Southern Sonoma Country Life

Top Pick on the Terrace — Viansa Sonoma Summer Chef Series — A Perfect Paring with Girl and the Fig

 

 “Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” —

Ruth Riechl

It had been a while since I'd stopped in at Viansa Sonoma, one of Sonoma Wine Country's flagship wineries, conveniently located on Arnold Drive, which makes a visit a quick pit-stop for wine lovers coming in from San Francisco, Marin, Vallejo, Sacramento and those of us for whom its even closer to home.

Viansa was one of the early innovators when it came to attracting visitors who might not necessarily be on the wine trail. Its welcoming grand marketplace, tasting bar and terrace has long-since featured delicious to-go offerings from its deli bars.

It is the sort of winery that I feel comfortable in meeting friends at the half way point, or stopping in for a bite of lunch and a pause on the terrace to take in the sweeping, soothing vistas, while out on assignment in wine country. I've attended several special events and a wedding at Viansa over the years. It's probably one of the local wineries I have visited the most frequently. 

Simply put, it's an approachable place. And I like that. 

An invitation to attend the second in a series of celebrations of local Sonoma food and wine was impossible to resist. The team at Viansa has made a lot of updates over the past couple of years. This year, the winery partners with the legendary local girl & the fig restaurant to present a special Summer Chef Series.

Chef John Toulze features farm-to-table fare prepared out of the Viansa Sonoma wood-fired oven and served in wine-paired courses on the winery's picturesque terrace.

Dinner guests enjoy dramatic views and setting sun over the vineyards and  Valley while feasting on a sumptuous local menu prepared exclusively to pair with Viansa Sonoma’s wines. This is one of those classic Sonoma food and wine experience not to be missed. And it's offered at a super value of $75 per person, inclusive of pairing, with passed hors d'oeuvres, first and main course, chef's selection of cheeses & fig and a dessert station — better value than most fine restaurant dining and more relaxing and fun. 

A little bit of local lore — Girl and the Fig Chef John Toulze started his early career at Viansa, as did Girl and the Fig's Sondra Bernstein. They celebrated their 20th anniversary partnership of Girl and the Fig this summer, in fact.

First course — summer beans, house made pancetta, chilis, feta cheese paired with 2013 Reserve Heritage White Blend.

Main Course — Wood fired flank steak, roasted padrone peppers paired with 2013 Viansa Reserve Malbec

Chef's Selection of cheeses and roasted fig paired with 2012 Signature Series Cabernet Franc 

Mini dessert station

From Viansa's hilltop, I delighted in 270° views of Sonoma Valley-San Pablo Bay to the south, Mayacamas Mountains to the East and “King’s Highway” leading the way to the northernmost California mission of the El Camino Real.

This extensive property includes 33 acres of  estate vineyards and 97 acres of natural wetlands, which serve as home to variety of indigenous water fowl.

Idyllically situated at the summit of the Sonoma Valley, Viansa Sonoma embodies the proud history of local winemaking. The legacy of Viansa Sonoma dates back to 1896 when Samuele Sebastiani arrived from Tuscany and saved sufficient money, while making cobblestones for San Francisco streets, to purchase vineyard property in 1904.

The Sebastiani family became a pillar in the community, not just for winemaking, but by providing jobs for townspeople and building many of the structures around town and on the square. Following in his footsteps, Samuele’s children and grandchildren continued the tradition of sharing great wine, supporting the land from where it comes and through passionately maintaining precious wetlands that are vital to our eco-system.

Founded by Samuele’s grandson in 1989, Viansa Sonoma has changed hands twice, since. The winery remains committed to producing excellent wines while continuing the tradition of land stewardship and winemaking that defines the Sonoma Valley.

Viansa's winemaking team lives up to the task of creating wines of rare precision. Under the direction of Winemaker, Amy Ludovissy, the winery team's combined years of experience, along with a new state-of-the-art winemaking facility enables Viansa Sonoma to craft classic Sonoma varietals from estate fruit and other prized Sonoma County vineyards.

In 2015, winery workers replanted the estate vineyards, visible from the front terrace, 10 acres of Pinot Noir and 15 acres of Chardonnay. Varietals were specifically selected to complement soils of Goulding clay loam and Reyes silty clay. The replanting project not only allowed Viansa's winemakers to select varietals known to thrive in the Carneros region, but also improved the vineyard management process and control water usage.

From the terrace at Viansa, visitors look over 97 acres of native plants, wetlands, wildlife and a precious environment that the winery team is dedicated to preserving. Beginning in the Fall of 2014, in collaboration with Ducks Unlimited, biologists and wildlife experts, Viansa Sonoma spearheaded an effort to restore this precious habitat that is a vital and diminishing part of California’s ecosystem.

The wetlands today are now returning to their former splendor and vitality. Over 500 species of birds have been sighted on the restored coastal wetlands and as many as 1,000 waterfowl have been counted in a single day.

Throughout the year the winery welcomes canvasback ducks, great blue herons and other birds migrating along the Pacific Flyway. Viansa guests may also catch a glimpse of Canadian geese, graceful egrets, darting swallows and, perhaps, a rare tundra swan. This project is a source of great pride for everyone who works at Viansa Sonoma and it shows.

Chef Series 2017 dates started in June. I highly recommend you make plans for one or more of the three upcoming dinners scheduled for this year. 

 

July 27^th

October 21^st

October 28^th

Dinner Seating:  6:00-8:00pm

Click here to book.  Reserve early for this special experience as seating is limited

$75 per person│ $60 for Club Members with special promotion code.

Call the winery for more info.

800.995.4740, ext. 2

viansawineclub@viansa.com

25200 Arnold Drive,Sonoma, CA 95476

 

Top Picks For Foodies — Two New Super Summer Eating Options — The Shuckery Parlor Sabor Sunday Brunch in the Lobby of Hotel Petaluma & Thursday Family Supper at Sir and Star at the Olema Inn

Two terrific new summer special eating out options in the area — Saber Sunday Brunch in the lobby of Hotel Petaluma with The Shuckery Parlor team 11 am to 4 pm starting Sunday July 2nd. Meet up with friends, make a date, hang out over local oysters, Bloody Mary's, Momosas and other tasty Sunday treats.

Thursdays Family Suppers at Sir and Star  at the Olema Inn — treat the kids, the returning college students, grandma — the whole family with special summer pricing, Thursdays only and servings are strictly from 5 pm to 7 pm.

Next up to post — Viansa Summer Chef Dinner Series . . . 

Photos via Instagram

Petalumans Explore the Concept of an Organic Food Co-op — Open Meeting, Aqus Cafe, Monday, July 17th 6 to 7.30pm

Photographer Polly Steinmetz celebrates life through portraits of ordinary animals in death

College of Marin Photography Professor Polly Steinmetz shows her recent photographs in a new exhibit titled “Breathless” at the college’s Fine Arts Gallery from July 15th to Aug. 5th. In this show, Steinmetz demonstrates the life-affirming beauty of animals who have lost their lives in natural circumstances or accidents. “My imagery reflects a fascination with the essence of that which has already passed, whether a dream, death, or memory,” Steinmetz said. “The exploration of the subconscious is a continuous source of curiosity and inspiration. I’m also interested in the ritual of remembrance, to memorialize and celebrate that for which I feel a great respect, that which is sacred. Steinmetz, who has taught at College of Marin for 30 years, and is a longtime Sonoma Valley resident, says her art asks viewers to acknowledge the animal and its life and hardships. She explained that when she is given a farm animal that died in stillbirth, for example, she washes it and prepares it for a photograph with little additional intervention. Her photos are shot in soft light and printed archivally in aproximately 30 by 40 inches or less. “Each animal discovery has its own narrative which is important — the context in which it was actually discovered and what I experienced to obtain, prepare, preserve and photograph each individual animal,” Steinmetz said. “As a society we tend to remove death from our consciousness. And yet the most profound learning I have experienced has been through loss and the small deaths of daily life.” Along with these portraits, Steinmetz included in the show black-and-white images made in Sacramento in the early 1900s by her Great Uncle Harry. She selected those with animals, and reprinted them in the darkroom. She later collaged some to reflect layers of time, thought and space. Presenting the family heirlooms in contrast to the new photographs, Steinmetz said, helped portray the continuity of life. “I’m interested in why each animal still seems to carry so much wisdom and dignity,” Steinmetz said. “It helps me to celebrate all animal existence and our relationships with them.” An opening reception will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. at the gallery at 835 College Ave., in Kentfield. Her son, Antonio Valentine will be singing at 6:00 p.m. The gallery is open 12 pm to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday to August 5th.   For more information, contact Steinmetz at (650) 773-5068 or psart@pollysteinmetzart.com

 

Dive Deep into the Topic of Sustainable Fish This Summer — A Conversational Series with Local Fishermen at Modern Roadside Eatery, Handline

Summer Sustainability Series in Sebastopol

Conversations with Local Fishermen

Featuring Water2Table, TwoXSea and Hog Island

The Bay area’s coastal waters and the Susan River in Lassen county are the focus of a new “Deep Dive” conversational series with local fishermen hosted at Handline Coastal California, a modern roadside eatery and co-hosted by Lowell’s restaurant, both located in West Sonoma County’s Sebastopol. 

All photos by Dawn Heumann

The monthly Sunday series kicks off on July 16 with a conversation with leaders in the local fishing industry: Water2Table on hook and line caught halibut in the Bay; Hog Island Oyster Company on oyster farming in Tomales Bay on August 16th; and TwoXSea on farm-raised trout on September 17th.

Each one-hour conversation will be hosted at Handline’s outdoor gathering space and paired with tastes from chef Natalie Goble whose menu highlights seafood dishes that champion locality and sustainability. Tickets are $10 and can be booked here (http://summersustainabilityseries.brownpapertickets.com). 

“Education and community building have long been central to our goals at our two restaurants. Co-owner Lowell Sheldon, says “Our first foray is our Summer Sustainability Series focusing on our oceans and streams as integral elements of our local food system that must be thoughtfully managed for future generations. We invite our community to join us for three engaging discussions and to taste what our local waters have to offer.”  

CALENDAR DETAILS

What: Summer Sustainability Series Line Up, Co-Hosted by Handline Restaurant and Lowell’s Restaurant

Where: At Handline Coastal California Restaurant, 935 Gravenstein Ave Sebastopol, CA 95472

Cost: $10, tasting and talk.

Tickets: http://summersustainabilityseries.brownpapertickets.com

Series Schedule: 

Water2Table with owner Joe Conti and Chef Ben Spiegel of Water2Table

Sunday, July 16, 2025 – 10am – 11am

Learn about San Francisco Bay Hook and Line caught Halibut, harvested by small independent fishermen. Chef Ben Spiegel will demonstrate techniques and recipes for halibut preparation. 

 

TwoXSea with Kenny Belov and Chef Natalie Goble of Handline

Sunday, August 20, 2025 – 10am – 11am

Learn about McFarland Springs Trout - a farmed trout using a nearly pure vegetarian diet of algae and plant based products. Discover how they developed a better system for farmed fishing that does not deplete other resources, is beneficial and produces delicious and nutritious product. 

Hog Island Oyster Company and Chef Joseph Zobel of Lowell’s

Sunday, September 17, 2025 – 10am – 11am

The Bay Area’s premier oyster farmers will share how they raise their delicious oysters and discuss the health and ecosystem benefits of aquaculture. Topics include identifying oyster varieties, proper shucking techniques and recipes.

 

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ABOUT HANDLINE: Handline Coastal California is a modern roadside eatery in West County, featuring sustainable seafood from the West Coast and burgers from chef Natalie Goble and Lowell Sheldon of Peter Lowell’s organic restaurant in Sebastopol. The modern California menu celebrates the region’s bounty and pays homage to the early immigrants who brought their cooking techniques and ingredients to the Golden State, handmade corn tortillas (milled onsite and cooked on the comal), Baja-style tacos, tostadas and ceviches are served alongside Dungeness crab sandwiches, fisherman’s stew, fresh oysters and LA-style (Foster’s) burgers. Handline is inspired by its location in the former Foster’s Freeze on the main drag in town on Gravenstein Highway, where for generations, families have met up for a bite. For more info visit: handline.com

 

ABOUT LOWELL’S: A West Sonoma County organic eatery showcasing Italian-inspired dishes made with local, sustainably-produced ingredients, much of which are grown at their Two Belly Acres Farm in Sebastapol. Owner and namesake Lowell Sheldon’s mission since opening almost ten years ago is to have a sustainable impact on West Sonoma County -- where people, animals, and the environment come before profits, where organic is a way of life, and where the highest quality cuisine is a top priority -- and in keeping with our community's standards. The restaurant name has recently changed from its original Peter Lowell’s to the name locals have always called it, simply “Lowell’s.” Lowell’s sister restaurant is the recently opened Handline Coastal California eatery in Sebastapol. For more info visit: peterlowells.com.

 

LOCAL FOOD MATTERS: A social platform for inquiry and conversation dedicated to the ethics of place, food, and community. Our intent is to be transparent, wildly curious, to share our passion for eating & cooking, and to be of service to our community. We are in collaboration with and sponsored by Lowell's Restaurant.  Find us here: http://www.localfoodmatters.org/

Explore Portraits of Petaluma Pioneer Museum Show in a 3D Virtual Tour

Petaluma-based startup Aftertec Advanced Imaging invites you to explore the Petaluma Historic Library and Museum in a great new 3D virtual tour of its current Portraits of Petaluma Pioneers exhibit.

This is exciting technology and all the more poignant when paired with photos from our community's first settlers. 

 

 

David Abbott wrote of Aftertec Advanced Imaging in the Petaluma Argus Courier recently: "The technological revolution and globalization have moved marketing beyond the walls of the “brick and mortar” storefront, and allowed businesses to expand their reach. So in the spirit of those dynamics, a family of Petaluma entrepreneurs is bringing the world to Petaluma’s doorstep with the launch of Aftertec Advanced Imaging.

The company, founded by local techies Wayne and Chad Dunbar, provides a new technology service that creates 3-D and virtual reality tours that can be viewed by potential customers and investors around the world.

Since the company’s recent inception, the Dunbars have created virtual tours for several local businesses, real estate listings and even a charity fundraising event for a Petaluma nonprofit."

Click here to read the full article that appeared in the Argus and the North Bay Business Journal

Click here for the dedicated website for the Portraits of Petaluma Pioneers exhibit 

Click here for Petaluma Museum website

And here for the Aftertec website

The Summer of Love Experience — Art, Fashion and Rock and Roll — A Celebration of The Adventurous & Colorful Counterculture of the Legendary Summer of 1967 — San Francisco's de Young Museum Through August 20, 2025

During the mid-1960s, artists, activists, writers, and musicians converged on San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district with hopes of creating a new social paradigm. It was a time of international upheaval. By 1967, the neighborhood attracted 100,000 young people from all over the United States (and overseas). The neighborhood would be ground zero for their activities and nearby Golden Gate Park their playground. 

Groundbreaking developments were made in art, fashion, music, and politics. Bay Area bands such as Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead were the progenitors of what would become known as the “San Francisco Sound,” music that found its visual counterpart in creative industries that sprang up throughout the region.

Distinctive codes of dress  set members of the Bay Area counterculture apart from mainstream America. Bay Area designers created fantastic looks using a range of techniques and materials, including leatherwork, hand-painting, knitting and crotchet, embroidery, repurposed denim and tie-dye. These innovators included Birgitta Bjerke, aka 100% Birgitta; Mickey McGowan, aka the Apple Cobbler; Burray Olson; and Jeanne Rose.

The de Young Museum in San Francisco's The Summer of Love Experience: Art, Fashion, and Rock & Roll is an  exhilarating exhibition of iconic rock posters, photographs, interactive music and light shows, costumes and textiles, ephemera and avant-garde films.

A 50th anniversary celebration of the adventurous and colorful counterculture that blossomed in the years surrounding the legendary San Francisco summer of 1967, the exhibition presents over  300  significant cultural artifacts of the time, including almost 150 objects from the Fine Arts Museums’ extensive permanent holdings, supplemented by key, iconic loans.

I was thoroughly enthralled by this expertly curated exhibit, which takes around 45 minutes to an hour to fully explore. Although my heart aches for the mess that we find ourselves in politically, during this summer of 2017, a visit back to the Summer of Love brings new hope that the youth of today will rise above the mire and make more sorts of massive changes  as witnessed 50 years ago. 

Wedding Dress fashion 

Beautiful Handcrafted Green Leather Boots, Rainbow Cobblers, San Francisco

Janis Joplin's Handbag 1967 — made by Linda Gravenites

(Goatskin with silk embroidery and glass beads) 

Jerry Garcia's Victorian "Captain Trips" Hat (1883) with Later Alterations, originally made by Dunlap & C0

(Hand-painted silk with ribbon and flag)

Meticulously Embroidered Hospital Scrub Top (1968)

Although San Francisco was considered by many to be a haven from the conservatism that still lingered elsewhere in the country, the social and political climate of America at large weighed heavily on the city’s inhabitants who came together to speak out against the war in Vietnam, social injustice, and other issues of concern.

The social developments in San Francisco and the Bay Area in the 1960s as epitomized by the Summer of Love catalyzed a set of ideas that would eventually lead to new norms: the birth of the natural food industry, concern for the environment, sexual liberation, and challenges to the nuclear family. The era’s political and social activism had a significant impact on the course of American history. The counterculture touched every facet of American culture, offering alternatives to the mainstream that still flourish today.

If you can't make it to the museum to see this important exhibit, take some time out of whatever you're doing and click here to explore the excellent Summer of Love Experience Digital Stories. 

 

I'd like to find out who the guys are in the photo above. The young man in the middle of these three looks exactly like the youngest of my three sons, so much so I did a triple take walking past this huge poster at the start of the exhibit. 

Rock-poster artists such as Rick Griffin, Alton Kelley, Victor Moscoso, Stanley Mouse, and Wes Wilson generated an exciting array of distinctive works featuring distorted hand-lettering and vibrating colors, while wildly creative light shows, such as those by Bill Ham and Ben Van Meter, served as expressions of the new psychedelic impulse.

"We would all like to be able to live an uncluttered life, a simple life, a good life, and think about moving the whole human race ahead a step."

Jerry Garcia, 1967

 

Celebrate Northern California's Renaissance Pleasure Faire's 50th Anniversary With a Commemorative Exhibit at Marin County Fair June 30 - July 4 2017

Top: Master and Mistress of the Revels (Ron Patterson & Amie Hill), China Camp Forest, San Rafael 1967 (photo courtesy of Patterson Family archive)

 

The original Renaissance Pleasure Faire arrived in Marin County ~ quite appropriately ~ during 1967's "Summer of Love." The counterculture origins of the Faire endured various court battles with conservatives in Southern California, but enjoyed an exceedingly warm welcome in Marin!

I was so fortunate to find a place amidst the production team of the original Renaissance Pleasure Faire weeks after arriving in California from the UK. This remarkable and enriching experience that lasted for my first decade in the States made a significant impact on me and my family, as it did for so many of faire friends over the years. 

It has been 19 years since the Renaissance Faire wrapped up annual production at bucolic Black Point. Lucky for us, we get to rediscover the colorful early years of the Marin 'Pleasure Faire' as part of this year's "Let the Funshine In" Summer of Love theme at the Marin County Fair. This playful and informative exhibit will include children's theatre, minstrels, costumes, puppet shows, and the work of award-winning Marin photographer Don Kellogg.

Marin County Fair at the Civic Center, San Rafael, CA:
June 30 ~ July 4 from 11 am to 11 pm

Note: Exhibit Hall ~ including Renaissance Faire exhibit ~ closes at 9 pm

Purchase tickets here: https://www.marinfair.org/2017

Bottom: "Renaissance Revelry Rules the Day," Blackpoint Forest, Novato 1970s (photo courtesy of Patterson Family archive)

Let the Funshine In!
2017 Marin County Fair
June 30~July 4, 11am~11pm

Renaissance Pleasure Faire Exhibit Hours: 11am~9pm each day

Check Out Bookal — A Brand New SoCo Based App for Local Book Sales — The Easiest New Way to Buy & Sell Any Book

How'd you like that novel you've been itching to read, dropped off at your door? Download the newly launched Bookal App and it can happen in hours. 

Are you a book clubber, a starving college student, a parent drowning in children's books, a bookstore lover, or a bookworm? Bookal is a space for bringing together people around the love of paper books, community, and meaningful conversation outside the clutter and noise of your other social channels. 

Textbooks should make students richer, not poorer. The local folk behind Bookal have made buying and selling college textbooks simple and fair.

Scan in and show off your home library and see what your friends are reading. Connect with your local bookstore and easily buy and sell books locally.

Manage and organize your book club. Discover new books for your club and borrow books from friends (and keep track of who has your books!)

As an author, I'm delighted to have uploaded my latest  (signed) book for local delivery at a special Bookal price. I expect a lot of fellow authors in the area will be doing the same thing. What a great way to connect directly with local readers & book groups. Nothing beats dropping off a pile of freshly signed copies for a book group or a gift from one reader to another. 

Find the book you want within 5 miles of you. Buy from other users or be connected with your local bookstore. Your book is quickly dropped off at your front door. Easily sell your unwanted books and make room on your shelves for more.

Download on the app store today!

I love the locally shot video — 

 

 

Calling all Sonoma County Based Music Makers — Creative Sonoma Announces Grant Opportunities for Up to Five Local Musicians and Bands

photo: The EasyLeaves 

 

Every once in a while a more out of the ordinary email drops into my inbox to bring a smile to my face. I love to hear of philanthropic support for the creatives in our community who continually make our lives brighter. Thanks to Creative Sonoma for refreshing my faith in our regional support of the musical arts. 

Creative Sonoma has announced a second round of grants for local musicians and bands. The Next Level grants are designed to help Sonoma’s musicians advance their careers with financial and consulting resources.

Up to five bands or musicians will receive a $2,500 grant in support of their proposed projects along with 10 hours of one-on-one consulting time with music industry experts. The deadline for application is Friday, June 30, 2017. This program is funded by The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

“Sonoma is home to a rich and diverse music scene that enlivens our community from clubs and coffee houses to town squares and concert halls,” said Supervisor Shirlee Zane, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “These grants will help musicians who want to build a business from the music gain the tools to make that happen.”

Applicants must be residents of Sonoma County, be at least 21 years old, and be able to complete the funded project within one year of the grant award. Click here for guidelines and the application link.

Last year’s grantees include Black Sheep Brass Band, Bootleg Honey, The Easy Leaves, Ismay and Shaun Hunter Wagner.

For more information, please contact Samantha.Kimpel@sonoma-county.org.