Southern Sonoma Country Life

Move over Martha - Michelle's in the Garden with "American Grown"

How wonderfully Martha in so many ways? And why not opt for the crisp, collared shirt, rolled up to the elbows, a la Stewart-style, a basket of American-grown bounty for how many cover shots over past decades, who could possibily keep count?

Back in the spring of 2009, First Lady Michelle Obama planted her kitchen garden on the White House’s South Lawn. Though the garden's roots stretch back to George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, Michelle's garden has been designed for the future. 

The First Lady's flourishing White House Kitchen Garden has inspired conversation across the country regarding the food we feed our schoolkids, our families and ourselves and the impact this has on the health and well-being of children. 
 
Her first book, American Grown, promises to welcome the reader into the White House Kitchen Garden, from first planting to the most recent harvest. With a May 29th, 2012 publishing date, an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at each season of the garden’s growth, with striking original photographs promise to bring its story to life.

The book features unique recipes created by White House chefs and made with ingredients freshly-picked from the White House garden as well as tips to help plant your own backyard, school or community garden. 
 
Stories of other gardens that have moved and inspired the First Lady are also featured, includingtales of a modern day vegetable truck bringing fresh produce to underserved communities in Chicago, Houston office workers who make the sidewalk bloom,  a New York City School that created a scented garden for the visually impaired,a North Carolina garden that devotes its entire harvest to those less fortunate and other stories of communities that are transforming the lives and health of their citizens. Move over Martha, Mrs. O's taking the publishing spotlight for May!
 
   

Beautifully Handcrafted in the Bay Area - Kids and Baby Decor from Little Acorns

I'm always on the look out for original Bay Area designs, the closer to home the better when sourcing items for home. Though we don't have any tiny people living in our house these days, Little Acorn is a San Francisco based company that is dedicated to creating colorful, whimsical, meaningful and socially aware kids products for those of you who do!

"Our products standout because we build on positive messages and learning, they include words and images that make a child smile while teaching them colors, social awareness, acceptance, appreciation of nature, and love of all things," says Little Acorn's creative, Bridget Kelly

After 20 years of designing children’s products and being a leading contributor for Pottery Barn Kids, Mattel, Esprit, Nike, Diane Von Furstenberg, Vitamins Playwear and Whistle & Wink, Kelly opted to create her own more unique, timely and stylish  products.

All  items are crafted by hand and are intended to be durable, so that customers can live with them a long time, or hand them on to the next in line!

Old friend and former Petaluman Eric Marston (anyone around here remember his lovely Pipsqeaks handcrafted kids furniture?) describes his former colleague in juvenile product design in SF in the 90s, as: "an extremely talented artist and designer."

 

 

Petaluma's 4th Annual Film Fest, Saturday May 5th, 2012

Three eclectic programs of international award-winners and local student short films are set to be showcased at the fourth annual Film Fest Petaluma, this Saturday, May 5th, 2012 at the historic Mystic Theatre, downtown. 

Programs feature a broad mix of animated and live action short films as well as a blend of comedy and drama.  Shows run at 2:30pm and 7:30pm with an edgier program at midnight.  Each session will host filmmakers in conversation.  

After the United States, French films dominate the line-up with seven titles including this year’s Cesar winner for best live action short in France, L’Accordeur (The Piano Tuner). Canada, Australia, England, and Spain also have strong showings with single entries from Norway, Germany, and Japan.  “It’s the strongest program we’ve ever had.” says festival director Michael Traina.  “Each program features 8-10 shorts and there’s a little something for everyone.”  This year’s Oscar winner for Best Animated Short, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, is screening on the 2:30pm program.  More than a dozen filmmakers from five countries will be on hand to discuss the films and take questions from the audience.

Three Sonoma County student filmmakers will also be showcased throughout the day. Top films from SRJC’s Associated Students Film Festival on April 6^th were invited to screen at the downtown event.  Students from Santa Rosa High School’s ArtQuest program were awarded the top three slots.  Fiona Becker will screen The Pulsera Project on 2:30pm show, Amy West & Jacob Bellochio will screen Mud on the 7:30pm show, and Nick Nuebel will screen Ancient Alien Ice Road Trucker Wars on the midnight show.

Tickets for the Fest are available at McNear’s Restaurant, Copperfield’s Books in Petaluma, or online through the Petaluma Film Alliance and Mystic Theatre websites.  Tickets range from $10-$15.  All-day passes are available for $25.  Programs are recommended for 15 and over.

Visit FilmFestPetaluma.com for the complete film schedule and ticket information.

Treasures of the Marketplace - 26th Annual Petaluma Antique Fair This Sunday, April 29th, 2012

For ardent antique treasure hunters, shabby-chic devotees, savvy designers and those of us who couldn't possibly cram another single thing into our homes (well, maybe just one, tiny, impossible-to-resist find!), Sunday's spring Antique Fair in downtown Petaluma is without a doubt, one of the year's top shopping highlights here in Southern SoCo.

The 26th Annual Petaluma Spring Antique Fair takes place from 8 am to 4 pm amidst the street market flanked by ironfront Victorians of historic downtown. Attracting crowds of up to 8,000, this popular fair pulls in collectors from far and wide.

 

Take A Walk on the Wild Side Along the Pacific Coast Trail with Author Cheryl Strayed

Back in my early twenties, accompanied by a couple of my closest girlfriends, I traversed the highly memorable, wet and windy West Highland Way, in Scotland (excluding one day of cheating that entailed hitching rides on a ferry across a stormy loch), a cross-country trek from coast to coast in Southern Ireland one freezing cold November, as well as several other smaller, less, ambitious hiking boot rambles in the British Isles.

Since crossing the pond and embarking on the great and all-encompassing adventure of motherhood, my long-distance hiking days have been on hiatus. 

Author Cheryl Strayed's singular, well-trod boot on the cover of her account of a solo hike of the epic Pacific Coast Trail spoke to me from the bookseller's cozy shelf. I took the book, suitably entitled Wild with me to read during my Australian escpade of late and have to report that I raced through it at a clip of a pace that Strayed herself would have been proud of.

I've since read that Reese Witherspoon's production company has designs to make this tale of adventure, survival and self-redemption into a movie, which I can envision might have its merits, but likely no where near as good as the book.

 

All Things Bright and Britishful....

As Kite, my trusty, old Welsh Corgi turns 16 this May, it's perfect timing for a celebration of the Queen's favorite canine. Quirky and characterful, just like the best of Brits, the Corgi has been a constant companion of British Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II throughout her life.

World focus will be on Britain this summer not only for the Olympic Games, but for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Celebrations. It almost breaks my heart not to be heading over the pond after school gets out this year, but rest assured, I'll be posting plenty of tidbits from my British American perspective once the revelries commence.

In the meantime, I stumbled across a selection of delightful Corgi print goodies from Britbased designers Thornback and Peel. But if pugs and labs are more your cup of tea, check out old favorite, Emma Bridgewater's canine mug collection.

Entre'pet'neurs in the Park!

Now here's a novel way to run a pet wash biz. Out of a compact trailor in a busy park! Strolled by this industrious scene in Sydney's leafy Centennial Park and snapped a pic for any would-be entre'pet'neurs back home.

Even better for the pooch if he or she's had a rejuvenating walk before a quick and efficient wash and dry in the fresh air. Love this simple idea.

Present Your Best Photos to Julian Cox, Curator of the de Young, for Consideration for this Year's Art of Photography Show

Bay Area photographers - choose your best images to present to Julian Cox, Curator of Photography and Chief Curator, de Young Museum, San Francisco for possible selection for The Art of Photography Show - an established and critical force in the world of contemporary photography here in California.

Now in its 8th year, this presentation of world class photography is truly exquisite. The show provides tangible benefits to artists trying to break into the public eye. This well thought out international exhibition provides value to artists at every turn, from first-rate viewing in the judging process to exhibition and publication opportunities, photo industry connections and monetary awards.

Exhibition at the elegant San Diego Art Institute
In beautiful Balboa Park, San Diego, California.

Opening Reception Gala on September 29, 2012.
Exhibit runs through November 11th.

One of the distinguishing characteristics of this competition and exhibition is that the competition judges are acclaimed museum curators. Additional judge's include:

Anne Lyden - Associate Curator of Photography at the J. Paul Getty Museum
Arthur Ollman - Director of the Museum of Photographic Arts
Natasha Egan - Associate Director and Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Photography
Neal Benezra - Director of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Charlotte Cotton - Director of Photography at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Hugh Davies - Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
Tim Wride - Director of Photography at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Carol McCusker - Curator of Photography at the Museum of Photographic Arts
(Note: All titles are as of the time of judging)

The competition goal is to provide as many tangible benefits as possible for  exhibiting artists. The cash awards, accolades, media coverage and sales revenue that are provide to the artists who are selected are substantial.

$10,000 in award money will be given to artists in the Art of Photography Show 2012.
Over 1,500 people are expected to attend the Opening Reception Gala on Saturday September 29th. Attendees are a mix of art collectors, high net worth residents, advertising executives, architects & designers, executives of major San Diego corporations and government leaders.

A 76 page show catalog will be given to everyone at the Opening Reception Gala and is made available for free at each special event during the exhibition.
A large percentage of the work is sold, of which the artists receive most of the revenue.
100% of the competition's portion of the art sales revenue goes to the San Diego Art Institute.

Entry deadline is June 30th. Click here for show website and entry info.

Nest Egg - An Artisanal Ode to Petaluma's Heritage

Nest Egg, the super talented Project Here's latest, innovative, invitational group art exhibit opening this Saturday, April 21st at HeebeJeebe's Boomerang Gallery in Petaluma, will raise money for COTS and also for the trust fund launched this week for the children of the late Kim Conover.

"These  are  both such incredibly  worthy causes" says HeebeeJeebe's Drew Washer. "Please come out to help us support them either through  donation or by buying one of the incredible nests up for auction"

The reception is free to attend - stop in 7pm to 9 pm. 46 Kentucky Street.

Hear Emmy Award Winning Broadcast Journalist Belva Davis in a Free College Forum at Petaluma Campus of SRJC, Thurs April 26th, 2012

Santa Rosa Junior College is set to host special guest Belva Davis, Emmy Award-Winning Broadcast Journalist, for a College Forum, Thursday, April 26, 2026 at 12:30 p.m. at the Carole L. Ellis Auditorium, Petaluma Campus. 

Davis will be speaking about her career in journalism and her book entitled “Never in My Wildest Dreams: A Black Woman’s Life in Journalism.” This event is free and open to the public. The book, co-written by Petaluma-based journalist Vicki Haddock, is available at the SRJC Bookstore on both the Santa Rosa and Petaluma Campuses.
 
Belva Davis, who has a home in the Petaluma area, is recognized as the first black woman TV journalist in the West and one of the most respected media figures in the nation. She has indisputably changed the face of American journalism.

In her book Never in My Wildest Dreams, Davis recounts a harrowing personal history interwoven with the volatile cultural upheaval of the '60s, '70s, and '80s. In her five decades of reporting, she covered the most explosive local and national stories of the last half-century, including the Berkeley student protests, the rise of feminism, the birth of the Black Panthers, the Moscone/Milk murders, the onset of the AIDS epidemic and the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

This extraordinary woman will share her story of courage, grace, and determination as she witnessed and reported on many of the most transformative events of her generation. Having won eight local Emmys and a number of lifetime achievement awards, Davis has established herself as a cultural icon intimately tied to American history.