Page 421 – Sonoma Magazine

Time to Hit the Beach in Sonoma County

June 2016

By Mary Callahan

After several years of drought along the Russian River, the time to get back in the drink is now. With the water at its highest summer-time flow in four years, and hot weather, the prospect of a refreshing dip is all the more enticing.

Strong beach attendance since Memorial Day suggests there is pent up demand for water fun, whether it’s swimming, canoeing, kayaking or just splashing around, business owners said.

And while locals are among those flocking to Sonoma County beaches, weekend visitors have included plenty of daytrippers from the Greater Bay Area, San Jose and even Santa Cruz who have been lured by the Russian River.

beach 2 — Erik Overmyer of Antioch paddles on the Russian River at Del Rio Beach in Healdsburg, California on Saturday, June 18, 2016.

“We don’t have clear water like this over there,” Antioch resident Erik Overmyer said, referring to his East Bay community as he paddleboarded upstream along a swift section of river near Del Rio Woods in Healdsburg. “You can’t see the fish go by.”

The river, the center of local tourism in the decades before Wine Country drew so much of the spotlight, has enjoyed a surge in popularity over recent years, offering affordable, ever more varied opportunities for outdoor adventure and family fun.

The explosion of recreational kayaking and, more recently, stand-up paddleboarding, has added to a passing parade of canoes, rafts and inner tubes, traditional watercraft still widely enjoyed on the Russian River.

Over the past two decades, the Sonoma County Regional Parks Department also has invested millions of dollars in new riverfront parks, parking and other amenities, increasing access to the river and enhancing longtime destinations on the upper and lower river alike.

beach 5 — Tamara Bautista, 3, laughs as she floats in the water at Veterans Memorial Beach in Healdsburg.

Declining water levels during the prolonged drought put a damper on water recreation during the past few seasons, especially last year, when bone-dry conditions prompted the Sonoma County Water Agency to reduce summer-time reservoir releases to the bare minimum, seriously decreasing the river flow.

With water levels at a low point and the river temperature high, word came last Labor Day that a dangerous blue-green algae had been detected in some areas of the waterway and was even responsible for the death of a dog. Public health warnings scared away some people for the last precious weeks of long, warm days.

There are no signs of blue green algae now, amid high hopes that the region will escape any such threat this year, though public officials will be monitoring the situation.

The return of rain last winter has positioned the region better than many other parts of California, leaving lakes Sonoma and Mendocino at their highest levels since early January 2013, state records show. Plentiful supplies allow for more water in the river this summer than last year.

beach 6 — Judah Cohen, 4, left, Chiara Mizuno, 12, Joaquin Eyzaguirre, 7, and Joaquin’s mother, Catalina Eyzaguirre of Berkeley, relax on the river at Del Rio Beach in Healdsburg.

Sonoma County Water Agency spokeswoman Ann Dubay said the river should still be “noticeably higher than during the drought,” particularly on the upper river above Dry Creek, allowing for good times throughout the system.

The highest flows of the summer may be right now, just as river fans are beginning to pack beaches and get out on the water with friends and family.

“It’s a good year for the Russian River,” said Bill Mashek, owner of Forestville-based Rubicon Adventures, a commercial provider of stand-up paddleboard training and guided trips.

beach 7 — Jordan Swan, 11, left, and his brother Caylen Swan, 14, wade upstream from Del Rio Beach in Healdsburg.

Seasonal dams also are going up this month at three locations on the river, including for the first time in two years Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach, a popular family destination in large part because of its expansive swimming area and on-duty lifeguards. The dam will be in place this week, making for a wide, deep swimming area by the July Fourth weekend, park personnel said.

Dams also are holding back water and deepening swimming holes at Guerneville’s Vacation Beach and Johnson’s Beach, though there are plenty of opportunities elsewhere to frolic, float, paddle or just chill out this summer.

Among them are a remote beach called Del Rio Woods in Healdsburg, long operated by the now-defunct Del Rio Woods Recreation and Park District and now officially a part of the Sonoma County Regional Parks District.

beach 3 — Cousins Anderson Santos, 6, left, and Jonathan Santos, 9, relax in a little swimming hole at Veterans Memorial Beach in Healdsburg.

A new solar-powered pay station has been installed in the parking lot off South Fitch Mountain Road, with space for 20 cars whose lucky occupants will have access to a sweet stretch of river at the bottom of the hill, without the presence of significant crowds.

Neighboring home-owner Jeff Wampler said county oversight of the beach, begun last year, has made for a calmer, more family-friendly atmosphere than before.

“A lot of families have come back to the beach,” he said.

Santa Rosa father Todd Gardner and his family were among them last weekend, Gardner observing that the party spot locals once knew has changed, in part through a ban on alcohol. “Now that I’m an adult and I have kids, it’s beautiful,” he said.

Sonoma County Regional Parks staffers said a decision to prohibit alcohol last year at the Forestville River Access point, known as Mom’s or Mother’s Beach, went smoothly as well, reducing behavioral excesses that had created problems on the beach and in the adjoining neighborhood.

“It is a family beach again,” said Park Ranger Bill Trunick.

What’s more, the kind of drunken behavior that prompted the ban seems not to have moved onto another location, Park Manager Bert Whitaker said.

beach 4 — Kids splash each other with water at Veterans Memorial Beach in Healdsburg.

Overall, recreational vendors said demand for rentals and related services is up significantly this year, with reservations being booked well into the season.

“This is really the first time in several years that people aren’t questioning” the water supply, said Larry Laba, owner of SOAR Inflatables and Russian River Adventures in Healdsburg. “We’ve got great reservations, great bookings.”

Linda Burke, co-owner of Burke’s Canoes, a Forestville institution, said it appears business up and down the river has been booming since Memorial Day weekend.

“I think people were ready for summer to begin, and the season really started off with a bang,” she said.

“It feels like summertime out on the river. I’m telling you, people are out in full force.”

Photography by Alvin Jornada.

RUSSIAN RIVER BEACHES

Alcohol-Free Beaches
Forestville River Access, also known as Mom’s or Mother’s Beach
Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach
Del Rio Woods, Healdsburg

Dammed Swimming Areas
Johnson’s Beach, Guerneville
Vacation Beach, Guerneville
Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach

Dog-Friendly Beaches
Cloverdale River Park, Riverfront Regional Park, Sunset Beach, Forestville River Access (also known as Mom’s or Mother’s Beach), Steelhead Beach and Monte Rio Community Beach (Sandy Beach portion): Dogs allowed on 6-foot leash.

On-Duty Lifeguard
Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach

Regional Parks River River Patrol/Lifejacket Loans
Steelhead Beach, Forestville
Forestville River Access
Sunset Beach, Forestville

On-Site Equipment Rentals and Concessions
Monte Rio Beach
Johnson’s Beach

Gualala River: swimming and watercraft on first few miles, access through Gualala Point Regional Park and privately owned Gualala River Redwood Park.

Petaluma River: canoing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding.

42 Surprising Things Made in Sonoma County

June 2016

By Crissi Langwell

Yuba Bicycles: The Petaluma-based company is known for their stylish cargo bikes that make eco-friendly commuting both fun and easy. (Alvin Jornada / For The Press Democrat)

Some people only shop American-made and refuse to buy products made in China. Many, especially in tight-knit communities, make a point to shop local.

But it doesn’t hurt when certain local products are famous nationwide. Our staff snooped around the county and found some great products, people and movies all made, produced, grown or raised here in Sonoma County. Here’s what we found.

Love it or Hate it, Sauvignon Blanc is #2 in Sonoma County

June 2016

By Gerald D. Boyd

There are a handful of white wines with unmistakable personalities that consumers either like or dislike. There is no middle ground. Gewurztraminer, the tongue-twisting German variety with the jasmine and spice aroma and flavor, is one example. And then there’s sauvignon blanc, the personality-packed white wine you either love or hate.

With aromatic profiles that range from mildly floral to aggressively vegetal, sauvignon blanc and its California cousin fume blanc have their fans, like my friend and his wife who drink cases of it every year. To supply that demand, Sonoma County winegrowers now dedicate 2,659 acres to the grape, making sauvignon blanc the county’s second-most planted varietal.

The praise for sauvignon blanc seems unlimited, like this glowing tribute from the British wine writer Oz Clarke, an unabashed cheerleader: “Sauvignon blanc is the most useful variety in the world. To me, that is. Not to everybody, I admit. But I love it and I need it.”

Clarke says that wines with personality, like sauvignon blanc, sing, shout and roar their personalities. Could Huey Lewis have been thinking about sauvignon blanc when he sang, “I want a new drug?”

New Zealand sauvignon blanc, probably the most popular style on the market today, is packed to overflowing with tropical fruit flavors like passion fruit, guava and lime juice. Some Kiwi “sauvys” are so in your face that critics have taken to calling them “one glass” wines. Still, it is that tropical fruit bowl style that keeps fans coming back for more.

Sauvignon blanc is one of those rare premium grapes that shows its stuff in cool maritime zones as well as warmer inland sites. The challenge with warmer-climate grapes is maintaining good acidity while not losing the grape’s essential flavors. When sauvignon doesn’t ripen properly, the grape has a tendency to be green and veggie.

Soil composition is not as important for sauvignon blanc in California as it is in France or New Zealand. Heavier soils tend to yield more herbaceous character, while warmer, stony soils give riper flavors. In Sonoma and Napa, sauvignon blanc tolerates high yields (6 tons per acre) and still shows lots of character.

The ancestral home of sauvignon blanc is France. In the upper Loire Valley, sauvignon blanc is the leading white grape in such noted wines as Sancerre and Pouilly Fume, usually paired with semillon in Bordeaux Blanc.

Records show that sauvignon blanc has been in the Napa Valley since the 1880s and was often blended with other white grapes to make California “Sauterne,” a dubious tribute to Sauternes, the great Bordeaux dessert wine made from sauvignon blanc and semillon.

Although sauvignon blanc was already known in Sonoma County, its popularity with consumers didn’t take off until the mid-20th century, thanks in part to Dry Creek Vineyard, a prominent Sonoma County winery that has championed sauvignon blanc for years.

But the stage was set for the emergence of sauvignon blanc as a major player in California in the 1970s, when the Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa Valley changed the name of its sauvignon blanc to fume blanc. Popular wine lore says that sales for Mondavi sauvignon blanc needed a jolt, so Mondavi switched the name of the wine to fume blanc, a play on the French Loire Valley sauvignon blanc, Pouilly Blanc Fume.

Given the American lack of proficiency with French in those days, Mondavi pulled off a wine marketing masterstroke and sales took off.

The move by Mondavi also changed the American wine drinker’s understanding of French sauvignon blanc styles because he aged his new fume blanc in oak, a style then more common in Bordeaux Blanc. Sauvignon’s next stylistic shift rocked the U.S. wine world. In the late 1990s, New Zealand’s Cloudy Bay introduced its Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc to a thirsty audience at the World Vinifera Conference in Seattle. Kiwi sauvignon blanc was so startlingly different from anything made to date in France or California that it became an overnight hit.

Sancerre and Pouilly Fume were known for minerality; Bordeaux Blanc was often fuller with a bit of oak; and California sauvignon blanc was floral, sometimes finished with a hint of sweetness. Today, many Sonoma and Napa sauvignon blancs are a cross between the Loire and Marlborough styles, with mineral and citrus flavors, accented by subtle tropical fruit notes.

New Zealand sauvignon blanc, with its fresh tropical-fruit flavors and bracing acidity, is the ideal aperitif, especially with light, cheesy finger foods, and it’s a favorite around the pool on a hot summer day.

At the table, sauvignon blanc is brilliant with goat cheese-filled tarts or herb-crusted cheese and crackers, and the wine’s brisk acidity makes it a good match with dishes centered around oily fish like grilled salmon and a creamy dill sauce.

Unlike chardonnay, where prices can reach into the stratosphere, especially for top white Burgundy and high-end Napa and Sonoma bottlings, sauvignon blanc prices are more moderate, with only the odd reserve sauvignon like Duckhorn, Honig and Mondavi priced from $20-$50. Plan on paying about $18 to $25 for a good quality sauvignon blanc from Napa, Sonoma, Bordeaux, Loire.

The bottom line then with sauvignon blanc is settling on a style. A few years back, my friend and his wife discovered the fruit-forward zingy New Zealand style of sauvignon blanc and stayed with it. Have you found yours?

Gerald D. Boyd is a wine and spirits writer based in Santa Rosa.

Black Piglet Opens in Healdsburg for Major BLT Action

June 2016

By Heather Irwin

While most folks mark the official kick off to summer around Memorial Day, or possibly even the solstice, I celebrate it by the smell of BLT’s cooking at Davis Family Vineyards.

Zazu Restaurant + Farm’s John Stewart and Duskie Estes will open their summer pop-up, Black Piglet, at Davis Family Vineyards in Healdsburg this weekend. It’s a come-as-you-are garden affair from 11:30a.m. to 3:30p.m. Friday through Sundays through October, with Black Pig Bacon BLT’s (you can actually pick your own tomatoes when they’re ripe), pork belly poutine, maple + bacon donuts, strawberry and rose sorbet, Jenny’s Pies and of course, Davis Family wines to sip.

It’s a family-friendly summer tradition you’ll want to incorporate into your weekend plans. 52 Front St. Healdsburg.

More Sonoma Wine Country Restaurants and Dining Reviews on BiteClubEats.

Two Birds One Stone Opens

June 2016

By biteclub

The collaborative yakitori restaurant, Two Birds One Stone by Healdsburg’s Doug Keane and LA’s Sang Yoon is open at the newly renovated Freemark Abbey Winery in St. Helena.

Pork belly yakitori at Two Birds One Stone in st. helena, a project of Chefs Douglas Keane and Sang Yoon. Heather Irwin/PD

Duck Egg Custard with uni and crab at Two Birds One Stone in st. helena, a project of Chefs Douglas Keane and Sang Yoon. Heather Irwin/PD

Describing itself as “Japanese ethos meets California inspiration”, the opening menu includes a warm duck egg custard with lemon verbena, crab and uni ($14), Keane’s famous chili-yuzu chicken wings ($9), kimchee with lotus root ($4), a foie gras parfait with cherry blossom gelee ($12), pork belly fried rice ($12), wagyu short rib ($17), King salmon with miso and daikon ($15) and matcha soft serve ice cream ($7). The wine list is led by Master Somm, Kevin Reilly.

The famous chicken wings at Two Birds One Stone in St. Helena. Heather Irwin/PD

Expect some seriously sexy small plates and a luxe Wine Country interior from these two Michelin-starred chefs.

Dinner only, Thursday through Monday from 5-9p.m., with reservations REQUIRED during the soft opening. 3020 St. Helena Hwy North, St. Helena, twobirdsonestonenapa.com.

Black Piglet Opens in Healdsburg for major BLT Action

June 2016

By biteclub

Prepping BLTs at Davis Family WInery in Healsburg. The Black Piglet opens this week. PD File

While most folks mark the official kick off to summer around Memorial Day, or possibly even the solstice, I celebrate it by the smell of BLT’s cooking at Davis Family Vineyards.

Zazu Restaurant + Farm’s John Stewart and Duskie Estes will open their summer pop-up, Black Piglet, at Davis Family Vineyards in Healdsburg this weekend. It’s a come-as-you-are garden affair from 11:30a.m. to 3:30p.m. Friday through Sundays through October, with Black Pig Bacon BLT’s (you can actually pick your own tomatoes when they’re ripe), pork belly poutine, maple + bacon donuts, strawberry and rose sorbet, Jenny’s Pies and of course, Davis Family wines to sip.

It’s a family-friendly summer tradition you’ll want to incorporate into your weekend plans. 52 Front St. Healdsburg.

The Oyster Girls Opening Petaluma Restaurant

June 2016

By Heather Irwin

Sisters Aluxa and Jazmine Lalicker shucking oysters. (biteclub.com)

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.

More details as the opening gets closer.

More Sonoma Wine Country Restaurants and Dining Reviews on BiteClubEats.

oyster 3 — The Shuckery logo. (biteclubeats.com

Royal Jelly Jive Salutes Tom Waits on New Album Recorded in Cotati

June 2016

By Dan Taylor

When members of the swing indie band Royal Jelly Jive recorded their second album at the Prairie Sun studio in Cotati, the young musicians were excited because one of their heroes, singer-songwriter Tom Waits, had made records there.

They even asked the reclusive west Sonoma County resident to sit in on the “Stand Up” sessions, but that didn’t happen.

“We sent him a letter, inviting him to play with us, but he likes to be in his own world, with his own family,” said Jesse Lemme Adams, 27, a Petaluma High School graduate who plays accordion and keyboards with Royal Jelly Jive.

That didn’t keep the band from recording a heartfelt tribute titled “Dear Mr. Waits,” with a lively vocal by the band’s lead singer Lauren Bjelde, 26, whose own singing style evokes a bit of Waits’ raspy delivery but with a sweet side.

Adams and Bjelde plan to include cuts from that album as they headline The Independent in San Francisco, one of several major dates they’ve been invited to play this year. They also performed at Outside Lands in San Francisco and BottleRock in Napa, and July 15 they will appear as part of downtown Cloverdale’s free “Friday Night Live” concert series.

“Stand Up” also includes the band’s versions of “Green Grass” by Waits and “Tommy the Cat,” written by Sebastopol-based Les Claypool and his band, Primus.

royal jelly 6 — Lauren Michelle Bjelde and Royal Jelly Jive combine elements of Soul, Rock, Swing and Hip-Hop. (www.royaljellyjive.com)

“I was inspired listening to Tom Waits’ music growing up,” said Bjelde.

The use of the word “jive” in the band’s name is certainly truthful, with Bjelde’s vocals backed by snappy arrangements for accordion, clarinet, trombone, acoustic bass and drums, occasionally augmented fiddle and guitar. And despite the band’s affinity for 1930s and ’40s fedoras, vests and pin-striped suits, this is not a nostalgic act. Most of the music is new, written by Adams and Bjelde.

“We like to look classic and have a little old-meets-new,” Bjelde said.

“We love that revival throwback thing, but we’re not tied to that,” Adams added. “We like modern music, and we like to integrate that. We throw in some hip-hop, rock and pop. Then there’s the other side, with a jazzy edge.

“Everyone’s a really well-trained musician, so it’s not just a rock band with guitars. We don’t even have guitar most of the time. People are surprised by how much we can rock without using guitar.”

Adams has been a bit of a commuter during the past several years, toggling between San Francisco and his parents’ home in the Petaluma area. He met Bjelde while studying at San Francisco State University, and the pair have been writing songs and touring together for the past several years. Last year they decided to settle in the North Bay.

They now live in a small house in Penngrove, which sometimes doubles as a rehearsal space and a set for music videos, but continue to play with the rest of the band at major San Francisco venues that include the Great American Music Hall and the venerable nightclub Slim’s. For a while, the group also had a monthly gig at the Boom Boom Room.

The band includes clarinetist Robby Elfman, a Los Angeles transplant who now lives in Petaluma. The rest of the band — drummer Felix Macnee, bassist Tyden Binsted and trombonist Luke Zavala — is based in San Francisco.

Before Adams joined the band, Bjelde sang at the Boom Boom Room with an earlier version of the band under the name The Sufis.

“When she was playing in that group there was a hype about her, like, ‘Have you seen the Sufis girl?’” he said.

“She connects with the audience really well. She’s so theatrical that she brings everyone in. I was lucky enough to sit in with them. Once that band fell apart, there was a perfect moment for me to step in.”

Royal Jelly Jive members have assembled several albums’ worth of material and want to continue touring, including a current sweep through the Pacific Northwest and a New Orleans trip planned for October.

“We’re doing what we want to do,” Bjelde said. “We’re making great music and getting it out to the people.”

Young Sonoma Author’s Debut ‘The Girls’ is Summer’s Hottest Novel

June 2016

By Meg McConahey

The writer of what has been called “the summer’s hottest novel” is trying hard to stay grounded, even as she is being anointed with the kind of superlative-laden praise that could send any tender, newly-published writer to Crazytown.

Emma Cline’s “The Girls,” inspired by the slavish young women caught up in the bloody cult of Charles Manson, has garnered a breathtaking body of stories and reviews from the top echelons of media in the run-up to its official June 15 release by Penguin Random House.

Stories and reviews have appeared in publications from The New York Times to the Washington Post and The Guardian, and James Wood in the The New Yorker called the 27-year-old Sonoma-grown writer “a talented stylist fast-tracked by the Muses.”

She is at a young age that intrigues critics and the literary press, who forget that the twenties is a fresh and fertile time for writers. Consider Michael Chabon, Norman Mailer, Mary Shelley, Jane Austen and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Keats was dead by 25.

And yet it has to be a breathtaking experience getting caught up in a whirl of publicity and praise, and the expectations that go along with that. Cline’s manuscript, written over a three-year period while she was living in a 9- by 12-foot gardening shed in a friend’s yard in Brooklyn, set off a bidding war that resulted in a reported seven figure deal for the young writer.

“A friend who was just published recently said it’s like getting knocked over by a tidal wave,” said Cline, speaking by phone from Minneapolis, where she had touched down during a book tour that also took her to London.

She returns home to Sonoma County this week, with book talks scheduled Wednesday at Readers Books in Sonoma and Friday at Copperfield’s in Petaluma.

Emma Cline sold her debut novel “The Girls” for $2 million as part of a three-book deal with Random House, and mega-producer Scott Rudin (The Social Network, Captain Phillips) has bought the film rights.

Keeping Focus

Cline said she’s keeping her focus on her real purpose as a writer in the midst of the flurry of attention and accolades.

“I feel theres a lot of noise, but to me it’s helpful to remind myself it is not why I write and it’s not why I wrote this me,” she said. “I would have written this book even if no one wanted to read it. That’s what I focus on — and thinking about writing the next projects.”

It’s apt that she’s making her homecoming appearances in Sonoma and Petaluma. She grew up in Sonoma as one of seven kids of Fred and Nancy Cline, founders of Cline Family Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Winery. And Cline chose to place her protagonist, the 14-year-old Evie Boyd who is living a dull, semi-neglected adolescence, just over the hills from her family’s winery in Petaluma.

Sonoma County during the late 1960s and early 1970s was a counter-cultural haven and home to hippie communes like The Morningstar Ranch. So her storyline isn’t out of the realm of believability, even though the real Manson killings took place in the glitzy neighborhoods of LA. The most celebrated victim was the young and pregnant actress Sharon Tate.

“I guess as a novelist I’m interested in writing about extremes, side by side,” Cline said of her setting. “I think especially the California landscape is so idyllic, so beautiful. And I’m interested in that sense of peace and danger.”

As the setting for her own fictional cult’s ranch, Cline said she drew from Olompali State Park south of Petaluma, where a group that called themselves “The Chosen Family” hung out during the late 1960s. For a time, The Grateful Dead also lived there.

Emma Cline’s “The Girls,” inspired by the slavish young women caught up in the bloody cult of Charles Manson, has garnered a breathtaking body of stories and reviews from the top echelons of media. (Courtesy photo)

Dark Fascination

Cline sets her story in the same turbulent summer of 1969 as the Manson killings, the summer of Woodstock and the first moon landing. But only bits and pieces of that cultural context seep into the bubble of Evie’s existence.

“There is sort of a dark fascination there, and in the case of Manson, I feel like there were so many different cultural forces of the ‘60s that got refracted through him in terms of celebrity and Hollywood and the music scene down there. All these things crossed over with Manson in an interesting way.”

Cline said her first experience with Manson was driving past San Quentin as a child and her parents commenting that it was “Charles Manson’s house.” She didn’t really know what that meant or even who Manson was. But later, as teenager (she attended St. Francis Solano School in Sonoma and Sonoma Academy) she stumbled across a copy of “Helter Skelter” by Vince Bugliosi, who prosecuted Manson. She raced through it and became obsessed with knowing more. She found herself reading everything she could.

“Their story had never been told in a way that gave them their full humanity. They were cutouts. They were cliches, reduced to brainless followers. I wanted to know more about them.”

To do that she had to fictionally inhabit the mind of a 14-year-old. Evie becomes enamored of the older girls of the cult, who she observes in a park in Petaluma. She enters their world but remains on the periphery.

Cline said she mined her memory for vestiges of her 14-year-old self.

“They operate on very black and white terms. Everything is either the best thing that ever happened or the worst tragedy to befall anyone on the planet,” she said.

To get a feel for the age and the times, she read her mother’s diary from 1969; her mother was not quite a teenager that summer. Cline admits she was a bit disappointed at the vapidity of a child’s mind during such a historically significant time.

“I expected it would be all about man landing on the moon. Instead, it was about how she had a bad haircut or had a crush on a boy. But that was very helpful to keep in mind when writing about the ‘60s, to think about how a 14-year-old girl without experience was in that cultural moment. So it was important to stay away from some of the most familiar ‘60s signposts and not overdo it.”

Emma Cline featured in W Magazine. (wmagazine.com)

Community of Writers

Cline attributes her affinity for writing to a childhood steeped in books.

“That’s what comes first. Just loving books. For me, books were a great way to be alone in such a big family,” said Cline, the oldest of the five girls in her family. After high school, she tried her hand at acting but admits she was “terrible at it.” Instead, she majored in art at Middlebury College in Vermont.“Then I decided to go to grad school because I had been working on a novel, and I wanted to be in a community of writers,” she said. She got her MFA from Columbia and began working as a fiction reader at The New Yorker.

One change Cline has permitted since her book sold is moving out of the shed and into a real apartment nearby. But the tiny shed, without Wi-Fi, remains her writing space. She’s now deep into a second novel.“It’s a great place to write because it is so immersive,” she said.

“I can be incredibly focused on the book without intrusions.”

Things to Do in Sonoma County This Weekend

June 2016

By Crissi Langwell

Blow off some steam by watching the Russian River Rodeo in the historic hamlet of Duncans Mills. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)

These cool upcoming events will surely beat the heat. This Friday, check out the adorably ugly pooches at the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest. Tame your inner cowboy at the Russian River Rodeo. And rev your engines for the Toyota/SaveMart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. All this and more is in our list of things to do.

FRIDAY, June 24

Sonoma-Marin Fair: The fair in Petaluma continues through Sunday, shining a spotlight on everything we love about our county, with pig races, fair exhibits, the carnival, livestock shows, agriculture, live entertainment, and, of course, the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest on Friday. Admission is $5-$15. Find out all the details at sonoma-marinfair.org. (through June 26)

Russian River Rodeo: Hold on to your hats, because the 50th annual Russian River Rodeo takes place all weekend long at “Bill Parmeter Field” in Duncan’s Mills. It kicks off on Friday evening with a 4D Barrel Race at 7 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, fuel your day with a cowboy breakfast from 7 a.m. to noon., followed by competitions throughout both days. Admission is $5-$12. Find out all the details and a schedule of events at russianriverrodeo.org. (through June 26)

Toyota/SaveMart 350: Rev your engines, the Toyota/SaveMart 350 takes its mark this Friday for a weekend of car racing fun. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events includes a variety of racing events, including the final farewell to two-time Sonoma winner Tony Stewart during his final season. For a full lineup of the events and admission costs, visit racesonoma.com. (through June 26)

Dana Gioia: California State Poet Laureate, 7 tonight, Copperfield’s Books, Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa. Free. 578-8938, copperfieldsbooks.com.

‘Forever Plaid’: Musical with nostalgic pop hits of the 1950s, opens 8 tonight, 6th Street Playhouse, Santa Rosa. $15-$37. 523-3544, 6thstreetplayhouse.com.

Rubber Soul: Local acoustic/electric Beatles tribute band, 7:30-10:30 tonight, Rossi’s 1906, Sonoma. Free. 343-0044, rossis1906.com.

‘Nice Work If You Can Get It’: Gershwin musical comedy, Summer Repertory Theatre, opens 8 tonight, Burbank Auditorium, Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa. $18-$25. 527-4307, summerrep.com.

‘Bye Bye Birdie’: Raven Players’ production of the musical comedy opens 8 tonight, Raven Performing Arts Theater, Healdsburg. $10-$30. 433-6335, raventheater.org.

SATURDAY, June 25

Armstrong Redwoods Family Day: This Saturday, the stewards of Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve are hosting a fun-filled for families under the redwoods. From noon to 5 p.m., the event will feature nature-based activities, including wildlife presentations, nature walks, games, arts & crafts and more. Food and beverages are available for purchase, and this is the final day to bid on items in the summer auction. Find out all the details at stewardscr.org.

Community SAIF: The 1st annual Community Safety, Awareness and Involvement Festival takes place noon to 4 p.m. this Saturday. The focus of this event is equip the community with practical safety tips, resources and volunteer opportunities. Throughout the day, enjoy music and shopping, food and vendor events, and lots of vital information. Find out more at facebook.com/CommunitySAIF.

Solar and Star Party: This Saturday, take a close look at the sky with the Robert Ferguson Observatory in Sugarloaf opens to the public for their monthly stargazing event. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., safely view the sun through solar telescopes. There will also be a yard sale at the same time, complete with telescopes, tripods, filters and more. Then at 8 p.m., the Observatory’s main telescopes will be open for public viewing. Docents will offer presentations on astronomical topics, and are available to answer any questions. The daytime solar event is free, and the Star Party is $3. Find out more at rfo.org.

Days of Wine & Lavender: The sold out event at Matanzas Creek Winery in Bennett Valley shares the bounty of their lavender harvest, enhanced by an afternoon of live music, food and wine pairings, vineyard tours and more. Noon to 4 p.m. For more information, visit matanzascreek.com.

Pueblo Day: On Saturday, celebrate the founding of Sonoma with an afternoon of historical fun. From 1-4 p.m., the Sonoma Barracks Courtyard takes a step back in time with costumed soldiers, settlers and servants from 1835. The free event will feature opportunities to make your own salsa and tortillas, and even your own Pueblo Flag. For more information, contact (707) 477-1398.

‘Thompsonia!’: Americana, rockabilly and blues with Suzy, Eric and Allegra Thompson, 8 p.m. Saturday, 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. Saturday, 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. Saturday, 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. Saturday, HopMonk Tavern, Sebastopol. $15. 829-7300, hopmonk-sebastopol.ticketfly.com.

Garratt Wilkin & The Parrotheads: Jimmy Buffett tribute band, noon-3 p.m. Saturday, Village Court, Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa. Free. 545-3844, mvshops.com.

Matanzas Creek Winery in Bennett Valley shares the bounty of their lavender harvest, enhanced by an afternoon of live music, food and wine pairings, vineyard tours and more. (Courtesy photo)

SUNDAY, June 26

Ranch Readiness Day: This free community event on Sunday is geared toward preparing rural families with animals for any emergency. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Shone Farm in Santa Rosa, there will be kids activities, CPR and large animal rescue demos, microchipping, firefighting and more. Find out all the details at ranchreadinessday.com.

Farewell Dinner Concert: Nina Gerber, Chris Webster and special guests at restaurant’s final night, 7-9:30 p.m. Sunday, French Garden, Sebastopol. $25-$30, sold out. 824-2030, frenchgardenrestaurant.com.

Chicago: Iconic rock band with ever-classic songs, plus special guest Rita Wilson, 8 p.m. Sunday, Luther Burbank Center, Santa Rosa. $86-$125. 546-3600, lutherburbankcenter.org.

‘The Three Musketeers’: Swashbuckling, romance and humor with Pegasus Theater Co., closing performance, 6 p.m. Sunday, Riverkeeper Stewardship Park, Guerneville. $18-$25. (800) 838-3006, pegasustheater.com.

Kate Wolf Music Festival: Final day, four stages, 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday, Neko Case, k.d. lang and Laura Veirs at 9:45 p.m., Black Oak Ranch, Laytonville. $120. katewolfmusicfestival.com.

A Peek at Next Week…

Monday, June 27

MNE 15-Year Anniversary: Reggae/hip hop with Kabaka Pyramid and The Bebble Rockers Band, 10 p.m. Monday, HopMonk Tavern, Sebastopol. $20. 829-7300, hopmonk-sebastopol.ticketfly.com.

Tuesday, June 28

Kenny Rogers: ‘Final World Tour: The Gambler’s Last Deal,’ plus special guest Linda Davis, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Luther Burbank Center, Santa Rosa. $69-$250. 546-3600, lutherburbankcenter.org.

Miracle Mule: Country music, ‘Tuesdays in the Plaza’ outdoor concert series, 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Healdsburg Plaza. Free. 431-3301, ci.healdsburg.ca.us.

‘Boeing Boeing’: Summer Repertory Theatre opening night production of the high-flying comedy, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Newman Auditorium, Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa. $15-$25. 527-4307, summerrep.com.

Wednesday, June 29

‘Benedettiville’: Songs and stories for kids with Gio & Jen Benedetti, 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Copperfield’s Books, Sebastopol. Free. 823-2618, copperfieldsbooks.com.

‘L’Elisir d’Amore’: Met Opera Summer Encores screening of the comic gem, 1:30 and 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Rialto Cinemas, Sebastopol. $12.50. 525-4840, rialtocinemas.com.

Danny Sorentino: Folk-rocker and covers and originals with Laughing Gravy, ‘Peacetown Summer Concert Series’ opener, 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, Ives Park, Sebastopol. Free. 823-1511, sebastopol.org.

Thursday, June 30

Real Estate: New Jersey rock band, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Old Redwood Barn, Gundlach Bundschu Winery, Sonoma. $35. gunbun.ticketfly.com.

Foreverland: Fourteen-piece Michael Jackson tribute band, ‘Concerts Under the Stars,’ 5:30-8 p.m. Thursday, Village Court, Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa. Free. 545-3844, mvshops.com.

Monophonics: Psychedelic soul band and soul artist Allen Stone, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sonoma Mountain Village Event Center, Rohnert Park. $38. somoconcerts.com.

Aqua Nett: Hair metal legends band, ‘Summer Nights on the Green’ outdoor concert series, 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Windsor Town Green. Free. 838-1260, townofwindsor.com.

Friday, July 1

‘Macbeth’: Opening night of the outdoors ‘Shakespeare in the Cannery’ tragedy, 7 p.m. July 1, Railroad Square, Santa Rosa. $5-$50. shakespeareinthecannery.com.

SFJAZZ Collective: Music of Michael Jackson plus original compositions, 7:30 p.m. July 1, Weill Hall, Green Music Center, Rohnert Park. $30. (866) 955-6040, gmc.sonoma.edu.

Funky Dozen: Dance music from the ’70s to the ’90s, ‘Funky Friday’ outdoor concert series, 7 p.m. July 1, Hood Mansion, Santa Rosa. $10. 833-6288, funkyfridays.info.

David Luning Band/The Sam Chase: Americana, ‘Friday Night Live’ outdoor concert series, 7 p.m. July 1, Cloverdale Plaza. Free. 894-4410, cloverdaleartsalliance.org.

Saturday, July 2

Penngrove Celebration: A weekend of fun awaits you next week in downtown Penngrove. Saturday, July 2, enjoy a pancake breakfast at the Rancho Adobe Fire Station from 7-11 a.m. Then on Sunday, July 3, don’t miss the “Biggest Little Parade in Northern California, kicking off at 11 a.m. Also on Sunday, the SMART train will be open for tours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and a BBQ will be held at Penngrove Park from noon to 4 p.m. Find out all the details at www.penngrovesocialfiremen.org.

‘Surf Craft’: Exhibit opening, reception at 6:30 p.m., ‘Chasing Mavericks’ film at 8 p.m. July 2, Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, Sonoma. $20. 939-7862, svma.org.

Guerneville Independence Day Weekend: Laser Light Show and Uncle Sam’s River Dance, 8 p.m.-midnight July 2, Main Street, downtown Guerneville. $5 suggested donation. 869-9000, russianriver.com.

‘Fireworks Over Bodega Bay’: Fireworks display, 9:30 p.m. July 2, Westside Park, Bodega Bay. Handicap parking only; show visible along Bodega Bay harbor. Free, donations taken. visitbodegabay.com.

American Authors: ‘Summer Concerts’ series opener, indie rock band and post-show fireworks, 7 p.m. July 2, Robert Mondavi Winery, Oakville. $70-$100. (888) 769-5299, robertmondaviwinery.com.

California Beach Boys: The Beach Boys tribute band, ‘Rockin’ Concerts’ series, noon-3 p.m. July 2, Village Court, Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa. Free. 545-3844, mvshops.com.

Sunday, July 3

Monte Rio Fireworks: Water Carnival Boat Parade at dusk, Water Curtain patriotic show, followed by fireworks, July 3, Monte Rio Beach. Free. 865-6100, monterio.org.

Windsor ‘Kaboom!’: Kid Zone activities, Foreverland and McKenna Faith performances, food trucks, fireworks finale, 4-10 p.m. July 3, Keiser Park, Windsor. $5. windsorkaboom.com.

Sebastopol Fireworks and Music Festival: Jason Beard and Poor Man’s Whiskey, games, food, fireworks, 5:30 p.m. gates, July 3, Analy High School football field, Sebastopol. $5-$10. sebastopolkiwanis.org.

The Lucky Losers: Rhythm and blues, ‘Live at Juilliard’ summer concert series opener, 5-7 p.m. July 3, Juilliard Park, Santa Rosa. Free. 543-4512, srcity.org/liveatjuilliard.

Rick Lenzi & Roustabout: Tribute to Buddy Holly and Elvis, noon-3 p.m. July 3, Village Court, Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa. Free. 545-3844, mvshops.com.