Is there someone on your holiday gift list who’s just a sucker for great design? We couldn’t love cozy socks and coffee gift cards more, but sometimes those items won’t quite do. Here’s a list of elegant gifts for the style enthusiast in your life. From a Sonoma-made knife block to modern jewelry to a gorgeous watering can, there’s lots of sleek style to give. Click through the above gallery for details.
The holiday party season is just around the corner. This year, plan something special for friends, family or employees — this is a good time to come together and celebrate your local community.
Whatever the occasion or size of your party, there’s a variety of wine country venues for dinner and experiences of every kind. To assist you in your party planning, we’ve put together a list of some favorite venues in Sonoma County. Click through the gallery for details.
If you are looking to bring the party to your business, check out our favorite local food trucks or contact one of Sonoma County’s many excellent caterers. And make sure you tag @SonomaMag in your party photos!
Loosely translated, gingilli is an Italian word meaning a lot of little things together; a little bit of junk, a little bit of jewels.
It’s just the word to convey the breadth of offerings at downtown Geyserville’s Gin’Gilli’s Vintage Home. Mother-daughter owners Linda Elgin and Elisa Burroughs have been celebrating vintage and recycled finds since 2009. Even the store’s building is recycled; it was once an auto dealership.
Wandering through the lineup of vendors’ booths at Gin’Gilli’s is akin to visiting many different eras. Holiday shoppers will find handmade soaps, delicately crocheted metal jewelry, kitchenware, vintage toys, knickknacks, signs, old-time photographs, large wall clocks, furniture, horse bits, belt buckles, Amish needlework, and more.
Both shoppers and sellers consider the store a rebellion against big box stores and internet shopping. “The stuff [shoppers] find here will be 10 times more interesting and a heck of a lot less expensive than they’ll find in a regular department store,” says one vendor.
Elgin, a former corporate sales trainer, and Burroughs, who has a background in banking and real estate, chose to open in Geyserville because they love the friendly small-town, casual feel. Burroughs has always been budget-conscious and enjoys painting, decorating, and repurposing items around her home.
For the holidays, Gin’Gilli’s goes all out, starting the Saturday after Thanksgiving (November 30 this year), when Geyserville is packed with people for the town’s famous lighted tractor parade. The store stays open late after the parade with apple cider, a cookie bar, and decorations and gifts galore. Just the way to kick off the season.
Holiday Tractor Parade: Along Geyserville Avenue on Saturday, November 30. The parade starts at 6:15 p.m. but you’ll want to arrive before 5 p.m., as roads into town close for the parade.
Gin’Gilli’s Vintage Home: Holiday open house December 7 and 8 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call for details on jewelry and craft classes in the shop’s new painting studio. 21079 Geyserville Ave., 707-857-3509.
Bosworth & Son Hardware: A downtown fixture for more than a century with western apparel and boots, toys, and gifts. 21060 Geyserville Ave., 707-857-3463, bosworthandson.com.
Locals and LocalsCreate: Alexander Valley wine tastings paired with offerings from local craftspeople. 21023 Geyserville Ave., 707-857-4900, tastelocalwines.com; localscreate.com.
Dallas A. Saunders Artisan Textiles: A fine art gallery and textile showroom featuring jacquard tapestries woven in Belgium. 275 Highway 128, Suite 101, 707-708-9065, dallasasaunders.com.
Pizza is a near-perfect meal. From its most pedestrian fast-food style slice to its fine-dining counterpart, it’s got bread, usually cheese and sauce, and robust flavors that satisfy your hunger and your taste buds. With irresistible tanginess, it’s is also a great complement to wine. Here’s a guide to some of Sonoma County’s best spots to enjoy pizza and a glass of vino.
I’m going to tell thankfulness to take a flying leap this Thanksgiving.
Even in good times, sitting around the table with the gravy congealing and the mashed potatoes going cold while everyone thinks of something gratitude-y to say makes me a bit queasy.
Yes, I realize that’s like saying you hate puppies or Santa Claus. Hear me out, though. I’m not usually a cynic and I’m frequently found communing with the universe to share good vibes, but let’s be honest here — it’s been a hell of a year.
Sonoma County has been through it and as much as we appreciate all of the first responders (and we do), along with the fact that no one died during the fires (amen), the honest truth is that we’re all seriously exhausted and traumatized right now. And that’s okay.
We’re tired of smiling and saying we’re just fine. We’re tired of every siren or whiff of smoke sending chills down our spines. We’re tired of the power outages and spending hard-earned money restocking our fridges again and again. We’re tired of bad people profiting off of our suffering. (Really tired).
We’re tired of businesses giving up and friends moving to Texas.
Yet through it all, like the good and grateful people we are, we paste on our Sonoma Strong “resilience” smiles and say we’ll all be okay.
We aren’t okay sometimes, and no one says we have to be just because it’s Thanksgiving. I give us all permission to say phooey on all that nonsense.
Look, we don’t have to always feel grateful. It’s okay to feel upset, hurt, mad, scared and all of that stuff. I won’t pretend I’m so kind of therapist, but I have paid some great ones a lot of money. It took me about five years to learn some really deep lessons about moving on from trauma and hurt. I’m a slow learner sometimes.
Suffice it to say, you should take what you like and leave the rest behind.
Don’t Feel Bad About Feeling Bad: Dude, you’re bummed and that’s okay. You’ve been through a lot. Doesn’t matter if it’s a BIG TRAUMA or a little trauma, it’s all trauma. I still have nightmares about being in evacuation traffic. Now that it’s over, it’s okay to let down a little and work through your feelings. Stuffing is for turkeys, not for feelings.
Let’s Talk About It: People are afraid of jinxing themselves by talking about what’s happened. People are also scared of black cats and ladders. Get over it. Ask people how they are, and when they say “fine”, ask them how they really are. Listen to what they have to say; cry with them, yell with them, get angry with them and tell them it’s okay to be upset. If they don’t want to talk about it, offer them a cup of tea and just sit. Also, therapy is awesome and totally normal and healthy.
Practice Patience: I am the least patient person in the world. No, really. Ask anyone. When I know I’m going to wait longer than 35 seconds for something I put on my “patience hat”. It’s imaginary, of course, but when I’m wearing it I have the magical superpower to not mow people down with my shopping cart. I think about String Theory or just stare into space instead.
Reframe your impatience by thinking about how great it is that we’re supporting our local economy with all this shopping! Play a little Candy Crush on your phone while you’re waiting. Joke with your kids, smile at a stranger, have a conversation. Don’t be That Guy. Anger is contagious, but so is happiness.
Be A Little Selfish: You aren’t required to make a pumpkin pie from scratch. Costco Your local pie shop has some very tasty ones (if you’ve reserved one). There is no shame in prioritizing yourself sometimes. I give you permission to not go to a party that will make you miserable. Instead, get a massage, read a book, do a little “self-care” by slowing down and enjoying an activity that brings you joy. Go to the beach and just watch the waves.
Do Good: You don’t have to be Mother Teresa to be a saint. You can just as easily pay it forward by giving up a parking spot to someone, laugh at a dumb joke, hug someone who seems down, ask a friend to dinner, leave some candy on a co-worker’s desk or — major karma points — pick up that dog poop everyone’s been side-stepping (or stepping in) for days.
Reflect. Breathe. Be in the Moment: If you haven’t mastered “the breath” yet, lemme break it down. Close your eyes, put your feet firmly on the ground, breathe deeply through your nose and slowly let it out. Repeat as needed. Sit quietly for a minute, away from the hubbub. Take a walk. Your brain has to refocus to move your legs and you’d be surprised how just a quick spin around the block can clear your head. Spend a minute noticing something pretty…the sky, a leaf, a well-manicured lawn.
Cry or Get Mad (in a healthy way): Crying is so cathartic, but I haven’t had many tears left lately. Here’s a trick: Watch a television show or movie that touches you, preferably alone. Do the ugly snotty, heaving sob without any judgment. If you need to get angry, then get angry! The trick here is to not scare the children, dog, spouse or bystanders. One of the most satisfying things in the world is to throw a piece of Kleenex as hard as you can. They sort of flutter down, which is hysterical, but it feels good to just pull them out of the box one by one and throw them with a “Harumph!” or “Take That!”
Laugh: Find that funny friend that has you in stitches for hours. Watch “How to Be a Latin Lover” on Netflix. Dress your dog up. Just let it all go, cause it’s going to be okay.
Whether you’re a Wine Country visitor on a Thanksgiving getaway or a local looking to get away from relatives, there are plenty of winery tasting rooms that are open this Thursday. A Thanksgiving visit to Sonoma and Napa wineries is also a good excuse to start your Black Friday shopping early and bring home bottled gifts (to yourself, or someone equally deserving of a special treat). Click through the gallery for details.
In 1972, David Stare founded the first new winery in Dry Creek Valley since Prohibition and had local grapegrowers scratching their heads over his first choice of grape to plant: Sauvignon Blanc.
Stare admired the white wines produced from this variety in France’s Loire Valley and Bordeaux regions. While there was no precedent for cultivation of Sauvignon Blanc in Dry Creek Valley, Stare trusted his gut (and tastes), ignored consultants’ recommendations to plant Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, and went all-in on Sauvignon Blanc.
It was a prescient move. Not only did the variety become the most successful wine for the Stare family’s Dry Creek Vineyard winery northwest of Healdsburg – it now produces five versions under winemaker Tim Bell – it also set the tone for other valley wineries and growers to make Sauvignon Blanc the white-wine standard, a counterpart to more traditional Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.
“Consumers like our (Sauvignon Blancs) because they are elegant and nuanced,” explained company president Kim Stare Wallace, David’s daughter. “We develop a lot of fans for our (Sauvignon Blancs) because we have a variety of different flavor – they reflect the different vineyards and terroir of our region; each has its own personality and expression.”
At nearby Quivira Vineyards, Hugh Chappelle produces four Sauvignon Blancs, each distinct in flavor and aroma profile. From the widely available Dry Creek Valley bottling to the top-flight Queue Collection Sauvignon Blanc, Quivira’s offerings are a big draw for visitors.
“We are certainly a destination winery for the varietal,” said General Manager Jim Connell. “Hugh has built our reputation as a Sauvignon Blanc leader in Dry Creek Valley. He’s shown what the potential is for the grape, and it’s not just us.”
Generally, Dry Creek Valley has sandy loam and river-strewn, well-drained gravelly soils, which suit Sauvignon Blanc. Herbal notes are a sensory signature of the varietal, although the finest Dry Creek Valley examples contrast the grape’s pungent personality (fresh and dried herbs, just-cut grass, even jalapeño) with tangy grapefruit, lime and Meyer lemon fruitiness, and brisk, mouthwatering acidity.
Complexity, and tasteable differences in the wines, comes from different winemaking practices. Stainless steel fermentation and aging are common. A growing number of winemakers are using oak barrel fermentation and again, too.
Chappelle like to use acacia wood barrels to age small portions of wine. Another tool is to blend with Semillon (as is done in Bordeaux) or stir in the spent yeast cells with the wine after fermentation, which can add mouth feel and weight.
Most Dry Creek Valley producers offer Sauvignon Blanc, although some go an extra mile with the grape. Click through the gallery for five wineries to visit for scintillating Sauv Blancs.
I don’t get the chance to do repeat dining at a lot of restaurants while in search of new experiences, but I happened to hit up Santa Rosa Seafood’s cafe the other day while searching for the ultimate oyster.
It was bittersweet, having last been there tasting oysters with former owner Mike Svedise who died unexpectedly in 2017. His presence still looms large.
I was really impressed, however, to see that the small cafe that shares the building with the retail seafood store is every bit as awesome as when it opened several years ago.
It’s really not much to look at, and parking is dicey, but fresh ahi poke is so good that they put the sauce — a smoky sesame oil or spicy mayo — on the side.
Truthfully, it’s almost a shame to cover it up. The fish and chips are outstanding, as is the cioppino and the fresh oysters. The only thing missing was Mike, a bottle of vodka and a little hot sauce to wash it all down.
946 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-579-2085, sanfranciscocrabshipping.com.
There are few things I love more than a pop-up restaurant.
There is something so pure about wide-eyed food entrepreneurs who want to test a restaurant concept before diving into a brick and mortar where they will inevitably have their souls crushed by nasty Yelp reviews, permitting hassles, jacked-up rents and ever-increasing food prices. It’s a brutal business not for the faint of heart.
But pop-ups like the recent Lunch Box hamburger cafe inside Sebastopol’s Ramen Gaijin (who were once themselves a pop-up at the Barlow) give in-the-know diners a chance to be in on the fun. Owners Derek and Meghan Harn, who are Sonoma County transplants, have been popping up their oh-so-tasty temporary burgeria every couple months for just a few hours — until the 100 burgers and 100 pounds of fries are gone.
Lunch Box burgers are the kind of messy, smushy, everything-good-about-beef burgers that make you remember why Beyond burgers are a pale comparison.
Is it the brisket and chuck blend? The fancy sauce? The onion butter? All of the above?
Paired with “dirty fries”, that are another mess of crispy fries, chevre ranch dressing, bacon, green onion, roasted garlic and pepperoncini that require a handful of napkins and a stout appetite. You can get the fries plain with ketchup and garlic chili aioli, but really, why? We love that our vegetarian friends can have the same experience with the aforementioned Beyond burger. Lunch Box will even do a vegan version to make the whole thing extra inclusionary.
They’re planning for one more pop-up this year (we hope), so make sure you’re good and hungry. Follow their progress at lunchboxsonomacounty.com.
Whenever you’re down and out, sick and tired, too pooped to party or simply missing home, comfort food is what picks up the pieces of our lives. Some of us crave mashed potatoes and gravy, others yearn for a bowl of posole or nonna’s ravioli. Whatever makes you feel all warm and cozy inside, we’ve probably found it at a Sonoma County restaurant.
Did we miss your fave? Let us know in the comments below.
