Southern Sonoma Country Life

Visiting London? Take a Taste Tour of Royal Botanical Gardens Kew

It had been a long time coming for me to discover the world of science and beauty behind the royal botanical collections at Kew Gardens in person. Somehow I had never found the time in my hectic schedule when over in the UK visiting family to squeeze in a day amongst the 50,000 living plants across this most gracious and celebrated UNESCO World Heritage site. 

Thankfully, I've managed to put that right with a much-anticipated and thoroughly enjoyed Saturday visit this March 2022 after a trip to spend time with my parents on the rural Lincolnshire/Cambridgeshire border.

My sister, Lindsey (pictured below in her cheerful yellow coat) lives in Twickenham, not far from the gardens and though she typically has a weekend sporting schedule with her competitive athlete teen and tween that makes me want to lay down and sleep after early bird meets, we miraculously managed to carve out almost a full day together for Kew. 

If I lived in the London area I would definitely be an annual member as there's so much to see and do. Every visit would be tailored around a different exhibition, workshop, tour or seasonal activity. And a visit also depends on who you have with you that day. We met up with a lovely teacher colleague of Lindsey's and her super four-year-old daughter. It was fun to see Kew for the first time though the eyes of an exuberant and enthusiastic, nature-loving child. 

And she didn't mind that we spent the last hour of our visit to Kew sipping a botanical-infused G&T each while she dived into the foam of a babychino (simply warm milk with cinnamon or cocoa powder, without coffee!).

In fact there are a variety of cafes and restaurants within the gardens, making a visit a full-day affair. Seasonal specialties and food foraged from the gardens abound.   

Gardens at Kew date back to the early 18th century, as a royal palace to today's globally renowned scientific institution for plant and fungal research. Click here for the history of Kew.

Pavilion Bar and Grill

Enjoy our al fresco dining surrounded by vines with views of the Pagoda and Temperate House. Enjoy our plant-based or beef patty burger, seasonal salads and cake from the kitchen.

OPENING TIMES

Monday to Friday: 11am to 5pm (last orders 3.45pm)

Weekends and Half Term: 10am to 5pm (last orders 3.45pm)

Orangery

Your favourite spot to eat is open for indoor and outdoor dining, with outdoor pop-up stalls available too. Why not warm yourself with one of our amazing toasties, burgers or new Lebanese Barbeque served on the terrace.

OPENING TIMES

Daily, 10am to 5pm*

Breakfast: 10am to 11am

Hot food: 11.30am to 3.30pm

*Please note, the Orangery will close early at 4pm on 17 and 26 March 2022.

The Orangery example menu (PDF)

Afternoon Tea at 34 pounds a person is a far better deal than you'll find at most fancy tea spots and the Botanical Brasserie at Kew is gorgeous, genteel and view-worthy. If tea's not your thing, breakfast, lunch and cocktails are on the menu also. 

We stopped in at the Botanical Brasserie for our late afternoon cocktail, a gin and tonic made with a deliciously fragrant, botanical gin crafted in partnership with The East London Liquor Co.  

The key botanicals in the gin come directly from the Gardens, including Douglas Fir which has a wonderful piney flavor. With the addition of lavender and sweet orange, courtesy of our pollinator friends who are celebrated on the vibrant packaging, the gin is celebrated as a true flavor of Kew and its values.

The Botanical Brasserie

Enjoy delicious afternoon tea, breakfast and lunch dishes in our restaurant.

OPENING TIMES

Daily, 10am to 5pm

Breakfast: 10am to 11.15am

Lunch: 12pm to 3pm

Afternoon tea: 2.30pm to 5pm

Book a table at the Botanical BrasserieThe Botanical Brasserie example menu (PDF)

Victoria Plaza Café

Pick up the perfect picnic grub, sausage rolls and barista coffee to take away or eat -in.

OPENING TIMES

Daily, 10am to 5.45pm

NEW Family Kitchen & Shop

With stone-baked pizza, a salad bar and ice cream servery, our new multi-sensory Family Kitchen & Shop is the perfect pitstop for a family day out; conveniently located right next to the Children's Garden.

OPENING TIMES

Daily, 10am to 5pm

Hot food: 11.30am to 3.30pm

Pizza counter: 11.30am to 4pm

I picked up a few of these delicious, hand-made chocolate infused with natural juniper and lime flavoring and especially made for Kew to bring home. 

The Kew shop is packed full of home & garden gifts and goodies. A delicious food and drink range includes handcrafted chocolate, bespoke botanical gins, and luxurious fruit preserves. Click here to treat yourself or find the perfect gift for someone who loves the finer things in life. 

USA & Canada: Delivery up to 14 working days from dispatch. Local customs duty or taxes may apply. 

If You Go:

Best to book a time slot. Click here for tickets. 

By train

Kew Bridge station is 800m from Elizabeth Gate, via Kew Bridge. South West Trains run services from Waterloo, via Vauxhall and Clapham Junction. There is no level access at Kew Bridge.

Richmond station has lift and level access. Take 65 bus (in the direction of Ealing Broadway) to Lion or Victoria Gate.

By tube

Kew Gardens station is 500m from Victoria Gate. It is in Zone 3 and is served by the District Line (Richmond branch) and London Overground. It takes about 26 minutes to get there from central London. 

There is no level access from the westbound platform. It is possible to continue one stop to Richmond and catch a tube back to use the eastbound platform which does have level access.

By bus

Route 65 stops close to Lion Gate, Elizabeth Gate and Victoria Gate.

Route 110 stops near Kew Gardens station and Elizabeth Gate. 

Routes 237 and 267 stop at Kew Bridge station.

 

16th Annual California Artisan Cheese Festival Returns This Spring

It's hard to believe it has been 16 years since the first California Artisan Cheese Festival launched at the Sheraton in Petaluma. It was and is a huge deal for showcasing the then-fledgling Sonoma/Marin farmstead cheese movement and pairings with regional farm-to-table offerings and brews. Annual tours, busing hundreds of cheese lovers from around the world on the back roads of the region to taste at source bring back fond memories of flavor discoveries and fun folk. 

I've attended several fantastic dinners over the years during the Cheese Fest, including a wonderful beer/cheese pairing dinner at the Sheraton a few years back. The pandemic hit festivals and events hard. Cheesemakers are hanging in there, some more successfully than others after the food tourism industry was hit like everyone else. 

And so it's absolutely fantastic to hear that California’s premier cheese festival, the California Artisan Cheese Festival  has announced that it is returning on Saturday May 7th, 2022 for a one-day in-person event where guests will be able to sample over 100 award-winning cheeses and other local artisan goods.  

Tickets are now on sale for the crowd-favorite Artisan Cheese Tasting & Marketplace which will take place from 12-4pm at the vast Grace Pavilion at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds Event Center in Santa Rosa.

And new this year, the footprint of the Festival will be expanded to include the adjoining outdoor Shade Park area so guests will have more room to enjoy all that the festival has to offer, including live entertainment by local Sonoma County-based Jazz band, King Street Giants.

“We are incredibly fortunate to be able to offer support and recognition for our amazing local cheesemaking community with the return of the California Artisan Cheese Festival, which has become one of the country’s most anticipated annual events for cheese lovers and foodies,” said Anthea Stolz, Executive Director of the California Artisan Cheese Guild.

“And because of the tough circumstances over the last two years, we are extremely grateful that we can come back and give folks the opportunity to safely attend a beloved event while supporting California farmers and cheesemakers who have had a tough go of it throughout the pandemic.” 

For the last two years, the Festival pivoted to an online event in order to continue supporting artisan cheesemakers and farmers and this year’s much anticipated return will allow local cheese lovers the opportunity to once again gather in person. By offering the same number of tickets but providing a much larger space to gather, the festival organizers hope guests will feel that they may comfortably and safely sample and purchase cheese and other goodies from a variety of their favorite vendors.

“The Artisan Cheese Tasting & Marketplace has always been considered the “grand finale” of the Festival,” said Judy Groverman-Walker, the Event Producer of the California Artisan Cheese Festival. “Because this fan-favorite event gives local cheese enthusiasts the opportunity to not only taste but also purchase new, limited-production, and rare artisan cheeses as well as other amazing products, we thought this would be the best event for folks to show their support of local food purveyors.”

General admission tickets are $60 each. Child tickets are $30 for kids 5-12 years old. 

The Artisan Cheese Festival is considered a mega-event by the state of California, so in accordance with their requirements, all attendees must provide proof of Covid-19 vaccination upon entry. State and County Covid-19 guidelines are constantly evolving, and so the California Artisan Cheese Company will continue to closely monitor and adopt these changes to ensure a safe event for all involved. 

**Specific details on participating cheesemakers and other businesses to be announced soon. 
 
For more updates, tickets and other details about the California Artisan Cheese Festival visit http://www.artisancheesefestival.com/. 

Generous sponsors of the Artisan Cheese Festival include American AgCredit, Beehive Cheese Company, Cowgirl Creamery, Cypress Grove, Donald and Maureen Green Foundation, Edible Marin & Wine Country, Exchange Bank, Formaticum, Lace House Linen, Nicasio Valley Cheese, Oliver’s Markets, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co., Real California Milk, Rustic Bakery, Sierra Nevada Cheese Co., Tony’s Fine Foods, and Whole Foods Market. 

 

About California Artisan Cheese Festival

A 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, the California Artisan Cheese Festival strives to increase cheese appreciation, educate consumers about artisan cheeses, support the cheesemaking community and its sustainability and celebrate the creations of California’s many farmers and cheesemakers. The festival began in March 2007 as the first-ever, weekend-long celebration and exploration of handcrafted cheeses, foods, wines and beers from California. In keeping with its dedication to the community, the Artisan Cheese Festival has donated more than $145,000 in grants to nonprofit partners that support local sustainable agriculture including the California Artisan Cheese Guild.  For more information about the California Artisan Cheese Festival, visit http://www.artisancheesefestival.com/ or follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.   

Travel Tuesday — Palm Springs for Beginners

It was embarrassing to admit to have never visited Palm Springs in the 32 years I've lived in California. No excuses other than life has been generally very busy and has taken me in every direction other than the desert. Until this February. I finally made my first visit. And it won't be my last. 

Let's just say I was fairly well smitten. 

The dry heat (90 degrees mid Feb), the mountains, the friendly, casual atmosphere and relaxed pace coupled with the movie-set architecture and history made for the most pleasing few days. I mean, what's not to like?

Palm Springs has the largest concentration of modern residential architecture in the world, showcased annually in its February Modernism Week Celebration. I visited the week before, which was probably good timing, crowd-wise, though I wish I'd had the chance to tour inside some of the most iconic homes and estates.

We stayed at the Kimpton Rowan in the heart of revitalized downtown Palm Springs and we were delighted to take advantage of a complimentary cruiser bike in the morning hours over a couple of days to cycle through many of the most interesting neighborhoods. 

There are just under 50,000 permanent residents of Palm Springs, which makes it sound smaller than it is given the amount of visitors in the more temperate months. The cool season lasts for 3.2 months, from late November to late February, with an average daily high temperature below 75°F. Though it was in the 90s during our February stay this year. The coldest month of the year in Palm Springs is December, with an average low of 46°F and high of 69°F. From early June to October, summers are sweltering, arid, and mostly clear with temperatures reaching 113 F. Ninety degrees is enough for me. 

It’s typical for someone in Palm Springs to give you the following directions: “Keep going on Gene Autry, turn left on Dinah Shore and take a right on Bob Hope.” The desert has a preponderance of street names honoring various celebrities who have made the desert home.  

Palm Spring is home to the Cahuilla people, who speak Ivilyuat, a dialect of the Uto-Aztecan language family. It's easy in places to see the oasis that was their's and their's only and completely unspoiled for some 2,000 years.

We took an evening hike on the rocky Museum Trail into the mountains where I took this shot and I tried to picture the area as it would have been for all those thousands of years. Desert Hot Springs is home to one of the greatest mineral water aquifers in the world. The water is naturally heated to temperatures as high as 180 degrees.

Not surprisingly, The Cahuilla name for Palm Springs was Se-Khi (boiling water).

Image - Walter Ufer — A Yearling 1929 Palm Springs Art Museum

Spanish explorers passed through from the 1770s and called the Palm Springs area, La Palma de la Mano de Dios (The Palm of God’s Hand).

The United States government established the Agua Caliente Reservation over 31,128 acres in a checkerboard format of alternating sections of 640 acres in 1876. These alternating non-reservation sections were granted to the Southern Pacific Railroad as an incentive to bring rail lines through the Sonoran desert.

This checkerboard format includes modern downtown Palm Springs and as a consequence of this geography, the Agua Caliente is reputedly now one of the wealthiest tribes in the country. In fact, the land beneath many of the homes or condos in Palm Springs is subsequently leased.

Fortunately, back in 1959, The Agua Caliente secured the right for its members to lease land for 99 years at a time.

Image —George Brandriff Palm Springs Indian Reservation 1920 — Palm Springs Art Museum 

I stopped in at the original home of the family considered to be the first non-native people to settle the area — the McCallum Adobe  a small museum with friendly staff on downtown Palm Canyon Drive. John Guthrie McCallum, son of an industrious Scottish farmer, a 57-year-old San Francisco editor, pioneer lawyer and Indian agent to the Mission Indians, was led to the hot springs that gushed from the desert.

According to Palm Springs Life early history article: "Unlike other pioneers of the early West, McCallum's move to the desert was not motivated by a burning quest for the frontier, or by a lust for gold. . . he was motivated to move to the desert by the practical demands of fatherhood. McCallum thought that the climate would heal his tubercular son Johnny, and with that thought he sowed the seed for Palm Springs' future as a health spa".

With high hopes he moved to the area with his entire family: wife Emily, sons Harry, Wallace and Johnny and daughters May and Pearl.

"He came not as a conquering white as so many others had come to Indian Territory; he came as a friend of the Indians after having quit his commission as Indian agent in San Bernardino".

"Historically, one cannot separate the desert from the Indians or the Indians from the desert," his daughter Pearl wrote. "And my father, a friendly man, loved both … The Indians trusted him for he knew them intimately, their traits and their problems … Many say that our Indians were never more happy and healthy than under my father's administration …"

Still, In a 1990 census there were only 35 people in Palm Springs who could still speak the language and tribal enrollment as of 2010 was 410 people. The Smallpox epidemic of 1862 tragically felled many of the region's first people who had been exposed to the disease by non-natives passing through via a stagecoach station on the early overland trail.

By the early 1900s Palm Springs had begun to establish itself as the destination it is today. Like the McCallums, many of its early residents were drawn to a climate that was beneficial to their health, particularly if  infected with tuberculosis. In the 1930s, Palm Springs was the desert getaway for Hollywood stars (almost a couple decades  prior to Las Vegas establishing itself as a destination).

Palm Springs is located just 107 miles from Los Angeles and its celebrity gossip columnists of the 1930s. This beautiful desert sanctuary became a safe haven for stars to live their private lives out of the glare of the public eye. Reporters working for pennies were typically reimbursed for travel expenses, but super conveniently for the stars who could afford a second home, only up to 100 miles. 

Similarly, Old Hollywood movie studios implemented a two-hour rule, which stated that actors must remain within two hours of the studio.

And although Palm Springs is lauded  as the Golf Capital of the World, it was the Palm Springs Racquet Club and the Palm Springs Tennis Club  that first put it on the sporting map in 1934. Film Actors Ralph Bellamy and Charlie Farrell purchased a large parcel of land and developed the Palm Springs Racquet Club, inviting their fellow Hollywood luminaries of the time such as Bing Crosby, Jimmy Durante, Spencer Tracy, John Wayne, Errol Flynn, Robert Wagner, Frank Sinatra, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and Bob Hope to join them. 

Today, their names and hundreds of other celebrities who arrived in the decades to follow are enshrined on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars.

Long before the advent of Hollywood stars came flocking to the area, in the hot summer months when the temperatures soar, the early Cahuilla people trekked to a considerably higher elevation of some 2,700 feet at the Chino Canyon's Valley Floor. They also spent summers in the other canyons at the south end of Palm Springs, Tahquitz, Andreas, Murray and Palm Canyons. 

Today it is possible to traverse the full 8,500 feet above sea water at the far cooler top of Chino Canyon, which is far more easily accessible by the Palm Springs Aerial TRAM.

The tram journey up with a group of friends was exciting. It took us from the floor of the Coachella Valley all the way up to San Jacinto Peak in under ten minutes. Unfortunately our plan for a good hike at the top was somewhat thwarted by the amount of snow and ice on the trails. Sneakers did not cut it. Although we tried our best to navigate a route, when we spotted families sledding, we figured out that it was best to save a long trek for a less slippery season. 

If you go, do click here to book ahead and pre-book the restaurant up top, too. 

I prefer cultural pursuits to golf and so the Palm Springs Art Museum and its exquisite collection was one of my must-visits on this first trip. I could see it from our bedroom window.

Marilyn's Morning Shower — Photo Frances Rivetti 

Where to eat? Restaurants in the Palm Springs area have it down with regards to open air seating in the warm desert air. We didn't go too crazy with big-shot meals on this trip, taking in the general scene and scoping out hot spots for future visits instead. Reservations are a good idea and for the popular places that don't take them, expect a long line. 

However, we did enjoy a lovely lunch at French-style Farm and another at Sherman's Deli. 

If you're going, here's a good selection of top spots to check out. 

And don't forget the famous Date Shakes! The Coachella Valley produces more fresh dates than anywhere else in the United States. I'm not a fan of anything too sweet but I do like a fresh fig on occasion and enjoyed a delicious bacon wrapped date at the event we went on to after our first few days in town. Farmers Markets are filled with fruit from the valley and at great prices too. 

My main question (as a non-golfer) upon learning there are 124 irrigated golf courses in the part of the Coachella Valley that is often referred to as the Palm Springs area, east of Los Angeles, many with lakes, in an otherwise parched landscape was: how?

Picture the greatest concentration of golf courses in the world, carpeting the desert in a sea of green, during an ongoing drought. 

The Coachella Valley has less than one percent of Southern California's population, yet it has approximately 28 percent of its golf courses. The golf industry statewide uses less than one percent of the water, yet in the Coachella Valley, courses use 24 percent of the area water consumption.

"The drought has almost no impact on the Coachella Valley," According to Craig Kessler, director of governmental affairs for the Southern California Golf Association, in an interview with Golf Digest. "Short term, unlike other places in California, there's a negligible impact," Kessler said. "However, there is a long-range concern."

My friend and former editor at the Petaluma Argus Courier, Chris Samson grew up in Palm Springs. His dad, Herbert Samson, a native of Canada, emigrated to Palm Springs in 1927 and lived there until he passed, in 1974. He served as president of the Desert Water Agency amongst other key community roles. Chris shared this article with family members who believe their father would have disagreed with Kessler's statement. The formerly massive underground aquifers, won't last forever.  

However, courses are working closely with the Coachella Valley Water District on ways to conserve, its communications director Heather Engel said, in the same article, including a goal of a 10 percent reduction in water use by 2020. It's good to hear that the golf industry is being pro-active, with native areas replacing irrigated rough on some courses. "Instead of 140 irrigated acres, wall-to-wall green, you'll start to see a little more of the desert look for the golf courses," Kessler said. "I think you're going to see that creep into the courses."

"As a whole, the golf industry is very conscientious about water use in Coachella Valley," she said. And, if golf goes away, so does most of the economy in the area. 

There are lots of super fun and stylish hotels to stay at in Palm Springs. This selection Time Out has picked to highlight offer an eclectic range. I would certainly stay at the Kimpton again, but I did like the look of the Movie Colony vintage style hotels and would consider one of them for a future visit. The Uptown shopping district is a haven for mid-Century home design and boutique buys, though I don't shop much when I'm traveling with my husband. Still, the window shopping is great! 

Next time I plan on visiting Joshua Tree, taking an estate tour or two, hiking more and maybe horse riding in the region. So much to do and see. I recommend if you're a newbie visitor like me that you plan out a rough itinerary according to your group needs before setting out.

According to Realtor.com, the average home price in Jan 2022 in Palm Springs' 40 neighborhoods was $697,000 – that's a couple hundred thousand dollars less than the median home price in my home town of Petaluma currently. I can see why Palm Springs appeals for retirement plans, though if I were ever to consider that I'd have to keep a second home by the breezy coast for those summer months!