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In
the Carneros region, visit:
Viansa Winery on Hwy. 121, on your way either
into or out of the wine country; incredible picnic
items, great wines, Tuscan villa on a hill overlooking
a wild fowl preserve; Gloria Ferrer, on the same
route as Viansa, Sonoma Valley’s only Methode
Champenoise Winery, interesting tours and a lovely
setting. Also check out Cline Cellars, Jacuzzi
Family Winery, The Olive Press and Roche Winery
on your way into the valley and make a stop at
Angelo’s for the best beef jerky in the
world and Cornerstone Gardens which you just have
to see to appreciate.
For
customized limousine tours and all your transportation
needs while in the Wine Country, we recommend
Beau Wine Tours. We would be more than happy to
book your tour for you as well! www.beauwinetours.com
:: 1.800.387.2328
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FAVORITE
RESTAURANTS
 At
the top of MY list, you will always find the Glen
Ellen Inn. Consistently excellent service, ambience,
wine and food. Chef Christian Bertrand calls it
“California Confusion”. I call it
superb! They’ve now added a Martini and
oyster bar as well! glenelleninn.com
The
girl and fig….also a wonderful and nationally
acclaimed restaurant with country French food
and Rhone style wines, in the old Sonoma Hotel
on the Plaza. Its “sister” restaurant,
the fig café, is here in Glen Ellen. It
features more casual bistro style food that is
quite delicious, no reservations, friendly and
knowledgeable staff! Sondra Bernstein and John
Toulzes’ newest restaurant is Estate, where
the General’s Daughter used to be –
Mediterranean cuisine in a fantastic setting –
another winner! thegirlandthefig.com
Saffron…another
intimate little restaurant just down the road
from the inn features wine country cuisine with
a French influence. The cassoulet, when they have
it, is to die for! saffronrestaurant.com
Vineyards
Inn .... a Bar & Grill! A casual, local favorite
in Kenwood, featuring Spanish style tapas and
incredible fresh local & Hawaiian seafood
among the extensive Spanish offerings of steaks,
sautees, Paellas & pastas. You must give Chef
Steve's weekly specials a try. One of the valley's
best hidden secrets! The staff is friendly, and
there is a great bar, always populated by interesting
people, where they turn out delicious margaritas
with a full bar & local wine list. Enjoy dining
under the grape arbor in the large covered patio
as well as by roaring fire in the winter. Large
groups can be accommodated. vineyardsinns.com
Garden
Court Café…their slogan is “If
you leave hungry, it’s your own fault!”
and that is true. Excellent breakfast and lunches
with occasional Friday night special dinners.
gardencourtcafe.com
In
the Jack London Village…Olive & Vine,
great for catering needs and wonderful lunches
& picnics; Unwind, a new tapas bar by the
 owner
of Olive & Vine oliveandvine.com.
Also in Jack London Village for mid-day sampling
or goodies to take home, stop by Raymond &
Co. Cheesemonger for unusual artisan cheeses raymondcheesemongers.com;
Figone Olive Oil (their lemon olive oil is wonderful,
I use it all the time!) figoneoliveoil.com;
and Wine Country Chocolates for out of this world
truffles! winecountrychocolates.com.
Just across the street is Eric Ross Winery's tasting
room as well.
The
Bluegrass Bar & Grill (look for Joshua Chauvet’s
old water wheel turning outside) has good BBQ
and great sides, creative and delicious specials,
a full bar, warm & friendly staff and beautiful
outdoor creekside patio for dining when the weather
is warm. bluegrassbarandgrill.com
Then
there is Yeti Restaurant, Indian and Nepalese
cuisine, for something a little different in wine
country. It is family run, very authentic and
absolutely delicious!
For
food to take with you, check out the Epicurean
Connection in Boyes Hot Springs. Delectable sandwiches,
home-made soups and desserts and a fabulous selection
of local artisan products including owner Sheana
Davis’ own cheese, Delice de la Vallee.
You can also find Sheana and her products at the
Sonoma Farmer’s Markets on Friday mornings.
sheanadavis.com
Della
Santina…my favorite Italian restaurant in
Sonoma with homemade pastas, spit roasted meats,
incredible desserts and charming setting.
Saddles…a
great steakhouse and great martinis too, at MacArthur
Place in Sonoma!
Kenwood
Restaurant…Chef Max is a classic continental
chef. Everything in his restaurant is always impeccable!!!
Great tartare, meats, specials all beautifully
presented.
For pizza, try Mary’s Pizza Shack, Pizzeria
Capri or The Red Grape…all have excellent
pastas, pizzas, salads and sandwiches in a comfortable
setting with great people who make you feel right
a home!
Want
authentic Mexican food in a fun and funky –
dare I say dive? – atmosphere??? Check out
Juanita, Juanita and their delicious food and
collection of hot sauces rivaled by none.
Glen
Ellen Village Market is THE place to go for picnic
supplies. They have everything, including a great
deli & cheese selections. Nice wine assortment
also. sonoma-glenellenmkt.com
There
are many other good restaurants in the area-the
menus are in the basket in the Common Room. It’s
hard to find bad food around here!
•
• •
BEYOND
EATING AND DRINKING
If
you would like a spa experience away from the
inn, there are several to choose from in the area,
all offering different experiences. A new and
unique place has just opened here in Glen Ellen,
across from Jack London Village and next to Eric
Ross Winery’s Tasting Room. It is called
Magical Massage and it is inside a 22 ft wine
barrel! They are currently offering a special
for guests of the Glenelly…$25 off all treatments.
With this special offer, a one hour massage is
only $50, one hour couples’ massages are
$100, and one hour organic facials are $60. Take
this opportunity to enjoy the savings and experience
a taste of wine country nurturing at its best.
This offer is good for bookings through February
28, 2010. www.magicalmassagesonoma.com
For
the best natural nail care services, please visit
Denise Weatherwax at Kizelle Beauty Kasbah, near
the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn. 707.996.7368.
Jack
London State Park: the author's home in the last
years of his life; fascinating museum, the ruins
of Wolf House, his grave site, and great hiking
trails on the Beauty Ranch side of the park.
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park: more serious hiking
trails, offering incredible open vistas of the
valleys.
Quarryhill Botanical Garden: The garden hosts
a rich diversity of Asian Flora in an effort to
fully represent the endangered habitats of eastern
Asia and has walking paths and picnic areas throughout.
quarryhillbg.org
Sonoma
Plaza: for history from General Vallejo's time,
including a walking tour of the Plaza led by the
General himself; delicious restaurants, like Maya,
Della Santina, Swiss Hotel, El Dorado Kitchen,
Café La Haye, Meritage, Deuce (OOPS! There
goes that food
thing again); cheese sampling at Vella Cheese
and Sonoma Cheese Factory; art galleries; and
"boutique" shopping, the "Plaza"
area offers it all. The Tuesday night Farmer's
Market (April through October) offers all of the
Valley's bounty and often, good music.
Morton's Warm Springs Resort is a wonderful spot
to spend the day basking in the sun, picnicking
and cooling off in one of the spring-fed swimming
pools or in the swimming hole in Sonoma Creek.
They are open every day during the summer (Memorial
Day through Labor Day and sometimes beyond) except
Monday and is ideal for corporate retreats and
family parties. mortonswarmsprings.com
Biking is a popular mode of transportation here
in the Valley. Goodtime Touring Company will deliver
bikes to the inn for you, along with everything
else you need. Visit goodtimetouring.com
for information. If you prefer to pick up the
bike yourself and tool around in the town of Sonoma,
on the bike path, you could visit Sonoma Valley
Cyclery on Broadway/Highway 12. For a unique alternative,
take a Segway tour of Sonoma. sonomasegway.com
We have just discovered a fun tour company –
a fun and affordable way to visit a selection
of smaller wineries, enjoy a picnic and meet fellow
wine country visitors. platypustours.com
For
the young and young at heart - Sonoma's Train
Town - a miniature railroad (with cars large enough
for adults to ride in too) and village, petting
zoo, rides, including an old fashioned carousel
and Ferris wheel, among others, in 10 acre "park"
- a place from days gone by to while away a morning
or afternoon. There is a very good pizza/pasta/salad/sandwich
restaurant, Pizzeria Capri (owned by a Norwegian
family!) right next door!
For
an incredible selection of country arts &
crafts, furnishings, quilts, bath products, garden
decorations and schmaltz, you must visit Kenwood
Farmhouse and Swede's Feeds on Highway 12 in Kenwood.
For elegant consignment furnishings, local art
and gift ideas visit Vita Bella, also in Kenwood.
vitabellahome.com
Sonoma Valley is home to a plethors of talented
artists including Linus Maurer (Charles Schultz’
friend and the inspiration for the Peanuts character,
Linus). His art along with many others can be
found in the charming, eclectic Showcase Gallery
in Glen Ellen. ShowcaseGalleryGlenEllen.com
Other partners of ours include:
Atwood Ranch/Sonoma Catering – The best
site and event planners for your wedding or other
very special party, at their site or yours –
sonomacatering.com
Need a personal chef, or the ultimate caterer?
Maria Vieages, a transplant from New Orleans,
offers multi-regional cuisine – something
for every taste! mariasmrc.com
Kristi
was thrilled recently to meet Sonoma County native,
Chef Garrett Adair, at a wine & food pairing
hosted by Sandrew Montgomery of Sandrews Wine
Services. Chef Adair offers the ultimate in wine
country cuisine with local fresh, sustainable
& organic ingredients. Visit www.chefadair.com
for more information about our latest friend in
food.
For additional help in making your trip extra
special and unique, call on Mary at Wine Country
Excursions and Wine Country Trekking
winecountryexcursions.com;
winecountrytrekking.com
Here
is another wonderful resource for activities in
the Sonoma Wine Country: Getaway
Adventures.
Looking
for a Sonoma Valley getaway to call your own?
Let Sandrew and Kat Montgomery help you. SandKatTeam.com
To
nourish your soul, visit our community churches
in Glen Ellen or Kenwood: gechurch.com
and kenwoodcommunitychurch.com.
For
more information on all the fun things to do here,
visit sonomavalley.com,
valleyofthemoonvillages.com
and bestinsonoma.com.
Consult
the
Sonoma
Travel Planner. Or,
call or e.mail us at the Glenelly and we’ll
help you plan the best trip ever! |
