Johnny Cash sang it:
“And there ain’t nothing short of dying that’s half as lonesome as the sound
of a sleeping city sidewalk and Sunday morning coming down.”
Sunday mornings in cities do have that lonesome, sad feel about them, especially if like Cash you wake up “Sunday morning with no way to hold my head that didn’t hurt./ And the beer I had for breakfast wasn’t bad so I had one more for dessert.”
But on a Sunday like today, out in the Sonoma Wine Country, life is different.
It’s going to be 68 today, and even warmer on Monday (70!) Sunday morning looks pretty good when you’re on the uphill side of a 70-degree day. Here’s 5 things to do on a Sunday in Sonoma:
1) Grill it. Head out to a market like Oliver’s or Pacific Market or The Greengrocer in Windsor and get something awesome and delicious and hopefully made of meat. Marinate it, rub it, or just lightly season it. Fire up the mesquite. Grill it. Pair with something you found while doing #2.
2) Visit a really small winery. I like going to Acorn because it’s a near my house, Bill is a cool guy, and they have a nice field blend for a good price. But that’s my pick- find a small little winery and ask them how they make their wine. On a slow, sunny Sunday in Sonoma odds are they’ll give you a tour. (how to find a small winery? Actually, visit a bigger tasting room and ask. The gang at the Kendall Jackson tasting room and Rodney Strong are always helpful. Otherwise, try one of the visitors centers around the county.)
3) Buy a cup of coffee and chill. Downtown Petaluma and Santa Rosa both have great little cafes, and they both have neat little neighborhoods that supply walkers coming and going. Smaller towns like Sebastopol, Glen Ellen, Freestone, and Bodega all have their own cafes and friendly locals looking for a caffeinated weekend chat. No one around to talk to? Peruse the local newspaper and check out the real estate ads or the local ag report.
4) Take a hike. Bodega Head in Bodega Bay is a classic, but there are so many neat little spots to check out and hike around scattered all over the place. Armstrong Redwoods in Guerneville, Lake Sonoma north of Healdsburg, Goat Rock Beach in Jenner, and Sugarloaf State Park in Kenwood are good places to start.
5) Hit some balls. That’s my plan for today. Going to get a bucket of golf balls and head over to the driving range. After that, some putting and chipping, and then maybe a cigar on the patio with a Bloody in my hand. Of course, you can do that anywhere, but not many driving ranges are fronted by vineyards and organic farms. And, uh, it’s going to be something like 15 degrees today in Minnesota.
