When the simple question of “Where should we go to breakfast?” comes up, two places come to mind without the slightest hesitation: Dierk’s Parkside Café and Water Street Bistro. If you’re looking for the best breakfast in Sonoma County, look no further than these two local gems.

Dierk’s Parkside Café
I describe this place to friends as “dinner service at breakfast.” It’s an unassuming place, although they have expanded into an adjacent space so it’s not so diner-y as it once was. There’s a counter that looks into the kitchen where you will see the chefs in their kitchen whites—at breakfast! Servers are polite, remember specials off the top of their heads, make great conversation and move gracefully through the place making it so inviting to the breakfast guests. Coffee cups are big with strong, delicious brew.  The food, well, is absolutely amazing. A few items on the recent menu included:

• Warm poached egg salad—two poached eggs on a bed of local mixed greens, chopped bacon, fresh herbs, potatoes, croutons and tomatoes with herb dressing.
• Sonoma Duck Confit with potato hash, scrambled eggs, toast and warm apples.
• Biscuits and gravy
  
• Heuvos Rancheros, oh and ….
• Country Benedict—warm crispy baguette, covered with scrambled eggs, bacon, mushrooms, spinach, oven dried tomatoes and hollandaise—YUM!!!!

Seriously, do not miss this place.

Dierk’s is open 7am-2pm daily; Brunch is served on Saturday and Sundays; Breakfast and lunch served daily till 2pm.

Location: 404 Santa Rosa Avenue, Santa Rosa

Water Street Bistro
Another favorite, located at the end of Western Ave at Water Street in Petaluma, Water Street Bistro is a homey, hometown breakfast spot with the feel of your mom’s kitchen. Lots of freshly baked pies, quiches, savory breakfast tarts, pastries, and scones are all out on display and not more than an hour or so from the oven. The chef/owner Stephanie decides on the fly what will be on the menu that day and goes with the seasons when it comes to what she’ll be baking that morning. You will always have the freshest and the most delicious meal with anything you order here. Savory or sweet, she’s got something delicious for you to eat. She’s up and at ‘em at 5am and doesn’t stop all day. Situated along the Petaluma River, boaters visiting the area have told me that upon waking in the Petaluma’s turning basin, they thought someone was on board baking right in their galley! Locals and visitors love it. Be sure you have time to savor the experience. It’s a small kitchen space and limited prep area so relax and enjoy.

Water Street Bistro is open Monday-Friday from 7:30am – 3:30pm, and closed Tuesdays. Weekend hours are 8am-4pm on Saturdays and 8:30am-2:30pm on Sundays.

Location: 100 Petaluma Blvd. North – Petaluma

Posted by:  Martha O’Hayer

Oh, the never ending list of things to do, see, hear, eat in Petaluma! Wednesday, August 4 will be no exception. The Baker Creek Seed Bank will host the food journalist Paul Greenberg, author of “Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food” as he discusses his latest book. Notably, this past week, Greenberg’s book was the featured review in Sunday’s New York Times’ Book Review.

Greenberg will discuss his views on the four fish that dominate the food market today. His award-winning books and articles have received wide acclaim and he promises to be a dynamic and thought provoking speaker. Copperfields’ Books will co-sponsor the event and it promises to draw a big crowd. The speaker begins at 6:30 and the event is free.

The Baker Creek Seed Bank opened in June in a historic building in Petaluma, originally home to Sonoma County Bank (circa 1926) and offers one of California’s largest selections of organic and heirloom seeds – 1,200 varieties in all – as well as traditional gardening products. You just have to enter this mammoth building, housing thousands of packets of tiny seeds to get the juxtaposition. Rain or shine, it’s a heck of a good time. According to store manager Paul Wallace, Baker Creek chose to locate to Petaluma because 50% of its California mail-order customers live within a one-hour radius of the Central Petaluma location at E. Washington and Petaluma Blvd. North.

The LA Times and The Huffington Post both cite the unique pairing of a former bank with the location of the seed bank. Even Fast Company, the magazine with a focus on the most creative individuals sparking change in the marketplace, notes that unlike the bank that stood in its place prior, Baker Creek is thriving.

The Baker Creek Seed Bank is at 199 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma, (707) 509-5171. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday; closed Saturday.

Posted by:  Martha O’Hayer

Mark your calendars for yet another outstanding Petaluma Event – the 3rd Annual Petaluma Music Festival, August 7 at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds. Get ready for some smokin’ hot bluegrass, blues, rock and shenanigans. This annual event has morphed into a world class music festival featuring local brews, wines and specialty foods as well as a silent auction. All proceeds will benefit Petaluma Schools’ music programs.

The Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds is the site of the event and the entire family is invited. The large grassy area is perfect for picnicking and dancing around to this year’s bands. Some of this year’s line-up includes Poor Man’s Whiskey, the Bay Area’s outlaw blues, bluegrass, folk, punk rockers who have been playing the Festival scene for years. Trombone Shorty, born and raised in New Orleans, brings his own brand of music to the stage this year. He describes his style as ‘supafunkrock’ and will surely WOW the crowd. ALO, are taking a pause as the opening band for Jack Johnson on his world tour and are signed to Jack’s record label, Brushfire Records.

Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. For more information and a complete lineup of bands and participants, go to petalumamusicfestival.org.

And as always, check out the latest and greatest goings on in Petaluma at visitpetaluma.com.

Posted by:  Martha O’Hayer

Photos by: Karen Foley

Though a young state, California enjoys a rich and fascinating history, much of which can be explored right here in the North Bay.

One place to start is Petaluma. At 152 years old, Petaluma is one of California’s oldest cities and boasts a well-preserved historic downtown area that is on the National Register of Historic Places. Petaluma offers a wonderful historical walking tour of this area, which includes a stop at the location of what was originally the world’s only chicken pharmacy. (According to tour information, the pharmacy was featured in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not and National Geographic, and dispensed 50,000 pills daily.) It’s also worthwhile to visit the “A” Street Historic District, a six-block area near the historic downtown which takes you past an eclectic mix of homes and churches built between 1860 and 1925 where you can enjoy Petaluma’s beautiful Victorian homes. Visiting the historical homes and landmarks of this delightful city provides great insight into its early years.

Photos by: Karen Foley

Santa Rosa is another place one can explore California history. There’s the Railroad Square District on the west side of town that can take you back a century to the days of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad which bisected Sonoma County. Also worthwhile are the neighborhoods of St. Rose, with a combination of historic homes and commercial buildings, and Cherry Street, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Santa Rosa. On Cherry Street you’ll find historical homes that range from the charming Queen Anne style to stately Colonial Revivals.

For more information about historic attractions in the North Bay, check out these sites. If you have a site of historic interest to recommend, please let us know about it.

Visit Petaluma

The City of Santa Rosa

Historic Homes of Healdsburg Walking Tour

Mission San Rafael Arcangel

Sonoma State Historic Park

Jack London State Historic Park

Follow along as the full list unfolds – 100 Reasons Why We Love Where We Live 

Follow the reasons on Facebook 

Posted by:  Frank Howard Allen Realtors

Once again, Petaluma closes its downtown streets to welcome the 9th Annual Art and Garden Festival. There’s always so much to do on a given weekend in Wine Country, but this Festival has something that will keep you in town if you live here, and drive you here if you live elsewhere. On Sunday, July 11, from 11AM to 4PM you can be part of the fun for free too.

As the name implies, it’s about art and garden but also about music, kids’ activities and beer and wine. Over 100 vendors will set up for your enjoyment. Stroll our charming downtown streets, grab a local microbrew and tour the garden displays from local landscape designers. You can’t go wrong with the music line-up. You can sit and watch, dance around or just enjoy the music as part of the background of this lively event. By now you will be hungry, so grab a bite from one of the local restaurants featuring signature dishes meant to compliment that local brew or wine you’re sampling. Talk to the vendors, they love this event and I’m pretty sure you will too. The full lineup is on the Petaluma Downtown Website.

Proceeds from the event are used for downtown beautification. I’m all for that! So please, come on down to Petaluma’s 9th Annual Art and Garden Festival on Sunday and help us keep Petaluma Downtown BEAUTIFUL!

For a full calendar of Petaluma events, go to: www.visitpetaluma.com

Posted by:  Martha O’Hayer

In addition to homebuyers, the North Bay attracts businesses large and small. Many well-known companies – Williams-Sonoma, LucasFilm, and Amy’s Kitchen, not to mention so many of the wineries – have either gotten their start here or have headquarters in the area.

We all know the wineries open their doors to visitors, but there are also a good number of other local companies that allow us to experience first-hand how their product is made. These “factory” tours are widely popular amongst locals and tourists alike. 

For those who remember collecting stickers as a kid, or who have kids of their own with the passion, a visit to Mrs. Grossman’s sticker factory in Petaluma will take you back to those days of red hearts and gold stars. Highlights of the tour, to which many local school children are privy, include watching the laser web (the technology behind the company’s exclusive laser-cut stickers) and creating a postcard in the Sticker Art Room. Another tour that’s popular with the kids is the Jelly Belly tour. You have to travel a little farther – out to Fairfield – but this tour is unique and worth the trip. Here you’ll go behind the scenes and witness why it takes more than a week to make a single bean. You can also visit the candy store and swing by the Sample Bar where you can try all the different flavors and build your own unique recipes.

For the adults, there are tours that reveal the secrets of some of the delicious food and drinks made in this region. If you’re a fan of olive oil, a trip to McEvoy ranch is a must. While in Petaluma, you can make a day of it by also visiting the Marin French Cheese Company and Lagunitas Brewing Company. For that last stop, be sure to schedule time after your tour at the brewery to relax in the Beer Sanctuary with some live music.

More info:

Mrs. Grossmans Sticker Factory: www.mrsgrossmans.com
Tours are Monday-Thursday by reservation only.

Jelly Belly Factory: www.jellybelly.com
Guided factory tours operate daily from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Lagunitas Brewing Company: www.lagunitas.com
Tours are every weekday at 3:00pm.

Marin French Cheese Company: www.marinfrenchcheese.com
Tours are available seven days a week at 10:00 am, 11:00 am, Noon and 3:00 pm. Most cheese making activity occurs Monday through Thursday between 10:00 am and Noon.

McEvoy Ranch: www.mcevoyranch.com
Upcoming special tours: Garden Walk & Lunch – July 8, August 19, September 16; Orchard Walk & Mill Tour – August 7, September 11, October 2

Read what fellow bloggers Martha O’Hayer and Judy LeMarr have had to say about some of their favorite tours.

Do you have a favorite tour to add to the list? Let us know in the comments.

Follow along as the full list unfolds – 100 Reasons Why We Love Where We Live

Posted by:  Frank Howard Allen Realtors

The Sonoma-Marin Fair begins today, so you had better get some rest because you’ll need it if you intend to take it all in. It’s not the biggest Fair in Sonoma County, but it packs a lot of punch.

Beginning on June 23 and continuing till June 27, the Sonoma-Marin Fair will fill the Petaluma Fairgrounds with all the sights and sounds of old timey fairs, but will also present a few events you may not have heard of on any fair circuit.

For instance, today is Kids’ Day and everyone gets in for $10 before 5 PM. And, in addition to the usual Poultry Showmanship and Dairy Challenges, you may have a ringer in your house for the Text Messaging Challenge or the Guitar Hero Challenge. The Teen Edge includes a fashion show, band competitions and more. The Fair is agricultural in nature, but there seems to be something for all ages here. A full schedule of events can be found here and you can view all of the kid specific activities here.

Thursday is Seniors’ Day, Friday is Ag (Agriculture) Day, Saturday is Farmers’ Day and Sunday is Family Day. There’s music each night including local favorites Tower of Power and their incredible horn section. Stop by beforehand and sample this year’s winners of the North of the Bay Wine Competition.

Tons to do and not enough time to include it all in this post, so check back soon for further details. And if your kids have super fast thumbs or a real competitive edge in Guitar Hero, get yourself down to the Fairgrounds and let them shine! We all know it’s kids’ day everyday, but they might just get rewarded with bragging rights for an everyday activity!

Posted by:  Martha O’Hayer

The Petaluma Farmers’ Market opens this Saturday, May 22. It may be hard to tell from looking out your window, but farmers’ market season is upon us bringing forth fresh produce, artisan baked goods, beautiful plants and flowers and specialty arts and crafts. There are two markets in Petaluma (the Wednesday Evening market will open June 2) offering access to some of Sonoma County’s bounty. In addition to the delicious food and produce, the Saturday market features live music, face painting, a balloon artist, jump house, and pony rides.

Farmers’ Markets have long since been a staple in Sonoma County and the New York Times has a recent post on their Bay Area blog describing farmers’ markets in the Bay Area by the numbers. Some interesting stats from that post include:

• 12: Number of certified farmers’ markets in California in 1979; 540 Number of certified farmers’ markets in California today
• 56: Cents on the retail dollar that farmers receive when selling at a farmers’ market; 30 Cents on the dollar when selling wholesale
• 5: Calories in a strawberry; 435 Fuel calories required to ship a strawberry from California to New York

So grab your reusable bag and come down this weekend…now is the time to purchase locally-grown produce and support our area farmers.

The Petaluma Saturday Farmers’ Market
Saturdays 2:00pm – 5:00pm
May 22 – October 30
Walnut Park on the Corner of Pet. Blvd South & D St.

The Petaluma Evening Farmers’ Market
Wednesdays 4:30pm – 8:00pm
June 2 – September 1
Theatre District (2nd Street between B & D Streets)

Petaluma is just one of several farmers’ markets in Sonoma County. View this chart for more or visit: cafarmersmarkets.com

Posted By: Edward Reiners

It’s the hap-, happi- est time of the year! I know you’re thinking that I’m nuts, we just got over that crazy holiday season.

Let me clarify: for me, the upcoming weekend is the best of the year in Petaluma. Each year for the past 29 years, on the fourth Saturday in April, Petalumans old and young join in for the Annual Butter and Egg Day Parade. Petaluma’s premiere event draws tens of thousands who love a parade and all of the hoopla that goes with it. Our heritage is celebrated with cows and chicks and a plethora of activities. The Cutest Chick Contest, Cow Chip Toss and more will provide entertainment for everyone. This year’s event is themed ‘Petaluma’s Shining Moments.’ There have been many. Join the fun and you may create your very own shining moment on Saturday! Don’t forget your camera. It’s a slice of Americana, I assure you. The Parade starts at Noon and the events of the day run from 10 AM until 5 PM.

As if that weren’t enough, on Sunday, April 25, Petaluma opens its doors and closes its streets for the 24th Annual Antique Faire. Historic Downtown transforms into an antique marketplace from 8 AM to 4 PM with over 180 dealers. Streets are closed to traffic and an atmosphere that can only be found in our historic downtown is created. Take your time, stroll Kentucky Street and shop to your heart’s content. Amazing and fascinating items from days gone by are there for you to browse or buy. The weather is almost always perfect so grab your hat, some sunscreen and head downtown for day two of my favorite weekend.

Unfortunately, you won’t see me there this weekend. Family obligations beckon me to the east coast. So alas, you are on your own. Find your way to Petaluma and bring your friends and family. You’ll see why we love it here. You’ll see lots of friends and neighbors. Say hi to someone you don’t know and see why I think it’s the “most wonderful time of the year!”

Posted by:Martha O’Hayer

The weather is warming up and the brew pubs are beckoning.  Sonoma County serves up amazing wines, we know, but as the old saying goes…”it takes a lot of beer to make great wine.” Winemakers, and just plain old folks alike know that sometimes there’s nothing better than a cold one.

Petaluma features two breweries, Dempsey’s in the Golden Eagle Shopping Center and Lagunitas Brewery on N. McDowell in a most unlikely spot, a business park.  Neither will disappoint.

Dempsey’s award-winning selection of beers are produced on site and best enjoyed with some of their fine pub fare. Find yourself a nice spot outside overlooking the Petaluma River and watch the action while you sip a pint or two. The atmosphere is casual so don’t rush your stay, grab a burger, enjoy their amazing salads or decide on a delicious dessert. The beer is cold and the living is easy.

Lagunitas Brewing Company has been around for some time, but recently opened their Tap Room and Beer Sanctuary. Aptly named, you need to experience the Beer Sanctuary yourself to understand why it feels like such a great getaway. The Tap Room and Beer Sanctuary opens at 3pm Wednesday through Friday; Saturday and Sunday it opens at 1:00pm. When the taps are open, the music is playing so check out who’s up next on the Sanctuary stage. You just never know the extent of the talent. We do know that the beer, as well as the food menu, is seasonally inspired. Lagunitas keeps adding to their brews—one of the latest is the Wilco Tango Foxtrot. Check out the virtual tasting here.

So if Petaluma is the gateway to Sonoma County and wine country, maybe soon we will be known as the gateway to beer country. Santa Rosa has the 3rd Street Aleworks, which does all brewing on site and features much outdoor seating, a diverse menu, a pool table, and sporting events on the many screens.  Also in downtown Santa Rosa is The Russian River Brewing Company with its wide selection of award winners.

Occidental has Barley and Hops Tavern. Healdsburg features the Bear Republic Brewing Company.  HopMonk Tavern in Sebastopol has been transformed into an unpretentious venue where you will enjoy American Craft Beer as well as the European Classics served by fun folks with a passion for all things beer. Music can be found at all of these establishments on varying schedules. So kick back and enjoy a cold one, listen to some music and savor a truly Sonoma-style hand-crafted beauty!

Do you have a favorite local brewery?

Posted by:Martha O’Hayer

It’s the 4th Annual California’s Artisan Cheese Festival, March 26-29.

Join the best of the best in California artisan cheesemaking this weekend at the Sheraton in Petaluma. This annual event features the artisans who still adhere to the original cheesemaking practices – small batch production, made by hand. The cheesemakers support local agriculture and follow sustainable practices. Our rural way of life is supported by the original founders of Cowgirl Creamery who have production facilities in both Sonoma and Marin Counties.

Marin and Sonoma County producers will be well represented at the event – Cowgirl Creamery, Point Reyes Farmstead, Spring Hill Jersey Cheese, Marin French Cheese Company and Bellwether Farms are a few of the many cheesemakers you will find. On Sunday, twenty-four cheesemakers, twenty handmade food makers and twenty wineries and breweries will be on hand in the Marketplace providing samples and selling their delicious goods. Other activities include a Barn Dance on Friday, seminars, cheese tastings and pairings. A full list of events can be found here.

Petaluma is the prime location for the California’s Artisan Cheese Festival. Don’t miss out, make your reservations now. Bring your friends and enjoy our rural roots.

We’re fortunate to have so many cheese producers, artisan food purveyors and vintners in our own backyard. Share some of your local favorites in the comments below.

Posted by:Martha O’Hayer

Happiness and Sonoma County go hand-in-hand as we’ve seen in the past few posts. Our surroundings are tranquil and generally we find that our lifestyle keeps up with the latest technologies while preserving our rural way of life.

This week alone, we’re experiencing a wide variety of local events that invite the world to see our incredible diversity. From the California Artisan Cheese Festival, that takes place this weekend, March 26 through March 29, to the possibility that Google will select Petaluma as a test city for its ultra high-speed fiber network. (You can nominate Petaluma at www.googleluma.com – hurry deadline is March 26). There’s lots going on just north of the Marin County line.

On the financial front, our own Petaluma based Calix, Inc (formerly Calix Networks, Inc) just this week received $82 Million in its initial public offering and saw shares rise 16% on its first day of trading. I’ll bet there are some happy people there, too! Full details can be found here.

My point is this, we in Sonoma County, and in Petaluma in particular, value the old and the new, and embrace the possibilities that both provide. Petaluma stays on the cutting edge of new technologies while preserving our rural heritage. We all know that balance is the key to a happy life; well, by the look of it, we have a great balance right here in our own back yard!

Have more examples of how we balance preservation and innovation? Post your comments below.

Posted by:Martha O’Hayer

Did you know that Santa Rosa/Petaluma is the 5th happiest city in America according to interviews with more than 350,000 Americans? The Huffington Post article can be found here.

The “life evaluation” for each city consisted of job opportunities, personal finances, physical health, moods, emotions, and communities. Based on my experience living in many different cities across the country, I think Santa Rosa should be #1. We are all so blessed to live here, and I’ve never seen more “nice” people concentrated in one area.

Now, news has broken that Google is offering to build an ultra-fast Internet network for residents in one or more lucky U.S. towns. WOW! Can you imagine how happy we’d all be if Santa Rosa was the chosen city? I’m just sure we’d launch into the #1 position on the happiness scale. Let’s all get involved and lobby Google on behalf of our beloved Santa Rosa!

Get involved, make a difference and be happy!

Posted by:Beth Urban-Purtell

Hey, Petaluma!  Last week on this blog I discussed the results of a huge national poll (353,000 people surveyed) that recognized Petaluma/Santa Rosa as the happiest place in California, and the fifth happiest in the nation. And, Sunset Magazine calls it the perfect little town. CNNmoney.com names it as one of the top places to live. Country Living Magazine just did a three-page spread in their February, 2010, issue that featured the laid back lifestyle and amazing antiquing. Travel & Leisure Magazine named Petaluma one of the Nation’s Top Ten Getaways Near a Major City. So, from a lifestyle standpoint, I think that we’ve made it into the national spotlight – Petaluma is a fine place to live and work.

Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, along comes Google’s fiber optic network offering to bring their ultra-fast Internet network to one or more lucky cities in the US. Now, that’s a lifestyle change we can incorporate easily. According to a recent Press Democrat story, “Google’s network could raise property values, attract businesses, create jobs and increase competition amongst Internet providers.” Estimated Internet speeds of 100 times faster will be delivered at a competitive price. FAQ’s on the project can be found on the site. The project overview can be found here.

The Director of Information Technology for the city of Petaluma, Tim Williamson, is in the process of applying for the opportunity. Google estimates that the application will take somewhere around 4 hours to complete. A worthwhile investment of time, I’d say. 

Petaluma residents – Get involved. Visit Googleluma.com and let’s improve our lifestyle! We already know how great it is here, but just think of the possibilities.

Posted by:Martha O’Hayer

A huge study released last week found that people in Petaluma and Santa Rosa are happier and healthier than anywhere in California and ranked 5th in overall happiness in the nation!

Over 350,000 Americans were polled for the Gallup-Healthways Well Being Index. Forty-two questions covered a number of areas of health and well being including jobs, finances, health habits and mental attitudes. 753 participants from Sonoma County were included in the survey. They commented on healthy habits and behaviors such as eating well, including consuming fresh fruits and vegetables each week, exercising regularly and not smoking. 

Placing 5th overall in the US for Happiness quotient, Petaluma–Santa Rosa once again shows its true colors. What’s not to be happy about? Look around you, Petaluma has so many treasures; it’s hard to count them all. 

USA Today has the full list of winners ranked here; number one in the country for overall happiness was Boulder, Colorado. 

So folks, Disneyland may be the happiest place on earth, but Petaluma is the happiest place in California!

Posted by:Martha O’Hayer

Mark your calendars for this Saturday, November 28, because Santa Claus is coming to our town! At noon, prepare to see Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Turning Basin in Downtown Petaluma as they arrive via riverboat. We’re pretty sure his sleigh is fine, but why not arrive via one of Petaluma’s treasures—our river. Parents and kids will delight when the Claus’ disembark and stroll through downtown greeting all with Holiday wishes and candy.

Santa’s arrival is just one of the many holiday events coming up in Petaluma. The 2009 Petaluma Holiday Events calendar has been published and features a comprehensive list of upcoming holiday fun. You can pick up a copy of the calendar from any of the major sponsors and contributors in town, including Haus Fortuna, Petaluma Visitor’s Center, Petaluma Yacht Club, Vine and Barrel, as well as many others. Of course the most up-to-date information can always be found at www.visitpetaluma.com.

December is right around the corner and many holiday events are scheduled. There’s the City of Lights Driving Tour, a self-guided tour of participating homes and businesses decorated for the holidays, which can be viewed throughout the month. Stop by the Visitors’ Center for a map of homes. One of my very favorite events is the Lighted Boat Parade on December 5. The flotilla of decorated boats will be on parade up the river and arriving at the Turning Basin at approximately 6:30 PM. It’s fabulous and festive and definitely fun!

So don’t miss the holidays in historic downtown Petaluma. Stuff your stockings with local cheer! And experience the charm of small town holidays.

Posted by:Martha O’Hayer

As I mentioned in my previous post, Petaluma celebrates El Dia De Los Muertos in a big way and the festivities continue through this weekend. The altars are everywhere in shop windows, right on the counters next to cash registers and scattered about town. I highly recommend that you take a minute to explore Petaluma and see how families celebrate their deceased. Really, it’s a wonderful way to look at death as a part of life. Photos, favorite candy wrappers, flowers—each ‘ofrenda’—or altar is as unique as the person being celebrated.

The events culminate this weekend and a highlight for me is Friday’s candlelight procession. You can view a complete list of activities presented by the Petaluma Arts Council here. In addition, here is a list of altar locations, but you won’t really need it. Just take a walkabout in historic Downtown Petaluma and you’ll see the altars everywhere. You can also become a Facebook friend.

See you there! And if you attend, send me an e-mail at mohayer@fhallen.com. I’d love to hear about your experience.

Posted by:Martha O’Hayer

What a wonderful way to celebrate the dead. I remember hearing of ‘All Saints Day’ as a child. I’m sure I knew lots about it as a young Catholic School child, but it didn’t stick with me. When I moved to Petaluma 9 years ago, I remember quite distinctly seeing the ‘ofrendas’ or altars set up in a few scattered spots downtown. I was curious and a bit proud that our town would embrace this lovely tradition although I admit, I knew little about it. Each year the event has grown larger, I’ve learned more and now the downtown is chock full of ofrendas and events surrounding this celebration.

Our little celebration is all grown up. Beginning October 17 and continuing through November 2, this town will be buzzing with a jam packed calendar of events surrounding El Dia de Los Muertos. This is a family event, a time for celebrating with a family reunion – the living and the dead. It is believed that the dead return to visit their families once a year and this celebration is neither somber nor macabre. Rather a time for festivities and community.

During the celebration, you can view the altars made by locals to honor their dead. Families make altars and place ‘ofrendas’ (offerings) of food, fruit, candles, yellow marigolds and photos of the deceased. Each of these is a work of art. Wonderful and unique – some quite plain, and some so incredibly elaborate you will think they’ve been working on them all year – you may be right! There will be over 50 altars in shop windows, building walkways and tucked away in unusual spots. You can find a list of the altars in numerous locations downtown or at the Petaluma Arts Council. Spend some time on the Art and Altar Walk and I assure you you’ll want to be part of this incredible event.

The Art and Altar Walk is a stroll you can do anytime during the two week period. Other events include family workshops, poetry readings, folk dancing, and the culmination on October 30th with the traditional Candlelight procession with music dancing and Giant Puppets. This candlelight procession is worth a trip to Petaluma on Friday October 30 – you will be delighted, I assure you. The event will be on the river this year and it’s always a treat for the senses. Become a facebook friend and you won’t miss a single minute.

Or just head to downtown Petaluma and take in all that this unique and wonderful event has to offer. Just another reason to love our unique and wonderful place to live – Petaluma!

Posted by:Martha O’Hayer

As the charity season for Petaluma, California, draws to a close for the year 2009, one last, but most important event remains to be held. This event is the Make Miracles Happen Fundraising Breakfast and the funds are dedicated to breaking the cycle of homelessness in Sonoma County. This event is organized by the Committee on the Shelterless (COTS) and their unique model for a homeless shelter is designed to support homeless children, families and individuals that need guidance and direction to rekindle a productive and happy life. They offer not only safe shelter but services and programs to help people strengthen personal dignity and integrity, achieve financial independence, and find stable housing. They teach homeless parents to make their children’s needs their highest priority to ensure a fulfilling life. Just in the last year COTS assisted over 1,700 people, including 258 children. Over 102,000 meals were served and an additional 758 hungry people in the community received weekly groceries.

I first attended this event two years ago and was so stricken by the statistics that I couldn’t wait to get involved. Annually, over 50,000 hours of service are contributed by members of the community. When I made the commitment to become a Realtor, I made a commitment to myself to become involved in the community that I sell homes in. Frank Howard Allen has been a supporter of COTS through the Matching Grants program since 1999. For years I made that dollar commitment through commissions without truly comprehending the depth of the program.

Since I attended my first Miracle Breakfast, my goal is not only to give, but to participate. Once you meet the COTS clients you will see for yourself the miracle of unselfish dedication to fellow human beings in need. This will be my second year as Table Captain and I invite anyone that would like to witness this miracle firsthand to join me in meeting the clients and hearing how the program is evolving through the economic struggles of our country.

Space is limited so please email rcelli@fhallen.com and let me know if you are interested by October 16, 2009.

Posted By: Rebecca Celli

My good friend Mark recently asked me to recommend what he could do with friends coming to visit in Petaluma. Mark and I have known each other for nearly 30 years and both of us were city dwellers prior to moving to Petaluma. You could stay in San Francisco for weeks and never lack for things to do. But, he wondered, is there enough to do in Petaluma for someone visiting? Or will we need to send them out to greater Sonoma County?

Mark, I believe Petaluma can offer plenty of play!

Petaluma, California is located in Sonoma County, just 38 miles north of San Francisco. It is the first town you encounter after crossing the Sonoma County Line —The Gateway to Sonoma Wine Country. Our weather is beautiful and our community has grown up quite a bit in the past decade.

Here are a few must-dos on my list when visitors venture this way. Young or old, there’s an activity for everyone.

Take a Hike (or a walk if you will)

Petaluma is full of parks and walking paths. One of my favorite Petaluma parks is Shollenberger Park , a 165-acre park popular among hikers, bikers, bird-watchers and dog walkers. There, along the park’s levee trail, you can get an up-close look at wetlands wildlife – including over 150 species of birds – and the river flowing past with its collection of ramshackle, high-tech and human-powered boats. Saturday mornings, I have a standing date with my friend Sara for a walk, talk and gawk. There’s so much ground covered in our four mile walk that we hardly notice that we’re exercising at the same time. A new path recently opened that extends the path for several more miles and leads to the Ellis Creek Water Treatment Plant, which puts you at eye level with otters and other wildlife. Though I haven’t ventured down the new trail yet, this blogger had an amazing visit and I can’t wait to explore it this weekend.

Other favorite parks include the Oak Hill Park located at Oak and Howard Streets which includes a great playground, an off-leash dog park, Petanque courts as well as a labyrinth. Petanque in Petaluma? You bet. Now where else can you find all that in one park? Helen Putnam Regional Park also makes for a great outdoor experience, offering hiking with great views. (There may be a parking fee at Helen Putnam depending on how you enter the park.)

For a complete list of parks, go to the Visit Petaluma website and check out one that looks good to you.

Take a Tour

Winery tours, including our very own Petaluma Gap Wineries, offer a great way to spend the day. Look here for tours and times. Most are by appointment only.

Not only do we feature Sonoma County fine wines here in Petaluma, but our beers are notable as well. Lagunitas Brewing Company has grown into a major player in the brew market and they offer weekly tours. They also boast a Taproom and Beer Sanctuary, which is very impressive and relaxing with great live music and people watching. Open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 3-9 and weekends from 1-7, the Taproom and Sanctuary is a great place to land after a tour or a long day exploring Petaluma. Get directions to the Brewery here.

If you’re looking for something savory, McEvoy Olive Oil Company gives tours at different times during the year and Cowgirl Creamery’s newest facility is located in downtown Petaluma. The Creamery is a production-only facility, which means no retail here, but you can check out the amazing array of award-winning cheeses produced right here in Petaluma. More information about their tours can be found here.

For the kids, you can check out Mrs. Grossman’s Sticker Factory. The 110,000-square-foot corporate headquarters with 90 employees features the world’s only sticker factory tour.

There are dozens of other tours in town – garden tours, Victorian home tours and walking tours; you can view a great list of additional tours here.

Take a Taste

I don’t think you’ll find a better restaurant selection in a city the size of Petaluma – our chefs come from all over and offer an array of menu types, from Himalayan to Thai, Italian to California Cuisine, you name it, it’s here. Award-winning, charming and delicious, some of our restaurants have even caught the eye of the prestigious Michelin Guide. Cucina Paradiso, Risibisi and Hiro’s are among those mentioned.

Our Visitor Center website, www.visitpetaluma.com, offers a great dining guide, which can be viewed here. It is also a great place to start when planning outings that will suit your guests’ interests. For now at least, the program is still funded by the City of Petaluma so the website is quite accurate and up to date.

I’m glad to report there’s plenty to do right here in Petaluma, Mark! With all of our food, wine, art, cultural and recreational activities, you could easily fill a day or two or three.

Do you have favorite day-trips around town? I’d love to hear about them. Comment to this post or email me at mohayer@fhallen.com.

Posted by:Martha O’Hayer

This week marked the official changing of the season and as each day of fall brings us closer to Thanksgiving, it has me thinking about the wonderful bounty Sonoma County has to offer, and the generous nature of my friends and neighbors. My husband and I live in Petaluma and each year we shoot to have a productive garden, as do most of our friends. It’s late September and all of the gardens I have seen in the past few weeks are producing amazing crops and everyone seems eager to share in the bounty.

On a recent Saturday morning, Cody, my neighbor’s dog and I, were out for a walk and stopped by a friend’s home. She was busy with a huge batch of tomatoes that had just been dropped off by another friend and was in the midst of whipping up a monster batch of gazpacho that she would take to two different feasts to be enjoyed by 50 or more people. Way to share the bounty.

Shortly afterward, on the same walkabout, I stopped by David’s, another friend and neighbor. He was making a white bean salad he’d seen in Gourmet Magazine and needed some colorful tomatoes. Though not quite done with my walk, I went right home, picked all of the ripe sun gold cherry tomatoes I had in my garden, returned to David’s, and a short time later was savoring a most amazing and delicious salad.

Around town, I have also spotted several other examples of the giving spirit of our delightful community. These neighbors just put out their excess and invite you to help yourself!

        

This generous nature is just one of the many qualities I relish about the area. I see it firsthand so often and I recently learned of an organized group that epitomizes this spirit, Petaluma Bounty. This community-based nonprofit operates on a 5-acre parcel within a mile of downtown. I spoke to the farm manager last week and she told me that an elderly neighbor whose home abuts the property donated the land for the purpose of a farm.

The work they do there is truly incredible and they offer several programs, including: Bounty Hunters – a food-gleaning program that collects fresh, surplus food from backyard gardens, farms and businesses and distributes it to food pantries and senior centers; Bounty Box Food Club – weekly boxes of organic fruits and vegetables are sold at wholesale prices to low-income families; and the Bounty Mobile Market – organic fruits and vegetables sold at wholesale prices for those on limited budgets, and at retail prices to those who can afford it. A new location, at the Mail Depot at 4th and C streets each Wednesday from 9-noon, is just one of many dispensaries. A full schedule can be found here.

The Petaluma Bounty has an active volunteer program including ‘the food posse’, a group that will harvest fruit from local backyards or farms to sell from their mobile markets or at the farm stand. The Petaluma Bounty would like you to join them to help spread the word about how to bring healthy food to everyone—become a ‘vigilante’ and share the bounty!

Let me know if you have an innovative community group you’d like more folks to hear about. Contact me at mohayer@fhallen.com.

Posted by:Martha O’Hayer

My very favorite event in Petaluma happens twice each year—the semi-annual Petaluma Antique Faire is coming up this weekend. And, if you haven’t been before, plan on it this Sunday, September 27. You won’t be sorry. I truly believe this is why I ended up moving to Petaluma nine years ago. After casually stumbling on the Antique Faire, I fell in love with the town that supports exactly this type of event and many others throughout the year.

10 years ago, my husband and I were living in San Francisco and needed to get out of dodge for the weekend. We hopped in the car – once we located it – If you’ve ever lived in SF with no parking, you’ll know just what I mean by that! – and headed over the Golden Gate Bridge towards Sonoma County.

Crossing the bridge is refreshing in and of itself after weeks in the city, but driving up 101 you truly get the sense that the city is behind you when you finally reach the two-lane highway in Novato. There’s an 11 mile stretch between Novato and Petaluma where large expanses of land, parks, no homes to speak of, and the San Pablo Bay wetlands spread out before you while cows appear on both sides of the road. You automatically take a deep breath and relax. And sometimes you get the equivalent of a scratch and sniff cow with that deep breath, which only adds to the charm.

The first exit on the two-lane highway portion of 101 is to Petaluma’s Historic Downtown. Petaluma, founded in 1858, is just 38 miles from San Francisco’s Russian Hill. Who could resist this? Besides, it was time to grab a bite and a beer. Having just come from the city, we snagged the first parking space we could find, which of course put us about 4 blocks from the action, but it seemed so close to us! As we wandered around the quaint town, we noticed that some of the streets were closed to traffic and then it happened – we stumbled on the most amazing array of antique dealers I’ve ever seen. Amid the beautiful historic buildings (Petaluma was miraculously spared from damage during the 1906 earthquake), Historic Downtown Petaluma was transformed into an antique marketplace. We wandered for hours enjoying the people watching, the antiques, the tranquil river backdrop, the gorgeous weather and the ample free parking! The people were so friendly, the day was a perfect escape, and twelve months later we moved to Petaluma and we couldn’t be happier.

This weekend you can expect over 180 dealers spread throughout 4 blocks of downtown Petaluma beginning at 8AM and running till 4PM. Wear your hat and sunscreen and don’t forget to bring a sweatshirt just in case. For more information go to www.Petalumadowntown.com or for a complete list of Petaluma events go to www.visitpetaluma.com. And if you attend or have other insights you’d like to share, please email me at mohayer@fhallen.com or comment below. I’d love to hear about your experiences. And if you can’t make it this weekend, the Spring Faire will be coming around in April.

Enjoy! I know I will.

Posted by:Martha O’Hayer

On Friday, March 27, 2009, the Petaluma Chamber of Commerce and the Petaluma Argus Courier held the 2009 Community Awards of Excellence. It was a great evening, everyone got a taste of Petaluma with ten of Petaluma’s best restaurants and caterers providing samples of their culinary delights and music was provided by the Petaluma High School Jazz Combo. After an hour of mingling, the Awards ceremony began. Twelve awards were presented, honoring all the best in Petaluma, from service people to firefighter of the year, to police officer of the year. Rick Pillsbury, the coach of the Casa Grande Academic Decathlon team received an award for excellence in Education. Lagunitas Brewing Company received the award to best small Business of the year while Bank of Marin received the Large Business of the year award. Cathy Bachman was honored as the volunteer of the year with Tom Corbett receiving a special acknowledgement for all his work on the Sesquicentennial celebration. And I was honored with the Citizen of the Year award.

It is a great honor to be acknowledged in this way. In my acceptance speech, I talked about what an amazing place Petaluma is and how through all the non profits in town, it has created a safety net for those in town who need help and assistance. The COTS program really works – there are numerous success stories of individuals completing the program and finding themselves becoming first time homebuyers, something they thought would never happen in their lives. Petaluma People Services Center offers numerous programs that support the community. I am only involved in one, Meals on Wheels – a remarkable program that delivers almost 100 meals every day to people in need. And the third non profit I am involved in is Rebuilding Together Petaluma – transforming Petaluma’s neighborhoods, one house at a time. Rebuilding Together Petaluma provides any current low income homeowner with the ability to have their home rehabilitated into a safe and secure environment. There is a work day occurring on Saturday, April 18 when Rebuilding Together Petaluma will be working on 17 houses that day. Please call 707-765-3944 if you need help or would like to volunteer. I feel that all of us working in the nonprofit world are making Petaluma the best town to live in. We all support the community that supports us which is what it is all about. Keep up the good work Petaluma.

Posted By: Edward Reiners