The Randy Sidecar, a new craft cocktail offered at Sonoma Cider Taproom & Restaurant, uses organic apple brandy (Photo courtesy of Sonoma Cider)
Brandy Oh Fashion is one of many apple brandy cocktails being served at Sonoma Cider Taproom & Restaurant in Healdsburg (Photo courtesy of Sonoma Cider)
Sonoma County isn’t just known for its fabulous grapes – but also for its fabulous cider, and Sonoma Cider is one of the nation’s premier cideries. In fact, Sonoma Cider, located in Healdsburg, produces the only organic and gluten free ciders in the country – and now they also produce brandy.
A new twist on a Moscow Mule, the Brandy Mule uses Sonoma Cider Apple Brandy as a core ingredient (Photo courtesy of Sonoma Cider)
Available at the newly opened Sonoma Cider Taproom & Restaurant in Healdsburg, this organic apple brandy is crafted by David and Robert Cordtz, the father and son duo behind Sonoma Cider’s award-winning ciders.
Inspired by Calvados, the famed apple brandy of France, Sonoma Cider’s brandy is smooth, with notes of cinnamon, baked apples, and a touch of honey and vanilla on the finish.
The apple brandy’s warm flavors make it a perfect mixer for craft cocktails, which are being offered at the Taproom & Restaurant, alongside Sonoma Cider’s 23 craft ciders on tap.
The Randy Sidecar, a new craft cocktail offered at Sonoma Cider Taproom & Restaurant, uses organic apple brandy (Photo courtesy of Sonoma Cider)
Cocktail offerings include new twists on old classics, such as the Randy Sidecar, which comprises Sonoma Cider Apple Brandy, fresh orange juice & lemon juice, and simple syrup with a lemon twist, and the Brandy Mule, which stars their apple brandy partnered with fresh lime juice and house-made sarsaparilla bitters, topped with ginger beer and garnished with a lime wheel.
Their cocktails are primed to pair perfectly with the New American cuisine served at the Taproom. Sonoma Cider Taproom & Restaurant is open Wed-Sun, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., 44 F Mill St., Healdsburg, (707) 723-7018. sonomacider.com.
Tired of staying in traditional hotels and vacation rentals on your Wine Country visits? To make your next weekend trip special, rent a unique space that lets you feel like you live here, often for less money than a hotel room. Sonoma County offers a vibrant AirBnB scene with options like tiny houses tucked into backyards, Wine Country villas, country cottages, moderns design homes – even treehouses.
Here are 10 of the most popular local AirBnB listings, all top rated by guests.
The Loft Under the Oaks – Windsor.
The Loft Under the Oaks – Windsor
This 600 square foot Windsor rental is located in the Russian River Valley, close to some of the best wineries Sonoma County has to offer. Guests can enjoy 50% off wine shippings while staying at the loft and a private deck, overlooking vineyards, to sip the wines on.
Weekdays $89 per night, weekends $119 per night. More info here.
Poolside view at Vineyard Estate – Healdsburg.
Vineyard Estate – Healdsburg
This private guest house is located at a gated vineyard estate in Healdsburg. A stay includes a private VIP tasting at Mazzocco and their sister winery Wilso, and views of vineyards and Mount St. Helena. The pool (pictured above) is open April through October, and the Healdsburg farmers market is an eight minute drive away. Weekdays $159 per night, weekends $185 per night. More info here.
View from the hot tub at La Bella Cabina in Jenner.
La Bella Cabina – Jenner
This restored 1930s cottage is located in the seaside town of Jenner. There is direct access to the Russian River, with a kayak and canoe available for guests. Adventure-loving visitors will enjoy a day at Goat Rock State Beach, after paddling their way down the river. Evenings can be spent by the fire, or in the hot tub overlooking the river. $275 per night. More info here.
Casita Vista – Sonoma
This 1000 square foot Italian-style cottage is located ten minutes away from the Sonoma Plaza, in Lovall Valley. The house is surrounded by 16 acres of “pristine terrain” – like vineyards, rolling hills and gnarly oak trees – and there’s a pool. $300 per night. More info here.
Cabin at Peek of Mt Veeder in Glen Ellen.
Cabin at Peak of Mt Veeder – Glen Ellen
This two bed cabin, located on over 50 acres of mountain range, features a wrap-around deck and double sliding glass doors. Fruit trees line the back deck and, in summer, guests are welcome to take home pears, nectarines, plums and apples they pick. With nearly no neighbors, there is plenty of space and quiet time for relaxing here. $105 per night. More info here.
Tree House Swallowtail Magic Grove – Petaluma
This Petaluma house takes Wine Country living to new heights or, more exactly, 30 feet up a eucalyptus groove. A spiral staircase wraps around the tree trunk and leads to a deck, which overlooks the surrounding countryside. Prices start at $195 per night. More info here.
Architect cabin in the Redwoods – Cazadero
This newly remodeled cabin offers an open loft space in the middle of Sonoma County Redwood trees. This is a good place to escape the summer heat, or cozy up by the wood stove during winter. Ocean views on the Sonoma Coast and forest hikes in Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve are nearby. $140 per night. More info here.
Cozy Russian River Vineyard Cottage – Guerneville
This one bedroom Guerneville cottage is located three miles from Korbel Winery and overlooks a vineyard. Bring back a bottle of bubbly, and an inner tube, and have yourself a romantic Russian River getaway for two. $145 per night. More info here.
Sun Drenched Neighborhood Flat – Sebastopol
This apartment, located just minutes from the heart of downtown Sebastopol, is located above a garage, but don’t let that fool you. The rustic and outdoorsy property sits in middle of an open driveway and a well taken care of patio. The best part, according to the owner, is the neighborhood: “I’ve never seen so many friendly people in such a lovely spot.” $120 per night. More info here.
Scenic Neighborhood Garden Cottage – Santa Rosa
This modern, one bedroom apartment, is a good rental for beer lovers – with Russian River Brewing Co. a mere mile away. Brunch at the Naked Pig or Spinster Sisters and check out the SOFA art district. The cottage comes with a sunny patio, and downtown Santa Rosa is just a stroll away. Weekdays $105 per night, weekends $125 per night. More info here.
Inside Single Thread Restaurant in Healdsburg. (Courtesy of AvroKO)
Healdsburg’s Single Thread Restaurant is among the James Beard Award Restaurant, Chef and Media Finalists announced today.
Inside Single Thread Restaurant in Healdsburg. Courtesy of AvroKO.
The fledgling 52-seat dining room was tapped as having one of the best restaurant designs for 2017, led by NYC design firm AvroKO, which was also involved in designing Napa’s now-shuttered Ninebark/Fagiani’s. The nomination for Single Thread was for restaurants under 75 seats. AvroKO was also nominated for the design of Momotaro in Chicago.
Inside Single Thread Restaurant in Healdsburg. Courtesy of AvroKO.Inside Single Thread Restaurant in Healdsburg. Courtesy of AvroKO.Inside Single Thread Restaurant in Healdsburg. Courtesy of AvroKO.
Single Thread opened in early December, featuring beautifully assembled, intensively seasonal farm-to-table dishes from Chef Kyle Connaughton. The restaurant was hailed as one of the most important openings of 2016, and the nearly $300 per person price tag has stoked the curiosity of foodies nationwide.
Inside Single Thread Restaurant in Healdsburg. Courtesy of AvroKO.Inside Single Thread Restaurant in Healdsburg. Courtesy of AvroKO.Inside Single Thread Restaurant in Healdsburg. Courtesy of AvroKO.
AvroKO explained the design:
The AvroKO team found its inspiration for the design of Single Thread in husband and wife team and owners, Kyle and Katina Connaughton. In understanding that a restaurant is not only a place to eat, but also a functioning studio for its craftsmen, AvroKO created a dining experience that is akin to spending an evening with Kyle and Katina in their personal workshop, where diners are given the opportunity to both observe the artistic process and enjoy its end product. Elements of the ‘studio’ are found throughout the dining room: silverware is stored in one of seven hand-numbered drawers that label which course it is used for; ceramic vessels found in various storage units appear to be decorative until the Chef fetches them for a specific course during the night; a glass terrarium serves as both a beautiful visual and a workspace for Katina to build nightly flower displays. Odes to the couple’s love for farming, gardening, and molecular gastronomy can also be found throughout the space. Woven patterns within the dining room screens reference DNA sequencing of common kitchen herbs like basil and shallots, while a rooftop fountain has a series of stepped recesses and grooves based on golden sections and naturally occurring scientific proportions which catch water and alter the flow.
Also named as James Beard Award finalists for 2017 in the Bay Area:
– Outstanding Chef: Christopher Kostow, The Restaurant at Meadwood, St. Helena; David Kinch, Manresa, Los Gatos
– Best New Restaurant: In Situ, Tartine Manufactory, both in SF
– Outstanding Baker: Belinda Leong and Michel Suas, B. Patisserie, SF
– Outstanding Bar Program: Bar Agricole, SF
– Outstanding Restaurant: Quince, SF
– Outstanding Service: Terra, St. Helena
– Outstanding Wine Program: Benu, SF
– Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional: Miljenko Grgich, Grgich Hills Estate, Rutherford
– Best Chef, West: Dominique Crenn, Atelier Crenn, SF; Corey Lee, Benu, SF
Sláinte! Stout Brothers in Santa Rosa celebrates St. Patrick’s Day (Photo courtesy of Stout Brothers)
Sláinte! Stout Brother’s Irish Pub in Santa Rosa celebrates St. Patrick’s Day (Photo courtesy of Stout Brothers)
Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, this Friday, March 17 – and Sonoma County is no exception. This may be Wine Country, but the green beer will be flowing. From the north to the south, here is where to party like a local – or the Irish – this St. Patrick’s Day.
Start the day with a green parade
Healdsburg is known far and wide for its famous St. Patrick’s parade. The festivities begin at 6 a.m. at the B&B Lounge, 1239 Healdsburg Ave., followed by a parade around the Plaza at 7 a.m. Over 600 on-lookers will watch green-dressed participants and their pets march around the Plaza, followed by a feast of corned beef and cabbage at the B&B at 1 p.m.
Participants in the St. Patrick’s Day parade walk down Healdsburg Ave. in Healdsburg. (Beth Schlanker)
Drink, eat, and be merry for local schools
Located just off the Healdsburg Plaza, Spoonbar will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with gourmet shepherd’s pie prepared by Executive Chefs Casey and Patrick Van Voorhis. And it’s not just about their guaranteed-to-be-tasty twist on tradition, Spoonbar will donate proceeds made from every Irish coffee purchased plus 10% of the total check to the Healdsburg Education Foundation. 219 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg.
Stout Brother’s Irish Pub is regarded for their authentic Irish pub grub, including the iconic St. Patrick’s Day staple of corned beef and cabbage (Photo courtesy of Stout Brother’s Irish Pub)
Indulge in genuine Irish pub grub Stout Brother’s Irish Pub will pour green beer paired with corned beef and cabbage all day. The pub is well regarded for authentic Irish cuisine and their large selection of Irish and English beers, making it a palate pleaser for those looking for an authentic “green” experience. 527 Fourth Street, Santa Rosa.
Dance to bagpipes in a beer garden
A self-declared “fine English pub”, Santa Rosa’s Toad in the Hole will go green with bagpipes, traditional ales, live music and dancing in their sunny beer garden. Football (soccer) will most likely be on the big screen “telly” and the Guinness will be flowing. 116 Fifth Street, Santa Rosa.
Party like a local at Murphy’s Irish Pub in Sonoma (Photo courtesy of Murphy’s Irish Pub)
Party off the Sonoma Plaza with the locals
The place to be in Sonoma on St. Patrick’s Day is Murphy’s Irish Pub. Located just off the historic plaza, this traditional Irish pub will serve an Irish buffet paired with three local bands and traditional Irish music. Don’t miss the annual blessing of the pub. The festivities start at 12 p.m. 464 1st Street East, Sonoma.
Dance away the day, and night, in Petaluma
Local favorite, Maguire’s Irish Pub, celebrates the holiday with traditional food and entertainment starting at 10 a.m. Performers from Keenan Irish Dance School will take the stage at 5 p.m., followed by live local music and a DJ spinning music that is bound to get you out of your seat and post-corned beef and cabbage food coma. 145 Kentucky St, Petaluma.
Members of the Keenan Irish Dance School will perform at Maguire’s Irish Pub in Petaluma. (Beth Schlanker)
Discover the luck’ of the Irish at Bodega’s Casino
The only luck you’ll have at Bodega’s Casino Bar & Grill is of the Irish kind – and the luck of discovering some of the best bar food in the county. Grab a drink and hunker down for a meal of California cuisine meets Irish classics, including rabbit liver mousse, poached steelhead with house made salt cod “shepherds pie”, and Irish whisky raisin jam shortbread cookies with sweet clotted cream. Food starts at 12 p.m. until they run out. 17000 Bodega Hwy, Bodega.
Dining Editor Heather Irwin keeps her finger firmly on the pulse of the local dining scene. Her own heart skips a beat whenever she discovers a new favorite, be it a purveyor of French cuisine or a pie shop dream come true. Here are her must-try spots for spring.
Carrot panisse with roasted vegetables at Crocodile Restaurant in Petaluma. (Heather Irwin)
Crocodile Restaurant Has a True Gallic Accent
You won’t be hard-pressed to find French culinary traditions or French-trained chefs in just about every restaurant in Sonoma County. But finding a decent boeuf Bourguignon or panisse north of San Francisco? Bonne chance.
Fortunately, both are on the menu at Petaluma’s Crocodile Restaurant — recently opened in the downtown theater district — along with other French classics including crispy pumpkin croquettes, cheesy Gougères, house-made charcuterie and steak frites with a distinctly Gallic accent.
Charcuterie board at Crocodile French Restaurant in Petaluma. (Heather Irwin)
“It’s French comfort food,” said Moire Beveridge, co-owner of the restaurant. She and her husband, chef Michael Dotson, recently moved to Sonoma County from the South Bay, where they owned a popular Scottish gastropub. Now, they’re turning their attention to France. “Both my husband and I had a deep love for the French lifestyle and food,” says Beveridge, a native of Scotland. “My family and I used to rent homes in France during the summers and spend months at a time living as the French did,” she says of the country’s fresh ingredients, time-honored culinary traditions and passion for good food.
“It also held a place in my husband’s heart, as he trained in France when he was just starting out as a young chef. There is something elegant yet unpretentious about French cuisine … the techniques are not obvious, and although they can be time-consuming, the results are classic and simply delicious.”
Still, Dotson is far from a purist, dotting his dishes with spices and culinary influences from North Africa, the Mediterranean and India. In the restaurant’s small, open kitchen, a shelf holds dozens of his favorite seasonings, from piment d’espelette to fenugreek, coriander and alderwood smoked sea salt. “I’m rooted in classics, but became fascinated with Marseille,” Dotson says of the southern French port, where the cuisines of North Africa, Spain, Italy and the Mediterranean commingle.
You’ll see those spices in dishes like Pumpkin Croquettes ($7), bite-sized balls of sweet pumpkin and breadcrumbs sitting in a pool of crème fraîche and chermoula (a pungent Moroccan herb sauce) or Baby Carrots ($7) with pomegranate and muhammara (a Turkish pepper dip).
Dotson also has a sense of humor with his cuisine, filling his classic puffed cheese Gourgères ($7) with the distinctly American pimento cheese; or serving frites (fries) with “Pyrenees” ketchup, a combination of Heinz ketchup and piment d’espelette, a Basque chile pepper that was popular in his former restaurant. “People wanted their Heinz,” he says. So they doctored it up to be a bit more homemade, in the tradition of making everything at the restaurant — even if this one dish happens to be semi-homemade.
More traditional dishes, like panisse, are rare finds north of San Francisco. Made with chickpea flour and water, panisse is a bit like polenta, creamy on the inside, and usually fried and sliced into pieces. Here, the creamy carrot panisse is sliced into a pie wedge served with root vegetables and herbed fromage blanc (a fresh cheese similar to cream cheese but lower in fat). The sauce is far more complicated, as are most French sauces, and Dotson winces as he tries to explain it. “The base is broth,” he says, meaning two different broths, in addition to walnuts, chile pepper, vanilla beans, mushrooms and muhammara. Our best suggestion? Just eat it. Don’t try to figure it out.
Crocodile Restaurant, 140 2nd St., Suite 100, Petaluma, 707-981-8159, crocodilepetaluma.com
Caramel pot de creme at Crocodile French Cafe in Petaluma. (Heather Irwin)
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 musician Les Claypool and the west county artist community to tuck into Loco Moco, Polish pierogi and borscht on weekday afternoons, while discussing life’s pressing issues. Russian chef Ekaterina Zaitseva has an ever-changing lineup of rib-sticking dishes, from cabbage borscht and Siberian “pelmeni” dumpling soup to kielbasa, polish crepes and a hunter’s stew called “Bigos.”
Bigos, a Polish Stew, and Cabbage Rolls at Zosia Cafe and Kitchen in Graton. (Heather Irwim)
Werowocomoco at Virginia Dare Winery
The newest project from director Francis 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 and takes its name from the historic Virginia Dare winery in North Carolina. According to legend, Dare and the rest of the early colonists mysteriously disappeared. Myth suggests that the settlers assimilated into nearby native tribes, possibly taken to Werowocomoco, an Algonquian settlement. Try the cafe’s signature fry bread tacos, made with acorn flour. Toppings include shredded or ground bison, along with pinto beans, grilled butternut squash salsa and chiles. Also on the menu: corn with Cotija, wild rice, pine ice cream, venison chili, bison ribs and Pomo-style salmon sashimi. Prices start at $5, ranging up to $24 for a cedar-planked salmon.
Coppola has faced some criticism for the project, to which he responded in a San Francisco Chronicle editorial highlighting his efforts to consult and take inspiration from Native American advisors. 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.
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)
Mamma Tanino’s Ristorante
Way off the Sonoma Plaza, Mamma Tanino’s is rustic, Italian cuisine straight from a Sicilian. The menu is simple but authentic, with spaghetti alla Carbonara, fettuccine with sausage, pappardelle Bolognese and classics like chicken Marsala and veal scaloppini. Early birds flock to the $15 daily dinner specials from 5-5:30 p.m., which only add to the “hidden gem” quality of this strip mall location in the Sonoma Market shopping center. Reservations are highly recommended, since there can be a wait on busy nights — even with a reservation. Save a little room for the zabaglione, a creamy Italian custard, or homemade cannoli. A solid, and approachable wine list makes this one of our top picks for great Italian food at a reasonable price.
500 W. Napa St., Suite 512, Sonoma, 707-933-8826, mammataninos.com
Cannoli at Mamma Tanino’s, Sonoma. (Jeff Kan Lee)
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 fresco). The rarely sighted calzone and stromboli are also available, along with nachos, curried lettuce wraps, mac-and-cheese and pesto breadsticks. A tiny indoor space, but great for takeout. Gluten-free crusts available. Closed Tuesday.
280 S. Main St., Sebastopol, 707-634-6530, visit on Facebook
Deep dish pizza at Hippizzazz in Sebastopol. (Heather Irwin)
Trading Post Restaurant & Bakery
This long-anticipated Cloverdale restaurant is yet another feather in the cap of the emerging north county dining destination. Though the small bakery has been open more than a year, the main dining room opened in November with a hearty Sonoma Countyinspired 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 our visit was smoked avocado with grilled beef tongue and fermented chile relish. At the helm is Erik Johnson, former J Vineyards chef and Dry Creek Kitchen alum. Opening hours: Restaurant: Wednesday through Sunday 5 – 9 pm; Bakery: Wednesday through Saturday 1 – 6 pm.
The Opera Cake at Trading Post Market & Bakery in Cloverdale features layers of almond sponge cake, chocolate ganache and Plank coffee buttercream with ginger sauce. (John Burgess)
The Whole Pie
We’ve been cheering for farm market baker and Zazu server Trishia Davis as she’s documented the building over the past year of the dream pie shop she and business partner Julia Freis envisioned. The 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 béchamel; and “Beer Belly” with beer-braised short ribs, onions and aged English cheddar. Beer, cider and wine are served along with coffee and craft soda. Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Monday, closed Tuesday.
Destination Races, the Sonoma-based event company behind the Wine Country Half Marathon, is bringing back the “run, sip, explore” concept to Sonoma County – but this time with hops instead of grapes. On April 14-15, runners and beer lovers alike are invited to participate in Destination Races’ inaugural IPA 10K (6.2 mile) and Beer Mile Invitational at the Barlow in Sebastopol.
The two-day event starts on Friday, April 14, with an expo, welcome reception, complimentary beer tasting, “hoppy Easter hunt,” and pre-race party at Crooked Goat Brewing at the Barlow. “Our artisan makers are excited to showcase their locally produced goods to these runners and beer enthusiasts. Can you say IPA-flavored ice cream, anyone?” said Janel Healy, Barlow’s Director of Communications.
On race day, April 15, runners will gather at Crooked Goat Brewing for a beer toast before crossing the starting line. After running, jogging or walking along a scenic 6.2 mile route from the Barlow through the northern rural edge of Sebastopol, participants will be greeted by the finish line with a medal and a 4-ounce beer tasting glass. The reward for the race? 14 craft breweries will serve beer at a post-run Beer & Music Festival, accompanied by tasty bites and live music on a stage sponsored by Lagunitas.
The beer arch runners will pass through at the IPA 10K in Sebastopol. (Courtesy of Destination Races)
These Sonoma County breweries will be pouring beers at the festival:
After the 10K, it’s time for the Beer Mile Invitational, a crazy race around one block of the Barlow in which professional runners compete for prize money. Each runner must consume a 12-ounce beer every quarter mile lap in the “chug zone,” (a total of four beers) — and keep them down. The world record in the Beer Mile is 4 minutes, 34 seconds, held by Canadian Corey Bellemore.
Prior to the professional Beer Mile race, participating breweries will sponsor four-person relay races in which each team member drinks a 12-ounce beer, runs a quarter mile, and then downs another beer, before passing off the baton to his or her partner to continue with the same routine. The winning team will receive a “Golden Growler Award” that will be filled with their favorite local beer.
IPA 10K & Beer Mile Invitational, April 14-15
April 14: Race Expo, Welcome Reception, Complimentary Beer Tasting and Hoppy Easter Hunt 12:00-6:00pm, The Barlow.
April 15: Runner’s Beer Toast 7:55am, Start time 8:00am, Beer & Music Festival: Runners & Guests Only 9:30-11:30am, General Public: 11:30am-3:00pm. Beer Mile Invitation, 12:00-1:00pm.
Registration for the 10K is $70 per person and includes a running shirt, a bottle opener finishers medal, an event beer tasting glass, and beer tasting tickets. To register for the race, click here. Admission to the festival only is $30. To purchase tickets to the festival, click here.
The Barlow, 6780 Depot St #110, Sebastopol 95472
More information: ipa10k.com
After an epic drought, record-setting rains turn the region’s water features from nonexistent to magnificent once again.
A storm-charged wave crashes near Stewarts Point. (Chris Hardy)
It was the wettest winter in at least two decades — soggy, sodden, blustery and at times miserable for Sonoma County. Parts of Petaluma, the lower Russian River and Sonoma Valley flooded. Power outages were frequent — particularly, it seemed, right in the middle of the season finale of “Walking Dead” or when you were engaged in a deeply important colloquy on Facebook. And if you have kids, forget it: They’ve been bouncing off the walls since November, discouraged from going outside by the gale-force winds, driving rain and evergreen allure of video games.
But after five years of punishing drought we all know the upside of a cold and wet winter, so complaints have been minimal. The reservoirs are brimming, or close to it. Aquifers are recharging. Water restrictions are likely to relax this year, meaning we’ll be able to wash our cars, water our lawns and take showers that are longer than two minutes. The Sierra is buried in snow. The drifts were so high at Donner Summit on I-80 that it was like driving through a gorge, and we’ll be skiing into May.
The spring melt and run-off is equally spectacular, with the Sierra’s rivers likely to roar through midsummer, giving whitewater kayakers and rafters all they can handle and more. And lest we forget: the waterfalls. The show in Yosemite is turning into a once-in-a-decade (or more) event, with the thunder of Yosemite Falls, Nevada Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and Illilouette Falls echoing off the granite walls.
But you don’t have to drive four hours to the Sierra to appreciate the wonders wrought by water. Sonoma also has waterfalls aplenty, not to mention other aqueous phenomena worth checking out. Read on for a guide to some of these storm-fed gifts left by winter.
Sonoma Creek Falls at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. (Chris Hardy)
SONOMA CREEK FALLS
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park affords some of the best hiking in the county, and in winter and early spring it supports an impressive waterfall on the headwaters of Sonoma Creek.
It’s a 20-foot cascade that pours over a jumble of massive boulders. The falls are located in a steep gorge just off Adobe Canyon Road as it climbs toward the park’s entrance. A short, well-graded trail wends through a mature forest of Douglas fir, redwood and California laurel to the falls. At this time of year, you’ll see them before you hear them. Most people are content to enjoy the falls at their base, but a steep path leads to the top, presenting an exhilarating prospect of the full volume of Sonoma Creek leaping into space. Exercise appropriate caution: The rocks are slippery, and the top of the falls is no place for small children.
Sonoma Creek Falls. (Chris Hardy)Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. (Chris Hardy)
Getting There
Take Adobe Creek Road from its junction with Highway 12 in Kenwood to Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. The road is narrow, steep and winding, so drive carefully. The falls are in Sonoma Creek gorge on the right side of the road ascending to the park kiosk. There’s a small turn-out near the trailhead for the falls, but no signage. The falls are located about a half-mile below the kiosk; a park volunteer is sometimes working near the trailhead, and will usually accept the $8 admission fee. Otherwise, visitors should pay fees at the kiosk.
Black Point Falls. (Chris Hardy)
COASTAL BLUFF WATERFALLS
In numerous places, the Sonoma Coast is characterized by steep bluffs fronting beaches or coves. Small ravines that traverse the coastal forest and grasslands transport water seasonally, but not enough to cut deep gorges that connect to the sea; instead, the water spills directly over the cliffs, creating lovely beach waterfalls. This year, far more water than usual is coursing down the ravines, and the falls are robust.
Two of the best ones are Phillips Gulch at Salt Point State Park and Stengel Beach at The Sea Ranch. Use the Stump Cove parking lot for Phillips Gulch and hike a few hundred yards up the coastal trail. Stengel Beach also has a designated parking lot; it’s a quick walk to the beach and falls.
Stengel Beach at the Sea Ranch. (Chris Hardy)
Of course, the falls are most impressive when the water volume is highest — during storms. This can create something of a dilemma from December through March or beyond, because the seas are often tempestuous at such times, surging across the beaches, crashing into the bluffs and truncating the cascades. On one visit during the height of a storm, the falls at both Phillips Gulch and Stengel Beach were sometimes completely obscured by spumes from incoming waves, and the beaches were inaccessible. Visiting the falls post-storm and during a low tide, when the beaches can be strolled, is probably the wisest plan.
Phillips Gulch Falls. (Chris Hardy)
Getting There
Take Highway 1 north of Jenner to the Stump Cove parking lot at Salt Point State Park for Phillips Gulch Falls, and to the Stengel Beach lot for that site’s eponymous falls. Parking at both lots is free.
THE RUSSIAN RIVER
As all Sonoma County residents know, the Russian River is a warm and placid stream from late spring through early autumn, perfect for canoeing, swimming and tubing. A wet winter, however, can transform it into a raging beast, flooding lower river towns and inundating vineyards. But if the Russian at its wildest can inflict fear and wreak havoc, it also provides dramatic spectacles of unfettered nature. Two good places to see the show are at the river’s mouth in Jenner and at Frog Woman Rock about 5 miles south of Hopland.
The Russian River. (Chris Hardy)
At high flows the river presents an awe-inspiring display at its mouth, with the full flood of the river meeting the incoming surf. The sea for hundreds of yards westward is a maelstrom, with massive rip lines, huge standing waves, colliding combers and churning eddies that can form evanescent whirlpools. Sea lions and harbor seals sometimes ply the current, surfing through the chaos with aplomb.
There are two ways to observe the action. A short hike from the Goat Rock State Beach parking lot provides views at river level. For a more panoramic vista, try the overlooks at Jenner.
A swollen Russian River flows past Frog Woman Rock along Highway 101 north of Cloverdale. (Kent Porter)
Frog Woman Rock, formerly known as Squaw Rock before the California State Historical Resource Commission decreed a name change in 2011, is a precipitous spire of volcanic rock that forms the largest rapid on the Russian. At low-to-moderate levels, Frog Woman rapid is a Class III drop, and is the centerpiece of a run much beloved by local kayakers. When the river is really pumping, though, the rapid is considered Class IV-V.
Birds feed where the Russian River’s freshwater flows into the sea. (Chris Hardy)
It’s fearsome in its dimensions and sounds like a freight train. A large parking lot adjacent to the rapid allows visitors to appreciate the power of the river without any of its ancillary dangers. That’s not to say that Frog Woman rapid is not taken on at high water. On even the stormiest days, it’s possible to see expert kayakers running the slot. Anyone considering tackling the rapid at such levels should possess a bombproof Eskimo roll; the rapid directly below Frog Woman rapid is named Graveyard, a moniker that is not wholly inappropriate at high flows.
A thunderstorm rolls onshore at Goat Rock on the Sonoma Coast. (Kent Porter)
Getting There
To get to the mouth of the Russian River, take Highway 116 to Jenner. Goat Rock can be reached by driving about a mile south of the Highway 116/Highway 1 junction just east of Jenner. Frog Woman Rock is on Highway 101 between Hopland and Cloverdale.
Laguna de Santa Rosa. (Chris Hardy)
LAGUNA DE SANTA ROSA
A visit to one of the most important wetlands on the West Coast seems somehow apropos following one of the wettest winters on record. Located just east of Sebastopol on Highway 12, Laguna de Santa Rosa was declared a wetland of international importance by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 2011. It is one of California’s largest freshwater wetlands, a 30,000-acre complex of permanent and seasonal marsh, riparian forest and upland habitat supporting more than 200 species of birds, charismatic mammals such as mountain lion, river otter, bobcat and mink, and three endangered and endemic plants.
Laguna de Santa Rosa. (Kent Porter)Laguna de Santa Rosa. (Kent Porter)After days of rain, Sonoma County came out from under the pall of wet weather with a brilliant sunset over the Laguna de Santa Rosa near Sebastopol, Friday Feb 10, 2017. (Kent Porter)
The Laguna serves as a critical way station for migrating waterfowl and shorebirds and is an essential component in Sonoma County’s water system, providing flood control for the nearby Russian River and water storage (its surface area and aquifers can hold enough water to cover 80,000 football fields with a foot of water). Its extensive marshes also filter contaminants from storm runoff, purifying the water that will ultimately find its way to the river.
Public access is provided via a 1.8-mile surfaced trail that traverses all the major habitats. The Laguna was brimming by late January; all this water should sustain the complex’s birds, mammals, fish, reptiles and amphibians in fine style throughout the remainder of the year, affording some of the finest wildlife viewing opportunities in the Bay Area.
Getting There
Access is easy. The trail starts at a Sonoma County Regional Parks parking lot located just east of Sebastopol on Highway 12. Admission is free. Dogs are welcome, but must be on leash at all times.
The Niklasson family, from left, Johan, Tindra, 11, Freja, 13, and Courtney paddle their canoe on the Laguna de Santa Rosa, north of Occidental Road, which has swollen from recent rainfall, in Santa Rosa, California on Saturday, February 11, 2017. (Alvin Jornada)Bella the goat takes a ride on her owner John Hadley’s standup paddleboard taking advantage of the Laguna de Santa Rosa’s elevated water levels from recent rainfall, in Santa Rosa, California on Saturday, February 11, 2017. (Alvin Jornada)
On Tuesday, March 7, the City and Regional Magazine Association (CRMA) announced its 2017 awards finalists. We’re excited to report that Sonoma Magazine was named finalist in three categories, including “general excellence,” “cover excellence” and “best e-newsletter.”
The prestigious CRMA competition attracts nearly a thousand submissions from magazines throughout North America each year. The finalists are selected by more than 100 judges, representing a host of international publications including: ELLE, Entertainment Weekly, Esquire, Food Network Magazine, Harvard Business Review, Marie Claire, National Geographic, O (The Oprah Magazine), Rolling Stone, Southern Living and the Washington Post.
Last year, Sonoma Magazine won top CRMA awards for “general excellence” and “best feature story” in its circulation category. This year, Sonoma Magazine will compete against notable publications such as Philadelphia Magazine, Boston Magazine, St. Louis Magazine, Los Angeles Magazine, Texas Monthly, Denver-based 5280, and Austin Monthly.
Film festival staffer Alejandra Hernandez of San Francisco gives a thumbs up after a friend snapped her photo standing in the Sonomawood sign at the Sonoma International Film Festival in Sonoma, California on Thursday, March 31, 2016. (Alvin Jornada
Film geeks unite! This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Sonoma International Film Festival (SIFF) and over 130 hand-selected films will be paired alongside local food, wine and spirits.
Here are five must-do’s at this year’s festival, which takes place March 29-April 2 in downtown Sonoma.
The 20th Sonoma International Film Festival opens with The Promise starring Christian Bale and Angela Sarafyan (Photo: Jose Haro)
See big stars shine at the opening night showing of The Promise
Opening night stars Academy Award winner Christian Bale (Batman Begins, The Fighter) and Angela Sarafyan (Westworld) in The Promise. Sarafyan will make an appearance on the red carpet, too.
The period film takes place during the final days of the Ottoman Empire, and follows a love triangle between Michael, a brilliant medical student, the beautiful and sophisticated Ana, and Chris – a renowned American journalist based in Paris. The film will be accompanied by a pre-show screening of Piper, the Academy Award winning short film by Pixar.
A documentary about food icon James Beard will screen at this year’s SIFF. (Photo courtesy of americasfirstfoodie.com)
From drama to food, catch a movie for every mood
Over 130 films will be showcased at this year’s festival, many making their international debuts. Foodies and wine geeks will be stoked for documentaries about a Cantonese street cook versus a Michelin starred chef (Cook Up A Storm), game-changing women chefs (The Goddesses of Food), food icon James Beard (James Beard: America’s First Foodie), fake wine (Sour Grapes), chocolate-infused crime (The Chocolate Case) and port (A Year in Port).
Dramas, comedy, mystery and romance films also play lead roles at SIFF. Don’t miss In Search of Fellini, a coming of age drama about a young woman with an obsession with the films of Federico Fellini, and the French language film Cézanne and Moi, a fictional film about the friendship of 19th century novelist Émile Zola and painter Paul Cézanne.
Opening night of the annual Sonoma International Film Festival at the Sebastiani Theatre in Sonoma. (Robbi Pengelli)
Hang with Tito Tito Beveridge, the man behind one of the country’s most popular vodka’s, Tito’s Vodka, will be on hand to not only promote his booze, but to attend the world premiere of his film This Side of Dirt. A dramatic comedy steeped in satire and humor, the film is adapted from a play written by Beveridge.
This Side of Dirt has been described as “a charming snapshot of a lovely yet dysfunctional ranching family guided by the sure-footed and unassuming Juan, who must keep everyone in balance to ensure their sanity.” The play opened to celebratory reviews in Texas. (And yes, there will be plenty of vodka to pass around!)
Bruce Willis and Emma Heming arrive at a pre-tribute party at Estate on West Spain in Sonoma during the 12th Annual Sonoma International Film Festival. (Crista Jeremiason)
Party like a star until the sun comes up
Parties are as important as the films during SIFF. The festival will celebrate it’s 20th anniversary with a birthday bash on Thursday night featuring Tito’s Vodka, food by the girl & the fig, and a cake by local bakery Crisp Bakeshop. An afterparty at the Starling will feature live music and craft cocktails.
The Backlot Tent will be transformed to a Taiwan night market on Friday night, sponsored by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau. The event will feature live music and Taiwanese food and drinks. The next night, local cover band Loosely Covered will rock out and beer from Lagunitas will flow. The party scene wraps up on Sunday night, with a casual Wine Down Wrap Party.
Film festival staffer Alejandra Hernandez of San Francisco gives a thumbs up after a friend snapped her photo standing in the Sonomawood sign. (Alvin Jornada)
Snap a selfie at the SONOMAWOOD sign
A trip to SIFF wouldn’t be complete without a selfie at the SONOMAWOOD sign in front of Sonoma City Hall. Be sure to look for the tribute to Robin Williams on the back of the letters, too.
The 20th Sonoma International Film Festival is March 29 through April 2. Tickets start at $275. sonomafilmfest.org
Flower and Bone. Photo: Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine
Flower and Bone in Santa Rosa is one of Biteclub’s Hot Picks of 2017
Dalia Martinez wants your plums. She also wants your nasturtiums, your apples, your persimmons, your Meyer lemons and the baby pine cones on your fir tree. In fact, she forages for just about anything edible that might otherwise end up squished, rotted or otherwise ignored in the yards and fields around her Santa Rosa restaurant.
Chef/owner Dalia Martinez of Flower + Bone restaurant in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine.
Martinez combs her neighborhood and backyard farm daily looking for tasty tidbits she can preserve, can, puree or otherwise incorporate into the sweet and savory stories she concocts at Flower + Bone, a new eatery she’s opened with partner Jason Sakach. The couple also owns Santa Rosa breakfast/brunch/lunch spot Naked Pig.
Dalia Martinez and Jason Sokach of flower and bone in Santa Rosa. Heather irwin/PD
Preservation is the thread that runs through just about everything at Flower + Bone. Jewel-colored jars line a wall of the restaurant, filled with preserved tomatoes, plums, relishes and pickled vegetables, memories of a summer past that will brighten dishes for the months to come.
The restaurant’s broader mission, however, is preserving the Old Ways of eating—ancient traditions—from slow-cooked meats and fermented breads cooked in a tandoor oven to bone broths and handmade dumplings.
Polish dumplings at Flower + Bone restaurant in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine.
“You may be the only person in the world to eat exactly this,” said Martinez, placing a dish of **Polish dumplings with brown butter, wild foraged chanterelles and tiny green fir cones on the table**. Tomorrow, the ingredients may change slightly, as the fir cones she collected this morning run out, and she stumbles across something new. But in this exact moment, eating this exact dish, in this exact place, the dish has an entirely unique character with the creamy, nutty richness of the butter, the wet earthiness of mushrooms, the faint antiseptic flavor of the young pine cones.
Dalia Martinez at Flower + Bone restaurant in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine.
With that kind of thought being put into every dish, it feels almost rude to lumber clumsily through the meal without intention. Instead, Flower + Bone is best enjoyed thoughtfully, slowly, contemplatively. The “Full Story” six-course tasting menu ($67) provides that kind of context.The first course, a simple cup of **steaming toasted rice broth**, sets the tone. Like everything here, it beckons to every sense: The calm blue of the clay cup, the smell of toasted rice, the warmth of the vessel in your hand, the barely-there flavor that lingers in the back of your throat.
Rice tea at Flower + Bone restaurant in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine.
Each successive course tells another part of the Flower + Bone story. Pulling from culinary traditions of Eastern Europe, India, Pakistan and Asia, the dishes feel both familiar and exotic; refined and homey; worthy of introspection, but best shared with friends and family who can appreciate the intent of the chef.
Here’s a sample journey through Flower + Bone…
Egg salad at Flower + Bone restaurant in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine.
**Sieved egg salad with paprika, wax beans and spelt toast** (out of my great-grandmother’s playbook) that’s as sturdy as babushka’s support hose. But way more delicious.
Tandoor chicken with fig preserves at Flower + Bone restaurant in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine.
**Tandoor chicken, naan, lentils with sour cream and wild foraged weeds**: Another sturdy course, that’s leavened with moist, flavorful “morsels” of chicken from their wood-fired tandoor. Smashed lentils with tangy sour cream they’ve cultured at the restaurant is my new obsession, and the tiny salad is literally a collection of edible flowers and leaves with just a splash of vinaigrette. The wheat and rye naan uses natural yeasts in the air, giving it — and many of the other dishes — a flavor that’s not just unique to the region, but of the restaurant itself, and even of a particular day. That’s serious terroir.
Beef Shank stew at Flower + Bone restaurant in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine.Flower and Bone. Photo: Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine
**Nihari beef shank stew, quinoa pilaf, foraged orange and house cheese**: A Yelp review of the restaurant bemoaned the fact that her meat had fat on it. Martinez intentionally leaves some fat on her meat, because fat is flavor. Braised in bone broth, wine and spices this is luxe peasant food. The flavorful, nutty pilaf has bits of fruit leather and raisins to give it a sweet complexity.
Dessert at Flower + Bone restaurant in Santa Rosa. Courtesy photo
**Pluot hooch and gold truffle, cheesecake with preserved plum sauce, lemon curd and nettle tea**: Infused with bang-pow flavors, these tiny bites packed more punch than a clunky cake or pie. I rarely use the word perfect, but Flower + Bone’s lemon curd is, well, perfect. Nettle tea helps digestion and lets the diner linger a bit.
Plum hooch at Flower + Bone restaurant in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine.
**Plum Hooch**: Don’t miss a chance to try their homemade plum booze, a slightly tart, slightly fruity sip made from foraged fruit. Other drinks: Fennel, salted orange and soju ($12), whey and lime on ice, or various wines, beer or coffee.
Though Flower + Bone, with its large communal table in the back and smaller, more intimate tables up front, is meant to be a gathering place for the community. But it’s also not a place that everyone is going to appreciate. The prices reflect the commitment Jason and Dalia put into each dish, using manual techniques, supporting local farmers and ranchers, and wanting perfection in ingredients. They waste almost nothing, and portions are small, though not stingy.
“No one leaves hungry,” said Dalia. “We ask if people are full. If they’re still hungry, we can serve them more,” she said. So far only one patron has asked for seconds she said.
Some dishes can be ordered a la carte, or mezze style, ranging from $11-18 if you’re just looking for a nibble or two. Lunch is also served two days a week, with simpler naan wraps, cheese and preserve-stuffed philo pastries and salads, though the daily specials change up frequently.
In a world of fast-casual, buffets and drive-thru, sometimes it’s nice to stop and smell the roses along the journey. Just leave a few for Dalia to collect for her summer preserves.
Quinoa pilaf at Flower + Bone restaurant in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine.
Flower + Bone is at 650 Fifth St., Santa Rosa, 707-708-8529, flowerandbonerestaurant.com. Lunch is served from 11a.m. to 3p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; dinner Thursday through Saturday from 6-9p.m. Reservations suggested but not required.
On Tuesday, March 7, the City and Regional Magazine Association (CRMA) announced its 2017 awards finalists. We’re excited to report that Sonoma Magazine was named finalist in three categories, including “general excellence,” “cover excellence” and “best e-newsletter.”
