Monthly Archives: November 2012

Sweet Endings for You and the Kids!

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Planning on saving room for dessert this holiday season? Did you know that Whole Foods in Napa has an amazing Culinary Center? Located in the back of the store on the left, you can learn the culinary arts with you and the kids with out breaking the bank!  I was lucky enough to attend a class here last year and had a few new recipes under my belt, a full belly and new friends!

This year, my kids are ready to get in on the action and really help with the holiday baking. What better way than to kick of the holiday season with a little help from our friends at Napa Whole Foods Culinary Center!

Here are 2 upcoming classes in December:

KIDS COOKING CLASS WITH THE CULINARY DUDE

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1ST

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

CULINARY CENTER, $20.00
What better gift to give than something you made yourself! We will be creating such delicious gifts as Homemade Holiday Candy Corn, Chow Mein Noodle Chocolate Drops and Whoopie Pies. Come join us!  Sign up here.

KIDS COOKING CLASS WITH MS. BUTTERBEANS
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8TH
12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
CULINARY CENTER, $20.00
 Her Christmas Candy and Cookies class, for kids ages 7-17, will include traditional favorites like Grandma’s German Burnt Butter Cookies, delectable English Toffee with Chocolate Drizzle, and Candied Spiced Walnuts. This class is the perfect gift for your budding young chef, and includes a basic foundation in kitchen safety and cooking skills. Children should secure long hair, wear close-toed shoes, and be prepared to take home some great new recipes worthy of Santa’s plate and extra goodies if there are any. Sign up here.
Enjoy and remember to bring back something yummy for me!

 

Don’t Miss Santa in Sonoma!

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On Friday, November 30th at 5:30, Santa will roll up to the Sonoma Courthouse and wave hello to all! Such a perfect excuse to head downtown for dinner and bump into Santa. Hot chocolate will be served by the Sonoma Valley Soroptomists.The Sonoma shop windows are also ready to be enjoyed for the holidays and we always enjoy a walk around the square to get into the holiday spirit. Be sure to stop into the Sebastiani Theatre to see the amazing holiday set-up.

 

What are your favorite holiday activities in Sonoma? I would love to hear what you and your family look forward to every year!

Family-Friendly Ideas to Keep Everyone Happy after Thanksgiving!

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The combination of kid’s home from school this week and the grandparents, aunts and uncles all piled into your house for 4 days and you may need a little help coming up with ideas on what to do to keep everyone happy! Here are my favorite picks in Sonoma and beyond to keep the whole family happy the entire weekend-

Pick out a Christmas Tree at a Christmas tree farm- The day after Thanksgiving is when many families start to think about getting their Christmas tree. To many, there’s no better way to get one than to take the trip to one of the many North Bay Christmas tree farms and cut one down themselves! Moon Mountain Christmas Tree Farm is the only real Christmas Tree Farm we have in Sonoma. They grow Douglas, Noble firs and Scotch pines, and do not offer pre-cut trees. You choose your tree, and they cut it and carry it back to your car for you. You can find them on 1550 Moon Mountain Drive, off Highway 12. Open Friday through Sunday, 9 am to 4:30 pm through December 16. (707) 996-6454.Free hot chocolate and cookies too!

Go ice skating in Downtown Napa-Lots of holiday fun for the entire family at the only outdoor ice skating rink in Napa Valley. Napa on Ice is located at the corner of 2nd and Coombs Street in Downtown Napa. $12 for skating and skate rentals. They will be open from 10am-10pm all weekend.

Head to Yountville’s Festival of Lights-Don’t miss the chance to attend one of Yountville’s memorable events, Yountville’s Festival of Lights. This annual holiday faire features food, wine and entertainment town-wide. Enjoy visits with Santa Claus, carolers and horse-drawn carriage rides. In the evening, Yountville is set aglow with thousands of twinkling lights adorning trees and shops along Washington Street.Friday, 23 November,from 2:00-6:00 PM.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday weekend!

Coming Up: 8th Annual Lighting of the Snowmen at Cornerstone

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We have enjoyed this wonderful festive event every year. Cornerstone really knows how to throw a party complete with Santa sightings, ballet shows, holiday movies and yummy food! Just a few tips I have learned: I would recommend getting there early or be prepared to park in the lot at Jacuzzi (which is free) and they will shuttle you over. Parking at Cornerstone will be $5 this year with all proceeds going to Pets Lifeline. I also bring flashlights for my kids and lots of warm clothes.

When: Saturday, November 24th festivities begin at 4pm
Where: Cornerstone Gardens
Cost: Admission to Sonoma Valley’s traditional holiday kick-off event is free and open to the public.

Parking:
Complimentary Parking and shuttle will be available from Jacuzzi Wines – 2 minutes south of Cornerstone on HWY 121. The complimentary shuttle service will be leaving every 15 minutes from Jacuzzi’s lot, starting at 3:30, to take you to and from the event.

Onsite Parking will be available on a first come basis for $5/car with 100% of the proceeds going to Pets Life Line.

Be the first to see with the Snowmen will be doing this year at the Annual Lighting of the Snowman Event at Cornerstone.

This year enjoy:

• Live music by Robert and Amy Ethington in the “Winter Crystal Grove”

• a stunning holiday performance by the Sonoma Ballet Conservatory in the Tent,

• Holiday children’s films in the olive grove cinema

• Pictures with Santa throughout the event on the big blue chair!

• Holiday Beer Garden complete with lederhosen bar people and take away steins.

Coming Up: Free Sunday Art Play at Artescape

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The wonderful new art studio on Sonoma Highway in Boyes Hot Springs, will be hosting a free play day on Sunday, December 4th. Make gourd Christmas ornaments with Janis Kobe and Thena Trygstad. Drop in only from 11:00-3:00pm, no registration required. For more information click here. They are located at 17474-A Sonoma Highway, Sonoma in the back. My kids attended a watercolor workshop this summer and absolutely loved the instructors and the clean bright art studio to work in. We may have to hit this one!

Puppet Playhouse Returns at Sonoma Community Center

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SCC’s “Puppet Playhouse” series returns with a collection of three family friendly puppet shows. The first performance, “Coyote Sings,” is on Sunday, November 18th at 1:00 pm and a puppet making workshop with the artists will follow! Details and tickets are available at the Sonoma Valley Box Office. Discounts for SCC and Sonoma Valley Mothers Club Members are available. For tickets-www.svbo.org. $10 per show/$9 for members and Mother’s Club members or $25 for the series of three.
My kids and I attended a wonderful show in the spring and can’t wait to check out the new fall line-up! For more info visit:www.http://sonomacommunitycenter.org

Veteran’s Day activities for the family

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Looking for ways to remember a fallen Veteran or just teach your kids a little bit about history? Veteran’s Day is on Monday, November 12th and doesn’t just mean a day off from school for the kiddos. Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation in 1954 to change the name to Veterans Day as a way to honor those who served in all American wars. The day honors military veterans with parades and speeches across the nation. A national ceremony takes place at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

On Sunday, Petaluma will be hosting the Annual Veteran’s Day Parade at 1:00pm. If you like aircrafts, parades, and an airshow, you’ll love the Petaluma Veteran’s Day Parade. It’s held in beautiful downtown Petaluma. Vintage war birds and sleek air racers fly-in to take part in what has been called the “largest Veterans Day Parade north of the Golden Gate.” The Petaluma Veterans Day Parade features war planes that fly in formation over Historic Downtown Petaluma. The parade winds its way north from the starting point at Walnut Park at “D” Street and finishes back at Walnut Park. My kids really enjoyed this parade last year!

In Sonoma, the Traveling Wall will be on display from November 7th-November 11th. This is a special military museum that includes an 80-percent model of the Vietnam Memorial Wall, the Gold Tag Wall (gold-plated dog tags of all soldiers killed in Iraq/Afghanistan), a piece of the Twin Towers, an exhibit on MIAs and POWs and more. The wall will be available for viewing starting Wednesday, November 7th, 24 hours a day and with be culminating through the entire weekend. See vfwpost1943.org for all related activities and more information.

One last idea is to have your kids make a variety of  Veteran’s Day Cards to honor a military family member or deliver to a Veteran’s Center. Yountville is home to the Veteran’s Home of Yountville, largest home in the United States with over 1,100 residents. The veterans (both men and women) living there have served in World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Desert Storm, and Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom.

So go ahead and enjoy this special day with your kids, and remember the troops and their families who are still sacrificing today.

How will you celebrate our heroes on this day?  I’d love to hear your ideas, please leave them in the comments below!