The Best of the North Bay’s unsung service industry

The service industry is the backbone of the North Bay. It’s the quiet force that keeps our economy humming, our homes intact, our cars running, and—let’s be honest—our sanity somewhat preserved. While other sectors get the glitz and glam, it’s the service professionals who prevent us from careening into full-blown chaos.

Think about it: Where would we be without Holman Plumbing, for example, making sure we don’t have to turn our kitchen sinks into accidental fountains? Or Sonoma County Comfort Heating & Air, ensuring that we don’t suffer an existential crisis every time the temperature dares to fluctuate? And let’s not forget Peace Out Junk, the heroes who make all those “I should really clean out the garage” moments actually happen.

Of course, it’s not just about function—it’s also about the little luxuries. Flamingo Resort & Spa in Santa Rosa provides the kind of escape that makes you forget about your inbox for a blissful moment. E.R. Sawyer Jewelers reminds us that some things can be fixed (even if it’s just your favorite necklace, not your life choices). Meanwhile, W Real Estate helps locals and newcomers alike navigate the ever-elusive art of finding a home in Wine Country.

And let’s not forget the behind-the-scenes pros who keep businesses running smoothly. West County Net helps keep local companies visible and thriving in the digital world, Sprint Copy Center ensures branding looks as sharp as the businesses themselves and Suited Hospitality knows that the right choices can turn a great idea into a household name.

From the experts keeping our finances in check to the ones making sure our final send-offs are handled with dignity, the service professionals of the North Bay make life run just a little bit smoother. And for that, we tip our hats (which may even have been purchased at one of the region’s fine boutiques).

Doran Regional Park, Bodega Bay

Camping by the ocean is one of the best ways to relax, connect with nature and truly enjoy the majesty that the Sonoma Coast has to offer. Why fuss with a white noise machine that simulates the sound of the sea when the real thing is so close? The soft whoosh of the tides can be found at Doran Beach Regional Park, and the fog horn from the nearby Coast Guard Station is barely noticeable. It’s kind of soothing, actually. Part of the whole experience.

When it’s bedtime, one will easily be lulled to sleep by the waves. And the fog horn. The fog horn that goes off every few minutes at seemingly random intervals. It must stop at some point, right? There’s no way it runs 24 hours a day, creeping into the mind and turning into the only discernible noise, completely drowning out the calm of the surf. Churning around the psyche and morphing into the gaping maw of madness and the beckoning of Neptune as all sense of reality and hope is lost.

There is only the foghorn. There was only ever the foghorn. There will only ever be the foghorn. The bathrooms are clean, though, which is nice.

Sushi by Scratch, Healdsburg

Sushi by Scratch in Healdsburg puts the “ohhhh” in omakase with a sumptuous selection of sushi and sake that’s so good it’s downright orgasmic. This restaurant provides seemingly endless pleasure to its guests at the hand of the chef, who puts on a show serving up omakase right there in the intimate dining area.

Now, you may be wondering what separates omakase from “oh”makase. Well, it comes down to the experience and passion of the chef, the careful selection of ingredients and the pacing of the meal itself. Omakase is all about rhythm, you see. And the best omakase restaurants know exactly how to build up the dining experience so that each taste takes you to the next level. The Sushi by Scratch omakase service, for instance, starts off light before slowly working its way up to the culinary climax.

The piece de resistance of my own “oh”makase experience at Sushi by Scratch was…truly unforgettable—I’ll never forget that moment when the chef brought out a large bone (beef, to be exact) along with a blowtorch. Wide-eyed and mouth watering, I watched in awe as the flames licked the savory marrow straight from the bone, melting it directly onto a slice of sublimely marbled wagyu in the most tantalizing, titillating and satisfying culinary demonstration I’ve ever seen.

Now you know where to go in Sonoma for omakase that’ll make you moan so much your lover may find themself feeling just a tad bit emasculated by a bite-sized portion of fish and rice. But don’t let that stop you—after all, Healdsburg’s Sushi by Scratch just wants to ensure its diners are pleasured from start to finish and that guests leave completely satisfied and ready to come again soon.

Taqueria Mila, Santa Rosa

Live music is great. Tacos are great. If crust punk, hardcore and black metal shows in a space no bigger than a one-car garage or a studio apartment can be improved at all, it’s only with the addition of carne asada. Taqueria Mila is a family-owned restaurant that hosts live music of all kinds after hours and captures the DIY spirit far better than any bar or brewery possibly could. Pack a bunch of people into a space that is not designed for live music at all and sell them killer Mexican food. That’s punk. That’s good business.

There’s no such thing as a boring show at Taqueria Mila. The close-knit feeling is what makes it a special, outside-the-box community space. It’s right next to a smoke shop called ZaZa Smoke & Lingerie, too, so all the bases are covered. And it’s well worth the price of admission and a quesadilla to see the look on the elderly tios’ faces when the amps turn on and the screaming starts. It’s the kind of undertaking that stems from a pure love for art and communal joy. A tough thing to find and something that needs to be treasured in the Bay Area or anywhere else.

Local adoption services

As Isabella Rossellini once observed, “Adoption carries the added dimension of connection not only to your own tribe but beyond, widening the scope of what constitutes love, ties and family. It is the larger embrace.”

And she’s right—family isn’t just about who you’re related to, but who you welcome in. In Sonoma and Napa counties, adoption services are helping redefine what family means, one embrace at a time.

Adoption is often painted as a noble, almost saintly act, but the truth is, it’s just another way of forming a family—one that involves paperwork, home studies, and, let’s be honest, a fair amount of patience. Whether it’s a newborn or a teenager in foster care, adoption is an invitation to love someone unconditionally, no genetic prerequisites required.

Locally, families looking to adopt have plenty of resources. Sonoma County Family, Youth, and Children’s Services connects children in foster care with forever homes, while TLC Child & Family Services and Alternative Family Services provide adoption and foster support to families across the North Bay.

Over in Napa, Aldea Children & Family Services specializes in placing youth in loving homes, and the county’s Health and Human Services Agency guides prospective parents through the process.

For those considering adoption, local agencies offer training, support, and, most importantly, a roadmap for navigating this life-changing journey. The process may not always be quick. But like any good family story, it’s full of unexpected joys, lessons and moments of profound connection.

So, whether your family was built the traditional way, through adoption or through an uncanny ability to collect strays (human or otherwise), know this—love is what makes a family. And in the end, the larger the embrace, the better.