Crisp, sunny mornings of springtime always bring the promise of new beginnings, so it’s fitting that April marks the start of a new era for one of the oldest certified farmers markets in the state.

The Healdsburg Farmers’ Market will kick off the season in a brand-new spot: the $10-million Foley Family Community Pavilion, which opened in December after years of construction and rehabilitation on a former cannery and warehouse near City Hall in downtown Healdsburg. The new digs include a covered structure and an adjacent open-air parking lot. Together, they comprise the market’s first permanent home since it started in 1978.

The first market of spring always has a special energy to it, as local farmers and artisans fill their displays with bunches of crisp radishes, bundles of rhubarb, freshly baked bread, and bottles of olive oil. But this year when they pull up to the new pavilion to unload their trucks and cars on April 11, it will mark the realization of a decades-long dream.

Yael Bernier, co-owner of Bernier Farms in Geyserville, remembers fantasizing about a dedicated spot when her husband, Paul, started the market with some other farmers 48 years ago. “We always wanted a place to call our own,” she says. “Having a permanent home pays respect to those farmers who work so hard to bring this food to Healdsburg.”

Renee Kiff, whose family owns Ridgeview Farm in Healdsburg, adds that it feels good after all these years to settle down. Kiff, a local historian, noted that after starting in an abandoned prune-drying plant on Haydon and East streets, the market moved several times, from a tiny space in an alley to the empty lot where Hotel Healdsburg now sits. The market has been held in the parking lot behind the hotel since the late 1990s.

The new spot has two things none of its predecessors did: space and shelter.

Market manager Janet Ciel said her team will leverage the shelter for the comfort of both shoppers and purveyors. “On bad weather days we can squeeze a few more vendors onto the platform, so we can have as many vendors as possible attend,” says Ciel. “This means customers are protected too, obviously, and even on stormy or blazing days we will have good-sized markets worth attending.”

The footprint of the pavilion and the parking lot is larger than previous locations, and on market days (Tuesdays and Saturdays) the city will shut North Street between City Hall and Little Saint, giving marketgoers more room to roam. Currently the Healdsburg Farmers’ Market runs from April to December. While many locals have clamored for a year-round schedule, Ciel says the new facility has no plans to host that — at least, not yet.

Local farmers waited nearly 50 years for a permanent home; for now, they just want to enjoy it.

Book it!

In addition to new digs, this spring Healdsburg Farmers’ Market also will celebrate the release of a new cookbook, written by local award-winning author Liza Gershman.

The book, “Farm + Market: Healdsburg,” will debut in early spring and will comprise about 100 recipes — many from local farmers and chefs. Among the contributors: Melissa and Sean McGaughey of Quail & Condor and Troubadour, Duskie Estes, Dustin Valette, Charlie Palmer, and Ari Rosen, who owned the much-missed Campo Fina restaurant.

Proceeds from the book will benefit the Healdsburg Farmers’ Market. For more information, visit healdsburgbook.com.

The post Healdsburg Welcomes New Permanent Home for Local Farmers appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Connections are intentional for husband-and-wife duo Chris Schultz and Anne Driscoll.

In 2021, the Healdsburg residents founded Cosmico, an independent music festival designed to introduce music lovers to up-and-coming bands across multiple genres. They also run the nonprofit Launch Pad Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting people who build community through creativity and collaboration.

Most recently, Schultz published “Analog: How To Love Your Work, and Not Wait for Retirement To Live the Good Life,” a book about what it means to live and work with intention, a theme Schultz says is a throughline in the couple’s collaborations.

“Whether it’s a festival, a book, or a local project, our mission is the same: help people find their path, trust their calling, and choose themselves,” he says.

This year’s Cosmico — now called Analog Reunion — is scheduled for May 15-17, and Schultz and Driscoll have already announced early additions to the weekend lineup, including folk rock artist Alex Amen and soul rocker Maggie Koerner. Tickets on sale now at cosmi.co.

The Cosmico difference

Chris: A lot of festivals aim for the same things: the biggest bands, the most commercial success. We are, by design, smaller and more independent. We are more discovery-focused; people trust us to introduce them to new music. We work hard to book awesome bands you’ve never heard of. We want you to be able to see a show at Cosmico, then see the same band years later and say, ‘I saw them at Cosmico first.’ That’s the goal.

Changing venues

Anne: We are moving locations. Last year we had the festival at Dawn Ranch in Guerneville. This year we’re bringing it back to Healdsburg, to Wildhaven Sonoma, a glamping spot on the Russian River on the north end of town. We’re also calling it a reunion this year, because of the idea that people keep coming back to it.

All about connection

Chris: The book is an effort to reflect on the things in life that have been important to me. It’s about putting your hands on the wheel of your life. Finding joy through analog experiences is the way I describe it. It’s really about connection. Connecting with people in the community; being connected with your family. The title also references the disconnection we feel in our digital lives. Ultimately, I think the path to meaning is through service and helping people. That’s a big part of what we try to do with Cosmico.

Calling Sonoma County home

Anne: We are so lucky to live somewhere where people are creative and constantly thinking of ways to celebrate the incredible resources we have at our fingertips. Between the two of us, we’ve seen a lot of the world. There’s no place quite like this one.

The post ‘Analog Reunion’ Bringing Indie Music, Connection to the Russian River appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

The stream of accolades for Healdsburg continues, the latest arriving from geography-focused website WorldAtlas, which recently named the northern Sonoma County city the friendliest small town in California, citing its welcoming vineyards, lively jazz festivals, charming 19th-century inns, art scene, unique lodging options and wine tasting experiences.

Set at the confluence of the Russian River, Dry Creek and Alexander valleys, Healdsburg has earned its reputation as a polished yet approachable base camp for exploring Wine Country. For travelers planning a return — or a first visit — the following stops offer a well-rounded introduction.

Wine Tasting in Healdsburg

With three renowned wine regions converging at its edges, the town presents an embarrassment of riches for oenophiles.

Bacchus Landing (14210 Bacchus Landing), a contemporary compound just minutes from the Healdsburg Plaza, is home to multiple boutique producers — including Aldina, Comstock, Convene by Dan Kosta, Dot Wine, Solo Nostro and Smith Story Wine Cellars — making it possible to compare styles without moving the car. The central piazza often hosts live music and community markets, giving the experience a festive air.

Medlock Ames (13414 Chalk Hill Road) pairs organically farmed Bordeaux-style wines with an immersive sound experience. Guests can wander the 338-acre Bell Mountain Ranch while listening to an audio program, recorded onsite, that culminates in a guided tasting of five wines that underscores the winery’s sustainability ethos.

At Aperture Cellars, Jesse Katz, named Winemaker of the Year in 2025 by Wine Enthusiast, focuses on meticulously crafted blends and single-varietal bottlings. The sleek tasting room doubles as a gallery space for large-scale photography by his father, Andy Katz, adding a visual counterpoint to the wines in the glass from labels Devil Proof, Collage and Aperture.

Where to Eat in Healdsburg

Restaurants here reflect the surrounding farmland, with menus shaped by the seasons.

Across from the Plaza, The Matheson (106 Matheson St.) houses two restaurants under one roof. On the ground floor, the main dining room presents refined, ingredient-driven plates. Upstairs, Roof 106 offers a more casual experience with pizza, small plates and cocktails, as well as an open-air vantage point over town. The location has special meaning to chef Valette; his great-grandfather operated his first Sonoma County bakery here almost a century ago.

Executive chef Shane McAnelly has built a dedicated following since taking over the reins at Dry Creek Kitchen (317 Healdsburg Ave.). Guests can opt for a three-course seasonal menu or a lengthier tasting progression, including a pasta-focused option. Whichever you choose, save room for dessert crafted by pastry chef Taylor Kelley.

It’s Oktoberfest every day at Tisza Bistro (165 Healdsburg Ave.), a German-Hungarian restaurant that turns out excellent Bavarian pretzels, housemade bratwurst and a variety of schnitzels. Open for lunch and dinner; closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Little Saint (25 North St.) showcases the range of plant-based cooking in a sleek, spacious building that also houses a coffee bar, a wine lounge and a cocktail bar. Its intimate events space is fast becoming one of the hottest music venues in the country, with performances by artists such as Beck, Rufus Wainwright, and Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker of boygenius; plus, an upcoming show by St. Vincent. Programming includes free live music every Thursday night.

Arts and Culture in Healdsburg

Wine and food may draw visitors, but the arts help persuade them to linger.

The recently opened True West Film Center (371 Healdsburg Ave.) screens new releases and classics, as well as special programming carefully curated by John Cooper, the former director of the Sundance Film Festival.

At The Harris Gallery Art & Wine Collection (320 Healdsburg Ave.), paintings by M.C. Harris and his son, Alexander Harris (who goes by A3l3xzand3r), are displayed just steps from the Plaza, often accompanied by pours from the family’s wine label.

In Healdsburg, even hotels participate in the creative exchange. Harmon Guest House (227 Healdsburg Ave.) integrates rotating works by local artists throughout its public spaces, inviting guests and passersby alike to treat the hotel as an informal gallery. The property’s Art Walk website serves as a handy guide. Head to The Rooftop for bites, cocktails and views of the Sonoma hills, Fitch Mountain and downtown Healdsburg.

Stay the Night in Healdsburg

If a day trip feels rushed, check into one of Healdsburg’s charismatic hotels.

The Cottages at Little Saint (425 Foss St.) comprises four vividly redesigned guest cottages, courtesy of creative director Ken Fulk. Tucked into a quiet neighborhood near downtown, they extend the ethos of its sister restaurant into residential form.

Appellation Healdsburg (101 Dovetail Ln.) is the flagship property of chef Charlie Palmer’s new hospitality company. Here, the emphasis is culinary from the outset, with an on-site restaurant upon entry and a rooftop bar with expansive views. In addition to its 108 rooms and suites, the property features a spa and a fitness center.

The post Healdsburg Named the Friendliest Small Town in California appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

When Alexis Coulter moved home to Millbrae after graduating from St. John’s University in New York, she decided to do two “adult things.” One: Find a job — she was soon hired as an executive assistant at a San Mateo tech company — and two: Join a wine club — BACA Wines in Healdsburg. Little did she know that joining that club would pave the way for a Wine Country romance and her eventual marriage.

Although Cody Johnson and Alexis grew up only a few miles apart (he was from Burlingame) and had mutual friends, they didn’t meet until Alexis tried the dating app Hinge. When it matched her with Cody, an electrician who had moved back to the Peninsula after graduating from Chico State, Alexis quips, “For once, an online dating app got it right.”

After they began dating, the couple, who now live in South San Francisco, explored Wine Country — which included a visit to BACA. “We fell in love with Healdsburg,” says Alexis.

Nearly five years later during a family trip to Cabo San Lucas for her mother’s birthday, with the permission of Alexis’ parents, Cody “hijacked” the trip and popped the question during an unplanned stop at the beach on the way to dinner.

Soon after, the planning for their May wedding began. The couple decided to hold a prenuptial welcome wine-and-pizza party at BACA, and their wedding at Ru’s Farm, also in Healdsburg. They were adamant about using local vendors.

“It was important that we get married in Healdsburg. We wanted Wine Country to be a part of our love story,” Alexis says.

Ru’s Farm, with its naturally beautiful landscape of olive trees, lush lavender, and an iconic oak tree, provided the perfect setting for a theme of “modern minimalism with organic vineyard charm.” The couple chose sage green, ivories, and wood tones as their palette. They liked that Ru’s allowed liquor as well as wine, since their families “love a good cocktail,” Alexis says with a laugh. They chose to serve watermelon margaritas and transfusions, a cocktail of grape juice, ginger ale, and vodka.

Despite a late spring heat wave, the wedding came off without a hitch. They exchanged vows and kissed to guests’ applause beneath the cool shade of the majestic oak tree. The couple says everyone was “in awe” of the venue and the farm-to-table food served at the reception. After dinner they cut a small, heart-shaped cake while guests enjoyed cool treats served from a vintage Volkswagen truck by Angela’s Organic Ice Cream.

“We are forever grateful for the memories we created (at Ru’s) with our loved ones,” Alexis says.

Resources

Venue: Ru’s Farm

Planner: Lauren Miller Events

Photography: Ashley Carlascio

Catering: Park Avenue Catering

Florals: Blushing Blooms Creative

Hair and Makeup: Contour Bridal

Dress: Bridal Breeze

DJ: Caliber DJs

Content Creator: My Biggest Adventure

Dessert: Angela’s Ice Cream

Cake: It’s Sugarlicious

Rentals: Encore Events Rentals

The post Bay Area Couple ‘Forever Grateful’ for Healdsburg Farm Wedding appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

In the fading light of a late summer afternoon, Olivia Fleming and Brooks Schaffer stood together in the back garden of Barndiva, surrounded by 160 friends and family. As they exchanged vows, there was one detail almost no one knew: the couple had already married two days prior, in a quiet ceremony with just immediate family at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Healdsburg.

For Olivia, the church was a place of personal significance; she had been confirmed there and her parents remain active members.

“We were really intentional having this small, intimate wedding first. It was this special moment where you get to be really present,” says Olivia.

In a scene straight out of a small-town romance, Olivia made her way to St. Paul’s in a flowing white gown, escorted by her father from Ivy House, the vine-covered home the couple had rented for the weekend’s celebrations.

“All these people were stopping and honking — this is such a cute, small-town thing,” recalls Olivia.

Olivia and Brooks met a decade earlier at Outside Lands in San Francisco through mutual friends. But it wasn’t until five years later, when Olivia moved back to the Bay Area after living on the East Coast, that they started dating. Today, she serves as chief of staff at LinkedIn, while Brooks runs his own wealth management company.

With the help of a wedding coordinator, the couple meticulously planned their second ceremony at Barndiva, ensuring that the celebration, which welcomed a larger circle of family and friends, was as special as the first.

Barndiva, a favorite dining spot of Olivia’s family during her childhood, was the natural venue choice. From their carefully choreographed first dance to the evening’s signature cocktail, the Tipsy Dipsea, the celebration was filled with personal touches. The drink was a tribute to the couple’s first date, when they hiked the iconic Dipsea Trail at Stinson Beach.

“We wanted to capture the essence of who we are and what we enjoy in life,” says Olivia.

As the evening progressed, guests dined beneath the soft glow of lanterns hanging from a pergola, savoring seasonal dishes and indulging in a decadent dessert bar laden with lemon meringue tartlets, raspberry almond cake, and cream puffs.

Later, with the night in full swing, Olivia changed into a shorter dress and joined Brooks on the dance floor, where they celebrated the start of their married life with friends. As the festivities drew to a close, the couple sent guests home with a personal memento: bottles of olive oil sourced from the trees at Olivia’s childhood home.

Resources

Venue and Caterer: Barndiva

Event Planner: The Directive

Photographer: Kreate Photography

Videographer: Jana Contreras Photography

Dress: Mira Zwillinger

Hair and Makeup: Marisa Perel

DJ/Music: The BoomBox

Florals: Ampersand

Photo booth: The Booth Bus

The post Personal Touches Create Memorable Moments at Healdsburg Wedding appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

If you’d like to take a break from drinking, but not from your social life, Sonoma County’s bar and restaurant scene has plenty of alcohol-free options. And we’re not just talking tonic water.

The growing popularity of zero-proof spirits has been a game-changer for mixologists, giving mocktails all the flavor and complexity of their signature cocktails, minus the alcohol. The rise in sober and sober-curious drinkers has driven demand for creative, food-friendly sippers made with vinegar shrubs, herbs, fruit juices, bitters and syrups. 

We’ve lined up some favorite Sonoma County bars that serve up fabulous mocktails and nonalcoholic beverages for Dry January observers and anyone else eager for a break from booze.

Fern Bar, Sebastopol

At Fern Bar, “free spirited” beverages are given spotlight treatment on the cocktail list rather than being pushed down to the bottom of the menu. And there’s no shortage of creativity — the mocktails include top-shelf spirit alternatives with housemade shrubs and syrups made with seasonal fruits and spices.

Mocktail Faves: Try the ruby-toned Euphoria, made with nonalcoholic gin, hibiscus, jasmine, goji berry, schisandra berry and prickly pear. Or go for the Thai & Dry with coconut water Thai tea, falernum, orange, pineapple, vanilla and coconut foam. 6780 Depot St., Suite 120, Sebastopol, 707-861-9603, fernbar.com

Stark’s Steak & Seafood, Santa Rosa

Stark’s is the go-to place for classic cocktails and giant steaks, and a happy-hour hot-spot, but your visit doesn’t have to be booze-infused.

Mocktail Faves: The West County Crips leans into the region’s apple fame with apple cider, lemon, allspice syrup and Fever-Tree ginger beer. The warm, tropical Piña Coolada has caramelized pineapple, coconut, lime and orange with a brown simple syrup. Want something more old-school? Ask the bartender for a nonalcoholic version of your favorite cocktail or go for a bitter and soda — the bar offers housemade bitters. 521 Adams St., Santa Rosa, 707-546-5100, starkssteakhouse.com

Perch + Plow, Santa Rosa

Perch + Plow serves up “boozy magic” cocktails, but the restaurant’s cocktail program also includes several standard mocktails and nonalcoholic creations made on request.

Mocktail Faves: The Strawberry Mint Smash is a refreshing blend of strawberry puree, mint syrup, lime juice and club soda. The Spicy Peach Pit — with peach puree, lime juice, habanero syrup and pepper garnish — offers a sweet-spicy kick. Try their mocktail flight for a sampling of several drinks. 90 Old Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa, 707-843-3582, perchandplow.com

Bravas Bar de Tapas, Healdsburg

Bravas is a Healdsburg favorite for tapas and paella on the back patio. Their Spanish-influenced food is great with flavor-packed, seasonal mocktails.

Mocktail Faves: The Warm Apple Cider — cider infused with cinnamon, clove and orange — is perfect for cold weather, while the Pomegranate Fizz makes use of seasonal winter fruits, combined with soda for those classic bubbles. 420 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-433-7700, starkrestaurants.com

Lo & Behold, Healdsburg

Owners Laura Heffernon and Laura Sanfilippo are known for their cocktail-making magic — and that extends to alcohol-free drinks as well.

Mocktail Faves: For a tropical treat, try the Caribbean Queen, made with coconut, lime, orange and passion fruit. The Guava-Cucumber Cooler is super refreshing, while the Hibiscus Ting — with spiced hibiscus tea, lime and house ginger brew — is what La Croix dreams it could be. 214 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-756-5021, loandbeholdca.com

Lazeaway Club at The Flamingo, Santa Rosa

The lounge vibes are strong at this beachy-themed restaurant inside the Flamingo Resort. Naturally, they’ve got some tasty booze-free cocktails that make you feel like you’re on vacation.

Mocktail Faves: The No Pier Pressure is an exciting trip to Thailand with a concoction of Thai tea, honey, lime and a piña colada float. The Donald Palmer with rooibos tea, guava, lime, agave and Thai basil is a fruity refresher. It feels like a leveled-up Arnold Palmer, without the dull association to golf. 2777 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-545-8530, lazeawayclub.com

Jackson’s Bar and Oven, Santa Rosa

Having one of the most popular happy hours in Santa Rosa, Jackson’s knows what they’re doing behind the bar. The music-inspired craft cocktails are great, but the innovative mocktails shouldn’t be overlooked.

Mocktail Faves: Sweet-spicy lovers will enjoy the Crash Test Dummies, made with mango, raspberry, tamarind, lime and sparkling water with a Tajin-coated rim. The Spin Doctors — with watermelon, lime, pickled prickly pear and Topo Chico grapefruit sparkling water — is another fruity stunner. 135 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-545-6900, jacksonsbarandoven.com

Starling Bar, Sonoma

Classic California roadhouse meets Sonoma County sensibilities at Starling, where community and strong drinks go hand in hand. The nonalcoholic options are just as thoughtfully crafted, made with mostly locally sourced ingredients.

Mocktail Faves: The Letizia’s Orchard Shrub feels almost like a health tonic, but don’t let that scare you away. The soothing drink is made with an orchard-fruit compote, raw cider vinegar, organic cranberry juice, herbs and soda. If shrubs aren’t your thing, go for the vibrant Orange Pineapple Fizz, made with orange and pineapple juices, an orange reduction, cream, soda, nutmeg and aquafaba. It’s basically a Creamsicle in a glass. 19380 Highway 12, Sonoma. 707-938-7442, starlingsonoma.com

Heather Irwin, Maci Martell and Sarah Steirch contributed to this article.

The post Best Sonoma County Bars for Mocktails and Nonalcoholic Drinks appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Quite possibly the most popular “hair of the dog” drink, the bloody mary is an American icon. While its origins are debated (various bartenders claim to have invented it in early 20th century New York City), as is its name (Queen Mary or actress Mary Pickford?), there’s no doubt that this spicy libation is a go-to when one needs a “healthy” booze-laden start to the day after a long night out.

So what’s in a classic bloody mary? Vodka, tomato juice and a combination of other spices, many of which remain secrets to the bartenders who create them. After a lot of hard research, we present to you the best bloody marys in Sonoma County. From the town of Sonoma to the coast, discover where to find our favorite hangover cure.

Sonoma Grille, Sonoma

Back when bartender Steve Ney joined Sonoma Grille, he brought his famous bloody mary recipe with him from his prior employer, as well as his “secret ingredients.” A supply of spices and mysterious sauces goes into the housemade mix, which is coupled with Hanson habanero vodka and topped with chilled jumbo tiger shrimp. Cult followers call the bloody mary “superb” and “possibly the best bloody mary I’ve ever had.” 165 W. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-938-7542, sonomagrilleandbar.com

Washoe House, Petaluma

The iconic roadhouse in Petaluma is famous for more than just the prime rib, fried foods, and business cards and dollar bills stuck on the ceiling. They’re also known to be a great spot to suck down a bloody mary. Opt for the top shelf and enjoy a bloody mary topped with an assortment of garnishes like shrimp, bacon, pepperoncinis, olives and pickled green beans — all the necessities for a hangover cure. Pair with fried calamari and you’ll be doing just fine. 2840 Roblar Road, Petaluma, 707-795-4544, thewashoehouse1859.com

The Shuckery, Petaluma

Leave it to The Oyster Girls at Petaluma’s The Shuckery to concoct a seaworthy hangover cure: mini bloody mary oyster shooters. A fresh oyster is suspended over a short glass of a classic bloody mary. 100 Washington St., Petaluma, 707-981-7891, theshuckeryca.com

Ausiello’s 5th Street Grill, Santa Rosa

Settle in for Sunday football with a burger and a spicy bloody mary at one of Santa Rosa’s favorite pubs, Ausiello’s 5th Street Grill. “Best bloody marys in town,” said one fan, who joins many pub-goers to enjoy Ausiello’s take on the cocktail. Served in a mason jar, it’s made with Tito’s Vodka and house bloody mary mix, and topped with a huge slice of bacon and pickled veggies. 609 Fifth St., Santa Rosa, 707-579-9408, ausiellos5thstreetgrill.com

Grossman’s Noshery & Bar, Santa Rosa

The New York-style deli, restaurant and bar in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square puts a Jewish spin on the classic cocktail. Its “Bloody Maury” is made with house bloody mary mix and a choice of vodka, gin or tequila, with an everything spice rim and garnish of house pickles. Plus, Grossman’s serves unique, housemade infused vodkas, such as horseradish, dill pickle and Sichuan peppercorn. 308 Wilson St., Santa Rosa, 707-595-7707, grossmanssr.com

Healdsburg Bar & Grill, Healdsburg

A casual get-together spot for families and friends, the Healdsburg Bar & Grill (known locally as HBG) is also a gathering spot for bloody mary enthusiasts. “Delish,” is how one fan describes the HBG Bloody Mary, which is made with the classic vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire and hot sauce and finished with a salted rim. 245 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-3333, healdsburgbarandgrill.com

Acorn Cafe, Healdsburg

As Healdsburg’s preeminent brunch destination, Acorn Cafe serves a delicious bloody mary. The Acorn Bloody Mary is made with house mix and Manzanilla Sherry and garnished with fresh and pickled veggies. Order alongside the avocado toast or breakfast sandwich for the ultimate hangover helper. 124 Matheson St., Healdsburg, 707-955-7001, acornhealdsburg.com

Fern Bar, Sebastopol

The cocktail wizards at Fern Bar serve up a killer bloody mary for those who like a healthy dose of spice in their drink. The bloody mary is made with vodka, tomato, gochujang, Sriracha, sambal (spicy chili paste), katsuobushi (smoked and fermented skipjack tuna flakes) and “Fres-Yes” hot sauce from Sonoma County-based Hot Drops. 6780 Depot St., Suite 120, Sebastopol, 707-861-9603, fernbar.com

Rocker’s Roadhouse, Valley Ford

Oysters and bloody marys go hand in hand at Rocker’s Roadhouse in the hamlet of Valley Ford. Served in a mason jar, the bloody mary is made with house mix and vodka-infused soju and topped off with pickled vegetables. Rocker’s also offers a Tomales Bay oyster shooter: a house bloody mary paired with a chilled Miyagi oyster on the half shell. 14415 Highway 1, Valley Ford, 707-876-1983, rockeroysterfellers.com/roadhouse

Rocker Oysterfeller’s at the Wharf, Bodega Bay

Rocker’s seaside sister, Rocker Oysterfeller’s at the Wharf, has its own take on the classic cocktail. Also served in a mason jar with a spiced-salted rim, the “bayside bloody mary” includes vodka, house mix and pickled vegetable garnish. 595 Highway 1, Bodega Bay, 707-772-5670, rockeroysterfellers.com/rockersatthewharf

Hanson of Sonoma

Too hungover to get dressed or rather enjoy a bloody mary in the comfort of your home? The family-owned organic vodka distillery Hanson of Sonoma sells a $55 bloody mary cocktail kit that can be picked up at its Sonoma location or shipped right to your door. The kit comes with a recipe card, lemon juice, a bottle of bloody mary mix from Sonoma Gourmet, and your choice of Hanson’s original, habanero, Meyer lemon or cucumber vodka. Order online. 22985 Burndale Road, Sonoma, hansonofsonoma.com

Honorable Mentions

HopMonk Tavern: 691 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-935-9100; 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol, 707-829-7300, hopmonk.com

Brother’s Cafe: 3135 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-541-6345, brotherscafesr.com

Sax’s Joint: 317 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma, 707-559-3021, saxsjoint.com

The Twins Restaurant: 572 E Cotati Ave., Cotati, 707-242-3075, thetwinsrestaurant.com

The Parish Cafe: 60 Mill St., Healdsburg, 707-431-8474, theparishcafe.com

Russian River Pub: 11829 River Road, Forestville, 707-887-7932, russianriverpub.com

Sarah Stierch and Maci Martell contributed to this article.

The post The Ultimate Guide to The Best Bloody Marys in Sonoma County appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Not long after Adam Gordon opens the gate to his cow pasture, a bow-legged calf trots toward him, pausing to cock its head, ear tag wagging, before awkwardly circling back to its mother.

All around, Knights Valley resonates like a quiet spell. Aside from towering ridgetop oaks and vast farmlands and vineyards, the first thing you notice is a lingering silence.

“You can hear yourself think out here,” says Gordon, surrounded by a docile herd of 100% champion Wagyu cattle near a cluster of oak trees. “You can breathe again.”

With no shops or restaurants or hotels, the tiny valley is known more as a passage between Healdsburg and Calistoga than a destination. It’s where the road finally straightens after winding through sharp turns from either direction.

In the distance, wildfire smoke rings Mount St. Helena, a reminder of the flames that raced through Knights Valley back in 2019. It’s also a lesson in how cattle grazing can create essential fire breaks. “Grazing reduces the fuel load,” he says. “Our cows mimic what bison once did, keeping grasslands in balance.”

An Ohio native who made his mark in the New York City real estate market, Gordon likes to say, “I’m the least likely rancher you know.”

Instead of boots and Wranglers, he’s wearing Hokas with purple socks and running shorts after a long Sunday morning walk.

Together with his wife, Kristina O’Neal, who designs the interiors of world-class restaurants, they found Shangri-La in one of the last remote corners of Sonoma County. Knights Valley is where they escape the fast-paced hustle of Manhattan, if only for a few months of the year.

Fifteen years ago, when they bought the 227-acre spread, they christened it Ghost Donkey Ranch after seeing “spectral and elusive” wild donkeys wander onto the ranch and then disappear, apparently refugees from an old rescue farm.

They set out to design and build their own house, and in keeping with the ranch theme, they adopted a pair of pet donkeys, Sugimoto and Jinx, who occasionally hang out in their living room and live year-round on the property.

It’s a familiar story — wealthy outsiders discover Sonoma County and put down roots — or at least buy a second or third home. But what sets Gordon and O’Neal apart is how they connected with the land and the local culinary scene.

“I knew we didn’t want to plant a vineyard,” says Gordon, wary of contributing to the glut and monoculture of grapes in Northern California.

A well-studied environmentalist who dreamed of being a marine biologist as a kid — breeding fish in seven aquariums in his bedroom and later serving on the director’s council of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography — Gordon is a strong believer that cattle play an important role in the greater ecosystem around them. “They aerate soil with their hooves, fertilize with manure, stimulate plant growth by grazing. Managed right, cattle restore more than they take. They’re not an imposition; they’re continuity.”

He was inspired by a conversation with SingleThread chef Kyle Connaughton, a family friend ever since O’Neal’s firm AvroKO designed the interior of the three-star Michelin restaurant in Healdsburg. Connaughton described how nearly every ingredient he brings into his kitchen is harvested within a roughly 40-mile radius — except some fish and prized A5 (the highest grade) Wagyu beef flown in at least every other week from Japan. Connaughton had sampled American Wagyu beef, but it wasn’t up to his standards. He also couldn’t trust that it was always 100% Wagyu.

“I was struck when Kyle told me (American) Wagyu felt inconsistent, too rich and fatty, more lardo than beef, and that what he wanted was something leaner, something you could serve as a main portion instead of a tiny sashimi-sized bite,” remembers Gordon, who doesn’t consider himself a big beef eater.

“That challenge stayed with me. I began researching, and over time grew convinced that with the right land, genetics, and care — and by letting our cattle roam freely — we could create a happier herd and a more consistent, flavorful product.”

Gordon approached local fourth-generation rancher, Will Densberger, who had been leasing property at Ghost Donkey Ranch to raise Black Angus, and together they founded Knights Valley Wagyu in 2018, starting with 100% full-blood champion genetics.

“The vision was simple,” Gordon says. “Raise the very best Wagyu we could, and share it only with chefs we admired, within bicycling distance of the ranch.”

Starting with Connaughton, they assembled an all-star coterie of local chefs, including Matthew Kammerer at Harbor House Inn in Elk, Sean and Melissa McGaughey at Troubadour Bread and Bistro in Healdsburg, Elliot Bell at Charlie’s in St. Helena, and David Hopps at Izakaya Gama in Point Arena. Instead of working with celebrity chefs who lend their names to countless franchise operations, he says, “I wanted to work with chefs who still work in their own kitchens. These are chefs who have devoted their lives to their craft, and we want to help them. We want to restore that relationship with the local food community.”

The exclusive invitation to experiment with local Wagyu was irresistible. Wagyu has always carried a certain mystique, an edible status symbol with A5 Wagyu on the same level as caviar and truffles, selling for as high as several hundred dollars for a 6-ounce cut. The first taste is often a near-religious experience. Sean McGaughey’s initiation was a slice of Miyazaki A5 at a Charlie Trotter restaurant in Las Vegas.

“I remember how two or three bites in, it gets your cheeks watering and endorphins going, and your smile happens just because of the caveman in you,” says the Troubadour chef.

Then there’s the buttery, textural mouth feel that comes from super-rich intramuscular fat that marbles like no other beef in the world.”

“I feel like the term ‘melt in your mouth’ gets thrown around a lot in the culinary scene, and it’s very rare that it actually melts in your mouth,” says Hopps, who found it to be accurate when he first tasted Wagyu at a sushi restaurant in Salt Lake City. “It’s just so tender because the way the beef is marbled. It’s like chewing on butter almost.”

Part of the exclusivity is by design. The history of Wagyu beef runs deep in Japan, going back thousands of years to original bloodlines. The word “Wagyu” literally means “Japanese cow.”

By 1910, the country’s government had banned cross-breeding with Wagyu. Since 1966, the “Wagyu Olympics” has been held every five years to decide champion cattle based on genetics and meat quality. In 1997, Japan finally banned the export of Wagyu cattle, declaring it a national treasure. Since then, there have been cautionary tales about Wagyu semen smugglers, black-market egg and embryo sales, and knockoff crossbred beef trying to pass as 100% Wagyu. In America, Australia, and New Zealand, Wagyu has been raised with varying success.

At Knights Valley, Gordon consulted a Wagyu nutritionist from Texas, who helped them start with 10 full-blood heifers, 10 full-blood yearling steers, and a young bull. For Densberger, who had never raised Wagyu cattle, the holistic approach was an extension of what he learned from his grandfather, who ran cattle on the St. Helena’s Connolly Polled Hereford Ranch, where Will was born.

“My grandfather didn’t own a horse and didn’t throw a rope. Everything was done super-stress-free,” says Densberger, who also works in real estate, selling larger ranches, vineyards, and farms.

With the Knights Valley Wagyu, Densberger applies the same methods. “I don’t throw a rope either. I don’t own a hot shot. I don’t ever try to introduce stress to the cattle because they’re much more difficult to handle, and the adrenaline runs through their system. I don’t think it is particularly healthy, especially for cattle that we’re going to be consuming at some point.”

In Japan, where land is limited, Wagyu are more likely to be penned or restricted in tight spaces for most of their lives, rather than roaming wide-open spaces. They’re often fed a heavy grain diet to boost fat content. In Knights Valley, Wagyu cows are grass-fed, with a small herd of around 80 roaming freely across more than 200 acres.

Five years ago, after the first of the Knights Valley herd was harvested, SingleThread held a blind Wagyu beef tasting for a handful of chefs. Connaughton fired up the whole hearth on a Saturday morning as the rest of the staff prepped for dinner that night. The contenders included Wagyu beef raised in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and two American offerings — Knights Valley Wagyu and Snake River Farms Wagyu from Idaho. They sampled all rib-eyes, looking closely at different slices, the various marbling, and talking about texture and mouth feel.

By the end, the decision was unanimous, Gordon says. “All the chefs preferred all of our cuts.”

It might not go down as the Judgment of Healdsburg, but it was definitely a sign they were on to something. For Connaughton, Knights Valley Wagyu cuts were leaner, less fatty, and more distinctive. “The flavor is so much higher, the beautiful beef flavor that really comes with the grass feeding,” he says. “I think that is the true flavor of the animal. And then you obviously notice that it’s still quite rich and marbled.”

For guests accustomed to the super-rich, “melt in your mouth” experience of A5 Wagyu, the locally raised version is a different experience and requires some education. “If you tell someone this is 100% Wagyu and you stop there, and they have experiences with it, they’ll say, ‘But this is not very good beef. This is not rich, melt-in-my-mouth, fatty A5 goodness.’ So, it’s our job to tell the story properly and accurately,” says Connaughton. “And I find when I talk to guests and I say, ‘This is what we do, and this is what the result is,’ and then they have it in a dish, they’re like, ‘Oh, I love that. That was really delicious, but it wasn’t so greasy and rich.’”

Seven years after launching, Gordon and Densberger aren’t looking to scale much further beyond 20 mother cows. One-to-two animals are harvested each month and are shared among the chefs who each receive designated cuts. At SingleThread, Connaughton often grills rib cuts simply in the hearth, sometimes braising short ribs and roasting the marrow as part of a rice porridge. Other times, he’ll use the tenderloin for a Wagyu shabu-shabu hot pot, the thin slices of beef cooked in boiling broth at the table. At Troubadour, McGaughey gets three cases a month of mostly top, bottom, and eye rounds from the legs, roasting the meat for two days to make roast beef sandwiches, sometimes topped off with a banh mi garnish, other times serving it Chicago Italian beef-style. At Izakaya Gama, Hopps gets mostly organs, like hearts and tongues, that he grills on bamboo skewers over a high heat Kushiyaki-style, serving them with Karashi mustard. Leaving nothing to waste, he uses the bones to make a gyukotsu ramen broth.

Near the end of his walk around the ranch, Gordon points out recent owl and otter sightings, and where his pet donkeys live year-round, then starts to think about what awaits him when he returns to New York. His business partner, Robert De Niro, is currently filming “Meet the Fockers 4” at Wildflower Studios. The state-of-the-art film complex in Queens is a project Gordon collaborated on from concept to completion as managing partner at Wildflower Ltd. The company, which also creates e-commerce logistics centers and EV charging stations, has a solar footprint generating 1.2 million kilowatt-hours of power annually.

For a kid who grew up in Dayton, Ohio, interning at the Audubon Center in middle school, and later working at a museum of natural history — it’s been quite a journey.

When people find out “the least likely rancher” they know is raising American Wagyu, they often ask to try a cut. “One of my oldest friends just texted me. He’s like, ‘I’m in the Hamptons, would you send me some Wagyu?’ I said, no, you have to come out and visit.”

Gordon points out it’s not a mail-order company and was never intended to be. “Every day we have to support our local chefs,” he says.

So when De Niro asked for a taste not long ago, he didn’t consider making an exception?

“No. Because if you open the door a crack, then everybody wants in.”

The post A Knights Valley Ranch Raises Wagyu for Exclusive List of Chefs appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Cristina Hobbs sees no reason to have a large house when there is such an expansive landscape — exquisitely styled by Mother Nature — beckoning her outside.

An artist whose paintings, watercolors, and ceramics are inspired by the natural world beyond her windows, Hobbs sees the outdoors — with its gardens, tall grasses, wild animals, vineyards, and trees — as both her creative inspiration and an extension of her home.

If she’s not painting or working at her potter’s wheel in her vineyard studio, you’re most likely to find her playing and engaging in creative projects outdoors with her two young daughters, cultivating flowers for cutting, and gathering herbs and other natural gifts for the table.

Her ceramics, with their uneven edges and intriguing textures, have an earthy quality; she paints large canvases in a style she describes as being “at the edge between abstraction and figuration” that evoke the colors, patterns, skies, and shifting weather of Sonoma County and Northern California.

Born and raised in Germany — her mother is Argentinian and her father was German — she laid down roots here nearly 20 years ago with her husband, visionary winemaker and international consultant Paul Hobbs, known for his single-vineyard-designate wines. Cristina’s art is similarly entwined with the gently hilly terroir of Sebastopol’s Green Valley, a place often swaddled in morning and evening fog.

The couple met at a winemaker dinner at the Sao Paulo, Brazil home of her mother and her late stepfather, an Argentine diplomat specializing in business and trade. Cristina at the time was pursuing a career in foreign diplomacy herself and had enrolled in a graduate program in Buenos Aires. But meeting Hobbs, who is credited with elevating the then-underappreciated Malbec wine grape in Argentina, would set her on another path to California. Here she explored her artistic side, studying painting at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco and building community with other artists in Sonoma County.

She remembers being bewildered by the cool fog settling over Sebastopol when she first drove in from the airport in 2006.

“When you think of California as a European, you think more of Southern California. I was surprised by that and how cool it was here in the evening,” she recalls of the conditions that would swiftly become so much a part of her life and her art.

She settled into the snug 1910 Craftsman-style farmhouse on 7 acres near the Paul Hobbs Winery that the vintner had bought not long before. Instead of building a new house, Paul, who enjoys architecture and landscape design, enlisted the help of local carpenters Roger Wishard and John Berg. Working with the same footprint and façade, they transformed the interior from a warren of little rooms into an open-beamed, light-filled space with windows that offer picture views of the 5 acres of Chardonnay Hobbs planted on the former apple farm.

“I wanted to preserve it because I felt it spoke to Sonoma County — west Sonoma County — and the ethos of the period,” he says. Even with the arrival of Sophia in 2013 and Louisa in 2016, they remained content in the compact space, which fosters a familial closeness they are committed to maintaining.

“We always found that mostly everyone is in the kitchen. This is where we spend most of our time,” Cristina says, standing behind a stove set to face the dining area and living room for ease of conversation while cooking. The hub is a large, worn black marble island where they do crafts and make cookies.

In autumn, the smell of zucchini and banana breads envelop the house. Cristina and the girls like to take their wagon to fetch apples from an old orchard nearby to make apple crumble and tarts. Although the harvest means long days, Paul, who grew up on a farm in a family of 11 kids, makes a point of coming home to eat a homecooked dinner with Cristina and the girls. Everyone sits down at the custom-made walnut farm table together, even if it means dinner is delayed until 7:30 p.m.

Cristina is instilling a love of art into her daughters. Both girls have October birthdays and then there is Halloween, with pumpkins from their own garden and decorations they make themselves. A potting shed in the garden, where each girl has her own raised bed — Sophia has a tea rose bush and chamomile to dry her own teas while Louisa grows blueberries and catnip for their two kitties — also doubles as a crafts room. Tools share space with crafting supplies and a sewing machine.

The two-story black shed stands like a cottage amid ornamental grasses, perennials, and sunflowers. With its steeply pitched roof, it makes a perfect haunted house that the girls love to do up with spiderwebs and other spooky decorations. It is their favorite haunt, next to the giant bedroom they share. Carved out of the attic with intriguing spots for hiding and play, it also has a built-in desk that overlooks a broad lawn where they play Frisbee with their miniature poodle, Daisy. From here they can also watch the leaves from a stand of sycamores turn orange, yellow and red.

“We take our rakes and make humongous piles and jump in them,” Sophia says.

The house is simply furnished with a large, custom-designed wraparound sofa for reading and a round, artist-made stamped concrete coffee table with an impression of leaves. Right now, it is covered with colorful wooden toys from Germany, where Cristina goes every summer with the girls while Paul is traveling to his other wineries in France, Argentina, and the Finger Lakes region of New York. But there is always color from the flowers Cristina brings in from her own garden — lots of marigolds in fall — and from Full Bloom Flower Farm in nearby Graton.

The home is not a gallery of her work, although one particularly atmospheric piece catches the eye in their living space, with another work near the entry.

“It was a time when I was into describing the feel of weather — the fog-like qualities you have in the morning here, the texture of the dried leaves and the raindrops. It’s very nature inspired,” she explains of the soft images that are only suggestive in their dream-like quality in moody hues of indigo and blue — with a burst of buttery gold like sun breaking through the clouds.

Many of her pieces — both paintings and ceramics — grace the hospitality center and the Howard Backen-designed offices at Paul Hobbs Winery a short 15-minute walk away through the vineyards. Cristina’s influence is reflected in the interior design and the paintings she created especially for the space based on local scenes. She and Paul worked closely with the late Backen, one of Wine Country’s leading architects and pioneer of the rural vernacular style, to create the winery offices, a series of connected buildings bridged by glass hallways. Cristina’s paintings capturing the natural moods of the landscape are also featured on several wine labels.

After she drops the girls off at school, Cristina heads out into the backroads and takes long walks, often pausing to photograph things she sees along the way as a “starting point” in her creative process. One of her favorite hikes is the Pomo Trail out to Shell Beach, where, from one particular perch, she is captivated by the site of the Russian River flowing into the Pacific Ocean. She takes note of whatever is growing and is especially taken by the lacy lichen that hangs from the oaks like underwater coral, something she never saw in Germany.

She brings her ideas back to a small studio carved into an historic 1850s farmhouse at Paul Hobbs’ Ross Station Estate, a former stagecoach stop. Here, Cristina can sit at her small potter’s wheel or work on a canvas while looking out at nature unfolding in the vineyards. It could be the fog burning off in the distance or a pack of coyotes on the move.

She doesn’t overthink her work or constrain it by sketching it out before she applies brush to canvas or hands to the clay. “If something else comes in at that moment, I want that to happen. I don’t want to feel obligated because I made that sketch,” she explains.

She instead lets it flow naturally, and she often surprises herself by what comes out. But it all speaks to her appreciation of the small moments: carving pumpkins with her girls, sharing a family meal, or watching the weather shift outside her window. Her images are, as she herself describes them, “observations of the everyday that at times go unnoticed; a celebration of the little things you see that stay in the back of your mind.”

Find Cristina Hobbs’ artwork at cristinahobbs.com and at Maison Djouf at 332 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, maisondjouf.com.

The post Nature Plays a Starring Role in Sonoma County Artist’s Home and Work appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Healdsburg’s buzzy Quail & Condor Bakery is expanding its operations to a new location in November, just a croissant’s throw from its current Healdsburg Avenue spot.

Recognized by The New York Times as one of America’s best bakeries and a James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Bakery, founders and chefs Melissa and Sean McGaughey quickly outgrew their pint-sized kitchen after opening in 2020, thanks to destination-worthy croissants, kouign-amann, breads, cakes and other pastries.

Now, they are moving to a new 3,650-square-foot space at 44 Mill St., where, in addition to sweet treats and loaves, they will offer a breakfast menu. Dishes will include sourdough waffles, baked eggs in garlic yogurt served with Turkish-style bagels, and seasonal fruit.

“The breakfast menu is something we’ve been excited about for a while, and I’m especially excited to share food from my Turkish family on the platform of California bounty with Healdsburg,” said Melissa, winner of the 2019 Food Network “Holiday Baking Championship” and contestant on the current fifth season of Food Network’s “Alex vs. America.”

The couple also owns Troubadour Bread & Bistro at 381 Healdsburg Ave., which operates as a sandwich shop by day and transforms into the high-end French restaurant Le Dîner by night. Stay tuned for more details.

707-473-8254, quailandcondor.com

Do you have a hot restaurant or food tip? Email me at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com.

The post Healdsburg’s Hottest Bakery, Quail & Condor, Is Expanding appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.