Anne McKibben of CocoaPlanet chocolate in her new tasting room
The conveyor belt at CocoaPlanet is only 41/2 inches wide, looking a bit like a toy as it glides past the glass walls of the factory on Broadway in downtown Sonoma. But chocolate production is serious business, as part of a state-of-the-art system that took factory owner Anne McKibben and a team of engineers nearly five years to perfect and install.
Besides, when your factory makes dainty chocolates, with the bonbons measuring only 21/4 inches in diameter in thin wafers, you don’t need a larger mechanism. The tubes that cross the ceiling are doll-like, too, leading from the stainless- steel tempering (melting) machine to deliver the liquid chocolate to the stainless-steel depositing machine. There, the molten candy spreads over metal die plates cut with tiny holes to introduce the chocolate’s big impact: little beads of citrus, peppermint and other fillings that McKibben calls “pearls of flavor.”
McKibben and her husband, Jeffrey, traveled far and wide to research chocolate-production equipment, eventually customizing a final prototype of their own invention. They applied for a patent when they realized how expertly it functioned. It may seem like a lot of fuss for a confection that lasts perhaps a few seconds in the mouth after the recyclable wrapping is peeled away, and McKibben agreed. Yet what else could be expected from a former Hewlett-Packard global marketing manager and self-described tech geek? The CocoaPlanet building, which opens to the public Feb. 1, retains not a hint of its former life as a printing shop. Stacked slate and stone add sophistication to the industrial corrugated-steel siding capped with a copper-seam roof and a curved pop-out that houses the tempering machine.
One-third of the 2,000-square-foot interior is a tasting room; the production process will be visible through glass walls shimmering beneath skylights. With the belts and tubes and a wall of colorful lights that dance, it’s impossible not to imagine a Willy Wonka experience, and indeed, a coupon for a complimentary tasting is labeled a “Golden Ticket.”
However, young Charlie Bucket would not know what to make of CocoaPlanet’s contemporary confections, which cater to modern tastes with their all-natural ingredients, premium Fair Trade-certified dark chocolate cacao from the Guittard Chocolate Co. in Burlingame, and recipes that are non-GMO-verified, gluten-free and vegan. Just like the walls in the factory, this chocolate is all about transparency: packaging touts that the 0.7-ounce nibbles each pack less than 100 calories, no more than 9 grams net carbs, and only 7 to 8 grams of sugar. The health benefits are significant, McKibben explained, as dark chocolate is a superfood, loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.
If this is healthy eating, it’s certainly more delicious than kale and tofu. The secret is the pearls, suspended like little pockmarks in the chocolate so the candy looks a bit like a flattened golf ball. In fact, the pearls spread the flavor experience across the tongue, mingling with the rich chocolate for little explosions of salted caramel, vanilla espresso or truffle across the palate. The circle shape is cleverly thought out, too, since it’s the perfect size to fit in a coffee mug, awaiting a scalding bath of milk or water to make an impossibly rich hot-chocolate drink.
“I think enjoying should be all about the chocolate, not the filling,” McKibben explained. “Most filled chocolates are 60 to 80 percent filling, and we’re about 15 percent, so we’re not a one-dimensional sugar bomb. The tongue is a very complicated thing, and we deliver just a hint of flavor accent, not an overwhelming sensation.”
The small amount of filling means CocoaPlanet can afford to use superior-quality ingredients for its flavor spheres, McKibben said, noting that citrus are hand-zested, and some 96 percent of all ingredients are from the Bay Area.
Born in Paris to a French mother and an American father, McKibben loved chocolate from her earliest memories. In the late 1990s, she sold chocolate for other companies and online, and when her high-tech job took her to more than 40 countries, she became fascinated, exploring how every country seemed to have its own chocolate style.
“Chocolate is so fun, it’s not technical,” the Sonoma resident said, snapping a bit off a mandarin orange-dotted disk and popping it in her mouth. “I didn’t go for real training, but I followed the heart of chocolate, talked to many knowledgeable people, and practiced a lot.”
The light bulb went off when her mother was diagnosed as diabetic, and McKibben stepped in to help manage her diet.
“She used to eat carbs,” McKibben said. “But people forget that carbs turn into sugar in your body. Carrots have carbs, too, and almost half of their total carbs consist of sugar. My takeaway: A good diet can trade carrots for chocolate.”
So one night five years ago, while juggling the demands of two small children, McKibben began scribbling plans. Way ahead of today’s 3-D printing technology — and thanks to her Hewlett-Packard connections and a company in Holland that was able to take her file over the Internet — she created a 3-D model of her dream machinery.
“The printing manager told me, ‘I think you’re crazy, but it’s a really cool idea,’” she said with a laugh.
Working at a Los Angeles production facility, McKibben produced her first CocoaPlanet chocolates in 2012, selling them online and at upscale stores such as Sonoma Market, Whole Foods Market, Glen Ellen Village Market and Oliver’s Markets.
When the factory hums, the earthy, complex perfume of 64 percent cacao kisses the air, unfurling the more than 600 aroma and flavor compounds that were first identified in dark chocolate four years ago by Peter Schieberle, a food chemist at Munich Technical University and director of the German Research Center for Food Chemistry.
CocoaPlanet is capable of producing 50,000 disks a day and will have national distribution at some point. But for the sweetest treat of all, McKibben hopes that people will visit the factory, savor samples and relax in the spacious garden in back. For her big dreams, it’s surely a little piece of heaven.
Seaside Chowder with fish, mussels, squid, shrimp, potatoes, bacon, cream, at Seasdie Metal Oyster bar in Guerneville, California on Wednesday, January 13, 2016 (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)
Seaside Chowder with fish, mussels, squid, shrimp, potatoes, bacon, cream, at Seasdie Metal Oyster bar in Guerneville, California on Wednesday, January 13, 2016. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)
In New England, a bowl of award-winning chowder can be found around every corner. But honestly, there are not many worthy of the honor. Most arrive at the table in the midst of a perfect storm: either so thick that your spoon stands at attention, or so overcooked the clams taste like rubber bands, if you can find them at all.
Here on the North Coast, there is no shortage of seafood chowders that are less anchored in tradition and more attuned to what’s fresh, what’s local and what’s really tasty. Think applewood smoked bacon rather than salt pork, and smoked salmon rather than clams, simmered in a savory broth of delicious Sonoma County cream.
In advance of the 13th annual Chowder Day in Bodega Bay Saturday January 30th — a progressive tasting event and contest among a baker’s dozen of restaurants and seafood shacks — we talked to eight local chefs who work on the North Coast to see how they improvise on the age-old theme.
Chowders have a long history that reaches back to the rustic seafood stews of coastal England and France. The European stews crossed the Atlantic with the colonists, evolving to include seaworthy staples such as onions and potatoes, salt pork and seafood such as cod, oysters and clams.
“Authentic chowder is characterized by generous chunks of local seasonal ingredients served in a moderate amount of broth,” wrote the renowned New England chef Jasper White in his cookbook, “50 Chowders.” “Another basic characteristic of chowder is its ease of preparation — even chowders that take more than an hour to make don’t require anything more than keeping an eye on the pot.”
The chowder at the Duck Club in Bodega Bay, made by native New Englander Jeff Reilly, is one of the most traditional that you’ll find around these parts.
Clam Chowder at Nick’s Cove, Marshall. (PD FILE)
“The consistency is key, and the balance between the salty and the creamy and the textures of the clams and fish,” Reilly said. “We use Clover butter and cream, and that does make a difference.”
Reilly renders the fat from applewood bacon by putting it in simmering water, then sauté s the vegetables in the bacon fat. He makes sure the bacon gets nice and crispy but not overcooked. The chowder is thickened slightly with a small amount of butter and flour.
“We use just enough roux so it coats but it doesn’t feel thick and pasty,” he said. “We cook the Yukon golds separately until they are just right.”
The tender clams are thrown in at the last minute so they don’t overcook. Reilly also adds salmon and halibut, if he has them on hand.
Chef Richard Whipple of the Heritage House in Little River, who previously cooked at the Sea Ranch Lodge, also makes a traditional clam chowder he learned from a New England chef he worked with at the El Dorado Hotel in Sonoma.
“I use applewood smoked bacon,” he said. “And I finish it with a good, dry sherry … that adds a sweetness and a nuttiness.”
Sous chef Ari Chalfsky sprinkles chives onto the Seaside Chowder he is preparing at Seaside Metal oyster bar in Guerneville, California on Wednesday, January 13, 2016. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)
For the clams, Whipple prefers to use large ones that come chopped up and frozen, rather than canned clams. But if you’re making your own chowder, you may consider throwing in a few fresh clams as well.
“Sometimes you can get fresh clam strips at Santa Rosa Seafood,” he said. “And I love the Manila clams.”
The Hog Island Oyster Company of Marshall serves a Hog island Manila Clam Chowder at its Napa and San Francisco oyster bars that features only whole clams, in the shell, farmed by the company in Tomales Bay.
The Hog Island chowder starts with a base made with a mirepoix, bacon, potatoes and potato water, but adds no flour for thickening. The base is poured over the clams to cook them, then the cream is added at the very end.
“Where I grew up, nobody puts flour in the chowder,” said Hog Island Co-founder John Finger, who helped develop the recipe.
At The Birds Cafe in Bodega Bay, Melissa Freeman makes a clam chowder fresh every day, also skipping the flour. Instead, she uses a “secret ingredient” as a thickener and two kinds of potatoes.
“We use Russet and red potatoes,” she said. “The Russets break down a little more, and the reds hold their shape.”
Brandon Guenther of Rocker Oysterfeller’s in Valley Ford also uses potatoes to thicken his clam chowder instead of a butter-and-flour roux.
First he makes a white mirepoix with leeks, celery and potatoes, which he purees, then he adds another layer of mirepoix with carrots, leeks, celery and potatoes that stays chunky. He adds them together and deglazes with some Amontillado sherry, then adds more sherry at the end.
“We do everything twice,” he said. “And the potatoes, the cream and the clams are important.”
Guenther uses butterball potatoes grown locally, really good cream and a combination of chopped ocean clams from a can and whole Manila clams from the Tomales Bay Oyster Company.
At Seaside Metal in Guerneville, the made-to-order Seafood Chowder may be the most unusual around, since it showcases big pieces of everything BUT clams, including squid, mussels, shrimp and fish. The recipe calls for a touch of flour but no butter.
“My chowder is a little different,” said Seaside Metal chef Mike Selvera. “It’s not a bread-bowl thick, stick-a-spoon-in-it chowder.”
Selvera created the chowder about 10 years ago when he opened Bar Crudo, a casual seafood restaurant in San Francisco. He makes the cream-based stock ahead of time from onions and celery, white wine and mussel stock, which is sweeter than clam juice. He also uses Nueske’s applewood smoked bacon from Wisconsin.
“It’s actually very thin and flavorful,” he said of his chowder. “And it’s not like you’re trying to find the chopped clams. It’s a whole mussel, a whole squid.”
At Nick’s Cove in Marshall, Chef Austin Perkins also creates a thin but flavorful chowder by sweating the fat out of salt pork, adding vegetables, then canned clams and clam juice.
Seaside Chowder with fish, mussels, squid, shrimp, potatoes, bacon, cream, at Seaside Metal oyster bar in Guerneville, California on Wednesday, January 13, 2016. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)
“You want it to taste like clams, more than anything else,” he said. “We make a bechamel sauce on the side, then fold it in at the end.”
The Nick’s Cove chowder comes garnished with a handful of tasty Nueske’s bacon, which gives it a caramelly, smoked taste.
At the Estero Cafe in Valley Ford, owners Samantha and Ryan Ramey have their own smoker, so they serve a Wild Smoked Salmon Chowder made with potatoes, bacon, onion, celery and cream.
“We smoke a whole wild Pacific salmon in the smoker, and we do a classic broth from the salmon bones,” she said. “We make everything from scratch.”
The couple uses all-organic cream from Clover, and local bacon from the Sonoma Meat Company in Santa Rosa.
“I thought I would be sick of chowder by now,” said Samantha. “But I’m really not.”
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New England native Jeff Reilly serves this classic chowder at the Duck Club at the Bodega Bay Lodge. If you do not eat meat, you could cook the onions and garlic in 2 ounces canola oil.
Bodega Bay Fog Chowder
Makes 10 servings
1/3 pound Applewood smoked bacon, small dice
1 large yellow onion, small dice
1/2 bunch celery, small dice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic
1 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
8 ounces dry sherry for cooking
16 ounces heavy cream
48 ounces clam juice
3 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
4 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 pound sweet butter
1/4 pound flour
1 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley
1/2 pounds fresh halibut, diced (optional)
1/2 pounds fresh salmon, diced (optional)
3 pounds chopped sea clams
Fill a heavy bottomed, two-gallon pot with 2 cups water and bring to boil on medium heat. Render the bacon until there is no water left, and continue to cook bacon until lightly crisp.
Add in the onions and celery to the bacon and bacon fat, stirring with a wooden spoon, and cook until onions are translucent. Add garlic and thyme and cook for 2 minutes. Add sherry and bring to a boil and reduce liquid by half. Add cream, clam juice, bay leaves, white pepper and bring to a simmer.
In a separate pot, cook the Yukon gold potatoes in salted water for about 8 minutes or until tender, and set aside. In a small saute pan, melt butter and whisk in flour, then cook on low heat for a minute and a half to make the roux.
Bring the cream and clam juice mixture to a slow boil, whisk in roux and let boil for 2 minutes. Continue stirring.
Turn off heat and add fish and clams to the cream mixture.
Let sit for 10 minutes. This will poach the fish and clams without overcooking them. Add warm, cooked potatoes and garnish with chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley. Serve in bowls.
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This recipe for a seafood chowder is from chef Mike Selvera of Seaside Metal in Guerneville. Manufacturing cream is heavy cream with a higher butterfat content of up to 40 percent.
Seaside Metal Chowder
Makes 8 servings
For mussel stock:
2 pounds mussels
1 bunch thyme
4 garlic cloves, smashed
2 cups white wine
For chowder base:
2 tablespoons rendered bacon fat
2 yellow onions, medium dice
1/2 bunch thyme, picked and chopped
1/4 bottle white wine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 gallon manufacturing (or heavy) cream
1/2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1/4 cup mussel stock (see above)
— Crystal Hot Sauce (to taste)
— Salt, to taste
For chowder:
1 cup bacon, small dice, cooked
1 cup potatoes, small diced, cooked
1 cup mussels, cooked
1 cup raw fish (tuna, salmon or cod) cut into small pieces
1 cup prawns, cooked
1 cup raw squid, cleaned and sliced into rings
For mussel stock: Add small amount of oil to a pot on medium heat, and slightly cook garlic and thyme. Add mussels and white wine, turn heat to high, and cover. Once mussels have all popped open, remove pot from stove and let cool.
Remove all mussels from shell and reserve for chowder. Strain the liquid from the bottom of the pot and reserve.
For chowder: Warm bacon fat in a large pot on medium heat. Add onions and thyme and sweat onions until translucent.
Add white wine to the pot, turn heat to high, and let reduce by half.
Mix in all-purpose flour and cook on medium heat for30 seconds. Add cream to the pot and finish with Old Bay seasoning. Let chowder base simmer for 20 minute sto reduce.
To serve: Add mussel stock, Crystal hot sauce and salt to chowder base. Then add in bacon, potatoes and all seafood except the squid, Once the fish is cooked, add squid right before serving.
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The following recipe is from Nick’s Cove chef Austin Perkins, who prefers to use Vince’s Sea Clams from the South Bay, which are chopped and frozen.
Nick’s Cove Clam Chowder
Makes 8 servings
1 1/2 ounces salt pork (salt cured pork belly)
4 cups medium diced yellow onion
4 cups medium diced leeks
4 cups medium diced celery
8 cups Yukon gold potatoes, large dice
2 1/2 pounds sea clams, chopped
1 15-ounce can ocean clam juice
1/4 pound sweet (unsalted) butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 quart milk
1/2 quart manufacturing (or heavy) cream
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground nutmeg
2-3 bay leaves
1 bunch thyme
1/4 cup kosher salt
— Flat-leaf Italian parsley, for optional garnish
— Applewood smoked bacon, for optional garnish
In a large soup pot, begin rendering salt pork over low-medium heat. Add the chopped onions, leeks and celery and sweat 5 to 10 minutes, until lightly softened. Add the 8 cups of potatoes, and stir to combine. Next, add the clams, all their liquid, and the clam juice. Cook 20 to 25 minutes, until potatoes are cooked and soft.
In another medium pot, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook the roux, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and smells of shortbread. Add the milk, again whisking constantly, and bring to a boil. Cook down about 5 minutes until the bechamel starts to thicken dramatically. Add the cream, and again bring up to a boil.
Reduce heat, add the peppercorns, bay leaves, salt, nutmeg and thyme. Over a low heat, cook the roux mixture 20 to 30 minutes, whisking occasionally and checking to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
Strain through a chinois, or other fine-mesh sieve, directly into the large soup pot, and stir to incorporate.
At Nick’s Cove, the chowder is garnished with freshly chopped parsley and applewood smoked bacon.
You can reach Staff writer Diane Peterson at 521-5287 or diane.peterson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @dianepete56.
Oysters at Sonoma Grille in Sonoma, California .Photo: Heather Irwin.
Nima Sherpa in front of his Sonoma Grille just before opening in 2015. (Photo Robbi Pengelly, Sonoma Index-Tribune)
Nima Sherpa found his American dream at 22,000 feet, on the side of Mt. Everest.
The Nepalese native spent years guiding Westerners up the dangerous face of the world’s tallest mountain, and then cooking for them at Basecamp 2 (at around 23,000 feet above sea level). For more than a decade, he risked his life climbing through ice falls and up sheer rock faces for Americans, Italians and other trekkers. And they, in turn, helped him find his way to Sonoma County, and his dream of one day owning a restaurant.
Seafood Linguine at Sonoma Grille in Sonoma, California. Photo: Heather Irwin.
Sitting in the afternoon sunlight, inside one of the town’s newest restaurants, Sherpa’s Sonoma Grille has been booked solid since opening in late December 2015. His cellphone rings almost constantly, with friends and neighbors seeking a hard-to-find table. Sherpa almost always finds them something, even if it’s at the bar. When the restaurant overflows, he pours champagne for anyone waiting. “I open a lot of bottles of champagne,” he said.
Nima’s no stranger to this West Napa Street location, having worked for restaurateur Carlo Cavallo when it was Sonoma-Meritage Martini Oyster Bar and Grille for more than a decade. Under Cavallo (who now owns the nearby BV Whisky Bar and Grill), Sherpa absorbed the ins-and-outs of the restaurant business from the inside. After Cavallo closed in 2013, the business sat empty for nearly a year until Sherpa took over the lease in 2014, opening one year — to the day — after becoming its tenant.
d Nima Sherpa at the opening of his restaurant, Sonoma Grille, in December. Photo courtesy of Nima Sherpa.
This isn’t Sherpa’s first restaurant, however. In 2011, Sherpa opened Himalayan Sherpa Kitchen in St. Helena, with a fellow Nepalese native, Chhiring Sherpa, and continues to be a partner. (The two aren’t related. The surname “Sherpa” refers primarily to an ethnic group of people who immigrated from Tibet generations ago). It’s a family affair, with Sherpa’s wife, Mingma, and two sons helping out at both restaurants. Mingma now works full time at the Sonoma Grille, making sure every dish is Yelp!-worthy.
Opening night at the Sonoma Grille.
So, what’s a sherpa from Nepal doing running a Cal-Ital restaurant in Wine Country? It’s not as surprising as you might think. Nima spent more than a decade working with Italian surveyors on Everest, and got pretty adept at making pasta. Having worked with Cavallo for 14 years, doing everything from cooking to management, he became very familiar with dishes like risotto, raw oysters, fettuccine with prawns and other dishes that are now on Sonoma Grille’s menu. There are no Himalyan or Indian dishes on the menu.
“There was already a Himalyan restaurant in town,” he said (also owned by Sherpas). “I didn’t want to compete,” he said. But seafood was another story.
“No one really had a great seafood place,” he said. Sherpa created a menu that’s both approachable and wildly diverse, with everything from salmon ($24), lobster ($34) and BBQ oysters )$18) to rigatoni ($23, vegetarian), filet mignon ($30), rack of lamb ($27) and beef carpaccio ($12). With massive plates of food, no one’s walking away from the table hungry, here, and Nima sees to that personally.
“Everything has to be perfect,” he said. “Eat, eat!”
Best bets include:
Surf and Turf at Sonoma Grille in Sonoma, California. Photo: Heather Irwin.
– Surf and Turf ($37): I haven’t ordered this decadent steak and lobster dish since I was in college (and that’s a really long time ago). It always just seems so, well, decadent. But sometimes you gotta stray from the usual, and this well-priced version is worth the detour. Grilled filet and a half Maine lobster with garlic mashed potatoes and broccoli rabe. A small ramekin of clarified butter takes the whole dish way over the top, but that’s what we’re going for here, right?
Seared ahi tuna salad at Sonoma Grille in Sonoma, California. Photo: Heather Irwin.
– Seared Tuna Salad ($15): Seared, rare ahi tuna with cucumbers, grapefruit, avocado and tomato on roasted red pepper sauce. Rather than the usual poke-style pile, the tuna takes center stage, and the refreshing produce makes for a snappy salad.
Lobster risotto at Sonoma Grille in Sonoma, California. Photo: Heather Irwin.
– Lobster Risotto ($24): Lemme just say that I usually frown on lobster, because we have such great crab here, and it seems silly to fly in seafood from Maine. That said, without crab this season, lobster has become a regular fixture on menus to satisfy those of us jonesing for a little crustacean. Long-simmered arborio rice with Maine lobster and porcini mushrooms. The richness gets a bump with mascarpone cheese and lobster sauce for a dish you won’t want to share (but feel free, because it’s more than one human should eat).
Seafood Linguine at Sonoma Grille in Sonoma, California. Photo: Heather Irwin.
– Seafood Linguine ($21): Shell-abrate this Neptune’s feast of shellfish in garlic chili Chardonnay sauce. It’s way better than my pun.
Oysters at Sonoma Grille in Sonoma, California .Photo: Heather Irwin.
– Fresh Oysters ($18 for sampler platter): As tentative oyster fans, we won’t pretend to know your Blue Point from our Royal Miyagi, which is why the sampler platter that also includes Drakes Bay and Steam Boat oysters on a bed of ice and seaweed is the way to go. With cocktail sauce and mignonette, there are more than a dozen ways to nosh these briny delicacies.
– Saffron fettucine ($19): This dish is Nima’s favorite, made with wide saffron pasta, tiger prawns, arugula and sun dried tomatoes with lobster sauce.
Sonoma Grille, 165 W. Napa St., Sonoma. Open daily for dinner from 5-9:30p.m.; happy hour from 3-5p.m.. sonomagrilleandbar.com.
Inspired by his family’s Peruvian culinary traditions, restaurateur Juan Gutierrez will be opening Quinua Cocina Peruana in February. The menus include a lineup of land and sea dishes from tart ceviche and whole roasted fish to lomo saltado (beef and onions with soy sauce), braised lamb shank, andAji de Gallina (chicken breast in a cream sauce with eggs and olives). What’s piqued our interest, however, is a Parijuela, described as an “aphrodisiacal soup from the sea” with crabs, mixed seafood, Pisco, red peppers and tomatoes.
The restaurant is located at the former Sea Thai Bistro space (500 Petaluma Blvd.South, Petaluma, quinuacocinaperuana.com).
Chef Francisco Acosta will man the kitchen. Details on opening soon.
Ready for some fun? Here are all the exciting events happening in or around Sonoma County this week. Over the weekend, enjoy some delicious crab at one of the many crab feeds happening around the county. On Saturday, support young musicians at a benefit concert starring teen bands in Sebastopol. And the Arlene Francis Center presents a festival of music featuring female leads. All this and more is in our list of things to do.
Saturday, Jan. 23 Boys & Girls Club Crab Feed: This Saturday, stuff yourself silly with a delicious crab dinner at the Brooks Road Club in Windsor. The event starts at 5:30 p.m., and proceeds from the $70 tickets benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Central Sonoma County. Find out all the details at bgccsc.org/crab.
Saturday, Jan. 23 The Edge of Winter: The Arlene Francis Center is hosting an all-female front person showcase this Saturday, featuring 5 bands with female leads. The event goes from 7-11 p.m. and will not only include live music, but aerial fabrics, as well. Admission to this all-ages show is $10. Find out more at arlenefranciscenter.org.
Saturday, Jan. 23 Teen Town Youth in Music Benefit Concert: This Saturday, check out what the talented youth in our community are doing at an all-ages benefit concert to support the Teen Town Open-Mic Nights. From 3-10 p.m. at the Sebastopol Community Center, enjoy live performances by young artists and bands, and more. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for youth 7-18, and free for kids 6 and under. Find out all the details at www.teentowntalent.com.
Sunday, Jan. 24 Winter Moms & Babies Clothing Swap: Unload your stash of unused clothes and accessories, trading them in for some new-to-you duds at this Sunday’s clothing swap geared at young families. This seasonal event is accepting and trading good quality items that include newborn-3T clothing, women’s clothing, small toys, books and more. The trading goes from 1-3 p.m. at the Santa Rosa Birth Center. For more details, visit facebook.com/swapitsonomacounty.
Other upcoming events:
Friday, Jan. 22
Marc-Andre Hamlin: Canadian pianist and composer. 7:30 p.m. Weill Hall, Green Music Center. $35 & up. gmc.sonoma.edu, 866-955-6040.
‘A Steady Rain’: Opens Friday; closes Feb. 6. Left Edge Theatre, Carston Cabaret, Wells Fargo Center. $30-$40. 546-3600, wellsfargocenterarts.org.
‘Astrological Oddities’: New Santa Rosa Junior College Planetarium show opens at 8 p.m. and runs weekends through Feb. 21. No shows Feb. 6-7. $5-$8. 527-4465, santarosa.edu/planetarium.
Ridgway: Bay Area hip-hop & reggae group tops five-band roster. 8 p.m. Phoenix Theater, Petaluma. $8. 762-3565, thephoenixtheater.com.
Yugi Boi: 18 year-old beat prodigy and Bay Area native. Charles the First & Gabriel Francisco open. 9 p.m. HopMonk Tavern, Sebastopol. $8. 829-7300, hopmonk.com
Saturday, Jan. 23
Latin Jazz: Eddie Palmieri Latin Jazz Band, Pete Escovedo Latin Jazz Orchestra. 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Weill Hall, Green Music Center. $40-$70. gmc.sonoma.edu. 866-965-6040.
‘Arrows into Infinity’: Documentary on jazz saxophonist Charles Lloyd. 8 p.m. Saturday. SHED Grange, Healdsburg. $12. healdsburgshed.com.
Sonoma County Philharmonic: Conducted by Norman Gambona, with feature trombonist Bruce Chrisp. 7:30 p.m. Saturday.; 2 p.m. Sunday. Santa Rosa High School auditorium. $10-$15; 18 & under free. socophil.org.
Sunday, Jan. 24
‘Peter and the Wolf’: Santa Rosa Symphony performs Prokofiev’s classic, acted out onstage by the Platypus Theatre. 3 p.m. Sunday. Weill Hall, Green Music Center. $12-$127. gmc.sonoma.edu, 866-955-6040.
Charles Lloyd & Bill Frisell: Live jazz saxophone and guitar concert. First stop in a new tour. 6:30 p.m. Sunday. SHED Grange, Healdsburg. $75. healdsburgshed.com.
Wood Brothers: Brothers Chris and Oliver Wood, plus Jano Rix, play the blues and more. Liz Vice opens at 8:30 p.m. Sunday. Mystic Theatre, Petaluma. $26-$31. 765-2121, mystictheatre.com.
‘Hick in the Hood’: One-man play written and performed by San Francisco film & TV actor Michael Sommers. 3 p.m. Sunday.. Occidental Center for the Arts. $15. 874-9392, occidentalcenterthearts.org.
Monday, Jan. 25
‘It’s Football, Charlie Brown’: Original ‘Peanuts’ comic strips on display daily except Tuesday. Ends July 25. Schulz Museum, Santa Rosa. $5-$10; children 3 and under free. 579-4452, schulzmuseum.org.
Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra: 8 p.m. Wednesday. Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa. $29-$49. 546-3600, wellsfargocenterarts.org.
Thursday, Jan. 28
‘Between Nature & Technology’: Exhibit features animation, sound, sculpture & photography by Courtney Eagan & David Sullivan. Wendesday through Sunday until March 6. Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, Sonoma. $5; 12 and under free. 939-7862, svma.org.
Friday, Jan. 29
Trio Celeste: Chamber music. 7:30 p.m. Jan. 29. Newman Auditorium, Santa Rosa Junior College. $15-$26. 415-392-4400, cityboxoffice.com.
‘Brighton Beach Memoirs’: Raven Players production of Neil Simon’s comedy opens at 8 p.m. Jan. 29. Closes Feb. 14. Raven Theater, Healdsburg. $10-$25. 433-6335, raventheater.org.
Tommy Thomsen: Western swing musician holds his own public birthday party. 8:30 p.m. Jan. 29. Rossi’s 1906, Sonoma. $10. 343-0044, rossis1906.com.
Saturday, Jan. 30
Sebastopol Guitar Festival: Concerts, talks, demos, displays. Noon-10 p.m. Jan. 30. Sebastopol Community Cultural Center. $28-$45. 823-1511, seb.org.
Mendocino Wine & Crab Festival: No crab yet this season, but the fest goes on, with lots of clams, mussels and shrimp. Cioppino dinner seatings at 4:30, 6 & 8 p.m. Jan. 29 at Pentecost Hall in Fort Bragg. $15-$40. Fest continues noon-3 p.m. Jan. 30 at Big White Tent, Main & Spruce, Fort Bragg. $85. mendocinocoastclinics.org/crab_wine.php.
‘Scottish Folk’: Alan Reid & Rob van Sante. 8 p.m. Jan. 30. Occidental Center for the Arts, Occidental. $20. 874-9392, occidentalcenterforthearts.com
Beso Negro: Gypsy Swing, plus Junk Parlor, DJ Malarkey. 8 p.m. Jan. 30. HopMonk Tavern, Sebastopol. $12-$15. 829-7300, hopmonk.com.
Feast of the Olive: 19 chefs, five courses and three menus. 6-10 p.m. Jan. 30. Ramekinds , Sonoma. $175. 996-1090, olivefestival.com.
Sunday, Jan. 31
Jubilee Klezmer Ensemble: Traditional Jewish and Israeli dance music quartet with a touch of jazz. 3-5 p.m. Jan. 31. Occidental Center for the Arts, Occidental. $10-$12; 12 & under free. 874-9392, occidentalcenterforthearts.com.
Ratebeer Best Beer Festival: 40 brewers from around the world pour their best. Kaiser Air Inc. near Sonoma County Airport, Santa Rosa. 2-6 p.m. Jan. 31. $75. Ticket sales end Jan. 25. ratebeerbest.com.
David Cross: ‘Todd Margaret’ TV series star. 7:30 p.m. Jan. 31. Wells Fargo Center. $35. 546-3600, wellsfargocenterarts.org.
Robert Huw Morgan: Stanford University’s official organist. 3 p.m. Jan. 31. Schroeder Hall, Green Music Center. $30. gmc.sonoma.edu, 866-955-6040.
A model of the USS Constitution is among the vintage items for sale at Farmer’s Wife Barntique in Cotati. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)
One of the best kept secrets among antiquers and treasure hunters can be found in a drafty barn between Cotati and Sebastopol.
One weekend a month the barn door swings open to reveal a whole new set of surprises for the crowds of seekers who line up by the dozens to be among the first to surge inside.
Fine inlaid cabinets, upholstered chairs, antique lithographs, bone china from France, lamps, tableware….almost anything you could dream up for a home, and a few you wouldn’t imagine.
It’s called the Farmer’s Wife Barntique, a trove of vintage finds for the home and collectors, offered at prices low enough to excite bargain hunters and antique dealers while raising money for Petaluma’s homeless animals.
“You’ll never know what you might find at our barn sales. It’s never the same sale twice,” said Lesley Papola, the cheerful spark plug behind the unique pop-up sale that materializes only on the first weekend of the month, Friday through Sunday.
Sonoma County is full of antique stores, and on any given weekend there are many estate sales from which to choose. But what sets the Barntique apart, regulars say, is the quality of everything in the “shop” and the way Papola and a tiny but mighty crew of volunteers arrange everything in the rustic space, with its wobbly wood floors and corrugated metal walls.
Furniture is arranged in vignettes that never stay the same. Every month, mixed in with the remainders of the last sale is a fresh array of donated antiques and collectibles. Everything has been completely rearranged to create a whole new experience, even for Barntique regulars.
“The trick for me is to never allow the barn to look the same twice. We will literally take a piece and move it onto a different wall. We’ll move all of the art. Nothing stays where it is save for a few anchors,” said Papola, who learned the art of staging working nine years for Pottery Barn.
It’s the first sale of the year, and Papola is bundled up in a heavy jacket, boots, scarf, gloves and knit cap. You’d think she was about to head up to the ski slopes. But this is the necessary uniform for a winter weekend in the drafty barn, where it’s all about the bargains and not the amenities. The cold doesn’t damper the enthusiasm of browsers. In one corner a man tests out an Australian didgeridoo, which sounds like a foghorn.
“Lesley has a tremendous eye not only for what to put into the space but how to display it to help us see what’s there,” said Robert Clink, a lighting designer, antique dealer and interior designer. “It’s an ideal situation. We get to see things in their best light and they’re great products. She doesn’t waste our time with a bunch of junk.” Clink and his wife, Michelle Bevilacqua, regularly shop the Farmer’s Wife Barntique for unusual furnishings and accessories for their Mill Valley shop, Revelation.
“It’s like eye candy. She makes it easy to pick and choose what we want, and we love the cause. While we may not have the income to give $400 or $500 to animal rescue,” he added, “when we invest in a product we get to support something we believe in while also doing something for ourselves.”
Clink’s most unusual find, and the oddest donation so far to the Barntique, was an ornate Indian elephant saddle that Papola playfully marketed as a “Marin Dog Bed.”
“We had a mohair cushion made for it. It’s a great conversation piece in the shop,” said Clink. Last week he scored a set of dining chairs made in North Carolina, the capital for fine American furniture making.
Papola started out selling fall crafts seasonally in a barn at a Petaluma pumpkin patch, but after three years the owner sold the property. She wound up volunteering to do something similar as an income source for the Harvest Christian School in Petaluma, in 2012 setting up in a barn on Skillman Lane. Two years ago she decided to go solo, setting up a legal nonprofit with the mission of raising money for the animal shelter where she got her own dog.
Papola said she wanted to support the organization because she believes it’s serving as a model for other shelters.
“They have a 97 percent placement rate, which is off the charts,” she said. ‘I’m choosing to reward excellent behavior and keep that going so that it can expand and grow.”
Her headquarters is a barn on Highway 116. She relies strictly on donations, primarily estates. She works with an estate liquidator who passes along entire estates or what is left after an estate sale, for clients who benefit from the charitable donation tax write-off. In some cases that can be a greater financial benefit than selling pieces for a fraction of their value.
Papola, who takes a small salary, sifts through the large truckloads of donations when they’re dropped off and creams off only the good stuff. Everything else is donated to other charities like Alphabet Soup, a thrift shop that supports the Petaluma Educational Foundation. Her right hand woman is longtime friend Danielle Couch, who manages the software support desk for a shipping company by day and on weekends volunteers at The Barntique.
“She curates everything. It’s so well edited,” said Dahnja Schiro, a regular who, on this cold January day, is going through a huge collection of antique lithographs beautifully framed, trying to decide which ones to buy for a rock bottom price of $25 each. “You don’t have to rummage through stuff. The quality and prices are shocking.”
With more than 20 years of retail experience, Papola keeps her prices reasonable to keep the merchandise moving and to make room for the new arrivals.
While she has a good working knowledge of antiques, she doesn’t claim to be an expert and doesn’t invest the time to deeply examine each piece. So she prices accordingly, leaving it to buyers to decide if an item is worth her price. She has frequent 50 percent off sales when she has an abundance of something, but she stands firm on pricing with those who try to horse trade on the first day and refuses to sell anything outside her prescribed hours to be fair to all her customers.
It takes her a full week each month to set up the sale, moving and carefully arranging pieces to show off everything to its best advantage. When the doors open, the two-room barn is packed.
“This is not for the faint of heart. This is back-breaking work, but we love it,” she said.
Papola promotes heavily through social media and tries to persuade her customers to share the word on the notion that, while it may bring in more customers — hence competition — it will also lead to more and better donations..
Shoppers are advised to dress warmly, and to bring a truck and a friend if they’re planning to buy furniture.
“We’re very bare bones,” Papola said. “We pay a minimum rent here. I don’t have heat. I don’t have hot running water. I don’t have garbage service, Internet or phones. We’re trying to do this on a shoestring so we can give as much to the shelter as humanly possible.”
You can reach Staff Writer Meg McConahey at meg.mcconahey@pressdemocrat.com or 521-5204. On Twitter @megmcconahey.
My irritation reached a tipping point the other night when I watched four people pull out their cell phones to read the menus inside a ridiculously dark restaurant. Not only that, but the seats put a huge dent in my dining partner’s lower back, the bread was extra and the only soft drinks they had were bitter Italian sodas that came with a smirk. Throughout the meal, I just felt unhappy, and I probably won’t be back even though the food was wonderful.
Conversely, I recently had the magical experience of a Toto toiletat a Japanese restaurant. Suffice to say it refreshed me in multiple ways, and made my dining experience a joy. I will go back, perhaps just to use the toilet.
Having gone to hundreds of local restaurants, I’ve experienced the good, the bad and the really awful, and realized that when it comes to making customers happy, there are a handful of niceties that can make even mediocre food seem luxurious, and conversely, ruin a wonderful meal.
I’ve broken them down into my own Ten Commandments of Restaurant Service:
I. There Shall Be Light: I’m all for romantic lighting in restaurants, but using a flickering candle the size of a quarter to read my menu is infuriating. Not to mention dangerous, because I’ve set several on fire using this method. Restaurants seem to be getting darker and darker at night, making it not only difficult to see my menu, but nearly impossible to see the food itself. Tea lights are not “lighting”, and my dining partners will appreciate a few more lumens in order to avoid the temporary blindness of my cellphone flash in their eyes.
II. Thy Music Shall Not Make Ears Bleed: get that you’re really into Death Metal right now, but please don’t make me listen to it while I’m eating. I seriously long for the old days of elevator music when I’m in Chipotle having my ears accosted and I have to scream at the person next to me to pass the Tapatio. I totally get that you need to turn over the tables quickly, but making my ears bleed isn’t going to make me eat any faster. They make ambient music for a reason.
III. Thou Shall Not Judge: There’s a whole theory that ugly people, single women and families get seated at the back of the restaurant, while groups of attractive people are seated in the front. Look around next time you’re at a nice restaurant and tell me it isn’t true. So when I’m in an empty restaurant, dining alone, and I get seated next to the restrooms, its hard not to feel a little uncomfortable. I’m more likely to bring my friends and family to a place where I was treated politely, rather than stuffed in the back room. Just keep that in mind.
IV. Save Not Thy Dirty Menus, Make Them Readable: Recycling is terrific, but I really don’t want to see a bunch of greasy fingerprints on my menu from the last guy who used it. Not. Appetizing. I can also tell how long a restaurant will last based on their menu design. If the owner has spent the time and energy to not only use a readable font, but organize the dishes into sections that make sense and run spell check, chances are they’ve done the legwork on the food, too. A janky menu spells disaster from the start. Keep it simple, and use a simple, readable font in type readable by people over the age of 40. If I have to haul out my readers and a flashlight, I’m already irritated.
V. Speak Not Menu Falsities: The first sign of a bad waiter is when they say everything is good on the menu. Everything is NOT good on the menu and I’m guessing the waiter is a pretty good person to get the inside scoop from. If I’m asking for your opinion, chances are I’d actually like to know what you’d eat here, and if there’s something I should really try. Chances are you’ll even get me to order the special of the day if you explain it nicely and tell me how delicious it is. No need to lie, just give me a little heads up, and I’ll probably give you a nicer tip. Conversely, if I don’t ask for your opinion, feel free to keep it to yourself.
VI. Thy Bread Shall Be Free: I’m glad your bread is homemade and artisan and all that. Please bring me some, because I’m hungry. Plus, it will keep my blood sugar high enough not to start crying when you forget to put in my appetizer order.
VII. Thou Shalt Not Ignore Me: Okay hostess lady, I get that you’re busy, but just a nod and a smile to let me know I exist. It calms my existential angst.
VIII. Thy Seats Shall Be Comfortable: Restaurant seating should not do the following: Bruise my lower back, wobble, take two people to move, require moving several pillows, feel like a church pew, make my posterior feel enormous, or leave indents on my rear end. When I need a shoehorn to get into your elfin-sized chairs, they’re too small. When I have to sit on my feet to reach the table (and I’m tall), they’re out of proportion. Function is far more important than form when you’re sitting for an hour or more. There is a special circle in hell for restaurateurs who force us to sit in torturous seats.
IX. Thou Shalt Bear Witness to Clean Bathrooms:A pretty, nice-smelling bathroom is such a joy. I’m not saying you have to have one of those Japanese numbers with a heated seat and dryer (although there’s one that made my night at Hana Japanese, 101 Golf Course Dr., Rohnert Park). Just a few extra rolls of TP, a clean floor, some nice hand soap and a place to hang my purse. I’m eating here, and making me gag at your restaurant cleanliness doesn’t inspire confidence.
X. Thy Drinks Should Be Plentiful: For the most part, I drink water and diet soda with my meals rather than alcohol. Mostly because am working and I need a boost of caffeine rather than getting drunk. But there seems to be a new snobbiness about colas, which I hate, because its ironic. No, I don’t want some silly sugary artisan cola with cane sugar that costs $5 and has no caffeine. You’re also not my mom, and I don’t need a lecture on the evils of diet soda, of which I prefer Diet Pepsi. I am totally serious about this, andI recently had a wonderful waiter offer to go to the grocery next door and buy me a can because she thought the restaurant policy was silly. She got a 35% tip for that.
If there’s a crystal ball for the year’s upcoming food trends its the annual winter Fancy Food Show held in San Francisco in mid-January. Eager start-ups go shoulder to shoulder with international conglomerates to get the attention of food buyers who will stock their products in the coming year.
The biggest buzz are at two ends of the food spectrum: Plants and meat. We’re seeing healthy, plant-based superfoods in everything as the public embraces a more veg-friendly lifestyle. Conversely, the popularity of the Paleo diet has brought a new wave of conscious meats (grass-fed, sustainable, artisan) to the forefront with jerky as its poster child.
Here are a few more of the coming trends for 2016 and what you’ll be seeing on store shelves in the coming months:
Chiridos, cricket flour chips from Bitty Foods at the Fancy Food Show 2016
Bugs In Your Food: Yup, get ready for crickets and meal worms on your plate. But before you yuck out, know that there’s a method to this madness. Easy to raise, sustainable and insanely high in protein, futurists are looking to insects as an alternative to the very unsustainable practices of factory-farmed meat. Cricket steaks? No (duh, they’d be way too small). But ground cricket flour is finding its way into things likeChirp Chipsand Chiridos (tortilla-style chips), along with more novel things like salted-chocolate crickets from SF’s Don Bugito.
Super Herbs and Flowers: Turmeric was the buzzword of 2015, and it continues to be a popular superfood added to teas and other tinctures like Pok Pok’s Turmeric soda and Numi Turmeric Tea. Other super herbs that have been used for millenia for everything from hangovers to constipation include Republic of Tea’s Milk Thistle or Reishi Mushroom teas, along with a matcha-charcoal detox tea. Hibiscus is also getting its moment in teas and sodas.
Super-Snacking: Snacks are casting off their bad raps as empty calories loaded with fat and salt to become between-meal health-boosters. We’re seeing lots of snacks with a healthy dose of antioxidants, or more familiar snack items getting a makeover with less sugar (or alternative sweetners), and boosts of vegetables or fruits. CabernayZyn cabernet grape raisins pack a crunchy resveratrol kick, while Love Beets Beet Bars get their sweetness from beets and Barney Butter vanilla bean and espresso almond butter is a tasty alternative to peanut butter.
Almost A Meal: One of the biggest trends at the show were mix-ins, spices and “almost meals” to make dinner a snap. We saw booth after booth of bagged and powdered sauces with bold Mexican, Japanese, Thai and Indian flavors that simply need a protein to be complete. Just Cook “Close to Curry” spices,
Korean: We’ve seen lots of Korean influences over the last few years, as Thai wanes, and the pungent flavors of Southeast Asia get more popular. Move over sriracha, because the new heat is Gochujang, a spicy, fermented Korean condiment. We saw it in a number of snack foods, including Say! Cruch Roasted seaweed snacks with gochujang. Also remaining popular is fermented kimchi and seaweed snacks.
Fermented Rice Koji from Aedan SF
Authentic Japanese: One of the least-known styles of food to Americans is Japanese. With lots of fermented, strongly-flavored ingredients and seafood, for 2016 Japanese cuisine is hot, hot, hot. Miso is getting the most love, but not the dried stuff in soup packets. True fermented misos are making their way into everything from dressings and soups to marinades, and one of our favorite isAedan SF, with their artisan line of fermented rices (koji), aged country miso, Shio Koji (an umami-flavor blaster) and 358 Sagohachi Pickling Sauce. Also at the show were Koji Rice Milk drinks and other miso-marinades.
Turkey Bak kwa from Little Red Dot, a Malaysian-style jerky.
Meat, Meat and More Meat: Paleos rejoice, because meat isn’t going anywhere. What’s different about the meats we’re seeing in 2016, however, is how the animals are raised, careful processing and more healthful ways of eating animal protein. Bone broth is still fringy, but gaining popularity for its health properties. We’re seeing commercially available pork and duck lard, along with beef tallow (EPIC Foods) that have been a restaurant kitchen staple for years; jerkies from here to eternity and even “healthy” fried pork skins that are no-carb and only 100 calories (Pork Clouds). Our favorite, however was Little Red Dot Bakkwa (a southeast Asian-style grilled jerky) in flavors like beef chipotle, turkey-fish sauce, lemongrass ginger beef and pork-soy sauce.
Grassfed Grows Up: People continually praise the wonders of grassfed beef, but honestly, it can be hit or miss flavor-wise. As demand grows, sustainable beef is coming into its own, along with grassfed milks used in yogurt, ice cream and milk-drinks (like lassis).
Alt.milk: Alternative dairy sources continue to be a growing market, expanding to macadamia nut milk, coconut milk, lots of almond milks, and a new quinoa milk.
Vegan Toona
Vegan: Plant-based foods are the hottest trend for 2016, as health concerns as well as sustainability and animal welfare take center stage. One of the most interesting we saw at the show was from a local, Sophie’s Kitchenin Sebastopol with their “vegan seafood”. Using elephant yam root (konjac) that’s been a popular Asian ingredient for many years, they’ve created vegan “toona”, “crab cakes”, scallops and even shrimp. We were also fascinated by Dardimans Dried Fruit Lollipops made with beet sugar.
Chocolate: There’s always a huge showing for chocolate, in every form at the show because, well, who doesn’t love chocolate. The biggest trend of the last few years are mix-ins with everything from bacon to mushrooms. Bacon and chocolate continue to be popular, along with more subtle flavors from Chuao’s new “Lovely” brand of chocolate that features flavors like blueberry lavender, raspberry rose and coconut hibiscus (plus it donates money from the bars to Girls, Inc.)
Book cover for “Bright Dead Things.” (Photo courtesy of Ada Limón)
Photo courtesy of Jude Domski Photography.
Ada Limón, who grew up in Sonoma and Glen Ellen, uses poetry to tell her life story, impressions, emotions and creative thoughts.
Her fourth book of poems, “Bright Dead Things” (Milkweed Editions, $16), made her a finalist for the prestigious 2015 National Book Award. And while she lost to fellow Californian Robin Coste Lewis in the poetry category at the November ceremony in New York City, Limón shined with a reading of her writings the night before.
Limón grew up in the shadow of Sonoma Mountain, and while she now spends much of her time in Lexington, Ky., the years she spent in Sonoma Valley echo in her work. She returns to Sonoma often because the valley still owns her, she said.
Book cover for “Bright Dead Things.” (Photo courtesy of Ada Limón)
“I grew up across from the Calabazas Creek in Glen Ellen and spent many days down in the creek, playing with the dog and hiding out,” Limón said. “I didn’t know I was going to be a writer, but I did always write. Growing up in the late 1970s in Glen Ellen and Sonoma did influence my choice.”
Limón follows in the footsteps of other Sonoma writers, among them Jack London, Maya Angelou and, for a short period of time, Hunter S. Thompson. Many of her poems are set in Sonoma or Glen Ellen. “What it Looks Like to Us and the Words We Use” moves from Kentucky to Sonoma Valley Regional Park; the “Long Ride” is primarily about the 40-acre horse ranch in Sonoma where her mother was the manager.
“To be honest,” she said, “I was totally shocked” to be a finalist for the poetry prize. “I was in the kitchen making breakfast and was reading the list off my phone right after it came out. It’s a huge honor, and what an amazing list to be a part of. This is a group of poets I deeply admire.”
The first signs of an approaching storm are subtle. The breezes change from the northwest to the southwest, causing the surface waters of the Pacific Ocean to appear to flow south to north. The horizon is clear and sharp. These are the hours of changes to come.
The day before a major fall or winter storm can be a perfect time to see the elusive green flash at sunset. Watching the sunset is a coast tradition. Watch for the moment the sun sinks below the horizon. If the conditions are perfect, you may see an emerald glow enveloping the top of the departing sun, a photographable mirage caused by refraction bending the light of the setting sun.
It doesn’t flash across the horizon. It’s as if someone on the other end of the sunset held a flashlight glowing green. Don’t blink. It’s over in a flash.
Fun Fact: Legend says it’s good luck to see a green flash.
Winter brings the most storms. As one nears, waves pick up the story. Big swells stretch out as far as you can see. When waves hit rocky bluffs, water is hurled into the air. Enormous breakers crash on sandy beaches, and a salty mist can be seen floating over Highway 1.
A storm is coming, a big one.
Meteorology has come a long way, predicting storms with great accuracy. Various weather apps, including a great one from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, give updated storm alerts, and many coast residents have weather stations with a barometer. A falling barometer will alert you to batten down the hatches. On Monday, in advance of a wild winter storm, the barometer looked like a steep descending staircase.
If a storm comes from the north, as they did in December, the leading edge can be seen. Clouds build and darken, and the wind begins to pick up in intensity. Outdoor barbecues have been blown off decks, and potted plants have been moved by the force of the wind. It’s dangerous to walk in a forest at this time because of falling tree limbs.
If the storms are El Niño-driven, like the three that hit this week, they come in directly from the Pacific and envelop the coast. They are warmer and have more rain. The storms slam into the unprotected coast, and it’s quite exhilarating and sometimes terrifying.
To experience a storm outdoors, as John Muir might have, finding a safe place is your number one priority. Margaret Lindgren, owner of Sea Ranch-based Unbeaten Path Tours, suggests Salt Point State Park as the best viewing spot. “There are many rocky overlooks that are safe,” she said. “The bluff edges anywhere are too dangerous now after the heavy rains. Stick to solid, rocky outcroppings.”
Lindgren says the Gerstle Cove entrance at Salt Point SP has many such safe outlooks.
A little further north, in Mendocino County, the top of the Point Arena Lighthouse would be an exhilarating place to experience a storm. It’s also a prime spot for whale watching and bird watching.
To photograph the majestic storm waves, coastal photographer Craig Tooley advises, “The best time to photograph is either early in the morning or late afternoon, because the light is more dramatic.”
Perhaps you’d rather experience the storm from inside a local inn or restaurant. One excellent place to watch a storm is from a front row table at the Black Point Grill at The Sea Ranch Lodge. It’s also a great place to see gray whales, currently migrating southward. Timber Cove Inn is another perfect spot, but it is closed for remodeling until April. Both places have hiking trails to explore once the weather clears.
After a storm, the coast is often blessed with a rainbow day. Once the showers have cleared away, it’s time to see what prizes Mother Nature might have tossed up on the beach. Prizes to look for on beaches include abalone shells, with their striking iridescent interiors. Most common finds are plastic bottles, chunks of foam and fishing lines, but more unusual and unlikely items wash up on the Sonoma Coast.
The current off the Sonoma Coast, the California Current, also brings items from Asia. An intact Japanese Ushio light bulb. A plastic clothes basket with barnacles growing over the Asian characters on its sides. A towel with Japanese writing and a drawing that survived its long journey here, deemed by NOAA to be possible tsunami debris.
You also might find a large, green glass Japanese fishing ball caught in the rocks. These fishing floats have broken loose from fishing nets in Japan in years past. They go up around the Aleutian Islands and Alaska, and down the West Coast. If you are very lucky, one of these balls will wash up on a beach intact and you will have a treasure from the other side of the world.
Mel Smith, of Point Arena, is a lifelong beachcomber, and he has amassed the collection of a lifetime: 35 assorted glass floats. He says, “If you go out and look at the residue of humanity, it’s amazing what you can find.”
Smith advises picking up garbage and looking at every little thing. He looks in nooks and crannies, under and behind driftwood. On one remote, small cove off Mendocino County, he found five glass balls.
After a big storm, waterfalls have been replenished and are wondrous to see. It’s a short walk to see the waterfall at The Sea Ranch Stengel Beach public access trail. Often a rainbow appears, reflected off the falling water. The Salal Trail boasts a spectacular series of cascades. The trail head of this Sea Ranch public access trail is found just past the pay station at Gualala Point Regional Park. Park on the left and look for the sign.
An annual pass to Sonoma County Regional Parks gives you entry to all the Sea Ranch public trails and Gualala Point.
Another waterfall to discover is northward at the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands. You can park on Lighthouse Road, on the left before the entrance to the lighthouse. Walk south until you come to a stream, carefully ford the stream, walk a little further and look back. A gorgeous waterfall will be your reward, with the lighthouse in the distance.
Seasonal creeks are running free to the Pacific Ocean, as are our rivers. The Gualala River opened in December for the first time in months. Steelhead, trapped in luxury over the summer and fall, were sent on the next part of their journey as they were swept out to the ocean.
Experiencing a storm and its aftermath on the Sonoma Coast is sure to create a lifelong memory of nature’s power and immense beauty.
Jeanne A. Jackson is the author of “Mendonoma Sightings Throughout the Year,” a month-by-month look at nature on the Sonoma/Mendocino coasts. She writes a weekly nature column in the Independent Coast Observer in Gualala. Jackson regularly posts nature photos of the coast on her website, mendonomasightings.com.
