Quick Healdsburg Nosh-and-Coffee Break

On my way to Mendocino recently from the Bay Area I stopped in the Sonoma wine country town of Healdsburg to stretch my legs and grab a quick lunch. Usually, I head to the swell Oakville Grocery right off the square but I'm on a budget these days so I decided to look around for something less dear.

Friends in the area have raved about Big John's, the high-end supermarket about a mile north of the town square. I headed over there, finding one of those independent, old-fashioned grocery stores with warm and friendly service and a big assortment of local produce, fruit and products -- Redwood Hill Farm cheese, Sonoma County olive oils, mustard and jam -- which make wonderful souvenirs to bring home from a trip to the wine country. Prices are probably less than you'll find at fancy winery gift shops.

I later learned that the "Big" in Big John's doesn't refer to the girth of the owner but is an acronym for Better Independent Grocers and that the store is not the decades-old institution that I assumed but actually relatively recent to these parts, having opened in 1994.

With a turkey-and-tomato sandwich on sourdough (for less than $7), some juicy local nectarines and a bottle of water I headed back the Healdsburg square for a quick picnic in the shade of redwoods.

Then, to keep me alert for the drive ahead, I headed to Flying Goat Coffee (right off the square) for a strong and rich macchiato. I picked up a gift for my hosts in Mendocino County -- a pound of Flying Goat's most popular roast, Mrs. Garland's Blend, forgetting that I was traveling to Thanksgiving Coffee Co. territory.

We'll let fans of Sonoma County's Flying Goat and Fort Bragg-based Thanksgiving, which is beloved on the north coast and by my friends in Mendocino County, battle it out. It's remarkable that we've got such choices in good coffee in these parts.

Sonoma's Hollywood Connection

Anyone growing up watching "My Three Sons" with Fred MacMurray would never guess that the big-time Hollywood actor ("The Apartment" is one of my favorite movies) actually spent a lot of his time not on a southern California backlot but on a sprawling ranch in Sonoma County. It's where he and his wife raised their four children. The ranch is now a winery, MacMurray Ranch, and it's owned by E.J. Gallo. But there's still an actual MacMurray connection: Fred's daughter, Kate (right), who lives on the property, in a cabin built by her father decades ago.

She works for Gallo promoting the MacMurray Ranch label. I recently had the chance to chat with Kate in the main house on the idyllic property (upper left), tucked in a lush, redwood-ringed valley off of Westside Road between Healdsburg and Forestville. Her love of the place is obvious. She said her father discovered the land on flyfishing trips in the 1930s when it was owned by the descendants of the Potter family who first came to the ranch in 1840 from Arkansas. After years of asking the Potters whether they would sell, he was finally able to purchase the property in 1941. Fred made more than 100 films and spent 12 years on "My Three Sons" but he was able to spend enough time here to turn the property -- a plum orchard under the Potters -- into a cattle ranch, with Black Angus he had shipped from Scotland. She recalls long driving trips between Sonoma County and their house in Los Angeles (this was before Interstate 5 was built) and stopping at a Foster's Freeze in Gilroy, all four kids and their movie star father climbing out for burgers and milkshakes. There was no TV and little Hollywood-style glamour at the ranch, only some hard work and lots of old-fashioned fun as the children were free to roam the property, ride horses and explore. "We didn't have a lot of worries. We were allowed to run free and go outdoors. It was magical," she said.

The 1,500-acre spread is not open to the public normally but you have a chance to spend time there over Labor Day Weekend when MacMurray hosts the Sonoma County Vintners' 30th annual Taste of Sonoma, which features 150 wineries offering samples of thousands of wines and 60 local chefs cooking up dishes to pair with the pourings. It all takes place around the charming old home where Kate grew up and in the barn that her father built with his own hands. General admission is $150 per person, although Visa Signature cardholders receive a special price of $95. Make sure you sample some of MacMurray's yummy pinot noir and pinot gris.

Upper Sonoma County Getaways

A surprising number of tasting rooms, shops and places to wander and dine have popped up in tiny Geyserville, which is only two or three blocks long and just north of Healdsburg in Sonoma County. Most recently, Pete Opatz (above), formerly of Chateau St. Jean, opened the rustic and charming Route 128 tasting room in a section of a former auto dealership (across the street from the old General Store). He makes Bordeaux varietals in the tradition of southeastern France. His flagship is the delicious Pelu Rouge, made with Zinfandel, Syrah and Viognier. One of the older tasting rooms is Meeker Vineyards in a 100-year-old bank (the wine is stored in the old vault). The winery, owned by former Hollywood studio chief Charlie Meeker, is known for its hearty reds and the fun-loving atmosphere of the tasting room.
Two of the newer Geyserville tasting rooms offer an assortment of local Alexander Valley and Dry Creek wines as well as selections from farther afield. The sleek and handsome Terriors Artisan Wines, by winemaker Kerry Damskey who specializes in "high-elevation wine" from northern California, was built in a renovated old red-brick building that once housed a print shop. It showcases four different labels produced by Damskey.
The more low-key Locals was started seven years ago to present the wines of boutique wineries in one location. Owner Carolyn Lewis (right) is usually on hand to guide a wide variety of flights for tastings.
In a light-filled modern building next door is Geyser Arts Gallery, a stylish shop selling handmade crafts and artwork from regional artists.
The big buzz in town is the departure of Santi, everyone's favorite Italian restaurant in these parts. The restaurant is moving to Santa Rosa in October, and the beautiful space is scheduled to be filled with another, as yet-unnamed, restaurant. But the culinary scene here has been kept fresh with the opening of Diavola, a pizzeria that is packing diners in with thin, crackly crusted pies (top photo) topped with delicious local and seasonal ingredients. It's the handiwork of Santi's Dino Bugica, who spent seven years in Italy where he apprenticed with cooks and butchers (Diavola also specializes in Bugica's salami and sausages).
Geyserville even has its own coffehouse. Mornings find locals heading to the tiny Geyserville Mud for a cup of joe from Thanksgiving Coffee Company, which is the favorite coffee of upper Sonoma and Mendocino County residents.
To see a bit of the farm town that Geyserville has been for more than 100 years step into the 19th century General Store, where you can usually find a few old-timers shooting the breeze. Browse through the huge collection of hats (left), buy a saddle and grab a small brown bag to stock up on nails, which are sold by the pound, just as they were in the old days. Nice way to wrap up a Sonoma County weekend getaway.

Geyserville Summer Nights

Just a few minutes north of Healdsburg on Highway 101 is the Sonoma wine country burg of Geyersville which has managed to keep its low-key farm town atmosphere as its better-known neighbor a few miles south gets tonier and tonier. I checked out a few places to stay on weekend getaways last week, each one different from the other so that you get a wide variety of options even in such a small place.
Those who are looking for some elegant comfort in a hotel environment should head to the Geyserville Inn, which, despite the name, is actually more of a resort-like hotel. There is a swimming pool and 38 rooms, many with fireplaces and balconies. Most have nice views of the vineyards. It's a modern place with a charming bit of Sonoma history attached -- the Hoffman House, an early 20th century farmhouse transformed into a restaurant with full bar.
Nearby is something completely different: the Hope-Merrill House (left), a lovely Victorian bed-and-breakfast inn whose rooms are lavishly romantic and accented by silk-screened wallpaper by Bruce Bradbury. An incredible five-course breakfast is served each morning. And, there's a beautiful swimming pool surrounded by lush landscaping and vineyards. Check out the first floor Sterling Suite with its own private entrance for the ultimate in extravagance (priced under $300, a good rate for such a luxury accommodation).
Finally, I visited Alexander Valley Lodge, a former B&B (photo above and below) on a hill overlooking the valley. It has been turned into a vacation rental by owners Danielle and Scott Alexander who live in their own house a few hundred yards uphill from the property. This is a six-bedroom, five-bathroom lodge-like home with a pool, Tiki bar and hot tub that is ideal for family reunions, girlfriend getaways and retreats. Danielle told me that, with the economic recession and the trend to "staycations," their business is good this year as families and friends look to save by going in on a house rental and cooking meals together.
The views from the house -- of Geyser Peak and the Alexander Valley -- are phenomenal, particularly at sunrise and sunset when the area takes on a warm glow (especially after a glass of the local zin). You're on your own for meals but the Alexanders can arrange for a local chef to cook dinners and for a masseuse who can provide poolside massages. The Alexanders also give guests tours of the 53 acres of vineyards and wooded terrain they own on this hilltop by a "mule," an ATV-type vehicle. And, of course, they offer plenty of suggestions for wine tasting. However, in a spot like this, guests may never want to leave.