Southern Sonoma Country Life

Thanksgiving Greetings from Fog Valley — A Poem & Pictures!

Seeing as November is Native American Heritage Month first and foremost and it being Thanksgiving it strikes me as an appropriate time to post my poem that I read at Petaluma Arts Center this summer and more recently at the Museum of Sonoma County in celebration of the museum's upcoming 2023 Sonoma County Stories. 

I haven't posted this, an adaptation of my second book, Fog Valley Winter, prior to this so I hope you enjoy it & it provides food for thought. 

It's been a busy November with several fun readings and events with my earlier books around the county and some lovely wine writing assignments too. I'm so close to getting my new novel The House on Liberty Street ready for a late year release, it's taking all my patience to keep a lid on it until it's live. Hopefully in the next few days! 

In the meantime, I will be at home here in southern Sonoma County with my family and friends and I can smell the scalloped potatoes baking while I'm posting this. 

I'm ever more grateful for every day spent in this beautiful place I call home. I'm so thankful for the wonderful community and countryside that surrounds us and appreciate all that takes place behind the scenes, the many, many folk who don't necessarily call out their dedication to making this the splendid place it is for all. 

I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, wherever you are and whomever you chose to spend your day with. And if you're taking a couple of days to relax and read, walk, pack a picnic for the beach, well that's great too. Expressing our gratitude for another day in Sonoma County (and beyond) comes in many shapes and forms. 

Fog Valley — The Tastiest Little Place on Earth — By Frances Rivetti

First there was the Miwok whose wild coastal realm and rich, natural foodshed

Nourished generation after generation for five thousand years or more

Salmon and steelhead trout, crabs, mussels, clams, limpet and oysters

Marsh plants, magnificent, dense and mystical forest of acorns and the California Buckeye Nut,

Elk and deer, at every meal a small portion offered in thanks to the spirit world

Then came the Russian fur hunters and soon after, the Mexican colonization of the Northern Frontier, the 21^st and final California Mission, 6,000 sheep and goats, 50 pigs and 3,500 head of cattle, 800 Spanish bushels of wheat, 1,025 bushels of barley, plus beans, garbanzos, peas and corn, European farming methods for Western foods, disease

A new world built on the backs of the First People

Grasslands decimated, wildlife and forests forever changed, the birth of California’s pioneer wine and dairy industries, Gold Rush fever, grapes, eggs, oysters, butter, milk, meat, the Petaluma Gold Rush Bean, introduced by a Peruvian whaler who jumped ship, flat, kidney-shaped, tan in color with specks and stripes of maroon

Bodega Red, the coastal region’s first potato, also of Peruvian descent

Wild Mushrooms, chantarelle, porcini, the illusive truffle

Immigrant culture — Chinese, Italian, Portuguese, Swiss, German, Danes, English, Irish, Welsh

Cioppino, Sourdough, Clam Chowder, Stollen and Soda Bread, ranchers, cheesemakers

Jewish poultry pioneers — more eggs than imaginable

Apple Orchards, wild boar, hops, vineyards as far as the eye could see,

Wine, Butter and Egg Days, organic olive oil, craft beer

Cannabis

Community Supported Agriculture, farm boxes, plant-based foods, vegan cheese

Veggie gardens, farm shops, farmer’s markets

Climate Change, heat, wildfires, food pantries, pandemic

Water shortages, conservation, controlled burns

New ways to grow greens in a warmer, drier California

Healthy soils and cutting greenhouse gas, the circle is widening and closing at the same time

We look back to those who lived in harmony with the land for answers, for survival

Our Fog Valley

Precious and precarious

The Tastiest Little Place on Earth

Dutcher Crossing Winery Proprietor Debra Mathy Celebrates 15 Years in Dry Creek

What a treat to join the celebrations at Dutcher Crossing Winery in Dry Creek, Geyserville this week, in celebration of proprietor Debra Mathy's 15th anniversary at the helm. I've written about this winery in the past but I had been long overdue a return visit and taste. 

No Sonoma wine country celebration is complete without a sparkling toast to launch the festivities. And what better bubbles than Dutcher Crossing's Dry Creek Posterity Reserve Sparkling Blanc De Blancs? 

This elegant, pale straw color, sparkling, non-vintage Blanc De Blancs (white of whites) is made by winemaker Nick Briggs in the classic style of old-world champagne. Nick poured for guests at an intimate evening gathering in the tasting room and barrel room, explaining how he first made a still chardonnay and using the traditional method, or "Methode Champenoise" the wine was mixed with a small amount of sugar and fresh yeast, bottled immediately and closed with a crown cap. This second fermentation created the wonderful bubbles and trapped them in the wine. 

No wonder bubbly is so delightful, this lively one, with its distinctive aromas of golden apple, pineapple, bread dough floral notes especially. It was aged almost two years before tasting, final steps and release.  

With its 12% alcohol, winemaker Nick recommends a traditional pairing of blintz and beluga caviar, though butter popcorn and a move would work just as well this holiday season!

This limited edition sparkling wine retails at $56 a bottle and will last in your wine cellar for 2-4 years under ideal conditions. 

Debra, who was born and raised in Wisconsin, came to the wine industry from teaching and a background in food nutrition. She first visited the area with her Dad, after they had struck up a plan to embark on his last big project together. Debra had shared her dream of a winery with him and he had whole heartedly agreed. 

"Let's do this together, as long as I have left," he'd promised. Her dad was suffering from cancer. Dutcher Crossing wasn't on the market when they'd come looking. Three months later, her dear dad passed. And three months later, Debra bought Dutcher Crossing.  

The antique reproduction Penny Farthing bicycle that graces the tasting room is a replica of the original, in Debra's House. "It represents our journey into wine country together," says Debra, who honors her family with vineyards named after various members and her dad with a magnificent 2018 Charles F. Mathy "M" Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley, which has raised many thousands of dollars for Melanoma research over the years at prestigious fundraising events.

The love of family and wine is deeply rooted and entwined at Dutcher Crossing. And with a winemaker who has become as close as family after 10 years as well as highly valued staff who have remained at the helm for as long, this is a winery where the values of close ties and connection is palpable. 

Winemaker Nick chatted to me about his childhood years helping make wine with family friends in the Arcata area in Humboldt County. His eyes lit up when he spoke of those early days and catching the winemaking bug at such a young age. His work life takes him to vineyard designates throughout the region. 

"Standing in a vineyard surrounded by ancient redwood trees in the early morning mist is pure magic," he said.

His foray into sparkling wine was a little nerve wracking but his instincts proved spot on with this stellar fizz. Nick started out with four wines when he joined the team and is now up to an impressive and dizzying 32 different wines each harvest season, depending on the vintage.

Debra encourages Nick to play with winery's outstanding Sauvignon Blanc, blending the 2021 Russian River Valley fruit  with trace amounts of Muscat from the Alexander Valley Roussane and Viogner from Dry Creek. "The '21 is a favorite," he said of this aromatic and expressive cool climate wine that benefits from the cooling effects of the Russian River and lingering morning fog. 

2021 brought lower than average rainfall for the second year. Lack of water coupled with cool weather during bloom made for a below average fruit set. Tropical notes of passion fruit and guava take the lead, followed by fresh cut grass, floral influences, lemons and limes — perfect to enjoy on a warm day but don't hesitate to open with a couple dozen raw oysters and a green salad with citrus vinaigrette. $38 a bottle and ready to enjoy right away.

Amber and Team of Preferred Sonoma Catering of Petaluma catered super pairings for the evening. A quince jam with crackers and chevre went down a treat with the Sauv Blanc.

Winery dog Lady is a recent addition to the team and yet she has her job nailed. She's a welcomer and though devoted to Debra, spends her time socializing with guests during her office hours! Lady's predecessor, Duchess, an icon at the winery, passed last year. Clearly Lady has big paw prints to fill, but it's clear she's making her own imprint on the place and everyone adores her.

Zin fans will not be disappointed with this big beauty. Debra describes Zin as: "One of the most challenging vintages, but always one of our best." 2018 Pritchett Peaks Vineyard Zinfandel Rockpile entices with its ripe red fruits, sweet cream, dried flowers and white pepper aromas. Notes of dark, chocolate-covered cherries after it opens up, await. Herbs, graham cracker and toasty oak come through. Mahogany or medium garnet in color, its acidity is balanced by a firm tannin structure that softens into a silky smoothness on the tongue.

2019 was a long, slow ripening year. Thankfully, all the fruit was harvested before any major rain came in. Located high above Lake Sonoma, Pritchett Peaks Vineyard embodies the best that the Rockpile Appellation has to offer. Steep slopes coupled with shallow, well-drained soils produce some of the best mountain grapes found in Sonoma County.This wine retails at $52 a bottle and pairs with lentils, roasted root veggies and quail. We tasted it alongside a delicious pork noodles. 

"Although this is a Zin house, we make reasonably bold wines in other varietals," Debra explained. Especially so the winery's signature Pinot Noirs. We tasted the 2018 Cut Root Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir with a mushroom pizza. Oh it was so good! This inaugural release of the Cut Root Vineyard Pinot Noir is very special. It is the culmination of over seven years of work, beginning with the preparation of the ground for planting in 2014 and final bottling of the first vintage in January 2020. 

Debra and her staff set out to find a suitable piece of land with the intention of planting an exceptional cool climate Pinot Noir Vineyard and they certainly succeeded. While exploring western Sonoma County, they came across a little slice of heaven, nestled among towering Redwoods that extend over 100 feet into the sky. The first vines were planted in the spring of 2015. Multiple clones of Pinot Noir were planted for the site for their ability to produce world class wines in the renowned Green Valley of the Russian River AVA.

Cut root pruning each spring encourages the vine to put out new feeder roots that uptake nutrients and water from the soil, ensuring excellent vine health and exceptional fruit quality. 

The wine displays lovely aromas of black raspberries, sweet vanilla cream and tea leaves accented by black pepper, dried herbs and floral notes. Its bright palate is filled with flavors of red fruits, dried currants and a wonderful caramel from the oak. Full and rich for a Pinot, the tannins are young and full of aging promise while the acidity keeps the wine lively and bright throughout. Nick suggests pairing with an assortment of local hard cheeses and cured meats or a pork chop, brined and seared to perfection with a creamy mushroom sauce. This wine retails at $56 a bottle. If you're looking for a spectacular Sonoma County Pinot, this is it.

Grapes for the 2016 Dutchess Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley are sourced from a vineyard that sits high above the valley floor on a well drained,  shallow, rocky soil. The result is a wine with great fruit characteristics and a bold tannin structure. This wine showcased the power of mountain fruit in its color intensity and packed aromas of black currents, red berries, cedar and oak. Full and round, this cab exhibits baker's chocolate, sap and toasty oak that give way to its  massive tannin structure. 

It's a big, bold ol' boy that pairs perfectly, I have no doubt with a steak, hot off the sizzling grill. It is a wine that will age up to 25 years in the correct cellar conditions. 

Something special came home in one of these bags and is headed for my wine cellar/cupboard in the "do not drink for 10 years" section. There are some terrific holiday wine packs in the winery's online store. 

After all the fine wines, a special al fresco dessert awaited outside. Who can resist homemade s'more's? I mean, really?  It would have been rude not to partake!

Dutcher Crossing has a great wine club and cellar club for those not near enough to pick up allocations. If you have friends and family visiting over the holidays, this is one of my favorite wine regions and quietly off-the-beaten-track. Head north for brunch or lunch in the Healdsburg or Geyserville area and make Dutcher Crossing your tasting destination this winter. Click here for more info. 

When Debra bought Dutcher Crossing back in 2007, the operation came with 35 acres and five wines. Over the past decade and a half Debra has nurtured a dedicated team of talented winemakers, tasting room employees, and support staff who all share her entrepreneurial spirit and passion for quality. Today, under her stalwart leadership and creative vision, Dutcher Crossing offers more than thirty wines from a variety of wine regions in Sonoma, Napa, and Mendocino counties and owns 75 acres of estate-designated vineyards. The vintage penny farthing bicycle on the label pays homage to Debra’s passion as a cyclist and collector and is also a tribute to her father, who encouraged her to pursue her dreams.

If you go: 

For private seated tastings and tours make a reservation via the winery website. For casual bar tastings and wine club pick ups email reservations@dutchercrossingwinery.com to schedule. Monday to Sunday 11-5pm. 

Dutcher Crossing Winery, 8533 Dry Creek Road, Geyserville, CA 95441     707-431-2700

Sip & Sign — Petaluma Gap Leghorn Wine Company's Nick Hess Shares His Passion for Wine & History with Me & Three More Local Authors at Petaluma Museum Thursday, November 17 2022 at 5pm

Join Petaluma Historical Museum & Library for a fun-filled program featuring Petaluma Gap’s Leghorn Wine Company Owner and winemaker Nick Hess, who grew up in Petaluma and has fond memories of visiting the Museum. He is delighted to support the Museum by sharing his passion for local winemaking, which you'll taste in every pour.

Learn why Nick named his winery “Leghorn,” and about the journey that brought him back to his hometown as a Petaluma winemaker.
In addition to Nick telling us about each variety as we taste, myself and other local authors will be paired with each glass, briefly sharing about our work and available to sign their books that are on sale in the Museum Bookstore.  Ken Nugent, Alan Butler, Frances Rivetti, and KC Greaney & Alice van Ommeren.

Celebrate Petaluma with fine local wine and light appetizers and buy autographed local books for your holiday gift list (and other goodies from the Gift Shop)!

At this event I will be reading from Fog Valley Winter, Pioneer Heritage, Backroad Rambles and Vintage Recipes. 

CLICK HERE FOR TIX 

Join Me and Other North Bay Writers at Da Salon, A Literary Arts Incubator and Community Salon at VIBE Gallery in Downtown Petaluma Saturday Nov 5 2022 6pm to 8pm

Join Me & Other Local Authors at Da Salon — A Literary Arts Incubator & Community at VIBE Gallery in Downtown Petaluma Saturday, Nov 5, 2022 6pm to 8pm

Hear new and original work that longs to live beyond the page. I’ll be reading excerpts from my upcoming novel The House on Liberty Street, along with three other locally-based writers participating in Saturday’s lively literary event.

I can’t tell you too much more as it’s my first time taking part in Da Salon, so I’m just as much a newbie as you. Hope to see you there.

Here’s what I do know:

Why Da Salon?

Writing & creating can be lonely work. So, sometimes, is life. When we come together, we catalyze both new writing and a sense of togetherness, for both artist and community.

Mission: like pressure on coal to yield a diamond, we seek to use reading/performing for a live audience to catalyze and improve our own writing. Also, to model artists self-producing in an easeful and generative way; to support artists, especially writers with a performance bent, locally; to foster joy and inspiration after a long period of social crisis (looking at you, Covid-19).

Also: it’s fun. Hooray for fun!

Da salon is on!

Date: Saturday Nov 5th, 2022!

Time: 6pm - 8pm

Host & Location: Vibe Gallery, 1 Petaluma Blvd North (INDOOR EVENT)

Cost : $20 (Fancy nibbles and non-alcoholic drinks provided) Click here for tix only through eventbrite. 

Featured performers:

• Ilene English
• Frances Rivetti
• Cheryl King
• Kat Krause

And co-captains Alia & Shannon

Covid stuff: Indoors with doors open for ventilation. We follow current protocols. Masks not required. 

* * *

About: A word & performance incubator and variety show, showcasing written work that longs to live beyond the page. Right now the event is in pop-up mode, with each month having a different location and host - fun! Visit DaSalonIsOn.com or join the event mailing list.

Your MCs:

- Alia Beeton is a multi-disciplinary performing artist and writer. Though, in her words, she is a quadruple threat, she lacks ambition and as such is not particularly threatening. She's writing a book of humor essays called The Miraculous Ridiculous. It'll get done one of these days. She also is co-owner of humansbeingmedia.com.

- Shannon DeJong self-importantly refers to herself as an "ArtistCEO", has written for the stage and is now writing for the page: she's working on two books simultaneously, racing them to see which one will win, like tiny paper boats on a rainy day. Find out more at ShannonDejong.com

 

Time To Trestle — Petaluma's Heritage Woman's Group Steps Up its Restoration Campaign to Support the Historic Downtown Rail Trestle Project

Regular readers will recall my feature article earlier this year shining a spotlight on the dilapidated rail trestle along the riverfront in downtown Petaluma in the historic structure's centenary year. 

Things have moved on encouragingly since then, with Petaluma City Council voting in March to put the trestle on its top 10 priority item list. Something has to be done about this major eyesore in the heart of our community and though it's widely recognized how wonderful it would be to see this looming liability transformed into a beautiful boardwalk path and park, the main stumbling block remains in how to raise the funds to make it happen. 

There are transportation grants to be had but engineering studies need to be revisited in order for a shovel-ready proposal to make the cut in the coming months. The city will have to show it has no money in its own pot. And it's becoming more and more clear that there will be a big need for substantial private sector donations to bolster whatever comes in from the government. 

Petaluma Woman's Club has embraced the trestle as its primary civic project this year and is spearheading a campaign to help the city break ground. I'll be posting again when a new non-profit fundraising portal launches in conjunction with PWC & Petaluma People Services. 

In the meantime, check out the Petaluma Woman's Club page to sign a petition to keep the trestle on top of the city's mind.  

I attended a special presentation and dinner at the Woman's Club on B Street on October 20th and was encouraged to hear updates from fellow guests County Supervisor David Rabbitt, our city's new Director of Public Works, Christopher Bolt, trestle campaigner, local restoration and preservation contractor Christopher Stevick as well as Petaluma Woman's Club President Colleen Mahoney and member Elaine Stevick.  

Also in attendance was historian Katherine Rinehart and city engineer Gina Benedetti-Petnic amongst several other local leaders and dignitaries. 

Christopher Stevick (above) has made it his mission over the past two decades to see the trestle restoration come to fruition. His vision has never been closer, but there's a long way to go before we can rest on our laurels that all the many elements are in place for engineers and major contractors to get stuck in behind those wire fences we're so tired of looking at. 

It's going to cost at least $6 million to get the job done. 

Good thing Director of Public Works Christopher Bolt (pictured above) is an engineer who is passionate about the preservation of historic places. He joins a new leadership at the city level intent on moving forward with an enthusiastic vision for the riverfront. "It's a project that is near and dear to my heart," he said. He and county supervisor David Rabbitt (pictured below) talked about the transferring right of way management of the trestle from SMART and how it is a willing partner in navigating the grant system. 

Bolt has spent more than 30 years in civil engineering, public works, utilities, and infrastructure management. Prior to his move to Petaluma this year, he served as Jackson County, Michigan’s assistant county administrator and as managing director of its department of transportation since 2014. He estimated at least two years until we may walk on a newly refurbished trestle. 

County Supervisor David Rabbitt is the chairman of SMART. He spoke of the complexities of the project and city, SMART, state and federal sources that would need to be cobbled together along with matching funds from within the community. Regulatory elements are huge and Rabbitt envisions four years plus to project completion. 

It's great and fitting to see the Woman's Club members backing this important element of our city's historic infrastructure. When Ida McNear founded the Petaluma Woman’s Club in 1896 she set this as the club's creed: "We desire to do all in our power to make Petaluma an ideal town, that will be known as a town 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."

In the spirit of the founding mothers, the Petaluma Woman’s Club is active in supporting the City of Petaluma’s efforts in the Riverfront Trestle Rehabilitation Project.

Travel Tuesday — Hello Amsterdam — Home from Home at the Hoxton on the Nine Streets in the Canal District

Photos: Frances Rivetti 

Finally I made it to Amsterdam after years of dashing back and forth from Europe (England mainly) visiting family. This fall I made it a priority. It was a solo trip but that didn't stop me covering many miles and cramming in canal walks and window shopping (not the windows that might first come to mind), and fantastic museums to my hearts content. Buzzing throughout the morning, afternoon and evening and rich in history, The Hoxton, Amsterdam did not disappoint as the place to sleep, eat and drink on Herengracht canal in the bustling boutique district of the Nine Streets. 

With a central population of just under a million, compared with the almost four million people who pack the Los Angeles metro area  and Greater London's community of almost 9 million, it's no wonder Amsterdam feels small in comparison. And given that most folk pedal their way through their treasured city for work, school drop-off, shopping and socializing, it's an extraordinarily refreshing city to step out in. Yes, I did have to dodge a few fast movers but what a contrast to other cities, Naples for instance, where it would've been motorized scooter power that stopped me in my tracks as residents go about their daily business.

After three plus decades in the States, I'm so car dependent that I'm almost beside myself with joy to hop onto public transportation to travel distances in Europe that are too far to walk. I walk all the time on errands at home in Sonoma County, Northern California, but I'm hard pushed to get too far out of town only using public transport. The fact I made it back to London from Amsterdam direct in only four hours on Eurostar still feels like a bit of a dream. 

I like to tell myself if I was living back in my native UK I'd be dashing around Europe like nobody's business, but in reality, cost logistics come into play and I'd have to budget for travel like I do here. 

Regardless, I saved my travel spends for this year for my trip back to celebrate my Mum's 80th and a side trip to Amsterdam was my treat to myself. Because it was my first time visiting Holland, I wasn't going to cut corners on a nice, plush boutique spot in which to base myself for three nights the heart of the scenic canals. 

My only agenda was to soak in the city's atmosphere, wander and explore and visit as many museums as I could manage to fit in. 

My first impression was that Amsterdam is a city of youthful energy. I like that about it. Everyone I talked to appeared to take pride in their surrounds. 

Every block in the canal district is packed with small, independent businesses, cafes, stores.

Gardening doesn't require the usual plot of earth.

Cheese rules.

As does art and freedom of expression. But not in any intimidating way.

After looking at a lot of places online, I'd settled on the Hoxton, Amsterdam. The Hoxton concept started in London's East End in 2006 and transforms interesting old buildings and car parks into really terrific, personality-packed neighborhood hotels. 

My smaller of its room options was more than enough for my needs given that I was out and about during the daytime and evening hours and ready to crash by the time I turned in. I was pleasantly surprised by how plush the bedding and bathroom were and I was charmed by the tea selection, Dutch cookies, guide books, vintage radio and phone and best of all, a mini fridge with free milk and water replenished daily. 

It's not rocket science, but I've stayed in many a stateside boutique hotel that doesn't get it that real people drink tea as well as coffee and often with milk. Hydrating one's guests with complimentary water can only be a good idea, right? 

The weather hadn't turned in early October, but I imagine the heated towel racks and room heaters keep it toasty once winter hits.

Mapping out my walking route each day was easy thanks to the in room maps and guidebooks.

I indulged in a delicious full breakfast each morning in Lottis, the hotel's super stylish and yet ever so comfortable neighborhood restaurant and bar. It was fun to eavesdrop a little on business meetings with fashionable Europeans. I don't speak Dutch so I didn't have much of an idea what they were talking about but that didn't matter, it was just very energizing to soak in another, much more relaxed culture. 

If you're in Amsterdam and not staying at this lovely hotel, I still recommend you stop in for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, a coffee or cocktail in one of their cozy lounge chairs. And you don't have to be too hip to fit in, unlike in some American boutique hotels which can sometimes be a bit austere.

Staff at the Hoxton were delightful. In retrospect, I imagine they're hired on their ability to think on their own two feet. It didn't feel like a chain hotel stay and most definitely not corporate in any way. 

I'm going to have to post a follow up feature on my brief visit to Amsterdam. But suffice to say, if I return some day, I'm definitely heading back to the Hoxton. I think it was one of my favorite hotel experiences in a while. There's a Hoxton in LA that I'd like to check out next and London in 2023.

The Hoxton, Amsterdam
Herengracht 255
1016 BJ, Amsterdam

Paddington Revisited — The Bear, The Myth, The Legend & The Great British Train Station

During my September visit to my childhood home in the deepest, darkest East Anglian Fens, we talked about the Paddington Bear collection that my parents sold for peanuts a decade or so ago during an extremely ardent and efficient streamlining of their household possessions. After raising four kids there was a lot of stuff in the attic, besides a certain likeness of a famous stuffed bear or two. And seeing as my parents had no appetite to downsize their beloved house, it was the mountain of old treasures that they tackled over a period of a year or so. 

Since the late Queen's cameo appearance over tea with Paddington Bear, his popularity has soared, reaching new generations of children with his delightful appeal and reminding those of us who are old enough to have loved him first, just how deeply this furry fella dug himself into our national heritage and hearts. That said, we all agreed that maybe the Paddington Bear collection should have stayed on up there in the attic after all.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and Paddington Station featured at the tail end of my trip. Not just as a dash-in and out on the train type of thing, but for a few glorious October days of dashing around the capital city reuniting with old friends and a few more fun outings and meals with precious family in the London area. 

When I posted photos from my early-morning walk to the Heathrow Express to return home to California, my dear friend, Yolanda, one of the first I met in the States back in the early 90s, wrote from her husband's mother's native Peru that the "golden" spectacled bear, which bears a striking resemblance to Paddington Bear, hence his heritage, is sadly listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list, largely due to deforestation and human activity.

A recent study from Peru does share a bit of good news: there may be more spectacled bears in the country than previously thought. The spectacled bear is elusive and not much is known about its ecology, making it difficult to strategize how to protect the endangered species. 

More alarming however, is that according to National Geographic, Spectacled Bears, also called Andean bears, are killed illegally in Peru for their private body parts, used for cures dispensed by traditional healers, or shamans.

Learning this makes me ever more protective of Paddington. How much do we know about his history?

The creator of Paddington, Michael Bond, worked as a BBC cameraman on several national children’s programs, including Blue Peter. On Christmas Eve 1956, he was walking home past Selfridges, the famous London department store, when he noticed a small toy bear on a shelf that appeared a little lonely and unloved. 

"I felt sorry for it. I took it home as a present for my wife Brenda and named it Paddington as we were living near Paddington Station at the time. I wrote some stories about the bear, more for fun than with the idea of having them published. After ten days I found that I had a book on my hands. It wasn’t written specifically for children, but I think I put into it the kind of things I liked reading about when I was young"  _ excerpt from Traveling & Living in Peru site. 

Michael Bond wrote the first Paddington book in 10 days in the spring of 1957 on a typewriter in a small flat off Portobello Road. The book is set in the then- shabby world around Paddington and Notting Hill. And the bear himself was crafted out of Michael's memories of evacuee children during the Second World War, luggage-labeled against loss in transit.

Paddington’s friend, Mr. Gruber, was based on Hungarian refugees Bond had worked with at the BBC’s monitoring service, attaché cases packed with tragic pasts and carefully learned English.

Mr. Brown, a London risk analyst, found the new member of his family at Paddington Station sitting on a suitcase with a note attached to his coat which read, ‘Please look after this bear. Thank you.’ Which he did.

It was Paddington's uncle, forced into a retirement home in Lima after an earthquake, who gave him his hat and his Aunt Lucy who taught him fluent English and decided he should go to England to make a name for himself.

Aunt Lucy mades him a pile of marmalade sandwiches because, as Paddington says, bears like sandwiches. 

Seven publishers rejected the book, but Collins eventually picked it up and paid Michael Bond £75. Since then, the books have been translated into 30 languages – including Latin – across 70 titles and have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. Two successful films have followed and a third is in the pipeline.

Statues to Michael Bond's Paddington greet passengers as they flood through the station, one of the major transport hubs in the UK. Paddington Bear stores have resurfaced in Train and Tube Stations and around the city, providing tourists with a souvenir like no other.

What is not apparent to those passing through the train station from one place to another is the delightful surrounds that have been redesigned and engineered in the district outside of the station. 

The Paddington Arm  of the Grand Union Canal is one of London’s best kept secrets. Home to London's first floating pocket park, it connects Paddington to the main branch of the canal near Hayes, snaking through West London providing a green corridor for city folk and wildlife. It's a refreshingly peaceful area tucked away behind the train station and brimming with places to eat and drink and stay with super easy access to Heathrow. In fact, it's become a tradition for me on recent visits to the UK to drop my bags and anchor myself in the Paddington area for last few visits with London-based friends and family. I like the security of knowing all I have to do is hop on the Heathrow Express (or the new Elizabeth Line) and it'll drop me at Terminal 5 in 15 stress-free minutes.

This October I stayed in a tiny serviced apartment right there close by the canal and a five minute walk into the station. I like a mini-kitchen, personally, when traveling. If you're headed to London for more than a few days, I recommend Wilde London Paddington serviced apartments. Thank you to my sister Kerry editor of the Britishtravellist for this keeper of a tio. This company has a modern edge and a great model for travelers who might like to use a gym and laundry room and pantry as well as in-room kitchen facilities. There are more locations in other cities and one in Covent Garden, too. Edgware Road tube and Paddington were easily accessible and provide access to the whole of London. Now that the tube station gates take an ApplePay swipe of the phone, there's no messing around with figuring out Oyster Card options and fees. 

map - this is Paddingtn.com 

Baker Street By Foot — A Visit to the Home of The World's Most Famous Detective — The Sherlock Holmes Museum

One of my favorite museum visits is that of a famous writer or poet's home. Wherever I am in the world, I always make a bee-line for the literary domestic front. To wander through rooms once inhabited by a great writer is to absorb the essence of his or her character and personality, personal space and home comforts. A writer's desk is best of all.

When it is the fictional home of a literary character, it's just as exciting, if not more so, to visit and step into the inner world of a million words that have poured onto pages that have, over time, become as real as any living creature ever was.

So be it with the small and intimate setting of one of the most famous addresses in the world of books and film — The Sherlock Holmes Museum, situated at 221B Baker Street, London

According to the brainchild of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock the super sleuth made this his residence from 1881 to 1904. His storied rooms are faithfully maintained to provide a visceral insight into the life and stories of the world’s first consulting detective in the days of gas-lit, Victorian London.

I had a couple of hours to spare during a recent few days in London in between visits with friends and families and, having taken a close look at a map, I figured I would tie-in a half-hour morning walk from Paddington canal area to stop in at the four-story Georgian townhouse that dated back to 1815. Now the listed Museum building, it served for decades as a lodging house. It wasn't hard to spot, with a short line of people waiting by its blue plaque that commemorates the period of Holmes’ fictional residency. That's where the line blurs between fictional world and fact. It's hard to believe that Sherlock was a figment of Conan Doyle's imagination and not the living, breathing legend fans around the world continue to obsess on.  

The Sherlock Holmes Museum first opened its door to visitors from all over the world in 1990. A chirpy London ‘Bobby’ in traditional uniform greeted me at the door, as did welcoming, knowledgeable parlor maids in mop caps, black frocks and white aprons as they guided me along with a small group though the private rooms of London’s iconic detective.

Authentic Victorian furniture and curiosities and a treasure trove of items like those that belonged to the fictional Sherlock, his friends and adversaries complete the feeling of having stepped back in time and dropped in for tea, maybe even with a case plea to investigate.

This was my first visit to the museum. If you're looking for something fun and fairly quick to take in when in central London, I recommend you do. The life-size dummies on the upper floor were a little grizzly for younger kids, I wouldn't take this tour with under tens. 

As we continue to lap up modern detective and murder mystery books, movies and shows these days , it's clear that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was the master of its class. Sherlock Holmes continues to inspire and intrigue in his many modern guises. 

I asked one of the guides if it is creepy in the museum later on in the day. She said as the winter evenings draw in and light falls fast mid-afternoon, there have been stories . . . 

Click here for the museum website.

“Life is infinitely stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent. We would not dare to conceive the things which are really mere commonplaces of existence. If we could fly out of that window hand in hand, hover over this great city, gently remove the roofs, and and peep in at the queer things which are going on, the strange coincidences, the plannings, the cross-purposes, the wonderful chains of events, working through generations, and leading to the most outre results, it would make all fiction with its conventionalities and foreseen conclusions most stale and unprofitable.”

Arthur Conan Doyle, The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes

“There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.”

The Boscombe Valley Mystery

"You know my methods, Watson"

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, 1893

"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." 

Sign of the Four, 1890

"Excellent, I cried. Elementary said he."

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, 1893

“You have a grand gift for silence, Watson. It makes you quite invaluable as a companion.”

The Complete Sherlock Holmes

The man behind the myth — Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 

“How sweet the morning air is! See how that one little cloud floats like a pink feather from some gigantic flamingo. Now the red rim of the sun pushes itself over the London cloud-bank. It shines on a good many folk, but on none, I dare bet, who are on a stranger errand than you and I. How small we feel with our petty ambitions and strivings in the presence of the great elemental forces of Nature!”

The Complete Novels and Stories of Sherlock Holmes , Vol 1

Travel Tuesday — Dispatch From the Lincolnshire Fens

Greetings from the heart of the Fenlands, in England's East Anglia. I'm here with my parents, celebrating my Mum's 80th Birthday this week. I was over in March of this year so it hasn't been too long between visits, but whenever my feet touch British soil I'm filled with inspiration for future travels. 

There's not a part of this more remote region of the country that isn't packed with history — and even more thrilling, hidden history waiting to be uncovered. 

Yesterday, my husband, Timo and I took a few hours to ourselves for a Monday visit to beautiful Burghley House in nearby Stamford, Lincolnshire. We walked the Garden of Surprises and the bucolic Sculpture Garden, enjoyed lunch in the elegant yet casual Orangery and toured the house itself in relative solitude given the early weekday timing,

Photos: Frances Rivetti 

Docents at Burghley have been there for years, some into their third decade. There's nothing like an extraordinarily learned and enthusiastic docent to bring history alive. Given that I'm a writer and a history buff I had lots of questions, too! There are a pair of white, kid leather gloves in a case in the bedroom where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert stayed for a couple of nights. When the glass case was opened in recent years after many decades to inspect the gloves for age damage, handwritten notes from the Prince were found tucked inside the gloves. 

"There's always a surprise tucked away within these walls," said the impeccably dressed and articulate room docent. The notes, with regards to their visit, were written to then-hosts Brownlow Cecil, 2nd Marquess of Exeter and his wife Isabella, née Poyntz.

The original William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley  (13 September 1520 – 4 August 1598) was an English statesman and chief adviser of Queen Elizabeth I for most of her life. In fact, I learned that so fond of him as a mentor she was, she spoon fed him soup at his deathbed. He was born and educated in Lincolnshire and Cambridge University and developed vast properties in England, Burghley surprisingly not the largest. 

The Netflix Series The Crown airs season 5 in early November 2022 in the UK & USA. Several scenes including the 1992 fire at Windsor Castle were filmed at Burghley with the use of realistic looking fire and smoke created by an elaborate lighting set up. This new season stars the wonderful Imelda Staunton as the Queen. Elizabeth Debicki takes on the role of an older Diana and Dominic West steps in as Charles. I expect there will be a growing audience as the show approaches a period so many of us remember. 

Centuries prior, Queen Elizabeth I and her entourage were the most costly guests by all accounts. 

Burghley is not part of the National Trust because the family wished all of its treasures to remain within the house and not be distributed amongst any other historic properties. Home of the international Burghley Horse Trials and several seasonal special events, its a terrific spot to add to your list if you're traveling north from London. 

My intrepid journalist/editor sister Kerry has launched a new travel site The British Travel List recently. She's a fountain of knowledge of top spots to visit and stay and writes for multiple international newspapers and magazines. Sign up for her newsletter if you're a fan of British travel or follow on social media. 

My main focus this trip is my folks and I'll be tagging on some extra travel on the end of this visit, which I'll be posting about when I'm back home in Sonoma County. Until then, cheerio. It's tea time again! 

 

 

 

Travel Tuesday — Christmas in England — The Wow House Company Holiday Selection for A Festive Escape with Family & Friends

I've lost count of the times friends have shared their festive fantasy of spending the holidays in the English countryside. Feel-good movies such as The Holiday and Love Actually evoke a sense of seasonal comfort and joy in a loved-up setting straight out of location hunting.  And so when I received a press release email from The Wow House Company in England offering a selection of gorgeous country homes to rent over the holidays, I figured you may enjoy perusing them as much as I have. And if you happen to have a group of 16 willing to chip in for a week, well, then it's not all that outrageous an idea.  Swapping homes with a pal from the UK might be a more affordable option, as in The Holiday, a movie which friends have confessed to having watched multiple times over the years, but if you don't have a house trade deal in the works, there are lots of ways to enjoy the hols in the UK to fit a range of budgets. Classic hotel stays go all out at Christmas. Serviced apartments are a better-priced option in London if you'd like a kitchenette to start or finish your day after taking in the sights, theaters and stores and if you don't require the frills and fancy of a hotel. But there's truly nothing like a beautiful fire place, plush beds, bucolic views and a comfy couch in a country house to come home to after exploring historic towns and villages and a pint or two at the local pub! Cartmel House, Lake District, sleeps 20 Set in the village of Cark at the southern end of the Lake District, close to Lake Windermere, this beautifully restored Grade II listed Georgian property has all ingredients for a perfect festive getaway. Whether celebrating with a pint in the bar, sampling a glass of something special from the stunning 1,000 bottle wine cellar, organising a tasting in the specially built tasting room, or relaxing in the snug featuring a pin ball machine, jukebox and refurbished 1960’s Coca-Cola Machine, there are plenty of spaces to have some festive fun. There’s also an elegant drawing room with great grandfather clock, a cosy dining room with open fireplace, an orangery, a cinema room and two kitchens – one commercial and one domestic. The property can sleep 20 guests in 10 en-suite bedrooms, all named after famous hotels around the world: the Sandy Lane Suite has its own entrance while Claridge’s has private stairway access. There’s also the Annex, a self-contained apartment, perfect for those who like their own space. Or head to Caesar’s Palace, a dedicated card room. Outside there are six acres of grounds and woodlands plus an Outhouse where guests can make their own coffee or, upon request, a barista will serve up coffee each morning. Price: Available for six nights’ self-catering over Christmas from £22,800, or five nights’ self-catering over New Year from £20,400. Wisteria Manor, Cotswolds, sleeps 16 For a real wow factor Christmas, book this stunning Grade II listed house dating back to the 13th Century in the pretty Cotswold village of Ebrington, just outside Chipping Campden. The property sleeps up to 16 guests in eight en-suite bedrooms and oozes character.  Expect large open fireplaces, beamed ceilings, wood panelling, window seats, a card table and a cinema room with bar. The real showpiece is the property’s grounds with 20 acres of beautiful gardens to discover, offering never-ending views across the Cotswolds, towards Broadway Tower. The parkland is full of ancient apple, pear, plum and walnut orchards, plus there is a walled rose garden and spring-fed lake for those brave enough for a festive dip (a paddle board and rowing boat are also available), as well as a large firepit for outdoor festivities and a lawn with football nets. Two well-behaved dogs are welcome too. Price: Available for a week’s self-catering over Christmas from £20,160. Cromwell House, Sussex, sleeps 12 Oliver Cromwell famously tried to clamp down on Christmas, so guests staying at his former Hunting Lodge, a beautifully restored Grade II listed building located in West Sussex, might be tempted to celebrate the festive season with extra vigour. The property sleeps 10-12 guests in six bedrooms – four in the main house and two in a separate annex. Wow factors here include open fireplaces, a games room featuring a Playstation with virtual reality headset and plenty of traditional board games, and a stand-out kitchen for whipping up Christmas dinner. Outside there’s two acres to explore, with a large terrace with seating, heating and a sunken fishpond, plus a croquet lawn, trampoline, hot tub and a sauna/steam room. Located in the village of Lickfold, which sits in the middle of the golden triangle of the historic country villages of Lodsworth and Lurgashall, the beautiful South Downs National Park is on the doorstep with a variety of walking trails to blow away the cobwebs. It’s also just over an hour away from London. Dogs are welcome too. Price: Available for a week’s self-catering over Christmas from £9,950, or a week’s self-catering over New Year from £9,450. River View House, Devon, sleeps 8-10 For a Christmas beside the water, opt for this gorgeous, recently refurbished and renovated property with stunning views across the Avon estuary and the South Hams countryside in the village of Bantham. Sleeping between 8-10 guests, the house features a cinema room with bar – perfect for settling down to watch the Christmas movies, and landscaped gardens with a path providing private access to the river estuary. It’s also just a short walk from Bantham Beach, within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Wood burning stoves, underfloor heating, comfy sofas galore, and copious sliding doors and windows that drink in the views, complete the picture of this snug hideaway.  Price: Available for a week’s self-catering over Christmas from £9,495.   Riviera House, Devon, sleeps 10 Located at the heart of the traditional seaside town of Torquay in Devon, this beautifully restored Victorian manor house is just a short walk away from the harbour and seafront. Five spacious bedrooms, all with en-suites, cater for ten guests, plus there is an array of facilities to keep all ages entertained this festive season. Head to the gym with its treadmill, cross trainer and selection of free weights to work off the festive excesses; take on the family with a pool tournament in the games room; or make merry music in the drawing room which features a piano and guitar. Outside, there’s three acres of grounds set within a walled garden, perfect for the kids to run wild.  There is also an outdoor kitchen/dining area boasting a bbq, pizza oven and outdoor heaters. Dogs are welcome too. Price: Available for a week’s self-catering over Christmas from £6,750, or 5 nights’ from £5,535.   Vista House, Cornwall, sleeps 8-14 Another waterside stunner, Vista House is a modern home located in the fishing village of St. Mawes. The beach house can accommodate up to eight adults and six children in four en-suite bedrooms, with a family bedroom sleeping up to five guests, perfect for a kids’ sleepover or for a family wanting their own space. The master bedroom can also double as a family suite.  This family-friendly bolthole boasts luxurious interiors, a generous glass-frontage, a games room with pool table and table tennis and beautiful gardens for relaxing (or trampolining) and taking in the sea views. When not celebrating festivities in the cosy retreat, there are plenty of beach walks to choose from and St. Mawes Castle is just a few minutes’ walk away. Price: Available for a week’s self-catering over Christmas or New Year from £5,950.

For more information on The Wow House Company visit thewowhousecompany.co.uk,