Sonoma County hot air balloons! Mugs and dishes at Redwood Gospel Mission Thrift.
Want a guaranteed shopping adventure? Check out a couple of Santa Rosa’s best thrift stores on Piner Road.
Sonoma County hot air balloons! Mugs and dishes at Redwood Gospel Mission Thrift.
The Redwood Gospel Mission Thrift Store is a great source for furniture, clothing, and artwork. Prices are reasonable and the staff are some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.
At Pick of the Litter, expect well known brands in addition to lots of new pet items and a robust section of books and linens. Shoppers can even sneak a peek at cats awaiting adoption.
Statement shoes, Pick of the Litter.Wine country finds, Pick of the Litter.
Don’t go with an agenda, searching for a specific item. Instead, embrace the adventure and be open to possibility. Thrift store shopping is a fun (often inexpensive way) to support your community and causes you care about.
Vintage, hand painted chromolithograph prints, some over 100 years old, $4 each at Pick of the Litter.
I enjoy thrifting without a “wish list”. For me, it’s all about exploring and making discoveries. From excess inventory (new items from local stores) to furniture, framed art, vintage and collectibles, you never know what you’ll find.
Summer time purses at Redwood Gospel Mission.
With a little imagination (and inspiration from Pinterest), items can be upcycled and given a new purpose. Chalk paint and spray paint are a thrifter’s best friend. Ornate, gold frames take on a new life when painted white or a bright color like turquoise. Ceramics and vintage tin cans are perfect for planting succulents.
Enjoy the adventure!
Explore the gallery below for inspiration… Photography by Amy Schaus
Picnic basket with plasticware, Pick of the Litter.Summer hats, Pick of the Litter.Wicker desk for bedroom/boudoir, transform dark wood with chalk paint makeover, Redwood Gospel Mission.Vintage patterns make cool wrapping paper, Redwood Gospel Mission.Vintage Chips and Dip set, complete with pink flamingoes, Redwood Gospel Mission.Buttons for assemblage craft or sewing project, Pick of the Litter.
The Redwood Gospel Mission Thrift Store, 1821 Piner Road, Santa Rosa Pick of the Litter, 1701 Piner Road, Santa Rosa
Smokey Sebastopol burger with bacon, cheddar and in-house made barbecue sauce at Barley and Hops Tavern in Occidental. May 16, 2016. (Photo: Erik Castro
The dog romping outside Barley and Hops Tavern in Occidental looked to be part Norwich terrier, part French bulldog and perhaps part sea otter. It jumped to race past on the wood stairs to the restaurant’s front porch, and I asked its guardian what it might be.
“Bat,” he said with a wry smile, corralling the wayward pup. “His name is Batboy.”
Occidental has a lot of color and character, and the man fit the look, with long hair, a flowing beard and scruffy garb. He might have been a longtime, relaxed Russian River resident, or he might have been a busy vineyard owner drawn to the area for its Sonoma Coast cool climate and abundant Pinot Noir and Chardonnay landscapes.
Molly Shanley-Musso owns Barley and Hops Tavern in Occidental with her husband Giancarlo Musso.
That’s just part of the fun of dining at Barley and Hops; you never know who will be in the three-story yellow clapboard Victorian house. People watching is part of the authentic experience as you sip a beer and nibble a housemade Bavarian pretzel so big and plump it looks like challah ($5), served hot and salty for pulling apart and dunking in stone ground mustard.
Beer led Noah Bolmer and Mirjam Maggio Bolmer to open their tavern in the summer of 2008. Frequent pub-goers and longtime homebrewers, they wanted to create their own personal shrine to suds, and in early 2014 they also opened Warped Brewing Co. at The Barlow in Sebastopol.
Fish and chips at Barley and Hops Tavern in Occidental.
Last February they closed Warped, and in December they sold Barley to Molly Shanley Musso and Giancarlo Musso, staying on as advisers until March to help smooth the transition.
And smooth it is. While the original was great for its top-notch beers and live music line-ups, this revamp is an improvement for diners. Local and boutique beers remain a hallmark, spanning some 50 pages including ciders, but in April the Mussos unveiled an updated food menu.
Bartender Buffalo Bang pulling from the taps at Barley and Hops Tavern.
A handful of more ambitious items now make an appearance, such as sautéed prawns with buttery sofrito sauce over cilantro rice with avocado salad ($17.75), and on a recent evening I loved the elegance of eating Thai chicken lettuce cups doused in vibrant ginger and chile garlic sauce ($13) while listening to “The Boy Who Smelled Real Good,” performed live by Clark “Big Kitty” Williams on tour from Chattanooga, Tenn.
Still, nobody has gotten uppity, and the heart and soul remains satisfying, reliable food that tastes even better thanks to the great beers and welcoming West Sonoma County neighborhood vibe.
Prawns in soffritto with cilantro rice.
We enter at the bar, a dark and lovingly faded space of beat-up wood, a half dozen comfortable full back stools, parlor chandeliers (one hung with a pink plastic flamingo), a chalkboard listing rotating beers and a wall display of antique beer taps.
A cubbyhole collection of small dining rooms offers utilitarian seating amid yellow walls anchored by charcoal-black painted wainscoting, plus a hand painted sign reading, “A good friend will come and bail you out of jail … but a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, ‘Damn … that was fun!’”
The dining room at Barley and Hops Tavern in Occidental.
We toast acts like Talia Keys funk/soul/reggae/rock while sipping the dark hop monster Sunshine Fix American double/Imperial IPA crafted by San Francisco’s Social Kitchen & Brewery. Or we raise a glass to Brothers Gadjo BoHo swing guitar, toasting with Rye Ryerish Irish Dry Stout style beer brewed by Berryessa Brewing Co. in Winters.
The wine bible on each table brims with wine-worthy tasting notes, but as I hesitated over so many choices, my server offered to bring a few complimentary samples.
Beer partners well with dishes like honey ale chicken wings ($9.75 for a half dozen) or house-baked flatbread lightly strewn with manchego, prosciutto, smoked onions and arugula ($10.50), but salute the surrounding dairy farmers with panko-coated goat cheese croquettes ($5.25). The hot, tangy local chevre oozes under the fork, and it’s better than any mozzarella stick.
Herb-spice seasoned Niman Ranch grass fed burgers ($11) are generous fork-and-knife affairs, though mine needed more Swiss and mushrooms ($1). Garlic fries ($5/$7.50) aren’t for wimps, meanwhile, the thick cut, skin-on wands smothered in fresh minced, pungent cloves.
Ribeye steak with mashed potatoes and kale slaw.
Chimay chicken ($15.75) is messy on the plate, too, the sliced breast shouldered with chunky mashed potatoes, sautéed mixed vegetables and an ocean of gravy.
But this longtime signature is a heaping helping of terrific comfort food, the tender bird coated in crunchy pretzel beer batter and fried crisp, the sauce swimming with gutsy mustard and sweet cream, and the local veggies smoothed in butter.
I’m a fan of the Bodega Catch, as well, the cornmeal-crusted rock cod grilled and layered with lettuce, tomato and remoulade on brioche ($12).
You can taste the local fish’s freshness, paired with fries and housemade pickles.
I’ll pass on the fish and chips, though ($15.75). The beer battered slabs glistened with grease, the fries were limp this time, remoulade tasted like mayonnaise, and yogurt slaw was watery.
It won’t be too long before Barley and Hops Tavern morphs some more. The Mussos plan to expand this fall to create a kid-friendly space with a kid-friendly menu, opening up more room for the music.
The only bummer? Dogs recently have been banned from the porch. Sorry, Batboy.
Spicy Tan Tan Ramen with Sapporo noodles, sesame, scallion, pork belly chashu, spicy ground pork, charred cabbage, woodier and a 6 minute egg from Ramen Gaijin in Sebastopol. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
An interesting thing has been happening these past few months when I mention Sebastopol. Faces light up, and people say, “Oh, Ramen Gaijin! I love that place.”
There’s so much to love about the small town already, but this restaurant seems to be putting emoji hearts in everyone’s eyes. More friends suddenly find it convenient to visit me — I live about five minutes from the Japanese izakaya — and I’ve been drawn into conversations about noodles and pickles with perfect strangers.
The food is great, and part of the joy comes from cheering for the little guy. The eatery began life in July 2014, as a once-a-month pop-up inside Woodfour Brewing Company at The Barlow. On the first evening of business, first-time restaurateurs Matthew Williams and Moishe Hahn-Schuman sold 120 bowls before running out of soup.
The Pickle Plate, Yakitori (from top; Chicken Tsukune, Hokkaido Scallop, Broccoli, and Wagyu Short Rib) and Maguro Poke from Ramen Gaijin in Sebastopol.
Success, indeed — five months later, the shop relocated to a larger space inside Forchetta/Bastoni restaurant just across the street, and then, exactly one year later, the Japanese eatery took over the entire two-story building.
It was all roses, except Forchetta/Bastoni’s closure included some state problems, including their hard alcohol license being suspended. Williams and Hahn-Schuman considered relocating, and even after they got the license settled, they faced extensive renovations to the former Asian/Italian space.
The open kitchen at Ramen Gaijin in Sebastopol.
This past December, Ramen Gaijin closed, finally reopening in March with a new look including concrete and undulating redwood bars backed by reclaimed barn-wood paneling, Japanese hanging lanterns, izakaya pub interior signage, old school Japanese paintings updated with modern day superheroes, and a cute, tiny Godzilla bonsai garden on the eat-in counter overlooking the new kitchen.
It was worth the wait. While Japanese food is all the Wine Country rage these days— think the new Miminashi in Napa, Persimmon in Healdsburg, the soon-to-open Two Birds One Stone in St. Helena and the up-coming Single Threat in Healdsburg — Ramen Gaijin shines among the best dining I’ve enjoyed anywhere.
Attention to detail is brilliant, with a simple donburi bowl ($13) boasting authentic Japanese Kewpie mayo, a rice vinegar-based sauce that’s richer and creamier than standard USA issue. Here, it’s infused with yuzu before being dolloped on a bed of rice topped in pork belly, farm egg, tobiko, kimchee, bonito, pickled red onion, Bull-Dog tonkatsu sauce and goma furika seasoning of toasted sesame seeds, chopped seaweed, sugar and salt.
Ashimagari, Kyuri Bay and Blade gin with lemon, apricot, thyme and lemon from the bar at Ramen Gaijin in Sebastopol.
The effort is all the more impressive considering the duo had been cooking for their entire professional lives, but really didn’t know the first thing about specialties like the skinny noodles called chūka soba. The word gaijin, notably, is the Japanese term for a non-Japanese person, and it took the chefs nine months to figure the perfect ramen recipe, based on handcrafted rye noodles that are toasted for even more aroma and a firmer chew. They tested many miso recipes using a variety of sprouted grains and legumes, and pickled everything they could get their hands on.
Years of living in Japan made me a ramen fanatic, and this team has nailed it. Tender noodles have the perfect, slightly rubber band texture, and the shoyu broth is deep, savory and just-right salty with notes of kombu, garlic and ginger amid the silky emulsified fats from whole chicken, pork neck and smoked hocks.
Maguro poke with ahi, hijack, avocado, puffed brown rice and chili vinegar from Ramen Gaijin in Sebastopol.
Shoyu ramen ($15) showcases the commitment to pristine ingredients, stocking that elegant broth-noodle bowl with slippery curls of wakame (soft seaweed), big flaps of meaty wood ear mushroom, shaved leek, tender menma bits (fermented bamboo), a halved six-minute egg cooked to perfect runny custard yolk, and a rich crown of pork belly chashu that’s the best bacon in the universe for its slow roasted browned texture and rich but clean tasting marbling. It pains me to write about the soup now, with no leftovers to eat.
A shiitake miso vegetarian broth version ($15) is nearly as flavorful, boasting fried tofu, bok choy, woodear mushroom, wakame, scallion, and crunchy togarashi roasted carrots. My companion doesn’t care for egg, but I adore it, so the kitchen politely placed her serving in a prettily little pottery side dish for me.
Still, my favorite is the spicy tan tan ramen ($15), with the rust-red broth packing wonderful heat that sneaks up slowly. Delicious fat tempers the burn, delivered via thick slabs of slow roasted pork belly chashu, crumbled spicy ground pork and egg. Plus, as a special one day, the chefs had rolled more chashu, then sliced it nearly as thin as carpaccio ($3 add-in), bringing even more pork flavor against charred cabbage, woodear mushrooms, mustard greens, sesame and scallion.
Amara Yeats, 5, enjoys a bowl of noodles using kids chopsticks at Ramen Gaijin in Sebastopol.
The perfect meal also includes a crisp salad to refresh the palate. Daikon no sunomono ($8) is a delicate toss of amethyst and white daikon curls, julienne Nantes carrot, shiso, and whisper light curls of katsuobushi (dried, fermented, and smoked skipjack tuna). The idea is to get a bit of each ingredient in your chopsticks, and stir to the bottom of the bowl for a sop in sanbaizu, a brisk, sweet vinegar dressing.
Each vegetable on the pickle plate ($7), meanwhile, has bathed in an individual brine, delivering highly spicy turnip, sweet-tart white strawberries, tangy shiitakes, fiery kimchee, ginger, fennel, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber and watermelon radish. Contrasting flavors, colors and textures are marvelous.
The chefs offer artistry extends to maguro poke ($14), with tiny cubes of line caught ahi arranged in multiple small mounds on a rectangular pottery plate, scattered with crispy puffed brown rice, and topped in frilly mustard greens. Here and there are large and small spoonfuls of avocado cream, and tiny bits of hijiki (black seaweed). As our server checks back often to make sure we’re happy, our smiles say it all.
Black sesame ice cream with matcha meringue, miso caramel and coconut granola from Ramen Gaijin in Sebastopol.
At night, Ramen Gaijin expands with a longer izakaya menu, though keep the mood distinct, the full izakaya menu is not available on the main dining room side, and ramen isn’t served in the izakaya bar.
It’s delightful to nestle at the bar, eating chile vinegar dipped pork shoulder-scallion gyoza ($10) and kaarage (juicy fried chicken thigh nubbins, $8), while sipping sakes, beers and wines on tap, or seasonal artisan cocktails created by celebrity mixologist Scott Beattie.
A Root Down marries Blade Gin with homemade Nantes carrot shrub, lemon, pickled root vegetables and coriander ($11) for a crisp, layered quaff, while Japanese highballs are made with kashi Whisky infused with Samovar Japanese teas like Sencha green tea plus a bit of seltzer ($13); even the ice is art, crystal clear and hand-cut into spears.
The bar at Ramen Gaijin in Sebastopol serves a selection of Japanese tea high balls along with traditional favorites.
Yakitori is elevated beyond pub food, as well. Besides the traditional robata grilled chicken thigh marinated in Sonoma County-crafted Bachan’s teriyaki sauce ($4), there is the Wagyu-style short rib topped in Meyer kosho, a citrusy Japanese hot sauce ($8), and succulent Hokkaido scallop kissed with barrel aged sake and chives ($6).
Japanese dessert aren’t often stars, except here, the chefs think through each ingredient, resulting in intriguing flavors like black sesame ice cream, the charcoal gray creamy mixture set atop coconut granola with a puddle of miso caramel and little puffs of matcha meringue ($7). It’s a big, earthy mix, and begs for a cocktail alongside. Perhaps the Ashimagari ($11), a pale purple quaff of Torikai shochu, shiso plum liqueur and a delicate lily pad of purple nori.
The open kitchen design allows eating at the bar while watching the action at the Yakitori grill at Ramen Gaijin in Sebastopol.
Carey Sweet is a Santa Rosa-based food and restaurant writer. Read her restaurant reviews every other week in Sonoma Life. Contact her at carey@careysweet.com.
Oyster Girls are opening a brick and mortar restaurant in Petaluma summer 2016. PD File
It’s the first brick and mortar for the Oyster Girls!
The Shuckery is slated to open at the newly-restored Hotel Petaluma later this summer. The 54-seat oyster bar and restaurant is being spearheaded by sisters Aluxa and Jazmine Lalicker, best known as The Oyster Girls.
Their traveling oyster bar has been a Bay Area fixture since 2007, with the two often dressed in formal attire with special utility belts around their waists holding oysters, caviar or shrimp in stainless steel buckets as part of the entertainment. The fun-loving sisters say that customers can expect swift shucking lessons and a menu inspired by East Coast transplant, Chef Seth Harvey. The sisters are calling the restaurant “the first seafood restaurant in downtown Petaluma” and plan to include local purveyors like Tomales Bay Oyster CompaLavenderndar Hill Honey, First Light Farm, Singing Frogs Farm and SF’s TwoXSea for their coast to coast seafood menu.
In the borderland between Napa and Sonoma, where bootleggers and brothels once abounded, two winemakers now pay tribute to golf with an ace Sauvignon Blanc and a “Double Eagle” Bordeaux blend.
The Grieve Family Winery straddles the county line between Sonoma and Napa, just north of the point where the majestic Mayacamas begin their slow descent toward the San Pablo Bay.
While located in Napa’s Lovall Valley, the winery is accessed solely from neighboring Sonoma County. The route to the winery follows a sun dappled, serpentine road along which villas and weathered farmhouses occasionally punctuate hilltops covered in golden California high grass.
An area rich in history and steeped in myth, Lovall Valley local lore has it that the name “Lovall” (pronounced “love-all”) originates from the past existence of a high-class brothel in this secluded part of the wine country. During Prohibition, valley bootleggers are said to have run their contraband from this part of the wine country all the way to San Francisco.
David and Kathleen Grieve left city life behind in San Francisco to settle in Napa Valley. Adjacent to their new home was a Sauvignon Blanc vineyard. (Sofia Englund / Sonoma Magazine)
The idea for the establishment of the winery began in 2003 when David and Kathleen Grieve left city life behind in San Francisco to settle in bucolic Napa Valley. When they found a Sauvignon Blanc vineyard nestled on 60 acres of adjacent land, David began walking the countryside to explore the neighboring vines. He soon developed an interest in California Sauvignon Blancs and discovered that the Lovall Valley offered unique circumstances for growing grapes.
David Grieve, and his wife Kathleen, purchased the Lovall Valley Winery in 2014. (Sofia Englund / Sonoma Magazine)
The Lovall Valley has a much cooler climate than neighboring Sonoma and Napa appellations since cool air has a propensity to sink and settle in the bowl created by the hills surrounding the valley. The valley’s soil type is made up of ocean-floor silt containing sea shells — a remnant from when the valley was underwater following the Ice Age and reminiscent of the soil type found in France’s Loire Valley, famous for Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé.
The Grieve Family Winery hosted an exclusive tasting and masterclass on May 26th where guests sampled 9 vintages of the winery’s Sauvignon Blanc. (Sofia Englund / Sonoma Magazine)
In 2004, by then having become well-versed in the language of California Sauvignon Blancs, David and Kathleen purchased the vineyard. Initially, the Grieves made only a small quantity of wine, selling the remainder of each year’s harvest to select, high quality wine producers. But all of this changed in 2008, when David was introduced to wine-industry veteran and chef Vance Rose at a pop-up 12 course underground dinner Rose was in the habit of hosting.
Vintner and chef Vance Rose teamed up with David Grieve in 2008. The two now produce Grieve Sauvignon Blanc and a “Double Eagle” Bordeaux blend. (Photo Courtesy of Grieve Family Winery)
Rose’s fascination with wine and food developed serendipitously when, at the age of 18, his father asked that he select a wine for his birthday dinner. Rose recalls that at that time, he knew of only four kinds of wine: “white, red, pink and bubbly.” When the young Texan chose a 1959 Burgundy (the year of his birth), the occasion marked the beginning of a journey which would take Rose to the premier wine producing regions of the world where he has sought out, sold and made fine wines.
Vance Rose has made a name for himself creating and hosting extravagant pop up dinners. On May 27th, Rose prepared a tasting menu for guests at the Grieve Family Winery. (Sofia Englund / Sonoma Magazine)
Soon after the Grieve/Rose meeting at the culinary extravaganza, the two began making wine together under the Grieve Family label. Eight vintages later, they’ve established themselves as producers of premier California Sauvignon Blanc and “Double Eagle” Bordeaux blend.
The Grieve Sauvignon Blanc derives from two vine varieties: a French clone vine and a California “clone 3” vine, sometimes known as “the lost clone”. (97% of California Sauvignon Blancs derive from clone 2; clone 3 vines are rare).
Grieve Family Winery’s Sauvignon Blanc derives from a rare clone 3 vine – “the lost clone.” (Photo Courtesy of Grieve Family Winery)
Created by a UC Berkeley professor in the late 19th century and planted on an experimental vineyard in the Sierra Foothills, clone 3 fell into viticultural oblivion as the vineyard deteriorated during the depression. Fifty years later, a UC Davies viticulture professor, curious about the mysterious vine, determined to seek it out. After a search which was to last several years, remnants of the clone were found in a disused and overgrown vineyard.
To realize their fine quality Sauvignon Blanc, Grieve and Rose “double-farm” the vineyard, treating the north side of the vineyard differently from the south side. They employed this approach to accommodate for the vineyard’s east/west row orientation and Sauvignon Blanc’s need for sun exposure to achieve the best flavors. The two winemakers also harvest twice during the year to maximize the flavor intensity of each cluster picked. The process can be labor intensive and expensive, but Grieve and Rose feel it is worth the effort in their attempts to make the best possible wine.
The fairway and green adjacent to the Grieve Family Winery. (Sofia Englund / Sonoma Magazine)
In 2010, Grieve and Rose combined their two passions — golf and fine wine — to make their inaugural release of Grieve Family’s “Double Eagle” Cabernet Sauvignon. In 2012, Grieve Family created a “Double Eagle” Bordeaux blend by combining the best barrels of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Grieve Family Merlot. (In addition to Sauvignon Blanc, the Grieve Family vineyard also includes 4.49 acres of Merlot).
For David Grieve and Vance Rose, there seems to have occurred a “synergy of two” in the making of Grieve Family Wines: two clones, two sides of the vineyard and two harvests in an effort to make one great Sauvignon Blanc. And David Grieve and Vance Rose no doubt have high hopes that pioneer golfing ace Bobby Jones, armed with his putter “Calamity Jane,” would be proud of Grieve Family’s “Double Eagle” Bordeaux blend.
Not all trail outings require specialized gear, long time commitments or strong legs and lungs. Along the Kortum Trail on Sonoma County’s coast, feel free to come as you are, saunter at will and make frequent stops.
The only climbing will be an optional side trip down to the beach or up the trailside rock outcroppings. Along the way, you’ll meet people of all ages who have pulled over for a closer look at the coastal bluffs so many of us drive past on our way elsewhere.
We visited on a sunny Saturday afternoon and spent an hour watching the surf at Blind Beach near Jenner before wandering down to the trailhead. During a leisurely stroll to Shell Beach, we passed no more than 20 others, many of whom were likewise in no hurry to reach the end of the trail. Several of us gathered to watch a group of young rock climbers practice their ascents on Sunset Rocks, one of the many trailside attractions.
There’s plenty more to enjoy along the way. From the coastal bluffs, we had panoramic ocean views that stretched from Goat Rock to Point Reyes. We found many reasons to linger — scouting the horizon for cargo ships, watching the waves wrap around craggy outcroppings, searching for wildlife in the marshland beneath the boardwalk.
The trail is named for Bill Kortum, a Petaluma environmental activist who, among other things, co-founded Coastwalk California. Until his death in 2014, he continued to advocate for the statewide California Coastal Trail, of which the Kortum Trail is a segment. Although the entire trail is visible from Highway 1, we felt miles away, separated by gentle breezes and the ever present roar of the Pacific.
(Dogs are not allowed on the Kortum Trail)
To the Trailhead
Goat Rock Road • Jenner
38.435135, -123.120470
From Highway 1 and Highway 116 (just south of Jenner) cross the Russian River bridge on Highway 1, and drive 0.65 miles south to Goat Rock Road at mile marker 19.15. Turn right and continue 0.75 miles to the Blind Beach parking lot on the left side of the high bluffs.
From Bodega Bay, drive 8 miles north on Highway 1 to Goat Rock Road at mile marker 19.15. Turn left and continue 0.75 miles to the Blind Beach parking lot on the left.
Shuttle Car to Wright’s Beach
7170 Hwy 1 • Bodega Bay
38.401243, -123.094288
To Wright’s Beach: The lot is located 1.4 miles south of the Shell Beach turnoff at mile marker 16.8 along Highway 1.
The Hike
Get a great bird’s-eye view of Goat Rock and Blind Beach from the Blind Beach parking lot. A steep, rough path descends the cliffs to the beach itself, 200 feet below, but for this hike, walk 30 yards back down the road to the posted Kortum Trail on the right. Ascend the grassy slope toward prominent Peaked Hill.
Climb to the saddle between the 377-foot peak on the right and the rocky outcrop on the left. From the ridge, the southern views stretch past Bodega Head to Point Reyes. Descend the southeast slope, and pass through a fence to a giant rock formation on the marine terrace.
Curve right to the oceanfront cliffs and continue south. Pass dramatic formations on the grassy bluffs and offshore rocks, including Gull Rock, a nesting site for gulls and cormorants. Cross a small gully and continue atop the plateau. Cross a larger gully with the aid of stairs and a footbridge. Follow a 300-foot boardwalk over a wetland.
Curve inland, walk across another 150-foot boardwalk, and return to the oceanfront cliffs. Pass through a fence and continue on a gravel path to the Shell Beach parking lot. A path on the right descends the bluffs to the beach, where jagged shoreline rocks support tidepools. After exploring the beach, return along the same route for a 4.6-mile out-and-back hike or continue south another 1.6 miles to Wright’s Beach for a total of 4 miles.
If you are continuing, take the posted Kortum Trail south. Weave down into a stream-fed drainage, and cross a footbridge over the first of five seasonal creeks. Climb out of the gully to the coastal terrace and the oceanfront cliffs at an overlook of Shell Beach and the dramatic offshore rocks.
Follow the edge of the bluffs and curve inland. Drop into a second drainage and cross the bridge over the ephemeral stream. Return to the bluffs, with views of Red Hill and the sandy beach at the mouth of Furlong Gulch. Zigzag down switchbacks into the gulch. Cross another bridge over the creek and a shorter bridge over a feeder stream. After the second bridge is a junction. The right fork descends steps to Furlong Gulch Beach on the south edge of the creek.
Climb back up to the 100-foot bluffs and continue south. Atop the terrace, pass a connecting trail from Grill Way. Curve left toward the house near the end of Carlevaro Way. Before reaching the house, veer to the right, staying on the trail. Drop down and cross a bridge over the fourth stream to a posted junction. Straight ahead, the right path leads to a sandy beach at the mouth of the stream.
At low tide, this route can be taken to Wright’s Beach, forming a loop with the bluff-top trail. The main trail curves left and weaves across the bluffs, crossing a bridge over a winter stream near Highway 1. Follow the south wall of the drainage and return to the oceanfront, where the path joins a gravel utility road. The gravel ends at the paved access road leading down to Wright’s Beach and the campground. Wind a quarter mile down the access road to the sandy beach.
Source: “Day Hikes Around Sonoma County, 2nd Edition,” by Robert Stone. Photography by Linda Castrone.
Gabriel Soto at the set of Vino el Amor at Viansa Winery in Sonoma. (Photo by Lorna Sheridan)
One of Mexico’s most well-known celebrities, Gabriel Soto, has spent the last few weeks in Sonoma Valley filming a highly anticipated new telenovela for Univision.
The show, which will air beginning in August, is called “Vino el Amor,” or “Wine Love.” It will be broadcast in nearly 100 countries and is expected to draw tens of millions of viewers. The series is set in Sonoma, while its interior shots are being filmed in Tijuana, Mexico.
The cast and crew of 75 has been staying in Sonoma, spread between two hotels, one on the Plaza and one just outside the city limits. Filming has taken place at Viansa Sonoma. Crews will return later in the summer and film the soap opera off and on in Sonoma throughout the fall.
Gabriel Soto speaking with an actor off camera during a scene filmed at Viansa, Sonoma. (Lorna Sheridan / Index-Tribune)
Over the past few weeks of filming, the actor-model Soto, 41, has been mobbed more than once on the Plaza, according to production officials. He stars in the production along with Russian actress Irina Baeva, 25.
The telenovela is being produced by Mexican filmmaker Jose Alberto Castro for Televisa, the largest producer of Spanish speaking television programming in Mexico.
Castro is well known in his own right, both for the global success of his most recent telenovela, “Passion and Power,” which swept Mexico’s television awards in 2015, and for making headlines in various Mexican tabloid papers.
Russian actress Irina Baeva stars in the production along George Soto.
Production manager Laura Somerville has worked with Televisa for almost 20 years and she was responsible for selecting Viansa Sonoma as the setting for the show. The location had been under wraps until recently, out of concern that fans of Soto might arrive on set disrupting production.
Somerville had never been to wine country before this summer but she is already a huge fan. “We all love it here,” she said.
“I came to Sonoma on vacation three years ago,” added Castro, and “ever since then I have wanted to set a show here. It is such a beautiful place and we have found the people to be exceptionally friendly.”
Gabriel Soto has a background as a model (he’s a former Mr. Mexico) and as a former boy band star. He is currently known as a telenovela star in Mexico.
“Our Mexican employees said that having Gabriel here is like if we were hosting Tom Cruise at the height of his fame,” said Viansa’s general manager Phillip Hansell.
A crew of more than 75 people are staying in Sonoma until Christmas.
Interviewed on his last day before a break in filming, Soto said, “This is such a beautiful place, we never want to leave. I love our hotel, I love this winery.”
Castro added that while the cast and crew have been working around the clock, they have enjoyed some “terrific” meals in Sonoma, including “a fantastic breakfast at Fremont Diner” and great meals at both Della Santina’s and OSO.
The plot of “Wine Love” centers on a winery owner (Soto), who is depressed after losing his wife in a tragic accident. A young woman (Beava), who grew up in the vineyard, returns and helps the winery owner learn to once again love life, and his vineyard. The series is a remake of a Chilean series “La Chúcara.”
“Vino el Amor” will have upward of 100 episodes, and will air every weekday for an hour starting in August. According to Univision, the soap opera “gives life to Mexican Americans trying to not only achieve the American Dream but also the success with family and love.”
Actor and former model George Soto said that he loves filming in the Sonoma vineyards, despite the wind.
There’s plenty of reasons to get out and about this week. This Saturday and Sunday is the 26th annual Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic in Windsor. Friday through Sunday, Sonoma celebrates Gay Wine Weekend. On Sunday, celebrate Dad at the Father’s Day “Show & Shine” Car Show in Santa Rosa. And the Sonoma-Marin Fair comes back to Petaluma June 22-26. All this and more is in our list of things to do.
FRIDAY, June 17
North Bay Cabaret: This Friday, North Bay Cabaret celebrates their 2nd anniversary with a night of 21+ entertainment at the Whiskey Tip in Santa Rosa. The Crux and Josh Windmiller will perform live music, and performances will include flaming hula hoops, pole acrobatics, burlesque and more. The event will raise funds for the Pulse shooting victims in Orlando through a raffle. Doors open at 7 p.m. Admission is $10-$15. Find out all the details at facebook.com/NorthBayCabaret.
The Art of the Book: The latest gallery at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts pays homage to the literary arts — books, to be specific. Starting this Friday and running through July 24, view several dozen pieces that illustrate the high level of skill and creativity in the art of bookmaking. This Friday, 6-7:30 p.m., is an opening reception to the gallery. On Saturday, 2-3 p.m., hear how several works in this gallery were created when artists come to describe their pieces. Find out all the details about this free event at sebarts.org. (June 17 & 18)
Gay Wine Weekend: This weekend, enjoy three full days of LGBT events in the Sonoma Valley, including the Twilight T Dance, the Gay Wine Auction, wine tours and more. Tickets are $25-$175. For all the details, visit outinthevineyard.com. (June 17-19)
This weekend, enjoy three full days of LGBT events in the Sonoma Valley, including the Twilight T Dance, the Gay Wine Auction, wine tours and more.
SATURDAY, June 18
Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic: This weekend, hot air balloons will dot the skies for the 26th annual festival at Keiser Park in Windsor. The event kicks off with the Dawn Patrol — an early morning chance to see illuminated balloons launch in the dark. It then continues with the main launch of 30 balloons and a festival that continues until 10:30 a.m. Gates open each day at 4 a.m. Tickets are $6 adults, $5 kids, and free for kids 5 and under. Tethered rides are $10 each. Parking is $5. Find out all the details at www.schabc.org. (June 18 & 19)
Ride-A-Rig: This Saturday, kids of all ages are invited to Galvin Park in Santa Rosa to see and explore first responder vehicles. This hands on event will feature a fire truck, ambulance, air ambulance and law enforcement vehicles. Other vehicles may include an Army Jeep, a garbage truck and more. Admission is $5, and free for kids 3 and under. Find out all the details at www.jlns.org/ride-a-rig.html.
Sonoma Lavender Barn Opening: This weekend and next, the Sonoma Lavender Barn will be open to the public for their once-a-year sales event. The free occasion will include discounts on a variety of lavender products. Find out more at sonomalavender.com. (June 18 & 19)
Super Nice Social: If you’re itching to do nice things for others, and want to meet other like-minded people, the Super Nice Club is the club for you. This Saturday, the group aims to clean up Healdsburg Memorial Beach, and then celebrate that night with drinks and bites to eat at Bergamot Alley in Healdsburg. The cleanup starts at 10 a.m., and the social is at 9 p.m. Find out more at facebook.com/superniceclub or www.superniceclub.com.
This Sunday, take dad where he really wants to go — to the car show!
SUNDAY, June 19
Father’s Day “Show & Shine” Car Show: This Sunday, take dad where he really wants to go — to the car show! From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Juilliard Park in Santa Rosa, check out classic cars, live music, raffles, contests and more. This event is free to attend. Find out more at nceca.org.
Father’s Day Pig Roast: Spoil dad this Sunday with a feast at Meadowcroft Wines. The winery is servicing up a spit fired pig with delicious sides, paired with Meadowcroft’s current release wines. The event is from noon to 3 p.m., and is $65-$75 per person. Reserve your space at meadowcroftwines.com.
Cotati Jazz Festival: This Sunday, enjoy jazz in the park when the 36th Annual Cotati Jazz Festival comes back to La Plaza Park. The free event will feature music, crafts, food and more. The festival takes place noon to 5 p.m., followed by evening performances at the local restaurants and pubs. Find out all the details at cotatijazz.com.
Stumptown Daze Parade: The 70th annual parade in Guerneville takes place this Sunday, marking the start of the summer season. The parade kicks off at 11 a.m., and the celebration continues until 5 p.m. Find out more at russianriver.com.
Father’s Day Luau: Bring Hawaii to dad this Sunday with a Father’s Day Luau at B.R. Cohn Winery in Sonoma. The event is 1-3 p.m. and will include a roasted pig feast, live music and Polynesian dancing. Tickets are $20-$45. Find out more at brcohn.com.
Transcendence Theater’s “Broadway Under the Stars” opens this Friday with “This Magic Moment” at the Jack London Historic State Park in Glen Ellen.
A Peak at Next Week…
Monday, June 20
Annie Proulx: Pulitzer Prize-winning author, 7:30 p.m. Monday, Osher Marin Jewish Community Center, San Rafael. $45 includes Proulx’s latest novel, ‘Barkskins.’ (415) 927-0960, bookpassage.com.
James McMurtry: Veteran singer-songwriter ‘Live at Lagunitas,’ 4:20-9 p.m. Monday, Lagunitas Brewing Co., Petaluma. Free, RSVP required, wait list only. 769-4495, lagunitas.com.
Dining with Authors: Hear local authors read from their recently published books at Gaia’s Garden in Santa Rosa, 6-8 p.m. facebook.com/LocalAuthorsDistributor
Tuesday, June 21
3 Doors Down: Mississippi rock band, 8 p.m. Tuesday, Luther Burbank Center, Santa Rosa. $49-$175. 546-3600, lutherburbankcenter.org.
Soul Fuse: Funk, soul and fusion band, ‘Tuesdays in the Plaza’ outdoor concert series, 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Healdsburg Plaza. Free. 431-3301, ci.healdsburg.ca.us.
Wednesday, June 22
‘Tosca’: Met Opera Summer Encores showing of Puccini’s timeless verismo score, 1:30 and 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Rialto Cinemas, Sebastopol. $12.50. 525-4840, rialtocinemas.com.
‘ChamberFest 2016’: Schubert and Mozart duets open five-day chamber music festival, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Schroeder Hall, Green Music Center, Rohnert Park. $30. (866) 955-6040, gmc.sonoma.edu.
Thursday, June 23
Carolyn Wonderland: Blues singer-songwriter, ‘Summer Nights on the Green’ outdoor concert series, 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Windsor Town Green. Free. 838-1260, townofwindsor.com.
Friday, June 24
Wanda Sykes: Stand-up comic and ‘Black-ish’ and ‘Alpha House’ actress, 8 p.m. June 24, Luther Burbank Center, Santa Rosa. $49.50-$59.50. 546-3600, lutherburbankcenter.org.
Dana Gioia: California State Poet Laureate, 7 p.m. June 24, Copperfield’s Books, Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa. Free. 578-8938, copperfieldsbooks.com.
‘Forever Plaid’: Musical with nostalgic pop hits of the 1950s, opening night, 8 p.m. June 24, 6th Street Playhouse, Santa Rosa. $15-$37. 523-3544, 6thstreetplayhouse.com.
Tommy Castro: Rockin’ rhythm and blues with The Painkillers band, ‘Friday Night Live’ outdoor concert series, 7 p.m. June 24, Cloverdale Plaza. Free. 894-4410, cloverdaleartsalliance.org.
Second Line: New Orleans-influenced funk band, ‘Funky Fridays’ outdoor concert, 7 p.m. June 24, Hood Mansion, Santa Rosa. $10, $10 parking. 833-6288, funkyfridays.info.
‘Nice Work If You Can Get It’: Gershwin musical comedy, Summer Repertory Theatre opening night, 8 p.m. June 24, Burbank Auditorium, Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa. $18-$25. 527-4307, summerrep.com.
‘Bye Bye Birdie’: Opening night, Raven Players’ production of the musical comedy, 8 p.m. June 24, Raven Performing Arts Theater, Healdsburg. $10-$30. 433-6335, raventheater.org.
Saturday, June 25
‘Thompsonia!’: Americana, rockabilly and blues with Suzy, Eric and Allegra Thompson, 8 p.m. June 25, Occidental Center for the Arts. $25. 874-9392, occidentalcenterforthearts.org.
‘Fresh Paint’: Sonoma Valley Museum of Art gala with Los Boleros Cuban and Latin band and performer Ellen Toscano, 5:30 p.m. June 25, Hanna Boys Center, Sonoma. $250. 939-7862, svma.org.
‘Charles M. Schulz’s Art & Life’: Lecture with Schulz Museum archivist Cesar Gallegos, 2 p.m. June 25, Rohnert Park-Cotati Regional Library, Rohnert Park. Free. 584-9121, sonomalibrary.org.
Timothy O’Neil Band: Folk-Americana plus The Sam Chase and The Untraditional, 9 p.m. June 25, HopMonk Tavern, Sebastopol. $15. 829-7300, hopmonk-sebastopol.ticketfly.com.
Sunday, June 26
Symphony Napa Valley: ‘Double Double’ concertos by Bach and Mozart, 3 p.m. June 26, Napa Valley Performing Arts Center, Lincoln Theater, Yountville. $30-$55. 944-9900, symphonynv.org.
‘ChamberFest 2016’: All-Mozart program finale with the Santa Rosa Symphony, 3 p.m. June 26, Weill Hall, Green Music Center, Rohnert Park. $30. (866) 955-6040, gmc.sonoma.edu.
Matt Eakle & Randy Vincent: Flutist and guitarist with Michael Brandeburg Jazz Trio: 1-4 p.m. June 26, Village Terrace, Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa. Free. 545-3844, mvshops.com.
‘The Three Musketeers’: Swashbuckling, romance and humor with Pegasus Theater Co., closing performance, 6 p.m. June 26, Riverkeeper Stewardship Park, Guerneville. $18-$25. (800) 838-3006, pegasustheater.com.
Hold onto your sweet tooth, because we’ve found a Candy Land of yumminess way under the radar.
Zephyr Chocolates, a passion project by baker/chocolatier Robin Carey, has quietly been testing out a pop-up sweet shop on Monday and Tuesdays at East Wind Bakery in Santa Rosa.
Bao donuts made with bao dough and filled with ricotta cheese and fruit at Zephyr Chocolates pop-up at East Wind Bakery in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
First off, the donuts. She bowled us over with her croissant donuts a few years ago, but now, she’s doing an Asian-inspired bao donut. If you’re not familiar with bao, it’s the soft, fluffy dough used in Chinese pork buns — a chewy, light, sweet/savory bread often steamed. Inspired by the extraordinary bao buns at East Wind, she’s fried up the dough and filled it with ricotta and fresh fruit including key lime, strawberry, and Meyer lemon.
Calling them “bao-nuts” she’s also doing Boston cream pie and a creme brulee version with a crunchy sugar top.
Chai tea and lavendar cupcakes at Zephyr Chocolates pop-up at East Wind Bakery in Santa Rosa.
That’s just the start, though, Carey also does exotic cupcakes: Cardamom rose, lavender bergamot and double chocolate; donut bread pudding and chocolates with rose, cinnamon, Chinese five spice, are ginger (among many others).
Sipping chocolates with a cinnamon marshmallow from Zephyr Chocolates at the East WInd Bakery on Monday and Tuesdays only in Santa Rosa.
We gilded the little by ordering a sipping chocolate (think liquid truffle) with a giant cinnamon marshmallow also made by Carey.
We’re not sure where she finds time to sleep, but you’ll want to get up early to get some of her treats because the bakery case tends to get pretty empty by noon.
Zephyr Chocolates pop-up at East Wind Bakery: Monday and Tuesdays only from 9a.m. to 3p.m., 3851 Sebastopol Rd., #109, Santa Rosa, zephyrchocolateandcocoa.com.
Photography by Heather Irwin.
Donut bread pudding with fresh berries and caramel at Zephyr Chocolates pop up at the East Wind Bakery in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
“Tribal Voices,” an exhibit that explores Native American culture through arts and artifacts, opened June 3 at the Petaluma Historical Library and Museum and will run through the summer. It’s presented by History Connection.
The exhibit juxtaposes artwork by renowned local Native American artist Christine Cobaugh with artifacts on loan from The Graton Rancheria, Marin Museum of the American Indian, California Indian Museum & Cultural Center, along with items from the collection of historian Dan Brown.
Tony Redhouse opened the new “Tribal Voices” exhibit with a special performance at the Petaluma Historical Library & Museum. (Petaluma Historical Library & Museum)
“Typically exhibitions of Native Art have almost exclusively focused on either historical or contemporary works, with very little mixing of the two,” said exhibit curator Joe Noriel in a press release. “‘Tribal Voices’ will prompt visitors to see the links and continuities within the vast panorama of Native American art and artifacts, and to consider it with fresh eyes.”
The exhibition, which is free to the public, opened with a performance by Grammy nominated Native American performer Tony Redhouse. Other planned events include a speaker series and a Pomo dance presentation by the Pomo Youth Dancers at 1 p.m. July 10.
Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 20 Fourth St., Petaluma. Hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and noon-3 p.m. Sunday. More information is available at 778-4398 or http://www.petalumamuseum.com.
Artwork by Native American sculptor Becky Olvera Schultz is part of the “Tribal Voices” exhibit now on display at the Petaluma Historic Library and Museum.
