Worth the Drive: Nomad Series at spoonbar, Healdsburg

[caption id="attachment_46704" align="alignright" width="200"] Sashimi with warmed rice, nori, fermented chili, and herbs from spoonbar’s Asian Nomad Dinner.[/caption] Suggestions that are worth the drive outside of Sonoma Valley. Last year, Chef Louis Maldonado introduced spoonbar’s Nomad Dinner, a series of Monday-Tuesday dinners that bring diners... Continue

2015 Award Season has begun

Food and drink award season has started. Just like Hollywood, we have our own best of - ranging from international wine competitions to the James Beard Awards to homegrown Sonoma Valley Best of 2014, as sponsored by the Sun. Here are some of the highlights... Continue

Hail, hail! 14th Annual Olive Festival celebrates tiny, powerful fruit

We’re lucky here in Sonoma Valley: we live in a Mediterranean climate and with that comes not only great weather, but a plentiful amount of wine and olives. While the grape is dormant, the olive comes out to play - it’s olive season and the... Continue

Food + Drink bites

Sonoma says farewell to Chef Andrew Wilson, who has left the Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar to become Executive Chef at Charlie Palmer’s legendary Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg. Chef Joshua Murray takes over as Executive Chef at Carneros. Gloria Ferrer is getting a facelift -... Continue

A New Year, what to do?

Still full from fattening fun or dysfunctional family functions, I’m facing the New Year bursting with hairballs (like cat’s have.) There are Valentines in the stores, there’s regret and excitement in the air, people losing or finding partners, and questions about what’s next. And then,... Continue

Maxwell’s legacy

Lately there has been a stir over at Maxwell Farms Regional Park. There are discussions in the works about upgrading the park to include dedicated biking trails, expanding tennis courts, a dedicated dog park and creating additional recreational facilities for the public to enjoy. Within... Continue

Weathering the storm – documents that last

While the weather continues to be gloomy, your estate documents’ future doesn’t have to be. When drafting your documents keep two things in mind in order to help them “weather the storm” of life: first – draft documents that will stand the test of time... Continue

Foie Gras fire

When a federal judge recently lifted the ban on the sale of foie gras in California, it sure kicked up a Fuss. To appreciate this Fuss, it’s necessary to understand some terminology: (a) Foie Gras: fattened duck liver, sold whole or as a paste, mousse... Continue

Lots of news in the Springs

Because there was no “Springs Eternal” column in December, I have a lot of news and updates for you this month. The latest regarding the Highway 12 sidewalk project is that the County Public Works Department plans to open bids the first week of February.... Continue

Good man, bad man

I remember a childhood cartoon in which the main character - it could have been Daffy Duck or Bugs Bunny - found himself in the middle of a struggle between a little devil and a little angel version of himself, each of which sat on... Continue