Wine Country

Syrah + Sorbet

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

syrah ripeningHo hum, life is moving at a slow pace this week and I’m getting lost in it. 

I’m catching up on some summer reads I’ve been waiting to dive into.

We’re watching our syrah grapes ripen in the sun.

We’re building tents out of canvas tarps in the backyard. 

We’re taking long naps under the ceiling fan during the hottest days.

We’re picking our share of blackberries.

We’re begrudgingly back to school shopping.

 

blackberry and boy  

And I’m making grown up sorbet ~ a healthier alternative to my ice cream fixation. 

blackberry wine sorbet

 

Blackberry Cabernet Sorbet

2 cups water

1.5 cups sugar

24 oz. blackberries

2 tbsp lemon juice

2-3 tbsp cabernet

(or any dry red wine like merlot or syrah)

Bring water to simmer in small saucepan, then stir in sugar until dissolved to make syrup, refrigerate to cool.  Meanwhile, rinse and puree blackberries, then pour through mesh strainer to remove seeds.  Add blackberry puree, lemon juice and wine to syrup, blend together.  Process mixture in ice cream maker per manufacturer’s instructions.  Freeze processed soft sorbet at least an hour before serving. 

Wishing you long leisurely days spent relaxing in the summer sun, enjoying what’s left of the season before the beauty of fall is upon us.  

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Strawberry Fields Forever

Monday, August 9th, 2010

There is a strawberry field on a corner of Arnold Drive that I pass every time I visit  Sonoma.  You’ll see cars pulling in all day long for a batch of the farmer’s strawberries fresh picked that day. 

strawberries picked daily

 

We eat store bought strawberries all summer long, but there’s something extra special about picking your very own as they ripen in the summer sun. 

strawberry field sonoma

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Perennials on Parade

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

Ten years ago, we started our landscaping with a simple lawn and some boxwood shrubs.  The next year, we planted pink hydrangeas in the front yard.  The following year, rose trees.   Slowly through the years we’ve been adding perennial shrubs and flowers to our garden.   I think gardens, like interiors, are most appreciated when their beauty is arrived at over time, don’t you ?

I’ve planted evergreen shrubs to fill in the blank spots during the winter, and I love to supplement with annuals in pots in the summer, but time and again, my perennial shrubs fill the garden with gorgeous color and scent.  Here are some of my favorite perennials putting on a show this June !

  erisimum Erisimum ‘Bowles Mauve’

 

hydrangea hornli Raspberry hydrangea

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Scent Filled Weekend

Sunday, May 16th, 2010

It would be fair to describe me as a lavenderaholic, if there is such a label.  I can never get enough of this botanical that possesses most therapeutic scent in the universe. 

I have a dozen lavender plants scattered around my garden, but I still like to tour the commercial acres of lavender this time of year.  Last year I visited the Lavender Bee Farmthis weekend we decided to pop into Matanzas Creek Winery, famous for their gardens, lavender farm, and acclaimed chardonnay.  

lavender garden sign

I convinced the kids it was worth the half hour drive because they could go hunting for bunny rabbits, ala Elmer Fudd.  We didn’t spot any, but at least the idea kept them busy while Mr. CG and I strolled the grounds. 

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Scenes from a Weekend

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

We had out of town family visiting for the weekend, so naturally it was filled with a little sightseeing.  With the fine weather, we headed to Kenwood and few favorite stops.

Gorgeous sunshine and great company made for a relaxing day out and about ! 

ch st jean duo

chateau st jean tree

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Springtime in Wine Country

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

March and April give us their fair share of rain, and it seems this year we’ve had more than ever !  I get cabin fever when it rains, so whenever the sun peeks through, I love to take long drives down country roads and explore the rural terrain. 

Usually I make my way to downtown Sonoma for a stroll and a day in the park.  Whenever I take a drive, I always bring my camera !  Here’s a few of my favorite photos of a country drive to Sonoma.

 sonoma sunflowers 

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Kites and Clam Chowder at the Coast

Sunday, March 28th, 2010

I get a hankering for the sand between my toes several times a year, then I quietly suggest to the fam that we head out to the beach, and it takes no convincing at all.  They race for their sandals and towels and can’t get into the car fast enough, then off to Bodega we go !

We happen to be lucky enough to live about thirty minutes from the Northern California coastline, so after a big weekend of gardening and home improvement, we decided to take a Sunday afternoon out at the coast to fly some kites and stop at our favorite seafood restaurant for the best clam chowder in the county.   

sand between toes

Bodega is fantastic in spring and fall, but incredibly foggy and cold in the summer, a lot like the weather in San Francisco.  So we head out the the coast as much as we can in April, May, September and October. 

I just love trails through sand dunes and coastal grasses. 

Inhale.  Breathe deeply.  Smell the salty air.  Life is good. 

coastal walk

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A Barrel of Fun

Monday, March 8th, 2010

With all the rain we’ve had lately, the weekend sunshine convinced us to forget all of our obligations, and get out and have some real fun.  The Mister and I took off for Dry Creek Road in Healdsburg to mix and mingle with friends and the rest of the tourists who journeyed to Barrel Tasting Weekend in Wine Country !

barrel tasting sign

Barrel Tasting Weekend is an annual tradition where visitors are offered a pour straight from the barrel before the wine is bottled.  Many times the winemaker is on scene to educate and answer questions.   Everyone is so friendly and social, smiling from ear to ear.  But I’m thinking that has a lot to do with the scenery and free flowing wine.  :-)

barrel pour

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Hometown Pride

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

country living I was flying back home on Sunday when I grabbed the latest copy of Country Living magazine.

I adore this publication, but I need to renew my subscription -  hence the airport purchase.

Inside there are plenty of great articles and idea notebooks, with features on closet makeovers, vintage luggage, antiques, and even sea salt (my latest fixation).

Then what before my eyes should appear in the March 2010 issue on page 69  but a fabulous feature on my hometown !

“Five Reasons to Visit Petaluma”

When I saw my sweet little hometown featured in a major national magazine, I got a little giddy.

country living inside

Ooooh, a three page spread !   I live right nearby these places !

Petaluma is the southern most town in Sonoma County, just 35 minutes north of San Francisco.  Our town shares its eastern border with world famous Sonoma, and is known all around for its numerous antique shops in the downtown area.

Twice a year, we have an amazing  Antique Fair where the streets are closed off, and almost 200 vendors come from across the West to sell their vintage, salvage and antique goods.

The big feature in the March 2010 issue of Country Living is on this very Antique Fair !  How marvelous !

I never ever ever miss it !  In fact, I’ve written about the Antique Fair in 2009, with plenty of inspirational pictures, here and here.

The Petaluma Antique Fair is where I spied this piece . . .

taupe paint nightstand

. . . . which inspired my latest cabinet makeover (pictured below).

sideboard with urn

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When It Rains, We Pour !

Saturday, January 2nd, 2010

In Wine Country, winter is certainly the slowest season.  After all, we get our fair share of rain around here in January.  To some, it can be dreary, but we never let that get us down.  On the contrary, when it rains in Wine Country, we pour a lot of great wine.   Sssh, don’t tell anyone, but it’s really rather nice.  The crowds are gone and it’s just us locals. 

One of our two favorite places to spend a rainy afternoon is the Sonoma Wine Shop, run by our friends Ken and Bryan. The Sonoma Wine Shop is located in the heart of the square on the west side of the Historic Sonoma Plaza.

sws front

At SWS, you can taste rare vintages from boutique wineries (producers who make only a few hundred cases or less).  Mr. CG is a member here and often pops in to sample the latest arrivals.  SWS is a place where we take all of our out of town guests. 

mr cg at sws

 

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