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 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. 

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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.

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 . . .

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

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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.

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. 

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Mr. CG here guest posting for the first time.  Perhaps the wife hasn’t mentioned this, but we grow grapes in our backyard.  Not table grapes.  Petite Syrah. 

Even though we live in the wine country, it’s pretty rare to have a vineyard in the city limits where we are.  But we had a grand idea ten years ago to landscape our back hill with grapes and make ourselves some vino.  We finally got around to planting our “hobby” vineyard in 2000. 

Growing grapes and making your own wine may sound exciting, but things don’t always turn out the way you planned.   These grapes have brought us both elation and wrath.

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One of my absolute favorite places to relax and getaway for an afternoon is the southern corridor of Sonoma on Highway 121.  Along this route are three of my favorite wineries, an amazing European Antiques store, and my favorite high end salvage shop.  I always take visitors to Viansa winery, a little piece of Italy in the southern part of Sonoma, built on a hilltop to capture valley views.  Guests love to snap photos of the architecture of this winery, with its tiled rooftops and terra cotta colored walls covered with climbing ivy. 

Whenever visitors come to town, this is where I like to take them for an incredible afternoon.

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I’m sitting here at my laptop completely exhausted from having started and half finished five different projects today.  Thank goodness for a good glass of red wine at day’s end.  I’ll be featuring some of these projects this week, but first I must share with you the final stop we made on our weekend getaway to Napa over the Labor Day holiday. 

I was fortunate enough (in my pre-baby lifetime) to have traveled to several different European countries.  Upon return, I always said that one of the nicest things about living in the Wine Country is how reminiscent it is of many of those European regions I’ve toured. In winter, Sonoma’s hills are so green, it’s like Ireland and Northern France.  In summer, the dry hills, vineyards, and countless wineries of Napa remind one of southern France or Tuscany. 

One such place that is sure to transport one to Italy is Castello di Amorosa in the Napa Valley. 

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My friends, I must be frank.  The past week has not been easy for me.  My entire family, including myself, has been sick with the flu so I didn’t get to do any of my DIY projects during the week.  Bummer. When I can’t get to my primer and power tools, my knees start to shake and my hands start to twitch.  I start to go a little stir crazy.  So finally, on Saturday, I was finally able to tackle some projects.  I’m hoping to feature them this week, if all goes well.  Good stuff coming. 

Y’all remember last week’s look at wine tasting in Napa.  Here’s another peek at just a few more stops on our weekend getaway.  

Day Two began by with a spectacular luncheon at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in Yountville.  As many of you know, Mr. Keller is famous for his world renowned French Laundry restaurant, also in Yountville, with its nine course prix fixe tasting menu.  It’s practically impossible to get into the French Laundry, unless you go online at the exact perfect time (at midnight Pacific Standard Time two months in advance).  Don’t believe me?  Read this dude’s suggestions.  And even if you do get in, you’ll spend your kids’ college fund on one meal.  But as I understand from my swankier friends, it’s pretty spectacular.  

For the ‘regular’ folk, there is Bouchon in Yountville.  (And also in Vegas.)  It’s a little slice of Paris in the heart of the Napa Valley, from the menu, to the interior décor, to the waiters in little black vests, ties, and aprons. 

And the food.  Oh, the food.  It’s ooh, la, la, off the charts. 

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One of my favorite books, A Tale of Two Valleys, humorously chronicles the history of the two most prominent Northern California Wine Country counties, Napa and Sonoma.  From a visitor’s point of view, the book fuels the ongoing fiery debate as to which county has more to offer its residents and visitors.  Mr. CG and I are Sonoma County residents, so naturally, we’re biased towards our own home turf.  But every now and then, we wander over the hills to visit Napa, and for good reason.  A weekend in Napa County is simply divine.

Graeser Winery vineyard

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Every now and then I write up a feature of some to the best places to visit in Northern California’s Wine Country.  Autumn is near, and the leaves are beginning to change.  The colors are so beautiful from September through November. 

When I visit my favorite wineries, I always pick up some special savory treats to give as hostess gifts.  In honor of reaching over 1,000 followers, and in anticipation of

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This afternoon, Mr. CG and I needed to get away.  So we hired a sitter and traveled just over the hills for an afternoon jaunt to the Carneros appellation for some sipping and savory cuisine.  The Carneros region crosses over both Sonoma and Napa counties in the California wine country.  It is a cooler climate, known for its Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and sparkling wines. 

First stop, Domaine Carneros, a world renowned artisanal winery, famous for its sparkling wines. 

Image via Domaine Carneros website 

Located on the border of Napa county, the tasting room sits atop a knoll surrounded by vineyard and formal gardens, like a chateau transported right from Europe.  My pictures do not do this place justice.  Check out their site to see it’s true beauty.  Sometimes I need to pinch myself in places like this.     

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