Returning Very Special Guest star Amy Miller brought fellow Buckeye Tony Gonzalez to the Spiel to preview the BRAND NEW season of Transcendence Theatre Company's summer series, and to detail how the new location - just steps from the historic Plaza - make this a truly magical moment for "Broadway in Sonoma." During a rather raucous chat we cover their journey from the shores of Lake Erie to the vines of Sonoma Valley, preview the four different shows and talk how there are special deals for groups and families. And, like all of our guests, the take a turn answering YOUR Sonoma questions, including: We are celebrating two 21st birthdays and their college graduations. Coming to Sonoma was my niece's birthday/graduation wish since she was 18. Our question- can I purchase multiple Plaza Tasting Passes for my group? - Via Text I went to the Tuesday Night Market and saw incredibly elaborate picnic set-ups and people coming with wagons and tables and chairs. Is this a normal thing? And what’s the best way to enjoy the Tuesday Night Market? - Visitor from Seattle Are there new bike racks on the Plaza near the playground and the bus stop? - Via email I’m coming to visit Sonoma soon, and I use a power wheelchair to get around. Is it possible to explore the Plaza and the Mission area with a wheelchair? Are there accessible paths to explore nearby? - Via email  My young child has to learn the calendar: the number of days in the week, weeks in a month, and on and on. Sometimes it’s easiest to learn something if it’s used in a catchy tune. I was wondering if there is an easy way to remember just how many minutes there are in a year? - Via kick line We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.   It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF Looking for a great place to stay in Sonoma Valley? Start here!

Safari West Foundation provides funding for programs like an "animals in hospitals" program for children who are hospital-bound, as well as a program that brings children to the Safari West, a 400-acre preserve with giraffes, gnus, lemurs and all manner of amazing African animals who are in conservation programs. The Foundation also focuses on education. Paula Johnson from the Foundation came by to talk, and although she is a Very Special Guest, she also brought Dash the Sloth, a cranberry-eating South American mammal who doesn't move that fast but is fast enough to wreak a little bit of havoc on the studio microphones. Dash is joined by Bonnie and Jolynn of Classroom Safari, a program that brings rescue animals into schools and youth programs and events. They talk sloths, fennec foxes, rattlesnakes, and all manner of their menagerie. Fun fact: Dash was born in her living room, and it was actually a quick birth. "Like a jet baby on a bungee cord."  In addition to talking animals and habitat, our human guests and sloth take a moment to answer YOUR Sonoma Valley questions, during our segment, "We. Get. Questions." This week they answer: I’m seeking out a "hidden gem" winery.  Can you recommend another winery that has amazing wines? No Pinot Noir. I love big reds (but my friend enjoys whites). I've done hundreds of Sonoma wineries already. I'm looking for someplace new for next year's trip. TIA. – Sonoma Wine Imbibers Facebook  We’ve been to other missions in California – would you recommend we visit Sonoma’s mission and why? I last visited Sonoma thirty years ago and tastings were free. Is that still the case? If not, what are some options? Has anything changed in thirty years?  We are interested in thrifting and resale shops? Can we do that in Sonoma Valley? We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.   It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Not many places have a professional-level, volunteer-run observatory open to the public. But not many places have the Robert Ferguson Observatory. Luckily, Sonoma Valley does. Executive Director Stephanie Derammelaere explains the mission of the observatory, how it came to be, why Sugarloaf Ridge State Park is a good place to see planets and stars and galaxies, and how visitors can come up and see the heavens during various events. She also details how visitors can take a walk that outlines the scale model size of the solar system. Like all of our podcast guests she also answers YOUR Sonoma questions during "We Get Questions." This week she answers: Where can we find wineries that sell wine in stores where we are from? We are visiting from Switzerland and looking for some good hikes and walks? What would you recommend? My best friend and I will be coming to Sonoma over the summer. We have 4 nights to explore different restaurants. We thinking of the Girl & the Fig and would love any other recs. As far as our preferences--we are both adventurous and like most of everything. I am from Texas so I am picky about Tex-Mex, but everything else is fair game. Thank you in advance for any recommendations! I am looking for a romantic wine tasting, lunch or dinner - in a vineyard. – Call to the visitor center  Does any vineyard in the area offer a dog hike or similar activity? (A walk/tour with your dog) I am moving away from California on Sept 1 so it would need to be before then.   Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers. It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Mustafa Tolosa always "goes to eleven" - the local restaurant reviewer started off taking photos of his steak while on a date with his wife, and from there it has grown into a Wine Country go-to spot for locals looking for the low-down on food trucks, restaurants and more. "I'm not a food critic - I'm a highlighter. I like to highlight things," says Tolosa, who gets ideas for his reviews from his audience. His likes? Good experiences, polite service, fresh food. His dislikes? Vinegar. Not a fan. Allergies? Peaches, sadly. Mustafa's passion for the local food scene - as well as outdoor adventures - shines through in a passionate and wide-ranging interview, covering marketing, waiting in lines to get into a restaurant, the benefits of attending a community college, how to teach yourself a new subject and applying for a job by wearing an all-white suit you get at Marshall's (like a "tropical Colonel Sanders") and oozing confidence. "Shout out to everyone who owns a restaurant - it's super hard. I could never own a restaurant. My hats off to everyone who does it." And just like all our VERY SPECIAL GUESTS, Mustafa answer YOUR questions about wine country and visiting Sonoma during "We Get Questions." This week he answers: We heard that there used to be a ferry from San Francisco to Sonoma? Is this true? And is it still possible to take a ferry to Sonoma? What strawberry stands are open? Can I use my charcoal grill in the Plaza? Is it possible to see whales at Bodega Bay? When do they go by? Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers. Looking for the Sonoma Plaza tasting pass, where you get your choice of three wineries for $69? Go here: https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass Want to see more of Mustafa, find him on: Instagram - www.instagram.com/nochillmustafa YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@UCk0Hgty51unKxArW7kwFrow Website: https://thedailygrape.com It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

The Sonoma Valley Author's Festival is in it's seventh year in Sonoma, and founders Ginny and David Freeman come to the Sonoma Spiel and share their passion for books and the ideas expressed within. As Ginny notes, "It's an ideas festival - it's small and curated and intimate." This year we find out that among the many author's attending includes historian Doris Kearns Goodwinn, novelist David Grann ("Killers of the Flower Moon"), Amy Tan ("Joy Luck Club"), Akhil Reed Amar of Yale Law School, and rising star Anita Gail Jones ("The Peach Seed").  The Freemans detail how they came to the world of author festivals, and how neither of them had experience as conference or event planners. They also put on a free event, called "Authors on the Plaza" as well as bring the festival to local schools. (They've given away 15,000 books to students since the festival began!) Like all of our Sonoma podcast guests they also answer YOUR Sonoma questions during "We Get Questions" and this week they attempt to answer: I’ve noticed that the cover crops are mowed in every other row in the grapevines. Why is that? Why did they leave one row and then mow one row?I was asleep last night and heard a low buzzing sound in the early morning hours. Was that a helicopter, or an airplane or just the persistent intrusive thoughts reminding me of my mortality?Speaking of mortality, do any wineries offer the chance to dedicate a vine in memory of someone?Where's a good place to buy a book in Sonoma? Find more details about the Sonoma Valley Author's Festival at https://svauthorsfest.org.  Don't forget to get your Sonoma Plaza Wine Tasting Pass at www.sonomavalley.com/food-wine/sonoma-wine-tasting-pass   Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.   It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Caitlin Cornwall of the Sonoma Ecology Center returns to the Spiel to give her review of the eclipse (thumbs up), talk redwoods as yard trees in dry valley floors (thumbs down, usually) and encourage us to create diverse ecosystems with native plants in your front yard to get the best birds. She also details the upcoming events at Sugarloaf State Park, the Sonoma Garden Park and other places where the Sonoma Ecology Center is doing their work and public demonstrations. As usual our guests answer YOUR Sonoma questions during We Get Questions, sponsored by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass (three wineries for $69!), and this week Caitlin answers: We would like to sleep at a winery – is that possible? Where can I get some Sonoma Stompers baseball hats? – Visitor from Seattle We just flew in from Australia and we are staying here a few days. We’d like to go on a bike tour or rent some bikes – is that possible? Are there any parks nearby with outdoor exercise equipment? When should I plant my tomatoes? Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers. More information about the Ecology Center: https://sonomaecologycenter.org/ It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Bettina Sichel got her start with Blue Nun, one of the most famous wines of the past 100 years and the one that put German wine on the map (and which her great grandfather started) and is now with Laurel Glen Vineyards in Glen Ellen. Specializing in (and famous for) cabernet sauvignon, the winery is now branching out to rose and sauvignon blanc. Wait - did we mention Blue Nun? The special Liebfraumilch that was brought to the United States by Sichel's father, and advertised by Jerry Stiller & Ann Meara ("the delicious, imported, premium white wine that goes with everything") in a series of catchy and funny commercials. Did we mention Sichel's father, who fled Nazi Germany, then enlisted in the US Army and joined the Office of Strategic Services during World War II?  Sichel recounts her start at college at Vassar (Go Brewers!), where she majored in English and her journey from selling Blue Nun to working for some of Napa's top wineries (Quintessa, Mt. Veeder), to choosing her present in Sonoma Valley at Laurel Glen Vineyards.  Not content with just being a winemaker, Bettina is also a proud member of the elite Jack London Yacht Club, and owner of a sloop that sails down Sonoma Creek. (Granted, the yachts are 18-inches long and the Sonoma Creek is, well, a creek.)  In addition to tasting some Laurel Glen Vineyards wines (a cabernet and their new rose) Bettina takes on the great challenge of answering YOUR Sonoma questions during "We Get Questions." This week she answers: Where can I bring my well-behaved dog to eat in Sonoma Valley? Are there any dog-friendly hotels or lodging options in Sonoma Valley? Hello – I have a small travel agency in Virginia and would like to order a box of visitor guides. Is it possible to order more than just one at a time? Ah! My back hurts and I need a massage – got any recommendations? Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers. It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Maeve Smith is the director of Sonoma Arts Live's latest musical, "The Hello Girls," which details the story of American women who answered the call to be switchboard operators for the US Army Signal Corps during World War I. They had to speak French, know how to operate specialized communications equipment and serve near the front lines - and yet when they returned, their time in the service was not recognized for six more decades. "It has everything - it's funny, it's silly, it's sad. they play their own instruments," says Smith. Maeve and her husband Andrew met while studying theater and traveled with a cruise line as on-board entertainment. As part of their time at sea they were in charge of the emergency drills for the passengers, no doubt because what better way to head to the lifeboats than with a kick line? When she's not directing plays (or acting in them), Smith is the general manager at Coursey Graves winery, located high above Bennet Valley between Sonoma and Santa Rosa.  And, like all the guests on the Sonoma podcast, she answers YOUR Sonoma questions. This week she takes on: Heading out in October. Prefer cabs… any suggestions on where to go? – via Facebook  What are those green structures that look like pawns that line the sidewalks on the Plaza? - at the Visitor Center Hi! We are looking into your Sonoma Wine Tasting Pass and I wanted to ask how it works: Do we make online reservations with individual wineries after purchasing the pass, or do we walk in this Saturday when we plan to visit? We will have a 9 year old girl with us, do we only purchase passes for the adults 21+? Will she be able to sit with us at the tastings or are there age restrictions? – via text Where’s a good place in Sonoma to take your dog on nature walk? - via email   We are looking for smaller boutique wineries in the Sonoma, Glen Ellen, Kenwood area. Prefer Pinot Noir and Rhone varietals. Thanks! - via Facebook Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.   It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

They grew up on a dairy farm in West Marin, where the fog rolls in and grassy hills meet the rugged beaches of the Pacific Ocean, and now they are the force behind the California Cheese Trail. Vivian and Michael Straus left Marin for Portland (Vivian) and an ashram in India (Michael) but then came back to help save the family ranch and raise the profile of the cheese trail. Now the California Cheese Trail is a map and website of the 70-plus cheesemakers in California and how to visit them, take tours, buy their cheeses and learn about the culture of California cheese. This rollicking interview includes discussions on how to milk a water buffalo (carefully, and you can send them into ecstasy by brushing them), how to turn milk into cheese and includes a tasting of various local cheeses and how to put together a good cheese board. After we talk about how to cheddar a cheese, they take a turn answering YOUR Sonoma questions during "We Get Questions," and this week they answer: We have nine couples coming to Sonoma later and wanted to get together a little welcome packet for them. What do you think we should include? Are there any pretty mustard fields around? While Pliny the Younger from Russian River Brewery is famous as a local beer, I heard the first modern microbrewery was actually in Sonoma. Is this true? We are visiting from Northern Wisconsin and would like to find some California cheeses. Where would you recommend? Start your journey on the cheese trail here: https://www.cheesetrail.org/ Get the Sonoma Plaza Wine Tasting pass here: https://www.sonomavalley.com/food-wine/sonoma-wine-tasting-pass/ It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

From Kenwood to Carneros, to Santa Rosa and Petaluma and Napa and more - coming to you LIVE and IN YOUR HEAD at THOUSANDS OF WATTS of RADIO POWER - it's KSVY-FM!  Bob Taylor and James Marshall Berry talk two decades of Sonoma radio and reminisce about how it connects community, provides a crucial link during times of duress and is a true taste of Sonoma wine country for visitors and locals. Did you know that KSVY-FM (91.3 FM on the radio dial, ksvy.org online and on the app store) has an incredible variety of shows with a diverse cast of hosts from Sonoma Valley?  And that during the 2017 fires, KSVY was often the sole source of reliable information for residents because the cell phones weren't working? Bob and James recount their two decades working in community radio and how KSVY-FM is a great outlet for Sonoma Valley. Like all our guests they also answer YOUR Sonoma questions during "We Get Questions" and this week they take on: Is there a tasting pass for wineries that I can get? Dígame sobre la industria azucarera en California del Norte. (Tell me about the sugar industry in Northern CA.) – Visitors from Patagonia, Chile How long will the mustard flowers be in the vineyards? Sir- I am a loyal listener to the podcast – I love it. I am planning a visit to Sonoma Valley from North Carolina, and I have heard that there are two-for-one passes for tasting rooms. Where can I find them?  Is there a good Easter service at a winery?  Where is the Monday bakery? Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers. Want to donate to help KSVY? Go here: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/sonoma-valley-community-communications-inc/ksvy-sonomatv-2023 Want to hear some of their shows? Check out: Uncle Dirtbag Show Sonoma Kpop Hour JMB's New Old Show Friday Morning Show With Bob This podcast brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Wine Tasting Pass, the only tasting pass that gets you a choice of eight tasting rooms near the walkable Sonoma Plaza. Get up to 25% off tasting fees with the Sonoma Plaza Tasting pass. It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Ginny Krieger from the Sonoma International Film Festival is back on the Sonoma Spiel podcast to talk all things film, food and wine. But this time, she's brought Carl Spence, artistic director and film fan, who gives the rundown on some of the major U.S. premiers of films at one of the best film festivals in the country. As always our guests answer YOUR Sonoma Valley questions, and this week they take on: Hi- we're visiting Sonoma later this year and looking for something on par to Ravenswood since they are no longer around . Any recommendations? - via Facebook Bon jour- I have a group coming to Sonoma from France and they don’t speak English. Are there places where we can go that people speak French? When does the Sonoma Tuesday night farmers market start up again? Where can we get some cat- or dog-themed souvenirs? Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers. More info on the Sonoma International Film Festival: https://sonomafilmfest.org More information about Sonoma Valley: www.sonomavalley.com NOW - get your Sonoma Wine Tasting Pass at https://www.sonomavalley.com/food-wine/sonoma-wine-tasting-pass/ It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Van Solkov of Happy Traveler's Tours came by the Sonoma Spiel podcast to talk cannabis growing in Sonoma Valley, how tours of farms and dispensaries serve to educate and dispel myths as well as update older traveler's about changes in the scene since the 70s and 80s. During a wide-ranging interview he also covers how he was one of the first cannabis tours in wine country and how we got into the business, transitioning from a "party bus" to an educational and refined experience like other wine tours. He also discusses how a serious bicycle accident in his 30s led him to cannabis for pain relief and balancing his career in the corporate world, which at the time in the 1980s, frowned on the practice. Part showman, part historian, part farmer, and all of the time an enthusiastic entertainer, Van offers great anecdotes and insight into this agricultural sector. Plus, Van hops into the visitor center chair and answers YOUR questions about wine country and visiting Sonoma. This week he takes on: Who are those group of men who sit on the Plaza every Friday and what are they doing? I’m looking for a listing of wineries with their hours of operation, their addresses and what they offer- do you have such a thing? There is a tree on the Plaza with shocking pink, upright flowers that look like tulips that are blooming right now. What are those? I’m on the hunt for a good winery with farm animals. Any out there? I’m looking for recommendations on: - Wineries w/ an activity - Wineries w the best view - Winery w the best cave Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers. More information on Happy Traveler's Tours at https://happytravelersweedtours.com It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Jeannie Perales, new director of the Sonoma Botanical Garden, put down her pruning shears and stopped by the Sonoma Spiel to talk about their new upcoming summer program of concerts and the Ribbit Exhibit that will bring whimsical frog statues to the garden.  Perales talks about how she ended up leading botanical gardens from Florida to California, and her belief that there are four "natural therapies" for people: nature, movement, art and music. And how the botanical garden can incorporate those therapies for visitors to the sprawling land in northern Sonoma Valley.  And like all of our guests, she answers YOUR Sonoma questions during "We Get Questions." This week she takes on: I have an itinerary coming up...love any input! SALT N STONE, GLEN ELLEN STAR, Jack London bar, GOLDEN BEAR STATION, GIRL AND THE FIG... anything else in the area that I must get in? – via FacebookIs the fahmer’s mahket open already? – Guy from BostonI am considering a vacation to Sonoma in early March. Is there a wine pass that would cover tastings at multiple wineries? Besides wine tasting what other activities or events take place in March? – Robert from Washington, via text I’m visiting Sonoma Valley from Malawi, and I’m interested in permaculture – are there good places to learn about these practices in Sonoma Valley? Also, where can I see redwood trees?   Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers. It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

San Francisco is an hour from Sonoma Valley and the majority of visitors to Sonoma Valley usually make a stop in "The City" before heading up to wine country. This week, Lynn Bruni-Perkins of SF Travel talks what makes San Francisco special, from the culture of social movements, Burning Man, and the technology that brought us the iPhone, to the next phase of technology like AI and self-driving cars (Waymo, for good or ill) as well as social movements coming on the horizon. She also directly answers critics who deride San Francisco, offering some common-sense ideas and points about the City by the Bay.  Before she good-naturedly answers visitor questions, she opines on the fact that "Dutch crunch" bread - a northern California invention - is making it's way south to LA, and reacts to a travel blogger's contention that you should choose your next destination by your astronomical sign. (We look forward to seeing all you Taureses/Tauri soon...) And when she does answer YOUR Sonoma questions, as all our podcast guests do, she takes on: What are all those yellow flowers in the fields? Can I just buy tickets to Alcatraz at the wharf? Can I get married at San Francisco’s City Hall? Do I need a car to get around San Francisco? Where can I find Pliny the Younger? (The beer, not the first century Roman author) How can I get to San Francisco Airport without uber or lyft?   Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers. To plan your next visit to San Francisco, start with the official San Francisco Travel website here: www.sftravel.com Then get your wine country details from the Sonoma Valley website: www.sonomavalley.com It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Molly Spencer is with the Sonoma Community Center, a school building turned arts and culinary center complete with galleries and theater programs. She hops on the Sonoma Spiel podcast to talk ceramics, chili recipes, fiber arts happy hour, ballet and a secret garden that isn't that secret because we are talking about it. She then says that yes, the movie "Scream" was filmed at the Sonoma Community Center in 1996, thanks to Santa Rosa High School backing out of the production at the last minute. Yeah, "No thanks whatsoever to the Santa Rosa city school district governing board." And like all of our Very Special Guests, she answers YOUR Sonoma questions during "We Get Questions." This week she takes on: Where is a beautiful winery? – Visitor from the UK What is that building that looks like a church over there? – Canadian visitor at the Plaza visitor center Looking for recommendations on wineries with tastings and paired lunches. (More than just charcuterie/snacks.) TIA!- - Facebook Sonoma County Wine Imbibers I’m going to be staying in Sonoma in March with five other gals. Would love some recs for restaurants for dinner in Healdsburg and anywhere back down to Sonoma. Also any bakeries or places to grab sandwiches or pastries before hitting the wineries would be great( prefer closer to downtown since staying down that way). We are very mixed in what we like for food but would be looking for more Italian, seafood and burgers or mix with most prices $20-40 for entrees. TIA! - Facebook Sonoma County Wine Imbibers Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers. It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

He was inspired to start cooking because his great aunt's awful Thanksgiving dinner spurned him to action, his first restaurant job was with three Lebanese brothers in Pennsylvania, and he left Manhattan for the excitement of Sonoma Valley: Ari Weiswasser of Glen Ellen Star talks his journey to having two restaurants and a catering company in California's wine country. And like all guests on the Sonoma Spiel, he answers YOUR Sonoma questions including: “Hello! We are planning a trip and I have a lodging question. Is there a local alternative to booking vacation home lodging that avoids using national websites like Vrbo and Airbnb? Trying to spend our dollars locally. (Via text to 707-996-1090 from Kathy) What do you know about the Hood house? (Via phone)    Best places to go that offer free corkage for Sonoma county wines? Don’t mind paying corkage just interested to know what’s out there. (SoCo Wine Imbibers Facebook)  Four of us (adults) will be in Sonoma 3/27-4/1. Are most wineries open on Easter Sunday? Are there other events (special brunches or lunches?) happening that day? (Via website form) Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.   It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF Find Ari cooking at: Glen Ellen Star: https://glenellenstar.com Park Avenue Catering: https://parkavecater.com

Heidi Geffen founded Tiddle E. Winks just off the Sonoma Plaza as a place to find items of whimsy, fun and happiness. She stops by the Spiel to talk her journey from a rubber stamp saleswoman in LA to a sticker designer in Petaluma to the bringer of happiness to Sonoma.  She also talks a bit about wellness and how being happy is part of the experience, and even brought in some home-made kale chips from her secret recipe. (Brewer's yeast is the secret, so saved you a click.) Like all our guests she also takes a turn answering YOUR Sonoma questions, during "We Get Questions," including: Any ideas for romantic and/or fun restaurants for Valentine's Day, which don't have jacked up prices?- via Facebook Where do the ducks go in the winter? - H. Caulfield via text Do you allow weddings in the park with less than ten people and no chairs? Guests just standing? Thank you – via email Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us (707-996-1090) or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers. It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Lauren Feldman (Valley Bar + Bottle and Valley Swim Club) joins us in the new year to talk all things food, wine, wellness and how she ended up leaving fashion for running front of the house at her restaurant, that she started with her husband Tanner and two friends. In between running a new restaurant, Valley Swim Club which is a west coast take (vegan tartar sauce!) on an east coast clam shack, she also has a young child and teaches spinning classes at the local health club. And like all our podcast guests, she answers YOUR Sonoma questions during "We Get Questions." This week she tackles: A friend is doing a retreat at Westerbeke Ranch, and before I drop her back at Sonoma County Airport, we’re looking for some good places for lunch in Sonoma Valley. Any recommendations? – via emailI'm planning a visit around a concert in Santa Rosa on March 20th.  Not my first trip to Sonoma so want “off beaten trail ideas”.  Suggestions for wineries that have great white (not oaky chards), sparklers, interesting tours or settings. Other ideas for things to do as solo traveler welcome! – From FacebookI’m bringing a group of senior couples to Sonoma for a day and looking for an activity that doesn’t require too much walking, but incorporates history, or culinary classes or nature. Ideas? - From a phone callOysters! Where is a good place to get oysters! - Via text Every week our podcast guests answer YOUR questions about wine country and visiting Sonoma. Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers. Go to Valley Bar + Bottle at https://www.valleybarandbottle.com/ Find Valley Swim Club at https://www.valleyswim.club/ It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Lisa Carlsson with Euphoria Retreats brings people around the world to find wellness- and she even made us take some calming breaths before we started the podcast. Then she tells us about how she approaches wellness and health and brings wellness and adventure to travelers in Sonoma Valley and beyond. She also spends time answering YOUR questions during WE GET QUESTIONS where she helps us with: Hello. Friends are planning an event in Sonoma for Sept 28, 2024 and asked me to research if that’s a busy weekend in Sonoma, including if hotel rooms will be hard to come by. Do you have that information?  I need a place for Birthday brunch! What do you recommend? Where’s a good place to find a whiskey distillery around here?   Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.   It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Ceja Vineyards makes high-end wines from world-class vineyards, but Amelia Ceja is remarkably approachable in her turn on the Sonoma Spiel podcast. She talks her journey from a young immigrant to America in 1967, following her father who worked in the fields, to her education at UC San Diego, to starting a Latino family-owned winery with her husband Pedro and his brother Armando and his wife Martha.  Now a grandmother, and with her children in the business, Amelia talks about the tasting experiences and showcases two of her wines, all the while keeping up a patter of stories about wine, farming, cooking and how fortunate she is to have settled in the North Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. And like all of our guests, she takes a turn answering questions from visitors. This week she takes on: Can I use Uber or Lyft to go between wineries in Sonoma Valley? What if I don't drink wine - are there things to do? I would like to buy locally-made crafts. Where can I find a place?   We are going to a preview movie for the Sonoma Film Festival at the Sebastiani Theatre. We need to find a hotel nearby – any suggestions? Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers. Find out more about Ceja Vineyards at www.cejavineyards.com. It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF