Mendocino Outdoor Guide: 6 Stunning Spots to Visit On Your Next Trip
How to Celebrate Galentine’s Day in Sonoma County
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, the pressure is on for every person who takes the annual celebration of romance seriously (it’s time to book that fancy restaurant table, if you haven’t already!). No matter if you’re in a relationship or single, February 14 is often associated with a little bit of stress. This year, we’ve found the perfect antidote (at least for the ladies): Galentine’s Day.
Celebrated on February 13, this holiday newcomer was invented by the fictional character Leslie Knope of Parks and Recreation, played by “Wine Country” director and actress, Amy Poehler.
In a 2010 episode of the sitcom TV series, titled “Galentine’s Day,” Leslie gathers all of her female friends for brunch. “Every February 13, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home and we just come and kick it, breakfast-style,” she says in the episode.
Ten years later, there’s certainly no shortage on made-up holidays. (Did you just miss National Pizza Day? You can still celebrate with a great pie). But Galentine’s Day holds a special place in our hearts: as much as we love to celebrate romantic love, celebrating great friendships is important, too. And what could be a better year to celebrate your fellow females than 2020, the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in the United States?
If you’re looking for the best ways to have some fun with your friends on February 13, we’ve rounded up a few options in Sonoma County that are sure to provide some quality girl time. Click through the above gallery for details.
Mendocino Getaway: 6 Anderson Valley Wineries to Visit
Need a respite from the dreariness of winter? How about a day or weekend trip just 60 miles north of Santa Rosa, yet seemingly hundreds of miles away in rustic charm and tranquility? Long to taste exceptional pinot noirs, sparkling wines made in the methode traditionelle style of France’s Champagne region and brisk, mouthwatering, aromatic white wines such as riesling, gewürztraminer and pinot blanc, without any snobbery?
If so, Anderson Valley in southwestern Mendocino County is for you. Drive north on Highway 101 to Cloverdale, turn west onto Highway 128, navigate a few hairpin turns, and you’ll soon be surrounded by towering redwoods, verdant winter meadows and a quiet peace perfect for alleviating post-holiday stress.
There are 27 tasting rooms in Anderson Valley, scattered in and around the tiny communities of Boonville, Philo and Navarro. As logging and apple orchards have diminished in the region, winegrowing has become a major financial driver, a host to visitors seeking the region’s wines and provider to outside wineries of prime grapes that command impressive prices. Travelers to and from the Mendocino Coast often pass through Anderson Valley, keeping these hamlets alive and productive.
Yet Anderson Valley was not an overnight winegrowing success. In 1964, Donald Edmeades, a Southern California physician, planted 24 acres of vines and hung a sign that read “Edmeades Folly” because the valley was believed to be too cool and foggy for ripening grapes. Yet Edmeades found some success, especially with gewürztraminer. In 1968, Tony and Gretchen Husch planted chardonnay, gewürztraminer and pinot noir nearby and established Husch Vineyards as Anderson Valley’s first new winery since Prohibition.
The worldwide splash came in 1982, when Champagne house Louis Roederer launched Roederer Estate in Philo to produce sparkling wines. Napa Valley’s Schramsberg Vineyards followed suit, buying Anderson Valley grapes for its sparkling wines, prizing the vibrant acidity in the fruit. Revered Russian River Valley pinot noir producer Williams Selyem tapped Anderson Valley’s Ferrington Vineyard starting in 1992, with founding winemaker Burt Williams later buying the only vineyard he ever owned, Morning Dew Ranch in Anderson Valley, in 1998.
These endorsements from established producers cast a glowing halo over Anderson Valley as a vital viticultural region, and demand for the wines is ever-increasing. To experience these wines, visit the tasting rooms; some require reservations, others welcome walk-ins and all offer a deeper experience than can be explained here. Click through the above gallery for more photos.
Goldeneye Winery
Founded in 1996 by Dan and Margaret Duckhorn, Goldeneye rapidly became a benchmark wine producer in Anderson Valley. Among its current releases are a brut rosé sparkling wine, eight pinot noirs, a gewürztraminer and vin gris of pinot noir, all grown in Anderson Valley. The wines are typically bold and generous in fruit and can be sampled in a wide array of tastings. Reservations are highly recommended. The Essentials Tasting features current-release Goldeneye wines and selections from sister winery Migration. The Estate Tasting includes a guided wine-and-food pairing with current and library wines. Don’t miss the ATV tour of Goldeneye’s Confluence Estate Vineyard, which includes tastings, charcuterie and cheese. 9200 Highway 128, Philo, 707-895-3202, goldeneyewinery.com.
Navarro Vineyards
Ted Bennett and Deborah Cahn fled Southern California for a simpler life in Anderson Valley and planted their first vineyard in 1974. Their Navarro Vineyards wines are now known for their freshness and finesse, with their muscat blancs, gewürztraminers and rieslings winning multiple gold medals every year. Chardonnays and pinot noirs are excellent, too, made by Jim Klein in an elegant, mouthwatering style. The tasting room is rustically simple and small, the staff attentive and enthusiastic. Seating areas outside offer lazy-day views of the valley. Navarro wines are sold largely through the tasting room, wine club and direct order; visiting the winery is the best way to discover these gems. 601 Highway 128, Philo, 800-537-9463, navarrowine.com.
Pennyroyal Farm
This Bennett-Cahn sister winery includes a creamery, where Sarah Cahn Bennett oversees the cheesemaking, using milk from the family’s goats and sheep. She and her brother, Aaron Cahn Bennett, have brought an ultimate-experience vibe to Pennyroyal, with its own line of wines, cheeses, farm tours, sparkling wine brunches and pairing opportunities. Pennyroyal is an Anderson Valley institution, with a farm-first philosophy. 14930 Highway 128, Boonville, 800-956-8909, pennyroyalfarm.com.
Roederer Estate
Talk about cementing a California wine region as the real deal! Louis Roederer Champagne came to Anderson Valley in 1982, impressed by the region’s ability to grow high-acid chardonnay and pinot noir for sparkling wine. Its tête de cuvée, vintage L’Ermitage Brut ($50), is on par with some of the finest bubblies of Champagne. The Roederer Estate nonvintage brut is widely available and attractively priced at around $25 (often discounted). In the tasting room, you can sample vintage and nonvintage brut rosés, plus bubblies from magnum bottles — a rare treat. 4501 Highway 128, Philo, 707-895-2288, roedererestate.com.
The Madrones
This lodging/dining/tasting room complex hosts Drew Family Cellars, Long Meadow Ranch Vineyards and Smith Story Wine Cellars. It’s a great stop to try and buy several wines. Jason Drew focuses on pinot noir and syrah from Mendocino Ridge, Anderson Valley and the Yorkville Highlands. Long Meadow Ranch, based in Napa Valley, has this Anderson Valley outpost to show off its chardonnays and pinot noirs from the region. Eric Smith and Alison Story of Smith Story Wine Cellars use Anderson Valley grapes in their wines as well as those from the Sonoma Coast, Sonoma Mountain and Russian River Valley. The Madrones, 9000 Highway 128, Philo, 707-895-2955, themadrones.com.
Toulouse Vineyards and Winery
Proprietor/winemaker Vern Boltz and his team go the warm-and-friendly route in their comfy tasting room, with views of Hendy Woods State Park and its magnificent giant redwoods. Dogs are welcome and the wine offerings are broad: pinot gris, rosé of pinot noir, pinot noir, zinfandel, merlot and the rare valdiguié, a light, fruity red with moderate tannins and cracking acidity. 8001 Highway 128, Philo, 707-895-2828, toulousevineyards.com.
Disco Ranch
It’s not a tasting room, but qualifies here because it’s a wine bar, wine retailer and specialty food market that’s a gathering place for locals and a place for visitors to taste Anderson Valley wines from producers that don’t have tasting rooms. Wine industry veteran Wendy Lamer opened Disco Ranch in the historic Horn of Zeese building in Boonville. She offers wine flights, pairings and Anderson Valley wines that can’t be found elsewhere. Not thirsty? Stop for lunch. 14025 Highway 128, Boonville, 707-901-5002, discoranch.com.
SMART Shopping: 4 Unique Stores in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square District
With SMART train access extended to Larkspur, it’s a good time for riders from Marin and San Francisco to explore what Santa Rosa’s historic Railroad Square has to offer. From a crafter’s paradise to a foodie’s dream destination, we’ve picked out four shops well worth the trip. And don’t miss the cute cafes and cosy restaurants in and around Railroad Square. Click through the above gallery for details.
Mother-and-Daughter Team Brings Resale Fashion Trend to New Santa Rosa Boutique
Love the idea of secondhand shopping but dread the prospect of sifting through racks of used clothes? Now you can leave it to the experts to find the hidden gems for you.
Resale, one of the latest trends in fashion retail, makes secondhand shopping easy by offering a more curated collection of garments and accessories than the traditional thrift store. Each item has been selected by people with an eye for great fashion and great bargains — people, who, unlike many of us, enjoy a sometimes time- and energy-consuming treasure hunt. Among those gifted secondhand shoppers is mother-and-daughter team Mary Delaney and Lily Luong, the owners of Santa Rosa’s new fashion resale store, Areteway.
Delaney and Luong started buying and selling vintage clothes a few years ago, as a way of financing Luong’s education at the San Francisco Academy of Art. It quickly became apparent that they had a knack for it: They made profitable sales to hip and highly selective Bay Area consignment stores like Wasteland and Buffalo Exchange and to online marketplace Poshmark, as well as through eBay, the great grandaddy of resale.
The key to their success? Luong’s curatorial eye and natural sense for style.
“Since I was really little I liked to draw clothing and color outfits in coloring books,” said Luong, who was homeschooled from second grade and onward because of being bullied at school. Her passion for style grew as her mother brought her to thrift stores where she learned about the history of fashion. She recalls appreciating the beauty of old pieces, like a 50’s prom dress, and learning about how styles morphed over the years.
After a prestigious position on Seventeen Magazine’s 2011 style council and a series of classes at the Academy of Art, Luong can now be found dressing mannequins in her own Santa Rosa shop.
“We do sell off the mannequin,” said Luong, who sometimes has outfits requested within minutes of putting them on display.
Luong has “always loved mixing clothes in different ways” and enjoys creating trendy looks using old clothing. Before having her own store, she would monitor and save looks she liked via Pinterest.
Creating looks is not a deliberate process for Luong. Instead, it’s more about being open to inspiration and having that natural sense for what works and what doesn’t: Her styling process is “not always clear and definable,” but it’s more of a “that would be cute with this” kind of approach.
In addition to having an eye for fashion, Luong and Delaney also have an eye for interior design and how to best display the items sold in their store.
Their downtown Santa Rosa boutique has an airy and calm aesthetic with atomic-style brass chandeliers, velvety rose curtains and unfinished-wood shelves, which the duo designed and built themselves. Clothing offerings are organized by size and stylishly displayed in a way that is not overwhelming. New items like candles, soaps, “evil-free” lipstick and jewelry—all small batch-made—can be found on shelves throughout the store, offering the shopper more inspiration.
While Luong’s and Delaney’s design chops and entrepreneurial spirit are apparent (Delaney studied business at Sonoma State and law at Empire Law School), the pair’s mission extends beyond beauty and business. The eco-conscious aspects of resale is something that appeals to both of them.
According to The New York Times, fashion accounts for eight percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, and a majority of new clothing gets incinerated or tossed in the trash within a year. Resale can offer a more sustainable alternative to buying completely new things — even retail giants like Nordstrom are taking note and implementing the new trend.
Through Areteway’s buy/sell/trade model, customers can buy used clothes and accessories and also sell their own “good condition, current within two years” clothing, shoes and handbags for 25 percent of their selling price in cash or 40 percent in store credit.
“We want to encourage people to think of their clothes as an investment,” said Delaney and noted that, while they have some “fast fashion” in their store, if people take good care of their clothes, they will last longer and can even be resold. That way, shoppers can get their money’s worth out of very purchase.
Delaney adds that mending and alterations are key skills in keeping clothing fresh and current — for example, she creatively covered a stain on a butter yellow suit with some darning. A customer loved the suit and bought it, despite the “imperfection.” “Visible mending” with high contrast threads, Delaney explained, is trending in Europe and Australia.
When used clothes are curated and merchandised by skilled boutique owners, like Luong and Delaney, they can become attractive solutions to a dilemma many grapple with today: how can I enjoy shopping and keep my closet current and stylish while still being conscious about the impact of shopping on the environment?
One peek inside Areteway, and we’re already sold on the resale trend.
Areteway Shop, 707A 4th St., Santa Rosa, aretewayshop.com
Best Things to Do in Windsor, CA
The town of Windsor, located just south of Healdsburg, may not be the first item on Wine Country itineraries but for those looking for off-the-beaten path experiences and locals’ favorites, this is a great place to visit. The state-of-the-art Russian River Brewing Company facility is obviously a big draw for many, but there’s more to Windsor than Pliny.
This is the kind of place that values small, family-owned businesses: in and around the Town Green area you’ll find an eclectic mix of shops selling everything from candy to clothes, restaurants serving up international flavors, and tasting rooms pouring a variety of local wines. In summer, there’s live entertainment outdoors and the town makes the holiday season magical with its lighted Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Grove.
Click through the gallery for some of our favorite things to do in the town of Windsor.
How to Spend 24 Hours in Geyserville, CA
When the mood strikes to jump in the car for a Wine Country getaway, Geyserville might not make the top of the list of possible destinations. But this tiny town, often overshadowed by its famous neighbor Healdsburg, is a hidden gem. Spend a little time exploring and you’ll soon discover Geyserville packs a punch, from top notch wineries and restaurants to charming inns surrounded by vineyards. Click through the gallery to find out how to spend 24 hours in Geyserville.
Sonoma and Marin Trails With Waterfall Endings
With California’s propensity for hot and dry weather, it’s no wonder Californians have a natural affinity for water.
In the North Bay, locals flock to rivers, lakes and the coast whenever the weather is halfway decent. During the winter months, when it’s too cold to take a dip, they seek out the region’s waterfalls — some of them well known and easily accessible, others secret and a little more remote.
No matter your waterfall destination, one thing is clear: the North Bay, with its streams and mountainous terrain, is perfectly situated for spectacular shows of cascading water. In Sonoma and Marin counties, you’ll find a wealth of parks and preserves that house these natural wonders — and there are trails for all skill levels to get you there.
Scroll through the above gallery to find out where to go and which trails to hike for waterfall endings that will leave you speechless.
Young Actors to Bring ‘Hamilton’ Redux to Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa
The Broadway hit musical “Hamilton” is coming to the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa. Sort of.
In a show dubbed “Hamiltunes,” members of the local Young Actors Studio will perform 16 songs from the popular musical over two weekends. The show, which premieres tonight at the Left Edge Studio Theatre, will feature a cast of 17 local children ages 9 to 15.
Fans of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s award-winning musical will recognize all the songs, which are expected to include hits like “My Shot,” “Helpless,” and “History Has Its Eyes on You.” The cast will be dressed in period clothing and will act out parts of the scenes preceding and following each number, which will also incorporate dance choreography.
“It really takes you on a ride with fresh, fun, and witty rapping that everyone loves to sing,” said Director Katie Kelley.
The young actors auditioned for “Hamiltunes,” just like professional actors, and have been rehearsing four times per week since early January. They will control the show’s progression, transitioning in and out of numbers and providing context for each song. On occasion, a slide with words or images from the original musical will appear on the wall behind the stage as a way of advancing the plot.
The show runs about 75 minutes with an intermission, featuring eight songs in each act. Because the Left Edge Studio Theatre seats roughly 70 people on four rows, audience members will be close to the action.
In selecting which “Hamilton” songs would make the cut for “Hamiltunes,” Kelley used several different criteria, including which tracks were most popular among the general public, which ones the kids nailed in auditions, and which were her personal favorites.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering: none of the songs have explicit lyrics like they do in the original.
The idea behind “Hamiltunes” evolved over the past few years. Argo Thompson, Artistic Director of the Young Actors Studio, had noticed that many kids, who were auditioning for other shows, would sing songs from “Hamilton.” Together, Thompson and Kelley decided to leverage this passion and create a show that featured songs from the popular musical.
So why is it that “Hamilton” seems to resonate so deeply with kids?
“Hamilton’s story is one many people can relate to,” explained Kelley. “He was a just a normal guy, who rose to prominence. He came from nothing and accomplished so much. Kids are told almost every day in school that with enough hard work and ambition, anything is possible. Hamilton’s legacy inspires people to follow what they believe in, and it brings forward [many of] the conversations that are still relevant today: immigration, equality, women’s rights, and so on.”
Both directors added that the show’s hip hop-style music tends to resonate more with young people than traditional musical theatre treatments. For this reason, Thompson said he expects the audience to sing along. So get ready to be entertained while exercising those vocal cords — don’t throw away your shot.
What: Young Actors Studio presents “Hamiltunes”
When: Feb. 7-9 and Feb 14-16; Fridays at 7 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Where: Luther Burbank Center for the Arts.
Tickets: $18 – $25; lutherburbankcenter.org.
Best Sonoma County Restaurants for Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is almost upon us, and…oh no, you don’t have a plan, right? Don’t fret, because there are both fine dining and casual options (like beer and waffles) for every type of couple, gal pal group or squad. Note that you will require a reservation for most, and don’t wait because Valentine’s Day is one of the most popular days to dine out. Click through the above gallery for details.
Recommendations by Kathleen Hill (KH), Heather Irwin (HI), and Houston Porter (HP).