Southern Sonoma Country Life

A Visit to Di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art — A Quirky, World Class Collection in a Secluded Carneros Oasis

Glass Bottle House by Mildred Howard

If you, like me, have driven by the metal sheep that dotted the hill at the entrance to the former di Rosa Preserve: Art and Nature, now known as the di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, en-route between Sonoma and Napa, countless times and never made a visit, I highly recommend you put this quirky, secluded, world-class collection of an art-park on top of your summer to-do list.  

Lots of folk, locals such as myself, assumed the Carneros estate an exclusive winery (it was, back in the 1800s prior to the phylloxera epidemic which wiped out much of the region's earliest vineyards and for a while, later) — hence the name change to a more obvious art center vibe a couple of years prior to the more recent (human) pandemic. 

Rene di Rosa purchased these 217 acres back in 1960. He and his late wife, artist Veronica di Rosa used the profits from selling adjacent vineyard land to build their dream art-park in 1997.

They left their rambling paradise with an extensive art collection in two galleries, a sculpture meadow, olive grove and serene, 35-acre lake to the public via the Napa County Land Trust. 

The metal sheep, created by Veronica, have been relocated to a more bucolic spot at the back of the property, while the large, Mark di Suvero metallic orange sculpture, titled: "For Veronica" now graces the entrance to the art-park. 

I was invited to join a group of art-loving friends for a first time tour. Only one in our group of six had visited before and that was many years ago when she was taking an art class at College of Marin. We were all blown away by the collection of contemporary younger and regional artists that the di Rosa's had collected over the years.

A docent told us that Rene was a bargain hunter and scoured Northern California colleges for works by students and teachers. He certainly had an eye for the essence of this unique part of the world. 

He collected more than 1600 objects over five decades, from the 1960s until his death in 2010. And he considered it a kind of  "incorrect museum" — a potent concept in contrast to the aesthetic and social conventions of mainstream museums and galleries. 

Rene was unpretentious and anti-conservative in his approach to his collection, informed by the Bay-Area's unique artistic milieu, focusing on regional artists he deemed as too often over looked by critics and historians for imbuing a sense of "rascality". He held faith with the ideal that the Bay Area art scene reflects the regions radical social and political climate in the postwar years, a notable development that played a consequential role in the development of modern American art.

Click here to read more about the di Rosas. 

Sonoma County's David Best's "Rhinocar" — a 1976 Oldsmobile covered in found objects is one of the museum's most popular items in its eclectic collection. I was happy to hear after posting images on Instagram that Sonoma County contemporary artists Michael Garlington and Natalia Bertotti have been commissioned for a sculpture for di Rosa. I'm going to visit their studio later this summer and look forward to sharing more of their extraordinary work here on Southern Sonoma Country Life. 

Smoke damage from the 2017 wildfires impacted the late di Rosa's private residence and much of the collection, which underwent substantial conservation cleaning. The entire living room art was moved from the residence into Gallery 2.  

Considering all that has happened since the 2017 rename, the energy and excitement in reopening, even if on limited days/hours, is palpable and we visited on one of the 25th anniversary fundraiser days, which was lively and yet not overcrowded. There are lots of volunteers who are more than happy to chat about the collection and impart intriguing background info.

I think my favorite piece is the Angel-Go-Round by David Ireland though I was enthralled by the whole experience.

Admission is free to those under 17 years old, educators with school IDs and di Rosa members. General admission is $20 or $17 for seniors, military and students.

The museum and its courtyard is available to bilingual school tours and to rent for weddings — large, micro or elopements and private events.

The di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art is located at 5200 Sonoma Highway, Napa. For more information call 707-226-5991 or visit dirosaart.com. 

Dream Catchers — Petaluma River Park — The Path Ahead — A Community's Vision for the Future

My focus has been on the river in my community writing in recent months and there's something very exciting happening within the fledgling Petaluma River Park this spring. It's not possible to cover this important Petaluma story without going into some detail and digressing into how it rubs shoulders with several other key aspects of the riverfront renaissance.

In late 2020, eight months into the pandemic, Petaluma River Park Foundation met its first and most urgent goal: the purchase of the 20.7 acre former McNear Peninsula in the heart of Petaluma to ensure the land's future as a public park.

Thanks to over 400 generous and forward-thinking donors, this extraordinary community effort for initial acquisition came to fruition as the first of its kind in the state. 

Now it is time our fantastic friends and neighbors invite us with them on the next important step: to help with fundraising, first for the rebuilding of a one-mile loop trail to be stoller-able, wheelchair-able and walkable for people of nearly all mobilities. Next round funding is sought for the remainder of the River Park's $10 million dollar budget, to continue community engagement programs, habitat restoration and infrastructure build.

If you don't yet know much about the park, this article is for you. And if you're up to date on the tremendous teamwork taking place, do share this story with friends and neighbors and coworkers who may not have heard what's happening with the park site that inhabits the bulk of the McNear Peninsula along the Petaluma River, just off D Street through Haystack Landing.

This extensive acreage is adjacent to the parking lot and land where the City-owned, Friends of the Petaluma River has its headquarters. The River Park is a separate group but the two will be working closely together. 

The goal is to create an inclusive and vibrant outdoor place that enriches the lives of everyone in our community and revitalizes our river habitat with ecological restoration. In turn, while we humans and our four-legged friends enjoy the park, its improvement will release the capacity of degraded river ecosystems to retain water, support biodiversity, create fire resiliency and adapt to climate change.

Petaluma River Park is about as central as it gets in our city and sits conveniently near the SMART train station, several bus stops and is within easy walking/cycling distance of downtown. 

Most people are entering and exiting the park from the north west side, at least until all the east side neighborhoods are able to connect with the park via the proposed south east site. Expect informational kiosks and way-finding signage to greet visitors. Oak, Willow, and Bay trees will provide shade and section-off an area for sculpture, picnics and recreation.

An outdoor amphitheater and sculpture site is envisioned to utilize the highly visible rise in the landscape. A ridge trail will lead visitors to the highest part of the property for full views of the river and park. This will likely be a good spot for a small craft dock to be built during the restoration phase.

The tip of the park is to include the monumental Huru, a sculpture by internationally renowned sculptor Mark di Suvero and on generous long term loan from Petaluma's McKegney family. 

Aren't we all so interconnected in Petaluma? It never ceases to amaze how it's the people in this awesome community of ours that get things done, they don't wait forever the City or County to some day think out of the box. Retired Special Ed teacher Carol McKegney and her late and much-missed husband Lowell were neighbors of mine three houses ago in West Petaluma when my sons were little and the McKegney's two daughters were in grade school. 

It's full-circle for many of the folk in the River Park think-tank. Carol and Katy McKegney are active River Park Captains.

Huru, meaning “hello” and “goodbye” in an aboriginal Australian language, is constructed of I-beams, in a form reminiscent of a person with extend arms—a greeting for “hello” or “goodbye”. It weighs in at six tons and stands at 55 feet tall with a 33-foot triangular base. 

photo illustration: Carol Mckegney

You may have seen Huru in Chrissy Field in 2014. Presented by SFMOMA in partnership with the National Park Service and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, eight monumentally scaled Mark di Suvero sculptures rose at historic Crissy Field for a free yearlong exhibition.

Set against the backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge, a structure that has inspired the artist throughout his career, di Suvero’s dynamic steel sculptures exhibition brought together works from across the country, dating from 1967 to 2012, celebrating five decades of work by the acclaimed artist who has an active yard that he visits most days in Petaluma. 

Lowell McKegney was di Suvero's right hand man, his studio director for decades, traveling around the world to install the massive artworks. He passed away in 2011. 

Carol and I talked about the site where she envisions Huru to be placed. Carol quoted Mickey Rooney to Judy Garland in a number of Depression Era shows: "Hey kids, let's put on a show." Anyone who understands the reference gets it, there's plenty of money in our community to build this park.

"People are too plugged in these days," she said. "Too many don't stop to say hello. If everyone in our community did something towards making this park a reality, we'd get to know one another, so why wait for an earthquake to happen to jump into action?"

Carol says it as it is. I like that. "People need to take part in their city," she says, "Unify it."

"This spot is perfect for a park," she added. "When I saw the land, the confluence, its visibility from the west side, Highway 101 and the east side of town as well as coming up the river, I knew it was an ideal home for Huru." Carol's dream is that the location where the sculpture will grace the park will be known as "Lowell's Landing."

This is our chance to be impactful on a bigger scale. 

"It's a destination," said Carol. SMART train will draw people here to see the world class sculpture, it's a different kind of visitor. Let's not be the town that is known just for its thrift shops. The park will be a cultural facility that sets our city apart."

I also chatted with my friend Deb Smith, an enthusiastic Board Member for the Petaluma River Park. We met for coffee at Aqus Cafe which we took down to the park benches at the foot of H Street. There we were able to chat about the park as we looked across from the other side of the river. We talked about her involvement as a community member with the non-profit and how inspired she has become.

It was a peaceful, quiet May morning. We took in the familiar infrastructure of the former Pioneer Shell Plant (established in 1950) visible from across the park (which at its peak, churned out 10 to 12 tons of crushed oyster shell every hour). Oyster shells were utilized heavily in poultry and horse feed, in fertilizer and for landscaping.

Plans are also afoot in close proximity for an infill housing development to replace the historic oyster shell plant and its industrial buildings, core, central property that housed Lind Marine (formerly Jerico Products) for many years. Local historian and author John Sheehy's May 20 2022 Secret Sauce of Oyster Shells article in the Petaluma Argus Courier vividly and expertly outlines that neighboring site's early days and timeline of the oyster shell industry in Petaluma, another intertwining story within the evolution of the river. 

Studying the images on the City of Petaluma's planning process page for the future Oyster Cove, we can see how the development will border the entrance to the River Park at its north end. Entering the park will look a lot different in the coming years as proposed infill changes the character and face of the D Street corridor across town. 

The highly visible unsheltered encampment that grew and grew during the peak of the pandemic involved a legal battle with the City of Petaluma. It has recently lost its campaign to stay put on City-owned land on the east side of the entrance to open space. I hope a compromise will be made soon to relocate this makeshift village to a location with facilities. The River Park folk, while not unsympathetic to the plight of the unsheltered, were forced into a watch and wait holding pattern for many months. While the actual park land is for public use and though it is is privately owned, its purpose is for equal access open space that everyone in the community feels safe and comfortable accessing from dawn to dusk. 

The fantastic Downtown Streets Team has been maintaining the park throughout the past months in contract with The Petaluma River Park. Let's hear it for these hardworking folk who have been at risk for homelessness themselves and take enormous pride in the tending of our community streets and shared spaces. Friends of the Petaluma River has also been undertaking an incredible amount of conversation work along the waterway. 

image — concept sketch of Oyster Cove — Urban Mix Developments

I close my eyes and picture the waterway before the oyster shell industry and the land mass of the peninsula itself existed. I've recently read Becoming Story, a newly released journey among seasons, places, trees and ancestors by Greg Sarris (Chairman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria).

In his book, the author asks what does it mean to be truly connected to the place you call home? It's a subject I've written about in my own books. Sitting by the river, I imagine a time, pre-European contact when Sonoma County was one of the most biologically diverse places on the planet, back when, as Greg Sarris described: "hundreds of species of waterfowl flew up so thick as to obliterate the sun for hours at a time."

Before the heart of Petaluma valley was populated with pioneer settlers, iron-front Victorians and later, asphalt and strip malls — herds of elk, pronghorn  (the fastest mammal in North America) and black tailed deer grazed amongst thickets of blackberries along the waterway. 

The ancient coast Miwok Village of Petaluma was perched atop a low hill, three miles north east of where I sat with Deb that morning. There's little discussion these days of the thousands of years the inhabitants of a 500 person village of the Lekatuit Nation lived in harmony with the land, tule huts and fire smoke their only imprint. They knew when and where to gather willow and sedge and bullrush for basket weaving, the best spots for tule and medicinal herbs, roots, seeds, acorns. Deer and rabbits provided meat and fur for winter warmth.   

Many animals and birds have become extinct in Sonoma County since the early 1800s. It's hard to picture a grizzly bear dominating the animal kingdom of this waterway —though the mighty California Condor with its nine-foot wingspan is now being reintroduced to the wild, so look up!

Striped Bass, Leopard Shark and Bat Eagle Ray are reportedly the most common species of fish caught in the Petaluma River today. Both Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Trout use the Petaluma river and its tributaries, though not nearly in the quantities that thrived pre 1776 when Capt. Fernando Quiroz, a Spanish explorer, sailed up from San Francisco Bay to see if the Petaluma Creek led to Bodega Bay. Decades later he was followed by English and Russian fur hunters prior to the Gold Rush, when the tidal slough was described as a windy, narrow ditch amidst marshlands. Early travelers who learned to beware of low tides, arrived covered in mud.

The Petaluma Creek wasn't upgraded to the Petaluma River until an "act of Congress" in 1959 in order for the river to qualify for dredging.  Petaluma has changed dramatically over the past couple hundred years. And so it is thrilling to think of a land mass, an open space in the middle of the river, in the center of the city, that is destined to provide a pathway for us to reconnect with the land. 

Maybe it took the pandemic for us to truly recognize the vital, life-affirming power of open space? Deb and I talked about the City's green light decision for the relocation of the contentious public art clawfoot bathtub installation of artist Brian Goggin's Fine Balance from Water Street to the spot where we sat on H Street by the river. There are plans to turn this spot into a parklet.

It seems to me as good a compromise as any, with a reduction of size for the installation from six tubs on stilts to two. Though I have to agree with critics that night lighting, though nice, doesn't sound particularly environmentally friendly for wildlife along the river bank and within the park opposite. 

Back to the park. The Petaluma River Park team has rallied fiercely, led by its terrific co-founder and executive director Seair Lorentz. I met with Seair to talk about what's next for the non-profit as it launches its Spring fundraiser. Seair was excited to have the keys finally to a new office for The River Park at Foundry Wharf. 

"People need access to parks and fresh air. All across the country we are seeing cities claim more open space," said Seair, whose background is as a museum educator and marketing, communications and brand development. "Layer in Covid and all its isolating effects and we all flocked to open space. It has been a dark time, politically, socially and this has doubled our resolve as a non-profit."

She described how as a mostly all-volunteer team: "Ours is the task not to mend the entire world at once, but to make our corner of the world just that much better for our community."

I was impressed to hear how hard the board has worked to intentionally expand its diversity of voices, in part thanks to a community engagement grant that brought together a coalition of groups. What was originally an all-white board living within a specific radius is now 50% people of color. "This is a real testament to the excitement around the park in our greater community," explained Seair. 

The big question, she discussed, is whether the largely volunteer-run non-profit will continue to run the park permanently after fundraising to complete its infrastructure vision or if, at the appropriate juncture, it would be wise to hand over to the City or County as a signature civic amenity. Either way, there's little chance that such a promising public park would have ever come to be if it had been left as it was with little other prospects. 

"We have a lot of core players," said Seair. "Our ambassador program First Saturday walks resume in June. We're fully focused on getting community input and a six-foot trail will help with that. There's a form on our website for people to write in and get involved. Everyone's so excited for when the time comes to shovel." 

State and federal funding are being eyed for substantial opportunities in the coming months, though public and private sector support is also key.

Seair's husband, sculptor, and park co-founder Sean Paul Lorentz is River Park board member in charge (along with other key board members) of creative direction, operations, fundraising, events and park design. It is no coincidence that Sean Paul is studio manager for Mark di Suvero, following in the highly respected footsteps of the late Lowell McKegney in his role with di Suvero. It's nothing short of serendipitous how Huru is coming full circle to roost within the River Park in the hometown that fosters such stellar work and synergy within its creative community. 

Deb Smith had noticed a big photo board of the McNear Peninsula in the Golden Eagle Center the week we chatted and shared the picture she took of that old image which shows how West Petaluma has developed over the past decades. It's history is interesting in that it is a manmade peninsula, once grazed with livestock, aside a newly expanded canal, formed from 20.7 acres of river-dredged soil by the industrious McNear Family, back in 1898. The canal allowed access to the Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railroad so that goods and produce were more easily transportable. 

My husband, REMAX Gold real estate broker Timo Rivetti, was instrumental in working with the far-flung McNear Family descendant heirs who, after much deliberation, agreed to sell the property they had first listed at $3 mill for parkland. The Petaluma River Park finally purchased the property in Nov 2020 for $1,055,000.

The city’s general plan designation had interrupted the family’s original vision to install a brick factory on the property. Though numerous developers would have loved to land their hands on this pivotal piece of private but very public property in the center of the city, there was no way that planning restrictions would allow anything to happen development-wise at any point in the future. Everything pointed to a park and the people of our community rose to the challenge. 

Here's a link to the Argus Courier article when the property was listed for sale back in 2016. 

Click here to meet the team behind Petaluma River Park. 

 

HELP BUILD THE TRAIL — CLICK HERE TO MAKE A GIFT BY JUNE 30 2022 AND YOUR DONATION WILL BE MATCHED DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR 

 

 

Sonoma County Artist Gail Foulkes Launches Online Showcase of an Extraordinary, Decades-Long Body of Work

Images — Gailfoulkes.com

I'm absolutely delighted to share the stunning new website of my beloved friend, prolific multi media artist Gail Foulkes, who works her magic from an idyllic studio in a turn-of-the-century Red Barn on her family's rustic country property on the border of West Petaluma and Marin County in bucolic Chileno Valley. 

Gail was born in Kenya and lived there until she was 12, when she went to high school in the UK. She remained in the UK until moving to Northern California with her husband, Michael and son Alex, 20 years ago. Our family's have been tight-knit since early on in the Foulkes' settling into our Sonoma County community. 

Both Gail and Michael are thoroughly immersed in community life, especially within the arts and many of my readers know them well and consider them dear friends, neighbors, dedicated arts supporters. 

And so it is super exciting to be able to share Gail's website Gailfoulkes.com with you all in its inaugural launch. Largely because this is the first time most people have had the opportunity to glimpse into Gail's rich body of work, of which there are some 600 plus pieces that she has produced over the past two decades alone.

"I started the site three or four years ago," says Gail. "Before COVID. A mentor at art school in the 80s said not to have a show until I had amassed a good body of work! Nearly four decades later, I finally feel confident in putting my work out there and not being too affected by what people say or think."

Early this year Gail pulled out all the stops to organize an extensive photoshoot of her diverse works in an outdoor studio on her property under the oaks. My youngest son, Dominic Rivetti was newly returned from a post-grad extended stay in Brooklyn and jumped into the project, working tirelessly with Gail out at Chileno Valley. They were lucky to have good weather to complete the shoot which was just the start of preparing the photographs Gail's art for online catalog. 

Fine tuning takes time and the two of them have been keenly focused for the past few months. It's wonderful to see such an extensive body of work on one, easy to navigate site. Bravo Gail & Dom. 

 

The pulling in during the pandemic made Gail look in rather than out. She describes how looking out: at her life in England, in Kenya, here, as somehow: "Too big," during that period. "It has brought me back to where I actually live, it is so important to be where you are," she says.

"I wanted to draw from the age of 12, but it wasn't until I was in my 30s that I finally went to art school and studied painting," says Gail. "Following art school, I branched out to learn about the third dimension through sculpture. And although I have always used the medium of photography for ideas and training my eye on composition, it is only recently that photography has become a medium that I use for more than just inspiration." Click here to see Gail's beautiful photography. 

"These are drawings and paintings I made during COVID using the brown paper bags from supermarkets when we weren't able to reuse them for our shopping. They just piled up and this was my way of recycling them," explains Gail, who was offered a show at Redwood Cafe last summer. "That really propelled me forward — everything seemed to be going in the right direction," she adds.

 

 

 

 

The section of my work from the 80s shows where I've come from in my work," says Gail. "I still do the same subject matter." 

Gail enjoys collaborating with fellow artists. Click here. This is very good for me as I am thrilled to be working with my dear friend on cover art for my upcoming novel, The House on Liberty Street. Gail has been sketching various Victorian properties around town these past few months. The idea is that she is recreating my fictional ideal of the house where most of the story takes place. Readers always want to know exactly where the ranch house in my first novel is located and I have to explain that it is an imagined home based on all of the energy of the many abandoned structures I've soaked in to my imagination in coastal Sonoma County and west Marin. The house in downtown Petaluma in this coming story is a similar amalgamation of heritage homes. I can't wait for us to complete the cover this summer and start showing it off prior to a fall release.

If you'd like to contact Gail for collaboration/shows or to see more of her work click here. 

McEvoy Ranch Launches a New Local Honey Collection

 

NEW this Spring! McEvoy Ranch Wildflower Honey Collection offers three unique local Northern California honey that pay homage to the tastes profiles of each region's flowers, orchards, vineyards, or fields the bees are visiting.   Marin Wildflower Honey A buttery mixture of native wildflowers, as well as backyard varieties such as Mexican Sage, Peppermint, Crepe Myrtle,  and Eucalyptus with a slightly lemony flair.   Sonoma Wildflower Honey A tasting profile of apple and pumpkin blossoms create a very delicate sweet honey.   Napa Wildflower Honey From the apiaries at some of Napa Valley’s finest wineries, where bees forage the sweet nectar right from the vineyard flowers.

Savor Them All With a  Wildflower Honey Gift Pack!

SHOP NOW

Boulevard Cinema & Petaluma Gap Wineries Offer the Perfect Summer Movie Pairing Experience: Wine Night at the Movies

Boulevard Cinema and the Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance are pleased to jointly announce a summer series, “Petaluma Gap Wine Nights at the Movies,” pairing iconic wine-related films and Hollywood classics with premium wines from the Petaluma Gap American Viticultural Area (AVA).

The monthly series will kick off on Tuesday, June 7^th, 2022 at Boulevard Cinema, located at 200 C Street in Petaluma, with a special screening of the movie, Decanted, a feature-length documentary about the creation of a new winery. 

Garry Brooks, owner and winemaker for the newly-opened Brooks Note Winery and Tasting Room in downtown Petaluma, will co-host this premier show and pour two of his acclaimed wines for attendees. 

Doors will open at 6:30 PM and reserved seating tickets may be purchased for $45 online at cinemawest.com. While watching the film, guests will enjoy wine and complementary gourmet popcorn, as well as an invitation to book a future tasting at the winery.

The Petaluma Gap Wine Nights at the Movies will continue throughout the summer on the following dates with these films and winery co-hosts:

July 5^th, You Will Be My Son, with Fogline Vineyards

August 2^nd, When Harry Met Sally, with Montagne Russe Wines

September 6^th, Steel Magnolias, with Light of Day Wines

At each screening, a Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance representative will be on hand to share highlights about the AVA’s distinctive and award-winning wines.  For more information email info@cinemawest.com.

The Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance would like to thank Boulevard Cinemas and its owner, Dave Corkill, for arranging and bringing this film series to the Petaluma community.

# # #

 

About the Wine Hosts

Brooks Note Winery is a small, family-owned winery, focused on making wines with elegant structure and balanced acidity, that demonstrate ripeness and intensity of flavor.  Featured at the June 7^th event will be their 2019 Pinot Noir from the Petaluma Gap and a 2021 North Coast Rosé, containing 95% Petaluma Gap grapes.

Fogline Vineyards, owned by Evan Pontoreiro, a founding member of the Petaluma Gap AVA, and his partner, Brent Bessire, is known for luscious, small-lot, world-class Pinot and Chardonnay, as well as Syrah and Zinfandel, with all fruit grown above the fog-line, primarily in the Petaluma Gap. 

Montagne Russe Wines (the French term for ‘roller coaster’) was launched by Kevin Bersofsky in his Napa Valley garage in 2006.  After being cited by Federal authorities for making too much excellent wine, he and his crew set their sights on creating the next cult wine label.  Montagne Russe specializes in cool-climate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah, primarily from vineyards in the Petaluma Gap.

Light of Day Wines is a family owned and operated winery making wines that speak of place and time, from the ground to the glass, farmed with environmentally responsible practices. Our winemaking style focuses on minimal intervention while guiding the wine into the bottle. The Petaluma Gap provides a beautiful and unique place for farming and crafting wines. We are thrilled to share our journey with visitors at the winery or through a glass shared with friends around a home table.

About the Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance

Founded in 2005, the Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance (PGWA) exists to educate members of the wine trade and consumers about the Petaluma Gap AVA and to increase awareness of the region’s unique growing conditions and award-winning wines. PGWA additionally supports member winegrowers and vintners within the region through ongoing programs and communications designed to help them maximize their success within the industry. The group’s membership is made up of grape growers, wineries, associate business members, sponsors and local community members with a passion for the region and its wine.

Why I'll Be Celebrating Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee in Sonoma County — Expat Diary Dates!

"It's worth remembering that it is often the small steps, not the giant leaps, that bring about the most lasting change." —

Queen Elizabeth, 2019 Christmas Broadcast

Expats and Anglophiles will be partying in the streets around the world on Sunday June 5th in celebration of Queen Elizabeth's 2022 Platinum Jubilee. Whether or not you're a fan of British royalty, or any concept of modern monarchy for that matter there's no disputing the enormous sense of national heritage identity and pride felt by many expats such as myself when it comes to the Queen. 

In an era where it's understandable to question the preservation of such old-school pomp, ceremony and elitism that is undoubtedly the British monarchy, polls show that the majority of Brits are not in favor of ditching the royal fam any time soon. Maybe it's because the royals have managed to ride out thousands of years of unrest, including the enormous present day social changes that we do keep them around in an increasingly streamlined form. It's clear it's time to give back in new and effective ways. 

Despite their rocky patches and the odd particularly unsuitable family member (every fam has one), there's a steadying influence of a clan that has weathered storm after storm.

During this time in history that we're experiencing, I think that their old-fashioned anchor somehow provides a bigger picture, a larger, national and international family — and when the Queen passes away her exit from the precarious living world as we know it will undoubtedly be bigger than one would imagine. 

I have a small collection of royal memorabilia from growing up in the UK. We were given Silver Jubilee mugs at elementary school and I fondly recall the street parties and discos on the village green. I wrote and illustrated a booklet on the Queen that year, 1977, aged 11 in school. I still have it. I recall how proud I was with my work and it was probably my first book when I think about it now. 

And yes, the royals do cost the UK a lot, but they also bring in big bucks (or pounds sterling rather) in tourism — with billions expected to be raked in this summer. I don't doubt that there will be further trimming down of the coffers over the next two generations of the British royal family to align more with the style of other less ceremonial European royals. It's already started and it'll look a lot different by the time William and Kate take over the palace. 

Still, The Platinum Jubilee marks 70 years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. And let's hear it for Elizabeth. For she is the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee and officially the longest-reigning monarch in UK history. In fact, she is only a few years behind Louis XIV of France who is the world’s longest-reigning monarch! King Louis XIV spent 72 years on the throne from 1643 to 1715. Close behind are Johann II of Liechtenstein and Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, both with 70-year reigns under their belts. 

Queen Elizabeth II became monarch in 1952 at the age of 25 following the untimely death of her father King George VI. Since then, she has ruled and represented the United Kingdom for a whopping seven decades. 

The Queen has presided over 14 British Prime Ministers and has met 13 out of 14 US presidents.

 

"When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future" — 

Queen Elizabeth, 2008 Christmas Broadcast

 

The annual Trooping the Color event, also known as the Queen’s Birthday Parade, is taking place at Buckingham Palace in London on Thursday, 2 June. 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians are part of the procession that travels down The Mall to the Horse Guards Parade. Also joining are members of the Royal Family (on horseback and in carriages). The traditional RAF fly-past will also take place with the Queen watching from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. The event is open to the public and will also be broadcast live on BBC One. 

There will be a Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen’s reign at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday, 3 June. The following day, on Saturday 4 June, the Queen and members of the Royal Family will attend the Derby at Epsom Downs racecourse while, in the evening, the BBC Platinum Party at the Palace takes place at Buckingham Palace.

The Big Jubilee Lunch:

Over 60k people have registered to host Big Jubilee Lunches on the Platinum celebration weekend, with events ranging from world record attempts for the longest street party to back garden BBQ’s and everything in between. Over ten million people across the UK are expected to be joining the celebrations to share friendship, food and fun at Big Jubilee Lunches as part of this nationwide act of community friendship. People across the world are also joining in with over 600 international Big Jubilee Lunches being planned throughout the Commonwealth and beyond - from Canada to Brazil, New Zealand to Japan and South Africa to Switzerland. 

Vintage recipes come into their own during street parties. Iced buns, scones, Scotch eggs and sausage rolls, cucumber sandwiches of course, Victoria Sponge, sherry trifle, Pimms Cup. Here's a photo of me at brunch in my Petaluma kitchen on Harry and Meghan's wedding day. I'm looking forward to some festive shenanigans with local British contingency on the 5th. 

In London, on the same day, the Platinum Jubilee Pageant takes place. National treasures and iconic figures from music, film, sport and the arts will take part in the Pageant including much-loved celebrity names, alongside military personnel, key workers and volunteers.

Though the Queen won't personally travel in The Gold State Carriage, led by The Sovereign’s Escort, the carriage will lead the Platinum Jubilee Pageant, embracing the latest in digital technology to evoke the excitement and majesty of her journey to be crowned 70 years ago.

Platinum Jubilee Beacons: The United Kingdom’s long tradition of celebrating Royal Jubilees, Weddings and Coronations with the lighting of beacons will continue for the Platinum Jubilee. 

A beacon chain, once used as a tool for communication, has now become a symbol of unity across towns, borders, countries and continents and is often the central point of focus for any outdoor gathering or celebration. In 1897, beacons were lit to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. In 1977, 2002 and 2012, beacons commemorated the Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilees of The Queen, and in 2016 Her Majesty’s 90th birthday. Over 1,500 beacons will be lit throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories.

The Principal beacon, involving The Tree of Trees (a 21m high 'tree' constructed of 350 smaller trees), will be lit in a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace at 9pm. 

There will be three kinds of beacon events:

• Community Beacons – thousands of beacons will be lit by communities, charities and different groups throughout the regions of the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories.
• Commonwealth Beacons - beacons will be lit in all capital cities of the Commonwealth - 54 in total.
• Principal Beacon - to be lit on the 2nd June in a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

"In times of doubt and anxiety, the attitudes people show in their daily lives, in their homes and in their work are of supreme importance." — 

Queen Elizabeth, 1974 Christmas Broadcast

I'm looking forward to a bit of fun with teapots and a few close pals here on the 5th, Stateside. Why not? 

To read more about the royals, check out and subscribe to my sister Kerry and co-editor Maria's terrific weekly The Royal List newsletter. 

 

First Ever Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience a Huge Success

It was my pleasure to check out Saturday's Vintner's Plaza Grand Tasting at the first ever Healdsburg Food & Wine Experience. a three-day celebration featuring the best of Sonoma County and world-renowned food and wines.

This extensive festival showcased our region’s lauded makers – farmers, growers, winemakers and chefs – alongside globally recognized wines from the greatest wine regions of the world.

The goal of this new festival was to highlight the vibrant culinary diversity, sustainable farming practices and deep connection to the agriculture of Sonoma as it relates to the rest of the world. It certainly was an extraordinary event, with every small attention to detail in the connection of so many movers and shakers in the wine and food world in our county.

If you missed your chance to meet, eat/drink with and learn from a blend of super talented celebrity, Michelin-starred and James Beard award- winning chefs, world-renowned wine experts, wine makers and grape growers all in one place, then you'd best put the Healdsburg Food & Wine Experience on your radar for next May.

First stop before hitting the Vintner's Plaza Grand Tasting Experience was the Healdsburg Bar & Grill for tasty Sips & Sliders. 

I was thoroughly impressed by all the effort that went into beautifying each tasting booth. Lovely flowers, thoughtful shaded presentation, lots of care with hydrating guests in the heat and recycling. 

Packed with options, activities and unique locations, the event schedule offered a lineup suited for everyone’s tastes and pocketbook!  Customize your weekend experience next year. Options vary based on purchased ticket package, featuring a variety of culinary experiences with celebrity chefs (I caught Award-winning chef and restaurateur, Fan Favorite and contestant on Top Chef, Food Network star and judge, coach and judge on Fox’s Next Level Chef Nyesha Arrington crafting delicious tacos featured above at the Matheson), seminars, bbq and ranch tours, a country and western concert and super exclusive VIP evening parties.

Click here to see all the events that took place over the weekend in various scenic locales. 

To showcase this new event's commitment to the region, HW&FE plans to make a significant contribution to the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation towards healthcare, affordable housing and other critical support services for the Foundation’s farmers and families.

Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience is set to create a new scholarship fund for economically-challenged students of Healdsburg High School Future Farmers of America who wish to pursue a career in agriculture and farming.

It was rather a whirlwind visit for me as I had family visiting all weekend, though 2033 I for one will be sure to keep my calendar clear for the whole weekend to savor more of the wide range of events and experiences. Fun crowd, friendly folk making sure everyone had the best time. 

Locals may enjoy a volunteer stint or two during the weekend as a great way to experience the event. Check out the website for news on next year's celebration. 

Tickets Available for VIP Vineyard Truck Tour & Dutton Ranch BBQ With Texas Cowboy Chef Tim Love — Sunday, May 22nd, 2022

As part of  Sonoma County Winegrowers' co-founding partnership with this coming weekend's inaugural Healdsburg Wine and Food Experience, it is offering its exclusive Truck Talks for the first time to consumers 

Historically, Truck Talks have been part of the county winegrowers' outreach and education when it hosts media or Somms/wine trade in Sonoma County.  Guests have the opportunity to spend time with lauded local grape growers and experience Sonoma County from each farmer's perspective. 

As part of this year's first Healdsburg Wine and Food Experience, this literally equates to grape growers picking up 2-4 consumers in a truck from their hotel and giving them a unique Sonoma County tour -  to a particular vineyard the grower farms to taste the wine from that specific parcel. There are stop offs at favorite coffee shop and other area favorites.

This is your invitation to walk the vineyards, touch the soil, drink the wines and learn how wine is made from the person who makes it. A true “maker behind the magic” experience.

After the individual tours, all of the grape growers will bring their guests to Dutton Ranch in the Russian River for an old-fashioned BBQ where wines from all of the growers participating will be poured.

Truck Talks take place on Sunday, May 22nd from 9am-2pm (approximate timing) with Truck Talks  from 9am-11:30am and lunch at Dutton Ranch hosted by “Texas Cowboy Chef”, Tim Love from 11:30am-2:00pm (approximate timing).

Shuttles will return guests back to hotels and parking lots in Healdsburg mid afternoon. 

Located in the heart of California wine country, the Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience is a three-day celebration featuring the best of Sonoma County and world-renowned food and wines.

The festival will showcase the region’s makers – farmers, growers, winemakers and chefs – alongside globally recognized wines from the greatest wine regions of the world. If you're interested in checking out the festival, tickets are still available for the Vintners Grand Plaza Tasting on Saturday 21st May as well as the Vineyard Tours and Dutton Ranch event.

The Vintners Plaza Grand Tasting features wines from Sonoma, Napa and internationally renowned regions. Delicious foods will be prepared by local and internationally known chefs who will present their creations. Enjoy the live music of band Wobbly World and meet some of your favorite chefs who will be signing autographs throughout the day. Click here for more info. 

Time To Trestle. Petaluma Trestle Rehabilitation Meets City Council Priority Status — A Centenary Year Update

Want to see the dilapidated Petaluma Trestle turned into a riverfront community promenade? I do. I wrote an in-depth feature on the sore subject of this decaying mass back in February of this year. The article (click here) traveled far and wide within our community and I'm pleased to have played a small part in the push to present reasoning for its rehabilitation before the Petaluma City Council as a priority item for our town.

Who's on board?

Five Council members and the Mayor and that was enough to push the Trestle to the top of the council's to-do list. 

The Petaluma Women's Club, entering its 126th year of active improvements in our community, is also on board, big time. The Women's Club has written its appreciation in a letter to the City for making the Trestle a priority.

"We think your timing is critical to update and finalize the design, to provide legal and DPW staff and funding and to collaborate with SMART to get this done," wrote co-president Colleen Mahoney, adding that the project deserves the City's attention so that our community can finally see this nuisance and liability turned into a visionary, rehabilitated promenade for visitors and residents to enjoy.

In fact, the Women's Club has pledged to help with this legacy project, in keeping with its significant and substantial local works over the past century and a quarter. On behalf of all 150 members, Colleen asked that the project be accelerated as an opportunity for business, community leaders, city council and staff to join forces and get this done:

"The City needs to play the lead role, but we are poised to gather community-wide momentum to finally see this project become a reality."

After all, it was Ida McNear who formed The Petaluma Women's Club in 1895. By 1900, the following creed was adopted: "We desire to do all in our power to make Petaluma an ideal town, that may be known as the home of good citizenship. In the effort for clean streets, good water, pure food and better sanitation, we will constantly be on the alert to aid our street and City officials."

I can't help but think that Mrs. McNear would be relieved to know that the Women's Club has championed this year as "Time to Trestle."

Its leaders are committed to hosting fundraisers/benefit concerts and collaborations with multiple organizations within the community to support and boost federal and state grant monies that must be secured by the City in the coming months.

Although this is a municipal project, everyone needs to think outside of the box with funding strategies.

Petaluma City Council is insufficiently staffed by its own admission and reluctant to over promise and under deliver, so let's hope that this public right of way that Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit currently has responsibility for may make this a project that SMART engineers could somehow help get off the ground before transfer of ownership to the City. SMART understands bridges, structures and permits after all. And the Trestle has been a big liability for SMART so one would hope that it is keen to pass the baton to the City. It would certainly be SMART's opportunity to shine in Petaluma. 

I messaged County Supervisor and SMART Board chair David Rabbitt and he replied that same day that SMART is all in as well. Though: "Neither have the funds to do anything but working collaboratively, we will be seeking opportunities".  Promising news. 

Petaluma City Council Member Kevin McDonnell spoke with me at length about the challenges ahead. In short, there are three obstacles to overcome: the first is to get the City Attorney to say yes it can be done considering all the legal wrangling and for the City to then take charge; the second is to nail down the nuts and bolts of the engineering project and the third is to secure funding. 

"It's a lottery, you just don't know," Kevin explained with regards to grant applications. "SMART has access to additional funds the City doesn't, so it's really important what the City does with SMART."

"The City is just now recovering from a 10 year battering," he added. "There are many, many priorities. Yet I've been very hopeful that the Trestle rehabilitation will happen. It's central to our community. It's why we have a downtown and others don't and struggle. We must preserve our downtown and go for the grants now." 

It was great to catch the Trestle on CBS News on May 11th. Click here for the news clip .

Coffee with chief instigator of the Trestle restoration campaign, Living History Museum President Christopher Stevick and his wife Elaine Stevick caught me up on news from their end. Chris and Elaine met me for coffee at Riverfront Cafe to fill me in on the latest from their perspective as two of the city's most passionate campaigners (along with Petaluma Pete) for the rehabilitation of this important California heritage site.

Chris has poured his heart and soul into the future public promenade, which he describes perfectly as "Our balcony to the river".

"And the river is the heart of our town," he adds. "Santa Rosa put a lot of money into historic Railroad Square. The Trestle is already here. A town needs a square and we have a river and this is our version."

On Monday May 1st, the City Council agreed to prioritize the trestle’s restoration over the next two years. According to the Petaluma Argus Courier, prior to a six-hour city priority discussion, council member Dave King was confident the trestle restoration would be at the top of the list for the next two fiscal years.

“It’s always been significant, (but) it’s largely been a question of money,” King told the Argus in a phone interview. “Prior to Measure U, the City was strapped pretty badly, the budget was pretty tight all the way around. But as time has progressed, the trestle isn’t getting any better and something has to be done with it.”

I'll be posting regular updates with how to get involved in the Trestle project. A community promenade for festivals, events and general, every day enjoyment of the great outdoors promises to be a riverside delight. Things are happening and that's great news for Petaluma. 

 

Sonoma County — Life Opens Up Spring 2022 — A Slice of Cheese, Wine, Style & Design

“You have to be a romantic to invest yourself, your money, and your time in cheese.”

Anthony Bourdain

Well, I am definitely a romantic. And I invested more of my household staple budget and shopping time in cheese and wine during the past couple of years than ever, making sure as much of it as possible was local.

And I'm so glad that so many of you did too as we're coming through the other end of the long struggle for our regional farmstead producers who were so incredibly hard hit by the on-again, off-again shutting of restaurants and hospitality venues, their major source of income. It's heartening to see so many cheesemakers and artisan producers back at it in public, with tours, dinners and special events this Spring. 

I was delighted to attend the 16th annual California Artisan Cheese Festival in Santa Rosa at the county fairgrounds on Saturday May 6th. It was lovely to spend the day with good friend Lynne Devereux, former Marketing & Public Relations at Laura Chenel's Chèvre & Marin French Cheese, who was instrumental in the cheese festival's early days at the Sheraton Petaluma. I haven't seen Lynne, who lives in the East Bay since long before the pandemic so it was terrific to catch up in-person on life, the universe and strawberry-infused cream cheese bagels at a bustling, real life, local festival. 

Cheesemakers, beer makers, wine and mead producers, olive oil makers, you name it, the taste makers of the region were representing. It struck us that the lines of patient patrons waiting to taste have grown far more civilized given everyone's manners these days in not over crowding one another. It may be that there needs to be line hosts to keep things going in future years if we stay as sensible for the long term!

I hope next year to hear that the cheese tours will return. I've been on quite a few over the years and they're always so much fun. I love meeting folk from all over the world who come to explore the true flavor of terroir in and on our cheesemaking facilities, ranches and farms.

This cute crew had to be captured on film as they nibbled their way around some 60 or more vendors.

One of my favorite local cheesemaking families is Achadinha Cheese Company, just outside of Petaluma on Chileno Valley Road. I was delighted to see Donna Pacheco and family featured on Sonoma County's Life Open's Up videos. It really shows how beautiful it is in our part of the country. Look for Achadinha cheeses at your local California farmer's market and in regional stores. 

Last week was a busy one. I was also lucky enough to attend a fantastic winemaker dinner at the new Montage resort nestled among 258 acres of rolling vineyards and oak tree groves, outside of Healdsburg.

Thank you dear friends Michael and Carla Carpenter for the invite. Michael co-founded The Redd Collection — a retail wine business primarily focused on fine & rare wines. He and his family live in Southern Sonoma County where he has his finger on the pulse of California wines as well as wines from around the world. If you're looking to start or expand a wine collection, Michael's your guy. And he makes the wine world fun in his down-to-earth approach to sourcing and explaining everything from great value every day wines to whatever amazing wine suits your personal pallet & wallet.

Every year, Michael participates in Sonoma County Vintner's annual spring Barrel Auction extravaganza that takes place each year in Sonoma Wine Country over several days and at multiple locations. 

The intimate winemaker's dinner we attended featured a delicious menu served in a spectacular glass-enclosed, private modern dining room with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wine pairings served by renowned Fisher Vineyards and Patz & Hall Winery. 

It was my first time visiting the resort which features an 11,500-square-foot spa, a zero-edge resort pool, three signature dining options, including a seasonal poolside restaurant, inspired by our  region’s culinary heritage and renowned wineries. It really is spectacular. 

After the cheese festival I stopped by the Water Shed Warehouse in West Petaluma's riverfront neighborhood on 1st Street. Another friend, Wendy Owen, messaged me that she was going to be there with her sumptuous textile pillows and cushions for a pop-up that sounded intriguing. 

Needless to say, this beautifully renovated 100-year-old former grain warehouse which neighbors Foundry Wharf is a place to watch in Sonoma County for upscale style and design. It's exciting to see what happens next in that neighborhood.