Harvest time in Sonoma, when the light is low and golden and the shorter days start chilly and clear and the afternoon sunshine persists in all of its heavenly warmth. As the grapes are picked, gone from the vines magically overnight, the leaves begin to... Continue
Food & Wine
Every town needs a charming little neighborhood spot to pop into for a lovely Friday night date, a quick bowl of pasta any old evening, or a special occasion dinner with your sweetie. Cafe La Haye is exactly that sort of spot. There is never... Continue
It hadn’t dawned on me until very recently that whenever my life gets a little tough, a little sad, a little rough, I instinctually end up in the kitchen. So, it happens that this past, very difficult year, the kitchen has literally saved my sanity... Continue
There is hardly a thing, I think it safe to say, that a long, lovely drive in a convertible won’t cure. I believe this to be especially true when the day is a sparkling, late summer Sonoma stunner and the destination includes a fancy, four-star... Continue
Wine Country is utterly amazing. It is still mind boggling to me that in the middle of a tiny little town like Glen Ellen there is not one, but rather multiple fantastic restaurants. With the recent opening of Glen Ellen Star, that teeny town got... Continue
Pub fare. It conjures up images of mushy grey peas straight from the can and soggy, freezer-to-fryer fish and chips doesn’t it? I certainly have never seen a thoughtfully sourced, seasonal vegetable crudite or beautiful local oysters on the menu at any pub I have... Continue
During the past couple of long, long summer days, I can’t seem to shake the tropics. Is it the Southern gal in me, a little Florida cracker involuntarily sneaking out? I am not quite sure what it’s about. It might be our lengthy string of... Continue
I have been told that I am a food snob and, while I am no genius, I don’t think it was meant to be a compliment. The not so surprising fact, ha ha, is that I have actually been called that more than once in my... Continue
If I were to sit down and write a column about all the things that I find delicious and delightful about Sonoma, it would be more of a novel than a list, possibly a romance novel or a collection of love letters. There are simply... Continue
“Mozzarella Bar.” Those two words alone are reason enough to get me over the hill to Petaluma’s new outpost of my favorite pizza spot, Rosso Pizzeria and Wine Bar. The über talented gang who opened the creative, seasonally inspired, always yummy - and always packed... Continue