The Sonoma Spiel

Author's Festival Returns: Amy Tan, Doris Kearns Goodwin, David Grann et al in Sonoma talking ideas

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

Natural Sonoma: Caitlin Cornwall on ecology, native plants, bad idea trees & waterfalls

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

Some Blue Nun, a green valley and Laurel Glen Vineyards: Bettina Sichel

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

Hello Girls! Maeve Smith directs musical theater, sells wine & talks World War One

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 CenterHi! 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 textWhere’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

Exploring the trails of Cheese: The Straus Siblings (Vivian & Michael) talk the California Cheese Trail

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

I'm on a community... radio: KSVY at 20 years with James Marshall Berry and Bob Taylor

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-2023Want to hear some of their shows? Check out:Uncle Dirtbag ShowSonoma Kpop HourJMB's New Old ShowFriday 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

Beau Bridges, chef Susan Feniger, Ethan Hawke, Luc Besson & Sonoma International Film Festival

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.comNOW - 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/id1634467429Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9bYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Cannabis in Wine Country: Van Solkov talks education, tours and agriculture

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/id1634467429Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9bYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF