Southern Sonoma Country Life

PEF Tickets Now on Sale for SF Giants Vs. New York Mets Game

What could be better than a West meets East Coast major league baseball game that raises much-needed funds for cash-strapped Petaluma schools?

Now's the time to order specially priced, $18 reserve tickets for the annual (Sonoma Country Life Sponsor) PEF seating section at the May 15, 7.30 Giants Vs. New York Mets game, with a blockbuster guarantee that every $8 spent will go to Petaluma Educational Foundation coffers, funding grants, scholarships and fine art programs for all Petaluma schools.

Directed by Petaluma Junior High Music Director, Preston Bailey, the National Anthem will be performed once again by the PJHS choir, PJHS band and Petaluma Elementary Philharmonic group.

A heartwarming sight to behold - scores of proud young Petalumans marching onto the diamond at AT&T Park and giving their musical all for the crowd whilst captured on the big screen for parent-pleasing close-ups of teen commaradarie.

It's a terrific evening and a big part of the annual PEF fundraising calendar, so don't waste a minute, check out ticket ordering information online at the Petaluma Educational Foundation, today.

 

Wine Country Lifestyle Correspondent Will Work for Wine (and 60 Grand)

 

Want to know what the big-time buzz is amongst wine country bloggers this week? Someone out there in the grape-growing homeland of Northern Sonoma County is actually offering to pay for posts. Shock and amazement. It's not often that a budget of any denomination surfaces in the blogging arena. You name your top few blog reads and I'll wager a bet that only those employed to bolster the sagging coffers of the mainstream media are making much of a paycheck.

There are certainly some stand-out success stories where bloggers have carved out a specific niche to warrant the hundreds of thousands of hits to justify an advertising draw, but most bloggers, like myself, do it to bolster multi-platform pontifications of writing prowess (you're not supposed to know what that means, don't worry!). Or maybe we simply have too much to say!

Still, there's a rather tempting gig currently being touted around the blogosphere from one locally-based, blogger's site to another (and clear across the country for that matter)  - that of an in-house blog job as Wine Country Lifestyle Correspondent for Sonoma County's very own Murphy-Goode Winery.

This was one slick move by the marketing folk at Murphy-Goode, who borrowed the idea from Australia's Queensland (Great Barrier Reef) Tourism and have bought themselves a spectacular fifteen minutes of widespread, wine-world fame by offering a sixth-month gig to live and work in the heart of viticultural heaven up in Healdsburg,   blogging, podcasting, facebooking and twittering to the hearts content. For ten grand a month.

With wine and lifestyle blogger's eyes boggling in unison at keyboards across the country at the very thought of working for pay, vine-studded, scenic accommodation and wine, it should be a fun headhunting episode to follow on-line. For applicants are required to make a promo video of themselves pitching their credentials. For those who fancy putting themselves on Murphy-Goode's website with all the other wannabe Wine Country Lifestyle Correspondents, this will be the wine country's first on-line reality show of sorts.

That's not to say that I don't think it a cool idea. What is really, truly awesome about Murphy-Goode's campaign is that it brings a bit of glamour to the blogosphere and illustrates the fundamental value of great blogging in today's fast changing market for news and lifestyle features.

Calling all Petaluma Slick Chicks

Clever Petaluma Podcasts has unearthed this stellar vintage clip of the original Petaluma Slick Chicks in a charming, 1932, depression-era, promotional flick for whipping up the world's largest omelette. National Egg Week Committee & the rural districts of Sonoma County clearly made a big impression on Chef San Francisco with this gaggle of busy broads from Petaluma.

Can't beat the announcer's classic broadcast style. This could call for a revival, don't you think?  Tweeting all Petaluma Slick Chicks...... oh, one slight problem, I still need to take the plunge into that particular social networking arena.

 

Stamp Out Hunger in Petaluma

"You’ve read the papers, you’ve heard the news, food banks nationwide have been depleted and yes, that includes our dear town of Petaluma," says our city's most multi-tasking, big-hearted, uber-volunteer, Anastasia Schuster.

"Thankfully we can once again be grateful that the USPS of Petaluma has chosen to participate in the very valuable Help Stamp Out Hunger program on Saturday, May 9th and will be donating  collected food items from postal customers to the Petaluma Salvation Army for distribution to the needy."

Anastasia is responsible for the Salvation Army’s involvement of being on the receiving end. Postal carrier Sean Lanham is coordinating the Petaluma USPS involvement of being on the collecting end.  "What’s cool is that Sean is my mailman!  How convenient is that?  Providence?  I think so…" says Anastasia.

"We REALLY need volunteers to help us sort, stack and store all the food that will come in. See the attached flyer, but in short, we need you from 4pm to 9pm on Saturday, May 9th.  Please consider helping.  Just a few hours of your time to help the hungry in Petaluma," says Anastasia.

Also looking for donated pizzas to feed the volunteers that day, Anastasia urges that it is imperative that the word be spread to people to actually donate canned/boxed goods that day.  Please tell your neighbors, friends and co-workers to shop for additional non-perishable food items such as rice, pasta, cereal, peanut butter, pasta sauce and leave them in a bag marked for the stamp out hunger program in a safe spot by mailboxes on the 9th. Receipts may be used for a tax write-off.

 

Teen Take on the Not-So-Rosy Side of SoCo Life

Warning: Discretionary Viewing Required, this is not your wine and roses viewpoint of local life (and yes, they do wash up well after filming): What does Quentin Tarantino's Mom tell her girlfriends at bridge about her boy's latest renditions on film, depicting the not so apple-pie nice side of American life? I should find out, as my oldest offspring continues to surprise me with his controversial take on Sonoma Country Life, as seen through the eyes of a teen about town. Offering to pen a foreword for his prolific, off-the-wall, cinematic offerings on certain aspects of Petaluma life, circa 2009, he declined me, but did make the following statement as to his particular inspirations for this short, musical film: "The film opens with a guest appearance by lead singer of Japanese Punk rock band Peelander-Z, we spent a few months on it, Damon Karr wrote the music, which samples "Soda Pop" by Britney Spears, with the addition of drums, banjo and bass guitar. The works of David Firth and Christian Pickup who have made a popular internet character named MC Devvo as well as the character Sir Digby Chicken Caesar on That Mitchell and Webb Look inspired this, as well as all the interesting characters that you can meet when you hang around downtown on a Thursday night. This piece isn't in anyway making fun of anyone, but rather hopes to portray these personalities in a somewhat positive light."

Shower Savvy Water Conservation

Last week a big old bucket appeared in my shower. "To save the water that would otherwise go down the drain," said the Italian Husband.

A grand idea. Have you any idea of the sheer volume of invaluable aqua whooshing away as you wait for the water to warm up for your daily body wash?

Stick a bucket in your shower and you'll soon see. Taking it in turns to haul the bucket out to the potted plants and the thirsty fig tree on the hill, this little exercise in water conservation is a quick learn.

Researching the simple concept a little more online, I came up with this fascinating site, stretching the idea just a tad further with a suggestion to start taking a morning wee in the shower before the proverbial wash. Down the drain, mind you, not in the bucket. Though living with a house full of males, I'd have to post a reminder that aiming accurately is top priority in the implementation of any flush-saving tactics.

Chickapoodles and Perky Petalumans

Butter and Eggs Day was a big hit in the crowd-lined streets of downtown Petaluma, once again. I sent the Italian husband off on the Petaluma Chapter of Realtors' float armed with my handy-dandy little flip video camera to catch some live footage from the parade participant perspective. Carol M's marvelous little pooch filmed with chicken outfit seems to fit the bill as the picture-perfect example of our ever egg-centric community! Blue skies pleasantly surprised event organizers who had been anticipating a late April shower or to. "What is it about today's parade?" asked a parent from Walnut Creek on the side lines of that afternoon's lacrosse game at the Junior High. "Butter and Biscuits?" he quizzed. I put him right. It's ALL about the eggs.

Forever Blowing Bubbles!

Pounds of Shepherd's Pie, pints of beer and a proper old knees up were had down at Aqus Cafe for a rousing, first annual Saint George's Day singalong packed with an eclectic collection of Petaluma's prominent European ex-pats. With next year's Saint George's Day falling on a Friday night, our friends at Aqus will be calling for reinforcements as it promises to pull in large numbers of the more notorious, party-going Anglophiles from all the nooks and crannies of bucolic Sonoma County. Thanks to Lesley, Michael, John and Anne-Laure for hosting, and a special mention to Bill Sell and cohorts for a fabulous music hall round-up.

Absolut Kindess - A Lesson We Could All Learn

Proving that there is such a thing as an occasional free ride, customers are being asked to pay with "acts of kindness" rather than cash at a street market, in London's Soho district.

Berwick Street market will be money-free for an entire two hours this afternoon (Saturday). Patrons are encouraged to tell a funny story, smile or give a hug for free goods.

Fishmonger Ian Keene, who has run a stall at Berwick Street for the past 43 years, says: "With all the gloom about, people need to try to cheer each other up."

Claiming that he'll give customers a dinner of fish fillets in return for a mere compliment, Keene asks patrons to pick up the pace for a really good joke, or a song and dance to wangle some of his top scallops.

Green grocer Norman Wilson says: "I think customers will love it. It's going to be like a little street party, everyone happy and being nice to each other."

Saturday's acts of kindness event marks the end of a week-long campaign by Absolut vodka: Absolut Kindness aims to promote a world where good feelings are more important than money!

Think we could do with a spot of that stateside, don't you? Thanks to the lovely Lindsey for the content for today's post. Lindsey will be running the London Marathon to raise money for cancer research and ARC (an animal rescue service) tomorrow (Sunday). This is her third marathon, and the first since becoming a Mummy just fifteen months ago. Way to go, Linz!

And talking of acts of kindness, anyone like to donate a few dollars to Lindsey's ultra-energetic fundraising efforts?

A Pub, A Town and the Search for Home

Wall Street Journal columnist Gwendolyn Bounds took a major detour from the fast-paced life of a financial editor in Manhattan after the crushing September 11 collapse of the Twin Towers close to her city apartment.

Who could blame her? Spotting her book Little Chapel on the River while having a browse in the bookstore a couple of weeks back, I was easily lured by the simple subtitle A Pub, A Town and the Search for What Matters Most.

To quote Bill Bryson, "I'm a Stranger Here Myself." Though we all find our way home eventually, or would like to hope we do. Oftentimes 'home' is not exactly where we'd expect it to be.

Bounds recreates the first couple of years after the terrorist attacks as she rebuilds her confidence in her surrounds and discovers another side of herself within a small, tight-knit community of incredibly hospitable, Irish immigrants and their colorful, extended family.

The Guinans are legendary in the Hudson Valley community of Garrison, New York. But living history can only hang on for so long and as the pages turn on Little Chapel on the River, so does the passage of changing times.

It was a compelling read for me and extremely emotive as I was raised within a fairly remote, small-town community myself and fully comprehend the familial instinct to preserve tradition in a multi-generational mom and pop service industry such as Guinan's small-town shop and bar.

My Grandfather was a green grocer, small-town property developer in the old-fashioned sense that nothing much changed for decades after decades. Only when my Dad and my Uncle raised sufficient rucus to reign him in and allow them to make much needed tweeks to the family business did he faintly bow to their requests.

When my Dad sold his business after fifty plus years behind the counter selling newspapers from six in the morning, seven days a week, my siblings and I mourned the loss of the much-loved corner stores, newsagents and at one time, pet store, supermarket and laundry.

Liberated, my Dad has gone on to discover the pleasures of part-time driving jobs, tootling around the Fenlands in his late sixties, taking in the landscape and the never ending horizon he was shut away from in a relentless, shopkeepers' strict schedule for the bulk of his adult life. Change can be painful and sad. Change can be a release. But change will inevitably come around one way or another.

The Guinan legacy will live on through Bounds book and in the generations of Garrison residents who will remember the good old days as long as they themselves are a part of the rich fabric of this small community.

Jim Guinan, proprietor of the Little Chapel on the River passed away April 1st, the day before I bought this book. I hadn't looked online for a real-time update until starting to write this review. RIP JG. And thanks to Gwendolyn Bounds for bringing me home for the duration of her book!