Nice patterns in summer weight fabrics from Woolrich.
Just off the square in downtown Healdsburg is Everywear; a small shop filled to the brim with seasonal clothing, shoes, accessories, and hats. Catering to men, women, and children, this shop is popular with locals and tourists alike.
Checking out the sale rack of sundresses. My watermelon bag by Bando is actually an insulated cooler!
Sure you can pick up a Kate Spade handbag a block away at a boutique on the Square, but where can you nab a package of kids’ cotton underwear or a pair of water-friendly shoes before you head to the river? Everywear has you covered. And will save you from making a trip to a big box store so you can enjoy lunch downtown instead.
I swore I’d never wear Crocs but these new styles are feminine and surprisingly comfy.
Everywear is all about comfort and function, with some fun thrown in for good measure. You can find Crocs for the entire family including the latest styles for women: platform sandals, ballet flats and mary janes. There’s a variety of bathing suits for children, summer hats for men and women, and sunglasses from Ray-Ban. Even water wings for the little ones!
Nice patterns in summer weight fabrics from Woolrich.
With high quality brands Woolrich and Royal Robin, outdoor enthusiasts will love the variety of patterns available this season—lightweight plaids and florals are very popular—on top of smart features like linen fabrics with built in UV protection. Bohemian gals will love the easy, flowing sundresses from Papillion. Women’s sizes range from XS to 2X, and men’s sizes go to 2X with pants up to a 44-inch waist.
Make your own fabric belt complete with personalized buckle.
Interested in personalizing? Add an accessory. Everyone needs a bandana and here you’ll find one in every color imaginable. Have a custom cloth belt made in any color you choose with silver or black buckles available with your initial. Lightweight scarves are a stylish choice for our changing weather in Sonoma County. Everywear has everything you need for the summer.
Check out the gallery below for inspiration. Photography by Tenaya Fleckenstein
Hats for men, women and children.Pick a color and create a belt!Silly socks for men and women, including a pair that comes with 3D glasses!Wide selection of kids’ seasonal shoes including rain boots and Crocs.Comfy tunic as swimsuit cover-up or for lounging. Yes, pockets!A rainbow of bandanas and cloth belt options to the right.Funny shirts for men make a memorable gift or souvenir.Love the color palette and style of these Crocs.
A burger is at its best with a sassy wine, one that’s tangy and bright enough to cut through the rich protein in a beef patty. We’ve scouted for the best burger reds to set you up for the holiday.
We found plenty 5 tasty options (see list below) – our top burger pick is the Cline 2014 Contra Costa County Ancient Vines Mourvedre at $22. This Rhone red’s concentrated cherry flavors and high-toned note of cranberry make it a great match for burgers. Subtle flavors of plum, toast and chocolate are also at play, giving the wine layered appeal. It’s balanced, with good acidity and has nice length, scoring 4 stars with the burger, and 3.5 stars solo.
Winemaker Charlie Tsegeletos said he is intent on crafting a certain house style by relying on old vines that date back to the early 1900s.
“Our mourvedre is big in body, with lots of cherry flavor, nicely oaked but not overwhelming,” he said.
Cline Winemaker Charlie Tsegeletos.
Tsegeletos is the director of winemaking for Sonoma’s Cline Family Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyards. He said what makes him a great fit to make this wine is that he fancies the beverage.
“I like to drink wine, and I pay attention to what it is that I like in wines specifically,” he said. “I have a mental check list of 12 different tastes and aromas that need to be in balance to make good wine. Fruit, acid, sugar and oak are four of them.”
The winemaker said he isn’t swayed by pricey wines, but rather by well-crafted wines.
“I don’t do ‘wine snob’ very well. The wine might have a great lineage, but if it isn’t good, I’d rather drink a well-made $15 bottle,” said Tsegeletos, 59.
He has a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture science and management from UC Davis and said he was drawn to winemaking after tasting a glass of Charles Krug Reserve Cabernet, vintage 1974.
“It turned my head as to how good a wine could taste, and it made me think, ‘I really like this stuff!’ ”
Tsegeletos said winemaking also appealed to him because he likes working on mechanical things. Of course, at the end of the day, Tsegeletos gets the most gratification from pouring a glass for someone who has never tasted mourvedre before.
For the uninitiated, the exotic red was originally a Spanish varietal and made its way to America in the 1900s.
“They might not know how to pronounce it and they might not remember it, but when they taste it, they love it,” he said.
Chef Domenica Catelli’s Blended Burger (50-50 mix of house-ground beef and a blend of shiitake, cremini and dried porcini mushrooms, with arugula and pickled maitake and enoki mushrooms on top, served with Domenica’s signature kale salad, at Catelli’s restaurant in Geyserville (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)
THIS WEEK’S BLIND TASTING: Burger Reds
Top Pick
Cline, 2014 Contra Costa County Ancient Vines Mourvedre, 15% alcohol, $22. (★★★1/2 solo, ★★★★ with burger)
This is knockout with a burger, thanks to this Rhone red’s concentrated cherry flavors and high-toned note of cranberry. It cuts through the rich protein. Subtle flavors of plum, toast and chocolate are also at play, giving the wine layered appeal. Balanced, with good acidity. Nice length. A smart burger pick.
4 Tasty Alternatives
Hart’s Desire, 2014 Russian River Valley Grenache, 14.4%, $30. (★★★1/2 solo, ★★★1/2 with burger): A tasty burger pick due to this wine’s tangy red fruit. Aromas and flavors of strawberry, plum and pomegranate. Lingering finish.
Mathis, 2012 Sonoma Valley Grenache, 14.6%, $27. (★★★ solo, ★★★ with burger): This grenache, weighted to blackberry and plum, is a tasty wine solo, but itf falls short with the burger. The wine includes a hint of strawberry, black cherry and black pepper spice.
Joel Gott, 2014 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir, 13.6%, $21. (★★★1/2 solo, ★★★1/2 with burger): This is a good burger match, and also is tasty solo. A soft pinot, with notes of cherry and smoke. Bright acidity. Balanced.
Stephen Vincent, 2013 Sonoma County Pinot Noir, 13.5%, $15. (★★★1/2 solo, ★★★1/2 with burger): This is a tasty quaffer by itself, and equally appealing with a burger, with. This pinot has notes of cherry, blackberry, toast and pepper. Medium bodied. A smart value.
Hello summer! As the sizzling season arrives with meltingly hot days and everlasting nights, thoughts turn to ice cream and its cousins, gelato and sorbet, to cool things down.
In honor of the 31 flavors of Baskin Robbins (natch) or maybe just because July has 31 days to enjoy a cool lick, we’ve put together a list of 31 ice creams you should check out, because one man’s rocky road is another’s Meyer lemon sorbet.
Keep in mind, flavors change up seasonally and sometimes daily, so if you’re really dying for a particular favorite, be sure to call first.
So let’s get to scooping…
Artisans
Guerneville Bank Club featuring Chile Pies and Nimble and Finn’s Ice Cream. Photo Heather Irwin
1. Bourbon bacon brittle ice cream at Nimble and Finn’s. There’s a reason why river-goers line up for some of the best ice cream in Sonoma County. Nimble and Finn’s cheeky by-the-scoop flavors also include white nectarine lemon thyme sorbet, lavender honey comb and cinnamon cookie. Go a la mode with a slice of sweet apple and cherry pie with a drizzle of chile-infused honey from nearby Chile Pies. Guerneville Bank Club, 16290 Main St., Guerneville, 666-9411, or on Sundays at Santa Rosa’s West End Farmers Market at Railroad Square.
Lime coconut ice cream at Noble Folk in Healdsburg with dehydrated raspberries. Heather Irwin
2. Coconut Lime ice cream at Noble Folk Ice Cream and Pie Bar. It’s worth a special trip, along with unique flavors like cardamom, blackberry rosemary, cookie butter and Swiss chocolate, each inspired by local produce and the seasons. The menu changes frequently. 116 Matheson St., Healdsburg, 529-2162.
3. Meyer lemon ice cream at Healdsburg Shed. Small batch ice creams in exotic seasonal flavors at the coffee bar. 25 North St., Healdsburg, 431-7433.
4. Lavender fig ice cream at Sweet Scoops. Sonomans are crazy for this homemade ice cream spot on the square, which always has 22 flavors, from simple vanilla to lemon custard and Mexican chocolate. 408 First St. East, Sonoma, 721-1187.
On Wheels
5. Apricot-almond frozen ice pop by Real Cool Frozen Treats. Don’t call these Popsicles. Chef Maria DeCorpo’s ice cream cart is stocked with pops made from seasonal produce and organic ingredients, flavors like melon-mint, lemon and key lime, strawberry and Mexican chocolate. She’s a regular at the Wednesday night market in Santa Rosa and the Rohnert Park Farmer’s Market on Fridays. facebook.com/realcoolfrozentreats.
Pineapple whip float at Trader Jim’s at Off the Grid in Santa Rosa on 6/16. Heather Irwin/PD
6. Pineapple whips at Trader Jim’s. This little retro camper does only one thing, a little aloha in a cup. It is non-dairy soft-serve that you can get with or without a float of fresh pineapple juice. Off The Grid, Sundays from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Coddingtown Mall in Santa Rosa. facebook.com/traderjimsfloats.
Childhood Memories
7. Daiquiri ice at Baskin Robbins. You can’t say 31 flavors without thinking of this classic ice cream spot. 282 Coddingtown Center, 544-9516, or baskinrobbins.com.
8. Root beer float at Foster’s Freeze. This old school burger and ice cream spot is all about the memories. Maybe because you’ve walked there, or your mom and dad took you in the family wagon, or it’s just Tuesday. 1400 Fourth St., Santa Rosa.
Noble Folk Ice Cream Cart (from the Facebook page)
9. Olive oil ice cream at Screaming Mimi’s. It’s no surprise that Food & Wine magazine has named this Sebastopol ice cream spot one of the best in America. There’s always a line, there are always kids with messy chocolate grins, and there’s always a new flavor to try. When it comes to rich, dark chocolate, there’s always Mimi’s Mud or Deep Dark Secret. 6902 Sebastopol. Ave., Sebastopol, 823-5902.
10. Black cherry amaretto gelato at Häagen-Dazs. Did you know the company’s name was made up by the founders in 1961, and become synonymous with rich, artisan ice creams long before that was a thing? 1071 Santa Rosa Plaza, Santa Rosa, 545-2722.
Yogurt and Gelato
11. Vanilla/chocolate swirl frozen yogurt with maraschino cherries and Sour Patch Kids at Menchie’s. There are more toppings than you can possibly mix in without going into a sugar coma. Pineapple sorbet is another favorite. 2188 Santa Rosa Ave., at Santa Rosa Marketplace. 545-9866.
12. Berry patch tart yogurt at Moxie’s. 8930 Brooks Road, South, Windsor, 836-1665.
13. Classic tart yogurt at Yogurt Farms. It’s just that, classic and tart like real yogurt, lovable it for its simplicity. Get Hawaiian shave ice here as well. 1224 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 576-0737.
14. Taro and milk tea fro yo at Tutti Frutti. Fascinating Asian flavors worth a sample. 1425 Fulton Road, Santa Rosa, 988-3737.
15. Ghirardelli chocolate with pretzels at Honeymoon Frozen Yogurt. This local yogurt shop is a favorite because of its organic ingredients and commitment to local farms. Plus, its open until 10 p.m. 7108 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol, 829-9866.
17. Banana split at Lala’s Creamery. This spot looks like the soda fountains of old, with a marble-topped bar and brick walls, but in addition to the traditional confections, is serves up unique flavors like horchata, honey goat cheese and dairy free lemon curd chia seed. 134 Petaluma Blvd. North, Petaluma, 763-5252.
18. Blackberry swirl at Petaluma Creamery. This historic creamery still makes housemade ice cream along with Spring Hill cheese. Most popular is the lavender ice cream, but Meyer lemon also is a contender. 711 Western Ave., Petaluma, 762-9038.
19. Cookie Sundae at Shuffles Magical Ice Cream Shoppe. Magic and ice cream collide like a tasty Reese’s peanut butter cup at this entertainment venue. Recently relocated to Railroad Square, it has the usual chocolate, cherry and bubblegum flavors along with unique creations like orange tarragon zest, avocado lime, double fudge bacon and espresso chip. 123 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 544-3535.
The Wow Factor
Customized ice cream? Your choice of mix-ins added to ice cream or yogurt are at these ice cream stops.
20. Fudge brownie batter ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery. Yes, it’s a chain, but there’s probably one near you. And sometimes you just need a warm churro sundae. Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park and Petaluma locations, coldstonecreamery.com.
21. Ice cream nachos at Flavors Unlimited. This favorite stop after a long day on the river adds fruit or candies to ice cream. Or you can go whole hog and try the ice cream nachos with ice cream, broken waffle cones, hot fudge, caramel, whipped cream and cherries. 16450 Main St., Guerneville, 869-2927.
Liquid Nitrogen
22. Espresso almond at NitroKarma. Two former social workers have opened this pop-up ice cream shop at Dave’s Market and Deli, stirring up “happy scoops of delicious and delectably darn good delights.” Pick from various add-ins to create a stellar personal creation in seconds. At Dave’s Market 1-9 p.m. Friday through Sunday, 320 W. Third St., Santa Rosa, 542-8333; or at the Wednesday Night Market in Santa Rosa.
Strawberry cheesecake ice cream from SubZero in Sebastopol on 5/22/16. Heather Irwin/PD
23. Fresh strawberry custard with cheesecake pieces at SubZero Ice Cream. Choose your base (yogurt, custard or nondairy), a flavoring and mix-ins that include bubblegum, mints, gummy bears or chocolates. 6760 McKinley St., Sebastopol, 823-9376.
South of the Border
24. Cinnamon tortilla ice cream at Frozen Art. The Alcazars have been making Michoacana-style ice creams since 2011, originally as La Real Michoacana, and they continue to expand their line-up of 40-plus flavors. It now includes maple bacon, lemon olive oil, zinfandel chocolate chip, champagne and Gansito, a Twinkie-like cake popular in Mexico. The family comes from Tocumbo, Mexico’s ice cream-making capital. 500 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa.
Mangonada at Fruta, a puree of mangos with a sour ‘salsa’ of chamoy, lemon juice, salt
25. Mangonada at Fru-Ta. This mango puree is topped by with chamoy, lemon and salt, making it totally crave-worthy. Their unique ice cream flavors include rose petal, guava, tequila, guanaba, chongo zamorano and mamey. 2770 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa, 542-6026, and 279 N. McDowell, Petaluma.
26. Pineapple paletas at La Michoacana. You can’t miss this ice cream spot’s bright pink and orange exterior. It’s best known for fruit paletas, or frozen ice pops. 18495 Highway 12, Sonoma, 938-1773.
A Few More We Had to Add
27. Spicy chocolate at Companey’s Ice Cream Cafe. It’s the favorite flavor. 8252 Old Redwood Hwy., Cotati, 242-6359.
28. Sour plum slush at Quickly. A surprise treat from the Taiwanese bubble tea shop. 1880 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa; 1451 Southwest Blvd., Rohnert Park.
29. Sundae becomes Fundae at Sift. The cupcake place takes two scoops of Three Twins ice cream (salted caramel, brownie, cookies and cream, vanilla), raspberry or chocolate sauce, whipped cream, a cherry and a Sift treat like a macaroon, cookie, cruffle, blondie or cupcake. Three Sonoma County locations (Santa Rosa, Cotati and Petaluma).
30. Strawberry ice cream with real strawberries at Oliver’s Market. Students and weary moms know that there are $1 scoops of ice cream at the coffee counter. Not everyone knows, so impress your friends by buying a round or two. 560 Montecito Center, Santa Rosa, 537-7123.
31. Salted Caramel frozen yogurt at Yogurt Time. It will melt in your mouth and leave you craving more, so get an extra cup for the freezer. 531 Summerfield Road, Santa Rosa, 539-7876.
Did we miss one of your very favorite spots, or flavors? Add you thoughts below. Because no scoop should get left behind.
Looking for a good spot in Sonoma County to watch 4th of July fireworks? According to travel magazine Travel + Leisure, Sonoma is one of America’s best towns for Independence Day celebrations.
Coming in at no. 8, Sonoma scored high for its founding-father-friendly features: the charming main streets and the adobe-lined plaza, the old-fashioned parade and carnival, the grand finale fireworks and, of course, the patriotic feel.
Unsurprisingly, the wine-country town also collected points for its oenophile profile — but readers also approved of the local coffee from sources like Sunflower Caffe Espresso + Wine Bar, located in historic landmark building #501. (Sunflower Caffe recently made Sonoma Magazine’s list of best outdoor dining restaurants in Sonoma County). For the full list, visit Travel + Leisure
Browse the gallery below for highlights from Sonoma’s Old Fashioned 4th of July Parade. Photography by Beth Schlanker.
Whether you’re looking for a small-town bike parade, a symphony concert or a spectacular fireworks show, there’s no better place to celebrate the Fourth of July than Sonoma County.
Here are our picks for the best places to visit over the long holiday weekend:
SATURDAY, July 2
Bodega Bay: Fireworks show over the bay starts at nightfall, Westside Regional Park, 2400 Westshore Rd. visitbodegabayca.com
Monte Rio:Big Rocky Games with inner tube, swimming, potato sack races, ice cream and watermelon eating contests, hula hoop and rock-skipping contests, canoe and kayak races, water balloon toss. Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m., Monte Rio Beach. Firehouse barbecue, Saturday noon to 5 p.m., Monte Rio Firehouse.
Guerneville:Uncle Sam’s River Dance on Main Street, 8 p.m. to midnight, will feature food trucks, wine, beer, craft cocktails, a DJ and a Fourth of July laser show. Suggested donation of $5.
Penngrove:Rancho Adobe Fire Department Pancake Breakfast, 7 to 11 a.m., Rancho Adobe Fires Station, 11000 Main St. All proceeds benefit the Rancho Adobe Fire District. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for kids. For more information, call 795-6011.
Clearlake:Lakeshore Parade presented by the Lions Club, 11 a.m. starting at Redbud Park and ending at Austin Park, where a car show, vendors and entertainment is planned. Fireworks show at nightfall.
SUNDAY, July 3
Monte Rio: Big Rocky Games continue, noon-4 p.m., Monte Rio Beach. Fireworks and parade of lights on the Russian River at dark. monterio.org.
Sebastopol: Sebastopol Kiwanis’ fireworks show. Live music and dancing starts at 6 p.m.; fireworks begin approximately 9:40 p.m. $10 adults, $5 children ages 6-11, free children 5 and under. Analy High School football stadium, 6950 Analy Ave. sebastopolkiwanis.org.
Windsor: Windsor Kaboom Independence Day with music from McKenna Faith and Michael Jackson tribute band Foreverland and fireworks at dusk. From 4 to 10 p.m. at Keiser Park, 700 Windsor River Road. $5 admission, free children under 3. windsorkaboom.com.
Penngrove: Biggest Little Parade in Northern California, 11 a.m. on Main Street in downtown Penngrove. Penngrove Social Firemen’s annual picnic, noon to 4 p.m. at Penngrove Park, 11800 Main St. 794-1516.
MONDAY, July 4
Santa Rosa: The Red, White and Boom festival begins at 3:30 p.m. at the Veteran’s Memorial Building, 1351 Maple Ave., across from the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. There will be bands, food, a watermelon eating contest, bounce houses and face painting. Fireworks start at 9:30 p.m., and the show will be played in sync with music on KZST 100.1 FM. Alcohol is not allowed. Tickets are $10 for ages 12 and up, $5 for veterans and kids 5-11, and free for kids under 5. srboom.com.
Petaluma: Rock & Rockets fireworks show at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma. Gates open at 5 p.m., and British Invasion-themed music starts at 6 p.m. Pride & Joy, a pop and soul band, is headlining. Beer, wine, food and a kid’s play area with a bounce house, rides and games will round out the event. The fireworks show starts about 9:30 p.m. Admission is $5, children under 10 are free.
Rohnert Park: Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular with Steve Tyrell and the Santa Rosa Symphony, conducted by Michael Berkowitz at the Green Music Center at Sonoma State University. Family activities begin on the lawn at 4:30 p.m., including face painting, bounce houses, music and food. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m., with fireworks to follow. gmc.sonoma.edu
Healdsburg: Fireworks begin at dusk at the Healdsburg High School Football Field, 1024 Prince Ave.
Cloverdale: The decorated bike parade from City Plaza to City Park will run from 11 to 11:30 a.m., followed by a family barbecue at City Park, 450 W. Second St., starting at 1 p.m. and going until 4 p.m.
Kenwood: The day starts with a 7 a.m. pancake breakfast and silent auction at the Kenwood Community Church. After that, check out the Kenwood Footrace, with runners departing from Kenwood Plaza Park at 7:30 a.m. To register for the 10K or the 3K races, head to kenwoodfootrace.com. Next up, the parade starts at Kenwood Plaza Park at 10:30 a.m., followed by a barbecue and family fest hosted by the Kenwood Rotary, which begins at 11:30 a.m.
Sonoma: This year’s parade begins at 10 a.m. at the intersection of First Street East and Spain Street. The theme is “Jack London Centennial: Sailor on Horseback.” After the parade, don’t forget to check out the fireworks put on by the Sonoma Volunteer Firefighters Association. The show is set to begin at 9 p.m. at General Vallejo’s Field at the north end of Third Street West.
The San Luis Obispo wine region has a Mediterranean climate similar to regions of France that produce storied wines. (SLO Wine Country)
The heart of the California Central Coast is a mere four hours south of San Francisco, with stunning seaside villages like Cambria, Morro Bay, and Avila Beach. But it also is home to a remarkable cool-climate wine country that, to date, has flown largely under the radar.
For wine aficionados and casual tasters alike, it’s a discovery worth making. A leisurely road trip down Highway 1 through Big Sur Country is a soothing way to set the mood and decompress before entering the realm of the Middle Kingdom, where freeways, traffic jams and maddening crowds are nonexistent.
The northern gateway is Hearst Castle, reposing in storybook fashion on a Santa Lucia mountaintop a mile above calving sea lions, cavorting otters and migrating whales that scoot along the San Simeon Coastline.
San Luis Obispo wine country vineyards often butt up against the morro peaks. (SLO Wine Country)
Castle by the Sea
Hearst Castle, operated today by the California State Parks, was the one time mega-estate of newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst. Plan to spend a half day touring the castle and walking on San Simeon State Beach, directly across Highway One from the Hearst Castle entrance.
Then turn your attention to the Hearst Ranch Winery a few yards down the lane from the park entrance, owned by Steve Hearst (William’s grandson) and his partner, Jim Saunders. The tasting room is situated in the creaky wood-floor circa-1850s Sebastian General Store that, in its infancy, catered to whalers.
In its current incarnation, you’ll find a superb selection of Hearst wines utilizing Central Coast’s finest grapes, from chardonnay to tempranillo, locally crafted olive oils and an array of items to nosh on, including killer burgers.
Ten miles south the artsy community of Cambria, akin to a mini-Carmel, features an array of fine-art galleries and a diversity of dining options from casual to classy. Not to be missed is Moonstone Beach with rambling bluff-top boardwalks and an array of architecturally enticing seafront inns and motels.
The entire coastal realm is defined and delineated by the Santa Lucia Mountain range that blocks the sometimes scorching summertime heat in the interior valleys, and moderates wintertime coastal temperatures.
On the seafront side of this range you will find San Luis Obispo Wine Country. It is California’s coolest winegrowing growing region, situated south of San Luis Obispo, where the vineyards are just 5 miles from the ocean on average.
Wine tasting in San Luis Obispo’s Wine Country is an increasingly popular part of the Central Coast’s tourism industry. (SLO Wine Country)
Cool-Climate Grapes
Here in the adjoining Edna and Arroyo Grande valleys, some of the world’s finest chardonnay and pinot noir vines are nurtured. Aromatic whites and Rhone varieties also thrive in SLO Wine Country.
The cool-climate grapes grown here are so coveted that in addition to berries processed locally, untold truckloads head north at harvest time to the Santa Cruz Mountains and Napa/Sonoma vintners.
Back in 1880, a visionary pioneer planted a few acres of zinfandel in the upper Arroyo Grande Valley. Even though the vines were abandoned for decades, they were rediscovered and revived by winemaker Bill Greenough in the mid-1970s.
Today those 135-year-old vines produce incredibly flavorful and zesty wine that is made by Greenough’s son, Tom, and poured at Greenough’s Saucelito Canyon Winery tasting room, located in Edna Valley a couple miles south of San Luis Obispo.
Odds are excellent that when you stop in for a tasting at one of the wineries, you will likely meet and visit with the owners, or their sons and daughters. Many of the families have been in the business for decades.
The 125-acre Wolff Vineyards in Edna Valley have been producing teroldego, pinot noir, riesling and chardonnay grapes for 35 years. Elke and Jean-Pierre Wolff bought the property in 1999, so stop by the tasting room, and you’re bound to meet them or their two sons.
Coastal fog rolls into the Edna Valley a few miles south of San Luis Obispo. The vineyards here are, on average, roughly 5 miles from the ocean. (Thomas C. Wilmer / For The Press Democrat)
Old Edna Townsite
Head down Edna Valley on Highway 227 from Saucelito and Wolff and you’ll spot Old Edna Townsite on your right.
A century ago, Edna was a crossroads gathering spot for local farmers and ranchers. Today the corrugated-metal clad Old Edna Mercantile is the home of Sextant Winery’s tasting room.
Old Edna Town’s best-kept secret is out back, where you’ll find two 100-year-old farmhouses that have been lovingly restored as farmstay vacation rentals. There’s even an authentic Gypsy wagon available in conjunction with a “Suite Edna Guest House” stay.
Another farmhouse is hunkered on a hillside just south of San Luis Obispo off Highway 101, where 83-year-old Herb Filipponi grew up milking cows with his father.
When the dairy industry withered on the Central Coast in the 1960s, Herb ran cattle until his daughters, Dana and Julie, talked him into opening Filipponi Ranch Cellars winery, with a tasting room in Herb’s renovated family farmhouse.
A stop in at their winery just might include some engaging tales of the pioneer Swiss-Italian families who homesteaded on the Central Coast 100 years ago.
The Old Edna Mercantile along Highway 227 is the home of Sextant Winery’s tasting room. (Thomas C. Wilmer / The Press Democrat)
A Central Coast wine-centric exploration would not be complete without at least a half day earmarked for exploring Avila Beach, Pismo, Shell Beach and Old Town Arroyo Grande.
A short hop south of Arroyo Grande off Highway 101, Laetitia Vineyard and Winery produces exceptional classic French-style méthode champenoise bottle fermented sparkling wine from its estate chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot blanc grapes.
Ask for David Hickey, Laetitia’s effervescent sparkling winemaker, who will wax poetically about crafting some of California’s finest “Champagne.”
Thomas C. Wilmer is the host of NPR digital media travel show “Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer.”
Collecting items for your home can be a fun hobby. But we all know how quickly – and unexpectedly – that once charming collection of scented candles can turn into a dust gathering annoyance.
If you’re starting to feel as if you might qualify as a contender on the next season of “Hoarders,” here are five creative ways to turn your cluttered collection into a conversation starter:
Rotate Pieces
If you have an extensive collection of one item, like these blue and white porcelain vases, you can keep the presentation fresh by choosing to exhibit only a certain number at any given time. Much the way that museums change exhibitions every few months. By rotating the featured items you’re showing, you give your interior a facelift every few weeks and gain more appreciation for the items you own. (Image via Sroka Design)
Creating a tabletop arrangement with a smaller collection can create an easily changed array of items that will be simple to update as you tire of it.
Group Items Together
If your collection is comprised of many small items, such as these buttons, using decorative glass containers to store and show them creates a delightful display that works well on a window ledge or small shelf. (Image via Houzz)
Even if your collection won’t fit in a glass jar, finding different ways to put items together can end up being more exciting than sticking with the expected. (Image via Bob Vila)
Put it Up High
There are some collections that may need to be kept out of reach of tiny hands, or that simply take up too much space to be shown comfortably in living areas. These globes do well being shown on high-set shelves. They are still able to be appreciated, but stay safely out of reach. (Image via A Beautiful Time)
Toy collectors may especially appreciate high shelves because the first thing many people want to do when they see toys is begin playing with them. The height of the shelf sends a clear message to visitors that these are collectibles, no matter their original use. (Image via Deviant Art)
Proudly Display It
If you have a collection of things that people may not be aware of, showimg it prominently is sure to make a statement. (Image via Home Edit)
Antique clocks and timepieces work well on a brick wall backdrop. (Image via Home Edit)
Repurpose
If you have collections that may have been handed down (think your children’s toy cars or Pokemon cards…) instead of tossing them, repurpose them into an eye-catching piece of art. (Image via Etsy)
This collection of antique suitcases is currently being used for linen storage. This allows the homeowner to store sheets and towels that aren’t often used, while showing off their collection at the same time. (Image via The Painted Room)
Hold onto your plates, cause things are about to get really interesting out in West County.
BiteClub just found out that Chef Ben Spiegel has been named as the new chef at the Applewood Inn, as they prepare to open “Revival”, a new restaurant concept at the luxury spa and inn. It’s also been announced that the inn’s management has been turned over to EpiSoul, under the direction of Ric Pielstick. The restaurant is slated to open in mid-July.
Spiegel is a big name in food, hailing from Canada and making at name at Willows in on Lummi Island, then moving to NYC’s Skal (an Icelandic-inspired restaurant). He’s been working in Sonoma County recently on an event and dinner project called Whitefish. According to his bio, Spiegel has also has worked in restaurants across Europe including time spent at noma and AOC in Copenhagen, Denmark. In addition, he has interned in Kyoto, Japan, France’s Loire Valley, Reykjavik, Iceland and London, England. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Ben grew up cooking in some of the city’s top restaurants before moving abroad. He is passionate about local food issues, sustainable agriculture and foraging wild foods.
Details are still a bit sketchy on the direction of the new restaurant, as well as menus, but Spiegel has been posting for front and back of house positions for the new restaurant.
Chef Ben Spiegel, courtesy of Facebook
The restaurant at Applewood shuttered last year just eight months after Sonoma chef Jamil Peden took over the historic kitchens. Biteclub documented his efforts to restore the kitchen to some of its former glory, and Peden did receive critical acclaim during his stint.
The once-stellar Michelin-starred restaurant had been an incubator for a number of outstanding young chefs including SF Chef Brian Gerritsen, David Frakes (Lynmar), Brian Anderson (Bistro 29) Bruce Frieseke (County Bench), Ty Taube (forageSF) and Shelly Cerneant (Sonoma Country Day School) .
Frieseke captured a Michelin star for the restaurant in 2011 and co-executive chefs Taube and Cerneant received a star in 2012. Cerneant was one of only ten women chefs in the world to earn a Michelin star in 2012.
The restaurant’s former management had planned a casual dining concept for May 2016, which never materialized.
Summer is a good time to pay attention to skincare by tapping natural products and spa treatments designed to moisturize and protect summertime skin.
Here are a few local products and places that will prep your skin for summer:
Oak & Ashland
Recently featured by Martha Stewart, Sonoma skincare company Oak & Ashland is creating a buzz with a line of organic, hand crafted and ethically sourced beauty products. Created by Esthetician Danika Lamb, the Oak & Ashland beauty line includes facial oils, masks applied with an eco-luxe brush, and lip balms.
All products are 100% vegan, made from certified organic and wild harvested ingredients. There are no chemicals you can’t pronounce! Even better, the products come in pretty reusable containers and are affordably priced.
The Blue Nirvana Face Oil, designed for all skin types (especially troubled skin) is non-greasy and naturally blue thanks to ingredients Blue Tansy and Blue Yarrow. I have rosacea and my skin is prone to break-outs, so using a facial oil would NEVER occur to me.
And guess what? Blue Nirvana is my new best friend! I’ve been applying a few drops every morning and night for the past few weeks. With a distinctive aroma that is fresh and clean, the oil absorbs quickly and leaves my skin with a healthy glow.
My other go-to product from Oak & Ashland is the Coconut Mint Lip Balm. Perfect for dry, chapped lips, this unisex product has the perfect texture. Not goopy or sticky, this balm is light, yet incredibly moisturizing. And yes, it smells delicious.
Summer Skincare Tips
Moisturize: Banish thick creams, and try a facial oil
Go Natural: Select products with organic and natural ingredients
Protect: Choose mineral rich sunscreens, free of chemicals
Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary
Let’s not forget the men in our lives. Even guys want their skin looking best. With beard season behind us, summer’s hot temperatures beg for clean shaven skin. And a trip to Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary is calling his name (and yours).
For the guy who doesn’t consider himself the “spa type” make the pursuit of relaxation and rejuvenated skin, a couples adventure when you head to Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary, a Japanese spa in Freestone.
Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary
Visiting Osmosis is an experience that feels like vacation. Complete with a meditation garden and tea service, the spa offers massages and facials—just in time for nourishing summer time skin.
One of the latest offerings from Osmosis is a moisturizing body treatment using seaweed serum and Japanese plum extracts. Dry summer skin is exfoliated by a brush massage and then covered in a mineral-rich serum.
And it doesn’t end there. Followed by another massage—this time with a special sea fennel wax to lock in moisture—the treatment also includes a lemongrass-mimosa foot scrub, just in time for sandal wearing season. Dry cracked heels are banished!
Whether you explore the meditation garden, or slip into a cedar enzyme bath (the specialty service), guests leave relaxed and with glowing skin from head to toe.
Body treatment and massage at Osmosis
Extend that zen-calm feeling with great looking skin at home when you bring home one of the incredible organic skincare products the spa carries.
Guys should check out the line from Organic Male. The Herbal Shaving Emulsion is packed with peppermint, lavender, cactus and comfrey, among others. This soothing lotion smells great and immediately heals razor burn or skin irritation.
Soothing Herbal Shaving Emulsion for Men by Organic Male
Another great find at Osmosis is this four piece set from COOLA. This travel ready set of sun care protection is packed with all the good stuff—natural minerals, antioxidants and vitamins—and none of the icky stuff; no petroleum, parabens or phthalates.
COOLA four-piece travel set
To schedule a spa experience or shop online for spa products, visit Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary at www.osmosis.com.
You can pick up Oak & Ashland products at The Loop in Sonoma and at www.oakandashland.com.
Months before serving a single dish, Chef Kyle Connaughton’s forthcoming Single Thread Farms Restaurant in Healdsburg has been touted as one of the nation’s most important restaurant openings of 2016.
While he and his wife, Katina, have been testing recipes in their home kitchen and sidestepping insulation in the construction zone that will become their restaurant, The Wall Street Journal and national food blog Eater have called them culinary visionaries.
Suffice it to say, the spotlight is rather hot for this Healdsburg couple, even though construction issues delayed their stage debut by more than six months. An early fall opening looks promising as the farm, the menu and the building on a site that once held Healdsburg’s post office begin to take shape.
Single Thread Farms Restaurant in Healdsburg (Jason Jaacks)
On a warm spring afternoon, the 40-year-old chef waves out the open window of his soon-to-be restaurant at his daughter as she walks past on her way to music class. She waves back like any mortified teenager. Stepping over wires and construction debris, he continues a tour of the two-story structure that will house both the restaurant and a five-room boutique hotel while sawdust floats through the air.
It still takes a bit of imagination, but there’s no doubt the couple has envisioned every detail, every finish, every tile, every aspect of the intimate Wine Country dining experience he and his wife Katina have been nurturing for years, leaving nothing to chance. Within a month or so, the space will surely come together with the precision of an atomic clock.
Kyle and Katina Connaughton of Single Thread Farms Restaurant in Healdsburg at their farm. (Jason Jaacks)
The Chef
Though in public he’s quietly reflective and not prone to chest-beating, Connaughton is no rookie in the high-pressure, review-driven world of haute dining. His resume includes some of the most important restaurants in the world — Spago, three-Michelin starred restaurant Michel Bras in Hokkaido, Japan, and in the U.K., Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck Restaurant, which was named “Best Restaurant in the World” during his tenure there.
He’s also co-founder of the culinary research group Pilot R&D, a pioneering company focused on food science, and he has recently finished a book on cooking with donabe, ancient Japanese clay cooking pots. He is, in a nutshell, a Very Big Deal.And that’s why the national food media are chomping at the bit to talk about Single Thread Farms, a restaurant right in our own backyard. We visited the couple to see how things were shaping up for the fall opening, with the clock ticking. Here’s what you need to know and what’s on the way.
Katina Connaughton has been busy setting up the Alexander Valley farm that will supply Single Thread Farms Restaurant. (Jason Jaacks)
The Food
The 52-seat restaurant defies simple labels like “farm-to-table” or “Japanese” or “Wine Country” or “modernist,” though it will encompass all of those things. Instead, the menu will be a reflection of the Connaughtons’ life experiences, his in restaurants and hers as a farmer in Japan and Sonoma County.
Connaughton describes it simply as “omotenashi,” or the Japanese art of heightened hospitality and anticipation of a guest’s every need.
The multi-course dinners will include options for omnivores, vegetarians and pescatarians. To further personalize the experience, diners will be able to note allergies and intolerances when tickets for the meals are purchased in advance. That means each party may have slightly different menus customized for their tastes.Expect the cost of this meal to be about $295 per person (including tax and service charge), with an additional $155 or $295 for wine pairings, depending on which level you choose.
Once Single Thread opens in Healdsburg, laying hens will keep the kitchen stocked with eggs. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
Staging Site
Just a few blocks from the restaurant, the couple’s Healdsburg home has been a staging site for months. Chef de cuisine Aaron Koseba and pastry chef Matthew Siciliano nosh away at the long dining table, testing recipes with Connaughton in the small but well-appointed kitchen.
A built-in cabinet holds more than a dozen donabe that have been made specially for Connaughton. In the basement, hundreds of boxes hold lacquered wooden serving dishes, clay platters and specially-made Japanese knives he has ordered.
A mockup of the menu has just arrived. After many iterations, it’s finally perfect, with lavish paper, the restaurant’s onion flower logo, an envelope of seeds from Katina’s farm, and a personal thank you from the couple. It’s wrapped in tissue and presented in a box at the end of the meal for a keepsake.
Fragile crops and produce starts incubate in the greenhouse at Single Thread Farms. (Jason Jaacks)
The Farm
Katina’s 5-acre Single Thread Farm is tucked away in Alexander Valley, carved out of fallow land on winemaker Pete Seghesio’s San Lorenzo vineyard property that took months just to prepare for planting. Visitors travel past a flock of laying hens and green grapevines before they spot her blazing hot greenhouse and carefully plowed rows.
This is Katina’s domain, where early tomatoes hang heavy on the vine and later summer crops are just being planted. There’s a brand new beehive and green-housed rows of herbs, but in late May, things are just starting to take root.
This is the heart of the restaurant, where the seasons, the microclimates and the terroir will drive everything that is served in the restaurant. It’s all hands on deck, with family members, chefs and anyone else who can handle a shovel, a set of clippers or a bale of hay pressed into service.
Katina Connaughton of Single Thread Farms Restaurant in Healdsburg. (Sally Egan)
Taking cues from time spent farming in Japan, Katina espouses a micro-seasonal philosophy that breaks the calendar into 72 five-day farming cycles, with each crop having a tiny window of “perfection.” That means the peach, or asparagus, or pea you eat at Single Thread won’t just be seasonal, it will be at its very apex of perfection. Think of that juicy red tomato bursting on your tongue, still warm from the garden in late August, and you’ll get the kind of moment-in-time flavors the Connaughtons are after.
A tangled orchard borders the farm, with fruit and olive trees Katina hopes to rehabilitate. This isn’t gentleman farming, but hard, sweaty, dirt-in-your-fingernails work that has helped Katina get an intimate feel for what will grow there, and how to best utilize the space.
On the rooftop deck of the restaurant, planters also will have fruit trees and herbs to further expand Kyle’s culinary repertoire.
Katina Connaughton at Single Threads Farm in Healdsburg. (Sally Egan)
The Look
Culinary firm AvroKO is behind the restaurant’s design. The New York-based firm also designed what is now Ninebark in Napa and has been responsible for a number of high-profile restaurant designs in San Francisco, New York, Las Vegas and Hong Kong. Expect lots of fine details, including signature brass accents and tiles, and a minimalist look that echoes Connaughton’s culinary style.
Specialty dishes made for Single Thread Farms Restaurant. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
Why Sonoma County
The Connaughtons were high school sweethearts and have spent more than 20 years traveling the world, planning for a restaurant like Single Thread someday. They moved to Sonoma County from the U.K. in 2011, and say they felt at home almost instantly. The location seemed like a good fit for the restaurant they envisioned as a guest experience that’s an extension of their family rather than a rigid, uptight encounter.
“Sonoma just felt really right for us,” Connaughton said.
Katina Connaughton of Single Thread Farms Restaurant in Healdsburg. (Sally Egan)
Single Thread Farms is not yet taking reservations, but more information will be available at singlethreadfarms.com as the opening approaches.
Cooking salmon on a donate at Single Thread Farms restaurant. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)Custom made Japanese knives will be used by diners at Single Thread Farms restaurant. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)Preparing for summer plantings at Single Thread Farms in Healdsburg is a family affair, with chefs and family members helping out. (Heather Irwin/Press Democrat)Katina Connaughton at Single Thread Farms in Healdsburg attends to an early crop of tomatoes. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
