Our Grandmother (Mary) taught us the fun of shopping local and “eating with the seasons”. She shared her love of the farmers’ market with us, so this Spring when the market opened, we found ourselves continuing the tradition. Kate (who works at Hafner Vineyard and lives nearby) visits the market most every Saturday, while Grace (who lives in San Francisco) shops at many markets - the Ferry Building, Fort Mason or her neighborhood one. With the bounty of produce, we are inspired to create dinners with as much from the market as we can, just like Grandmother did. We thought it would be fun to share how we both build a meal around the farmers’ selections.

Read More...

Each weekend morning, I join my friends for a bike ride around Sonoma County. It’s a fun way to get some exercise and enjoy the beautiful country where we live. To take advantage of the early morning fog and empty roads, we hop on our bikes in Healdsburg around 8:30 a.m. We have several routes to choose from, but two of our favorites takes us through the wine regions of our area: Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley and Russian River Valley.

Read More...

Years ago when we were in school, field trips were always a source of great excitement. Last Friday, that feeling came back, except we were the attraction! Graciella Juarez, assistant winemaker Ricardo’s oldest daughter, is exploring her interest in photography through a class at her high school. When the teacher suggested a field trip was an order to test the class’ new skills, Graciella told Ms. Calson that she might have just the right place…Hafner Vineyard! What an honor for us!

Read More...

Our little town of Healdsburg here in Sonoma County has turned into a mecca for wine lovers. It has much more to offer than just great wines. We want to share with you things to do in Healdsburg this Summer. There are shopping opportunities, scenic bicycle rides through Wine Country and plenty of live music!

Read More...

During Spring and Summer, friends often visit and ask about our favorite day trips in Sonoma County. There are many to choose from! Sonoma County is incredibly diverse, reaching from the Mayacamas Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. I frequently suggest an excursion to the coast because it is one of our favorites.

Read More...