Southern Sonoma Country Life

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! 

What Are The Three Special Places That Should Be on Any Map in Petaluma?

Did you know the Petaluma Arts Center has launched a series of ‘Thought Experiments’ that are designed to engage our community in thinking about the importance of place and role of the arts?

Last quarter, the first question posed in this novel new Thought Experiment was: "Why is a community with an arts center better than one without?’”

This quarter the question is: "What are three special places that should be on any map of Petaluma?"

New questions will be posed every quarter and will be posted in a variety of locations — in the Arts Center lobby, on the Arts Center website and in the Arts Center's monthly newsletter. The answers, we hear will also appear in some of those same places.

Arts Center Director Carin Jacobs hopes to collect responses from visitors to the Arts Center over the next few months. After that, there's the potential for local artists to be brought in to create maps of Petaluma with the most common landmarks embedded.

Arts Center attendance requires proof of vaccination and a mask and there are other ways to participate in this if you're not up for a visit. You can send your answers & any questions to Carin Jacobs at carin@petalumaartscenter.org. And as “Integrating Practice” is scheduled to remain open through the end of March, visit the Petaluma Arts Center at 230 Lakeville St.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 12 - 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Admission is $5.

Introducing Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience, a Three Day Celebration in the Heart of Sonoma Wine Country, May 20, 21 and 22 2022

Montage–credit Montage Healdsburg

How ready we are for wine country events to resume! I'm very excited about the upcoming Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience  — a three-day celebration featuring the best of Sonoma County and world-renowned food and wines. I'll be posting more about this event in coming weeks, but here's an overview for starters. I recommend booking early and there's lots of choices of what to do and when and enticing add-on options. 

This fantastic festival will showcase our region’s makers – farmers, growers, winemakers and chefs – alongside globally recognized wines from the greatest wine regions of the world.

The goal of this innovative new festival in the heart of wine country is to highlight the vibrant culinary diversity, sustainable farming practices and deep connection to the agriculture of Sonoma as it relates to the rest of the world.

What's not to love? Grab your chance to meet, eat/drink with and learn from a blend of super-talented celebrity, Michelin-starred and James Beard award- winning chefs, world-renowned wine experts, wine makers and grape growers all in one place. 

With its amazing restaurants, tasting rooms, art galleries and specialty shops, the Sonoma County city of Healdsburg is experiencing a timely Renaissance. It's scenic vineyards, Russian River region locale, stunning vistas and a diverse blend of award-winning varietals are sure to satisfy everyone’s palate.

Packed with options, activities and unique locations, the festival schedule offers a lineup suited for everyone’s tastes and pocketbook. Customize your weekend experience with friends, family or simply as a treat to yourself and a pal or loved one.

Options vary based on purchased ticket package. A substantial donation from  consumer ticket sales and sponsorships will go to local organizations that are making a meaningful difference in the lives of farmers and their families through Sonoma County Grape Growers Association and the launch of the HW&FE Scholarship Fund—to benefit economically challenged students looking to pursue a career in farming and/or agriculture.  

It's great to hear that The Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience will fully embrace an environmentally conscious and sustainability focused programming schedule and event footprint.  The event's premier sponsors are driving this conversation forward through regenerative farming practices and renewable energy initiatives that reduce the impact on the planet.

Event chefs, wine experts, seminar leaders and local business partners come from a wide variety of cultural and geographic backgrounds. Together, they're planning an event like no other—with culinary diversity, innovation, and experimentation at the forefront.

Click here for full event schedule. 

And click here for ticket packages.

 

 

 

 

Plant a Tree or 150! Join ReLeaf Petaluma and Rebuilding Together Petaluma for a Volunteer Tree Planting Morning at Wiseman Park, Saturday April 9 2022

Saturday April 9, 2022 from 9am. - 1pm. (Lunch will be provided.)

 

photo credit: ReLeaf Petaluma

ReLeaf Petaluma and Rebuilding Together Petaluma are working hard on a collaboration to plant 150 native species trees in Petaluma's Wiseman Park. The trees have been ordered, the site has been mapped, the city is ready to dig the holes. All they need is you (and maybe your truck). ReLeaf is challenged to plant 10,000 native trees to help restore the environment. RTP is committed to help them reach that goal, especially if it means playing in the park on a Saturday. There will be plenty of work for everyone regardless of skills level and physical abilities, but please sign up if you are able to attend. This event will be designed to be safe and comfortable for everyone.

Click Here to Volunteer

Let’s Talk About the Trestle — Petaluma’s Dilapidated Historic Downtown Rail Trestle Turns 100

Image Frances Rivetti 

After a quarter of a century of neglect, the ruin that is the dilapidated Petaluma Trestle is turning 100.

If ambitious efforts back in 2013 to rehabilitate the Trestle for pedestrian access and bring it back to life had been successful, instead of looking at this wire-fenced shocker of a train track wreck, a transformed waterfront park in the heart of the city’s downtown historic district would’ve taken its place.

Not surprisingly, there are no public plans for an open-air Historic Downtown Rail Trestle Centenary celebration to commemorate the golden era of Petaluma’s riverfront history this spring or summer.

Instead, to quote the New York Times in a recent article on majestically moldering rail stations, the Petaluma Trestle continues to be similarly and shamefully “slowly crushed by the boot of time”.

But it’s not too late for revitalization. In fact, it’s high time this eyesore is given the love and attention it deserves.

Image Frances Rivetti 

And as more Petalumans rally to speak up in support for a rehabilitation of the Trestle and its importance as outlined in the City’s River Access and Enhancement Plan (1996), the role of the structure in the history of the City’s downtown area and its eligibility for active transportation grants stands it in a far stronger position than it has been in previous years to be moved to the top tier of the City’s priority goals.

This Valentine’s week 2022 President Biden announced how the bipartisan infrastructure bill will be rolled out to counties and regions with funds in the system to take care of highways, roads, water systems, ports, airports, energy grid and broadband for starters. Wouldn’t it be great if the decrepit central riverfront of Sonoma County’s historic gateway city receives the attention it deserves as a part of this major national, regional and local infrastructure repair effort?   

Given that the Petaluma River Access and Enhancement Plan calls out the river as an urban open space, encouraging businesses to turn their focus to the waterfront and provides a series of goals to address pedestrian and cycle trails, public view points, water access and habitat restoration, this publicly accessible green ribbon may finally come to fruition if  the Trestle is addressed.

Image Christopher Stevick and original art rendering by Elle Lichenstein 

The Historic Downtown Rail Trestle is as Californian as any of the staunchest pioneers of the old Wild West. Its story is thoroughly entrenched in the history of the city of Petaluma. Three decades before the advent of the interstate highway and the trucking industry, the Trestle structure was built on the banks of the busy Petaluma River in 1922 to link the bustling water-based and rail-based forms of travel and goods movement.

Image Petaluma Museum

Significant debate exists as to whether the historic structure should be reinforced while leaving as much of the original material in place for historical value or completely removed.

Image Petaluma Museum

The structure itself is the original redwood members. No original plans for its structure exist, but an Historic Structure Report shows its piles arranged in bents reinforced with cross bracing and caps that are a typical trestle construction design of the time. 

It carried the weight of a freight line that transferred fresh produce and other goods from the agricultural fields north and west of Petaluma to heavily-laden steamers and schooners that traveled the slough waters south into San Francisco Bay. It was these tracks and Trestle that enabled Petaluma to serve as the “Egg Basket to the World”.

The restoration of the Trestle undisputedly has the potential to offer huge community benefit today, both as an economic catalyst for a river town in need of increased outdoor public space and a positive response to the challenges of recent years. What a major aesthetic boost it would be. 

Image 2015 Rendering by Robert Frank — Heritage Homes of Petaluma 

It sits adjacent to the Turning Basin in the historic downtown area, as a breakwater in a 90 degree bend and built above the river which is considered State Land, parallel to the tidally influenced channel of mixed stream runoff and bay water. The river fluctuates as much as seven feet with the changing tides.

The Trestle structure is owned by the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART). And this important part of the riverfront represents a multi-use path between SMART and downtown as more people ride the train into Petaluma for business and leisure use.

It’s important to note that as more time passes and no action is taken, costs will undoubtedly continue to escalate and vital funding opportunities may pass.

On a blustery May Day, in 2021 The Petaluma River Promenade Save The Trestle Organization, spearheaded by ‘Good Eggs’: local preservation and restoration contractor Christopher Stevick and community activist/musician John Maher (aka Petaluma Pete) recorded its Pianos of Petaluma Expo in an event that took place outside of the Petaluma Arts Center.

Stevick and The Petaluma River Promenade Save the Trestle Organization have and continue to campaign heavily for its full restoration as opposed to removal and replacement. Though many Petalumans fondly remember the last of the trolley-era along the Trestle and as an outdoor gathering space for many boating and river festivals, there is no longer any push to bring trains back along the historic structure.

Although Stevick’s research shows that reinforcement of the structure would be substantial enough to carry the weight of a trolley and this was his dream and goal for many years, any rehabilitation will now be for pedestrian use only. In its heyday, the Riverfest attracted thousands of visitors.

Image Petaluma Museum

In attendance in support of the Trestle rehabilitation project along with Stevick and Maher last May was former U.S. Representative, Lynn Woolsey, Petaluma Mayor, Teresa Barrett and Petaluma Downtown Association and Visitors program director, Marie McCusker.

Woolsey spoke of the importance of the Trestle. “We have to remember that and push for it,” she said.

And in Mayor Barrett’s words: “I really think this is the time for the Trestle”. She spoke of having succeeded in having the river dredged and the vitality that riverfront restaurants brought to the city during the pandemic with outdoor waterfront dining. The Trestle, she added, is a part of this renewed riverfront energy and would, if rehabilitated, provide a huge area for public events and gatherings.

McCusker also spoke of her belief that the Trestle will be revitalized. “We are an amazing community of people who are so engaged, who care so much about their civic responsibility but also the history of their town,” she said. “It (a river promenade) will be an outdoor space that puts us on the map — we have something that sets us apart from other Sonoma County towns — a river. The Trestle is part of our coming back.”

Click here to see John Maher (Petaluma Pete's) recent video on the TOP 10 Reasons to Save the Trestle. 

“Shovel ready plans have been on the shelf since 2013,” explained Bill Rinehart, vice chair of Petaluma’s Historic and Cultural Preservation Committee (HCPC), almost a year after the last big public event. “Yet, there is still important groundwork to be done and it can’t be ignored for another two years”.

“The Trestle stands as a monument to inaction and frustration rather than a source of great community pride and a hub of civic activity,” he added. “This structure served as the backbone that enabled our region’s industry to prosper and connect with the entire world. It has the potential to again be an economic catalyst, but this will require vision and action”.

His wife, Katherine J. Rinehart, consulting historian, author, former manager of the Sonoma County History & Genealogy Library and Sonoma County Archives and co-chair of the Advocates for the Sonoma County Archives has championed the Trestle rehabilitation since it was first introduced. It was Rinehart who has created impressive content of signs and photographs for educational components to be included in the promenade, which would serve to inform Petalumans, school children, environmentalists and visitors alike as to the rich history of the riverfront, with an added illustrated lesson as to the important role of habitat restoration.

Availability of a storm water runoff outlet under the Trestle lends itself to a permanently installed demonstration to educate the community to the results of their actions upstream.

The Rineharts are amongst many residents and activists who urgently recommend the City’s consideration of “Local Landmark” designation for this and other of Petaluma’s most significant and character defining historic resources.

One of the biggest hurdles facing the crumbling Trestle is its transfer of ownership title from SMART to the City of Petaluma. Next, the City would need to prepare contract documents for bid and confirm all permits and entitlements so that critical grant funding chances are not missed. 

Council Member Kevin McDonnell is pushing hard for a rebuilt Trestle. Speaking of the many benefits it would bring to the community he highlights its role in recreation, transportation, also addressing its role in local Climate Emergency goals, business area improvement, sense of civic identity and not least, significant blight removal.

Petaluma’s General Plan, adopted in May 2008, provides guidance to “preserve and enhance Petaluma’s historic character” and “provide for a range of attractive and viable transportation alternatives, such as bicycle, pedestrian, rail and transit”. Furthermore, it addresses a requirement that the City’s unique identity and sense of community, history and place be retained by maintaining landmarks and aspects of Petaluma’s heritage by reinforcing the industrial nature of the city by adaptively reutilizing, reusing and preserving industrial landmarks such as the Petaluma & Santa Rosa Railroad Trestle.

The General Plan policy further defines the consideration of historic structures by encouraging and supporting the rehabilitation and development of structures reflective of the history of Petaluma’s rich agricultural and river-oriented industrial past.

And yet: “At the council goal setting session months ago, the Mayor and I tried to get the Trestle listed as a top priority, the council did not list it,” McDonnell said.

McDonnell will be pushing hard with this agenda again in a council workshop scheduled for March 14th.

Second District Sonoma County Supervisor David Rabbitt commented that: “As Chair of SMART, the railroad has already committed to working with the City on the Trestle — whether it’s restored with tracks or not . . . no one entity has the funds to handle the project alone, but SMART, Petaluma and hopefully the property owner of the Mill (who will benefit greatly) all need to work together and seek funding.”

The Historic Petaluma Mill fronts most of the length of the Trestle and has been converted through adapted reuse from grain processing and warehousing to a mix of retail and business services. The Trestle structure begins on the south end at the Petaluma Yacht Club and ends at the north end at the Water Street Plaza. Completion of the Trestle would double the riverfront open space in the historic downtown area.

Newest committee member of the City’s Historic and Cultural Preservation Committee (HCPC), Alice van Ommeren became familiar with the history of the trestle when she found an old postcard for the book she and her partner co-authored: Petaluma in Vintage Postcards.

Van Ommeren has valuable experience having sat on a similar historic committee in Stockton. “The Trestle Rehabilitation has been a high priority for the HCPC for several years,” she explained. “This past year that priority for us was flagged as “may be recommended to move forward in the future, but there are legal, process or resource questions that need to be resolved before it can move forward.”

She also explained how a 2010 report resulting from a $500,000 study to analyze the structure and develop a design for the restoration now needs to be reassessed before seeking funding. The cost to rehabilitate the trestle, she said, is estimated to be about $6 million.  

“I believe the Trestle Rehabilitation is one the most important historic projects on Petaluma’s plate that needs to keep moving. A lot of work has already been done and it’s a project that would get wide backing from community, business, etc. The feedback provided to the City by the HCPC related to the Trestle rehabilitation, includes its assignment as a City project with City staff liaison assigned and understanding that the overall project may be longer term than the next two-year goal setting period.

The Trestle will continue to orient our community towards our most important asset, the river,” she added. “Petaluma is also a tourist destination and a promenade would greatly enhance our riverfront”.  

Petaluma Promenade Organization’s Christopher Stevick has invaluable experience hands-on in significant restorations on numerous historic structures including St Vincent’s Church, the restoration of Hotel Petaluma, the Carnegie Library/Museum and the removal of the fake façade on the Petaluma Blvd. Sienna building.

“Regarding the Trestle I was constantly told by City staff that my presence was not needed, but I would not go away,” explained Stevick, in sharing his determination to see the Trestle rehabilitation come to fruition.

His frustrations with the Trestle being delegated to what he refers to as “Never-Never Land” run deep. “My demonstrations like “This Place Matters” on the Trestle have been under-reported along with the benefits of having an iconic and cultural, central and truly historic destination for all Petalumans that supports our downtown,” he added.

Image Frances Rivetti 

Stevick’s extensive stack of documentation dates back to 2010 and contains email exchanges, council presentations, city-based studies, correspondence and council approved goals. “But yet, it appears they have been approved then selectively ignored,” he lamented.

 Still, they’re not giving up, despite the frustration.

John Maher has produced multiple videos to generate more groundswell support for the Petaluma Promenade Organization and Save the Trestle Team.

While several river-based non-profits have made notable strides in recent years, including The Petaluma Small Craft Center, which plans to open its dock-based boat rental center, The Floathouse Petaluma, this summer, and the new Petaluma River Park, those who have campaigned publicly for the Trestle, despite its geographic prominence, have so far, floundered. Still, they’re not giving up, despite the frustration.

Business owner Margo Gallagher of Vibe Gallery downtown believes that so much of the charm and beauty of small-town Petaluma has been taken away as it grows as a city. “I’m all for preserving the historic Trestle or anything else we can hold on to before it’s too late,” she said.

Yet with no clear lead it appears that it falls to the City ultimately to take a leap of faith and move things forward with SMART.  

Bill Rinehart further explained how in his opinion, City Manager Peggy Flynn has done a “fantastic job” in checking off many of the core items on the City’s vision and priority goals list that were identified during council workshops of the past two years.

He reiterated what his fellow committee member, van Ommeren said: “The Trestle didn’t make the cut in the last round, but things have changed and it’s time to generate renewed enthusiasm,” he added. Rinehart is of the belief that the Trestle is now poised to move on up to its rightful place at the top of a new list of fixers to be identified by the council in a workshop scheduled for March 14^th, 2022.

“It’s the City Manager and the Director of Public Works who can move forward on this but they can’t take action until more council members get behind it,” he added. “It’s important for people to know that this rehabilitation isn’t going to syphon off money for other key budgetary items that are pressing within our community — tapping into Federal funding offsets as a part of a SMART multi-use project will not detract from other city-wide problems that need to be addressed.

Quality outdoor space has never been more important and this is just the sort of project that can help Petaluma adapt to changing economic and social norms.”

If the structure is lost, it’s not known exactly what will happen, but reports cite that there is a risk of bank erosion beneath the historic waterfront buildings. The main storm water overflow for the western side of the City is located beneath the Trestle and removal of the structure may change how the runoff dissipation encounters the river, possibly further undermining the bank in this area.

If, however, the project succeeds, Petaluma’s downtown core will undergo a major revitalization that will benefit the community for the next 100 years.

If you’d like to see something done about the Trestle this year send a short letter of support for its rehabilitation to Mayor Teresa Barrett — tbarrett@cityofpetaluma.org and cc Vice Mayor Brian Barnacle bbarnacle@cityofpetaluma.org and council members D’Lynda Fischer dfischer@cityofpetaluma.org Mike Healy mhealy@cityofpetaluma.org Dave King dking@cityofpetaluma.org Kevin McDonnell kmcdonnell@cityofpetaluma.org and Dennis Pocekay dpocekay@cityofpetaluma.org as well as Petaluma City Manager Peggy Flynn — PFlynn@cityofpetaluma.org and Public Works Director Christopher Bolt cbolt@cityofpetaluma.org

And if you have a strong opinion with regards to the Trestle, drop a note to the editor at the Argus Courier and/or Press Democrat, too. Public is welcome and encouraged to speak during the “Public Comment” section of each agenda item during the March 14th Petaluma City Council evening meeting. 

Image Frances Rivetti

February in Marrakech? Check Out Fabulous El Fenn

Travel is on our minds as we near the end of a long January. International travel is reopening for the more intrepid and with sensible precautions, friends and family are increasingly on the move. This year I'll be featuring lots of travel destinations that appeal to me as well as any I am able to experience in person. One of the most talked-about destinations of late is Morocco. I've yet to explore this North African gem but one day I hope to do so and top of my to-do list would be a home-base stay in one of its most stunning boutique hotels.

Following the Moroccan government’s announcement this week that the country will reopen its borders to international visitors on Monday February 7, maybe now is the time for you book that long-awaited foray to exotic Marrakech.

How about a stay at El Fenn, one of the most dazzling of Marrakech’s boutique hotels? With its trademark blend of cool and a distinct feeling of home-away-from-home, El Fenn offers the perfect base from which to explore the city’s sights or to hide away, relaxing in its bounteous cosy nooks and renowned hospitality.

What’s more, February is a great time to visit with highs of 68ºF by day - perfect for stocking up on Vitamin D and treats from the souks.
 
According to El Fenn co-partner Madeline Weinrib: “After a testing time for all in hospitality in Morocco, we are so thrilled to be welcoming our North American guests back to enjoy the delights of El Fenn. February is a fabulous month to visit with warm temperatures by day and cosy evenings next to the fire by night, and of course El Fenn is looking more gorgeous and as vibrant as ever. I’m looking forward to getting back out there to immerse myself in the food, the art and the shopping that I’ve so missed, and of course staying again in my home-from-home.”
 
A hidden gem, set in the heart of Marrakech’s medina, El Fenn boasts photogenic vistas of colonnaded balconies with billowing drapes, sun-dappled courtyards, lantern-lit trails and a family of friendly tortoises, as well as a labyrinth of stunning suites in a striking color palette, one of the hotel’s defining features.

Facilities abound in the 12 traditional courtyard houses the hotel connects, with an array of inviting pools, a stylish boutique, an indulgent spa with hammam, two bars and a restaurant. However, it is El Fenn’s vast roof terrace that really sets it apart. With its panoramic views of the Marrakech cityscape and the Atlas Mountains beyond, it is the place for sunset cocktails, a romantic meal under twinkling lights or for lounging on the enormous day beds and soaking up the chilled vibes high above the bustling medina.

El Fenn was recently recognized as one of the top hotels in Northern Africa in the Condé Nast Traveler 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards, and was selected as one of the Best Hotels in Africa in Fodor’s Finest Hotel Awards 2022.

Before travel, guests should check the latest entry requirements with their airline and relevant government website.

 
Rates
A double room at El Fenn (el-fenn.com  Tel 00212 524 44 1210), including breakfast and afternoon tea, costs from $450 per night.
 
Or opt for a 2-night package - price from US$800 (or US $400pp based on 2 sharing), including 2 nights’ B&B accommodation, welcome drinks, afternoon tea, an El Fenn Signature lunch for 2, a 40-minute massage or Hammam for 2, and airport transfers. Valid for bookings from 7-28 Feb 2022.

 

Take A Delicious Cheese Trail Adventure Through Sonoma and Marin

 

Couldn't we all use a little fresh air and cheese? Now you can use a new 'passport' app to visit cheesemakers, taste incredible cheese, and win prizes.  With 14 participating Sonoma and Marin County cheesemakers, there's so much diversity in taste and texture to explore!   Visit three cheesemakers, and receive 10% off any Cheese Trail collection shipped directly to your home; visit all 14 cheesemakers, you (or someone you really love) will receive a free cheese collection (a $99 value)! Participating cheesemakers: Sonoma County: Achadinha Cheese Company, Bohemian Creamery, Epicurean Connection, Joe Matos Cheese Factory, Spring Hill Jersey Cheese, Valley Ford Cheese Co., Vella Cheese Co., and Wm. Cofield Cheesemakers. Marin County: Cowgirl Creamery, Marin French Cheese Company, Nicasio Valley Cheese Company, Pt.Reyes Farmstead Cheese, Ramini Mozzarella and Tomales Farmstead Creamery. To get started, visit the Cheese Trail Adventure page, download the BabbleBuy app and let the cheese adventures begin! Also, the folk behind the Cheese Trail are planning to include cheesemakers throughout California in the coming months ... have a little patience ... after all, Romano wasn't build in a day. :)

Valentine's Day "Big Love" Collection. Photo: AndreaScher.com

If you're reading this outside of Sonoma County and region, for Valentine's Day how about these two special collections delivered to your door?: Big Love ($99) features four Marin & Sonoma County cheesemakers -- Cowgirl Creamery, Marin French Cheese Company, Point Reyes Farmstead, and Valley Ford Cheese Company.    Cheese & Chocolate ($75) features Cowgirl Creamery and Nicasio Valley Cheese Company.  Both collections include a seasonal assortment of four unique chocolate truffles from Mutari Chocolate in Santa Cruz truffles, and shipping is FREE within California. For an additional $20, ship anywhere in the U.S. (excepting HI, AK and territories).  Limited availability so place your orders ASAP, as Valentine's Day orders will ship on Tuesday, February 8, by 2Day UPS or FedEx.

 

And So This Is Christmas . . . Sentiments, Rituals and Recipes for Comfort and Cheer

Contrary to increasingly popular belief, Christmas is not cancelled this year. It comes in many sizes, shapes and forms and doesn't necessarily have to be celebrated on the 25th. After all, the 'reason for the season' was conveniently attached to the pagan winter light festivities in order to make the best of the darkest time of year, so bringing it on early, waiting a day or two or a week or two even wouldn't be too much of a problem!

Now more than any other time, it's perfectly fine to shake things up, tone it down, even ramp it up if we choose, as long as we do it with necessary caution and care. News has been a bit bleak of late and we're all tired of the on again, off again social restrictions. So finding comfort and joy and celebration in the small details and the company of those we love, even if it has to be by screen, is the key to taking solace in this 2021 festive season. 

I've enjoyed hearing from friends and family around the world as to the fun and innovative and sometimes super last-minute ways to make merry during these unprecedented holidays. And so I reached out on social media to find out what's in store for Christmas. 

If you're not feeling it this year, your plans have been altered or cancelled or you just fancy something new in your holiday activity line up, I hope at least one or two of these missives from around the globe will inspire your mood. 

And if you're batting down the hatches and hunkering down at home with the cat and a good book and a glass of something warm or bubbly (or both), then that's perfectly fine too. A new year is on its way. Yeah! 

"Christmas Eve we have a rousing rendition of the 12 Days of Christmas and a dear friend reads A Night Before Christmas before everyone goes home," says Andrea of Petaluma. "We skipped it last year and my teen insisted we continue the tradition this year."

"We have a long-standing tradition of going for a Christmas Eve neighborhood walk with a flask of good Cognac," says Adrian in Petaluma. "It's wonderful to see everyone's tree or lights in their window and hear the laughter of people having dinner parties. Love to have Becky on my arm as we walk in the cold evening air. Something we look forward to every year. It's sounds voyeuristic but it's very innocent enjoying the lights. Safe and outdoors. Perfect for introverts almost joining in."

And for Tina of Petaluma it's a: "Sunset walk on the beach on New Year’s Eve. Bye, bye last year and no hangover into the next!"

In fact, winter walks are popular at this time of year in colder climes too:

"We make mince pies with fresh apple added into them, then deliver our Christmas cards to neighbours and follow the village advent window trail," writes Kerry in Kent, UK. "Then on Christmas Eve we walk to the village pond to watch Mary and Joseph ride a donkey up the hill into the church."

Nancy in Petaluma is going to: "Make a hot cocoa board with gingerbread men, marshmallows, peppermints, etc . . . and then drag my family out to look at lights."

Helen in Queensland, Australia: "I watch the Love Actually movie to remind me of families coming together again and of the day I can go home (to the UK) for a cold Christmas . . . and I eat Queensland prawns with mango and avocados . . . yum."

"Our fam tradition is to gather and watch Polar Express together. And of course drinking lots of hot hot hot chocolate with marshmallows in our collected vintage Santa face mugs," says Renee, also of Petaluma. 

"Alice's Gluten Free Pear and Persimmon Cake is great for all the persimmons out there," shares Petaluma food writer and designer, Alice. 

"My family gathers to make tamales for Christmas Eve. Usually the Sunday before- it has been a tradition for 4 generations," writes Pilar, of Petaluma. 

John from Cincinnati shares his Mom's Spoonbread recipe from Virginia. "It's like cornbread, but better." His Mom's grandfather was good friends with (American naval officer & explorer) Admiral Byrd. "This recipe has been enjoyed for over 5o years."

John writes: "It's a family tradition every Christmas when my 40-something son and daughter kneel at my side and thank me for getting them out of Illinois when they were still in grade school. Really."  No offense if you're reading this in Illinois. John explains how he came to California when he was eight, left again at 13, wandered the US and France and when he returned to the States at 24, it was obvious to him that Northern California was: "The place to BE." Needless to say, John and family will be happy just to be home in Petaluma this Christmas. 

Elaine, who lives a couple blocks from John shares that she's looking forward to serving Italian foods as per her Swiss Italian family's tradition. "Torrone in individual boxes with lovely protraits, along with Panettone and a St. Honore cake . . . My Swiss grandparents would make a wonderful pastry that I can't find the recipe for: thin pastry squares, deep fried and dusted with powdered sugar . . . and a similar pastry which would be folded over and stuffed with a mixture of brandy, walnuts, sugar, and crushed dried figs, then deep fried and dusted with powdered sugar."

Kerry and I both concur that we love the 1992 Muppets Christmas Carol more than any other cinematic version of Dickens' classic. Wonderful and heartwarming for kids of any age! 

"Nothing ever seems too bad, too hard, or too sad when you've got a Christmas tree in the living room." _ Nora Roberts 

And talking of trees . . . my sister-in-law Francesca is spending Christmas in Philly where she lives and works after a last minute change in plans to visit her Mom and family and friends in the UK for the first time in two years. It was hugely disappointing to make the decision at the 11th hour but potential lock downs in the UK and concerns about traveling back into the US were just too much to ignore. Seeing as she didn't have a Christmas Tree, when she stumbled upon one in her all time favorite color on sale, she knew it had her name on it. 

Click here for Francesca's video short! 

"And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest, the world seemingly most indifferent..." Taylor Caldwell. 

Hotel Petaluma Presents Petaluma's 5th Annual Gingerbread House Showcase & Competition

 

Photos: Hotel Petaluma

It's back by popular demand, the spectacular Hotel Petaluma Gingerbread House Showcase & Competition, Friday, December 17th through Sunday, December 19th. 

The community will vote for the People’s Choice winner. All winners will be announced on the final day of the showcase, Sunday, December 19th.

Showcase Days/Hours:
Friday 1pm - 9pm
Saturday 10am-9pm
Sunday 1pm-5pm

Check out all of the event details on the hotel's  Facebook Event Page.

Health & safety protocols The hotel will be enforcing several protocols to help keep this event as safe as possible for everyone. Please make note of the following requirements for attendance: Masks must be worn at all times by all attendees No food or beverage will be permitted in the event space Practice social distancing Do not attend if you are experiencing any symptoms of illness We will not be having any communal activities during the event

A Sonoma County Pallet — Bark, Berries, Bramble & Blossom & A Meyer Lemon Hot Toddy

Sunday afternoon I found myself caught in a rain storm walking my dog, Rosie up by the water tower in the hills above West Petaluma. I was wrapped up in a heavy raincoat and had set out with sturdy boots and so I decided to embrace the moment and, in having the hills to ourselves, the time to take a closer look at the gorgeous winter colors gracing the landscape.

Rosie doesn't mind the rain as long as I towel dry her and keep her warm back home. Having grown up in the UK  I'd have never ventured outside if I'd waited for the rain to stop! 

And as we're all so grateful for the rain this fall, there's really nothing more refreshing than a good drenching, that is given that there's the prospect of a warm shower and a hot cup of tea back at the house. It's not this way for all, sadly and it's reassuring to hear that Sonoma County is allocating substantial funding to emergency and temporary housing for the many who don't have shelter of their own. 

It's impossible not to sit indoors or lay in bed at night and listen to the pouring rain without thinking of those who huddle for shelter under freeway bridges and in the stairwells of parking garages. 

Here in Petaluma we are fortunate to have the hard working team and volunteers and donors of COTS, as well as several other organizations, including Petaluma People Services to provide food and warmth and a path toward permanent housing for those who are ready to take the necessary first steps. If you have any dollars in your budget to donate, now more than ever, these non-profits are amongst the many in our community that will put our donations to the best use in helping tackle the crisis of the unsheltered. 

How fortunate we are to have Helen Putnam Park and its surrounds on our doorstep. If you haven't had a chance to check out the new paths and trails, winter season is a great time to get up there for a bracing hike. Watch out for the poison oak which is loving this rain and though cleared from the paths as best as rangers are able, it pops up in abundance and even a slight brushing on a pant leg or dog's coat can wreak havoc. Leaves of three, let them be. 

There's a brand new parking lot on Windsor Drive, off Western Ave that leads to a more gentle pathway up into the park than the Oxford Court climb. It costs $7 to park unless you have a Sonoma County annual Regional Park Pass, which I highly recommend. A park pass makes a great gift for the outdoorsy and those who don't need or want any more stuff! 

The dwarf Meyer Lemon tree I bought at Cottage Gardens a couple of years ago is coming into its own and I look on each ripened lemon like a little yellow gem. I did make a cup of tea on my return after dripping back into the house as it was a little too early in the day for a hot toddy. That had to wait until after the sun went down!

Meyer Lemon Hot Toddy

1 oz. (2 tablespoons) bourbon

1 Tbsp. mild honey

2 tsp. fresh lemon Meyer Lemon juice

¼ cup boiling-hot water

Put bourbon, honey, and lemon juice in a 6-ounce mug. Top off with hot water and stir until honey is dissolved.