The Fourth of July, for me, typically conjures happy thoughts of sketchy Southern roadside stands hawking cheap fireworks, late night bonfires at my family’s rustic mountain barn, the little - and not so little - kids running crazy with sparklers, writing our names in the... Continue

It’s that time of year again, grilling season!  I cannot say there is a more festive way to ring in the summer than with a Fourth of July barbecue.  The Southern gal in me looks forward to this time of year when we get to... Continue

With my first bite, I gasped.  I sat still and lowered the nectarine so I could take a good, long look at it.  I rolled it over, unhurriedly, wondering what was this stunning piece of fruit?  It seemed a normal nectarine, maybe a wee bit... Continue

There isn’t much that screams summer more than ice cream. Childhood summer days of mine were often spent splashing around my grandparents’ swimming pool, and there was always a much-anticipated outing to the Carvel on the corner. My cousins and I always opted for the... Continue

Summer, summer, summertime.  I love summer in Sonoma, packed as it can be with outdoor movies and festive concerts at wineries, town bashes in the Plaza, plenty of farmer’s marketing, pig-filled barbecues and decadent lobster boils, and backyard dinner parties with close friends and plenty... Continue