Southern Sonoma Country Life

Third Annual Fort Ross-Seaview Wine Festival October 17th, 2015

As the fog burns off the hillsides, the magical beauty of the west Sonoma coastline is uncovered at Fort Ross State Historic Park and on October 17th, 2015 the third annual Fort Ross-Seaview Wine Festival will showcase the wines and culinary cuisine from one of Sonoma County’s most scenic and smallest American Viticultural Areas (AVA).

The Fort Ross-Seaview Wine Festival is co-hosted by Fort Ross Conservancy  and the Fort Ross-Seaview Winegrowers Association, a consortium of wineries and growers in the Fort Ross- Seaview AVA dedicated to farming “coastal cool” grapes above the fog on the very edge of the continent. This year, participating Fort Ross-Seaview AVA wineries and vineyards include:

• Piazza Del Dotto (luncheon only)

• Flowers Vineyard & Winery

• Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery

• Kutch Wines

• Martinelli Winery

• RAEN Winery

•  Tin Barn Vineyards 

• Wayfarer Vineyard

• Wild Hog Vineyard

• Precious Mountain Vineyard/Williams Selyem

Although the area on the northern Sonoma Coast was among the first in California to produce high-quality wine, it was not until 2012 when the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA earned its status as a distinct appellation. The AVA derives its name from prominent local features: Fort Ross, the 1812 Russian-era fort where the first Sonoma county grapes were planted in 1817, and the Seaview community, located on the steep coastal ridges traversed by Seaview Road which runs the length of the AVA and is one of the state’s most scenic routes, offering spectacular views of the Pacific Coast.

Lester Schwartz, founder and owner of Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery and a key figure behind the development of the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA, explains, “The wine festival is a celebration of this rich viticultural area producing distinct cool climate wines combined with the strong Russian cultural presence which continues to thrive in this diverse community.”

In addition to the Tasting Tent (click here for tickets), the festival is also offering an optional Grand Luncheon, which includes a four-course meal of seasonal fare expertly paired with special reserve wines from the AVA, prepared by renowned local chefs. The meal will be presented on a scenic marine terrace overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The featured chefs and their culinary contributions include five-time James Beard Award nominee, writer and chef Michele Ana Jordan; Barbara Hom, executive chef at Fort Ross Vineyard; Chef Jamil Pedan of the renowned Applewood Inn and Michelin Star Chefs Andew and Liya Truoung of Terrapin Creek in Bodega Bay.

Tickets for the Grand Luncheon are priced at $125 per person and include entrance to the Grand Tasting Wine Tent, State Parks entrance fee, along with access to the Harvest Festival entertainment and activities. Click here for a  limited number of Grand Luncheon tickets are available online via advance purchase.

Tickets to the Grand Wine Tasting tent are $40 and include access to the wine tent, a selection of local cheeses by Omar Mueller of Freestone Artisan Cheese as well as other Sonoma County cheesemakers, State Parks entrance fee, and access to Harvest Festival entertainment and activities when purchased in advance. Additional food will be available for purchase through an assortment of on-site food trucks.

During the event, visitors will step back in time, taking in the breathtaking views among acres of centuries old restored orchards and imagining life here as a Russian settler in the early 1800s. This special fall festival draws hundreds of visitors near and far to enjoy 

family-friendly activities and celebrations of the Russian, Alaska Native, and Native American history that worked these lands two hundred years ago. A selection of activities include vintage horse and buggy rides and apple picking at the historic fruit and grapevine orchards first planted by Russian settlers in 1814. Attendees can sample the heirloom fruits and ciders from the orchard along with local baked goods, cheeses, and wines. Visitors will also have an opportunity to explore the restored Fort Compound of the early 19th Century Russian settlement.

Festival attendees will be awed and entertained by traditional Russian dancers and vocalists performing communal dances and interpretive re-enactments of the Russians that farmed this remote stretch of coastline 90 miles north of San Francisco.

The Fort Ross-Seaview Harvest Festival is hosted by Fort Ross Conservancy, a non-profit group dedicated to organizing onsite Fort Ross Park programs and raising money to support and sustain the park and its buildings. “For 30 years Russian colonists lived along side the Native Americans and Alaska Natives, working together to farm the land, build ships, hunt, and trade with Spain and the U.S.,” said Sarah Sweedler, Fort Ross Conservancy’s long-time board member and President/CEO. “This festival is a way to remind us of our rich and diverse history while also enjoying the fruits of our labor with amazing local food and wine in a breathtaking setting,” Sweedler added.

This family friendly event is held in the Fort Ross Historic State Park located at 19005 Coast Highway One, Jenner, CA. Please note that we welcome children to participate in all of the harvest festival activities but they are not allowed to participate in the Grand Luncheon. We encourage attendees to stay the weekend to enjoy the beauty and splendor of the area.

Below is a list of accommodations in the area:

• Timber Cove Inn, less than ten minutes north of Fort Ross • Fort Ross Lodge, less than eight minutes north of Fort Ross • Ocean Cove Lodge, ten minutes north of Fort Ross

• Sea Ranch, 45 minutes north of Fort Ross

• Jenner Inn, 25 minutes south of Fort Ross

• River's End, Jenner, 30 minutes south of Fort Ross 

• Bodega Bay Lodge, 1 hour south of Fort Ross

• Timber Cove Boat Landing, Brenda Verno: Vacation Rentals: 707/847-3278 • Reliable Home Management, Alicia Frost: Vacation Rentals 707/847-3425 • Raymond's Bakery and Elim Grove Cabins: 707/632-5335

For more information on the Fort Ross Seaview Harvest Festival, Fort Ross Conservancy, and Fort Ross Seaview Winegrowers Association, please visit their websites at http://www.fortross.org/, and http://fortross-seaview.org. 

Russian River: All Rivers, The Value of an American Watershed — Boom, Bust and Binge — A Morning After Water Story

Remember a Loved One in Day of the Dead Exhibit at Petaluma's Aqus Cafe at Foundry Wharf

Aqus Cafe at Foundry Wharf invites you to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of El Dia de los Muertos Petaluma by commemorating a loved one in an Art Exhibition at 189 H Street.

Aqus' art team invites you to share photographs of those who you wish to remember in cafe from Sunday September 27th to Sunday, November 1st. 

There will be a basket on the counter in the cafe through Sunday, September 27th. Drop off a photo or hang it yourself during the month of October.  At the end of the exhibition the basket will be on the counter after November 1st for you to collect your photos and messages. 

Photos should be no larger than 8 inches by 10 inches.  Put your photo with a message (optional) in an envelope.  Make sure your name and phone number is on the back of both the message and the photo.

If you have a  painting or 2D piece you have made in honor of a loved one and would like to show this in Aqus  during El Dia de los Muertos please contact gailfoulkes@sbcglobal.net.

 

Mambo Italiano — Little Italy in the "Secret Venue" at Southern SoCo's Spring Hill Gardens

"A boy went back to Napoli because he missed the scenery

The native dances and the charming songs
But wait a minute something's wrong
'cause now it's . . .
Hey mambo, mambo Italiano hey mambo mambo Italiano"

Bob Merrill for Dean Martin 

What a treat to be transported to the Italian countryside by way of West Petaluma's Spring Hill Road for a late summer's balmy afternoon.

And what a fantastic "secret" party spot for a 90th birthday celebration of a first generation Italian/American of the first order.

The birthday boy is a spritely fella and a poster boy for the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle. Having a lively extended famiglia around and about has kept him on his toes. 

An afternoon feast, al fresco for 100! I'd guesstimate that at least 75 percent of the guests had Italian or Portuguese last names!

When was the last time you ate a scoopful of old fashioned spumoni ice cream? I'd forgotten how delicious it is.  

Cornerstone/Sunset Magazine Site Plan Announcement a Potential Crushing Blow to Sonoma County Landscape Design & Sculpture Artist

Kenwood Investments'  acquisition of 36-acre wine country gateway Cornerstone Sonoma earlier this year for an undisclosed amount didn't make quite as big an impact amongst county food, wine, art and garden fans as did later, major news of an on-site Sunset Magazine collaboration.

Iconic Sunset Magazine, with its reported 1.3 million subscribers announced exciting plans in June to move its gardens, event space and test kitchen to this unique Sonoma property, the first gallery-style garden center in the United States, originally designed in 2004 as "an ever-changing series of walk-through gardens, showcasing new and innovative designs from the world’s finest landscape architects and designers. 

Yet one Sonoma County resident, renowned Landscape Design and Sculpture Artist Suzanne Biaggi has significant cause for concern amidst the general horn tooting of the Cornerstone/Sunset announcement, geared towards a May 2016 design launch.   

Suzanne was the celebrated designer behind a 2013 walk-through garden, created specifically to the ecosystem of the site at Cornerstone Sonoma. Over 70 friends and patrons of the arts supported the project financially and with on-site work.  Their funding made the sculptural elements become a reality. It was designed as a 10-year garden, prior to the sale of the property and was four months in the physical making. 

"I was recently informed that the new owners at Cornerstone have invited Sunset Magazine to install demonstration gardens at this location just outside of Sonoma and unfortunately, my garden is planned to be dismantled in the process," shared Suzanne this September (2015). 

She is hoping that Cornerstone and Sunset Magazine will be open to consider options other than dismantling this community-supported garden installation. As yet, Suzanne is not aware of what specific plans are afoot for the other art gardens on site. 

The artist, whose garden celebrates her late brother, designed the space to represent what she is most passionate about and what inspires her: "It highlights the importance of ecological balance to the future of our planet; honors the memory of my brother Phil; provides a place for discovery and contemplation; educates, by example, local restoration of native habitats; and employs universal design allowing the wheel chair experience to be same as the walking one."

If you've visited and appreciated gardens at Cornerstone and would like to support Sonoma County artist Suzanne Biaggi in her campaign to preserve this most recent of garden installations on the property, she suggests you email a civil message to the principal decision makers by Tuesday September 22nd 2015:

Cornerstone — Bill Hooper — billhooperca@comcast.net 

Sunset —  Kathleen Brenzel — brenzelk@sunset.com

 

Cornerstone Sonoma was the brainchild of Chris Hougie and Teresa Raffo. This innovative and enterprising couple based their avant-garde design on the Chaumont Festival of Gardens in the Loire Valley of France.

Gardens of this calibre have proved expensive to fund and rotate and consequently, many remain in place since the garden center opened. Of the 17 gardens currently at Cornerstone, Ecology of Place is the most recent. Hopefully Cornerstone/Sunset will do the right thing and work with the Sonoma County Based Suzanne Biaggi to find a win/win solution. 

 

The Black Artists on Art Exhibition, On Loan from Oakstop Gallery, Oakland — Petaluma Arts Center October 10th to November 22nd, 2015

Photo: Scott Hess

Petaluma Arts Center's The Black Artists on Art exhibition (Oct 10 - Nov 22nd) features over 50 contemporary and legendary Black fine artists spanning three generations, including Elizabeth Catlett, Jacob Lawrence, Charles White, George “P-Funk Clinton and Dr. Samella Lewis, one of America’s leading historians and collectors of Black fine art.

“For various cultural and economic reasons, the Black and White visual arts communities have largely followed separate paths”, says Executive Director Val Richman. “At the Petaluma Arts Center we believe that art bursts through barriers between cultures, ages, races and languages. We are proud to present this exciting exhibition to Sonoma County.”

Artist and art historian Samella Lewis is renowned for her contributions to African American art and art history. Born in 1924 in New Orleans, Lewis's heritage led her to view art as an essential expression of the community and its struggles. She began her art career at Dillard University, where she was instructed by the African American sculptor Elizabeth Catlett.

She earned her B.A. degree in art history in 1945 at Hampton Institute and completed her graduate studies at the Ohio State University, earning her M.A. degree in 1948. In 1951 she became the first African American woman to receive her doctorate in fine arts and art history. In order to publish Black Artists on Art (1969), Lewis founded the first African American-owned art publishing house, Contemporary Crafts.

Now in 2015, Samella Lewis’s grandson, Unity Lewis, and co-organizer Trevor Parham, are continuing her legacy by reviving the book series and organizing the traveling exhibition of the same name. The exhibition will serve as a campaign to recruit over 500 new Black artists for upcoming volumes of Black Artists on Art.

Dr. Lewis, on publishing the book series: “I wanted to make a chronology of African American artists, and artists of African descent, to document our history. The historians weren’t doing it. I felt it better the artists do it anyway, through pictorial and written information. I thought it was absolutely necessary, not just for the public but for the artists, to know what was going on. In my opinion, the artists were the people who documented our history better than anybody else.

A lot was going on culturally. Blacks were rebelling and revolting and doing things that they hadn’t done before. I felt we had to do something. I created these books to inform artists and inspire them to be participants in the movement. It was really about the movement.”

The Black Artists on Art exhibition is on loan from Oakstop Gallery in Oakland, and co-curated by Petaluman Scott Hess, Trevor Parham from Oakstop, and Unity Lewis. Unity says: “More than 40 years after the release of the second volume of Black Artists on Art, I have come to preserve and continue the legacy. A legacy that represents more than just the work of my grandmother Dr. Samella Lewis, but the legacy of the Black Arts Movement (BAM), its growth and development over the decades. Like so many of my fellow artists, I am proof that BAM has been moving like the Underground Railroad. The fact that Black people continue to face the same issues in today’s society that our predecessors faced in the ‘60’s indicates to me that we must relentlessly press on.”

In addition to the artwork, the exhibition at the Petaluma Arts Center will feature interactive education and activism, with 24/7 Twitter and Instagram feeds by modern activists including DeRay McKesson. McKesson is a member of the organization ‘We The Protesters’, which organizes protests that center on African-American issues, and is known for his activism via social media outlets. Books and educational projects will be available for visitors. Field trips and docent tours will be offered for groups and students; some of the artists will accompany the curators into schools to talk about the art and its historical context. The group Petaluma Blacks for Community Development is involved in promoting the exhibition.

Housed in the historic Railroad Station freight building, next to the Petaluma Visitors Center, the Petaluma Arts Center hosts art exhibitions, performances, art classes for people of all ages, literary and film lectures, and community events. Located next to the upcoming SMART commuter train station in developing Midtown Petaluma, the arts center is experiencing a renaissance along with the growth of the arts in Sonoma County.

Groups and Docent Tours

For information on groups and school tours, contact Kim Chigi at 762-5600 x104 or KChigi@PetalumaArtsCenter.org – special admission price for groups.

Petaluma Arts Center is open Thursday through Monday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.; closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays and holidays. 

Events

Opening Reception:  Saturday October 10, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. featuring Kora (African harp) player Keenan Webster.

Words/Art:  Thursday October 15, 7:00 p.m.  Storyteller Tureeda Mikell and co-curators Trevor Parham and Unity Lewis. Tickets $7 general, $6 discount, $4 PAC members.

The doRiaN Mode, vintage jazz and blues:  Saturday November 7, 8:00 p.m. Tickets $9 general, $8 discount, $5 PAC members.

The Bruthas feat. Levi Lloyd, soul and R&B:  Saturday November 21, 8:00 p.m. Tickets $9 general, $8 discount, $5 PAC members.

Photo: Robert Hale

Wanderings & Wonderment at World's Pure Food Fair — National Heirloom Exposition 2015

Photos: Frances Rivetti

School gardens and sustainable food programs are the beneficiaries of the better and better each year National Heirloom Exposition, the World's Pure Food Fair currently taking place over a three day run the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, CA.

Here's an event that appeals to county school children and backyard gardeners (such as myself) every bit as much as biodynamic and sustainable farmers, raw and organic food producers.

Stand in the (cool of the) main hall and take in the sheer delight at the sight of such bounty! If you don't already garden a portion of your own food (the sorts of tasty fruits, veg and legumes your grandparents grew), you'd be hard pushed to walk out of this event without an inspiring plan to pick out some heirloom varietals to plant in your yard next season.  

There is all sorts to learn at the expo on a variety of levels. Workshops with celebrated speakers educate and inform on a more detailed level, but wandering the wonderful world of the National Heirloom Expo is super visual and fun in itself. I loved the Dahlia Show and Contest this year.

I was impressed with the crowds who stuck out extreme, record  heat on days one and two of the 2015 Expo, 110 degrees in Santa Rosa by mid-afternoon certainly made for a relaxing vibe!  

 Musicians, entrants in the old time fiddlers contest and outdoor vendors valiantly stuck to their schedules and stages despite soaring temps. In the barn there was an impressive display of heritage breeds of livestock and poultry. I talked to farmers, gardeners and bee keepers from around Northern California and across the country.

The Rural Chicks are one of my favorite Sonoma/Marin County groups of women in the field. It was good to see the lovely Deborah Walton of Canvas Ranch (bottom, center) representing. 

Innovative minds gather at the Expo to showcase their work and their products and to encourage us to dip out toes a little further into the waters of a sustainable future. 

The National Heirloom Exposition 2015 runs through Thursday September 10th. 

 

 

September Social Sketch — Aqus Cafe at Foundry Wharf, 9/21/2015

Feast on Taste of Sonoma at MacMurray Estate Vineyards — Sonoma Wine Country Weekend 2015

 

"Like human beings, a wine’s taste is going to depend a great deal on its origins and its upbringing"

Linda Johnson-Bell

Thousands of happy human beings were intent on getting to know the origins and upbringing of world class wines from Sonoma County's 16 Appellations  (divided into distinctive regional tents) during the 9th Annual Sonoma Wine Weekend festivities and tastings at MacMurray Ranch in the heart of the Russian River.

I really can't think of a more stunning place to be for a tasting of this scale and magnitude. Even with the crowds, this beautiful heritage estate never fails to charm and evoke a sense of an afternoon's escape from the rest of the world.  

South-County-based (air conditioned) Pure Luxury Transportation shuttle wine and food lovers around the county in style. Driving deep into the redwoods with thousands of other event-goers would be a logistical nightmare without these swish shuttle buses traversing makeshift parking lots tucked in amongst groves of giant trees. 

Though I do love to people watch and fashion spot at Taste of Sonoma, the scene is increasingly more wine country casual each year. As many attendees are return fans, those in the know are not to be found stumbling around this rustic setting in heels and haute couture. Foodie-slogan t-shirts are popular, hats, too.   

You might be tempted to try to taste everything coming your way, but take it from me, it's a lot more enjoyable if you pick and choose from hundreds of pours and bite-size food samples from the county's long established and emerging winemakers and chefs. If you love Pinot Noir, narrow your range and compare. Chardonnay float your boat? Stick with one or two favorite varietals and hydrate with plenty of chilled water available in abundance throughout.

The Paella Guy from Castaneda's Marketplace drew long lines for return tastes of this crowd pleaser.  

Sonoma Stars on Stage — Chef Mark Stark of Stark Reality Restaurants (Willi's Wine Bar, Monti's, Willi's Seafood and Raw Bar, Starks Steak and Seafood, Bravas and coming soon — Bird & The Bottle) was last SoCo superstar chef of the day to take the stage, demonstrating how to whip up a batch of Pickled Fresh Gulf Prawns with Kimchee 1000 Island & Buttered Saltines. Pourers paired MacMurray Estate Vineyards Chardonnay with those of us lucky enough to have grabbed a pew for this one. 

James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur semi-finalists Mark and his wife and business partner Terri Stark were Honorary Culinary Chairs for Taste of Sonoma 2105. Mark's a blast on stage and its no surprise that his restaurants are so fantastic.  Passionate, fun and super down to earth, he and Terri's partnership's enjoying unmatched success on the Sonoma County food scene.  From opening their first venture, Willi’s Wine Bar in 2002, to their most recent, Bravas in 2012, this dynamic duo's restaurants consistently earn top accolades and praise including San Francisco Chronicle Top 100 Bay Area Restaurant status (Willi’s Wine Bar and Bravas), Michelin Bib Gourmand (Monti’s, Willi’s Wine Bar) and Travel + Leisure Top 20 US Tapas Restaurants (Bravas).

"Aim high and fall far rather than ever being mediocre when it comes to cooking," Mark told a captivated crowd. About to train 36 new cooks, his method, he shared, is: "to make sure every part of the food prep and cooking process is sexy. Good cooking doesn't have to be hard, it needs to be right".

Top tip from Mark, when poaching shrimp or other seafood, "It comes from salt water, so put it back in salt water where it will feel at home". All the seasoning needed in a pot of boiling water is a pinch of Old Bay, a Baltimore-made classic. "If you're cooking with really good ingredients, you don't need too many flavorings or sauces," he said. "Sauces were developed to cover bad meat".  Shock the seafood to keep color and texture, cooking "to the point" and no more.  

Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic Michael Bauer says, “What sets Mark and Terri Stark apart from many restaurateurs who have multiple locations is that each location is different. If their names weren't written on the menu, in fact, you probably wouldn't know it was one of their properties"  Willi's is one of the lauded critic's favorite casual stops in Sonoma County.

Mark is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. He honed his professional cooking skills in Washington, DC and Seattle. Terri majored in hospitality at the University of Oregon and had a successful catering and restaurant management career in the Bay Area. Mark and Terri met while working for the California Café Restaurant Group in Palo Alto: he as a regional chef and she as manager of the catering department. They married in 1999, heading for Sonoma County, where Terri has four generations of family.

Chefs Serve, the winemakers Pour and the proceeds matter! Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, presented by Visa Signature®, is Sonoma County’s leading fundraising event, and host to one of the nation’s top three charitable wine auctions, as named by Wine Spectator magazine. 2015 marks the 9th annual Sonoma Wine Country Weekend and includes three flagship events: Sonoma Starlight — poolside at the iconic Francis Ford Coppola Winery, an opening evening of world-class wines, delicious cuisine, live music, and dancing, Taste of Sonoma at MacMurray Ranch and last, certainly not least,  The 2015 Sonoma Harvest Wine Auction at Chateau St. Jean, which raised a new record of $4.5 million for local students, children, farm workers and people in need. Intimate winery lunches, winemaker dinners and barbecues were also on the Labor Day Weekend agenda for wine lovers who travel into Sonoma County from around the world for this special annual event.

Fund the Future, one of the most important auction lots, supporting children’s literacy, raised over $1.9 million this year. The leadership and work of Honorary Co-Chairs Joe Anderson and Mary Dewane of Benovia Winery, and Jean-Charles-Boisset of Buena Vista Winery/DeLoach Vineyards, inspired the community and the crowd under the tent to contribute generously to this vital initiative.

For a more detailed peek into this most popular of annual tasting events in Sonoma County, click here.

Take my advice and make a note to self for 2016's 10th Anniversary event. Show that you're a Sonoma County resident for limited local tickets. 

Lots of familiar faces and this one, my friend Dave of Sonoma Brinery, was still smiling after being on his feet in the Alexander Valley tent for eight hours! Dave and crew's thousands of little sandwiches with fresh, handmade pickles and sauerkraut were snapped up by appreciative attendees. 

Great to see fellow Southern SoCo pal, Sommelier to the Stars, Christopher Sawyer (left) — about to conduct a class on pairing wine varietals with the right Stolzle wine glass. 

Tom Kavanaugh (below left) and (Petaluman) Tyler Young (below right) of The Idea Cooperative  make the branding of this great big event look so good! 

Introducing Petaluma Shakespeare Festival — Taming of The Shrew at Foundry Wharf Green Sept 18 to Oct 3rd, 2015

Fall is in the air and with it comes a renewed energy that peps up life in sleepy Petaluma! I love to hear about new cultural enterprises and Petaluma Shakespeare Festival sounds very promising indeed.

Brainchild of a clever coupling between Petaluma Readers Theatre and Bay Area Readers Drama Society (B.A.R.D.S.), in collaboration with Aqus Community, Petaluma Shakespeare Company's inaugural production kicks off on Friday, September 18th, 2015 and runs weekends through October 3rd. 

Outdoor Shakespeare productions are popular in California and Oregon and Petaluma Shakespeare Company's first rendition of "Taming of the Shrew" is no exception, staged by a most enthusiastic team of seasoned theatricals who have managed to fundraise enough money to get this ambitious first show off the ground.

Do make provisions to bring along a super-low fold-out chair (high backed chairs block the vision of other attendees and are prohibited), pack layers and lots of warm blankets (remember, this is Petaluma and after the sun goes down, it does get rather chilly, especially on foggy evenings). 

There are several afternoon productions during the run if you prefer your Shakespeare in the daylight. Food and other refreshments will be available. 

Tickets range in price to $30 for the gala opening night on Friday, September 18th. Click here for tix.