The Sonoma Spiel

Kaleigh Rhoades came to Sonoma's Charlie's Acres from San Diego via a stint at UC-Berkeley (Go Bears!), an orangutan rescue in Borneo and a chimpanzee sanctuary in Oregon. The mission at Charlie's Acres is two-fold: save farm animals as a sanctuary, and introduce plant-based alternatives to the more traditional American diet. But in an approachable way. "It's not a bunch of vegans yelling at you," says Kaleigh. "We have fun picnics and tours and education, including local wines. It can be a luxury wine country experience that's totally friendly to animals." She is also very understanding about how coop-dwelling vegetarians in Madison all ate protein pucks from the Moosewood Cookbook, and how far we've come. Like all Very Special Guests on the Sonoma podcast, she takes a moment to answer YOUR questions during our segment, "WE GET QUESTIONS." This week she answers: Hiii! Looking for recommendations for about 30 employees for a work holiday party that isn't SUPER expensive but worth it! Thank you in advance :) Where can I get dried grapes? Is that really the original Williams-Sonoma store? Does anyone know if strawberries are still being sold on Watmaugh? Every week our podcast guests answer YOUR questions about wine country and visiting Sonoma. Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at [email protected], 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

Rob Lorenz was going to be a sports journalist, but covering Atascadero high school sports as the writer, editor and photographer pushed him to slingin' juice, selling wine. A native of San Jose, he knows the way to Sonoma and how to find good wine. At Talisman wines we helps wine tasters find excellent wines ("all Pinot Noir, all the time") that show their pride of place, whether from the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Valley's Carneros region and even into Napa Valley. In addition to discovering that we grew up near each other in the "old neighborhood" of Almaden in San Jose, Rob talks about an upcoming wine dinner that will feature nine different wines from three different vineyards. And he details the tasting experience at the Glen Ellen tasting room, which is near of the three stop signs in town. As always he jumps in the hot seat to answer YOUR questions during "We Get Questions." This week he takes on: What’s the weather like in December? Is Glen Ellen a village, a hamlet, a townlet, or an outpost? What is a vertical tasting? Looking for a good place for a QUIET meal. We don’t like loud places. Children at wine tastings – yes or no? (From Sonoma County Wine Imbibers Facebook) Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at [email protected], 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

It's not often we get to talk to a mayor, a commissioner of a football league, a political organizer and a bilingual math teacher. But when we sat with Sandra Lowe, mayor of Sonoma, we got all of that in one package. She came to the Sonoma Spiel podcast to talk about her journey from LA math teacher (via Cal - Go Bears!) to Sonoma Valley High bilingual algebra specialist (Vamos los Dragons!) to teacher organizer and mayor of Sonoma. In addition to talking the ins and outs of ballot initiatives in California (good and bad) she talks about her favorite places in Sonoma Valley. Then she takes on YOUR questions during our segment, We Get Questions. This week she takes on: Where would you recommend wine tasting for out-of-town visitors? (From Facebook) Are the redwood trees on the plaza, redwood trees or sequoias? Do these redwood trees lose their leaves? Where can we see redwood trees around here? - Visitor from Minnesota I'm fascinated by the ducks in the Plaza. There were a group of 5 misfit ducks who were always in the round fountain in front of the City Hall. They've left that fountain, and I haven't seen a duck in there in at least a month. Anyway, there are a lot of ducks, but never any ducklings? Why? Predators? Duck birth control? (via email) Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at [email protected], 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

Nicole Whitaker started out doing cold calls for AT&T back when customers leased their cell phones, and Erin McVicar has been in the wine and hospitality business around Sonoma Valley. They both are now at the Lodge at Sonoma, a recently renovated resort within biking distance of the Sonoma Plaza. They stopped by to chat about the return of Martini Madness (huzzah!), the unique food experiences at The Lodge, and all the wellness options available at the spa. Then they dish on the famous VW Microbus that is both a photo backdrop and occasional shuttle for guests, some of their favorite ways to celebrate events at the Lodge and we talk about how to deprogram Nicole since she has been working over in Napa, whom we love dearly. They also tell us what a concierge actually does and why they are a valuable part of a full-service hotel experience. And it wouldn't be the Sonoma Spiel without taking a turn at answering YOUR Sonoma Questions during "We Get Questions," where our guests answer queries we get in the visitor center. This week: -Hello, we are going to Sonoma soon and are very excited! We are interested in significant nature areas that we shouldn’t miss, specifically water related. Any suggestions would be appreciated! TIA! (via Facebook) - We’re planning a visit to Sonoma in a few weeks. Our agent booked a hotel for us in Rohnert Park, which looks to be about a 30-minute drive from Sonoma. Would there often be a lot of traffic between the two areas? (From “Bill” via email) - I’m taking my girlfriend to an event at a winery, and then looking for a special dinner spot to celebrate her birthday. Where should we go? (Via text to 707-996-1090) -We will be in Sonoma Valley to celebrate our 20th anniversary (we honeymooned here in 2003)... Where should we be having dinner? Is there something we should not miss? We will be there Oct 15-20. (From Facebook- Sonoma Valley Local) More info on the Lodge at Sonoma, An Autograph Collection resort: https://www.thelodgeatsonoma.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

Brad Day knows a thing or two about getting outside in California. For almost two decades, Brad and his wife Holly have helped locals find the right trails for hiking and biking and the best lakes for kayaking and camping. Weekend Sherpa, an award-winning website, email newsletter and a podcast, details great places to get outside in Northern California. Brad stopped by, fresh from the trails it seems, to talk about his favorite hikes in Sonoma, Marin and Napa counties, as well as what it was like growing up in the Central Valley of California near Sequoia National Park, the lesser-known Sierra Nevada park that is often upstaged by the every-popular Yosemite. Brad also hops in the hot-seat and answers YOUR Sonoma questions during our segment, "We Get Questions." This week he takes on: The six of us just got here from Australia. We are looking for a winery that offers a luncheon, and a tour and a tasting. What do you suggest? Where can I take my dog in Sonoma Valley? What’s a good way to identify a bug I found in Sonoma Valley? Every week our podcast guests answer YOUR questions about wine country and visiting Sonoma. Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at [email protected], text us or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers. Find out more about Weekend Sherpa: https://www.weekendsherpa.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