Coyote Sonoma is just what Healdsburgers — and the rest of us — need right now: the familiar flavors of fun with a deft hand in the kitchen.
Best Bets
Warm Asparagus Salad, $13: With the prime time for asparagus cresting, it’s worth diving into this seasonal salad. Gently poached spears are married with lemon-thyme vinaigrette, dried apricot, pickled onions, a soft-boiled egg, tarragon aioli, radish and Italian parsley. What could end up heavy and gloppy is light and refreshing with each note — tart, bitter, creamy, vegetal — distinguished beautifully.
Coyote Burger, $16: I love a burger that’s just slightly larger than the bun, thick enough to be taken seriously but not so overdressed to be ridiculous. This version — though I could have enjoyed it a bit more rare — sits between two soft Costeaux Bakery brioche buns (kudos on the local choice) with onion relish, Sonoma Schmear (we’ll call it Thousand Island-ish) and Gruyere cheese.
Reuben, $14: Another big winner, though purists might disagree. A reasonable amount of salty pastrami (not piles of the stuff) with melted Gruyere (Swiss cheese’s classier cousin), sauerkraut and Russian dressing on light rye. It’s all about balance, people.
Flat Iron Steak, $27: Vallery keeps this steak, one of just two fancier entrees on the menu, super simple. I like my meat rare, with a little char on the edges, and this steak was perfectly cooked. It comes with a nice pile of Yukon Gold potatoes with horseradish puree and perfect honey-glazed carrots. I make the world’s best glazed carrots, so that’s high praise.
Roasted Cauliflower Hummus, $7: Start healthy, then work your way toward dessert. This is a nice foil to the wall of beer taps.
Pitman Farms Chicken Wings, $10/$18: Roasted, not fried, then doused in Buffalo or red wine barbecue sauce. Think of them as the high-low kind of food that Vallery has excelled at on this menu. The house-made blue cheese dressing is addictive.
Red Wine Arancini, $8: The fried balls of red wine-soaked arancini have gooey smoked mozzarella, salami (which I couldn’t exactly see, but could taste) and herb aioli. The crumb breading didn’t wow me, but otherwise this dish was solid.
Also on the menu: Food writers are allowed to have a few food phobias, and among others, sausage is mine. I just don’t love the stuff. Maybe it was too many hot dogs forced on me as a kid. But Coyote Sonoma’s menu features some amazing Yanni Sausages and a Beer Brat Hoagie that sausage fans will love.
Drinks: The wine list includes a variety of Wilson wine brands — Wilson, Mazzacco, deLorimier, Matrix, Coyote and Pezzi King among others — by the bottle and by the glass. There’s also a huge list of wines on tap, including Healdsburg Brewing Co.’s Golden Ale, an insanely drinkable beer.
Before wineries turned their ingenuity knobs to 11 to connect with consumers in new ways during the pandemic, some Sonoma producers already offered outside-the-box visitor “experiences” that were just that: adventures with a side of wine.
Among these forward-thinking wineries is Obsidian Wine Co., based in Sonoma and with wine-related excursions that include a seaplane flight over the Mayacamas Mountains, touching down on Clear Lake. (Obsidian’s Seaplane Wine Flight was recently named one of “the most extreme wine tastings around the world” by Food & Wine magazine)
In Alexander Valley, Sutro Wine Co. founder and winemaker Alice Warnecke Sutro has long led nature hikes on her family’s ranch and vineyard, giving guests an up-close sense of how volcanic-ash soils and moderating influences of the Russian River form the character of her wines.
Sonoma Valley’s treasured Bartholomew Park, for decades a favorite place to hike before tasting at the winery on the grounds, now offers guided horseback rides through the vineyards of the new winery on the property, Bartholomew Estate Vineyards and Winery.
And in Sebastopol, Region is offering a new take on Sonoma wine tasting by introducing guests to independent winemakers via their self-serve wine bar and weeklong experiences with small wineries without tasting rooms, such as Bucher Wines in Russian River Valley.
The Obsidian Seaplane. (Courtesy of Obsidian Wine Co.)
The most ambitious outings, without question, are those provided by Obsidian Wine Co. Founders Arpad and Peter Molnar (brothers) and Michael Terrien (winemaker) have a tasting room at Cornerstone Sonoma, a production facility nearby and vineyards in Napa Carneros and Kelseyville in Lake County — volcano country. They also share a zest for life and embrace the outdoors, blending fun with enology and pouring it out for wine lovers of like minds.
“COVID inspired wineries to create new experiences, though we’d already been doing them, calling them adventures,” Arpad Molnar said. “It’s part of our lives, to spend time outdoors, and we like to share it with others. We love flying, boating and hiking, and our adventures are meant to educate at the same time. It’s why we take people outdoors; it’s not a party thing.”
In addition to the Seaplane Wine Flight from Sausalito to the company’s Lake County vineyard, Obsidian Ridge, the Molnars and Terrien lead small-group tours of an oyster farm on Tomales Bay, Hog Island Oyster Co., finishing with gulping down just-harvested bivalves and Obsidian wines.
There are also hikes, without the seaplane flight, at Obsidian Ridge Vineyard, where volcanic lava flows 300,000 years ago turned into solid, razor-sharp obsidian, which has a dramatic and distinctive impact on the cabernet sauvignons Terrien produces. Saffron harvests, schooner outings on San Francisco Bay, horseback rides through Poseidon Vineyard in Carneros and garden walks are also on the menu.
Such intensive experiences are not inexpensive (seaplane flights are $150 per person), but there are other, less pricey options for those wishing to experience Obsidian winery and wines. Educational videos on winemaking and viticulture are free to view on the winery’s website. Standard (outdoors, of course) tastings at Cornerstone Sonoma are available by appointment, and a new tasting feature, Down the Rabbit Hole, introduces guests to unusual grape varieties, experimental winemaking methods and one-off versions of sparkling wines and cider blends.
“We want to be accessible to a broad range of people,” Arpad Molnar said. “We want to change the overall climate of wine, to educate on nature, the outdoors and food sources.”
As with all experiences mentioned here, reservations are required and the number of participants is limited. Visit company websites for details, dates and fees.
Saddle up and sip, though not at the same time, at this northeastern Sonoma winery. In conjunction with Sonoma Valley Trail Rides, “Bart Estate” offers 45-minute horseback rides through its vineyards and estate on relatively flat trails and with each horse expertly matched to the personality and experience of the rider. Horse wranglers sub in for tasting room staff to share enological, viticultural and equine knowledge along the way. The experience ($140) includes one bottle of the winery’s sauvignon blanc or zinfandel to take home. As an option, visitors can book, separately, tastings at the winery’s Oak Knoll and Courtyard Patio spaces and enjoy the Sonoma Plein Air art gallery on site.
This “new” winery opened its doors in 2019, in the middle of the 375-acre, nonprofit Bartholomew Park. Previously called Bartholomew Park Winery and managed by Gundlach Bundschu, the renamed wine estate is now operated by Frank H. Bartholomew Foundation trustee Anna Pope and winemaker Kevin Holt. It continues to honor Frank and Antonia Bartholomew, who bought the land in 1943 and founded Hacienda Winery on a site where Hungarian-born Agoston Haraszthy in 1857 planted some of the first European vine cuttings in California.
Russian River Valley grapegrowers Diane and John Bucher and their winemaker, Adam Lee, don’t have their own winery or tasting room, yet their racy sauvignon blanc, sumptuous pinot noirs and a spicy red blend that’s mostly zinfandel — all estate-grown — are served and sold at Region, a cooperative tasting venue that opened at The Barlow in Sebastopol in July 2020.
Bucher’s “featured winery” week at Region is May 17-23, with each day offering a different experience. Among them are May 17, Magnum Monday and library selections; May 18, favorite Bucher cheeses and chocolates paired with wine; May 19, Happy Hour with Adam Lee and May 22, taste new Bucher wines, rosé and sauvignon blanc. The wines available for tasting throughout the week include sauvignon blanc, rosé of pinot noir, Sonoma Rossa red blend, Rosemary After Dinner Zinfandel and four still pinot noirs.
Region is distinctive in that it recruited two dozen small, independent, mostly Sonoma wineries to showcase their wines in sample and by-the-glass portions; guests serve themselves with a push of a button at dispensing stations. With ample outdoor seating and the option to order food from several Barlow restaurants, the site gives consumers a chance to taste and buy hard-to-get bottles, meet the winemakers and make a meal of their visit. Other upcoming featured wineries include Eric Kent Winery, Chenoweth Wines and Calluna Vineyards.
Region, 180 Morris St., Suite 170, Sebastopol (at The Barlow), 707-329-6724, bucher.wine/tasteatregion. Bucher direct: 707-484-5162, bucher.wine
Sutro Wine Co.
Alice Warnecke Sutro is the founder and winemaker for this Alexander Valley brand. Grapes for her sauvignon blancs, merlots and cabernet sauvignons, which she began producing in 2012, are grown on Warnecke Ranch & Vineyard, east of Healdsburg on Chalk Hill Road. With no tasting venue and small-production volume, Sutro figured sharing her love of the land — its oak forests and calming beauty along the Russian River and the volcanic Mayacamas Mountain soils that produce excellent Bordeaux varietal grapes — could best be done with guided hikes through the vineyard followed by a tasting of the wines.
Sutro’s ancestors established the ranch in 1911. In the late 1960s, 80 of its eventual 265 acres were planted to wine grapes. There, in 1983, her grandfather, accomplished architect John Carl Warnecke, established Warnecke Institute of Art and Architecture. Armed with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in art history and fine art, Alice and her husband, architect Eliot Sutro, moved to the ranch, where she helped her aunt, Margo Warnecke Merck, manage the vineyard and the artist residencies on the property. Alice buys her grapes from the family, making Sutro Wine Co. a separate business, yet with ties that bind.
The guided hikes (45 minutes, $45) continue today and conclude with a tasting of the three wines at neighboring Medlock Ames, where Sutro makes them. The hike terrain is packed dirt and gravel, with one steep incline. Wear comfortable shoes and sun protection, and bring your dog — leashed — to accompany the Sutros’ pooch, Hatch.
“I always talk about the intersection of art, agriculture and wine while I’m hiking,” Alice Sutro said. “It’s the foundation and motivation of what I do.”
(Note: Kenwood Inn pool might not have water feature anymore.)
Moms have had a particularly stressful time since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020. According to a Kaiser Foundation survey, 69 percent of mothers said they’ve experienced adverse health effects from the stress and worry of the pandemic. In addition to juggling their children’s home schooling, schedules and activities, in addition to their own work, they have continued to do more of the household chores than their (male) spouse or partner, says a Pew Research survey.
If you’re a mom, you don’t need research to confirm what you most likely already know — that many moms are burned out. What moms may need however — not just on Mother’s Day but every day of the year — is some extra appreciation and pampering. For some time out alone or with friends, we’ve got a few getaway ideas for moms who need a break. Click through the gallery above for details.
Make no mistake: We love our grapes. But area winery folks also apply their green thumbs to growing a whole lot more. Whether you’re looking to learn more about organic veggie gardening, wonder at otherworldly proteas, or hike oak-studded hills, these winery gardens are our best bets for early summer.
Quintessential California: A line of towering palms marks the drive up to Sonoma’s Scribe Winery. This is classic vintage California, from the adobe hacienda (built in the 1850s, once a speakeasy) surrounded by a tapestry of wavy grasses and stately succulents, to the bountiful edible garden, run by Stephen Carter — one of the world’s premier chicory farmers. Call for updated tasting information. 2100 Denmark Street, Sonoma. 707-939-1858, scribewinery.com.
Protecting Pollinators: The team at Jordan Vineyard & Winery never does anything halfway, with majestic vine-covered stone buildings and the one-acre vegetable patch which yields 100 varieties of produce, including exquisite fraises des bois strawberries. New this year is a pollinator garden for bees and migrating monarch butterflies. Reserve ahead for garden tour. 1474 Alexander Valley Road, Healdsburg. 707-431-5250, jordanwinery.com.
A Vineyard Education: Learn as you taste at Dry Creek Valley’s Quivira Vineyards, where a sample block is dedicated to identifying all of the varietals grown on the estate and raised beds showcase organic gardening practices. Sing in the herb garden, complete with (yes!) parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme, then visit the chickens, whose names are sheer poetry—Buff Japanese Black Cochins, Cuckoo Marans, Silver-Laced Wyandottes. Reserve in advance. 4900 West Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. 707-431-8333, quivirawine.com.
Unusual Finds: Tucked into the Petaluma Gap just high enough to skirt the fog, McEvoy Ranch is an idyll with acres and acres of olive groves and rolling vineyards. But the property is also home to myriad unusual plants, including striking purple cerinthe and wacky Buddha’s Hand citrus. For a splurge, book a tasting in one of the new private hideaways by the pond. Reserve walking tours and hideaways in advance. 5935 Red Hill Road, Petaluma. 866-617-6779, mcevoyranch.com
Rustic Rural Gem: When they’re not busy making wine, the folks at Medlock Ames love nothing more than to pore over seed catalogs and tinker with new varieties. At the winery’s stunning rural vineyards at Bell Mountain Ranch, beds explode with zinnias, sunflowers, and Queen Anne’s lace (a second tasting room on Alexander Valley Road has a small but lovely olive grove). Open by appointment. 13414 Chalk Hill Road, Healdsburg. 707-431-8845, medlockames.com.
Hike the Sonoma Hills: History is the watchword at Bartholomew Estate Vineyards and Winery in Sonoma Valley, founded on the very land where California viticulture was born. The winery anchors 375-acre Bartholomew Park; save time to wander the trails that lace the oak- and madrone-studded hills. Picnic grounds and hiking trails open to the public; reserve ahead for tasting. 1000 Vineyard Lane, Sonoma. 707-509-0540, bartholomewestate.com.
Proteas on the Coast: In a nod to the owners’ native South Africa, a vast collection of rare proteas takes pride of place at coastal Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery. Look for the ‘Pink Mink’—pink flowers with black feathery tips—and the ‘Scarlet Ribbon’ Pincushion, a bright-red bloom with orange spikes. Reserve in advance. 15725 Meyers Grade Road, Jenner. 707-847-3460, fortrossvineyard.com.
You probably couldn’t guess that Dave and Nancy Roche’s bucolic home and garden is only one mile from the always-bustling Sonoma Plaza. The husband-and-wife design team behind Roche + Roche Landscape Architecture have created a thoughtful garden teeming with texture and seasonal interest, centered around drifts of low-maintenance plants and filled with the chattering of migratory birds and red-shouldered hawks. It connects on a deep level to the architecture and the surroundings. And this was the couple’s exact intention.
When Dave, a landscape architect, and Nancy, a designer and horticulturist, work with clients — primarily wineries, resorts, and residential estates — they focus on creating contemporary garden sanctuaries. When it came time to design their own garden space, this focus certainly persisted, but they had the opportunity to dial down the complexity and up the experimental factor. “We try plants out, move them if necessary. We try out materials, details, and construction methods with less concern over their longevity,” says Dave. “Our own landscape is our distilled laboratory of sanctuary,” adds Nancy.
Dave and Nancy Roche on the steps of their back terrace. (Eileen Roche)The couple’s dog relaxes on the patio. (Eileen Roche)
The couple first saw the property in 1998, and quickly fell in love not only with the location, but also with the trees: mature sycamores, oaks, and a Persian mulberry — plus a 9-foot wall of prickly pear cactus along the road. “We have it on good authority that these are the offspring of prickly pears from the General’s Daughter property, originally planted by General Vallejo’s daughter,” says Dave.
Over time, Dave and Nancy remodeled the 1950s single-level ranch home and redid the landscaping, all within a modest budget. For the home, the couple chose a corrugated, galvanized steel roof and a deep mossy-hued exterior paint color that allows the house to recede and highlights the quiet green landscape. “We sometimes jokingly refer to it as the ‘Park Headquarters,’” says Dave of the home’s unassuming design. Nancy and Dave, along with Dave’s father and many friends, were able to complete much of the interior finish work themselves, including custom steel shelves and kitchen counters created by Dave’s late friend and mentor, Jack Chandler.
Dave, with a majority vote on hardscape choices, and Nancy, with a majority vote on anything plant-related, harmonized their vision and design aesthetic to create a thoughtful and well-used outdoor space. Nancy’s goals for the planting plan centered around creating a mostly native landscape filled with adapted shrubs, perennials, and ornamental grasses that would provide food and shelter for birds throughout the year. “We believe landscapes should be ‘of a place,’” explains Nancy. A large vegetable garden wasn’t as much of a focus, as the couple loves supporting local Sonoma growers and farmers while they stay busy with their design firm. But they do harvest from a large bed of mint, pick Elephant Heart plums, make chutney from their quince crop, and load up on mulberries for jam and smoothies.
View from the patio. (Eileen Roche)In the garden of Dave and Nancy Roche. (Eileen Roche)
A series of planned garden rooms allows the couple and their friends to move through informal spaces that feel peaceful and restorative. One favorite: the north-facing terrace, slightly elevated and made of board-formed concrete and bluestone, which connects the kitchen, dining room, and living room. This is where they dine, read, listen to music — even nap outdoors. Above the terrace stands a stunning arbor, fashioned from rusted steel beams and reclaimed steel plumbing pipe, that supports a mature table-grape vine. It’s an element that hits on two of the couple’s favorite things, Japan-esque design and reclaimed material, says Dave. The arbor frames a view of the Mayacamas, with neighboring meadows and rustic barns in the foreground. And during Sonoma’s sweltering summers, the vine provides just the right amount of cooling shade.
Dave and Nancy have other favorite garden spots as well. They created an intimate outdoor room where rustic stepping stones lead to a hot tub nestled among Japanese maples and underplanted with Japanese anemones and native Berkeley sedge grasses. And they’re drawn to the modest lawn area, well used in summer for badminton and croquet. Square pads of integrally colored concrete frame the grass and create a spot for an umbrella and two chaises. The couple often end the day there, appreciating the borrowed scenery, watching the late afternoon sun filter through the trees, backlighting the stately corkscrew willow and catching the flower spikes on the giant feather grass.
“Along with the chorus of birds and the occasional bleating of neighboring sheep, we find this spot amazingly soothing,” Dave says. “And it’s where we do our best nature bathing.”
Nestled in the tawny-hued Petaluma hills, at the end of an unassuming dirt road, sit the 1870s farmhouse and lush gardens of Andy and Rachel Berliner. While their names may not be instantly recognizable, their company certainly is. Andy and Rachel are the cofounders and owners of Amy’s Kitchen, the Petaluma-based organic foods company which employs over 1,000 people in the county.
The couple have lived in the home for decades and raised their daughter Amy there (the business is named for her). As their family — and their business — has grown, so has the garden. But despite the changes over the years, Rachel Berliner says the garden’s focus remains on family. In its simple, unfussy design, she says the flower-filled garden feels accessible and welcoming, enveloping visitors like a hug.
When they first moved in, Rachel knew little about gardening. She quickly embraced the effort to transform the land, doing most of the gardening work herself and developing the lower, more cottage-like area of the property (a family friend, Ann Kahn, designed the more formal back garden). Later, Rachel says, an injury forced her to relinquish some control: “I had to step back and appreciate other people’s work.” Olivia Trombino, whom Rachel fondly calls her fairy gardener, now takes care of the family’s vegetable garden and potted plants.
The Berliners planned their Petaluma garden to provide food, water, and shelter for local wildlife, including Anna’s hummingbirds. (Rebecca Gosselin)Bosc pears are just one of dozens of edible crops in the garden that mature by summer. (Rebecca Gosselin)
In early summer, the garden bursts with color and motion. “I love the way a perennial garden moves through the seasons,” Rachel says. Things start gently in April and May, with soft, muted tones as tall columbines start peeking out. Then, as full summer hits, there’s a transition to more bold colors: the yellows, purples, and oranges of zinnias, roses, salvias, and dahlias. It’s a superb contrast to the surrounding sun-parched hills — a mix of textures and colors that Rachel says brings her family joy: “Flowers really uplift your soul and are a gift you can give to people, just like how we give people a nourishing meal.”
The Berliners say their garden connects their family to their customers in a very tangible way. Nearly every flower pictured on the packaging for Amy’s Kitchen products comes straight from the Berliner garden. “I try to invite people into my home by using the flowers from my garden on the packaging… It’s important to me that the people who eat our food have some personal connection with us, because we really do care and want to cook for them.” On a day when they’re photographing food for packaging, Rachel will grab a basket and head out into the garden at 7 a.m. to pick an array of flowers to complement the food. She then heads to the photo studio and sorts the blossoms by color. “It’s been that way for 30 years,” Andy explains proudly.
As strict vegetarians, Rachel and Andy appreciate that the garden gives them easy access to home-grown vegetables. Soon there will be basil (lots and lots of it!), lettuce, arugula, and tomatoes. “We eat greens for months, and I like to go out before dinner and pick the vegetables I’ll use,” says Rachel. “I love making soups and salads from what I just harvested.”
The Berliners garden sustainably, in balance with the surrounding wildlife. There’s something for everyone — bees, butterflies, even the local deer and turkeys, who often hang out among the native plants.
The couple also enjoys the huge variety of bird life, including hummingbirds, orioles, goldfinches, woodpeckers, horned owls, and bluebirds. Andy jokes that the pool is one of the best spots for bird-watching, as the birds don’t seem to know he’s there. Rachel, also a swimmer, jokes, “I always keep my binoculars near me — not in the pool, of course.”
The couple has come to realize that living in the country so close to nature involves surrendering some degree of control. Sneaky turkeys, troublemaking racoons, and destructive voles and gophers come with the territory. “A garden really does its own unfolding,” Rachel explains. “And even if you lose parts of it, there is always something beautiful happening. That’s just country living.”
In the Petaluma garden of Andy and Rachel Berliner. (Rebecca Gosselin)In the Petaluma garden of Andy and Rachel Berliner. (Rebecca Gosselin)
The Berliners say the choices they make for their Petaluma garden are based on the ethos of community. “We really like to support and buy plants and materials from local businesses,” explains Rachel. Their family’s favorite small, independent nurseries and garden centers include:
The Retail Nursery at Emerisa Gardens 555 Irwin Lane, Santa Rosa 707-525-9644 emerisa.com
King’s Nursery, 1212 13th St., Santa Rosa, 707-542-4782, kingsflowernursery.com
Pimento Burger: Inspired by a favorite Southern treat, pimento cheese is made with peppers and (usually) cream cheese, cheddar and spices. This version has local peppers and chili with white cheddar. Gravenstein Grill is at 8050 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol. (Courtesy photo)
And…they’re off!
The annual Kentucky Derby is something of a religion in the Blue Grass State. Ponies run, ladies wear fancy hats and everyone cools off with a Mint Julep. Maybe that’s a bit simplistic, but it’s all about turning out in your best as jockeys race for the roses on the first Saturday of May.
You can watch the fun from Churchill Downs from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. California time) on NBC. Coverage is also available to stream live on NBCSports.com and on the NBC Sports app.
Californians aren’t much for Kentucky fare usually, but we’ve got a few suggestions of the Southern persuasion to inspire your Derby Day!
Seeing mom in person this year — not to mention taking her out farther than the front door — is going to be extra special. Restaurants and food purveyors are preparing for what will resemble a sort of grand coming-out party for small family groups after a year of hibernation.
Chances are things will be pretty crowded on Sunday, May 9 (mark you calendar), so be sure to make a reservation or have a backup plan.
Here are some of our favorite ideas for mom.
Barndiva: Prix fixe menu ($95) includes chilled asparagus soup, tuna niçoise tartine, five-spice duck confit hash, crab and mascarpone stuffed crepes, buttermilk honey Génoise cake. 231 Center St., Healdsburg, barndiva.com
Charlie’s at the Windsor Golf Club: Head for brunch on (or at least overlooking) the green at this well-kept-secret spot. 1340 19th Hole Drive, Windsor, 707-838-8802, windsorgolf.com
Cookie Take A Bite: Deluxe Mother’s Day tin includes award-winning Lemon Moon, decadent Triple Chocolate Threat, Zesty Tea Cookie and Decorated Brown Sugar Hearts. Order at cookietakeabite.com.
Depot Hotel: Watermelon carpaccio with feta cheese and mint, beef short rib hash, Dungeness crab cannelloni, chicken vol-au-vent, eggplant lasagna, tiramisu, limoncello cake and sour cream cheesecake. $65 per person. 241 First St., Sonoma, 707-938-2980, depotsonoma.com
Down to Earth Café: Sparkling wine plus three-course prix fixe menu that includes strawberry salad, pickled beet and wild arugula salad, Dungeness crab Louie lettuce cups, pulled Liberty Duck sliders, seared wagyu rib-eye steak, grilled cauliflower steak, king salmon, short ribs, butterscotch pudding or lemon meringue pie. $60 per person. 8204 Old Redwood Hwy, Cotati, 707-753-4925, dtecafe.com
Heirloom Café: Brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. includes a portobello Benedict, seared salmon, pork schnitzel, ahi tuna poke, strawberry shortcake and bottomless mimosas. 11000 Valley House Drive, Rohnert Park, 707-665-0260, sallytomatoes.com
John Ash and Co.: A la carte menu with French onion soup, Monte Cristo egg rolls, Dungeness crab and mango salad, Bananas Foster challah French toast, vegetable frittata, country-fried New York steak, duck confit hash, fried chicken and lamb chops. 4350 Barnes Road, Santa Rosa, vintnersresort.com
Mateo’s Cocina Latina: Simple, but elegant three-course menu with baby Oregon shrimp taco, choice of roasted chicken salad or smoked salmon with Hollandaise and pan perdu with cinnamon walnut bread for dessert. $38 per person, 214 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-1520, mateoscocinalatina.com
McNear’s: A la carte brunch with classic Benedicts, fried chicken and biscuits and omelets. 23 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma, 707-765-2121, mcnears.com
Notre Vue Estate and Valette: Mother’s Day brunch and wine pairing at the winery, with views of vineyards and the lake. The menu includes an Organic Salad with Spiced Sunflower Seeds and Yuzu Vinaigrette with the 2019 Notre Vue Sparkling Rosé of GSM; Olive Oil Poached Ora King Salmon with Toasted Farro, Pickled Onion and Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette with the 2019 Notre Vue Chardonnay and It’s Not A Snickers Bar Cocoa Nib Tuile with Peanut Powder Sea Salt-infused Caramel with the 2019 Balverne Pinot Noir, $75 per person. Reserve at 707-433-4050 or info@notrevueestate.com. 11010 Estate Lane.
Penngrove Market: Order dinner to go so Mom can take a break. Roast beef, whipped potatoes, herb focaccia and beet salad with triple chocolate cake. 10070 Main St., Penngrove, 707-753-4974, penngrovemarket.com
Rocker Oysterfeller’s: Farm-to-table soul food in lovely Valley Ford. No reservations, brunch specials from 10 a.m. until sold out. 14415 Hwy 1, Valley Ford, rockeroysterfellers.com Seared: A la carte brunch items such as chicken and waffles with hot sauce, Dungeness crab Benedict, short rib hash, polenta with spring vegetables and mom-friendly cocktails like the Strawberry Frosé, Ramos Fizz or smoked Bloody Mary. 170 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma, 707-762-5997, petalumaseared.com Is this a special Mother’s Day menu? Chicken and waffles, crab Benedict others aren’t on their online menu.
Spoonbar: Bottomless Bellinis and mimosas ($25) and an a la carte menu with yellowfin tuna sashimi, Kobe smash burger, herb roasted scallops, pan perdu (French toast) and surf and turf with New York strip steak and Maine lobster. 219 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-7222, spoonbar.com
Tips Roadside: Bottomless brunch is $55 per person and includes garden salad and yogurt parfait, smoked ham, fried chicken, shrimp and grits, scrambled eggs, biscuits, bacon, potato salad and beignets with Meyer lemon sauce. 8445 Sonoma Hwy, Kenwood, 707-509-0078, tipsroadside.com
A guest room at Montage Healdsburg. (Montage Healdsburg)
Travel + Leisure magazine just released its 16th annual “It List,” a selection of the top new hotels in the world. Among the 70 properties to be recognized this year is Montage Healdsburg, a luxury resort that opened in December of last year.
“Sonoma County’s most significant hotel opening in years faithfully embodies the area’s unspoiled, agricultural setting,” said Travel + Leisure about the Healdsburg property.
Montage Healdsburg is set on 258 acres of oak woodland and vineyards. The property includes a main lodge and 130 bungalow-style guest suites designed to blend with the surrounding landscape. The elevated bungalows come with stone and wood flooring, airy decks and spacious patios with stone fire pits. Most rooms have outdoor showers. Room rates range from $695 to $1,695 per night; the presidential suite, which spans more than 4,600 square feet, is $10,000 a night.
The resort grounds include pathways lined by lavender and gardenia and lawns spaced among the vineyards. Winemaker Jesse Katz of Aperture Estate in Healdsburg designed the hotel’s vineyard and will use grapes from the property to make estate wines. The resort also has partnered with Sonoma County Bee Company, which will manage the resort’s five-hive apiary and use honey and wax to craft custom products for the onsite spa.
The Montage property also is home to Hazel Hill, a “terroir-to-table” restaurant that overlooks vineyards and hundreds of acres of undeveloped land. Its Olive Terrace, with fire pits and cozy rocking chairs, is a popular spot for cocktails with a view.
“Stepping onto the Montage Resort’s sweeping patio perched high above the Alexander Valley is a jaw-dropping, showstopping adventure that requires at least one oooh and ahhhh no matter how fancy you are,” said dining editor Heather Irwin in a recent review.
Click through the above gallery for a peek at the world-class hotel.
