Here are few items to check off on your summer fashion survival list. This week, let’s look at colorful Bermuda shorts and some solid shoe options to pair with them, all available in Sonoma County stores.
Seize the late evening light and head outside for dinner. Whether you’re grilling just a couple of veggie burgers or you’re making a multi-course meal, an outdoor setting can enhance the experience. Here are a few items from Sonoma retailers to help you set the scene.
Fans of baseball and fine food will flock to the Sonoma Stompers home game on July 18 to rub elbows with celebrity chef and bestselling author Ayesha Curry. The Stompers, Sonoma’s professional baseball team, will host Curry as part of ZÜPA NOMA Night.
Curry’s a spokesperson for ZÜPA NOMA, a Sonoma-based ready-to-sip organic, veggie and superfood-based soup. She’ll be throwing out the first pitch of the game and giving out freebies of the soup to fans.
The Stompers have made history, not only with their celebrity connections (from Curry to baseball legend Jose Canseco), but with their roster.
Last year the team introduced the first female baseball battery in professional baseball history, by signing Kelsie Whitmore and Anna Kimbrell to the team. The Stompers also signed the first openly gay professional baseball player, Sean Conroy.
Tickets for ZÜPA NOMA Night start at $8. stompersbaseball.com
By Shannon Brown
Who would toss around $1000 for a dinner for two, $500 for a beverage pairing, $172 for tax and $435 for a tip (running a hefty $2,107)? Turns out plenty of folks wanting to dine at a remote Sonoma County location with three-starred Michelin chef Joshua Skenes.
But exactly where the dinner is, who is invited, and what’s on the menu is a closely guarded secret.
It was recently reported that Skenes, widely known for his San Francisco restaurant Saison, was taking reservations for his new project, Skenes Ranch (reservations are now closed, sorry, but you can request an invite). The only official description of the experience was through the booking website Tock, stating that guests “retreat to wine country for an evening of wild foods under the stars and around an open fire.”
Pictures of the ranch show a rustic, outdoorsy scene with horse drawn carriages, monarch butterflies and a cobblestoned patio outlined by fields of vineyards. Inside the dining room, a long wooden table with chairs draped in animal fur face a large, stone fireplace that align with the evening’s theme of opulence.
This all started last fall, when Skenes posted on Instagram under the username ‘skenesranch.’ Since then, the page has featured pictures of his hunting escapades and food preparation. All but one of the pictures has a caption.
So what exactly are diners getting for such a large price tag? Well no menu has been released but speculation has been swirling about Skenes serving the animals he hunts.
Before reservations were made open to the public, food influencers were invited to the Sonoma County ranch in September to experience it for themselves. Meals served to them included bison heart, bison ribs and raw lobster, while desserts were wild strawberries and a smoked pecan sundae with smoked caramel. No substitutions will be made for dietary restrictions.
Required beverage pairings, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, will run you $500 and reserved wines for $1500 each person. Non-alcoholic drinks include infusions, elixirs, teas and juices.
There are overnight accommodations upon request and transportation can be arranged after you solidify your spot.
After making the reservations, guests are provided coordinates to meet a chauffeur who will take them to the location. The ranch is set in Sonoma County and is about 15 minutes from Downtown Sonoma.
Luxury dining isn’t new to Skenes as Saison costs around $400 per person and requires a payment for reservations.
In all this intrigue, one thing seems to remain certain; diners are paying for luxury. With high praise for his seasonal, fresh ingredients, chef Skenes is creating an atmosphere worthy of notice.
Year after year, regardless of the state of the union, Americans can agree on one thing. The Fourth of July is worth celebrating.
Every community stages its own tribute to independence, patriotism, nostalgia and old-fashioned fun. And of course, there will be fireworks.
This year, July 4 falls on Tuesday, and typically, some celebrants aren’t willing to wait that long.
You’ll find Independence Day parties scattered all over Sonoma County throughout the weekend as well.
SATURDAY, JULY 1
Independence Day Celebration Guerneville: Barbecue, live music on Main Street in downtown Guerneville. 4-8:30 p.m. Fireworks start at about 9:30 p.m. Free. 707-869-9000, russianriver.com.
SUNDAY, JULY 2
Penngrove Parade: “Biggest Little Parade in Northern California,” 11 a.m. Sunday, Main Street, Penngrove. Free. Barbecue, live music noon-4 p.m., Penngrove Park. 707-794-1516, penngrovesocialfiremen.org.
Fireworks Over Bodega Bay: Fireworks display, 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Westside Park, Bodega Bay. Handicap parking only, views from surrounding vicinity. Free, donations taken. visitbodegabayca.com.
Monte Rio Celebration: Big Rocky Games at noon, Boat Parade and Water Curtain at dusk, fireworks follow, Sunday, Monte Rio Beach. Free. 707-865-6100, monterio.org.
MONDAY, JULY 3
Sebastopol Fireworks: Gates open 5:30 p.m. Monday, Analy High School football field, Sebastopol. Soul Fuse, Frobeck at 6 p.m., fireworks at 9:40 p.m. $5-$10. 707-823-1511, sebastopolkiwanis.org.
Windsor Kaboom Independence Day: The party starts at 3 p.m. Monday at Windsor’s Keiser Park, with live music by Color Me Badd and McKenna Faith at 7:30 p.m. followed by fireworks. $3-$5; kids 3 and under free.
TUESDAY, JULY 4
4th of July Fireworks Spectacular: Concert by Grammy winner Kathy Mattea and the Santa Rosa Symphony at 7:30 p.m. followed by fireworks. Weill Hall and Lawn at the Green Music Center, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park. Tickets start at $25. gmc.sonoma.edu, 866-955-6040.
Petaluma 4th of July Fireworks: Opens at 6 p.m. Tuesday with live music, food and beer vendors; fireworks start after dark. Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, Petaluma. Free. 707-778-4399, visitpetaluma.com.
Kenwood Fourth: Pancake breakfast 7 a.m., footraces 7:30 a.m., parade 10:30 a.m., family fun and barbecue 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Kenwood Plaza Park. Free, fees for food. kenwoodparade.com.
Cloverdale Fireworks: Lions Club fireworks show around 9 p.m. Tuesday, Cloverdale High School football field. Free, donations accepted. cloverdalechamber.com.
Healdsburg Fireworks: American Legion 40-minute fireworks display approximately 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Healdsburg High School football field. Free, donations accepted. 707-953-7242, healdsburgfireworks.org.
Sonoma Old-Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday on Sonoma Plaza, with parade at 10 a.m. Sonoma Volunteer Firefighters’ Association fireworks display at dusk Tuesday, Gen. Vallejo Home field, Sonoma. Show approximately 45 minutes. Free, donations accepted. 707-996-2102, sonomavolunteerfirefighters.org.
Red, White & BOOM!: Live music including Wonder Bread 5, kids’ activities, 3:30-10 p.m. Tuesday, Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Santa Rosa. Fireworks approximately 9:30 p.m. $5-$10. srboom.com.
You can reach staff writer Dan Taylor at 521-5243 or dan.taylor@pressdemocrat.com. Read his Arts blog at arts.blogs.pressdemocrat.com. Press Democrat Towns section writer Dianne Reber Hart also contributed to this story.
Oh, the bonanza of food to be found at the Santa Rosa Wednesday Night Market. Take a deep dive into the gallery for some of our favorite dishes.
–Isabella Bankmann contributed to this story
Here’s a complete list of food vendors at the 2017 Market:
Adobos n’More- Wraps and Adobos
Anello Family Crab and Seafood- Freshly Caught Crab Seafood
Berkmans Spices- Spices
Best of Burma 2- Burmese Food
CA Cookie- Cookies
California Funnel Cakes- Funnel Cakes
Dave’s Nitro K Ice Cream- Ice Cream, Ice Cream Sandwiches, and Bon Bons
Dirty Girl Donuts- Donuts
DK Concessions- Caramel Apples
Fruity Moto- Traditional Mexican Fruit and Fruit Drinks
Gaia’s Garden- Vegetarian Food
Gerard’s Paella- Paella
Kafal- Indian Food
Killer Baking Co.- Brownies, Ice Cream, and Cookies
Lata’s Indian Cuisine- Indian Food
Lemonade Stand-
Mary’s Churros- Churros, Soda, and Water
Min-Hee Hill Gardens- Korean Kim-Chi and Spring Rolls
MKM Concessions- Kettle Corn
Mommy’s Yammys- Mediterranean Food
Mom’s Apple Pie- Apple Pie
Mountain Mikes- Pizza
Nellies Oysters- Barbecue Oysters, and Fish and Chips
Pacheco Roasted Corn- Roasted Corn on a Stick
Pasta King- Pasta
Pilon Kitchen- Venazulean Food
Queen Bee Kitchen- Jams
Rainy Day Chocolate- Handmade Chocolates
Ralph’s Courthouse Classics- Hot Dogs
Red Rose Catering- Catfish, Fried Chicken, and Mac N Cheese
Sinful Fusion- Turkish Food: Doner, Borek Kafte, Quinoa
Sonoma Crust- Donuts Beignets
Swine Country Barbecue- Barbecue Turkey, and Sausage Sandwiches
Top that Yogurt- Frozen Yogurt, Popsicles, and Tacos
Tea and Trumpets- Tea and Accessories
At the Khom Loi Thai pop-up in Sebastopol, there’s nothing shy or demure about the spicy, sweet, sour flavors of East Asia on the plate. The fire in my face, complete with watering eyes and running nose, makes that abundantly clear.
Ramen Gaijin owners Matthew Williams and Moishe Hahn-Shuman — who started their own ramen shop as a pop-up several years ago at Woodfour Brewing—are hosting a handful of summer dinners inspired by travels in Northern Thailand and Laos. The food focuses on Chiang Mai and nearby Laos, with nods to Central and Southern Thailand.
At the first seating of the first dinner, and all cylinders were firing fast for the 50-plus diners eager to see just how the Gaijin team would interpret yellow curry and green papaya salad. Packed to capacity on a warm summer night, the restaurant temps were already feeling a little bit Bangkokish. But a brisk house made Thai Iced Tea and cocktail king Scott Beattie’s Tiger Uppercut (house coconut fat washed rum, lime, coconut milk, raw ginger, Thai herbs) loaded with ice in a handmade pottery cup was as welcome as a cold shower.
The first Khom Loi menu included tiny bamboo baskets of sticky rice (khao niaw, $3), and cold green papaya salad with braised octopus (som tam plahmuk, $13) that made us remember why we love this grated mixture of sour papaya, beans, cherry tomatoes, dried shrimp, fish sauce, lime and not-fooling-around chiles. Best. Ever.
We also couldn’t get enough of the charcoal grilled mushroom salad (het paa nom tok, $12) with a punch of mint and fish sauce, lemongrass and toasted rice powder. As an entree, the standout was Chiang Mai style yellow curry (khoa soi gai, $14) that’s a soothing, creamy foil to the heat of spicier dishes. With slippery noodles, coconut milk, chicken and chili sauce you’ll be lapping at the bottom of the bowl within minutes.
Also on the menu: A savory Thai omelette with ground pork and bean sprouts (kai jeow muu, $13); spicy Northern Thai rabbit and pork sausage with Kabocha squash and Thai basil (sai oua kratay, $15) TFC Thai Fried Chicken (gai tod chiang mai, $13) are extra, extra crispy, sweet fried chicken wings; whole fried rockfish with chiles, (plaa thawt lat phrik, $mp) is a whole-table pleaser; along with spiced braised pork shank with Ovaltine (it’s a thing in Thailand) and boiled egg (khao kha muu, $15). Future dinners will have additional offerings.
The idea is that Khom Loi could you know, maybe become a new restaurant. Maybe. With additional Chokh Dee libations like the “Low Hanging Fruit” with arrete reposado, mango, lemongrass, tamarind and coriander; or the “Same-Same-But-Different” (Square One cucumber vodka, Blade gin, cucumber, lemon, ginger beer, raw ginger and Thai basil), we’re seriously hoping it does.
Upcoming dinners are slated for July 10 and 17, and a few of the dishes and drinks will be served at the bar. Reservations will sell out, so go to ramengaijin.com or call 707) 827-3609 for details.
This Independence Day, celebrate the bounty of Sonoma County by serving up these local treats. Click through the gallery above to discover Sonoma County foods and drinks that are a must for any 4th of July party.
After 20 years of celebrating summer tomatoes, Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate and Gardens is scrapping its annual Heirloom Tomato Fest. But take heart, solanum lycopersicum enthusiasts, because the Fulton winery is replacing it with their new Harvest Celebration on Sunday, Oct. 1, which will of course include plenty of tomatoes.
The reimagined event will have a broader focus on the variety of produce grown at the estate by former French Laundry farmer Tucker Taylor, along with educational seminars on everything from bee hives to cheese and barrel making, chef demonstrations, wine tasting, outdoor painting and live music.
Organizers say they wanted to create a more intimate experience that captures the bounty of the harvest. Over the last decade, about 2,500 were permitted to attend each of the Heirloom Tomato Festivals, according to county records. Around 800 are expected for the new event, say insiders.
“After 20 years of hosting the Heirloom Tomato Festival each fall, we thought it was time for a change. We wanted to create a more intimate experience…that captures the bounty of harvest, while still indulging our love for tomatoes,” organizers explained.
Tickets for the event, which runs from 11a.m. to 3p.m. are $125 per person, and proceeds will benefit the UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County.
Want to try the bounty of K-J in an even more exclusive setting? We love the monthly Farm to Table Dinners, happening July 8 (salmon and Ccalamari), August 12 (fowl and heirloom pork), Sept. 9 (heirloom tomatoes and local beef) and Oct. 14 (oysters and steak). Tickets are $175 per person and includes an appetizer reception in the gardens, family-style dinner and plenty of wine. Details at kj.com.
On a brutally hot night in June, when the thought of turning on an oven seems almost cruel, the lines at The Block are snaking into the parking lot. Petaluma’s new food truck mecca opened in May, building steam with an ever-revolving lineup of culinary characters, from grilled cheese and fried chicken to burgers, tacos and ramen. And now, everyone wants a taste. Thankfully, there’s plenty of craft beer on tap to make the wait a bit more convivial.
The Block (20 Grey St., Petaluma) is Sonoma County’s first permanent location for the region’s growing fleet of mobile kitchens. But that’s not the only place you’ll find them.
From summer concerts and festivals to farm markets, taprooms, wineries and weddings, the North Bay is finally embracing the more than 40 food truck vendors that have hit the roads of Sonoma County since 2011.
Despite early pushback by brick and mortar restaurants, who were concerned about competition, creative trucksters have found their sweet spot by showing up where traditional restaurants and caterers don’t dare to go. And though more than a few of the early trucks have been permanently parked (RIP Street Eatz, Awful Falafel and Seed to Go), a new wave of eager cooks are hitting the roads to bring food directly to your face.
Click through the gallery above for a list of all the Sonoma County-based trucks we could gather — though we know there are likely a few we’ve missed (so email us!). Note that locations often change from week to week, and if your heart is set on a specific truck, it’s best to find them online for updated event schedules. We’ve included Facebook handles for trucks that have info online, as well as acronyms for the many farm markets around the county. Most trucks are available for private events. A final note: For this story we have only included trucks that have regular public stops, leaving out private caterers and food stands.
Other trucks not based in Sonoma County, but frequently found in the North Bay include Drums and Crumbs, Fabulous Frickle Brothers, Cousin’s Maine Lobster, and Tuck Box.
