The new Gateway Park in the Springs was designed by Mollyanne Meyn and uses drought-tolerant and native regional plants.
Ryan Lely/Sonoma Valley SUN
One last round for McNeilly’s: The pending sale of McNeilly’s Tavern on Verano Avenue to a buyer from Marin County has fallen through, according to Earl McNeilly. The bar has been closed since last month in anticipation of the sale. McNeilly, who owns the bar with his brother John, plans to turn lemons into lemonade – or in this case, a martini with a lemon twist.
McNeilly plans to reopen the bar soon and run it himself for a few months while keeping the property on the market. “I haven’t been behind the bar in a long time, so it should be fun,” said McNeilly, who is semi-retired and splits his time between Sonoma and Sarasota, Fla. Many long-time locals will remember his bartending skills and gift of gab from way back – Marioni’s in the ‘70s, McNeilly’s in the ‘80s and the Sonoma Golf Club in the ‘90s. “It’ll be a chance to reminisce, get back with old friends – sort of an extended going away party,” he said.
The bar will be open in the afternoons and evenings, serving the after-work crowd. McNeilly would like to have catered food once a week, and he promises to honor all the old McNeilly’s green shamrock “Free Drink” tokens that are still out there. Several of his buddies have volunteered to take bartending shifts for old times’ sake.
McNeilly’s will remain for sale, but its owner isn’t optimistic about the long-term prospects for the tavern remaining on the site. The bar, which was built in 1887, is now surrounded by houses. “We have a non-conforming use permit,” McNeilly explained, “and I think the ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Control) is looking for opportunities to get rid of bars in residential areas.” He feels that the long term value of the property is in affordable housing and envisions three houses with granny units on the parcel. McNeilly hopes eventually to sell the liquor license to someone who would operate a bar at another location in Sonoma County.
“It’s kind of sad, really. The place is an institution.”
How Much Does A Stein Weigh?
Holding a heavy beer stein is a lot tougher than it sounds. Just ask the guys who competed in the stein holding contest at Little Switzerland’s Oktoberfest at the end of last month.
Contestants lined up and each got an enormous glass mug full of beer that weighed in at around six pounds. The object was to keep the stein lifted straight out at chest height, and to be the last one to let your arm drop. Arms dropped pretty quickly, and Paul Thill of Napa, with mug held high, was the winner. This was Thill’s third Oktoberfest win, and when asked if he had been in training to defend his title, he said that he’s a grade setter and regularly carries around 15 pound stakes. (On the job training?)
More contests added to the light-hearted fun. Mike Rebollini of Benicia had never yodeled before, but thanks to the encouragement of the crowd and the inhibition-reducing effects of Budweiser, Mike found himself the winner of the men’s yodeling contest. Rebollini, unlike many of the dancers at Little Switzerland, described himself as “just a bystander, with the exception of the chicken dance.” But with emcee Toni Gruber’s lead, he belted out a fine yodel and was rewarded with a prize of a bottle of Hot Damn! Schnapps.
In the ladies’ yodeling division, it was a tie between Monika Thill of Napa and Carola Clark of Rohnert Park. Thill, originally from the Czech Republic, and Clark, from Germany, were naturals.
The Oktoberfest celebration was a fundraiser for the local American Legion, which netted $2,000 from the event.
The Al Gruber Band held forth throughout the evening with a rollicking mix of polkas, waltzes, tangos, cha-chas, and, yes, the inevitable chicken dance. Even some old-time rock and roll made its way into the mix when Gruber introduced “Rock Around the Clock” with, “Now, here’s something for the young folks.”
The Grubers owned Little Switzerland for 20 years and sold it in 1991. A large painting of the band graces one of the walls, and the group still plays there several times a year for the regular Sunday night dances, which are open to people of all ages. Three generations of the family now make up the band, with Al on accordion and keyboards, daughter Toni on sax, son Peter Gruber on drums and Toni’s son Peter Estabrook on trumpet.
Little Switzerland is now owned by Tony and Alina Garcia, who met there in 1970 and have been married for 34 years. Yodeling contest winner Carola Clark and her husband, Art, met there, too, and have been married for 25 years. (So many couples have gotten together at Little Switzerland, in fact, that they now hold an annual Sweetheart Dance every February to celebrate the matchmaking powers of the old dance hall.)
Young and old folks alike, laughing, dancing, and enjoying the traditional German fare, made for the kind of Oktoberfest fun that Little Switzerland has served up for generations. Part of Little Switzerland’s charm is that it hasn’t changed much over the years — still the same murals of the Swiss Alps from the ‘40s, the same red-and-white checked tablecloths, the same central dance floor. The only noticeable recent addition was the waiter’s T-shirt that read “Little Switzerland – Where Real Accordion Players Stay Up All Night.”
Toni Gruber summed it up when she said, “I see 8-, 10-, 15-, 17-year-olds out there tonight with their families. That’s what I remember Little Switzerland being all about. All three generations – grandparents, moms and dads and kids – having a good time together.”
Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets:
Eight-year-old Nicholas Galvan of El Verano brought home a baby chicken last month. Looking like a candy “Peep,” the fuzzy chick was given to him by his next door neighbor on Bay St., and Nicholas’ mom, Lisa, said he could keep it outside.
Then Lola took over.
Lola, Lisa’s Maltese terrier, decided the chick was hers and wouldn’t let anyone else near it. When Lola went into the house, the tiny fluff ball would zoom in right behind her. Despite the presence of all the chickens next door, the little chick seemed happy to stay with his new fur covered mommy, perching on her back or tucking himself under her hind legs.
Lola is an indoor dog, and she’s a total “girlie girl” – she was even dyed pink at one point – so Lisa was pretty surprised when Lola spent four hours curled up in a dirt filled planter outside with her chick. Lola would not leave her feathered friend, and since Lola sleeps on Lisa’s daughter Courtney’s bed at night, the chick had to sleep there, too.
Family friends came over to take photos and videos of the odd couple, and Lola was very protective of the chick, even nipping at the pant leg of someone who got too close. Lisa began to worry that Lola was becoming a little too neurotic – and besides, how do you housebreak a chicken? So after talking it over, Lisa, Nicholas and Courtney decided it was best to return the little chicken to his “peeps” next door, where he’ll soon be scurrying through the alleys of El Verano with the rest of the flock.
And next week, Lola’s getting a kitten.
No, it wasn’t a crime scene: The yellow construction tape is finally gone; the new Gateway Park on Hwy. 12 and Verano Avenue in front of McDonald’s officially opened last week.
Designed by local landscape designer Mollyanne Meyn, the park is a pleasant little oasis with winding paths, a dry streambed and a wood footbridge. Boulders and drought tolerant plantings are scattered on the slope, and a low stone wall follows the broad curve of the intersection. Meyn wanted an open park feeling that would look good from the intersection, yet be fun for little kids to experience while passing through with their moms.
The project cost $50,000, which was paid for through the Sonoma County Community Redevelopment Agency. One of the agency’s design criteria was the use of drought tolerant plants, which Meyn accomplished by calling for mostly regional native species in her plan.
