Southern Sonoma Country Life

How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By Bert!

Stored under lock and key in a top secret destination in downtown Petaluma this weekend, Petaluma-based Bert's Desserts custom created baseball cookie-stuffed gift bags await our city's young National Little League World Series stars following this Sunday's historic home town parade. 

Despite the happy fact that so many generous merchants and donors are contributing to an extraordinary ticker tape parade and party in Walnut Park, scheduled to follow the city's traditional Butter and Egg Days Parade, at 2pm Sunday afternoon, the meticulous handcrafting of custom decorated baseball cookies by kind hearted Bert Smith of award winning Bert's Desserts deserves a special post of its own.

Really, how sweet it is to be loved by Bert! She went out of her way to create historic hometown cookies for each player and his family to enjoy back at home, sometime after the excitement dies down.

Thrilling though it has been for all of us in Petaluma to follow the success of Petaluma National's making it all the way in Williamsport, PA, to number three Little League team in the world for 2012, it's kinda nice to think of these amazing young 12 and 13-year-olds finally back home and enjoing a good, old-fashioned cookie at the kitchen table.

 

 

Petaluma Porches (Part 4)

Top Pick - Straus Family Creamery's Organic Brown Sugar Banana Ice Cream

A half cup serving of Straus Family Creamery's Brown Sugar Banana organic ice cream might cost you 250 calories, but every bite's a treat. This one's a winner in our books, so much so it's the official top pick for a local, organic ice cream flavor (and that's saying something around here) for summer 2012. Triple delicious.

 

Ladies in Waiting

Rather than naming this shot Wall Flowers, I picked Ladies in Waiting! Snapped this during a peaceful lunch stop en-route around the south county on assignments. Something special about an unpopulated spot.

New at Petaluma's Greenstring Farm - Fresh, Fine Ground Whole Wheat Flour & Bottle-Your-Own Olive Oil

Why stand in line at the grocery store when farm shops such as the sublime little shack at Petaluma's Green String Farm are fit to burst with local bounty? Not just fruits & veggies ..... grind your own whole wheat flour, fill a bottle from home with top grade, local virgin olive oil (for just 80c and ounce), pick up a flat of farm fresh eggs, grass raised meat, nuts, farm jarred pasta sauce.

 

Southern Sonoma County Shindig Season - More Than A Hint of Fall in the Air

“There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been."

Poet, Percy Shelley,

Can't beat the The Hoovers' & friends annual 'Wetstock' festival under the oaks

Champions' Welcome - Petaluma's National Little League Dream Team Comes Home

“A champion needs a motivation above and beyond winning."

Pat Riley

Petaluma Pride filled the city's Fairgrounds Monday lunch time, for a massive fanfare welcome home to the National Little League champs who took it all the way to the top three of the 2012 Little League World Series, representing the State of California, in Williamsport, PA this month.

I headed down to see for myself the spectacle of their historical and trumphant return to Petaluma. With my every-other-week Argus Courier column deadline on slight delay in order to share a little something of this extraordinary event with local readers this week, I just about made it back in time to send over my 600 words. Thronging crowds of well wishers packed the red carpet outdoor arena. It was this outstanding support that surely boosted these incredible boys to keep on battling with so much focus and dignity, through 27 days of once-in-a-lifetime intensity. 

A special celebratory parade is scheduled to take place on Sunday, September 2nd, at 1pm, following the Butter and Egg Days route through town, culminating in a huge community party at Walnut Park.

The boys will be driven in Salute to American-Graffiti vintage collector cars. Free hot dogs and apple pie for the first 1,000 or so at the park!

Muse Hairdressing's Prime New Location in the Heart of Petaluma's Bustling Downtown Boutique DIstrict

Newly coiffed, I snapped this pic of master stylist Ashley Allred and salon owner/artistic director of downtown Petaluma's newly relocated Muse Hairdressing, Lani Worthington.

The salon's beautiful, new space on the corner of Western Avenue and Fourth Street, in the heart of the city's bustling, historic boutique district marks the celebration of the fifth year anniversary for Muse, originally launched nearby in the newer Theater Square district.

It's prime positioning close to the downtown parking garage, elegant period details and freshly finished floors and features make this one of the most stylish salons in SoCo. Muse is located at 27 Western Avenue.

 

 

South American Inspired Beet Ensalada Rusa

Look at these beautiful beets that arrived on my doorstep thanks to my lovely neighbor, Merle and her gardening talents! Definitely worthy of a recipe share.

Serves 8

6 beets

8 peeled, cubed potatoes

8 eggs

Cup of good quality Mayonnaise

2 tsp salt

Set three pans of water to boil. Trim and boil  beets for 20 minutes to a half an hour. Remove from water, chill and dice.

Boil potato cubes in slightly salted water for 15 to 20 minutes, making sure not to overcook. Drain and chill.

Simmer eggs for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool in a bowl of ice water. Peel and dice.

Place all of the ingredients into one bowl and mix gently with mayo to serve.

 

 

National Title So Close For Petaluma Little League Stars Representing State of California

Another remarkable win for Petaluma's Little Leaguers last night, after a smash-hit, grand slam first inning that had nowhere to go but up, for an 11-1 win over Texas. The entire city awaits Saturday's U.S. Championship Little League title game with baited breath. There's a hush of awe throughout the community, the Bay Area and amongst baseball lovers across the State of California as the boys from P'Town continue their focus with steely grit and grins as wide as Cheshire cats!

It's going to be a tense few days until Petaluma faces Tennessee in the U.S. Championship game, Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Win or lose, there's no holding back on homecoming celebrations fans with a parade for these outstanding young players set for Sunday September 2nd at 1pm, following Petaluma's traditional Butter & Egg Days Parade route past the city's historic, ironfront Victorian downtown.

Earlier on Saturday, Japan will have played Latin America for the International Championship title, at 9:30 a.m. Saturday winners play one another for the Little League World Series Championship, Sunday.