Sunday, September 6, 2015

SONOMA WINE REGION

(does not includes Mendocino Coast; does include Cloverdale, Freestone, Geyserville, Glen Ellen, Guerneville, Healdsburg, Kenwood, Petaluma, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Sonoma & Windsor)

CLOVERDALE
Sights & Sites
Cloverdale Arts Alliance – 105 East 1st (town square, next to farmers’ market); 707-894-4410; cloverdaleartsalliance.org; free summer concerts in evening.



FREESTONE
Services
Osmosis Day Spa – 209 Bohemian Highway; 707-823-8231; osmosis.com.



GEYSERVILLE
Restaurants
Rustic – 300 Via Archimedes (at Francis Ford Coppola Winery); 707-857-1471; franciscoppolawinery.com; traditional Italian fare.

Sights & Sites
Francis Ford Coppola Winery – 300 Via Archimedes; 707-857-1471; franciscoppolawinery.com; 88-acre estate with restaurant and 2 outdoor pools.



GLEN ELLEN
Sights & Sites
Bouverie Preserve – 13935 Sonoma Highway; 707-938-4554; egret.org; part of Audubon Canyon Ranch; bird preserve.



GUERNEVILLE (includes Forestville)
Bars & Nightclubs
Boon Eat + Drink – 16248 Main Street; 707-869-0780; eatatboon.com.

Hotels
Boon Hotel + Spa – 14711 Armstrong Woods Road; 707-869-2721; boonhotels.com; courtyard centered around pool; rooms on 6' stilts above Russian River flood-plain; modern decor.
Farmhouse Inn – 7871 River Road (Forestville); 707-887-3300; farmhouseinn.com; boutique hotel attached to 1 Michelin star restaurant.
West Sonoma Inn & Spa – 14100 Brookside Lane; 707-869-2874 or 800-551-1881; recently renovated.

Restaurants
Applewood Inn – 13555 Highway 116; 707-869-9093 or 800-555-8509; applewoodinn.com.
Boon Eat + Drink – 16248 Main Street; 707-869-0780; eatatboon.com.
Farmhouse – 7871 River Road (Forestville); 707-887-3300; farmhouseinn.com; 1 Michelin star.
Garden Grill – 17132 Highway 116; 707-869-3922; barbecue, breakfast, and brunch; small patio in back.

Services
Farmhouse Spa – 7871 River Road (Forestville); 707-887-3300; farmhouseinn.com.
King’s Sport & Tackle – 16258 Main Street; 707-869-2156; kingsrussianriver.com; sporting goods store that arranges kayaking trips on Russian River.

Shopping
[big bottom market] – 16228 Main Street; 707-604-7295; bigbottommarket.com; general goods store (groceries, etc.).
King’s Sport & Tackle – 16258 Main Street; 707-869-2156; kingsrussianriver.com; sporting goods store.

Sights & Sites
Armstrong Redwoods State National Reserve – 17000 Armstrong Woods Road; 707-869-2015; parks.ca.gov/?page_id=450; among last surviving redwood giants.



HEALDSBURG
Bars & Nightclubs
Bear Republic Brewing Co. – 345 Healdsburg Avenue; 707-433-2337; bearrepublic.com; microbrewery.
Cyrus – 29 North Street; 707-433-3311; cyrusrestaurant.com; tasting menu only except in bar.

Hotels
DuChamp Hotel – 421 Foss Street; 707-431-1300 or 800-431-1300; duchamphotel.com; contemporary and luxurious; feels like private club.
Grape Leaf Inn – 539 Johnson Street; 707-433-8140; grapeleafinn.com.
Hotel Healdsburg – 25 Matheson Street; 707-431-2800 or 800-889-7188; hotelhealdsburg.com; beautiful; super modern.
h2Hotel – 219 Healdsburg Avenue; 707-922-5251; hthotel.com; 36 rooms; solar heated; great bar.
SingleThread Farm – 131 North Street (Healdsburg); 707-723-4646; singlethreadfarms.com; remarkable Relais & Châteaux property (block north of Healdsburg Plaza); influenced by Japanese concept of omotenashi, often translated as “selfless hospitality”; 4 rooms & suite described as “honesty in function but beauty in form,” perspective that translates into singular textures & surfaces—dressers & side tables, for instance, with drawer faces covered in stiff black leather flared discreetly at bottom to create handles, & white-oak flooring with subtly rough-hewn look; overall effect is luxe but minimalistic, with every element, down to the brass screws on the mirrors, chosen for reason; all rooms have gas fireplaces, 14' exposed redwood-beam ceilings & wet bars with European coffee makers & tea kettles, premium Zalto wine glasses & snacks that include ice cream treats made in-house; no room keys; guests instead select code that typed on keypad gains entrance; bathrooms have heated tile floors, roomy rain showers, marble-trimmed deep soaking tubs (except in 1 room) & automated Japanese toilets (heated seat, of course); inn has small redwood-paneled lobby with view through glass into restaurant kitchen; 2nd-floor study, where guests often gather & sometimes take breakfast, serves some communal functions of traditional lobby; guests receive free passes to Parkpoint Health Club (10-minute walk), which has heated 25-yard-long pool; room rate includes multi-course breakfast; inn has no bar, but guests can order wine & beer.

Restaurants
Barndiva – 231 Center Street; 707-431-0100; barndiva.com; exclusively uses local ingredients.
Bovolo – 106 Matheson Street; 707-431-2962; bovolorestaurant.com; Tuscan.
Cyrus – 29 North Street; 707-433-3311; cyrusrestaurant.com; tasting menu only except in bar; considered French Laundry of Sonoma.

Services
Hotel Healdsburg Spa – 25 Matheson Street; 707-431-2800; hotelhealdsburg.com; try honey and wine body wrap.
Simple Touch Spa – 239 Center Street; 707-433-6856; asimpletouchspa.com.

Shopping
Arboretum – 332 Healdsburg Avenue; 707-433-7033; arboretumapparel.com; organic cotton jeans and handbags made of vintage car fabrics.
Bella Winery & Caves – 9711 West Dry Creek Road; 707-473-9171; bellawinery.com; winery.
Capture Gallery – 105 Plaza Street; 707-431-7030; capturefineart.com; high-end photography.
Hawley Tasting Room & Gallery – 36 North Street; 707-473-9500; hawleywine.com; Dana Hawley’s landscapes; husband is vintner.
Lime Stone – 315 Healdsburg Avenue; 707-433-3080; limestonehealdsburg.com; culinary gifts.
Studio Barndiva – 237 Center Street; 707-431-7404; studiobarndiva.com; textiles from women’s collectives in Ethiopia and Tibet.
Quivira Vineyard & Winery – 4900 West Dry Creek Road; 707-431-8333; quiviraqwine.com; organic, wildflower honey.

Sights & Sites
Anderson Valley Wine Appellation – take Highway 128 to coast, which will pass through wine valley, along Navarro River banks to Highway 1.
Hand Fan Museum – 327a Healdsburg Avenue; 707-431-2500; handfanmuseum.com.
Healdsburg Center for Arts – 130 Plaza Street; 707-431-1970; healdsburgcenterforthearts.com; rotating displays of local and regional artists.
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park – US Route 199 (9 miles east of Crescent City); 707-458-3018; parks.ca.gov/?page_id=413; established in 1929; named after noted fur trapper Jedediah Smith, who visited its location during 1826 expedition; among 3 state parks cooperatively managed as part of Redwood National and State Parks; several hiking trails and day use area adjacent to campground, next to Smith River; Hiouchi Trail, Mill Creek Trail, Simpson Reed Discovery Trail and Stout Grove (which contains “Stout Tree,” largest in stand); Mill Creek flows through park and merges with Smith River.



KENWOOD
Hotels
Kenwood Inn & Spa – 10400 Sonoma Highway; 707-833-1293 or 800-353-6966; kenwoodinn.com; among most highly regarded wine country resorts.



PETALUMA
Bars & Nightclubs
Dempsey’s – 50 East Washington Street; 707-765-9694; dempseys.com; microbrewery.

Restaurants
Café Della Fattoria – 141 Petaluma Boulevard North; 707-763-0161; dellafattoria.com; organic bakery that bakes wide variety French breads in wood-burning ovens.



SANTA ROSA
Bars & Nightclubs
Christy’s on Square – Old Courthouse Square; 707-528-8565; christysonthesquare.com; older, sophisticated clientele.

Restaurants
Zazu Restaurant & Farm – 3535 Guerneville Road; zazurestaurant.com; 707-523-4814 fresh, local market food.

Sights & Sites
Bohemian Highway – from Freestone (10 miles west of Santa Rosa), up to rural Monte Rio (home to Bohemian Grove).



SEBASTOPOL
Bakeries, Coffee, Ice Cream, Juice & Tea
Many Rivers Books & Tea – 130 South Main Street; 707-829-8871; manyriversbooks.com.

Bars & Nightclubs
Hopmonk Tavern – 230 Petaluma Avenue; 707-829-7300; hopmonk.com; live music.

Restaurants
Aubergine Vintage Emporium & Cafe – 755 Petaluma Avenue; 707-827-3460; aubergineafterdark.com; cafe, clothing store, and concert venue.
K&L Bistro – 119 South Main Street; 707-823-6614; klbistro.com; 1 Michelin star; bistro food.
Hopmonk Tavern – 230 Petaluma Avenue; 707-829-7300; hopmonk.com; food and live music.
Peter Lowell’s – 7385 Healdsburg Avenue, Suite 101; 707-829-1077; peterlowells.com; organic Italian restaurant.

Shopping
Patrick Amiot – 382 Florence Avenue; 707-824-9388; patrickamiot.com; art.
Aubergine Vintage Emporium & Cafe – 755 Petaluma Avenue; 707-827-3460; aubergineafterdark.com; 8K' square vintage clothing.
Many Rivers Books & Tea – 130 South Main Street; 707-829-8871; manyriversbooks.com; spiritually-themed bookstore.
Redwood Hill Farm – 2064 Highway 116 North; 707-823-8250; redwoodhill.com; dairy products.
Risk Press Gallery – 7345 Healdsburg Avenue; riskpress.com; non-profit space for emerging artists.
Rosemary’s Garden – 132 North Main Street; 707-829-2539; rosemarysgarden.com; herb shop.

Sights & Sites
Aubergine Vintage Emporium & Cafe – 755 Petaluma Avenue; 707-827-3460; aubergineafterdark.com; cafe, clothing store, and concert venue.
Sebastopol Center for Arts – 6780 Depot Street; 707-829-4797; sebarts.org; arts venue.
Sonoma County Repertory Theater – 104 North Main Street; 707-823-0177; the-rep.com; Shakespeare and newer plays, such as Neil LaBute.



SONOMA
Bars & Nightclubs
El Dorado Hotel – 405 1st Street West; 707-996-3220; eldoradosonoma.com; effortlessly glamorous; minimalist and sleek.

Hotels
Carneros Inn – 4048 Sonoma Highway; 707-299-4900 or 888-400-9000; thecarnerosinn.com; haute agricultural architecture by way of tin-roofed cottages with porches; 25-minutes from St. Helena.
Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn – 100 Boyes Boulevard; 866-540-4499 or 707-938-9000; fairmont.com/sonoma.
Ledson Hotel – 480 1st Street East (Sonoma Plaza); 707-996-9779 or 800-850-4370; ledsonhotel.com; just 6 rooms, each with marble shower and whirlpool tub; expensive.
Sonoma Creek Inn – 239 Boyes Boulevard; 707-939-9463 or 888-712-1289; sonomacreekinn.com; combines bed & breakfast atmosphere with 1950s motel; most rooms with own small patio; affordable.

Restaurants
Girl & Fig – 400 West Spain Street; 707-933-3663; thegirlandthefig.com; regional Italian cuisine using Northern Californian ingredients; sit outside and have Spritzer; try porchetta and polenta in pork jus or Pacific rock cod with wood-roasted Yukon gold potatoes.
La Michoacana – 18495 Highway 12; 707-938-1773; facebook.com/pages/La-Michoacana-paleteria-y-neveria/133941356675189; soft ice cream.
Sante – 100 Boyes Boulevard (at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa); 707-938-900; fairmont.com/sonoma; American-French menu; Michelin star; try mac & cheese with lobster.

Sights & Sites
Sonoma City Opera – 484 East Napa Street; 707-939-8288; sonomaopera.org; concerts.



WINDSOR
Restaurants
Mirepoix – 275 Windsor River Road (in Sonoma Country); 707-838-0162; French, bistro-style food.

Monday, March 23, 2015

AUSTRALIA-VICTORIA

(does not include Melbourne)

BUCKLAND VALLEY
Hotels, Lodges & Resorts
Buckland Studio Retreat – 116 McCormack’s Lane (Bright); 011-61-4-1913-3318; thebuckland.com.au.



PORT CAMPBELL
Dives
Loch Ard – Twelve Apostles Marine National Park (Port Campbell); 011-61-3-8627-4700; parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/twelve-apostles-marine-national-park; square-rigged iron sailing ship.

Sights & Sites
Port Campbell National Park – Great Ocean Road; 011-61-3-8627-4700; parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/port-campbell-national-park; wave-sculpted rock formations (e.g., Twelve Apostles); Loch Ard Gorge is site of 19th Century shipwreck Loch Ard; hike Port Campbell Discovery Walk; includes Twelve Apostles Marine National Park.