Tanya Whitehurst of Willits endures the pain of three tattoos at once at Valkyrie Tattoo in Penngrove. Harry Tucker, front, works an arm while Jennifer Untalan, left, inks a leg and Jessica Coccia works on her thigh. (photo by John Burgess)
There are two important rules when it comes to getting a tattoo: Don’t do it on a whim, and don’t cheap out.
“Being budget-conscious can make for a really bad tattoo,” warns tattoo artist Jennifer Untalan, owner of Valkyrie Tattoo in Penngrove.
Since the late 1990s, “inking” has transformed into an increasingly common expression of individuality for, well, pretty much anyone over 18. “It’s not about being a rebel anymore,” Untalan said. “It’s almost like you’re a rebel if you don’t have one, especially here in California.”
That’s due in large part to tattooing’s evolution into a respected art form, with highly detailed illustrations and a rainbow of colors that can last decades. In her 16 years behind the needle, Untalan has been asked to illustrate everything from delicate flowers and pin-up girls to flaming skulls, even a Band-Aid.
“It’s pretty much all been done at this point,” she said. But that doesn’t mean that Patrick the Starfish tattoo you’re jonesing for can’t be meaningful to you. “A tattoo can be emblematic of anything that’s important to you,” Untalan said. “It’s good to think deeply about it, but also to trust the artist, and the art.”
After all, it’s permanent.
Or at least mostly permanent. One afternoon, she worked on a friend’s tattoo, her needle buzzing against his calf. Untalan was doing a “cover-up,” which entails re-tattooing over an existing tattoo, usually to fix it. “Cover-ups are on the rise,” she said. Which is why it’s imperative, she said, to find an experienced artist you really like.
“It can be very intimate, something even magical that happens between you,” Untalan said. “It’s a genuine human interaction. You finish and think, this is why I do this.”
Helico Sonoma chief pilot Daniel King flies over west Sonoma County. (photo by Christopher Chung)
Want to see what’s behind the no-visitors gate at E. & J. Gallo’s mammoth winery in Dry Creek Valley? Curious why the south-flowing Russian River takes an abrupt turn toward the Pacific? Ever wonder exactly how steamy it is at the Geysers geothermal plant atop Geyser Peak?
Then climb aboard Daniel King’s four- or two-seater helicopter at Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport and take off for a bird’s-eye view of Sonoma and Mendocino. You’ll see so much more from the air than could ever be seen from the ground.
King’s Helico Sonoma offers several tour options, including custom itineraries. And there is no need to wait until spring or summer.
“We fly year-round and winter is actually a very good time to fly, as there is lots of water and green hillsides to enjoy,” King said. “We fly as long as it’s not raining hard or too windy.”
A 30-minute tour is $300 for up to three passengers, a 60-minute flight is $600 (per flight, not per person). Solo flyers can join King for a 30-minute flight for $160.
The whirlybirds don’t touch down at any wineries, but Helico Sonoma has a 20-minute tour package that’s followed by a food-and-wine pairing at Williamson Wines in downtown Healdsburg, for $250.
For impressive Valentine’s Day pomp, pop the cork on a bottle of bubbles — Champagne, California sparkling wine, Spanish cava or even Prosecco — and serve it in glasses as seductive as you hope the evening will be. But which ones? Here’s a guide.
GOOD
The tall, trusty flute is a solid choice, its slender body encouraging a furious stream of bubbles. Yet the flute doesn’t allow much oxygen to get into the wine and open up its aromas and flavors. Connoisseurs, pass on this one.
BETTER
Tulip-shaped stems such as this one combine the flute’s bubble-encouraging length with a slightly wider bowl. This shape aerates the wine, releasing the compounds that give sparklers their smell and taste.
BEST
Producers in Champagne, France, are increasingly serving their bubbly in stemware with the round bowl of a white-wine glass and an aroma-focusing flanged lip. These tulips on steroids have enough surface area to fully free up Champagne’s delicate aromas and flavors, and are voluptuous in their own right. Find this Lehmann Référence Jamesse Grand Champagne glass at K&L Wine Merchants in San Francisco, klwines.com.
FORGET IT
The shallow, saucer-shaped glass known as a coupe was popular in the 1960s, but no more. Said to be modeled on the left breast of Marie Antoinette, its shallowness allows bubbles to quickly dissipate, mutes the aromas and holds only a few sips. Save this novelty for margaritas and daiquiris.
Fun Fact: To mark her 40th birthday, model Kate Moss created her own coupe, molded from her left breast
(a diminutive A-cup size).
East Wind Bakery in Santa Rosa features bao, kimchee-stuffed croissants and milk bread made daily. Photo: Heather Irwin
Milk bread, where have you been all my life? Found primarily in Asian bakeries, this Japanese style of bread (also called Hokkaido) makes a supple, sweet, heavenly loaf with nary a sprout or seed or whole grain in sight. Perfect for toast, sandwiches or simply nibbling from the bag, fresh loaves are baked daily at the recently-opened pan-Asian Bakery, East Wind (3851 Sebastopol Rd., Santa Rosa) flecked with bits of Earl Grey tea, herbs or cinnamon (as well as plain) for about $5 each.
But that’s just the start of your inevitable caloric overload.
The owners of East Wind Bakery
This beautiful little bakery owned by partners Doug Quick and Tony Tam also features homemade bbq pork curried beef, red bean and taro bao (baked); kimchee and Chinese sausage-stuffed croissants (along with bacon chocolate and plain); Chinese sponge cake, garam-masala-spiced sweet buns, Massaman beef and Thai chicken pot pies, pork banh mi and, well, you get the idea.
Milk Bread from East Wind Bakery studded with Earl Grey tea. Photo: Heather Irwin.
Go with a sense of adventure and a hungry belly, and don’t miss out on the Sea Foam coffee (made with a sweet-salty whipped cream, Asian spices, and coffee) or boba tea. I’d be remiss to leave out that they’ve also got plenty of Western sweets (cupcakes, lemon tarts, etc) that are equally delicious, though less exotic.
East Wind Bakery in Santa Rosa
East Wind Bakery, 3851 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa, Hours: Tue-Fri 8am-4pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 9am-3pm; 707-568-6081.
Fork Roadhouse opens in Sebastopol featuring breakfast and lunch
Fork Roadhouse is a honey little noshery on the way to Bodega Bay that’s worth a side-trip or stop on the way to Bodega Bay. A hidden local gem for breakfast, brunch and lunch, chef/owner Sarah Piccolo knows how to make incredible, comforting dishes that showcase the region’s best purveyors.
We’ve been a fan of Sarah’s roaming food truck for years but her meandering roadhouse has plenty of nooks and crannies to spread out with your polenta bowl filled with goat cheese, kale and a poached egg, pork belly taco or grass-fed burger with tomato jam.
Fork Roadhouse opens in Sebastopol featuring breakfast and lunch
The menu includes a number of vegetarian options, and everything is made with local, seasonal ingredients…and a whole lot of love. Best bet: Orange and ginger stewed prune with greek yogurt, honey, granola and bee pollen with roadhouse potatoes.
The back patio with creekside dining and a toasty fire pit is perfect for wiggly kids or warmer-weather dining.
Fork Roadhouse: 9890 Bodega Hwy, Sebastopol. Breakfast and Lunch Wednesday-Monday 9am to 2pm, Dinners Wednesday-Monday (except Sundays) 5:30pm to 8:30pm. Closed Tuesday.
Ad Lib Atlantic Salmon, one of the menu items from the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group and Silverado Resort in Napa. Photo: Meg Smith.
Ad Lib Kumamoto Oysters, one of the menu items from the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group and Silverado Resort in Napa. Photo: Meg Smith.
Word broke Monday that Thomas Keller is opening Ad Lib, a pop-up restaurant at the Silverado Resort through early March while the French Laundry undergoes a renovation. The restaurant will operate out of the resort’s Royal Oak Room beginning January 21 through March 2 from 5-9p.m. Thursday through Monday.
Ad Lib Chop Salad, one of the menu items from the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group and Silverado Resort in Napa. Photo: Meg Smith.
According to the website, the menu consists of “traditional, honest food” with a hearty selection of daily specials influenced by The French Laundry Culinary Garden. The a la carte menu, with entrees ranging from about $28-$55 each, will include a Classic Caesar Salad and Steak Tartare, both prepared table-side, Fruitwood Smoked Kielbasa, Black Angus Chop Steak, Root Vegetable Pot Pie, Braised Beef Short Rib “Wellington,” Broiled Alaskan King Crab Legs and a Seven-Layer Coconut Cake. Guests can also expect a hearty selection of daily specials influenced by The French Laundry Culinary Garden.
Ad Lib Ribeye, one of the menu items from the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group and Silverado Resort in Napa. Photo: Meg Smith.
This is a collaborative effort from TKRG Chef de Cuisine Devin Knell, The French Laundry’s Chef de Cuisine David Breeden and Sous Chef Michael Wallace, who has been appointed the Chef de Cuisine of the pop-up.
Ad Lib Kielbasa, one of the menu items from the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group and Silverado Resort in Napa. Photo: Meg Smith.
But here’s the rub. Unless you’ve got at least four people, you’re out of luck (and even then, you’ll have to call soon). Tables for two have already been snapped up for the duration of the pop-up. Details and more info online at thomaskeller.com/ad-lib
Ad Lib Parker House Rolls, one of the menu items from the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group and Silverado Resort in Napa. Photo: Meg Smith.
Hudson Valley Foie Gras at the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. Photo Heather Irwin
Chef Doug Richey, copyright Heather Irwin, BiteClubEats.com
Foie gras has returned to California restaurants after a surprise ruling on last Wednesday overturning the 2012 ban against its sale.At least in theory.
In the 24 hours since a federal judge nixed the 2004 state statute banning the production and sale of the fatty duck liver, many Bay Area chefs have been scrambling to put foie back on their menus and finding it almost impossible to procure.
“I’m going to try to get it on my menu as soon as I can, but we probably won’t be able to get it until next week,” said Brian Anderson, owner of Santa Rosa’s Bistro 29. Like others in the restaurant industry, he was taken by surprise when news of the ruling went viral on the Internet. “My wife texted me. I had no idea,” he said.
“No one knew this was coming down,” said Doug Keane, the former Cyrus chef and foie gras proponent. During a briefing to other chefs trying to understand the impact of the ruling on Wednesday, Keane said he offered up the three lobes he had tucked away in his freezer.
For others, however, its still a mad rush to get their foie. “I’ve called everywhere, and we’re having a really hard time getting it,” said Daniel Kedan of Forestville’s Backyard Restaurant. He’s phoned a number of former Bay Area suppliers and even down to LA to see if anything is available. “It will make an appearance on our menu,” he said, “eventually.”
Keane, and Chef Ken Frank of La Toque in Napa (a foie gras proponent who hosted a 10-course all foie luncheon last July) acknowledge that for hard-core fans, foie never really went away. It just went underground.
At a recent dinner at Healdsburg’s Michelin-starred Madrona Manor, Chef Jesse Mallgren offered up a “gift from the chef” on the tasting menu — code for foie gras. Because only the sale of the delicacy was prohibited, some rogue chefs simply offered the supply they had as “gifts” for special customers. “We never took it off the menu,” said Mallgren, “I gave a lot of ‘gifts’ the last two years.”
Chef Miriam Donaldson of Wishbone in Petaluma said she’s also served it up as a “special” from time to time, procuring it from, well, that’s something most chefs have kept under their toques.
Part of the problem is that there are only three American producers of foie gras. Sonoma Foie Gras, which has relocated outside the state, was at the heart of the California debate about the practice of force feeding ducks to create the enlarged livers so prized by diners. Animal rights activists contend that the practice of force feeding ducks is torture, while chefs like Keane and Frank, who toured the farm and know co-owner Junny and Giullermo Gonzalez argued that the practice was not harmful to the animals. Activists and state attorneys are considering appeals.
The debate, which has been contentious, will no doubt continue. But for now, foie will return to California and Wine Country menus while activists and state attorneys consider their appeals.
Other restaurants planning to put foie back on the menu:
Terri Stark of Willi’s Wine Bar hoped to have their once-popular foie gras “poppers” make a return as soon as this weekend, but has revised that until next week as they get the ingredient in stock.
Steve Litke of the Farmhouse Inn: “Of course wer’re putting it on the menu. A lot of our customers really miss it.”
Shane McAnelly, Chalkboard: The Healdsburg chef plans to put it on the menu next week.
Dustin Valette, the forthcoming Valette: The former Dry Creek Kitchen chef plans to offer some of his personal stash to a small group of diners this weekend.
Thistle Meats in Petaluma has incorporated duck livers into its pate and terrine since opening last year, using livers of non-force fed ducks (foie) rather than foie gras (fatty duck liver). She said her staff of butchers are excited to bring foie gras to customers in their terrines. But you probably won’t see them in the meat case unless there is a demand for the lobes.
January is the perfect time to catch sight of migrating gray whales traveling south for the winter. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat)
JANUARY: Whale Watching
A gray whale breaching is a wondrous sight, soaring up out of the water and crashing back into the ocean with its full weight of 30 to 40 tons, causing a thunderous splash. In January, migrating gray whales headed south from their summer feeding grounds in the frigid waters near Alaska pass along the California coast en route to the subtropical lagoons and bays of Baja California. On weekends, whale fans gather at Bodega Head for a glimpse of the majestic sea mammals. In Baja, the whales mate and nurse their young. By April, pairs of cows and calves can be seen headed north again.
Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, 707-869-9177, stewardsofthecoastandredwoods.org
A classic Gin Martini. (BETH SCHLANKER/ The Press Democrat)
JANUARY 9: Martini Madness
Ten local restaurants compete for the title of best olive-inspired martini, from 5 to 7 p.m. at MacArthur Place. The $40 admission includes appetizers and martini tasting. The $85 dinner package includes a three-course meal at Saddles Steakhouse. MacArthur Place, 28 E. MacArthur St., Sonoma, 707-938-2929, macarthurplace.com
JANUARY 17-18: Winter WINEland
The 23rd annual event offers so many choices, you could easily stay busy for two full days. More than 140 wineries throughout the Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River valleys offer tastings of limited-production wines, new releases, library wines and a chance to meet winemakers. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Prices at the door range from $45 for a one-day ticket to $60 for a weekend ticket.
707-433-4335, wineroad.com
JANUARY 24: Yo-Yo Ma
The world-famous cellist plays an all-Bach program in Green Music Center’s acoustically outstanding Weill Hall at 7:30 p.m. Not surprisingly, the show sold out fast, but there are always possibilities on the Internet of finding a ticket-holder who’s had a change of plans. Weill Hall, Green Music Center on the Sonoma State University campus, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park, 866-955-6040, gmc.sonoma.edu
JANUARY 25: Feast of the Olive Dinner
The Sonoma olive season runs throughout January and February, and one of the high points every year is this gathering of the best local chefs, winemakers and olive-oil producers to prepare a unique feast at the Ramekins Culinary School. It’s an elegant affair, with 19 chefs, five courses and three menus. 6-10 p.m. $150. 450 W. Spain St., Sonoma, 707-996-1090, olivefestival.com
FEBRUARY 7-8: International Alsace Varietals Festival
Roam the hills of beautiful Anderson Valley and taste wines from around the globe. Wineries from France, Germany, New Zealand and across the U.S. will pour samples alongside local wineries. Enjoy food pairings, local cheeses, Tomales Bay oysters, Alsatian-style treats and more. A grand tasting runs from 1 to 4 p.m. Feb. 7 ($200). Other events include a winemaker dinner at Scharffenberger Cellars. Visit winery open houses across the valley Feb. 8. 707-895-9463, avwines.com
Great Sonoma Crab and Wine Fest. (photo by Alvin Jornada)
FEBRUARY 7: Great Sonoma Crab and Wine Fest
A seasonal feast with a heartfelt mission, the 26th annual fundraiser for agricultural and business scholarships, education programs and youth activities is a chance to mingle with more than 1,000 local folks. It’s also a Dungeness lover’s repast to remember. The reception and silent auction start at 5 p.m. in Grace Pavilion at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. The crab feed and live auction follow at 6:30 p.m. $75. Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa, 707-544-5575, sonomafb.org
FEBRUARY 13-15: Cloverdale Citrus Fair
Capture the flavor of Cloverdale’s agricultural history, with featured exhibits made of oranges and other citrus, plus live entertainment, rides, food and a parade. And don’t overlook the Citrus Fair Queen contest, a hometown tradition since 1924. $5-$7. Cloverdale Citrus Fairgrounds, 1 Citrus Fair Drive, 707-894-3992, cloverdalecitrusfair.org
FEBRUARY 14: A Glorious Mixer
For Valentine’s Day, take your honey or BFFs to Gloria Ferrer winery in Sonoma for its Glorious Mixer, a casual affair serving up yummy bites, sparkling-wine cocktails and plenty of straight-up bubbly from 6:30 to 9 p.m. You might even find your long-awaited soul mate by the chocolate fondue fountain. Tickets are $55 ($47 for wine club members) and limited. Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards, 23555 Highway 121/Arnold Drive, Sonoma, 707-933-1917, gloriaferrer.com/wine-country-events
A pair of giraffes interact at Safari West in Santa Rosa. (BETH SCHLANKER/ The Press Democrat)
FEBRUARY 14: Wild Jungle Love
Maintain a Valentine’s Day frame of mind with a special “Safari Sex Tour” at the Safari West wild animal preserve. Witness ardor among the wildebeests and romance among the water buffalo. Adults only. The package includes the “Wild Love Bites” lunch at noon and a reception featuring chocolate paired with African wine and beer at 1 p.m. The tour starts at 2 p.m. $135; $95 for the tour only; $40 for brunch and reception only. Reservations required. Safari West, 3115 Porter Creek Road, Santa Rosa, 707-579-2551, safariwest.com
FEBRUARY 15: “Café Music”
Enjoy the intimate atmosphere of the Green Music Center’s 250-seat Schroeder Hall with pianist John Novacek, who has performed with famed violinist Joshua Bell and master cellist Yo-Yo Ma. He’ll team with lesser-known but highly respected violinist Laura Frautschi and cellist Ellen Moon at 3 p.m. $25. Schroeder Hall, Green Music Center on the Sonoma State University campus, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park, 866-955-6040, gmc.sonoma.edu
FEBRUARY 25: Jazz on the Menu
Credit the Healdsburg Jazz Festival for coming up with a winter event that supports music education and is also a lot of fun. Fans of fine dining are offered a choice of several top restaurants in Healdsburg and Geyserville, each donating a portion of the evening’s receipts to school music programs. Each restaurant will feature live jazz from 6 to 9 p.m. The after-party is 7:30-10:30 p.m. at Costeaux French Bakery. Party admission is $15. 707-433-4633, healdsburgjazzfestival.org
Pliny the Younger comes back to Russian River Brewing Company in downtown Santa Rosa on Feb. 6, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat)
Hop heads, mark your calendars.
Feb. 6 is the day Pliny the Younger, one of the most sought-after beers in the world, will be released at Russian River Brewing’s taproom in downtown Santa Rosa. The wait in line on that Friday will be long, as much as eight to 10 hours, and it will continue for two weeks, until the casks of “Younger” go dry.
Customers wait in line for hours along Fourth Street in downtown Santa Rosa for the 2014 release of Pliny the Younger at Russian River Brewing Company. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat)
Younger, a triple India Pale Ale that the Beer Advocate website ranked No. 1 in the U.S. in 2010, is produced just once a year and in extremely small quantities: only on draft, never in bottle. A few pubs outside of Santa Rosa serve Younger, but the vast volume of the high-alcohol, scintillatingly hoppy yet ultra-smooth beer is sold at Russian River Brewing. Outlasting the long lines is a badge of honor; scoring a 10-ounce glass is a bucket-list check-off.
Sebastian Hernandez of Rancho Cucamonga photographs a glass of Pliny the Younger at The Russian River Brewing Co. in Santa Rosa, Friday Feb. 7, 2014. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat)
Russian River brewmaster Vinnie Cilurzo and his co-proprietor wife, Natalie, will serve Pliny the Younger to some 15,000 customers in its 14-day run at their Fourth Street pub. Doors open at 11 a.m. each day. And there are rules. No open containers in line. No smoking within 20 feet of business entrances or where people gather. No blocking access to other businesses. And above all else: no taking cuts.
If you miss out on Younger, take comfort in knowing that its sibling, the double IPA Pliny the Elder, is served year-round, though with a little less cachet.
Writers as diverse as William Shakespeare (“that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”) and Gertrude Stein (“a rose is a rose is a rose”) have waxed poetic on the flower that is a classic for Valentine’s Day giving.
Nick Neve hauls a bucket of roses to his truck for delivery in Marin County from Neve Brothers, the family’s rose nursery in Petaluma, as they prepare for the Valentines Day rose-buying frenzy. (Photo by Mark Aronoff, file 2011)
But roses are not the same as they were way back when, or even a decade ago. Many of the jumbo-headed oddities in markets are imported from Colombia or Ecuador, bred for size or an absence of thorns, and have lost their intoxicating fragrance. For roses that look and smell like roses, thorns and all, try Neve Brothers in Petaluma.
Yet there are dozens of floral options for Valentine’s and other special days. The Victorians were big on the meaning of each type of flower, creating a language called florography. Handing your sweetheart sweet peas in those days meant “blissful pleasure.” Violets said, “Let’s take a chance on happiness,” and tulips purred “perfect lover.” While familiarity with these meanings may have been lost over time, they can be a guide to creative flower selection.
Color can also be helpful: Yellow signifies friendship, coral implies desire, purple suggests enchantment and pink signals joy.
There are simple ways to preserve the color and aroma of cut flowers once they’ve been delivered.
A teaspoon of gin in the water increases the lifespan of tulips. Many flowers (roses, peonies, sunflowers, zinnias and hyacinths) prefer hot water rather than cold for their initial plunge.
For all flowers, cut the stems a quarter-inch every other day and change the water frequently, ensuring that the Valentine’s Day sentiment lives on for a week or more.
