February conjures up images of ice and snow and frozen lakes. I know. I spent three winters in the midwest and I'm still traumatized from it. Do you ever have dreams of failing a math test or forgetting to drop a class you haven't been to once during the semester? Those pale in comparison to the one where you have to go back to the midwest during winter. The one where the car doesn't start and you stand at the bus stop in minus 20F.... I am a wimpy coastal Californian whose image of February is that of green hills with grass not quite tall enough to ripple in the wind. Wild iris blooming on the hill sides and creeks full enough to support a steelhead run. Rivers that may run huge and brown or swift and tinged with green. It's a quiet time of year in west Sonoma County when there are no crowds. It ain't Kansas Toto. Enjoy!
Occidental Weather:
Hopmonk Tavern Sebastopol Live Music:
Occidental Center for the Arts: SonoMusette: Feb 20th: This sounds interesting.This is music in the bal-musette tradition and if you know what that is you should definitely go. If you're like me and have no idea what that is, perhaps you should go and learn. It will be a cozy evening only five minutes from the house.
Occidental Center for the Arts: Noam Lemish Quartet Feb 21: Sounds like an accomplished group.
Occidenta Center for the Arts: Steve Gillette and Cindy Mangsen Feb 26th: I saw these two in San Luis Obispo County a few years ago. They are fantastic. Steve wrote one of my favorite songs, Darcy Farrow so he is a hero in my book. They are winter refugees from Vermont who do gigs in California over winter...Smart. I would definitely see these two if I had a chance. Disclosure: I love good folk music.
Sebastopol Community Center: Feb 19th: David Aurora: Mushrooms Demystified: If your romantic getaway has you thinking of fungus, have I got an evening for you! I am scared to death of "edible" wild fungi but David Aurora looks like a fun guy so he may shed some some light on what tends to be a damp, darkish (and romantic) subject.
Wildflour Bread Freestone: There are several good things about Freestone, one of which is this great bakery! The other is that the drive from the house to Freestone via either the Bohemian Hwy or Occidental road to Jonive road to Bodega Hwy is very scenic. Make a loop one direction or the other through Freestone and you will not be disappointed!
A few updates: . I am a growing (sideways) fan of the restaurant Hazel in Occidental. They have a great wine bar, excellent ambiance, and their thin crust pizza is superb. The Union Hotel has a great coffee shop with excellent pastries that is open early and the main restaurant is always good for dinner. Howards Station in Occidental continues to be my hands down favorite breakfast spot. If you are interested in very large redwood trees, please see my "things to do " page and look at the "Grove of old trees" which isn't far from the house and is always worth it.
Enjoy your February!!
RSS Feed
