Southern Sonoma Country Life

Petaluma Downtown Association Presents Butter & Egg Days 2019 — Saturday, April 27

                 

 

Saturday, April 27th Petaluma's annual Butter & Egg Days parade steps off at noon and marches through historic downtown in a festival of fun and activities from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.   Clover Sonoma leads the Clover Kids’ Parade, which precedes the main parade at 11:30am with a procession of preschoolers and primary grade youngsters and their families. __________________________________________________________________________________   Join the Cutest Little Chick Contest! Petaluma Egg Farm is excited to host the 35th annual Cutest Little Chick in Town Contest. It's always such a treat to see all of the creative and cute costumes and those darling little people all decked out in yellow! Contest judging takes place in front of Copperfield’s Book Store on Kentucky St. Check in 9:45. The contest will start at 10:15.

Friends of the Parade Button Discounts!
Spend $5 and save by shopping locally!

 

Discounts are  available from April 20th - 28th

at participating shops. 

To get the discount you must be wearing your button!

Buttons are available for purchase at the Petaluma Visitors Center, Lombardi's Deli, Raley's, Crown Hair Salon and Petaluma Market.

If that's not enough fun for one weekend, don't miss the open air Petaluma Antique faire, downtown  from 8 am to 4 pm.

Blossoms, Bees & Barnyard Babies — Sonoma County Farm Trails, Spring Tour April 27th & 28th

RSVP is required to receive event map.
Click here to join the fun !

Petaluma Arts Center April Session of The Ideas Lounge Series Features Molly Best & Timo Rivetti on The Arts & Managing the Art of Real Estate in Petaluma, Lagunitas Lounge, April 18th

 

The Idea Lounge
Thursday, April 18th
Lagunitas Lounge
Doors open at 6:30.  Program starts at 7

For the Arts: Molly Best "The Art of Managing an Arts Center"
For Life; Timo Rivetti "The Art of Real Estate"

Molly Best is thrilled to be surrounded by the talent that fills the Art Center.  She is now the PAC’s operational manager and has been busy getting up to speed over the last couple weeks. 
 
Having grown up in Petaluma and now raising her children here, she is very invested in helping her local community grow creatively.  She is an artist, a baker and in a past life, a butcher. 
 
You may recognize her from her days at the Tea Room Cafe or Thistle Meats.  She is no stranger to Petaluma and PAC is proud to welcome her as the newest member of its team. 

Timo Rivetti is a passionate practitioner in the art of real estate in Sonoma County. He enjoyed a diverse career background in his native UK and California prior to earning his reputation as a skilled Petaluma-based property negotiator and dealmaker. 

Timo credits his propensity for creative thinking and out-of-the-box ideas and solutions as the common thread that ties together his rich and varied past career experiences to his ongoing success as one of the region's consistently top performing real estate brokers. Born to Italian immigrant parents in Peterborough, UK, Timo left home at 16, attending Eastbourne Art College with a focus on photography in his late teens. 

This led to an introduction to the vibrant art and music scene in Brighton, England. Timo managed bands in his 20s, the most successful of which, Curiosity Killed the Cat, rose to number one in the British music charts. Timo brokered a deal in which he and the band worked with Andy Warhol at The Factory in New York, producing a music video. 

Numerous start-up opportunities followed on both sides of the Atlantic, with a brief move into the advertising industry bringing him to San Francisco in 1990. Timo tried his hand in various internet companies prior to the birth of his third son in 1998, the year he took the plunge and studied for his real estate license. 

After being in the business for over two decades, Timo has built a wide network of community connections and is focusing much of his attention on working with others in visualizing how to broker deals that better life in Petaluma for all. A long time soccer coach and hobby winemaker, Timo was a founding member of the Petaluma Gap Winemakers Association. He is married to Southern Sonoma Country Life editor & freelance writer/author, Frances Rivetti. Timo and Frances raised their three sons in the area.

Established in 2016, the Idea Lounge is an exciting series of talks with a twist! Two speakers: one from the arts, one not. The audience uncovers what they have in common, revealing connections between art & life. The Idea Lounge is part of PAC Out of the Box, a series featuring collaborative activities that take place literally and figuratively outside the walls of the Arts Center and outside the typical art exhibition. Now in its 5th season, the Idea Lounge has featured speakers of all paths of life, presenting on a variety of topics.

The Idea Lounge is produced by Petaluma Arts Center. Interested in speaking at a future event?

Contact Molly Best at mbest@petalumaartscenter.org

New Route for 2019 Camino Walkers — Sea of Arousa Camino Espiritual Walk and Boat

CaminoWays.com, the Camino experts, have launched a wonderful new North West Spanish Camino route available for pilgrims in 2019: the Sea of Arousa Camino walk and boat, also known as Camino Espiritual. I have friends who have walked all or parts of the trail and several who are planning their own pilgrim walks. This new route will no doubt lighten the load of international pilgrims on this increasingly popular bucket list activity, walking and weaving through beautiful coastal landscapes, villages and ancient monasteries from March through November.

The Sea of Arousa Camino trail was recently approved by Santiago Cathedral as an official Camino de Santiago route. The trail takes pilgrims through quaint coastal villages, lush forest tracks, vineyards, sandy beaches and ancient monasteries following an alternative route to the classic Camino Portugues.

This fascinating Camino trail is also known as Camino Espiritual as this unique Camino includes a boat trip across Arousa Estuary retracing the route taken by the body of St James on its way to Santiago. 

Not to miss on this trail:

Wonderful Pontevedra Old Town

Picturesque granaries in the village of Combarro

Forest trails to Armenteira Monastery

A swim at the beach in Vilanova

Boat trip across Arousa Bay to Padron

A short break on the Sea of Arousa Camino Espiritual from Pontevedra can be walked in just 4 days but if you'd like to receive your Compostela certificate it's recommend that you start your walk from Vigo or Baiona to walk at least 100kms into Santiago.

PRICE / WHAT'S INCLUDED

Self-guided tour, 5 nights from Pontevedra to Santiago starts from around $550 per person sharing; including 5 nights' accommodation with breakfast, luggage transfers, boat ticket, holiday pack with route information, 24/7 assistance number

An 8-night self-guided tour from Baiona to Santiago starts from around $850 per person sharing;  including 8 nights' accommodation with breakfast, boat ticket, luggage transfers, holiday pack with route information, 24/7 assistance number. 

Dinners, airport transfers and hotel upgrades are also available. Flights, lunch and insurance not included.

More details about this route click here: SEA OF AROUSA CAMINO ESPIRITUAL 

To book you can visit caminoways.com or contact Camino travel experts at info@caminoways.com

The Petaluma Museum Association Presents An Exhibit of Scott Hess' Photographs Inspired by On A River Winding Home — Opening Reception Saturday April 6th, 5 to 8 Pm

Celebrate Earth Day: Get back to nature in Sonoma County

 

 

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Discover  more of the amazing bounty offered by land and sea as Sonoma County celebrates Earth Day this year with events, festivals, volunteer opportunities, or by simply getting outdoors and breathing in the glorious spring air.

There's so much to do and see here that Earth Day — Monday, April 22nd — is more like Earth Month. Start a week early with a events at Quarryhill Botanical Gardens, Alexander Valley Vineyards, Windsor Earth Day and Wellness Festival, or a tour at Safari West.

Near the actual day, there are opportunities to volunteer for a beach cleanup or take in an art exhibit that showcases climate change. Celebrate the weekend after and experience Earth Day on stage, an annual family friendly festival in Santa Rosa. 

Earth Day is a time to connect with the land and with each other in the great outdoors that we're so thankful for – all 1,576 square miles of it. More than 60 regional and state parks make Sonoma County one of California's most diverse natural destinations. Hike among towering redwoods; watch for whales, otters, or sea lions along rugged Pacific coastline; paddle through the inviting cool waters of one of three rivers, and get to know neighboring small towns.

Find more outdoor activities at www.sonomacounty.com/outdoor-activities.

Earth Day events:

Quarryhill Earth Day Celebration
April 13
The peacefulness of the Quarryhill Botanical Garden that stretches over 25 acres — home to more than 25,000 rare and endangered plants — provides the ideal setting for celebrating the many ways we can conserve and protect our planet.
Quarryhill Botanical Garden, Glen Ellen
www.quarryhillbg.org
www.sonomacounty.com/sonoma-events/quarryhill-earth-day-celebration

Earth Day Tour at Alexander Valley Vineyards
April 13
Celebrate Earth Month at Alexander Valley Vineyards with a special tour hosted by owner Harry Wetzel, IV, focusing on the decades of sustainability at AVV. The 1.5-hour tour will look at the environmental, economic, and social elements of sustainability that have been implemented since 1962 at Alexander Valley Vineyards.
Alexander Valley Vineyards, Healdsburg
www.avvwine.com
www.sonomacounty.com/sonoma-events/earth-day-tour-alexander-valley-vineyards

Windsor Earth Day and Wellness Festival
April 14
This earth-friendly and health-friendly event on Windsor Town Green features entertainment for all. Pick up spring produce and food at the Windsor Farmers Market. There will be children's games, activities, and crafts, health and wellness booths, and more!
Windsor Town Green, Windsor
www.townofwindsor.com/339/Earth-Day-on-the-Green
www.sonomacounty.com/sonoma-events/earth-day-and-wellness-festival

Earth Day at Safari West
April 14
Have an Earth Day adventure at Safari West! Once a year, the whole world comes together to celebrate the wildlife and wild places that make the planet wonderful. This Earth Day, Safari West is inviting a bunch of friends to help make the Sonoma Serengeti that much more special. Discover amazing organizations fighting to conserve species the world over! And of course, enjoy a safari adventure all your own.
Safari West Wildlife Preserve, Santa Rosa
www.safariwest.com/calendar/earth-day
www.sonomacounty.com/sonoma-events/earth-day-safari-west

Earth Day Beach Clean Up
April 20
Join Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods and Partners for their annual Earth Day Clean Up of North Jenner Beach and the Lower Russian River in Jenner, which is part of Sonoma Coast State Park. Come join the Steward Ship, partners and communities to clean up the river and beach, by sand and kayak. 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Jenner Visitors Center, Jenner
www.stewardscr.org/events/earth-day-registration
www.sonomacounty.com/sonoma-events/2019-earth-day-beach-clean

Reflectivity - Artists on Climate Change + Four Elements Festival
April 20
Healdsburg Center for the Arts presents the exhibit Reflectivity - Artists on Climate Change, April 20 - June 2. In addition to the opening reception on April 20, Reflectivity will feature the Four Elements Festival, a one day street festival and celebration of Earth Day. The Four Elements Festival will be on Plaza Street from 1-5 p.m. with art activities for kids, Sonoma State's Center for Environmental Inquiry, Symmetry Arts tree stilt walkers, guest speakers, and live music.
Healdsburg Center for the Arts, Healdsburg
healdsburgcenterforthearts.org
www.sonomacounty.com/sonoma-events/reflectivity-artists-climate-change

Earth Day on Stage
April 27
Santa Rosa's 10th Annual Earth Day Festival is a free, family-friendly festival that brings the community together through fun activities, live performing arts, and inspiring exhibits that raise environmental awareness. Don't miss out on this opportunity to celebrate the Earth with great people, local food, beer and wine.
Old Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa
www.srcity.org/2139/Earth-Day-OnStage
www.sonomacounty.com/sonoma-events/santa-rosa-earth-day-festival

Travel Pick — Visiting London? Take a Spy & Espionage or Wartime London Tour

London is known for its war time history and is rich with political heritage of World War II. If you're a history buff and/or a fan of spy/espionage stories (true or fictional, although it's hard to tell the difference, these days) and you're planning a trip to London, check out Evans Evans' collection of new, small group half day tours in which you have the chance to travel back in time to London's wartime era and learn about a side of the city that you never knew before. I quite fancy taking one of these tours & if I do, I'll be sure to share my experience.

Imagine yourself a spy as you learn about London's Cold War espionage or discover the devastating effects of the Second World War as an expert tour guide brings London's wartime story to life.

London's longest-established and largest sightseeing company invites you to explore London's intriguing, hidden gems from the past. With a group of no more than 16 guests, you'll experience a side of London that few know about, such as the dark, secret world of international espionage or the ruins, battlefields and monuments where iconic leaders and soldiers once stood during WWII. Small group sizes make for a more intimate and authentic way to connect with expert tour guides who will give you the inside scoop on historical monuments, landmarks and important wartime 

Spy & Espionage Tour of London: On this behind-the-scenes tour, explore the shadowy world of London with tales of treachery, tragedy and subterfuge. Learn about Britain's top intelligence agencies and the different roles they play in protecting the country. See the home of MI6 that was famously featured in several James Bond movies, the headquarters of MI5 and visit the public sites where spies exchanged top-secret information to the Soviet Union. Visit locations used by Intelligence Services to recruit their agents and be shaken and stirred by the stories of some of Britain's most infamous traitors and double agents. Your tour will finish in style at the St Ermin's Hotel where you see the former headquarter of MI6, and an original coded message written on silk hangers in the lobby. Afterwards, enjoy a vodka martini in the hotel's Caxton Bar where, in the 1950's, Guy Burgess handed over top-secret papers to his Russian handler.(3 hours, from April 1 – Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 – March 31) $95

Wartime London: History enthusiasts will never forget this iconic tour as they discover the devastating effect the Second World War had on the city of London. Expert tour guides bring the story of this devastating chapter in British history to life over 75 years later. Explore the ruins of a church destroyed during the bombing and the bomb damage from the First World War. You'll also see where Sir Winston Churchill delivered his VE Day speech to a jubilant British Crowd, important wartime headquarters such as Churchill's Cabinet War Rooms and Dwight D. Eisenhower's Supreme headquarters and Downing Street, where Neville Chamberlain famously broadcast the British declaration of war on Germany.Pass through Parliament Square en-route to Whitehall, where along the way you'll see the statues dedicated to notable Allied figures including Churchill, Eisenhower, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Sir Arthur “Bomber” Harris, as well as several monuments dedicated the Battle of Britain, Women of WWII and the Cenotaph- the site of Britain's national war memorial. (3 hours, from April 1 – Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 – March 31) $102.25

For more information and reservations, please visit www.evanevanstours.com or call Evan Evans at (866) 382-6868.

Top Pick — An Exciting Night of Shakespeare Shorts at The Phoenix Theater, Petaluma, Saturday April 6th, 2918

The Petaluma Shakespeare Company and Shakesprints are hosting a community event to bring Shakespeare to the people and his universal themes to our youth through a fun scene competition- A Night of Shakespeare Shorts- Scene Competition at the Phoenix Theater on Saturday, April 6th 2019 at 8pm. Join me there! 

In a nutshell jr. high, high school, college students and young adults from all over the Bay Area are set to compete to win $500 for Best Scene of the Evening, $100 for Best Comedic Scene and $100 for Best Dramatic Scene by performing a short scene from one of Shakespeare’s plays.  

They will be adjudicated by a panel of Shakespeare savvy judges from the Bay Area including Sheri Lee Miller from Spreckles, and Beth Kellerman Fouts from Marin Shakespeare.  

MC-ing the evening fresh from England, John Langdon, Petaluma’s Shakespeare expert will enlighten the audience through the Bard’s works with music by local musician Chris Newton and special guest performance by the talented film/stage actor Jeffrey Weissman.

There will be a free slice of birthday cake for everyone who attends in light of Shakespeare’s birthday month and a People’s Choice Award given for Best scene chosen by the audience.  Tickets are $10 Adults/$5 Students and can be purchased at the door and online at www.thephoenixtheater.com or www.brownpapertickets.com 

 

 

Please Join Me and Our Good Friends at Petaluma's Flower Casita in Theatre Square for Evening Conversation and an Exclusive Preview Reading from the Manuscript of My Debut Novel Big Green Country — 6.30 pm Thurs March 28th, 2019

Join me amongst the blooms and greenery at beautiful Flower Casita (formerly known as Second Street Flowers) in Petaluma's Theatre Square for conversation and an exclusive evening preview reading from the first chapter of my debut novel, Big Green Country, an impeccably-researched, fact-to-fiction narrative placing women at the center of the cannabis story.

Former San Francisco career tech worker, Maggie puts aside her own close-to-crippling mid-life problems when she takes to the road in an unexpected journey behind the Redwood Curtain in search of her missing 18-year-old niece, Mia and Jazmin, the teenager's undocumented best friend. The two have been missing in the remote forest land of the Emerald Triangle during the winter months following the teens' first harvest season as cannabis trimmers.

Maggie and her rapidly assembled crew of would-be rescuers leave coastal Sonoma County on what proves a catastrophic road trip along  the storm-bashed Russian River and through the Redwood Curtain in search of the missing trimmigrants.

Be amongst the first to be introduced to the story behind Big Green Country, which is still in manuscript form. Please join us for this informal gathering at 6.30 pm, prompt, on Thursday, March 28th, 2019. 

Flower Casita is located at:

140 2nd Street, Suite 116
Petaluma, CA 94952

Monday - Friday: 10am - 6pm
Saturday: 10am - 6pm
Sunday : Closed

A Series of ExtraordinaryNew Intrepid Women's Expeditions Mark International Women's Day

The world's largest experiential travel company, Intrepid Travel, has introduced four new Women's Expeditions to mark International Women's Day, giving truly intrepid female travelers an opportunity to learn about the everyday lives and challenges facing women around the world.

Women-only tours, led by female guides, provide a unique insight into the lives of women in Kenya, India, Nepal and Turkey. Travelers will meet people from all walks of life and hear their inspiring stories, from Becky, the first female overland truck driver in East Africa, to Syrian refugees forging a new life in Istanbul.

The new trips build on the success of the original Women's Expeditions in the Middle East, launched on International Women's Day 2018. The range has proven one of the most popular in Intrepid's 30-year history, growing from just four departures to 36 in the space of a few months.

Intrepid is committed to diversity and inclusion at all levels of the business and in 2017 set the ambitious goal of doubling its number of female tour leaders globally by 2020. Thanks to the work of Intrepid's local teams in destinations including India, Morocco and Indonesia, the company has increased its number of female leaders by 70% and is on track to meet its target in 2020.

The new trips include:

Kenya: Women's Expedition (10 days)

Journey through Kenya with Becky, the first female overland truck driver in East Africa on this unique expedition. Starting and finishing in Nairobi, you'll visit women-only villages, safari in iconic and lesser known National Parks such as Samburu and Mount Kenya, join a cooking class with local women in Samburu National Reserve and swim in thermal baths in Hell's Gate National Park. Meet Kenya's female wildlife rangers and understand the challenges they face in a male dominated industry. You'll also spend time at Umoja Village, a women's-only Manyatta (settlement) which offers sanctuary for survivors of genital mutilation, rape, and forced marriages, and hear their stories. Finally, you'll visit the au Mau caves and hear how women played a key role in helping the Mau Mau war veteran win the war against colonial rule. From $3,215 USD per person.

Turkey: Women's Expedition (12 days)

Meet the women changing the face of tourism in Turkey and learn about fascinating ancient traditions on this new trip from Intrepid. Beginning in Istanbul, you'll spend an afternoon with some Syrian women and discover how they are trying to put their displaced lives back in order. From there, you'll head out to sea with a female skipper in Üçağız and learn about Intrepid's efforts to improve female participation in Turkey's tourism industry. In beautiful Cappadocia, hike among the fairy chimneys and enjoy a home-cooked meal in a cave with a local family. Enjoy a soak in an Ottoman-style hammam in Istanbul and learn about this ancient woman's ritual before taking a dip in the Mediterranean on a women's only beach in Antalya. Take part in 'altın günü' or Gold Day Eskisehir, a day for women to socialize and gift gold to a friend in need. From $1,720 USD per person.

Nepal: Women's Expedition (13 days)

Join an all-female hiking crew for an unforgettable trek in Pokhara on this inspiring new trip from Intrepid. As very few women have the chance to become mountain guides, Intrepid is working with local suppliers to train and empower women from local communities in this field. Hear first-hand how these women are breaking tradition and becoming breadwinners for their families. You'll also visit Seven Women, an organization empowering marginalized women through education, skills training and income generation - and cook some delicious Nepalese food. From $1,895 USD per person.

India: Women's Expedition (12 days)

Led by one of Intrepid's amazing female guides, travelers will celebrate the female-only Gangur Festival in Rajasthan, with Rangoli making, henna painting, dance show, and traditional dress. Enjoy a home-cooked meal at the home of a local family in Delhi and explore Jaipur with the female rickshaw drivers. Shop for clothes, accessories and crafts in support of the development and empowerment of marginalized women and girls in Rajasthan and visit the center where they produce their creations. Finally, stop by a cafe run solely by female acid attack survivors and hear the heart breaking yet overwhelmingly inspirational stories of perseverance and strength. From $1,215 USD per person.

For more information about the Women's Expeditions, or to book, visit:

https://www.intrepidtravel.com/womens-expeditions.