Emily Nagan, left, proprietor of Emily’s Kitchen, tries on the Slim Man apron that Sonja Bedford, lower right, bought during Slim Man’s concert at Montgomery Village’s summer concert series, in Santa Rosa, California, on Thursday, June 27, 2019. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)
Following recent news of the upcoming closure of Emily’s Kitchen in Santa Rosa, owner Emily Nagan said on Friday that one of her longtime employees, Pina Zarate, is planning to take over the popular breakfast and lunch spot in Montgomery Village.
Although details are still in the works, Nagan said the restaurant will remain open as she teaches Zarate the ropes of restaurant ownership — as well as her hash recipe.
“I was hoping Sunday would be my last day, but not anymore,” said Nagan, whose decision to close the restaurant came out of a desire to slow down after years of hard work. “Everyone’s really happy Emily’s Kitchen isn’t going away,” she added.
Earlier in the week, Nagan underlined that her decision to close the restaurant was not a result of the coronavirus pandemic hurting business but rather because she needed to take care of herself.
“It’s been a super successful business, but I need to give my body a break. I’m working ten to twelve hours a day, seven days a week. I just need to step back and give my body a break,” she said.
Nagan, who has nine employees, told shopping center owners she planned to retire last February and was waiting for someone to take over the lease with a similar concept.
“Coronavirus didn’t make me quit, it just helped make my closing date a little sooner,” she said.
Nagan added that social distancing has squelched some of the fun she had as a restaurant owner.
“I like to hug people and I like people to gather. With all the regulations, that’s just not my kind of restaurant,” she said.
Once retired, Nagan hopes to work on a cookbook and maybe do some quilting and stained glass window making. She’s also considering a cottage business for her popular desserts.
Inside Amy Vogler’s kitchen in Kenwood. (Lauren Edith Andersen)
Amy Vogler is juggling the same concerns as most of us in these upside-down times: making healthy food for her daughter and husband, staying on top of work while overseeing school at home, and trying to find a sense of balance within it all. The Kenwood-based culinary professional had been accustomed to being able to carve out larger blocks of time for her baking and recipe development work.
“We’re all figuring it out,” says Vogler. “Ultimately, my biggest concern is how my daughter is feeling, being away from her school and friends. But it would be nice if that were the only thing I had to think about.”
Vogler and her husband Rocky bought a 1,500-square-foot-home in Kenwood 12 years ago and planned and saved for over a decade before beginning renovations. Amy worked out of the home’s tiny, cramped kitchen while building a somewhat unconventional career in food. Over the years, she’s worked on such well-known titles as Thomas Keller’s “Bouchon Bakery” and the late Kathleen Weber’s “Della Fattoria Bread,” helping chefs adapt their recipes for home cooks.
A dedicated baking area in Amy Vogler’s Kenwood kitchen. (Lauren Edith Andersen)Plenty of smart storage. (Lauren Edith Andersen)
“When we first moved to Kenwood, I was just getting started on a barbecue book [Adam Perry Lang’s “Serious Barbecue”]. We had a big setup under a falling-down gazebo in the backyard — a stand-up smoker, a gas grill, a charcoal grill, and a Big Green Egg. The rains were coming so we strung up tarps with bungee cords over everything so I could keep working. I can’t imagine what the neighbors thought.”
Of course, the neighbors soon became fans when it came to the fruits of the testing process: racks of ribs and brisket to share. Clearly, it’s a good thing to live next door to the Voglers.
Two years ago, Vogler and her husband finally felt it was time to jump into a big kitchen renovation that would give Vogler the space she needed for work and allow the family new ways to gather and cook together. The biggest change? Swapping the location of the existing den and kitchen, which allowed for a dramatically larger and brighter location for Vogler’s recipe testing and family meal prep.
The new stove, located on the opposite wall from the baking area, is a pop of color. (Lauren Edith Andersen)
Vogler keeps family favorites, including a honey pot and rolling pin that once belonged to her father, on the shelves above the new baking area. (Lauren Edith Andersen)
The sink and stove were located on one wall because to make plumbing and venting easier, while on the opposite wall, there’s a large fridge, pantry storage, and a baking area for Vogler’s bread and baking projects. In between, two islands offer flexibility for daily meal prep, homework, and casual dining.
What was the old kitchen is now a family office space where they each have a desk, and tall bookshelves hold Vogler’s cookbook collection as well as daughter Aurora’s school books and supplies. When Aurora is older, that space could swap back into the role of formal dining area — but for now, the family of three enjoys meals around one of the kitchen islands or outside on the patio. And even when they entertain, the kitchen works, as guests simply pull up extra stools and sit around the islands.
The best part, says Vogler, is all of the natural light in the new kitchen. “Just from a mood standpoint, it’s so much brighter with the skylights and the new back slider. And practically, if I’m taking pictures for work, the light is important.”
Just as key is the new baking area, for which she says she feels a great deal of gratitude. Vogler has been doing a lot of baking with Aurora this spring, making sourdough and quick flatbreads for the family. “I feel the most in my groove with baking. There’s a natural movement in it for me that is inherently calming and soothing. I’m very happy getting my hands in dough.”
Two islands offer flexibility for daily meal prep, homework, and casual dining. (Lauren Edith Andersen)Vogler’s father’s collection of wooden spoons hangs by the French doors. (Lauren Edith Andersen)
Tips for baking success
*Use a kitchen scale to measure ingredients. Results will be more consistent, and there’s less to clean up after as you don’t need measuring spoons and cups.
*If herbs or other add-ons aren’t incorporating evenly, transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead into the dough. Try not to incorporate too much flour. If the dough is sticky, dampen hands with water.
*Use rimmed baking sheets, as opposed to flat cookie sheets. For a thicker bread use one that measures 9” x 13”, for thinner 13” x 18”.
*If the dough tears when pressing it, pinch it back together, let it rest, and then start again.
*This dough also works well for pan-style pizza, when pressed into a larger pan. Partially bake for 15 minutes, then carefully remove from the oven. Spread with 1 cup sauce (140 grams) and sprinkle with 2 cups (150 grams) shredded cheese. Then back into the oven for about ten minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.
Tuscan flatbread by Amy Vogler. (Lauren Edith Andersen)
Amy’s Take on Tuscan Flatbread
Baking has brought culinary professional Amy Vogler and her family a great deal of joy during this spring’s shelter-in-place orders. She says this easy flatbread is excellent as-is with oil and salt, but versatile enough for add-ons, such as dried or fresh herbs. “Aurora’s favorite is green olives and sundried tomatoes. Rocky’s favorite is walnuts and rosemary from the recipe that inspired mine — in colleague Dan Leader’s ‘Living Bread.’ We’ll try pistachios and dried apricots with a little thyme next.”
Ingredients
• 350 grams (2 ½ cups) allpurpose flour
• 7 grams (2 teaspoons, 1 packet) active dry yeast
• 6 grams (2 teaspoons) kosher salt or (1 teaspoon) fine sea salt
• 235 grams (1 cup) warm water
• 10 grams (1 ½ teaspoons) honey
• 13 grams (1 tablespoon) extravirgin olive oil, plus more for the bowl and pans
• 12 grams (3 tablespoons) chopped mixed herbs or 150 grams (1 cup) chopped add-ons such as olives, nuts, or dried fruit
• Flaked or coarse sea salt
Instructions
Measure all of the dough ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix on low speed for a minute to begin to incorporate, then increase to medium-low to combine and mix until smooth, 5 to 7 minutes. If using herbs or add-ons, put in now and mix for about 2 minutes more.
Lightly oil a medium bowl. Transfer the dough to the bowl, turning to coat on all sides. Cover the top and set in a warm spot to proof until puffy and about doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Pour about 1 tablespoon of oil into the bottom of a baking sheet with sides. Gently stretch and press with fingertips until half to threequarters of the desired size. If the dough resists, let it rest a few minutes and then continue to press. Flip the dough to be oiled side up and gently press again, getting as close as possible to the corners. Cover and let proof until puffy and double in thickness, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425˚F.
Just before baking, drizzle the top with oil and sprinkle with salt. Be generous with both, about 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bake until a rich golden-brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
Use a spatula to release the bread from the pan and cool on a rack for 10 minutes.
The new back porch at Rosso Pizzeria in Santa Rosa. The restaurant has reopened for patio dining. Heather Irwin/PD
On a broiling spring afternoon, with waves of heat washing over me and a punishing sun threatening any exposed skin, there was no choice but to dine al fresco on the patio of Rosso Pizzeria in Santa Rosa.
No more yearning for a properly cooled Vermentino, hot fried chicken, crisp lettuce and someone else to do the dishes. I’ve never been happier to eat a beet salad in my whole life. Huzzah!
Beet salad at Rosso Pizzeria in Santa Rosa. The restaurant has reopened for patio dining. Heather Irwin/PD
In this version of our new normal, restaurants are more than takeout spots again. Nearly 150 have already opened their patios, with dozens more coming online within days. Restaurants must comply with strict guidelines set by the state and county.
Stating the obvious: A return to public dining isn’t for everyone while coronavirus still rages. There are clearly risks, much like we take every time we leave our houses even with masks. Takeout or simply cooking at home may be a better plan for some.
But if you do plan to dine al fresco, it’s not nearly as weird as naysayers make it out to be. Some things are hardly noticeable, like the disposable paper menus and pre-rolled silverware in napkin rolls. We’re all in masks, so I’m pretty okay with our server wearing one. Our table ends up with our masks dangling most of the time — putting them over our faces when we’re not eating. That’s what I do most of the time when I’m outside anyway, masks on near people, mask off when I’m alone.
Tables are spaced far apart (kinda nice not to be crammed next to loud talkers). Servers and owners are obvious about their cleanliness, with lots of signs and bleach spray around. The absence of sticky tables, communal salt, and nasty ketchup bottles is delightful, because they’ve always grossed me out.
If you’re worried your food will be touched by restaurant staff, I’ll let you in on a secret: It will be and it always has been. That’s how you make food. I’ve spent a lot of time in restaurant kitchens and even after a long shift, most of them are more sanitary than mine. Handwashing is mandated. I’m way more worried about touching a grocery cart than I am a server touching my plate.
Don’t freak out about people wearing gloves, either. Studies show people generally wash their hands less when wearing them. Or they wash with them on, which is really weird.
Why take the risk? It’s the experience of eating out. All those little intangibles, like someone else filling your wine glass, as well as the very tangible — eating incredible food you simply can’t make at home. It’s a culinary vacation where we reconnect with our favorite servers, eat complicated dishes on a whim, chatter mindlessly with family and friends, and walk away from the mess when we’re done. Bliss.
Like everything I can’t do, I’ve forgotten how much I miss that, and how much I took it for granted.
Rosso Pizzeria in Santa Rosa has reopened for patio dining. Heather Irwin/PD
Right now, restaurants have everything at stake, but the sad truth is that patio dining, takeout and delivery won’t save restaurants — it’s a stop-gap. The margins are too low for a restaurant to remove 80 percent of their seating and still make a profit. Most restaurants bothering to open right are receiving federal loans from the SBA and the PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) which will eventually run out. The PPP is a sticky wicket, requiring restaurants to hire back a significant portion of their staff who have very little to do if the restaurant only offers takeout.
There’s also an ethical issue of whether restaurateurs should expose staff to guests who could be sick. Or vice versa.
Until restaurants can operate at full capacity or reinvent themselves completely, the future is uncertain. But for now, at least we can appreciate a moment of sitting in our favorite restaurants eating beet salad and pretending life is at least a little bit normal.
Among these innovative initiatives is a Healdsburg flower shop that has figured out a clever way to deliver some much-needed delight during the pandemic.
At Dragonfly Floral you can now shop for more than flower arrangements — their online farm stand boasts close to 40 local vendors selling everything from veggies, eggs, wine and meats to silver jewelry — all available for delivery.
Carlisle Degischer, who owns Dragonfly Floral with her mother, Bonnie Z, has endured the impact of recent fires and floods on her business. When the coronavirus pandemic forced the closure of all non-essential businesses, she quickly thought of a way to keep her flower shop, and other local businesses, going.
“I knew everyone would be looking for homes for their products and ways to make money,” said Degischer. “I started building a website and taking orders over night.”
Flowe arrangement by Dragonfly Floral in Healdsburg. (Courtesy photo)
Degischer started working with local companies that make products she wanted to make sure she would continue to have access to, including (but not limited to) fresh vegetables from F.E.E.D. Sonoma, meats from Journeyman Meat Co., baked goods from Quail & Condor, Russian River Tea, and Volo chocolate.
“I’m really excited about the diversity and ever-evolving list of items. We have sold a little bit of everything,” said Degischer. “It is totally random. One week everyone is buying honey, the next everyone wants jam. Eggs and Genovese basil almost always sell out immediately.”
Dragonfly’s online farm stand went live just a few days after the Sonoma County shelter in place order was issued. So far, they’ve received more than 700 orders.
“The response has been incredible,” said Degischer. “We are so grateful to our community for the support that they have shown.”
Degischer’s initiative has enabled her to collaborate in a new way with local businesses that previously ordered fresh flowers from her store, among them The Spinster Sisters restaurant in Santa Rosa.
Products from the Spinster Pantry line are available via Dragonfly Floral’s online farm stand. (Courtesy of The Spinster Sisters)
“When she [Degischer] approached us about this idea, I thought it was a perfect way to stay connected, and to introduce our Spinster Pantry line to more of Sonoma County. When pandemic hits — we pivot!” said Liza Hinman, chef and co-owner of The Spinster Sisters and The Astro Motel.
Free delivery of products from the online farm stand is offered Tuesday through Sunday within Healdsburg on all orders of $25 or more. On select days of the week, Dragonfly also provides free delivery on orders of $75 or more to neighboring communities, including Santa Rosa, Cloverdale, Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill, and West County.
While the situation remains difficult for many, being able to get a hand-tied bouquet of locally farmed flowers along with French Roast coffee delivered to your doorstep may be the kind of silver lining we’re all searching for these days.
“I am so glad I have smart business women and wonderful friends like Carlisle to work with in finding ways to keep our mutual brands alive and well, even in such uncertain times,” said Hinman.
Stuffed jalapenos with Spanish rice, beans, pico de gallo and cashew cheese from Cozy Plum in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
Standing in line to pick up dinner at Los Molcajetes Bar and Grill in Rincon Valley, I couldn’t help but ask a woman nearby if she’d ever tried this brand-new restaurant.
“No, but I wanted to support them so they’ll still be here,” she said, grabbing two large takeout bags.
A sweet sentiment, no doubt. But it’s also a gut punch. This family-owned Mexican grill was open for only a week before it shuttered for the next six due to shelter-in-place mandates.
Los Molcajetes was the next restaurant I was planning to write about. I couldn’t wait to take some beautifully lit pictures of pale yellow margaritas with lovely salted rims, steaming molcajetes, enchiladas draped with savory mole sauce, spicy carne asada street tacos, maybe even a flan or two.
It was the same story for the Cozy Plum in the JC neighborhood of Santa Rosa. The former Gaia’s Garden — one of the only vegan restaurants in the county — has transformed into a softer “plant-forward” eatery with a creative menu and a broad appeal, though it remains dedicatedly vegan.
Cozy Plum also was a newcomer at the top of my list to try before going into my house-cave. For both restaurants, you’re seeing the takeout version of their food, which I shot in my living room with a phone camera.
Perfectly-plated, flattering photos of food won’t reflect what you’ll see in the to-go boxes and bags you pick up. Like everything right now, it’s not quite the same as it was. And that’s OK. Let’s just embrace it and be thankful for a night without dirty dishes.
Los Molcajetes
Yes, this is a sibling to the popular Molcajetes restaurant in Santa Rosa which rose to fame after Guy Fieri featured it on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” As the names suggest, molcajetes is the signature dish.
Though you won’t see its namesake for takeout (sizzling in a stone bowl), you’ll still get a steaming stew of meats or seafood, a cactus paddle, fresh cheese, peppers and scallions dipping into a savory broth of dried chiles and tomatoes. It’s easily enough food for several people to share. There is a vegetarian version, but we especially like the “mix” molcajete with chicken, shrimp, chorizo and steak.
Try these dishes, too.
Enchiladas de Mole: Shredded chicken wrapped in corn tortillas and smothered with a dark, enchanting sauce made with dried chiles, chocolate and about a thousand other secret ingredients.
Carne Asada Tacos: There’s some nice heat on these super-meaty street tacos that will run you $3 each.
There’s plenty more to choose from here, and you’ll be able to please the whole family (and your pocketbook). The menu runs a full six pages, with simpler fare like burritos, quesadillas, mixed grill plates, soup, seafood, enchiladas and fajitas. They even have chicken nuggets for your picky little peanuts and heavy-duty margaritas for mom and dad.
Phone orders only, 707-791-7571. Open 6599 Montecito Blvd., No. 130, Santa Rosa. Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, facebook.com/losmolcajetesbarandgrill
Cozy Plum
It wasn’t the vegan burger that had me headed to this tiny spot on Mendocino Avenue. It was a touching Facebook post by the owner. The rainy-day photo shows a staff member running across the street to help an older woman struggling in a nearby crosswalk. That tiny moment of kindness made me cry. So I figured I needed to try their vegan burger at the very least.
It’s a really good not-a-burger. Though I’ve decided I like the Impossible Burger better than the Beyond Burger ($18), it wasn’t the faux patty that sold me. It was the combination of race car-red tomatoes, green leaf lettuce, pickles and a sturdy (but not overly-bready) sourdough bun that won me over. The added smoked Gouda cheese left me a little underwhelmed, but I’m a cheese snob.
Stuffed Jalapeños ($20): There’s a lot going on here. It’s a heaping helping of jalapeños stuffed with plant-based taco “meat,” black beans, white beans, Spanish rice, avocados, pico de gallo, “crema” and cashew cheese sauce. I found myself making comparisons to what it would taste like with beef and cow’s-milk cheese and found it slightly lacking. Then I reframed it, taking it for what it what was, a rainbow of beautiful vegetables with nicely restrained Mexican seasoning and mouth-watering presentation.
What I’m most taken with at Cozy Plum is their light-hearted approach to comfort food with a vegan twist and their passion for making beautiful, inclusive food. I’m looking forward to another visit to try the vegan baked goods from Muir’s Tea Room, the Far East Philly, mac and cheese and maybe even a vegan prawn or two.
Online ordering and payments are super easy, and you can request curbside delivery. 1899 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-526-3333, cozyplum.com
Good food, good wine, good gosh, let’s dine — pandemic or not.
That’s the mantra of a handful of Sonoma County wineries that have found sumptuous ways to feed and water customers as tasting rooms remain closed and restaurants await word on when they can reopen for seated service.
Winery chefs have been preparing high-end takeout meals paired with wines and cook-at-home kits. Wineries have partnered with food purveyors to deliver gustatory relief to those cooped up at home. And vintners have been creative in showing the virtues of great wine enjoyed with great food, even when their tasting rooms are dark. Here are some of the most inventive offerings.
Bella Vineyards + Wine Caves
Buy three bottles and get baked goodies free; that’s the deal from this Dry Creek Valley winery. Co-owner Lynn Adams cooked up the idea of delivering free, freshly-made pies, cupcakes, cookies, tarts and ice cream from local makers to those who buy three bottles of Bella wine at a time online.
“When pie and wine show up on your doorstep, you can’t help but smile,” Adams said. Each week she offers a different treat and selection of wines. Go online by Wednesday to see the featured dessert and order the wines. Adams, husband Scott and daughter Lilia deliver on Friday or Saturday.
Cookies from Moustache Baked Goods and a pint of house-made vanilla bean ice cream from Noble Folk are paired with Bella Vineyards wines. (Courtesy of Moustache Baked good)
The May 29-30 delivery will be of Noble Folk Ice Cream & Pie Bar’s “Cookies + Cream” — warm chocolate chip cookies and a pint of house-made vanilla bean ice cream from Noble Folk partners Ozzie Jimenez and Christian Sullberg. Wine choices include Ru’s Farm Rosé of Pinot, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and pinot noir growlers in glass jugs; 2017 Bella Maple Vineyard Zinfandel and 2018 Bella Late Harvest Zinfandel. The June 5-6 deliveries are of Noble Folk “Ice Cream Cones,” a quart of Oreo Cookie, Cornflake Maple or Salted Carmel ice cream and four just-baked waffle cones.
While the Bella wines aren’t specifically paired to the baked goods, rely on the late-harvest zin to complement chocolate treats. Even more satisfying: 20% of wine sales are donated to Corazon Healdsburg, a multi-service organization assisting local families in need.
A single winery isn’t behind this event, but rather a multitude of them. Sonoma Valley’s weekly pizza party is back, though with a new venue, day of the week and pickup-only service. Previously held at The General’s Daughter on Tuesday evenings, P+P has moved to Ramekins Catering, Events, Culinary School+Inn this year, as General’s Daughter is being outfitted for Georgette, a restaurant by former “Top Chef” contestant Casey Thompson. This spring/summer, Friday is the evening for pizza, salad and dessert for two, with a bottle of pinot chosen by Sonoma’s Best Modern Mercantile and Wine Shop sommelier Todd Jolly. Order ahead ($45 plus tax), choose a pickup time and stop by Ramekins for Friday-night dinner. Same-day orders can be placed until 2 p.m.
“I rotate regions, producers, vineyards and styles,” Jolly said about his wine selections. “The wines featured are selected from around the world. However, there is an emphasis on Sonoma County. Our chef sends me the pizza recipe each week, and I prepare my (wine) selection. It’s a fun task to pair the different cheeses and toppings with either fruity or earth-driven pinot noirs.”
Take note, Blue Apron and Hello Fresh fans. This Carneros winery has the meal kit for you.
“Ram’s Gate in Your Kitchen” is a food and wine dinner kit created by winery Executive Chef Stacey Combs and Director of Winemaking Joe Nielsen. Each week, the two-course kit, which serves two, is available for pickup or delivery. The $125-$150 cost includes two bottles of wine. Optional cheese boards and desserts can be ordered for an additional cost; cooking and assembly instructions are included. Complementary delivery is available in Sonoma, Napa and Marin counties.
A recent menu ($150 for two) featured Little Gem lettuce, fava beans, watermelon radish, crispy shallots and buttermilk chevre dressing as the starter and a main course of Italian pork sausage and fromage blanc gnocchi with baby kale, roasted tomato and fennel sauce. Nielsen matched his 2017 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay and 2017 Bush Crispo Vineyard Pinot Noir to this fix-yourself feast.
Mac and Leslie McQuown grow wine grapes organically in Sonoma’s Moon Mountain District. Their deep involvement in micro-grid technology and conservation is a whole other story, but know this: their wines (a sauvignon blanc and two Bordeaux-inspired reds at $50, $85 and $150, respectively) are amazingly good and their devotion to matching those wines with foods made from ingredients they grow themselves is fervent.
Club members have access to food- and wine-matching experiences at Stone Edge’s culinary base in downtown Sonoma, under the direction of chef John McReynolds. During the coronavirus shutdowns, Edge To Go was created for the rest of us to buy locally-sourced gourmet meals and complementary wines for pickup in Sonoma and devoured in our homes.
One five-course offering ($40 for one, with enough for leftovers) included pea soup with crème fraîche and croutons, a flatbread of ricotta, kale and leeks, a “Tacu-Tacu” main of cranberry beans, basmati rice, pickled red onions and chiles. Dessert was a lime bar with toasted coconut. Seafood paella and pork loin also have made menu appearances. Each meal, offered Wednesday through Saturday, comes with a recommendation for a suitable Stone Edge wine, purchased at an additional cost.
When the shelter-in-place order went into effect and shuttered tasting rooms throughout Wine Country, wineries were quick to launch virtual tastings. Using digital solutions like Zoom, Facebook Live, Skype, and FaceTime, it didn’t take long to get wine flowing in people’s living rooms. Now that wineries have mastered the logistics of connectivity and shipping, they’re letting their creativity flow. Click through the gallery above to see some of the unique wine tasting options available from Napa and Sonoma County vineyards.
As Sonoma County residents continue to shelter at home, two women, dressed whimsically as princesses and characters from fairytales, busy themselves bringing hope, love and magic to local children and others in need.
In pre-pandemic times, Katie Kelley of Petaluma and Jessica Martin of Santa Rosa brought their brand of wonder via real-life visits and party drop-ins. On weekends, the two were prone to dress up and wander the streets of Petaluma in princess character — just so they could see people smile.
“It doesn’t matter how old you are, if you’re out and about in public and you see someone come by dressed as [one of your kid’s favorite princesses] or [one of your favorite princesses from when you were a kid], it’s going to make you happy,” said Kelley, 35. “That, more than anything, is why we do what we do.”
Amid the current public health crisis, the two women have modified their magic experiences to allow for six feet of distance and taking princess encounters to a virtual realm.
“It’s all about feeling connected,” said Martin, 27. “Right now that makes all the difference in the world.”
Katie Kelley and Jessica Martin. (Courtesy of Hope, Love and Magic)
Last week, the princesses led virtual story times and art classes on Facebook Live and Zoom. Accoutered in sparkly masks, they also showed up to a child’s birthday parade — standing a throne’s length apart as they waved to friends and family members passing by in their cars.
“It’s a scary and uncertain and upside-down time in our world,” said Kelley. “Now, more than ever, we have to be hopeful that no matter how bad things might seem, it will get better and there is still wonder in the world and we will get through this.”
Kelley and Martin’s costumes and personas vary depending on the engagement. Most of the time, the magic duo dress up like beloved leading ladies in popular fairytales and movie adaptations. When requested, the two show their versatility by replacing tutus for capes and assuming alter ego roles as superheroes. Martin, an accomplished costume designer and seamstress, has made just about all the costumes and accessories herself.
During appearances, both women embrace their characters wholeheartedly. Even computers and cell phones are prone to morph into “magic mirrors” to enable virtual connections. For children in need of an extra pick-me-up, parents can even arrange a customized video chat with princesses Kelley and Martin.
“It’s pretty amazing to watch kids get so into it,” said Kelley, a single mom to an 8-year-old daughter named Emmalina. “To us, it’s just a Zoom chat. But to them, it’s the most magical and incredible thing ever.”
Loni Ward, a Petaluma mother whose 3-year-old daughter has had multiple sessions with the princesses, said her daughter is convinced Kelley is a real-life princess.
“Each chat brings a little normal back to her life and lifts her mood when she is bored with the monotonous days,” Ward wrote in a recent email. “It’s different from watching a show or movie or playing a game [because] the characters are able to make real connections.”
When not occupied with royal duties, princesses Kelley and Martin busy themselves with “day jobs” at Alchemia, a Santa Rosa arts organization for adults and children with developmental disabilities. Kelley specializes in performing arts, while Martin does visual arts. Kelley is also the director at Young Actors Studio in Santa Rosa and currently is teaching a playwriting class for teenagers. Martin helps manage the Create It! do-it-yourself pottery studio in downtown Sebastopol, and takes sewing commissions.
Katie Kelley. (Courtesy of Hope, Love and Magic)
The creative pair, “princessing” since 2012, have done a wide variety of engagements, from house parties to hospital meet-and-greets, since joining forces in 2017 to launch Hope, Love and Magic. They were awarded a City of Santa Rosa Merit Award in 2018 for their efforts to raise spirits by making the rounds at local shelters dressed as princesses in the aftermath of the Tubbs Fire.
Looking forward, Kelley and Martin said they will continue their virtual and social-distanced princess experiences so long as public safety requires.
Meanwhile, the duo offers a Zoom singalong with characters from a popular movie about sisters from a chilly faraway land on May 29 at 7 p.m.
Martin also offers a weekly session in conjunction with Create It. From 11 a.m. to noon every Wednesday, she assumes the persona of a different character, reads a story, and leads participating children in an art lesson on Facebook Live.
“I know there’s no such thing as magic wands and ‘Bippity Boppity Boo,’ but I believe there is magic inside of each of us,” she said. “Even when things seem dark—like now—there’s always hope.”
To book a princess from Hope, Love and Magic, email hopeloveandmagic@gmail.com. As of press time, private virtual character visits including story time and singalong cost $35 for 15 minutes and $60 for 30 minutes. Party appearances start at $50 per character per hour.
Scones and tea at Patisserie Angelia are among the tasty treats for high tea, now available for takeout. Heather Irwin/PD
Whether you’re cooped up with bored kids or just needing a little you-time, one of the best ways to chill is with a pinkies-up high tea. Local tea houses are now offering this English tradition to go — from crustless cucumber sandwiches and scones to pasties and baked treats. Breaking out granny’s silver service not required, but really, why not?
Tudor Rose Tea Room: Our crummy Monday turned into a charming afternoon teatime escape for one. High-tea order includes four tea sandwiches (little crustless triangles of curried-chicken, cucumber and cream cheese, hummus), a mushroom and onion tart, scone with cream and jam and a packet of tea. Add-ons include sausage rolls, savory pies, French onion soup and savory pies. Owner Angela Grant is an unreservedly enthusiastic Brit who makes sure the whole experience is authentic. Daily, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Order online, phone confirmation. 733 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, tudorrosetearoom.com.
Patisserie Angelica: High tea with a Parisian twist at this longtime Sebastopol patisserie. First, choose a luxe tea from the famed Mariage Freres Tea Company (just reading the descriptions is an exotic adventure). Pinkies-up petit fours include mini versions of favorite desserts: two scones, quiche, seasonal cheesecake, lemon meringue tart, chocolate souffle, Parisian “puff” and a real-deal macaron. Gluten-free options available. Love, love, love to go. Order anytime at 707-494-2547 for Café carry out each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 6821 Laguna Park Way, Sebastopol.
Muir’s Tea Room: Enchanted Fairy Tea Service (wrapped as a gift) is so cute we want to pinch it! Wrapped up as a fairy gift, it includes the Wee Willie Winkie Pinkie Strawberry and Cream Cheese Finger Sandwich, Pixie Puff Pastry Pesto Pinwheel, a toadstool tart, a handpainted fairy cookie and more. All food is plant-based (ie: no meat). Available Tuesdays and Fridays or by request. Pre-order online at muirstearoomandcafe.com. 330 South Main St., Sebastopol.
More than two months into the coronavirus shutdown, local wineries are eagerly awaiting approval to reopen to the public. On Monday, Sonoma County’s top health official submitted a reopening plan to the California Department of Public Health, which would allow wineries, as well as breweries and restaurants, to offer patio service. In the meantime, Healdsburg’s Jordan Winery has found a loophole within the latest loosening of restrictions announced last week and will reopen its grounds on Saturday, May 23.
Taking advantage of Sonoma County’s relaxed coronavirus closure rules for public and private parks, allowing locals to drive to parks, Jordan Winery will welcome visitors to its 1,200-acre estate for guided hiking excursions by appointment — with wine picnics to go — making it the first winery in Sonoma and Napa counties, and possibly the state of California, to legally reopen to visitors.
“As a business that has this much private open space surrounding us, we just felt like this was the right thing to do,” said Lisa Mattson, director of marketing and communications at Jordan Winery. She added that the winery’s loop trail will allow hikers to spread out. “You never have to worry about passing anybody and there’s plenty of space.”
Jordan Winery has offered hiking experiences for several years now with picnic lunches on the estate terrace. To comply with Sonoma County health orders and guidance, the new hiking excursions will not include a post-hike meal on the terrace. Instead, winery chef Todd Knoll will pack up a picnic to go, featuring four salumi selections from Healdsburg’s Journeyman Meat Co., two artisanal cheeses, salad greens sourced from the winery’s garden, and accouterments like house-made estate mostarda, marinated olives, and spiced nuts. Each party will also take home two bottles of Jordan’s estate wines for pairing, the 2018 Chardonnay and 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon.
Offered on eight days between Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, June 7, the moderate four-mile hike will traverse woods, meadows, vineyards, olive orchards and circle a lake. Hikers can take a water break at the Jordan Point Vista, a panoramic hilltop, and will also pass by cattle pastures, the chef’s garden and an apiary.
The hiking experience, including picnic and wines, is $220 (for two people) and will take place at 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Maximum capacity for each time slot is 10 people (five groups of two). Additional hikes may be added to the calendar soon.
In compliance with Sonoma County’s health order, masks must be carried throughout the hike but only have to be worn when it’s not possible to maintain six feet distance. Mattson said guests should only need to wear their masks when they meet at the winery chateau at the start of the hiking excursion, but anyone who wants to wear a mask for the duration of the hike can of course do so. The winery also encourages hikers to bring their own water, though individual glass bottles will be available at the water stop. Hand sanitizer stations and thoroughly cleaned, luxury porta potties are positioned at the beginning, middle, and end of the trail.
The winery plans to resume picnics on the terrace at individual tables as soon as they are allowed to sell food and alcohol on site again. Mattson said they also plan to add some picnic days to their schedule of events — the winery’s expansive lawn can accommodate up to 50 people with social distancing protocols in place.
