Attention, Hoke and other Northern Californians

I will be in Sonoma County October 13 and 14 to visit wineries and perhaps meet some of you at an offline. Will start the topic here and move it to offlines forum later. Anyone available for a get together either of those evenings (a Saturday and Sunday)?

That might be fun (I live in Solano County, the poorer "North Bay" cousin of Napa and Sonoma Counties)

Darn it, JC!! I leave the day of the 12th to go to Milwaukee, Buffalo and NY City. Won't be back for a week.

Shame to miss you. We'll hopefully make it next time, eh?

Double darn, Hoke! I was hoping to compare notes on experiences in Germany in earlier decades. Brian, hopefully some others will respond as well. I would look forward to meeting you and sharing wines.

If I can make it, I certainly will.

Great, Gary! Do you or Brian have a preference as to Saturday the 13th or Sunday the 14th? How about restaurants in Sonoma County?

Great, Gary! Do you or Brian have a preference as to Saturday the 13th or Sunday the 14th? How about restaurants in Sonoma County?

Where are you staying? I live in Martinez which is 45 minutes to an hour southeastish of the city of Sonoma proper. With regard to the date, I need to coordinate with the boss first.

One can find any number of places there. (Hoke claims that there is a pizzeria which is great, but he has yet to prove it to me.)

I'm staying at Sonoma Orchid Inn near Guerneville but have a rental car so can drive to Sonoma, Windsor, Healdsburg, Santa Rosa, etc. Looks like town of Sonoma would be closer to you and Brian.

One can find any number of places there. (Hoke claims that there is a pizzeria which is great, but he has yet to prove it to me.)

Well, if you'd show up when they were open for business...

You have evenings off, right? We'll have to do it. Soon as I get a travel break *hah snort*

Well, if you'd show up when they were open for business...

Hey, you're the big time alcoholista with all the connections. What's a schmuck like me to do?

You have evenings off, right? We'll have to do it. Soon as I get a travel break *hah snort*

Right now, I'm off 24/7. It's Zari who has the scheduling problems. She has increased her workload since we last broke bread. Her sister and brother-in-law will still be here through the 8th of October (unless they extend their visa another 6 months!!), so maybe some time after that.

I'm staying at Sonoma Orchid Inn near Guerneville but have a rental car so can drive to Sonoma, Windsor, Healdsburg, Santa Rosa, etc. Looks like town of Sonoma would be closer to you and Brian.

Well, that would be about an hour for you and an hour for me which would be excellent. But I still need to coordinate with the boss.

By the way, stop in at Costeaux in Healdsburg for breakfast.

I'm staying at Sonoma Orchid Inn near Guerneville but have a rental car so can drive to Sonoma, Windsor, Healdsburg, Santa Rosa, etc. Looks like town of Sonoma would be closer to you and Brian.

Nice place. You'll like it. It's right next door to Korbel. I know they're ***shudder*** commercial (i.e., successful and historical), but you should stop in. The museum/historical exhibits are fascinating, and give you an excellent idea of what it was like to live and farm in the late 1800s.

And if you're a flower junkie, the Korbel Gardens is very famous for their antique roses garden. And if you're at the Sonoma Orchid, the Korbel deli is good, and close.

Thanks, Hoke. Is Willy's Seafood place another you recommend?

I'm pretty open. I have no "boss," just a trio of canines.

Sonoma is a very touristy town, but it's lovely. There are several good restaurants there, as well as a very good deli/take out place that carries the mythical Steve Edmonds' wine. They have great soups, salads, and sandwiches. Sonoma also has a very nice group tasting bar (I think it's called Enoteca) which features about a dozen small wineries.

We could also meet in Railroad Square, Santa Rosa, which has an outstanding wine bar/wine shop and some good restaurants. I'm not very familiar with Sonoma County restaurants via personal experiences, but I'm sure we can find something.

Thanks, Hoke. Is Willy's Seafood place another you recommend?

For sure, JC. I like Willy's Seafood in Healdsburg. There's another Willi's Wine Bar on the north end of Santa Rosa that's pretty good too; usually has a slightly better (more diverse) wine list. But Willy's Seafood is a great place to go. Try their house fries, their pan-bbq shrimp and their scallops if they're on the menu when you're there.

Sorry to say that weekend doesn't seen to work out. My wife and I have been waiting to eat at the pizzeria that Hoke brags about for the last seven or eight years. When will it happen? Have some damn good Chianti will travel.

Nice trip you have planned, but sorry to hear about the dates. My girlfriend will be visiting from the UK and we're all booked up..

If you had come a few weeks earlier would have loved to clink glasses..

Maybe next time.

Enjoy..

Darn it, JC!! I leave the day of the 12th to go to Milwaukee, Buffalo and NY City. Won't be back for a week.

Shame to miss you. We'll hopefully make it next time, eh?

Hoke,

If you get time to make a stop in the Finger Lakes, let me know.

Can't promise you a good pizza place, though.

I will move this to Offline forum now since most regulars have had a chance to see it on the wine forum. I was thinking about possibly The Girl and the Fig on Saturday night, October 13 (I think they only serve brunch on Sunday). Does this sound feasible Brian and Gary?
http://www.thegirlandthefig.com/html-sonoma/index.html
I've heard praise for the restaurant before and the prices seem reasonable--you can fill up on sandwiches, appetizers and/or cheeses if you don't want an entree.

Sounds nice to me!

Darn it, JC!! I leave the day of the 12th to go to Milwaukee, Buffalo and NY City. Won't be back for a week.

Shame to miss you. We'll hopefully make it next time, eh?

Figures! An opportunity to try and set up an offline in the Buffalo area (or at least a get-together) with Hoke, and I'll be on the West Coast having BBQ with Bucko.

Darn it, JC!! I leave the day of the 12th to go to Milwaukee, Buffalo and NY City. Won't be back for a week.

Shame to miss you. We'll hopefully make it next time, eh?

Figures! An opportunity to try and set up an offline in the Buffalo area (or at least a get-together) with Hoke, and I'll be on the West Coast having BBQ with Bucko.

Don't sweat it, Howie: my Buffalo trip just got cancelled.

Darn it, JC!! I leave the day of the 12th to go to Milwaukee, Buffalo and NY City. Won't be back for a week.

Shame to miss you. We'll hopefully make it next time, eh?

Figures! An opportunity to try and set up an offline in the Buffalo area (or at least a get-together) with Hoke, and I'll be on the West Coast having BBQ with Bucko.

Don't sweat it, Howie: my Buffalo trip just got cancelled.

Does that mean you can take JC, Lou, Brian and me to the pizzeria!?

Darn it, JC!! I leave the day of the 12th to go to Milwaukee, Buffalo and NY City. Won't be back for a week.

Shame to miss you. We'll hopefully make it next time, eh?

Figures! An opportunity to try and set up an offline in the Buffalo area (or at least a get-together) with Hoke, and I'll be on the West Coast having BBQ with Bucko.

Don't sweat it, Howie: my Buffalo trip just got cancelled.

Does that mean you can take JC, Lou, Brian and me to the pizzeria!?

Nah. Still gotta go to Milwaukee and NYC; trying to fill in business stops in between.

This isn't the only day we could go to the Red Grape, you know. We've actually had offlines there....though they were a few years ago.