Gentlemen, start your instruments

Is there enough sidewalk to go around in downtown Santa Rosa for a couple dozen street performers? We may soon find out. At least 21 musicians and performers recently received free permits to perform for tips on city streets. A new law went into effect to lighten up on the restrictive noise ordinance.

There are conditions, of course. The sound they make can't be heard 50 feet away, they must be at least five feet from the door of an open business, and performance times are limited to 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays, slightly later on weekend nights.

For number and variety of street performers, Santa Rosa is no San Francisco. But it's a step in the right direction to coax more people downtown to shop, dine and enjoy a bit of free street entertainment too.

New stores, old mannequin

For me, a trip to Sonoma isn't complete without saying hello to the ages-old mannequin in the vintage ticket booth in the lobby of the Sebastiani Theater on the east side of the Plaza. She's a little rough around the edges (literally... check out that nose, and those lips!) and her best days are definitely behind her. I suspect she was dropped a time or two in her former life as a department store model. Some might say she's even a tad creepy. Nonetheless, she's always there to greet moviegoers ("The King's Speech" was playing inside), and sporting the occasional fashion update. On my last visit she was wearing these jaunty new specs and looking quite regal.

During my stroll around the Plaza, I uncovered a new store called Kingston Ellis. It opened late last year before the holidays, and is doing a brisk business in collectibles, gifts, home decor, jewelry, clothing, ribbons, and interesting odds and ends. The color scheme is black, white, and ivory (or cream?). Apparently there is no Kingston and no Ellis –– the owner just likes the sound of the names together.

Kingston Ellis occupies what used to be the humor and costume store called Laughing Queen, where I could always count on finding dirty greeting cards and other goofy items, and have a smile on my face the whole time I browsed. Laughing Queen called it quits after many years and the new shop opened soon after.

Claypot cooking enthusiasts, take note. On the west side of the Plaza is bram, devoted to claypot vessels. Stop by to admire the beautiful craftsmanship of the pots and learn how to use them in your kitchen.

She shakes! She bakes!

Mary Jo gets ready to bake bread

One of the "little" people who keep Napa Valley on the forefront of greatness is Mary Jo Geitner. She represents Trinchero Family Estates, probably most famous for marketing White Zinfandel to the world in the 1980s. But don't hold that against them. The company also has an impressive stable of high-end labels, some in Napa Valley and some elsewhere.

Sutter Home Victorian Inn south of St. Helena

Mary Jo bakes lots of goodies and greets visitors at the company's Sutter Home Victorian Inn, south of St. Helena on Highway 29 in Napa Valley. No, sorry, you can't rent the property for your wedding, and you can't check in like a regular visitor just passing through. The inn is exclusively for invited guests, most working in the wine industry. But you can still stop and smell the roses in the garden (or the other flora flourishing there). And if you follow the link below, you can prepare one of the many luscious recipes Mary Jo whips up for breakfast for the inn's guests.

Read about Mary Jo and the Sutter Home Victorian Inn in my article that appeared on Christmas Eve in the Napa Valley Register: http://napavalleyregister.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/wine/article_2750140c-0eff-11e0-ae52-001cc4c002e0.html

Abbey Road zebra crossing now protected

Beatles fans who make the pilgrimage to Abbey Road in London treasure photos such as this –– marching like the mop-tops across the zebra crossing that's kitty-corner from the recording studio. My husband and I dodged mid-day traffic, of which there is a surprising amount, to get this photo.

On the "Abbey Road" album cover the street appears quiet. Perhaps it really was a sleepy residential lane in 1969, when the Fab Four posed for the iconic photograph. (The studio is to the left, behind the low white wall.) But today Abbey Road is busy, busy, busy with buses, taxis, and lorries. Yet most drivers are patient, allowing throngs of goofy acting tourists to pause the flow of commerce briefly for their once-in-a-lifetime photo or video.

Now the British government has "protected" the zebra crossing for its cultural and historical importance. Abbey Road Studios, itself now "listed" by the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport, put in the request to include the zebra crossing, and it was granted this week. The crossing has been given a Grade II listing, the most common protected status, meaning that a building or monument is recognized as nationally important and of special interest. The crossing "can be altered but only with the approval of the local authorities, which would make a decision based on the site's historic significance, function and condition," according to news reports.

See how popular the crossing is at www.abbeyroad.com/visit/ –– it's fascinating to watch all the commotion, and includes audio. Mind the time difference.

Where, oh where, can she be?

She's massive, the "Wine Goddess," watching over the parking lot of a winery tasting room. The work of junk artist Patrick Amiot of Sebastopol, she's festooned with old hubcaps and other salvage yard treasures, and wine barrels are stacked inside her revealing dress. Can you guess where she lives in Sonoma County? Hint: It's not Sebastopol, where much of Patrick's work can be seen up and down the residential Florence Avenue (a great walking tour, by the way). No, the goddess looms large in another Wine Country town.

Volunteer orchestra is a Sonoma County treasure

One of Sonoma County's non-wine-related treasures is the American Philharmonic orchestra, an all-volunteer ensemble of 75 talented professional musicians who can give any paid orchestra a run for its money. The group had humble beginnings, first performing in La Plaza Park in Cotati (and then known as the Cotati Philharmonic), more than a decade ago. Today their shows take place at Wells Fargo Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa, a big step up in size and class.

Called "An American Portrait," last night's performance focused on several American composers. That explains the clever reworking of the iconic Grant Wood painting "American Gothic," shown above, which appeared on the program's cover. But I was there mostly for Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F. I'd seen it performed live only once before –– by the London Symphony Orchestra with Andre Previn at the keyboard –– and more years ago than I care to cop to. I have at least three recordings of the concerto on vinyl and CD (that I can lay my hands on quickly), and possibly more stashed in boxes somewhere, by different orchestras, including the Previn version. At last night's concert, our homegrown orchestra nailed this difficult piece of music with aplomb, featuring Marilyn Thompson on the piano. She has oodles of credentials, and is currently on the faculty at Sonoma State University.

One of the best parts about attending these American Philharmonic concerts is the cost: $0. Technically there is no charge to sit and enjoy the music, and you can show your support by applause only. But they do appreciate donations, and in fact remind you several times during the evening to give what you can. It's not for the musicians –– they play for nothing. But renting the Wells Fargo Center is expensive ($18,000 for the Saturday evening performance and a Sunday matinee) and to pay the bills the orchestra depends on wads of paper money being stuffed into those fishbowls in the lobby as you enter and exit the venue.

The orchestra is so good they've been invited to play eight concerts in China, on a tour that begins right after Christmas. To learn more about the orchestra, visit www.apsonoma.org.

Fresh back from "Fresh": It's a keeper

I just enjoyed a terrific meal for the first time –– and certainly not the last –– at Lisa Hemenway's new venture "Fresh" in Santa Rosa. The name says it all. Open only a month, Fresh keeps the menu simple and offers whatever you need to take-away as well. There's a small sit-down restaurant in the center of the "market," with a wine bar along one side and extra tables near the bakery display. (And when the weather is agreeable, tables on the patio.) Surrounding all that is fresh produce, meats, cheeses, and baked goods. One aisle is all beverages, wine, microbrews, juices. In the back is a pizza oven that was getting a good workout during my visit. When you first walk in the door there's an assortment of gift items –– what I generally refer to as "girly" stuff –– such as bath products, candles, and so forth. But the remainder of the space is devoted to food.

I can recommend the pancetta and onion quiche, one of the best quiches I've ever had, accompanied by a generous side of crisp salad greens. Others in my party of 10 were equally excited about their turkey paninis (with the same side salad), and the curry chicken salad was also luscious. There were nice touches on every plate, from the finely sliced radish and olive garnish to the twisted toothpicks on the sandwiches. But the pizza fans at my table were disappointed –– their two thin-crust pies were delivered barely warm. Our waiter was pleasant and hard working, and even enthusiastic about producing separate checks.

If you visit, be sure to buy a dessert to go –– cookies, cakes, the marshmallow "thingy" pictured here, something called a mocha roll, or one of the butter horn pastries, with huge whole strawberries on top.

Lisa Hemenway has a long, successful history in the restaurant and catering business, primarily here in Sonoma County. Fresh looks like another winner.

Could these vines be evil?

I read this week that NBC has purchased a script called "Vines" about a vineyard in Napa Valley possessed with "mystical powers," and the trials and tribulations of the family that buys the "ancient" vines. Hmmm. Well, I guess that's one approach to spotlight Napa Valley on prime-time TV. NBC confirms that it did indeed buy the script but it may or may not develop it into a full-blown evening soap opera. First they have to make the pilot, and if it gets that far, then they have to find a slot for it. It's penciled in for a fall 2011 debut.

Hollywood has come calling here many times before, mostly for feature films, but only one TV series that I can remember has actually been based in Wine Country for the purpose of dramatizing the saga of a vineyard-owning family: "Falcon Crest," which originally aired on CBS during the 1980s and has come back around on syndication a time or two since. Perhaps if "Vines" becomes a hit, it can help us forget that earlier show.

Blimey! Tony Blair visits Sonoma County

Tony Blair, the former prime minister of Great Britain, was in Sonoma County yesterday. Surrounded by agents from the Secret Service and Scotland Yard, Tony made a quick swing through the small town of Graton for a private event to dedicate a solar energy project at Sonoma Wine Company, the town's major employer. Tony was at the facility to see for himself how their large-scale solar generation project works. Sonoma Wine Company performs custom grape crushing for many wineries and also produces its own labels, and the facility uses a lot of energy. Tony has a personal interest in the solar project's success, as he is now a senior advisor to the Silicon Valley-based venture fund that made it possible.

"Upscale-downscale" dining: street food

Street food in Wine Country is definitely hitting its stride. Blame it on –– or credit it to –– the Great Recession, along with the shifting demographics of our visitors. Today's tourists are looking for bargains, a change of pace from French or Italian restaurant fare, and a quick yet satisfying way to chow down exceptional "fast food" and then be on their way. Gone are the days of the "roach coach" and the "ptomaine truck" –– with persons of questionable hygiene behind the wheel and bad bacteria percolating on the food prep surfaces.

America was slow to pick up on the high-end street food phenomenon, as we've been reminded countless times by globe-trotting chef Anthony Bourdain on his TV show. But mobile food vendors are now popping up in greater numbers in California, in the southland and up here where I live.

"Meals on wheels" has taken on a whole new meaning in Wine Country. The trucks of yesteryear offered Mexican food or prepackaged fare akin to the dreck still found in airport vending machines. Today's mobile menu goes far beyond tacos, burritos, and hot dogs. Street food is now varied, delicious, and oh-so fresh. It's also safe to eat, with mobile practitioners of the culinary arts subject to food inspections similar to those required at brick-and-mortar restaurants.

Here are some mobile food vendors to check out if you're in the area. You can usually find out when and where they will be located by texting, tweeting, or visiting their Facebook pages. In Napa, look for the Mark's the Spot truck for sliders, fried chicken, and more. Phat Salads and Wraps, also in Napa, keeps it simple: breakfast and lunch wraps ranging from chicken to steak. Crossroad Chicken near the Napa Airport is serving pulled pork sandwiches and chili. Dim Sum Charlie's sets up near the Oxbow Market in Napa, offering a wide assortment of the tasty dumplings. In Sonoma County, sink your teeth into Taste of a Gyro in the town of Sonoma; Fork Catering in various locations in Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, and Occidental, offering burgers and salads; Chicago Style Hot Dogs in downtown Santa Rosa for a wine-soaked Pinot Dog; and the Street Eatz mobile kitchen for Mexican favorites and more.

The weather and the winegrape crop

I don't usually write about crop yields, tonnage, brix readings, and those other technical things involved in growing and harvesting premium winegrapes. But for you wine wonks who want to hear a bit about the 2010 vintage in Napa Valley, I received a press release today from the Napa Valley Vintners association that puts a huge happy face on the harvest and our "unusual growing season." That's one way to spin it.

Even though the farmers admit it's been a crappy weather year (and I'm reading between the lines here), one grapegrower quipped, "This year was the year of the tiger...we had to be on our paws or claws." The board president of the NV grapegrowers group summed it up in this optimistic fashion: "In the Napa Valley, we have the best vineyard managers and the best field crews in the world –– they know what to do and they can handle anything."

Still, tonnage is down in some Napa Valley vineyards by nearly 20%, which is also the case in Sonoma County. We had an early rain over the region two days ago, and more sprinkles and clouds are expected this weekend. There are still many grapes to be picked, and those are not great conditions for bringing in the crop. Crews are working 24/7 to try to beat the precipitation, and nobody in the biz is getting much sleep this week (or last week, for that matter.... or the week before that).

Yet they're a cheery bunch, those farmers and winemakers. The NVV board president put it this way: "Every winemaker I've talked to is thrilled with what they are tasting in the initial stages." So the yield is down, but the quality of the berries being nibbled straight off the vine sounds pretty good.

Just a few miles away

Let's take a short drive south to San Francisco, shall we? The fabulous Blue Angels were astonishing the masses in The City over the weekend. Though I was not fast enough or close enough to capture most of their aerobatics on camera, I did watch from Twin Peaks, high over the city by the bay, and snapped this bicyclist taking his own picture of the remarkable view below us. All the while the Blue Angels were zipping to and fro, skimming the waters of the bay and buzzing the Golden Gate Bridge, but they didn't make it into this particular image.

And while we're in San Francisco, let's visit the Ferry Building, which just picked up an award for "Great Places in America –– Public Spaces of 2010," bestowed by the American Planning Association. One of only 10 public spaces given the honor, the Ferry Building is part of the APA's list of 30 Great Places, which also includes 10 winners in the Great Neighborhoods category and 10 in the Great Streets category.

The Slanted Door at the Ferry Building

But back to the Ferry Building: It is, indeed, one of the great spots to watch the world come and go, and to enjoy some fabulous food, too. At the peak of its use in the 1930s, 50,000 people passed through the Ferry Building each weekday to traverse the waters of the bay, a figure trumped only by Charing Cross Station in London at the time (and this was before the Oakland Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge were opened). Later, a bad decision to build a freeway practically on top of the Ferry Building –– and some unfortunate interior design choices –– kept the building in a sad state for several decades. Underappreciated and taken for granted, it continued to languish and deteriorate. Then in 1989, when the Loma Preita earthquake shook up San Francisco, that ugly and pointless Embarcadero freeway sustained enough damage to be demolished, and the Ferry Building could actually breathe again –– and be seen, too. And what a sight it is.

Cowgirl Creamery

Though it took a few years of planning to get the renovation underway and subsidized, the Ferry Building reopened in 2003 not only as a terminal for more than 10,000 commuters arriving and departing on ferries each day, but with a year-round Farmers Market, restaurants (The Slanted Door, for instance), a wine store, gourmet shops (such as Cowgirl Creamery), and specialty grocers.

Any trip to Wine Country should include a day or two in San Francisco (and if you've flown into SFO, it usually does). When you visit, make time to explore the Ferry Building.

All the colors of the rainbow at Farmers Market

One of the best shows in Santa Rosa, which happens every Saturday morning year-round (and Wednesday mornings, too), is the Farmers Market at the Veterans Building near the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. Sure, there are plenty of vegetables and fruits, and this time of year the color red seems to dominate (tomatoes, peppers, peaches, you name it). But there are also artisanal cheeses; breads of all sizes and types; jams and jellies; organic coffee brewed to order; a farmstand devoted entirely to fungus, with culinary mushrooms of every shape and flavor; a huge assortment of seafood and meats; bucket after bucket of fresh flowers; pottery, jewelry, and other handcrafted art; live, upbeat music; and food vendors (try the wild baby octopus souvlaki by Bobby the Greek, if you're up to it before noon).

The Market is a wonderful way to help support our local farmers, and their just-picked veggies and fruits sure beat the heck out of the bland not-so-fresh stuff offered at the corporate supermarkets.

Locals know all about this market, but visitors and vacationers to the area should check it out, too. Start your day at the market before heading out for sightseeing and wine-sipping. It's a people-watching and people-meeting bonanza, and there's plenty of free parking as well. Bring along at least one sturdy shopping bag –– you'll be glad you did.

And speaking of the harvest....

A good time can always be expected at the annual Sonoma County Harvest Fair, where the wine tasting event is a must, and worth the extra few bucks. Nowhere else can you get tastes all in one place of some of the most sought-after and small production wines from Sonoma County's many wine appellations, all distinctly different.

Table after table of wine producers –– small, medium, and large –– generously pour their finest. Sample some of the best wine found anywhere (small bites of food, too), and receive a free logo glass that you wouldn't be ashamed to use again at home among friends. Take it from me –– I have a whole cabinet full of them collected down through the years.

This year, Alexander Valley hit the jackpot in the wine judging, with all three sweepstakes-winning wines emanating from that region. The tables for Alexander Valley Vineyards, Stryker Winery, and Simi Winery were popular with the tasters, who may not have another chance to try or buy the 2007 Estate Viognier, 2006 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2007 Late Harvest Riesling produced by these wineries.

Outside the wine tasting arena, the fair features exhibits, vendors, and creative displays using pumpkins, dried corn, and assorted other autumn-inspired crafts. And don't forget the wine barrel stomp, a competition open to anyone in the world, not just locals. It's too late to sign up for the 2010 fair (the last stomp took place this afternoon), but there's always next year! Plan accordingly to participate or watch.

Who knew? Film's special sounds came from Wine Country

It's not unusual for movies to be filmed in Wine Country –– there have been numerous popular and beloved films shot here over the years in various locations (read all about it on page 197 in my book), and another going on right now in Guerneville (called "Lawless," starring Ted Levine and Justine Bateman). But with the release of "Toy Story 3" this summer, the region was captured in a whole new way: the cacophony of recycling.

Skywalker Sound, one of those many divisions of the Bay Area-based movie-making empire run by George Lucas, worked with the animated film's creator, Pixar Studios, to record the sounds of tractors, recycling sorting lines, and recycling trucks unloading their payloads for use in key scenes in the film. Those sounds were captured in Santa Rosa at the Materials Recovery Facility operated by Redwood Empire Disposal. Skywalker's sound technicians spent a day here in Santa Rosa with their high-tech microphones to stockpile the hubbub of trucks raising and lowering their hydraulic arms, collecting and dumping assorted loads of recycled materials, and just driving around.

Besides using those various sounds for this particular film, Skywalker Sound files them away into a giant sound library to be distorted and combined with other sounds for use in future films. The trash company agreed to forgo financial compensation from Pixar in exchange for depicting the film's animated garbage and recycling trucks in the colors of the company's fleet: green and white.

I'll never look at my neighborhood garbage truck the same way again.

Note: Toy Story 3 is out on DVD in early November.