The Last Record Store

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There are certain things we say in life that we never thought we’d ever, ever say. Things like, “Let’s go out to sushi,” or “I’ve been kinda into reggae lately.” And today, I find myself saying one of those unthinkable things. After 14 years, I have worked my final day at the Last Record Store.
Maybe “worked” isn’t the right word, since my last day at the store on Monday was full of telephone calls and people stopping in, wishing me well, shaking my hand, reminding me of the first record they bought off me, telling me how much I’d helped them out in different ways—basically flashing 14 years of my life before my eyes. It was an overwhelming display of what I’d meant to the store, which is something I’d never really thought about, because the store always meant so much more to me.
I started coming to the Last Record Store in 1988, when I was 12 years old and used to ride my skateboard all over downtown Santa Rosa. My mom would give me $5 for food, but of course I starved myself and bought hardcore records instead. In fact, I still have the first record I ever bought there—a 7″ compilation called ‘We’ve Got Your Shorts.’
As time went on, I guess I grew to be a familiar face around the store. I was hooked on records, buying everything from DRI to Sinatra, and bridging the styles by recording ‘Punk Piano’—punk rock songs played easy-listening style—to sell in the local demo tapes section. The store also stocked my zine, Positively Fourth Street, and sold records by my band, Ground Round. I still distinctly remember asking a fairly bewildered Scott if it was okay to put up a flyer bearing the phrase “In the Name of God, Fuck You.” Then, in 1993, a miracle happened: I got asked to work there.
I didn’t know, at the time, that everyone in the world wanted to work at the Last Record Store, but at 18, I definitely knew that it was the place for me. I loved the atmosphere, the freedom to be myself, and the fact that Hoyt and Doug really ran the place in their own anti-corporate and unconventional way. I began a crash course in every single section, starting with a heavy jazz infatuation, going through a deep country phase, diving headlong into hip-hop, eating up everything and finding myself surprised at every turn.
Oh, I learned a lot about life, too. Things like how to treat people properly, and how not to be a snob, and how actions and achievements mean more than opinions and ideals. But I dug learning about music most of all; my co-workers, naturally, being founts of information, along with most of the customers. Eventually I was put in charge of the vinyl annex, which opened up whole new possibilities for listening, be it crazy international music, old blues records, new electronica stuff, the standard classical repertoire, any classic rock I might have missed. There was always one threshold, however, that I refused to cross: I never, ever listened to reggae.

It’d be impossible, and would definitely get some people in trouble, to list all of the amazing things that happened at the store while I worked there. Nevertheless, interesting stuff seemed to happen every day, like the time that Doug rigged a huge PA speaker up on the roof and blared Mule Variations at midnight, all over downtown Santa Rosa. The day that Seth walked in and plopped an owl on the counter, very beautiful and very dead. The crazy half-naked stripper who invited me to dinner, or the many other solicitations one gets when they work at a record store, none of which need to be retold here.
The strangers who met in the aisles and would later start coming in together. The beautiful girl who I met in the aisles, fell in love with, and married. The bands that made flyers out of vacuum cleaners and folding chairs, the folks who dropped off their insane flyers and zines and mix CDs, and the people who brought us free things like cake and chocolate and beer and movies and tickets to shows and chicken casserole. Why? Just because.
I’ve also seen the Last Record Store skillfully adapt to a lot of changes over the years. Getting a cash register, for one. Closing the vinyl annex. Moving to Mendocino Avenue. Getting a computer and an email list. Weathering the mp3 storm. Weathering the economy and the changing face of the music industry. Watching Musicland, the Wherehouse, and Tower Records all go under. And yet, through it all, standing strong, because in mine and many other people’s opinions, it’s still the best and most amazing record store in the world.
For the last four years, I wrote the Last Record Store Newsletter every week, which, if you’re interested, can be perused here. But I’ve also for the last four years been writing more and more for the Bohemian, which is where I’m going to be full-time from now on. For those lovable ones among you who are going to miss my dependable presence behind the counter—my misguided recommendations, my unintelligible blathering, and my failed jokes—well, hopefully it’ll translate in print. Between you and me, I’ve actually been kinda into reggae lately. Just a little.
So thanks to Doug and Hoyt for giving me a job and treating me like a son for fourteen years. Thanks to all my awesome co-workers for the camaraderie. Thanks especially to all the wonderful regular customers who I’ve met over the years—you, more than anyone, and more than you know, made it worthwhile. I’m gonna miss the shit, for sure, but another door has opened, and it’s time to move on.

Gogol Bordello’s Eugene Hutz Coming To Sebastopol!

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People at Gogol Bordello’s typically frenetic and crazy show at the Warfield Theater last week might have been too caught up in the mayhem to notice, but amidst the gypsy-punk rollicking and flailing bodies, singer Eugene Hutz announced to the crowd that he was going to be part of some sort of Gypsy festival in Sebastopol. With his Eastern European background, surely, he must have meant Sevastopol, the Ukranian city on the Crimea peninsula. Right?
Sonoma County, get out your herring and borscht: confirmed by Voice of Roma—the group who puts on the yearly festival—Eugene Hutz of Gogol Bordello will appear as a guest DJ at this year’s 12th Annual Herdejezi Festival at the Sebastopol Veterans Building on Friday, May 2nd. Also on the bill for the rest of the weekend’s festivities are Yuri Yunakov, Vadim Kopalkov, Petra Safarova, Reyhan Tuzsuz, and Brass Menazeri. Crowd-surfing on top of a marching bass drum is optional.
For those who don’t know, Gogol Bordello is one of the most mind-blowing live bands in the world right now, recalling the raucousness of the Pogues, the passion of the Clash, and the endurance of a young Bruce Springsteen. Hutz, the band’s enigmatic frontman, also has a show-stealing role in the wonderfully off-kilter film Everything is Illuminated.
Thanks to Caitlin for the heads up.

First Novels at the Toad in the Hole

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The Toad in the Hole has an official fire capacity of, like, 48, and I usually feel really bad for Eddie, their doorman. Part of his job is to be the messenger of bad news and to turn paying customers away when the place is hopping—which was definitely the case last Saturday night. Chalk it up to First Novels, with the match-made-in-heaven pairing of Andy Asp and Brian Fitzpatrick, to pack the tiny Toad in the Hole and to leave latecomers stranded on the sidewalk outside.
Andy and Brian, who for years played together in Cropduster and seem essentially like soulmates at this point, are a thrill to watch together—sometimes you think Brian’s the luckiest guy in the world to play with Andy, sometimes you think Andy’s the luckiest guy in the world to play with Brian. Their songs, influenced by tunesmiths like John Prine, Tim Hardin and Neil Young, are microcosms of wonder, and between Andy’s voice and Brian’s guitar work, they’re played with a hypnotic, untainted delicacy. Note to people who try to talk to me when Andy and Brian are playing: dude, be quiet.
Special mention must be made of Muir Houghton, upright bassist extraordinaire, who picks up songs on the spot and plays them like he’s played them forever. I’ve seen him a few times now, and whether bowing or plucking, whether playing with John Courage or Amber Lee or First Novels, he’s always on top of his game.
The Spindles played last, and incidentally, I don’t think they’ve ever been better, benefiting greatly from the addition of new drummer Jonathan Hughes, who plays with a really thoughtful and compatible sense of taste. Sweet-lookin’ drum kit, too.

The Shopping Dilemma

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03.19.08

Lately, I have been approached by readers with a recurring question. “Where,” they demand, as if it is my fault that this is a problem, “am I supposed to shop?” They often take on a combative stance: legs spread, hands on hips, elbows akimbo. Their eyes tend to narrow, and, as the wind ruffles their well-coiffed hair, I feel that I must weigh my answer carefully, avoid flip answers or even better, avoid the question altogether.

Depending on how intimidating the aggressor, my answers up until now have ranged from a timidly squeaked “Don’t?” (after which I duck and cover) to an even more tentative “The thrift store?” (as I brace myself for the inevitable look of disgust that is sure to follow).

Sometimes my inquisitors will take their queries even further by posing impossible moral quandaries. Why is it OK to buy from a thrift shop when it’s not OK to buy at the mall? Does the fact that someone else bought it first remove the stain of human and environmental-rights abuses that follow your average item of clothing from the cotton field to the hanger? Does consumer responsibility get nullified by the redemptive repurchase of someone else’s initial selfish buy? And as for not shopping at all, for those who consider fashion an extension of their personalities, who have not yet overcome that basic human instinct to look appealing, this is not even remotely close to an answer they are willing to accept.

In search of an alternative, I meet with Erin Turko, who co-owns E= Ethical Clothing Etc. in downtown Petaluma with Carolyn Leupp Albinana. This chic little apparel shop has been open for the last 18 years, but since November, E= has taken on both a new look and a new mission. Turko walks me through the recently remodeled store and points out the variety of green choices they have made for their remodel: locally built furnishings, organic carpeting, earth-friendly paints and paper stone countertops—choices that mirror their commitment to carrying ethically sound clothing.

I ask Turko if this change from imported apparel to ethical, domestically made lines was due to a shift in the consumer marketplace. Quite the contrary, she says. This was a leap of faith, one made not to meet the demands of their customers, but because she and Albinana believed they needed to do something with their business that they could feel good about. When Albinana contracted lung cancer, the ladies decided it was time to reconsider their daily environment and to make a dramatic change in their business that reflects their commitment to global consciousness and health.

Turko stresses that, after 18 years in the apparel industry, there are certain things you just get used to. The strong odor of pesticides, for instance, that arrives with every shipment of clothing, necessitating that the new articles be aired before hanging in the showroom. There is also the incredible amount of packaging waste. Each shirt arrives from overseas wrapped in its own sheath of plastic, replete with silica gel packet and a nice dose of formaldehyde.

Now all of the clothes E= carries are sewed and dyed domestically, predominantly in California. The dyes used are vegetable or water-based, all clothing is formaldehyde-free and the packing materials are biodegradable. Even the fabrics used must be sourced from factories that adhere to ethical standards of production. Turko stresses that when she and her partner look at product lines, specifically fabrics, organically sourced fibers are not the only factor to consider. What’s the point of an organic item if the fabric is still treated with toxic dyes and pesticides before shipping? The most toxic of all treated fabrics, denim serves as a perfect example. E= carries only domestic denim, not organic necessarily, but free from the highly toxic processes commonly used to give denim that “cool” look. Along with the domestic apparel, E= carries bags made from recycled tractor tires, the work of local artists and organic cotton and bamboo bedding. The few nondomestic items, the sheets and towels for instance, come from co-ops that practice fair trade.

There’s something refreshing about being in a room full of clothes that don’t say “Made in China” on the label, and self-restraint is the only thing that stands between me and a bamboo-fiber shirt. After exiting the premises, I take a brief tour of nearby clothing boutiques. What I discover is a plethora of clothes imported from other countries. None of them makes claims against sweatshop labor or toxic processing, and all of them are priced at or above the clothing available at E=. The fact that I now know where to find a pair of domestically made jeans for the same price as a pair weighed down by a bloody trail of corporate neglect is a relief. For those interested in taking a look for themselves, mark Earth Day, April 22, on the calendar. E= will be holding a daylong event with lectures and educational panels, as well as some damn cute clothes.

E = Ethical Clothing Etc. 122 Kentucky St., Petaluma. 707.769.8564.


Bohemian Best of Food & Drink 2008 Writers Picks

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Bohemian Best of Food & Drink 2008 Writers Picks

03.19.08

Best Use of Gravy in a grave situation

Narsi’s Hofbrau, currently fighting for its life to stave off eviction at Santa Rosa’s Coddingtown Mall, has been serving up fresh roast beef, turkey and ham for over 25 years. Sadly, that may come to an end soon, and local fans are already wondering where else they could go that offers up the same warmly old-school eating environment.

Operating as an old-fashioned cafeteria-style restaurant, Narsi’s has attracted hungry families and budget-conscious diners for years, and has also built a large following of senior citizens who fondly remember the days of smorgasbords and cozy neighborhood buffets. Narsi’s is the kind of place where the PA system plays “The Girl from Ipanema” while behind the counter, a guy with a sharp knife waits to carve thick slabs of the meat of your choice, either piling it up on pieces of bread or laying it on a platter with mashed potatoes, vegetables and gravy so thick it could be its own food group. Narsi’s is the kind of place they don’t make anymore.

Now a big juicy serving of the bad news.

Last year, the Coddingtown Mall, owned by the Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group, initiated eviction proceedings against Narsi’s to make room for a better-known national franchise, with the Cheescake Factory high on the mall’s list of potential replacements. Narsi’s is fighting the eviction, claiming its lease gives it until 2015.

Simon, claiming that Narsi’s hasn’t been a big money-maker—a charge owner Narsi Samii disputes—hopes to make room for something more upscale, in keeping with its plans to give the aging mall, built in the 1960s, a 21st-century facelift. The multimillion-dollar upgrade means the removal or relocation of several Coddingtown sites already. But Narsi’s isn’t planning to budge without a fight.

Ringing up meals at the register, owner Samii said, “I think this is going to go to court, and who knows what will happen, but we don’t plan on moving for a while. We will stay right here.”

Meanwhile, news of Narsi’s potentially impending demise has brought swarms of fans to the already bustling eatery, where on a recent Sunday, the line at the counter stretched out of the restaurant and well into the mall. Samii’s next court date in his fight to save Narsi’s is in May, and he’s even feeling a little confident about its outcome. “Destroying our business is no way,” he said crisply, “to fix this mall.”

Narsi’s Hofbrau, in the Coddingtown Mall, 342 Coddingtown Center, located near Wolf’s Coffee. 707.545.6237.—D.T.

In a little hamlet tucked away in the shadow of Sonoma Mountain, there’s a historic old brick inn where one can enjoy the finest vin de pays paired with an appetizer of maïs soufflé. That is to say, cheap wine and popcorn. The landmark brick building in between the Jack London Lodge and Wolf House restaurant, the Saloon at Jack London Lodge is everything that a rustic Sonoma hideaway should be, and less. Less crowded, more low-key. Pool tables, a big-screen TV. A comfort to regulars and the touring class alike. By “cheap wine,” “nice price” is meant; the good stuff is from locals Benziger, St. Francis and Mayo by the glass, starting at $3.50 and filled to the brim. No sniffing, no swirling here. Just sipping. Grab a free bowl of appetizers at the popcorn machine; a few shakes of parm-in-a-can and it’s gourmet. The patio by Sonoma Creek is usually quiet but for the burbling of the water, and maybe the carping and laughter of a tasting-room crew as they hash out the waning day’s tribulations, or you and a friend whiling away the transition from afternoon to evening as the sunlight winks out behind a dense veil of oaks.

The Saloon at Jack London Lodge, 13740 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen. 707.996.3100.—J.K.

Quintessa Winery is tastefully opulent and very new-world Napa. Visitors are greeted by expensively dressed, almost painfully well-behaved personnel in a large reception area to which one later returns to taste the wine. The reception area reminds of a New York restaurant; all gray stone and dark wood, with little bistro tables where the tasting is done. (The staff emphasize that people do not taste at the bar here, although there is one. Things at Quintessa are very proper.) The building recently won a national architectural award, and the wines are made 100 percent biodynamically, a big ecological step by its owner, Agustin Huneeus, the CEO of the world’s largest wine conglomerate and the founder of the Chilean Concha y Toro. Quintessa only makes one wine a year, and after tasting it, you won’t want to drink anything else. There’s a very limited supply of the Bordeaux-style blend available; it’s mostly sold through restaurants. The hourlong crème-de-la-crème tour includes a visit to the vineyard, a traipse through the production facility and a stop in the caves. Appointments only, obvio. Quintessa Winery, 1601 Silverado Trail, Rutherford. 707.967.1601.—E.L.

Tasty and legit $1.50 tacos in Sebastopol—the town that cheap, good ethnic food forgot? ¡Si, como no! Navigate on over to the gas station across from the Holiday Inn in south Sebastopol, and you should see a taco truck, between 10am-ish to 6pm-ish, with the name “El Navigante” emblazoned atop. Be sure to order the tacos al vapor, soft corn tacos steamed in a spicy something or other, filled with your meat of choice and topped with crunchy cabbage and salty queso (plus crema and avocado, if you please). My trusty translator Selena loves the carne asada, and on weekends you can get shrimp and ceviche tacos. The man, the white-cowboy-hatted navigator, order-taker and sweet talker (he told me my Spanish was excellent—ha!), is your entrée to righteous Jalisco-style fare. Antonio Vargas is his name. What’s the key to good Mexican food? we asked. “The salsas!” he replied, which at this truck do not disappoint—and for some extra heat, there’s a bag of serranos awaiting you on the communal table. Where did he get his nickname? Sr. Vargas got started in the mobile-food business pushing a Sno-Cone cart in Guadalajara. The girls at a high school where he parked his cart were so delighted to see him after school, they named him “el Navigante,” because he always seemed to know how to find the people that needed him. El Navigante taco truck at Flyers gas station, 1080 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol.—M.T.J.

Always packed with an attractive mixed crowd, Zuzu is more of a see-and-be-seen scene than anything else. Zuzu buzzes with a very European feeling, as though you’ve been transported to one of the common Greek restaurants that dot Parisian alleyways. No reservations accepted, which adds to the “Lemme in! Lemme in! This place is H-O-T!” vibe. And if you’re left with any doubt, follow the crowd that knows: the county’s waiters. Servers from Yountville, Napa and Rutherford head to Zuzu post-shift to blow off steam, which to certain of us, adds even more, ahem, ambiance. Zuzu, 829 Main St., Napa. 707.224.8555.—E.L.

At Petaluma’s Graffiti Restaurant, bartender Drew Grove has developed a knack for making vodka martinis so good that people specifically ask for their martinis to be made by him. Truth is, every bartender at Graffiti can serve up a first-rate cocktail with four fat, slightly spicy olives and glacially floating glimmers of artfully slivered ice. But it’s Grove who talks about the art of martini making the way some poets write about the art of love. “It’s a martini! You can’t rush it. You have to take your time with a martini,” he says, referring to the speed with which a martini should be concocted, but also to how slowly and sweetly it ought to be savored. Explaining the silvery hints of ice on the surface of the drink, he says, “Bruising the ice is an art. It happens when you shake the martini, and getting those little bits of ice comes from really putting a lot of love into the shaking. Some bartenders give it two shakes and quit, but the icy coating comes from giving the drink a good, long shake. “Martinis should be served cold,” he continues, “and the ice particles keep it cold without taking anything way from the strength of the martini.” Whether people enjoyed as accompaniment to conversation in the bar or as a warm-up to a meal of stuffed pheasant or Caribbean jerk sea bass (both popular items on the Graffiti menu), martinis, Grove says, evoke strong opinions: how to enjoy them, when to drink them and what vodka to use in making them. “Here, Gray Goose is the most popular vodka,” he says.

“It’s a great martini vodka. Smooth and flavorful. Gray Goose is the one.”

Graffiti Restaurant, 102 Second St., Petaluma. 707.765.4567.—D.T.

It sounds like the pipe dream of a couple of slow-roasted foodies:

“What if, like, the food court at the mall was gourmet organic?”

“Like, instead of Hot Dog on a Stick?”

“Yeah, Fatted Calf fennel sausage instead of Orange Julius.”

“Awesome. Like, you could just get a snack, but it’s all seasonal, local stuff like—”

“Winter squash soup?”

“—and Dungeness crab salad! You’d have disposable dishes and table setups, OK—”

“—but they’re certified compostable! Even the plastic forks and knives. Killer. Pass the warm olives. Man, I am so braised.”

Folio Enoteca restaurant inside Napa’s new Oxbow Public Market is exactly this. A sideline of the Folio wine group headed by Michael Mondavi, it’s the size of a mall food-court operation. The assiduously seasonal menu is determined partly by the produce and meat available in the very market hall. While settling down with a promptly served, warm, compostable bowl of three-cheese mac and a taste of Hangtime Syrah, patrons can watch the transparent kitchen in front of them or, through Plexiglas barrel windows, the drama of wine as it ages in the 80-square-foot micro-winery. For Slow Food fans without a minute to spare, there’s a convenient cold case of grab-and-go sandwiches. Precious and yet—so cool. Folio Enoteca & Winery, in the Oxbow Public Market, 610 First St., Napa. 707.256.3700.—J.K.

Remember back when Napa was a tiny agricultural town and the biggest thing it was known for was having a mental institution? Yeah, me neither. But you can wager that Buster does. Reminiscent of the blue-collar Napa of the past, Buster’s Southern Barbeque is worth trying for the authenticity. You won’t find grass-fed sliders, Rocky or Rosie fried chicken or Ciao Bella sorbet here. The meat is most likely not organic, but you’d better believe that Buster’s mama made the sweet potato pie. Buster himself gets up early every morning to start the coals on his rotisserie. Grillin’ up all kinds of meat chunks, Buster makes it all fresh every day. Pork loin, tri-tip, spicy hot-links (actually, everything’s spicy) are served up with little flair and excellent potato salad and coleslaw. Wash down all that spicy love with a nice, cool glass of lemonade. Buster’s Southern Barbeque, 1207 Foothill Blvd., Calistoga. 707.942.5605.—E.L.

Anyone old enough to remember Vic Morrow’s WW II television series Combat may recall battle scenes shot in and around a certain Russian River vineyard. Yes, that would be Korbel. Before creating bubbles, the Korbel brothers carved out their living turning Sonoma redwood trees into cigar boxes for clientele in San Francisco. The Korbels even built a railway to transport their product. But long after these real-life Bohemian brothers (as in fraternal Czechs) had bid this life adieu, the Heck clan, who had purchased the vineyards and winery from the Korbel brothers’ heirs, faced a somewhat deep-rooted problem. Redwood tree stumps hogged their vineyard space. What to do about the expensive and work-intensive job of uprooting these enormous stumps? An agreement was struck. Korbel properties would provide canvas for cinematic depictions of world-war mayhem, and, in return, Combat’s producers promised to set blasts taking out all of those damned vineyard stumps. Korbel Champagne Cellars, 13250 River Road, Guerneville. 707.824.7000. —P.J.P.

Everything you might hope for in an American diner and more, Taylor’s Automatic Refresher is both nostalgic and conscientious: drippingly juicy classic burgers are wrapped crisply in plain white paper, but the beef’s all-natural; the fish and chips are crunchily deep-fried, but the fish is mahi-mahi; all the old-timey, greasy snacks you could want (mmm, onion rings) are posted on a marquee board, but you can pay by credit card. The only hint of a problem is in deciding whether to order from the extensive local wine and microbrew list or to get one of the best, and most expensive, milkshakes around. Made with Double Rainbow ice cream, the shakes ring up at almost $6 with tax, and are worth every last penny. At the original outlet (a new one just opened in Napa’s Oxbow Public Market), the seating is outdoor-only. Squint and you can just about see poodle skirts swishing by the kids leaping toward a Slip ‘N Slide. Taylor’s Automatic Refresher, 933 Main St., St. Helena. 707.963.3486. At the Oxbow Public Market, 610 First St., Napa. 707.224.6900.—E.L.

Pat Kuleto may be opening up restaurants with seemingly wild abandon these days—two at a time? Hello, Epic Roasthouse and Waterbar!—but let’s not forget one of his best old classics. All of Kuleto’s restaurants—including Jardiniere, Boulevard, Farrallone, Nick’s Cove and Kuleto’s—can be discerned by their over-the-top interior décor, usually including lots of big wrought-iron and blown-glass things. Martini House is no exception. But we’re here to talk drinks. Though you’ll undoubtedly have a great meal at the restaurant, the bar deserves a special mention for its high-end everything, including spotless service, golden mood lighting and cozy bar stools, making this place an off-hours waiter favorite for those servers who have fistfuls of cash to blow. The Martini House has an excellent wine-by-the-glass list and perfect classic cocktails. And even if you’re not a fancy type, for the hour you can nurse a glass of Pinot Noir, you’ll feel like royalty. Martini House, 1245 Spring St., St Helena. 707.963.2233.—E.L.

Why is Rosso Pizzeria in Santa Rosa packed—packed!—every lunch and every dinner? Because we love it. Let me count the ways:

1. Attentively and passionately made, charred ‘n’ bubbly, thin, crisp-but-chewy crusted Neapolitan pizza made in a 700-plus-degree wood-burning oven.

2. Mostly local and organic toppings like roasted fresh artichokes, local mushrooms and goat cheese.

3. Daily specials, like short-rib Saturdays and whole-roasted-suckling-pig Sundays.

4. A beautiful, thoughtful, profoundly reasonable wine list that offers 250 ml and 500 ml carafes, along with their glasses and bottles. Plus, the entire $10 corkage fee goes to charity.

5. An affordable, spot-on kids menu and kid-friendly ‘tude: if it’s not too busy, kids can make their own pizzas.

6. Super-professional and genuinely gracious service amid smart décor featuring bold food- and wine-inspired poster-style art, concrete floors, exposed-beam ceilings, soft leather banquettes.

7. Appetizers like the flatbread (which is basically a pizza bianca) for a mere $3.

8. Burrata, a housemade, fresh mozzarella curd pouch filled with ricotta. It’s soft and pillowy with a fresh, milky taste and is really hard to impossible to find anywhere in the county (it’s flown into the Cheese Shop in Healdsburg, but it’s something you pretty much want to eat the day it’s made, so best to skip the imports). Order this with your flatbread.

9. Organic salads like a caesar with anchovy filets and Calabrian chile paste, and a wedge with local blue cheese.

10. And finally, full-time FUTBOL! on the TV at the bar.

Rosso Pizzeria and Wine Bar, Creekside Center, 53 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa. 707.544.3221.—M.T.J.

Way back in 2003, Stag’s Leap Winery posted a recipe for wild mushroom bread pudding, a dangerously enticing dish created by Point Arena chef Shannon Hughes that has been downloaded zillions of times over the last five years. It sounds delicious, whether or not it is paired with a 2000 Stags’ Leap Estate Merlot Reserve as suggested. What is notable about the recipe is the beauty of the writing. This bread pudding, usually a dessert but here reimagined as a savory side dish, does more than just sit on the plate and taste good; it “heralds the autumnal light.” That’s some bread pudding. Also, please note that, according to the recipe, this dish is best when made with wild mushrooms. We told you it sounded dangerous. Bon appétit. http://www.stagsleap.com/restaurants/2003_fall/wildmushroombreadpudding.html.—D.T.

People have been touting the revitalization of downtown Novato almost as long as they’ve been bemoaning the horrific Highway 101 traffic. It’s almost like white noise at this point, but Grazie Cafe Italiano on Grant Avenue is making the impossible dream seem of this world. Serving traditional Italian fare with a modern California twist, Grazie offers something for everyone, including the 21st-century foodie. “We definitely try to do the healthy thing,” says manager Tara Pariani. “We have vegetarian options, all our chicken is free-range, our lettuce is organic, all that kind of good stuff.” And the good stuff is delicious enough to satiate the throngs of near daily regulars scrounging for a patio table at breakfast or lunch. When pressed for Grazie’s signature dish, Pariani hesitates. “Off the top of my head, it’s really hard,” she says. “One of the most ordered things is the beet and chicken salad.” The Grazie salad mixes roasted beets and a spring mix with grilled chicken, goat cheese, red onions and candied pecans, all tossed with a maple balsamic vinaigrette. Mmmm is right. The warm staff’s service is also a standout. “One of our biggest things is customer service,” Pariani says. “Smiles, hellos, goodbyes, thank yous. I think we’re definitely a part of making Grant Avenue good again.” I sure the hell hope she’s right. On a recent trip to Tahoe, an old bellhop asked what town in Marin we were from, having been raised in the county himself. After we said Novato, he scoffed then replied, “That doesn’t count!” I still tipped him, but with a Whole Foods Market opening as well as several charming new boutiques and unique restaurants like Grazie as frontrunners in the ongoing Grant Project renovation, by this time next year I hope to make him eat his words. And then eat at Grazie. Grazie Cafe Italiano, 823 Grant Ave., Novato. 415. 878.0202.—D.S.

The fact that the Calistoga Inn literally rocks is apparent as soon as you call to make a reservation. “We’re not quiet, we’re fun,” warns the receptionist at this self-described European-style inn. Although the only thing that really strikes me as European about the Calistoga Inn is the shared bathrooms for the lower priced rooms that start at $75, it’s worth a visit. The onsite microbrew, plus the lively atmosphere, plus the live music until midnight on weekends all contribute to give the Calistoga Inn its well-deserved rep as the place with the best nightlife in town.

The bedrooms are right above the pub, so plan to close the place down, because you won’t sleep much if you try to turn in before the music’s over. This place is a deal, too, with breakfast included. Calistoga Inn, 1250 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga. 707.942.4101.—E.L.

Cellar rats have a very true saying: “It takes a lot of beer to make good wine.” True, that. Nothing hits the spot after a long day of measuring brix, topping off, hosing equipment down and getting covered in sticky wine-like muck than a nice, cold brew. Now take a step further back: it takes a lot of good food to harvest good grapes. Nothing can work up a dizzying, gut-wrenching,oh-my-god-I’m-gonna-pass-out-if-I-don’t-eat-right-this-second hunger like a day outside, working grapes in the sun. And you know that nothing will take care of the job like a burrito.

While no-frills, no-nonsense La Luna Taqueria might not blow your culinary socks off, it’s muy authentico and where all the Mexican vineyard workers eat. Even by Mission District standards, these burritos are huge. The taqueria is located inside a market that has an extensive selection of Mexican food, so you can browse through all kinds of interesting dried goods that you won’t come across at fancier Napa spots. Fig and persimmon preserves and south-of-the-border baking ingredients line the aisles, but when your monster carne asada arrives, wussy stuff like condiments and spices hold little interest, unless it’s to admire the handfuls of fresh cilantro and onions that liberally adorn your burrito.

As a bottling-line worker for Louis Martini I know once put it, making wine is “hard work in the hot sun, and I needed a big-ass meal. La Luna Market, here I come!” And even if the only time you’re spending in a vineyard or on a bottling line is taking a tour, it’s worth making a stop at La Luna as your unofficial end-of-tour. Just make sure you don’t have dinner plans, because that burrito is going to be with you for a long time. Quite literally.

La Luna Market and Taqueria, 1153 Rutherford Road. Rutherford. 707.963.3211.—E.L.

After nearly 15 years on the south side of Fourth Street in San Rafael, Sushi to Dai For has moved on up to the north side. Residing since November at the charming site of the short-lived mid-’90s club Jazzed (damn, I’m old), the cozy local institution now enjoys some much-needed breathing room. “Personally, I like the new location, because we have more space for storage, refrigerators, everything,” says executive chef Taka Iwamoto, who has brought diners such new-fangled classics as the Super Rock ‘n’ Roll (eel, tempura, asparagus with avocado, spicy mayonnaise and teriyaki sauce). With nearly double the capacity, Sushi to Dai For has gone from having a cramped yet bustling bar atmosphere to that of a spacious lounge, with outside patio seating to follow in the spring. Most exciting is the inviting new interior bar flanked by both dining wings, where you can try one of the many new cocktails like the sake-tini, a sake shaken with dry vermouth that James Bond would approve of. Iwamoto also has a new outlet in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square. “My concept is half traditional Japanese and half modern,” Iwamoto says. As with all cherished local restaurants, the aptly named Sushi to Dai For has received some unexpected flack from a handful of its fiercest devotees who object to the move. “Some people love the old place, because it was small, compact, noisy,” Iwamoto says. While he hopes they come around, the important thing is that there’s more room for the rest of us now. Sushi to Dai For, 816 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.721.0392. Also in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square 119 Fourth St. 707.576.9309.—D.S.

Back before Yountville was a precious Disneyland-like escape for gourmet-loving, boozing-it-up adults, it was just another tiny farming town. Should you tire of fancified wine flights, Pancha’s is the place to escape from the stagily picturesque and remember Yountville’s roots. In other words, this is a total freakin’ dive. On a recent visit, country music provided a blaring backdrop to locals conversing loudly with the barkeep, hootin’ and hollerin’ at a skirted journalist from their ancient barstools at 12:30pm. The neon Budweiser signs buzz seven days a week from noon until 2am at the only bar in the valley where smoking’s still allowed inside (shhh!). Pool tables and bar room brawls—this is the real, old Yountville. For better or worse. Pancha’s of Yountville, 6764 Washington St., Yountville. 707.944.2125.—E.L.

It’s simple, almost too simple—but it’s deliciously satisfying. At Sonoma’s Maya Restaurant, the appetizer menu includes a dish of toasted pumpkin seeds. Just . . . pumpkin seeds. Listed as Totally Tasty Toasted Pumpkin Seeds (“A margarita’s best friend, a little munchy with a lot of zip”), they come served in a small, attractive clay bowl, roasted and slightly seasoned to perfection. Crunchy and filling (and priced at $3.25), they make a perfect accompaniment to one of Maya’s tasty specialty margaritas, or a great warm-up to some hot prawn enchiladas. Try some within sight of Maya’s famous Temple of Tequila, a giant stack of worm-juice bottles topped off with a statue of the Mayan god Choc Mul. Maya Restaurant, 101 E. Napa St., Sonoma. 707.935.3500.—D.T.

With the bounty of carefully understated swanky food meccas in downtown Yountville, it’s hard to pick a favorite. But when every single thing must be spot-on every single time, Richard Reddington’s Redd is the go-to joint in Y-town. The former chef of Auberge du Soleil has put to good use his years of culinary experience in some of the world’s finest restaurants. Reddington’s international hand is apparent in dishes like a yellowfin tuna and hamachi tartare with crunchy apples and a mustard vinaigrette. The chilled calamari salad is refreshing, not rubbery. And the signature dish, caramelized diver scallops, are probably the best you can ever taste. Redd, 6480 Washington St., Yountville. 707.944.2222.—E.L.

I was just looking for a restroom and guessed that it could be secured for the price of a small coffee in this neighborhood coffee shop. Tentatively, I opened the door. Lattés in a mini-strip mall anchored by a 7-Eleven can be of dubious quality; I hadn’t even noticed the sign on the dark-tinted windows advertising “Intelligent Asian Cuisine.” What is that, anyway? And why is the menu of this Latina-run place dominated by Vietnamese noodle salads and teriyaki chicken? I still don’t know. What I do know is that Westside Cafe is a warm, unexpected comfort-food haven. Its take on Asian-inspired plates is simple, filling and usually involves zucchini. Plates of brown rice feature heaps of curry-slathered vegetables with tofu or chicken; there are also teriyaki, lemon grass, shiitake mushroom and honey garlic choices. And sure, there’s a quesadilla on the menu—on a big tortilla with zucchini and onions, just $2.75. Westside Cafe, 171 Pleasant Hill Ave., Sebastopol. 707.823.1800.—J.K.

Chef Cindy Pawlcyn, of Mustards and Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen fame, and Sushi Hana chef Ken Tominaga have created a seafood heaven in St. Helena with their restaurant Go Fish. Work past the semi-annoying nautical décor, because once the food arrives, the busy stripes on the cushions, the precious metal octopi and the fish nets hung from the walls fade into the background. It’s hard to order anything wrong here, especially with the servers’ expert guidance helping to navigate the treacherous waters of a super-long menu. The only problem is that after all that amazing fish, you probably won’t want dessert—and they’re really, really good. Go Fish, 641 Main St., St. Helena. 707.963.0700.—E.L.

With every new restaurant he opens, Thomas Keller becomes more approachable. His third endeavor, Ad Hoc (Latin for “for this purpose”), is the most local-friendly yet. Though the restaurant was originally intended to be temporary, it’s now here to stay. Every night, a prix fixe menu of four courses for $45 is offered, and if you don’t like what’s being served, maybe you’d better try to get a reservation at the French Laundry (oh wait, that’s prix fixe, too). It’s fried chicken every other Monday, and from the buzz that builds around the block among the hungry diners waiting for a table, it’s good enough to throw grandma under a bus if that would help the table appear any more quickly. Ad Hoc features very relaxed service, all the dishes are served family-style (put the little skillet of three-cheese macaroni on the table over here, please!), and the packed, exuberant atmosphere is reminiscent of a fancy German beer hall. Ad Hoc, 476 Washington St., Yountville. 707.944.2487.—E.L.

You have got to see this place to believe that a Napa winery could be so cool. The strange, eclectic winery has no flat surfaces, no straight lines and many wild colors. No landscaping or gardening whatsoever is done here; the grounds are as wild as the architecture, and they’re filled with whimsical mosaics in the most unexpected places. After founding Stag’s Leap Winery, Quixote Winery‘s owner Carl Doumani wanted to downsize and emphasize fun, so he commissioned the legendary artist, architect and nudist Friedensreich Hundertwasser to design Quixote, thus erecting the only Hundertwasser building in the United States. The windows are askew, and original Hundertwasser paintings grace the walls alongside an impressive collection of black-and-white photographs. Unfortunately, picnics aren’t allowed (and reservations are a must), but it’s worth the extra effort to make a visit. The Quixote labels are also original Hundertwassers, and the wine (Petite Sirah is the specialty) is capped with screw caps. Three tours daily: 10am, 12:30pm and 2:30pm. Quixote, 6126 Silverado Trail, Napa. 707.944.2659.—E.L.

After two years in a very cute spot on a very awkward downtown back street, chef Mark Malicki’s Cafe Saint Rose will close on March 30. A reported 300 percent raise by the landlord has shut Malicki’s Santa Rosa doors. But good news abounds: He’s heading west, having last week signed purchase papers for the property now occupied by the Two Crows Roadhouse, five minutes west of Sebastopol on Bodega Highway, planning to move his highly rated restaurant to the cozy creekside location in late April. It’s a coming home of sorts, as Malicki ran the still-missed Truffles restaurant in Sebastopol in the 1980s.Cafe Saint Rose, which opened in 2006 to unanimous praise, has always suffered one small bone in its soup: the location. Being adjacent to a freeway undergoing perennial construction work and around the corner from the city’s Greyhound station has repeatedly tested the willingness of the area’s more highbrow customers. “A woman called last night from Healdsburg and asked, ‘I really want to bring my family—is it safe?'” Malicki recently recalled with amused irritation. “I said, ‘Yeah, the Gypsy camp shut down on Monday.'”Malicki has a vivid memory to cherish from the past two years: the dark, quiet evening when he projected Big Night on the wall during dinner. “Everyone’s sitting here, right, and the movie’s on, and they’re watching the movie,” he relates. “And I go around the back alleyway, walk outside to the front, and look inside and watch people eating, watching the movie, not knowing I’m out there. I was just in love with the restaurant that night.” Cafe Saint Rose, 465 Sebastopol Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.546.2459.—G.M.


Bohemian Best of Everyday 2008 Reader’s Choice

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Bohemian Best of Everyday 2008 Reader’s Choice

03.19.08
Best Hospital HealthCare Clinic

Marin

Marin General Hospital

250 Bon Air Road, Greenbrae. 415.925.7000.

Napa

Queen of the Valley Medical Center

1000 Trancas St., Napa. 707.252.4411.

Sonoma

St. Joseph Health System&–Sonoma County

151 Sotoyome St., Santa Rosa. 707.547.2500. 400 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma. 707.778.1111.

Honorable Mention

Palm Drive Hospital

501 Petaluma Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.823.8511.

Best Med Spa

Marin

First Place Tie

Dr. Robert G. Aycock

575 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Greenbrae. 415.925.1700.

Mt. Tam Laser & Skin Care

1030 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Ste. 130, Kentfield. 415.482.3888.

Napa

Synergy Medical Fitness Center

3421 Villa Lane, Napa. 707.251.1395.

Sonoma

Allegro MedSpa

4625 Quigg Drive, Santa Rosa. 707.537.2123.

Honorable Mention

Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary

209 Bohemian Hwy., Freestone. 707.823.8231.

Best Holistic Practitioner

Marin

Dr. Fernando Ulloa

711 D St., San Rafael. 415.454.4100.

Napa

Janet Garvey-Stangvik, Napa Valley Center for Spiritual Living

1227 Coombs St., Napa. 707.252.4847.

Sonoma

Ian McCullough, Sebastopol Family Acupuncture

490 Pitt Ave., Sebastopol. 707.823.4300.

Honorable Mention

William Prange, OMD

2640 Olsen Road, Sebastopol. 707.829.1991.

Best Acupuncturist

Marin

Joseph Odom

22 Belle Ave., San Anselmo. 415.258.9551.

Napa

Jennifer Chen Everett, Natural Healing Center

901 Trancas St., Napa. 707.226.5393.

Sonoma

Ian McCullough, Sebastopol Family Acupuncture

490 Pitt Ave., Sebastopol. 707.823.4300.

Honorable Mention

David Russell, Russell Family Acupuncture

134 Howard St., Petaluma. 707.773.3375.

Best Chiropractor

Marin

Scott Lessard

911 Mission Ave., San Rafael. 415.453.8587.

Napa

Giles Family Chiropractic

2020 Redwood Road, Napa. 707.251.9363.

Sonoma

Carr Chiropractic

711 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707.431.7255.

Honorable Mention

Jake Quihous, The Chiropractic Center

1819 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.523.9850.

Best Optical Store

Marin

Rims & Goggles

606 Strawberry Village, Mill Valley. 415.383.9480.

Napa

Site for Sore Eyes

1333 Napa Town Center, Napa. 707.224.7483.

Sonoma

Sonoma Eyeworks

534 Larkfield Shopping Center, Santa Rosa. 707.578.2020.

Honorable Mention

Optical World Optometry

1054 Santa Rosa Plaza, Santa Rosa. 707.544.3000.

Empire Optometry

800 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.542.1554.

Best Orthodontist

Napa

Dr. Charles de Lorimier

3434 Villa Lane, Napa. 707.255.0555.

Sonoma

Bernstein Orthodontics

515 Farmers Lane, Santa Rosa.707.575.0600.

8741 Brooks Road, S., Windsor. 707.836.8360.

Honorable Mention

Dr. Brian W. Payne

36 Doctors Park Drive, Santa Rosa. 707.546.5234.

9025 Old Redwood Hwy., Ste. A, Windsor. 707.838.4959.

Best Esthetic Dentist

Marin

Dr. Michael G. Dab

750 Las Gallinas Ave., Ste. 111, San Rafael. 415.472.5211.

Napa

Dr. Samuel Gittings

3435 Valle Verde Drive, Ste. A, Napa. 707.253.2770.

Sonoma

Dr. Michael Neal

1310 Prentice Drive, Ste. A, Healdsburg. 707.433.6910.

Honorable Mention

Dr. John W. Buzza

2448 Guerneville Road, Santa Rosa. 707.573.0600.

Best Laser Surgery Center

Napa

Eye Care Center

895 Trancas St., Napa. 707.252.2020.

Sonoma

Aesthetic Laser & Vein Center of the North Bay

170 Farmer’s Lane, Ste. 6B, Santa Rosa. 707.546.8346.

Honorable Mention

Laser Vue Eye Center

3540 Mendocino Ave., Ste. 200, Santa Rosa. 707.522.6200.

Best Plastic Surgeon

Marin

Dr. Robert G. Aycock

575 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Greenbrae. 415.925.1700.

Napa

Dr. John P. Zimmerman

3443 Villa Lane, Ste. 10, Napa. 707.258.6077.

Sonoma

Dr. Francisco Canales, Allegro MedSpa

4625 Quigg Drive, Santa Rosa. 707.537.2111.

Honorable Mention

Dr. David E. Marcus

1128 Sonoma Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.575.1626.

Best Body Art Place

Marin

Spider Murphy’s

1006 Lincoln Ave., San Rafael. 415.460.6979.

Napa

Garage Ink Studios

814 Third St., Napa. 707.254.7125.

Sonoma

Buddha’s Palm

974 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol. 707.829.7256.

Honorable Mention

Monkey Wrench

1700 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.575.0610.

Best Hair Salon

Marin

Benvenuto

536 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo. 415.454.1347.

Napa

Iveta Salon & Gallery

1341 Napa Town Center, Napa. 707.259.0517.

Sonoma

Troy Michael’s Salon

967 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol. 707.829.2100.

Honorable Mention

Pomegranate Salon

824 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.528.2923.

Best Tanning Salon

Sonoma

Bronze&–A Tanning Studio

52 Mission Circle, Santa Rosa. 707.538.1580.

Shiloh Shopping Center, 6500 Hembree Lane, Ste. 210, Windsor. 707.837.7331.

Honorable Mention

Great Sunsations Tanning Spa

508 Seventh St., in the Brickyard Center, Santa Rosa. 707.545.6786.

Best Clothing Store Women

Marin

Duarteau Boutique

919 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.258.0313.

Napa

First Place Tie

The Mustard Seed

1301 Napa Town Center, Napa. 707.255.4222.

Pearl Wonderful Clothing

1428 Main St., St. Helena. 707.963.3236.

Sonoma

Arboretum

332 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707.433.7033.

Honorable Mention

Dressers

141 N. Main St., Sebastopol. 707.829.8757.

Best Clothing Store Men

Marin

Louis Thomas Fine Men’s Apparel & Formal Wear

211 Corte Madera Town Center, Corte Madera. 415.924.1715.

Napa

First Place Tie

Williamson & Company Menswear

1267 Napa Town Center, Napa. 707.224.5284.

Mario’s

1223 Main St., St. Helena. 707.963.1603.

Sonoma

Arboretum

332 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707.433.7033.

Honorable Mention

Outlander Men’s Gear

103 Plaza St., Healdsburg. 707.433.7800.

Best Secondhand Store

Marin

Encore Fine Consignments

11 Mary St., San Rafael. 415.456.7309.

Napa

LoLo’s

1120 Main St., St. Helena. 707.963.7972.

Sonoma

Sack’s On the Square

116 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.541.7227.

Honorable Mention

Launch

971 Gravenstein Ave., Sebastopol. 707.829.3312.

Best Vintage Clothing Store

Marin

Deja Nu

1224 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.258.0200.

Napa

Wild Cat!

1210 First St., Napa. 707-224-3162.

Sonoma

Hot Couture

101 Third St., Santa Rosa. 707.528.7247.

Honorable Mention

Aubergine

3690 Bohemian Hwy., Occidental. 707.874.9034.

755 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. 707.827.3460.

Best Shoe Store

Marin

Mara’s Shoes

824 Grant Ave., Novato. 415.892.3732.

Napa

Shoes on First

1227 First St., Napa. 707.252.7280.

Sonoma

Sole Desire

441 Coddingtown Center, Santa Rosa. 707.571.8643.

2411 Magowan Drive, Santa Rosa. 707.542.1690.

500 W. Napa St., Sonoma. 707.933.1702.

151 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma. 707.778.6967.

Honorable Mention

Rainsong Shoes

117 Plaza St., Healdsburg. 707.433.8058.

2410 Magowan Drive, Santa Rosa. 707.576.8919.

Best Day Spa

Marin

Spa de Novato

1305 Grant Ave., Novato. 415.897.4511.

Napa

Greenhaus European Day Spa

1300 Pearl St., Napa. 707.257.8837.

Sonoma

Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary

209 Bohemian Hwy., Freestone. 707.823.8231.

Honorable Mention

Mermaid’s Spa

115 S. Main St., Sebastopol. 707.823.3535.

Best Resort Spa

Marin

Casa Madrona Hotel & Spa

801 Bridgeway, Sausalito. 415.332.0502.

Napa

Solage Calistoga

755 Silverado Trail, Calistoga. 866.942.7442.

Sonoma

First Place Tie

Kenwood Inn & Spa

10400 Sonoma Hwy., Kenwood. 707.833.1293.

Flamingo Resort Hotel

2777 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.545.8530.

Best Feed Store

Marin

Toby’s Feed Barn

11250 Hwy. 1, Pt. Reyes Station. 415.663.1223.

Napa

Wilson’s Feed Supply

1700 Yajome St., Napa. 707.252.0316.

Sonoma

Western Farm Center

21 W. Seventh St., Santa Rosa. 707.545.0721.

Honorable Mention

Frizelle-Enos Company

265 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. 707.823.6404.

Best Animal Shelter

Marin

Marin Humane Society

171 Bel Marin Keys Blvd., Novato. 415.506.6263.

Napa

We Care Animal Rescue

1345 Charter Oak Ave., St. Helena. 707.963.7044.

Sonoma

Humane Society & SPCA of Sonoma County

5345 Hwy. 12, Santa Rosa. 707.542.0882.

Honorable Mention

Healdsburg Animal Shelter

570 Westside Road, Healdsburg. 707.431.3386.

Best Kennel

Marin

Bed & Biscuits Doggie Inn & Salon

4240 Redwood Hwy., San Rafael. 415.499.0199.

Napa

Bonny Doone Kennel

1003 Los Carneros Ave., Napa. 707.226.1200.

Sonoma

Olivet Kennel & Dog Training Resort

2404 Olivet Road, Santa Rosa. 707.542.2066.

Honorable Mention

Humane Society & SPCA of Sonoma County

5345 Hwy. 12, Santa Rosa. 707.542.0882.

Best Dog Camp

Marin

Camp K-9

5810 Paradise Drive, Corte Madera. 415.924.2267.

Sonoma

Camp Bow Wow

2120 Bluebell Drive, Santa Rosa. 707.546.2267.

Honorable Mention

Olivet Kennel

2404 Olivet Road, Santa Rosa. 707.542.2066.

Best Doggie Daycare

Marin

Wags N Woofs

254 Shoreline Hwy., Mill Valley. 415.383.2111.

Napa

Camp Rawhide

1452 Silverado Trail, Napa. 707.226.6010.

Sonoma

Camp Bow Wow

2120 Bluebell Drive, Santa Rosa. 707.546.2267.

Honorable Mention

Olivet Kennel & Dog Training Resort

2404 Olivet Road, Santa Rosa. 707.542.2066.

Best Dog Park

Marin

Mill Valley Dog Park

In Bayfront Park, Sycamore Avenue at Camino Alto.

Napa

Alston Park

Dry Creek Road, Napa. 707.257.9529.

Sonoma

Ragle Ranch Park

500 Ragle Road, Sebastopol. 707.823.7262.

Honorable Mention

Villa Chanticleer Dog Park

Look for Dog Park sign on way to Villa Chanticleer, 1248 N. Fitch Mountain Road, Healdsburg.

Best Dog Beach

Marin

Stinson Beach

Highway 1, between Mill Valley and Bolinas.

Napa

Napa River at John F. Kennedy Park

Highway 221 just south of Napa Valley College. 707.257.9529.

Sonoma

Dillon Beach

1 Beach Ave., Dillon Beach.

Honorable Mention

Salmon Creek Beach, Bodega Bay

Between Jenner and Bodega Bay on Highway 1. 707.875.3483.

Best Dog Trainer

Marin

Marin Humane Society

171 Bel Marin Keys Blvd., Novato. 415.506.6263.

Napa

Dina Mitchell, Caninestein Dog Training

547 Randolph St., Apt. C, Napa. 707.254.9615.

Sonoma

Sapir Weiss, Olivet Kennel & Dog Training Resort

2404 Olivet Road, Santa Rosa. 707.542.2066.

Honorable Mention

Patty Malnick, Happy Dogs

3687 Hemlock St., Santa Rosa. 707.570.2809.

Best Groomer

Marin

Canine Design, Lois Amaru

1435 Fourth St., Ste. C, San Rafael. 415.456.4112.

Napa

Tails of the City

2205-A Main St., Napa. 707.254.7877.

Sonoma

Stephanie Burgasser, Humane Society & SPCA of Sonoma County

5345 Hwy. 12, Santa Rosa. 707.542.0882.

Honorable Mention

The Soggy Doggy

452 Tenth St., Santa Rosa. 707.542.0244.

Best Pet Boutique

Marin

Canine Design

1435 Fourth St., Ste. C, San Rafael. 415.456.4112.

Napa

Vineyard Dog

1136 Main St., Napa. 707.226.5300.

Sonoma

Healdsburg Dog House

212 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707.431.1044.

Honorable Mention

Fideaux

401 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707.433.9935.

Best Veterinarian

Marin

Dr. Mary Whitney, Pt. Reyes Animal Hospital

11030 Hwy. 1, Pt. Reyes Station. 415.663.1533.

Napa

Dr. Paul Hess, Silverado Veterinary Hospital

2035 Silverado Trail, Napa. 707.224.7953.

Sonoma

Dr. David McCrystle

135 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707.433.5539.

Honorable Mention

Dr. Grant Patrick, Montecito Veterinary Center

4900 Sonoma Hwy., Santa Rosa. 707.539.2322.

Best Animal Surgeon

Marin

San Rafael Animal Hospital

419 Irwin St., San Rafael. 415.453.2004.

Napa

Dr. Paul O. Hess, Silverado Veterinary Hospital

2035 Silverado Trail, Napa. 707.224.7953.

Sonoma

Dr. David McCrystle

135 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707.433.5539.

Honorable Mention

Dr. Gilbert T. Robello

1370 Fulton Road, Santa Rosa. 707.579.5900.

Best Cigar Pipe Shop

Marin

Mighty Quinn

1099 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.457.2420.

Napa

Baker Street Tobacco Clocks

1018 First St., Napa. 707.255.4434.

Sonoma

Mighty Quinn

3372 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.545.5081.

Honorable Mention

Homeblown Glass

705 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.591.0420.

7108 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol. 707.824.8242.

Peacepipe

622 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.541.7016.

Best Grocery Store

Marin

First Place Tie

United Markets

515 Third St., San Rafael. 415.454.8912.

100 Redhill Ave., San Anselmo. 415.456.1271.

Good Earth Natural & Organic Foods

1966 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Fairfax. 415.454.0123.

Napa

Vallerga’s Market

3385 Solano Ave., Napa. 707.253.2621.

Sonoma

Oliver’s Market

546 E. Cotati Ave., Cotati. 707.795.9501.

560 Montecito Court, Santa Rosa. 707.537.7123.

561 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa. 707.284.3530.

Honorable Mention

Pacific Markets

550 Gravenstein Hwy. N., Sebastopol. 707.823.4916.

1465 Town and Country Drive, Santa Rosa. 707.546.3663.

901 Golf Course Drive, Rohnert Park. 707.585.9643.

Best Natural Foods Store

Marin

Good Earth Natural & Organic Foods

1966 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Fairfax. 415.454.0123.

Napa

Golden Carrot Natural Foods

1621 W. Imola Ave., Napa. 707.224.3117.

Sonoma

Community Market

1899 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.546.1806.

Honorable Mention

Oliver’s Market

546 E. Cotati Ave., Cotati. 707.795.9501.

560 Montecito Court, Santa Rosa. 707.537.7123.

461 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa. 707.284.3530.

Best Ethnic Market

Marin

Asian Market

5 Mary St., San Rafael. 415.459.7133.

Napa

Oxbow Public Market

610 First St., Napa. 707.226.6529.

Sonoma

Lola’s Market

1680 Petaluma Hill Road, Santa Rosa. 707.571.7579.

440 Dutton Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.577.8846.

Honorable Mention

Asia Market

1110 Petaluma Hill Road, Santa Rosa. 707.546.9618.

Best Culinary Store

Marin

Pini Ace Hardware

1535 S. Novato Blvd., Novato. 415.892.1577.

Napa

Shackford’s Kitchen Store

1350 Main St., Napa. 707.226.2132.

Sonoma

Hardisty’s

1565 Farmers Lane, Santa Rosa. 707.545.0534.

Honorable Mention

McCoy’s Cookware

2579 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.526.3856.

Best Antique Shop

Marin

Dove Place Antiques & Consignment

160 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo. 415.453.1490.

Napa

Silverado Antique Center

1210 Napa Town Center, Napa. 707.253.1966.

Sonoma

Whistle Stop Antiques

130 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.542.9474.

Honorable Mention

Antique Society

2661 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol. 707.829.1733.

Best Appliance Store

Marin

Martin & Harris Appliances

2158 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.454.2021.

Napa

Harbison Appliance

333 Third St., Napa. 707.253.2141.

Sonoma

Asien’s Appliances

1801 Piner Road, Santa Rosa. 707.546.3749.

Honorable Mention

TeeVax

422 Wilson St., Santa Rosa. 707.545.1195.

Best Furniture Store

Marin

Sunrise Home

831 B St., San Rafael. 415.456.3939.

Napa

Custom House Furniture

706 Trancas St., Napa. 707.224.5544.

Sonoma

Pedersen’s Furniture Company

707 Fifth St., Santa Rosa. 707.542.1855.

Honorable Mention

Gado Gado International

129 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.525.8244.

Best Home Furnishings

Sonoma

Cokas Diko

529 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.548.4044.

9000 Windsor Road, Windsor. 707.838.6555.

Honorable Mention

Pedersen’s Furniture Company

707 Fifth St., Santa Rosa. 707.542.1855.

Best Home Improvement

Napa

Steve’s Hardware & Homeware

1370 Main St., St. Helena. 707.963.3423.

Sonoma

Friedman’s Home Improvement

4055 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.584.7811.

1360 Broadway Ave., Sonoma. 707.939.8811.

Honorable Mention

Sebastopol Hardware Center

660 Hwy. 116 N., Sebastopol. 707.823.7688.

Best Nursery

Marin

Sloat Garden Centers

www.sloatgardens.com

Napa

Whiting Nursery

738 Main St., St. Helena. 707.963.5358.

Sonoma

Harmony Farm Supply & Nursery

3244 Gravenstein Hwy. N., Sebastopol. 707.823.9125.

Honorable Mention

King’s Nursery

1212 13th St., Santa Rosa. 707.542.4782.

Best Home Builder

Marin

First Place Tie

Steve Rempe Contractor Inc.

1020 Railroad Ave., Novato. 415.897.9126.

Jack Mosher Construction Inc.

504 Red Hill Ave., San Anselmo. 415.457.0713.

Napa

Christopherson Homes Inc.

1315 Airport Blvd., Santa Rosa. 707.542.8222.

Sonoma

Christopherson Homes Inc.

1315 Airport Blvd., Santa Rosa. 707.524.8222.

Honorable Mention

Monsoon Construction Company

P.O. Box 1502, Healdsburg. 707.433.7813.

Best Real Estate Agent & Company

Marin

Carol Scott, Bradley Real Estate

700 Fifth Ave., San Rafael. 415.258.4141.

Napa

Fay Guman Real Estate Services

1025 Mt. George Ave., Napa. 707.255.5316.

Sonoma

Jeffrey Seligson, Prudential Real Estate

7300 Healdsburg Ave., Sebastopol. 707.829.2011.

Honorable Mention

Gail Ryan, Healdsburg Realty

709 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707.431.9757.

Best Bank

Marin

Bank of Marin

www.bankofmarin.com

Napa

Napa Community Bank

700 Trancas St., Napa. 707.227.9300.

Sonoma

Exchange Bank

545 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.524.3000.

Honorable Mention

Redwood Credit Union

www.redwoodcu.org

Best Nonprofit

Marin

West Marin Family Center

11550 Hwy. 1, Pt. Reyes Station. 415.663.8101.

Napa

Arts Council Napa Valley

1041 Jefferson St., Ste. 4, Napa. 707.257.2117.

Sonoma

Sutter VNA & Hospice Foundation

1110 N. Dutton Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.535.5700.

Honorable Mention

Humane Society & SPCA of Sonoma County

5345 Hwy. 12, Santa Rosa. 707.542.0882.

Best Auto Dealer New

Marin

RAB Motors

540 W. Francisco Blvd., San Rafael. 415.454.0582.

Napa

Jimmy Vasser Chevrolet

583 Soscol Ave., Napa. 707.255.7600.

Sonoma

Freeman Toyota

2875 Corby Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.542.1791.

Honorable Mention

Manly Honda

2750 Corby Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.542.5377.

Best Auto Dealer Used

Marin

RAB Motors

540 W. Francisco Blvd., San Rafael. 415.454.0582.

Napa

Jimmy Vasser Chevrolet

583 Soscol Ave., Napa. 707.255.7600.

Sonoma

Freeman Toyota

2875 Corby Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.542.1791.

Honorable Mention

Manly Honda

2750 Corby Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.542.5377.

Best Auto Detailing

Marin

Anthony’s Auto Craft Inc.

103 Verdi St., San Rafael. 415.456.7591.

Napa

Classic Car Wash

1050 Freeway Drive, Napa. 707.255.5655.

Sonoma

First Place Tie

Autobahn Auto Detailing

3485 Airway Drive, Santa Rosa. 707.528.8455.

Silveira

985 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707.433.5541.

Honorable Mention

Freeman Toyota

2875 Corby Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.542.1791.

Best Auto Repair

Marin

Anthony’s Auto Craft Inc.

103 Verdi St., San Rafael. 415.456.7591.

Napa

Advanced Auto Body Center

2497 Second St., Napa. 707.226.9693.

Sonoma

Out West Garage

321 Second St., Petaluma. 707.769.0162.

Honorable Mention

Tri Star Automotive

484 Kenwood Court, Santa Rosa. 707.571.8866.

Best Mode of Alt Transportation

Marin

Golden Gate Ferry

www.goldengateferry.org

Napa

Evans Transportation

4075 Solano Ave., Napa. 707.253.1300.

Sonoma

Sonoma County Transit

www.sctransit.com

Honorable Mention

Rickshaw Rudy’s

P.O. Box 1585, Windsor. 707.838.9922.

Best Motorcycle Shop

Marin

Golden Gate Harley Davidson

13 San Clemente Drive, Corte Madera. 415.927.4464.

7077 Redwood Blvd., Novato. 415.878.4988.

Napa

Yamaha of Napa

459 Soscol Ave., Napa. 707.254.7432.

Sonoma

Moto Meccanica

1111 Petaluma Hill Road, Santa Rosa. 707.578.6686.

Honorable Mention

Michael’s Harley Davidson

7601 Redwood Drive, Cotati. 707.793.9180.

Best Scooter Shop

Napa

Big Kid Toys

476 Soscol Ave., Napa. 707.256.3300.

Sonoma

Revolution Moto

307 D St., Santa Rosa. 707.523.2371.

Honorable Mention

Zap

501 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.545.5190.

Best Electronics Store

Marin

Marin Electronics

823 Fourth St., San Rafael. 800.321.4524.

Napa

Abe’s Electronics

1030 Lincoln Ave., Napa. 707.265.8575.

Sonoma

California Audio & Video

10101 Main St., Penngrove. 707.795.9065.

Honorable Mention

HSC Electronics & Computers

5681 Redwood Drive, Rohnert Park. 707.585.7344.

Best Independent Computer Store

Marin

Marin Mac Store

1031 C St., San Rafael. 415.459.9380.

Sonoma

Wine Country Computers

424 Center St., Healdsburg. 707.431.8818.

Honorable Mention

Santa Rosa Computers

820 Piner Road, Santa Rosa. 707.570.2040.

Best Internet Provider

Marin

Horizon Cable

www.horizoncable.com

Napa

Napanet

www.napanet.net

Sonoma

Sonic.Net

www.sonic.net

Honorable Mention

Silicon Valley North

www.svn.net

sonic.net: sympathetic and serene

“Um, hi. I’m one of your customers, one of your dumber customers. You know how you guys, and yeah, I guess every other IT professional, always natters on about the importance of keeping passwords and log-ins, you know, separate from the computer? How you folks are always nagging dumb people like me about writing stuff down and putting it somewhere where it can be found again? Well, I’m just calling to tell you that you were right. Turns out that leaving every log-in and pass I have from my kids’ FAFSA interface to my grudging MySpace log-in to . . . well, that’s why I’m calling . . . it’s all on those electronic sticky notes, the ones that are like virtual Post-Its, do you know those? Yeah, they’re great. Anyway, that program seems to have died or I accidentally erased it from my hard drive or fairies came in the night and stole it, I dunno, but they’re gone, and now I don’t know how to access my web-based email for you guys because without them I evidently have no brain and I certainly have no password. Can you help?”

The above could be an annual transcription from certain dumb editors, those who do in fact keep every vital piece of information sketchily stored on those great little sticky notes that are just like virtual Post-Its and that have, on occasion, simply gone away. Which is when I must bore and annoy the good folks at Sonic.net, your pick for Best Internet Service Provider for Sonoma County. They’re my ISP, too, and I must confess to a deep and rigorous love. Because every year when I have once again totally forgotten how to log on to my web-based email and the stickies have forsaken me, I have once again called them, delivered the long boring ramble transcribed above, and a helpful person has been able to cleverly mask his (obvious, innate) hatred for me and my stupidity by making everything right. In minutes. As if by magic. Or by fairies. Or perhaps it’s the virtual stickies working their goodness on everything. The Internets, go figure. Sonic.net, www.sonic.net—G.G..

Best Independent Copy Biz Services

Marin

Pt. Reyes Printing

65 Third St., Pt. Reyes Station. 415.663.9355.

Napa

The Copy Corner

2200 Jefferson St., Napa. 707.258.1835.

Sonoma

Sprint Copy Center

175 N. Main St., Sebastopol. 707.823.3900.

Honorable Mention

Jensen’s Copy & Fine Arts Supply

336 Center St., Healdsburg. 707.433.8831.

Best Fair Trade Sustainable Goods Business

Marin

Coyuchi Inc.

11101 Hwy. 1, Pt. Reyes Station. 415.663.8077.

Sonoma

Kindred Fair Trade Handcrafts

605 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.579.1459.

Honorable Mention

Real Goods

www.realgoodssolar.com

Best Gift Shop

Marin

Bloomworks

200 Bon Air Shopping Center, Greenbrae. 415.464.8166.

518 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo. 415.453.2478.

Napa

Visions of the Napa Valley

6540 Washington St., Yountville. 707.944.1277.

Sonoma

Milk & Honey

123 N. Main St., Sebastopol. 707.824.1155.

Honorable Mention

Mr. Moon’s

316 Center St., Healdsburg. 707.433.6666.

Best Musical Instruments Store

Marin

Bananas at Large

1504 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.457.7600.

Napa

Napa Music Supply

2026 Redwood Road, Napa. 707.265.8275.

Sonoma

People’s Music

122 N. Main St., Sebastopol. 707.823.7664.

Honorable Mention

Zone Music

7884 Old Redwood Hwy., Cotati. 707.644.1213.

Best Jewelry Store

Marin

Stephan-Hill Jewelry Designers

1226 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.459.5808.

Napa

Napa Valley Jewelers

1317 North Town Center, Napa. 707.224.0997.

Sonoma

Artisana

146 N. Main St., Sebastopol. 707.829.3036.

Honorable Mention

Earthworks

350 Coddingtown Center, Santa Rosa. 707.528.7181.

403 First St. W., Sonoma. 707.935.0290.

Best Costume Shop

Marin

The Belrose

1415 Fifth Ave., San Rafael. 415.454.6422.

Napa

Wild Cat!

1210 First St., Napa. 707.257.8702.

Sonoma

Disguise the Limit / Funny Business

100 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.575.1477.

Honorable Mention

HeeBee JeeBee’s

46 Kentucky St., Petaluma. 707.773.3222.

Best Art Supplies

Marin

Perry’s Art Supplies & Framing

128 Greenfield Ave., San Anselmo. 415.454.3317.

Napa

Napa Valley Art Supply

(in Cartons and Crates) 253-A Walnut St., Napa. 707.224.7447.

Sonoma

Rileystreet Art Supply

103 Maxwell Ct., Santa Rosa. 707.526.2416.

Honorable Mention

Village Art Supply

525 Hahman Drive, Santa Rosa. 707.575.4501.

Best Framing Shop

Marin

Cheap Pete’s

221 Third St., San Rafael. 415.455.8055.

Sonoma

Hammerfriar Gallery

129 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707.473.9600.

Honorable Mention

My Daughter the Framer

1617 Terrace Way, Santa Rosa. 707.542.3599.

Best Bookstore New

Marin

Book Passage

51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera. 415.927.0960.

Napa

Copperfield’s Books

www.copperfields.net

Sonoma

Copperfield’s Books

www.copperfields.net

Honorable Mention

North Light Books & Cafe

550 E. Cotati Ave., Cotati. 707.792.4300.

Best Bookstore Used

Marin

First Place Tie

San Anselmo Booksmith

615 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo. 415.459.7323.

Pt. Reyes Books

11315 Hwy. 1, Pt. Reyes Station. 415.663.1542.

Napa

Copperfield’s Books

www.copperfields.net

Sonoma

Copperfield’s Books

www.copperfields.net

Honorable Mention

Treehorn Books

625 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.525.1782.

Book Passage: Intellectual smorgie

By and large—and with the obvious exception of Michael Chabon—writers are an ugly lot. That allows them to freely shop at the same grocery store you do, pump discount gas into their used cars just in front of you and be passed out at the local pub on the stool right next to you without you being ever the wiser. Not counting such superstars as Amy Tan, who keeps a pied-à-terre in Sausalito, thus making her a North Bay neighbor, most writers, even the searingly beloved, can freely go through their days unrecognized. (Paparazzi aren’t generally interested in skinny neurotic people whose most pumped-up feature is the wrist.) Such anonymity is maintained until they’re under the modest spotlight provided by Book Passage, your pick for Best New Bookstore in Marin County. At near-nightly free events, Book Passage is fairly the 92nd Street Y for the Left Coast set, sending superstar writer after superstar writer in through its doors for intimate readings, lively discussions, popular conferences, bustling book clubs and many fundraising events.

Started in 1976 by Elaine Petrocelli and her husband Bill, Book Passage now hosts some 700 readings a year in its Corte Madera store and newer outlet in San Francisco’s Ferry Building. Al Gore has held sway there as has Dave Barry. Marin writers Anne Lamott and Isabel Allende are guaranteed to be in the house when they’ve got new releases. Threatened by that Other Bookstore taking over corporate residence at the Corte Madera Town Center, Book Passage has serenely continued to do what it’s always done best, connecting readers with writers. There are not many other bookstores anywhere—the North Bay or beyond—where a reader can daydream over the many Paris apartments for rent before taking a French class before having a lovely lunch before purchasing a book before taking a writing class or even before attending a two-day conference led by premiere writers and literary agents. Book Passage has made such a delicious intellectual buffet a daily reality.

The Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera. 415.927.0960.—G.G.

Best CD Store New

Marin

Bedrock

2226 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.258.9745.

Sonoma

Last Record Store

1899-A Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.525.1963.

Honorable Mention

Backdoor Disc & Tape

7665 Old Redwood Hwy., Cotati. 707.795.9597.

Best CD Store Used

Marin

Watts Music

1211 Grant Ave., Novato. 415.897.2892.

Sonoma

Last Record Store

1899-A Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.525.1963.

Honorable Mention

Backdoor Disc & Tape

7665 Old Redwood Hwy., Cotati. 707.795.9597.

Best Video Rental

Marin

Video Droid

www.videodroid.net

Napa

Peter’s Video

1000 Foothill Blvd., Calistoga. 707.942.4751.

1200-D Main St., St. Helena. 707.963.2739.

Sonoma

Box Office Video

6960 McKinley Ave., Sebastopol. 707.823.9798.

Honorable Mention

Video Droid

[ http://www.videodroid.net ]www.videodroid.net


Bohemian Best of Culture 2008 Readers Choice

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Bohemian Best of Culture 2008 Readers Choice

03.19.08
Best Art Gallery

Marin

Gallery Route One

11101 Hwy. 1, Pt. Reyes Station. 415.663.1347.

Napa

Di Rosa Preserve

5200 Carneros Hwy., Napa. 707.226.5991.

Sonoma

First Place Tie

Riverfront Art Gallery

132 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma.707.775.4278.

The Quicksilver Mine Co.

6671 Front St., Forestville.707.887.0799.

Honorable Mention

A Street Gallery

312 S. A St., Santa Rosa.707.578.9124.

Best Outdoor Art Event

Marin

Sausalito Art Festival

www.sausalitoartfestival.org

Napa

Napa Wine & Crafts Faire

www.napadowntown.com

Sonoma

ARTrails

www.arttrails.org

Honorable Mention

Petaluma Art in the Park

Walnut Park at D Street, Petaluma. 707.793.2113.

Best Dance Studio

Marin

Dance Arts Studios

704 Mission Ave., San Rafael.415.459.1020.

Napa

Napa Valley Dance Center

950 Pearl St., Napa. 707.255.2701.

Sonoma

The Dance Center

56 W. Sixth St., Santa Rosa.707.575.8277.

Honorable Mention

Ellington Hall

3535 Industrial Lane, Santa Rosa. 707.545.6150.

Best Ballet Company

Marin

Marin Ballet

100 Elm St., San Rafael.415.453.6705.

Napa

Napa Valley Ballet

P.O. Box 4256, Napa. 707.294.2568.

Sonoma

Petaluma City Ballet

110 Howard St., Petaluma.707.765.2660.

Honorable Mention

Sebastopol Ballet

390 Morris St., Sebastopol.707.824.8006.

Best Performing Dance Company

Marin

Marin Ballet

100 Elm St., San Rafael.415.453.6705.

Napa

Napa Valley Dance Center

950 Pearl St., Napa.707.255.2701.

Sonoma

The Dance Center

56 W. Sixth St., Santa Rosa.707.575.8277.

Honorable Mention

La Fibi Flamenco

208 Hayes Ave., Petaluma. 707.762.5201.

Best Theater Troupe

Marin

Marin Theatre Company

397 Miller Ave., Mill Valley.415.388.5200.

Napa

Dream Weavers

1637 Imola Ave., Napa. 707.255.5483.

Sonoma

Sixth Street Playhouse

52 W. Sixth St., Santa Rosa.707.523.4185.

Honorable Mention

Raven Players

734 Johnson St., Healdsburg.707.433.6335.

Best Place to Dance

Marin

Rancho Nicasio

1 Old Ranchero Road, Nicasio.415.662.2219.

Napa

Hydro Bar & Grill

1403 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga.707.942.9777.

Sonoma

Last Day Saloon

120 Fifth St., Santa Rosa.707.545.2343.

Honorable Mention

Seven Ultralounge

528 Seventh St., Santa Rosa.707.528.4700.

Best Festival

Marin

Italian Street Painting Festival

999 Fifth St., Ste. 290, San Rafael.415.457.4878.

Napa

Mustard Festival

www.mustardfestival.org

Sonoma

Harmony Festival

www.harmonyfestival.com

Honorable Mention

Apple Blossom Festival

www.sebastopol.org

Best Performing Arts Center

Marin

Marin Civic Center

10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael.415.421.8497.

Napa

First Place Tie

Lincoln Theater

100 California Drive, Yountville.707.944.1300.

Napa Valley Opera House

1030 Main St., Napa.707.226.7372.

Sonoma

Wells Fargo Center for the Performing Arts

50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa.707.546.3600.

Honorable Mention

Spreckels Performing Arts Center

5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park.707.588.3400.

Lincoln Theater and Napa Valley Opera House: Napa’s Finest

Nestled among the grounds of the Veterans Home of California with its old buildings and remote valley location, Yountville’s Lincoln Theater is a thing of beauty, even before one walks in the door. Approaching the property for an evening summer show, attendees are sprinkled by late-day sun streaks that shine through the thick trees covering the driveway, and a walk from the parking lot to the theater lobby passes stucco barracks, rusted cannons and historical markers.

Once inside, a grand, curving staircase leads to the balcony section, while stratospheric ceilings and large works of art give the lobby a formal elegance. The raked hall makes for good viewing whether in the back row or in the box seats, and their hosting of select Festival del Sole events each summer brings out world-class classical performers—just a few of the reasons that you chose the Lincoln Theater in a first-place tie with the Napa Valley Opera House as the best performing arts centers in Napa County.

And what a tie it is. Whereas the Lincoln Theater holds a large audience yet manages to seem intimate, the Napa Valley Opera House holds a small audience but manages to appear sweeping and grand. The performance hall’s second-floor placement makes for crowded clusters near the lobby stairs after the 10-minute light warning, but the place turns open and inviting once you get up and inside, a miracle of restoration to the old theater’s original 1879 décor.

Rounded walls, wooded wainscoting and illuminated crown molding enliven the theater with classicism, and with only 500 seats, there’s no feeling whatsoever of a wall between performer and audience in the miniature space. Recent headliner Rufus Wainwright said it best: “This is such a cute little opera house!” he exclaimed from the stage. “I’m imagining a cute little production of Aida, with baby elephants playing big elephants, and little midget singers!” And, yes, amid its regular bookings of theater as well as jazz, pop, folk, and classical music, the Napa Valley Opera House still does opera—look for Cosi Fan Tutte, Don Pasquale and La Boheme later this year.

Lincoln Theater, 100 California Drive, Yountville.707.944.1300. Napa Valley Opera House, 1030 Main St., Napa. 707.226.7372. —G.M.

Best Media Personality

Marin

Gus Conde, KWMR 90.5-FM

P.O. Box 1262, Pt. Reyes Station.415.663.0905.

Napa

L. Pierce Carson, Napa Valley Register

1615 Second St., Napa.707.226.3711.

Sonoma

Bill Bowker, KRSH 95.9-FM

3565 Standish Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.588.0707.

Honorable Mention

Brent Farris, KZST 100.1-FM

3392 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa.707.528.4434.

Gus Conde and KWMR: Radio’s sweet and savory audio pie

It’s just what you’d expect from the land of cosmic hot tubs, proud liberality and stratospherically priced bungalows. Indeed, KWMR 90.5-FM community radio is everything you’d expect—and then some. As Marin County’s one and only broadcast station, it serves up hot, fat slices of both the sweet and the savory: fruity, nutty, meaty and cool creamy slices of radio pie. Musically, KWMR casts an eccentric/eclectic net over programming, ranging from the deep tracks of Bach and Bartók to space jazz, bluegrass, Tibetan Monk chants, old-timey rock ‘n’ roll and bowhead whale whistles, those subpop genres you’d expect every sophisticated Marin west-ender to bury between his or her well-fed ears.

KWMR has a paid staff of just four, an 18-watt low-power signal, lots of accomplished dedicated volunteers and a mission to western Marin County that extends to its role as the area’s sole broadcast emergency info provider.

Among the regular favorites is “Barrio Vibes,” broadcast at 8:10 each Friday morning and hosted by Point Reyes National Seashore ranger and part Mayan Indian, Augusto “Gus” Conde, your pick for Best Media Personality in Marin. “Barrio Vibes” is a bilingual talkfest-cum-music-show combining Spanish tunes of the Americas as well as English and other language songs from Conde’s personal collection. In addition to the music, Conde and his guests discuss issues facing the large and growing Spanish-speaking populace of western Marin.

Beyond the tunes and disasters, KWMR comes in with “West Marin Green Cuisine,” lit blasts, environmental updates and intrigues, historical sketches, Commonweal school conversations, nature explorations, kitsch, a show called “The Hippie from Olema” as well as programming for Sufis, deep-sea ocean-life divers, fine-art junkies and film nuts, while featuring audio scenes from interesting places like the Cockroach Hall of Fame, as well as interviews with the obscure, the notable and such famed guests as Noam Chomsky. KWMR calls itself “Homegrown Radio for West Marin,” which is to say that it’s not Manhattan, Montana or Mississippi.—P.J.P.

Best Band

Marin

Til Dawn

www.myspace.com/123tildawn456

Napa

Johnny Smith Group

www.johnnysmithgroup.com

Sonoma

Pat Jordan Band

www.patjordanband.com

Honorable Mention

Pumps: Fire

www.myspace.com/pumpsfiresound

Best Music Festival

Marin

Novato Music Art & Wine Festival

www.novato.org

Napa

Mustard, Mud & Music Festival

www.calistogajazz.org

Sonoma

Harmony Festival

www.harmonyfestival.com

Honorable Mention

Russian River Blues Festival

www.russianriverfestivals.com

Best Music Venue

Marin

19 Broadway Nite Club

19 Broadway Blvd., Fairfax.415.459.1091.

Napa

First Place Tie

Outdoor Concerts at COPIA

500 First St., Napa.707.259.1600.

Napa Valley Opera House

1030 Main St., Napa.707.226.7372.

Sonoma

Mystic Theatre

23 Petaluma Blvd., Petaluma.707.765.2121.

Honorable Mention

Wells Fargo Center for the Performing Arts

50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa.707.546.3600.

Best Media

Napa

KVON / KVYN

1124 Foster Road, Napa. 707.258.1111.

Sonoma

KRSH 95.9-FM

3565 Standish Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.588.0707.

Best Movie Theater

Marin

Christopher Smith Rafael Film Center

1118 Fourth St., San Rafael.415.454.1222.

Napa

Cameo Cinema

1340 Main St., St. Helena.707.963.9779.

Sonoma

Rialto Cinemas Lakeside

551 Summerfield Road, Santa Rosa.707.525.4840.

Honorable Mention

Roxy Stadium 14 Cinemas

85 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa.707.522.0330.

Best Museum

Marin

First Place Tie

Marin History Museum

1125 B St., San Rafael.415.454.8538.

Bolinas Art Museum

48 Wharf Road, Bolinas.415.868.0330.

Napa

Di Rosa Preserve

5200 Carneros Hwy., Napa.707.226.5991.

Sonoma

Charles M. Schulz Museum & Research Center

2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa.707.579.4452.

Honorable Mention

Sonoma County Museum

425 Seventh St., Santa Rosa.707.579.1500.


Bohemian Best of Food & Drink 2008 Readers Choice

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Bohemian Best of Food & Drink 2008 Readers Choice

03.19.08
Best Restaurant

Marin

Insalata’s

120 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo. 415.457.7700.

Napa

First Place Tie

Bistro Don Giovanni

4110 Howard Lane, Napa. 707.224.3300.

Redd

6480 Washington St., Yountville. 707.944.2222.

Sonoma

Underwood Bar & Bistro

9113 Graton Road, Graton. 707.823.7023.

Honorable Mention Tie

Willi’s Wine Bar

4404 Old Redwood Hwy., Santa Rosa. 707.526.3096.

Ravenous Restaurant

420 Center St., Healdsburg. 707.431.1302.

Best New Restaurant

Marin

Cafe Gratitude

2200 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.824.4652.

Napa

Ubuntu Restaurant & Yoga Studio

1140 Main St., Napa. 707.251.5656.

Sonoma

Peter Lowell’s

7385 Healdsburg Ave., Sebastopol. 707.829.1077.

Honorable Mention

Rosso Pizzeria & Wine Bar

53 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa. 707.544.3221.

Best Chef

Marin

Giovanni de la Renta, Ristorante Mezzo Mezzo

1025 C St., San Rafael. 415.459.0330.

Napa

Thomas Keller, French Laundry

6640 Washington St., Yountville. 707.944.2380.

Sonoma

Thaddeus Palmese, Starlight Wine Bar

6761 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol. 707.823.1943.

Honorable Mention Tie

Josh Silvers, Syrah

205 Fifth St., Santa Rosa. 707.568.4002.

Mark Malicki, Cafe Saint Rose

463 Sebastopol Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.546.2459.

Best Waitperson

Marin

First Place Tie

Dante Cortez, Station House Cafe

11180 Hwy. 1, Pt. Reyes Station. 415.663.1515.

Kim Lenz, Station House Cafe

11180 Hwy. 1, Pt. Reyes Station. 415.663.1515.

Napa

First Place Tie

Jamie Skelly, Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen

1327 Railroad Ave., St. Helena. 707.963.1200.

Peter Thomas, Tuscany Restaurant

1005 First St., Napa. 707.258.1000.

Sonoma

Kiyah Blink, Bear Republic Brewing Co.

345 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707.433.BEER.

Honorable Mention

Trishia Davis, Starlight Wine Bar

6761 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol. 707.823.1943.

Best Decadent Restaurant

Marin

Insalata’s

120 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo. 415.457.7700.

Napa

French Laundry

6640 Washington St., Yountville. 707.944.2380.

Sonoma

Cyrus

29 North St., Healdsburg. 707.433.3311.

Honorable Mention

John Ash & Company

4330 Barnes Road, Santa Rosa. 707.527.7687.

Best Wine List

Marin

Sabor of Spain

1303 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.457.4088.

Napa

All Seasons Bistro

1400 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga. 707.942.9111.

Sonoma

Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar

344 Center St., Healdsburg. 707.473.0946.

Honorable Mention

Underwood Bar & Bistro

9113 Graton Road, Graton. 707.823.7023.

Best Dining After 10pm

Marin

Marin Joe’s Restaurant

1585 Casa Buena Drive, Corte Madera. 415.924.2081.

Napa

First Place Tie

Bouchon Restaurant

6534 Washington St., Yountville. 707.944.8037.

Nation’s Giant Hamburgers

1441 Third St., Napa. 707.525.8500.

Sonoma

Underwood Bar & Bistro

9113 Graton Road, Graton. 707.823.7023.

Honorable Mention

Starlight Wine Bar

6761 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol. 707.823.1943.

Best Inexpensive Dinner

Marin

First Place Tie

Sol Food

901 Lincoln Ave., San Rafael. 415.451.4765. 732 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.451.4765.

Crepevine

908 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.257.8822.

Napa

First Place Tie

Silverado Brewing Co.

3020 St. Helena Hwy. (Highway 29), St. Helena. 707.967.9876.

Taqueria Rosita

1214 Main St., Napa. 707.253.9208.

Sonoma

Mary’s Pizza Shack

www.maryspizzashack.com

Honorable Mention

diVine

20 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. 707.433.3660.

Best Outdoor Dining

Marin

First Place Tie

Pier 15

15 Harbor St., San Rafael. 415.256.9121.

Panama Hotel & Restaurant

4 Bayview St., San Rafael. 415.457.3993.

Napa

Hurley’s Restaurant & Bar

6518 Washington St., Yountville. 707.944.2345.

Sonoma

Willi’s Wine Bar

4404 Old Redwood Hwy., Santa Rosa. 707.526.3096.

Honorable Mention

Dempsey’s Restaurant & Brewery

50 E. Washington St., Petaluma. 707.765.9694.

Best Spot to Dine Alone

Marin

Kamikaze Sushi Bar

223 Third St., San Rafael. 415.457.6776.

Napa

Brix

7377 St. Helena Hwy., Napa. 707.994.2749.

Sonoma

Willow Wood Market Cafe

9020 Graton Road, Graton. 707.823.0233.

Honorable Mention

Bear Republic Brewing Co.

345 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707.433.BEER.

Best Mexican

Marin

Casa Mañana Restaurant

85 Bolinas Road, Fairfax. 415.454.2384.

711 D St., San Rafael. 415.456.7345.

Napa

Villa Corona

3614 Bel Aire Plaza, Napa. 707.257.8685.

Sonoma

Martha’s Old Mexico

305 N. Main St., Sebastopol. 707.823.4458.

Honorable Mention

Mi Pueblo Taqueria

800 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma. 707.762.8192.

Best French

Marin

First Place Tie

Fork

198 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo. 415.453.9898.

Marche Aux Fleurs

23 Ross Common, Ross. 415.925.9200.

Napa

Bistro Jeanty

6510 Washington St., Yountville. 707.944.0103.

Sonoma

La Gare

208 Wilson St., Santa Rosa. 707.528.4355.

Honorable Mention

French Garden

8050 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol. 707.824.2030.

Best Italian

Marin

Hanna’s Italian Mediterranean Restaurant

1700 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.457.6252.

Napa

Bistro Don Giovanni

4110 Howard Lane, Napa. 707.224.3300.

Sonoma

First Place Tie

La Coco’s Cucina Rustica

117 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.523.2227.

Ca’ Bianca Ristorante

835 Second St., Santa Rosa. 707.542.5800.

Honorable Mention

Taverna Santi

21047 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville. 707.857.1790.

Best Mediterranean

Marin

First Place Tie

Insalata’s

120 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo. 415.457.7700.

Sabor of Spain

1303 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.457.4088.

Napa

Small World Restaurant

928 Coombs St., Napa. 707.224.7743.

Sonoma

East West Cafe

557 Summerfield Road, Santa Rosa. 707.546.6142.

Honorable Mention

East West Sebastopol

128 N. Main St., Sebastopol. 707.829.2822.

Best Chinese

Marin

Jennie Low’s Chinese Cuisine

Vintage Oaks Mall, Novato. 415.892.8838.

140 Second St., Petaluma. 707.762.6888.

Napa

First Place Tie

Soo Yuan

1354 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga. 707.942.9404.

China Light

1012 First St., Napa. 707.226.2809.

Honorable Mention

Wah Sing Chinese Restaurant

1445 W. Imola Ave., Napa. 707.252.0511.

Sonoma

Gary Chu’s Gourmet Chinese Cuisine

611 Fifth St., Santa Rosa. 707.526.5840.

Honorable Mention

Kirin Restaurant

2700 Yulupa Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.525.1957.

Best Sushi

Marin

Sushi to Dai For

816 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.721.0392.

119 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.576.9309.

Napa

Go Fish

641 Main St., St. Helena. 707.963.0700.

Sonoma

Hana Japanese Restaurant

101 Golf Course Drive, Rohnert Park. 707.586.0270.

Honorable Mention

Osake Japanese Restaurant

2246 Patio Court, Santa Rosa. 707.542.8282.

Best Thai

Marin

Lanna Thai

810 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo. 415.455.8300.

Napa

Thai Kitchen Restaurant

1222 Trancas St., Napa. 707.254.9271.

Sonoma

Thai Pot

6931 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol. 707.829.8889.

2478 W. Third St., Santa Rosa. 707.575.9296.

Honorable Mention Tie

Sea Thai Bistro

2323 Sonoma Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.528.8333.

500 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma. 707.766.6633.

Thai House

525 Fourth St. Ste. 2, Santa Rosa. 707.526.3939.

Best Indian

Marin

Lotus Cuisine of India

704 Fourth St, San Rafael. 415.456.5808.

Sonoma

Sizzling Tandoor

409 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.579.5999.

Honorable Mention

Kabab & Curry House

507 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.523.7780.

Best Seafood

Marin

Seafood Peddler

100 Yacht Club Drive, San Rafael. 415.460.6669.

Napa

Go Fish

641 Main St., St. Helena. 707.963.0700.

Sonoma

Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar

403 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707.433.9191.

Honorable Mention

GTO Seafood House

234 S. Main St., Sebastopol. 707.824.9922.

Best Vegetarian

Marin

Cafe Gratitude

2200 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.824.4652.

Napa

Ubuntu Restaurant & Yoga Studio

1140 Main St., Napa. 707.251.5656.

Sonoma

Slice of Life

6970 McKinley St., Sebastopol. 707.829.6627.

Honorable Mention

Peter Lowell’s

7385 Healdsburg Ave., Sebastopol. 707.829.1077.

Best Pizza

Marin

Giorgio’s

300 Drakes Landing Road, Greenbrae. 415.925.0808.

Napa

First Place Tie

Mary’s Pizza Shack

3085 Jefferson St., Napa. 707.257.3300.

Azzurro Pizzeria & Enoteca

1260 Main St., Napa. 707.255.5552.

Sonoma

Mombo’s Pizza

1886 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.528.3278.

560 Gravenstein Hwy. N., Sebastopol. 707.823.7492.

Honorable Mention

Mary’s Pizza Shack

www.maryspizzashack.com

Best Burger

Marin

Pier 15

15 Harbor St., San Rafael. 415.256.9121.

Napa

Big D Burgers

1005 Silverado Trail, Napa. 707.255.7188.

Sonoma

Mike’s at the Crossroads

7665 Old Redwood Hwy., Cotati. 707.665.9999.

Honorable Mention

Carmen’s Burger Bar

1612 Terrace Way, Santa Rosa. 707.579.3663.

Best BBQ

Marin

Frank’s Bar-B-Que Restaurant & Catering

459 Entrada Drive, Novato. 415.382.0104.

Napa

Red Rock Cafe

1010 Lincoln Ave., Napa. 707.226.2623.

Sonoma

Porter Street Barbeque

500 E. Cotati Ave., Cotati. 707.795.9652.

Honorable Mention

Lombardi’s BBQ

101 E. Cotati Ave., Cotati. 707.795.3354.

3413 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. 707.773.1271.

Lombardi’s Gourmet Deli & BBQ: On its Game

The scene: Superbowl Sunday at Lombardi’s BBQ in Petaluma. Fourth quarter, before the catch. The staff, fixing sandwiches, mopping up, making idle insults about Tom Brady and rooting wholeheartedly for the Giants. “Our boss has $1,000 on the Patriots,” they tell us. “Can you believe it?”

We’re getting our faces covered in sauce, some devouring the Killer Joe with horseradish and cheddar, some wolfing down the Mama Lil’ with peppers and jack. We decide to settle in and watch the big screen for a while, what the hell. The Superbowl hasn’t meant much since Montana retired, but these guys working here are into it, so it’s contagious, in a way.

Things are pretty calm but then, holy shit, wait wait wait wait oh my God did you see that catch?! Did he hold on to it? He held on to it! The employees behind the counter rush out to gather around and watch the unbelievable replays. Jaws drop. Strangers high-five each other. A mop is literally thrown down on the ground in jubilation, with the mutineer’s declaration, “The hell with this, I’m watchin’ this game!”

You know the rest, just as you already know that Lombardi’s sandwiches are to die for, having given them the Honorable Mention nod for Best Barbecue in Sonoma County. But what you don’t know is that those guys working the counter single-handedly rekindled our faded interest in football. We walked in totally not caring about the game, and after the communal celebration, we left with our hearts pounding, transformed by the miraculous nature of it all. Plus, we had a helluva lunch.

Lombardi’s Gourmet Deli and BBQ, 3413 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. 707.773.1271.—G.M.

Best Diner

Marin

First Place Tie

Pier 15

15 Harbor St., San Rafael. 415.256.9121.

Bubba’s Diner

566 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo. 415.454.9840.

Napa

Taylor’s Refresher

933 Main St., St. Helena. 707.963.3486.

644 First St. (in Oxbow Public Market), Napa. 707.224.6900.

Sonoma

D’s Diner

7260 Healdsburg Ave., Sebastopol. 707.829.8080.

Honorable Mention tie

Sam’s For Play Cafe

2630 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.528.2929.

Mac’s Deli

640 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.545.3785.

Best Deli

Marin

United Markets

515 Third St., San Rafael. 415.454.8912.

100 Redhill Ave., San Anselmo. 415.456.1271.

Napa

Genova Deli

1550 Trancas St., Napa. 707.253.8686.

Sonoma

Traverso’s

106 B St., Santa Rosa. 707.542.2530.

Honorable Mention

Gilardi’s Italian Deli

810 Denbeste Court, Ste. 101, Windsor. 707.838.9869.

Best Breakfast

Marin

Pier 15

15 Harbor St., San Rafael. 415.256.9121.

Napa

Gillwoods Cafe

1320 Town Center, Napa. 707.253.0409.

1313 Main St., St. Helena. 707.963.1788.

Sonoma

First Place Tie

Hank’s Creekside Restaurant

2800 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.575.8839.

Omelette Express

112 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.525.1690.

Honorable Mention

Willow Wood Market Cafe

9020 Graton Road, Graton. 707.823.0233.

Best Brunch

Marin

Pier 15

15 Harbor St., San Rafael. 415.256.9121.

Napa

Boonfly Cafe

In the Carneros Inn, 4048 Sonoma Hwy., Napa. 707.299.4900.

Sonoma

Willow Wood Market Cafe

9020 Graton Road, Graton. 707.823.0233.

Honorable Mention

Flamingo Resort Hotel

2777 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.545.8530.

Best Cafe Coffeehouse

Marin

Aroma Cafe

1122 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.459.4340.

Napa

Napa Valley Roasting Company

948 Main St., Napa. 707.224.2233.

Sonoma

A’Roma Roasters

95 Fifth St., Santa Rosa. 707.576.7765.

Honorable Mention

Flying Goat Coffee

324 Center St., Healdsburg. 707.433.3599.

10 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.575.1202.

419 Center St., Healdsburg. 707.433.8003.

Best Bakery

Marin

Victoria Pastry Company

292 Bon Air Center, Greenbrae. 415.461.3099.

Napa

Alexis Baking Company & Cafe

1517 Third St., Napa. 707.258.1827.

Sonoma

Village Bakery

7225 Healdsburg Ave., Sebastopol. 707.829.8101.

1445 Town & Country Drive, Santa Rosa. 707.527.7654.

Honorable Mention

Michelle Marie’s Patisserie

2404 Magowan Drive, Santa Rosa. 707.575.1214.

Best Bagel

Marin

Marin Bagel Company

1560 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.457.8127.

Napa

Golden Bagel

3240 Jefferson St., Napa. 707.258.1413.

Sonoma

Grateful Bagel

300 S. Main St., Sebastopol. 707.829.5220.

1015 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.527.7530.

Honorable Mention

Sonoma Bagel & Deli

515 Hahman Drive, Santa Rosa. 707.526.1631.

Best Caterer

Marin

Hanna’s Italian Mediterranean Restaurant

1700 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.457.6252.

Napa

Melissa Teaff Catering

101 S. Coombs St., Ste. Y4, Napa. 707.254.8160.

Sonoma

A La Heart Catering

600 Wilson St., Santa Rosa. 707.527.7555.

Honorable Mention

Park Avenue Catering & Event Production

591 Mercantile Drive, Cotati. 707.793.9645.

Best Food Producer

Marin

Cowgirl Creamery

80 Fourth St., Pt. Reyes Station. 415.663.8153.

Napa

First Place Tie

Wallaby Yogurt Company

110 Mezzetta Court, Ste. B, American Canyon. 707.553.1233.

Forni Brown Gardens

1214 Pine St., Calistoga. 707.942.6123.

Sonoma

Amy’s Organic Foods

2330 Northpoint Parkway, Santa Rosa. 707.578.7270.

Honorable Mention

Laguna Farms

1764 Cooper Road, Sebastopol. 707.823.0823.

Best Organic Farm

Marin

Fresh Run Farms

P.O. Box 478, Bolinas. 415.868.2313.

Napa

Organic Abundance

www.organicabundance.com

Sonoma

Laguna Farms

1764 Cooper Road, Sebastopol. 707.823.0823.

Honorable Mention

Love Farms

1069 Grove St., Healdsburg. 707.433.1230.

Best Juice Bar

Marin

First Place Tie

Planet Juice

343 Third St., San Rafael. 415.457.8115.

Cafe Gratitude

2200 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.824.4652.

Napa

First Squeeze

1126 First St., Napa. 707.224.6762.

Sonoma

Juice Shack

2154 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.522.6269.

1810 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.528.6131.

901 Village Court, Santa Rosa. 707.522.6822.

1708 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. 707.664.1787.

Honorable Mention

Fruit in Motion

3 Fourth St., Petaluma. 707.776.4559.

Best Ice Cream

Marin

First Place Tie

Three Twins Ice Cream

641 Del Ganado Road, San Rafael. 415.492.8946.

Double Rainbow

860 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.457.0803.

Napa

First Place Tie

Anette’s Chocolate Factory

1321 First St., Napa. 707.252.4228.

Three Twins Ice Cream

610 First St., Napa. 707.257.8946.

Sonoma

Screamin’ Mimi’s

6902 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol. 707.823.5902.

Honorable Mention

Clover Stornetta Farms

P.O. Box 750369, Petaluma. 800.237.3315.

Best Cocktails

Marin

First Place Tie

Left Bank

507 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur. 415.927.3331.

Station House Cafe

11180 Hwy. 1, Pt. Reyes Station. 415.663.1515.

Napa

Bistro Don Giovanni

4110 Howard Lane, Napa. 707.224.3300.

Sonoma

Underwood Bar & Bistro

9113 Graton Road, Graton. 707.823.7023.

Honorable Mention

Upper Fourth

96 Old Court House Square, Santa Rosa. 707.573.0522.

Best Bartender

Marin

First Place Tie

Jeff Burkhart, Buckeye Roadhouse

15 Shoreline Hwy., Mill Valley. 415.331.2600.

FredEx, Peri’s

29 Broadway, Fairfax. 415.459.9910.

Napa

Brian Massey, Uva Trattoria

1040 Clinton St., Napa. 707.255.6646.

Sonoma

Frank Dice, Underwood Bar & Bistro

9113 Graton Road, Graton. 707.823.7023.

Honorable Mention

Akuushesh Daley, Toad in the Hole

116 Fifth St., Santa Rosa. 707.544.8623.

Best Brew Pub

Marin

Marin Brewing Co.

1809 Larkspur Landing Circle, Larkspur. 415.461.4677.

Napa

Downtown Joe’s

902 Main St., Napa. 707.258.2337.

Sonoma

Russian River Brewing Company

725 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.545.2337.

Honorable Mention

Third Street Aleworks

610 Third St., Santa Rosa. 707.523.3060.

Best Dive Bar

Marin

Silver Peso

450 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur. 415.924.3448.

Napa

Pancha’s

6764 Washington St., Yountville. 707.944.2125.

Sonoma

Red’s Recovery Room

8175 Gravenstein Hwy., Cotati. 707.795.4100.

Honorable Mention

Round Robin

616 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.575.1354.

Best Winetasting Room

Marin

Ross Valley Winery

343 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo. 415.457.5157.

Napa

Artesa Vineyards & Winery

1345 Henry Road, Napa. 707.224.1668.

Sonoma

J Vineyards & Winery

11447 Old Redwood Hwy., Healdsburg. 707.431.3646.

Honorable Mention tie

Mayo Family Winery

13101 Arnold Drive, Sonoma. 707.938.9401. 498 First St. E., Sonoma.

707.996.9911.

Korbel Champagne Cellars

13250 River Road, Guerneville. 707.824.7000.

Best Cabernet

Marin

Pt. Reyes Vineyards Winery

12700 Hwy. 1, Pt. Reyes. 415.663.1011.

Napa

Silver Oak Cellars

915 Oakville Crossroad, Oakville. 707.942.7022.

Sonoma

Peterson Winery

4791 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. 707.431.7568.

Honorable Mention

Silver Oak Cellars

24625 Chianti Road, Geyserville. 707.947.7082.

Best Zinfandel

Marin

Ross Valley Winery

343 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo. 415.457.5157.

Napa

First Place Tie

Tofanelli Family Vineyards

1212 Pine St., Calistoga. 707.942.6504.

Grgich Hills Estate

1829 St. Helena Hwy., Rutherford. 707.963.2784.

Sonoma

Peterson Winery

4791 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. 707.431.7568.

Honorable Mention

Seghesio Vineyards & Winery

14730 Grove St., Healdsburg. 707.433.7764.

Best Pinot Noir

Napa

First Place Tie

Acacia Vineyard

2750 Las Amigas Road, Napa. 707.226.9991.

ZD Winery

8383 Silverado Trail, Napa. 800.487.7757.

Sonoma

La Crema Winery

235 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707.431.9400.

Honorable Mention

Merry Edwards Wines

2959 Gravenstein Hwy. N., Sebastopol. 707.823.7466.

Best Syrah

Napa

Kuleto Estate Winery

2470 Sage Canyon Road, St. Helena. 707.963.9750.

Sonoma

Peterson Winery

4791 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. 707.431.7568.

Honorable Mention

Unti Vineyards

4202 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. 707.433.5590.

Best Sauvignon Blanc

Napa

Luna Vineyards

2921 Silverado Trail, Napa. 707.255.5862.

Sonoma

Peterson Winery

4791 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. 707.431.7568.

Honorable Mention

Hanna Winery

9280 Hwy. 128, Healdsburg. 707.431.4310.

5353 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa. 707.575.3371.

Best Chardonnay

Marin

Ross Valley Winery

343 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo. 415.457.5157.

Napa

Hess Collection

4411 Redwood Road, Napa. 707.255.1144.

Sonoma

La Crema Winery

235 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707.431.9400.

Honorable Mention

Kendall-Jackson

5007 Fulton Road, Fulton. 707.571.7500.

337 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707.433.7102.

Best Sparkling Wine

Marin

Pt. Reyes Vineyards Winery

12700 Hwy. 1, Pt. Reyes. 415.663.1011.

Napa

Mumm Napa Valley

8445 Silverado Trail, Rutherford. 707.967.7700.

Sonoma

J Vineyards & Winery

11447 Old Redwood Hwy., Healdsburg. 707.431.3646.

Honorable Mention

Iron Horse Vineyards

9786 Ross Station Road, Sebastopol. 707.887.1507.


Bohemian Best of 2008 Our Town Writer’s Picks

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Bohemian Best of 2008 Our Town Writer’s Picks

03.19.08

For 2008, we settled upon “Our Town” as a theme that would allow us to highlight the many distinct social systems&–some of them seemingly worlds unto themselves&–that make up the diverse places in Sonoma, Marin and Napa counties. We’ve profiled various towns from the tri-county area, a meander that begins in Sausalito, goes over the hills from Santa Rosa to Calistoga and ends in Napa, as might a fabulous day trip.

Sausalito

“Tell me a story, Gramps. Tell me about Sausalito.”

“Well, OK, Billy. I guess you know Sausalito’s been my home for an awfully long time, now. Why, I remember these friendly Indians, Seahawks or Kneewoks, or some damn name is what we called ’em. They were still livin’ ’round here when I busted out of the Presidio brig, swam across the Bay and built my first shack right over yonder. They’d just signed the Declaration of Independence back East, and Californey’d been claimed by Spain.”

“You sure sound old, gramps.”

“Hell Billy, ain’t yew heard—250 is the new 25! Anyway, I’ve seen ’em come an’ I’ve seen ’em go. We’ve had yer fishermen, yer hoity-toity hill folk, rum runners, convicts, movie stars, yer boat builders, whores, artists, poets and philosophers, yer hippie houseboaters, nut-ball authors and yer just plain drunks. That’s what I did for long time, Billy.”

“You were a drunk, Gramps?”

“I ran a saloon down on Bridgeway. Flopped in the back room with my paints, easel and brushes. Saved my pennies an’ bought a slab of concrete up the hill. Little Willy Hearst wanted to build his castle on it, but the rich biddies nixed it. That property’s why everyone in this family’s sat on their asses for the last hundred years.”

“Wow, you mean I’ll never have to work?

“That’s right, Billy. You’re destined to be the poster child for 100 percent estate inheritance taxation. You’ll be every bit as worthless as the rest of my progeny.””Bein’ an artist, did you paint pictures of lots of people?””I painted ’em all—the good and the Baby Face Nelsons. ‘Course, my most famous portrait was of yer great-great-grandma Sally.”

“Dad says she dumped great-grandpa on you, just after he was born.”

“Great-great-grandma Stanford was an important person ’round these parts, Billy. She had a restaurant and a scad of houses back in Frisco to run. Didn’t have a lotta time fer the little ones. She also ran this town.”

“They say dad really takes after her, and I take after dad.””Yup. In fact yer grandpa liked how yer dad came out so well he hired Genetic Savings & Clone to make him a double. That would be you, Billy.””I’m a clone?”

“That’s right, son.”

“When did the tourists start coming to Sausalito?””‘Bout when property prices down on Bridgeway started goin’ whacko. Whoops, that’s my cell. Just got texted. Sorry Billy, ‘fraid this is a wrap. Got me a hot date with a waste-management heiress dryin’ out at the Alta Mira. That text was the day spa. I’m running late for my pedicure and colonic. Do me a favor, son. Get on the horn to Vijay. Tell him I’ll need one of his Lamborghini’s brought up here by six, and thank him on that winery-group buyout tip. Now, scoot. I got some serious time to make up for!”—P.J.P.

Mill Valley

Mill Valley, with its charming restaurants, its culturally magnetic theaters and music spots, and its celebrity-bedazzled annual film festival, is a town dominated by three things: a longtime reputation as a mecca for social and cultural rebels (Jack Kerouac, for example); its appeal to movie stars and other famous people looking for a nice place to live (Peter Coyote, Dana Carvey and Bonnie Raitt, to name but a few); and, most importantly, the mountain that looms above it like a giant serpent watching over its young.

Mt. Tamalpais, 2,571 feet tall, has been nicknamed “the Sleeping Lady,” but probably not by the Miwok Indians who once lived here, as is commonly believed. The famous story of the Indian princess, Tamalpa, who died on the mountain of a broken heart after being abandoned by her lover, is the same story associated with Mount Susitna, near Anchorage, Alaska, also named the Sleeping Lady. The loveliest variation of the sleeping-lady story, described on the website of Mill Valley’s Tamalpa Institute, is that the lady in the mountain will slumber until everyone who lives in the valley below truly awakens. May we all someday awake to our true potential, and live as brothers and sisters. Until then, the natural beauty of Mt. Tamalpais will endure as a magnificent locus of our collective love of beautiful things, our hopes for a better future and our desire that magic and mystery will always be waiting for us, and watching us, from behind the mists of the mountains.—D.T.

San Rafael

San Rafael can technically be found 17 miles north of San Francisco, but mainly it exists in a seductive limbo-land between the worlds of concrete and commerce and the fog-wreathed wilds of rock, tree, tide, marsh and trail.

San Rafael rises from the sea-level shenanigans of the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse and the historical sufferings of Chinese laborers once housed at China Camp, to the heights of international celebrity with the local-hero likes of George Lucas, the Grateful Dead, Carlos Santana, Isabel Allende and the late Klaus Kinski.

Within minutes, a person can travel from the vibrant, bustling, largely Latino Canal district to the imposing, mansion-filled hills of Black Canyon, across the Dominican University campus and down North San Pedro Road for a gander at the crumbling Rat Rock and a beer at the wonderfully Steinbeckian snack shop at China Camp beach, head back toward the Northgate Mall and out through Terra Linda, where the term “420” first became associated with marijuana use when 12 students at Terra Linda High school began meeting at the statue of Louis Pasture at 4:20pm each afternoon. Founded Feb. 18, 1874, San Rafael was a Wild West frontier city named by the Spanish missionaries who’d established the Mission San Raphael Arcangel in 1817. Prior to their arrival, San Rafael was the site of several Coat Miwok villages, and you’d do well to remember that the next time you walk through downtown San Rafael (formerly the village of Awani-wi), or Terra Linda (Ewu) or Marinwood (Shotomko-cha). Parts of San Rafael have been seen in the movies American Graffiti and Gattaca, plus hundreds of long-since-eroded cowboy flicks filmed at Gilbert “Bronco Billy” Anderson’s long-since-eroded Essanay Film Studios, once located in the hills above San Rafael’s Sun Valley neighborhood.

In 1974, someone spray-painted a peace sign on a prominent wall near the Rafael Theater, and it stayed there, without city interference, for over 10 years, while the graffiti all around it was painted over. In other words, San Rafael is the biggest, motliest, weirdest, thickest, deepest and slyly coolest big city in Marin County. And if the people who live there don’t already know it, then we hope this little homage has served to educate them. Now, who’s up for a beer at China Camp?—D.T.

Fairfax

Fairfax is a far cry from the yuppiedom that ensconces the rest of the county. Its Good Earth Natural Foods is the envy of all; workers at the Santa Rosa Community Market have taken organized field trips there for inspiration. Fairfax Scoop organic ice cream draws lactophiles from all over NorCal for a cone, and the area boasts some of the planet’s most beautiful hills and trails (mountain-biking wasn’t born here for nothin’!). It’s hard to understand why everyone in the world doesn’t want to live here. Maybe it’s the fact that the town’s completely asleep by 9pm or that there are some houses on the shady side of the mountain that grow mold in the winter and never get sun even in the summer. Whatever the reasons that Fairfax hasn’t become the next Mill Valley, it’s nice to know that there’s still some places in Marin where the trees are still big and the hippies still authentic.—E.L.

Petaluma

She’s that mousey little wallflower, that dutiful, unassuming and unappreciated matron who’s done every little thing for everyone else in her life since she was a 1950s Daddy Knows Best sweetheart. Now her blowhard crank of a marital anchor weight has performed his last disservice to humanity, leaving her and their thankfully grown brats each with nifty piles. She’s sloughing off the family’s moldering but painfully cute Victorian for a brand-new condo above a nightclub next to the river. She’s suffered 16 lifetimes of garden clubs and canasta, hosting scotch ‘n’ soda dinner parties for her hubby’s boredom-defining investment partners. Now she’s turning the clock back and the heat on high.Word is she’s hooked up with an electronic splatter-game marketeer 25 years her junior. All her new friends work. OK, so a few of them work their trust funds, but she’s never met so many young people with so many exciting job titles that she’s never heard of before and can’t even pronounce. She’s even getting political. Yesterday, she handed a homeless guy a 10 spot, then bought him a coppa and brie sandwich on a fresh garlic sour roll with roasted peppers, EVOO, arugula and a dash of balsamic. The ladies in her DAR chapter would’ve shit.

And you can imagine what her dry cleaner thinks. She danced like a witch goddess one entire full-moon night around a backyard bonfire, pitching her every last house dress, evening gown and Sunday church suit atop the inferno, then left her house enthusiastically trashed for her realtor to deal with the next day. She went straight that morning for a close-cut, three-tone hair job, then for lip, nipple and tongue rings, fashionable IT-exec-meets-streetwalker apparel and has embarked upon a yet-to-be completed serpent tattoo. She’s Petaluma’s 21st-century hatchling woman. She’s got the style and the scratch, and we ain’t talkin’ chicken feed no mo’.—P.J.P.

Rohnert Park&–Cotati

Sung to the melody of “If I Only Had a Brain, “with sincerest apologies to E. H. Harburg and Harold Arlen

There’s this brace of snuggling cities / College students, toilers, biddies / No mansions, gates or guards / They got their Miwoks diverted / Then a seed farm converted / To a workersÕ country clubOneÕs the city with no middle / There’s no place to go pa-diddle / Or town square to walk Õround / But the box stores are plenty / And chain restaurants are many / OnlyÑwhere’s it’ss oul and heart?

(refrain) / Oh, I’ve been sent from Mars / To snag a vintage Õ60s Strat guitar / Zone Musics’ what IÕm tryin’ to locate / But seems my fates’ a Wal-Mart fake RP’s little next door neighbor / Is more spectaculator / Theres’ even a downtown / It’s got a chief named Kotati / Good places for a latte / Or to fix your baseball gloveTheyÕve got rednecks, scholars, hippies / The bars to make you tipsy / Even bikers and rock stars / Cotati’s hexangle layout’s / Got accordions that play out / Giving all their soul and heart.—P.J.P.

Sebast Apple?

Sebastopol is an onomatopoeic town. Say the name slowly, tasting the word as it passes through the lips. Pare through the thin skin of the first two syllables, and bite into the heart of the name. Roll it on the tongue, savoring the flavor. Ahh pol. ap-pol. Apple: The fruit that names its schools, streets, parades, businesses, festivals and probably even a few of its preschoolers. In fact, the town is formed like the fruit that it grows.

The seeds: Farmers, hard and browned by the sun.

The core: Tough, fibrous muscle power that cultivated the land and built a foundation for the community’s growth.

The flesh: Dense, predominantly creamy white inhabitants, those nourished by the products of the farmers’ hard work, and fattened by the sweet lifestyle it provides. The coloration: Segments of Latino, Japanese and other cultures, who reside among the Caucasian-dominated population, barely creating some diversity in the community.The varieties: Japanese Fujis, Italian Romes and Gravensteins, and English Pippins, to name a few.

The skin: A thin layer of bright color surrounding the town, that, like Eve, entices you to bite and taste its juice.

Seb ast apple. Seb ahhhst apol. Sebastopol.—S.D.

Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa, the city where people still meet up. Men and women in matching mariachi band outfits, gathering around the taco trucks in Roseland at 1am after that night’s dance. The crowded lobby of the Rialto Lakeside Cinemas, where strangers stop to talk to each other after a particularly great film. Ex-punk rockers from Anarchy Alley reuniting in Jeju Way, the new name for their old stomping ground. Santa Rosa, the busy city. The waitresses at Mac’s busting ass to deliver eggs and hash to the morning crowd. Later, one block over, the waitresses at the Third Street Aleworks hustling to get pints down the throats of those lucky enough to relax.

Santa Rosa, the city of repair. Slowly undoing the damage of shortsighted planning by opening the Prince Memorial Greenway, restoring the depot and reunifying the square—even if it means losing the Ruth Asawa and Mrs. Fred Rosenberg fountains. Still on the operating table: the crumbling, neglected Carrillo Adobe, our former heart. As for the veins, perhaps it’ll pull the creek out of its tunnel one day.Santa Rosa, the city of little people. There’s Tom the Ribbit Man and Grace the Cat Lady and Siren the Prince of Santa Rosa and Downtown Brian, whom everyone’s almost run over at some point. And the big people? Sometimes you catch them browsing the porn section at Sawyer’s News. Sometimes the two coexist, like the cop in Courthouse Square patiently explaining the dwindling options for mental healthcare to one who desperately needs it, right underneath Upper Fourth, the million-dollar cocktail bar built for the daughter of one of the city’s wealthiest developers.

Santa Rosa, the city of smells. The morning fish truck at G&G, the Willie Bird’s turkey legs at the Wednesday Night Market, the unshowered catching some warm shuteye in the heated lobby of the post office at night.

Santa Rosa, the city that still calls things by their old names. Yardbirds. The LBC. The Alpha Beta Shopping Center. Helping Hearts. UA6. Freidman Brothers. We can’t even call our downtown plaza by its real name, for cryin’ out loud.—G.M.

Guerneville

Just before arriving in the main part of town, where the Gravenstein Highway turns off into Box Canyon, there’s a slightly tattered sign that reads, “Guerneville, a Hate-Free Community.” Well, not exactly. In fact, everybody seems to hate somebody, if just a little. But they all try to accept each other anyway and somehow get along.

Guerneville is a town of dreams. As with any resort town worth its postcards, there’s a complex, sexy history, the occasional scandal, some colorful locals and a palpable alchemy. It is in fact, an extraordinary gateway: to the towering Redwoods of Armstrong State Park; to the occasionally flooding and always magical Russian River; to the dramatic, hoary Pacific Coast.

Memory goes to mist and transforms even the most vivid facts—that July 4th romance, those wild jazz-festival nights, that rainy winter weekend—into life-changing archetypes that can’t be recaptured.Some of the locals long for the simpler ways of the homey, blue-collar 1930s, forgetting a dustbowl Great Depression, or for the big-band fun of the ’40s, somehow erasing the horrors of World War II. Others pine for those crisp, winning ways of America’s ’50s, especially the straight, white men who’ve not had it so good since. Still others can’t let go of the hippified ’70s, the hyper-disco ’80s or the AIDS Hospice sadness of the 1990s.The rest of us dream of thousand-year-old redwood slumber and fern-covered dells that survive the harshest extremes of nature, of languid morning kayaks on the river or Drag Queen Bingo at the Senior Center. It’s small-town bliss. —C.W.

Windsor

Gnarled arms reach out meekly from lumpy soil, grapevines halfheartedly straining against the earth’s steady pull. Three American bison, unreal ancient hulks, stare back across a fence, kick up their heels and, for lack of anything better to do, chase a confused herd of young cattle around a wooded hillock and disappear in a cloud of dust.A coyote skulks low in dry grass and thistles, toward the brush at the edge of a dairy.

The waterworks is dry, the blue slides silenced, while the dark waters of a vast lake of water slides downhill, burbling through the veins of 10,000 sprinklers, greening lawns, growing a two-by-four forest where now dwell 10, 20, 30,000, as if placed by the invisible hand of a SimCity player. Big boxes sprout like mushrooms after rain. Back out to satellite view. An army of ants disassemble a mountain of want, bring the pieces back down trails of black tar that whorl off in every direction and none. The center is missing, the driver slows to a crawl, in a shallow river of red light. Stop.

Start again. New town is old, worn-out tune on the hydrocarbon jukebox. Old Town is new. Olden-time, a model railroad town plucked from a catalogue? Choice of: Mediterranean village, early Americana, late Truman Show, Main Street USA. Restaurant row, choice of: Asian, Mexican and Italian; all-American, too. ItÕs a small world after all. ThereÕs a pharmacy on the corner, where it should be. Fifty cents left in a dish gets you the newspaper, on your honor. Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes, there beneath the blue suburban skies. By the weedy quiet tracks, the stationÕs paint is fresh and bright. Very strange.

‘Action!’ The studio lot false fronts fill out in three dimensions. The model people walk, the mirage real, not perfect; a lazy plume of hasty break smoke wafts by the fashion store.Funky tin-home afterthought on the American road, thirsty suburban labyrinth, 21st-century mixed-use model village. The new urbanism, the latter-day suburbanism. Fed by three exits, straddling the freeway, a chimera arises on unsteady feet, one planted in the past, one in the future, waiting for a train.J—J.K.

Healdsburg

Seven years ago, my grandmother, who was born in Healdsburg and graduated from Healdsburg High, said, “I’m not sure how I feel about having to dress up to go the farmers market.” She put up with the sudden right/wrong side of the tracks divide that came as the charming boutique wineries popped up for a few years, but eventually sold the five acres that had been in our family for five generations and hightailed it to Rogue Valley, Ore., where she doesn’t feel uncomfortable going to the grocery in her gardening pants.

A fifth-generation Healdsburgian, I stuck it out until cocktail prices matched those in San Francisco ($12 for a Negroni, thank you very much), and then I realized it was time for me to move, too. After three years of living in San Francisco, each time I return “home,” I recognize it less and less. That’s not necessarily a bad thing; I’d much rather look at miles of vineyards and squares of cute boutiques than acres of housing developments, but the complaint among my generation is the same: When did our town become Touristville?

It happened slowly: first the wine boom and then the money boom; the influx of hip San Franciscans who told us where to go clubbing in the city; the weekenders who asked us what kind of plant that was. After a few years of clarifying the nature of crabgrass, we started to feel less amused. Now, when people ask me where I’m from and coo, “Oh, I just looove Healdsburg,” I no longer give them the old story about how the town was when I was a kid (two freeway exits, no Michelin-starred restaurants, a kind of a hickish place to grow up). I smile and nod and say, “Yes, I love to visit there, too.”—E.L.

Sonoma

Conversation overheard one immaculate spring morning while sitting next to two visitors outside the Basque Boulangerie, across from the Sonoma Plaza:

“I love the boutiques. Art, he’s only here for the wine and to stuff his face, but that’s why he’s still passed out in our room.”

“What’s the plan for today?”

“Well, you know. More wine, more shopping. I did promise Connie I’d find her some wine-themed napkin holders for her party next week. Did you see that?”

“See what?”

“It looked like a chicken chasing a duck.”

“Where?”

“Over there to the left of that building with the restrooms in the back. But they’re gone, now.””Have you tried the cheese samples down the block? Yummy. I had to literally pull Fred away from their cheese-spread stuff.”

“Oh, yeah—Art, too. And this local told us there’s an even better cheese place in an old brewery building. Said it’s just a couple blocks from here, but I don’t want to miss any shopping.””Yeah, I know. Cheese is cheese. What’s the big deal? By the way, I thought this place was supposed to have orange and red rock mountains behind it.”

“That’s Sedona, Claire. We’re going there in the fall.”

“Oh.”

“There it goes again!”

“What?”

“I swear. I just saw that chicken chase a black lab.”

“Oh, come on.”

“No, really. But they ran behind that building again.”

“Have you seen that bronze statue over there? I think it commemorates some war we had with the Spanish after Columbus.”

“Really. I love visiting historical towns.”

“Me, too.”

“Ohmigod!!”

“Frannie, what is it?”

“Didn’t you hear them screaming? That chicken just attacked a bunch of little kids!”

“No.””I swear to you. I just saw it.”

“Should we walk over there and see if the kids are all right?”

“Naw, let’s wake up the boys and find a McDonald’s.”—P.J.P.

Calistoga

Want to squeeze more excitement from this feisty, unrepentant Old West-meets-upscale-Californey spit-stop founded by a Mormon vigilante drunkard now cradling chichi spas, down-home bars, renowned sprizzly waterworks and the museumed remnants of its world-class resort beginnings and surrounded by an old faithful geyser, cumulous clouding fumaroles, shaky hills, arsenic hot springs and bubbling mud pits, a petrified forest, abandoned silver and mercury mines, a literary giant’s love nest, an African animal preserve, a self-described temple to wine and modern art, a Medieval castle overlooking a monorail hauling tourists up a bump in the flatlands to slurp wine while fanciful hot air balloons hang like pagan tree ornaments on clear, hot summer days at the top of America’s most celebrated vineyard valley? Do ya?Try building a nuke.—P.J.P.

Yountville

Ligurian castles and fake Tuscan villas alongside faux chateaux give the Napa Valley an opulent atmosphere of a big, alcoholic Disneyland for puffy-paint-sweater-wearing, diamond-tennis-bracelet-laden tourists. Servers in the excellent, and expensive, restaurants rattle off a list of ingredients so long that they must have been up all night cribbing menu notes—and that’s just for the sauces. The capital of all this exorbitant glory is Yountville. Where else but at the French Laundry will you wait six months for a reservation and then spend over a thousand bucks on dinner for four? But take a closer look. There’s some substance behind all this (and there’s no disputing that those thousand bucks will get you the best meal of your entire life). Yountville sits in one of the most geographically beautiful areas of the whole country. There’s a reason that the “Tuscan” villas are painted in glorious shades of goldenrod and dusty red: the climate here is just like parts of Italy. Those French chateaux are paying homage to the Napa Valley’s similarity to France’s wine-growing regions—and that’s not even beginning to touch on the wine, which, as we all know, is some of the best in the world. So, yes, the Wine Train is corny and you’re going to drop serious coin on a weekend (or even just an afternoon) in the Napa Valley, but all that ostentation isn’t a false front—Yountville’s got the goods to back it up.—E.L.


Bohemian Best of Recreation 2008 Reader’s Choice

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Bohemian Best of Recreation 2008 Reader’s Choice

03.19.08
Best Gym

Marin

Elan Health & Fitness Center

230 Greenfield Ave., San Anselmo. 415.485.1945.

Napa

Exertec Fitness Center

1500 First St., Napa. 707.226.1842.

Sonoma

Coaches’ Corner

420 Morris St., Sebastopol. 707.829.5180.

Honorable Mention Tie

Body Zone Fitness

545 Ross St., Santa Rosa. 707.544.9663.

Fusion Fitness

791 Lombardi Court, Santa Rosa. 707.542.4500.

Best Health Club

Marin

Bay Club Marin

220 Corte Madera Town Center, Corte Madera. 415.945.3000.

NapaSynergy Medical Fitness Center

3421 Villa Lane, Napa. 707.251.1395.

Sonoma

Airport Health Club

432 Aviation Blvd., Santa Rosa. 707.528.2582.

Honorable Mention

Park Point Health Club

www.parkpointhealthclub.com.

Best Pilates Studio

Marin

Pilates of Marin

400 Tamal Plaza, Ste. 402, Corte Madera. 415.927.7800.

Napa

Downtown Pilates

1338 Pearl St., Napa. 707.257.7382.

Sonoma

Tone

850-A Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.526.3100.

Honorable Mention

Healdsburg Pilates & Personal Fitness

424 Center St., Healdsburg. 707.433.2737.

Best Yoga Studio

Marin

Bikram Yoga San Rafael

1295 Second St., San Rafael. 415.453.9642.

Napa

Ubuntu Yoga Studio

1140 Main St., Napa. 707.251.5656.

Sonoma

Bikram College of India

522 Wilson St., Santa Rosa. 707.545.9642.

Honorable Mention

Tone

850-A Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.526.3100.

Best Martial Arts School

Marin

East-West Karate School

1414 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.456.2490.

Napa

Aikido of Napa

2516 Laurel St., Napa. 707.257.6639.

Sonoma

Five Dragons Martial Arts

506 Lewis Road, Santa Rosa. 707.523.4744.

Honorable Mention

American Karate Academy

424 Moore Lane, Healdsburg. 707.433.4717.

Best Bike Shop

Marin

Mike’s Bikes

836 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.454.3747.

1 Gate 6 Road, Sausalito. 415.332.3200.

Napa

First Place Tie

St. Helena Cyclery

1156 Main St., St. Helena. 707.963.7736.

Calistoga Bike Shop

1318 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga. 866.942.2453.

Sonoma

The Bike Peddler

605 College Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.571.2428.

Honorable Mention

NorCal Bike Sport

425 College Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.573.0112.

Best Independent Bike Frame Builder

Marin

Breezer Bicycles

www.breezerbikes.com.

Sonoma

Sean Walling, Soulcraft

www.soulcraftbikes.com

Honorable Mention

Sycip Bicycles

www.sycip.com

Best Outdoor Gear Shop

Napa

First Place Tie

St. Helena Cyclery

1156 Main St., St. Helena.

707.963.7736.

Sportago

1224 Adams St., St. Helena.

707.963.9042.

Sonoma

Sonoma Outfitters

145 Third St., Santa Rosa.

707.528.1920.

Honorable Mention Tie

Santa Rosa Ski & Sport

1125 W. Steele Lane, Santa Rosa.

707.578.4754.

Clavey River Equipment

409 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma.

707.766.8070.

Best Ski Shop

Marin

Uli Seiler Ski Shop

929 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Kentfield.

415.456.2323.

Napa

Snowdrift

3090 Jefferson St., Napa. 707.255.3509.

Sonoma

Santa Rosa Ski & Sport

1125 W. Steele Lane, Santa Rosa. 707.578.4754.

Best Surf Shop

Marin

Fat Kat Surf Shop

1908 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Fairfax. 415.453.9167.

Sonoma

Northern Light Surf Shop

17191 Bodega Hwy., Bodega Bay.

707.876.3032.

Honorable Mention

Brotherhood Board Shop

1216 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa.

707.546.0660.

Best Snow / Skate / Board Shop

Marin

First Place Tie

Triumph

907 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.457.1625.

Demo Sport

1101 E. Francisco Blvd., San Rafael. 415.454.3500.

Napa

Board Garden

2740 Jefferson St., Napa. 707.253.7949.

Sonoma

Brotherhood Board Shop

1216 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.546.0660.

Best Sunset

Marin

Nick’s Cove

23240 Hwy. 1, Marshall. 415.663.1033.

Napa

Auberge du Soleil

180 Rutherford Hill Road, Rutherford. 707.963.1211.


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Bohemian Best of Everyday 2008 Reader’s Choice

03.19.08Best Hospital HealthCare ClinicMarinMarin General Hospital250 Bon Air Road, Greenbrae. 415.925.7000.NapaQueen of the Valley Medical Center1000 Trancas St., Napa. 707.252.4411.SonomaSt. Joseph Health System&–Sonoma County151 Sotoyome St., Santa Rosa. 707.547.2500. 400 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma. 707.778.1111.Honorable MentionPalm Drive Hospital501 Petaluma Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.823.8511.Best Med SpaMarinFirst Place TieDr. Robert G. Aycock575 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Greenbrae. 415.925.1700.Mt. Tam Laser &...
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Bohemian Best of Culture 2008 Readers Choice

03.19.08Best Art GalleryMarinGallery Route One11101 Hwy. 1, Pt. Reyes Station. 415.663.1347.NapaDi Rosa Preserve5200 Carneros Hwy., Napa. 707.226.5991.SonomaFirst Place TieRiverfront Art Gallery 132 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma.707.775.4278.The Quicksilver Mine Co. 6671 Front St., Forestville.707.887.0799.Honorable MentionA Street Gallery312 S. A St., Santa Rosa.707.578.9124.Best Outdoor Art EventMarinSausalito Art Festivalwww.sausalitoartfestival.orgNapaNapa Wine & Crafts Fairewww.napadowntown.comSonomaARTrailswww.arttrails.orgHonorable MentionPetaluma Art in the Park Walnut Park at D...
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Bohemian Best of Food & Drink 2008 Readers Choice

03.19.08Best RestaurantMarinInsalata's120 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo. 415.457.7700.NapaFirst Place TieBistro Don Giovanni4110 Howard Lane, Napa. 707.224.3300.Redd6480 Washington St., Yountville. 707.944.2222.SonomaUnderwood Bar & Bistro9113 Graton Road, Graton. 707.823.7023.Honorable Mention TieWilli's Wine Bar4404 Old Redwood Hwy., Santa Rosa. 707.526.3096.Ravenous Restaurant420 Center St., Healdsburg. 707.431.1302.Best New RestaurantMarinCafe Gratitude2200 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.824.4652.NapaUbuntu Restaurant & Yoga Studio1140 Main St., Napa. 707.251.5656.SonomaPeter...
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Bohemian Best of 2008 Our Town Writer’s Picks

03.19.08For 2008, we settled upon "Our Town" as a theme that would allow us to highlight the many distinct social systems&–some of them seemingly worlds unto themselves&–that make up the diverse places in Sonoma, Marin and Napa counties. We've profiled various towns from the tri-county area, a meander that begins in Sausalito, goes over the hills from Santa Rosa...
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Bohemian Best of Recreation 2008 Reader’s Choice

03.19.08Best GymMarinElan Health & Fitness Center230 Greenfield Ave., San Anselmo. 415.485.1945.NapaExertec Fitness Center1500 First St., Napa. 707.226.1842.SonomaCoaches' Corner420 Morris St., Sebastopol. 707.829.5180.Honorable Mention TieBody Zone Fitness545 Ross St., Santa Rosa. 707.544.9663.Fusion Fitness791 Lombardi Court, Santa Rosa. 707.542.4500.Best Health ClubMarinBay Club Marin220 Corte Madera Town Center, Corte Madera. 415.945.3000.NapaSynergy Medical Fitness Center3421 Villa Lane, Napa. 707.251.1395.SonomaAirport Health Club432 Aviation Blvd.,...
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