People kayak down the river in downtown Petaluma. (Sonoma County Tourism)
Webby Award-winning home and lifestyle blog Apartment Therapy recently released its list of the “15 Vibiest Towns in America.” Petaluma made it on the list as its only featured town in Northern California.
“Petaluma is peak California,” the Apartment Therapy list stated, “with stunning coastal vistas, Redwood forests, a booming antiques district, and top-tier restaurants and wineries — it’s the gateway to Wine Country.”
While Petaluma has a scenic river, great for kayaking and bird-watching, it doesn’t actually provide views of the Sonoma Coast, which is at least a half-hour drive away. And the closest redwoods are in Sugarloaf Ridge or Spring Lake parks (about a 30 to 45-minute drive) — but locals know the best place for redwoods is at Guerneville’s Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve.
A press release announcing the blog site’s “vibiest towns” winners stated that Apartment Therapy’s editors chose towns based on their distinct personality, the quality of things to see and do, and the residents who love where they live. Other factors in the consideration process included median rent, median sale price, geographical diversity and demographic diversity.
A trail at Helen Putnam Regional Park overlooking Petaluma. (Courtesy of Sonoma County Parks)Mural artist Maxfield Bala works on his “Welcome to Petaluma” mural project on Petaluma Blvd South along Highway 101 in Petaluma on Monday, Jan. 28, 2019. (Beth Schlanker/ The Press Democrat)
Apartment Therapy indicated that Petaluma’s vistas are its primary draw for being a vibe of a town. From the peaks of Helen Putnam Regional Park, visitors can take in sweeping panoramic views of the city and the vast rolling hills of Petaluma’s countryside, dotted with grazing cows and clusters of oak woodlands.
The Petaluma downtown area is iconic for its historic buildings — charmingly cool enough to be featured in such films as George Lucas’s 1973 “American Graffiti” and Francis Ford Coppola’s 1986 “Peggy Sue Got Married,” among other locally filmed movies.
An accompanying article to the Apartment Therapy list, by a Petaluma resident, points to some local favorite places in town, such as The Shuckery and Barber Cellars inside the century-old Hotel Petaluma. The writer also notes Kentucky Street’s antique and vintage clothing shops, like Summer Cottage Antiques and Opera House Collective.
The artsy side of Petaluma certainly lends to its appeal. The town is painted all over with vibrant murals from local artists, seen in places like American Alley and on the side of the town’s iconic Phoenix Theater. Quirky annual events abound here, too, such as the historic Butter & Egg Days Parade, the steampunk-themed Rivertown Revival and the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest.
The mineral pool at Indian Springs in Calistoga. (Indian Springs)
Tiny town of Calistoga, we’re so proud to call you our Wine Country own. You’ve always been a charming burg, and now, you’re blossoming into an increasingly fashionable destination we adore. With new restaurants, resorts, wine tasting rooms and shops amid the historic landmarks, there’s so much to explore within your span of 2.6 square miles.
The history here is rich. Originally populated by the Wappo Indigenous people, the land came under the control of Mexico’s Mission San Francisco de Solano during the 1700s and early 1800s. Later, Anglo settlers began, well, settling in.
In 1859, American entrepreneur/gold mogul Sam Brannan began snatching up sprawling parcels. He was fascinated by the natural hot springs that abounded in the town. Brannan envisioned building a spa retreat reminiscent of his dream spot, Saratoga Springs resort in New York.
American entrepreneur/gold mogul Sam Brannan’s original Calistoga Hot Springs resort, built in 1862. (Courtesy of Brannan Cottage Inn)
By 1862, he had built Calistoga Hot Springs resort. After the Napa Valley Railroad Company’s track was completed to Calistoga in 1868, the area became a particularly popular retreat for ferry passengers traveling from San Francisco, plus visitors from nearby Lake and Sonoma counties.
Salutes to Brannan remain to this day in several other lodging properties, restaurants and the location of the original Calistoga Hot Springs, where the posh Indian Springs Calistoga resort is today.
Fun fact: The Wappo name for the area was Nilektsonoma, meaning “Chicken Hawk Place.” Early Anglo settlers called it “Indian Hot Springs.” Brannan renamed it Calistoga, in what he later admitted was a slip of his tongue that transformed “Saratoga of California” into “Calistoga of Sarifornia.”
Here’s a favorite way to spend a few days’ getaway in Calistoga.
A vintage van parked outside a room at Calistoga Motor Lodge & Spa in Napa Valley. The lodge was recently named in National Geographic’s list of five of the best retro motels in California. (Courtesy of Calistoga Motor Lodge & Spa)
Day 1
Get an early start to your full day with brunch at Fleetwood (Friday-Sunday), in Calistoga Motor Lodge. Cal-cuisine dishes are soul-satisfying, like steel cut oatmeal that’s crispy-capped in sweet banana brûlée, or smoked salmon eggs Benedict layered with spinach. The crunchy chilaquiles are exceptional. Corn tortillas are smothered in chicken, pepper jack cheese, yolky poached eggs, red chile salsa, queso fresco and velvety avocado.
Take a spin on the brand new, scenic Napa Valley Vine Trail (opening to the public Aug. 17), accessed just a few blocks from Fleetwood/the Lodge. Rent an e-bike from Calistoga Bikeshop and be one of the first to traverse the 8.2-mile section connecting Calistoga to St. Helena.
Indulge in a wine tasting at the lavish Elusa Winery, on the grounds of the Four Seasons Resort Napa Valley. Tour the winemaking facilities and estate vineyards with a glass of wine in hand. Then relax in the contemporary, art-flocked lounge for tastes of high-end bottlings like Calistoga-grown Cabernet Sauvignon, paired with cheese and charcuterie.
House specialty Green Chile Apple Pie with walnut streusel, cheddar crust, whipped cream and a red chile honey drizzle and an Adaptogenic mushroom tea. From the House of Better at Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort and Mineral Springs in Calistoga. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Break for lunch at House of Better, at the Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs. The specialty here is New Mexico fare. Lots of Hatch chiles make for sumptuous dishes like red chile chicken posole and carne adovada-chile-cheese flat enchiladas. Don’t forget the must-have apple pie, laced with roasted green chiles tucked in a butter-based cheddar crust then topped with walnut streusel and clouds of crème fraîche.
Check into Calistoga Motor Lodge, originally built in the 1940s and dramatically renovated and expanded a few years ago into an Airstream-chic collection of “camper” rooms reminiscent of elegant camper van interiors (pet friendly!). The larger deluxe rooms are new, nestled on the second floor with private balconies (ask for a Palisades mountain view). Complimentary goodies include freshly ground organic pour-over coffee, fun snacks like Cracker Jack and toiletries from the onsite MoonAcre Spa.
(Tip: Priority Cruiser Bicycles are complimentary for up to two hours for Lodge guests, perfect for navigating Calistoga’s 1-mile-long main drag of Lincoln Avenue).
Kick back over dinner at Bricco Osteria, a new Italian joint that welcomes with elevated comfort food. Try the lasagna draped in rich béchamel, organic chicken parmigiano, and local eggplant stuffed with ricotta and parmigiano then baked in silky tomato sauce. Be sure to get a reservation; this bustling spot is hot.
Spicy heritage pork and beef Bolognese with fresh fettuccini at Lovina, a California-Italian fusion restaurant in Calistoga. (Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat)
Day 2
Enjoy a leisurely brunch at Lovina. Owner Jennifer Bennett wows with Cal-Med cuisine in a chic cottage setting (the garden patio is particularly lovely). The housemade cinnamon roll is a must — baked golden in a cast iron skillet then slathered in cream cheese icing topped with pecans. An Omeletti du Jour is done in the delicate, soft-folded French style. Or go big and dig into spicy heritage pork and beef Bolognese with parmesan, Calabrian chile and breadcrumbs over fresh fettuccine (make it “dirty” by adding melted cheese and truffle butter).
Take a quick drive to Bale Grist Mill, a gorgeous California state park located between Calistoga and St. Helena. The remarkable structure was built in 1846, as settlers came to have their grain ground into meal or flour via a water wheel, which still drives the milling stones today. It’s a good idea to make an appointment at stateparks@ncrposd.org. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, but the volunteer-led tour availability can vary.
Sterling Vineyards gondolas over the valley in Calistoga. (Adam Potts/Courtesy Sterling Vineyards)
Scoot over to nearby Sterling Vineyards for a scenic gondola ride up to the estate’s several mountaintop tasting rooms. The Hilltop Tasting Room is a favorite choice, overlooking the Napa Valley and showcasing five exclusive estate wines paired with local cheese and charcuterie.
Grab lunch at the family-owned Sushi Mambo for a Japanese feast of okonomiyaki pancake studded with squid and seafood yosenabe simmered in rich dashi broth in an earthenware pot over flames. Dozens upon dozens of sushi and sashimi choices beckon, too. The decadent “Main Lovester” is made with lobster, crab and shrimp topped in tuna, hamachi, avocado, tobiko and miso.
A robot named “RobinoVino” pours a glass of rose at Maria Concetto Winery tasting room in Calistoga. (Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat)
Hop-skip a few blocks over to Maria Concetto Winery, a new tasting room featuring the delightful RobinoVino, a robot sommelier. Dressed in a dapper bow tie, the $50,000 machine picks up your wine bottle, pours a generous splash in your glass, then tips any leftover drops into a dump bucket before selecting your next wine to go in a fresh glass. While you sip, he dances to an upbeat music track under beams of colorful lights.
Shop and sip at the creative combo that is Picayune Cellars & Mercantile, a boutique tasting room with covetable clothes and home accessories, plus attractions like a build-your-own hat bar. The classic tasting is a great introduction, offering five wines to enjoy at a patio table or while wandering the store, glass in hand. Fun finds at the mercantile include Indigenous-made jewelry, stylish water bottles inserted with sealed gempods (filled with precious “wellness” gems), and intriguing books like “The Modern Witch’s Guide to Magickal Self Care” (yes, it’s spelled Magickal).
Treat yourself to dinner at the elegant but relaxed Truss at the Four Seasons. Vineyard and sunset views are postcard worthy, and the Cal-Italian menu appeals with comfort choices such as a knife-and-fork Stemple Creek Ranch cheeseburger, but also luxuries like a 32-ounce rib-eye for two dressed in sea salt, bone marrow jus and chimichurri (it’s a cool $225).
A cheeseburger from Truss Restaurant & Bar at the Four Seasons Napa Valley in Calistoga. (Courtesy of Bonjwing Lee)
SingleThread restaurant in Healdsburg. (Courtesy of SingleThread)
In what was the most cringeworthy California Michelin Guide ceremony ever, Monday night’s 2024 awards gala in Half Moon Bay left a bitter taste in the mouth of thousands of viewers unable to watch the event.
Considered the Oscars of the food world, the annual California Michelin Guide awards can make or break a restaurant.
But a last minute technical malfunction with live streaming equipment at the invite-only event sent home audiences scrambling to find alternative live streams.
Even for attendees, the stunning lack of new stars and confusion over who would keep (or lose) stars left a pall over what’s usually one of the most anticipated events in the restaurant world.
In a press release sent after the event, however, more details were provided.
Sonoma and Napa received no new stars for 2024. Barndiva, in Healdsburg, lost its star after changing its concept from fine dining to a casual cafe in January.
Molti Amici was the only North Bay restaurant to receive a new Bib Gourmand award. That distinction is given to restaurants with good food at a moderate price.
The (still) winners
There were still plenty of winners who maintained stars from 2023 in the new California Michelin Guide, including Healdsburg’s SingleThread (3 stars), The French Laundry in Yountville (3 stars) and Harbor House in Elk (2 stars).
Keeping their one-star status are Auberge du Soleil (Rutherford), Auro (Calistoga), Cyrus (Geyserville), Kenzo (Napa) and Press (St. Helena).
Maintaining Bib Gourmand status: Ciccio (Yountville), El Molino Central (Sonoma), FolkTable (Sonoma), Glen Ellen Star (Glen Ellen), Khom Loi (Sebastopol), Ramen Gaijin (Sebastopol), Stockhome (Petaluma) and Valley (Sonoma).
So, what happened?
From the start of Monday’s Golden State Michelin Guide event, things were chaotic as eager chefs, hospitality workers, restaurateurs and journalists awaited the start of a 7 p.m. live feed to watch the awards.
After an agonizing wait, the Michelin YouTube channel announced that the livestream wouldn’t be viewable.
“We are terribly sorry and are excited to share the news with you, so please check back and we’ll post links to the stories detailing the awards as they are announced.” (They weren’t.)
A screen grab of an Instagram live feed from Chef Rogelio Garcia
Local chef Rogelio Garcia of Auro restaurant in Calistoga (a 2023 and 2024 one-star winner) was in attendance and pointed his phone toward the stage in a live Instagram feed. At one point, nearly 300 people were watching, including several local chefs. Journalists from Eater LA provided running commentary of the foibles while live streaming to Instagram.
Exactly who was winning awards was often unclear with shaky handheld video, loud background noise and videographers for the event frequently standing in front of the stage.
“And thanks to everyone watching at home,” said the event’s host, awkwardly wrapping up the event, somehow unaware of the glitch.
To which one Instagram-watcher replied: “This stream gets no stars.”
The first American Michelin Guide was released in 2005 for New York. San Francisco and the Bay Area were added in 2008, with the statewide California guide first appearing in 2019. The Michelin Guide was first published in France in 1900 to encourage car travel (and the use of Michelin tires) and offered hotel and restaurant recommendations.
Chateau St. Jean Patio (Photo courtesy of Treasury Wine Estates)
Watching the Summer Olympics in Paris may bring about travelers’ envy for wine tasting adventures in the City of Light. A handful of Sonoma County wineries are prepared to satisfy those desires with a local taste of France.
Check out our roundup of the six best French wineries and tasting rooms in Sonoma County. Feeling hungry after all that wine? These local eateries offer a bon voyage into French cuisine.
Chateau St. Jean Winery
Founded in 1973, Chateau St. Jean resides on the 1920s-era estate of Ernest and Maude Goff in the Valley of the Moon, where they built their French country-style summer home that now serves as the winery’s Reserve Tasting Room. The preserved chateau, which is listed in the National Trust for Historic Preservation, includes various European features along with a rustic rose garden reminiscent of bucolic villas in Southern France.
From left, friends Eileen Maloy, Kathy Burke and Helen Baum wear berets while celebrating Bastille Day at Chateau St. Jean on Sunday, July 14, 2013 in Kenwood. (BETH SCHLANKER/ The Press Democrat)
Chateau St. Jean offers a number of tastings where guests can sip wines sourced from local Bordeaux varietal vineyards and other Sonoma County AVAs. Enjoy a selection of five estate wines with vineyard views on the patio or within the historic, wood-paneled chateau rooms during the Chateau Experience tasting ($65 per person). Or invite a group of friends to a Bocce, Bordeaux & Burgundy Experience tasting ($55 per person) to play a game of bocce ball while sipping estate wines and snacking on French-inspired bites from the deli amid lush settings. Reserve tastings on Tock. Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
After a day of wine tasting, guests can stay the night at Jordan Winery’s French-style chateau. Founders Tom and Sally Jordan added the lodgings in the 1970s, complete with a commercial kitchen and dining room, for members of the winery’s loyalty program, Jordan Estate Rewards. The three guest suites are adorned with Old World French architectural features and rare antiques from as early as France’s Baroque period, such as a Louis XV-era armoire decked out with a Victrola record player, French classics on vinyl and vintage playing cards.
Non-rewards members can explore the Jordan chateau followed by a wine and food pairing during the Winery Tour & Tasting experience ($85 per person). Available on select days from July through September, the Chef’s Terrace Tasting ($110 per person) offers guests sweeping views of the winery’s vineyards, chateau and culinary garden as they enjoy a seasonal, French-inspired wine and food pairing prepared by Michelin star rated chef Jesse Mallgren. Reserve online. Open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.
1474 Alexander Valley Road, Healdsburg, 707-431-5250, jordanwinery.com
The lavender garden at Matanzas Creek Winery. (Courtesy of Mantanzas Creek Winery)
Matanzas Creek Winery
A visit to Bennett Valley’s Matanzas Creek winery resembles a stroll through Provence, France, one of the world’s largest producers of lavender. The winery established 3 acres of lavender on its property in 1991, greeting guests with its welcoming fragrance and dazzling purple hues. The lavender gardens also source the estate’s Lavender Market, which sells infused honey, candles, soaps, balms, body butters, and other home and body products made with the aromatic flower.
Admission for the self-guided Lavender Stroll is $10 per person. Reservations are required and available daily from June through August, when the gardens are in full bloom, before harvesting — though the market is open year-round. Get the full Provence winery experience by adding the Matanzas Creek Estate Tasting ($35 per person) to try six estate wines while overlooking the dreamy gardens. Reserve on Tock. Open from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
6097 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa, 707-521-7019, matanzascreek.com
Vérité Winery was built in the traditional, French-inspired style off Chalk Hill Road east of Windsor, May 2, 2023. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Vérité Winery
The late Vintner’s Hall of Famer Jess Jackson, of Santa Rosa’s Kendall-Jackson Wines, and French winemaker Pierre Seillan launched Vérité in 1998 to create distinctive, Bordeaux-style reds, like Merlot and Cabernets. In 2022, Vérité upped its French factor when it unveiled a grand chateau to house its winery and visitor center, completed last year with the construction of a 9,000-square-foot barrel chai (pronounced “shay,” a French term for a storage cellar).
The Estate Tasting ($200 per person) and Library Comparison Tasting ($350 per person) offer guests selections of estate vintages along with French-inspired accoutrements. Tastings take place in private rooms, luxuriously appointed with velvet pillows, chandeliers and stone floors from France. The tastings are available by appointment only; request an appointment online or by emailing info@veritewines.com.
Three SingleThread alums, including French wine scholar and sommelier Evan Hufford, opened one of Healdsburg’s only wine bars late last year. It’s a little slice of Europe on Healdsburg Avenue — a place where people can enjoy an after-hours glass of wine late into the evening while nibbling on upscale bar bites.
A vast selection of libations at Maison includes Old World wines from the Champagne and Burgundy regions of France and other European locales, in addition to old California vintages and a fine sampling of sakes and beers. Accompaniments to your late-night Champagne or Pinot Noir include caviar, salumi, smoked oysters and international cheeses sourced by Doralice Handal, formerly of the Cheese Shop of Healdsburg. Open from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday through Tuesday.
The Bubble Bar tasting room in Healdsburg will focus on champagnes, sparklers, cavas, proseccos and all things bubbles. Photo taken Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Bubble Bar Healdsburg
Opened just in time for Valentine’s Day this year, the Bubble Bar tasting room offers visitors a glimpse of a Parisian café in downtown Healdsburg. A fancy chandelier, vintage coupe glasses, tufted bench seating, and fleur-de-lis tile floors and ceiling evoke a romantic setting fit for any Francophile. The Bubble Bar even provides a short-term, two-bedroom rental housed in a 1905 Victorian home, called the Cuvée House.
The wine list reads as a who’s who of premium bubbles, from French Champagnes and Italian Proseccos to Spanish Cavas and German Rieslings. Of course there’s also bubbles sourced from Wine Country, like Cuvée from Iron Horse and sparkling Chenin Blanc from Leo Steen Wines. French-inspired bites include caviar, tinned fish, charcuterie and Costeaux French Bakery macarons. The wine bar curates a blind tasting flight each month highlighting three standout wines — the month of August features Brut Champagnes. Open noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Walk-ins welcomed.
A midcentury lodge-style home on 9 forested acres in the lower Russian River is currently listed for $1,250,000. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom home maintains the charm of its 1949 vintage, but also benefits from renovations that opened up the floorplan and modernized the electrical components.
Formerly a restaurant, the exquisitely designed home was once owned by the late writer Randy Shilts, the first openly gay San Francisco Chronicle journalist who reported on the early years of the AIDS crisis and wrote the groundbreaking 1987 book, And The Band Played On.
A cool green tile backsplash contrasts with the warmth of the pine cabinets and countertops. (Open Homes Photography)
The dwelling’s unique design elements include an all-pine kitchen, a stone fireplace, a windowed cupola and a slab stone shower.
A spacious deck lined in bench seating gives ample space for redwood gazing, even though the home’s windows allow for plenty of that from the inside.
A separate garage can function as an office or studio.
For more information on 14631 Armstrong Woods Road in Guerneville, contact Doug Bohling, 707-953-6106, doug.bohling@sothebysrealty.com, Artisan Sotheby’s International Realty, armstrong-woods.com
Kitchen area in the great room. (Jim Nevill Productions)
A two-bedroom, two-bathroom Sea Ranch home with generously sized glass walls recently hit the market. The home, located on two parcels making up nearly an acre, is listed for $1,850,000.
Designed by architect Obie Bowman and built in 1993 by local contractor Brian Dixon, the dwelling on Windsong Lane is set among a grove of trees overlooking the ocean past Black Point Beach.
The home’s great room features opposing walls of windows that allow ocean views on one side and hill views on the other. This also allows for a stunning exterior view that passes through the entire home. Anchoring the look are the walled-in areas with wood siding.
Seating area with ocean views. (Jim Nevill Productions)
An extension of the great room, the eating area, juts out from the hillside, giving a true “up-in-the-trees” feeling. Other design elements like skylights, built-ins and a cantilevered loft add more design intrigue.
And when the views from the windows aren’t immersive enough, more gazing can take place from the property’s hot tub, accessible via a wood-planked walkway.
For more information about 35226 Windsong Lane,The Sea Ranch, contact listing agent Cindy Kennedy, 707-326-0600, buymendocoast.com, Kennedy & Associates, kennedyrealestate.com
Farmer-florist Kari Copple’s backyard growing fields are awash in summer color. (Conor Hagen/for Sonoma Magazine)
Lifelong gardener Kari Copple doesn’t do anything halfway. She first got into growing cut flowers because of her three children.
“I would pick flowers from my garden for events at my kids’ school, and then I came up with the idea for a little cutting garden out in the field,” she says.
And it grew from there, along pathways and rows, in tendrils and vines and lots and lots of compost. Copple is now the owner of a 2-acre flower farm as well as downtown Sonoma’s 7th St. Flowers, a cheery blue and white roadside stand launched in 2021.
Nearly every Saturday from March to October, Copple parks a cart filled with two dozen colorful bouquets for sale at the end of her driveway. The flowers go out at 8 a.m. — and by 11 a.m., she’s often completely sold out.
Kari Copple sells her cut flowers to customers at her flower stand in Sonoma. (Conor Hagen/for Sonoma Magazine)
“When they were little, my kids would sell lemonade and hot chocolate out here, so we get good traffic, and people just love the bouquets,” she says.
Plus, it’s a way to stay on top of the goings-on in the neighborhood. “I sit out with the cart, and I get to meet all the dogs. It’s a doggy world out there,” she jokes.
Copple grew up in a family of vegetable farmers who ran an open-air produce market in downtown Portland, Oregon. “Farming is in my blood, but not flowers,” she explains.
She’s says she’s always been outdoorsy and has gardened for decades despite losing an arm and a leg in an electrical accident when she was 19 years old. She uses a motorized cart to move throughout her growing fields.
She and her husband, Scott, moved to Sonoma over 30 years ago and raised their children here, moving into their current home in 1998. At the time, Copple was in full-time parenting mode. She grew roses and peonies as a hobby and planted a gorgeous formal garden in the front of her home, but she never imagined flowers as a full-time job.
“It was my love of gardening that morphed into all this — I am still very enmeshed in that gardening world.”
Farmer-florist Kari Copple harvests flowers from her Sonoma garden. (Conor Hagen/for Sonoma Magazine)
In 2019, Copple took an intensive flower business course with Erin Benzakein of Floret Farms, one of the icons of the farmer-florist movement, and decided to launch into farming full-time. Soon, her back field was filled with carefully laid-out beds of cutting flowers in a riot of colors and forms, all timed to the climate and season.
It wasn’t necessarily the path she had in mind at the time.
“What person approaching 60 years old takes on a full-time farm? This is a labor-intensive job,” she says. “You have to have a passion for the flowers — the work will be daunting if you don’t love it.”
Copple’s growing fields have been laid out for accessibility, with wider-than-normal 4-foot pathways to accommodate her motorized cart.
“I think I love to do things that seem to other people like I couldn’t do them. I do think the disability does play a bit of a factor in a lot of things,” she reflects. “People thought I couldn’t have kids, and I have three. People thought I couldn’t do a big garden, and here I’m running a farm. I think there’s always that part of me that is like, there isn’t anything I can’t do if I really want to do it. I do like to be that person.”
Copple starts her day at 7 a.m., snipping blooms while the weather is cool and piling them into 5-gallon plastic buckets she carries back to the garage on her cart. She arranges bouquets in the garage, which can take several hours, and stores bouquets and extra blooms in a large floral cooler her husband built this spring in a small outbuilding. The cooler makes it much easier to keep cut blooms fresh and conditioned.
Farmer-florist Kari Copple arranges bouquets for her roadside flower stand at a table in her garage in Sonoma. (Conor Hagen/for Sonoma Magazine)
Except for two helpers who come in one day a week to do some of the heavier work, Copple does all the farming herself — planting, weeding, running irrigation and harvesting.
She finds meaning in the long list of daily chores, as the garden has always been where she finds her peace.
“It’s very zen-like. I’m just in the moment when I’m out there,” she says. “Whatever it is — whether I’m planting, whether I’m weeding, my focus is so specific. I just really like that. I’m also a worker bee. I’m always doing, doing, doing. My husband is, like, ‘Are you ever going to rest?’ But I’m a doer.”
It’s taken a few years to figure out exactly how to dial in her production. “I’ve just ramped things up so much — it’s all business out here now,” she says.
During the pandemic, as she was starting out, she often gave away flowers in front of the house to help bring cheer to the neighborhood. As the business grew, she considered having a wholesale stand at the big flower market in San Francisco, but she didn’t want to be getting up at 2 a.m. to haul buckets into the city. And she’s not interested in becoming an event florist taking on large weddings — but she will create casual arrangements for small parties and take custom orders in addition to arranging bouquets for the Saturday cart.
Selling to the community has proven both rewarding and sustainable at this point in her life, when she wants to be busy but also have time outside of the farm. She became a grandmother recently, and last summer, Copple took a couple weeks off to fulfill a lifelong dream of visiting iconic British gardens like Great Dixter and Sissinghurst Castle.
“I could do more, but there’s a work-life balance here for me. I want to enjoy life — my kids and my grandson. I want to have time to bike and walk with friends in the morning.”
Farmer-florist Kari Copple’s backyard growing fields are awash in summer color. (Conor Hagen/for Sonoma Magazine)
Though she’s lived in downtown Sonoma for decades, flowers have brought Copple a deeper sense of community and family. Copple has been a mentor to a local ninth grader for the past five years, and her mentee loves being in the garden. Copple’s son and two daughters sometimes mind the stand and built the website.
A fellow florist often comes by on Wednesdays so they can harvest blooms together, and high-end designers like Sonoma’s Anne Appleman often pop by. They know they can hit Copple up for beautiful, locally grown material.
In July and August, she’ll have tons of vivid summery offerings — sunflowers, zinnias, amaranth, lisianthus, dahlias and late roses, all in colorful mixed garden bouquets and posies.
Lots of folks have a garden in this area, so she tries to grow varieties that are a little unusual, a little bit more difficult to source. A good bouquet means she needs variety in what she grows — taller spiky flowers, focal points, supporting characters and plenty of pretty foliage.
Arranging and stocking the cart is still the part of the business Copple loves the best. “This is all by word of mouth,” she says. “It was all like, ‘Hey, there’s a flower cart popping up on Seventh Street East.’”
“I get a lot of joy out of people getting joy out of the flowers.”
Kari Copple, 7th Street Flowers, 19885 Seventh St. East, Sonoma. 707-287-0589, 7thstflowers.com. Email or call ahead for custom bouquets. Flower cart with bouquets for sale on Saturday mornings through October.
A selection of dishes from Everest Restaurant Wednesday, July 24, 2024 in Cotati. (Photo by John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Pemba Sherpa has never summited Mount Everest, but two of his restaurants have.
In May, legendary Everest climber Kami Rita carried a small flag bearing the logo for Everest restaurants in Petaluma and Cotati on his record-breaking 30th ascent up the 29,032-foot peak. With eyebrows and lashes encrusted with ice, Rita snapped a quick picture at the snowy summit, planting the small banner and smiling like a man ready for a warm cup of daal.
“He visits our restaurants whenever he comes to California and enjoys traditional Nepalese food, which he yearns for,” said Sherpa, the owner of several restaurants in Sonoma County and a relative of Kami Rita.
Legendary Mt. Everest climber and guide Kami Rita Sherpa, right, talks with his cousin and restaurant owner Pemba Sherpa, center, and guests during the grand opening of the Everest Restaurant in Cotati , Sunday, June 23, 2024. (Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat)
“He was so impressed with our food, so he decided to take our logo to the summit to support us,” Sherpa said. When the Cotati outpost of Everest restaurant opened in July, Rita was an honored guest and climbing community celebrity.
Flag-planting on Mount Everest has become a thing for the Sonoma County Sherpas, with Pasang T. Sherpa (Pemba Sherpa’s brother and co-owner of Everest) planting a flag for Sonoma Grille in 2022 and Mingma Dorchi Sherpa (the fastest person to summit the highest mountain on Earth) toting a flag for La Casa restaurant in 2023.
The climb to restaurant ownership
Arriving in their 20s from Nepal, Pemba and Pasang Sherpa worked their way up through the restaurant industry like many of their friends and family. Growing up near the Himalayas, the brothers decided not to become porters or guides, instead seeking a life in the U.S. as restaurateurs.
Pasang has cooked and trekked for Everest expeditions and co-owns Sonoma’s La Casa with Pemba, along with Gyalzen and Mingma Sherpa. Pemba also is involved with Yak and Yeti restaurant in Napa and Himalayan Kitchen in San Rafael. Like many other Nepalese in the burgeoning Sonoma County immigrant community, they share a common surname that means “east people” in Tibetan, though not all are related.
“We are all proud we can bring our hospitality and flavors to our guests. We are also very fortunate this country gives opportunities to everyone who wants to work hard,” said Pemba Sherpa.
Traditional India Thali is a complete meal on one dish with main vegetable dishes, rice, sides and chutneys from Everest Restaurant Wednesday, July 24, 2024 in Cotati. (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
A taste of home
Nepalese cuisine was a rarity 20 years ago, even in large cities. I tried yak butter tea and momos for the first time in the late 1990s, shocked by the unfamiliar flavors and textures. Though I’ve never seen yak milk on a menu again (and its gamy flavor wasn’t for me), momos are now commonplace.
Sharing common influences with Indian cuisine, dishes from Nepal often use fresh spices (rather than dried) and signature dishes like momo (stuffed, steamed dumplings) and chow mein are more Chinese than Indian. Daal bhat, a combination of lentils and rice, and Thakali Thali are uniquely Nepalese.
Everest restaurants in both Cotati and Petaluma bring together the three cuisines seamlessly, with a lengthy list of Indian curries, chicken soup with Nepalese spices (thukpa), chow mein, masala, butter chicken, biryani, tandoor and naan. Children and newcomers to the cuisine will find plenty of choices, including pizza, fried rice and kebabs. Dietary restrictions are also easy to work around here, with plenty of plant-based and gluten-free dishes.
The new Everest Veggie Pizza homemade sauce from Everest Restaurant Wednesday, July 24, 2024 in Cotati. (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Best bets
Thakali Thali ($18-$20): Think of this as a combo platter, with small copper bowls of rice, daal, pickles, papadum, veggies and a choice of protein plus dessert. Vegetarian versions are also available. It’s an efficient menu sampler with smaller portions neatly served on a round metal tray that looks cool.
Chicken Tikka Pizza ($22): Italy meets India in this mashup of creamy tikka masala or red curry sauce paired with marinated chicken, mozzarella cheese, onion, tomatoes and green onions — a great introduction to Indian food.
Lamb Chili Momo ($18.99): Ten lamb-filled momo dumplings covered in a sweet-spicy chili sauce with fresh bell peppers and green onions. The Cadillac of momos.
Paneer Tikka Masala ($17): If you’re going for this classic creamy tomato sauce dish, try it with cubes of Indian cheese rather than the usual chicken or lamb. I like the chew and squeakiness of paneer that straddles the line between cheese curds and cottage cheese. You can also try it with tofu and coconut cream for a vegan version.
Daal Rassam, ($6.50-$7.75): Loaded with garlic, this hearty lentil soup is a flavor bomb rather than the watery, flavorless broth I’ve endured at other restaurants (and put me off the stuff for years).
Chicken 65 with ginger, garlic, egg, lemon juice sautéed with fresh curry leaves, mustard seeds and yogurt with a Mango Lassi from Everest Restaurant Wednesday, July 24, 2024 in Cotati. (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Chicken 65, ($20): Strips of boneless chicken are bathed in ginger, garlic, egg, lemon juice and spices (cumin, chiles, coriander, pepper, turmeric), then sautéed with fresh curry leaves and mustard seeds. Light and crisp without heavy batter and oiliness.
Apricot Prawn ($18.50): I’m not going to lie; there was a lot more of the creamy apricot sauce than prawns, but the sweet-savory dish is reminiscent of the coconut milk apricot chicken served long ago at the now-shuttered Pamposh restaurant in Santa Rosa. If you’re a walnut prawn fan, you’ll like this.
Naan, Kulcha, Roti, Chapati ($3 to $4.50): Indian-style breads are for sopping up every last bit of sauce. Fluffy naan with butter is my favorite, but kulcha (a cousin to naan, often stuffed with cheese or onion) is a runner-up. Roti is an unleavened bread cooked in a tandoor, while chapati (also unleavened) is cooked on a griddle with ghee or butter.
Everest Restaurant in Cotati is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. daily. 572 E. Cotati Ave., Cotati, 707-795-7680, everestcotati.com. The sister Petaluma restaurant is at 56 E. Washington St. and has the same hours and a similar menu.
Amid reports of struggling sales, growing competition and an ever-evolving wine consumption landscape, the family behind Dry Creek Valley’s Comstock Wines is thinking outside the box and doing what some might consider unthinkable — opening a second tasting room.
“We’ve always been a little crazy,” joked general manager Kelly Comstock.
In a matter of weeks, Comstock Wines will unveil its new tasting room at Bacchus Landing, a collective of boutique wineries in Healdsburg. Settling into the space once occupied by the market, there’s been a flurry of activity as the family preps to open its second location less than three miles from the winery that launched the brand into the spotlight nearly a decade ago.
“This property affords us the opportunity to do so much more and connect with guests in a different way, that it doesn’t feel like we’re robbing Peter to pay Paul, because they are completely different experiences,” said Comstock.
Viewing the new location as an investment in the brand, Comstock hopes to attract a different group of guests that may not typically venture further out into Dry Creek Valley, or those who simply like the convenience of tasting various labels in one location.
The Comstock Wines location on Dry Creek Road in Healdsburg. (Courtesy of Comstock Wines)
Unlike Comstock’s winery location, the Bacchus Landing tasting room will offer bottle service, a nod to those seeking a more casual experience, or perhaps a group envisioning an afternoon spent sipping alongside one of the property’s bocce ball courts.
Guests familiar with the original Dry Creek Road winery location might experience a sense of familiarity when stepping into the space at Bacchus Landing. There’s a fresh take on the label’s eye-catching red wall, a tasting bar that’s arguably a bit more polished, as well as plenty of indoor and outdoor space.
Comstock’s goal is to get folks talking — to winery staff and each other. Expect a collection of classic board games, including Monopoly, Scrabble and Battleship. If Comstock has her way, the striking long table most would assume is for wine tasting, will do double duty as a group gaming space.
“Wine tasting and play some Battleship or Scrabble. Lo-fi it back down,” said Comstock. “Get people off their phones and back communicating again.”
The tasting room is expected to open any day, depending on permit approval. Aug. 22 marks the ninth anniversary of the opening of the family’s original winery, founded by Kelly’s parents, Bob and Sandy Comstock.
The piazza at Bacchus Landing in Healdsburg. (Courtesy of Bacchus Landing)
“I’m just really excited about all of it. I’m really excited about connecting with in guests in a different way than we can on the estate,” said Comstock. “And I’m excited actually for all of my neighbors. It’s going to be really nice to have some neighbors where we get to say, ‘Hey, go right over there and see them.’ They’re phenomenal and know that [guests are] going to be incredibly taken care of.”
Open Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bonus perks include a large parking lot and several electric vehicle charging stations.
The beer menu is written on a large chalkboard behind the bar at Crooked Goat Brewing, in Sebastopol, on Wednesday, October 12, 2016. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat)
Beer has come a long way from the days when the only choices available were light or regular. In the past two decades, the flavors and styles on tap have grown into a booming industry that now satisfies patrons thirsty for fruity saisons, triple IPAs and barrel aged sours.
Craft beer, once a niche market for a community of homebrewers and beer aficionados, has spilled out across the nation in record numbers. As of 2018, there are more than 5,500 breweries in the country creating unique and flavorful concoctions of hops, malt and yeast.
Sonoma County, and Santa Rosa in particular, reigns supreme in this golden age of beer with riches in the form of world-renowned craft breweries. With an ever-growing number of first-class beer venues to choose from, it can be hard for beer-lovers to plan their Sonoma suds adventures. For first-time visitors wondering where to start, we present a sampling of our favorite local breweries below. Cheers!
Will Poole, right, and his son Russ Poole enjoy some craft brews at HenHouse Brewing Company’s tasting room in Santa Rosa. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)
HenHouse Brewing Company, Santa Rosa/Petaluma
For beer aficionados, a handful of craft breweries make Sonoma County stand out – among them is HenHouse. HenHouse co-founders Collin McDonnell and Scott Goyne founded the brewery in 2012, and sold bottled beers exclusively at the Petaluma brewery. Four years later, they opened a Santa Rosa taproom; an industrial space featuring free popcorn and the Red Horse Pizza food truck out front.
Now in its sixth year, HenHouse continues to churn out the kind of ales, sours and stouts that attract beer snobs from near and far. Their HenHouse IPA and Chemtrails IPA are two of the best IPAs we’ve tried and the limited-release Big Chicken DIPA is one of the most sought after brews made in Sonoma County. HenHouse is opening a second taproom, in Petaluma, during the first quarter of 2018.
322 Bellevue Ave. Santa Rosa; 1333 N. McDowell Blvd. Petaluma, henhousebrewing.com
Cooperage Brewing Company, Santa Rosa
Cooperage head brewer and Orange County transplant, Tyler Smith has turned a decade of brewing in a garage into one of the premier craft breweries in one of the premier craft brewery locations in the world.
The brewery, located in an industrial warehouse, has become a favorite destination for beer enthusiasts looking for unique and well crafted pale ales – The Wyatt Terp is a must-try for IPA lovers. Cooperage also features food trucks for the hungry, a giant projector screen for sports fans and an arcade machine with joystick classics for those looking for some old-school fun.
Fraser Ross pours a beer for the Friday crowd at Fogbelt Brewing Company in Santa Rosa. (Conner Jay/The Press Democrat)
Fogbelt Brewing Company, Santa Rosa
Founded in 2013 by Paul Hawley and Remy Martin, Fogbelt Brewing Company is another reason why Santa Rosa is repeatedly named a top of craft beer destination. Like the name of the brewery, Fogbelt’s brews pay tribute to the North Coast – each flagship beer is named after a coastal redwood tree.
From the crisp Atlas Blonde Ale to the robust Armstrong Stout, beer flights connoisseurs will not be disappointed with what’s on tap. The brewery is also host to one of the best brewery kitchens we’ve encountered: try the fish tacos with pickled radish and chipotle crema.
Moonlight head brewer Brian Hunt is old school. Hunt was crafting brews before there was even a craft beer industry, and his Moonlight Brewing became the first microbrewery in Santa Rosa when it opened in 1992.
The Moonlight brewery process relies on a no-frills approach: sight, smell and taste determine when a beer is ready and barley, grains and herbs make up the main ingredients. A sip on a Moonlight beer will bring you back to a time when the beer world was not dominated by hoppy IPAs; and the San Francisco-style, black lager “Death and Taxes” will make the previously pure join the dark side, for sure.
Southern California residents Daniel and Erin Anne Wegman at the Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Russian River Brewing Company, Santa Rosa
What is there to say that has not already been said about this Santa Rosa brewing behemoth? Russian River has won just about every beer award you can win, garnered worldwide fame and sent beer lovers into a February frenzy for the past 19 years with limited-release Pliny the Younger.
While the brewery’s hoppy Plinys (Younger and Elder) are definitely worth a try, the less intense, well-balanced and flavorful Blind Pig IPA should also be included on your beer bucket list. An added, and sometimes overlooked, bonus is the family-friendly atmosphere at the brewery (including a kids menu). But leave junior at home for the annual Pliny pilgrimage, no kid (and few adults) want to wait in line for hours.
Founder Kevin Robinson spent 10 years plowing through the beer and wine industry before he opened his own Santa Rosa brewery in 2015, originally called Plow Brewing Co. until changing the name to Iron Ox in 2020. While Iron Ox may not enjoy the kind of ballyhoo other breweries on this list do, that’s no loss to Robinson; as the brewery website states: “We are not ones to follow the trend or make beer for the masses. We make beer for us.”
Iron Ox brews without chemicals, extracts or finings (a compound agent added to beer to improve clarity or adjust flavor/aroma), making every beer vegan-friendly. The taproom is small and the intimate atmosphere makes this an ideal spot for escaping the crowds while relaxing with a cold one. Order the Sonoma Coast Pils and Steel Share IPA.
3334 Industrial Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-843-4583, ironoxbeer.com
Maryana Bustamonte serves up a round of samplers at the popular Lagunitas Taproom in Petaluma. (JOHN BURGESS / Sonoma Magazine)
Lagunitas Brewing Company, Petaluma
A North Bay staple for the past two decades, Lagunitas continues to impress beer aficionados by producing one-of-a-kind, boundary-pushing interpretations of traditional brews with heavy hitting flavor. Flagship classics include Little Sumpin’, Lagunitas Pils, Aunt Sally, Hop Stoopid and Brown Shugga. Lagunitas’ Petaluma location provides one of the best atmospheres to enjoy a beer with a live music venue, inviting outdoor patio, full kitchen, photo booth and gift shop.
1280 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma, 707-284-1020, lagunitas.com
Old Caz Beer, Rohnert Park
Just four months after opening a new brewpub in Rohnert Park’s SOMO Village, Old Caz Beer’s One Way IPA took second place at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival. If that isn’t enough reason to visit Old Caz, then its rotating lineup of stellar food trucks are sure to entice. The food trucks that frequent the brewpub include the Japanese-style Shokakko, pizza pop-up Gabacool Provisons and local brothers-owned Galvan’s Eatery. There’s nothing quite like washing down birria tacos with a crisp IPA.
1500 Valley House Drive, Suite 110, Rohnert Park, 707-665-6668, oldcaz.com
Barrel Brothers Brewing Company, Windsor
Barrel Brothers, like the name implies, is a family affair. The brewery was founded by brothers-in-law, Wesley Deal and Daniel Weber, and their father-in-law, Tom Sather in 2015. Considering themselves akin to alchemists, the family concocts magical potions from water, grain, hops and yeast. Their beers run the spectrum from light to dark. The “Blonde Voyage” Belgian ale makes for an ideal barbecue beverage, while the “Dark Sarcasm” porter is packed with chocolate, mocha and vanilla. Their “Naughty Hops” IPA is brewed with their revolutionary, ‘Hop Spanker’ technology. The Windsor tap room may be on the small side for some, but there are plenty of fresh beers on tap to enjoy.
The beer menu is written on a large chalkboard behind the bar at Crooked Goat Brewing, in Sebastopol, on Wednesday, October 12, 2016. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat)
Crooked Goat Brewing, Sebastopol
If you like to wet your whistle with some wheat brew, then Crooked Goat is the place for you. This Sebastopol brewery crafts unique wheat ales infused with flavors from honey, blackberries, raspberries – even bubblegum (featured in the aptly named “Bazooka Joe”). Crooked Goat also boasts a selection of hoppy, high ABV percentage IPAs, such as the West Coast-style “Ibex” and the apricot- and vanilla infused “Foggy Notion” DIPA. Brewmaster Will Erickson and crew took Crooked Goat from a garage to the ten barrel system taproom at the Barlow, winning The People’s Choice Award at the Santa Rosa Battle of the Brews in 2015. The brewery features free live music every Saturday from 3 to 5 p.m.
Tim Goeppinger isn’t afraid to experiment. As the head brewer at Sonoma Springs Brewing Company, the only brewery located in the city of Sonoma, Goeppinger continues to expand his lineup of California and German style beers – and he’s prolific in his production. Beginning of last year, he released seven new beers in two months. In keeping with the craft beer trend, all Sonoma Springs brews have catchy names: “Juicy in the Sky,” “Women Are Smarter,” and “SonomaComa” are a few examples. With over twenty fresh beers on tap, there’s plenty to choose from at the taproom.
