The Sonoma Spiel – Details, episodes & analysis

Lisa Pidge, founder of the Laugh Cellar (since 2014) and actual certified pickleball pro, is back on the Spiel with updates on new comedy shows around Sonoma County during the Wine Country Comedy Fest. She talks about how she finds her comedians (this year's lineup includes Chase O'Donnell, Aiko Tanaka, Lisa Gilbert, JJ Barrows, Helen Chu, ​Vien Phommachanh, Amanda Cohen and Solange Castro) and why her wife is a great gardener.

She also decries the supposed "Gen Z Stare",  what it was like being a latchkey kid and the fact that there was a smoking section on her high school campus back... in... the... day.

Every week our podcast guests answer YOUR questions about wine country and visiting Sonoma. 

This week Lisa takes on:

Best cafe to hang out on the Plaza and watch the scene? - Visitor from Colombia

I was in the Sonoma Plaza and I heard a high piercing shriek coming from the trees above me. It sounded like an eagle. What is it?

I was driving along Highway 12 in Kenwood and noticed large piles of what looked like branches and wood in a field all lined up. What are they doing?

Hello, we are planning a trip to Sonoma to visit some wineries. I was wondering how long do most tasting last? One hour? - via text

We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass

Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.

It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b

We don't know if they're dangerous, but we do know they sound good. This year, "Liaisons" is the theme for the Valley of the Moon Music Festival. In this week's podcast we have an engaging and informative liaison with Tanya Tomkins and Eric Zivyan, cellist and pianist and wife and husband, and co-directors of the popular chamber music festival that takes place around Sonoma Valley. 

This year they discuss "Liaisons"—a celebration of artistic and personal connections spanning centuries. "Whether you’re a devoted classical music enthusiast or a curious newcomer, this season promises to transport, inspire, and connect us all through the universal language of music."

More information about the Valley of the Moon Music Festival is at:

https://valleyofthemoonmusicfestival.org

Every week our podcast guests answer YOUR questions about wine country and visiting Sonoma. This week Tanya and Eric take on:

Where are some good places to hear music outdoors in Sonoma?

We love classical music and wine - what should pair with our listening?

I'm thinking of starting a musical career: should I start with cello or piano?

We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass

Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.

 It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b

Daedalus Howell is the editor of the North Bay Bohemian, "an award-winning alternative newsweekly serving Sonoma & Napa counties." And he's a poet. And a self-taught filmmaker. And an author. And a musician, because that's a thing in Sonoma. Some quick notes we pick along the way: Philip Marlowe, the fictional, hard-boiled noir detective, was born in Santa Rosa. Daedalus left high school early and turned to a life of writing and performing, and then became a free lance writer for a local newspaper. He is a current independent filmmaker, with his latest release being "Werewolf Serenade," which may or may not have been filmed with permission at a Sonoma Valley winery (Kunde Family Winery.) We also note that the North Bay Bohemian forgot to include the Sonoma Spiel in "best podcast" section for the "Best of the North Bay" awards. Every week our podcast guests answer YOUR questions about wine country and visiting Sonoma. This week Daedalus Howell takes on these questions: I’d like to buy a state park “poppy pass” - the annual pass that gets us into most CA state parks. Where can I get one locally? Where can we see redwoods? I was near Sonoma City Hall at noon and everyone was honking at the crowd of people in front of the palm tree. What’s going on there? We want to get photos of trees and flowers in bloom in Sonoma - where should we go? We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass More information about Daedalus Howell is at https://dhowell.com. Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers. It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b

It's always fun when Malia Anderson of Style my Malia riffs on fashion, image and style.  Malia roundly rejects the "Costco Dad" look as as a "personal look," while extolling her youthful desire to be Dominique Devereaux from Dynasty. (And really, who wouldn't?)

In a free-wheeling conversation we talk about when to wear cut-off jeans ("jorts"), how to define your personal style and what, exactly, constitutes "Wine Country Casual" when one is invited to such an event.

Before we got to Sonoma questions we handled fashion questions from people in and around Sonoma, and got to these important issues:

"Should middle aged men dress their age...like jorts and white new balance sneakers or maybe dockers with a polo and boat shoes? Or is it ok to follow and follow the "younger" trends and wear baggy jeans, retro or vintage style clothes, bold prints etc?  This leads me to my next fashion question. Is it ok for older men to have long hair or should they be clean cut?" -R. Montes, the Cloverdale Lady Killer

"There are times when men have to be at least a little bit "dressed up" around here when the weather is HOT! Tips on how to do that successfully would be great.

Tell us about tailoring - what’s worth having altered...how can alterations make you look your best?

Where does vintage/second-hand fit into an overall "look" (if at all) for men, especially?"

-Jason G, the Sonoma OG

"What are some wine country style no-nos?"

Jose L, the Fashion Don of The Springs

"Where did you get your fashion sense?"

Marie G, The teaching cook and the cooking teacher

"What exactly is wine country casual?"

Tiffany P, the Credit Union queen

"I’m trying to transition from work from home wardrobe and just starting to get back to a more regular professional look. I’m at a loss on modern looks for the sharp dressed gal these days. Where does one even start!?"

Meredith R, Queen of the tax tables

And like all of our podcast guests, Malia Anderson takes time to answer YOUR Sonoma questions. This week she answers, 

I’m arriving at Sonoma County Airport (Charles M. Schulz- Santa Rosa - STS) and would like to get to the city of Sonoma. How can I do that?

I’m staying near the Sonoma Plaza and looking for wineries that are nearby. Especially red wines. Any ideas?

I hear that roundabouts are popular in Sonoma. Where is the next one going to be?

We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass

More information about Malia Anderson and her styling services is available at https://stylebymalia.com

Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.

It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b

Splish splash in Sonoma- we're talking about the new Sonoma Splash Aquatic Center in Sonoma Valley with Jane Hansen and Allyson Etherington.

Tidbits include that Allyson's mom is a long-distance open water swimmer who took photos of other swimmers while swimming away from Alcatraz (and recently swam the Maui channel,) that Jane has been swimming for most of her life and still coaches, and that the proper term for the big puffy coat that the swim coach wears, even though she doesn't yell while doing it, is a parka.

Sonoma Splash has an Aqua Park in the summer, a zero-entry warm water pool for therapy and classes, and an entire wellness program held in their community room (which has other classes and is available for private rentals.) We also hear about how visitors who want a good lap swimming session are always welcome during lap swim times, and there are also aquatic exercise classes. And people looking to just cool off in the pool are invited as well. (Details on all the programs here: https://sonomasplash.org/)

Every week our podcast guests answer YOUR questions about wine country and visiting Sonoma. This week the Sonoma Splashers take on:

In Boyes Springs some years ago, there was a huge swimming pool. It was really big! Is it still there?

I want to hike the Overlook Trail - do I have to park in the cemetery?

I saw a VW bus that appeared to be a tour or something at a winery. What is that?

Where is my car parked?

Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.

We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass

It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b

There's no physical bridge between Maui and Sonoma, but there is a spiritual one. Our friends from the Maui Visitors & Convention Bureau just happened to be in the San Francisco Bay Area to talk about why you should go visit Maui now, and we tricked them into coming onto the podcast. (We told them they would be our Very Special Guests, and This Time We Mean It.)

Sherry Duong and Leanne Pletcher brought their spirit of aloha to talk about where to visit in Maui, food trucks to try, adventures beyond the beaches, and the spirit and resilience of Maui's residents.

They also filled us in on loco moco, Spam Musubi, and what's all the fuss with poke bowls. (There's even a new contest for Maui residents - the "Anything But I'a (Fish) Poke Contest" that encourages creative poke bowl recipes that use anything other than fish. 

We also chat about things we have in common (history tours, natural beauty, farmers markets) and things that are unique to each of us (pineapple wine, hot air balloon tours).

Every week our podcast guests answer YOUR questions about wine country and visiting Sonoma. Oddly enough, we got a lot of questions in the Sonoma visitors center about travel from Sonoma to Maui, and so we were fortunate that our friends from Maui were here to help. This week they took on:

What is the tallest mountain in the world and is it true that it’s in Hawaii?

I keep hearing about this thing called poke. What is it and where should I get it in Maui?

I’m heading from Sonoma to Maui soon and want to find some local wines. Where should I go and what should I taste?

Is it better to visit Haleakalā at sunrise or sunset?

You can also find more great answers to your Maui questions at https://www.gohawaii.com/islands/maui. 

We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass

Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.

It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b

Rancher, hay baler, contractor, winemaker... if Steve Ledson sat in our podcast studio any longer he probably would have admitted to several other jobs he has had over a varied life in and around the Sonoma Valley.

This week on the Sonoma Spiel podcast he talks about growing up in the northern Sonoma Valley area of Kenwood and exploring the woods that would become public parks like Annadel and Sugarloaf.

In a wide ranging interview we also hear about the vaunted Moon Mountain AVA, one of the top winegrowing regions in the United States, his passion for fly fishing and his quest for conservation of natural resources.

Every week our podcast guests answer YOUR questions about wine country and visiting Sonoma. This time Steve answered these Sonoma questions:

We're moving out of the area in 2 weeks: What are your "not to miss spots" for restaurants? 

Is the Sonoma art walk continuing this summer?

I’m here in town for a few days and looking for someone to drive our car to take us wine tasting? Is this possible?

I was driving through Kenwood and I saw what looked like large, smoky campfires in the fields. What’s going on with that?

I keep seeing mannequins around Sonoma Valley wearing amazing dresses made of corks and champagne cages and all sorts of recycled items. What is this?

We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass

 Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.

More information about Ledson Winery and Ledson Hotel is at https://ledson.com.

Details about the Moon Mountain District wine region is at https://moonmountaindistrict.org. 

 It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b

Ginny Krieger with the Sonoma International Film Fest is back on the Sonoma Spiel podcast (three-peat!) to talk about the upcoming film festival (March) and the more than 100 films showing during the big event. Like all the SIFF events there is a curious culinary component and this year it's a fiesta of Italian cooking with "Marcella's Italian Dinner,"  celebrating legendary Marcella Hazan. (This intimate four-course wine dinner, crafted by Sonoma’s award-winning female chefs—Domenica Catelli (Catelli’s), Tracey Shepos-Cenami (Jackson Family Wines), and Chef Gia Passalacqua (Chef and Winemaker)—promises an exquisite journey through Italian flavors paired with exceptional wines.)

As we go over the different films coming we break out some movie treats courtesy of the Sebastiani Theatre like Good & Plenty candy and popcorn.

And like all of our Sonoma Spiel podcast guests, Ginny answers YOUR Sonoma questions during "We Get Questions." This week she takes on:

Where can we go to see wildflowers blooming now?  - via email to info@sonomavalley.com

Is there a fee to enter Sonoma Valley - via email

What’s a good place for Chinese food in Sonoma?

Can I propose to my girlfriend in the Plaza? Is that allowed?

We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass

Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.

It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b

You can't swing a cat without knocking over a baby sheep in Sonoma Valley in Spring - and Paul Giusto, a three time repeat guest, is back on the Sonoma Spiel to talk Highway 12 Winery and Sonoma Sips. 

While we get the important words out of the way - namely the ones we aren't supposed to say on the radio- we then dive into winemaking, what it's like running a small winery and how to make wine in a fancy, metal-sided warehouse on the outskirts of town.

Paul also talks about what Highway 12 Winery is pouring during Sonoma Sips, the limited time special that offers tastes for $15 at more than 40 wineries. At Highway 12 they're offering four sips and a surprise, all for just $15. 

Every week our podcast guests answer YOUR questions about wine country and visiting Sonoma. This week on WE GET QUESTIONS he takes on:

What local flower farms have good prices for flowers (orange, fuschia, yellow) for our June wedding? Ranunculus, marigolds, billy balls, and wild flowers not roses.

Can you tell me where the body shops are?

I see that there was a Hungarian count named Agoston Harasthazy in Sonoma in the 1850s. Do people still speak Hungarian in Sonoma?

When is the mustard going to bloom in the vineyards? We want to get good photos.

We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass

 Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.

Highway 12 Winery: www.highway12winery.com

Sonoma Sips: www.sonomavalley.com/food-wine/wine/sonoma-sips

It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b

Kathy Witkowicki stumbled into setting up a wildly successful public speakers program when she failed at being retired (life got boring) and Gavin Newsom couldn't make it to an event, but his interesting, film-making wife could. The outcome was the Sonoma Speakers Series, an all-volunteer organization that puts together a world-class program with experts on arts, politics, media, science and sports. This week she talks about her journey from retiring from the Mentoring Alliance to starting the Sonoma Speaker Series, as well as what it takes to put it all together. She also touches on tips for listening to people you don't necessarily agree with and how we can learn from each other. Like all of our guests she takes a moment to answer YOUR Sonoma questions. (We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass) The trees on the Sonoma Plaza are incredible - and some of them are huge. Who manages all of those trees? Hello- we just moved here from the East Bay and are looking for good Mexican food - especially from Oaxaca and Michoacan. Got any ideas? Are there ever special wine tasting offers for people who want to try new wineries but don’t want to commit to more elaborate tastings? We are hosting a dinner party with a diverse group of people, and will be featuring many Sonoma Valley wines. Because the group has varying opinions on so many things, and public discourse seems so fraught, what advice would you give on how to keep conversations civil? Also, should I offer a sparkling wine option? Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers. It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b