Spend Some Time in Dry Creek Valley

A few nights ago, I went out for After Hours at the Ravenous Restaurant here in Healdsburg. That is, I went just to hang out and get a bit of conversation and meet some interesting people before I turned in myself. Ravenous is a local restaurant in an old house on Center Street. The entire backyard is the backyard patio and bar. It’s a pretty cool atmosphere. I like showing up later–you meet more locals (everybody who’s getting off of their shifts from somewhere else).

I ended up talking to two out-of-town gentlemen who’d met one another at law school in London, England. One was living in Hong Kong now, the other–still in London. They were both here on holiday getting a bit of the California sun.

You couldn’t ask for a better outdoor evening than that night. It was warm enough to sit outside in sleeveless tops. (And I know you’re thinking: “Well it is California after all!”), but we often get fog here late at night, and it cools everything off and adds some humidity to the air–so bare arms are often chilly late at night. But, that night was a perfectly warm summer evening.

I said hello to KC Mosso, the bartender, and talked to him about sending me the listings for his events he books over there. And once I’m seated at the bar, I turned around and started talking to these two gentlemen.

They’d made it to Healdsburg after a few days in San Francisco. They were a bit tired, but they did ask where I could recommend they should go visit the next day. I asked KC for a piece of paper and a pen. He handed me an extra menu from behind the bar and took a pen from his pocket. Thanks KC!

They were only planning half a day or so in the area before they headed over to Carneros. I gave them a full day itinerary–just in case. There really is a lot to see here and it’s better to enjoy an entire day than just rush in and out. Anyway, I thought I would write up the route I gave them and post it here. It’s pretty useful information if you don’t really have much time to spend in the area and it’s got a bit of variety.

BREAKFAST and MORNING

Start early. It’s important to have breakfast. There’s a number of places you can have breakfast in town, it all depends on what you’d like to eat. If you’re on a time line, like these guys were, you probably want to grab a breakfast sandwich (or something). I know that the Costeaux Bakery Cafe and the Palette-Art Cafe both offer breakfast sandwiches. You can usually just ask for a recommendation at the counter. The servers really do know best.

Take your breakfast to go and head on up to Lake Sonoma. Lake Sonoma’s about 20 minutes from the town of Healdsburg (at the top end of Dry Creek Road) and you don’t want your breakfast to get cold.

Find the lookout and enjoy your breakfast in the fresh air. Depending on how much time you have, you can hike around up there or just take goofy pictures of you and your friends.

BY THIS TIME, IT MIGHT BE 11AM OR SO

On the way back down, you can visit any winery that’s open along the way. Here’s a link to an interactive map. But, there are a few I like to note from my own preference and experiences. My friend Shana Ray, who helped promote the Day-in-the-Life event last month and also contributes articles to this magazine works at Kokomo on Fridays. You could always stop in and say hello to her. If you twitter, let her know you are coming: @ShaRayRay.

One day this winter, I had the fortune to try Papapietro Perry’s 2005 Pinot Noir and it made and impression on me. I don’t know much about wine, but I do know what I like. And I liked their 2005 Pinot enough for me to recommend trying their other tastings.

There are a few other wineries clustered in and about Kokomo and Papapietro Perry: Amphora, Collier Falls, Forth, and Peterson. I’ve never tried any of these wines (but I’m sure I will–eventually). You could always try them and comment below. That would be great.

A bit further south and across the road from this cluster is a vineyard and tasting room called UNTI. They weren’t even on my radar until one day I started talking to Mick Unti himself (at an After Hours at the Ravenous). He was full of opinions about life, the universe, and everything. And it’s just refreshing to meet somebody local who has a few interesting things to say.

Also, I like the back label on the 2006 UNTI rose. It’s not listed on their website, so I guess you can’t get it anymore, but it was a story–about rose. I like stories. I like to connect with people over stories. That’s just the way I am. Actually, I like the rose too. So there. I guess I tried the 2007 though. It’s refreshing on a hot summer afternoon. Mick is going to admonish me for publishing all this, if he ever finds out. But–whatever, what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. You can just go in and try the wines yourself and see if you like them. That’s the best way.

BY THIS TIME, IT MIGHT BE 1:30 or 2:00PM

You’ll probably be hungry so stop for lunch out at the Dry Creek General Store (at the turn off for Lambert Bridge Road). Since Dry Creek Road and the Skaggs Springs Road are two of the most popular roads in the county for motorcycling, you’ll often see a gaggle of bikers stopped there too. Or–a gaggle of cyclists. And–most probably, a gaggle of other wine tasters. Stop and compare notes. It’s all about you experience. After lunch you can head across Lambert Bridge Road to West Dry Creek.

It’s probably best if you go on up to the north end of the road. You can wind your way back through any of the wineries. Everybody has an experience. Everybody has an opinion. You decide which ones you like.

Although, if you are out in Dry Creek, and it is a Friday afternoon, stop by Michel Schlumberger Winery or or Wilson Winery. They have a series of live music on Fridays. On Sunday afternoons, C. Donatiello Winery has music too. It’s nice just to hang out in the gardens and enjoy the afternoon. (Check the What’s Happening Healdsburg calendar for more details).

When you finally make your way back into Healdsburg and ask a local where they’d recommend you for dinner. AND don’t forget to ask what they like on the menu. There is a reason we live here. And we know what we like. And we’re definitely full of opinions!

Gelato? Sorbet? Ice Cream? Yoghurt?

Wee Johanna was running around her parent’s picnic blanket tonight at music in the square. I had to take this picture. So I do, then I show it to her.

“Messy!” she says. Her parents laugh. “Yes. Messy.”

Her father had taken her and her sister for a walk to look around at what was going on and they came back with ice cream from Powell’s Sweet Shoppe.

I happen to know though, there are THREE places on the square where you can get ice cream or some semblance thereof.

Powell’s Sweet Shop has quite a variety of gelatos.

SnowBunny serves up organic frozen yogurts. I haven’t had a chance to try it yet, but people are Yelping about it over here.

Bovolo’s over on the south side of the square also serves up Italian gelato. I think I’m going to have to get some more opinions about which one is the best.

Maybe I’ll organize a blind tasting.

Volunteers anyone?

Best Japanese Food in Healdsburg

I was visiting with my friend Ana today. We were talking about how our week was going. I ask what she did last night, she tells me she went out with a few friends for Japanese food. I ask her where she went. She says, “We went to that place in Windsor.”

“Hmm.” I’m thinking out loud. “How did you like it?” (Because I’m always thinking about content for this magazine.)

“Honestly? She pauses. “I like Sake ‘O better. I mean. I don’t really like the location of Sake ‘O in that strip mall thing. But I like their food better.”

Now, my interest is peaked, “What do you like?”

“Oooo.” She draws in her breath and her eyes light up. “The martini shimp. Definitely the martini shrimp.” I start searching the drawers in my kitchen for a pen an paper to write things down because I know I’m going to forget.

Now she starts thinking about her experiences at Sake O. “The vegetable tempura.”

I still can’t find a pen.

“Martini shrimp,” I repeat to commit it to my memory. “Martini shrimp. Vegetable tempura.”

“And the dragon roll,” she adds nodding her head. “Yep. The dragon roll” I can see the memory of her last dragon roll in her eyes.

“Ok. Martini shrimp. Vegetable Tempura. And the dragon roll.” I say it again because I can’t find a pen to write it down.

She starts to recite more items from the menu and I have to say, “Only three Ana. How am I supposed to remember any more than three.” But I’m impressed that she can almost recite the menu.

What Do You Like to Eat, Healdsburg?

My friend Sean told me the other day he’d visited each and every of the 53 eateries in town (not on one day–but over the course of the last few years). And I realized that every Healdsburgian probably has something to say about each and every one of these places.

You live here, my friends. Who knows better than you what you like to eat and where.

So, I just thought I would ask. What is your favorite menu item at any of our local restaurants?

Please leave a comment at the bottom of this article.

You can leave an anonymous comment if you aren’t comfortable using your name. Just fill out anonymous in the name field and something that resembles an email.

I do have some guidelines though. If you want to comment on somebody else’s comment, please respect their opinions and experiences. In other words, don’t dis another commenter. Talk to them as if they were in the same room as you…not a faceless person from the internet. Present your own perspective.

That’s it. What do you think Healdsburg? Where do you eat? What do you like on the menus?

Best Mexican Food in Healdsburg

I met Nista at the music in the plaza series that plays after the Farmer’s Market on Tuesday evenings. I’m just wandering around looking for a good picture and I stumble (almost literally) over Ronald (a friend I know from snowboarding). I laugh and ask if I can crash his blanket.

He introduces me to his colleagues. He’s a winemaker at Jordan Winery and everybody on the blanket was somehow connected to Jordan. I felt a bit out of place. One girl asks where did I work? And I answer that I am an independent. I don’t work at any winery–nor in the wine business in general. She grabs my shoulders with both hands and exclaims: “Wow. I’ve heard about people like you, but I didn’t really believe you existed.”

We both laugh.

Ronald eventually introduces me to Nitsa. She’s bubbly and smiley and I like her immediately. When she asks what I am doing, I tell her about this website and what I’m trying to do here. She thrilled and her reaction gives me some confidence. She starts talking: “If you want to know anything about the restaurants here, talk to me.” She uses her thumbs and points at herself. “I’ve been out and about with my husband for two or three years. WE KNOW what’s what on the menus.”

I ask her to clarify.

“Mexican, for examle,” she says. “Mexican. If you want a good taco, you have to try the Al Pastor taco at El Sombrero. If you want the best enchilada, Taqueria Santa Rosa for sure. The cheese enchilada. And they have THE BEST salsa. THE BEST salsa in town.

She’s animated and continues: “And El Taco Grande (and motions in the direction of the Longs Plaza), you have to try the Wet Willi at El Taco Grande.

I raise an eyebrow and question: “Uh…what is a Wet Willi?” I’m not sure if I actually want to hear the answer.

“Oh.” she laughs. “It’s a burrito. Actually, it’s a chili relleno, fried and rolled into a burrito. And it’s big enough for two people. For the entire day! That’s all you need to eat,” she emphasizes. “ALL DAY!”

Which Wine Changed the Way you think about Wine?

I was talking to my friend Carol (a longtime friend and neighbor) at a mutual friend’s 4th of July party. She tells me that she liked this website (which is very encouraging). However, one thing about I know about Carol is that she’s been living in this area since 1978. She has quite an interesting perspective. I love talking with her.

Anyway, going to parties around here exposes me to a selection of wine that you’d never see on the store shelves or even in high-end, exclusive wine shops. More often than not, the wine I see is the wine from people’s private cellars. What can I say? Healdsburg has a population density of wine makers.

I think we were talking about 1984 (the year Carol and her husband started their own personal harvest). But as we were talking, she said something about the 1978 Clos du Bois Merlot. And just the way she said it made me wonder what she was talking about. So I asked.

“It’s the wine that changed my life. It changed the way I thought about wine.”

Now, I’m a wine enthusiast-not an aficionado. I mean. I enjoy good food, good wine, and good company. (Can I be any more lucky living in Sonoma County?) I know if I like a wine, and living here in Healdsburg has exposed me to some really awesome wine, but, for the life of me, I can’t remember which wine was the one that changed the way I think about wine.

Can you?

Some Things We Like About the Palette Art Cafe

Just a bit of a shout out here to the Palette Art Cafe. We have started to meet there for coffee a few mornings a week just to get things done for this magazine. So today, we thought we’d make a quick list to say what we like about it.

The atmosphere in general. It’s light, bright, and open and often playing jazz. Not to mention the live music events, art displays, and art openings. Soon, too, there will be Open Mic night on Wednesday nights.

The friendly and knowledgeable staff.

Fast, public WiFi.

According to my friend Julie–great chicken soup.

According to Shana, the fact they have fondue on the menu. Cheese fondue. Dessert fondue.

According to the three people at the counter the other day the chicken, pesto sandwich.

Find out yourself. Check it out.

Palette Art on foot: 235Healdsburg Avenue, suite 105 (behind the LaCrema tasting room).
Palette Art online: www.palette-art.com.

Best Saturday Morning Breakfast in Healdsburg

I’m researching an article on Mateo Granados for this magazine. Last Saturday, I walk around the Healdburg Farmer’s Market to find his stand and to see if he’s there. He is. He’s sweet. He greets me with bisoux. He says, “Come in…stay awhile. Meet my customers.”

I wander back meet the people who are eating at his stand. There’s two women already sitting down. I introduce myself and ask them what they’ve ordered: Huevos Rancheros and a Squash Blossom Omelette.

I ask them if they are local residents or if they are just visiting. One lady is visiting–the other has just relocated here from Florida.

I ask why they’ve decided to eat at Mateo’s Farmer’s Market stand. And the lady who’s relocated says, “Oh. I tasted his tamales at the Farmer’s Market on Tuesday. They’re just wonderful. I was just hoping he’d be here today.”

I tell them that Mateo is actually a pedigree chef with credentials from high-end restaurants such as Masa’s in San Francisco and Healdsburg’s Dry Creek Kitchen. And she nods her head and says: “I can tell.”

Later, after they leave, three more people sit down. I introduce myself again and I ask them if they are residents or visitors. The fellow tells me they’re from Hopland. His wife shops the farmer’s market’s for her catering business but this is the first time he’s come round. His wife arrives and tells me that Mateo’s stand is THE BEST PLACE for breakfast in Healdsburg on Saturdays.

I ask her to explain why. She says, “He doesn’t have a restaurant (yet) and he’s only at the Farmer’s Markets. He’s only HERE on Saturdays.” She also tells me that Mateo arrives at the markets, sets up his stand and shops the market for his menu.

Then he makes his menu from what’s available.

How can you get any fresher than that? Directly from the farmer to your plate. His food is alive in your mouth.

What do you bring to Tuesday Music in the Plaza?

I was meeting my friend Martin and his girlfriend Kelly from Petaluma for the music in the Plaza this week. But I was rushing to get this magazine online, and I worked until the last minute, then I ran out the door.

Before I ran out though, I remembered to pack a basket with a few things to share: a bottle of wine, a jar of Tierra Vegetables chili jam (mmmm), and some cheese I’d just picked up from the Cheese Shop.

I met my friends on the corner of Plaza and Center but I hadn’t told them to bring anything. I just said I’d meet them. I guess I just assumed that people knew what to bring to the plaza for the concerts. We walked around a tiny bit, but they needed to find something to eat. They set off to decide what they wanted.

I went to the corner of Plaza and Healdsburg Avenue to see if I recognized anybody and waited for Martin and Kelly. I just chatted randomly while I waited.

Martin and Kelly found me again and they had a pizza from the Oakville Grocery. We ended up sitting on the bench on the corner. They ate. I chatted. It wasn’t the most comfortable, but what could we do? I wasn’t prepared to entertain people on the Plaza. I didn’t think ahead.

I thought I could use this week’s entry to ask what you bring to the Tuesday music in the Plaza? Leave a comment. Tell us what you bring.

The first thing on my list: Friends.

Wine Glass Steady Sticks

I met Ondine and David (of Atelier Winery) last Tuesday evening at the Music-on-the-Square. I was planning to meet the Jordan Winery crowd on the northwest corner just a bit after the music started. I feel a bit awkward, but I find them. I’m glad I met everybody last week when Ronald was around. I settle in on the picnic blanket and look around. I’m interested if I see anybody I know. I notice that the couple behind me have their wine held by some wire things that are stuck in the ground.

I go over and ask: Can I take a picture of your wine glasses? They immediately know I’m talking about the metal sticks–and not necessarily about the wine.

“That’s such a great idea,” I say. “You get to picnic with wine in real glasses and your glass doesn’t tip over. Where did you get them?”

Ondine answers: “I saw them somewhere online and thought they were perfect for the picnics and nights like tonight.”

I stay and talk to them for awhile–because they want to know why I’m taking pictures and asking questions. I tell them about this Healdsburg Magazine site I’m starting and how everything I see right now is fodder for articles. EVERYTHING.

I ask them if they are local to Healdsburg. They laugh and say, “When we’re not working.” And I nod my head. I know how that feels. Then I ask them what they do.

Ondine is a winemaker. Ondine and David have their own label: Atelier Winery. I try not to look too interested but I’m already wondering if I can interview her for my series of articles on women winemakers.

They tell me a little bit about their winery: 500 cases. Zinfandel. Syrah. I shake my head and say, “No. No. Not right now. This article is about your little wine glass sticks.” I try to look hopeful, “Maybe I could interview you about your wines for a feature article?”

She agrees and we exchange contact information. I’ll have to call them next week and set up a real interview so we can learn more about their wines.

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