Connoisseur Chef Valette Uncorked
Dustin Valette is a true Wine Country chef. His roots run deep in Sonoma County, and growing up here imparted a genuine appreciation for great food and wine upon him. He took time to explore the globe, but then returned to where it all began and to where his family ties were tethered....
Hospitality Season Arrives With Cash
Jazz will again make itself heard in Healdsburg this June, songwriters will gather in the vineyards in July and Santa will light the Holiday tree—all thanks in part to the Chamber of Commerce’s Stay Healdsburg grants. A total of $95,000 has been granted to 20 local event organizers...
Rail Trails, an Idea Whose Time is Summer
Enter the rail trail. The concept developed in the 1980s as railroads across the country were decommissioned and a growing population sought new trails to travel. Thus the Rails to Trails Conservancy was formed out of timely necessity. Nearly 2,500 rail trails nationally now span 25,000 miles, as practical a reuse of a transportation corridor as one could conceive...
Fudge Ends 30-year Career in Windsor
Debora Fudge has played a key role in shaping Windsor since 1994. With Fudge planning to step back from civic life, and heading out for a vacation in Europe this week, it seemed a good time to learn more about how she became so involved in Windsor and what she thinks of the town now.
Little Saint to Close its Upstairs Restaurant
The fanciest vegan fine-dining restaurant in the Bay Area, located right here in Healdsburg, will shut down just shy of its first birthday. he restaurant is called Second Story, up the stairs from Little Saint...
Meet Mella, Stella’s Identical Pup
Now when most winemakers talk about “clones,” they’re talking about varietals selected for specific qualities, such as flavor, color or intensity. The Dijon clones of pinot noir or chardonnay are well known; but the canine clone of a winery dog is a new thing entirely.
New Year’s Eve in Healdsburg
New Year’s Eve is a few hours suspended from the normal rules of time, neither one year nor the next, yet both. While a “memorable evening” is often the goal, it’s all too frequently a night whose details escape memory ...
Summer Brings Music, Dance to Wine Country Towns
Summer afternoons are filled with live music most days of the week in Wine Country But one popular local venue for weekly music in town is closing at the end of the month—and its future is anything but clear.
Reach out to touch Healdsburg history
Up the steep flight of stone steps to the Healdsburg Museum’s double-door entrance is a pathway to possibilities—the promise of old worlds made new. Starting last Saturday, that ascent leads to a magical gateway into Healdsburg itself, past and present, with a new multi-media...
‘Safety Call’ Ends 100-Mile Race Early
“We had to make a safety call. Without the bridge, there’s no safe way to get across the creek,” Skip Brand of the Lake Sonoma 100 said on Sunday afternoon. “The creek is 6-7 feet deep and raging right now. Plus, the wind picked up in the late afternoon and several trees came down, creating additional hazards.”
Arts & Entertainment
Movies a year-round obsession, not seasonal
“There are usually some fun surprises for us in the line-up of our ‘Audience Favorites’ program,” said co-founder Pamela Demorest. “Some films resonate more with our audience than they did with our celebrity jury, and we always want our guests to feel like a vital part of the process.”






















