Southern Sonoma Country Life

Tickets for 13th Annual California Artisan Cheese Fabulous Range of Festival Farm & Producer Tours and Seminars & Events (March 23 to 24, 2019) Now Available for Purchase

California’s premier cheese event, the California Artisan Cheese Festival, to be held March 23-24, 2019, at various locations in Northern California, brings together cheese enthusiasts for a weekend filled with cheese tastings, pairings, tours, seminars, a culinary competition, and cocktail and wine tastings. While the festival’s larger events like Cheese, Bites, & Booze! (where guests can nosh on tasty bites created by cheesemakers, chefs and cheesemongers’ and sip on regional artisan wines, ciders and spirits) and The Marketplace (where attendees are invited to taste, discover and purchase specialty items from over 100 artisan producers) are sure to appeal, it's the smaller events like the festival's Farm & Producer Tours and Seminars that provide festival goers intimate, immersive experiences with some of the most reputable and knowledgeable experts in the industry. 

The Festival’s 2019 Seminar Schedule is as follows:  

 Seminar 1: Red or White? Best Wines for the Cheeses You Love

Instructor: Janet Fletcher, author and educator

9:30 – 11 a.m.

$75 per person

Join the debate as to whether red or white wine is a better match for cheese with Planet Cheese publisher and educator extraordinaire, Janet Fletcher. Attendees will sample five cheeses alongside both a red and white wine while Janet shares some sensory research into wine and cheese pairings. 

Seminar 2: California Cheese: Old School to New School 

Instructor: Juliana Uruburu, cheese expert, Market Hall Foods

9:30 – 11 a.m.

$75 per person

California has a rich and dynamic history of cheesemaking. Juliana Uruburu leads guests on a tasting journey illuminating the connections between the Golden State’s storied old school and new school cheesemakers.

Seminar 3: Cheese, Beer & Cider

Instructor: Rachel Perez, American Cheese Society (ACS) Certified Cheese Professional®

1:30 – 3 p.m.

$75 per person

Unique beers and ciders are the pairing of choice for many cheesemongers as an alternative to wine. Rachel Perez guides attendees on a tasting journey demystifying the characteristics that make beer and cider so cheese-friendly. Guests will leave this session with a solid foundation of pairing principles and several foolproof beer, cider, and cheese pairings to try at home.

Seminar 4: A Taste of Cheese Science with The Cheese Twins

Instructors: Charlie & Michael Kalish, The Cheese Twins

1:30 – 3 p.m.

$75 per person

Having made cheese on more than a dozen dairy farms across Europe with some of the finest affineurs (professional cheese agers), Cheese Twins Charlie and Michael Kalish bring their savoir-faire home to California. This comparative tasting gives guests a crash course in the science behind cheesemaking and highlight how seemingly subtle shifts in pH, moisture, and aging result in staggeringly different cheeses. 

Seminar 5: Cheese & Cocktails: The Basics of Bitters, Booze & Cheese

Instructors: Vanessa Chang, American Cheese Society (ACS) Certified Cheese Professional® and Lassa Skinner, co-founder of Culture magazine

1:30 – 3 p.m.

$85 per person

Cheese mavens Vanessa Chang and Lassa Skinner demonstrate how a well-made cocktail can shake up preconceived notions of what goes with cheese. This dynamic duo will distill the basics of the various spirits, demystify the universe of bitters, and help identify cheeses to round out cocktails like Manhattans, Mai Tais. 

 

The Festival’s 2019 Farm & Producer Tours are as follows: 

Tour A: Point Reyes Farmstead & The Fork

9:15 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

$150 per person

Attendees of this tour will spend a day at Giacomini Dairy to discover what makes Point Reyes so special. Visitors start their day with a tour of the farm, meet the cows and learn about the farm’s history. Following the tour, guests head to The Fork, Point Reyes Farmstead’s education and culinary center for a focused cheese tasting and end the day with a three-course lunch and cooking demo with Chef Matthew Accarrino of San Francisco’s Michelin-starred restaurant, SPQR.

Tour B: Pennyroyal Farm Tour

10:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.

$120 per person

Start your day with a guided walking tour at Pennyroyal creamery and vineyard to learn more about the integrative farming methods behind Pennyroyal’s handcrafted cheese and wine. Following the tour, enjoy a seasonal multi-course lunch prepared from the bounty of the kitchen garden as well as farmstead meat and cheese. Pennyroyal Farm cheesemaker Erika McKenzie-Chapter and It’s Not You, It’s Brie Author and Educator Kirstin Jackson will lead a delicious and instructive seminar that poses the question, “If it grows together, does it go together?” while leading a tasting that explores the cheeses, wine, beer, and cider of the Anderson Valley.  

Tour C: North Capitol Area Tour

8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

$150 per person

This tour explores the North Sacramento Valley cheesescape beginning with a tour of Pedrozo Dairy and Cheese Company, to meet Tim Pedrozo, a third-generation dairy farmer and self-proclaimed “accidental cheesemaker.” After Pedrozo, the tour will head to Orland Farmstead Creamery, followed by lunch and a talk with Rumiano Cheese Company, California’s oldest family-owned cheese company.

 Tour D: Hop to It! 

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

$150 per person

The Santa Rosa area is home to an amazing community of talented brewers and delicious beers. This all-day tour starts at Russian River Brewing Co., crafters of legendary Pliny the Elder, with a cheese pairing from Beehive Cheese Co., followed by a stop at the Barrel Brothers Brewing Co. to taste hops and malts alongside chocolates by neighboring Volo Chocolates. Seismic Brewing Co. is the next stop on the tour to taste brews paired with cheese from a local cheesemaker and concludes with a visit to Old Possum Brewing Co., one of Santa Rosa’s newest breweries. 

Tour E: Farm Forward 

8:30 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

$150 per person

This tour travels west of Petaluma to Toluma Farms, home to a herd of goats, a flock of sheep, and Tomales Farmstead Creamery. Guests will have the opportunity to tour the organic pastures, meet the goats and sheep, taste an array of cheeses, and enjoy an incredible brunch spread from Daily Driver SF, California’s newest creamery. The tour will continue with a stop at AppleGarden Farm to meet owner Jan Lee, learn about cider apples, and taste the fruits of their labor. The day concludes at Marin French Cheese, the country’s oldest continuously operating cheese company to taste their signature cheeses, including Brie and Camembert. 

Tour F: Dairy Divas 

8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

$150 per person

This tour begins at Cowgirl Creamery in Point Reyes Station where attendees will taste their way through a flight of Cowgirl Creamery and witness a curd-making demonstration before heading over the hill to DeBernardi Dairy, home to Two Rock Valley Goat Cheese. Attendees will stop for lunch before heading to Achadinha Cheese Company where Jim and Donna Pacheco, with help from their four children, milk goats and make cheese inspired by their family legacy and the Old World traditions of Portugal. 

Tour G: Stars of Sebastopol – Sold Out

8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

$150 per person

Start the morning off at Wm. Cofield Cheesemakers, one of California’s newest creameries known for its fresh cheese curds, clothbound cheddar, and Stilton-esque blue cheese. Next, attendees will visit Bohemian Creamery and meet Lisa Gottreich, one of the region’s most creative artisan cheesemakers, followed by a stop at The Barlow where Chef Duskie Estes, a regular guest on the Food Network and self-professed cheese lover, will prepare a delicious multi-course lunch inspired by cheese and locally-sourced ingredients. The tour will conclude with a visit to Spirit Works Distillery for a guided tasting though its local spirits alongside pairings from Cypress Grove Cheese. 

Tour H: Local Legends

8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

$150 per person

Rise and shine at Nicasio Valley Cheese Company, California’s only organic farmstead creamery with a tour and tasting of its award-winning cheeses followed by a visit to Marin French Cheese, the country’s oldest continuously operating cheese company, which will celebrate its 154-year anniversary in 2019. Guests will continue on to Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery to enjoy a delicious cheese-focused lunch, tour and tasting of Valley Ford cheeses, crafted with milk from the family’s nearby herd of Jersey cows.

Tour I: The Milky Whey

8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. 

$150 per person

Attendees start their morning outside Petaluma at the Pacheco Family Dairy for a tour of the farm while learning why the Pachecos transitioned from a traditional cow dairy to a goat dairy; complete with a tasting of the farmstead cheeses. Next, the tour will head to Nicasio Valley Cheese Company, California’s only organic farmstead creamery, to taste its award-winning cheeses that capture both the essence of this 1,150-acre family ranch and the legacy of the family’s Swiss-Italian heritage. Guests will stop along the way for lunch before heading to Lagunitas Brewing Company just in time for happy hour to taste a selection of their innovative local brews paired with cheeses from Sierra Nevada Cheese Company.

 ***Note: Bus transportation is provided by Pure Luxury Transportation for all tours except Tour B and Tour C (Tour B does not include transportation, Tour C transportation is provided by North Valley Shuttle.) Start and end times and tour departure pick-up and drop-off locations vary. All sales are final, and events takes place rain or shine. A more detailed list of the tour descriptions can be found at https://www.artisancheesefestival.com/tours.

Following the educational seminars and tours, guests can opt to end their day participating in Cheese, Bites & Booze!, Saturday night’s grand tasting event held inside the Jackson Family Wines Aircraft Hangar at Sonoma Jet Center. This delicious competition features cheesemakers, chefs and cheesemongers’ creating their “best bites” of California artisan cheesy goodness. Guests sample the amazing creations while sipping on regional artisan wines, ciders, spirits, and beers at this light-hearted walk-around tasting event. Tickets for Cheese, Bites & Booze! are $80 per person (21 and over only, no children will be admitted). 

 

Don't Miss The National Parks Plein Air Project by Petaluma Artist Mary Fassbinder January 29th through March 23rd at Petaluma Arts Center

Sixty plein air paintings of each of the U. S. National Parks are the product of an extraordinary 72,000 mile, 3 ½ year journey by Sonoma County artist and gallery owner Mary Fassbinder and the centerpiece of an exhibition at the Petaluma Arts Center opening late January, 2019.

“The National Parks Painting Project by Mary Fassbinder & Guest Artist Davis Perkins” exhibition will run from January 29th through March 23rd, with the public opening scheduled for Saturday, January 26th, 2019 at 5:00pm.

“This project forced me to push, crawl, climb –you name it, through my own set of obstacles and most importantly to trust the outcome,” Mary recalls of the many challenges she overcame.  “It truly was a rite of passage”

Mary Fassbinder feels more strongly than ever that, “this is a crucial time in the preservation and conservation of our national treasures. I sincerely hope these paintings will be an inspiration to generations to come.”

Joining Mary at the Petaluma Arts Center will be Davis Perkins, a California landscape painter with an exhibition featuring his landscape paintings from around the world.  Dave Perkins, who has had an exciting career as smokejumper, firefighter, and paramedic, received a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Oregon. In 2015 he was selected as a Signature Member of the Oil Painters of America.  He exhibits his work in galleries and other art venues in Northern California, while continuing his life of travel and public service.

7TH ANNUAL BOTTLEROCK NAPA VALLEY MAY 24 - 26, 2019 Friday: Imagine Dragons and Logic Saturday: Neil Young + Promise of the Real and Pharrell Williams Sunday: Mumford & Sons and Santana

BottleRock Napa Valley 2019, presented by JaM Cellars has announced an impressive seventh annual festival lineup  which includes headline artists Mumford & Sons, Imagine Dragons, Neil Young + Promise of the Real, Pharrell Williams, Santana and Logic.  The three-day music, wine, food and craft brew festival will take place in the heart of the City of Napa at the Napa Valley Expo, May 24 - 26, 2019. 3-day festival passes go on sale at 10AM PST on Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at BottleRockNapaValley.com. Single-day passes will go on sale at 10AM PST on Thursday, January 10, 2019.

3-Day Festival Passes On Sale as of Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 10AM PST

Single-Day Festival Passes On Sale Thursday, January 10, 2019, 10AM PST

One of the most innovative and enjoyable festivals in the U.S., BottleRock Napa Valley features an unparalleled combination of the world’s biggest bands and artists alongside the hottest up-and-coming music acts. The BottleRock Napa Valley lineup, to date, includes:

Friday, May 24: Imagine Dragons, Logic, OneRepublic, Sylvan Esso, Flogging Molly, Jenny Lewis, AJR, Anderson East, The Dandy Warhols, lovelytheband, Paul Oakenfold (Silent Disco), Alec Benjamin, Neon Trees, Midland, Vintage Trouble, The War and Treaty, Just Loud, Shannon Shaw, flora cash, Yoke Lore, HalfNoise, The Dip,  Dessa, Liz Cooper & The Stampede, Valley Queen, Jack West, Forgotten Dreamers

Saturday, May 25: Neil Young + Promise of the Real, Pharrell Williams, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Gary Clark Jr., Juanes, Cypress Hill, Elle King, Marian Hill, Sir Sly, Chevy Metal, Against Me!, Madison Beer, Pink Sweat$, Shannon & the Clams, The Regrettes, White Panda (Silent Disco), Elley Duhé, Wilderado, Magic City Hippies, Moonalice, We Banjo 3, Slothrust, Jared & The Mill, Royal Jelly Jive, Rebecca Jade & The Cold Fact, The Blue Stones, The Silverado Pickups, Napa Valley Youth Symphony

Sunday, May 26: Mumford & Sons, Santana, Tash Sultana, Lord Huron, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Big Boi, Citizen Cope, Bishop Briggs, Gang of Youths, Too $hort, Turkuaz, The Crystal Method (Silent Disco), Skylar Grey, Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, Houses, Con Brio, The Soul Rebels, SHAED, Welles, The Teskey Brothers, Harry Hudson, Ocean Alley, Sweet Crude, John Craigie, Dustbowl Revival, Jes Frances, The Alive

"Each year we look at ways to improve the overall festival experience for our guests,” said Dave Graham from BottleRock Presents. “In addition to our incredible lineup, we continue to offer the best cuisine, wines, craft brew and spirits, all supported by the warm hospitality people expect when visiting the Napa Valley.”

 

3-DAY GENERAL ADMISSION PASS | $359

Anything but general, 3-day general admission passes provide all that BottleRock is known for: 80+ bands on five music stages plus celebrity and chef mashups on the culinary stage with great sight lines throughout the venue. Passes also include access to gourmet food from the Napa Valley’s finest chefs and restaurateurs, craft beer, specialty cocktails and dozens of wine cabanas where you can sip, savor and mingle with your favorite vintners making every festival-goer feel like a VIP. 3-day general admission pass holders also receive in-and-out privileges. Three days of world-class music combined with wine country living at its finest!

 

3-DAY SKYDECK | $1599

Skydeck pass holders have access to an exclusive, elevated viewing platform with unparalleled views of the main stage with spacious, shaded areas on the Skydeck located within the VIP village. Enjoy comfortable seating to see favorite musicians without leaving the Skydeck. Skydeck pass holders also receive all-inclusive beer, cocktails and wines at the Skydeck bars, and in-and-out privileges. There are a limited quantity of Skydeck passes.  

 

3-DAY SPG + AMERICAN EXPRESS VIP VIEWING SUITE PASS | $1599

Available exclusively to Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Card Members, the SPG + American Express VIP Viewing Pass offers elevated and unobstructed views of the Main Stage and access to the VIP Village and all VIP viewing areas. Benefits include specially curated bites, signature dishes and wine tastings within the viewing suite. In addition, pass holders also enjoy all-inclusive beer, specialty cocktails, and wines at the Marriott VIP Viewing Suite bar, Chef and Sommelier meet-and-greets, and a special Marriott Rewards Member-only gift. Dedicated VIP entrance with in-and-out privileges to the festival and access to premium restrooms complete the package. Card Members must present their wristband and their Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express in order to gain access to the event; each additional ticket holder in your party must present their wristband.  SPG + American Express VIP Viewing Suite passes are limited. Limited 4 tickets per Card Member, per day. Terms apply

In 2018, BottleRock Napa Valley welcomed more than 120,000 music, food and wine fans during its sixth annual installment in historic downtown Napa. The sold-out 2018 festival featured Bruno Mars, The Killers, Muse and more. BottleRock Napa Valley also presents its legendary Williams-Sonoma Culinary Stage, showcasing a unique mashup of cooking demonstrations with renowned chefs, celebrities, performers and rock stars. Details on the 2019 culinary stage will be announced at a later date.

Healdsburg's SingleThread Awarded Sonoma County's First Three Michelin Stars

Sonoma County’s constellation of Michelin stars is shining bright this New Year. Big news with the extraordinary SingleThread, Healdsburg, having been awarded three Michelin stars – the guide’s top honor – for the 2019 guide. That makes it the first restaurant in Sonoma County to ever win this honor.

As the Guide notes, “Single Thread has risen to the top of Sonoma County’s dining scene since its opening in 2016. The talented couple behind this powerhouse project has shown consistent commitment to the highest standards of ingredient quality and exceptionally refined cuisine.”

Photo Credit: SingleThread, Healdsburg by Garrett Rowland Sonoma County

Photo Credit — SingleThread Farm, Healdsburg by Jason Jaacks Sonoma County

And Farmhouse Inn, Forestville, and Madrona Manor, Healdsburg, have each been awarded one Michelin star. Both have held this honor in past years.

Photo Credit — Farmhouse Inn,  Sonoma County 

Photo Credit — Historic Madrona Manor — Sonoma County 

Michelin awards zero to three stars based on the inspections of anonymous reviewers. The reviewers concentrate on the quality, mastery of technique, personality, and consistency of the food.

“Bib Gourmand,” representing remarkable restaurants that serve two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less (tax and gratuity not included), have been awarded to several Sonoma County restaurants: Backyard, Forestville; Diavola Pizzeria + Salumi, Geyserville; Glen Ellen Star, Glen Ellen; Bravas Bar de Tapas, Healdsburg; Chalkboard, Healdsburg; Risibisi, Petaluma; Monti’s Rotisserie, Santa Rosa; Ramen Gaijin, Sebastopol; and El Molino Central, Sonoma.

Photo Credit — Risibisi, Petaluma 

Top Wines
Four wines from Sonoma County wineries that sourced Sonoma County grapes made Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list, which honors the best in the world. The Sonoma County wines include two red blends and two Chardonnays. The entire list can be found at top100.winespectator.com/lists.

With a score of 95, the list’s 10th ranked wine is Bedrock’s 2016 The Bedrock Heritage Sonoma Valley. This is a “knockout red, focused and well-built but loaded with personality …” The field blend includes Zinfandel, Carignane, Mataro, Syrah, and Alicante Bouschet. At $46 a bottle, it’s recommended to drink now through 2027.

Ferrari-Carano’s 2016 Chardonnay Russian River Valley Tré Terre Vineyard Select Collection made the list at number 36 and received a score of 93. The $28 bottle is “… lightly oaky and creamy midpalate, this is deftly elegant and refined.” Drink now through 2022.

Coming in at 78 and with a score of 91, Landmark’s 2016 Chardonnay Sonoma County Overlook is “well-built and rich, with a solid core of apple pastry, fig and guava flavors that offer a creamy texture …” The $25 a bottle wine is drinkable now through 2022.

Ranked at 91, with a score of 92, Ridge’s 2015 Lytton Springs Dry Creek Valley $40 red blend is made up of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignane, and Mourvèdre. The blend has “… floral black raspberry and licorice aromas and zesty, well-built dark cherry, smoky anise and pepper flavors that finish with ripe tannins.” It’s still a bit young and will be best enjoyed from 2019 through 2024.

Lodging
Should you be looking for a luxury staycation night or two this year, Farmhouse Inn, Forestville, has been named the No. 3 Best Hotel in the U.S. and Canada in Condé Nast Traveler's annual “Gold List.” The list is compiled by the esteemed publication’s editors of their favorite hotels, resorts, and cruise ships in the world. It spans six continents and 36 countries.

 

 

A Tasty New Chapter for the Historic William Tell House, Tomales, Showcasing All Local California Coastal Cuisine

Marin County's oldest roadhouse, The William Tell House, is celebrating a tasty new chapter in its intriguing west country history. New owners are implementing a a fresh take on an Old California institution, established in 1877.

I stopped in with friends on a foggy Saturday evening this November. Walking in from the pea-souper outside, we opted to huddle on a bar table beside the fireplace seeing as it was still rather quiet in the dining room given the recent change-up. The menu is a pop-up starter deal until the restaurant's kitchen is fully up and running some time in the new year.  

Don't let that deter you from tasting your way through. Everything we tasted was terrific, starting with a smoked fish platter, moving on to the most delicious clam chowder, melt-in-the-mouth short ribs and a pecan/ginger pie to cry for. 

A self-described humble, casual restaurant serving fresh, local ingredients, The William Tell house, nestled in the town of Tomales, California, was ripe for reinvention given that its neighbors to the south, Nick's Cove, Hog Island Oysters & The Marshall Store are jam packed with customers in summer, on weekends and holidays  This is the foodie epicenter of where land meets the ocean. A stone's throw the East and South, are some of California’s best dairy and meat producers such as Cowgirl Creamery and organic pasture foraged beef from Stemple Creek. Minutes to the West from the Tell House, you’ll find yourself on the California Coast, rich with oysters, fresh salmon, multiple species of rockfish, halibut and of course Dungeness crab. 

New Owner, Bay Area food entrepreneur and catering company owner, Ted Wilson has executive chef Austin Perkins at the helm in the kitchen, a smart move as the former head chef of Nick's Cove and previously, cooking at two Michelin-starred Healdsburg restaurant, Cyrus, he is immersed in California coastal cuisine  & West Marin’s wealth of dairy and oyster farms and fishing communities, creating seafood-driven cuisine with local ingredients. 

For now at least, all bottles of wine are $40 each  and the craft cocktail menu is enticing. 

After rebuilding from a devastating fire in 1920, the Tell House has remained a cherished community gathering place for generations and home to countless locals' dinners, weddings, and celebrations. It was always busy on a bustling summer's weekend afternoon or when the weather was especially good, but most of the time in the off season it was a bit of a locals only sort of place, bot having a lot of curb appeal in the quiet months, for many years. It's good to see new life breathed into such an old gem and once word spreads as to the quality of the food, I expect its popularity as a destination super casual but quality dining spot will build fast. 

According to the roadhouse website, The William Tell was named by Swiss brothers Arnold and Henry Dado in 1897, and takes its name from the Swiss folk hero and marksman attributed to the foundation of the Swiss Confederacy. While the details of the bar’s origins remain somewhat hazy, the building was founded in the late 1800s as a hotel and saloon and was operated by the Dado brothers for a few years.

From 1869 to 1900, Clover Stornetta Dairy co-founder Arnold W. Dado leased the Tell House. In 1903, together with his wife, Maria, Antonio Matteri purchased and operated the location’s hotel, dining room, and saloon. In 1920, the building burned to the ground along with several other surrounding structures in The Great Tomales Fire. One year later, the Matteris rebuilt the Tell House, designing the structure that remains intact today. After Antonio’s death in 1931, Maria continued to run the business herself. The Tell House remained in the family for three generations, and was owned and operated by the couple’s daughter, Edith Bonini, and later her son, Bill Bonini Sr.

Eighty-six years after his grandparents purchased the Tell House, Bill sold the building in 1989. The building passed hands once more in 1996 and in 2011, Marcos Pareas purchased the building and business. 

I featured The William Tell House in the chapter on prohibition in my 2016 Book Fog Valley Winter, Pioneer Heritage, Backroad Rambles & Vintage Recipes: "Bottles of cheap home brew and smuggled Canadian whiskey were deftly stashed under floorboards of bars such as the historic William Tell . . ."

"As soon as the (federal) agents left, up came the floorboards and it was 'what'll you have?' all over again," according to Jack Mason in his 1970s evocative book Point Reyes, The Solemn Land in which he described the bootleg years on Point Reyes as: "rowdy and romantic."

Top Pick for Bay Area Holiday Events The Great Dickens Christmas Fair and Victorian Holiday Party — Opening November 17th, 2018 — Six Weekends & The Day After Thanksgiving

Festive diversion is just the ticket about now, don't you think?  This holiday season, the historic San Francisco Cow Palace once again transforms into Dickens’ London for The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party,  Now in its 36th season, The Great Dickens Christmas Fair runs Saturdays and Sundays (as well as the Friday after Thanksgiving) from November 17 through December 23, 2018, offering visitors an unrivaled, fully immersive holiday experience.

Travel back in time with this annual tradition for Bay Area natives and visitors alike. The Great Dickens Christmas Fair is a journey into the streets of Victorian London circa Christmas 1860. Visitorsexplore twilight-lit streets with shops, pubs, stages and dance halls filled with more than 800 Victorian characters and the aromas of roasted chestnuts and hearty fare.

“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor." ~ Charles Dickens

My friends, The Patterson Family and their tireless and talented production crew have produced a new and quite wonderful short film on the behind the scenes building of The Dickens Fair. It never ceases to amaze me to stroll into this wonderland of Christmas past each holiday season — a feat of imagination,  temporary construction and design of a sprawling and meandering, Victorian Brigadoon.

Click here to view.  

Six Weekends — Opens Saturday, November 17
and runs Saturdays & Sundays through December 23, 2018,
including the Friday after Thanksgiving

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Online Select-Day Ticket Pricing:

• Adult and Senior General Admission (13+ yrs.): $30.00
• Children (5-12 yrs.): $14.00
• Children under 5 years are always free
• Pickwick Club 2018 Season Passes are also available online, through December 9, at $120.00 (a $390.00 value!).

 Admission Prices at the Gate

• Adult and Senior General Admission (13+): $30.00
• Children (5-12 yrs): $14.00
• Children under 5 are always free
• Pickwick Club 2018 Season Pass: $120.00 (a $390.00 value!) - available through December 9
• Adult Twilight Tickets, available after 3:00 PM: $18.00 (available only at the box office)
• Child Twilight Tickets, available after 3:00 PM: $10.00 (available only at the box office)

For information on "The Scrooge Special" and other discounts, please see Special Discounts page.

Choose from seven stages offering entertainment for all ages and tastes. Family-friendly entertainment abounds, from dancing at Fezziwig’s, to dashing sword-fighting in “All’s Well That Ends Badly” and the holiday pantomime “The Surprising Tale of Baron Munchausen and Mopsa the Fairy.” Head down to the other side of the tracks by the dockside and join the Cancan dancers and sailors at the bawdy Mad Sal’s Music Hall.

The Great Dickens Christmas Fair overflows with holiday magic for the youngest guests, offering hands-on craft activities, old-world games of skill and chance, and lively interactive shows in the Tinsley Green Children’s Area. Young audience members cheer the hero and jeer the villain at the children’s melodrama,  join Alice at the Mad Hatters’ Tea Party, or learn the tricks of the chimney-sweep trade from the Miracle Sweeps of London School.

Youngsters delight in meeting Old Father Christmas each day at one o’clock on the Father Christmas Stage, ride on a hand-powered Adventure Carousel, cheer the Toy Parade and laugh at the antics of an authentic British Punch & Judy puppet show.

Guests welcome the return of the Gilbert & Sullivan comic opera “Trial By Jury” in the Victoria & Albert Bijou Music Hall – one of the most successful one-act operettas of all time telling the story of ludicrous circumstances played out by characters who behave as if the events are perfectly normal. Be astounded by the world premiere of “Dr. Xander T. Culpepper’s Miracle Elixir Show Of Miracles,” but don’t expect to walk away with any of his miracle magical tonic; demand is simply too high! Also on the Pennygaff Stage, fresh from a year studying at the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Dickens Fair welcomes back the buffoonery of London’s most hilariously silly chimney sweep, Jim Chiminey!

Experience Mr. Dickens’ classic stories portrayed by hundreds of Living History characters throughout the streets. Encounter Mr. Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Oliver Twist, Nancy and many more of Mr. Dickens’ characters. You might even see Queen Victoria herself as she and her court progress through London. Then join Mr Samuel Pickwick himself and his fellow "Pickwickians" as they tour London, spreading hilarity and mirth. Stop by the illustrious Adventurers’ Club, Dickens Family Parlour, Great Exhibition Stage, genius inventor Professor Flockmocker’s Workshop and the internationally themed Silk Road Stage for exotic dance and special musical guest appearances.

Catch a song or two at the Paddy West School of Seamanship, then stroll down to Mad Sal’s Dockside Ale House where Mad Sal herself will be hosting bold new talents as well as bawdy favorites like the high-kicking dancers of the Le Cancan Bijou in the Mad Sal’s Dockside Music Hall. 

The gentlemen of Brass Farthing lift a frothy good ale with their rollicking songs and the ladies of The Gin Alley Sallys musically include you in their ‘Society for the Appreciation of Libation and Spirits.’  Later in the day, the extremely popular and outrageous “Saucy French Postcards Tableaux Revue” returns to delight adults over 18 with “Gods & Heroes,” a new episode in the private lives of Horatio and Letitia Everard.

“…Merry voices and light-hearted laughter range through the room…” ~ Charles Dickens

A Visit to the Campatelli Tower House in the Historic Center of San Gimignano, Tuscany

One of the highlights of my recent trip to Italy was a tour of The Campatelli tower-house, an 18th century palazzo that encompasses one of the famous towers of the Tuscan town of San Gimignano that was the Manhattan of its day! The construction of the original property – the Medieval tower – dates from mid-12th century: a typical tower-house on the Pisan model, initially around 36 feet in height and was then raised up to reach the almost 92 feet we see today.

Photos unless otherwise noted: Timo Rivetti 

'San Gimignano delle belle Torri' is located about 35 miles south of Florence, serving as an important relay point for pilgrims traveling to or from Rome on the Via Francigena.

The patrician families that first controlled the town constructed some 72 tower-houses as symbols of their wealth and power. Although only 14 survived time and architectural fashions, San Gimignano retains its striking feudal atmosphere and appearance, today, housing many masterpieces of 14th- and 15th-century Italian art.

According to UNESCO and its status as a World Heritage Center, the town grew around two principal squares: the triangular Piazza della Cisterna, ornamented with a lovely central well, and the Piazza Duomo, dating from the late 13th century with its more intricate layout containing the majority of public and private monuments. After 1353, the town went into a period of decline due to waves of famine and plague that caused a drastic decrease in population. Within a hundred years, the town was downgraded to the level of the other lands under the Florentine control. This status, however, prevented the town from the urban renewal that transformed many Italian historical towns after the Middle Ages.

 

Photo: UNESCO

The height of the towers grew to display the power of the local families, but in certain cases, such as this one in the Campatelli home, the towers served as actual residences, with the rooms arranged vertically on wooden floors that have today been partially reconstructed.

Over the centuries, various adjacent constructions were added to this tower and by the middle of the 18th century the building resembled a typical palazzo with a Florentine-style intonaco facade. 

It was during the early 19th century, that the Campatellis, a landowning family of entrepreneurs, acquired the entire building, transforming it into a traditional upper-middle-class Tuscan house, in which they managed their affairs and income from the lands the family owned just outside the town.

Tourism numbers were blessedly dwindling by my late October visit and so we pretty much had the tour of the house to ourselves. I learned that in 2005, Lydia Campatelli, the last owner of the property, donated the Campatelli Tower-House to Fondo Ambiente Italiano FAI – the National Trust for Italy on condition that it be opened up to the public, together with its furnishings and collections, including pictures by the famous Florentine artist Guido Peyron (1898-1960), Lydia’s eclectic uncle.

Today, the Campatelli Tower-House offers a rich, multi-faceted visitor experience, featuring fascinating content and immersive screenings. There is little to beat walking round a National Trust property to soak in the true flavor and spirit of the lives that real people lived in these specially preserved places. The velvets and bed linens and silk seat coverings, writing desks, book cases, rugs and personal accoutrements of the middle class tell a different story to the grand palaces and the peasant farmhouses more often depicted in our idea of old Italy. 

The visit began the attic spaces and the Tower, where we took in a screening of A Thousand Years in San Gimignano, bringing the walls of the house to life beside an alabaster model of the town.

The piano nobile, on the top floor has been remodeled to resemble the way it would have looked in the late 19th century, with original furnishings and objects d’art from Lydia's family, paintings, documents, decorative pieces and photographs collected by the donor, depicting her family life, as well as the more general lifestyle of a typical upper-middle-class Tuscan family of the time.

It was intriguing to hear how the town grew around two principal squares: the triangular Piazza della Cisterna, ornamented with a lovely central well, and the Piazza Duomo, dating from the late 13th century with its more intricate layout containing the majority of public and private monuments. After 1353, the town went into a period of decline due to waves of famine and plague that caused a drastic decrease in population. Within a hundred years, the town was downgraded to the level of the other lands under the Florentine control. This status proved to be a good thing as it prevented the town from the urban renewal that transformed many Italian historical towns after the Middle Ages.

The FAI International project promotes love for Italy at home and overseas through a large and enthusiastic network of activities, events, workshops and concerts as well as protected properties throughout the country.

If you are planning travel to Italy, do look into visiting an FAI property. 

 

 

 

 

The Camino Experience — Modern Day Pilgrim's Travel Demystified

It seems a whole lot of people I've been talking to this fall are beginning to plan their 2019 adventures, if not already booked for exciting expeditions out in the big, beautiful wide world.

Several friends have already or are thinking of experiencing the true culture of their destination through hiking trails, authentic towns, villages and countryside, via various portions of the The Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James) — a large network of ancient pilgrim routes stretching across Europe and coming together at the tomb of St. James (Santiago in Spanish) in Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain.

During my recent trip to Italy I came across walking groups on the epic Canterbury to Rome pilgrim route, the Via Francigena in Tuscany. This sparked my interest in looking into pilgrim walks options for future travel. 

Award winning Irish-based CaminoWays.Com has some great walking tours & tips on offer for all things Camino culture, including walks in Southern Portugal, Ireland and Italy. 

FIRST CAMINO

If this is your first time on the Camino and you are looking for ‘the Camino’ experience, according to this particular tour provider, the Camino Frances is the way to go. This is the route that features in many famous movies such as The Way and I’ll Push You.

The good news is that you don’t have to walk for a full month if you don’t want to, you can start at any stage along the way. It is worth keeping in mind though that you will have to cover at least the last 100kms (63 miles) in order to get your Compostela pilgrims certificate in the Pilgrims Office in Santiago.

Details: 6 nights from €512 – Camino Frances Last 100km

SCENIC COAST

The beauty of the Atlantic is the pilgrim’s travel companion along the Portuguese Coastal Camino from Porto. This route is relatively flat and a little kinder on the legs for beginners. This also makes it the perfect route for cycling.

The full Portuguese Coastal Camino takes two weeks to complete. The journey begins in the gorgeous and colorful city of Porto.  Experience a mix of Portuguese and Spanish culture as you cross the border on your way to Santiago de Compostela. Delicious seafood, sandy beaches and lush landscapes await.

Details: 1 week from €597 – Portuguese Coastal Camino

CAMINO FANS

Once you discover the magic of the Camino it is easy to get ‘addicted’ to the trails. In fact, many pilgrims return each year to walk or cycle different routes. There are many trails available to the seasoned Camino fan.

For those looking to discover the Camino trails in France, the Le Puy Camino is one of the most traditional ‘Chemins de St Jacques’. Picturesque historic towns such as Conques, Le Puy en Velay or Cahors, as well as peaceful rural tracks, make it a Camino to remember.

Details: 1 week from €492 – Le Puy Camino 

OFF GRID

Is it peace and tranquillity you are looking for on your Camino? It’s time to switch off your phone and visit the Camino de Invierno! This is a path less travelled and offers time for quiet reflection in nature. This is a beautiful route, with plenty to see. Romanesque churches are dotted throughout the region You are surrounded by gorgeous wine courtesy of the vineyards in the Ribeira Sacra Valley.

Details: 7 nights from €588 – Camino de Invierno

IN GREAT COMPANY

Those looking to meet people and travel with a group should join one of the group's guided tours. Share your Camino experience with new friends. You will be looked after from the moment you arrive, an expert guide will be with you every step of the way.

Details: Caminoways Guided Tour Schedule

WALK AND COACH TOURS

Camino Walk and Coach tours are ideal for Camino beginners, a perfect introduction to the uniqueness of the Way of St James. Each day includes an easy 1 and a half to 2-hour walk in some of the most scenic regions on the Camino.

Details: 7 nights from €1103 – Walk and Coach

CAMINO AND BEYOND

More wonderful hiking routes throughout Europe:

The Rota Vicentina (Fishermen’s Trail) is a magnificent coastal trail taking walkers along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean in a region of spectacular beauty in Southern Portugal.
Details: Rota Vincentina

Ireland is the perfect location for hiking. Unspoiled green countryside, cosy local towns and the famous Irish welcome are some of the treats on offer.
Details: Hiking in Ireland

Starting in Canterbury, the Via Francigena is a spectacular and epic pilgrim trail dating back to the Middle Ages. Walking in Tuscany is one of the undoubted highlights.
Details: Via Francigena in Tuscany

For more information on any of these walking or cycling tours  contact the travel specialists.

 

Venice Under Water

Photos - pre-flood, by Sunny Hill Man

“The experts are right, he thought. Venice is sinking. The whole city is slowly dying. One day the tourists will travel here by boat to peer down into the waters, and they will see pillars and columns and marble far, far beneath them, slime and mud uncovering for brief moments a lost underworld of stone. Their heels made a ringing sound on the pavement and the rain splashed from the gutterings above. A fine ending to an evening that had started with brave hope, with innocence. ("Don't Look Now")” — Daphne Du Maurier 

After visiting in person for the first time, this October, it was shocking to arrive home and see news reports of approximately three-quarters of the historic Italian city of Venice submerged this week due to high tides and heavy storms that have led to the death of at least 11 people in the area.Venice's iconic St. Mark's Square was closed as tourists attempted to make way over raised walkways, some having to be rescued.

Restaurateurs and shopkeepers bailed out their business to keep from closing. We enjoyed two fantastic Venetian regional fish suppers during our brief stay, I can only imagine the experience of dining in rainboots would intensify those strong, salty flavors. 

To spend time in Venice is to try to absorb the haunting beauty of the place that Truman Capote famously described as: "Like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go.”  

Experts claim the flooding is the worst that Venice has seen in a decade, reaching a high-water mark of 5.1 feet (1.5 meters), the fourth highest ever recorded.

The City of Water, Venice faces long term and catastrophic threats to its survival given the degree of climate change and rising sea levels. This low-lying marvel of an historic city is considered the unwitting poster child for cultural heritage and people at risk. Experts warn that the Mediterranean Sea basin may rise by five feet by the end of the century, placing the city in jeopardy of being flooded twice each day. Currently, Venice is victim to heavy flooding around four times each year.

Around half of Italy was impacted by the extreme weather this week and it is reported that over 5,800 firefighters have been activated to answer more than 7,000 emergency rescue calls across the country. 

According to National Geographic: "The city's leaders have seen the rising water for some time and have been working on an ambitious defense plan. But corruption is widely alleged to have slowed the process. Called MOSE (MOdulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico), the project is an acronym for a system of walls meant to protect the city and lagoon from the sea. The system is based on decades-old technology, and not all scientists and engineers are convinced it will save the city in the long run, even when it's completed. It may be a losing battle, they warn."

National Geographic previously reported: “Italian magistrates discovered that while the initial cost has been predicted at something like two billion euros, more than 6.5 billion have now been spent, at least two billion of which was spent on corruption.” Investigations have led to arrest and imprisonment of city and regional officials. Although some long-term residents have been moving out of Venice, tired of rising waters and rents driven up by international tourists, others argue that the city is too precious to give up on.

For its own sake it’s important that Venice doesn’t die,” historian and author Salvatore Settis told National Geographic. “It’s too important to let it die. Venice should be preserved not just for Venetians but for all humanity."

Fortune Magazine reports that if and when the flood plan project is finally completed and fully operational, flood gates will go up once the tide reaches 110 centimeters, or roughly 43 inches. "That won’t keep water out of low-lying areas often flooded already, such as St. Mark’s Square, but it should protect much of Venice from flooding for roughly the next three decades, depending on how quickly sea level rises between now and then."

Governor for Veneto, Luca Zaia, has said flooding this week may reach the levels of the 1966 flood that engulfed Venice and Florence back when storms such as these were considered more of an anomaly. These days, however, they are unfortunately, way more common and more perilous —than ever before.

“Venice, it's temples and palaces did seem like fabrics of enchantment piled to heaven.” — Percy Shelley

 

Catacombe San Gennaro — The Underground World of Naples

Where else to start posting on highlights of my recent trip to Italy than with a peek beneath the living layer of Napoli, one of the country's most extraordinarily vibrant, thrumming cities? 

The Catacombs of San Gannaro, Naples' patron saint, provides us with a fascinating look at the layers of time through one city's perspective, given that The Greek Neapolis and the present-day city are not separated by millennia but but by meters of soil underground.

First dug in the Pagan era, the catacombs were almost forgotten after the Middle Ages until the urbanization of this part of Naples in the 16th Century. Located on the slope of Capodimonte close to the  Church of Buon Consiglio this underworld that was created for the dead to be close enough for the living to visit but out of the original city walls, as was the lore of the time. 

Dialogue with the dead is a part of life in the city of Naples, through its idioms, devotions and ancient rituals.The saints are ever present in the daily life of Neapolitans, whether in intercessions for important graces or for minor requests. Small sacred images are faithfully kept in wallets, while the votive aediculae (small shrines that became fashionable in the Roman era) scattered among the many narrow alleys are beautiful little altars that bind those who have passed with all who go about their business in the bustling city today.

And so it's not surprising we're invited to wander the ancient catacombs of the early Neapolitans, to stand beneath and beside frescos from the 2nd and 3rd Century AC on guided tours of these archeological wonders. 

Pictured above is the symbol of Eternal Life, the Peacock, below, Adam and Eve and, Faith, Hope and Charity. 

The Catacombs are arranged on two levels with the original nucleus of the Catacombs of San Gennaro dating back to the 2nd century AD. It is believed to have been the tomb of a noble family, who then provided spaces for the Christian community.

Its expansion began in the 4th century AD following the deposition of the remains of St. Agrippinus, the first patron of Naples, to the underground basilica dedicated to him. It consists of a single nave dug out of the tuff, which still preserves a bishop's chair carved into the rock and the altar with an opening, in which the faithful could see and touch the saint's tomb.

San Gennaro's remains were moved there in the fifth century. The presence of the martyr turned the upper catacomb into a pilgrimage site and coveted place for burial.

Two examples of the expansion of the Catacomb are the Crypt of the Bishops, where the city's bishops are buried,and the majestic basilica adjecta, an underground basilica with three naves, built after the transfer of San Gennaro's remains. Mass is still celebrated there, today. 

There were different types of burial: the simplest type were dug in the ground or along the walls and peripheral corridors of the ambulatory. The tombs of the most wealthy, the arcosolia, were arched in shape. 

The decorations of the tombs served to underline the importance of families, and could feature frescos or mosaics.

Sometime between the 13th and 18th Centuries, anything deemed of value was looted from the catacombs. It's a good thing the frescos were painted on the walls. During the 1800s the skulls of the many, otherwise decomposed skeletons were removed and stacked in piles at the shadowy underground chamber of the cemetery of Fontanelle in Naples. Nobody knows how many souls were buried in the catacombs and there may be more chambers yet to be discovered. 

Check tour times if you visit Naples & it's a good idea to book ahead. Click here for more info.