Tucker Taylor Director of Culinary Gardens and vegetable garden at Kendall-Jackson vineyard. (photo by
Chris Hardy)
Christian Dake was barely in elementary school when he asked his parents if they could start growing food and edible flowers.
“We started planting basil and tomatoes, and my first flower was a green zinnia,” said the St. Helena native. “We had three-quarters of an acre in front of the house, and I had an honor farmstand.”
More recently, the 32-year-old gardener grew tomatoes with “Tomato Guy” Brad Gates of Napa’s Wild Boar Farms, raised 2,000 heirloom squash and melons for Gere Gettle of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds of Petaluma, and started working with seed savers around the globe to preserve and produce heirloom seed.
So when the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone came knocking on his garden gate last spring, looking for a culinary gardener for its new Farm-to-Table Cooking program, Dake jumped in with both boots.
“We’re training these chefs to work closely with a garden or create their own garden,” Dake said. “If they can see what’s possible here, they know it’s possible for them.”
The farm-to-table students care for the garden and harvest the fruits of their labor under the guidance of Larry Forgione, a legendary chef who pioneered seasonal, local American cooking in the 1980s.
With Forgione’s help, they also create a prix-fixe, five-course menu they serve on weekends at The Conservatory, a pop-up restaurant on the St. Helena campus.
“If you don’t start with great ingredients, you’re not going to have great food,” Forgione said, summing up his farm-to-fork philosophy.
Although the Napa Valley was originally planted to grain, nut and fruit trees, most of those food crops disappeared long ago in favor of wine grapes.
Culinary Institute of America Farm Manager Christian Dake picks an aji limo pepper at the CIA farm at Charles Krug Winery. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)
For Dake, who has a botany degree from Humboldt State University, growing grapes was not an option. Instead, he always dreamed of creating the most beautiful garden in Napa Valley. With the 6-plus acres provided by Charles Krug Winery across from the CIA campus, that dream has become a reality.
The production garden, which supplies the restaurants and the teaching kitchen on campus, doubles as a demonstration garden for Charles Krug Winery. It’s also a model of sustainability throughout the valley.
“I hope a lot of vineyards will do this as well,” Dake said. “Napa Valley is a wonderful place to grow a wide range of crops, especially fall-ripening crops like tomatoes.”
Dake came onboard in April 2013 and hit the ground running. Luckily, he already had seedlings started in a Calistoga greenhouse.
“I had all the plants ready to go,” he said. “The first year was a whirlwind.”
After clearing the soil of rocks and cement, Dake and the students amended it with compost and set about growing zinnias and calendulas, heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers, eggplant and New Zealand spinach.
He also created an experimental garden planted with aromatic herbs such as lemon verbena, subtropical fruits like lemon guava, and extreme chile peppers including the Diablo Grande from Oaxaca, Mexico.
“Peppers are my big thing: chocolate habaneros, aji amarillo and aji limo,” he said. “The students make a lot of hot sauce.”
But tomatoes also tug at his heart, especially heirlooms such as the Amos Coli paste tomato and the Blue Beauty tomato developed by Gates.
“The blues take a longer time to ripen,” he said. “But they have a thick skin and they keep well.”
This season at the garden, Dake has built a plastic greenhouse with retractable roof panels that will allow the students to grow crops year-round. He also is excited about the garden’s new fields of grain, having planted 3 acres to Sonora and Blue Tinge Ethiopian wheats.
“We’re going to thresh it and grind it at the Bale Grist Mill, to be used in breads and pasta,” Dake said. “The Sonoran wheat has high gluten, but it’s more digestible, and it makes incredible pastries.”
Tucker Taylor holds violas, edible flowers, in his hands at Kendall-Jackson vineyard. (photo by Chris Hardy)
Along with a flock of Silver Spangled Hamburg chickens, the garden also welcomed four Red Wattle sows.
The chickens will fertilize the garden, and the pigs will eat excess from the farm and campus. Like people, the animals are smart. They know a sweet, vine-ripened tomato when they taste one.
“It’s hilarious to see the pigs eating,” Dake said.
K-J gardener grows into new role A straw-hatted Tucker Taylor surveys the tidy rows of winter vegetables growing at the Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate and Gardens, then moves into the warm, slanting rays of late afternoon.
It’s obvious that the shy, laconic farmer is more comfortable in the sun than the spotlight. Still, he relishes his role as ambassador for the Santa Rosa-based winery, which has unusually deep roots in the soil.
“My focus is to educate our guests, and hopefully inspire our guests, to expand their own gardens or just become aware of the local food movement,” the estate’s culinary gardener said. “The beauty of Sonoma is how diverse it is agriculturally.”
Taylor worked at organic farms across the country before spending five years as culinary gardener for The French Laundry restaurant in Yountville.
“I’ve always had an intimate relationship with chefs,” he said. “That’s the exciting part, entertaining their ideas and needs and bringing my own experience to the table.”
Justin Wangler, executive chef at Kendall-Jackson, describes Taylor as incredibly detail-oriented with a deep knowledge of gardening and food.
“The quality of the stuff he grows is ridiculous,” said Wangler, who showcases the pristine produce in food-and-wine pairings at the winery and at Partake eatery in Healdsburg. “He’s very sincere about his vegetables and food, and about the people in his relationships.”
Tomatoes, fresh squash, mozzarella and squash blossoms are served at the Kendall-Jackson Wine Center. (photo by Conner Jay)
Since he was hired in April 2013, Taylor, 43, has been busy upgrading the 3-acre vegetable garden, launching a redesign that promises to yield more produce and pleasure.
After amending the soil, Taylor rotated crops, eliminated pathways, widened the beds and introduced an intensive style of gardening that requires hand tools rather than tractors.
“It gave the garden more balance, created more sun and a nice pathway,” Taylor said. “Intensive gardening increases the productivity. … There is less weed pressure, less evaporation.”
The central pathway through the garden, which will be lined with golden decomposed granite, will serve as a gathering spot for alfresco dinners.
“The trees will be lit up, and a long table down the center of the garden will sit 600 people,” Taylor said. “We have a lifestyle and a wine and food culture here.”
This year, Wangler said, the winery plans to offer garden tours that include harvesting with Taylor, a cooking class and a meal. Produce from the estate is served at local restaurants such as the Farmhouse Inn in Forestville. A new wine and food club in the works will allow guests to take vegetables home, along with recipes from Wangler.
In addition to the winery garden, Taylor is redesigning the 8-acre farm at the Jackson family estate in Alexander Valley. After that, the sky’s the limit, as he turns his artistic eye to the company’s other estates in Oregon, France, Italy, Australia and Chile.
Zachary Stoller prepares tomatoes to be used in a tomato-cucumber green salad with gooseberry vinagrette at the Culinary Institue of America’s The Conservatory at Greystone, in St. Helena. (photo by Alvin Jornada)
It’s an impressive trajectory for a Southern boy from Jacksonville, Fla., who first sank his hands into the dirt in his family’s summer garden.
Taylor got a degree in business administration at the University of Florida but decided that working in a bank was not for him. So he went back to school for another degree in environmental horticulture.
After graduating in 1998, he started an organic farm outside of Portland, Ore., then managed an organic farm in Athens, Ga., for six years, where he fine-tuned the art of growing for chefs.
Borrowing ideas from mentors such as farmer, author and educator Eliot Coleman of Maine, Taylor is building three plastic greenhouses, known as hoop houses, for year-round harvesting at the Kendall-Jackson gardens.
“We can do an early crop of tomatoes, growing them vertically up strings,” he said. “Same with seedless cucumbers, peppers and eggplants.”
For the past two years, Taylor has shared his intimate views of gardens with 40,000 followers by posting daily photos on Instagram, a feat that has made him “Instafamous.”
Although reluctant at first, his success at social media has allowed Taylor to connect with chefs and farmers around the world he never would have met otherwise.
“I didn’t get into gardening for my love of communication,” he said. “But a picture speaks a thousand words.”
It’s not officially summer until June 21, but wineries go into summertime mode in May, opening their patios, holding special events and firing up the grill. Virginie Boone recommends these wineries for May-June; they’re open to the public, typically from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Contact individual tasting rooms to confirm.
B Cellars, 400 Silverado Trail, Calistoga, 877-229-9939, bcellars.com. Book ahead for special tasting experiences at this expansive winery with its welcoming patio off the Silverado Trail. Single-vineyard tastings and a production tour and tasting are particularly popular; the winery has its own chef to showcase its red blends, Syrah, Sangiovese and Petite Sirah with food.
B.R. Cohn Winery & Olive Oil Co., 15000 Sonoma Highway, Glen Ellen, 800-330-4064, brcohn.com. Surrounded by olive trees and meandering gardens, B.R. Cohn is a peaceful place to enjoy a sunny day, taste Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and other varietals, and sample the estate’s olive oils and vinegars. The lovely grounds are ideally suited for picnics and afternoon naps, and double as a stage from time to time for classic cars and founder Bruce Cohn’s life in rock and roll.
Buena Vista Winery, 18000 Old Winery Road, Sonoma, 800-926-1266, buenavistawinery.com. Historic Buena Vista has refashioned its wine caves into a glittery romantic spot for barrel tasting and touring, and a section of the cave can be reserved for private, by-appointment tastes of library wines and barrel samples. Don’t miss the Champagne Cellars (kid-friendly and there is no charge) where the winery’s history can be further explored.
Charles Krug-Peter Mondavi Sr. Family Vineyards, 2800 Main St., St. Helena, 707-967-2200, charleskrug.com. Where Peter and Robert Mondavi got their winemaking start, Charles Krug is an impressive blend of old and new, with its historic Redwood Cellar now ready for tastings of crisp Sauvignon Blanc and elegant Cabernet Sauvignon. Enjoy a slew of tasting options and tours, or take a bottle and ponder life with it on the Great Lawn.
Chateau Montelena, 1429 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga, 707-942-5105, chateaumontelena.com. A wonderful place to picnic, with a Chinese garden, lake and views of Mount St. Helena, Chateau Montelena remains a Napa Valley stalwart, the Chardonnay winner of the famous Paris Tasting of 1976, which put California wines on the map. Elegant Chardonnays, Cabernet Sauvignons and Zinfandels are consistently good. Special tastings and tours abound.
Chateau St. Jean, 8555 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood, 707-833-4134, chateaustjean.com. With a sprawling picture-perfect lawn and bocce courts, this venerable winery’s gorgeous location is perfect for the 40th-anniversary celebration of Cinq Cepages, Chateau St. Jean’s proprietary Bordeaux-style red blend. The tasting room also carries a selection of picnic goodies.
DRNK Winery, 3637 Frei Road, Sebastopol, 707-889-1000, drnkwines.com. Contact the winery to set up a tasting and tour with winemaker Ryan Kunde, who crafts small-lot Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from grapes grown throughout the Russian River Valley, as well as a delightful Pinot Gris “orange wine” from Sonoma Mountain. The winery overlooks the Laguna de Santa Rosa.
Duckhorn Vineyards, 1000 Lodi Lane, St. Helena, 888-354-8885, duckhorn.com. Still a premier name in Napa Valley Merlot, Duckhorn also makes lovely Sauvignon Blanc: the right wine to enjoy at tableside with charcuterie and a fine view of the winery’s gardens.
Frank Family Vineyards, 1091 Larkmead Lane, Calistoga, 800-574-9463, frankfamilyvineyards.com. Frank Family is a popular Napa Valley stop because of its gardens, picnic spots and reasonable tasting fees. A tasting of four wines, which might include a bubbly, Cabernet Sauvignon and age-worthy Petite Sirah, is $20. It also inhabit a historic site, the former home of Larkmead Winery, the third-oldest in the valley.
Freemark Abbey, 3022 St. Helena Highway, St. Helena, 800-963-9698, ext. 3721, freemarkabbey.com. Established in 1886, Freemark Abbey is a peaceful place to enjoy a traditional tasting of a wide range of its wines, or a one-hour Cabernet Comparison Tasting ($30) that demonstrates the range of vineyard sites sourced for the wines.
Gundlach Bundschu, 2000 Denmark St., Sonoma, 707-938-5277, gunbun.com. This 1860s winery, still family-run, offers a courtyard tasting menu in good weather, with flights of five current-release wines, and the option to indulge in five library Cabernet Sauvignons. A board of local cheeses, hummus and almonds might accompany the wines. Vineyard excursions start in May.
Hartford Family Winery, 8075 Martinelli Road, Forestville, 707-887-8030, hartfordwines.com. Tucked away in the woods, Hartford is a consistent high-quality producer of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and old-vine Zinfandel, sourcing grapes from the Green Valley sub-appellation of the Russian River Valley, and from other cool locales such as Anderson Valley. Seated in-depth tastings, including some with food pairings, can be arranged by appointment.
J Vineyards & Winery, 11447 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg, 707-431-5400, jwine.com. A glass of bubbly is always a good thing, and this is a well-appointed spot at which to have it, as well as taste J’s Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. Also don’t miss having a sip of Pinot Gris, among its most popular, springtime-perfect wines. The J Bubble Room pairs wines with exquisite, locally sourced dishes.
Jordan Vineyard & Winery, 1474 Alexander Valley Road, Healdsburg, 800-654-1213, jordanwinery.com. By appointment, Jordan welcomes visitors for walking tours through its beautiful compound, which includes the estate gardens from which executive chef Todd Knoll sources a cornucopia of produce for winery meals. Tours and seated tastings are available Monday through Saturday throughout the year, and on Sundays from mid-April through early fall. Jordan also makes an exquisite estate extra-virgin olive oil.
Landmark Wine, 101 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood, 707-833-0053, landmarkwine.com. In the shadow of Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Landmark makes Chardonnay (including the famous Overlook bottling) and Pinot Noir, and is increasingly becoming known for its Rhone-inspired reds, including Syrah and Grenache. In addition to its tasting room, the winery offers picnic spots and bocce courts.
Merry Edwards Winery, 2959 Gravenstein Highway N., Sebastopol, 707-823-7466, merryedwards.com. Winemaker Merry Edwards is a pioneer in Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, excelling at coaxing rich berry flavor and voluptuous texture from the grapes. She also produces some of the best Sauvignon Blanc in the state, and has recently added Chardonnay to her lineup. Don’t miss the opportunity to discover her skill and view some of the estate vineyards surrounding the winery.
Navarro Vineyards, 5601 Highway 128, Philo, 800-537-9463, navarrowine.com. The wide selection of crisp white wines and bright, mellow reds is worth the drive to Philo, where Navarro’s homey picnic grounds inspire taking one’s time. Plenty of picnic goodies are stocked in the tasting room, including winery principal Sarah Cahn Bennett’s fine farmstead goat cheeses made down the road at Pennyroyal Farms. Tours of the vineyard happen twice a day, by appointment; picnics are encouraged.
Odette Estate, 5998 Silverado Trail, Napa, 707-224-7533, odetteestate.com. Owned by the PlumpJack Winery guys (Gordon Getty, Gavin Newsom and John Conover), Odette is in Napa Valley’s Stags Leap District and on the path to becoming LEED-certified. With 18,000 square feet of caves, some of the first modern versions dug in Napa Valley, Odette makes for an intriguing visit, with great Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines on offer.
Portalupi Wine, 107 North St., Healdsburg, 707-395-0960, portalupiwine.com. Located in downtown Healdsburg, this is a fine stop before or after lunch or just before dinner, and an easy walk from many hotels. Portalupi focuses on Italian-heritage wines, from Vermentino to Barbera to Vaso di Marina, a jug wine sold in a reusable milk bottle.
Pride Mountain Vineyards, 4026 Spring Mountain Road, St. Helena, 707-963-4949, pridewines.com. Straddling Napa and Sonoma counties, Pride makes fiercely age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Sangiovese. This time of year, its Viognier shines, a deliciously bright taste of spring. Make an appointment for a tour and tasting, offered daily (except Tuesdays) at 10 a.m., or take on the Summit Experience ($75), with time spent in the winery caves.
Ram’s Gate, 28700 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, 707-721-8700, ramsgatewinery.com. Ram’s Gate was designed for lingering, with a host of spacious sitting areas. Then there’s the food, prepared to order by the on-staff chef for seated, guided tastings. Order a picnic lunch to take into the vineyard or out by the pond. The wines alone are a reason to stay, a collection of single-vineyard Pinot Noirs, Syrahs, Chardonnays and even a brut bubbly.
Ridge Vineyards / Lytton Springs, 650 Lytton Springs Road, Healdsburg, 707-433-7721, ridgewine.com. Revered, Ridge is a worthy stop no matter the time of year for its structured Zinfandels and Cabernet Sauvignons, but its location on a Dry Creek Valley side road is also a pretty way to travel. The tasting room is open daily, but reserve ahead for a Century Tour and Library Tasting, which might include an older vintage of Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon, Ridge’s most famous wine.
Andrew Pleva of Dublin at Rodney Strong Vineyards. (photo by Mark Aranoff)
Rodney Strong Vineyards, 11455 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg, 800-678-4763, rodneystrong.com. For a comprehensive taste of Sonoma County and expansive vineyard views, visit Rodney Strong, which offers an estate wine tasting daily as well as the option to try single-vineyard and reserve wines. From its staunch Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignons to Davis Bynum Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, there’s a lot to like. Picnickers are also welcome on the winery’s lawn or vineyard terrace, with food items available for purchase inside.
Schramsberg Vineyards, 1400 Schramsberg Road, Calistoga, 800-877-3623, schramsberg.com. Among the first in California to specialize in sparkling wine, Schramsberg occupies hallowed, historic ground and is home to the oldest hillside vineyards in Napa Valley and some of the first excavated aging caves. Take a tour by appointment, and don’t miss the Mirabelle Brut Rosé and other gorgeous sparklers before moving on to taste the J. Davies Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.
St. Francis Winery & Vineyards, 100 N. Pythian Road, Santa Rosa, 707-538-9463, stfranciswinery.com. Named the No. 1 restaurant in America by Open Table, St. Francis does indeed offer a gourmet food and wine experience worth having, as well as a monthly interactive experience in its tasting room called Sonoma Tastemakers, whereby the best bites from Sonoma County producers and purveyors are paired with St. Francis wines. Past months have featured cheese, savory and sweet jams, and pie.
Stony Hill, 3331 St. Helena Highway N., St. Helena, 707-963-2636, stonyhillvineyard.com. A historic Napa Valley winery celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, Stony Hill makes incredibly elegant white wines, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon. Family-owned, it has recently begun a series of family-style cooking classes for parties of four, by appointment only, offering a chance to cook, enjoy wines and take a tour of the winery. Open by appointment for tours and tastings Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Tamber Bey Vineyards, 1251 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga, 707-942-2100, tamberbey.com. Newly opened, Tamber Bey is located within the grounds of Sundance Ranch, a 22-acre equestrian facility with horses galore and a tasting room fit into a former barn clubhouse. Taste and hang with the horses at the same time. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., by appointment, for tours and tastings of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Twomey Cellars, 3000 Westside Road, Healdsburg, 800-505-4850, twomey.com. Owned by the same family that’s behind Silver Oak Cellars, Twomey specializes in Pinot Noir with two tasting locations, one in Calistoga and this tasting room outside Healdsburg, the former site of Roshambo winery. Along with the beautiful views of Mount St. Helena and beyond, visitors can enjoy a tasting of current-release wines or take a tour, by appointment. House-cured salumi and cheese boards can be ordered ahead of time.
Ty Caton Vineyards, 8910 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood, 707-938-3224, tycaton.com. Winemaker Ty Caton works with a variety of vineyard sites throughout Sonoma County, blending grapes from many of them into his flagship red wine, TyTanium. He’s also got a crisp Riesling and Rosé of Syrah that are just right for a sunny afternoon.
Vigilance Winery, 13888 Point Lakeview Road, Lower Lake, 707-994-9656, vigilancewinery.com. Sustainably farmed by longtime vineyard manager Clay Shannon and his team of grass-fed sheep, Vigilance offers gorgeous vistas of Clear Lake and Mount Konocti and access to the Anderson Marsh sanctuary. A day at Vigilance isn’t complete this time of year without a glass or two of Sauvignon Blanc.
Viszlay Vineyards, 851 Limerick Lane, Healdsburg, 707-481-1514, viszlayvineyards.com. New to Russian River Valley is this producer of fine Pinot Noir. Visits by appointment can be made (daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) to taste, enjoy a cheese and wine pairing, or take a group pasta-making class. Viszlay also makes a dry, estate-grown Prosecco-style bubbly, Brut Cuvee, perfect for sipping in late spring through summer.
VJB Vineyards & Cellars, 60 Shaw Ave., Kenwood, 707-833-2300, vjbcellars.com. In an Italian-inspired, courtyard-centered villa in the heart of Sonoma Valley, VJB serves steamy coffee and pastries in the morning, panini, pasta and pizza during the day, and samples of its Italian-inspired wines. The winery also stocks co-proprietor Maria Belmonte’s line of sauces, pestos and tapenades, and houses a shop for gelato and specialty chocolates.
Alicia Hedenfield, left, Lisa Evich and Denise Coleman share a laugh and some wine before having dinner at Bistro 29 (photo by Alvin Jornada)
Backyard, 6566 Front St., Forestville, 707-820-8445, backyardforestville.com. The farmers, ranchers and fisherfolk who produce just about every ingredient of every item on the menu are listed by name — and they’re almost all from Sonoma County, and right around Forestville. This is great in-season, locally produced food, ably handled in the kitchen. The wines are local, too. On Wednesdays, a family-style fried chicken dinner is offered, and vegans will find much to like, too. When the place fills up, it gets loud, but the skilled locavore cooking helps smooth any rough spots. Reviewed 12/9/12. $$-$$$
The house pulled pork sandwich with Asian slaw and sweet fries is served at Bruno’s on Fourth in Santa Rosa. (photo by Conner Jay)
Bistro 29, 620 Fifth St., Santa Rosa, 707-546-2929, bistro29.com. We’re lucky to have a restaurant in our area that serves the food of Brittany in northwestern France. The cuisine features beautiful buckwheat crepes, both savory and sweet, with myriad choices of fillings. Brittany is known for its excellent chicken and seafood, and chef Brian Anderson makes delicious entrees with locally sourced versions of both. There’s a fine list of French and local wines, too. Reviewed 5/19/13. $$$
Bruno’s on Fourth, 1226 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-569-8222, brunosonfourth.com. The “American comfort food” that chef Rick Bruno serves is reliably well-made, nicely priced and tasty. There’s a Sunday brunch, kids eat free Tuesdays through Thursdays at dinner, and there’s a good lunch menu. Crispy fresh salads stand out, along with meaty dishes such as braised short ribs and roast pork. The short wine list is well-priced, too. Reviewed 1/26/14. $$-$$$
Centre du Vin at the Ledson Hotel, 480 First St. East, Sonoma, 707-996-9779, ledsonhotel.com. A pleasant place for lunch or light dining in the evening, the Ledson Hotel’s restaurant does a good job with steak frites, croque monsieur, and B.L.T. & D sandwiches — bacon, lettuce, tomato and duck confit. The wine list is limited to Ledson Winery & Vineyards labels, although there are three local sparklers from other producers. Desserts include crème brûlée and chocolate mousse. Reviewed 3/18/12. $$
DeSchmire Restaurant, 304 Bodega Ave., Petaluma, 707-762-1901, deschmirerestaurant.com. Here’s Sonoma County’s best little culinary secret: a French restaurant with excellent food in a well-worn building away from the center of Petaluma. The kitchen is as open as a kitchen can be, and marvelous dishes flow from it, including old-fashioned French favorites such as onion soup, steamed mussels, chicken Dijon, rack of lamb, local duck and tender steak. The desserts are luscious, and there’s no corkage fee. Highly recommended. Reviewed 6/10/12. $$$-$$$$
Flipside Bar & Burger, 630 Third St., Santa Rosa, 707-523-1400, flipsidebarandburger.com. Flipside serves a variety of great hamburgers, plus grilled cheese, Reuben, BLT, club and meatball sandwiches. Everything is made from scratch whenever possible,
and scratch means fresh, local ingredients. The owner, Nino Rabbaa, envisions Flipside as a place for a bite, a drink and a place to meet before enjoying downtown Santa Rosa’s other delights. Perfect cole slaw and fries, too. Reviewed 5/27/12. $-$$$
Flowering Tea House, 1367 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma, 707-775-3088, floweringpetaluma.com. Everything is delicious here, but don’t miss the house-made pot stickers. The portions are large and the flavors are fresh. It’s one of the top Chinese restaurants in the North Bay, and the menu includes dishes from several regions of China, including Hunan, Shanghai and Hong Kong along with standard Cantonese cuisine. Reviewed 4/22/12. $-$$
The green papaya salad with shrimp, pork, peanuts and basil is served at Kettles Vietnamese Bistro along Steele Lane in Santa Rosa. (photo by Conner Jay)
Kettles Vietnamese Bistro, 1202 W. Steele Lane, Santa Rosa, 707-528-3747, kettlesvietnamesebistro.com. Vietnamese restaurants used to be exotic, but this one shows how comfy the cuisine has become in the U.S. Serving big portions of pretty good food — not all strictly Vietnamese, with some pan-Asian — at reasonable prices is a winning formula at Kettles, which attracts a lot of families. The pho noodle soups with meats or seafood are particularly delicious. Reviewed 2/2/14. $-$$
Lulu’s Kitchen, 1313 Main St., Napa, 707-258-1313, 1313main.com. The best feature of Lulu’s Kitchen are its wines. They are not confined to California, but include some of the finest wines in the world by the glass, as flights and by the bottle. The menu is small plates of carefully thought-out and nicely prepared portions to snack on while you enjoy the wine. The décor is sophisticated and chic, the service friendly, and the ambiance relaxing. Reviewed 1/12/14. $$-$$$
Luma, 500 First St., Petaluma, 707-658-1940, lumapetaluma.com. This is a real find: an unpretentious restaurant with a feel-good vibe, great service and contemporary American cooking featuring nightly specials such as braised pork ribs and blackened catfish. The regular menu includes ancho- and porcini- seared filet mignon, chicken picadillo, and a daily “vegetarian delight,” a tray loaded with wonderfully prepared seasonal fruits and vegetables. The wine list is global and modestly priced. Reviewed 11/3/13. $$$
M.Y. China, 630 Park Court (at Graton Resort and Casino), Rohnert Park, 707-703-1955, gratonresortcasino.com. This is the second of well-known chef Martin Yan’s innovative Chinese restaurants. The food is closer to the actual cuisines of China than the egg foo yung and chow mein parlors found across America. Yan and executive chef Tony Wu insist on absolutely fresh vegetables and high quality in other ingredients. The lychee panna cotta dessert is flamboyantly delicious. Reviewed 1/19/14. $$-$$$$
Watermelon gazpacho chilled soup with jicama, serrano, cucumber and lime at Olive & Vine restaurant in Glen Ellen. (photo by John Burgess)
Olive & Vine, 14301 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen, 707-996-9152, oliveandvinerestaurant.com. Glen Ellen’s reputation as a stop for fine restaurants got a huge boost when Catherine Venturini and John Burdick opened Olive & Vine in Jack London Village. Venturini and her chef de cuisine, Julie Warner, do an exceptional job exalting local and organic ingredients in their versions of Sonoma cuisine. The menu changes seasonally, but just about everything on it is worth a return visit. Reviewed 5/20/12. $$$-$$$$
Pizzando, 301 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-922-5233, pizzandohealdsburg.com. Pizzando features pizza from a wood-fired oven, but also has a wide range of appetizers, house-made pasta, and meat and seafood entrees. The pizzas, in particular, are excellent. The wine and beer list is short but sweet. Everything on the menu is available for takeout, and Pizzando is open for late evening snacking, too. Reviewed 11/11/12. $$
Ravenous, 117 North St., Healdsburg, 707-431-1302, facebook.com. Ravenous started a couple of decades ago in this small space adjacent to the Raven Theater. It moved a block away to a larger space (now Bravas Bar de Tapas) and has somewhat recently returned to its roots at the Raven. The full bar is gone but the café still serves high-class pan-American cooking. The Mexican influences stand out, especially the stuffed and roasted poblano pepper and impossibly good fish tacos. But the changeable menu has classic American dishes, too. The wine list is interesting and eclectic. Reviewed 7/22/12. $$$-$$$$
Redd Wood, 6755 Washington St., Yountville, 707-299-5030, redd-wood.com. Chef Richard Reddington, who operates the respected Redd nearby, offers this upscale pizzeria for the foodies who flock to the little town of Yountville. The pizzas are amazing, but there are also pastas, house-made salumi, fish, main-course entrees and a lineup of fine desserts, including Italian ices. Italian wines complement the food. Reviewed 3/11/12. $$-$$$$
Homemade tiramisu at Risibisi Restaurant in Petaluma. (photo by Beth Schlanker)
Risibisi, 154 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma, 707-766-7600, risibisirestaurant.com. Risibisi is a good, northern Italian-style restaurant named for rice with peas, a favorite spring dish in the Veneto. Don’t miss the sea bass carpaccio antipasto. Pasta dishes including fettucini Bolognese and gnocchi with wild boar ragu just beg to be paired with one of the many excellent Italian red wines on the list. Entrees include eggplant parmesan, veal piccata and short ribs, among others. Good desserts, too. Reviewed 8/5/12. $$-$$$
Rosso Pizzeria & Mozzarella Bar, 151 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma, 707-772-5177, rossopizzeria.com. Rosso’s second iteration (the other is in Santa Rosa) focuses on house-made mozzarella and ricotta, some from cow’s milk and some from Craig Ramini’s herd of water buffalo in Tomales. All the pastas — a different type each night of the week — are house-made, and there’s a wood-fired oven turning out real Italian-style pizzas. Good salads, appetizers and a great wine list complete the picture. It’s a fine place for the whole family. Reviewed 9/2/12. $$
Rustic, Francis’s Favorites, 300 Via Archimedes, Geyserville, 707-857-1485, franciscoppolawinery.com/visit/dine/rustic. Francis Ford Coppola needs no introduction, yet at his winery/restaurant/resort/tasting room, you’ll get one anyway. The restaurant, called “Rustic, Francis’s Favorites,” features the Italian dishes of his childhood, plus adult loves like an Argentine grill serving big portions of beef with chimichurri sauce. The wine list is mostly from his winery, and that’s OK. A wood-burning oven makes wonderful pizzas. Reviewed 11/10/13. $-$$$$
A mixed berry crisp made by pastry chef Jenny Malicki at Spinster Sisters restaurant in Santa Rosa. (photo by Beth Schlanker)
The Spinster Sisters, 401 S. A St., Santa Rosa, 707-528-7100, thespinstersisters.com. The “New American Cooking” at this superb little restaurant is healthy, with locally sourced, seasonal ingredients deftly handled by chef Liza Hinman to create refined and enticing flavors. She likes cumin in yogurt, cares enough to peel and remove the seedy parts of cucumbers, and makes many ingredients in-house, such as duck terrine, bagels and lox, and kim chi. A fine wine list offers bottles from across America and around the world. Reviewed 9/9/12. $$-$$$
Spoonbar at h2hotel, 219 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-7222, spoonbar.com. Chef Louis Maldonado and the bartenders at this eco-hotel serve up some of the most innovative food and drinks around. When the kitchen plays with notions taken from the world’s cuisines, the results can be delicious. Case in point: North African-influenced short rib on quinoa with mint, rings of red-ripe jalapeño and preserved citrus make a super-tasty dish. Cured fish, vegetable appetizers and pastas all have something unique going on. Reviewed 4/15/12. $$$$
Terra Restaurant, 1345 Railroad Ave., St. Helena, 707-963-8931, terrarestaurant.com. For the past 24 years, Terra has set the standard for excellent quality and beautiful presentations, and continues to do so. Chef Hiro Sone is a master at pleasing the eye as well as the palate, with a menu of 22 items, from which you pick four, five, or six at varying (and expensive) price levels. But it’s worth it, because just about every item, from simple gnocchi to a combo of duck breast with duck sausage and duck liver mousse, is to sigh for. Very highly recommended. Reviewed 5/13/12. $$$$
Terrapin Creek Cafe, 1580 Eastshore Road, Bodega Bay, 707-875-2700, terrapincreekcafe.com. Owners Andrew Truong and Liya Lin have fashioned one of the most charming restaurants in Wine Country, and her cooking is a shining example of locally sourced ingredients used in refined and thoughtful dishes that never fail to please. Simple soups and salads come to life. Entrees are rich and bold, like lamb sugo over pappardelle, and glazed baby back ribs. The cooking is pure Californian with a hint of French and Asian. Reviewed 3/24/13. $$$$
The Thomas at Fagiani’s, 813 Main St., Napa, 707-226-7821, thethomas-napa.com. An old downtown Napa building dating to the early 1900s is beautifully refurbished. Ground level is Fagiani’s bar with glorious cocktails. The second and third floors are The Thomas restaurant, where executive chef Brad Farmerie and chef de cuisine Jason Kupper will thrill you with the smartness of their culinary ideas and the quality of their cooking and presentations. The third floor is alfresco dining on the rooftop with views of the Napa River and beyond. Highly recommended. Reviewed 10/7/12. $$$-$$$$
Walter Hansel Wine & Bistro, 3535 Guerneville Road, Santa Rosa, 707-546-6462, walterhanselbistro.com. The refurbished room serves as a wine bar for Walter Hansel Winery & Vineyard, and a showcase for chef Philippe Colasse’s French cooking. He springs surprises, too, such as Peruvian causa (a layered potato dish) and seafood ceviche appetizers. But it’s the French classics that really sing: sous vide chicken with mousseline sauce, perfect Liberty duck rillettes, potato gratin Savoyard, sea bass in beurre blanc sauce and much more. Reviewed 2/23/14 $$$$
Savor Healdsburg food tours typically takes guests on a 3-hour six stop tour of local restaurants and wine bars. One of their stops this day was at Bravas Bar de Tapas where guests tasted drinks such as this Red Sangria – made with seasonal fruit infused brandy and Torres orange liquer. (Photo by Charlie Gesell)
Food Sherpas like the Travel Channel’s Anthony Bourdain are whetting the appetites of a growing number of culinary tourists, who want to wander off the eaten path in Malaysia and Mexico, Paris and Rome.
In the past decade, food tours have also popped up in the Bay Area, from the back alleys of San Francisco’s Chinatown to Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto.
At Portalupi, guests tasted wines such as their 2012 Pinot Noir, Russian River Vally – il migore served with prosciutto and goats milk Humboldt Fog.
Now, the culinary crossroads of Healdsburg has joined the fun, foodie party, with a few behind-the-scenes tours that explore the region’s confluence of farms, restaurants, breweries and wineries.
“When we started in 2004, people didn’t get it, but the county now is more recognized as a culinary and wine destination,” said Donna del Rey of Relish Culinary Adventures in Healdsburg. “There’s so much here.”
From June through October, Relish offers two-day tours that first explore the farms, olive oil producers and wineries of the Dry Creek Valley, with participants gathering ingredients for a cooking class that night. The next day, the group heads to West County to visit a cheesemaker, a farm and a winery or brewery, with the option of a side trip to Bodega Bay to get a whole salmon.
Lodging at a Healdsburg bed-and-breakfast is included in the $1,750 per person (double occupancy) price of the tours.
After moving from Texas to Healdsburg a few years ago, Tammy Gass was surprised to find that there were no tours showcasing the region’s renowned restaurants. She had been on many such culinary tours around the world with her husband, a commercial airline pilot, and she recognized a delicious niche waiting to be filled.
“I wanted it to be food-focused and showcase the chefs and the unique options here,” Gass said. “There are casual places as well as fine dining.”
At Bravas Bar de Tapas, guests tasted dishes such as this creamy chicken, ham & Gruyere cheese croquetas.
In December, she launched Savor Healdsburg Food Tours, a walking tour in downtown aimed at folks who like to stretch their legs between bites and sips.
“It was terrific to walk everywhere, so we could see the different shops,” said Bentley Marane of Atlanta, who went on a recent tour. “We stopped in the plaza and learned more about the vineyards and wineries, so we got a good sense of the area.”
The tours are offered in the morning and afternoon, Wednesday through Sunday, for intimate groups of up to eight people.
“That lets people engage and ask questions,” Gass said.
A typical morning tour starts at 11 at The Wurst restaurant for some sweet-potato fries and a bite of a Sheboygan bratwurst sourced from Wisconsin by owner Charles Bell, a native of Detroit and former rock ’n’ roll guitarist.
Then it’s on to Mark and Terri Stark’s Bravas Bar de Tapas for three signature bites, such as Chorizo with Padron Peppers, and some tips on what to order at the bar during its popular happy hour.
Thus fortified, the group moves on to a boutique winery, such as Stark Wine Co. or Portalupi Wine Co., for a one-on-one tasting with a winemaker. A sweet treat follows at Costeaux Bakery, where guests learn about the bakery’s award-winning breads and get a cookie to go.
Next, the tour heads south of the plaza to Mateo’s Cocina Latina for a signature bite from Yucatan chef Mateo Granados: a tacone (crispy corn tortilla) filled with guacamole made with Preston Vineyards olive oil.
The moveable feast concludes at Healdsburg Shed for a tour of its unusual grain mill and the upstairs Grange area, and a refreshing shrub fruit drink at the Fermentation Bar.
At Shed, customers can eat-in or buy food to go and purchase these homemade ice creams with flavors that change with the season.
Afternoon tours also stop at Shed, Costeaux and tasting rooms, but veer off to Campo Fina, where chef Ari Rosen serves up his Old School in a Skillet (meatballs with tomato sauce and ciabatta bread), and Spoonbar, for a few bites from “Top Chef” finalist
Louis Maldonado’s snack menu.
Savor Healdsburg Food Tours cost $85, including all food, tips and tax.
Gourmet Walks, a company based in San Francisco that offers culinary walking tours in the Bay Area, gives a sweet twist to the outings on foot with a Healdsburg Gourmet Chocolate Tour.
Offered on Fridays and Saturdays, the tour makes eight stops for such goodies as chocolate ice cream, truffles, cupcakes and Port. The tour lasts two-plus hours and costs $55.
Healdsburg’s Twilight Parade is on May 22. (photo by Crista Jeremiason)
MAY 4: Day Under the Oaks
This Santa Rosa Junior College open house and education fair is fun for the whole family. It offers more than 140 booths, Native American dancers, magic shows in the Chemistry Lab, planetarium shows, Shone Farm petting zoo, plant sale, jazz and contemporary music presentations, food and more. Free. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Santa Rosa Junior College, 1501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-527-4424, santarosa.edu/about_srjc/day-under-the-oaks
MAY 11: Mother’s Day Bubbles and BBQ
Take Mom out for the day, for sparkling wine and slow-cooked beef brisket, pork spareribs and chicken. While you’re at it, let her enjoy live blues music by the Ragtag Sullivan Duo. Noon to 2 p.m. Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards, 23555 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, 707-996-7256, gloriaferrer.com
Montgomery High School band performs during the 2013 Luther Burbank Rose Parade & Festival. (photo by Crista Jeremiason)
MAY 17: Luther Burbank Rose Parade & Festival
One of the biggest and oldest of the region’s traditional parades, this perennial favorite is named for the world-famous horticulturist, who lived in Santa Rosa during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The 120th annual event starts downtown at 10 a.m. It drew more than 150 entries and some 4,000 participants last year. 707-523-3728, roseparadefestival.com
MAY 17-18: Taste Alexander Valley
More than 25 wineries will host wine and food parties, offering pairings, live entertainment and special wine discounts. The weekend event is presented by the Alexander Valley Winegrowers Association. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. $65 advance, $75 at the door; Sunday only $45/$55. 888-289-4637, alexandervalley.org
MAY 22: Healdsburg Twilight Parade
Load up on hometown charm, from homemade floats to kids riding tricycles and wearing overalls, when the Healdsburg Future Farmers of America stage this 65th annual procession through downtown. The parade starts at 6 p.m; arrive early to stake out your place on the sidewalk. healdsburgfair.org
Healdbsurg Jazz Festival. (phtoo by Beth Schlanker)
MAY 30-JUNE 8: Healdsburg Jazz Festival
The lineup for this tribute to jazz will include “Celebration of the Blues,” a two-day mini-festival at Santa Rosa’s Jackson Theater, starring harmonica virtuoso Charlie Musselwhite and jazz saxophonist Joshua Redman. The overall festival will also feature jazz bassist Ron Carter, the Marcus Shelby Orchestra, the Healdsburg Jazz Festival Freedom Jazz Choir and others. 707-433-4644, healdsburgjazz.org
MAY 31-JUNE 1, JUNE 7-8: Art at the Source
Thanks to the Sebastopol Center for the Arts, art lovers can roam western Sonoma County on these two weekends, visiting artists of all kinds in their studios to watch them work — and perhaps take home a one-of-a-kind creation. The self-guided tour features more than 150 artists each year, including painters, sculptors, woodworkers, jewelers, ceramic and fabric artists, and more. Free. sebarts.org, 707-829-4797
JUNE 13-14: Country Summer
A three-time Grammy nominee at age 22, country singer Hunter Hayes stars at this music festival that also features Darius Rucker, former lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish. Gates open at 2 p.m. on June 13, 11 a.m. on June 14. $49-$79. Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa, 800-514-3849, countrysummer.com
Hot Air Balloon Classic. (photo by Kent Porter)
JUNE 14-15: Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic
Bundle up, bring blankets and be at Windsor’s Keiser Park at 5:30 a.m. both days to see the glowing balloons of “The Dawn Patrol” go up, followed by the main launch of some 30 other balloons at 6:30 a.m. Public balloon rides are reserved and sell out in advance, so check the website for availability. Keiser Park, 700 Windsor River Road, Windsor, schabc.org
JUNE 14: Huichica Music Festival
The ever-hip and lively Gundlach Bundschu winery’s one-day, indie-folk music festival, also known for its good food and music, returns for its fifth year. Musical acts include The Blank Tapes, Kelley Stoltz and Mount Eerie. 2000 Denmark St., Sonoma, 707-938-5277, huichicamusicfestival.com
JUNE 14: Oysters and Whites Experience
Tune up your palate for summer’s pleasures at a pairing of white wines with oysters in Sebastopol. Taste Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Gewürztraminer and determine which brings out the best in raw oysters. $20 (complimentary with $100 wine purchase).
Dutton-Goldfield, 100 Gravenstein Highway N., Sebastopol, 707-823-3887, duttongoldfield.com
JUNE 18-22: Sonoma-Marin Fair
Petaluma’s down-home event is probably best-known for its annual World’s Ugliest Dog Contest, but it also boasts a strong country and rock concert lineup. This year’s stars include the Marshall Tucker Band, Kellie Pickler, Kix Brooks and Loverboy. Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, 175 Fairgrounds Drive, Petaluma, 707-283-3247, sonoma-marinfair.org
JUNE 21: “Wet Paint”
In keeping with its customary lively style, the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art plans to make its 14th annual fundraiser, to be held at Ramekins Culinary School and Inn (450 W. Spain St., Sonoma), fun for everyone. The museum invited artists to create new works with a summer solstice theme, and there will be live performances by colorfully clad dancers. SVMA, 551 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-939-7862, svma.org
JUNE 21-SEPT. 1: Summer Concert Series
Rodney Strong Vineyards’ 24th outdoor music series opens June 21 with Jazz Attack, featuring Peter White, Rick Braun and Euge Groove; includes Chris Isaak on July 13; Mindi Abair with Elliot Yamin and Spencer Day on July 26; Chris Botti on Aug. 16; and closes with Tower of Power with Jonathan Butler on Aug. 31. $50-$1155. 11455 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg, 707-433-0998, rodneystrong.com/events
Members of the Transcendence Theatre Company wait backstage for their cue to enter the stage during their production of “Broadway Under the Stars in Jack London State Park” on August 31, 2013. (photo Alvin Jornada)
Sometimes a new idea might sound a little unlikely — until it works.
The Transcendence Theatre Company, a troupe of young but experienced performers with a long list of Broadway musical and national touring-company credits, set up shop two years ago at Jack London State Historic Park, presenting a series of moonlit outdoor performances comprised of show tunes.
Leah Sprecher and Stephan Stubbins perform a medley of Andrew Lloyd Webber songs.
Word soon got out that these performers could really sing and dance. The concert series attracted 7,500 attendees in the first season and raised more than $27,000 for the park. In summer 2013, attendance reached 11,000 and more than $40,000 went to the administration and upkeep of the land once known as Jack London’s Beauty Ranch.
The park reached a six-year agreement with the company in 2013, allowing it to perform there through 2019 in the majestic stone ruins of an old winery.
The Transcendence Theatre Company opens it third “Broadway Under the Stars” concert series with “One Singular Sensation,” which runs June 27-29 and July 2, 3 and 5.
The season also includes “Fantastical Family Night,” July 25-26; “The Music of the Night,” Aug. 14-16 and 22-24; and Gala Celebration Concert, Sept. 5-6.
Ticket prices range from $37 to $132.
Jack London State Historic Park, 2400 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen, 877-424-1414, transcendencetheatre.org.
Olive tuile with pate and tart cherry at The Library at Chalkboard in Healdsburg. Photo: Heather Irwin
Can a perfectly seared day boat scallop capped with gently melting Iberico lardo make you weep? Would a gently poached 63-degree quail egg make you swoon with that closed-eye, relaxed shoulder, slack-jawed, flushed cheek feeling that’s, well, usually done behind closed doors?
We’re a strange breed, we gastronomes, seeking out that one perfect meal, that one perfect ingredient that alights every sense simultaneously. Ephemerally. Seductively. Suffice to say, you’ve either been bitten…or you’re just as happy scarfing down a PB&J as a plate of baby favas still warm from the summer sun.
Though not for every eater, Chef Shane McAnelly’s Library at Chalkboard menu at the Les Mars Hotel ($95) is most definitely for the “I-post-every-meal-I-eat-on-Instagram #noms” crowd.
Scallop with Iberico lardo at Library at Chalkboard in Healdsburg. Photo Heather Irwin
Six painstakingly curated prix fixe courses spanning several hours are now being served each weekend in the cozy library room, seating just 16. For each course, there are both vegetarian and non-vegetarian selections, equally intriguing in every way.
Beet “bubbles” smother paper-thin slices of Kampachi with a surf-meets-earth quality; bacon consomme is drizzled over a tiny stack of pork belly, quail egg and nasturtium, each flavor parading over the palate. Smoked maitake mushroom shaped into a faux bone marrow; a puffed souffle of spring strawberries gently deflated with a quenelle of mascarpone ice cream (by pastry chef Bill Woodward) or a ribbon of dark chocolate ganache punctuated by banana ice cream, bacon crumbles and peanut butter dust. Beverage pairings (and additional $70) from wine director Vito Carano are curious and clever, with sake and sour beer pairings as carefully chosen as the wines.
Luxury dining isn’t always worth the hefty pricetag, but with Michelin-worthy courses and exacting service, it isn’t just the recycled dishware (yes, we remembered those signature bowls) that harken back to the hotel’s earlier multi-course, multi-starred dining destinations, Cyrus.
Bacon consomme with a poached 63-degree quail egg and pork belly at the Library at Chalkboard. Photo Heather Irwin
It’s the wink and nod to the gastronome, ever pursuing that perfect meal, that makes the Library at Chalkboard one of our favorite new Wine Country dining experiences.
Open Friday through Sunday from 5:30 to 9:30, 29 North St., Healdsburg. Reservations required, (707) 473-8030.
Cyclists and vehicles maneuver for room on narrow West Dry Creek Road. (photos by John Burgess)
As Jonathan Lee rounded a redwood-shrouded curve on Old River Road near Forestville, he saw a sight that chills any cyclist’s blood: an older-model sedan approaching on the wrong side of the road, headed straight for his handlebars.
“I remember hitting the brakes, but I wasn’t trying to swerve or anything. It was going to happen,” he said. “There was no out. I instantly went, ‘This is going to be bad.’”
The impact bounced Lee, 41, off the windshield and straight into the air, spinning like the blades of a helicopter. He landed flat on his back, unconscious but alive. He survived without broken bones, but he suffered a severe concussion that sidelined him for weeks.
Lee, an avid competitive cyclist from Santa Rosa, said he is grateful for not remembering the impact, which easily could have killed him. He does, however, remember that awful final moment before the blow.
“Honestly, I remember thinking this is death, this is the end,” he said, six months after that perilous encounter in September 2013.
Lee is one of dozens of cyclists injured on the county’s roads last year as Sonoma has exploded in popularity and acquired a worldwide reputation as a cycling destination.
“You’ve got valleys, you’ve got the redwoods, you’ve got the vineyards, you’ve got the ocean all within an easy one day’s training,” said Santa Rosa
cyclist Bob Grove, explaining the draw.
As the number of cyclists grows, so does the tension on scenic back roads, charming because they are narrow and twisting. Often, danger waits around the blind corners on roads simply not wide enough to accommodate both drivers and riders, who range from cycling pros to tourists renting bikes for the day. Encounters sometimes leave motorists and cyclists baffled and more than a little frustrated. Although there is plenty of blame to go around, cyclists themselves admit that sometimes their own behavior contributes to the unease, when bikers fail to stop at lights and stop signs, ride in lane-blocking packs, or pedal down the wrong side of the road.
“I think what happens is a lot of times, motorists get angry at bikers when they act like boneheads,” said Jim Keene, co-owner of Santa Rosa’s NorCal
Bike Sport shop.
The influx of cyclists to Sonoma County started with the pros, who found that the steep climbs of west county roads simulated the grueling mountain
stages of the Tour de France and other iconic races, but with weather conditions that allow year-round training. It moved on to serious cyclists, who flocked to the annual GrandFondo ride established in 2009 by international cycling star Levi Leipheimer. He moved to Santa Rosa and has extolled the virtues of the county’s rugged rural rides such as King Ridge Road, along the steep hills above Cazadero in northwest Sonoma County.
The attraction has now filtered down to the more casual riders, commuters and recreational cyclists who populate the roads in ever-greater numbers.
And it’s easy to see why: sweeping views across the rugged coast from Coleman Valley Road near Bodega Bay; cool, moist redwood forests on Bohemian Highway and River Road near Occidental and Guerneville; rolling vineyards along Healdsburg’s Westside Road and West Dry Creek Road, the fields covered with mustard in the spring and grapes in the summer; roads dotted with wineries, all under the looming bulk of Mount St. Helena on the horizon.
“Look around you. What’s not to like?” asked bride-to-be Karen Runde of Burlingame, who was pedaling a rented bike along West Dry Creek Road with some girlfriends for a bachelorette weekend recently.
“Just these rolling hills, you feel like you’re in ‘The Sound of Music.’ It’s very peaceful. The homes are gorgeous. There’s a lot of character and charm.”
Yet the reality is that Sonoma County’s local road network is, in many places, little more than a patchwork of glorified farm trails, the paved-over remnants of horse cart tracks through the wilderness that were never reengineered to meet the needs of the 20th century, much less the 21st. The sprawling road system is beyond the financial ability of the county to maintain, leaving many of the rural roads in poor condition, as much patch as pavement, even as the population increases (half a million residents and growing), putting even more vehicles on those roads.
The multiplying crowds of cyclists leave the person in charge of maintaining those roads scratching his head.
“I am just amazed that people ride on narrow country roads where the speed limit is 45 or 50 miles per hour,” said Tom O’Kane, deputy director of the county’s Transportation and Public Works Department. “I think that is just a deathtrap. Then they expect motorists to look out for them.”
That growing competition for space has led to a number of high-profile injuries and deaths in recent years, including a 2012 hit-and-run collision in Alexander Valley that left internationally known competitive cyclist Michael Torckler of New Zealand bleeding and broken beside Pine Flat Road, a route widely known as challenging even for pro-level riders.
The accident nearly ended his cycling career. Driver Arthur Yu of Rohnert Park was sentenced to 10 years in prison for hit-and-run and reckless driving.
Flowers were left at the spot where Steve Norwick, a Sonoma State Univeristy professor and avid cyclist, was struck from behind by a pickup while riding on Petaluma Hill Road. The driver left the scene but was later arrested at his home. Norwick’s death in 2012 helped galvanize bicycling advocates to press for a “vulnerable user ordinance,” allowing bicyclists and pedestrians to sue motorists who engage in harassing behavior. Sonoma County, joined by the cities of Santa Rosa and Sebastopol, passed the ordinance. (top photo by Beth Schlanker)
That same year, beloved Sonoma State University professor Steve Norwick, 68, died after being struck from behind by a vehicle on Petaluma Hill Road. That roadway is wide and relatively well-maintained, but cyclists say a combination of heavy commuter traffic, high vehicle speeds and debris accumulated on the shoulders can make it a hair-raising ride.
Sometimes, though not often, the tussle over asphalt degenerates into violence. Perhaps most famously, Santa Rosa motorist Harry E. Smith struck cyclist Toraj Soltani after a confrontation on Pythian Road southeast of Santa Rosa. When Soltani tried to flee, Smith drove off the road after him, chasing him onto the Oakmont golf course, bumping his rear tire.
That threw Soltani from his bike, causing severe wrist injuries. Smith later pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and other charges, but was sentenced to five years in a medical center after a doctor testified the then-82-year-old man was suffering from dementia at the time of the attack.
“Sadly, we have had a number of troubling incidents, but that does tend to reinforce the idea that it isn’t safe to ride,” said west county Supervisor Efren Carrillo, who has been an enthusiastic promoter of cycle-based tourism. “Some of these tragedies tend to promote finger pointing … unfortunately, it is divisive and counterproductive, and I do think it is a misrepresentation of reality.”
Penngrove resident Dianne Magliulo is acutely conscious of those sorts of events when she rides the county’s roads with her husband, Wayne, particularly such busy thoroughfares as Old Redwood Highway near her home.
“I don’t like the speed of the cars going by me and the trucks,” she said, taking a break during a recent back-country ride. “It makes me a little bit too stressed to be comfortable driving on those roads, even though they’re accommodating people.”
Although the back roads seem narrower and more threatening to drivers, Magliulo said, from a biker’s point of view, routes like West Dry Creek Road, where the Magliulos were riding that day, are better.
“It’s winding and people are paying more attention,” on the back roads, she said. “But you go down Old Redwood Highway, Petaluma Hill Road, and, I mean, are just barreling down there, 60 miles an hour.”
King Ridge Road is a favorite ride for cyclists-in-training and a good bet for safe riding. (photo by Kent Porter)
But, Magliulo admitted, she thinks carefully before she and her husband decide to pull into one of the area’s many wineries, hoping “Nobody will be behind us in a car after going to six of them,” she said.
There are an average of 33 collisions a year involving bikes and motor vehicles on county roads, according to the CHP, which does not track accidents on city streets. Deaths, while sensational, are mercifully rare: four cyclists have died on county roads since 2008, three of them in 2012.
But those relatively modest numbers belie the stress on the roadways. Few topics generate as much emotion among riders and motorists alike.
Drivers tend to decry the arrogant, traffic-blocking, law-flouting ways of the cyclists. They travel in packs that block the lanes. They refuse to move to the right to allow traffic to pass. They blow through stop signs and zip around downhill turns in the wrong lane.
“They have been pretty obnoxious riding on some of the narrow roads,” O’Kane said of his on-the-road encounters with cyclists. “I get the Bronx salute or the raspberry salute and I’m on my side of the road and they’re in a group. … I don’t forget things like that.”
For their part, cyclists complain bitterly about clueless or overtly hostile drivers failing to share the road, endangering their lives.
“I have definitely noticed an increase … in really negative emotions from motorists,” said Lauren Lee, wife of Jonathan Lee and a board member of the Red Peloton, a Santa Rosa-based cycling club. “It takes the form of flipping us off, honking at us, getting buzzed.”
Even more alarming, cyclists say, are the motorists who are playing with the radio, using their phone, or simply being unaware of their surroundings.
“We’ve got to get serious about distracted driving because that’s where you get your best return on investment,” said Supervisor Shirlee Zane, herself an active cyclist and the backer of several initiatives to protect pedestrians and bike riders from collisions with motor vehicles.
The growing number of cyclists has caused conflicts between riders and residents of these rural routes, who have been used to having the roads to themselves for decades. In 2010, the swell of cyclists led to a series of emotional meetings in Cazadero, with residents complaining vehemently about being overrun by bikes. They accused officials of caving in to cyclist pressure when the county removed two cattle guards, which kept free-range cattle from wandering off, yet posed a hazard to elite riders who liked to train in the area.
Into the breach stepped longtime resident Charlotte Berry, owner of Cazadero Hardware. She negotiated a truce between residents and cyclists
that has held the peace to this day.
“Hey, it’s just bicyclists. They have the right to be on the roads, too,” she said, though she admitted that as a motorist, “I understand how scary it is.
Your heart jumps out of your chest when you see a bicyclist.”
She and others say the growing friction between cyclists and motorists is just a stage to a better future, a day when road users are more used to one another.
“It’s the growing pains of trying to make Sonoma County a special place, to make Sonoma County even more bike-friendly,” Berry said.
Yet the squeeze on road space continues on the winery-studded rural lanes west of Healdsburg.
West Dry Creek Road resident Fred Corson has seen the ranks of cyclists swell since he moved to the area in 1998, coinciding with the boom in wineries and the resulting uptick in traffic.
“I think we’re lucky we haven’t had more serious problems,” he said. “I think it is only a matter of time.”
West Dry Creek Road is a nationally known route for cyclists and wine tasters alike, winding through some of the most scenic parts of Wine County. From Corson’s neighbodhood, wineries can be seen for miles, as far as the Mayacamas Mountains on the edge of Lake County. But the road is so narrow that two motor vehicles barely fit side by side. On the west side of the road, hills and fences mark off the homes and farms. On the east, the raised pavement drops off to ditches and fields.
Corson said he has seen a surge in cyclists, going from a trickle to a constant stream on busy weekends.
The presence of large group rides and events makes it slow and difficult to get in and out of the neighborhood.
Corson is not opposed to cyclists, explaining that tourists provide the money that keeps the region rural, yet he still worries about the potential for a
serious accident on the cramped roadway.
“I have a real problem with novice bicyclists, the ones that are the most dangerous,” he said. “They don’t know what to do, they are the most unstable, they fall over in front of you.”
At least some of those less-experienced riders come by way of the booming business in bike rentals and guided tours. Bike shop owners in Healdsburg said they have seen their business soar in recent years. They also said they are making an effort to get their rental customers to follow the rules of the road, respect motorists, and be conscious of the residents of the area.
“We kind of feel like when someone comes to us, we have the chance to give them information on how to make it safer for everyone — ride single
file, respect other users, obey traffic laws,” said John Mastrianni, owner of Wine Country Bikes, which rents more than 8,000 bikes every year. He added, “We caution them a great deal about drinking and biking.”
Richard Peacock, owner of Spoke Folks, which also rents bikes, said he tries to steer customers away from routes that seem beyond their abilities or which might expose them to high-speed traffic, though he acknowledges that customers are free to ignore his suggestions.
“What we say is, ‘Here are the quieter roads,’” he said. “Quieter roads are what you want.”
Tourists are often surprised that Sonoma County has few dedicated bike trails and that the most scenic rides require pedaling on the open road.
“Sometimes they’ll decline to ride because they feel uncomfortable riding on the road with cars,” Peacock said, “but that is really rare.”
Bicyclists remain a small but important customer base for the wineries that line routes such as Westside Road, said Alex Davis, whose family has
owned Porter Creek Vineyards for 35 years. About 10 percent of the customer traffic on busy days comes in on two wheels.
“In the old days, wineries used to discourage bicyclists since they would come in to taste but not buy anything,” he said. With the increasing ease of
interstate wine shipping, however, cyclists are more willing to spend their money at wineries.
Some producers actively court bicycle traffic now.
The 2-year-old tasting room at Martorana Family Winery on West Dry Creek Road advertises its bike-friendly nature by mounting the front wheel of a bike on its sign. Hospitality Manager Wendy Cox said at least 20 cyclists come in every day on a busy weekend, at least 10 percent of the total. Most visitors report safe and enjoyable rides along the rural roads, she said.
As a motorist on the way to and from work, Cox has simply learned to be tolerant, even in cases when cyclists forget themselves and ride two or three
abreast, making it difficult for cars to get by even on the best parts of the road.
“I’ve learned to be patient in my old age,” she said. “It’s not really that important to get there at a particular time.”
Although the roads are crowded, cyclists say the notion that their sport is any more dangerous than other activities is overblown.
“People who haven’t ridden are very afraid to go out on the road and it’s because of the perception of safety,” said Gary Helfrich, executive director of the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition, an advocacy group for bike and pedestrian safety. “When something can change your life in an instant, like getting hit by a car, we’re very, very afraid of it. When it can ruin your life incrementally, like not getting exercise, we don’t think about it.”
But Jonathan Lee is not so sure about the distinction between perception and reality. As it turns out, that near-fatal encounter on Old River Road in September 2013 was his second major crash in about 30 days.
Lee and a group of friends had been zipping downhill on Occidental Road in August when they came around a turn and encountered a car that had just backed out of a driveway into their lane. There was plenty of room to pull left and save himself, Lee said, but then the unbelievable happened: the car turned back into the driveway, pulling left into the path of the oncoming cyclists.
Lee, in the lead of the pack as was his habit, slammed straight into the side of the car, traveling 40 mph. The impact vaulted him off the bike and sent him skidding along a gravel driveway.
“The hand of God was there and I was banged up pretty good, but miraculously the bike was totally unbroken, and I actually rode home,” Lee said. “The helmet was gone and I was torn up.”
That first crash caused occasional panicked flashbacks, but did not shake his devotion to competitive cycling. In fact, Lee dusted himself off and rode in a race the next day.
But the second crash was too much. Lee and his wife have dramatically scaled back the number and length of their rides. He’s inclined to give up road riding and stick to off-road trails, where cars will no longer trouble him.
“I think,” Lee said, contemplating the ever-crowded public roads, “it is a ticking time bomb.”
(from left) Kenneth Rochford, Chris Hanna, Bruce Aidells, Marcy Smothers, Kate MacMurray, Evelyn Cheatham, and Liam Callahan. (photos by Scott Barrow)
When Sonomans decide to love a restaurant, it’s not because a distant reviewer gave it stars.
The restaurants we appreciate most — whether high-end or down-home — share authentic, honest dishes set in a place where the atmosphere reflects the chef’s personality and honors the ingredients.
In this foodie epicenter, where we might know not only where our food comes from but also the farmers and ranchers who grew or raised it, the best menus reflect the season, and the wines, the terrain that produced them.
We love to eat and talk about what we’ve eaten. To get the scoop on where savvy insiders get their fill of Sonoma’s bounty, we asked eight of them this: Which local restaurants do you enjoy most, and why?
Each named three top restaurants for a splurge dinner and also, when the spirit moved, a beloved casual eatery, a place with a welcoming patio, romantic ambiance, international flavors, vegetarian options or drop-dead desserts. There were beloved favorites and left-field surprises, white-tablecloth dining rooms and eat-at-the-bar joints.
Our panelists are food-and-wine lovers with high standards and experienced palates. Many of them grew up in San Francisco, where they developed a fierceness about food, cutting their culinary teeth on North Beach Italian cooking and the fresh Dungeness crab of Fisherman’s Wharf. From a pioneering North Bay cheesemaker to one of the nation’s foremost meat experts, most have been talking and teaching about food and wine – and the intimate tango between the two — since well before it was a hot trend.
All of their favorites reflect the lay of the land here, where Levi’s and neckties co-exist — and rub elbows at the table — like nowhere else.
Our Experts’ First Choices
BRUCE AIDELLS: Food writer and culinary adventurer.
TOP 3: Bruce Aidells
Bruce Aidells, the founder of Aidells Sausage Co., is regarded as one of the nation’s leading authorities on meat. He is the author of 12 cookbooks, including “The Great Meat Cookbook,” and writes for food magazines such as Bon Appetit, Fine Cooking and Food & Wine. After selling Aidells Sausage in 2002, he and his wife, chef and restaurateur Nancy Oakes of Boulevard in San Francisco, built a Craftsman-style home in the hills above Healdsburg. Aidells enjoys hanging out at local restaurant patios with his Shih Tzu dog, Peanut.
Here are his Top 3 choices:
Dashi-Poached Asparagus with Lemon Mousseline and Osetra Caviar and Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit at Farmhouse Inn.
#1: Farmhouse Inn, Forestville
Steve Litke is one of the best cooks in Sonoma, if not the best, and certainly one of the most creative. The space is very comfortable, especially on cool nights when the fire is lit. The wine list is stellar and has many of the area’s small producers rarely seen at other restaurants. The menu has a decided influence of Asia and Italy, and Litke is adept at handling fish and seafood. But he does love his pork, lamb and beef as well. If you are a fan of rabbit, the one dish that is a constant is Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit. The Pan Roasted Squab is Nancy’s favorite. Steve knows I love sardines, and we usually start with that or a preparation of raw fish such as the Tartare of Local Hamachi. The soufflé is always a great way to finish the meal. Farmhouse Inn, 7871 River Road, Forestville, 707- 887-3300, farmhouseinn.com
#2: Hana Japanese Restaurant, Rohnert Park
In appearance, Hana is not very fancy, but the quality of the fish (much of it from Japan), the excellent preparation and extensive sake list make it a very special place. There is a very knowledgeable sake sommelier, Stuart Morris, to guide you through the many choices. We have full confidence in Ken Tominaga, the owner and chef, and often let him just send out things that he chooses. He knows that Nancy likes uni and sent out a few dishes featuring it, including a mushroom dish garnished with uni. I like Wagyu beef, so Ken also sent out a sampler of that. For anyone who loves Japanese food at its very best, with efficient and friendly service, this is where to go. Hana Japanese Restaurant, 101 Golf Course Drive, Rohnert Park, 707-586-0270, hanajapanese.com
#3: Barndiva, Healdsburg
Barndiva has a very casual feel, but the food is elegant and well-prepared. The chef, Ryan Fancher, has a creative bent, yet the menu is not too radical for a conservative, out-of-town relative to enjoy. The Crispy Pork Belly with Asparagus Frito Misto is a delicious starter, and the pork has the great flavor of an heirloom breed. The Yellowfin Tuna Sashimi showed a mastery of Asian flavors. Sonoma Duck with a crispy confited leg and huckleberries was a great blend of sweet and savory; the stew of scallops, mussels and chorizo had Spanish and Mexican flavors but did not overpower the delicate seafood. Barndiva, 231 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-431-0100, barndiva.com
NOTEWORTHY:
INTERNATIONAL: El Molino Central, Sonoma
El Molino Central is worth the drive to eat unusual and well-prepared dishes, with great hand-patted tortillas. El Molino Central, 11 Central Ave., Boyes Hot Springs, 707-939-1010, elmolinocentral.com
OUTDOOR PATIO: Diavola Pizzeria & Salumeria, Geyserville
I love the outdoor area in back. The restaurant has the best pizza and antipasto, especially the salumi. Diavola Pizzeria & Salumeria, 21021 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville, 707-814-0111, diavolapizzeria.com
LIAM CALLAHAN: Cheesemaker and owner of Bellwether Farms
Top 3: Liam Callahan
Liam Callahan is the award-winning cheesemaker and owner of Bellwether Farms in Petaluma. A native San Franciscan, he moved to Sonoma County in 1986 to help with his parents’ sheep ranch. After studying cheesemaking in Italy, the Callahan family launched a sheep dairy and started making cheese in 1992. The sheep’s and cow’s milk cheeses made by Bellwether Farms have won numerous international awards and are a local treasure. Growing up, one of Callahan’s favorite restaurants was San Francisco’s Hayes Street Grill, where he fell in love with the warm goat cheese salad. “I just love that,” he said. “It still makes my mouth water.” Callahan lives in Santa Rosa with his wife and their two sons.
Here are his Top 3 choices:
Moroccan-Style Lamb Chops on Couscous with Slivered Almonds and Tunisian Roasted Carrots with Pine Nuts, Olives and Mint at Willi’s Wine Bar.
#1: Willi’s Wine Bar, Santa Rosa
We enjoy the small plates and the variety of flavors there. We sometimes eat at the bar, but you don’t feel like you’re eating at a bar. The ambiance is so intimate. I always get oysters, and then whatever seems exciting on the menu at the time. We’ve had the crab and white beans and love the crab tacos. We’ll pick a bottle of wine and go there before a show at the Wells Fargo Center in Santa Rosa. Willi’s Wine Bar, 4404 Old Redwood Highway, Santa Rosa, 707-526-3096, starkrestaurants.com
#2: Rosso Pizzeria + Wine Bar, Santa Rosa
It’s fresh stuff, and it’s a nice place to go to get a good pizza. Sometimes you just want to go to a place where they’re doing the things you grew up eating, only better. I like the mushroom dishes and seafood linguini. And you don’t have to worry about dressing up. It’s a fun place, especially with the kids. Rosso Pizzeria + Wine Bar, 53 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-544-3221, rossopizzeria.com
#3: John Ash & Co., Santa Rosa
We go there to meet up with friends. You can have cocktails at the bar, with the dark wood and the look of an old city bar. But then the dinner and the food are just fabulous. The last time we went, I had a pork chop that melted in my mouth. For an appetizer, I had polenta with duck egg and mushrooms. It was unbelievable. I think chef Thomas Schmidt is doing a great job. John Ash & Co., 4330 Barnes Road, Santa Rosa, 707-527-7687, vintnersinn.com
NOTEWORTHY
OUTDOOR DINING: Barndiva, Healdsburg
The outdoor patio feels a little bit Parisian, with the crushed granite and the sycamore trees with the lights. The staff does a really nice job with the food as well. They go out of their way to source the good stuff. Barndiva, 231 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-431-0100, barndiva.com
INTERNATIONAL: Bear Korean Restaurant, Cotati
It’s in a strip mall, and there’s nothing glamorous about it, but I like the kimchee platter and the Korean short ribs. Bear Korean Restaurant, 8577 Gravenstein Highway, Cotati, 707-794-9828
DESSERT: Screamin’ Mimi’s Ice Cream, Sebastopol
If we’re headed west with the kids, we’ll go to Screamin’ Mimi’s. My oldest will get a lemon sorbet; my youngest likes mint chocolate chip and vanilla. I like anything with nuts and caramel. Screamin’ Mimi’s Ice Cream, 6902 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol, 707-823-5902, screaminmimisicecream.com
EVELYN CHEATHAM: Executive director of Worth Our Weight
Top 3: Evelyn Cheatham
San Francisco native Evelyn Cheatham began her career in restaurant management but always longed to work in the kitchen. She cooked at the pioneering Rose et LeFavour in St. Helena, then as a pastry chef at the Downtown Bakery & Creamery in Healdsburg. In New York, she worked as a private chef for celebrities including supermodel Naomi Campbell, actress Meg Ryan and actor William Hurt. After moving back to Sonoma County in search of deeper meaning, she developed a culinary program for incarcerated youth and taught in the culinary department at Santa Rosa Junior College. Eight years ago, Cheatham created Worth Our Weight, a culinary apprentice program in Santa Rosa, where she now lives.
Here are her Top 3 choices:
Meatball Sandwich with Organic French Fries at Catelli’s and True Italian-Style Lasagna with Tomato Sauce.
#1: Catelli’s, Geyserville
In my early days in Sonoma County, I would enjoy a weekend meal at what was then Catelli’s The Rex. For me, it was somewhat kitschy but reminded me fondly of the Italian restaurants of my childhood in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood. This incarnation of Catelli’s brings it all back home. The brother and sister team of Domenica and Nicholas Catelli have blown it up, as the young generation says. The rooms are warm and beautiful. The staff is inviting. The food is beyond delicious, especially Domenica’s heavenly lasagna, made with the thinnest possible layers of pasta. The menu is varied and has something for everyone: burgers and meatball sandwiches, spaghetti and clams, much as you’ll find on most Italian restaurant menus. But this food is authentic and fresh in spirit and execution. Catelli’s, 21047 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville, 707-857-3471, mycatellis.com
#2: Rosso Pizzeria + Wine Bar, Santa Rosa
What I like is the service. The staff is welcoming, and it’s a really comfortable room to be in. I love the vibrancy and the loud music. I also love the consistency and commitment to their Italian roots and sourcing locally. I’m in love with the Crab Louie. It’s seasonally appropriate and extremely delicious. And the gluten-free calamari tastes even better than the wheat calamari. Rosso Pizzeria + Wine Bar, 53 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-544-3221, rossopizzeria.com
#3: Stark’s Steak & Seafood, Santa Rosa
I love Mamadou Diouf, one of the managers there. He is charming while down to earth, super efficient, inclusive, funny and kind. I love to order small plates in the lounge with its red leather chairs. I recently took people there from New York, and we had the best time. I’m a vegetarian, and I love the creamed spinach, Brussels sprouts, truffled macaroni and cheese, truffle fries and crab deviled egg. One can put together a nice meal without being a meat eater. Stark’s Steak & Seafood, 521 Adams St., Santa Rosa, 707-546-5100, starkrestaurants.com
NOTEWORTHY
INTERNATIONAL: Sea Thai Bistro, Santa Rosa
I like that the food is not so sweet and really well-balanced. I love the comforting Red Pumpkin Curry and the Granny Smith Apple Salad.
Sea Thai Bistro, 2323 Sonoma Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-528-8333, seathaibistro.com
DESSERT: zazu kitchen + farm, Sebastopol
Zazu employs a pastry chef and it has such imaginative desserts. I love the peanut butter ice cream sandwich and the lemon meringue pie in a jar. zazu kitchen + farm, 6770 McKinley St., No. 150, Sebastopol, 707-523-4814, zazukitchen.com
OUTDOOR DINING: Barndiva, Healdsburg
The expansiveness of the outdoor patio is great. Just looking at that barn-shaped building makes me happy. It’s Sonoma County, but new. It sets you in a kind of timelessness. When I look at it, I wish I lived there — that’s how good it makes me feel. Barndiva, 231 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-431-0100, barndiva.com
CHRIS HANNA: President of Hanna Winery & Vineyards
Top 3: Chris Hanna
Chris Hanna grew up in San Francisco but spent time on Hanna Winery’s home ranch between Santa Rosa and Sebastopol, making small batches of wine with her father, renowned heart surgeon Elias S. Hanna. She started working full-time at the winery in 1991 and took over management in 1993, growing the brand to 50,000 cases per year. In 2010, she published a cookbook, “The Winemaker Cooks.” Hanna and her husband, Jake Whiteley, live on Fitch Mountain in Healdsburg with their two children.
Here are her Top 3 choices:
A selection of oysters at the raw bar and Caramelized Miso-Glazed Butterfish with Root Vegetable Mash and Ginger Vinaigrette at Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar.
#1: Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar, Healdsburg
With ambiance more festive than formal, Willi’s Seafood is my go-to. It achieves the trifecta of terrific food, excellent service and a great atmosphere. Willi’s serves up the most luxurious raw bar in Sonoma County, with oyster, crab and lobster options daily. A section of the menu is devoted to inventive crudos, ceviches and tartares. My favorite dish is the Miso Glazed Butterfish, decadently rich with a big dose of umami from the miso and shiitake mushrooms. Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar, 403 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-9191, starkrestaurants.com
#2: Farmhouse Inn, Forestville
The experience begins with the gorgeous drive past Russian River Valley vineyards to this charming country inn, restaurant and spa tucked away on River Road. The dining room is elegant and stylish, the service impeccable, the menu sublime. The Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit dish is rabbit done three ways; a bacon-wrapped, meltingly tender loin, a roasted rack, and a savory confit of leg — perfect with Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Farmhouse Inn, 7871 River Road, Forestville, 707- 887-3300, farmhouseinn.com
#3: Dry Creek Kitchen, Healdsburg
The dining room is lovely, with its picture windows and arched ceilings, but my favorite place is the more intimate Wine Library off the hotel lobby. It seats up to 14, and it’s a wonderful venue in which to celebrate. The food is local, seasonal and refined. Local cod is paired with an ethereal celeriac mousseline, and Liberty Duck gets spiced with star anise and paired with crispy sunchokes. The service is formal and doting, and the wine list is exclusively local. Dry Creek Kitchen, 317 Healdsburg Ave., 707-431-0330, charliepalmer.com/dry-creek-kitchen
NOTEWORTHY
INTERNATIONAL: SEA Modern Thai Cuisine, Petaluma
I grew up in San Francisco, with endless options for excellent Asian food of all kinds, so I’m rather particular. My local favorite is SEA Modern Thai, which marries traditional Thai flavors with local, seasonal ingredients. SEA Modern Thai Cuisine, 500 Petalula Blvd. S., 707-766-6633, seathaibistro.com
OUTDOOR DINING: Diavola Pizzeria & Salumeria, Geyserville
The back patio is lovely in the evening, with candlelit tables and twinkly lights under an arched pergola. My favorite standard is the Grilled Local Octopus with Fennel, Heirloom Beans and Bottarga. Chef Dino Bugica’s creative flair and commitment to nose-to-tail cuisine is reflected in the nightly specials. Diavola Pizzeria & Salumeria, 21021 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville, 707-814-0111, diavolapizzeria.com
ROMANTIC: Scopa, Healdsburg
The dining room is intimate and warm, and the perfect place for a date. Start with Prosecco and an order of the velvety Burrata with Arugula and Calabrian Jelly, and you’re off to a great start. The house-made pastas are exquisite. The staff is welcoming but unobtrusive, and you never feel rushed through dinner. Scopa, 109-A Plaza St., Healdsburg, 707-433-5282, scopahealdsburg.com
NEWCOMER: Chalkboard, Healdsburg
I was very sad to see Cyrus restaurant go and didn’t have high hopes for its replacement. To my surprise, Chalkboard offers a wonderfully seasonal menu, replete with home-grown vegetables in creative preparations. The Dungeness crab tots are so good they should be illegal. Chalkboard, 29 North St., Healdsburg, 707-473-8030, chalkboardhealdsburg.com
DESSERT: Patisserie Angelica, Sebastopol
This is dessert heaven: refined cakes, truffles, petits fours, cookies and brittle. Owner Condra Easley is a pastry genius. I adore the Gateau Parisien, with layers of almond macaroon cake and praline buttercream. Patisserie Angelica, 6821 Laguna Park Way, Sebastopol, 707-827-7998, patisserieangelica.com
KATE MacMURRAY: MacMurray Ranch winery spokesperson
Top 3: Kate MacMurray
Kate MacMurray grew up at Twin Valley Ranch (now MacMurray Ranch) along the Russian River with her parents, Hollywood acting legends Fred MacMurray and June Haver. The family raised crops and cattle at the ranch west of Healdsburg, where Kate rode horses through the rolling hills. In 1996, the family sold the property to E&J Gallo, which began planting Pinot Noir and other grapes. As the MacMurray Ranch brand spokesperson, she travels the world to tell the story of the picturesque property, its wines, and her parents’ love of Sonoma. She lives next to MacMurray Ranch, where she continues to ride horses.
Here are her Top 3 choices:
Owner and chef Jeff Mall hands out a plate with a smile, and Skillet-Fried Chicken with Mashed Potatoes, Collard Greens, Biscuits and B&B Pickles at Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar.
#1: Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar, Healdsburg
I love Zin for the Sunday supper: Skillet-Fried Chicken with Mashed Potatoes, Collard Greens, Biscuits, Honey Butter and B&B pickles. It reminds me of home because we always had Sunday suppers. They were often fried chicken in the summer, and we’d eat outside on the patio. At Zin, I like the big, beautiful open space, but there’s a coziness to it as well. The décor and the colors are very warm, with those striking murals. It feels as if you’re looking out the window at a beautiful farm scene. Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar, 344 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-473-0946, zinrestaurant.com
#2: Catelli’s, Geyserville
I’ve been going there since I was a little girl, when it used to be Catelli’s the Rex, and Daddy loved the pumpernickel bread. They have a spectacular menu, but it’s always a fight for me between the lasagna and the pasta. The banquettes are a soft, buttery yellow, and the hanging lamps are gorgeous. The brick bar is great, and it opens up into a big room. You’re in on everything, and Domenica Catelli often comes out and serves. I know a lot of the wait staff by name, and they remember your name. Catelli’s, 21047 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville, 707-857-3471, mycatellis.com
#3: Ravenous, Healdsburg
It’s very cozy now that it’s moved back to its original location, and everything looks so beautiful on the plate. It just feels like your mom just put your plate down in front of you. The burgers are unbelievable, and I love the BLTs with avocado, when they’re on the menu. They have an incredible Caesar salad with one of the best dressings I’ve had in my life. It’s very lemony and refreshing. Chef and co-owner Joyanne Pezzolo also does a pork quesadilla, and sometimes turkey chili. I’ll call ahead for that. Ravenous, 117 North St., Healdsburg, 707-431-1302
NOTEWORTHY
DESSERTS: zazu kitchen + farm, Sebastopol
I love the appetizers and pork dishes, but zazu really has incredible desserts. The housemade gelato is so creamy and lovely. It makes peanut butter cookies that are spectacular, and the chocolate fondue is unbelievable. You could put it on leather and it would still be the best thing you ever ate. zazu kitchen + farm, 6770 McKinley St., No. 150, Sebastopol, 707-523-4814, zazukitchen.com
OUTDOOR PATIO: John Ash & Co., Santa Rosa
You see the vineyards and on beautiful warm days, it’s so evocative of Sonoma County and why we’re all here. It gives you a sense of landscape. John Ash & Co., 4330 Barnes Road, Santa Rosa, 707-527-7687, vintnersinn.com
ROMANTIC: River’s End, Jenner
It’s located where the Russian River meets the Pacific Ocean. How much more romantic can it be? If I had a beau, we’d go there. River’s End, 11048 Highway 1, Jenner, 707-865-2484, ilovesunsets.com
BILL PRICE: Owner, Classic Wines and Price Family Vineyards
Top 3: Bill Price
A native of Los Angeles, Bill Price was introduced to wine at an early age by his father, who was born in France. Price attended high school in Hawaii, studied at Stanford University and earned a degree from UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law. In 1992, he co-founded Texas Pacific Group, a private equity firm that began acquiring wineries in 1995, including Beringer Vineyards in St. Helena and Chateau St. Jean in Kenwood. On his own, Price purchased Durell Vineyard in Sonoma in 1998 and launched Three Sticks Wines four years later. He is currently proprietor of Classic Wines and Price Family Vineyards, and chairman of Sebastopol’s Kosta Browne and Healdsburg’s Gary Farrell wineries.
Here are his Top 3 choices:
A juicy, medium-rare steak Chef and co-owner Mark Stark turns a steak on the grill (right) and diners are served in The Stork Club (left inset) at Stark’s Steak & Seafood.
#1: Stark’s Steak & Seafood, Santa Rosa
It has a great wine list and bar, excellent service, and the food is made to perfection in a casual and relaxed atmosphere. The plush leather booths are really comfortable, and I love sinking into them with a great meal after a long work week. If I’m dining solo, I take a seat at the bar. I love to start with some oysters, followed by a steak. The steaks are terrific. They’re dry-aged in-house for 28 days, and the result is sublime: tender and full of flavor. The garlic bread is dangerous! Stark’s Steak & Seafood, 521 Adams St., Santa Rosa, 707-546-5100, starkrestaurants.com
#2: Glen Ellen Star, Glen Ellen
It’s a staple for my family. The staff makes us feel at home, giving us blankets on the patio when the weather is cool, and they have a fabulous wood-burning oven that puts out awesome flatbread, pork, veggies and more. The Spring Pea Soup is not to be missed. Everything served here is local and fresh, and it shows. Glen Ellen Star, 13648 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen, 707-343-1384, glenellenstar.com
#3: the girl and the fig, Sonoma
It’s an icon in Sonoma and I love being there. It always feels like a celebration at this restaurant, and that no doubt comes from restaurateur Sondra Bernstein’s great personality. I cannot resist the wonderful mussels with frites, and they have the best burger in town. The patio is the place to be on a beautiful summer afternoon. the girl and the fig, 110 W. Spain St., Sonoma, 707-938-3634, thegirlandthefig.com
NOTEWORTHY
INTERNATIONAL: Juanita Juanita, Sonoma
It’s run by a mother and daughter team, and they seem to know everyone who comes into the restaurant. My favorite dishes are the tortilla soup and the barbecued pork. The green tomatillo salsa is fantastic. Juanita Juanita, 19114 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, 707-935-3981, juanitajuanita.com
ROMANTIC DATE: Dry Creek Kitchen, Healdsburg
You can’t beat the food and service at Dry Creek Kitchen. The wine program is diverse and deep, with vintages from the 1980s and 1990s and a big collection of dessert wines from Sonoma County. It has a three-course Sonoma Neighbor Menu during the week, which you can get with or without wine pairings. Going up to Healdsburg is a destination for us, so we really enjoy making a night of it.
Dry Creek Kitchen, 317 Healdsburg Ave., 707-431-0330, charliepalmer.com/dry-creek-kitchen
DESSERT: Santé, Sonoma
Santé at the Fairmont Mission Inn is an exquisite dining experience, and the desserts are tops in the county.
Santé, 100 Boyes Blvd., Sonoma, 707-939-2415, fairmont.com/sonoma/dining
KENNETH ROCHFORD: CIRQ Estate Marketing and Communications
Top 3: Kenneth Rochford
A native of Scotland, Kenneth Rochford works in marketing and communications for CIRQ Estate in Graton, a new high-end producer of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. In previous lives, he has worked in general management roles with Seghesio Family Vineyards, Medlock Ames winery and The Shed in Healdsburg. He spends his spare time creating preserves and trying to convince people to eat more marmalade. Rochford, whose recipes have appeared in Food & Wine magazine, lives in Sebastopol with his uncomplaining wife and their son.
Here are his Top 3 choices:
Black Pig Bacon Popcorn (left) and Lemon Meringue Pie in a Jar with Blueberries (right) at zazu kitchen + farm.
#1: zazu kitchen + farm, Sebastopol
If one could distill the Sonoma County food community into one meal, it would be at zazu. Co-owners and chefs Duskie Estes and John Stewart make time to speak with guests, and their team goes to great lengths to make sure people are happy, using their infectious enthusiasm for food. For a larger group of carnivores, I can think of nowhere better to dine than here. The Fallon Ranch beef shank is a memorable shared meal of epic proportions. The ambiance is fun, energetic and comfortable. zazu kitchen + farm, 6770 McKinley St., No. 150, Sebastopol, 707-523-4814, zazukitchen.com
#2: Farmhouse Inn, Forestville
Farmhouse Inn offers the kind of graceful, formal, upscale dining that always feels special. I’ve found that the menu has a blend of classic dishes crafted using key local producers, yet with some unexpected twists, such as a type of mushroom you’ve never heard of. Geoff Kruth, a master sommelier, curates an incredible wine list and produces memorable pairings. He’s super nice, too. Farmhouse Inn, 7871 River Road, Forestville, 707- 887-3300, farmhouseinn.com
#3: Terrapin Creek, Bodega Bay
We live just 15 minutes from the ocean, so Terrapin Creek is the perfect spot for us to stop on any trip to the coast. The food is so well-executed, with quiet precision and care. A hidden gem, it’s always surprising in terms of seasonal dishes and always delicious. There’s a mindful quality to everything that Andrew Truong and Liya Lin do. My wife and I were married at Bodega Head, and we frequently visit. It reminds me of the west coast of Scotland. Terrapin Creek, 1580 Eastshore Road, Bodega Bay, 707-875-2700, terrapincreekcafe.com
NOTEWORTHY
INTERNATIONAL: Hana Japanese Restaurant, Rohnert Park
Hana offers incredible sushi with first-rate technical execution and superior service. Watching chef and owner Ken Tominaga oversee his dining room is always inspirational, as he carefully organizes his team and blesses each creation as it is served, while also juggling customers and making all feel special. The Rohnert Park location is always a little puzzling for visitors, which adds to the surprise of the dining experience. Hana Japanese Restaurant, 101 Golf Course Drive, Rohnert Park, 707-586-0270, hanajapanese.com
VEGETARIAN: Woodfour Brewing Co., Sebastopol
Chef Jamil Peden might not have created a 100-percent vegetarian menu at Woodfour Brewing Co., but a good portion of it is plant-based and respectful of the season and source. I enjoy bringing non-vegetarians here and watching them order a meatless meal without realizing it. The food is inventive, tasty stuff, and you can taste how much fun Peden has creating it. Woodfour Brewing Co., 6780 Depot St., Sebastopol, 707- 823-3144, woodfourbrewing.com
ROMANTIC: Scopa, Healdsburg
Although reservations are a must at Scopa, you can typically grab a seat at the bar for two if you’re willing to squeeze in. It feels intimate, and the atmosphere and Italian food are always special. Scopa, 109-A Plaza St., Healdsburg, 707-433-5282, scopahealdsburg.com
MARCY SMOTHERS: Broadcaster and Author
Top 3: Marcy Smothers
Marcy Smothers’ curiosity and enthusiasm for food exploration drew her into a career in broadcasting and writing. Her radio career began in 2004 at Sonoma County’s KSRO, and by 2007, she had joined forces with the Food Network’s Guy Fieri to create a national radio program, “Food Guy and Marcy.” Her latest KSRO radio show, “At the Table,” is expected to launch this summer. In 2013, she published her first book, “Snacks: Adventures in Food, Aisle by Aisle” (HarperOne). Smothers serves on several Sonoma County nonprofit boards and lives in Sonoma Valley with her family.
Here are her Top 3 choices:
Pan-Seared California Halibut with Spring Risotto, Dashi Jasmine Broth and Pea Shoots at Cafe La Haye.
#1: Café La Haye, Sonoma
Café La Haye is a longtime favorite. I’ve had countless celebrations there, and it’s an excellent example of Sonoma Wine Country cuisine. Owner Saul Gropman welcomes you into the dining room as if it’s his home. The setting is intimate, with simple, fresh flavors and impeccable service. First come bubbles. Always. Then the fish special plus at least two vegetable and salad sides. They’re sourced within minutes of the restaurant and prepared with flair and finesse. Café La Haye, 140 E. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-935-5994, cafelahaye.com
#2: Rosso Pizzeria + Wine Bar, Santa Rosa
At Rosso, the razzle-dazzle is in the food, not the atmosphere. Just the way I like it. Chef John Franchetti honors his farmers, and you can taste it in every sumptuous bite. It’s always on my restaurant recommendation list, no matter what the occasion. It isn’t summer without the Oven-Roasted Romano Beans with Kelley Parsons’ Tomato Vinaigrette. The servers know never to clear my plate until I have mopped up every last drip of the juices with any of their Neapolitan-style pizzas. Rosso Pizzeria + Wine Bar, 53 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-544-3221, rossopizzeria.com
#3: Madrona Manor, Healdsburg
If I want to put my fancy pants on, I choose Madrona Manor. The grounds are lush and the dining room is elegant. Chef Jesse Mallgren and his team earned a Michelin star for their multicourse and seasonal haute cuisine. It’s impossible not to feel special here. It’s all about the 10-course Grande Dame tasting menu. I find myself saying magnifique with each course, especially the fish carpaccio or anything from the adjacent garden. I’m generally not a dessert person, but I make the exception here. Madrona Manor, 1001 Westside Road, Healdsburg, 800-258-4003, madronamanor.com
NOTEWORTHY
INTERNATIONAL: Hana Japanese Restaurant, Rohnert Park
Don’t let the strip-mall location throw you. Hana Japanese has some of the best sushi I’ve ever had. Star chef Michael Mina thinks so, too: He and Hana chef Ken Tominaga are opening their second restaurant in San Francisco. Hana Japanese Restaurant, 101 Golf Course Drive, Rohnert Park, 707-586-0270, hanajapanese.com
OUTDOOR PATIO: Kenwood Restaurant, Kenwood
When the restaurant changed hands in 2013, the new owners made it their own. Not just the menu, but the outdoor space, too: patio dining with a killer vineyard view, waterfall, pond and bocce court. Kenwood Restaurant, 9900 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood, 707-833-6326, kenwoodrestaurant.com
VEGETARIAN: Partake by K-J, Healdsburg
I love vegetables and my favorite place to indulge in them is Partake. Everything is harvested from the Kendall-Jackson garden, and chef Justin Wangler offers an exquisite vegetarian tasting menu. Partake by K-J, 241 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-6000, partakebykj.com
DESSERT: The Spinster Sisters, Santa Rosa
This is one of my favorite restaurants for breakfast, lunch or dinner. But the bench is deeper than that. Pastry chef Jenny Malicki knocks it out of the ballpark with her sensational, house-made desserts. Don’t miss her signature pie. The Spinster Sisters, 401 S. A Street, Santa Rosa, 707-528-7100, thespinstersisters.com
ROMANTIC: Olive & Vine, Glen Ellen
The romance at Olive & Vine starts with the lovebird owners, chef Catherine Venturini and John Burdick. The barn-like space is tricked out with mix-and-match chandeliers and other magical touches. Catherine’s fabulous food and John’s charming sommelier skills marry to make a memorable meal. Olive & Vine, 14301 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen, 707-996-9152, oliveandvinerestaurant.com
Daniel Arreguin drops in on a set of big waves along the Fort Bragg coast. (photos by Connor Jay)
It’s still dark, well before 7 a.m., when Bob Miller sends this text: “waiting for a call from a dude that will give a heads-up on a certain spot and then I might go there.”
Like most surfers along the North Coast, his choice surfing spots are well-guarded secrets. That’s why it’s no surprise when Miller doesn’t name the spot or offer an invitation to tag along.
The day before, the National Weather Service issued a beach hazard alert warning of waves between 7 and 10 feet and breaking around 17 seconds apart along the coast from Sonoma to Monterey counties.
The night before, TV weather forecasters warned of sleeper waves and nasty rip currents. “Don’t turn your back to the ocean,” is the mantra.
Longtime wave chaser Bob Miller loads his car for an early morning surf trip from his home at Carmet Beach north of Bodega Bay.
There’s no need for a reality check. This is not the Banzai Pipeline on the North Shore of Oahu. Or Huntington Beach. Or even the giants of Mavericks down by Half Moon Bay. This is the craggy, unsung North Coast around Bodega Bay, ravaged by unpredictable waves that pound relentlessly one day and turn to glass the next.
World champion Kelly Slater doesn’t drop by often. And there aren’t a lot of sponsorship opportunities.
Still, the hearty, grizzled, cold-wave surfers who return day after day, week after week, are more than a little stoked about the way the week is shaping up. Morning surf reports on Surf Line and Magic Seaweed websites project swells of 7 to 10 feet at Salmon Creek Beach, the most popular surf spot in Sonoma. But the parking lot is empty at sunrise, except for a couple cooking breakfast on a hibachi. A state parks lifeguard swings through in his truck and, seeing no surfers on the water, heads north on Highway 1.
A half-hour later, Miller, 46, who owns Bob’s Surf Shack in Bodega Bay, texts a sunrise photo of the wave break near his house at Carmet Beach. It’s followed by a text that reports: “other spot got report tide is killing it.”
When we finally catch up in the Doran Beach parking lot, he’s given up the chase, resigned to waves smaller than expected.
“There are other guys on that hunt to grasp that full-on power right now,” he said. “So as I’m driving over here, I’m passing guys who want the bison and not just the squirrels.”
Because of the angle of approaching winds against the wave break, it’s “becoming a little crummier and funkier” at Salmon Creek, Miller said. On the other hand, Doran can take a 10-foot swell and turn it into a “fun 4- to 5-foot wave and right now, in time, that’s nice and comfortable and I can do it in an hour or an hour and a half,” he said. “There are guys north of here who might be staring out at the water and spending an hour analyzing and then going out and spending two to three hours in the water just to catch the one to two fat waves.”
As more cars and trucks pull into the parking lot, each person stops to ask, “Hey, Bob, how’s it looking so far?”
Already out on the water is the most prolific surfer the North Coast has ever seen: 65-year-old Dale Webster, the Cal Ripken of the surfing world. He’s been surfing every day since 1975; Dec. 31, 2013, marked 14,000 consecutive days on the water for Webster, catching at least three waves a day.
Known as the “Daily Wavester,” he holds the Guinness World Record for most consecutive surfing days, and he’s been featured in myriad magazines, from Surfer to Sports Illustrated.
But today he’s admittedly not in a good mood. He’s had a rough weekend sharing waves with “kids who show up with these imported surfboards from China that they buy for $100 at Costco,” he said.
And don’t get him started on stand-up paddleboarders who “charge a sport on their credit card.”
Doran is the beach where, on gnarly days that were way too rough to surf anywhere else, Webster sought refuge and extended his record. Without Doran, there would likely be no record and no “Daily Wavester.” Now he’s a little bitter about how things have changed over the years.
(clockwise from top left) The entry to Northern Light Surf Shop in Bodega; Patrick Corrigan begins to “glass” a surfboard, applying a layer of fiberglass; the workshop where boards are made and repaired is in a small barn behind the surf shop; surfboard builder Ed Barbera, one of only a few people who shape boards by hand, eyes his handiwork in progress at Northern Light.
“In the ’70s, if you acted up, you got called out on it,” Webster said. “Now in the age of political correctness, nobody can comment on somebody being out there on a surfboard they bought at Costco for $100. Now they’re surfers, too, and you can’t tell them what to do because they have a surfboard.”
All over the world, from Southern California to Australia, surfing has always been a territorial sport. When “Locals Only” signs didn’t do the trick, surf gangs with names like Bra Boys, Da Hui and Bird Rock Bandits would physically enforce the code. In the surf documentary, “Down the Barrel,” one surfer paddles up to another and punches him in the face for surfing where he’s not supposed to be. While not quite as confrontational, the same territorial resistance exists on the North Coast.
Headed out to join Webster on the water is Heath Lesik, a 32-year-old Windsor firefighter who lives in Bodega Bay. He caught his first wave at age 9 at Doran Beach, learning from his dad, Mike, who grew up surfing in San Diego.
In 2005, a 14-foot great white shark attacked surfer Megan Halavais at Salmon Creek Beach, wounding her right leg and leaving tooth marks in her surfboard, shown by state park Ranger Bill Walton. Halavais is still surfing the North Coast today.
Addicted to the rush ever since, Lesik describes surfing the North Coast, from Marin to Mendocino and beyond, as “a love-hate relationship. Sometimes you go two weeks without surfing and you can’t wait to get out on the water again, and other days you’re putting your wetsuit on and there’s frost on the beach and you’re thinking, ‘Why am I doing this?’”
He openly admitted, “I know it sounds selfish, but things have changed and you see a lot more people coming out and a lot more competition for every wave.”
In a sparsely populated region like Bodega Bay, it’s common to get surfers commuting several hours from inland towns, and they’re often seen as poachers with no respect for locals.
“It’s funny, you’ll hear guys claim that Salmon Creek is their local break, but they live like 45 minutes away in Santa Rosa,” said Megan Halavais, 28, one of only a handful of women who surf regularly here. In 2005, she was attacked by a 14-foot great white shark while surfing at Salmon Creek, suffering wounds to her right leg. It took about a month until she got back in the water on her board, she said, but it took years until the trauma “faded into the back of my mind and now it’s not the biggest thing I’m worried about.”
Like Lesik, she estimates there are 50 hardcore surfers who get out three to four times a week or more. They do it for the obvious adrenaline rush and thrill ride, but what keeps many coming back is the constancy. Amid all the variables that may change in their lives, the ocean is always waiting for them, another set of waves rolling in, each one a bigger challenge than the last. As Webster said, “I’ll keep doing this until I can’t do it anymore.”
Halavais has seen changes in surfer attitude over the years.
Daniel Arreguin sheds his wetsuit after a winter surfing session at Fort Bragg.
“When I first started, there was a crew of these old guys who were super local and really aggro and nowadays all those guys have really mellowed out and they have families and are just out there to have fun,” she said. “So it has softened up a bit, but there have been so many swarms of more surfers on this coast that it’s coming back to that aggressiveness on the water.”
Unwritten rules of surfing etiquette amount to basic common sense, like not cutting someone off on a wave, respecting the people who were out there before you, getting out of the way of another surfer and honoring a general wave rotation where you share and take your turn.
“And at spots that aren’t as obvious as Salmon Creek and are more remote, you don’t just paddle out there to a group of guys and act like you own the place,” Lesik explained. “It takes awhile until you get that respect and you’re not treated like a tourist.”
But no matter if you were born and raised in Bodega Bay or you drive from Vacaville to surf, one thing everyone agrees on is you can never predict what’s going to happen on the unruly North Coast.
“Just when you think you’ve got it made, Mother Nature can shut you down,” Lesik said.
A surfer and a state parks lifeguard, Nate Buck, 33, estimates he’s rescued about a dozen surfers from peril since he moved from San Diego to Bodega Bay in 2000.
“The conditions can change very quickly and this coastline is more exposed to the raw power of the ocean,” he said. “It’s a lot more raw and rugged compared to Southern California.”
And then there’s the cold. The average June water temperature at Newport Beach is 66 degrees; Bodega Bay is typically 15 degrees colder, a chilly 51 degrees that month.
His advice to beginning surfers is to know your limits and not panic.
“If you see that there’s nobody out in the water when you’re going out,” he added, “there’s probably a reason for that.”
For Halavais, the dicey North Coast has become a litmus test and a proving ground for any surfer:
“I always say if you can surf our coast, because it is such a fickle place, and you’re able to surf our coast well, then really you can surf anywhere and be a confident surfer.”
