Southern Sonoma Country Life

Travel Tuesday — Dispatch From the Lincolnshire Fens

Greetings from the heart of the Fenlands, in England's East Anglia. I'm here with my parents, celebrating my Mum's 80th Birthday this week. I was over in March of this year so it hasn't been too long between visits, but whenever my feet touch British soil I'm filled with inspiration for future travels. 

There's not a part of this more remote region of the country that isn't packed with history — and even more thrilling, hidden history waiting to be uncovered. 

Yesterday, my husband, Timo and I took a few hours to ourselves for a Monday visit to beautiful Burghley House in nearby Stamford, Lincolnshire. We walked the Garden of Surprises and the bucolic Sculpture Garden, enjoyed lunch in the elegant yet casual Orangery and toured the house itself in relative solitude given the early weekday timing,

Photos: Frances Rivetti 

Docents at Burghley have been there for years, some into their third decade. There's nothing like an extraordinarily learned and enthusiastic docent to bring history alive. Given that I'm a writer and a history buff I had lots of questions, too! There are a pair of white, kid leather gloves in a case in the bedroom where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert stayed for a couple of nights. When the glass case was opened in recent years after many decades to inspect the gloves for age damage, handwritten notes from the Prince were found tucked inside the gloves. 

"There's always a surprise tucked away within these walls," said the impeccably dressed and articulate room docent. The notes, with regards to their visit, were written to then-hosts Brownlow Cecil, 2nd Marquess of Exeter and his wife Isabella, née Poyntz.

The original William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley  (13 September 1520 – 4 August 1598) was an English statesman and chief adviser of Queen Elizabeth I for most of her life. In fact, I learned that so fond of him as a mentor she was, she spoon fed him soup at his deathbed. He was born and educated in Lincolnshire and Cambridge University and developed vast properties in England, Burghley surprisingly not the largest. 

The Netflix Series The Crown airs season 5 in early November 2022 in the UK & USA. Several scenes including the 1992 fire at Windsor Castle were filmed at Burghley with the use of realistic looking fire and smoke created by an elaborate lighting set up. This new season stars the wonderful Imelda Staunton as the Queen. Elizabeth Debicki takes on the role of an older Diana and Dominic West steps in as Charles. I expect there will be a growing audience as the show approaches a period so many of us remember. 

Centuries prior, Queen Elizabeth I and her entourage were the most costly guests by all accounts. 

Burghley is not part of the National Trust because the family wished all of its treasures to remain within the house and not be distributed amongst any other historic properties. Home of the international Burghley Horse Trials and several seasonal special events, its a terrific spot to add to your list if you're traveling north from London. 

My intrepid journalist/editor sister Kerry has launched a new travel site The British Travel List recently. She's a fountain of knowledge of top spots to visit and stay and writes for multiple international newspapers and magazines. Sign up for her newsletter if you're a fan of British travel or follow on social media. 

My main focus this trip is my folks and I'll be tagging on some extra travel on the end of this visit, which I'll be posting about when I'm back home in Sonoma County. Until then, cheerio. It's tea time again! 

 

 

 

Travel Tuesday — Christmas in England — The Wow House Company Holiday Selection for A Festive Escape with Family & Friends

I've lost count of the times friends have shared their festive fantasy of spending the holidays in the English countryside. Feel-good movies such as The Holiday and Love Actually evoke a sense of seasonal comfort and joy in a loved-up setting straight out of location hunting.  And so when I received a press release email from The Wow House Company in England offering a selection of gorgeous country homes to rent over the holidays, I figured you may enjoy perusing them as much as I have. And if you happen to have a group of 16 willing to chip in for a week, well, then it's not all that outrageous an idea.  Swapping homes with a pal from the UK might be a more affordable option, as in The Holiday, a movie which friends have confessed to having watched multiple times over the years, but if you don't have a house trade deal in the works, there are lots of ways to enjoy the hols in the UK to fit a range of budgets. Classic hotel stays go all out at Christmas. Serviced apartments are a better-priced option in London if you'd like a kitchenette to start or finish your day after taking in the sights, theaters and stores and if you don't require the frills and fancy of a hotel. But there's truly nothing like a beautiful fire place, plush beds, bucolic views and a comfy couch in a country house to come home to after exploring historic towns and villages and a pint or two at the local pub! Cartmel House, Lake District, sleeps 20 Set in the village of Cark at the southern end of the Lake District, close to Lake Windermere, this beautifully restored Grade II listed Georgian property has all ingredients for a perfect festive getaway. Whether celebrating with a pint in the bar, sampling a glass of something special from the stunning 1,000 bottle wine cellar, organising a tasting in the specially built tasting room, or relaxing in the snug featuring a pin ball machine, jukebox and refurbished 1960’s Coca-Cola Machine, there are plenty of spaces to have some festive fun. There’s also an elegant drawing room with great grandfather clock, a cosy dining room with open fireplace, an orangery, a cinema room and two kitchens – one commercial and one domestic. The property can sleep 20 guests in 10 en-suite bedrooms, all named after famous hotels around the world: the Sandy Lane Suite has its own entrance while Claridge’s has private stairway access. There’s also the Annex, a self-contained apartment, perfect for those who like their own space. Or head to Caesar’s Palace, a dedicated card room. Outside there are six acres of grounds and woodlands plus an Outhouse where guests can make their own coffee or, upon request, a barista will serve up coffee each morning. Price: Available for six nights’ self-catering over Christmas from £22,800, or five nights’ self-catering over New Year from £20,400. Wisteria Manor, Cotswolds, sleeps 16 For a real wow factor Christmas, book this stunning Grade II listed house dating back to the 13th Century in the pretty Cotswold village of Ebrington, just outside Chipping Campden. The property sleeps up to 16 guests in eight en-suite bedrooms and oozes character.  Expect large open fireplaces, beamed ceilings, wood panelling, window seats, a card table and a cinema room with bar. The real showpiece is the property’s grounds with 20 acres of beautiful gardens to discover, offering never-ending views across the Cotswolds, towards Broadway Tower. The parkland is full of ancient apple, pear, plum and walnut orchards, plus there is a walled rose garden and spring-fed lake for those brave enough for a festive dip (a paddle board and rowing boat are also available), as well as a large firepit for outdoor festivities and a lawn with football nets. Two well-behaved dogs are welcome too. Price: Available for a week’s self-catering over Christmas from £20,160. Cromwell House, Sussex, sleeps 12 Oliver Cromwell famously tried to clamp down on Christmas, so guests staying at his former Hunting Lodge, a beautifully restored Grade II listed building located in West Sussex, might be tempted to celebrate the festive season with extra vigour. The property sleeps 10-12 guests in six bedrooms – four in the main house and two in a separate annex. Wow factors here include open fireplaces, a games room featuring a Playstation with virtual reality headset and plenty of traditional board games, and a stand-out kitchen for whipping up Christmas dinner. Outside there’s two acres to explore, with a large terrace with seating, heating and a sunken fishpond, plus a croquet lawn, trampoline, hot tub and a sauna/steam room. Located in the village of Lickfold, which sits in the middle of the golden triangle of the historic country villages of Lodsworth and Lurgashall, the beautiful South Downs National Park is on the doorstep with a variety of walking trails to blow away the cobwebs. It’s also just over an hour away from London. Dogs are welcome too. Price: Available for a week’s self-catering over Christmas from £9,950, or a week’s self-catering over New Year from £9,450. River View House, Devon, sleeps 8-10 For a Christmas beside the water, opt for this gorgeous, recently refurbished and renovated property with stunning views across the Avon estuary and the South Hams countryside in the village of Bantham. Sleeping between 8-10 guests, the house features a cinema room with bar – perfect for settling down to watch the Christmas movies, and landscaped gardens with a path providing private access to the river estuary. It’s also just a short walk from Bantham Beach, within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Wood burning stoves, underfloor heating, comfy sofas galore, and copious sliding doors and windows that drink in the views, complete the picture of this snug hideaway.  Price: Available for a week’s self-catering over Christmas from £9,495.   Riviera House, Devon, sleeps 10 Located at the heart of the traditional seaside town of Torquay in Devon, this beautifully restored Victorian manor house is just a short walk away from the harbour and seafront. Five spacious bedrooms, all with en-suites, cater for ten guests, plus there is an array of facilities to keep all ages entertained this festive season. Head to the gym with its treadmill, cross trainer and selection of free weights to work off the festive excesses; take on the family with a pool tournament in the games room; or make merry music in the drawing room which features a piano and guitar. Outside, there’s three acres of grounds set within a walled garden, perfect for the kids to run wild.  There is also an outdoor kitchen/dining area boasting a bbq, pizza oven and outdoor heaters. Dogs are welcome too. Price: Available for a week’s self-catering over Christmas from £6,750, or 5 nights’ from £5,535.   Vista House, Cornwall, sleeps 8-14 Another waterside stunner, Vista House is a modern home located in the fishing village of St. Mawes. The beach house can accommodate up to eight adults and six children in four en-suite bedrooms, with a family bedroom sleeping up to five guests, perfect for a kids’ sleepover or for a family wanting their own space. The master bedroom can also double as a family suite.  This family-friendly bolthole boasts luxurious interiors, a generous glass-frontage, a games room with pool table and table tennis and beautiful gardens for relaxing (or trampolining) and taking in the sea views. When not celebrating festivities in the cosy retreat, there are plenty of beach walks to choose from and St. Mawes Castle is just a few minutes’ walk away. Price: Available for a week’s self-catering over Christmas or New Year from £5,950.

For more information on The Wow House Company visit thewowhousecompany.co.uk,

A Tour of The Mysterious Thunderbird Lodge — Old Tahoe's National Register of Historic Places

Photos: Frances Rivetti 

In the decades that I have visited Lake Tahoe once or twice a year, I had yet to discover the allure of the east shore's mysterious Thunderbird Lodge. It's always a thrill to find something new to explore on even the shortest of mini-breaks and so thanks to enthusiastic Frannie behind the counter in the Incline Village Visitors Center, I returned from a wedding on the North Shore in June with a glossy brochure touting Thunderbird's elegant gardens, underground tunnel, lagoons, waterfalls, fountains, the history and architecture of a gilded age burning a hole in my pocket.

Fortunately, my three intrepid Tahoe trekker Glamper girlfriends had never visited Thunderbird either and so we hatched a plan to add a tour to our busy late-August hiking/swimming trip itinerary.   

There are a few different options for taking a docent-guided tour — by land (shuttle bus transportation from Incline Village), wine and cheese tours, a cruise with breakfast and picnic lunch aboard an historic wooden boat from South Shore, by kayak on a paddle tour from Sand Harbor State Park or a private group, family or school activity tour. Reservations are required for all tours (see link at the end of the article). 

We opted for the shuttle bus land tour without any added extras as, coming from Sonoma County, we had plenty of great wine and cheese of our own back at the cabin. 

The mystery and ornate legacy of the lodge was evident the moment our shuttle bus driver pulled in through decorative electric, wrought-iron gates. Born to super wealthy San Franciscans of German Irish stock in 1881, George Whittell Jr., took his privacy on the east shores of pristine Lake Tahoe extremely seriously. He had an elaborate security system built into the extensive stonework that leads down to his lodge. 

George, otherwise known as The Captain, was a world traveler, handsome and eccentric and not in the least interested in ivy league schooling or society living in the city. By 1936, he was, however, not opposed to the idea of a lavish summer estate on the water's edge at Tahoe. This development in his unscripted life came after he had run away and joined the circus. He had toured with Barnum and Bailey in his younger years, self-funding, or most likely family-funding trips to Africa to catch wild animals for the ring. He was fanatical about his animals and built an elaborate stone building at Thunderbird for his elephant, Mingo. Bill, his beloved African lion sat beside him in his Murphy convertible roadster as he drove around the lake. 

He'd met his third wife, Elia Pascal as an ambulance driver and army captain in France during World War I. Elia didn't spend all that much time at Thunderbird, she considered it a little too rustic for her tastes, preferring the couple's year-round residence, theater, pool and small private zoo in Woodside, CA and her chateau in France. It surely helped in the running of these Gatsby-esque abodes that the Captain had cleverly extracted some $50 million in stocks and bonds before the 1929 Great Crash of Wall Street and relocated to Nevada which he used as a tax haven.

With massive cash in his pocket, George bought up most of the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe and tapped famous Reno architect Frederick DeLongchamps as his designer for Thunderbird Lodge. Though he had in mind originally to develop 40,000 acres into a ski resort, casino and neighboring summer properties he grew increasingly reclusive in his private lakeside life and opted to focus his all on his own spot, far from the increasingly popular lake resorts. We have the Captain to thank for the wild beauty of the east shore, though it sounds like it wasn't entirely an unselfish decision to stop anyone else from getting their hands on the land.

The Thunderbird yacht, a custom-built 1950s mahogany speedboat became his most treasured possession. And to house it away from the prying eyes of the lake-going public, he housed it in a 100-foot long boat house, connected to the lodge by a 600-foot long tunnel.

Welsh miner immigrants blasted this winding underground tunnel out of solid granite with dynamite. It took some time to build as you can imagine and, as we discovered on our tour, it veers off into rooms from the servants quarters and kitchen downstairs to a creepy, unfinished swimming pool, an austere little stone dungeon and probable safe room/opium den. 

A card house drew fellow recluse Howard Hughes and other Hollywood friends, though the Captain had a secret escape route back into the lodge should all the socializing of all-night poker games become too much — or, if he didn't like the company.

Our docent showed us a porch light on the lodge that indicated to incoming boat parties of scantily clad showgirls and cohorts if George's wife Elia happened to be at home. The couple did not have any children and as far as it is known, there were no other claims to his paternity. One historian called him a “king-sized playboy,” and despite his reclusive nature he made plenty of time for “fast things, including cars, airplanes and women.”

Exotic pets were constant company when there was nobody else around. Although there are plentiful animal hides and taxidermy within the lodge's decor today, it's not clear whether George would have had any large hunting trophies on display given his love of wildlife. 

Downstairs the kitchen and staff rooms were considerably more modest and must have been freezing cold come fall, making the lodge unappealing for a winter stay.

He left most of his estate to various wildlife organizations. After George Whittell, Jr. died on April 18, 1969, aged 87 his beloved lodge was bought by a man named Jack Dreyfus of Dreyfus Investments. Until then, no land holdings had been sold. However, after immediately selling much of the land to the Nevada State Parks and the Forest Service, Dreyfus set about modifying the lodge to his own taste and needs, adding an entertainment room to the original light house as well as a two-story wing on the original garage decking, connected by an enclosed glass bridge. 

Dreyfus and his wife painted the beautiful wood of the original lodge interior white to suit the era. It has since been returned to its original, natural beauty. 

In 1998, the estate and 140 acres were bought by a corporation named Del Webb for $56 million. Del Webb swiftly exchanged the land but not the lodge in a deal with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for 4,000 acres of Clark County near Las Vegas. 

The Forest Service wasn't interested in managing the lodge and the non-profit Thunderbird Preservation Society was created in partnership with the University of Nevada, Reno. 

The estate was gifted to the National Register of Historic Places in the year 2000. It has become the de facto repository for the region's art, films, photography, furnishings, records, maps, lake artifacts, family heirlooms and hotel and casino and recreation memorabilia. 

By 2003 the university no longer wished to be a part of its preservation and disassociated itself from the non-profit society. 

In 2009, with gifts from Pulte Homes, which took over Del Webb, the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation and a bunch of fundraising campaigns, the Preservation Society settled debts and has kept the lodge afloat with tours, weddings and special events ever since. More than 10,000 visitors tour the intersection of Native American, westward expansion, Anglo settlement, lumbering, mining, railroading, maritime transit, conservation, recreation and environmental activism each year. 

George Whittell's legacy is one of conservation, no matter his range of motives. His ownership and stewardship provides us with an east shore landscape that has been virtually untouched by development today. It's pretty amazing. 

Click here to select a tour that works for you. 

If you've $5,000 or more to spare, the yacht itself is available to rent for an hour-long special event. With the cost of fuel these days, it's likely even pricier today to take this vintage vessel out on the lake for a spin. 

Join Me at a Poetry Reading in the Galleries of Agri-Cultured - Reflections on Our Local Food Community by Land and by Hand — Food & Memory Petaluma Arts Center Thurs Aug 18 6pm to 7.30

 

Join me and fellow poetry readers as guest poet Sandra Anfang and the winners of Petaluma Arts Center's poetry competition, juried by new Sonoma County Poet Laureate Elizabeth Herron, read our work in the galleries against the backdrop of the Agri-CULTURED exhibition.   CLICK HERE FOR FULL LIST OF EVENTS

1st Place: "Mochi Tsuki" by Jodi L. Hottel 2nd Place: "The Dante Box" by Helen Heal 3rd Place: "Ode to BLT" by Steve Trenam Honorable Mention: "Cafeteria Cuisine" by S. Simon Corwin Honorable Mention: "Fog Valley — the Tastiest Little Place on Earth" by Frances Rivetti

Poetry Reading - Food & Memory Petaluma Arts Center 230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma  Thursday, August 18, 2022 6:00 PM 7:30 PM $12 members, $15 non-members

TICKETS

New Daily Non Sop Flight Service Between Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) and the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport (STS).

Good news for Sonoma County/Reno/Tahoe travelers — aha! Airlines (an acronym for “air-hotel-adventure”), a leisure carrier operated by ExpressJet, launches daily nonstop service beginning July 14 between its hub at Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) and the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport (STS). aha! Airlines will provide service to STS using the Embraer ERJ145 regional jet aircraft which comfortably holds 50 passengers.

How many times have you juggled travel plans with friends and family so as not to drive up to the mountains in too many vehicles? It makes a lot of sense to hop on a plane in Santa Rosa and meet the crew up at the Lake if travel dates are not completely in line. 

aha! Airlines also features a program that allows passengers to check wine at no extra cost. Guests flying to RNO from what the airline describes as “amazing wine destinations” in California (think Sonoma County) may participate. Passengers aged 21 and older are allowed to check one case of wine weighing up to 50 pounds. Wine bottles must be unopened and packaged in a shipper box with protective padding, inserts and labels. The program runs through Nov. 30.

Asombrosa Farm to Table Dinner With Table Culture Provisions Seasonal Dishes Paired with Barber Cellars Wines — August 27th 2022

If you haven't already checked out all of the new additions to West Petaluma's rural I street ranch lands on recent drives out to San Antonio Road, then you've yet to discover the energy of estate, studio, barn, sunflower field, labyrinth and oak summit Asombrosa  — the exclusive produce provider for Table Culture Provisions restaurant in downtown Petaluma.

At Asombrosa's private garden, it’s all about top-notch crops and impeccable farming practices—and not usually about tours and tastings.

But at this special seasonal dinner, farm tables will be arranged in the barn or among garden beds for alfresco dining as evening falls, with Petaluma's rolling hills in the distance. Custom menus from TCP's renowned chefs include mouthwatering dishes paired with Barber Cellars Wines. Prior to the meal, guests meander through garden beds with a resident farmer, Bryce.

General admission is $175 for one person, $300 for a couple. 

• Saturday August 27th 2022
• 5:00pm-8:00pm
• Purchase tickets HERE 

San Francisco Presidio Tunnel Tops Opening This July

The Partnership for the Presidio has announced its opening season programs at San Francisco's most anticipated new national park destination – Presidio Tunnel Tops.

The slate was co-curated with the community to include experiences that reflect our region's cultural vibrancy and invite communities from around the Bay Area to visit the Presidio. The events, art, and food experiences will complement Presidio Tunnel Tops' spectacular views, picnic sites, and play spaces, which will be unveiled on opening day, Sunday, July 17, 2022.

New experiences were co-curated by the Presidio Activator Council, comprised of Bay Area leaders, activists, and artists representing communities historically underrepresented in national parks.

The council was formed in 2021 by the Presidio Trust, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and the National Park Service (NPS). The intent was to use the same community-driven approach used to design Presidio Tunnel Tops to create experiences that welcome all. Feedback was provided through a new Community Experts program, from leaders with deep connections to neighborhoods across the city to offer feedback on how Presidio Tunnel Tops and the broader Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) can be relevant and responsive to community needs. 

“There was a lot of intentionality in having Activators at Presidio Tunnel Tops,” said Kaushik Roy, Presidio Activator and Executive Director of the Shanti Project. “There's a difference between saying everyone is welcome and making those people feel welcome. What we can do is create programming that keeps those communities in mind and makes people feel like they're truly wanted and they're not an after-thought.”

For Presidio Activator and Community Experts bios, visit www.PresidioTunnelTops.org.

Opening Day Events – Sunday, July 17, 10 am to 6 pm

To complement self-guided exploration of this fantastic new park site, opening day activities include a new art installation, some of the best Bay Area talent, Presidio Pop Up mobile food trucks and carts, and NPS Ranger talks at the Campfire Circle. Performances, curated by the Presidio Activator Council, Presidio Community Experts, Hip Hop for Change, and World Arts West, include:

• Community Stage Hostess and Emcee, Grammy-award nominee RyanNicole
• Afro-Latin dance by The CaliDance
• Cuban and salsa music by Rumbache
• Beats by DJ Unlearn the World and DJ Saurus
• Drum and dance processions by Fogo Na Roupa
• Bi-lingual poetry readings by Forced2Fly
• B-Boy Dance by Oakland Originalz
• NPS Park Ranger Campfire Talk

Art in the Park

Building on the long tradition of art in the park, Presidio Tunnel Tops will welcome new audiences through a series of temporary exhibitions. These begin with Ancestral Futurism: Looking Back to Repair the Future, an outdoor art installation by Favianna Rodriguez, social justice activist, and Presidio Activator. The installation honors the diversity and interconnectedness of all humans, land, flora, and fauna that have lived in this ecosystem for centuries. The imagery will uplift the stories, experiences, and images of BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color) communities with an emphasis on the Ohlone Ramaytush, the original stewards of the land. Abstract symbols will reflect plants and creatures that were once abundant in the region, and themes of justice, freedom, and belonging will weave throughout. Visitors can discover the art outdoors on the pathways near the Presidio Visitor Center and the Outpost nature play area, with breadcrumb stickers on the walkways leading to them. A third installation by the artist will include a banner at the Presidio Plaza welcoming visitors to the ancestral homeland of the Ramaytush Ohlone.

Food at Presidio Tunnel Tops

Presidio Pop Up will feature daily mobile food trucks and carts serving up delicious food that celebrates the diverse cultures and cuisines of the Bay Area, seven days a week from 9 am to 6 pm. Details about the opening season vendors will be announced shortly. Il Parco Pizzeria and Café will open inside Presidio Transit Center in late 2022, providing grab-and-go sandwiches and salads, wood-fired pizza, wine, beer, and Italian-inspired cocktails. For a full list of restaurants elsewhere in the Presidio, visit: https://www.presidio.gov/food/restaurants.

Picnic areas at Presidio Tunnel Tops abound, including the new Picnic Place with tables and grills reservable via recreation.gov. The tables range in length from 16 to 23 feet, are wheelchair accessible, and are shaded by Torrey pines. Booking begins Tuesday, July 19 for reservations beginning August 1. Reservations are available 30 days in advance. There are many first-come-first-served picnic areas at Presidio Tunnel Tops, including tables by the Presidio Transit Center, one-sided tables featuring views of the Bay, and countless benches and grassy lawns.

Future Events

The family-friendly fun continues with a regular series called First Sunday Afternoons (1 pm – 4 pm) on August 7, September 4, October 2, and November 6, and community festivals co-curated by the Presidio Activator Council and Community Experts, Hip Hop for Change, World Arts West, and Korean Center, Inc. These include Hip Hop for Change's 6th Annual Environmental Justice Summit, adding color to the green movement, on August 20. “Being outside in fresh air, nature, getting connected to the earth is so important for people,” said Hip Hop for Change's leader and Presidio Activator Khafre Jay. “The day when people of color can feel comfortable in every park in the city, that's a day when we'll be better off as a society.” See event details in the calendar below.

Getting to the Park

There are even more ways to get to the Presidio, car-free. The SFMTA has announced that the Muni 43-Masonic bus line will return to the Transit Center beginning July 9. The 30-Stockton stops along Mason Street and at Sports Basement, adjacent to the Tunnel Tops Outpost, and connects the Presidio to Chinatown and Union Square. The Presidio's Main Post or East Beach parking lots offers ample paid parking. And the free shuttle service Presidio Go enjoys a new name and increased hours of service on the Downtown route from the Transbay Terminal and the Embarcadero BART, as of June 6. Visitors can take advantage of a new rideshare drop-off zone and the new Bay Wheels bike share stations as well. For details on transportation please visit www.presidio.gov/transportation.

 

“After I’m Dead, You’ll Have to Feed Everyone” — The Rollicking Tale of Ellen Strauss, West Marin's Environmental Pioneer

“After I’m Dead, You’ll Have to Feed Everyone,” is a daughter’s comical love letter to her immigrant mother, Ellen Straus, a European city kid who found love on a California dairy farm and emerged as one of West Marin’s iconic environmental pioneers.

“On her deathbed, I promised Mom I’d write my next show about her,” said Vivien. “It took me 20 years but I finally did it!”

In her portrayal of her mother and best friend, Vivien combines insightful glimpses into Ellen’s formative life events - fleeing from the Holocaust, witnessing racial injustice, and death-bed conversations about chicken salad - along with Vivien’s own whimsical cow-inspired wisdom and poetry. In a 75-minute mad-cap tribute, Straus portrays 11 characters (10 humans and 1 cow).

Ellen, whose family escaped Nazi Europe just in time, soon fell in love with a German Jewish dairy farmer in West Marin. When their stunningly beautiful, agriculturally-rich region was threatened with sprawl development, Ellen dug in her heels (err, muck boots), and fought to protect it, soon emerging as one of the region’s most vocal environmental advocates. Of her many accomplishments, she is perhaps best known as the co-founder of the Marin Agricultural Land Trust, the nation’s pioneering agricultural conservation organization. Per the New York Times obituary, when honored as Steward of the Land by the American Farmland Trust, Ellen said World War II had taught her a lifelong lesson about standing for one's beliefs: ''That we, as individuals, are responsible for what is happening in our communities, and that we must become activists.’'

Vivien, a career actress who spent decades pursuing stardom in NYC and LA, is a writer, performer, manager of Straus Home Ranch (her family’s homestead), and currently serves as a board member of the Marin Agricultural Land Trust.

“Beyond her public persona, Mom was basically a goof. Boy, she made me laugh.”

Vivien’s performance is sure to produce equal amounts of laughter and tears, in her long-awaited tribute to her best friend.

 

THE CAST (in order of appearance)

Tessie the Cow - There has to be a cow, of course! (Vivien)

Vivien - Pretending to be herself. (Vivien)
Mom – A Dairy Godmother to all. (Vivien)
Therapist – She’s just had her hair done. (Vivien)

Oncologist – He knows about steroids. (Vivien)

Opa – An honest hero. (Vivien)
Oma - Well, we’ll let her speak for herself. (Vivien)

Dad - A much smaller role than the last show. (Vivien)

Neighbor - The one that spoke for all. (Vivien)

Marica - pronounced “Maritha” (Vivien)
Hospice Nurse - Came without the drugs. (Vivien)
Rabbi - It had to be a man. Dad insisted. (Vivien)
Cemetery Manager - Need one of these, don’t we? (Vivien)

 

ABOUT VIVIEN:

Vivien, a writer, performer, and cow whisperer, grew up on her family's dairy in Marshall, but fled for the bright lights of civilization, where she dined with mobsters, helped a con man slip out of prison, and hitched a ride with a murderer. She wrote and performed in the sold-out critical hit E-i-E-i-OY! In Bed with the Farmer’s Daughter. She won a MOTH StorySlam telling the embarrassing story, “Peeing in Nepal.” She’s been in numerous films with small parts (though, as the saying goes, “There are no small parts, only small actors”) including Peggy Sue Got Married, Thirteen Days, Heaven and Earth and One Good Cop. Her television credits include recurring roles in Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, Capital News and Freddy's Nightmares (where she died ... twice). Plus, she's performed in the NYC sketch comedy group BOB, acted in more than 30 plays. She currently manages Straus Home Ranch and created the California Cheese Trail. And long ago, used to run Sales & Marketing for Straus Family Creamery.

 

ABOUT THE VENUE:

The recently restored 160+-year old historic barn at Straus Home Ranch is where Bill Straus milked his first cows, where Ellen grew shiitake mushrooms and where Ellen & Bill celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary back in 2000. In addition to the show itself, audience goers will enjoy the ranch with its spectacular setting amongst towering cypress and eucalyptus and views of Tomales Bay, have a bite and a drink after the show - including samples of Ellen Straus’ famous lemon cheesecake, a secret recipe that she passed on only to her daughters (and which Vivien intends to bake before each performance). “When I’m Dead” will be the first theatrical performance in the barn since 1971, when Ellen directed a 4-H skit called The Scooby Dooby Washtub Band. Ellen would sit way in the back, wiggle her right ear and call out in her strong Dutch accent, “I can’t heeeaaaar you!”

TICKETS:

• ●  WHAT:“After I’m Dead, You’ll Have to Feed Everyone”- World Premiere engagement of a new comedy.

• ●  WHO: Written and performed by Vivien Straus. Directed by Elly Lichenstein. Produced by Michael Straus and Denise Rocco-Zilber

• ●  WHERE: Straus Home Ranch, 22888 Highway1, Marshall, CA (www.StrausHomeRanch.com) 

• ●  WHEN: October21, 2022 - November13, 2022. Only 12 performances.

   

  Fridays 7:30pm. Food Truck dinner option from 6pm.

  Saturdays & Sundays at 2:00pm. BYO picnic on-the-ranch option from 12 noon.

   

• ●  DURATION: Show runs approx. 75 minutes, no intermission.

• ●  ADMISSION: $45 (also, limited pay-what-you-can tickets)

• ●  SNACKS & DRINKS: Available by donation.

• ●  AUDIENCE:21+

• ●  SPECIALS OPTIONS:

   

  OVERNIGHT SPECIAL: Enjoy the show and sleep at our historic ranch. For a group of up to 8 (4 couples). Check-in Friday 4pm, Check-out Saturday noon. $1,900. House details at: www.StrausHomeRanch.com/farmstays

   

  GROUP DISCOUNTS, SPECIAL PERFORMANCES: Inquire.

   

• ●  TICKETS: www.VivienStraus.com

Penngrove Author Suzanne Maggio Recounts her Most Recent Pilgrim Walk on Spain's Lesser Trodden Camino Primitivo — Hear Her Read From Her Award Winning Memoir from Her First Walk; Estrellas — 5.30pm VIBE Gallery, Petaluma, Thurs June 30 2022

Penngrove-based social worker, teacher, podcaster, award-winning author and dear friend, Suzanne Maggio is newly returned from her second intrepid Camino walk in Spain. She's an absolute trooper, walking solo (though building her Camino Family along the way), carrying her own pack and opting for the authentic dorm-like sleeping arrangements.  

Suzanne is in her 60s and there's no stopping her. She's all kinds of inspiring. Her feet have had a little rest and she's reading and speaking at Petaluma's VIBE Gallery in the heart of town, this Thursday, June 30th, 2022 from 5.30 to 7. 

If you've walked the Camino or other long trail, would like to one day, or simply think you'd enjoy the armchair travel via Suzanne's experience, come on down to VIBE Gallery at 1 Petaluma Boulevard North (where the old camera shop used to be). 

When I asked Suzanne to write a brief paragraph to share with my Southern Sonoma Country Life Readers, to give you an idea of what she's been up to this past month, she quickly penned this for us:

"I checked into the Hospedería Oviedo, the albergue I’d booked back in April when I first made the decision to walk the Camino Primitivo. “Suzanne?” the hospitelera said when I walked in. She smiled warmly as I handed her my passport and she stamped my pilgrim passport, my credencial, for the first time.  I wondered how it was that she knew my name.

She showed me to a room right off the main entryway, a small rectangular room filled with 4 bunk beds, eight bunks in all. She pointed me to an unassigned lower bunk and I breathed a sigh of relief. I’d learned on my first Camino that I’m not a top bunk kind of gal. The room was empty of pilgrims but evidence of my bunkmates was everywhere. The bunks were full of Camino gear, bedsheets and power cords. Backpacks lined the floor.

I spent the afternoon wandering through the beautiful cathedral and sampling empanadas from the street fair that filled the main square. I sat down at a café table and nursed a glass of vino blanco. I was anxious. Nervous even. Tomorrow I would begin walking.

When I returned to my room at the albergue my bunkmates were all in bed. In the hours since I’d checked in the room had filled and I understood why the hospitalero had known my name when I first walked in. I was the only woman in the room.

And so began my second Camino, the 320 Kilometer Camino Primitivo through the mountains of Asturias and Galicia to the town of Santiago de Compostella."

Come join Suzanne this Thursday, June 30, 2022 @ 5:30 p.m. at Vibe Gallery, Petaluma to hear more about this fresh, new journey as well as her first one, The Camino Frances, the 800 Kilometer walk that inspired her memoir Estrellas, Moments of Illumination Along El Camino de Santiago.

 

A Visit to Di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art — A Quirky, World Class Collection in a Secluded Carneros Oasis

Glass Bottle House by Mildred Howard

If you, like me, have driven by the metal sheep that dotted the hill at the entrance to the former di Rosa Preserve: Art and Nature, now known as the di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, en-route between Sonoma and Napa, countless times and never made a visit, I highly recommend you put this quirky, secluded, world-class collection of an art-park on top of your summer to-do list.  

Lots of folk, locals such as myself, assumed the Carneros estate an exclusive winery (it was, back in the 1800s prior to the phylloxera epidemic which wiped out much of the region's earliest vineyards and for a while, later) — hence the name change to a more obvious art center vibe a couple of years prior to the more recent (human) pandemic. 

Rene di Rosa purchased these 217 acres back in 1960. He and his late wife, artist Veronica di Rosa used the profits from selling adjacent vineyard land to build their dream art-park in 1997.

They left their rambling paradise with an extensive art collection in two galleries, a sculpture meadow, olive grove and serene, 35-acre lake to the public via the Napa County Land Trust. 

The metal sheep, created by Veronica, have been relocated to a more bucolic spot at the back of the property, while the large, Mark di Suvero metallic orange sculpture, titled: "For Veronica" now graces the entrance to the art-park. 

I was invited to join a group of art-loving friends for a first time tour. Only one in our group of six had visited before and that was many years ago when she was taking an art class at College of Marin. We were all blown away by the collection of contemporary younger and regional artists that the di Rosa's had collected over the years.

A docent told us that Rene was a bargain hunter and scoured Northern California colleges for works by students and teachers. He certainly had an eye for the essence of this unique part of the world. 

He collected more than 1600 objects over five decades, from the 1960s until his death in 2010. And he considered it a kind of  "incorrect museum" — a potent concept in contrast to the aesthetic and social conventions of mainstream museums and galleries. 

Rene was unpretentious and anti-conservative in his approach to his collection, informed by the Bay-Area's unique artistic milieu, focusing on regional artists he deemed as too often over looked by critics and historians for imbuing a sense of "rascality". He held faith with the ideal that the Bay Area art scene reflects the regions radical social and political climate in the postwar years, a notable development that played a consequential role in the development of modern American art.

Click here to read more about the di Rosas. 

Sonoma County's David Best's "Rhinocar" — a 1976 Oldsmobile covered in found objects is one of the museum's most popular items in its eclectic collection. I was happy to hear after posting images on Instagram that Sonoma County contemporary artists Michael Garlington and Natalia Bertotti have been commissioned for a sculpture for di Rosa. I'm going to visit their studio later this summer and look forward to sharing more of their extraordinary work here on Southern Sonoma Country Life. 

Smoke damage from the 2017 wildfires impacted the late di Rosa's private residence and much of the collection, which underwent substantial conservation cleaning. The entire living room art was moved from the residence into Gallery 2.  

Considering all that has happened since the 2017 rename, the energy and excitement in reopening, even if on limited days/hours, is palpable and we visited on one of the 25th anniversary fundraiser days, which was lively and yet not overcrowded. There are lots of volunteers who are more than happy to chat about the collection and impart intriguing background info.

I think my favorite piece is the Angel-Go-Round by David Ireland though I was enthralled by the whole experience.

Admission is free to those under 17 years old, educators with school IDs and di Rosa members. General admission is $20 or $17 for seniors, military and students.

The museum and its courtyard is available to bilingual school tours and to rent for weddings — large, micro or elopements and private events.

The di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art is located at 5200 Sonoma Highway, Napa. For more information call 707-226-5991 or visit dirosaart.com.