Southern Sonoma Country Life

Petaluma Gap's Best kept Secret - Azari's Cool Climate Wines Paired to Perfection with Wood Oven Pizza

Here's a wine club to consider being a part of for an exclusive, new, family-style connection right here at the scenic southern gateway to Sonoma County wine country.

Petaluma's beautiful Mediterranean-style Azari Winery has been quietly going about the business of producing stellar, small production, cool climate mostly Pinots and Shiraz (Persian for Syrah) for the past few years, and is now finally, at the tasting room stage for the enjoyment of wine club members and private groups by arrangement only.

Family owned, Azari Winery reflects the passion and culture of its Iranian-American patriarch and matriarch, Kamal and Pari Azari (pictured center, right at the couple's most recent addition, a self-built, outdoor pizza oven).

"How's my pizza?" asked Kamal Azari during a recent sneak preview of the tasting room at the winery, set back off Spring Hill Road. "I hope it's as good as my wine!"

There was no problem in convincing guests of the delights of locally grown pizza toppings on a thin-crust, wood oven base, paired to perfection with the couple's aromatic, dark and spicy Sonoma Coast Shiraz. 

Azari Pinot Noir is blended from estate-grown 667, 777, and Swan Pinot Noir clones. Vineyard yields are kept extremely low, in order to intensify the characteristics of both fruit and terroir. "This wine is built to age gracefully," says Kamal Azari. Decanting for at least one hour prior to sharing is recommended.

Click here for info on estate grown wines available for Azari wine club members

Salute to an Unsung Hero - 22 Year Crossing Guard Louie Gomez

My friend Diana Gomez shared a photo with me taken during her surprise visit during her dear dad, Louie Gomez' last day working as a crossing guard for the City of Santa Rosa, this week. 

"When he and my mom retired almost 24 years ago, they moved to Santa Rosa and my dad wanted a little part time job to keep busy.  You see, he had worked almost all his entire life," she shared.

"As a first generation Californian, his family had five kids and lived in a one room house by the railroad tracks. Really! As the oldest son, he needed to do more than just help the family in the fields during the summer.  So, starting at 10 or 11 years old, he got his shoeshine box and hitched rides from Bradley to Camp Roberts (near Paso Robles) to shine the soldiers shoes. He has never stopped working since.  He raised three kids and put me through college and law school," said the Petaluma mother-of-two, who is also Sonoma County's Assistant District Attorney. Chief Deputy Gomez oversees criminal trial departments. She joined the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office in 2003 having served in the Vallejo City Attorney's Office and the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

"My 79 year old dad has decided it is time to give up working for good - well, working for pay, because he works around my parents house a few hours every day."

Louie Gomez leaves the City of Santa Rosa with no fanfare, no pension, and no acknowledgement, other than the fact that during the 22 years he has walked kids across the street at the intersection of Stony Point and the HWY 12 on-ramps, he kept thousands of kids safe. "Not a one was hit by a car," said his proud daughter. 

As a special thank you, Gomez rallied friends and families to surprise her dad on his last day on the job. "Thank you for your service, your loyalty and your hard work. You truly are a part of the greatest generation," said Gomez.

I know that I would be backed by many who would agree that we also have to thank Louie Gomez for being the role model for such an outstanding daughter.

For Louie and all of the unsung heros out there at the end of this school year - you have made the world a better, safer place for our young people and though there's not often nearly the fanfare you deserve, we applaud you.

Fleurs de Fallon, Exquisite Arrangements from Southern Sonoma County's Garden Valley Ranch

As my writer friend Elaine recently reminded me: "You can't throw a stone a few feet in this area without hitting someone with a fascinating story to tell."

Petaluma-based Fallon Shea Anderson tells hers and other people's stories with her exquisite floral arrangements, designed in a distinctly natural, free form style, with dewy, fresh-cut, antique roses hand selected at dawn from Garden Valley Ranch as main characters in each unforgettable tale.

"If a potential client tells me they don't like roses, we're not a good match. For me, it's all about the roses. Mine is a timeless style, I arrange flowers how they grow in the garden, wild and whimsical and of course, rose focused. It's very nostalgic. I am actually growing the roses for your wedding, or special event right here."

Anderson has emersed herself in the rose world since finding herself in awe on her first visit to the ranch five years ago. "I'd been at school studying interior design. I was working in retail, in clothing. I wasn't in a good place. I stopped by Garden Valley on recommendation of a friend and after two hours of intoxication by fragrance, I knew that I had found where I needed to be."

So convinced was she, that the plucky, then teenager, asked for a job on the spot. "I started on a week's trial and I've been here ever since."

Floristry was a natural next-step for Anderson, as brides planning weddings at the Ranch admired her self-taught handiwork with early arrangements on site.

"Friends in horticulture ask me why I am focused so entirely on roses," she said. "With over 30,000 different varietals in the world, I tell them it's ok. It's my niche. Each rose has its own shape, fragrance, character and habits and I am addicted to fragrance."

Clients find Anderson primarily through word of mouth (a recent Martha Stewart Living spotlight on nine-acre Garden Valley Ranch, featuring a photo of the florist in the field hasn't hurt her reputation, either!). With orders for up to two weddings a weekend during peak summer months, Anderson's regularly on the road around wine country and out to the coast, spray mister in hand, as she drives her floral fantasties to top-notch destinations such as the Pelican Inn at Muir Beach and Sonoma Valley's Beltane Ranch. Many of her arrangements are destined for weddings at the Ranch itself.

She begins with a client consultation that develops into an inspiration board, drawn from the early background in interior design. Creative commissions have included the construction of custom trellises and arbors and an intricate, three-way bridal bouquet that was tied together with ribbon to split upon release at the traditional end of festivities. The day that I visited the florist in her studio she was putting finishing touches of pale pink tea roses into a vintage tea pot, for an Alice in Wonderland wedding theme. Other prototypes were more dramatic, yet each, most strikingly original in its own way. Anderson drives down to the San Francisco Wholesale FlowerMart frequently to source sweet peas and other seasonal blooms as supporting cast members to the roses she hand selects and cuts herself. Greenery's sourced from the ranch and surrounding areas.

Fragrant English-style, hybrid tea and special spray roses are amongst the more than 60 varietals laid down a quarter of a century ago at Garden Valley Ranch by rosarian, renowned author and SF Chronicle columnist Ray Reddell. The Ranch dates back to the 1880s, when a lieutenant of General Mariono Vallejo, cattle rancher Harrison Mecham built an ornate three storey Victorian for his daughter, Isabel. Sadly, the home was lost to fire in the 1980s, though trellises, a gazebo, gravel pathways and Victorian-style ranch buildings set amongst the 10,000 roses at Garden Valley, provide a genteel atmosphere of preserved heritage.

The small cottage featured in the photo collage is actually a fully renovated, railroad depot from the days when Victorian farms and ranches were connected from inland out to the coast. The tiny old depot today serves a more refined role as dressing room for bridal parties marrying on the Ranch.

A small crew, including Garden Valley Ranch owner, Mark Grim with Anderson as his most intrical ranch team member when not designing for her own business, treats roses on the ranch with respect they deserve. "We don't use any harsh chemicals, keeping everything natural. We feed the roses fish emulsion(for sale along with bare root varietals in the Ranch store) and compost tea.You could eat our roses," she said.

I watched Anderson at work in her studio on-site as she shared with me tips on home flower arranging and how to extend that precious bloom time once cut roses are in the vase. "The ideal time to cut roses is around three hours after sunrise for the best fragrance," she said. "Take off almost all of the leaves, except for maybe one or two and cut stems, under water, at an angle. Add a little sugar and a drop of bleach to the vase water, recutting the stems and changing the water every day." Don't expect roses to last more than three or four days.

Anderson has visions of expanding workshops and classes, Mother's Day champagne brunches and other public events at Garden Valley Ranch, following an extremely positive recent experience hosting a group of 16 floral arrangers from the Little Flower School of Brooklyn.

Time is the only constraint for a rose florist such as Anderson. "I can't take on two many events at one time as quantity is a major challenge when working with white heirlooms and other roses in high demand." Despite the thousands of bushes in bloom at Garden Valley Ranch at any one time, Anderson's integrity as an artist is to keep her work pure. Hers are the best of the best, earmarked for her wine country weddings and shipped, on ice to top florists in New York.

What's next for this passionate, young stylemaker in rose floristry? Her mother's wedding, at the ranch, this June. "For once, I'll get to stay and party," she said, eyeing a pail of yellow roses sitting on the countertop, awaiting her touch.

Contact Fallon Shea Anderson at Fleurs de Fallon, after checking out the dreamy floral photography on her site.

Calling All British Ex-Pats and Anglophiles - Join Us at Petaluma's Big Jubilee Lunch 6.3.12

(Want to set a table like the one above: See Emma Bridgewater's UK site for shipping to the U.S)

We might be on the other side of the pond, but why let that stop us from joining the fun of Britain’s Big Jubilee Lunch? Ex-pats, our Commonwealth community and diehard Masterpiece Theater fans here in Petaluma invite you to join us in our very own Big Jubilee Lunch!

Britain’s annual Big Lunch aims to get as many people as possible across the whole of the UK to have lunch with their neighbors in a simple act of community, friendship and fun. We’d like to extend this great new tradition, Stateside,starting in our own Steptoe & Sons street party locale - ‘Oil Drum Lane’, at Heritage Salvage.

Last year around two million people took part in The Big Lunch. This year, the Big Lunch falls on the same weekend as The Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations on Sunday 3rd June and as announced by Buckingham Palace, The Big Jubilee Lunch will be a part of the main program of events over the central weekend of the Diamond Jubilee. A record number of people are expected to take part.

Enjoy your very own good, old-fashioned knees-up at Petaluma’s Big Jubilee Lunch, street-party style festivities, to celebrate the Queen of England’s 60th year on the throne. London Telegraph’s Official Diamond Jubilee playlist & Brit Invasion Music from 60s, courtesy of dj Rob Bogan.

Do bring your own water, beer, wine and soft drinks and traditional British party foods for your table & some to share. Homemade Victoria Sponge Cakes and Trifles will be entered into our Best of British Dessert Competition.

Prizes will also be awarded for Best Table Setting (think Beatles, Major League Soccer UK paraphernalia, Mad Hatter’s, Royal Dalton…anything goes), Royal Trivia, Fancy Hat, Knobbly Knees and British Celebrity Look-Alike competitions! Please leave the Corgis & other dogs at home.

Free to attend, though a $5 donation is suggested for each adult attending Petaluma’s first ever Big Lunch, to help cover basic costs of this first-of-its kind, fun, participatory, community event. Kids are welcome. Inspired by thebiglunch.com, let’s make this
an annual event with future street parties popping up all over Petaluma. This event is not affiliated with any organization. It would be nice to know that you are coming – please email us care of petalumadowntown@gmail.com by Thursday, May 31st.

Le Creuset Truckette - Discounts, Doorprizes and a Celebrity Chef! Make a Date in Downtown Petaluma, Wednesday, May 30th 2012

What are You Doing this Wednesday Evening? Head North to Healdsburg's Simi Winery for the Keep On Truckin' Food Series with D'Bunchovus

Two top picks in one: Southern Sonoma County's D'Bunchovus brings "Random Acts Of Music" to historic SIMI Winery Healdsburg this Wednesday, May 23rd  from  5-7 pm for the "Keep On Truckin" food truck series.

Enjoy a spot of wine tasting along with a bite of delicious food from a variety of  vendors and wine tasting. 20% off all bottles of Simi wine. Bring a canned food donation for the Healdsburg Food Pantry.

If you're not in the midst of last week of school madness, take my advice and head north for a mid-week, early evening supper at one of my absolute favorite winery locations.

There's another connection to Petaluma at SIMI. The winery's former longtime Chef, Eric Lee lives here at the gateway to wine country. Chef Lee has been in the news of late, as he's set to compete in season eight of Food Network Star.

SIMI has a new Executive Chef on board, Kolin Vazzoler of Gary Danko.

Vazzoler grew up in North Vancouver, British Columbia, where his Italian grandfather made wine and grappa in the cellar and the family devoted much time to their garden where vegetables thrived year-round in the mild, maritime climate.   Putting together a meal was always about making the most of what was in season.

“My family cooked Italian food that was rustic and casual,” Kolin says, “but we always used fresh ingredients and that made all the difference in the quality of the dishes.  That experience I had growing up certainly lends itself to what is going on in California today.”

As a boy, he cooked with his mother and his Italian aunt.  When he first started working, though, it didn’t occur to him to become a chef. But his passion for cooking eventually took over.  He attended Vancouver Community College in Vancouver where he received both his culinary diploma and red seal certification—Canada’s highest level of government-certified endorsement granted only after a three-year apprenticeship is successfully completed.

Kolin landed his first job as at the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver and worked at two other pretigious Vancouver restaurants before getting his first big break.  He caught the eye of Gary Danko and spent eight years at Restaurant Gary Danko in San Francisco as executive sous chef responsible for managing a staff of 20 at the highly acclaimed eatery.

“When I started there, the restaurant was less than a year old,” Kolin says.  “It was an exciting time and Gary was a great help to me.”

Along with his abiding passion for cooking, in particular preparing Italian and Japanese food, Kolin also derives great satisfaction mentoring newcomers to his profession.

“I love it when you have someone just out of culinary school and is still very green,” he says, “and then two to three months later you see them able to do things without a second thought.   You can see that the light bulb has turned on in their heads.”

In 2012, Kolin took his first winery position when he joined SIMI Winery as executive chef.   Perhaps no winery could be more appropriate for someone with his background.

“My father came over Italy,” Kolin says, “the same as the two Simi brothers who started the winery.  And I’m second-generation Italian—just as winery matriarch Isabelle Simi was.”

I thoroughly enjoyed the cuisine at SIMI, on a memorable visit to the winery, last summer.  

Pictured here: Executive Chef Kolin Vazzoler with SIMI winemaker Susan Lueker

Cruisin' the Boulevard at Petaluma's 2012 Salute to American Graffiti

We all know that George Lucas' coming of age movie American Graffiti was filmed here in Petaluma back in 1972 - but the fact that we're still rock n' rollin' in the streets almost 40 years on speaks volumes as to why we love to live in this fabulously fun, quirky little river town of ours.

The movie was set in the 1960s, about the time of the British invasion on the music scene. Fellow Brit, Susan Villa (pictured above, with British Columbia native, Michael Bug Deakin of Heritage Salvage) kept the records turning in the 39th anniversary Petaluma Tribute to American Graffiti's sun-dapppled downtown live music station, today.

I captured this colorful moment with my iPhone camera, despite the fact that my latest Canon camera purchased a stone's throw down the street at Shutterbug was the second of its model sold in Petaluma, shortly after Mr. Lucas himself had, according to the salesman, purchased the first.

Next year will mark the 40th anniversary of American Graffiti, a guarantee of gleaming vintage motors galore.

Lagunitas Beer Circus 2012 This Sunday, May 20th - A Benefit for the Petaluma Music Festival, Keeping Music in Our Schools

Tickets are still available for over 21's to attend one of the more original annual fundraising events on the Southern Sonoma County calendar - the one and only 4th Annual Lagunitas Beer Circus, a benefit for the non-profit Petaluma Music Festival which raises much needed monies for keeping music alive in our city's schools.

Discounts for designated drivers! And if you're going and you don't have a DD, call Petaluma Green Taxi.

 

Sawdust and Swank - Dance to Bay Area's Favorite Pride and Joy Under Rustic Timbers and Glittering Chandeliers at the 2012 PEF 30th Anniversary BASH

Preparations are now well underway for Petaluma Educationa Foundation's s big glitzy 30th Birthday Bash, Saturday September 8th, 2012.

Clover Stornetta is rolling back its massive doors at 5400 Old Redwood Highway to reveal rustic timbers and glittering chandeliers, the sawdust and the swank of the fabulous Redwood Pavilion.

The bay area’s top pick for a dance band, Pride & Joy, will shake the rafters after paddles are raised to fund the future for school kids throughout Petaluma. Cick here for more info. 

Bay Area Based Acces Trips Announces First-of-A-Kind Morocco Culinary Tours

Photo Credit - Kasbah Omar/Access Trips

Photo Credit - Kasbah Omar/Access Trips

Photo Credit - Kasbah Omar/Access Trips

Photo Credit Credit - Kasbah Omar/Access Trips

With its September Morocco Culinary & Cultural Tour sold out, Bay Area-based leading exotic, adventure tour operator, Access Trips, is offering new August 2012 dates for its most popular group trip ever.

Under the expert guidance of CEO, Tamar Lowell, Access Trips has perfected an itinerary for guests that goes beyond a culinary immersion to illuminate what often becomes a life-long passion for Moroccan cooking, culture and cuisine.

As the first to offer a journey where the Moroccan culture is explored through its cuisine in 2010, Access Trips possesses a deep understanding of Morocco’s rich landscape, customs, and people. This expertise manifests itself in a trip that highlights the country’s magical and mysterious blend of Arabic, Berber, French and Spanish influences.

From the charming fishing community of Essaouira to a small, picturesque Berber village perched in the High Atlas Mountains, travelers experience the vast and vibrant diversity of Morocco on a culinary expedition that is not to be missed.

Don’t miss your chance to join what travelers have already called "the trip of a lifetime."

Discover Your Passion for Moroccan Culture and Cuisine on Access Trips’ Morocco – Culinary & Cultural Tour.
 
Indulge your senses as you experience the vibrant colors, complex customs and striking flavors of a country on the crossroads of civilization. Learn the art of preparing local cuisine, become acquainted with regional specialties and traditions, uncover the tools of the Moroccan kitchen and discover your inner chef all with the help of experienced local chefs and an expert multilingual guide.

To meet booming demand, Access Trips is announcing a new tour departing August 30, 2012. This trip is in addition to the tour’s remaining 2012 departures on October 11, November 8 and December 20 – with the September trip already sold out.

Highlights of the nine-day tour include:

Masterful Moroccan Cooking Instruction – Learn the art behind the preparation of Morocco’s abundant regional specialties from expert local instructors. Discover your inner chef as you are taught to prepare fish tajine using the catch of the day in the fishing village of Essaouira. While staying in the village of Anrar in the High Atlas Mountains, master Berber specialties including barbeque kebabs, breakfast crepes, and the delectable pastilla – a delicacy combining flaky pastry, savory meat and sultry spices. From traditional lemon chicken, to Moroccan soups, salads and coucous there is no end to the culinary delight that awaits.
Retreat to Essaouira – Wonder at the authentic charm of the old fishing village and artist enclave as you explore a cultural mix of ancient architecture, enjoy a spectacular seaside lunch, ride a camel and peruse local art galleries.
 
Experience a Berber Village – Explore the traditional Berber village of Anrar, and become acquainted with regional customs as you stop in for a cup of tea with a local Berber family before enjoying a sumptuous dinner back at the riad Kasbah Omar.
 
Navigate the Vibrant Markets of the High Atlas – After a 45-minute walk through olive and fruit groves along a river, delight the senses as you explore the souk lathine – the traditional Monday Market where Berber villagers come to trade. Select organic vegetables, meat and chicken to be used in the day’s cooking classes and walk back to the Kasbah with your donkey carrying the produce.
 
Explore the Ourika Valley – Embark on a journey through the Ourika Valley, one of the most stunning and ancient valleys of the High Atlas. Drive to the ancient Jewish village of Algjii and meet with the last Jew in the valley, a man who has dedicated his life to guarding the 500-year-old tomb of a legendary rabbi. Visit an organic herb garden before choosing to either embark on a rewarding hike to a magical waterfall or return to the village for a traditional ceramic workshop.
 
Discover the Imperial City of Marrakesh – Explore this enchanting palm oasis set against the snow-capped peaks of the High Atlas Mountains, as you spend an two days touring mystical Marrakesh. Discover the expansive harem quarters of the Bahia Palace, the ancient royal Saadian Tombs, the vibrant and historic Jewish mellah and the majestic Koutoubia Mosque all before even entering the 9th century walled medina.
 
Wonder at the Markets of the Medina --Wind your way through a serpentine labyrinth of the ancient bustling souk and take in the sights of Moroccan craftsmanship at its best. Learn about local artisan specialties, such as carpets and metalwork, during visits to local artisan co-ops.
 
Thrill in the Magic of Djemaa el-Fna Square – Roam the famed square where mystical snake charmers, hustlers and mischievous monkeys add to the nightly drama, as Berber acrobats, fortune-tellers, musicians and engaging storytellers seduce a bustling crowd.
 
Deluxe Accommodations in Stunning Riads – Unwind at the end of each day in the comforts of stunning Moroccan riads, traditional Moroccan homes featuring an interior courtyard and garden. Whether overlooking the jaw-dropping High Atlas Mountains or the sparkling sea, all accommodations feature breathtaking views of the Moroccan landscape.
 
Marvel at the Rare Argan Tree – Stop to tour an argan oil cooperative on your journey from Essaouira to Marakesh, and witness the elusive, UNESCO protected argan tree endemic only to Morocco.
 
Rates start at $2,890 per person and include transfer to and from the airport in Casablanca and Marrakesh, all breakfasts, one lunch, five dinners, and deluxe accommodations. Groups are limited to 12 travelers, who are accompanied by a multilingual local guide. For more information please visit www.accesstrips.com or call (650) 492-4778.

Access Trips has announced its full lineup of 2013 dates available now for booking at www.accesstrips.com.

ABOUT ACCESS TRIPS

Access Trips is the leading adventure tour operator specializing in exotic learning vacations to 13 countries worldwide. Access Trips offers a wide range of small-group outdoor sports and culinary-focused trips that are expertly designed to allow guests to experience a new culture, learn new skills or fine-tune existing ones, and revel in the splendor of their destination.

Based in San Francisco, California and launched in 2001, Access Trips’ impressive portfolio includes cooking, surfing, mountain biking, snowboarding, skiing, and multisport itineraries. Regardless of the focus of the activity, Access Trips caters to a variety of skill levels, serving the novice as well as the expert in a relaxed, non-intimidating setting with the help of world-class instructors and multilingual guides. 

Photo Credit - Riad el Assafir