Sonoma Holidays

During our vacation in California, I drove back to Sonoma from Sunnyvale. As I drove up into the southern end of the valley, there was this huge rainbow sitting right over the city of Sonoma...

So I decided to drive right up into town to the plaza and take some photos. Here's City Hall and the historic Sebastiani Theater and "Mission Hardware" buildings...



These sit on the plaza along with its cozy shops, and all its history, tied up with some of mine.

Here's the Sonoma Hotel, which has always been one of my favorite buildings in town. It has a gorgeous Victorian lobby, warm and cozy with lots of wood and velvet and glowing chandeliers. It also houses The Girl and the Fig restaurant. Note the door on the side of the building, second floor, that leads out to...well...a long way down. I love that door...


Then there's the Mission San Francisco Solano, of course. The northernmost Franciscan Mission, it also now has a memorial to the Native Americans who helped build and sustain it, and who are buried beneath it and the streets beside and behind it. When I first moved to Sonoma in 1984, I joined the Historical Society, and this was their goal at that time, to memorialize these forgotten contributors to Sonoma's history. The fact that they were buried beneath the street and the courtyards trod upon by so many tourists, with no memorial, no mention of their existence, was disrespectful and shameful. Especially since there were detailed records of all the burials in the Mission archives. You would not believe the opposition to this memorial!! From all directions, the powerful conservative arm of the community, the city, the state. Seems to me by that point it was more out of a desire to sweep their own shame under the rug, than admit the dishonor and correct it. In any case, it took until 1999 - that's fifteen years, peoples - for this memorial to be installed. Much better late than never, imho...

As always, click the photo for a larger view to read the inscription...


On a lighter note, here's a shot of Mary's Pizza Shack, where Kevin and I have shared many a delicious meal and lots of laughter and fun with family and friends.


Sonoma Plaza is full of all sorts of disarmingly pretty nooks and crannies, including this one. A little alley leading to an old courtyard that's been turned into shops, offices and restaurants surrounding the historic little Vasquez House, which is a historic landmark with a tearoom. The alley tunnels through a historic stone building, and that passageway has been lighted with chandeliers and painted with fields of golden poppies.




And of course, some more of our favorite little shops and historic buildings, including The Chocolate Cow, with its fabulous homemade candies, ice creams, gellatos, and shave ice...

And then there's this new addition...Ben & Jerry's!!...OH yeah!

Sign of the Bear, a wonderful kitchenware and table linen store. Sign of the Bear happens to be housed in the historic Ruggles building where I used to work for Dan Ruggles way back when the southern portion of the building was home to Ruggles Music & Art.

Kaboodle, which is a sort of "overstuffed" aesthetic you just have to experience to understand...

Another view of the west side of the Plaza...

The old Feed Store building is another old Sonoma fixture. It's also the site of a wee memory of mine. I was passing the old Feed Store at about 7 AM one morning years ago and who should turn the corner in front of me but Robin Williams, who lived in Glen Ellen at the time. I must've had a stunned look on my face, because he appeared to actually blush as he shoved his hands in his peacoat pockets, twinkled his bright blue eyes, and grinned at me in bemused greeting...

Anywho, that's a little trip around Sonoma Plaza, in glimpses of how I see it, for anyone who cares to look.

Next up, Glen Ellen and one of my favorite spots on the planet, Jack London State Historic Park.

Aloha!