Sonoma Country Life

Push the Boat out for the First Rivertown Revival

Word of the Week - Curling

Although the winter Olympics has brought the wonderful world of Curling to the forefront of international focus of late, it continues to surface as a frequent topic of inquiring conversation here in the more common non-curling circles. Nine times out of ten, no one seems to know much about it at all.

After a quick search online, I was rather surprised to discover that there is in fact, such a thing as a Curling Club right here on our doorstep in Northern California wine country. Now, really, who would have thought?

Curling, it would appear, upon slightly closer scrutiny, has come a considerable distance from the 16th century when tough Scots slid loafies (rocks) on  frozen lochs and highland marshes. Nowadays the game has conveniently moved inside on specially prepared ice with spiffy, polished 42-pound granite rocks.

The sport surfaced as an Olympic medal competition in 1998 at the Japanese Nagano games, though Curling in the U.S. can be traced all the way back to the 1830s. Scottish soldiers and settlers were said to have brought the peculiarities of the game to Michigan. Spreading north into Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota and beyond, it remains, by all accounts, quite the thing to do within the Curling Heartland of America.

It has been estimated that there are more than 15,000 curlers and 140-plus clubs in the United States alone, predominantly in the north central part of the country, though it has extended in recent years to 20 or more enthusiastic states.

Clubs are continuing to form due to the sports' slick Olympic popularity - around the globe more than a million people consider themselves curlers. Mind you, over 90% of the one million are of Canadian background.

Scots made the most of record freezing temperatures this winter with a once-in-a-generation curling tournament on Lake Menteith:

A Taste of Wine and Murder 'Who Dunnit' at Dillon Beach

Who could possibly resist a 'Who-Dunnit' - especially when the call to sleuth came on an otherwise dreary Saturday evening in February, way out West on the very edge of the moody Pacific ocean at Sonoma County's secluded Dillon Beach?

Everyone was a suspect when murder was on the menu as SoCo Central Casting pulled off a perfect pairing of colorful characters with a criminal stash of top-notch county vino. 

Suspects in "A Taste of Wine and Murder" were one Otto Von Schnapps, German wine merchant here in Northern California wine country to take part in the Valley Wine festival and to purchase vast quantities of wine from Underwood Estates; Academy Award nominated Actor for her unforgettable role in Fatal Flaw and wine country native, the marvelous Marilyn Merlot; rascally manager of Underwood Estates, Ralph Rottingrape; his wife - Tiny Bubbles; rival vineyard proprietress Hedy Shablee; Vito Santini, aka Papa Vito - 81-year-old Italian vineyard worker.

To set the stage, this tour of the otherwise peaceful North coast wine country with its rolling, cool-climate vineyards and picturesque wineries centered on a small, ocean front cabin overlooking Dillon Beach. As the apparent annual wine tasting festival was in full-swing elsewhere, the body of local vineyard owner Barry Underwood was found hidden beneath his wine cellar. Barry had been missing for six long years, but with this grizzly discovery came a host of fresh clues with which to solve the mystery.

It was a vintage murder, no doubt about it. And, naturally, being the inquisitive kind,  I just had to know 'who did it'!

Not me, of course, you know I'd never partake in such dastardly pursuits and besides, conveniently casting myself as non-suspect Bonny Lass called for the ravishing revival of one terrific, long, tartan thrift-store skirt that had made its first official Sonoma County appearance last month on Burns Night. My reason for being there at the time of Barry's body being discovered was as mere vacationing novelist from Scotland. The fact that I'd had just a wee too many tipples in the vino department earlier had subsequently led to an innocent and impromptu nap in the midst of all the action. Little had I known that the razor-sharp (fellow non-suspect) FBI agent Bud Wizer would haul me in for questioning. Things like this just never happened back home. I put it down to those crazy Californians!

This particular Murder Mystery party game was a golden oldie from the 'to-do' section on the bookcase, having never quite found the appropriate time and place to produce. On-line versions appear to be the way to go in today's convenient click and download era.

Must not tell you who, in fact, 'did it', except to say that in retrospect, the script was a little confusing at times (although, given the convergence of a wine and murder theme figuring out 'who did it' might have been somewhat less of a predicament prior to the first corkage).

As a murder-mystery dinner party newbie, I'm tempted to concoct my own script. Based on real-life characters from the hood. Though who to kill off would be a bit of a predicament - better stick with fiction, I suppose.

Should the concept of a murder-mystery dinner party tickle your fancy, I'd recommend that you take a thorough look at the complexity of the rules of the game prior to selecting a package. Find yourself a group of fun friends that you can depend on to dress the part and fully participate and you might uncover much more than fictitious dead bodies, but a whole lot of laughs and a novel way to unwind.

Thanks and kudos due to the intrepid Anja for indisputable weekend travel spot expertise and her new-found negotiation skills in scoring sweet home-swap stays in some of the world's most scenic locations.

The Aztec's Are Coming - Special Guest Performers at Valley Vista's Harvest Fair

Wow, wouldn't want to stand too close to these headpieces, but watching the San Vicente Aztec Dance Troupe bring history to full life at the Valley Vista Harvest Fair next Saturday (Halloween morning 9-12) would be a fantastic way to start the holiday!

Baile del Venado (Dance of the Deer) and Baile de la Lluvia (Dance of the Rain) are just two of the traditional harvest-time dances the fab San Vicente troupe will be performing. This special event is open to the community at large, so don't be shy! Fun and games galore after a healthy pancake breakfast with homemade applesauce and an emphasis on sustainable gardening centers around the school's showplace teaching garden.

A Party for Miss Cherry Vanilla Lollipop

Let's just say that the tea flowed, the pink champagne bubbled, the jam and jellies wiggled and the Mom-to-be was well and truly in her element as P'Town's popular Mouse in the Pantry's Mel was made comfortable for a brief bit of bed-rest respite in the vineyard! And yes, the lemon curd splodged just a little over-enthusiastically from the midst of this traditional Victoria Sandwich tea-time cake! The naming game proved the most entertaining, seeings as our Mel was born and raised out in Bolinas. Dolphin Sparkley Jewel (current favorite of Little Miss Courtway's five year old brother) was unanimously usurped by Cherry Vanilla Lollipop. It was all to do with the initial requirements and maybe a bit to do with the pink champagne!