The tiny home movement is one response to soaring real estate and energy prices. Living “tiny” (in a dwelling that is less than 400 square feet) is not for the faint of heart in today’s stuff-happy world, but it can encourage a lifestyle change that includes less consumption and greater simplicity.

If you’d like to give tiny living a try, a one-bed, one-bath, 192 square-foot home in Windsor is currently on the market for $85,000. The small dwelling was previously the home of a family of four; a chef, his wife and their two children.

A loft with windows on either side offers increased ventilation and a sense of openness. There’s room for a sizable mattress, although the space must be accessed via a ladder.

The kitchen has a large fridge, a decent amount of prep area and a hot plate. A washer/dryer hybrid fits into the adjacent utility closet which has a spot above for folding and hanging clothes. There are solid-wood shelves and cabinets throughout the house.

The entry space on one side of the kitchen has a built-in L-shaped bench. The living room on the other side of the kitchen has room for a small pull-out couch.

An A-frame roof and multiple windows let in lots of light in. In fact, light is this home’s secret weapon against its small size. All four sides of the home have windows; there’s even a window in the front door. Views of trees at the all-age mobile park, where the home is currently parked, enhance the feeling of openness.

Interior cedar-wood paneling creates a rustic and homey vibe and gives them home a pleasant scent, points out realtor Marisa Rosas. She adds that plants would contrast nicely with the paneled walls, which don’t require painting (another bonus).

The small lot in this mobile home park allows for barbecuing — the previous owner cooked plenty of smoked meals. There are raised beds for herbs, vegetables and other plants. These amenities shouldn’t discourage taking this tiny home on the road. A wood skirting on the structure conceals the fact that this home is in fact on wheels and can be taken to a new destination.

Click through the above gallery to see photos of this tiny home.

This tiny home at 129 Katherine Place is listed by Marisa Rosas with W Real Estate, 9420 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 114, Windsor. For more information, please call 707-636-3800.

The post Tiny Home in Windsor Listed for $85,000. Take a Look Inside appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Stephanie Gwilliam’s hand-thrown pie plates will have you dreaming of baking. Gwilliam found her inspiration at the annual Gravenstein Apple Fair and developed a series of hand-scalloped pieces with a distinctive speckled glaze and a swirl detail on the bottom. After selling pieces at the fair, she wondered how they might work with the prized apple, and she began experimenting with pie and pie-plate making.

“My first pie did not turn out well at all,” admits Gwilliam, laughing — but the 6-inch pie plate design was a keeper.”

Gravenstein apples aren’t the only food to inspire her work, which Gwilliam sells under the name Hayes Ceramics. Her sizable garden, right next to her home studio in Windsor, has prompted projects like a small berry colander that fits over a plate, a set pretty enough to keep out on the counter all the time.

“I will probably use this every single day of my life,” she says, holding another of her favorite creations, a coffee mug marbled in different colored clays.

Gwilliam finds the everyday usability of her serveware satisfying. “I love how non-exclusive it is,” she says. “Everyone can relate.”

Behind all the perfect lines and pretty shapes is Gwilliam’s love of the practice. As mother to a young daughter, she rushes to her studio to work on designs as soon as it’s naptime. Her current signature look features speckled clays and neutral glazes for a rustic farmhouse look. Gwilliam works in batches, and it can take days or weeks to see a piece from start to finish. It’s the wait, she says, that keeps her interested.

In fact, her path to success has been marked by that patience. Gwilliam began exploring ceramic design while still a high school student. Early on, she had trouble centering her pieces on the pottery wheel and, for a time, switched to more abstract ceramic sculptures instead.

But through the years, she kept at the wheel. After transferring to San Francisco State, “something clicked,” she said, and she eventually earned a degree in fine arts.

Now her perfected plates can be a stage for your own baking trials and triumphs.

Purchase Hayes Ceramics pie plates, mugs, and more directly from the artist on Etsy (etsy.com/shop/ HayesCeramics).

hayesceramics.webs.com

The post This Windsor Ceramicist’s Pie Plates Will Have You Dreaming of Baking appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Forget about that sad sprig of mistletoe hanging all by its lonely self. For a more appropriately Sonoma-style spin on the holiday tradition, find a spot underneath the mistletoe along one of our many woodland trails. Mistletoe grows widely in our deciduous valley oaks, and it’s easily recognized this time of year, when the leaves have fallen and the delicate shapes of the oaks’ branchwork are revealed. Though it represents a sweet custom, in reality the parasitic mistletoe can damage the health of our oaks; large infestations harm trees by sapping water and nutrients. But nonetheless, the time spent hiking outdoors to spot the bright-green, lacy garnishes will bring calm and good health to your season.

Spot mistletoe in the oak woodlands at these local parks.

Glen Ellen

Eldridge Trail to Fern Lake. Begin at the end of Orchard Road on the campus of the Sonoma Developmental Center.

Windsor

Foothill Regional Park. 1351 Arata Lane.

Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve. 2080 Kawana Terrace or 3820 Petaluma Hill Rd.

The post Where to Find Mistletoe Outdoors in Sonoma County appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

The town of Windsor, located just south of Healdsburg, may not be the first item on Wine Country itineraries but for those looking for off-the-beaten path experiences and locals’ favorites, this is a great place to visit. The state-of-the-art Russian River Brewing Company facility is obviously a big draw for many, but there’s more to Windsor than Pliny.

This is the kind of place that values small, family-owned businesses: in and around the Town Green area you’ll find an eclectic mix of shops selling everything from candy to clothes, restaurants serving up international flavors, and tasting rooms pouring a variety of local wines. In summer, there’s live entertainment outdoors and the town makes the holiday season magical with its lighted Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Grove.

Click through the gallery for some of our favorite things to do in the town of Windsor. 

The post Best Things to Do in Windsor, CA appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Windsor boutique owner Marie Esposti-Winter ventured into retail after she lost her Santa Rosa business of 10 years — The Loft Salon at Fountaingrove Village — in the 2017 Tubbs fire. As she watched the news coverage of last month’s Kincade fire, threatening the town of Windsor and her stores at the Town Green and Lakewood Village Shopping Center, she thought to herself: “Maybe I’m not supposed to have a business in wine country.”

Thankfully, the town of Windsor was saved from the flames due to the heroic efforts of firefighters and, on October 30, grateful residents and business owners were able to return after evacuation orders had been lifted.

Esposti-Winter operates her Windsor stores, Hush and Hush Up, in partnership with her daughter, Caitlyn Carpenter, who has a background selling fashion to stylists and celebrities in Beverly Hills. The mother-and-daughter team work with “sustainable and socially conscious vendors” to bring LA fashion to wine country. Both of their stores sustained smoke damage during the Kincade fire — Hush Up is now open for business while Hush will remain closed for for another couple of weeks for damage assessment and cleanup.

A sweet return

Down the road from Hush Up, Cravin’s Candy Emporium on the Windsor Town Green has been a sweet tooth’s dream destination for over 15 years. Vintage board games decorate the walls and the store is densely stocked with new, classic and housemade candy — the air is richly fragrant from the sweet mix.

Store manager Mary Archer, who’s been with Cravin’s for 13 years, exudes a passion for her job and says that everyone — no matter their age — reflects back on their childhood when they visit.

“Even  kids will say, ‘When I was little, I used to eat this candy,'” says Archer, who always finds herself amused by parents who come to the store and tell their kids to “choose just one thing,” and then end up leaving with a bucketful of candy just for themselves.

Archer remains grateful and in good spirits at the time of the store’s reopening. While she had to relocate four times during the fire and the store lost products due to power outages, she puts it all in perspective by recalling a sentiment shared by many locals in late October — also expressed by fire personnel after the fire: “We thought there wasn’t going to be a Windsor.”

Like other local store owners, Archer expresses a love of Windsor — “the people and the community” — and looks forward to upcoming events like the annual lighting of 200 Christmas trees in the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Grove on the Town Green. She feels confident shoppers will return following the fire.

Heed the call to shop local for fire recovery, by visiting stores on the Windsor Town Green and other parts of Sonoma County. 

The post A Sweet Return: Windsor Stores Reopen After Kincade Fire appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Since opening in 2011, Windsor’s Kin Restaurant has become a well-loved, family-friendly dining destination on the Windsor Green. With an extensive comfort menu that ranges from burgers and frickles (fried pickles) to braised short ribs, mac and cheese, wedge salad and warm cobbler.

If you’re looking for a place where mom and dad can get a nice dinner with a glass of wine and the kids will be well-taken care of with a chicken fingers and hot dogs menu of your own, Kin is the spot.

Fieri alums Brad Barmore and JC Adams, both restaurant biz dads wanted to create a place to take their kids that didn’t feel like, well, a place to take the kids. Armed with family recipes like Grandma’s beer-braised pot roast and Brad’s father-in law’s secret barbecue sauce (“It was harder to get that recipe than it was getting his daughter’s hand,” laughs Brad). They also own Kin Smoke Barbecue restaurant in Healdsburg and the Town Green watering hole, Publican.

The menu changes up seasonally, though their signature Kin Burger (a half-pound patty with smoked white cheddar, applewood smoked bacon and BBQ sauce on a brioche bun; Kin Mac & Cheese; and pizzas are evergreen.

Pull up a table, take a nibble off everyone’s plate, toast to your kin and pass dad the bill at the end. When you’re at Kin, you’re family.

Kin Restaurant, 740 McClelland Drive (former DePaoli’s), Windsor, 837-7546. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

The post Kin Restaurant is a Family-Friendly Spot in Windsor appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Elsewhere in the world, people say, “It’s 5 o’clock somewhere,” when they imbibe during the day. In Wine Country, where most tasting rooms close at or before 5 p.m, it can sometimes feel as if day-drinking is the only option. Scattered throughout Sonoma County, there are a handful of spots where you can taste wine into the evening, but finding them takes a bit of research. We’ve rounded up 21 tasting rooms and wine bars offering wine tastings until at least 6 p.m. Click through the gallery for details. 

The post 20 Sonoma Wineries and Tasting Rooms Open After 5 p.m. appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Venture outside the winery cellars and tasting rooms and sip away in the sun. Click through the gallery for details.

The post The Best Winery Patios in Sonoma and Napa appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Wine Country cuisine may reign supreme in much of Sonoma County, but if you look closely in shopping centers and tucked away spots — and some more obvious locations — there’s a world of food in Windsor.

From Eastern European jagerschnitzel to Himalayan momos, Thai po-pia, mole and New Zealand sausage rolls, tastes from around the globe beckon. Here are ten spots to find incredible food from other lands in your backyard – click through the gallery for photos. 

Tizsa Bistro: Chef Krisztian Karkus isn’t sure if he wants everyone to know how good his wiener schnitzel is. He has a special recipe, sure, and it’s pan-fried in butter and pork lard with fresh lingonberry jam and homemade cucumber salad, but says he doesn’t want to be pigeon-holed as a German chef. So, in addition to the spatzle mac and cheese with wild mushrooms, charbroiled octopus with Hungarian sausage and duck fat potatoes, jagerschintzel with spatzle, bratwurst with braised sauerkraut, and warm marzipan torte he also makes a mean duck leg confit, iceberg wedge salad and roast chicken breast (with spatzle, of course). Old World meets Wine Country in a most delicious way. 8757 Old Redwood Hwy., Windsor, (707) 838-5100, tiszabistro.com.

Ume: Tucked away in Windsor, Ume is the place that sushi connoisseurs talk about between themselves. The sushi is simple, minimal (not blobbed with wasabi or overly seasoned rice) letting the flavor of the fish express itself and sliced generously without being overdone. Specialties include excellent monkfish pate, a great sake list and artistic presentations. Want something a little more approachable? Ume has excellent ramen, tankatsu (panko-breaded pork), teriyaki and American-style rolls with lots of wacky ingredients — if you’re into that. 8710 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor, 838-6700.

Qimura: Homestyle Japanese cuisine that’s comforting for just about anyone. Grandma’s recipes include painstakingly made bowls of steaming ramen (butter miso is a favorite), Nanban chicken (deep fried chicken nuggets in a creamy sweet sour sauce), chicken katsu and hamachi collar. Their sushi rice is made from a secret family recipe. The sleek, modern interior is as clean and bright as their chirashi, a bowl of steamed rice with sashimi. Very authentic flavors with friendly service. 8960 Brooks Road South, 836-1699, qimura.us.

Himalayan Restaurant: Though the cuisines of India and the Himalyas aren’t exactly the same, they share many of the same pungent spices and cooking techniques, which you’ll find at this downtown spot. Crispy vegetable pakora, Himalayan dumplings (momo), biryani (rice with meat and dried fruits) and creamy chicken tikka masala are good introductions for first-timers, but to really get dive into true Indian cuisine, try tandoori meat or vegetables made in a special clay oven. Want to take it to the next step? Himalayan goat curry or lamb badami cooked with almonds and tomato sauce are more adventurous. Flat bread called naan is best perfect for sopping up all the extra sauce. 810 McClelland Dr., Windsor, 838-6746, himalayanrestaurantwindsor.com.

Cocina Mana: In Morales’ kitchen, there are no giant cans of pre-made sauce or piles of packaged tortillas. Everything’s made from scratch as a matter of pride. Here, tacos aren’t mix-and-match discs of tiny tortillas with nibbles of carnitas, but Tacos Giusados — platters of braised meat with beans and Mexican rice with homemade steamed tortillas on the side. In the morning, chilaquiles with red sauce are a warm way to greet the day (or recover from last night’s revelry).Tamales are a specialty here, made with fresh masa and meat, cheese, vegetables or, if you’ve got a sweet tooth, pineapple. 9238 Old Redwood Hwy STE.128, Windsor, 657-7701, cocinamana.com

Tomi Thai: This pocket-sized Thai restaurant is always packed, and for good reason. Rather than overly sweet, sticky dishes, flavors are bright and fresh. You might get a giggle or two ordering Po-Pia, vegan spring rolls filled with mung bean noodles, cabbage and mushrooms or Goong Gaborg, little cigar-shaped shrimp rolls the table will inevitably fight over. You can’t really go wrong on this menu, but their Pad Thai with fried rice noodles and tamarind sauce is excellent. Pumpkin curry in a rich yellow sauce is filled with kobucha squash, bamboo shoots, green beans and basil. You can adjust seasoning to everything from mild to Thai spicy, which we don’t recommend, because unless you’re Thai, you’ll have serious regrets — maybe not now, maybe not tomorrow but soon and for the rest of your day. Wash it all down with a creamy, floral Thai iced tea that, if you haven’t had it before, will become an obsession. 426 Emily Rose Circle, Windsor, 836-1422, tomi-thai.com.

BurtoNZ Bakery: When this Kiwi-run bakery (that’s a New Zealander to the rest of us) opened in 2014, their savory mushroom goat cheese pies, flaky meat pies topped with mashed potatoes, sausage rolls and New Zealand donut were a revelation. Nearly five years later, they’ve only gotten better. We’re especially fond of the raspberry cream Lamingtons and freshly made breads. If you’re on a diet, don’t torture yourself by going. If you’re not, get ready for a pastry feast from the Pastry Wonders from Down Under. 9076 Brooks Road South, Windsor, 687-5455, burtonzbakery.com.

El Gallo Negro: This ain’t your usual taqueria, but a funky mezcaleria featuring juicy cockails with spiked with smoky mezcal and tequila. Owned by the Diaz family, who own restaurants in Windsor and Healdsburg, the menu features their family’s mole, a complicated Oaxacan sauce made with 30 ingredients including special Mexican chocolate, chiles, tomatillos, cinnamon, raisins, garlic, cloves and host of secret ingredients. It’s a rare find because of its ingredient and labor-intensive production, but the family has stuck to time-honored tradition of making it in small batches for their restaurants. Don’t expect white tablecloths, instead, wood tables, $5 bottled beers and cocktails like the Tres Pedros with tequila, hibiscus tea, fresh lime and simple syrup are casual favorites. Daily specials like Margarita Monday, tequila Tuesday and Noche Oaxaquena with handcrafted cockails keep things fresh. 8465 Old Redwood Hwy., Windsor, 838-9511, elgallonegrowindsor.com. Also owned by the Diaz family, Tu Mole Madre featuring multi-course Oaxacan dinners and classes by reservation. Their grand-opening experience happens March 29. tumolemadre.com.

KS Tian Yeun Asian Cuisine: Recently opened in the Town Square, it’s one of the few Chinese spots in Sonoma County offering dim sum. The list is comprehensive and includes bao (steamed buns), shrimp dumplings, shiu mai, marinated tofu and a few more exotic offerings like chicken feet, turnip cake and pork intestines. They’ve also got both traditional and American Chinese food ranging from orange chicken and fried rice to sizzling clay pots filled with rice or vermicelli, veggies and barbecue. 610 McClelland Dr., Windsor, 892-2968, tianyuen.squarespace.com.

Castanedas Marketplace: The El Supremo Breakfast Burrito starts with a layer of griddled Oxacan cheese,followed by meat, eggs, tomatoes, avocado, bacon and a mess of other goodies. If you can eat the whole thing (or even if you can’t) you’ll be good to go for the day. Don’t miss giant chicharrones, fresh paella, tacos and wraps at crowd-friendly prices. 8465 Old Redwood Hwy., Suite 601, Windsor, 838-8820. facebook.com/castanedasmarket

The post From Schnitzel to Tinga: 10 Windsor Restaurants with Global Cuisine appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Last summer, my daughter had a single request for her first dinner back at home from wilderness camping: A juicy mac and cheese hamburger from the Cheesecake Factory.

Don’t judge, because sinking her teeth into the juicy tower of fried macaroni, beef, tomatoes and lettuce became a delicious daydream over the miles of trail. Three weeks of eating mostly summer sausage, peanut butter and tortillas in the drizzle of the Olympic Peninsula can do strange things to a person. Day after day, she came closer to that hamburger. It was a beefy beacon of all that is good in civilization.

Sense memories of food evoke powerful emotions. Smelling cinnamon can transport us to grandma’s kitchen table, eating warm apple pie. Spending 20 years looking for a mozzarella that holds a curd to the stuff you used to get in Brooklyn? Totally reasonable. Finding emotional closure in a piece of fried chicken? At Sweet T’s you can.

One of several Santa Rosa restaurants demolished in the 2017 wildfires, Sweet T’s quickly became a symbol of hope as owners Dennis and Ann Tussey began working on their new Windsor location at the Lakewood Village shopping center. Fans watched as construction commenced, a kitchen was built and Pitmaster George Ah Chin fired up the smoker for the first time.

Now, as friends and Fountaingrove neighbors congregate at the rebuilt restaurant, eating ribs and toasting to rebuilt homes, it’s become a symbol of healing.

But is the food as good as everyone remembers it?

The ribs sure as sugar are. The cocktails are. The hush puppies and mashed potatoes? Yup. The fried chicken? Wonder-fowl.

Like our memories, not everything can be perfect. Rebuilding takes time, and we’re all still finding our new normal.

As the sweet smell of wood smoke drifts through the parking lot like a siren call, noses sniff the air toward the long-cooked slabs of meat scenting each breeze. It’s a sense memory we’ve long missed enjoying. It’s the smell of Sweet T’s — and so many fire survivors– finally coming home again.

Best Bets
From the Smoker, Ribs: These are the Goldilocks pork ribs we’ve been seeking for years. Yielding without falling apart, smoky without being bitter, soft with a nice chew. You can see the craft in a perfect pink smoke ring around all of Sweet T’s smoked meats. Ribs done absolutely right.

Smoker Plates: Beef Brisket is so tender, it’s almost hard to get it on a fork. We like asking for a mix of meats, because the pulled chicken and pulled pork are also worth trying.

Memphis BBQ Nachos, $8/$14: House made white cheese sauce is the secret to this tasty mess of tortilla chips with your choice of smoked meat with a barbecue sauce drizzle and pickled jalapeños.
Smoky, creamy, sweet and ridiculously good, they’re a crowd pleaser so order enough for the table.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts, $9: People who don’t like Brussels just haven’t had them cooked right. These roasty, crispy, salty little critters will turn even the biggest sprout haters into converts. Dipped in garlic lemon aioli, they’re even better.

Hush Puppies, $8: Required. Slather with honey butter at will.

Rib Salad, $16: Get the best of both worlds with a meaty pile of veggies. Ribs are pulled from the bone, tossed in vinaigrette and added to tasty mixed greens, spinach, cucumber, avocado and blue cheese.

Cajun Shrimp Gumbo, $19: Louisiana-style with shrimp, smoked chicken, andouille sausage, veggies and rice. It’s far lighter in color and flavor than one might expect from a traditional gumbo, but there’s still plenty of rich, smoky flavor. Though the green pepper is a little forward in this dish, overall, gumbo lovers say it’s the perfect stew.

Shrimp N’ Grits, $21: Everyone has an opinion about grits in the South, and pretty much no one agrees on what makes a perfect batch. Sweet T’s makes’em almost perfect, with plenty of creamy, cheesy, buttery goodness.Though we like ours just a squeak softer, topping them with sweet corn, house-made tasso ham and shrimp gravy makes them down-home-tastic. Southern Fried Chicken, $24: Though it takes about 20 minutes for this dish, the wait is worth it. A thin, crispy shell keeps the chicken moist, steamy and tender.

Like the ribs, this chicken is extra special and extra worth ordering. Served with the world’s best mashed potatoes (with just a hint of garlic), slaw and a biscuit.

Sides: Like any southern restaurant worth its grits, sides are what really make the meal. Sure, they’re mostly a lovely shade of beige — from mashed potatoes to creamed corn, mac ‘n cheese, French fries and potato salad. Skip the rainbow of veggies for a moment (unless you’re hankering for some okra or braised greens) and turn up your comfort-food-o-meter to eleven.

Key Lime Pie, $6: Another signature dish, this creamy, tart pie is a refreshing belly bomber. Take a slice to go. Want to drink your dessert? The Key Lime Pie Martini comes with a graham cracker rim and tastes every bit as tasty.

Libations
Red-Headed Mule, $11: A low-proof cocktail that’s dangerously refreshing and addictive. Jardesca Red Aperitif is a quintessentially Californian fortified red wine mixed with botanicals like cardamom, ginger and tangerine. Mixed with ginger, lemon and soda it’s a refreshing, lightly alcoholic sipper.

Texas Margarita, $13: It’s a margarita on the rocks with a pop of cayenne.

George Peach Martini, $13: The only fruit martini that I’d actually drink without shame. Made with peach vodka, peach puree and sparkling wine, it’s like drinking a fresh peach instead of eating a bag of peach-flavored candy.

Sweet T’s is at 9098 Brooks Road S, Windsor, 707-687-5185, sweettssouthern.com. Open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The post Sweet T’s Opens in Windsor: Welcome Home appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.