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Sonoma Trip Report

Just back from a stunningly beautiful weekend in Sonoma. Who would have thought that a weekend in Feb would bring 70 degrees and sunny? Lodging: Stayed at The Lodge at Sonoma which is a Marriott Renaissance property. My first impression was that of a Hacienda. Lots of iron and bold colors with tile roof. The Lodge is right of the road into Sonoma and it definitely requires a drive to get to the square. The lobby is very nice lots of windows and french doors. The lobby bar shares a wall partition/fire place with the lobby. Both sides of ther fireplace have ample seating right in front of it. The lobby then opens onto a nice patio with steps down to the pool and jacuzzi. The cottages are beyond the pool. The lodge rooms are mostly in the main building surrounding the pool but the ones that don't face the pool face the parking lot that encircles the property and I must say the parking is quite close to the building so if you get a lodge room or a cottage that faces the parking lot you are close to the cars. The cootage rooms are nice and roomy with fireplaces. Rooms have coffe maker, bathrobes, a real hair drier, not bolted to the wall, and iron and ironing board. I must say that the beds were the best I have ever slept in at a hotel. The staff worked hard to make sure we always had everything we needed and helped with directions and information. The Lodge also has wine tasting (free) each day 4-6 or something like that includes cheese, crackers and fruit. Saw lots of business peiople and couples there and met some who were on a return trip as they had a good time before. I would stay there again. One drawback is that there is no door on the bath/shower portion of the bathroom so you will wake up anyone who is sleeping with your shower. Wineries: Ravenswood, B Cohn, Benzinger, Chateau St Jean and Kenwood. Ravenswood was great with a great staff, $4 to taste. Benzinger was beautiful and uncrowded this day but I imagine it can get very busy. Staff seemed too jaded like we were just wine tasting for the buzz. They have reserve tasting for a price. They have a great gift shop. Kenwood was crowded at the end of the day but had some of our favorite wines and the staff was really very good for the number of customers. Chateau St Jean has beautiful grounds. Tasting for 5 wines $5 and it was the only winery we didn't buy at. Not really any remarkable wines. Gift shop is huge and includes a deli. B Cohn small and unfriendly this day. The Olive Oil festival was going on this weekend so bought some oil at B Cohn and Chateau St Jean. Restaurants: Bella Luna for lunch. Beautiful afternoon so we ate outside. Enjoyed the angel har primavera with pesto. The green flecks of pesto also looked very good on my white sweater. First time a gin and tonic was cheaper than the wine! Others had spinach salad with apples, nuts and bleu cheese and chicken sandwich all reported yummy. Dinner at Della Santina. The mozarella on tomatoes with basil was to die for. This is one of my favs and I was not disappointed. Try the lemon tart for dessert. Class at Ramekins was very fun. The students are assigned a chef and then prepare that part of the meal. We were with the pastry chef and made the chocolate cake with the truffle center with caramel sauce. Yumm. Actually the whole dinner was very good and we get to keep the recipes. Also drove a very long way 1 Hour to Healdsburg for lunch on Sunday. Bear Republic brew pub and had a great time. Lots of food. Can't believe all the planning and now it's over.

Suzie: Thanks so much for a great report. We are going to Napa/Sonoma the end of April. Tell me more about Ramekins! It sounds fun. Sheli

Shelly, Ramekins is a cooking school and is right on Spain St close to the square. It's also associated with The General's Daughter reestuarant which, from the outside at night, was quite beautiful. We (4 of us)signed up ($75) for their dinner club cooking class. We were the only ones who had never been before but that was ok. You know when you register what the menu will be but we didn't know what the procedure was. We thought we'd have to prepare our own meal but what you do is spend time with 1 chef preparing a part of the meal. You can raise your hand to volunteer for a part or you can wait to be assigned. We didn't want to chop stuff so we jumped at the chance to work with the pastry chef on the dessert. Others worked on the appitizer (delish), the salad with corn bread croutons (delish), the main dish, and risotto. It was all yummy. Served with 2 glasses of wine. Good parts: No cleanup required by us, we were served dinner just like in a restaurant. Not as good parts: They said we'd make friends but we thought (the 4 of us) that many of the women there were cold, cold, cold. You can wander around to see what others were doing and ask questions. When others would ask us we would eagerly share what we learned but when we did that some of the women either stared at us or ignored us altogether. Whatever. No worries we had a great time anyway! Ramekins is also a b&b. The stairs going up to the rooms had aparagus tips for stair spindles and the front doors had large forks and spoons for handles . Very cute and clever. It was spacious, attractive and clean. In one night you learn so much, I'd love to do it again.

Aloha Suuuz, So, Della Santina's was nice, eh? It was excellent weather! I have the saddle sores from our first bike ride of the season to prove it! Looks like we will have to put The Lodge on our Sonoma list. Thx, Kal

Kal, Haven't stayed anywhere else in Sonoma but there were 4 of us gals (sisters) and we wanted 1 room. Hard to find a spot in romance country with 2 beds. If you go, make sure that if you get a lodge room that your room overlooks the pool and if you get a cottage get building 5. It's right outside the pool fence. Also make sure if you don't get building 5 that your room does not face the parking lot. The vegetation is brand new so there were lots of stick trees but also lots of sculpture around to take your mind off the new plantings. Della Santina's was fun. Thought that the room was it for seating and then they take us out the side door down the hall around the corner and thought they were going to open the back door and toss us out but there in the back is another room! The heaters were great that night. Good luck with the bike sores. Ride with the wind this weekend. Reread my original post, better slow down on typing my spelling was hilarious.

Suuuz, Kinda funny huh! Mrs Kal likes the restaurant since she's taller than most of the help! Reminds us a little of a restaurant in New Orleans with all the nooks and crannys. Once again, thx for the addtl info on The Lodge. Kal ps...Since the "coffee" thread was resurrected, did you see where R'Rock now has their liq. license? Hmmmm. Irish Coffees on Thurs. and Sat. mornings!

Kal, About RRock, what'd they pay for that license? Hear they are over the top in town! Hey, do you happen to know anything about that huge house on the corner of Napa just down from the restraurant. The street parking was really bad so we ended up down Napa Street and then parked around the corner in front of this beautiful home. It had a crows thing on the top and a big driveway. Had iron fence preventing access from the sidewalk. Was hoping it was a b & b but I don't think so. It's right next to that little creek. Cracked up at "taller than the wait staff" I was taller sitting down.

Suz, I think they may have finagled it by getting a brewers license??? If not, I hear they go for $250,000+ in Placer Co. Not aware of the house in Sonoma. Sounds funky. "Shetland waiters"...all kidding aside, they are good at what they do. Always had the water glass/coffee cups full. Killer bread.

Totally killer bread.

Hey Suzie, Did you avail yourselves of the spa at the Lodge at Sonoma? Can you use the spa facilities, mineral pool, sauna, etc., if you are a hotel guest? Did you eat at the Carneros restaurant? Thanks for any info!

Susan, No we did not use the Raindance Spa. Thought the prices were fairly high though that's not what kept us from it. The room had some bath salts from the spa and they were very nice. Did not eat at Carneros either. We had only two nights and did a hands on dinner at Ramekins one night and Della Santinas the other. The parking lot to Carneros was full both nights so it looked like it was popular.

Thanks for the reply, Suzie! I was thinking of the Carneros restaurant more for breakfast or brunch. We are dining at Della Santina's for dinner. I got a promotional deal with the Lodge for a cottage room and breakfast for two, either room service or in the restaurant, for $236 per night. I appreciate your detailed description of where the good rooms are and will be asking for a cottage room near the pool and upper level. Thanks again!

Susan, If you are getting a cottage room then you wouldn't be getting the rooms around the pool on the second floor. The second floor cottages near the pool would be fine but the view is much further away and outside the fence area. The cottages are in rows of 3, I believe with 4 rooms on the ground floor and 4 on the upper floor. It's alot like condos where you have three shared walls. One on the side one in back and one up or downstairs. We were fortunate in that we stayed in one of the few or the only one story so we shared a wall only with next door and behind. It's not like you can hear anyone though. My suggestion is that you make sure you get a room with an entry that does not face the parking lot. Our room rate on the weekend for 4 of us was quite a bit less. Are you going at a busy time? There are coupons in the magazines in town that advertise a rate of $179. Have fun. Post a report about Carneros and your stay. I'd love to hear what you thought.

Suzie, how did you get your hands on one of the wine country magazines before your trip? I shopped all the websites for the best rate, and the Lodge's website had the lowest, $219 for a cottage room. I opted for the extra $16 for the room service breakfast for two. I always like getting room service and it inevitably costs more than $16 for two. I also found out they sell rooms through priceline, but there'd be the risk of getting a lodge room instead. Any ideas on getting a better rate? By the way, it is Mother's Day weekend, don't know if it matters.

I saw the magazines pretty much where ever we went in Sonoma so it wasn't like I got that rate. While wine tasting I ran across the ad and gasped that the ad would have saved us money. My sisters then asked what we were paying and I said $10 more than the ad. They almost hit me for even mentioning it. Guess frequenting this site has made me a cheapskate!!! I'm wondering if the Chamber of commerce can send you the magazine. I wish I could remember the name of it for you. If I find it at home I'll post the name of it here. I'm sure you are paying because of the mother's day weekend. We went in late Feb.

Sue'spike, Ahhhh Della Santina's! Tomatos, mozzarella, basil.... Nonna's gnocchi w/ a langaippe of meatsauce and a Schugg red. And killer bread. Color us jealous! Kal

Thanks, Suzie! I'll contact chamber of commerce, good idea. Kal, you are making me hungry. Our numbers are growing, we've got a party of 13 now, including my two kids. I know I should make resys, but do you think Della Santina's is our best bet? I've got a request for Italian from my mom. What about Piatti?

That back room at Della Santina's would be great for a big group. Actually whan we went there was a big group babies included. Quite family oriented back there. The front area has the smaller tables. We have a Piatti in town and I always do love their food too!

13! You do have a res right? Della's is a bit small but I think they do have a larger room out around the side "courtyard". But if they know you're coming and you want to sit inside the main room, I wouldn't think it a prob...after all, with Italians, it all about il familia! Si? There is another Italian restaurant there but the name escapes me. I was really impressed w/ Yountville's Piatti's especially after disappointing meals/service at their Sacto and Roseville locations. As for the Sonoma location, never ate there but it looks nice. The food and the service in Y'ville Piatti's was above excellent. Just another perfect piece in a long anniv. weekend in SV/NV. We may need a Fodor's GTG in The Valley's! Kal

Suuuz...you type too fast!

Hey Kal, whattya mean you didn't have a good experience in R'ville Piatti? They make a great gin and tonic what more is there? No really, we've had wonderful experiences there, though lately ya can't get in!!!!

Suuuz, Guess if at first I don't succeed, I shall try, try again! Plus I thought this was the place that tried to screw their employees out of some wages last year. Kal doesn't like that! We did have a decent lunch there last Aug. but too many flies in the restaurant (?) and the service was spotty and it was at the end of the lunch crowd so it wasn't very crowded. If the weather stays like this thru the weekend, we may just take a flier down to Yountville and hit Bouchon's for a few platter's o' oysters or over to Sonoma for a bit o' Della's. Plus I'm dying for some Cakebread Chardy, Carneros Creek Pinot and Noah Merlot! Speaking of local Italian, ever try Granite Rock (Granito Piedra) in GB? We haven't been there in over 2 yrs. Ciao bella (gettin' ready to return to Italy in 2003), "Kalucci"

Kalucci, We rarely get beyond Dos or Chevy's. Only the rare special occassion w/o kids so it'd be off to Slocum, Alexanders or La Boheme. Hey ever been to the Hukilau Island Grill in Sactown?

Suuuuz, It's on our list. I rode the bike by it Sunday while Mrs K was doing the 10 mile MS Walk in Sacto. (Met some new, interesting "friends" at the Java City on Cap & 18th during a coffee break. Like the space bar scene in Star Wars). Since today is the 28th anniv. of our first "date" (ie "met" at a party here in R'ville) this may be a place to go for a belated anniv. dinner? Bro in law's been there and liked it...You? Kal ps...Who am I kiddin'? We'll prob wind up at R'Table for pizza and beer!

OOOOOOOOO Which round table? Try the mama zelas. I must work on gettin a life. Gotta go. kids are gettin out and dh is workin nights. It's 2 against 1 tonite.

Zella's rules! But the Roastadoro is deadly!!! We hit the Brickyard if it's not packed full of LLeague, soccer or softball people. Maybe Zorro's in Loomis. Good luck 2nite. Kal

Sue and Kal Instead of wasting time for the rest of us, why don't you exchange email addresses.

Bored, Hahaha. Sorry. We do go on. But, as a tip, when I see a thread that doesn't interest me, I don't open it. And if there is a thread I open, and I see a mssg from some one who bores me, I don't read it. But, once again, sorry man. Guess the low blood sugar was kickin' in. If you drop me a line, I can send you a personal apology. Kal

Sorry Bored. As Kal says we do so get carried away. I'll try to restrain myself more today. After all this travel business is a serious matter.

Have to agree with Bored. Find yourself a chat room ladies and spare the rest us of your drivel.

Guys, Guys, Guys, they both appologized. What do you want, blood? Geez this is old news. There's nothing going on now, why are you dredging this up today? Back to work, nothing to see.

So I was lead to this rather old thread with my search for "olive Festival". At the risk of being abused for being boring....... I wondered if anyone was still out there who could speak to the Sonoma area olive festival? This has the ring of a 'paper only promotion' to draw tourists during the slow season. Anything worth doing that can't be done another time of the year?