Redefining “senior moment” with the Sonoma Wine Country Senior Games

Photo credit: Council on Aging

There is something about viewing an athletic competition live, being there to see your favorite sports stars experience the ecstasy of victory or agony of defeat. For example, I watched the recent Amgen Tour of California start on the streets of Santa Rosa, and loved the roar of the crowd, the rim-to-rim duels between cyclists, and the excitement of rooting for Levi Leipheimer (like thousands of other Santa Rosans), who competed despite his injury.

Now that the Amgen Tour fervor has subsided, what’s next on the agenda for the local sports scene? It turns out the next set of athletes will grace the pools, playing fields, streets, and courts of Sonoma County, and will be a set of seriously competitive seniors.

May 31 through June 10, more than a thousand over-50 athletes will ride, swim, run, swing, dribble, spike, and bat their way to medals in the 2nd annual Sonoma Wine Country Senior Games as they vie for their own moment in the sports spotlight. I can already smell the sunblock, hear the cheers, and even imagine the comradely “trash talking” that accompanies any heated sports battle, no matter what the age of the athletes waging them.

Photo credit: Council on Aging

According to Amy Crabb, development manager for the Council on Aging, the sponsor of the games, athletes are coming from all over Northern California to compete. Some are former national-level competitors, and others are recreational athletes who just love the thrill of participating. Anyone turning 50 this year is eligible to participate. And there will be competitors at both ends of the age spectrum, including a swimmer in his 90s from San Francisco and a local tennis player who is also a nonagenarian.

The games take place at various venues in Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, Windsor, Rohnert Park and Cloverdale. Individual sports run the gamut from cycling and swimming to golf and tennis, and team sports include basketball, bocce ball, softball, soccer and volleyball. Mixed in are some light-hearted, but spirited bouts of square dancing, pickleball (a simple paddle game using a slow-moving ball on a badminton-sized court), and social walking.

It’s too late to compete (registration ended May 20), but you can still go and applaud the efforts of these ambitious athletes who are taking full advantage of Sonoma County’s wellness lifestyle and opportunities for indoor and outdoor recreation.

In Santa Rosa, you can view the following events, starting at 9 a.m. (unless otherwise noted):

• June 1 and 2: Bocce ball at Juilliard Park, 227 Santa Rosa Avenue
• June 3: Tennis at Santa Rosa High School, 1235 Mendocino Avenue
• June 8: Square dancing at Spring Lake Village, 5555 Montgomery Drive (7 to 10 p.m.)
• June 9: Swimming at Santa Rosa Junior College (Quinn Swim Center), 1501 Mendocino Avenue
• June 9: Basketball at Santa Rosa Junior College (Haehl Pavilion), 1501 Mendocino Avenue
• June 9: Square dancing at Spring Lake Village, 5555 Montgomery Drive (9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.)
• June 9 and 10: Soccer at Trione Fields, 440 Old Redwood Highway

For a complete list of sports activities, go to: www.winecountrygames.com/Senior%20Games%20Schedule.htm.

If you are coming into Santa Rosa as a competitor or spectator, you can book a room, as availability permits, for a special rate at Flamingo Conference Resort and Spa (premier host hotel and site of the games’ “athletic village”), or Hilton Sonoma Wine Country (if you make your reservation before May 26). Make sure to mention the 2012 Senior Games when booking.

As a spectator, you may not witness an Olympic-caliber moment, but you’re guaranteed a chance to share the beauty of athletic achievement at any age.

Tags: Santa Rosa outdoor recreation, Santa Rosa Senior Games, Santa Rosa Senior Olympics, Santa Rosa sports, Senior Games, Sonoma County outdoor recreation, Sonoma County Senior Games, Sonoma County Senior Olympics, Sonoma County sports, Sonoma Wine Country Senior Games, Wine Country Senior Games

Tips for viewing the Amgen Tour of California start in Santa Rosa

Huge start, big finish for Amgen Tour of California in Santa Rosa

Amgen Tour of California starts in downtown Santa Rosa on May 13

In case you live off the grid and haven’t heard, cycling mania is about to hit Santa Rosa in a big way. The 2012 Amgen Tour of California kicks off May 13, with more than 35,000 spectators expected to visit our part of Wine Country to see the first stage of this prestigious cycling race.

These riders will sweat it out tire-to-tire on a grueling, five-hour road race that covers the arduous, but gorgeous terrain of Sonoma County consisting of thigh-burning mountainous regions, the redwood-canopied Russian River area and the rugged Sonoma County coastline.

Downtown Santa Rosa – spectator central
I learned from past years watching this fun event that it helps to scope out vantage points early because spectators will line the streets, perch in trees (not recommended!), and peer from rooftops, windows and parking garages. It’s an opportunity to see world-class cyclists in action – like previous Tour of California winner Levi Leipheimer, who calls Santa Rosa home.

The fever-pitched race will begin with two neutral laps through the heart of downtown, starting at 10:50 a.m. at Santa Rosa Avenue and Third Street, giving onlookers a thrill before the cyclists head out on their 116-mile quest through Sonoma County. Around 3:49 p.m. (yep, they’re that exact), riders are expected back downtown to hit the breakaway mile, ending in a flurry at Santa Rosa Avenue and Third Street. Expect throngs of people, wild cheers, flashing cameras and a blur of spandex as each rider sprints toward the finish line.

As many times as I’ve cheered for the peloton (for those who don’t know, that’s the pack of riders), it’s still difficult to find words that do justice to how exciting this is. You just have to be there!

Also on race day, swarming crowds will descend upon downtown to enjoy the Amgen Tour of California’s Lifestyle Festival. The all-day bash includes something for everyone: inflatables for kids, a health and fitness expo, an extreme bicycle jump demo by professional rider Andrew Taylor and friends, local food vendors, music throughout the day, snow cones, a beer garden for thirsty adults, race video, an awards ceremony, and too much more to list.

A Kickoff concert, Santa Rosa Soiree, and a cycling charity event
Be part of the hoopla a few days prior, at the free Amgen Tour of California Kickoff Concert at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 10, at Courthouse Square. Critically acclaimed singer/songwriter/musician Carrie Rodriguez will entertain the crowd, along with opening act, The Whiskey Thieves.

Then, Friday, May 11, get dressed up and rub elbows with the professional cyclists by attending the Santa Rosa Soiree at Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards of Windsor. It’s an opportunity to meet the cycling teams, enjoy dinner on a vineyard terrace, dance at a D.J. after-party, and much more. Tickets are limited. Information is available at www.santarosa2012.com.

Saturday May 12, riders of all levels can test their cycling mojo in the Life Time GranFondo California with options of 15-, 31- or 62-mile rides that begin and end at the rustic Cloverleaf Ranch in Santa Rosa. For more information, including registration, visit www.ltgranfondo.com.

Where to stay
If you’re a cycling enthusiast, or simply want to be part of the mix, you may want to make a getaway of it. Santa Rosa has lots of great places to stay overnight, but rooms go fast during this event. To find Santa Rosa hotels, please visit www.visitsantarosa.com/hotels/.

For complete information about the Amgen Tour of California’s stage one in Santa Rosa, please visit www.santarosa2012.com.

Tags: Amgen Tour, Amgen Tour in Santa Rosa, Amgen Tour of California, Bicycling in Santa Rosa, Cycling events in Santa Rosa, Cycling in Santa Rosa, Events in Santa Rosa, Levi Leipheimer, Santa Rosa hotels, Santa Rosa lodging, Things to do in Santa Rosa in May

Portobello Hats: Santa Rosa’s downtown millinery stocks vintage and high-fashion hats

“I myself have 12 hats, and each one represents a different personality.” –Margaret Atwood

When I walked into Portobello Hats in downtown Santa Rosa, I could immediately understand how hats can help you feel more glamorous, charming or even mysterious. Looking down at the tremendous selection of men’s and women’s hats at Portobello are many photos of celebrities whose signature headgear helps make them seem larger than life.

At Portobello, I couldn’t resist trying on a few bucket hats, bonnets and berets in my search for an alternative persona. Who knows what star of the silver screen I might resemble? Before I knew it, I saw in my reflection a dash more panache.

“Ingrid Bergman and Audrey Hepburn wore hats beautifully,” mused Jennifer Webley, owner of Portobello Hats, while explaining her customers’ fascination with classic chapeaus. “And of course, so did Jackie Kennedy, with her ‘pillboxes.’”

Webley can also name many male role models from days gone by who inspire men to try a fedora or trilby on for size. “They’ll visualize Fred Astaire and Cary Grant, who were very debonair, or Humphrey Bogart and Frank Sinatra, who had very strong personalities and were filled with gusto,” said Webley. “All of these celebrities had a certain something that captured people’s imagination.”

For those a bit younger, Johnny Depp, Robert Downey Jr., Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kate Middleton might be more recognizable as fashion icons who seem quite at home sporting headgear as part of their ensemble.

Or if your taste runs to the more avant-garde, Lady Gaga might inspire imitation, with her amusing, if somewhat bizarre choice of toppers that have included a telephone, lampshade, and even a lobster.

“The hats Lady Gaga wears are so outrageous, most people couldn’t pull them off,” said Webley. “You’d really need to have the whole outfit, not just the hat. But she is one of the ones ‘leading the charge.’”

I think someday Lady Gaga’s “crustacean crown” may be as popular as Jackie O’s pillboxes, and we’ll all be looking in the mirror admiring how great we look with sea creatures on our heads.

If you’re “crafty” and eager to express your individuality with a hand-made hat, check out Portobello’s hat-making classes. One of the classes coming up soon includes a cocktail hat class on Saturday, May 12, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Reservations are encouraged, and there is a class fee of $85, which includes the materials for making your hat. A schedule of classes is available at www.portobellohats.com/news.html.

Watch for a blog on all the wonderful craft-making classes offered by shops in Santa Rosa, including Portobello. If you’re traveling to Santa Rosa to enjoy one of these fun classes, you can find great accommodations at www.visitsantarosa.com/hotels.

If you go:

Portobello Hats is located at 311 D Street. Store hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

Tags: Portobello Hats Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa hat shop, Santa Rosa hat-making classes, Santa Rosa millinery

Traveler to Santa Rosa gives her best tip for visiting Wine Country

First-time visitor Jocelyn Hockman talks about cycling and dining in Santa Rosa, CA, including her best tip for newcomers!

Follow the Santa Rosa Wine Trail starting with Carol Shelton Wines

A collection of nine zealous wineries comprise the Santa Rosa Wine Trail – in and around northern Santa Rosa. They map a trail that leads visitors to both urban and pastoral wineries, whose tasting rooms welcome visitors with open arms and full-bodied wines.

This week, we’re highlighting Carol Shelton Wines. We asked Mitch Mackenzie, General Manager of Carol Shelton Wines (and Carol’s husband), for the scoop:

Photo credit: Carol Shelton Wines

The Zin master
The “Zen of Zin” – the craft of creating spicy and spirited Zinfandel – is Carol’s specialty. “When Carol talks about Zin, she says it’s her favorite varietal because it doesn’t have any French equivalents,” says Mitch. “For example, Cabernet or Pinot Noir derive from French equivalents. However, Zinfandel is a distinctly American grape. It’s very rare that it’s grown anywhere else. It grows best here – Carol likes it for that reason – as she can make her own mark on it.”

“Carol also likes that it’s a very flexible fruit,” Mitch pointed out. “Often, Zinfandel is used to make other wines, such as rosés and ports.”

The nose knows
When Carol was a child, her mother played a game with her to identify the scents of herbs and spices. Her highly developed sense of smell and keen palate now serve her well, as a winemaker. She has become one of the “best tasters in the business,” according to Mitch. Frequently, other vintners call upon Carol to critique their wines.

To be, or not to be, an urban winery
While setting out to fulfill their dream of building a winery, Carol and Mitch found that fees to build a winery in a pastoral setting were high – a primary reason so many wineries have decided to set up shop in an urban setting. They ultimately chose Santa Rosa as their location, because the city was very inviting, and made it easy to build a production facility.

Being located in Santa Rosa has great benefits. When visitors are here for events (like Wine Road’s Barrel Tasting), they often lodge in Santa Rosa. As a result, visitors frequently start or end their wine tasting at Carol Shelton Wines, because it’s conveniently located in town.

Some serious love behind these wines
Mitch affectionately describes how Carol is the heart and soul behind their operation. He says, “This isn’t a business for Carol; it’s a serious part of her heart. She’s dedicated to what she’s doing. Every one of our wines is her ‘child.’”

Visit Carol Shelton Wines daily, by appointment only, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call (707) 575-3441 to make reservations.

Participating restaurants on the wine trail
Willi’s Wine Bar, 4404 Old Redwood Highway, has partnered with the Santa Rosa Wine Trail by waiving their corkage fee on wine purchased from any of the wine trail wineries (listed below) – a $15 savings!

Along the Santa Rosa Wine Trail, you can visit: Carol Shelton Wines, D’Argenzio Winery, Inspiration Vineyards and Winery, Krutz Family Cellars, Old World Winery, Robert Rue Vineyard, Sheldon Wines, Siduri Wines, and Vinoteca – a collective tasting room serving wines from six limited-production wineries. We’ll be featuring other wineries along the Santa Rosa Wine Trail in future blogs, so stay tuned!

To find your way, click here for a map to the Santa Rosa Wine Trail.

Tags: Carol Shelton Wines, Santa Rosa Wine Trail, Santa Rosa wineries, wine tasting in Santa Rosa, wine tasting in Sonoma County, wineries near Santa Rosa, Zinfandel

Savory Spice Shop in downtown Santa Rosa adds culinary pizazz

Cheryl and Pat at Savory Spice Shop

For serious cooks, walking into a well-stocked store like Savory Spice Shop in downtown Santa Rosa is like a trip to a downtown bazaar in an exotic land. The aromas of fresh-ground, hand-blended seasonings fill the air, making you want to run home and start experimenting in the kitchen with a newly discovered ingredient.

Pat Benfer and Cheryl Ytreeide, the enthusiastic owners of Savory Spice Shop, gave us the inside scoop on how to choose and use a few of their favorite herbs and spices.

Cinnamon and spice and everything nice
We asked Pat and Cheryl about the most exotic spice they sell – and you’ll never guess their answer – cinnamon! What makes cinnamon exotic is not only the far-off locales where it’s harvested, but also the wide variety of cuisines you’ll find it in across the globe. The robust flavor of cinnamon adds punch to international foods like Indian and Moroccan dishes and brings unexpected depth to chili and other foods.

Less well known, according to Pat and Cheryl, are cinnamon’s medicinal qualities. It’s a tasty, healthful way to lower blood sugar, a characteristic that may make it a helpful supplement for people with diabetes. (Of course, you should always check with your doctor before using any supplement for treatment of a health condition!)

Paprika is the most requested spice in the shop – in particular Smoked Spanish Sweet Paprika and Hungarian Sweet Paprika. They sell six varieties, with the rarest being the French “Paprika, Piment d’Espelette,” a strictly controlled, very hard-to-obtain spice from the Basque region of southwestern France.

Tomato powder is one of the most versatile spices on their shelves. When people taste the powder for the first time, their taste buds are met with the “wow” factor. Great to have on hand, it can be turned into a paste or sauce by adding water, eliminating the need for canned tomato paste or sauce. Since tomato powder has a prolonged shelf-life, be sure to stock up on this must-have for when you’re in a pinch for paste.

What every cook needs
Pat and Cheryl suggested a few spices and herbs that every cook should have in their kitchen: cinnamon, paprika, Herbs de Provence (a blend of French thyme, savory, fennel, rosemary, marjoram, basil, lavender and tarragon), Italian herb blend (a mix of French thyme, Greek oregano, California basil, marjoram, rosemary and European basil), and mustard seeds or powder, all of which help bring greater intensity to a food’s flavor.

Besides spices and herbs, the store carries a wide variety of extracts, including five types of vanilla, and an array of unusual finds, such as dried coconut milk, dried mushrooms, specialty blended hot sauces, and more.

Visit Savory Spice Shop at 317 D Street in downtown Santa Rosa near Courthouse Square, where “you can taste and smell before you buy, and only buy what you need.” Owners Pat and Cheryl will be there with great suggestions to help you get cooking.

Tags: Courthouse Square Santa Rosa, Downtown Santa Rosa, Savory Spice Shop, shopping in Santa Rosa, spice shops in Santa Rosa