Southern Sonoma Country Life

Mendocino's Blue Door Inns Joins Four Sisters Collection

Expanding their collection to the north coast, Four Sisters Inns welcomed Blue Door Inns of Mendocino this October to its family of 16 boutique inns and small hotels throughout California.

Blue Door Inns combines three thoughtfully curated venues in the heart of Mendocino village to offer 19 well-appointed guestrooms and an array of relaxing common spaces including outdoor gardens and patios. Each venue is within walking distance to restaurants, shops and the spectacular Mendocino Headlands, with cliff-side trails and panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean.

"We are honored to showcase the stylish Blue Door Inns and expand our growing collection to this alluring destination," said company President Tamara Mims. "They provide the perfect retreat for guests seeking a quiet coastal refuge with a relaxed pace."

The flagship of the three locations is the Blue Door Inn, which serves as the trio's main hub for guest activity. Sophisticated decor, refined common areas, and lush gardens welcome guests to this historic and fully renovated inn. Each of the five luxurious guestrooms has a fireplace and many rooms boast a soaking tub and views of the ocean.

Three blocks away, the peaceful and intimate Packard House draws inspiration from the natural beauty of the headlands with a serene palate and artistic touches. The six plush guestrooms offer spacious and inviting accommodations, including two cottages with private entrances and patio access. The expansive interior courtyard and patio reflect the creative vibe of the town with a whimsical "dancing man" sculpture.

Steps from the picturesque coastline, the JD House venue features ocean views, a well-manicured English garden and eight charming guestrooms. Coastal hues and understated furnishings make this the perfect choice for those seeking a casual, nautical-inspired experience.

All guests enjoy Four Sisters Inns' signature amenities with their stay, including a complimentary breakfast basket delivered directly to their room each morning, and an afternoon wine and cheese mini-picnic complete with the collection's hallmark freshly baked cookies. Luxurious Lather bath amenities, personalized concierge services and high-speed wireless Internet access are also included.

As the newest member of the Four Sisters Collection, Blue Door Inns joins with sister properties in offering the collection's popular Stay One Night, Receive Your Second Night Free promotion, available between Oct. 24, 2020 and April 1, 2021. Some restrictions apply. For more information, visit https://www.bluedoorgroup.com/special-offers

Room rates range Sunday through Thursday from $209 to $369, and Friday and Saturday from $249 to $409 per night, plus tax.  

Rates range from $189 to $449 per night, depending on the room and date selected.

For reservations and more information, go to https://www.bluedoorgroup.com/ or call (707)-937-4892.

Sonoma Valley's Kenwood Inn Reimagines Covid-Shuttered Spa Spaces; Former Treatment Rooms Now Available as Private Retreats

Kenwood Inn's brand new spa in Sonoma Valley was open a mere six months before pandemic protocols forced it to pause operations. Rather than let the luxurious new spaces sit idle, two have now been temporarily reimagined as day-use, poolside retreats, available Monday through Friday for both hotel and non-hotel guests to reserve.

The newly converted Poolside Retreat opens directly to the outdoor pool and patio with two sets of French doors. It provides lounging and seating areas for two guests, and a fireplace. Rates for the Poolside Retreat are $209 for overnight hotel guests, and $259 for non-hotel guests.

The spacious upstairs Spa Terrace Cabana has also been reimagined. Overlooking the pool, this retreat provides a lovely view of the surrounding vineyards and features a secluded, couples-only indoor spa tub. This oversized space accommodates up to six guests. Cost for the Spa Terrace Cabana for the first two guests is $259 per day if staying overnight at the inn, and $309 for non-hotel guests. There is a $50 per person charge for each additional guest, with a maximum of six.

Guests reserving these new spaces are greeted with sparkling wine, cheese and charcuterie plates, soft drinks, bottled water, a wet bar and mini refrigerator, a Bluetooth speaker for streaming their favorite music and gift bags with sample spa products. A dedicated attendant ensures excellent, personalized service.

 "We look forward to the day when we can fully reopen the beautiful Spa at Kenwood Inn and once again offer our full menu of treatments," said Four Sisters Inns President Tamara Mims. "In the meantime, we are excited to welcome guests to these creatively redesigned spaces, introducing a new poolside experience in Wine Country."

 The two temporary, private retreats join two existing, semi-private Poolside Cabanas at Kenwood Inn & Spa. Those may also be booked at $209 for overnight hotel guests, and $259 for non-hotel guests.

Overnight La Vita Privata Package

For the ultimate private retreat experience, Kenwood Inn & Spa is offering a new luxury package this season, available Mondays through Fridays, now through November 25, 2020.  La Vita Privata includes two nights at the inn, exclusive use of the Spa Terrace Cabana, a private, on-site wine tasting by Muscardini Cellars featuring a flight of six wines paired with small bites, and dinner for two created by Chef Sam Badolato accompanied by a bottle of wine. All guests of Kenwood Inn & Spa enjoy breakfast each morning and a daily afternoon wine and cheese mini-picnic.

 La Vita Privata must be reserved at least seven days in advance. Price depends upon the guestroom and dates selected; prices begin at $1,351 per couple for the two-night stay, plus tax and resort fee.

For reservations or more information, see the website at kenwoodinn.com, or call the inn at 800-353-6966. 

About Four Sisters Inns

     Founded in 1975, Four Sisters Inns is comprised of 17 properties throughout California. The collection includes the Blue Lantern Inn (Dana Point), Newport Beach Hotel (Newport Beach), Hotel Casa 425  + Lounge (Claremont), Inn at Playa Del Rey (Los Angeles), Channel Road Inn (Santa Monica), Coachman's Inn (Carmel-by-the-Sea), Gosby House Inn and Green Gables Inn (Pacific Grove), West Cliff Inn (Santa Cruz), Milliken Creek Inn and Spa (Napa), Maison Fleurie and Lavender (Yountville), Inn at Sonoma (Sonoma), Gaige House + Ryokan (Glen Ellen), Kenwood Inn and Spa (Kenwood), Healdsburg Inn on the Plaza (Healdsburg), and Blue Door Inns (Mendocino). For more information, https://www.foursisters.com/

 

Nick's Cove Inaugural Pumpkin on Pikes Event on Tomales Bay — Sunday, October 25th

From 11am - Sunset, join the folk at Nick's Cove on the banks of Tomales Bay for Nick's inaugural Pumpkins on Pikes event, similar to the one that was so popular at Tara Firma Farms for several years.

Head out West to find pumpkins ready to carve. At dusk, place your  pumpkins on pikes along the water and pier. Once the sun sets, staff will light all of the pumpkins — what beautiful sight it should be! 

This family-friendly and dog-friendly community event is free and there will be plenty of space on the private beach to socially-distance while carving your pumpkins. There will be carving utensils available, but if you have some of your own, feel free to bring them, as well as warm blankets/layers if you plan to stay to see the pumpkins lit up after dark.

Food and drink specials will be available throughout the day including an Autumn Squash Salad, Spiced Pumpkin Mousse and a Cinnamon Spiced Bourbon Bellini. 

And finally, every Tuesday in October Nick's has live music on its outdoor waterfront patio. Enjoy the weather while you can, Tuesdays between 4 and 7pm. Follow Nick's on Instagram to see who is playing next. 

Charmian Kittredge London — Trailblazer, Author, Adventurer — A Compelling New Biography on a Central Female Figure in California History by Iris Jamahl Dunkle

As a big fan and frequent visitor to Sonoma County's Jack London State Park and its haunting home museums and ruins from the life and times of its famous literary owners, Jack and Charmian London, I've been looking forward to Napa Valley College Poetry Professor Iris Jamahl Dunkle's   six-year-in-the-writing and making, biography on trailblazer Charmian Kittredge London — Charmian Kittredge London — Trailblazer, Author, Adventurer.

And so I was happy to learn that Copperfield's Books is featuring the author in conversation with Petaluma-based 2019 Pulitzer Poet Forrest Gander  in its new and exciting virtual event online event library. I can't wait to dive into this biography this fall. 

Iris read all of the books about Jack London that she could get her hands on but it wasn't until many years later, working at the park as a volunteer when she started reading The Book of Jack London written by Charmian, that she realized the real story of the independent and brilliant Charmian herself, a central figure in California history had yet to be told. 

It's compelling to hear the author read a section where young Charmian's life in Sonoma County takes hold at a mere 18-months in the heart of Petaluma. Her father Kit was an entrepreneur. He moved his family to Petaluma when Charmian was a toddler, where he had bought The American Hotel on Main Street, strategically located on the Petaluma River, then booming transportation hub for connections to San Francisco. It was a family-run business with his wife, Charmian's mother, Daisy, running housekeeping. With the help of Daisy's brother and sister they attracted distinguished guests from far and wide. Daisy felt quite at home in the bustling town of Petaluma, entertaining guests and local society in the parlor. 

Tragically, a fire disturbed their happiness, destroying the hotel. Daisy and Charmian were led from the back door of the burning hotel before it burned to the ground. The family's financial losses were significant and their lives forever changed. 

Charmian's mother Daisy was a poet. Her Aunt Netta was also a writer as were other family members. According to the author, there was much literary instruction and reading in her life growing up. She was raised to be an independent young woman and the idea of settling down with a man was not a priority. 

She was a stenographer in San Francisco when she met Jack London in 1900, although their romantic connection did not kick into gear until 1902, despite the fact that Jack had a wife and kids at the time. After challenging Jack to a fencing dual at a gathering in his home in Piedmont (she had learned to fence at Mills College, Oakland), he was enthralled. Most of the women who flirted with him at gatherings would have let him win. His appreciation of her not giving in to his ego altered the trajectory of her independent life.

As Forrest Gander states, she could out-fence, out-ride and out-sail Jack. Could she out-write him? 

Jack London was a brand, although it was their collaborative team work that worked so well. Charmian typed and corrected his hand written manuscripts and wrote significant portions of Valley of the Moon. Her book The Log of the Snark and two books on Hawaii sealed her own status as a travel writer. She wrote The Book of Jack London after losing her husband — the book that drew Iris into wanting to write about Charmian. 

Charmian Kittredge London — Trailblazer, Author, Adventurer was originally slated as a scholarly biography for another publisher that let it go. Iris really wanted Charmian's story to be told and to permeate the scholarship wall as a trade biography instead. It's surprising to hear that the University of California Press wasn't interested in it, but its loss was the gain of University of Oklahoma Press, in adding this to its great stories of the West told from a woman's point of view.

According to Forrest Gander, the book: "Reads almost like thriller. The Pulse and energy of the book doesn't let up — it's really a fun read." 

 

Sonoma County Library's History Room, The AAUW & Historian/Author John Sheehy Present — Helen Putnam and the Groundbreaking Case for Slow Growth Cities in the U.S. Supreme Court

Here's an interesting online presentation for Petalumans and anyone interested in learning more this Thursday evening, October 15th about how Petaluma’s historic 1970s planning process challenged the way American cities think about development and demonstrated that nothing can make residents feel more like they belong than a chance to shape the community where they live.

Presented by the Petaluma History Room and The AAUW.

In association with The American Association of University Women (AAUW) Sonoma County historian John Sheehy, co-author of the book: "On a River Winding Home" discusses Helen Putnam's role in Petaluma's journey to the Supreme Court in the 1970s.

Who determines a city’s future growth, the marketplace or its citizens? How Petaluma led by its first woman mayor, Helen Putnam, battled developers all the way to the Supreme Court to decide that question for the country in the 1970s.

Petaluma Historian John Sheehy discusses the groundbreaking case that put Petaluma on the map with the slow-growth movement.

October 15, 7:00 PM virtual webinar

“Helen Putnam vs the Supreme Court”

To Register go to: https://events.sonomalibrary.org/event/4584391

 

*Advanced registration is required. Not a library card holder? No problem, you only need an email address to register for this event. Registration will close one hour prior to the event. Registered participants will then receive a Zoom invite one hour prior to the scheduled event.  

Recipes For Rolling Kitchens Presents — A Moveable Feast — A New, Illustrated Cookbook by Sonoma County Artist & Airstream Gourmet Claudia Jack Sutton

Bringing a book from long-held dream to concept and all the way to fruition in print and e-book formats is a feat! I should know. And with several friends close to home who have shared their journeys into print with me over the past few years, let me tell you, it's a big task and one that is tailor-made with its own set of requirements according to the type of book.

When my friend Claudia Jack Sutton shared her dream to create her own cookbook with her family's favorite recipes for the road, paired with her gorgeous illustrations of cooking up a delicious storm in and outside of she and her partner, John's beloved Airstream second home, I thought it might take a couple of years to get the project ready for print. 

How wrong I was! Claudia's unstoppable enthusiasm for life, style, design, travel and food combined propelled the Healdsburg resident to take advantage of some relative Covid period slow time and cram every spare second with bringing her book to life. 

And here it is, within mere months of careful revision and creation. It's unique, original and packed with the sorts of recipes and tips that I will use in my Southern Sonoma Country everyday life and maybe, some day, in a mini-second home on wheels for weekend getaways along the coast. 

Click here for the Recipes for Rolling Kitchen website. A Moveable Feast would make a lovely holiday gift for anyone on your list who loves to camp/cookout or share the bounty in their backyard. 

I'm hoping that we'll have a chance to host a local book author's safe distance shindig some time in the holiday season for some fun readings and book signings and sales — will keep you posted on that. 

As with all local businesses, please support your local authors whenever possible! 

Claudia and John are members of the Wally Byam Airstream Club and Airstream Club International and The Greater Bay Area Airstream Club and enjoy joining other 'streamers' at rallies. Claudia is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and when not out camping she works in the wine industry in the Dry Creek Valley. 

Here's a link to a feature in the Press Democrat on Claudia's cookbook. 

Support the Petaluma River Park Non-Profit in its Community Fundraising Efforts to Reach Its Purchase Goal

 

If you haven’t already jumped on board with Petaluma River Park's goal to create an inclusive and vibrant outdoor place that enriches the lives of everyone in our community and revitalizes our river habitat, now’s the time.

The group is in the process of purchasing 20 acres of wild waterfront property on the McNear Peninsula, surrounded by the Petaluma River. This is an extremely rare piece of open land in downtown Petaluma that a large group of dynamic community members believe should be preserved and enjoyed by the public as a park.

The park site inhabits the bulk of the Peninsula along the Petaluma River, just off D Street through Haystack Landing. The acreage is adjacent to the land where the Friends of the Petaluma River has its headquarters.

“Petaluma River Park is close by the SMART train station and bus stops and is within easy walking/cycling distance of downtown,” says Timo Rivetti, who is brokering the land sale and would like nothing more than to see this dream become a reality for the entire community.

“It’s a brilliant use of historic land,” he adds. “I think we all agree that we need more park space in Petaluma and this is a natural. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime central city game changer for our community.”

Here’s what it will look like after the sale goes through and infrastructure is in place:

North West Site

Most people will enter and exit the park from the west side with informational kiosks and way-finding signage to greet visitors. Oak, Willow, and Bay trees will provide shade and section of an area for sculpture and picnics.

North East Site

An outdoor amphitheater and sculpture site make use of the rise in the landscape. Native Oak, Willow, and Bay trees will provide shade and habitat. The ridge trail in the background gently elevates the visitor 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.

South East Site

The tip of the park will include Huru, a sculpture by Mark di Suvero on long term loan from a local family. This area is significantly eroded and needs restoration most urgently. Long views are preserved here and much of the field will remain unobstructed to allow for picnics and informal field games. This area would be the perfect spot for a small fishing dock.

Petaluma River Park Foundation’s first and most urgent goal is to buy this land and ensure that it remains a publicly-accessible open space. A generous and forward-thinking (anonymous) donor has provided the funds necessary to make a down payment and launch the park initiative, but more funds are needed to complete the deal.  

In 2019, the foundation entered escrow to purchase the property. Two-thirds of the immediate goal of $1.08 Million needed to conclude the purchase and all entitlement work has already been raised.

Now, the remainder of a $5 million-dollar budget must be secured for restoration and building to begin. 

Park advocates, Ginnie & Peter Haas have bolstered efforts by presenting a challenge grant of $175,000 to help the group meet its first goal of buying the land.

Please join our community in helping this extraordinary vision to become a reality. Learn more about how you can help or contribute here.

Petaluma's Heritage Homes & Landmarks Announces Winners of the 2020 Preservation Awards

Heritage Homes of Petaluma, a committee of the Petaluma Museum Association, was originally a nonprofit founded over 50 years ago with the goal of raising awareness of Petaluma’s fabulous architectural heritage and encouraging the preservation of these treasures.

Recently Heritage Homes added “Landmarks” to its title (HH&L) because Petaluma has so many commercial and civic buildings worthy of preservation.

To encourage responsible preservation, HH&L periodically recognizes and confers awards to building owners who have made thoughtful improvements and restoration of their historic properties.

This year’s awards reflect work done over the last three years.

HH&L extends gratitude to the three judges who made these winning selections from a number of fine nominations: architect Daniel Backman, preservationist/craftsman Christopher Stevick and architect Bill Wolpert.

And Heritage Homes thanks all the nominees for caring about their historic properties enough to put so much time, effort and money into restoring these priceless vintage buildings. The comments below are from the judges’ report:

Renovation of an Existing Residence

After & Before — Award of Great Merit: 520 Kent Street

Homeowners: Alan Good & Karen Brown

“Immense thought and care went into the rehabilitation and creative re-imagination of this previously distressed and overlooked property. What impresses us the most about this project is the owner’s restraint. The exterior design of the home was kept very minimal, from the simple exterior details to the white paint without accents. The project respected the original building footprints: locating the addition on the site of a long-gone outbuilding. The addition was clearly delineated with different materials that reference the area’s agricultural heritage. One can clearly see how this property must have appeared when it was originally built, yet it exemplifies a modern aesthetic.”

 

Award of Merit: 501 Keller Street

Homeowners: Edwin Hamilton & Tammara Norman

“Second-story additions are difficult to design and execute; rarely do they look like they were built as part of the original house. This project excels with a second-story design that looks like it has always been there. The addition captured the essence of the original one story, and took it to new heights. The detailing of the roof line is excellent. The home is welcoming and approachable, and has succeeded in adding area and height while maintaining a sense of scale and proportion appropriate for its context.”

 

Honorable Mention: 847 B Street

Homeowner: Paul Petersen

“This homeowner has taken great care to preserve the significant architectural details and improve the home while keeping within the architectural context of the neighborhood.”

 

Honorable Mention: 215 Fifth Street

Homeowner: Suzanne Clarke

“The front porch remodel added a much nicer entry walkway from the sidewalk and kept to the historic details inherent to the original house. The added fence and garden are a wonderful amenity.”

 

Construction of an New Residence

 Honorable Mention: 314 Erwin Street

Homeowner: James Meyer

“While being the only entry within the New Residence category, it nonetheless exemplifies an appropriate design that maintains the scale and contextual details of the surrounding of what originally was a thriving working-class neighborhood.” 

 

Renovation of an Existing Commercial Business

After and Before — Award of Great Merit: Linch Jewelry Neon Sign at 10 Western Avenue

Owner: Garth Bixler

“The restoration of the Linch Jewelry Building was an exemplary at the time it was completed and was granted Historic Tax credits for the owner. The only thing not completed was the neon signage. We are aware of the great lengths the owner went through to permit the signage and assure that the sign would be restored and not simply replaced. We are also pleased that this award recognizes the contribution of the Barber Sign Company. This project put the finishing touches on a perfect building restoration.”

 

Award of Merit: The Silk Mill, 450 Jefferson Street

Owner: Hampton Inn

“This former factory on the National Register of Historic Places has spent many years in the hands of various developers all wanting it to be something different. Now it is finally complete and functioning again, now as a hotel. Care was taken to preserve the significant architectural elements, including outbuildings.”

 

Outstanding Talent in the Construction Business

 Award of Great Merit: MAD Architecture

“Mary Dooley and Chris Lynch have been working to produce excellent architecture in Petaluma for over 20 years. They have produced exemplary projects in residential development, modest remodels, historic rehabilitation, and commercial and civic projects. For a small office, they produce an abundance of high-quality work.”

For more information, contact heritagepetaluma@gmail.com.

Vote Baby, Vote — 25 Days

photos via Pinterest

“Every election is determined by the people who show up.”

Larry J Sabato

Somewhere inside of all of us is the power to change the world."

Roald Dahl

You’ve got to vote, vote, vote, vote. That’s it; that's the way we move forward."

Michelle Obama

“If you are bored and disgusted by politics and don't bother to vote, you are in effect voting for the entrenched Establishments of the two major parties, who please rest assured are not dumb, and who are keenly aware that it is in their interests to keep you disgusted and bored and cynical and to give you every possible reason to stay at home doing one-hitters and watching MTV on primary day. By all means stay home if you want, but don't bullshit yourself that you're not voting. In reality, there is no such thing as not voting: you either vote by voting, or you vote by staying home and tacitly doubling the value of some Diehard's vote.”

David Foster Wallace

“Denying the popular vote is un-American and anti-democratic."

DaShane Stokes

Democracy is not a spectator sport."

Marian Wright Edelman

Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the End of World War II. Lest We Forget.

This first week of September, 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. Take a pause from the never ending, mind-numbing news of pandemic, wildfire and politics to remember and honor the myriad service members and Home Front workers who helped preserve freedom and democracy here in the States, in the UK and in allied and commonwealth countries three quarters of a century ago. 

To quote The National WWII Museum’s website:

"On May 8, 1945, World War II in Europe came to an end. As the news of Germany’s surrender reached the rest of the world, joyous crowds gathered to celebrate in the streets, clutching newspapers that declared Victory in Europe (V-E Day). Later that year, US President Harry S. Truman announced Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II. The news spread quickly and celebrations erupted across the United States. On September 2, 1945, formal surrender documents were signed aboard the USS Missouri, designating the day as the official Victory over Japan Day (V-J Day)."

V-J Day was especially momentous: "The gruesome and exhausting war was officially over—but the day was also bittersweet for the many Americans whose loved ones would not be returning home. “More than 400,000 Americans gave their lives to secure our nation’s freedom, and in the midst of exultation, there was recognition that the true meaning of the day was best represented by those who were not present to celebrate,” said Robert Citino, PhD, Executive Director of the Institute for the Study of War and Democracy at The National WWII Museum.

Especially front of mind this week are the millions of amputees amongst service men and women past and present in combat around the world. We won't brush aside history as if it never happened. 

Disabled veterans we hear you and see you and we're humbled by your service. 

photos via Pinterest

“I am concerned for the security of our great Nation; not so much because of any treat from without, but because of the insidious forces working from within.”

- Douglas MacArthur

 

“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of iron.”

- Dwight D. Eisenhower