Page 92 – Sonoma Magazine

Healdsburg Home with Guesthouse and Lap Pool Listed for $2.9 Million

May 2023

By Karen Kizer

A water wall offers a series of pretty outpourings into the lap pool. (Ned Bonzi) — A stone wall fountain gushes water into the lap pool, which is surrounded by modern loungers. (Ned Bonzi)

A 4,400-square-foot Healdsburg estate just hit the market for $2,995,000. In addition to five bedrooms and four bathrooms, it comes with a guesthouse and plenty of amenities, including a 45-foot lap pool, an outdoor kitchen and a five-car garage.

The home at at 330 Chiquita Road was built in 1986 and features a sunken living room and a kitchen that opens toward the dining area. Plenty of windows make the home feel even more expansive. Updated cabinets, countertops and built-in bookshelves offer a pretty blank slate for styling. The property has been given the high-contrast black-and-white treatment, which offers a sleek but dramatic look.

The guesthouse, or accessory dwelling unit, has a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and French doors that open to a seating area on a stone patio.

Outside, a stone wall fountain gushes water into the lap pool, which is surrounded by modern loungers. A full, covered kitchen completes the outdoor experience. On a hill above is a hobby vineyard and, further up, a small shed, which can be used a space for working on different projects but also enjoys great sunset views, according to realtor Ryan Anderton.

Click through the above gallery for a peek inside the home.

For more information about his property at 330 Chiquita Road, contact Ryan Anderton, 707-244-7181, David Hunt, 707-244-7863 with the Sonoma Realty Group, Healdsburg, 330chiquitard.com, sononmarealtygroup.com

Modern Sonoma Home Listed for $6.95 Million Takes Design Cues from Restoration Hardware

May 2023

By Karen Kizer

The home was designed by Mia Coakley, who drew out her ideas and passed them on to a structural engineer and then to Sonoma-based Salt Shed Design Build, to translate her ideas into a finished product.(Provided by Carol Sebastiani of Sotheby's International Realty) — The home was designed by owner Mia Coakley in collaboration with a structural engineer and Sonoma-based Salt Shed Design Build. (Provided by Carol Sebastiani of Sotheby’s International Realty)

A Sonoma home built in 2020, with furniture, fixtures and fabrics from Restoration Hardware, is on the market for $6,950,000. The four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom home has an outdoor pool surrounded by six palm trees, which gave the property its name: Six Palms Estate.

The home at 19480 Seventh St. East was designed by owner Mia Coakley, who used few but exquisite design elements to make it shine. Coakley collaborated with a structural engineer and Sonoma-based custom home builder Salt Shed Design Build.

The 4,000-square-foot home sits on over an acre. An open floor plan with numerous steel-framed floor-to-ceiling windows seamlessly connect the indoors with the outdoors. The patio is partially covered by an extension of the roof with heaters in the eaves, so that al fresco dining and outdoor time isn’t limited by weather conditions.

Working with designer Brandon Neff, Coakley furnished the home with pieces and textiles from Restoration Hardware. The result is a mix of muted tones and opulent design pieces. In the living room, a crystal chandelier elevates the look in an otherwise effortless and neutral space, with angular sofas, nubby fabrics and grainy woods. Potted plants throughout the home bring the outdoors inside — large plants are kept in pairs, offering a more disciplined take on a lush interior.

The kitchen comes with a wine cellar and walk-in pantry, and features a large marble counter with five chairs, allowing entertaining in the kitchen rather than the dining area — a long-held practice among Coakley’s large Italian family.

Click through the above gallery for a peek inside the home.

For more information about this property at 19480 Seventh St. East, please contact listing agent, Carol Sebastiani, 415-290-3123, or Kristie Eddy, 949-577-1717, Sotheby’s International Realty – Wine Country – Sonoma Brokerage, 793 Broadway, Sonoma, sotheybysrealty.com, carolsebastiani.com/19480-7th-st-east-sonoma

Classic Diner Dishes with Modern Flair at Santa Rosa’s Americana

May 2023

By Heather Irwin

Crab Cakes with crispy fries and slaw from Americana in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

Samantha Ramey comes from a family of New Yorkers who’ve worked in the restaurant business for generations. She started working for her father’s meat and provisions business at age 13.

However, she said, there’s no contest when it comes to East Coast versus West Coast bagels and pizza. Sonoma County wins.

“I just love the sourdough crusts on the pizza here. They’re better than anything I’ve had in New York. I also love, love, love Ethel’s bagels in Petaluma,” she said.

As co-owner of Valley Ford’s Estero Cafe, Santa Rosa’s Americana restaurant and a forthcoming restaurant in Sebastopol, she’s one of the region’s biggest food cheerleaders. When she talks about Sonoma County food — food from farmers and fellow chefs to producers like Ethel’s — she’s entirely a local.

Her husband and culinary collaborator, classically trained chef Ryan Ramey, is a Sonoma County native. He’s equally enthusiastic about local food, from the produce his close friend Will Scott grows at Freestone’s Worker Bee Farms to meat from Sonoma County Meat Co. and cheese from Valley Ford Creamery.

Samantha and Ryan Ramey have the new dinner menu at Americana in Santa Rosa April 13, 2023. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

The menus at the Rameys’ restaurants proudly shout out their ingredients, giving props to 10 or more farms at a time. At Americana in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square, a Farm Trails sign and a Snail of Approval award from Sonoma County’s Slow Food chapter hang above the dining room entrance.

While their Estero Cafe has been serving destination-worthy breakfast and lunch classics — biscuits and country gravy and sourdough French toast made with Red Bird Bakery’s soft Pullman loaf soaked in custard and topped with housemade vanilla cider syrup — Americana is their pandemic baby.

Opened in 2020 (while Samantha was pregnant with their second child), Americana was a tough go for the couple for nearly three years. Though they offered takeout meals, the Rameys’ food is so much better eaten on the spot. Preferably with gusto.

However, they’ve seen a serious uptick in customers in recent months. Americana is running at full speed now, with an established breakfast and lunch menu and new dinner service from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Mini Corn Dog appetizer from the new dinner menu at Americana in Santa Rosa, April 13, 2023. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat) — Mini Corn Dog appetizer from the new dinner menu at Americana in Santa Rosa April 13, 2023. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

French Onion Soup from the new dinner menu at Americana in Santa Rosa April 13, 2023. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

Dinner here is a come-as-you-are affair. The ingredients and the preparations are white tablecloth-worthy, but the vibe is entirely casual. It’s American comfort food, after all. Think corn dogs, fried chicken, meatloaf, salads and chocolate cake.

“I love contributing to our community. I want to share the opportunity with everyone,” Ryan said as he took a break outside the compact kitchen where cooks stand elbow to elbow.

Americana is about food made with love for Sonoma County and the people who eat it.

“If I could, I’d do this for free. I just love feeding people,” Samantha said.

A Chocolate cake and other tasty dessert treats available all day at Americana in Santa Rosa April 13, 2023. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

Best Bets

You’ll find some of the same dishes at Estero and Americana for breakfast and lunch. Americana’s new dinner menu, created by Ryan, includes dinner entrees and all-day favorites like pancakes and omelets. Breakfast for dinner! Prices are not cheap and accurately reflect the cost of buying sustainable, regionally grown food.

The dinner menu runs two full pages, so this is just a sampling of the many dishes. The menu at the new Americana restaurant set to open this summer in Sebastopol will mimic the current Santa Rosa menu.

Corn Dogs, $15: Half-size dogs, full-size flavor. Inspired by the county-fair-food favorite, these pups are covered with delicately fried cornmeal batter, with super snappy Polish smoked sausage tucked inside. Served with sweet cider or tongue-nipping mustard sauce and with fries and a side of slaw.

Americana Onion Soup, $13: Bone broth is the secret to the Mariana-Trench level depth of flavor in this onion soup. Caramelized onions, herby croutons and a notable thyme and sage kick are blanketed by bubbly, melted Swiss cheese.

Fried Chicken Dinner, $25.95: This is as old-school as it gets, with two ridiculously plump pieces of buttermilk-soaked fried chicken, a homemade biscuit the size of a compact car, mashed potatoes, greens and a mushroom gravy we wish was served in a small wading pool. For a more breakfast-style version, try the Chicken Fried Chicken ($24.50) or Fried Chicken and Waffles ($22).

Crab Cakes and Seared Steak with sides from the new dinner menu at Americana in Santa Rosa April 13, 2023. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

Mushroom Melt, $19.50: A souped-up spin on grilled cheese, this version gets a mess of grilled king trumpet mushrooms added to buttery melted Estero Gold cheese and creamy aioli on Village Bakery sourdough. Onion rings are a perfect side for this, though we wouldn’t say no to a side of soup for dipping.

Americana Burger, $18: We love a mess of a burger that barely gets from the plate to your mouth without falling apart, but this burger isn’t that. Instead it’s a big and beautiful one-third pound of Stemple Creek Ranch beef, Clover cheddar cheese, housemade aioli and a freshly baked bun. Simple, straightforward and concealing nothing. Perfection. Go for the Blue Cheese Mushroom Bacon Burger ($24) if you want something more dramatic.

“The Bear” Cake, $15: If you’ve seen the PTSD-inducing restaurant kitchen drama “The Bear,” you know this is Chef Marcus’ obsessive cake. If not, it’s just a dang good chocolate-on-chocolate-on-chocolate layer cake. The slices are hearty, and I ate mine over three days.

Meatloaf Dinner, $24.95: This classic blue-plate special recently arrived on the menu, served with whipped potatoes and a daily vegetable. It was too late to taste before this article was written, but who doesn’t like meatloaf?

Steak and Frites, $36.95: The bourbon-soaked, dry-aged sirloin steak and fries is a unique concept with the less pricey cut of beef tenderized by a boozy dip and brief aging. Served a perfect medium-rare, it’s a lovely dish, but in my mind, there are just too many other things on the menu I craved.

Americana is at 205 Fifth St., Santa Rosa, 707-755-1548, americanasr.com. Breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, dinner 5 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Maison Porcella Is a French Feast in Sonoma County

May 2023

By Carey Sweet

Charcutier Marc-Henri Jean-Baptiste radiates joy as he shows off the walk-in cooler at Maison Porcella, the new retail shop and bistro in Windsor he runs with his wife, Maud. The spot is a celebration of traditional French foods—and the realization of a dream first hatched during an internship at Tennessee’s famed Blackberry Farm resort in 2009.

It was there that Marc-Henri first learned the art of transforming pork into sublime pâté, glistening rillettes, sausages, and chunky terrines.

Inside, a cooler is stocked with whole, organic heritage Duroc pork legs ready to be deboned, trimmed, brined, and cured into jambon supérieur, an incomparably silky Parisian-style ham that is a family favorite. It’s a three-day process, Marc-Henri explains, which includes an intricate “tapping” move to form the brined and cured pork into a succulent oval shape, followed by a 12-hour cook in a sous-vide bath. (Here, Maud playfully interjects, “Don’t give all the secrets!”—as if one might try to make this at home.)

Finally, the ham is hand-sliced into lacy thin curls that nearly melt when popped in your mouth, thanks to the tiniest ribbons of perfect fat. The buttery-rich slices are thrilling eaten as is, but pure heaven when paired with the bistro’s crusty Marla Bakery bread and crisp, sweet cornichons.

Owners Marc-Henri and Maud Jean-Baptiste of Windsor's new Maison Porcella. (Kim Carroll/for Sonoma Magazine) — Owners Marc-Henri and Maud Jean-Baptiste of Windsor’s new Maison Porcella. (Kim Carroll/for Sonoma Magazine)

Born on New York’s Roosevelt Island to a Haitian father and a mother from Bordeaux, France, Marc-Henri spent his summers in rural France and learned to cook alongside his Italian grandmother. While attending Vermont’s New England Culinary Institute, he took an internship in San Francisco and fell in love with fresh California ingredients.

Work then took him to international, high-end French restaurants under chefs Daniel Boulud and Alain Ducasse. While at Ducasse’s Le Louis XV in Monaco, Marc-Henri ventured to Lyon to visit a world-famous charcuterie market. At a bar there, he met Maud, who had grown up in France’s mountainous Jura region and also worked in hospitality.

“After that, we really didn’t ever leave each other’s side,” says Marc-Henri. “So we came here, got married, had our son, and started our business right off the bat.”

Marc-Henri taught cooking classes and studied with the Napa-Sonoma Small Business Development Center while navigating the many challenges of creating a food business. He first launched at local farmers markets, realizing a sales increase of more than 3000% in the first year. In 2022, fate led them to the site of a former catering operation in Windsor, which they’ve redecorated in classic French bistro style, including a tile-flanked bar, French antiques, and family heirlooms.

“We spend a lot of time here, so I selfishly wanted to have a place that feels like home,” Maud says, pointing out a clever play area for their 4-year-old, Henri, and his friends. Tucked in a quiet corner of the restaurant, it’s decorated like a tiny French marché, complete with red-and-white striped awning.

For such a whirlwind journey, Maison Porcella is an oasis of quiet charm and elegant European grace. Marc-Henri and Maud brim with ideas for the business, including new casual soirées in the style of the apéro dînatoire gatherings popular in France. “It’s when you hang out with friends at each other’s homes and put a lot of small bites on the table,” explains Maud. “Dessert, drinks, and we all share, and it’s a nice little moment.” In this case, local winemakers and French wine importers join to pour and chat.

Guests gather at the bar for bites and a glass of white. (Kim Carroll/for Sonoma Magazine)

This spring, they expanded into lunch service, and retail sales are soaring as people discover their grab-and-go celery root remoulade salad, a delicious stracciatella of Italian water-buffalo mozzarella from Ramini Farms soaked in cream, and savory croque monsieur pastries layered with Parisian ham, béchamel, and three types of cheese in golden, butter-lacquered housemade milk bread.

Always, Marc-Henri and Maud are eager to visit and chat about charcuterie. “My overall goal is also to teach people about the French charcuterie-making tradition that’s been going on for hundreds of years,” says Marc-Henri. “Because that’s the only way the tradition continues.”

Maison Porcella, 8499 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor. 707-955-5611, maisonporcella.com. Charcuterie is also available at farmers markets on Friday in Sonoma, on Saturday in Healdsburg, and on Sunday in San Rafael.

Spicy Banh Mi with Quick-Pickled Vegetables

By Chef Marc-Henri Jean-Baptiste of Maison Porcella

This spicy Vietnamese-style sandwich stuffed with homemade pickled vegetables travels well and is perfect summer picnic fare, especially paired with a simple green salad. Marc-Henri suggests making it with his housemade spicy pork and Parisian-style ham, available at farmers markets or from his store and bistro in Windsor. The pickled vegetables can be made a day in advance and will keep for up to three weeks.

For the pickled vegetables:

1 cup rice vinegar

1 cup white vinegar

½ cup sugar

1 tbsp. coarse sea salt

1 tsp. whole coriander seeds

1 tsp. whole black peppercorn

1/4 bunch cilantro

1 carrot

1 cucumber

1 daikon radish

To make the pickled vegetables:

Rinse and dry the carrots, cucumber, and daikon. Peel the carrots and set aside. Cut the cucumber and daikon into 2-inch lengths. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, thinly slice all the vegetables into long, ¼-inch-wide strips. Place the vegetables in a colander set over an empty bowl and sprinkle with sea salt. Use your hand to work the salt into the vegetables, then allow them to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Press firmly on the vegetables to release any remaining juices, then rinse, pat dry, and set aside in a tempered glass container with a lid, such as a repurposed pickle jar or mason jar.

Remove the leaves from the cilantro stems and set the leaves aside in an airtight container, reserving the stems.

Put the coriander seed, black peppercorn, and cilantro stems in a small square of cheese cloth. Tie the cloth to make a bundle and place in the vegetable container.

For the sandwich:

1 French baguette

2 tbsp. mayonnaise

4 oz. spicy pork pâté

2 oz. ham

1 cup pickled vegetables

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil with the two types of vinegar and sugar. Pour the hot brine over the container of vegetables and spices. The vegetables should be fully submerged in the brine (if they’re not, try a smaller container).

Close the container and refrigerate overnight. The pickles will be ready the next day or can be stored in the brine for up to three weeks

To assemble the sandwiches:

Cut a long baguette in half, lengthwise, and spread with mayonnaise.

Pull pickles from the jar, reserving the pickling liquid.

Slice the pâté and arrange on the bottom half of the baguette. Top with ham, pickles, and reserved cilantro leaves. Sprinkle a small amount of the reserved pickling liquid on the bread for extra flavor. Slice and enjoy.

Duck Fat Fries and Ahi Tuna Nachos: Our Favorite Food at BottleRock Napa Valley

May 2023

By Heather Irwin

Maitake salad with chickpeas and burnt ends from Stateline Road Smokehouse at BottleRock 2023. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

For the past ten years, Napa Valley’s BottleRock culinary scene has been the place to see chefs rocking both behind the food booth and on the culinary stage.

This year, the Williams-Sonoma culinary stage has a particularly stellar lineup of internationally known chefs, including Jose Andres, David Chang, Roy Choi and Andrew Zimmern, who will pair up with performing bands for general silliness. But, and I say this delicately, there’s a noticeable lack of local chefs rocking inside their food stalls and a real dearth of creativity on the menus.

Unless, that is, you love fried chicken sandwiches or barbecue pulled pork. These comfort food classics dominate food stall menus, comforting, easy(ish) to make and at a price point under $20. They’re absolutely fine, but meh.

For a decade, BottleRock has been an annual highlight, with new restaurants popping up and menus reflecting the innovation and farm-fresh local food Wine Country is known for. Every year has been more and more impressive, with new chefs and new restaurants putting their best feet forward.

Maybe I’m jaded after a decade of covering BottleRock, but fried chicken and barbecue definitely seem to be a popular formula. Not especially exciting, but it seems to be the right mix of familiar, gut-filling and priced reasonably.

It’s a natural progression as the event becomes more accessible to larger crowds. Complicated food that needs tweezers and plating isn’t festival food, admittedly.

The food offerings at BottleRock will always be music to my ears because Wine Country just knows how to eat. But I challenge the chefs to stay tuned into their creativity.

Here are some solid bets because you’re going to get hungry.

1. Compline, Duck Fat Fries, $14: I’m not sure if fries cooked in duck fat are all that much better, but these are certainly some excellent fries if you’re hankering for a little greasy goodness. The Togarishi aioli served with them is incredible.

2. Tarla, Chicken Pita Gyro, $18: This is undoubtedly the best value I’ve found. It’s a big, meaty gyro with shredded lettuce, onions and garlic sauce. Easily sharable. The frozen lemonade is a great thirst quencher.

3. Stateline Road Smokehouse, Maitake Mushroom Salad ($18): I wanted this to be a solid win for the much-anticipated Napa restaurant from Michelin-trained chef and Kansas City native Darryl Bell. Unfortunately, the Kansas City burnt ends were dry and the sauce was not exceptionally flavorful. The salad ($18) was the best bet, with a citrusy dressing, chickpeas and a refreshing mix of greens.

4. Gerard’s Paella, $24: Local chef Gerard Nebesky travels the festival circuit, providing much-needed fuel for the hungry masses. His large plates of paella are rib-sticking and still a fantastic value.

5. Buckhorn BBQ, Garlicky Pulled Pork Sandwich, $18: A soft roll stuffed with tender pulled pork will keep you rocking for hours. A few pumps of their sweet sauce make this the barbecue I’m after.

6. Press, Best in Show, Ahi Tuna Nachos, $22: For the price and the ingredients, I’d call this a shareable value. Fresh tuna, fermented peppers, radishes and black lime chips with a drizzle of crema were a favorite of the day. Do not order the buttered pretzel. For $5, yes. For $15? Nope.

The VIP area offers some higher-end options that include wood-fired pizza and high-low corn dogs with caviar. Of everything we tried, the poke nachos ($20) were the most interesting.

Masahuru Morimoto’s new Asia Napa restaurant is represented, but the gummy dim sum samplers underwhelmed. The restaurant stall also offers an 8-ounce container of orange chicken ($24). Really. Orange chicken.

Mustard’s, Gerard’s Paella and Tarla have repeated menus inside the VIP area.

15 Ways to Spend Memorial Day Weekend in Sonoma County

May 2023

By Beth Schlanker

At Spring Lake in Santa Rosa. (Sonoma County Regional Parks)

With temperatures forecast in the 70s, the upcoming three-day Memorial Day weekend offers a number of opportunities to get out and explore Sonoma County.

Here are 15 ways to spend the long weekend. Click through the above gallery for inspiration.

Attend a Memorial Day observance

Cloverdale

A ceremony will be held 10 a.m. Monday at the Cloverdale Cemetery, located at Crocker Road and E. First Street in Cloverdale. The event is hosted by the American Legion Post 293.

Petaluma

The annual Memorial Day event begins 11 a.m. Monday at Cypress Hill Memorial Park, 430 Magnolia Ave. The ceremony will feature the Avenue of the Flags display within the park’s section devoted to veterans and their spouses, and presentations by local veterans. The event is free. Refreshments will be available at the Veterans Memorial Building at 1094 Petaluma Blvd S.

Rohnert Park

A Memorial Day observance begins at 10 a.m. Monday at the Community Center, 5401 Snyder Lane. In a patriotic display, American flags will line the street outside of the Community Center complex.

Santa Rosa

Rural Cemetery – Free docent-led tours will start at noon Monday at Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery, 1600 Franklin Ave, Santa Rosa. Visitors will learn about veterans of the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and World Wars I and II. Attendees should walking shoes and meet at the Franklin Avenue gate.

Santa Rosa Memorial Park – A brief ceremony 10 a.m. Monday will honor military veterans. Santa Rosa Memorial Park, 1900 Franklin Ave. Volunteers are needed Saturday morning to place flags on veterans’ graves. Meet at the Veteran’s Patio for instructions at 9 a.m.

Sebastopol

A Memorial Day service begins 11 a.m. Monday at Sebastopol Memorial Lawns, 7951 Bodega Ave., followed by refreshments at Sebastopol Veterans Memorial Building, 282 High St.

Sonoma

The 65th annual Sonoma Valley Joint Memorial Day Observance begins 11 a.m. Monday at the Sonoma Veterans Memorial Park, located at 126 First St. W., Sonoma. Vietnam Army veteran Tony Lazzarini will be the keynote speaker. Any veterans who would like to take part in a “Grand March,” should meet at 10:30 a.m. in the parking lot.The event is followed by a free picnic at the Veterans Memorial Building at 126 1st St. W., Sonoma.

Windsor

A ceremony will be held at noon Monday at Shiloh District Cemetery, 7130 Windsor Road. The American Legion Honor Team will perform flag duties and play taps.

Volunteer

Get a jump start on veteran-focused Memorial Day activities by volunteering 9 a.m. Saturday morning at Santa Rosa Memorial Park, 1900 Franklin Ave, Santa Rosa. Helpers are needed to place flags on veterans’ graves. Meet at the Veteran’s Patio for instructions at 9 a.m. On Monday, a ceremony at the cemetery will honor military veterans.

Rock it out

If you don’t already have tickets to this year’s BottleRock Napa Valley festival there is still hope. The festival runs Friday through Sunday, at the Napa Valley Expo, 575 3rd St, Napa.

Featured artists this year include Red Hot Chili Peppers, Post Malone, Lizzo, Duran Duran, Lil Nas X and The Smashing Pumpkins. Some general admission tickets are still available. Get those tickets here. Some sold-out tickets are still available at BottleRock’s official ticket exchange at lyte.com.

Cruise Lake Sonoma

The water is back to full capacity and boaters can expect to be in good company at Lake Sonoma this weekend.

Lake Sonoma Marina offers a variety of boat rentals, including, pontoon, speed, fishing boats. Also available for rent are Jet Skis, kayaks, paddle boards and canoes. In addition, to spending time on the water, visitors will find plenty of locations overlooking the water to camp, hike or picnic.

Enter the splash zone

The inflatable water park at the Spring Lake Regional Park swimming lagoon in Santa Rosa will test the balance, coordination and courage of many visitors. It features slides, obstacles, climbing features and more. The popular floating structure is open each summer from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

There are three sessions each day for the Spring Lake Water Park and the $10 tickets often sell out. Children must be 6 years or older and at least 42 inches tall. The park is located at 5585 Newanga Ave, Santa Rosa.

Piddle paddle around

Kayak and stand up paddleboard rentals return for the summer season on Memorial Day weekend at Spring Lake Regional Park in Santa Rosa and continue through Labor Day.

Rentals are available: 10:15 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; and 10:15 a.m. – 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Hourly rental rates for kayaks are $14 for a single and $18 for a tandem. Hourly rental rates for stand up paddleboards are $14. Reserve in advance online or in person at the Boat Rental Office at the park’s Violetti Entrance, 93 Violetti Road in Santa Rosa.

The hills are alive

Classical music and nature lovers can wander the grounds of Jack London State Historic Park on Saturday, while pianist Hunter Noack performs live on a 9-foot Steinway grand piano in the Beauty Ranch Meadow. The concert titled, “In a Landscape: Classical Music in the Wild” is from 5:30 -7 p.m. Tickets are $40 and are available here. The park entry fee of $10 per vehicle, with up to nine passengers, is not included. Attendees may bring picnic supplies, beverages, and lawn chairs or blankets. During the concert, headsets are available so guests can explore the park, while listening to the music.

Dust off your binoculars

There are three birding events Saturday morning in Sonoma County:

Petaluma: Join a Petaluma Wetland Alliance docent for a free guided walk 9-11 a.m. Saturday at Ellis Creek, located at 3890 Cypress Drive. Try to spot some of 50-plus species that visit Ellis Creek’s fresh water ponds and tidal flood plains. Bring binoculars, water, and a hat. Meet near the main entrance kiosk.

Kenwood: Join a docent led 2.3-mile beginner birding hike 8:30-11:30 a.m. on Saturday. Meet near the white barn at the Sonoma Ecology Center in Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, 2605 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood. Tickets are $10 general, $5 for students, youth, park members or volunteers. The docent will share information about bird anatomy, tips to identify species by sight, sound, flight pattern and behavior. Bring water, binoculars, and wear clothing layers. Parking fees apply.

Jenner: Learn to identify birds by their sound 8:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday. Meet at Willow Creek Road off Highway 1 south of Jenner. Tickets start at $25. Park in the half-circle parking area on the right, just past the kayak launch on the left.

Find a farmers market

Santa Rosa Community Farmers’ Market: 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa

Windsor Certified Farmers Market: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sunday, Windsor Town Green

Sebastopol Certified Farmers Market: 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sunday, Sebastopol Plaza.

Get your gaúcho on

Step back in time to 1840s Mexican California during the Petaluma Adobe Living History Day. The event is 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park, 3325 Adobe Road, Petaluma.

Meet the vaqueros, traders, cooks, and crafts people who lived in Mexican California. Dip candles, make baskets, churn butter, rope with vaqueros, and play historical games. Bring a picnic lunch, since drink and food concessions are not available in the park. Make sure to leave your pets at home.

Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for ages 6-7, and ages 5 and younger are free.

Celtic Festival

Experience a taste of Celtic culture and history from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday at Holy Dormition Orthodox Church, 1521 Rose Ave., Santa Rosa.

The Celtic Festival features food, high tea, archery, crafts, entertainment, Highland games activities, and Scottish country dancing lessons. After dinner, enjoy Celtic music and dancing. Bring your fiddle or pipes and join the music. Admission is free.

Look inside the lighthouse

Make the trek to Point Reyes National Seashore, near the hamlet of Inverness, to sneak a peek inside Point Reyes Lighthouse. A park ranger will be available to answer questions about the lighthouse from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Friday to Monday afternoons. Be prepared to climb 313 stairs, both ways, and dress for windy and cold weather conditions.

Hear Herr Schmutzinberry

Enjoy a free family concert with featured guest composer and musician, Wolfgang Amadeus Schmutzinberry, as part of the Valley of the Moon Music Festival. The event is 11 a.m. Sunday at the Sonoma Community Center, 276 E Napa St., Sonoma.

According to the event organizers, Schmutzinberry may be the only living composer that loves wearing powdered wigs. Tickets are free, but it is necessary to RSVP. More information at pdne.ws/45quAsq.

Get kite crazy

Check out the exhibition “Kite-Flying Foibles” from Saturday to Monday at the Charles M. Schulz Museum & Research Center, 2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa. Make your own kites to take home, experiment with wind, learn how kites fly and even feed a kite-eating tree.

The exhibit runs from 10 a.m. to noon. Tickets are $10 per child and are free for up to two adults per child before 11 a.m. Regular museum admission applies after 11 a.m.

Take a hike for all ages

Join Sugarloaf Ridge State Park docents from 10-11:30 a.m. Monday on a 2-mile family-friendly hike. Learn about the park’s plants, animals and history, while ascending 400 feet in elevation. The event is free, but an RSVP is required. Meet outside the visitor center at the Sonoma Ecology Center, 2605 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood. Parking fees apply. The event will be canceled if there are heavy rains.

Where’s the Love? How the James Beard Awards Snubbed Sonoma Chefs

May 2023

By John Beck

Chef Stéphane Saint Louis puts finishing touches on a dinner dish at Table Culture Provisions in Petaluma. (Crissy Pascual/Petaluma Argus-Courier)

When the 2023 James Beard Award nominations were announced in January, you could almost hear a collective sigh rise from the Sonoma County food world. Maybe it was more of a sad gasp—like a stopper pulled from a two-day-old bottle of sparkling wine.

Did we do something to offend the culinary trophy gods? No love for Animo and chef Joshua Smookler? There may be no signage in front of the popular Sonoma restaurant tucked between a McDonald’s and a smog shop, but had the program’s restaurant scouts not heard about the innovative, wood-fired mashup of Basque and Korean cuisines?

Or what about a best new restaurant shoutout for Stéphane Saint Louis and Steven Vargas at Table Culture Provisions? With their nightly multi-course tasting menu getting tons of buzz, they were hoping this might be the year. “Our ultimate goal is to get a Michelin mention,” Saint Louis told a reporter at the end of 2022.

And what about emerging chef Fiorella Butron at Edge and pioneering pastry chef Melissa Yanc at Quail & Condor?

To no one’s surprise, Kyle and Katina Connaughton got a nod at SingleThread in Healdsburg for “Best Chef: California.” It’s well deserved, but there they sit all alone—the only nominee from Sonoma County across all categories.

Kyle and Katina Connaughton during the grand opening of Little Saint in downtown Healdsburg on April 22, 2022. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat) — Kyle and Katina Connaughton got a nod at SingleThread in Healdsburg for “Best Chef: California.” (Chad Surmick/The Press Democrat)

Melissa Yanc of Quail & Condor bakery and Troubadour in Healdsburg. (Emma K Creative) — Melissa Yanc of Quail & Condor bakery and Troubadour in Healdsburg is a SingleThread alum. (Emma K. Morris)

So much for the everybody-under-the-tent mantra of recent years. There’s a backstory there:

Two years ago, the James Beard program faced a backlash after an audit found too few nominees and judges of color. The program was put on hold in 2020 and 2021, partly due to Covid, and relaunched in 2022 with a promise of more inclusivity, more BIPOC judges, and more transparency. After all, nobody wants to be the Hollywood Foreign Press of the foodie awards circuit.

James Beard Award nomination rules are notoriously tricky. Read the fine print and you’ll see that a nominee for Outstanding Restaurateur “must have been in the restaurant business for at least five years and they must not have won a James Beard Foundation chef award in the past three years.” Another new rule states “a restaurant and its chef cannot be nominated in both restaurant and chef categories in the same year.”

Just think of what’s at stake. With a win, or sometimes even just a nomination, the trajectory of a restaurateur’s career is forever altered. Cue the book deals, cookware endorsements, maybe even a spot on Food Network’s next mega battle royale.

That’s why El Molino Central owner Karen Taylor’s response to awards like these might be one of the best we’ve heard. “We’ve had a James Beard, I think. I don’t know,” she says. (The seasonally focused Sonoma Mexican restaurant was nominated as a James Beard semifinalist in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, but has yet to win.) The only way she finds out about a nomination, she says, is when the list comes out, “a friend will text me.”

El Molino has also garnered a Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition. “We finally put it up—a medal thing they give you,” Taylor says. “We just rest it on the back of one of the counters, behind the wine.”

The 2023 James Beard Awards will be given out at a glitzy gala in Chicago in June. Winners receive silver medals—and often, a chance to capitalize upon their win with lucrative endorsements and book deals. (James Beard Foundation)

Taylor’s thoughts on Michelin stars? “I remember when Betty’s Fish ’N Chips had the same number of Michelin stars as Chez Panisse.”

But who decides? Whether we’re talking James Beard awards or Michelin stars, we’re wading into a murky world that seems run by secret societies and hush-hush handshakes.

No one knows this better than Jil Hales at Barndiva in Healdsburg. When the restaurant won its first Michelin star last year, nearly two decades after it opened, it was a total shocker.

“They are notoriously mysterious,” Hales says of the Michelin review process. “Anybody that tells you they know things is telling a porker. You know they come out more than once, and you don’t know what they look at.”

Hales admits she’s a little apprehensive talking to me about the subject. It’s easy to understand why: He (or she) who bestoweth can also taketh away. Look what happened at Terrapin Creek in Bodega Bay. In 2012, they won a Michelin star, only to lose it in 2018. At the time, according to Michelin’s international director Gwendal Poullennec, top-secret Michelin inspectors thought the food was missing its previous “spark and quality.”

Dining at Barndiva in Healdsburg. (Kim Carroll/For Sonoma Magazine) — Barndiva in Healdsburg won a 2021 Michelin star, making it one of only two Michelin-starred restaurants in Sonoma County. (Kim Carroll/for Sonoma Magazine)

Short of a decoder ring, here’s a theory about this year’s nominations: many believe that Sonoma County restaurants have become exceptional at what has become known around the world as “Wine Country cuisine”—i.e. what’s fresh and seasonal, farm-to-table, grape to glass, seed to hash—all summed up in a kind of omniscient terroir that you can apply to nearly every menu and every ingredient.

And maybe that’s not what judges are looking for anymore. Bay Area restaurants scoring James Beard nominations this year included Jo’s Modern Thai from chef Intuon Kornnawong in Oakland, the Moroccan flavors of San Francisco’s Mourad, and the Indigenous roots cuisine of Café Ohlone in Berkeley. There’s a thought—wouldn’t it be nice if Sonoma County had a restaurant that paid homage to the foods of the original inhabitants of this region? In Sebastopol, Heron Shadow Farm manager Redbird Willie grows Indigenous crops for Wahpepah’s Kitchen in Oakland. Imagine if a local restaurant bought his crops.

But maybe trying to make sense of any awards process is futile.

“Good luck cracking that code,” says Barndiva’s Jil Hales. “If you do, you’ll win a Pulitzer.”

In other words, we’ll have to wait until next year. When maybe, just maybe, the Michelin gods and James Beard acolytes will rain down upon us in such glorious benevolence that all will be right in the pantheon of foodie awards again.

Until then, let’s be happy with what’s on our plate. In the words of parents everywhere, you get what you get, and you don’t get upset.