Southern Sonoma Country Life

Longest Day of the Year

Midsummer's Night - should be frolicking around in the oak forest at the back of the vineyard by rights. Instead I am suffering the worst seasonal allergy day of the year, drippy nose, red eyes, not nearly romantic a picture to warrant a romp through wooded hills by moonlight.

And besides, it truly has been the longest day of the year. Started off with sore, swollen fingers from attempting to strip paint off the chipped concrete stoop at the front of the house while the Italian Husband played golf this Father's Day.

Amongst a myriad of professional duties, a noisy, testosterone-packed houseful of school and college-sojourned sons and the looming half-baked paint-stripping exercise, a reptile crisis of epic proportions reached a tragic finale by early afternoon.

I'd attempted to conjure up my inner zoologist with a salt water bath and the help of a pair of tweezers when my youngest, nature-loving son's three-year-old, sole surviving gargoyle gecko struggled to shed her seasonal skin. Discovering some sort of awful bloody lizard prolapse, my usual reserve towards pragmatic in-home care of everyday disorders of both animals and people went the way of the soft-hearted ma with an emergency trip to a reptile specialist the boy was frantic to see.

With less than a 50/50 chance that Alfreda the great would make it through surgery (several other issues to contend with along with the dreadful derriere), the boy made his own executive decision to spare her the obvious discomfort and save his college fund a $400 hit.

Departed with a brown paper box with Alfreda put out of her misery for an at-home backyard burial next to her previously departed partner Little G.

Later this evening, around dusk, a hummingbird hovered over the grave, marked with a straw-tied, makeshift wooden-stick cross.

"Hummingbirds are the keepers of souls," said the boy, who had read this somewhere. It seemed to help to think of Alfreda crawling around the hillside of eternity under the light of a midsummer's moon.

The porch project awaits my return. Maybe in the cool of an early midsummer morning. Tomorrow's always another day.

Anyone for Tennis? The Wonderful World of Wimbledon Where it's Perpetually Pimm's O'Clock

Pimms has been the number one English summer-time drink - and signature cup at Wimbledon since the 1970s.

Pictured here during an off-beat Christmas in June gathering (more on that later), there is nothing quite like a pitcher of Pimms to herald the opening ceremonies of England's world-watched, classic tennis tournament (Monday, June 22, 2025).

The gin-based mixer is all the more refreshing with its chopped mint, cucumber and fruity additions, poured over fizzy lemonade (seven-up/sprite in the States) or better still, Ginger Beer.

I've read recently that there is one Wimbledon Pimms Cup recipe that involves raspberry syrup and fresh cream, but I think it's best to stick with basics for any Pimms newbies, state-side.

Shellfish monger James Pimm introduced his famous oyster house 'cup' in 1823 - flavored with fruit liqueurs and fruit extracts this zippy 'gin-sling' proved the perfect pairing with oyster-slinging dandies and city gents.

Today a Pimms Cup epitomizes summer-season gatherings and events throughout the small island and the very taste of it in distant lands conjure up a rapid nostalgia for meadow picnics and riverside pubs.

Quite how Serena and Federer will fit in to the hectic FIFA World Cup Viewer's action-packed schedule remains to be seen. For one, the audience, pleasantly sloshed on Pimms Cups, should be considerably mellower.

Southern Sonoma Country Life Pimms Cup (serves 4)

• 4 lemon slices
• 4 table spoons of fresh raspberries
• 8 thin orange slices
• 8 thin cucumber slices
• 3 cups Pimm's No. 1 Cup, available at most liquor stores & duty free!
• 2 cups sprite/seven-up or ginger ale soda
• 4 fresh mint sprigs, chopped
• Ice cubes

Julia Child's Southern SoCo Fan Club Butter Crusades

Butter. It's all about the butter. Big conversation on that at a Southern SoCo foodie-fest this weekend, in fact. Some love it, some hate it. Some (like myself) tend to wear it unashamedly all over their ever-evolving, voluptuous selves!

Can't live with it, can't live without it, I say. Who wants to be skinny anyway? That's so last decade. Aren't we all about celebrating the authentic, the delicious, the locally sourced, mixed, baked, served and most of all shared?

And so it is that I have been perusing the vast repertoire of one inimitable Julia Child, in search of a late-arrival calendar date bring-along-dish this coming weekend that involves that all-American epitome of bad manners in ditching one previously set early evening commitment come dusk for another not-to-be-missed seasonal soiree. 

It's Julia's fault. Naturally. For how could I possibly resist the buttery call of a relatively impromptu backyard pot-luck, Southern Sonoma County moonlit walnut liqueur production party? More on that after this one-of-a-kind event (unless you live in Southern Italy, where such activities are happily more commonplace).

In the meantime, I have decided upon my Julia Child pot-luck dish (as per attendance requirements) of choice: and it's the eternal maven's favorite choccie cake: appropriately named  "Reine De Saba" or in English: "Queen of Sheba".

Involving little more than Child's signature large spatula, I am officially all -over this simple recipe for an absolutely delicious-sounding almond and brandy infused chocolate cake. Might dust some chocolate on top in lieu of Julia's rich chocolate and butter icing. Even I am inclined to draw the line at some stage when it comes to the buttery indulgence stakes. Might have to check with the boss on that one, though. Are we allowed to improvise ever-so-slightly on our Child's recipe of choice? Now that's a good question.

The BASH At Club 1039 - Save the Date for Petaluma Educational Foundation's Premier Fundraising Gala

Twilight Blood Drive and a Bite for Rivertown Revival

This summer's Rivertown Revival is ramping up for action and in order to get the word out, posters and art around town is essential though pricey to produce. Superb Central Market in downtown Petaluma is generously donating the revivalists a portion of its proceeds from a Dine and Donate evening Thursday June 17th. Be there or be square!

 

Quite another sort of bite with this one! Vampire fever continues to sweep the nation. Blood Bank of the Redwoods was extremely sharp in jumping on the donor bandwagon and partnering with Petaluma's Theater District for a Twilight Blood Drive this Friday June 18th with free tix for a private screening of the new Twilight Eclipse. Donors do have to be over 17-years-old.

Sonoma Country Life reader Marjanne Pearson requested a special mention of The Petaluma United Methodist Church sponsoring a monthly Open Mic Nite series -the first being held on Thursday, June 24.

The intent is to provide a venue for teenagers and young adults to perform poetry or dramatic readings and/or musical numbers (acoustic only).

Low on Impact, Big on Style, Top Pick on Small Space Remodels

"Picnik Show"

Super-creative Alisha Peterson-Irwin, proprietress of Petaluma's Splendid Little Shoppe knows her stuff when it comes to designing within a tiny footprint and making the absolute most of vintage treasures in fittings, fixtures and furnishings

"Here's our newest project, " says Peterson-Irwin, having recently collaborated with her equally creative hubby Graham Irwin to craft a 320 sf eco-friendly, vintage style guest cottage behind their cozy North Bay home. 

"It may be of interest to readers to see what can be accomplished within a small footprint.  The cottage was built to green standards while maintaining vintage charm, by using reclaimed windows, doors, cabinets, flooring, sink & tub. High ceilings allow for fantastic storage and a lovely sleeping loft and the kitchen even holds a washer and dryer!"  

I don't know about you, but I want one of these. Who wouldn't? With all the splendid-little-deco too, of course.

Low on impact, big on style, think of all the possibilities of converting a suitable space. For further information on the couple's work see Irwin's and Peterson-Irwin's respective sites.

San Francisco's Disney Family Museum a Magnificent Addition to the Presidio

Don't make the mistake of dismissing the Presidio-based, new Disney Family Museum as being the most magical outpost on earth. For this is not a candy-coated, whistle-while-you-work your way around the substantial 10 galleries that combine to bring the early life and remarkable times and struggles of the world's most influential animator to the forefront of an industry that continues to surprise.

For one of the most striking suggestions in this remarkable museum's collections is the statement that a young Walt Disney actually wondered if he'd missed the boat some four or five years after the world's first animation was underway.

Little could even the imagineer himself have envisioned just how far he and the film industry would raise animation to an art.

And good thing that he didn't shelve his drawings at that pivotal stage or the past half century would have been a starker time without the likes of Walt's imagined world. 

The museum best tells his powerful story in Disney's own words and in numerous, poignant recollections of recorded family, close friends and colleagues. Utilizing a mix of historic materials and artifacts from his unprivileged childhood and career, Disney's global achievements come to life through innovative listening stations, interactive media and over 200 monitors.

Galleries in the former barrack, red brick front museum building are architecturally diverse, providing visitors with a refreshing change of surrounds to pace themselves through an incredible range of the artists' work from his teenage cartooning in a high school year book to characters drawn to entertain the troops in France during an underage World War II stint as a 15-year-old in the Red Cross.

Fascinating episodes of pre-Mickey Mouse endeavors in early animation to the machinations of technicolor artistry and development of Disney's first studios give credence to the man and his art long before the creation of DisneyLand.

In fact, the Disneyland era is not emphasized as much as one would expect, with more interesting focus on the first full-length feature films and Disney Studios work during World War II.

Disney's last, short episode of illness and early death at 65 is represented with considerable dignity in this museum that was after all, made-in-his-memory. If one had any doubt as to his genius in creating a distinctive American legacy, a visit to the Disney Family Museum is an emotionally moving, enlightening, educational experience not to be missed.

Though visually pleasing throughout, this is not a museum for young Disney fans. Leave the little ones home for a few more years until they have the stamina to absorb themselves into a two-plus hour learning experience. Probably best for Junior High students on and especially great for creative types who share the call to conjure original ideas into something that speaks for itself.

Admission is by timed-entry ticket, which can be purchased up to 60 days in advance online. This prevents too much overcrowding in the galleries. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and students and $12.50 for children 6 to 17. Admission is free for members.

Lots of parking in the Presidio, plan on a walk along the Bay after a cup of tea in the museum cafe.

Chill Out For A Day in Mendocino County's Anderson Valley

"Anderson Valley Show"

Took the 101 north of Cloverdale past Hopland last week for a working visit to the real Northern California - where the scenery is as seriously beautiful as the fact that there's hardly any other traffic on the road, well, not much other than a steady stream of truckers and middle aged men heading north on their Harley's for a pre-weekend road trip out of the congested Bay Area.

There's talk of a potential bypass for the small unincorporated hamlet of Hopland sometime in the not too distant future, something locals seem to be supportive of despite the fact that much of the community's retail business must come by way of passing motorists.

Something of a destination spot for North Bay dwellers looking for a respite out of the urban sprawl, Hopland's popular Brewing Company, galleries, cafes and a community of some 12 wineries boast the Mendocino county vibe as being a most desirable 'state of mind'.

Stopped off for my appointment in Mendocino County's Hopland winery region before heading west on the narrow, winding 253 Boonville/Ukiah Road, passing by Anderson Valley Brewing Company before breaking for a light lunch of chicken chili soup and a spinach, cheese and spring onion scone at the delectable Mosswood Market.

Checked out Philo Apple Farm and Hendy Woods State Park briefly before my afternoon appointment at Anderson Valley's premier producer of sparkling wines.

Only downside to a day out on one's ownesome lonesome in the Anderson Valley is that any idea of sampling of the region's cool climate varietals is strictly off limits without a designated driver to navigate the curvy 128 back down to the 101 South. 

Next time I'm in the area, I'm reserving a cabin at Hendy Woods. A nice Anderson Valley zin and a campfire cook-out with the guys in tow. What's the hurry, anyway?

Where to Find the Fans for FIFA World Cup Fever in Southern SoCo

Big day for soccer fans here in the States, as the US team takes on England in a head to head in the opening round's sizzling second day games this Saturday, June 12th.

Plenty of hot-spots here in Southern California to watch the big game reach fever pitch as temperatures inside and out promise to soar into the high 90s!

Head downtown to Maguire's Pub on Kentucky Street for live coverage of the allies up against each other in South Africa at 11.30 am Pacific Coastal time.

Word is out amongst England fans that La Dolce Vita Wine Lounge in Petaluma's Theater Square will be airing games live on the big screen behind the bar - promising perhaps a somewhat more sophisticated vantage point than from bar stools in the pub.

But if you prefer a pint and a tad more rough and tumble with your footie, then McNears Saloon and Dining House is likely your best bet.

According to a couple serious SoCo soccer fans, Beyond the Glory Sports Bar and Grill was somewhat nonchalant in its approach to answering various inquiries as to World Cup viewing, though surely will pay homage at least in part to the US games.

My guess is that you won't go far wrong with any Mexican restaurant for a lunch-time look at the US V England game, though numerous in-home parties around the south county seem to be a popular choice given the convenient Saturday mid-day timing here on the West Coast.

Whether it's the USA or England that you are rooting for, one thing's for sure, you can't go wrong with your red, white and blue fan colors. Click FIFA for more info on the World Cup 2010.

Meet Sonoma County's Celebrity Pooch

Petaluma's lovable canine cover boy Harry Cooper is making a splash with dog lovers across the country thanks to thebark.com and his snap-happy pro parents, Lawrence and Steph!: