Southern Sonoma Country Life

An Interview with Frances at Maria Rodale's Farm Country Kitchen

What an honor to have been interviewed for Maria's Farm Country Kitchen. Check out Maria's Rodale's wonderful and hugely read site, featuring yours truly with a few of my own home truths.

Kay Baumhefner's Stone Soup for All at Cornerstone's Artists and Farmers Event

What could be better than bringing Chef Kay Baumhefner into the mix at this weekend's Artists and Farmers of Sonoma inaugural event at Cornerstone?

Baumhefner is the heart of Sonoma country goodness when it comes to bringing the bounty of the land to table. The legend of Stone Soup will spring to life in her capable hands this Sunday, October 3rd, 2010 as the Petaluma-based culinary queen and her crew of helpers gather together baskets of fresh grown veggies both from Cornerstone's gardens and participating farmers to fill a giant pot in the village square barn.

By the end of the afternoon Baumhefner and her crew will have chopped, stirred and simmered a medley of little miracles from the soil into a savory harvest soup to share in this community celebration of seasonal abundance.

Don't miss this free, festive ProjectHERE event, taking place from 11am to 4pm at Cornerstone, Sonoma.

In the Vineyard on a Monday Night in September

One hundred and three degrees during the peak of the day. Late September. Indian summer in Sonoma County calls for a chilled (stemless) glass of Pinot Grigio with ice, a  cooling off, sunset meander on the hillside to monitor late season heritage roses and outrageous, highly confused grape clusters, part ripened, part raisin and part praying for an extended heat spike to reach the optimum brix.

Petaluma's First Pyramid Party - For the People, By the People

Southern Sonoma County is home to an astonishing community of artists and entertainers, hundreds of whom will come out of the woodwork, quite literally, at Heritage Salvage Reclaimed Building Materials' Pyramid Party site at the southern entrance to the riverfront city of Petaluma, CA.

A fantastic line up of bands is all set to make music from noon until 5pm on Sunday, October 5th, 2010, in this first Pyramid Party for the people, by the people, for no better cause right now that to benefit Petaluma teen Danny Cox.

There are so many fundraisers for Cox taking place within this caring community this fall. It has been uplifting to witness groups throughout the city step up with original events to help ease the burden extreme medical expenses following the teenager's accident this summer in which he was paralyzed from the chest down in a diving accident at Lake Tahoe.

Raffle tickets for a chance to win lots of great, local prizes are available for purchase ahead of time at Heritage Salvage, Fruit in Motion, Tuscan Gardens, Jacqueline's High Tea, Larray's and Graffiti's. $5 per ticket or 5 for 20. You don't have to be present at the Pyramid Party to win.

Danny Cox's favorite color, not surprisingly given his sunny personality, is yellow. Artists have been asked to produce original work for a Mellow Yellow Art Show. Proceeds from these wonderful, one-of-a-kind works will go directly to Cox. 

Want to help out, volunteer or donate to this terrific event? Call Heritage Salvage at 707 762 6277.  Otherwise, put on your riverfront dancing shoes and I'll see you there.

New Vintage Style Store a Hit at Petaluma's Annual Fall Antiques Street Fair

Open for the past couple of months, Vintage Style Antiques at 155 Kentucky Street had somehow slipped by my radar until the lure of  a cool interior sucked me in off the street during Sunday's sweltering 90 degree Indian summer heatwave.

Historic downtown Petaluma's annual Fall Antique Street Fair is a pull for treasure hunters from all over Northern California and just as much an attraction for the locals, who can't resist the meet and greet of friends and neighbors (and sweet, little community-minded misses fundraising with a bakesale and bottles of ice-cold water).

You might think that Petaluma's downtown shopping district has more than its fair share of permanent antique stores, but look a little closer and there's always room for an exquisite new eye on a specific style era.

Vintage Style Antiques (707 782 1116) casts its spell on mid-century through the 70s largely, by the looks of things. The owner was bombarded with inquiring shoppers so I didn't have an opportunity to get the full scoop on his vintage aesthetic. I did like what I could see, though, with stylish arrangements of household furnishings such as the orange velvet vintage couch pictured above and slim, narrow coffee tables that make such a refreshing, subtle contrast to their super-sized contemporary counterparts.

Bumped into two friends inside of the store, we all quite fancied a Hollywood glam gilt and glass oval coffee and side table set, though I'm not sure it would be a great idea in my house of men (with lacrosse sticks, soccer balls, banjos et all).

I did pick up a vintage leather jacket for a steal of a deal for one of my teens, though wandering up Western Avenue to shop for dinner fixings at the Petaluma Market and back up B Street into the hills in the melting heat was quite the workout with my street fair bargain buy weighing down the grocery bags.

Next up, I noticed that Bovine Bakery is open for business on Fourth Street. I'll be checking out the baked goods this week. After a couple more hikes up the hill.

Best of Class for Southern Sonoma Country Life's Homestead Que Syra at Harvest Fair

Sonoma County Harvest Fair amateur winemaking competition results are posted. It's official, the Italian husband has pulled off a double gold for Best of Class in the hobby Syrah stakes.

Not that this will swell his head or anything. Certainly raises the rarity value of his limited production, handcrafted 2008 backyard vintage.

"The quality of the fruit, coupled with sound fermentation practices, introduction of an imported French yeast designed specifically for Syrah (thank you, Doug Cover) and the fact that these grapes never leave the property at any stage of the winemaking process has produced a stellar result for my fifth vintage," says Rivetti, who has, now, officially locked us all out of the wine storage closet, tucked away under the stairs.

Nurture the Artist in You to Commemorate Lost Loved Ones

Get ready for Petaluma's annual El Dia de los Muertos with a one-day workshop this Sunday, September 26th, 2010 from 1 pm to 4pm in which you will create a shrine-of-art for your home or garden to commemorate lost loved ones.

Nichos are small shrines or remembrances made of collectible objects such as gems, rocks, shells, photos, jewelry, feathers, beads and nails that remind you of those you wish to remember.

Petaluma Arts Center staff describe workshop instructor Kristine McFarland (a.k.a. Bella la Vida) as an artist who by day works in the world of auto racing and by night creates colorful shrines in her studio to help others honor the memory of their loved ones.

Workshop Fee: $50 plus Material cost: $15. Space available and you can register right then and there at the Household Nicho/Shrine Making Workshop this Sunday. Class is located at the Petaluma Arts Center, 230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma.

An altar making workshop will take place at the Arts Center on Sunday October 3rd from 4pm to 4pm. Learn to create an Ofrenda or altar, the heart of the celebration of El Día de los Muertos. Also featured will be flower making and a showing of the film La Ofrenda. For more details on the October 3rd workshop and Day of the Dead festivities for 2010, check out the Petaluma Arts Center online.

Taste the Best of Sonoma County at the 2010 Harvest Fair

One ever-so slight hitch in celebrating the county's annual Harvest Fair, this October (2010) is the fact that the vast majority of grape harvests have been on hold an unseasonal for growers throughout the region's varied appellations due to the extended growing season's funky and persistently unpredictable weather pattern.

Not that it's this year's wine that makes the grade for the venerable Harvest Fair, held at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds from October 1st through 3rd. For the bulk of this year's SoCo Harvest Fair winners (due to be announced at the annual awards night gala this Saturday, September 25th) will be of the vintage circa 2008, having had the appropriate amount of time to mellow and mature in the barrel and bottle before going up against the best of the best. 

And though this may be the friendliest little corner of Northern California wine country, competition for a Harvest Fair gold is fierce.

If you are in the wine biz yourself, Harvest Fair winners can be tasted ahead of the rush from the wine appreciation world at large. The 2010 Trade and Media Tasting event is slated for Monday, September 27th at Grace Pavilion, in the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Santa Rosa, from 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm. Valid Wine Industry or Trade Business Card and valid I.D. must be presented for entrance.

Otherwise, taste the best of Sonoma County Friday (noon to 7pm), Saturday or Sunday,  (10 am to 7pm) October 1st, 2nd or 3rd.

For the serious wine aficionado On Friday Oct 1st, taste over 300 wines arranged by varietal during two 2 1/2 hour tastings at $35 each or $60 for both. Price includes fair admission, glass and tasting. Tastings are scheduled at noon to 2.30pm and 4.30pm to 7pm. A retail wine store will be open from noon to 7pm to purchase your favorite tastes by the bottle.

Saturday and Sunday wine tastings take place from noon to 5pm at a cost of $12 for glass and four tickets (additional tix - 4 for $8). Prefer beer? Microbrew tasting of Sonoma County ale is slated for 1pm to 5pm Saturday only ($15).

Regular admission to the Harvest Fair is $8 for adults, $3 for children 7-12 and free for ages 6 and under. 

Meanwhile, this weekend's heat forecast may help boost those sugar levels for the brix counts across Sonoma County, especially in the cool climate coastal regions and the Petaluma Gap. 

Hoping to report a significant win or two from the Petaluma Gap growers and winemakers once results are officially posted from this year's Harvest Fair.

Experience the Stories Behind the Artists and Farmers of Sonoma County

ARTISTS & FARMERS: *the SHEPHERD & the DOLLMAKER* (teaser) from TINBIKE on Vimeo.

Soil and soul,the very essence of Sonoma County. Come meet the artists and farmers of one of the most extraordinary growing regions of the country, at Project HERE and Cornerstone Sonoma's glorious gathering of like-minded individuals, Saturday, October 3rd, 2010, from 11am to 4pm.

Free for all ages, Artists and Farmer's inaugural gathering marks the first chapter in an evolving multi-media project to celebrate the rich, cultural heritage and outstanding creativity that continues to emerge in Sonoma County.

Make it a date to meet and greet farmer's, growers and artists. Bring along your own creative contributions from the region amidst an afternoon of live music, art, beer, wine and barbecue.

The good artists and farmers of Sonoma would welcome a few good volunteers on the day. Check out sonomaproject.com to dig yourself a patch of creative community involvement.

Cornerstone Sonoma is located at 23570 Arnold Drive at the southern gateway to the Sonoma and Napa Valleys on the east side of Highway 101 and just passed the Carneros junction on the left, if you are driving from Petaluma.

Southern Sonoma County's Saint Vincent de Paul High School Alumni Husband and Wife Team Announce Modern Media Merger

When former Saint Vincent de Paul High School sweethearts Mena and Ben Trott met as teens right here in Petaluma, Sonoma County, who knew it would lead to an internationally renowned creative partnership that would reshape significant social media markets?

In an open letter to their decade-old Six Apart Typepad blog customers located all around the world, the San Francisco based entrepreneurial couple have announced the formation of a new, modern media company collaboration with VideoEgg, now called SAY Media.

Mena Trott speaks on a video released today on the new SAY Media site as to the future of this dynamic new modern media approach.

What does this mean for hyper local content sites such as Southern Sonoma Country Life and similar Typepad-based blogs and news sites that you, the loyal reader may have come to know and love?

Ideally, the massive shake-up in how we all choose to read our news and share our views will soon gradually start to take shape in a sustainable way so that content producers are able to make ends meet and improve our multi-media experiences at the same time.

And as a reminder to support your local media in print and online, here's a snippet of a clipping from Summer 2008 issue of our favorite local glossy, the Petaluma Magazine, featuring the Trotts: