Cloverdale is a charming, small city in northern Sonoma County, California. It's known as the…read morenorthern gateway to Wine Country and is nice if you are looking to get away from the hustle and bustle and relax and soak in the stunning views. Cloverdale is conveniently located near Alexander Valley AVA, which means that you will have access to hidden gem wineries in this area with amazing wines. It is also not that far from Dry Creek Valley AVA and Russian River AVA if you are looking for some variety. The views in Alexander Valley AVA are stunningly beautiful and I love that it's a little more "off the grid". There is a historic downtown area that is the community hub. They have a seasonal farmers market and a good mix of amazing restaurants, shops, and wine tasting shops. All of the people in the restaurants and shops were so welcoming and friendly. It's an amazing small town to walk around and explore because there you will find some amazing spots along the way! They have events throughout the year such as the Cloverdale Wine Walk and other annual events. I would check out their calendar of events if this is something you would like to do. They also have great races such as the Cloverdale Vineyards Races where you can run through the vineyards for a great cause. Cloverdale is home to the Russian River Railbikes experience. It's a unique and fun outdoor activity where you pedal custom-designed vehicles along a historic railroad track. This guided tour is led by volunteers and takes you on a scenic route along the historic Northwestern Pacific Railroad tracks where you will have views of vineyards, wooded areas, and the Russian River. You will also pass through a tunnel, which is very cool. The experience is run by the Golden Gate Railroad Museum, a non-profit organization, with proceeds supporting their mission of preserving railroad history so you will have fun and know you are supporting a great cause. This is seasonal so if you are wanting to go, research this ahead of time to make sure that they are open at that time of year. If you haven't spent any time in the small and charming town of Cloverdale, I would definitely recommend checking it out!

Music on Friday nights is a lot of fun. 6:30-9:30. Food court vendors and a few other vendors…read morethere as well. Such a great way to spend a Friday night during the summer

The City of Sebastopol is a great place to visit for so many reasons. It has a small-town charm…read morewith an artsy and laid back vibe to it. The downtown area has artsy type stores and there is also the Florence Avenue Junk Art walk, which is an open-air gallery of sculptures that showcases the town's quirky, fun, and creative spirit. The downtown area is a fun place to walk around and explore all that it has in it. I personally love the restaurant Goldfinch and they are open for both lunch and dinner. There are lots of farm to table restaurants that are absolutely delicious! The city is known for their gravenstein apples and even have a fair every year. There is a decent amount of produce grown in Sebastopol and the surrounding areas so the food here is always fresh and there are also farmer's markets if you want fresh produce. A popular spot in Sebastopol is the Barlow, which is a 12 acre market full of local breweries, wine tasting rooms, restaurants, shops, and so much more! It's a fun place to walk around and explore. Region is a fun self-serve wine tasting room and you can sample local wines there. Sebastopol and other small towns surrounding it are known for their exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. You will find these wineries tucked away and are one of the many great things about Sebastopol.

Sebastopol is a sleepy little town in West Sonoma County. It's perfect for a weekend getaway, even…read moremore so on a weekday, when it isn't as touristy. Sebastopol has the flavor of a hippie haven- it's got a Grateful Dead memorabilia store, complete with Jerry Garcia's old fridge, since they vacationed there. Many Rivers Books&Tea is a combination teahouse/New Age bookstore. The original Copperfield's bookstore is in Sebastopol. It's such a unique place that in a strip mall, the vegan/vegetarian Slice of Life http://www.thesliceoflife.com/ right beside the vegan/vegetarian Infusions Teahouse/Sonoma Chocolatier http://www.infusionsteashop.com/ and both do a healthy business. California Carnivores specializes in carnivorous plants in a B horror movie atmosphere. An antique emporium shares space with a bakery. It's a City Different. Sebastopol got its name during the Crimean War- fitting, since the Russians settled at http://www.fortross.org from 1812 to 1841. One of the drawbacks of Sebastopol are its one-way streets, steep hills.. when driving there, it's important to be aware of one's surroundings. It takes skill in maneuvering. Sebastopol is a highlight in the Russian River area!

What a perfect day for some exquisite wine tasting at Lewis Cellars. The Yelp Community Event:…read more Spring Soirée at Lewis Cellars did not disappoint. The weather was absolutely beautiful this day and made the wine tasting a truly memorable event. Upon entering the winery you feel like you have been transported to a Great Hall in a Castle to celebrate the day. The high ceilings and stunning architectural design is jaw dropping. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, the ability to have food served here makes this a unique and versatile venue in the area. The staff and hospitality was definitely was on point, the wines were amazing. The outdoor seating area was great with a lot of sofas and chairs to relax in and enjoy the view along with the fabulous wines. This definitely was a hidden gem and we will have to come back on another occasion. A big thank you to Lewis Cellars and Yelp's Commander in Chief for the Bay Area, Steph Y. Truly a spectacular event and a good time had by all. Forgot to mention the great tunes courtesy of David Ronconi. Till the next adventure!

Amazing event!! Im sure we all felt so luxurious for Yelp's private event at the very beautiful…read moreLewis Cellars property. All of the wine was excellent, the views were spectacular, and the food bites were scrumptious. How could they not be, they were prepared by a Michelin starred chef! Met some new friends and got a sweet yelp goodie bag with Lewis Cellar chocolates and a free tasting for 2 coupon to come back for more. Looking forward to our return visit! Thank you so much Yelp and Lewis Cellars!

Oakville's Carmelite Monastery is a historically fascinating spot in the Napa Valley. There were…read moreplans for this mansion to be a Summer White House on the West Coast. It had the same designer as Golden Gate Park- https://noehill.com/napa/poi_carmelite_monastery.asp The South Napa quake of 2014 severely damaged the monastery, yet the chapel remained intact. Miraculously, the chapel is having Masses to this day. They are celebrating Holy Week&Easter. They have a small gift shop- not sure if it's still being restored/renovated. A serene, beautiful oasis for prayer.

Whether you go there to take in the Catholicism or you just want to see the "Great Gatsby" style…read moremansion, the place is something to see. The grand mansion built in the 1920's has a history and I think even a ghost. You know those types of stories, a well-to-do family with a fortune and then a stepmother or father walks into the scene, something like that. The place is well worth the visit on the Napa Valley wine country tour. Take a few minutes to visit the little town of Oakville, which is close to St. Helena. It is among the few small town spots left in Northern California. See the Carmelite's web site for details about retreats and events. And, they also have a gift shop. http://www.oakvillecarmelites.org/

IPA10K is a beautiful beer run up at the Barlow in Sebastopol that I am glad to have done thanks to…read moreYelp! After returning back to running events since COVID, I have been happy that Yelp has been working on getting me back into it. Sure, yummy food events are always welcome, but a healthy run gives an excuse to eat more! Especially when it takes place at the Barlow which already itself has its fair share of great food eats. The website was not kidding when it says that it starts the race with a beer/cider toast! I thought it was an electrolyte drink :D So if you see a table full of drinks at the starting line, beware! For those who have not spent too much time in Sebastopol, there is some rural parts with beautiful countryside to run through. I would say that the course was overall easy to moderate with several inclines. However, for those casual runners or just getting into it, I would highly recommend the 3k option. After the race, there was a brewfest with plenty of vendors for people to drink and sample different brews. Although not a big drinker myself, it was a popular post race activity. If not, many of the restaurants at the Barlow and the surrounding area were open to get your fill of breakfast foods and coffee. Overall, I was happy to have participated in the IPA10K and hope many more of these events become available!

The IPA10k was a whole new experience for me that I am grateful to have been able to be a part of…read more Being able to experience it with my fiancé and pup made it even better! I have never run more than a mile or two and that was back in high school. Signing up for this race motivated me and pushed me to do something outside of my comfort zone. And what better way to celebrate than at a brewfest afterwards. Focusing solely on the race - pickup for badges, etc. was made nice and easy and I was ready to go the morning of race day. Parking, of course, was an ordeal, but that's a given for any type of event like this. The organization was impressive. Everyone working was very helpful, encouraging, and just in such a great mood. The route was beautiful. It was such a perfect morning for the run as well. It was just a nice feeling being able to run freely through the wonderful city of Sebastopol with great views of nature along through. There was some mild uphill/downhill, but seemed mostly flat for the 6.2 miles. When we were finished, we were greeted with some Lagunitas soda water type cans and some healthy snack bars and fruit. And then, of course, lots of beer! We definitely talked about making this a tradition. Such a fun day! Thank you so much for the opportunity!

Fantastic beer festival that happens the first Saturday of every June. This year (2008) is the 17th…read moreannual one and it happens June 7 from 1 - 5. Over 35 northern California breweries. Great munchies. Live music. It's a benefit for Face To Face, the Sonoma County Aids Network so the price of admission goes to a good cause. The weather has always cooperated beautifully. Get there early, set up, and have a ball. Check it out.

This thing is the highlight of the year for hubby and I. We drive up from San Mateo County every…read moreyear. It's a great value, as it is unlimited beer and food for like four hours. Great selection of breweries. The food can kind of vary...sometimes there is great selection, sometimes not so much, but it's always enough and decent. This year there seemed to be an abundance of pulled pork for some reason. The best is the produce stand (Andy's Market I think), with awesome veggies and dip, and fruit was this addictive, amazing cream cheese marshmallow dip which is heaven on earth. One year there was a gourmet pizza truck that was awesome, bring them back please! It's a really casual, chill crowd. Neither rowdy nor hoity-toity. There is music that is nice. Next year I think I'll bring some chairs to plant down to return to so we have a good place to sit. It can get really hot in the sun. Get there early to get in line to maximize your time there. There are exactly enough people--enough to make it fun, but you really don't wait in lines--rarely are there more than 1-2 people in front of you to get beer, and sometimes a small line for food but it always goes fast. The best time!

This statue is right next to Russian River Brewery on 4th st…read more The life-size basalt sculpture, a gift from the city's South Korean sister city, Bukjeju - as I found out from a quick Google search. The cobblestone lined fountain really does look beautiful and adds some flavor and class to the downtown Santa Rosa area. I don't know the meaning behind the statue itself - but enjoy it every time I visit the area. Public art is something every city strives to incorporate - this was executed here very well. Blends in with harmony to the surrounding area and Jeju Way - the tiny park located directly behind the statue. Russian River and the Chinese restaurant next door, Ting Hau are the closest business - on either side of the statue is diagonal street parking.

This is the 124th Luther Burbank Rose Parade. The parade route has changed since the last time I…read morewent. It's centered around the new Courthouse Square on 3rd and 4th Streets. I was on the 4th street side and since it's a wider street than 3rd, the Santa Rosa Motorcycle unit was able to perform their trick maneuvers. The parade included local elementary, middle school, and high school bands. The band that came the furthest was Compton High School from southern California. Compton HS band was led by 3 drum majors with the band in full uniform and team of cheerleaders. There were too many floats and participant groups to name here. There were a few long "gaps" in the parade where people thought the parade was over. I was one of them, so I walked over to courthouse square looking for something to eat. There were plenty of food vendors including Thai, Greek, hot dogs, specialty sausages, and more. I walked over to the 3rd street side of the parade discovered Ted Williams of KZST radio was the parade announcer underneath their own tent booth. He did a great job in announcing the parade groups and I found out the parade wasn't over as there was a huge gap. So next year, I'm setting up a portable chair with drinks on the 3rd street side near the KZST booth. It's a parade worth attending!

We went to the 119th Annual Luther Burbank Rose Parade & Festival on Saturday, 5/18/13. It was my…read morefirst time hearing of it, it's one of the oldest & largest event of its kind in Northern Calif. Parade theme this year 2013 was "Surf 'N Safari" so lots of Hawaiian shirts, Hawaiian hats, surf boards & animal balloons. The grand marshall was The Campions. Lots of marching bands, local businesses, local banks, local schools & local politicans & clowns. Parking: city parking garage on 1st & B; 5th & Beaver; and 7th between Mendocino & B St. Plenty of portable bathrooms available. Juilliard Park was where the festival part after the parade was held. We walked in the park & saw the famous church that was made out of One Redwood Tree! Supposedly featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not. The park is located on Santa Rosa Ave across the street from the historic Luther Burbank Home & Gardens.