As we close out 2016, here’s a look back at some of our favorite Sonoma homes from 2016 – all featured in Sonoma Magazine.
A Small Home with Big Style in Sonoma
Josh Heiser and Steve Burns love their country-with-urban-benefits lifestyle. Their property is perfect because it has two buildings: a tiny cottage not far from the sidewalk where they work, and at the far end a building they remodeled into 1,100 square feet of home sweet home. Their work commute involves walking a limestone path past the pool and lovely outside living area to the partners desk in the cottage, which houses their wine marketing and strategic planning firm, O’Donnell Lane. More photos and article here.
Creative Couple Transforms Sebastopol Ranch House Into Joyful Work of Art
Many travelers on Ragle Road in Sebastopol have done double takes as an unremarkable, 1963 California ranch-style house has been slowly transformed into an astonishing piece of living art. Called Chez La Vie, it’s the home of Carole and Don Watanabe, who bought the place in 2011. Carole is an artist who specializes in vivid colors in a variety of media. She paints, cuts tile, sculpts, builds, and more, with great energy. Don, an architect, brings sense and precision to her flair. More photos and article here.
A Treasured Kenwood Chateau
Three-hundred-year-old doors discovered in France welcome guests into Paul and Margie Denning’s home, which could be set in Provence in 1812, or perhaps Tuscany, circa 1771.The European-style chateau in Kenwood is so expertly achieved that only the posh, pristine powder rooms, ne plus ultra appliances and oh-so-chic interior décor whisper 2016 reality. More photos and article here.
Healdsburg Tract Home Transformed with Budget Friendly Updates
The exterior of Ben Dhong’s house doesn’t look much different from the others on his Healdsburg block, where homes are wedged tightly along a ribbon of sidewalk. But inside, this plain 1980s tract home wears an unexpected glamour. Those who walk through the door forget they’re in a subdivision. More photos and article here.
Modern Wine Country Home with a Renaissance Touch
Situated on Westside Road southwest of Healdsburg, the home of Lisa and Trini Amador is a stark contrast to other estates in the Russian River Valley, the ones hidden behind locked gates, vineyard foliage and lush landscaping. With its rough-hewn stucco exterior, three-level “pinwheel” roof and walls of glass, the Amador house is front and center, for all to appreciate. More photos and article here.
Valley Ford Farmhouse Gets a Makeover
Joe and Missy Adiego and their daughters Avery, Hadley, and Leary live a “Little House on the Prairie” existence with all kinds of farm animals. They also make sheep milk, butter and Ice cream. Their remodeled four bedroom, three baths 1,700 square foot house is a virtual palace, sequestered at the end of a long driveway fronted by a blue and red barn. More photos and article here.
Petaluma Heritage Home with a British Twist
That their house is on English Street was perhaps destiny for Caroline Hall and Brad Villegiante, who through hard work and a keen sense of style turned a weathered, weary 1920s Petaluma cottage into an utterly lovable home. Hall’s mother was born in England and Caroline has dual citizenship, identifying strongly with her British heritage. The studio above the garage is a tribute to her roots, with Union Jack pillows, “Keep Calm and Carry On” and other British prints, and a lamp from Anthropologie made of piled teacups. More photos and article here.
Former Stable Gets a Leg Up
Rancho Wikiup, a 100-year-old stable where famous thoroughbreds once pranced, is now home to Carlos and Nancy Guevara, who renovated the property and raised their family there. When their children trotted off, they turned this landmark that housed horse soldiers during World War II into a wedding and event venue extraordinaire. More photos and article here.
Petaluma, the setting for numerous major motion pictures, returns to the big screen this Friday as local film producer Ali Afshar’s latest movie, “Running Wild,” premieres in theaters across the nation.
Andrea Raffin / Shutterstock
Starring Sharon Stone as a billionaire villain, “Running Wild” tells the story of a young widow trying to save her ranch following her husband’s death by working with convicts to rehabilitate a herd of wild horses that have wandered onto her property. The movie, which was shot in Sonoma County and Napa, and includes scenes from The Pullman Kitchen in Santa Rosa, also features “Wilfred” star Dorian Brown Pham as the widow and “Sons of Anarchy’s” Tommy Flanagan as the leader of the convicts. Alex Ranarivelo (“The Dog Lover”) directed the film from a script by Brian Rudick and co-producer Christina Moore; it was financed and produced by Forrest Lucas and Ali Afshar of ESX Entertainment.
Producer Ali Afshar monitors a scene being filmed from the movie “Running Wild” at the The Pullman Kitchen in Santa Rosa. (Beth Schlanker)
Ali Afshar, a Petaluma native and Casa Grande graduate turned award-winning Hollywood producer, actor, writer and director, has previously made five films in his hometown; “Running Wild” is the first to have a nationwide theatrical release (the remaining films’ releases are in the works). On Friday, Afshar will attend the red carpet premiere of “Running Wild” at Boulevard Cinemas in Petaluma. The event will include a meet-and-greet with Afshar and two film screenings, one at 7:00 p.m. and one at 9:10 p.m. Regular admission tickets cost $10.25 and are available in advance at Fandango.com and on Friday at the theater’s box office.
Actress Dorian Brown preps for a scene as boom operator Corryn Deegan checks the sound during filming of the movie “Running Wild” at the The Pullman Kitchen in Santa Rosa. (Beth Schalnker)Sharon Stone at the set of “Running Wild” at the Petaluma Municipal Airport. (Scott Manchester)Sharon Stone in “Running Wild.”
One of the best times to enjoy the Sonoma County beer scene is during SF Beer Week when brews are flowing into the Bay Area from all corners of the world. This year, the ten day epic event happens February 10 – 19. Here are 7 Beer Week happenings you won’t want to miss out on in Sonoma County:
Fraser Ross pours a beer for the Friday crowd at Fogbelt Brewing Company in Santa Rosa. (Conner Jay)
Limited Release Cossack Imperial Stout at Third Street Aleworks, in Santa Rosa:This big 10.2% AVB beer was tapped on Winter Solstice but Third Street Aleworks has held off on releasing the beer bottles until SF Beer Week. The beer has a full mouthfeel dominated by dark chocolate flavors and balanced bittering from Nugget, Northern Brewer, and Centennial hops.
Henhouse Brewing’s Big Chicken Release (Feb 17): This double IPA (DIPA), dry hopped with Citra, Amarillo, and Mosaic hops, is made only once per year. A limited amount of cans will be packaged on this date and sold until they run out.
St. Florian’s Brewery in Windsor is turning four and they’re celebrating it with a birthday beer bash.
Amy Levin pours St. Florian beer at Sonoma County Beerfest. (Alvin Jornada)
On February 11, from 12 – 8 pm, St. Florian’s will be pouring pints to the sweet sound of some soul, funk and blues from the Renovators Band. There will be food trucks and plenty of beer on tap, including the brewery’s Flashover IPA, California Common, 48/96 Sessionable Ale, Brown Ale, Belgian-Style Überschlag™ IPA, Bourbon Barrel Aged Brown Ale, Extreme Conditions DIPA, Bellarosa Engine Stout, and Winey Siren Red Wine Barrel Aged Brown Ale.
Husband and wife owners Aron and Amy Levin stand with the tanks at St. Florian’s Brewery in Windsor. Aron, who also works as a full time firefighter, named the brewery after the patron saint of firefighters. (Conner Jay)
St Florian’s is a labor of love for husband and wife team Amy and Aron Levin. With a constantly busy schedule (Aron is a full time firefighter and Amy takes care of their two little boys), the Levins spend their “free time” brewing beer and running the tap-station in Windsor. They’ve created a nice and family-friendly space at their taproom, just minutes from the Windsor Town Green, with boardgames, foosball, a patio outside and a sandbox for the kids. The Windsor brewery also supports a good cause: 5 percent of all proceeds go to fire related and community based organizations.
St Florian’s Brewery, 704 Bell Rd, Windsor, CA 95492, (707) 838-2739, stfloriansbrewery.com
The patio at St. Florian’s Brewery in Windsor. (Tim Vallery)
More than ever, those seeking fashion, design and lifestyle inspiration go to Instagram for their daily dose of eye candy – and in Wine Country, there’s plenty of pretty things to look at. As an active user of Instagram, I’ve narrowed down my 7 favorite local Instagramers to follow. Get to know the people behind these popular IG accounts, and check out their styling tips, outfit ideas, product reviews, DIY projects and, of course, stunning photos!
Erika Altes – @whiskeyandlace
A relative newcomer to blogging and Instagram, Erika Altes of Whiskey & Lace has built an audience of nearly 40,000 Instagram followers in just little over a year. Erika’s feminine and self-described “girly” style includes flirty party dresses, lots of pink, lace, tulle and floral prints on Erika’s blog and Instagram feed. She recently left a career representing well-known fashion brands to blog full-time. Along with fashion, Erika features travel, party planning tips, DIY crafts and bits about the joys of being a wife and a mom to her adorable young son.
Erika Altes of Whiskey & Lace. Photo credit: Andrea Lowry.
Amber Lucas – @amusedblog
Amber Lucas of A•Mused Blog is a fresh-faced, curly-haired beauty with an eye for style. Amber’s Instagram feed includes outfits that range from casual and comfy to dressed-up and elegant. She enjoys writing about skincare, haircare, travel and can often be found exploring all over the Bay Area.
Amber Lucas of A•Mused Blog.
Malia Anderson – @stylebymalia
Malia Anderson of Style by Malia is a force! You can hardly pick up a Bay Area magazine or newspaper without reading about this Wine Country stylist’s success and fascinating background. Along with styling some of the Bay Area’s most successful men and women, Malia writes a plus-size fashion column for Essence, is heavily involved in charitable causes and is a seasoned public speaker who encourages and inspires youth and adults to develop body-positive attitudes. Even with all of that, she still makes time to connect with her followers on Instagram with a fashionable feed that may make you want to drop the phone and go shopping.
Malia Anderson stylist and founder of Style by Malia at her studio in Santa Rosa. Photo credit: Alvin Jornada.
Hanna Harden – @vogueinvines
Hannah Harden of Vogue in Vines is all about Wine Country style. Outfits, beauty, fashion deals and discoveries, as well as travel – both locally and internationally – and visits to wineries, can all be found on her blog and Instagram feed, which has over 16,000 followers. If you’re a dog lover, be sure to check out Hannah and her husband’s darling dogs, Franklin the French bulldog and Sampson the Akita.
Hannah Harden of Vogue in Vines.
Dr. Cat Roby – @petitedoctor
Dr. Cat Roby is a Sonoma County physician, wife, mother to two girls, and a lover of fashion. When Cat is not at the hospital or spending time with her family, she enjoys sharing her love of fashion and style on Instagram. This Petaluma native offers followers styling tips that are ideal for Wine Country, OOTD (outfit of the day) posts, and budget-friendly fashion advice on her Instagram feed. Cat is also a contributing writer for Sonoma County Moms Blog.
Dr. Cat Roby of Petite Doctor.
Amy Flynn – @bluejeansanddreams
Amy Flynn of Blue Jeans and Dreams brings sophisticated city style to the town of Sonoma. She blends sporty, casual pieces – like sneakers, tees and jeans – with high-end handbags, boots, stilettos and accessories to create her modern, edgy and head-turning style. Look to Amy’s Instagram feed for street style, product recommendations, and plenty of chic outfit ideas perfect for a trip to the city or right here in Wine Country.
Amy Flynn of Blue Jeans and Dreams.
Brenda Kinsel – @brendakinsel
Professional image consultant, best-selling author, speaker, and owner of Inside Out – A Style and Wardrobe Consulting Company, Brenda Kinsel, believes in the importance of matching people’s clothing with their personality. Her popular Instagram feed features outfits, favorite accessories and wardrobe pieces, and styling tips. Brenda, who has been on The Oprah Winfrey Show, NPR and featured in In Style and Real Simple magazines, focuses on motivating and encouraging women over 50 to embrace their beauty and personal style and ditch the fashion rut!
Brenda Kinsel of Inside Out – A Style and Wardrobe Consulting Company.
Shakshuka from the forthcoming Drawing Board restaurant in Petaluma. Photo: Molly DeCoudreaux
From Petaluma to Cloverdale, restaurants are popping up all over Sonoma County this winter. At least 15 spots are either newly-minted or are slated to open in the coming weeks. And that’s great news for the local food scene, with a variety of dining price points from under $10 to over $300 for the deep-pocketed; from family-friendly food trucks to Michelin-worthy haute cuisine.
Shakshuka from the forthcoming Drawing Board restaurant in Petaluma. Photo: Molly DeCoudreaux
Why so many winter openings? Owners we spoke with all said plans to open earlier in the year got pushed back by permitting issues, a common refrain. But looking on the bright side, the co-owners of Petaluma’s Drawing Board Restaurant echoed a common sentiment: That the quieter winter restaurant season was an opportunity to really dial in the food and service before the busy spring, summer and fall.
“We have some really beautiful weekends in January around here,” said Rosie Wiggins, of Drawing Board. She and chef/business partner Ariel Nadelberg also plan to take advantage of the season, with cozy social gatherings at the restaurant during the cooler winter months.
Restaurant veteran Dustin Valette of Valette Restaurant in Healdsburg agreed. “Opening a restaurant in the off-season allows you to focus on steps-of-service and proper cooking techniques before you wind up for busy season,” he said
“When we opened Valette we knew we had to open during the slow season, this was the perfect opportunity for us to ‘work out the kinks’ when we were slow before we were bombarded with guests. It’s the old analogy, you need to walk before you run,” Valette added.
Sonoma County Restaurants Now Open
Crocodile Cafe: Husband and wife team Michael Dotson and Moira Beveridge have opened a new French bistro in Theatre Square at the former Bistro 100. The couple own Martin’s West Gastro Pub in Redwood City, but recently relocated to Sonoma County with their young daughter. They’re focused on authentic French cuisine influenced by local ingredients from nearby farms and ranches. On the menu: Carmelized onion tartine, steak frites, duck confit, lamb tongue with coco beans, charcuterie and a plum clafoutis with lemon verbena Chantilly cream. They’ll also have a curated wine list with both French and small production regional California wines. Don’t miss this one. Open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday from 11:30a.m. to 10p.m., 140 Second Street., Suite 100, Petaluma, 981-8159, crocodilepetaluma.com.
Pumpkin croquettes with creme fraiche and chermula at Crocodile French Cafe in Petaluma. (Heather Irwin)
Trading Post: This long-anticipated Cloverdale restaurant is yet another feather in the cap of this emerging dining north county destination. Though the small bakery has been open more than a year, the main dining room opened the first week of November with a hearty Sonoma County-inspired menu that includes a house-ground burger on their own brioche, fried chicken thighs, Liberty Farms duck confit over seaweed, Blue Leg Farms roasted chicken, and porchetta. We love the “daily toast”, which on the soft opening menu was smoked avocado with grilled beef tongue and fermented chili relish. At the helm is Erik Johnson, former J Vineyards chef and Dry Creek Kitchen alum. Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 1 to 6p.m. 102 S. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale, 894-6483, thepostcloverdale.com.
The Opera Cake at Trading Post in Cloverdale features layers of almond sponge cake, chocolate ganache and Plank coffee buttercream with ginger sauce. (John Burgess)
Sonoma Cider: More than just a taproom, the father-son owners of Sonoma Cider have created a pub atmosphere with more than 20 taps and a simple-but-delicious menu that features Crab Mac and Cheese ($10); mixed charcuterie or pate Banh Mi ($15); smoked, raw and baked oysters; a Nicoise salad ($16) and luxurious French Onion Soup ($6) with Sonoma Cider Apple Brandy and melted Gruyere. 44 Mill St., Healdsburg, 707-723-7018, sonomacider.com.
Whole Pie: We’ve been cheering for farm market baker and Zazu server Trishia Davis as she’s documented the build of her dream pie shop over the last year. Now open, Whole Pie features lunch or dinner in a crust, with sweet and savory slices and hand pies (along with whole pies, of course) including the “Sweet Tooth” made with butterscotch pudding and a dash of curry; “Holy Moly” with chicken mole in a cocoa crust; “Mister Crunchy” with prosciutto and Emmentaler cheese in a Dijon bechamel or “Beer Belly” with beer-braised short ribs, onions and aged English cheddar. Beer, cider and wine along with coffee and craft soda. Open from 11a.m. to 7p.m. Wednesday through Monday, closed Tuesday. 2792 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 843-4365, thewholepieshop.com.
The LoneWolf, a savory pie made with beer-braised beef ribs, onions, beef stock and rosemary from The Whole Pie in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess)
Zosia Cafe and Kitchen: The tiny hamlet of Graton just got the restaurant it’s been waiting for in Zosia. Opened by husband and wife team Monika and Slawek Michalak, it’s a quirky-cool cafe that’s Wine Country enough for the espresso and pinot-set, but offbeat enough for the likes of locals in the West County artist community to tuck into Loco Moco, Polish pierogi and borscht on weekday afternoons, while discussing life’s pressing issues. Half the menu is devoted to authentic Eastern European comfort cuisine, something sorely lacking in Sonoma County, with dishes like cabbage borscht and Siberian “pelmeni” dumpling soup, to kielbasa, polish crepes and hunter’s stew called “Bigos”. 9010 Graton Rd., Graton, zosiacafe.com.
Bigos, a traditional Polish stew with meats and spices, and Cabbage Rolls at Zosia Cafe and Kitchen in Graton. (Heather Irwin)
Single Thread: Kyle and Katina Connaughton have created a bespoke dining experience based on Japanese kaiseki. Following the micro-seasonal bounty of their Healdsburg farm, the menu is one of the most ephemeral in Wine Country — a region known for its here-today-gone-tomorrow passion for seasonal cuisine. Reservations are required for this $250+ pp experience. 131 North St., Healdsburg, singlethreadfarms.com.
Cured Foie Gras, French Prunes, and Rooibos Tea from Single Thread Farms Restaurant in Healdsburg. (John Burgess)
Slam Burger: The organic, locally-sourced, non-GMO burger spot is killing it with nearly a dozen burger options including beef, lamb, bison, turkey, chicken, ahi, and multiple vegetarian patties. Don’t miss the ‘Shroomaluma mushroom burger with peach bbq sauce and Swiss, the Lamb Slam with grass-fed lamb and olive chimichurri and the Slam fries with garlic aioli, pickled onions, scallions and a fried egg. One of the best family-focused openings of the year. Plus, beer, wine, hot dogs, salads and milkshakes. 5 Petaluma Blvd., Petaluma, theslamburger.com.
The “Shroomaluma” at Slamburger in Petaluma. (Heather Irwin)
Flower and Bone: Sharing a passion for ancient food traditions, the owners of Santa Rosa’s popular Naked Pig Cafe have created an forward-thinking restaurant in the heart of downtown. The menu is inspired by ancient traditions and techniques and feature clay oven cooked, local pasture-raised meat, handmade dumplings, bone broths, dainty starters with house made spiked sodas & punch, farm fermented ciders and low-proof vegetable juice cocktails. Co-owner Dalia Martinez has foraged and preserved hundreds of pounds of local fruits and vegetables which line one wall of the restaurant, making for both beauty and deliciousness. 640 Fifth St., Santa Rosa, 707-708-852, flowerandbonerestaurant.com.
Dalia Martinez of Flower and Bone in front of their wall of preserves. (Heather Irwin)
Drawing Board: Calling itself “seasonal new American”, this forthcoming Petaluma restaurant ties in ancient food traditions with local products. The plant-forward menu includes plenty of fermented dishes, international influences and healing foods along with indulgent carnivorous entrees. “The culinary approach will rely predominantly on ancestral eating and centenarian diets – minimally processed ingredients, rich in phytonutrients, often showcasing heirloom varietals, sourced locally – without sacrificing flavor.,” said co-owner Ariel Nadelburg. dishes including Moroccan porridge with sprouted grains and coconut-citrus chutney, grass-fed lamb burger, sprouted lentil beignets and duck confit cassoulet. The restaurant will offer a full bar along with a coffee bar. 190 Kentucky St., Petaluma.
Werowocomoco at Virginia Dare Winery: The newest project from director Frances Ford Coppola, Werowocomoco (don’t even try to say it) is a casual cafe dedicated to native American cuisine. Located inside the former Geyser Peak Winery, Coppola’s new winery and restaurant are loosely based on the story of Virginia Dare, the first white child born in the Virginia colonies. Dare and the rest of the early colonists mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again. Myth suggests that the settlers assimilated into nearby native tribes, possibly taken to Werowocomo, an Algonquian settlement. The cafe’s signature fry bread tacos made with acorn flour. Toppings include shredded or ground bison, along wit pinto beans, grilled butternut squash salsa and chiles. Also on the menu, corn with Cojita, wild rice, pine ice cream, venison chili, bison ribs and Pomo style salmon sashimi. Prices range from $5 to $24 for a cedar-planked salmon.
Coppola has taken some serious heat for what some journalists have called the appropriation and misrepresentation of native American foods. In a San Francisco Chronicle editorial, Coppola denied the allegations, noting that he’d consulted with Virginia tribes on using the Weowocomoco name, was inspired by native chef Loretta Oden, and created a council of advisors consisting mainly of Native Americans. The restaurant also sources from Native peoples, offers preferential employment to local tribe members and donates 5 percent of pre-tax profits to America’s Native People. Guess it’s all a matter of interpretation. 22281 Chianti Road, Geyserville, 735-3500, virginiadarewinery.com.
Shredded Chocolate-Coffee Braised Bison Open Face Fry Bread Taco with Calypso Beans, Cotija cheese, Sour Cream, and BBQ Corn-Cranberry-Anaheim-Serrano Salsa at the Werowocomoco restaurant at the Virginia Dare Winery in Geyserville. (John Burgess)
Kenzo (okay, this one’s Napa): A dearth of authentic Japanese dining in Napa, along with a friendship with the late Margrit Mondavi was the impetus for this recently-opened sushi and kaiseki (a traditional multi-course Japanese meal) restaurant. Owner Kenzo Tsujimoto of Kenzo Estates Winery has been perfecting the details for the restaurant for several years, with enthusiastic support from his friend Margrit (who died before the restaurant opened). He’s hired Hiroyuki Kanda to open the restaurant and train its chefs in Japan. Kanda received three Michelin stars for his eponymous Tokyo restaurant. Every detail of the menu has been carefully, and artfully, planned, with fresh fish flown in from Tokyo’s Tsukiji market, a haute wine list including Kenzo’s own wines, and highly formalized dining experience that includes a 10-seat sushi bar and tiny 400 square foot dining room. The prix-fixe only kaiseki menus range from $225 to $270. 1339 Pearl St. Napa, 294-2049, kenzonapa.com.
Maine lobster at Kenzo in Napa. (Heather Irwin)
Hippizzazz: We have no idea how to say the name, but this sweet little pizzeria does solid traditional and deep dish pizzas with plenty of, uh, pizzazz. All the usual suspects, plus a solid Thai chicken pizza (peanut sauce, chicken, basil, carrots, cilantro), roasted potato (think potato skin on a pizza) and the Carnitas de Jalisco (slow roasted pork, pico, queso fresca). The very rarely sighted calzone and stromboli are also available, along with nachos, curried lettuce wraps, mac and cheese and pesto bread sticks. A tiny indoor space, but great for takeout. Gluten-free crusts available. Closed Tuesday, 280 S. Main, Sebastopol, 634-6530.
Deep dish pizza at Hippizzazz in Sebastopol. (Heather Irwin)
Coming Soon
2 Tread Brewery: This downtown Santa Rosa brewery and pub is slated to open late March, with Chef Ryan “Seamus” McCarthy in the kitchen and a former Firestone-Walker brewmaster heading up the beer program. The nearly 10,000 square-foot indoor-outdoor space will feature on-site brewed beers, a casual chef-driven menu, live music and a full bar. 1018 Santa Rosa Plaza, Santa Rosa, 2treadbrewing.com.
The Block: Petalumans have been awaiting this food-truck round-up for several years, but it appears that owners are hitting the gas hard to open by early 2017.1 An ever-changing lineup of 4-5 food trucks will pull up to the permanent outdoor dining structure at the Petaluma Grain Mill, with Firetrail Pizza’s wood-fired oven and a lineup of 20 taps as constant fixtures. Trucks slated to participate include El Roy’s, Cousin’s Maine Lobster, Trips Tri Tip, Croques and Toques and the Fig Rig from Girl and the Fig. Owner Cody Hildreth said the family-friendly space will be covered and heated throughout the winter. “We’re trying to get this open. A lot of people have been waiting a long time,” he said. 20 Grey St., Petaluma.
Heather Irwin is a Sonoma County-based food and restaurant writer and photographer who has been writing the insider dining blog, BiteClubEats.com for more than 10 years.
Valentine’s Day is less than a week away! Are you still in the dark about what to give your sweetheart? Help is here! I have six last-minute gift ideas, available in Sonoma County, that your honey will heart!
Saber Your Bubbles
Forget popping a bottle of bubbles on Valentine’s Day to celebrate your love – be dramatic and saber it with a handcrafted saber from Iron Horse Vineyards. This luxury saber is 16.5″ long and comes in a branded wood box. Don’t forget to include a bottle of Iron Horse sparkling wine! Iron Horse Vineyards, 9786 Ross Station Road, Sebastopol, (707) 887-1507
Heart Shaped Chocolate…on a Stick
Does your lover love chocolate? Treat your sweetheart to a solid chocolate heart on a stick made with 61% dark chocolate from Wine Country Chocolates. Instead of roses, buy a bundle of these chocolate hearts and make her or him a sweet bouquet. Wine Country Chocolates, Plaza Tasting Room, 414 First Street East, Sonoma, (707) 996-1010
Ooh la la!
Photo Credit: Sarah Deragon
Give him the gift of luxury fragrance from France with a bottle of Mistral’s Ambre Noir from Chateau Sonoma. With notes of amber, citrus, patchouli and wood, it has a masculine scent you’ll both love. Chateau Sonoma, Cornerstone Sonoma, 23588 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, (707) 935-8553
Hot Lips
She’ll shower you in kisses when you give her this red lip shaped suede bag, available at Little Four in The Barlow. Made in California, this red hot clutch is perfect for a date night or anytime she wants to add some flirty fun to her look. Little Four, McKinley Street, Sebastopol, (707) 824-5600
Silk and Lace
Skip the malls and chain stores and give your Valentine something extra special – and slinky – from Ma Cherie et Moi. Let the expert sales staff help you choose lacy bras and nighties from European brands like Simone Pérèle and Fleur’t or something more cozy and comfy like a nightshirt, robe or pajamas. Ma Cherie et Moi, Montgomery Village, 2332 Magowan Dr, Santa Rosa, (707) 573-1103
Relaxing Romance
Plan a relaxing, rejuvenating and romantic escape from reality by treating yourself and your beloved to Warmth of Love for Two package at Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary. This special package includes a Cedar Enzyme Bath for two, 75-minute massages in a couple’s room, and tea in a private room overlooking a beautiful and peaceful Japanese garden. Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary, 209 Bohemian Hwy, Freestone, (707) 823-8231
Dustin Feider’s treehouse in Healdsburg. (Benjamin Ariff/O2 Treehouse)
One of the most impressive houses in Sonoma County sits high in the gnarled grip of a Healdsburg coastal oak tree. The abstract, almost cubist, structure is the work of Dustin Feider, an “arboreal architect” intent on taking people — and treehouse designs — to new heights.
Inspired by the geodesic domes of American architect Buckminster Fuller, Feider has set about the task of designing and building eco-conscious treehouses that respect trees and embrace their shape and aesthetics. His inventive, efficient and light designs require less material for strength than traditional treehouses and allow viewers to appreciate the structures from a multiplicity of angles.
“Most of the time you view a treehouse from the ground. With a traditional “cabin-in-a-tree” type of treehouse, all you see is the utilitarian and ugly bracing while the beautiful part above remains obscured,” says Feider. “I wanted to find a way to work around that; to discover a form that blends easily with the beauty of the tree and that does no injury to the tree.”
What sparked Feider’s interest in creating alternatively shaped treehouses was a conversation he had with his father while a student at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. At the time, Feider’s dad, having just moved into a new home, was reminiscing about the treehouse he built for Feider and his sister when they were kids and asked Feider to build a treehouse in his backyard.
“I was at college studying furniture design and had become interested in the green movement; sustainable materials, living naturally — all that jazz. When my dad asked if I could build a treehouse for him, I thought: yes, I should do that,” says Feider.
Eager to turn childhood dreams into adult-size reality, Feider created a tree sanctuary in his father’s backyard for his final thesis project. The young design student also tried to build a few treehouses for summer camps in Wisconsin and Minnesota, but “nobody was willing to hire a kid just out of school to hang up little campers in trees.”
After graduation, Feider moved to L.A. and, following a brief stint living in his car while working hard to get things going, he began building treehouses for the rich and famous (film producer and screenwriter Mark Levin has two in his backyard, connected with a bridge; Doors guitarist Robby Krieger has a sphere-shaped perch from which to practice guitar and compose songs).
Feider’s designs caught on in several architecture and lifestyle blogs and magazines, including Wired and Dwell, and in 2012 he relocated to Oakland to pursue his dream of one day building a treehouse high in the redwoods.
During the past four years, Feider and his company O2 Treehouse have built several houses among Bay Area branches. His first project in Sonoma County, the cubist Healdsburg treehouse, was constructed as part of a weekend getaway for an Oakland family. Waiting for the construction of the main house, the father of the family wanted a place to “camp out.” The treehouse now serves as a play structure for the two little girls in the family and, in true Wine Country fashion, it boasts a wine deck at the top; a retreat for parents and guests.
Upon referral from the Healdsburg project, Feider was commissioned to build a house in a Douglas fir in Geyserville. At this time, he had been developing a modular and expandable frame structure, the Octatruss space frame system, as a prototype for a prefabricated treehouse. The Geyserville project offered him an opportunity to test out this system for the first time.
“The Octatruss space frame system is like treehouse legos. It’s simple and made of only two parts — hub and strut — which, like legos, can be connected and configured in an endless variety of ways,” Feider enthuses. “With the space frame system successfully installed in several places, including Geyserville, we are now developing the associated prefab tree home enclosure system that will essentially plug into that frame.”
Feider’s passion for developing eco-conscious, lightweight and livable treehouse designs is part of a desire to influence people’s perspective on the relationship between society and nature. He’s hoping that his designs can inspire people to think differently about the way they live, and how buildings relate to the surrounding nature.
As part of this vision, Feider is now preparing to launch a workshop program called “Tree Walkers.” The program will teach people how to build treehouses and, at the same time, create a collectively owned network of rentable treehouse accommodations.
“I would like people, particularly the younger generation, to realize that we need to live lighter, in symbiosis with nature and the surrounding landscape,” Feider says. “A treehouse, five or more feet off the ground, has lower impact on the earth than a traditional home and takes into consideration the conditions of nature, rather than working against them.”
A modern aesthetic and green materials shape a low-impact house.
It takes no small leap of faith to build a forever home from scratch. But that’s exactly what designer Jim Simmons and his wife, Susan, did four years ago when they bought an empty, overgrown lot on the edge of the rural Sonoma Valley town of Kenwood. “I knew the second I got out of the car. We both had that warm feeling of being exactly where we were meant to be,” explains Susan. Together, the couple cleared away the scrub and designed their dream house, a 2,600-square-foot modern ranch that sits lightly on the land, with glass curtain walls and a dramatic winged roofline that echoes the surrounding hillsides.
Large expanses of glass with billowing floor-to-ceiling curtains are the standout feature of the great room. “For me, part of feeling relaxed in a home is when the colors on the inside are harmonious with the colors on the outside,” says Jim. “It’s about restraint, letting nature speak for itself.”
The home is entirely off the grid, with solar panels on the adjacent barn and a passive green design to regulate temperature using wide roof overhangs, thicker-than-usual insulation, and doors and windows that slide open to capture the breeze. Eucalyptus cabinetry and a simple, repeated palette of natural textures mean that the home, while streamlined, doesn’t feel at all stark. Instead, it’s a perfect reflection of its rural setting, right down to the swirly green and gold color of the countertops.
The curving standalone tub in the master bath has a saltillo tile backsplash and looks out to the hills.
A freestanding European-style wood stove keeps the great room comfortable during tumultuous winter storms that sweep through the valley. “The wind blows, the clouds are going by, the rain is pelting the outside. A big storm gets the whole house humming,” says Susan.
Jim and Susan Simmons.
The couple’s two grown sons helped with construction and still visit often, bringing college friends to stay in guest rooms tucked in the top of the barn. Younger son Cameron built a live-edge dining table, benches and desks from a huge slab of reclaimed elm. He also researched traditional Japanese charred wood, sho sugi ban, which was used to preserve the cedar on the exterior of the house and barn.
The wine closet is tucked away near the entry, just off the long main hallway. Local Sonoma Valley wines are a favorite.
Jim’s overall design goal was to show that off-the-shelf materials could be used in an innovative, custom way. The beams, concrete floors and Douglas fir doors and windows were all standard sizes and available at local stores. This practical-but-beautiful approach is one of the main reasons the couple are so satisfied with their hard work. “We love our community and think we’ll be here a very long time,” says Jim.
Photography by Chris Hardy.
Susan knew exactly what she wanted for her kitchen and chose the distinctive green-and-gold onyx countertop and backsplash before Jim was finished designing the room. The layout works for both everyday and entertaining, with bar seating, deep sink and efficient appliances that don’t drain electricity too quickly — important when living off the grid. An adjacent walk-in butler’s pantry keeps the working zone of the kitchen clutter-free.t’s simple and serene in the master bedroom, which repeats the same soft sage greens and saltillo tile of the great room. During storms, rain is channeled along the roofline to this corner near the bedroom before pouring off the roof “like a firehose,” says Susan. The water is then directed into a single deep cistern that recharges the aquifer under the marsh.
Are the winter rains and gloomy news getting to you? Here are 7 local spas that will soothe stressed-out minds and bodies. Just think pure, locally sourced, earth-driven and often edible, and you’ve got a taste of what pampering pleasures await in Sonoma County.
The meditation garden at Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary in Freestone. (Christopher Chung)
The cedar bath is the signature at Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary in Freestone, and after the first few minutes, most surrender to the warmth that nudges past 120 degrees. It’s a 20-minute escape from doing anything, even moving the arms, pinned as they are beneath the springy, damp shavings. An attendant tiptoes in periodically to apply cold cloths and offer ice water sipped through a straw. Open your eyes now and then to gaze over the meditative sand garden outside the window.
Japanese Meditation Garden at Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary in Freestone. (Crista Jeremiason)
According to Osmosis owner Michael Stusser, this is the only cedar bath in this country, inspired by baths he discovered in Japan for soothing pain, calming nerves, detoxifying and brightening skin.
It’s just one example of the distinctive spa treatments found in Sonoma, where unusual ingredients make up oils, wraps, scrubs, lotions and potions. Surrounded by so many boutique farms, the best spas look to the backyard for all-natural products and distinctive services that restore and refresh with the help of Mother Nature.
Some spas turn to the ocean, as well, such as Spa Dolce in Healdsburg, with its Detoxifying Seaweed Body Wrap — just the thing with a green-tea facial. The Bodega Bay Lodge spa, meanwhile, overlooks the Pacific and offers a Warm Shell Massage using tiger-striped clam shells filled with hot salt water, minerals, seaweed and essential oils.
The pool at Kenwood Inn and Spa.
And of course, local spas are inspired by the vineyards.The Garden Spa at MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa in Sonoma recommends a Red Wine Grapeseed Bath, Grapeseed Body Polish and Grapeseed Essential Oil Massage package in the summer; red wine contains resveratrol, a natural antioxidant said to purify blemish-prone skin. Kenwood Inn, too, specializes in vinotherapy baths for soaking in Pinot Noir, Chardonnay or sparkling wine salts, oils and grape elixirs. Sip a glass of whatever wine you’re bathing in.
The Farmhouse Inn’s new spa sits across a pathway from the outdoor pool.
At Farmhouse Inn and Restaurant in Forestville, fifth-generation farmers and brother-sister team of Joe and Catherine Bartolomei have built a gracious, ultra-luxury lodge around an original 1872 farmhouse on 6 acres nestled alongside Russian River vineyards. It’s posh, indeed: Rooms cost up to $1,200 a night for en-suite treasures including two-person wet-dry redwood saunas, indoor-outdoor fireplaces and big, marble-clad jetted tubs tucked against windows opening to the forest.
Nearby Bartolomei Ranch boasts heirloom apple and pear orchards, beehives and herb gardens, for creating products such as spring forest honey and summer blackberry honey lotions and oils. Yet the most tempting treatment is the Body Melt, a massage with a warm body pillow filled with muscle-healing herbs, alfalfa hay, lavender and chamomile set on top of a waterbed. “In days past, farmers used alfalfa to help extract lactic acid from sore muscles,” Catherine explained.
For extra indulgence, couples can enjoy the Roll in the Hay package, which includes a spicy mocha scrub, an extra-large alfalfa pillow and custom aphrodisiac elixirs.
Spa at the Farmhouse Inn.
Michele Steinert grows many of the ingredients for the artisanal products she creates for the high-end spa at Hotel Healdsburg, drawing from her garden that hosts more than 600 varieties of lavender plants. Her small-batch lotions, balms, oils and scrubs are produced in the apothecary studio of her 17-acre Santa Rosa ranch, for a custom Farm to Spa Collection of products such as Warming Herbal Crème and Meyer Lemon Body Crème.
As guests relax in one of the spa’s six sleek, moss-green and wood-trimmed rooms, they choose from a menu so seasonal, constantly changing and delicious that it reads a bit like a restaurant menu: lavender, rosemary, brown sugar, pumpkin, peppermint, ginger, honey from Steinert’s own bees, citrus, chocolate, cherries and vanilla. For summer, she likes apples and herbs made into a soothing facial masque.
Pool at Hotel Healdsburg.
The plants, herbs and spices are married in aromatic, sometimes unexpected concoctions such as Chocolate Whipped Body Butter Crème, a rich, thick and silky blend of organic cocoa and mango butter plus Shea nut butter, seed butter, sunflower and safflower oils, apricot, rosemary and vitamin E.
“Chocolate is an antioxidant,” Steinert said. “Cocoa is an astringent for tightening the skin, while cocoa butter is an extraordinary skin protector, moisturizing deep down and nourishing.”
