With summer around the corner, it’s time to start relishing the season. Eating is one good way to do that. Why not enhance the experience with a few local luxuries available in Sonoma stores? We’ve picked just a few of our favorites. Get in those stores and find them plus a few favorites of your own — click through the above gallery for details.
Sweet Sonoma Buys to Enhance Summer Meals
Make your summer meals more stylish with these pretty items available in Sonoma stores.
Mid century mixology: Add some style to your cocktail shaking with this brass shaker and sieve. Shot glasses are available, too, for stylish drinking. $59.95 (shaker), $22 (strainer), $17 (shot glass), Storia Home, 961 Gravenstein Highway S. Suite 130, Sebastopol, 415-501-0024, storiahome.com (Karen Kizer)
Elevate your glass: Cocktail glassware is lovely, but how about kicking up the texture game with a pottery cocktail cup? This beauty is by Indianapolis-based Gravesco Pottery. $32, Storia Home, 961 Gravenstein Highway S. Suite 130, Sebastopol, 415-501-0024, storiahome.com (Storia Home)
Layering 101: Speaking of texture, how about this gritty and pretty sandstone tealight holder? The hyacinth “flower” placemat provides a playful base, and the look is topped off with pretty linen napkins. Storia Home, 961 Gravenstein Highway S. Suite 130, Sebastopol, 415-501-0024, storiahome.com (Storia Home)
Dip local: A tasty Healdsburg-made salsa (Tienda Salsita) pairs perfectly with this handmade bowl by Earthen of San Francisco. $15 (salsa), $44 and up (bowl), Storia Home, 961 Gravenstein Highway S., Suite 130, Sebastopol, 415-501-0024, storiahome.com (Karen Kizer)
Pitcher perfect: These ceramic pitchers have a wonderful “pinch” to their form and the stripes are hand painted. The recycled-glass handcrafted drinkware is a staple in Morocco. These and other finds at Bay-Ti Home are imported from Morocco by the store’s owner, Rachid Hassani. $44 (pitcher), Bay-Ti Home, 1 Fourth St., Petaluma, 707-774-6561, baytihome.com (Karen Kizer)
Artisan offerings: Jute placemats add emphasis and texture to this hand-painted plate available in this lovely teal and a variety of other colors. $25 (placemat), $18 and up (dishwater), Bay-Ti Home, 1 Fourth St., Petaluma, 707-774-6561, baytihome.com (Karen Kizer)
Delicate details: Linen and tiny embroidered details make for a pretty napkin. This one was made by hand in Morocco. $15 (napkin), Bay-Ti Home, 1 Fourth St., Petaluma, 707-774-6561, baytihome.com (Karen Kizer)
Add an accent: A good meal begins at your feet. That is, a rug provides an attractive base for the whole dining event. For dining alfresco, this indoor-outdoor rug is a good option. Made from recycled materials, these can be washed with a hose and come in a variety of styles–from super colorful to black and white. $64 (4’ x 6’), $138 (6’ x 9’), BOHO Bungalow, 3692 Bohemian Highway, 707-874-6030, 125 N. Main St., Sebastopol, 707-861-9241; 143 Kentucky St., Petaluma, 707-874-6030, thebohobungalow.com (Karen Kizer)
Tastemaker: Cocktails, mocktails and salad dressing are tastier with a little infusion added. Little Apple Treats of Sebastopol makes their shrubs using the yield from their orchard which grows several varieties of apples, including the area's cherished Gravenstein. Several flavors are available, including Meyer Lemon/Blood Orange and Strawberry/Pink Peppercorn. $24.95, Storia Home, 961 Gravenstein Highway S. Suite 130, Sebastopol, 415-501-0024, storiahome.com (Storia Home)
That’s a wrap: Alfresco dining might mean an evening chill. A Turkish towel can be a useful wrap. (It is a wonderful towel, too.) We love Bon Ton Studio’s line which offers a variety of playful colors plus many tonal options. $28, Bon Ton Studio, 20 Matheson St., Healdsburg, bonton-studio.com (Bon Ton Studio)
Paper play: The classic paper plate of picnics past is available in melamine. These cuties have farmy designs and are dishwasher safe. $8 (each), The Corner Store, 498 First St. E., Sonoma, 707-996-2211, thecornerstore.carrd.co (Karen Kizer)