Leah Scurto, co-owner and executive pizza maker, at PizzaLeah in Windsor, on Wednesday, May 27, 2020. (Beth Schlanker)
In Naples, they call it pizza portafoglio, but you can think of it as pizza origami. The portable pocket pizza loved by snacky Neapolitans is coming to Santa Rosa as chef Leah Scurto of PizzaLeah joins Marla Bakery for a one-night dough-down.
Scurto will set up her portable pizza ovens in the Marla courtyard on Davis Street from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, serving up thin pizzas folded into quarters and wrapped in paper for easy street eating.
Marla owners Amy Brown and Joe Wolf will offer up arancini, cucumber melon salad, spumoni and ricotta ice cream to pair with Scurto’s Margherita; marinara and Sungold tomato; or pepperoni with maitake mushroom portafoglio pizzas.
Marla Bakery also offers fried chicken pickups from 5 to 8 p.m. every Friday and winemaker dinners throughout the summer.
Marla Bakery, 208 Davis St., Santa Rosa, 707-852-4091, marlabakery.com
Anamaria Morales, the College Confectionista, opens her pop-up mobile cheesecake truck in downtown Guerneville, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat) 2024
Neither heat nor mechanical issues nor Lazy Bears can keep the College Confectionista’s new cheesecake-mobile from its appointed rounds.
After nearly a year of rehabbing a 1984 postal truck (and covering it with countless cans of cherry red paint), baker and dessert entrepreneur Anamaría Morales has rolled out her first mobile cheesecake dispensary. You’ll recognize it by the giant slice of cheesecake bolted to the top.
On its first day of service last Saturday, Morales sold out her entire inventory of slices in just hours to hungry he-bears attending the annual Lazy Bear Weekend in Guerneville.
“I didn’t even have anything left to sell,” said Morales, who quickly returned to her kitchen for a long day of baking as she geared up for several more days of cheesecake truck adventures parked at Guerneville’s Sonoma Nesting Company (16151 Main St.)
Anamaría Morales, the College Confectionista, opens her pop-up mobile cheesecake truck in downtown Guerneville, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)Anamaría Morales, the College Confectionista, greets Forestville resident Heather Weisheitinger and Walnut the cat at Morales’ pop-up mobile cheesecake truck in downtown Guerneville, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat) 2024
“I knew I wanted to do this, but finding the right truck took a long time,” she said. Then came the restoration, which she mostly did herself.
“Every day, I was at my uncle’s shop for eight hours after baking to work on the truck,” she said. Teacher and cheesecake client Cristy Miranda created the giant slice of cheesecake on top of the truck.
“I had always pictured the truck with a slice of cheesecake on top, and I can’t even tell you how divine the intervention was. I just put it out in the universe,” Morales said.
The cheesecake truck will be slinging slices in Guerneville until Aug. 5, then (hopefully) be at events and festivals throughout Sonoma County.
There’s just one hitch: the truck still needs a bit of mechanical work to get it reliably from one spot to another, and Morales is hoping for a little more divine intervention to get over that hurdle — though she isn’t one to let a little hiccup sideline her for long.
Morales, known as the College Confectionista, received national attention for starting a cheesecake business when she was 18 to fund her education at the University of California Berkeley debt-free. The young Latina comes from a low-income family and was determined to be the first in her family to graduate from college. She has created a foundation to help other low-income Latinas in Sonoma County get college degrees.
Cruess wines co-owners Anthony Beckman, left, and Alissa Lind in Healdsburg on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Erik Castro / For The Press Democrat)
When Anthony Beckman and Alissa Lind decided to launch their own small wine label, inspiration wasn’t hard to find.
Lind’s great-great uncle, William Cruess, is a giant of early California winemaking, a mentor to giants like Robert Mondavi and Charles Krug, and the author of a seminal 1934 textbook on winemaking practices that is still used by present-day UC Davis enology students.
“Everyone had lost so much winemaking knowledge during the 18 years of Prohibition, so his expertise was really valued,” explains Beckman.
Beckman and Lind both grew up in small towns and moved to Sonoma decades ago to get into the wine industry. Beckman worked a number of local harvest jobs before going back to school and finally landing a coveted winemaker position at Santa Rosa’s Balletto Vineyards in 2007.
Cruess winery co-owners Anthony Beckman, left, and Alissa Lind in Healdsburg on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Erik Castro / for The Press Democrat)
In 2014, Beckman began touring a few vineyards to see if they felt like a good fit for a small winemaking project on the side. That’s when he discovered some Fiano grapes at Bowland Vineyard in the Russian River Valley.
“Alissa and I used to drink a lot of Fiano in the early 2000s, so I was excited to find some planted in the Russian River Valley,” says Beckman. “It’s an Italian grape that has some weight and a savoriness, and it paired with every food we ate. When I came across that Fiano vineyard, I knew it would make Cruess’s wine number one.”
Beckman says Balletto Vineyards owner John Balletto has been “super supportive” of the Cruess Wine brand, allowing Beckman the use of Balletto’s facilities. “I never have to hop in my car and check on a barrel somewhere,” says Beckman. “Everything is right here.”
Today, Cruess produces about 1,100 cases of wine per year. “We are 100% Sonoma County, so for us it all comes down to buying local, eating local and drinking local,” says Beckman. “There are so many top-level growers here. We don’t want to go anywhere else.”
Cruess wines co-owners Alissa Lind, left, and Anthony Beckman in Healdsburg on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Erik Castro / for The Press Democrat)
With Pinot Noir fruit out of his price range, Beckman focuses on “statement wines” that stand out from the crowd. That means skin-fermented Gewürztraminer, Provençal-style Grenache rosé and old vine Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast.
“Our focus isn’t on certain varietals, but rather on producing wines that show purity, authenticity and thoughtfulness,” explains Beckman. “I want our wines to make people say, ‘Wow, someone worked really hard to make this wine.’ That’s what we’re after.”
“It’s so important that we find the right vineyards and the right people to work with, so we can make the wines we want to. That is going to take some time,” Beckman says. “At the end of the day, I want our wines to be a statement about Sonoma County and what we think is beautiful and delicious.”
Curious juvenile river otter pups splash around in the aquatic rehabilitation pond at Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue in Cotati. (photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Baby river otters can’t swim.
It’s true: even though they need fresh water to survive, pups are not born with the instinct or ability to navigate their namesake environment. They must be taught to move, dive and hunt in water. Much like human babies, they may even require some encouragement.
“The mothers bring them down to the water and swim around with them. They force them into the water. They grab them by their leg, or their ear, or whatever. They put them into the water and teach them to swim,” explains Megan Isadore, executive director of the Marin-based River Otter Ecology Project.
Lessons begin when the pups are a few months old — which is right about now. Born mid-February through mid-April, young river otters begin dipping their webbed toes in the waters of adulthood, as it were, at the same time locals begin taking to our waterways en masse.
Meet-cutes are inevitable. But it’s important to remember that these playful river-dwellers are also learning valuable life skills.
Juvenile river otter pups snuggle up in the aquatic rehabilitation pond at Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue in Cotati. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
“People need to be really aware when they’re around baby otters not to get close to them and not to get between them and their mothers,” Isadore says. “River otters are extremely adorable, and they’re clickbait for photographers. But the rule of thumb is that if the otters are looking at you, you’re too close. Use a big lens and back off.”
River otters live all over Sonoma County, a testament to the value of our open spaces and clear waters — from the coast, where they usually hang around the mouths of creeks and rivers; to the interior hills and valleys, where they may be spotted frolicking in vineyard ponds; to the top of the Mayacamas, in parks like Hood Mountain and Sugarloaf Ridge. Another favorite habitat is the Laguna de Santa Rosa, and particularly Santa Rosa Creek, where paths on both sides offer ample viewing opportunities.
River otters were once thought to be lost from much of the rest of the region as a result of trapping, pollution and habitat loss. But today, the outlook is strong.
“They’re very adaptable and very opportunistic,” Isadore says. “They’re becoming an increasingly urban animal all over the Bay Area. River otters here are doing great.”
Even if the babies still need a little help learning to swim.
Late abstract expressionist painter and community activist Arthur Monroe. (Courtesy of Sonoma Valley Museum of Art)
“Arthur Monroe: A Tow to Carry” is a bold new show at Sonoma Valley Museum of Art well worth a visit this summer.
The late abstract expressionist painter and community activist was an important member of the Beat circle in San Francisco’s North Beach and later set up one of the first live-work studios in the landmark Oakland Cannery.
He was dear friends with musician Charlie Parker and closely connected to other abstract painters, including Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Hans Hofmann. Curated in part by the artist’s son, Alastair Monroe, this is the first major show of Monroe’s vibrant, spirited canvases in nearly two decades.
The exhibition of Monroe’s work — over 25 pieces from 1958 to 2011 — runs through Sept. 8 at the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art.
The museum is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. General admission is $10 and free for SVMA members and those 18 and under. Admission is free every Wednesday.
Mina Stess, skateboarder from Petaluma, at a skateboarding competition in Dubai. (Bryce Kanights/Courtesy Andrew Stess)
When Minna Stess was younger, she watched Olympic swimming and gymnastics on television. Never did she imagine that the sport she loved most — skateboarding — could one day propel her to that level of elite competition.
Stess, a Petaluma native, couldn’t have foreseen that skateboarding would one day be featured in the world’s greatest games, or that she might be skating with the best of the best.
“I never thought skating would become an Olympic sport, so it’s kind of crazy to think about,” says Stess. “It’s so cool that I have the opportunity to get this close.”
Now 18, Stess has already achieved the amazing, if not the impossible. She is currently the No. 3 ranked female Park Skate competitor in the U.S., and No. 13 in the world. She’s also set to compete in the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Petaluma’s Minna Stess competes in the Rio Park and Street World Championships in Rio de Janeiro earlier in October 2022. (Photo by Bryce Kanights)
Stess’s Olympic event, Park Skate, takes place on a bowl-shaped course with sloping ramps, quarter pipes and bumps in a test of speed, momentum and aerial maneuvers. It differs from the other Olympic skateboarding event, Street Skate, in the type of obstacles. Both Park and Street skateboarding were added to the Olympic roster for the 2020 Tokyo games.
The Women’s Park Skate events at the Paris games are scheduled for Aug. 6. Judges score as individual skaters perform three 45-second runs, with each skater’s best score from all three runs used to determine the winners.
Stess began skateboarding while still in diapers and was winning major amateur competitions by the time she was 8 years old. The local prodigy first competed in the X Games at just 11 years old.
More recently, she made a name for herself as a world-class park skate competitor. In 2021, she won gold at the 2021 USA National Championships’ Women’s Park competition, putting her among the top two women in the U.S. for the event, and among the top 15 in the world.
Petaluma skateboarder Mina Stess, 18, at a skateboarding competition in Dubai. (Bryce Kanights/Courtesy Andrew Stess)
Stess made her mark again by earning a bronze medal at the World Skateboarding Championship last October, becoming the first American ever to medal in the women’s event.
This past spring’s final Olympic qualifying stretch has been “nerve-racking.” Stess competed in the final pair of qualifier series competitions — in Shanghai May 16-19 and in Budapest June 20-23 — and ranked in each No. 16 and No. 13, respectively.
Shanghai “was a cool experience,” Stess says, “but it was definitely a lot.”
“These last two series have more points, so it’s a lot more pressure,” she explains. As of late June, Stess qualified for this summer’s Olympic Games.
Stess is one of at least three Olympians with ties to Sonoma County competing in the Paris games. Freestyle BMX rider Nikita Ducarroz was raised in Glen Ellen and competes for the Swiss national team. And Forestville’s Stephen Tomasin, a former collegiate All-American, is a member of the men’s national rugby sevens team.
Summer is in full swing and Sonoma County hotel properties are giving folks near and far a plethora of reasons to plan a trip to Wine Country. From renovations and re-openings, to pool parties and craft cocktails, here are nine options worth adding to your summer to-do list.
Small But Mighty
The Stavrand is the first and only Sonoma County hotel to be welcomed into the Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) portfolio. SLH is comprised of 570 independent hotels in over 90 countries; every property is visited, verified and vetted.
Guest room in the Cazadero House at The Stavrand Russian River Valley. (Courtesy of The Stavrand)
Dating back to the early 1920s, the Guerneville property includes the local landmark Belden House, a Mission Revival home designed by architect John Carl Warnecke as a country retreat for Guerneville banker Ralph “Rooster” Belden and his family. It was converted into a bed and breakfast in the early 1980s. The hotel features 21 renovated rooms in three buildings. 13555 Highway 116, Guerneville, 707-869-9093, thestavrand.com
Cheers to Curated Cocktails
Farmhouse Inn is shaking up summer with the introduction of a new craft cocktail program. Long known for its extensive wine list, the boutique hotel in Forestville never offered cocktails until now. A couple of our favorite current offerings include the Porch Swing with vodka and housemade lavender lemonade ($17) and Gin & Juice with gin, elderflower and Gewurztraminer grape juice ($17). Expect new things to sip as the seasons change, with herbs and flowers grown on property thrown into the mix. 7871 River Road, Forestville, 707-887-3300, farmhouseinn.com
Personalized, Epicurean Experiences
The list of reasons to head to Healdsburg for dinner just keeps getting longer. Studio Cellar DCK is the latest culinary creation from chef Charlie Palmer and Dry Creek Kitchen executive chef Shane McAnelly. Held in Hotel Healdsburg’s Wine Library, the private dining experience digs deep into the likes and dislikes of guests to create a personalized seven-course food and wine tasting menu.
Inspired by the season, menus will always vary, but think offerings the likes of a dayboat scallop served with parsnip, Preston Farm’s strawberry, vanilla bean and verjus, along with akamutsu crudo with cucumber, green coriander, radish and sea bean.
Pastry chef Taylor Kelley delivers a sweet ending with desserts like her Valrhona chocolate cheesecake with almond rocher, mascarpone mousse and cherry gel; wine director Jon Macklem pairs each course with a Sonoma County wine.
Studio Cellar DCK is available Wednesday through Saturday evenings for a minimum of six and a maximum of 10 guests. Cost is $295 per person, including the wine pairing. Tax and gratuity is extra. 317 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-431-0330, drycreekkitchen.com
Papas with chili salt, avocado crema, chives, sesame seeds and smoked trout roe from Arandas. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Bienvenidos Arandas!
The former Chalkboard space inside Hotel Les Mars in Healdsburg has been re-imagined and reopened as Arandas, a Mexican-inspired eatery. Leading the kitchen is chef Adrien Nieto, perhaps best known for his appearances on “MasterChef” in 2011. Many of the dishes on the menu have a story; the recipe for Salsa de Alma comes from Nieto’s mother, while the Papas (seasoned potatoes) were inspired by a dish Nieto apparently tasted at a bar in Oaxaca.
We recommend opting for the Chef’s Tasting Menu. Ask for it. It wasn’t on the menu when we visited, but was offered word of mouth. It’s a tasty way to try a little bit of everything. 29 North St., Healdsburg, 707-473-8030, arandashealdsburg.com
Public Art Project
A temporary mural by local artist Maria de Los Angeles is set to be unveiled Aug. 23 at Harmon Guest House in Healdsburg. Raised in Santa Rosa, the artist is working with the public to create the mural; a series of workshops were held earlier this month during which community members learned new painting techniques and contributed ideas for the temporary work of art.
The mural and artwork from the community gatherings will be on view at Harmon Guest House through Nov. 15.227 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-922-5449, harmonguesthouse.com
Make a Splash
Every Sunday afternoon through the end of September, the Flamingo Resort & Spa is hosting DJ parties at its central pool. A different DJ will perform every week. Tickets (from $51.07) are available via Eventbrite. Don’t forget your swimsuit and a towel. 2777 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-545-8530, flamingoresort.com
Celebrating 50 Years
The Sandman is turning 50. To mark the milestone, the Santa Rosa hotel, located just off Highway 101, is holding a 1970s-themed party on Saturday, Aug. 24. The public is welcome to attend for free with RSVP. 3421 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-293-2100, sandmansantarosa.com
A redesigned room at El Dorado Hotel & Kitchen in Sonoma. (Courtesy of Mariana Calderon Photography)
Fresh New Look
Sonoma’s El Dorado Hotel & Kitchen is showing off its 27 redesigned guest rooms, and its takeout-only EDK Cantina is also back at it, serving a Mexican and Latin-inspired menu including quesabirria tacos, nachos and sopes. (Hotel guests can enjoy EDK Cantina’s menu poolside.)
Located steps off Sonoma Plaza, the refresh is the first of a two-phase renovation project. Come January, public spaces including the lobby, pool and El Dorado Kitchen will get a facelift.
Built in the mid-1800s, the El Dorado Hotel & Kitchen is a National Historic Landmark. The property was once the home of Salvador Vallejo, Gen. Mariano Vallejo’s brother, and among other things a college, before becoming a hotel. 405 First St. West, Sonoma, 707-996-3030, eldoradosonoma.com
New Glampground
The Russian River’s Wildhaven Sonoma has opened a second location, just under an hour’s drive (without traffic) from the Arch Rock Entrance to Yosemite National Park. The 36-acre property, located a mile from the national park gateway town of Mariposa, features 30 platform tents and a dozen cabins. With the feel of a tiny home, the cabin accommodations feature electricity, heat and air-conditioning, so they’ll be available to book year-round. Cabins also boast kitchenettes and bathrooms.
Starting rates for glamping tents is $99; cabin rates begin at $199. 4808 Highway 140, Mariposa, 209-966-4808, wildhavenyosemite.com
Paris Brest and a creamy canele at Sarmentine Bakery in Petaluma. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
As a line snakes out the door of the recently-opened Sarmentine Bakery in Petaluma — its third location now in the county — it’s easy to forget that co-owner Alexandra Zandvliet began her baking career as a pandemic hobby in her home kitchen.
In 2021, the Santa Rosa bakery (52 Mission Circle) quickly became a beacon for the croissant and cafe au lait-set with an ever-expanding lineup of cream puffs, éclairs, butter and ham baguettes, croissants, olive bread and dozens of other sweet and savory treats. A bakery at the Barlow in Sebastopol followed in 2023 and now the Petaluma Boulevard North location expands the floury empire.
Paris Brest and a creamy canele at Sarmentine Bakery in Petaluma. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
The spacious new location is populated by a drool-worthy collection of bakery cases piled with cream-filled desserts like Paris Brest (pate a choux filled with praline cream) and Mille-Feuille, chocolate croissants, brioche buns, fruit tarts (the passion fruit is a favorite) and Madeleines. Tiny caneles have a sticky, crunchy crust and custardy center that buckle my knees with happiness.
The block seems to be a draw for French cuisine, with the recently-opened Brigitte Bistro across the street. A weekend brunch is in the works and there may be a few more surprises under Sarmentine’s beret. Petaluma’s hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday to Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Pulled pork sandwich on a brioche bun at War Pigs Craft Kitchen in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
“Life’s too short to eat sh—y barbecue” is the saucy motto for pitmaster Larry Hillix’s roving barbecue catering company War Pigs. It’s a worthy mantra for his new War Pigs Craft Kitchen in Santa Rosa.
The 12-hour smoked barbecue pulled pork sandwich on toasted brioche ($15) is a serious contender for my new favorite sandwich. It’s a stunner with piles of crispy pork bark and velvety shreds of meat topped with tangy red sauce. Order some mouth-puckering mustard sauce and spicy horseradish for dipping into any straggling bites of meat that fall onto your tray.
Dirty Fries at War Pigs Craft Kitchen, a barbecue restaurant in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
Or skip the bun for the all-encompassing Dirty Fries ($16), a jumble of skinny French fries plunged into a warm bath of cheese, barbecue sauce, pulled pork and coleslaw. Fried Brussels ($5) are a petite but satisfying side tossed with Balsamic vinegar for a hint of sweet, salty shaved Parmesan and bacon atop the crispy leaves. I’m also a fan of the creamy slaw.
It will take a few more trips to taste through the rest of the menu, featuring smoked chicken wings, griddled pork tacos, sliders, onion rings, fried chicken, a smoked turkey club and house-ground burger. Excellent prices for massive portions make it an even better deal.
War Pigs Craft Kitchen is inside The Clubhouse Bar & Grill run by the former owners of Whiskey Tip bar. It replaces Westside Grill, closed in 2020. War Pigs Craft Kitchen is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Geyserville home of the late pioneering winemaker Chris Bilbro is currently on the market. The 4,100-square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bathroom dwelling, on 40 Alexander Valley AVA acres, is listed for $3,995,000.
After founding Marietta Cellars in 1978, Bilbro ushered in tastes for bold red California wine through his signature blend, “Old Vine Red,” made of grapes from old vineyards that other winemakers dismissed as outdated, according to a story in Wine Spectator.
Fittingly, Bilbro’s property includes a 9-acre Cabernet vineyard, a 1990-replant of a century-old vineyard that belonged to Marietta Cellars. Though the vineyard is now part of the estate, it is currently managed by the winery.
The home, pool and grounds. (California Property Photos)
The home, built in 2004, is made of thick, insulating Rastra walls, a concrete composite material, finished in stucco on the exterior and elegant plaster inside. Exposed beams and weighty window and door trims are made of repurposed wood from a Yorkville tobacco-drying barn.
The stairway is built from upcycled wine staves from Marietta wine barrels. Modern light fixtures gracefully cap off the rustic grand style. The great room’s 20-foot wall of windows seamlessly connects the indoors to the outside.
The backyard features a pool, olive and fruit trees, and raised garden beds. Lounging and dining areas plus an outdoor kitchen offer space to savor the setting, good food and the yields of those old red grapes.
For more information on this home at 22355 Chianti Road in Geyserville, contact listing agent Ann Amtower, Compass Real Estate, ann.amtower@compass.com, 707-328-9364, compass.com
