Savory Vietnamese Crepes with prawns, egg, coconut milk, bean sprouts, cabbage, cilantro, basil, romaine lettuce, mint from chef Tony Ounpamornchai’s Mandarin Kitchen in Montgomery Village in Santa Rosa Friday May 5, 2023. (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
In a village outside Hanoi, Vietnam, an unassuming food vendor cooks what chef Tony Ounpamornchai considers the best banh xeo he’s ever had. The sizzling Vietnamese crepes stuffed with seafood and vegetables have been a street-food staple for centuries, favored by farmers working long days in the fields.
“This lady was making them come out just perfect every time,” Ounpamornchai said while sitting inside his newest restaurant, Mandarin Kitchen (formerly Tony’s Galley) in Santa Rosa’s Montgomery Village shopping center.
Framed by the restaurant’s 500-gallon fish tank and its soothing purple glow, the longtime restaurateur talked about the sources for his culinary inspirations: walking the streets of large cities and small villages and observing what people eat.
“I just like to walk around towns and find things wherever I go. Traveling is part of my journey,” Ounpamornchai said.
Chef Tony Ounpamorncha, owner of Sea Thai Bistro and Sea Thai Noodle, has opened the Mandarin Kitchen in Montgomery Village in Santa Rosa. (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)Kung Pow Ribeye with onion, zucchini, bell pepper, mushrooms, chili and peanuts from chef Tony Ounpamornchai’s Mandarin Kitchen in Montgomery Village in Santa Rosa. (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Now 54, he’s getting personal with his menu, with dishes pulled from his childhood memories and the expansive culinary landscapes of Vietnam, Malaysia, Bali, Singapore, Cambodia and Laos.
Central to the Mandarin Kitchen menu are recipes from his family’s Chinese and Thai traditions. It’s the memories of learning to make his mother’s massaman curry and picking fresh water spinach from the pools around his family’s floating house in Thailand that are particularly powerful.
“This is truly the food that I love,” said Ounpamornchai, who is also executive chef and co-owner of Sea Thai Bistro, also in Montgomery Village, and Sea Noodle Bar, in Santa Rosa’s Coddingtown Shopping Center.
The former Tony’s Galley opened in 2021 with a seafood-focused menu and closed in late March. After a quick menu revamp, it reopened in early April as Mandarin Kitchen.
Ounpamornchai said the high cost of very perishable seafood led him to change the concept, though seafood still figures prominently on the new menu. Sea bass in banana leaves and sauteed eggplant with sea scallops are among the best dishes here.
The restaurant’s namesake, a mandarin orange, symbolizes luck and happiness, Ounpamornchai said. But with a menu this endearing and filled with happy memories, luck already has found Mandarin Kitchen.
Best Bets
Savory Vietnamese Crepe, $16: This hard-to-find street food is the perfect mix of sweet, savory, crisp and fresh. The sizzling crepe (“xeo” means sizzling in Vietnamese) is filled with prawns, bean sprouts and cabbage and is accompanied by a side of romaine lettuce, mint, fennel fronds, basil and cilantro meant to create a second shell of flavorful produce. The mix of cold greens and hot crepe dipped in chile sauce brings a surprise to every bite. It’s a must-order.
Stir-fried Morning Glory, $13 and Mee Goreng, $18: In Bali, you’ll find these staples at many warungs (small eateries) as a side dish to suckling pig or even for breakfast. Mandarin Kitchen’s smoky-sweet black soy sauce sticks to wide rice noodles that slip and slide off your chopsticks (use a fork instead). Chicken, fried tofu, egg, bean sprouts, bell peppers, mushrooms and zucchini round out the dish.
Grilled Sea Bass in Banana Leaves, $24: The star of this dish is Jungle Curry, a Thai-style curry studded with zingy red chiles and cooled with fresh herbs and perfumed makrut lime leaves, galangal and lemongrass. Mild sea bass swiped with curry paste is steamed in a banana leaf (adding a distinct earthy flavor) and served atop a pool of sweet-salty Chinese black bean sauce with onions and zucchini. It’s an incredibly unusual fusion dish, but worth checking out.
Grilled Sea Bass in Banana Leaves with jungle curry paste and assorted mixed vegetables in black bean sauce from chef Tony Ounpamornchai’s Mandarin Kitchen in Montgomery Village in Santa Rosa. (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)Sautéed Eggplant Sea Scallops with Japanese eggplant, chili, garlic and Thai basil from chef Tony Ounpamornchai’s Mandarin Kitchen in Montgomery Village in Santa Rosa. (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Sauteed Eggplant and Sea Scallops $24: At first, the combination of eggplant and seafood seems, well, odd. Initially, I didn’t order it. But on a second visit, I couldn’t resist the adventure. Five plump scallops float on a raft of sweet Chinese eggplant in a salty-sweet mix of soy and hoisin sauce studded with garlic bits. We couldn’t get enough of the sauce.
Matcha Green Tea Cheesecake, $10: Matcha is divisive. Either you love the herbaceous, slightly bitter green tea or you loathe it. In desserts, it can be overpowering, but the light touch of matcha mixed into a creamy crustless cheesecake is charming. Ounpamornchai also has a light hand with the scoop of sesame ice cream on top. The whole thing could easily come off as a mouthful of dirt with the intense earthy flavors of both, but it ends up perfectly balanced.
Other great picks: There’s almost too much to choose from, including other dishes we loved such as Hot and Sour Soup, $10; Shumai and Har Gow Dim Sum (lunch only), $12; and Chicken Massaman Curry, $20.
The restaurant has a full bar, with light and fruity cocktails including Beach, Please ($13) made with RumHaven Coconut Rum, pineapple liqueur, coconut milk, pineapple juice and orange juice; and the Magic Dragon ($13) with gin, dragon fruit, elderflower liqueur and fresh lemon. The standout, however, is the easygoing Easy On Me ($13) with a peculiar mix of bourbon, creme de peach liqueur and fresh lemon.
Mandarin Kitchen is located at 722 Village Court, Santa Rosa, 707-303-7007, mandarinkitchensr.com. Open 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 to 8:30 p.m. daily.
Healdsburg Bagel Co. will open a new Jewish-style deli in Healdsburg this summer. (Drew Ross)
Nope, that’s not a typo. Healdsburg Bagel Co., known for its New York-style bagels at local farmers markets, will open a Jewish-style deli at the former Wildflower Saloon later this summer. Owner Drew Ross has chosen to call his concept a Drewish Deli (a play on his name) because it won’t be exactly like the Jewish delis he grew up with.
“The deli is the natural progression to my business. I’ve eaten at Jewish delis my whole life, and mine won’t exactly be a full deli but a hybrid version,” Ross said. Expect traditional deli offerings like housemade lox, pastrami, corned beef, chopped chicken liver mousse, matzo ball soup, knishes, smoked whitefish and sturgeon, challah, bagels and schmears.
“We are going to start with a smaller menu but expand as we get into the rhythm of the deli,” Ross said.
Healdsburg Bagel Co. will open a new Jewish-style deli in Healdsburg this summer. (Drew Ross)
Founded in 2018 as a cottage business, Healdsburg Bagel Co. is a third career for Ross, who was a professional musician and family therapist previously. Unable to find good bagels when he moved to Sonoma County in 2016, he worked with his father-in-law to create a perfect recipe that resonated with locals. Big John’s Market in Healdsburg was his first wholesale account, allowing Ross to move into a large commercial kitchen. He now sells at six farmers markets per week throughout the Bay Area, including at San Francisco’s Fort Mason market, where he estimates selling around 650 bagels alone — by far his biggest farmers-market sales.
Like with other pandemic pop-ups, including Petaluma’s Ethel’s Bagels and Sebastopol’s Psychic Pie, home deliveries and farmers markets boosted sales for Ross as people avoided indoor spaces like restaurants and larger grocery stores.
“I saw that as an amazing avenue for business, and I dove into a lot of markets (12 to 14 a week through the pandemic). We survived and thrived because of markets,” Ross said.
Adding prepared foods to his market lineup — matzo ball soup, breakfast bagel sandwiches, knishes, schmears, house-cured lox and pastrami — helped him move further into the food business.
“I feel like I dumb-lucked myself into this. I worked in restaurants as a struggling musician, but I don’t have any formal culinary training. I just love food,” Ross said.
The Brooks Note tasting room in downtown Petaluma. (Gary Ottonello)
The plazas in Healdsburg and Sonoma have long been buzzing with winery tasting rooms. But, until recently, downtown Petaluma was something of a wine desert.
That’s starting to change as tasting rooms open in the downtown area, offering locals and visitors the chance to sip and stroll their way around town. With a manageable number of venues to choose from, limited tourist traffic and cozy tasting spaces, downtown Petaluma is a fun, laid-back alternative to some of Sonoma County’s better-known wine tasting destinations.
Adobe Road Winery
Owned by professional race car driver and team owner Kevin Buckler, Adobe Road pours a variety of Sonoma County and Napa Valley wines at their Petaluma tasting room. The compact tasting room in the Great Petaluma Mill extends into the parking lot, where a heated tent invites guests to sit and sip. Flights range from $30 for the classic tasting to $50 for the Racing Series flight, and fees are waived with a minimum purchase.
Adobe Road recently broke ground on a new 16,000-square-foot winery and tasting room on the waterfront, so expect to find a whole new setup in a year or so.
Open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. 6 Petaluma Blvd. North, Suite 1A, adoberoadwines.com
Barber Cellars
Set inside the Hotel Petaluma, Mike and Lorraine Barber’s sunny tasting room faces out onto Washington Street for optimal people-watching.
Once inside, sample small-production, Sonoma County single-vineyard wines including pinot noir, zinfandel and sauvignon blanc.
The $20 tasting fee, waived with a two-bottle purchase, is one of the most reasonable you’ll find in the area. If you’re feeling snacky, order one of Barber Cellars’ fancy grilled cheese sandwiches, made with Point Reyes Toma, or a charcuterie plate.
Open 1-7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 1-6 p.m. Sunday. 112 Washington St., barbercellars.com
Black Knight Vineyards
Black Knight gets its name from Mitch Black, owner of the Black Knight vineyard east of Santa Rosa. The small and stylish tasting room includes a small parklet on Petaluma Boulevard where guests can sip pinot noir, chardonnay and sparkling wines by the glass or flight. Prices range from $20 for a sparkling wine flight to $35 for a vertical tasting of chardonnay or library tasting. Fees are waved with a minimum bottle purchase.
The Brooks Note tasting room in downtown Petaluma. (Tina Caputo)
Brooks Note
Take a stroll up Petaluma Boulevard and you’ll find a stylish, modern tasting room with a comfortable bar, table and lounge seating.
Founded by former Kosta Browne winemaker Garry Brooks, Brooks Note focuses on elegant Sonoma County pinot noir and chardonnay, as well as cabernet sauvignon and syrah. Visitors can choose between three flights ranging from $30 to $75, which include a plate of local cheeses and charcuterie. The winery hosts live music on some Friday evenings, with wines available by the glass.
La Dolce Vita wine lounge pours an intriguing selection of 40 or so local and international wines by the taste, glass, half carafe and bottle. Take a seat inside or on the lively Theater Square patio to sample a variety of flights, ranging from $21 for Exotic Whites to $43 for the reserve tasting.
Friendly and knowledgeable owner Sahar Gharai also sells bottles to go at retail prices, so guests can enjoy their favorite selections at home. Food offerings include pizzas, panini, housemade hummus, salumi and other wine-friendly fare.
Port-style fortified wines are the specialty at Bill and Caryn Reading’s Sonoma Portworks, along with liqueurs, brandies and sherries including the popular hazelnut-infused Duet.
For just $15, guests can step into the cozy yet industrial-style tasting room in Petaluma’s Foundry Wharf to taste four California ports and two distilled spirits.
Open noon to 5 p.m. Thursday-Monday. 613 Second St., portworks.com
Vine & Barrel Wines
Jason Jenkins recently moved his bottle shop from cave-like digs on Petaluma Boulevard to a bright storefront space on Kentucky Street. Along with offering local and international bottles for sale, Vine & Barrel pours about a dozen wines by the glass, served with tapas-style snacks like cheeses, charcuterie and tinned seafood.
Design inspiration abounds at the 44th San Francisco Decorator Showcase, which opened April 29 and continues Tuesdays through Sundays until May 29.
This year’s showcase is housed in an 18th century-style Spanish-Mediterranean mansion in San Francisco’s Sea Cliff neighborhood. The 6000-square-foot home, built in 1927 by renowned architects Samuel Lightner Hyman and Abraham Appleton, features 28 spaces styled by the West Coast’s top designers.
The showcase covers a variety of eras and styles, from classic to midcentury t0 modern; from minimalist to maximalist; from constrained to whimsical. A few local designers and vendors have contributed to this year’s exquisite display.
Cotati artist Elan Evans (of Elan Evans Decorative Finishes) has decorated the three-level home’s elevator with paper cutouts of foxes and florals covered in gold leaf paint that contrasts beautifully with the deep-toned walls in the elevator and the rose-colored wall just outside. Evans came up with the idea for this design concept on a drive home from work, seeing sunlight reflecting off the plants along the road.
Elevator designed by decorative painter Elan Evans of Cotati. (Elan Evans Decorative Finishes)Paper cutouts of foxes and florals covered in gold leaf paint by Elan Evans of Cotati. (Elan Evans Decorative Finishes)
Napa interior designer Miyuki Yamaguchi (of Miyuki Yamaguchi Design Studio) has created a wisteria-themed bedroom. A hand-painted motif on de Gournay silk wallpaper and silk fabric covers the walls and sets the scene. Additional fabric creates a partial canopy and adds more softness and texture to the room. A wisteria branch is perched dramatically on a sideboard thanks to a clamp and vase system developed by Sonoma-based designer and curator Dave Allen (of Artefact Design and Salvage).
Bedroom designed by Miyuki Yamaguchi. (David Livingston)
San Francisco-based designer Noz Nozawa and the Noz Design team have taken whimsy to cosmic levels in a combined movie room and wine cellar. The bottles appear to take flight via an acrylic wine rack, fashioned by Architectural Plastics of Petaluma. Pillows, rugs and cozy spots to sit and relax bring the look down to earth.
A close-up view of a wine rack by Architectural Plastics of Petaluma in the combined movie room/wine cellar. (Christopher Stark)
Showcase regular Dina Bandman has created an elegant tea room, with a rich yet featherlight aesthetic. Hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper with jasmine and bougainvillea cover the walls while subtle shades of sage allow the shapes in the room – a beveled pedestal table, a palm chandelier, geometric floor patterns – to do all the design talking. Proper accessorizing is a must in this delicately designed room: elegant, light-reflecting glassware completes the look. (Many of the design elements in this room were sourced from Anthem SF, which has a store in Healdsburg.)
Tea room designed by Dina Bandman. (John Merkl)
The decorator showcase serves as a fundraiser for San Francisco University High School’s Financial Aid Program. To date, the showcase has raised over $17 million. Click through the above gallery for a peek inside a few of the rooms.
The 44th Annual San Francisco Decorator Showcase, at 625 El Camino Del Mar, is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (last entry) Tuesday-Saturday and 11 a.m. t0 4 p.m. Sundays, until May 29. $45 for general admission; $40 for seniors (60 and over). For more information, call 415-447-5830 or visit decoratorshowcase.org.
A sprawling traditional-style farmhouse on one acre in east Sonoma is on the market. Built in 2002, this predecessor to the modern farmhouse features classic design details and has a pool, a pool house, a tennis court and a detached office. The three-bedroom, five-bathroom home at 1385 Castle Road is listed for $8,500,000.
The 5,496-square-foot home has cathedral and coffered ceilings, wainscoting, multi-paned windows and interior decorative transoms. True to farmhouse style, it has an open layout, and while white walls make the home feel more modern, the traditional lines enrich the look.
There’s a viewing porch from the second story and a screened-in porch on the bottom floor. The grounds are manicured with rounded shrubs and hedges framing large swaths of grass, paved seating areas and walking paths. A detached office has a sweetly nostalgic red-barn look.
Click through the above gallery for a peek inside this property.
For more information on this home at 1385 Castle Road, please contact listing agent Gina Clyde Gina Clyde, Sotheby’s International Realty – Wine Country – Sonoma Brokerage, 793 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-529-8504, 707-935-2289, 1385castleroad.com
Sonoma County is bustling with a renewed, sunny spring energy just in time for Mother’s Day. This year, treat your mom to a delicious brunch, lunch or high tea at one of these restaurants and wineries.
All events are on Sunday, May 14, unless otherwise noted. Reservations are required at most events, and tickets sell out fast.
Santa Rosa
Bennett Valley Golf Course
A Mother’s Day golfing session and brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the golf course’s Iron & Vine restaurant. The brunch menu includes danishes, yogurt parfait, eggs benedict, harvest salad, grilled asparagus, a fresh fruit platter, potatoes with peppers and onions, rosemary and pepper-crusted beef, strip loin with Moroccan chimichurri, shortcake and double chocolate brownies. Brunch is $58 per adult, $20 per child ages 4-11 and complimentary for children 3 and under. Moms golf for free with another paying golfer. Reserve a spot online.
A Mother’s Day celebration with wine, live music and a three-course lunch by Cibo Rustico from 2-4:30 p.m. at D’Argenzio Winery. Guests can enjoy the song stylings of Sonoma County-based Showcase Band while tasting a selection of award-winning wines and a menu that includes grilled salmon, short ribs or roasted portabella mushrooms with pasta and salad. Tickets are $36 for general admission and $28 for wine club members. Reserve a spot on Yelp.
1301 Cleveland Ave. Suite A, Santa Rosa, 707-546-2466, dargenziowine.com
At D’Argenzio Winery in Santa Rosa. (D’Argenzio Winery )
Flamingo Resort
The resort’s annual Mother’s Day brunch buffet will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the hotel ballroom. The buffet will include brunch classics such as bagels, pastries, pancakes, frittatas, yogurt parfait, spring salad, pesto pasta, prime rib, curry tofu, salmon and lemon dill chicken. Tickets are $65 for adults and $35 for children 12 and under. Reserve on Tock.
Vintners Resort’s John Ash & Co. will provide an a la carte brunch for Mother’s Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The seasonal spring dishes include Hog Island oysters, asparagus soup, Dungeness crab cake, eggs benedict, huevos rancheros, chicken and waffles, strawberry challah french toast and country fried angus steak. Reserve a spot on OpenTable.
Enjoy the flowers in the garden at John Ash & Co at Vintners Resort in Santa Rosa. (Vintners Resort)
Brunch at Vintners Resort in Santa Rosa. (Vintners Resort)
Matanzas Creek Winery
A Mother’s Day brunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the winery’s pristine lavender fields. Brunch will include frittatas, pastries and savory bites paired with single vineyard wines. General admission is $90 per person and $65 for wine club members. Reserve on Tock. Note: Mother’s Day brunch tickets are currently sold out, but people can join a waitlist if a reservation becomes available.
6097 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa, 707-528-6464, matanzascreek.com
Shady Oak Barrel House
Santa Rosa-based Smackin’ Soul Food will provide a special Mother’s Day brunch starting at noon at Shady Oak Barrel House. The brunch will include build-your-own waffle and omelet bars as well as beer cocktails like micheladas and “beermosas.” Brunch is $20 per person; reserve a spot on Eventbrite.
A Mother’s Day paint and sip event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 13, at Landmark Vineyards’ Kenwood estate. Guests will receive step-by-step instructions on how to paint a masterpiece while tasting select Landmark pinot noir and chardonnay. Tickets are $85 per person and include a tasting of three wines, all art supplies, and a cheese and charcuterie cup. Brunch boxes ($30 each) will also be available for pre-purchase. Reserve on Tock.
An a la carte Mother’s Day brunch menu served from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The menu includes croque madame, brioche french toast, steak and eggs, duck leg confit Cobb salad, sumac crusted snapper, Dungeness crab melt, lamb burger, cauliflower gnocchi and more, plus fresh fruit and a cinnamon buttermilk coffee cake for the table.
Poached egg salad at Tips Roadside in Kenwood. (Tips Roadside)
At Tips Roadside in Kenwood. (Tips Roadside)
TIPS Roadside
Family-style brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. includes cornbread with honey butter, vegetable scramble, fried chicken, shrimp and grits and various sides. Bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys will be available along with a full bar. Brunch is $55 for adults, $20 for children under 12 and free for children under 5. Reserve a table on Tock.
A Mother’s Day brunch and wine tasting from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at VJB Cellars. Tickets for wine club members are $65 per person and $25 per child, and tickets for non-members are $85 per person and $35 per child. The winery will also have Mother’s Day gift boxes available for sale, complete with rosé, cabernet sauvignon and chewy caramels. To reserve a spot call 707-833-2300 or email info@vjbcellars.com.
A Mother’s Day brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring a four-course food and wine pairing on the piazza. The winery has partnered with local chef Tomas Guzman for the brunch, which will include fruit salad with strawberry-basil syrup, cucumber gazpacho, chicken and waffles with brown honey butter, and bread pudding with a raspberry crémeux and brown butter sauce. Tickets are $125 per person and can be purchased on Tock.
A Mother’s Day brunch with live music from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on a garden patio. Breathless will team up with Criminal Baking Company to create a sparkling brunch, accompanied by music from guitarist Nate Lopez. Children are welcome and tickets are $35 per person. Purchase tickets on Tock.
A bottle of bubbly from Breathless Wines in Healdsburg. (Breathless Wines)
Comstock Wines
A 21+ Mother’s Day brunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., including elevated brunch favorites served with local wines. The menu will feature eclectic fare such as gratinée scallops in black truffle custard and housemade Thai sausage with scrambled egg bao, as well as more traditional brunch items like smoked striploin carpaccio and old fashioned chicken and waffles. Tickets are $125 per person ($110 for club members), plus a $75 deposit. Reserve tickets on Tock.
A three-course prix fixe Mother’s Day brunch from chef Wyatt Keith will include house favorites such as breakfast pastries with Palmer Estate blood orange marmalade for the table, spring fresh salads, hamachi crudo, vegetable minestrone, eggs benedict, asparagus rigatoni, petite filet and seared salmon, plus a selection of house desserts. Brunch is $95 per person and $45 for children 6 and under.
A Mother’s Day brunch buffet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with dishes crafted by executive chef Jason Pringle and his culinary team. The buffet will include housemade pastries, traditional breakfast fare, a raw seafood bar, a carving station with leg of lamb and prime rib, plus a selection of desserts. Guests will also be treated to libations and a celebratory gift to take home. Tickets are $125 per person. For reservations, call 707-354-6900 or book on OpenTable.
Greek yogurt Panna Cotta from Hazel Hill at Montage Healdsburg. (Emma K. Morris)Pizza and cocktails at Roof 106 at The Matheson in Healdsburg. (The Matheson)
Roof 106
A special six-course tasting menu for Mother’s Day at the Matheson’s rooftop eatery Roof 106 will be available all day. The menu — designed to be shared among two people — includes citrus cured salmon, signature house pizza, burrata and spring peas, buttermilk panna cotta and more. $50 per person. Reserve online.
The Cornerstone Sonoma marketplace will host a weekend of Mother’s Day events. The weekend will include a pottery and flower arranging class ($55 per person) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and a special pop-up shopping showcase from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 13; plus a Mother’s Day brunch from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Folktable and a “Music & Moms” outdoor concert from noon to 3 p.m. on May 14. Purchase tickets for the “Pottery and Flowers” class on Eventbrite. Reserve a spot at Folktable for Mother’s Day brunch here.
A traditional Hidalgo-style barbacoa (barbecue) and mini charreada (rodeo) for mom from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 13, at Honrama Cellars’ ranch. Brunch will include slow-cooked meats and other barbecue fare. Tickets are $175 per person on Tock.
An annual Mother’s Day brunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., featuring catered boxed brunches prepared by Petaluma-based Out to Lunch Fine Catering. Each mom will be treated to a complimentary glass of sparkling rosé. General admission is $55 per person and $25 for kids, while admission for wine club members is $45 per person and $15 for members’ kids. Reserve a table on Tock or by calling 707-938-3031 ext. 20 or emailing reservations@larsonfamilywinery.com.
MacArthur Place Hotel’s Layla restaurant will host a three-course Mother’s Day brunch from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The menu includes trout tartine, brioche french toast, lobster benedict, huevos rancheros, bibb salad, sauteed mushroom sandwich, roasted turkey club and prime rib. Plus, a trio of mini desserts — carrot cake, a chocolate mint ice cream sandwich and lemon almond tart with strawberries – and creative spring cocktails. Brunch is $65 for adults and $35 for kids.
Outdoor dining area at Layla restaurant at MacArthur Place in Sonoma. (Karyn Millet/MacArthur Place)
Breakfast at Layla restaurant at MacArthur Place Hotel and Spa in Sonoma. (Emma K. Morris)
Roche Winery & Vineyards
A Mother’s Day brunch in the vineyard from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. includes a breakfast tower of bagels and breads, a parfait station, fresh fruit, morning pastries and a choice of spinach frittata, flat iron steak and fried egg, or sweet potato hash and fried egg. General admission is $85 per person, $70 for wine club members and $15 for children (free for children 3 and under). Price of brunch includes one glass of mimosa or dry brut rosé. Seating is limited and the last day to purchase tickets is May 3.
A Mother’s Day brunch at Fairmont’s Santé restaurant from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with a lavish pre-fixe menu and fresh flowers. The menu includes seasonal delicacies such as seared scallops, truffled omelet, butter poached lobster benedict, grilled lamb rack, a shareable seafood platter, crepe station and dessert buffet featuring Watmaugh strawberry cheesecake, dark chocolate panna cotta, blackberry chamomile tart and Earl Grey crème brûlée. The brunch is $125 per person, $39 for kids ages 5-12, and complimentary for children 4 and under. Fairmont will also have a flower cart in the lobby to create unique spring bouquets.
Live music by Lara Louise will accompany this Mother’s Day brunch, catered by Italian chef Elena Fabbri, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The brunch will include a waffle bar, pancake station, assorted croissants, french toast, variety of quiches, sausages, avocado toast, open-faced crostini, pasta salad with roasted eggplant, spinach and goat cheese salad with strawberries, and a fresh seasonal fruit platter. Brunch is $85 per person and $25 for children 10 and under. Ticket includes a welcome mimosa, plus wine and a variety of gelato will be available for purchase. Reserve on Tock.
25200 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, 800-995-4740, viansa.com
Wit & Wisdom
A three-course prix-fixe brunch menu for Mother’s Day from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. that includes fun cocktails and shareable add-ons for the table, such as a cold shellfish tower and cheese and charcuterie. The menu features spring delights including pea soup, lobster risotto, eggs benedict, king salmon, crème brûlée french toast, basque-style cheesecake and warm citrus poppyseed bundt cake. The brunch is $89 per guest and reservations are recommended.
A large a la carte Mother’s Day brunch menu includes pancakes, omelets, french toast, breakfast hash, eggs benedict, sandwiches, salads and signature cocktails.
A Mother’s Day high tea, in partnership with Preferred Sonoma Caterers and Frances Lane Rentals, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Garden Valley Ranch’s rose gardens. The high tea will include a welcome bar with refreshments, chicken salad, egg salad, asparagus tips, deviled eggs, pastries, cookies, lemon tarts, chocolate bouchons and fresh baked scones. A fresh-cut flower bouquet bar will also be available. Tickets are $145 per person and ticket sales end May 7. Reserve a spot online.
A Mother’s Day high tea with seatings at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 13, at Grand Central Petaluma. The high tea menu includes a variety of finger sandwiches, with vegetarian options available, as well as chocolates, dipped ice cream bars, scones with clotted cream and jam, and other small bites. The regular tea service is $55 per ticket and the vegan/gluten-free service is $65 per ticket. To-go options are available. Purchase a ticket here.
Grand Central Petaluma will also be partnering with Art Play Petaluma for a Mother’s Day celebration from 10 a.m. to noon on May 14 by the river. Art Play will provide painting and sensory play activities for children, Petaluma Mothers’ Club will provide cut flowers for mom, Cassie Green Photography will provide “mom and me” portrait sessions (advanced scheduling required; $30 per sitting) and Grand Central will provide coffee and treats. Tickets are $13 each and can be purchased here.
A Mother’s Day champagne brunch buffet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sally Tomatoes. The event will include a grand buffet selection, an ice cream bar and $15 endless sparkling mimosas. Brunch is $27.95 for adults and $15.95 for kids. Call 707-665-9472 to reserve a spot.
1100 Valley House Drive, Rohnert Park, 707-665-9472, sallytomatoes.com
DRNK Winery in Sebastopol will host two Mother’s Day themed events in May. (DRNK Winery)
West Sonoma County
Blue Ridge Kitchen
Blue Ridge Kitchen will be serving a special brunch menu 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mother’s Day. It includes dishes like Petite Shellfish Platter with six local oysters, smoked champagne mignonette and Meyer lemon hibiscus granita, Lobster Croque Madame, Pork Belly Benedict, Crispy Soft Shell Crab BLT and Strawberries and Cream for dessert with strawberry compote, lemon curd, almond streusel, hibiscus granita and sour cream foam. Moms will receive a complimentary glass of champagne. Make reservations on OpenTable.
6770 McKinley St., Suite 150, Sebastopol, 707-222-5040, brkitchen.com
DRNK Winery
DRNK Winery will host two Mother’s Day themed events in May: a wine tasting and bouquet building workshop from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, May 7, and a wine tasting and clay pottery making workshop from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, May 13. Each event will include gourmet chocolates and a flight of five wines. The May 7 bouquet workshop, led by Alé Rodriguez of Pollen Floral, is $80 per ticket. The May 13 pottery workshop, led by ceramicist Gina Kuta, is $90 per ticket. Reserve a space in either workshop on Tock.
Emeritus Winery will host a Mother’s Day weekend celebration from 3-5 p.m. on May 13, coinciding with the launch of its Hallberg Brut. The event will include a special food pairing with the new sparkling wine. Tickets are $50 per person. Reserve on Tock.
A Mother’s Day wine and food pairing from noon to 4 p.m. Reservations are $85 per person and a discount is available for wine club members. Reserve on Tock.
A Mother’s Day brunch picnic, catered by Pascaline Patisserie, with seatings starting at 10 a.m. Brunch options are quiche Lorraine with ham and gruyere or a veggie frittata, both served with spring salad, a selection of cheeses and a chocolate croissant. The brunch will also be served with a flight of five house wines along with bouquets for mom. Tickets are $70 per person on Tock.
Taste wine outdoors in Adirondack chairs at Ryme Cellars in Forestville. (Ryme Cellars)
On the coast
Dinucci’s Restaurant
A five-course Mother’s Day brunch starting at noon, with live piano music accompaniment by Nick Foxer at 1 p.m. The brunch menu includes minestrone soup, garden salad, beef and spinach ravioli, Sonoma Mountain filet mignon and fresh local halibut. Mother’s Day cocktails and limited Criminal Bakery desserts will be available. Brunch is $64 per person.
A festive two-course meal for the roadhouse’s 17th annual Mother’s Day brunch will be served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., including a children’s menu for those 10 and under. The brunch menu includes beignets, deviled farm eggs, chilled spring asparagus, buttermilk fried chicken, smoked wild salmon benedict, Gulf shrimp and grits, chile verde chilaquiles and ricotta-stuffed french toast. Vegetarian alternatives as well as house bloody marys and mimosas will be available. Brunch is $42 per person. Reserve online.
Bloody Marys at Rocker Oysterfellers in Valley Ford. (Rocker Oysterfellers)
Mother’s Day Treats
Nom Nom Cakes
Nom Nom Cakes is offering spring-themed Mother’s Day specials such as floral cakes, cupcakes and fruit tarts. Prices range from $24-$85. Order online for pickup or delivery.
Scout Field Bar at Montage Healdsburg. (Rachel Weill)
Sonoma County hotel properties are rolling out new experiences and offerings for the sunny days ahead. From wildflower walks to outdoor concerts to a revamped cocktail bar, here are a few things to look forward to in Sonoma County. Click through the above gallery for details.
If you already knew everything there was to know about where you live — well, that wouldn’t be much fun, would it? To wander off the beaten path, if only for a day, is surely worth the leap of faith in this new year. Here’s our list of 50 secret Sonoma destinations and insider tips, all meant to be shared.
Click through the above gallery for a peek at our favorite secret spots in Sonoma County.
3 Secrets from Nature Photographer Jerry Dodrill
Based in Bodega, Jerry Dodrill travels the world teaching photo workshops, from Kyrgyzstan to Death Valley — but he always comes back to Sonoma eager to capture the latest sunset or stellar view. His secret spots:
“To the south of Stump Beach in Salt Point State Park are wild tafoni rock formations. To the north, when the rains are right, there’s a stunning coastal waterfall at Phillips Gulch. And north of Fisk Mill Cove is a coastal prairie with whimsical rock formations along the bluff.” Download maps at parks.ca.gov.
“Hidden in plain sight, Mount St. Helena lies at the crossroads of Sonoma, Lake, and Napa counties. The North Summit, guarded by an arduous walk or bike up a steep service road, beginning on the Napa side in Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, is the highest point around at nearly 4,500 feet. Spectacular 360-degree views stretch all the way to the Sierra on a clear day.” parks.ca.gov.
“Fort Ross Road offers a visual feast, especially on days when the coast is socked in with fog. You can drive or, if you feel ambitious, bike up the steep single-lane road from Highway 1. Once out of the deep forest and above the fog, take in big views up and down the coast range at sunset.” East of Highway 1 near Fort Ross State Historic Park.
Shoreline landscape of Tafoni formation, rocks and ocean at Salt Point State Park. (Danita Delimont/Shutterstock)
Just Like Paris
At night, the narrow alley alongside La Gare French Restaurant in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square is a magical dining spot, as lights twinkle overhead and retro favorites like cherries jubilee flambé glow against the red-brick walls. As a line cook told us, “People call up and reserve the alley because it’s the only place they want to eat.”
Think Prometheus meets the Jetsons: The retro, free-standing fireplaces from Malm have been built by a family-owned business in Santa Rosa since 1960. Made of porcelain, brass, copper, or stainless steel, the designs are coveted by collectors around the world.
Miracle Plum is a downtown wine and kitchenware shop full of treasures. But our most delightful discovery there? The 2-inch paletas in the freezer, just $1 each, and just right for a messy preschooler — “or a not-very-hungry grown-up,” quips co-owner Sallie Miller.
Miracle Plum is housed in a building built in 1913 near Railroad Square in Santa Rosa. (Miracle Plum)
Camp Like a Rock Star
Hit the road less traveled with the keys to a Land Rover Defender 110 in your hand and a rooftop tent overhead. Bohemian Highway Travel Co. provides the uber-cool Rover, camping equipment, and a map. You bring your sleeping bag and sense of adventure.
707-204-9660, bohohwy.com.
Flowers on Your Honor
On Sundays during growing season, the designers at Dragonfly Floral leave the week’s leftover blooms out on a cart in front of the farmstand. It’s take what you like and pay what you will — or leave a small gift like a jar of jam in trade.
Arrangement by Dragonfly Floral in Healdsburg. (Courtesy photo)
Sweet-Tasting Mushrooms
Candy cap mushrooms, which taste sweet and smell like maple syrup, are foraged along the Sonoma Coast, mixed with spices like star anise and cloves, then extracted with rye spirit to create Alley 6 Craft Distillery’s Candy Cap Bitters. Co-founder Jason Jorgenson recommends them in a Manhattan or Old-Fashioned, or, above all, in this warm winter cocktail, dubbed “The Fun Guy.”
1401 Grove St., Unit D, Healdsburg. 707-484-3593, alley6.com.
“The Fun Guy” Recipe
1½ oz Alley 6 Rye Whiskey
½ oz Alley 6 Nocino walnut liqueur
½ oz Bauchant Orange Liqueur
A few dashes of Alley 6 Candy Cap Bitters
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail glass. Stir together with ice and garnish with burnt orange peel.
Candy Cap Bitters from Alley 6. (Courtesy of Alley 6)
One-of-a-kind Coffee
Café Scooteria is an only-in-Sonoma mash-up of scooter mechanic shop and open-way-early coffee stand. Their lattes are pretty darn terrific.
455 W. Napa St., Sonoma. 707-938-0800.
Three Little-Known Weekend Drives
Visit stunning Knights Valley, taking Highway 128 from Alexander Valley near Healdsburg east toward Calistoga. Along the way, you’ll pass a trout farm, a Wagyu cattle ranch, and several remote wineries all nestled in a quiet valley where it seems as if time has stopped.
Coleman Valley Road, heading west from Occidental to the coast. Once it emerges emerge from the woods and the road plateaus into prairie pastureland (but before it descends to Highway 1) is one of the best spots around to watch the sunset.
Stewarts Point—Skaggs Springs Road from Lake Sonoma to Stewarts Point is a delightfully curvy run through the redwoods and passing over the charming truss Haupt Creek Bridge, with plenty of pullouts for vistas and trails along the way. The prize at the end: A delicious lunch at Twofish Baking at the tiny Stewarts Point Store.
Owl Hot Spot
Hard-core birdwatchers use “owl” as a verb, as in, “Let’s go owling tonight.” And one of the best spots to owl is at the wooded corner of Salmon Creek Road and Fitzpatrick Lane, a few miles northwest of the town of Bodega (there’s a small pullout along the road, with space for a few cars). Really, it’s more “bird listening” than “birdwatching,” as just after dusk, you will start to hear high-pitched pygmy owls with their sharp hoots, followed by saw-whet owls, and, if you’re really lucky, perhaps a spotted owl. Happy night-birding!
Just One Tree
Nearly hidden alongside Juilliard Park in Santa Rosa, the Church of One Tree was built in 1873 from a single, massive, 18-foot-wide, 275-foot-tall redwood tree milled in Guerneville.
From baguettes to brioche, all of the breads and pastries from the new Deer Park Bread Project are crafted from naturally fermented sourdough with an emphasis on organic, ancient grains and flours. deerparkbreadproject.com.
The Donum Estate tasting room in Sonoma. (Courtesy of Donum Estate)People Tree, 2017, by Subodh Gupta at The Donum Estate in Sonoma. (Robert Berg)Inside the Donum Estate tasting room in Sonoma. (Eric Petschek/Donum Estate)
Winery as Museum
The world-class open-air sculpture collection at the Donum Estate, nestled in the southern Carneros, can come as a surprise to guests focused more on single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Tastings include a tour of works from Yayoi Kusama, Ai Weiwei, and other superstars.
Lea Goode-Harris describes herself as not only a Ph.D., but also “an artist for the body, mind, and soul.” If that seems puzzling, put it this way: her hand-built labyrinths are mesmerizing, experiential works of land art, meant to be walked, retraced, and cherished from a bird’s-eye view. For an introduction to her work, try the lavender labyrinth at Bees N Blooms (3883 Petaluma Hill Rd., Santa Rosa) or the Snoopy Labyrinth at the Schulz Museum (2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa).
The Lost Church isn’t a church at all — it’s a new, speakeasy-style music hall shepherded by local bandleader Josh Windmiller. Featuring a varied lineup of jazz, blues, and singer-songwriter types, it’s just the kind of small-scale independent performance space we need. A must-go this winter.
Enter on Ross Street between Mendocino Avenue and B Street, Santa Rosa. Show schedules at thelostchurch.org.
Storia Home in Sebastopol. (Courtesy of Storia Home)Decor at Storia Home in Sebastopol. (Courtesy of Storia Home)
3 Secrets from Interior Designer Gina Gutierrez
Gina Gutierrez recently opened Storia Home in Sebastopol to share her thrill of discovery with others. Here are a few places she loves, plus a rare find from her own shop.
“Elizaberry Shop is a woman-owned, primarily online small business in Forestville that makes stunning polymer clay earrings, drawing inspiration from the desert, coast, and flowers.”
Follow @elizaberry.shop on Instagram for info on in-person popups. elizaberryshop.com.
“I always love dropping by B-Side Flower Farmstand, where in winter, owner Lennie Larkin has seasonal dried wreaths perfect for your front door as well as ranunculus bulbs ready for planting.”
“Storia Home, my shop, has decor, art, textiles, and furniture, and everything tells a story. Check out the antique butter press from the late 1800s —it would make a showstopper of a coffee table.”
Climb atop a logjam, glide down an embankment slide, or get comfortable in the super-sized replica of a red-tailed hawk nest at Taylor Mountain’s Red Tail Play Area.
3820 Petaluma Hill Rd., Santa Rosa. 707-539-8092, parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov.
Quick North Coast Day Trip
Hike past lush ferns and towering redwoods to stick your toes in the sand on the isolated beach at Stillwater Cove Regional Park. After that, it’s a 20-minute drive north for a meal in the newly-renovated dining room at The Sea Ranch Lodge.
Stillwater Cove Regional Park north of Fort Ross. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat)The new restaurant at The Sea Ranch Lodge. (Carlos Chavrría)
Burger from The Sea Ranch Lodge restaurant. (Courtesy photo)
3 Secrets from Chef Melanie Wilkerson
It should come as no surprise that Melanie Wilkerson of Sonoma’s FolkTable knows where to find the good stuff — after all, the restaurant was just named a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Sonoma Garden Park: “When you think of community, think Sonoma Garden Park. From vegetable and pollinator gardens to space for yoga and meditation, it gives that sense of grounding we all desire.”
Valley Bar + Bottle: “It’s one of my favorite places — maybe not as much of a secret now. The wine list is approachable and imaginative, and their cuisine shows off the locally curated menu and the attention to detail I love as a chef.”
Goguette Bread: “If you can get your hands on this perfection, it’s worth the wait. I was introduced to them when I first arrived in Sonoma in 2020, and have dreamed of their bread ever since.” Order ahead online.
Soraya Salamati, 11, brushes on the olive oil over Pain aux olives before her mother Najine Shariat sprinkles a little salt on the loaves at Goguette Bread in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Rare Finds
In Petaluma’s historic district, Maude Rare Finds is an exquisitely assembled boutique full of hand-loomed textiles and small-batch perfumes. And after a few years moonlighting as a small shop in the back room of Maude Rare Finds, mother-daughter team Laural and Lily Reid just opened the standalone version of Good Gray, their housewares and design boutique, in nearby Penngrove. The airy, modern space is a wonderland of difficult-to-find treasures such as Japanese stationery, linen aprons, beeswax candles, and more.
10 Western Ave., Petaluma. 707-763-1858, maudeshop.com. 9591 Main St., Penngrove. 707-755-4535, goodgray.com.
Gravity Hill
A rite of passage for many a bored local teenager, and the inspiration for a song from indie singer Danny Sorentino, Gravity Hill is a surreal spot up in the hills overlooking Sonoma State University, where it feels like your car breaks the laws of nature. Instructions: The spot is located 2.4 miles up Lichau Road off Roberts Road, which is off Petaluma Hill Road. At the top of the hill on Lichau Road, look for a sign that says “Gracias Santiago.” When you cross the cattle guard, look for a sloping grade that clearly seems to run downhill. Go forward about 20 feet, stop, throw the car in neutral, and get ready to lose your mind as the car appears to roll uphill back toward the cattle guard. Trippy, right?
Pantry of Wonders
The extraordinary display of canned goods — house-made preserves, ketchup, and vinegars — at reopened slow-food mecca The Naked Pig is well worth a look. Weekend brunch is super-yum (try the whiskey-caramel waffles), and chef/owner Dalia Martinez says she is adding dinner service two nights a week in the new year.
Dalia Martinez of The Naked Pig. (Chris Hardy/Sonoma Magazine)
Another Awesome Mash-Up
Jack’s Filling Station in Sonoma is the only place we know (probably the only place anywhere!) where you can fill up your tank and walk out with a vintage vinyl record and a bottle of natural wine from an up-and-coming winemaker. We love their tiger sweatshirts, too — locals-only swag for sure.
Witness the creative process as master bronze sculptors at Santa Rosa’s Bronze Plus Art Foundry pour liquid metal into molds or fire-polish designs destined for galleries and libraries.
120 Todd Rd., Santa Rosa. Open by appointment; call 707-829-0716.
Landmark Watering Hole
It’s been decades since Ernie Sr. put up a sign at Ernie’s Tin Bar advertising “$1.75 Cold Beer” at the corner of Lakeville Highway and Stage Gulch Road. It may well be one of the cheapest beers you can swill in a bar ’round here. But just so you know, you’ll be getting Hamm’s in the can. “People usually just have one of those, and then go to a beer they can actually stand,” says Ernie Jr.
5100 Lakeville Hwy., Petaluma. 707-762-2075.
Ernie’s Tin Bar on Lakeville Highway in Petaluma. (Erik Castro/for Sonoma Magazine)A few friends chat over beers and peanuts at Ernie’s Tin Bar on Lakeville Highway in Petaluma. (Erik Castro/for Sonoma Magazine)
3 Secrets from Master Distiller Ashby Marshall
Ashby Marshall is a devotee of the organic, grain-to-glass movement at Spirit Works Distillery in Sebastopol. Her favorite local bars share an undiscovered, independent spirit.
“The Starling Bar in Sonoma is extra-awesome because of its secret menu of cannabis-infused spirit cocktails. You have to ask at the bar to see it.”
“Another great place is the extra-divey Whiskey Tip in Santa Rosa. Not only do they make Manhattans with Spirit Works rye whiskey, but their Friday night karaoke events are very popular. “They’re as good — and as bad — as you can imagine.”
1910 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa. 707-843-5535
“Valley Ford’s Rocker Oysterfeller’s has expanded dining options in the gardens, among mounds of discarded oyster shells, and it’s really lovely. But the real secret is this: Their ‘hot butter’ sauce is great on oysters, but it’s even better in your Bloody Mary. You’ve got to ask the bartender for it.”
Botany Zhi is an urban jungle of carefully cared-for indoor plants, featuring an enormous, overarching monstera plant that practically takes over the store.
Lewis Deng is the owner of Botany Zhi in downtown Santa Rosa. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)
An Angel Wing Begonia at Botany Zhi in Santa Rosa on Friday, May 14, 2021. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat)
Lumberyard Studio
Barn 5400 is a new marketplace and maker space inside a former lumberyard outside Petaluma. One of many standouts here: Kickwheel Sonoma, the working studio of ceramicist Andrew M. Kontrabecki, who has created custom designs for chefs, and offers ceramics classes to the public (kickwheelsonoma.com).
5400 Old Redwood Highway N., Petaluma. barn5400.com.
Borrow Away
From routers to stud finders to wheelbarrows, the Santa Rosa Tool Library lends tools for free to any Sonoma County resident over the age of 18. That’s right — totally free. Why? Because it’s the neighborly thing to do, and founder Dustin Zuckerman believes money shouldn’t prevent weekend warriors from basking in all their DIY glory.
As much museum as shop, Sebastopol’s Sagestone Gallery is filled with fossils, crystals, agates, ammonites, and polished round stones that look for all the world like crystal balls straight out of a Disney movie.
Roof 106 bar at the Matheson in Healsburg. (Michael Woolsey)The poolside bar at The Lodge at Sonoma. (Courtesy of The Lodge at Sonoma)
Surprise Decor
More and more, restaurateurs are incorporating unique finds into the design of their spaces.
At Healdsburg’s The Matheson, the walnut wine tasting table was custom-carved in the shape of the state of California (thematheson.com).
The Lodge at Sonoma features a vintage horse trailer turned into a poolside bar (thelodgeatsonoma.com).
And at the Seismic Brewing Co. tasting room at The Barlow in Sebastopol, a swoopy, floor-to-ceiling wood-paneled nook with a built-in bench is perfect for settling in with a made-in-Sonoma craft beer (seismicbrewingco.com).
You don’t have to be religious to marvel at architect James Hubbell’s Sea Ranch Chapel, a wondrous creation of local wood, wrought iron, stained glass, and slate. The magical winged roof is just visible from nearby Highway 1.
The branches of a beautiful, century-old live oak tree, surrounded by vineyards at the Belden Barns winery, are flush with hopes and dreams.
5561 Sonoma Mountain Rd., Santa Rosa. 415-577-8552, beldenbarns.com.
Culinary Students Feed Us Well
The Santa Rosa Junior College’s Culinary Café and Bakery is a cutting-edge training kitchen for chefs on the rise (Steven Vargas of Petaluma’s Table Culture Provisions trained there). Try a Korean fried-chicken sandwich with kimchi slaw (just $12) or a winter salad with beets and Cara Cara oranges grown by sustainable ag students at the college’s Shone Farm ($9). The café was closed last fall because of the pandemic but hopes to reopen in February.
If you’ve never stopped at the little pink-and-white striped building along Highway 1 in Bodega Bay, you’re missing out. Patrick’s of Bodega Bay stocks more than 80 flavors of salt water taffy, including sugar-free varieties and our pick, peppermint.
Italian pastry from Stellina Pronto in Petaluma. (Stellina Pronto)
Founded in 1858, Petaluma is brimming with old-school charm. Add in a pedestrian-friendly downtown full of excellent restaurants, wine tasting rooms, craft distilleries and shops and you’ve got all the makings of a primo Wine Country getaway. Click through the gallery above for a few favorite things to do in Petaluma.
Mya Constantino and Maci Martell contributed to this article.
Alfresco food and wine pairings are a dime a dozen in Wine Country this time of year, but a special outdoor dinner at the end of May at Healdsburg’s Preston Farm and Winery is creating a lot of buzz this spring.
While culinary experiences at Sonoma County wineries usually focus on wine, the upcoming dinner in Healdsburg is all about honeybees.
“It’s going to be something totally different,” said Candice Koseba, the founder of Sonoma County Bee Company, who is organizing the event in collaboration with Preston Farm and Winery and Field Day CA.
A first of its kind in Sonoma County, the Bee Inspired Dinner on May 20 is shaping up to be a delicious event for people passionate about bees, food and wine.
Preston Farm and Winery will provide the wine and the beautiful Dry Creek Valley setting, to the tunes of live music. Chef Aaron Koseba (Candice’s husband and former chef de cuisine at Single Thread restaurant in Healdsburg) will prepare a multicourse meal. And the Field Day CA bus, a school bus turned prep kitchen by local chef Naomi Mcleod, will be parked in the vineyards.
“The dinner will be constructed around what’s available on the farm and the bounty of Candice’s hives,” said Ken Blair, Sales Director at Preston Farm and Winery. “The wines will be chosen to complement Aaron’s dishes that he constructs from these raw materials.”
Candice Koseba, founder of Sonoma County Bee Company. (Jarod Reichle)Harvesting honey for Sonoma County Bee Company. (Jarod Reichle)
The dinner menu is yet to be revealed but it will, of course, feature honey as its star ingredient. Guests also will be able to taste different kinds of honey side by side and with the aid of a colorful honey flavor wheel, making it easier to detect differences in flavor, aroma and texture.
“I am infusing herbs and flowers into honey as we speak, and also fermenting garlic in honey,” said Koseba. “I want [guests] to taste some fun honey creations that I enjoy at home … I want everyone to feel a little more love for bees than they already do and have a tasty meal.”
In addition to serving up honey for the dinner — in collaboration with her beloved bees, Koseba plans to take dinner guests on a journey through the lifecycle of a honeybee colony. While showing guests the newly designed beehives she tends to at the Healdsburg winery, she will explain how beekeepers determine when it is safe to harvest honey and why bees are so fiercely loyal to their queen.
The Bee Inspired Dinner on May 20 at Preston Farm and Winery is $165 per person, which includes a Sonoma County Bee Company gift set to take home. Preston Farm and Winery, 9282 West Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. Purchase tickets at fielddayca.com
If you can’t make it to dinner
Sonoma County Bee Company’s Instagram account has a wealth of information for people eager to learn more about bees and beekeeping. It features videos and posts on a variety of bee-related subjects, from an enthralling video of Koseba rescuing and relocating honeybee nests to educational posts on how to infuse honey or what to do if you see a honeybee swarm (don’t panic, give Koseba a call).
You can learn more about how Koseba got into beekeeping in this Sonoma Magazine article, and purchase raw honey and other products, like beeswax candles and herb salves made with beeswax, lavender, calendula and olive oil, on the Sonoma County Bee Company website. Koseba’s products also are available at Montage Healdsburg, where she leads excursions that offer guests a fascinating glimpse into the daily lives of Wine Country’s hardworking honeybees.
