SONOMA Style - January 2012

Sonoma Style

By Debra Costner

Welcome to 2012! Hope you all had a lovely holiday and have fully recovered from the celebrations. As is the Sonoma Style, just because the holidays are over, doesn’t mean we slow down. During this chilly season there is still plenty to do in the Valley. So let’s begin the New Year with a heart full of love and gratitude that we get to live in such a wonderful place!

Puppet Playhouse Series

The Sonoma Community Center is presenting an award-winning series for children and families. Playing the first Sunday of the month at 1:30 p.m., each month will feature a new production.

Scheduled productions are for Jan. 8: Waterworks; Feb. 5: Los Animalitos; March 4: What in the World! April 1: Carnival of Animals; and May 6: Big Bad Bruce. Tickets are $10 for adults and children, located at 276 E. Napa St., Sonoma.

Three Kings Day Celebration

On January 8, come celebrate “Three Kings Day” otherwise known as “El Dia de los Reyes Magos” at Gloria Ferrer Winery, with a performance of The Epiphany. Sample a traditional holiday Rosca bread and cup of hot chocolate, and of course their award-winning sparkling wines will be available as well. 

Performance is at 4 p.m. at Gloria Ferrer Winery, 23555 Carneros Hwy. (Hwy 121), Sonoma. Tickets are $10, children under 12 are free. For information call (707) 933-1999.

Exhibition of Five “Undiscovered” Artists

The Sonoma Valley Museum of Art presents “Undiscovered” featuring five artists who have never been seen in solo museum exhibitions. Highlighting the diversity and depth of talent within the valley, the exhibition will feature a broad range of styles from these artists. Opening Reception is Friday, January 13, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Sebastopol artist Esther Traugot creates intricate crocheted coverings for wasps, twigs and shells. Conceptual artist Peter Hassen of Sonoma, creates works that range from videos to objects meant to be revealed only by tidal erosion. Santa Rosa printmaker William Smith’s works on paper incorporating comically grotesque and cartoonish characters operating as archetypes of social commentaries. Cathy Ellis of Sebastopol paints fluorescent, idealistic, disaster narratives, which she claims, “build a world that is part romanticism and part social critique.” Sonoma resident Ryan Lely uses his iPhone photos to create art from scenes most of us overlook. 

The exhibition runs January 14 through March 18 at Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, 551 Broadway St., Sonoma. Open Wednesday through Sunday, from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Admission is $5, students through grade 12 are free.

Presentation School Crab Feed

Saturday, January 21 is the date for the 2nd Annual Presentation School Crab Feed. Doors open at 6 p.m. at the Activity Center, with a no host drink and oyster bar, followed by an all-you-can-eat crab and pasta dinner. Following the feed will be dancing with the Rich Little Band.

Tickets are $60 per person and available through the Presentation School website at www.PresentationSchool.com or phone (707) 935-0122 ext. 202. The Presentation School, 20872 Broadway St., Sonoma.

Sonoma International Film Festival

Mark your calendar for April 11 – 15 for the 15th anniversary festival. The 2012 festival includes 15 Spanish language films showing at the Boys and Girls Club in Sonoma. Claudia Mendoza-Caruth is in charge of this La Quinceañera Film Festival.

This year film industry leaders will be invited to participate in two new panels -- a screenwriters “Script-to-Screen” panel and another panel on “How to Finance and Distribute Your Film.” Film Festival passes are on sale already at their website www.sonomafilmfest.org.

Safe Medicine Disposal Program

Don’t throw out or flush old medicines! Sonoma County has set up safe disposal locations so residents can dispose of old or unused medicines, prescriptions, patches, inhalers, lotions or creams. (No blood or infectious waste is accepted.) Products should be put into plastic zip lock bags for drop off.

Drop at Sonoma Vintage House, 264 First St. East, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, or Sonoma Valley Hospital, 347 Andrieux St. at the Emergency waiting room, 24 hours a day.

Sonoma Valley Friday Farmer’s Market

Remember to check out our year round Farmer’s Market which takes place every Friday morning, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Arnold Field Parking Lot located on First Street West. Free admission. For information call (707) 538-7023.