Watch Coldplay Singer Chris Martin’s Ode to DiCaprio’s Cargo Shorts at Santa Rosa Event

By Sonoma Magazine Staff
SANTA ROSA, CA – SEPTEMBER 15: attends the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation Gala at Jackson Park Ranch on September 15, 2018 in Santa Rosa, California.

Now that’s one headline we never thought we would write: Coldplay, Leonardo DiCaprio, cargo shorts and Santa Rosa all in one. But stranger things have happened when celebrities descend on an otherwise (pretty) ordinary town.

On Saturday, September 15, Leonardo DiCaprio’s foundation hosted a benefit art auction at Santa Rosa’s Jackson Park Ranch. Coldplay singer Chris Martin performed at the event, which benefited environmental causes. But before the band came on stage, Martin took the opportunity to perform a solo number he had written for the occasion. It was an ode to something slightly odd: not the preservation of the environment or endangered species, but to Leo DiCaprio’s love of cargo shorts.

“I studied him very closely,” Martin sang, accompanied by his guitar, “Personally, and on the Daily Mail website … for about five or six years. What became clear to me was his unbelievable service, his commitment to the business of cargo shorts. This is a guy who said ‘I’m going to save these shorts from extinction, they should’ve gone out about 25 years ago.’”

The moment was captured on video by an audience member, and has now gone viral.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnzK7Nhh-Kc/?taken-by=missy_ib

The lyrics to Martin’s (hilarious) song include these opening lines:

“Hello, I’m Leo. How do you do?
There’s a sad side of me I want to show to you.
All my movies, I’m the star, I swear,
But they won’t let me wear what I want to wear!

You see, I have an outfit that I think is fine,
So much that I wear it nearly all the time.
Find 100 pairs on my wardrobe shelf,
So tell the director I’ll be dressing myself:
In my cargo shorts, my cargo shorts!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnzLsJ5hHpL/?taken-by=missy_ib

Martin’s song also mentions DiCaprio movies, including “Romeo + Juliet” and “The Aviator,” while saying that the actor’s character in “Titanic” might have survived if only his character had worn cargo shorts.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnzMsPcBa_o/?taken-by=missy_ib

The event raised $11 million, according to The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. Let’s just hope it did not also manage to revive the cargo shorts trend… 

Celebrate the Seventh Art: Film Festivals to Visit in Sonoma and Napa

By Bronwyn Simmons

To most outsiders, Sonoma and Napa are primarily associated with wine but, as locals will confirm, there’s more than wine to Wine Country. Beyond wineries and tasting rooms, there’s a whole world to explore – including several regional film festivals. And if you want to pair the “seventh art” with world-class wine, that can easily be arranged. Click through the above gallery for a list of upcoming Wine Country events for lovers of the big screen.

Offbeat Dining Spot at Marin’s Oldest Bar Worth a Coastal Detour

By biteclub
Seafood chowder at William Tell House in Tomales, California. Heather Irwin/PD

For years, “Marin’s Oldest Bar”, The William Tell House, was a favorite locals spot for a night of prime rib with the family — pretty much what it had been for the last 140 years or so — as a bar and restaurant (and sometimes hotel). Named for a Swiss folk hero who had a thing for apples and arrows, it’s the oldest continually-serving bar in the county, having opened originally in 1877. The place burned to the ground in 1920, but was quickly rebuilt.

The old clapboard house has changed hands only four times in the last century, so when the building came up for sale, San Francisco chef, caterer and restaurateur Ted Wilson got a call from friends in the area where he grew up. As co-founder of Oakland’s Metal and Match Catering, founder of food incubator, The Hall in SF and head of The Alice Collective, Wilson already had several plates spinning when he opened a limited-menu “pop-up” featuring “humble casual” food sourced from the farms, fields and beaches of the region.

Chalkboard to share a drink at William Tell House in Tomales. Heather Irwin/PD
Chalkboard to share a drink at William Tell House in Tomales. Heather Irwin/PD

Just get there before the day-trippers fill up the leave-a-drink chalkboard.

Best Bets
Since our initial visit in 2018, the menu has expanded to include a full menu of salads, burgers, and seafood specialties like cioppino. Much of the food is sourced from nearby farms. The current menu is here.

Seafood Chowder ($8/$15): Why is it that you can’t get a decent cup of chowder at the coast? Though we’ve had a handful of pretty good versions, the standard seems to be lumpy, floury, deeply uninspired chowders that make us want to cry. This is not one of those. A haul of Bolinas rock cod, Manila clams, mussels and Gulf Shrimp honor this creamy white chowder studded with homemade Applewood bacon and potatoes. Stunning.

Local cheese and charcuterie plate ($14): While we didn’t get the advertised blackberry-jalapeño preserves (quince paste was served instead) or caramelized vegetables, but the stars of this show are the local cheeses (Bleating Heart, Cowgirl Creamery) and the hard-to-find pink pearl apples, which have a rosy pink interior and sweet-tart flavor.

Ceviche tostadas with pickled cabbage, pumpkin seeds, radish and Bolinas rock cod at William Tell House in Tomales, Claifornia. Heather Irwin/PD
Ceviche tostadas with pickled cabbage, pumpkin seeds, radish and Bolinas rock cod at William Tell House in Tomales, Claifornia. Heather Irwin/PD

McFarland Springs Trout Dip ($10): One of the best local(ish) fishes, this tender pink fish is perfect as a creamy dip with house-seasoned potato chips.

William Tell Cobb ($15): Braised Petaluma chicken, fried egg, Pt. Reyes blue cheese, fried egg, garden tomatoes, avocado buttermilk dressing.

Cioppino ($26): Similar to the chowder, but with a spicy tomato broth.

Cocktails ($10-12): The William Tell includes Laird’s Apple Brandy, maple, black walnut bitters, Angostura bitters; the Black Betty is bourbon with lemon and seasonal jam; and your choice of thick or thin Bloody Marys with vodka, gin or mezcal.

26955 CA-1, Tomales, 707-879-2002, williamtellhouse.com. Open Friday through Sunday.

Sonoma’s Fremont Diner Reopens as Boxcar Fried Chicken and Biscuits

By biteclub

The beloved Fremont Diner has been reborn as Boxcar Fried Chicken and Biscuits,

Owners Erika and Chad Harris closed Sonoma’s much-loved Southern-inspired diner in late June saying the spot was a victim of its own success. Now, however, they’re back in business with a pared-down menu featuring some of their most popular dishes — fried chicken, biscuits,  sandwiches, and sides like pimento cheese, collard greens and baked beans.

The key is offering fast service, something that plagued the Fremont Diner. The restaurant opened Wednesday, and we’ll have more details and pictures coming soon. Open Monday through Friday from 11a.m. to 3p.m., 2698 Fremont Dr., Sonoma, boxcar-friedchicken.com

Jennifer Hudson to Join Top Winemakers at Napa Festival for Good Cause

By Dana Rebmann

Giving back always feels good. But donating to a great cause while listening to a two-time Grammy award winning-performer – world class wine in hand – that’s the kind of charitable giving that strikes a chord, at least in Wine Country.

Since it began nearly a quarter century ago, the Music Festival for Brain Health has raised almost $300 million (including grants from U.S. Government agencies and private organizations.) Every penny of the event’s expenses are underwritten by sponsors, so all proceeds go directly to brain disorder scientific research and treatment programs across the United States.

Last year, when Lyle Lovett performed at the festival, approximately $6 million was raised to support the research and treatment of physiological brain disorders. This year, Jennifer Hudson is set to take the stage in Rutherford on Saturday, September 15.

The daylong festival begins with a scientific symposium surrounding brain disorders followed by a wine tasting reception. Participating wineries include: Abreu Vineyards, Bryant Estate, Colgin Cellars, Dalla Valle Vineyards, Gargiulo Vineyards, Kosta Brown Winery, Scarecrow, Screaming Eagle, Vineyard 29, Williams Selyem, and many, many more. Hors d’oeuvres prepared by Chef Victor Scargle, Culinary Director of The Boisset Collection, will be served during the wine tasting.

In the afternoon, R&B artist Jennifer Hudson takes the stage for an intimate performance. (In addition to being a Grammy-winning recording artist, Hudson is also an Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning actress, and award winning author.)

A VIP post-concert dinner will be served as the sun sets. Staglin Family Vineyard wines will be paired with a menu created by 3-Star Michelin Chef Christopher Kostow of The Restaurant at Meadowood and The Charter Oak in St. Helena.

Former Congressman Patrick Kennedy is scheduled to attend, along with Congressman Mike Thompson, and Congressman John Garamendi.

The 24th Annual Music Festival for Brain Health, takes place Saturday, September 15, at Staglin Family Vineyard, 1570 Bella Oaks Lane, Rutherford. Tickets are sold out, but there is a waiting list for tickets. music-festival.org

There’s no shortage of local events where you can have fun while doing good:

The Santa Rosa High School Foundation 23rd Annual Golf Tournament takes place Friday, September 14, at Oakmont West Golf Course. Check-in at 11:15am, Shotgun start at 12:45pm, $150 per golfer. srhsf.org

The 26th Annual Hands Across the Valley will be held on Saturday, September 29, from 4pm to 10pm at the Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena. The event includes a walk-around-tasting of offerings prepared by popular Napa Valley chefs, restaurants and winemakers, silent and live auctions, and a VIP dinner. Hands Across the Valley has raised millions for programs including Meals on Wheels, The Table, and The Salvation Army. General admission tickets cost $125. handsacrossthevalley.com

The Safeway Open Golf Tournament takes place October 4th through the 7th at the Silverado Resort & Spa. The Safeway Open Concert Series lineup includes performances by Sammy Hagar & the Circle, (Thursday, October 4th) Young the Giant, (Friday, October 5th) and Billy Idol (Saturday, October 6th). 100 percent of all ticket sales support fire relief in Napa Valley. Tickets start at $30. safewayopen.com

Put November 4, 2018 on your calendar. The Heritage Turkey Sunday Supper will be held from 3pm to 7:30pm at Atwood Ranch in Glen Ellen. The event benefits local youth agriculture programs including: Sonoma County 4-H Heritage Turkey Project youth farmers, Slow Food Russian River, Sonoma County Farm Trails Agriculture Scholarships, and the Worth our Weight Culinary Internship program. Dinner will be prepared by a star-studded lineup of local chefs the likes of Daniel Kedan of Backyard, John Stewart and Duskie Estes of Zazu Kitchen + Farm, Bryan Jones, recently retired Executive Chef at St. Francis Winery, WOW Executive Chef Robb Ledesma, and Pastry Chef Condra Easley of Pâtisserie Angelica. There will also be a silent auction, and guests can purchase turkeys from the Sonoma County 4-H Heritage Turkey Project. Tickets are $100. slowfoodrr.org/projects/heritage-turkeys/

Learn to Cultivate Worm Poop and Guerrilla Garden at Santa Rosa’s Heirloom Expo

By biteclub
Fletcher Pope, 2, of Petaluma with his mom at the National Heirloom Expo.

It’s gardeners and farmers gone wild at the annual National Heirloom Expo, held Sept. 11-13 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. With hundreds of exhibits, speakers and the annual squash tower this gathering of soil nerds, seed savers, beekeepers, no-tillers and food activists returns to Santa Rosa for the eighth year.

What we love about this gathering are the passionate speakers, exhibitors and vendors who find kinship in this earth-forward, future-thinking, inclusionary event that looks to our agricultural past to create a road toward a more sustainable tomorrow.

 

For example, the potential dangers of herbicides like Monsanto’s Roundup and wide use of genetically modified crops have been at the forefront of the Expo’s agenda for years, with speakers warning strongly against the unknown (or unreported) longterm hazards for humans and the planet. With the recent landmark case that awarded $289 million to a groundskeeper to alleged that the weedkiller resulted in his terminal cancer diagnosis, more and more Americans are taking notice. Recently Santa Rosa banned the use of Roundup in city parks. A discussion on Sept. 12 at 7-.m. by consumer activist and author Jeffrey Smith will focus on “How to Heal from GMOs and Roundup”.

Other discussions include Doug and Stacy, Midwestern YouTubers who live on an 11-acre  off-grid compound; Vanessa Harden on how a group of individuals secretly plan flowers, shrubs and veggies in neglected urban spaces; eating a plant-based diet with local nutritionist and Veggie Queen Jill Nussinow along with talks on raising poultry, permaculture and seed-saving.

On Thursday evening, compost connoisseur Jeff Lowenfels will talk about worm poop — aka worm castings — and why every gardener should have some, also explaining the soil food web and how to create have a healthy relationship with fungi. Watch a few of his YouTube videos about what may be the world’s most unsexy subject and you’ll get that he’s truly a, ahem, fungi fun guy.

There’s an entire Kids’ Pavillon with plenty of fun activities for your burgeoning young green thumbs and a demo marketplace helping raise money for local school gardens. Plus, 4,000 varieties of heirloom vegetables, giant pumpkins, a dahlia flower show, fruit carving, globally inspired cuisine, live music, and seed swapping.

All this wholesome, family-friendly fun is $15 for a one day pass and $30 for a three-day pass. Children are free. Details at heirloomexpo.com.

Fall-For-You Wardrobe Picks from Sonoma

By Karen Kizer

Of course you’re perfect the way you are, but who wouldn’t mind being just a little more stylish this fall? Just a tiny upgrade here (enter, perfectly fitting shirt), or some high-functioning outerwear there (hi, stunning shawl), or quality suede shoes that side step the big box offerings. Here are some finds, all from Sonoma, that might impress your date, your clients or, the toughest one to win over, yourself.

A Piece of Calistoga History Becomes Luxury Five-Room Inn

By Dana Rebmann

When The Francis House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, it was already in bad shape, its glory days greatly in danger of becoming a lost memory.

Built in 1886 as a family home for successful merchant, James H. Francis, it’s the only stone building in Napa County with authentic French Second Empire architecture. From 1919 to 1964 it served as the Calistoga Hospital. After its doors were locked for good, the house remained the talk of the town – but, as time went on, it was for all the wrong reasons.

For more than 50 years the residence was uninhabited, essentially abandoned. Time took its toll. Those driving by, especially those aware of its history, would look and wonder. The Calistoga landmark was in ruins, said to be weeks away from demolition, when husband and wife team, Dina and Richard Dwyer took on the challenge of ensuring its future.

“When we settled on the property, the city planner said ‘congratulations’ and ‘my condolences,’” said Richard Dwyer.

Though there are a number of exterior photographs documenting the history of The Francis House, there was little to work with regarding the interior. A clean slate of sorts, three long years later, the house is the talk of the town again. This time for all the right reasons.

The Francis House is set to reopen September 7th as a luxury five-room inn. Guest rooms pay tribute to the property’s rich past, while at the same time ushering it into modern times. Antique desks mingle with smart TVs. Bathrooms feature Carrara marble and heated toilets. Amenities including an infrared sauna and salt room, billiards, and heated pool make it a place easy to linger longer.

As The Francis House gets closer to opening day, the curious have been stopping by, to take a peek, and say thanks. Calistoga is not just gaining a luxury property, it’s getting back a treasured piece of community history. In September, a Tiburon resident will be back for what, I guess, you could call his second stay. He was born at the Calistoga Hospital 81 years ago.

The Francis House of Calistoga was recently awarded a 2018 Preservation Design award from the California Preservation Foundation. Room rates range from $495 to $695, including breakfast. 1403 Myrtle Street, Calistoga, 707-341-3536. thefrancishouse.com

Nearby Spots Worth Saving Time for this Fall

The Francis House is just a couple blocks from Lincoln Avenue, making it easy to wander along Calistoga’s main drag. Plan on setting aside some time to soak up neighborhood hotspots, because, being in hot water is always a good thing in Calistoga.

At Indian Springs, weekday pool passes are $25 for all spa day guests who book a 50-minute treatment. On weekends and holidays, it jumps to $50. indianspringscalistoga.com

Established in 1952, the mud baths at Dr. Wilkinson’s Hot Springs Resort provide the kind of dirt legends are made of. drwilkinson.com

Located between Calistoga and St. Helena on Highway 29/128, the restored, water-powered grist mill at Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park, still grinds grain during tours every weekend. Admission: $5 for adults, $2 for children 6 to 17, those under 6 are free. napavalleystateparks.org

Enjoy some bubbly cheer while touring the 125-year-old wine caves at Schramsberg Vineyards. $70; reservations are required in advance. schramsberg.com

Sip Italian-style wines at Castello di Amorosa, a 13th century Tuscan castle in the middle of wine country. Tours start at $45, and reservations are highly recommended. castellodiamorosa.com

Healdsburg’s Coolest Pie and Ice Cream Shop, Noble Folk, Coming to Santa Rosa

By biteclub
Christian (front) and Ozvaldo (thumbs up) in front of the forthcoming Noble Folk. Courtesy photo.
Christian (front) and Ozvaldo (thumbs up) in front of the forthcoming Noble Folk. Courtesy photo.

Downtown Santa Rosa’s food scene has undergone an extensive makeover in the last year, with plenty of sparkle, rouge and lipstick in the additions of swell destination spots like Perch & Plow, Gerard’s Paella, Parish Cafe, Acre and Naked Pig. But wait, there’s a whole lot more in store and we’ve got the, er, scoop.

Pie at Noble Folk in Healdsburg. Courtesy photo
Pie at Noble Folk in Healdsburg. Courtesy photo

This week, Healdsburg pastry and ice cream wunderkinds, Ozvaldo Jimenez and Christian Sullberg (Noble Folk, Moustache Baked Goods) announced the opening of a new Noble Folk on Fourth Street in Santa Rosa. Pause for head explosion.

Known for their ridiculously delicious house-made ice creams (strawberry miso, Thai tea, raspberry lychee sorbet) and pies (peach bourbon with streusel, vanilla sweet corn custard with strawberry compote), along with sleek aesthetics and community-minded activism, the 30-somethings say they’ve long contemplated expanding, and when restaurateur Sonu Chandi offered up the former salon next to his upcoming Bollywood Bar & Clay Oven, they jumped.

Noble Folk will be opening in Santa Rosa in fall 2018. Courtesy photo.
Noble Folk will be opening in Santa Rosa in fall 2018. Courtesy photo.

“Imagine if Moustache and Noble Folk had a baby,” said Sullberg, standing outside the 539 Fourth Street location, which they’ve already started rehabbing. “That’s the idea, a little bit of both,” he explained, offering up the pies and ice creams they’ve become known for at Noble Folk along with some cake creations along the lines of Moustache.

The co-owners and Sonoma County natives say they’re glad to bring some additional family-friendly sweetness to downtown. We say, Santa Rosa just got its kitten heels and a sassy hair flip with Noble Folk as part of its food reboot.

Concurrently, the Chandi Hospitality Group (Beer Baron, Bibi’s Burger Bar, Stout Bros, Mountain Mike’s) is working on a Bollywood-themed Indian restaurant to take over the former County Bench (535 Fourth St.). Sonu Chandi said that they have hired Chef Niven Patel, a Florida-based proponent of farm-to-table Indian cuisine, to create the menu and seasonal cocktail guru Scott Beattie (Cyrus, Ramen Gaijin) to create Indian-inspired drinks. Having tried their “secret Indian menu” at Bibi’s, call me enthusiastic.

The opening menu includes dishes like ghost pepper cheddar naan, local vegetable pakora, gooseberry chutney, lamb samosas with mint chutney, pomegranate biryani, whole turmeric-marinated grouper, channa masala and pork belly vindaloo. The restaurant is also slated to open in November.