Seafood Ramen with a medley of scallops, shrimp and squid in a shiso ponzu broth from Taste of Tea in Healdsburg. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Noodle soup translates into warmth and happiness in just about any language, but in Japan, it’s called ramen.
Unlike anything you’d find in a supermarket aisle, real ramen is based on a miso, shoyu (soy sauce) or tonkotsu (pork) broth and filled with all manner of yumminess, like pork belly, mushrooms, soft-boiled eggs, bonito (dried tuna flakes), bamboo shoots, green onion, corn, seafood, seaweed and corn. The added plus? Lean your head over the bowl and get a nice ramen face steam while you’re eating.
Click through the above gallery for some of our favorite ramen spots throughout Sonoma County. Have one we missed? Let us know in the comments.
Sonoma Canopy Tours offers three different tours, The Forest Flight Tour, The Tree Tops Tour, and The Night Flight Tour, for guests to choose from when they visit.
Sonoma County is a top destination for romance and love. Couples from near and far get married here and spend honeymoons surrounded by vineyards and rolling hills. Restaurants cater to the candlelight dinner kind of crowd. And tasting rooms pour bubbles and wine to your heart’s desire.
But, despite all of Sonoma County’s charm, living in “romance central” is no guarantee that you won’t get stuck in a rut once in a while and take not only the beauty of the local landscape for granted but also your partner.
If you’re looking for ways to relight that sparkle, we’ve rounded up a few ideas on how to spice up your relationship in Sonoma County. Click through the gallery for all the details.
2/10/2010: B1:
PC: Roses for Valentines day at Neve Brothers Roses in Petaluma, Tuesday Feb. 9, 2010. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2010
Valentine’s Day is far from a typical day in the rose business, says Petaluma farmer Lou Neve. Alongside his sons Chris and Nick, Lou runs Neve Brothers, a fourth-generation cut-flower business.
Each year for Valentine’s Day, Lou and his sons sell upwards of 20,000 roses, an increase in production of more than 30 percent. Behind the scenes, workers arrive at the greenhouses extra early in the days leading up to the holiday to cut and sort the roses into bunches of 25 and wrap them tightly before they head off into the world.
“Red roses used to be about 80 percent of what we grew, and while they are always in demand for Valentine’s, we are seeing customers branching out to other, more vibrant colors,” Neve says. Good sellers for the big day are the ruffled, peachy “Helios Romantik”; soft, yellow “Catalina” spray rose; and fragrant, white “Norma Jean,” named for Marilyn Monroe.
Neve acknowledges that the cut-flower business can be a tough one. Even within the controlled environment of their 460,000 square feet of greenhouses, growing roses is all about the light. Too many cloudy days can affect production. And there are the pressures of imported roses, especially from South America. “There used to be a hundred big flower growers in California, and now we are one of five left,” explains Neve. “But I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about that. The import roses are more of an industrial product — they are not that one-hundred-dollar bottle of Cabernet.”
A love of the local landscape and people helps keep Neve going. “It’s beautiful here in Sonoma County, with all the diverse agriculture and terrain. At the end of the day, we have tried to remain the real deal, to create our own niche.”
Look for roses from fourth-generation growers Neve Brothers at these local stores
Nugget Market, Sonoma Petaluma Market Safeway Cal Mart Calistoga
Whether it’s Valentine’s Day or just any day of the year, keeping the spark alive in Wine Country is easy. Rolling hills, vineyard views and coastal scenery; world-class wine, gourmet food and luxe hotels — you’ll find more romantic elements here than in your favorite fairytale.
If you’re planning a special date or romantic getaway, we’ve got you covered with the best Sonoma County wineries to visit. While every local winery has its own charm, a few offer something a little extra when it comes to the ambiance.
Click through the above gallery for all the lovey-dovey details.
Wila Imhoff heads across the street to Crooked Goat Brewing with a to go Acre Pizza in Sebastopol’s Barlow district. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Long-awaited Acre Pizza, from the owner of Acre Coffee, has opened at the Barlow in Sebastopol.
Steve Decosse has hired well-known pizzaiolo Alastair Hannmann as the opening chef, where he’s making authentic New York and Detroit-style pizza.
What’s Detroit-style? The pan-style pizza with crispy caramelized edges gained a furious following in the 1940s when Gus Guerra, the owner of Buddy’s Rendezvous restaurant baked a Sicilian-style dough in a heavyweight rectangular pan and covered it with hearty brick cheese and tomato sauce. Whether or not those pans were borrowed from a motor-industry friend who’s factory used the pans for spare car parts is part of the legend, but the Sicilian-inspired pizza has gained a following throughout the country.
The casual pizza shop took over the former Village Bakery, sharing the space with Red Bird Bakery’s new commissary kitchen. The gourmet pizzas are selling for a song, with hearty quarter NY pie slices for between $4.50 and $6 and whole pies for between $16 and $22. More details coming soon.
Open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 6760 McKinley St., Suite 150, Sebastopol, order online at acrepizza.com.
Jayme Powers, proprietor of SIGH, on West Napa St. (Photo by Robbi Pengelly/Index-Tribune)
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.
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.
Brut rosé sparkling wine from Goldeneye Winery in Philo. (Courtesy photo)
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.
The Smorgasbord flight at Pennyroyal Farm in Boonville. (Courtesy photo)
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.
Pierce Brosnan is a fan of Roederer Estate’s 2007 Ermitage Magnum. (Courtesy photo)
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.
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.
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.
Lily Luong and Mary Delaney. (Courtesy photo)
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.
Accessories at Areteway Shop in Santa Rosa. (Courtesy photo)Shoes that look like new at Areteway Shop in Santa Rosa. (Courtesy photo)
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.
Earrings, candle, purse and perfume at Areteway Shop in Santa Rosa. (Courtesy photo)Lily Luong in an outfit from her 2013 collection. (Courtesy photo)
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.
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.
