Hand Fan Museum

One of its kind in the United States. Features a collection of 3000 fans dating from 1700–2008, displaying art, culture and history all in the palm of your hand.

707.431.2500
327A Healdsburg Ave
handfanmuseum.org

Spa Hotel Healdsburg

A serene garden setting welcomes relaxation. Experience innovative and classic facials, massage, and body treatments using organic skin care products.

22 Spa Hotel Healdsbu rg
707.433.4747 | 327 Healdsburg Ave
www.hotelhealdburg.com

Soar Inflatables

Sonoma County’s Best Eco-Adventure! Rent a comfy, stable inflatable canoe for a scenic, secluded, self-guided day trip on the Russian River. Great bird life, wild life, swimming, picnicking. We are family oriented and dog friendly! This is the most fun you can have on the river!

Soar1.com
707-433-5599
20 Healdsburg Aveue (map)
Healdsburg, CA 95448

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!

Rent a Scooter and Putter at a Different Pace

One day I was working on this website and as I previewed an article, a Google advertisement popped up: Wine Country Motosports. And I wondered who they were because I am planning to write a short article on  motorcycling out along Skaggs Springs Road at the top of Dry Creek Valley. I wasn’t aware of any places who rented motorcycles–but I thought it would be good to know–when I did write that article.

I clicked on the ad–and arrived at Wine Country Motosports. AND I SAW that they rented electric motor scooters! How fun! I phoned them immediately. I wanted to rent one and scoot on out to explore further afield–for a laugh.

I arranged to rent a scooter that Sunday.

Sunday morning, I got up — I had my regular Sunday morning breakfast (Turkish coffee over a scoop of vanilla ice cream) and probably some toast and eggs with grilled tomatoes. I got dressed and drove up to their warehouse on North Grove Street in Healdsburg.

Ann was there to meet me. I told her I’d never driven a scooter before, but I felt it was something I could handle. She assured me it would be fine. She let me try two or three different ones before I decided which one I felt the most comfortable on. We sorted out the logistics: waviers, helmets, rental agreement, payments ($39 for half a day, $70 for a full day).

I putter out of their parking lot. Five minutes later, I was puttering up Dry Creek Road just going at a slower pace and enjoying the views. I puttered out Lynton Springs Road because I wanted to check out Ridge Vineyards along the way.

There, when I went into taste, I found Rob behind the tasting bar. I’d met Rob and his friend one night at the Ravenous After Hours and we ended up talking about living in Healdsburg and what it takes to be here and why we live here in the first place. Rob is a former investment banker from Chicago. He came out here to live his dream of wine. I stay a while and taste the wines and learn a few things about labels, wine clubs, and the winery itself (which I think I’ll save for another article).

I finished at Ridge Vineyards and continue to putter. I puttered along to Highway 101 and turned right to head out to JimTown General Store for lunch. When I arrive, Kevin (the sous-chef) comes out and says hello. I’d met Kevin and his fiancee Carrie on on the patio at Divine Affair the evening before my multi-media event. He comes out and I ask what he recommends: “Grill cheese sandwich and the beans. Oh…and a side of fruit salad.”

I order–apparently way too much because the cashier raised his eyebrow. And I explained that it was for two people. Stephen was going to meet me to take some pictures of the scooter for the magazine.

We eat. Stephen makes me pose for a few shots outside of the store–ugh. Not my favorite activity. This is one photo I liked though…an action shot with a wall of flowers in the background.

Then we head on up the 128 to Stryker Sonoma. I’d been visiting a few weeks before and I remember liking their Chardonnay and I wanted Stephen to try it.

That was it. I spent about a half of a day puttering around Dry Creek Valley and the Alexander Valley on an electric scooter. A different pace for sure. A different speed of fun.

Quick Links:

Wine Country Motosports
Ridge Vineyards, Lytton Springs
JimTown Store
Stryker Sonoma

J Howell Fine Arts

Original paintings and works on paper by contemporary California artists. Celebrating five years on the Plaza.

J. Howell Fin e A rt
707.431.2684
101A Plaza Street, Healdsburg, CA
jhowellfineart.com