The Taqueria Molcajetes crew with Guy Fieri in 2018. (La Prensa Sonoma)
One of the owners of Guy Fieri favorite Taqueria Molcajetes (recently featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives) is taking over the former La Cantina in Rincon Valley. The large space, which features a full bar, is undergoing a brief rehab and should open sometime in mid-February as Los Molcajetes Bar and Grill. It’s a huge leap forward from the modest strip-mall spot, and we’re hoping they’ll have some of the same great Mexican food. Watch for the opening at 6599 Montecito Blvd #130 in Santa Rosa.
(Find more Guy Fieri favorites in Sonoma County here).
More dining news
Another Cafe Des Croissants has opened in Bennett Valley at the former Molly’s Bakery. It’s the fifth Sonoma County location for the local bakery famous for their freshly-made croissants. 2700 Yulupa Ave., #17, Santa Rosa.
And, moving into the former Pamposh space (52 Mission Circle, #110, Santa Rosa) is Cielito Lindo Mexican restaurant. No word on opening yet.
Winter cocktails Mixologist Kilo Munoz serving a Spirit Works Barrel Gin Old Fashioned The grain-to-glass operation within SebastopolÕs The Barlow, run by Ashby and Timo Marshall, Spirit Works does everything in house, from milling the grain to creating the mash to distilling its gin, vodka and sloe gin on site and aging some of it in barrel. Its gin is made from Hard Red Winter wheat infused with juniper berries and then a mix of botanicals, some of them traditional, some inspired by whatÕs possible in California, a bit of coriander, citrus and cardamom in the propriety blend for sure. With its Barrel Gin, wintery overtones of oaky darkness add depth and complexity to the citrus-laden botanicals. It goes down easy, simply, over ice, with bitters. 2 ounces Spirit Works Distillery Barrel Gin 2-3 dashes Angostura bitters sugar cube soda
Get spirited at the Wine Country Distillery Festival!
Sipson Spirits will be available at the event. (Heather Irwin)
You can taste these purveyors (and 11 more) of the very best Wine Country (and the North Bay) have to offer at the second annual Wine Country Distillery Festival on Feb. 8 at the Flamingo Hotel.
Hold onto your shot glass, because these aren’t bottom shelf guzzlers. They’re small-batch spirits often made with local ingredients, meticulous blending and aging and plenty of NorCal chutzpah to get clean, lively flavors.
Truffles from Fleur Sauvage will be available at the event. (Heather Irwin)
Other vendors include vodka pioneer Charbay, Humboldt Distillery, Rapscallion Spirits, Bodega Bay Rum, Falcon Spirits, Tamar Distillery, Raff Distillerie, Ginny’s Gin, Alley 6, Jaxon Keys, Barber Lee, Great Women Spirits, Straight Edge and No. 2009 Gin.
There also will be a host of other craft beverages like King Floyd’s bitters, Fick’s Hard Seltzer, Jardesca apertif and Monarch bitters. There’s more than just booze, though, with Sonoma Creamery, Renegade Food, Panizerra Meat and Fleur Sauvage chocolates and food trucks from Dino’s Greek Food, Jam’s Joy Bungalow and Wing Man.
Peche Melba crepe with preserved peach, berry jam, toasted almonds, chantilly cream with hard cider at Creperie Chez Solange in Larkfield. Heather Irwin/PD.
Philippe Colasse would like you to know that the crepes you eat at his new restaurant, Creperie Chez Solange in Larkfield, are as healthy as they are crispy and delicious.
Naturally, this is reassuring news, as the last bite of a dreamy crepe Suzette, slathered with sticky orange caramel and flaming Grand Marnier, balances on my fork. Take that, kale! I’m a health nut!
But before you go on an all-crepe cleanse, it’s actually the organic Giusto buckwheat flour in Colasse’s hearty savory crepes that may have some redeeming nutritional value — a gluten-free(ish) powerhouse of ancient seeds full of manganese, copper, fiber and protein. Add some vegetables, onions, goat cheese and herbs, and you’re a certified clean eater. Pair with quinoa and grilled chicken salad and you’re practically a food saint.
Crepes Suzette with Orange zest butter, caramel, orange juice and flambe Grand Marnier at Creperie Chez Solange in Larkfield. Heather Irwin/PD
For the hedonists among us, however, there are too many other delicious diversions at the Creperie to remain true to our already-failed New Year’s goals. Fillings like leek fondue, Jarlsberg cheese, sour cream or bacon lardons beckon to us. Sweet crepes made with chocolate ganache or caramel sauce, paired with a tempting lineup of ice creams, sing their siren calls to our hungry bellies. There’s also the traditional pairing with dry or off-dry cider, which Colasse encourages diners to try.
“Cider goes so perfectly with crepes, and in France that’s the way it’s done. You don’t eat crepes with beer or wine. Here in Sonoma County, there were apples here before grapes, so I’m bringing back the old ways,” said Colasse.
Colasse, who learned to cook in his homeland of France, is so passionate about making truly authentic crepes because he simply couldn’t find any he liked in Sonoma County. Here, they tend to be a bit rubbery or overly sweet, or, mon dieu, filled with something like peanut butter.
Nicoise salad at Creperie Chez Solange in Larkfield. Heather Irwin/PD
Authentic to Colasse, means there is no Nutella (clearly not peanut butter) in a savory, earthy buckwheat crepe or ham in a sweet, white flour crepe.
“I cannot imagine that,” Colasse said, rolling his eyes. The compact Frenchman has lived in Sonoma County for 14 years and bustles through the slender restaurant kitchen. As he expertly flambees a crepe Suzette with a quick flick of the wrist, a ball of fire and heat explode toward the large vented hood and he steps back.
“That is why I have no hair,” he laughed.
Colasse worked for years in French restaurants, then opened several notable Las Vegas restaurants and was the opening chef at Walter Hansel Wine Bistro. After spending several years raising his young daughter, Solange, he’s opened a snug, seven-table cafe in the Larkfield shopping center that’s become something of an international eating destination hosting Fililpino, American, French and Thai restaurants.
It’s a perfect fit, and Colasse makes the crispiest crepes around — which is appropriate since the word “crepe” is actually from the Latin Crispus (or crispy).
Inside the kitchen at at Creperie Chez Solange in Larkfield. Heather Irwin/PD.
Crepe-making is also theater, and diners get a front-row seat to the large “billigs,” or cast iron griddles where batter is poured onto the sizzling surface and gently formed with a T-shaped spatula. The dark buckwheat crepes are formed into loose squares with the toppings peeking through, while sweet crepes are folded into a triangle and topped with chocolate or stuffed with fruit.
Fortunately for all of us, Feb. 2 is “Jour des Crepes” in France, a day (or really a concept for any day) where eating crepes is a national obligation. Viva les crepes, and consider yourself an honorary Gaul.
Best Bets
Vacherin: Raspberry sorbet with vanilla meringue, berry jam, toasted almonds and Chantilly cream at Creperie Chez Solange in Larkfield. Heather Irwin/PD
Nicoise Salad, $9: “This tastes like summer,” said my friend, diving into a salad filled with black olives, haricot verts, bell pepper, preserved tuna, anchovies and hard-boiled eggs and drizzled with plenty of lemon olive oil. A favorite summer dish in Southern France, this version is salty and refreshing and absolutely beautiful.
Parma Salad, $9: Required. Pears, prosciutto, shaved Parmesan and toasted pine nuts.
Savory Crepes, or “galettes,” are made with buckwheat flour, salt and water. The stronger, earthier flavor of buckwheat is unusual, but the crispy corners and slightly soft center make for a truly unique taste. We loved the Nordic ($13), with smoked salmon, mild Swiss-like Jarlsberg, leek fondue, capers and lemon; Complete ($11) with ham, Swiss and a sunny-side up egg or the new Linguica ($13) with Portuguese sausage, Jarlsberg, butternut squash, caramelized onions and cranberries.
Salad with pear, prosciutto and tomatoes at Creperie Chez Solange in Larkfield. Heather Irwin/PD
Sweet Crepes are made with white flour, eggs and sugar. Even with sticky sweet toppings and chocolate, they’re not overly saccharine. There’s no bad choice here, but for something more authentic, try the Peche Melba ($8), with preserved peach, berry jam, toasted almonds and fresh whipped cream or the absolutely perfect Poire Belle Helene ($8) with preserved pear, chocolate ganache, almonds and whipped cream. We also love the Suzette ($9), that 1970s phenom with orange caramel and Grand Marnier.
Glaces: Basically ice cream, which is another common pairing at French creperies. You can get your crepes a la mode or come in for a sundae with crepe toppings like caramelized apples and caramel sauce (Tatin, $7) or Chocolate Liegeois ($7) with Valrhona chocolate ice cream, ganache, toasted almonds and whipped cream. Our fave: The Vacherin ($7), made with raspberry Fiorello Gelato sorbet, meringue, berry jam, almonds and whipped cream.
The restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. for dine in or take out. Evening specials are at the chef’s whim and recently included braised beef and Peruvian chicken.
“It depends what looks good at the market,” Colasse said.
Creperie Chez Solange is located at 462 Larkfield Center, Santa Rosa, 707-791-7633. Open for lunch and dinner.
Kathleen Weber, co-owner of Della Fattoria in Petaluma, enjoys the welcoming aspect of the holidays spent with family and friends. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat)
As my family arrived in Petaluma on a sunny Sunday January 26, it was no surprise to see a large crowd stretching outside the front door of Della Fattoria. We parked a few blocks away and walked down the alley that runs behind the bakery and café. We were thankful that Alethea Bermudes, director of operations, was at the back door. She hugged us, and ushered us inside. The speakers had just started recounting treasured memories of a woman who truly changed my life.
Almost eight years earlier, Kathleen Weber had contacted me to ask whether I could help her with recipe testing and writing for her book Della Fattoria Bread. At the time, with a newborn on my hip, I was convinced there was no way I could take on this project. I was sleep deprived and anxious. But my husband encouraged me to meet with Kathleen and hear what she had to say.
We met in the café, then located in the spot that is now the bakery. It was busy, but I picked Kathleen out right away. She sat at one end of the community table, saying hello to guests and peeking at plates as they went by. The communal buzz of the room was infectious. There were interruptions during our meeting but never once did I feel that Kathleen wasn’t paying close attention. Within minutes, there was a genuine connection between us: I knew this was a book I needed to do.
Over the next year, I worked from home and made trips to the Weber Ranch to pick up supplies and learn from Kathleen, about bread and about life. She had a confidence in me that I struggled to find in myself. Kathleen’s magic extended beyond her wonderful baking — it also manifested itself in her ability to see you for you.
From my vantage point at Kathleen’s memorial, I could just barely see the stage. In the gorgeously eclectic room decorated with countless hearts — a room that was the essence of her dreams lovingly executed by her family — I could see many chefs, bakers, and vendors I recognized and, no doubt, many others that I did not, along with musicians, artists, shopkeepers, teachers, and tradespeople. The room was filled with many interconnected relationships. This was Kathleen’s tribe, all on an equal footing with no preferences; no hierarchy. It was a mix of people with as many differences as similarities, all united by Kathleen — “the community caretaker and bread mother” — in the words of Ken Savano, Petaluma’s chief of police.
Through the stories of Kathleen’s friends, we learned of her years as a student of the theater and her meeting and marrying the singer-songwriter Ed Weber. We heard of the growth of her children Elisa and Aaron, and how her family became integral and essential to her business. As I listened to these stories, I could see Kathleen shaping dough, loading her car with countless loaves, or just catching someone’s eye and smiling. The tales exemplified her vitality and her love of family, life, work, and all things bread. She had the ability to make everyone feel special. As the newsletter announcing the celebration of her life said, she was “delightfully insightful and [had a] wicked sense of humor.”
Franklin Williams, painter, sculptor and friend since the 1960s, said Kathleen had the “wisdom to combine old and new”. He remembered dancing and laughing with her until they were both exhausted. Lorenzo Leoni, baker-turned-attorney (son of Nancy Leoni, owner of iLeoni cookware and housewares), pointed out that “there was no work-life balance for Kathleen.” Life and work were happily intertwined with never a need for separation.
Kay Baumhefner, formerly of the Opera Café in Petaluma, said that Kathleen was always “finding more ways to deliver. Her dream was to provide and she did that in so many ways.” She urged the room to live by Kathleen’s example. “Kathleen showed up for her life. May she continue to inspire us.” The reaction was heartfelt and filled the room as Baumhefner enthusiastically resounded what we already knew: lucky us for having known her.
After the final words, the crowd started to move in varying directions. I had been standing next to, and inadvertently bumping into, chef Daniel Patterson during the speeches. It was nice to meet him. I could vividly recall stories Kathleen had told me of breads made for Babette’s in Sonoma and their friendship during that time. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to see, reconnect and meet with so many familiar faces — Kathleen was still bringing people together. You could see old friends and colleagues hugging, shaking hands and breaking into groups for conversations about Kathleen and their times with her.
Through my friend Sarah Scott, formerly the executive chef for Robert Mondavi Winery, I met Stephen Durfee, the Baking and Pastry Arts professor at the CIA at Greystone, Steve Sando of Rancho Gordo New World Specialty Food, Carrie Brown of the recently closed Jimtown Store, and her sister Julie. We talked about the Martha Stewart episode that featured Carrie and Kathleen and, of course, Martha’s arrival by helicopter. We also spoke about booking out the community table at Della for dinner, when it was in the bakery space. These kinds of gatherings, which often included Kathleen, were about people connecting with one another around one large table filled with deliciously wholesome food. Equally, they were about the specialness of Kathleen, whose persona was epitomized in this very special place.
The day after the memorial gathering, I read through old emails from Kathleen and made a big pot of beans like we did for the cookbook. I recalled the last time we got together in December and her words, even then still encouraging me. Kathleen showed me it’s never too late to go for something new and the power of honesty, generosity and kindness. She told me there’s no shame in preferring a lower profile but don’t get overshadowed by big egos or allow yourself to blend in too much.
Kathleen saw me, and I bet if you got to know her, she saw you too.
Samantha Brown knows what makes a place worth visiting. A television personality who has hosted several different travel shows over the past 15 years, Brown has seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. She has said that critical components of a winning destination include one-of-a-kind experiences, strong drinks, delicious food, and great stories. Thankfully, Sonoma County has it all—at least according to the forthcoming episode of Brown’s Emmy Award-winning show, “Places to Love.”
The episode, which airs at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1 and 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 2 on San Francisco PBS station KQED, summarizes four days that Brown and her crew spent on our turf. Over the course of an hour, Brown highlights a mix of museums, vendors, restaurants, attractions, and wineries.
Contributing writer Matt Villano recently caught up with Brown to discuss the show and what she likes best about Sonoma County.
Coming in, what were you looking for?
Sonoma is a massive county and there’s so much to do. We always go for the story first, the effort that it takes to create experiences for travelers. I’m also interested in what people don’t know about a place. When many hear the word Sonoma, it has this reputation for being unattainable. We wanted to show a very different Sonoma—the one with generations of farmers, the integrity of hard work, and creativity.
What were some of your favorite spots?
California Carnivores, for starters. It’s a carnivorous plant nursery. I loved it. One of the owners fell in love with these plants when he was 14. He bought a carnivorous plant there as a customer and now he is part owner of the nursery and that plant is still there. It’s 34 years old. It was such a great scene. Another great spot was Safari West. We focused on Nancy Lang, who is co-owner. The place comes off as a zoo, but it’s not. They have these amazing automobiles going through these fields and savannah where animals are roaming around. It’s as if you are the one in the cage and they are the ones who are free-roaming. Most people will never get to Africa—I have a job in travel and I’ve never been on a safari there—but visiting Safari West seems pretty close.
To what extent did you focus on wineries?
How could you possibly do a show on Sonoma and not do any wineries? We did the Robledo Family Winery. For us it was a no-brainer. The fact that he [Reynaldo Robledo] is the first Mexican migrant worker to own his own vineyard. He worked from 16 years old to owning his own vineyard. I realized when I was talking to him that when he came here in 1968 there really was no wine industry. That was when everything started to happen. Maybe without him we wouldn’t be where we are today.
And food?
We didn’t stop and focus on chefs; we wanted to focus on farmers first. We went to a wonderful dairy farm called the Achadinha Cheese Company [in Petaluma]. Everything from feeding cows and milking cows to making cheese and selling cheese is done on property, right there. That speaks to what makes Sonoma so special. This is where food is grown and made.
What surprised you about Sonoma during your reporting?
Sonoma has a coastline. Wine gets all the credit! It pulls everyone’s attention. You have this glorious coastline. We went to Schoolhouse Rock Beach. The stones are so wonderful. It was a beautiful spot.
How did you decide what to include?
It was hard. We had four days to shoot and Sonoma County is really big. If we’re in a car we’re not shooting. We stayed in Santa Rosa, so we had to be smart about where we went. We do a pre-production trip before we shoot every episode. In this case, our producer looked at maybe 20 places to shoot. Ultimately, we whittled it down to nine scenes.
We’ve endured two big fires in the last three years. You came in May 2019, before our most recent fire. What did you learn about the resiliency of our community?
We focused a lot of our conversations on that. The Safari West story is particularly incredible—the 2017 fire destroyed a lot of the buildings, including their own homes, but they saved every animal. We learned about the fear and how horrifying these fires can be, but also how everyone started back the next day. That was impressive. In the end, we felt that the resiliency of Sonoma County was so strong, we didn’t need to talk about the fires. We didn’t want people to watch the show and think there are still fires there. We decided we want people to understand that Sonoma is there and open for business and that the people are wonderful.
No one wants to talk about bathrooms at restaurants because…ewww.
But really, we should, because first off, they better be clean. And secondly? Sometimes they’re almost as much fun as the restaurant. Showing off personal creativity, humor and a whole lot of panache, here are some of Sonoma County’s quirkiest, most delightful and noteworthy restaurant commodes according to our enthusiastic Facebook fans. Click through the above gallery for details.
A special thanks to our intern, Kasy, who snapped photos of the restrooms.
“It’s been a funny experience,” he said. “Lots of question marks and laughs. But most of them seem to be ecstatic to be included…It just catches them off-guard. ‘Wait, you want photos of… the restroom, not the restaurant?’ I’m always like, ‘Yeah, we don’t care about the food or the overall dining experience, just the bathrooms.'”
Also check out: Hotel Healdsburg, Stumptown, El Barrio, Barndiva and The Villa (“The pink retro ladies’ room at The Villa! It’s a must see!)…which we couldn’t get pix of.
The Bunny Foo-Foo sculpture at Hall Wines in St. Helena. (Hall Wines)
Despite our best intentions, making eco-friendly choices can sometimes be difficult, especially while traveling. To make it a little easier to enjoy the good life without guilt, many Wine Country businesses — wineries, restaurants and hotels — are implementing sustainable practices that take into consideration the local and global environment. Among them is Hall Wines in Napa Valley.
Although it may be most famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon and the giant stainless steel bunny that leaps into its vineyard, Hall Wines in St. Helena is also the first California winery to earn LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification for its fully sustainable production facility (the winery has also been awarded LEED Gold certification for its tasting room).
“If our business isn’t sustainable, then it won’t survive,” says Hall Wines viticulturist Domenick Bianco. “But looking at the movement more holistically, the real reason sustainability is important to us is that it pushes us to look at how we impact the environment both in terms of our business practices and in terms of our relationships within the community.”
In the hospitality industry, a business’ commitment to sustainability isn’t always easy for the consumer to see. For example, 11 percent of building materials used in the construction of Hall Wines’ St. Helena property came from recycled materials. The winery’s vineyards and landscaping are irrigated with recycled wastewater and, throughout the property, drought-tolerant plants reduce water consumption.
To further improve water efficiency and conservation, Hall Wines uses high-tech solutions such as weather stations that supply data, which helps estimate vine water usage, and neutron probes that provide soil moisture readings. Additionally, rooftop solar panels on the barrel cellar and fermentation building provide more than 35 percent of the power at Hall Wines’s St. Helena property.
“Sustainability is not a singularly focused initiative,” says Bianco. “It takes into account many different elements spread across a broad spectrum of ideals. It pushes us to continually invest in bettering our community, our employees, our farming practices, and our philanthropic causes.”
Click through the above gallery to discover other ways HALL St. Helena makes sustainability a top priority.
Gerard’s Paella y Tapas in downtown Santa Rosa. (John Burgess)
Chef Gerard Nebesky of Gerard’s Paella y Tapas in downtown Santa Rosa is second-guessing his second-guessing.
After announcing in November his plans to close his 18-month-old restaurant on Fourth Street, a flood of paella fans poured in, prompting Nebesky to say the restaurant would remain open. Continued business challenges, however, have Nebesky once again announcing the restaurant’s official closure on Feb. 3.
“I just don’t have the staying power,” said Nebesky, who has been featured on Food Network and is a popular caterer at large festivals like BottleRock, Maker Faire and Ironman competitions.
He does plan to reopen for Sonoma County Restaurant Week (Feb. 21-March 1) and host pop-up events in the current space, the former location of Arrigoni’s Deli. Nebesky has a three-year lease on the space which ends in 2021.
Gerard’s Paella y Tapas founder/owner Gerard Nebesky. (John Burgess)
In November, Nebesky cited the city’s homelessness and concerns about parking as major hurdles to the success of his business. He wasn’t alone, as several downtown restaurants — Mercato, Stout Brothers, Jade Room, Tex Wasabi’s and La Vera Pizza among them — slogged through a long period of disruption from the reunification of Old Courthouse Square only to close in 2019 after the much-hoped-for downtown revitalization failed to materialize. Fires, power outages and still-lackluster tourism also have contributed to lasting pressures for many Sonoma County businesses.
“I walk around downtown at night, and nobody is full,” Nebesky said of downtown businesses. Though the city did ease parking fees during the holidays, Nebesky said much of the concern about parking is stigma rather than fact.
“People just choose the path of least resistance,” he said.
More concerning, Nebesky said, is a lack of downtown vibrancy in the evening as retail stores close for the day and family-friendly options dwindle and the bar scene takes over. That, with the ebb and flow of the homeless population downtown, have been challenging.
“I love the five-year plan for improving Santa Rosa, but I can’t wait. I’ve learned Santa Rosa is more of a breakfast, lunch and bar town. It’s just not an upscale dinner kind of place,” he said. “No one walks around before or after. They just go home.”
Closing the doors to his restaurant, however, isn’t simple. Nebesky said his three-year lease means he must come up with at least $7,500 in rent each month unless another business takes over. To help defray that cost, he plans to host pop-up dinners in the restaurant space and look at other creative ideas.
“We could do a dining club. It could be a commissary kitchen space. I think it could work as a great breakfast space,” Nebesky said. “The space was such a passionate build-out, and a lot of people really love it.”
For now, he’ll focus on several days of “blow out” paella specials and a final party on Feb. 3., his catering business and figuring out next steps.
“I’ve met such a great group of people, and that’s what I’ll miss more than anything. The restaurant may not have been a financial success, but socially, it’s succeeded 100 percent.”
Did you make a New Year’s resolution to visit more tasting rooms in 2020? Here’s a selection throughout the county to give you inspiration. The mid-winter months — typically minus crowds — are ideal for finding a new favorite place to sip and swirl.
Featured Winery — Amista Vineyards
New Year’s Eve celebrations may be over, but that’s no excuse to stop enjoying bubbly. Amista produces several types of sparklers, including the popular Blanc de Blanc, made from Chardonnay grapes from the estate vineyard, and a Syrah sparkler. Amista is also known for its still Rhône wines, such as Grenache and Syrah, along with Chardonnay, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Owners Mike and Vicky Farrow made their first Syrah in 2002. By 2005, the Amista label was born. (Amista roughly translates to “making friends.”) The dog-friendly tasting room opened in 2007, and the following year the Farrows introduced their first sparkler.
Three tastings are offered: the “Classic Flight” is $20; the “Signature Flight” consists of two sparklers and two estate-grown still wines for $25 (both available without reservations). Reserve ahead for a wine and food pairing ($50 for five wines), which might include such bites as a strawberry topped with fresh chèvre and lemon curd, eggplant caponata, and marinated mushroom caps.
Weather permitting, a free vineyard adventure walk is offered daily, or reserve the estate vineyard tour and tasting, a 90-minute excursion through vineyards and the fish habitat restoration project along Dry Creek. The $45 tour concludes with a flight of single-vineyard wines.
On Valentine’s Day weekend, Amista will be serving sparkling wine with chocolate-dipped strawberries. And Local’s Day, when food purveyors pair their goodies with Amista wines, resumes on February 21.
3320 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-431-9200, amistavineyards.com. Open daily 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For Melissa and Seth Hanley, co-founders of Blitz, a San Francisco architecture and design firm, buying a house in Sonoma wasn’t in the plan. But after getting outbid by crazy amounts on properties in the city, the couple found their Sebastopol home almost by accident. “I had to persuade Melissa to go to the open house,” Seth explains. “A quick pit stop, I promised. Then we walked in and instantly looked at each other: ‘This is ours.’”
The house had the space and light they were looking for, but it was the backyard that really sold them. It was an oasis of green with two giant oak trees, redwoods, ferns, and rhododendrons, and had the space they craved for entertaining and gardening projects. Two days later, they were in escrow. And they were married and closed on the property in the same week.
A variety of succulents set against a bold green door hint at the eclectic design aesthetic on display inside Melissa and Seth Hanley’s Sebastopol home. (Rebecca Chotkowski)Homeowners Melissa and Seth Hanley are the co-founders of Blitz, a San Francisco architecture and design firm. (Rebecca Chotkowski)
For Melissa, their decision was about place. A sixth-generation native of Sonoma, Melissa grew up on a family farm in Sebastopol that her grandparents bought in 1952. Her grandparents raised cattle; later her parents planted Christmas trees and started WallinFarm. Buying here was a way for Melissa to connect to her west county roots and to share that connection with Seth, who is British by birth. “You spend a lot of your life trying to get away from where you grew up. Then, at some point, you miss it — that community and connection. Earlier that year, we lost my mom. And I felt a real heart connection to coming back here, wanting to be closer to family and our people.”
Melissa and Seth Hanley opened up the house and added these full length windows to let the outside in. (Rebecca Chotkowski)Dining room. (Rebecca Chotkowski)
Part of the original Swain Woods development, the house was built in 1979. “A solid year for tract housing,” jokes Melissa. “This area used to be owned by the Swain family and was actually just woods. My dad remembers riding his bike through here on his way to Analy High School.”
Now a weekend retreat for the couple and their two French bulldogs, Bardot and Beau, their house has become a natural way to bring people together. Melissa and Seth are known for hosting big parties with a mix of old and new friends. The home is a sanctuary, a place to recharge and refresh, but it’s definitely not a work-free zone. Both do a lot of designing — or “scheming” as they like to call the creative process — experimenting with new ideas, testing materials, and ways of living. One prized design project is the small shed they rebuilt in a far corner of the backyard, nicknamed the “shudio” if Melissa is painting there, or the “brewdio” when Seth is brewing beer. And during parties, it’s always the bar.
Large windows in the rebuilt shed give Melissa plenty of natural light for painting. (Rebecca Chotkowski)The backyard shed is a creative space for painting and brewing beer as well as a focal point for gatherings. Its design was an experiment in bringing modern flair to a traditional roof and trellis. (Rebecca Chotkowski)Entertainment area in the backyard. (Rebecca Chotkowski)
The kitchen had been beautifully remodeled by previous owners, so the two architects focused on other areas that needed attention, including the bathrooms and master bedroom. Their intention was to elevate standard materials with inventive design while upgrading the energy performance of the house. “We inherited a master bathroom with mustard yellow, brown, and 1970s terribleness,” says Melissa. “And it was open to the bedroom, just one big room,” Seth adds. They subdivided the space, doing some of the work themselves, and made the bedroom smaller to add a walk-in closet to enlarge the bathroom.
A chair in the living room. (Rebecca Chotkowski)A chair in the living room. (Rebecca Chotkowski)
They also focused on improving the flow and increasing the light on the ground level, changing the dining room windows to sliding doors and replacing the tiny windows in the breakfast nook with floor-to-ceiling picture windows. To Seth, the tiny windows were a design crime. “There’s a beautiful tree outside, and you could barely see it. We wanted to create the view. Now, when you walk down the hall into the kitchen, you see the full extent of the yard, the tree and everything.”
The “Jungle Room.” (Rebecca Chotkowski)
A mutual love of typography and cartography inspires much of what hangs on the walls: transit maps, old signs, and ham radio cards dating back to the 1930s. And nearly every piece of art and decor has a story. Many of the vintage collectibles belonged to Melissa’s mother, while the branch wood sculptures were dumpster-dive finds and the piano was rescued from a neighbor who was about to take a chainsaw to it.
In winter, Melissa, Seth, and their two Frenchies love to cozy up by the fire in the den, which they call their “snug,” a term acquired from a British architectural show. And now that their own home is mostly done, they’re likely to be at the Wallin family farm, working on plans for their next big project — growing hops. “We wanted something where we could play in the dirt. Good for the soul,” Melissa says, which is what weird and wonderful Sebastopol is all about.
