CornerStone Sonoma

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If you’re ever in the vicinity of Sonoma, make sure to check out CornerStone along Highway 121. Or better yet, plan ahead and make a day of it. Explore the 20 different innovative garden installations, each with a different theme designed by acclaimed landscape architects and garden designers. Inspired by the International Garden Festival at Chaumont-sur-Loire in France, the gardens include plants, trees, water features, and sculptural elements.

After a stroll though the gardens, enjoy lunch at the café with organic locally-sourced fair, wine tasting rooms, art galleries, and garden gift shops. Oh, and don’t miss climbing into the seat of the Big Blue Chair at the entrance. It’s impossible to miss with its large size and blue color, but just incase you do, there’s a tiny sign pointing right next to it.

Jack London State Park

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Jack London is internationally famous for his books, “Call of the Wild” (1903) and “The Sea Wolf” (1904). Today the London estate is a public park which includes 1400 acres of trails, pristine vistas, and historic buildings demonstrating early 20th century life. I sketched the Stallion barn with the London’s cottage in the background surrounded by vineyards.

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Petaluma’s Iron Front Building and Classic Coca-Cola Sign

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Back in the last century, it was believed that buildings made with cast iron fronts were more fire resistant. It turns out to not be true, but the practice proliferated anyway. This building is one of several along Western Avenue referred to as Iron Front Row. The classic Coca-Cola sign painted on the back of the building features a young chicken since Petaluma was once known as the “Egg Basket of the World.”

The Raven Theater and Ravenous Cafe

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Few things are more entertaining than seeing a live performance at a local theater followed by a cozy dinner. With television and the internet dominating today’s casual entertainment crowd, it’s a real pleasure to get out among the living and experience true 3D without the glasses.

The Raven Performing Arts Theater supports performances ranging from Classical (Philharmonia Healdsburg ), jazz (Healdsburg Jazz Festival), blues (Charlie Musselwhite), rock (Big Brother and the Holding Company), and variety shows such as Healdsburg’s home grown “Mr. Healdsburg” pageant. The Raven Players, Healdsburg’s resident theater group, also perform here, mounting ambitious and successful productions like Cats, Miss Saigon, and Chicago.

Performances like these are sure to work up an appetite and next-door, Ravenous Cafe is the perfect stop before or after a show. Seating up to 22 guests, this intimate spot features a menu that changes daily but often includes the ever popular crab cakes, fish tacos, and the famous Ravenous Burger.