Page 22 - Sonoma County Gazette April 2020

April in Geyserville! This is one of the most beautiful times of the year for our community and while we have been spoiled with spring-like weather earlier in the year, now is the moment for the real thing. Get out in the sunlight and fresh air - while maintaining “social distancing” of course!
With the corona virus crisis, many of us are staying at home and sooner or later, just mindlessly binge-watching anything gets a little tiresome. Try mixing it up with a little intellectual stimulation by taking a free on-line course or two.
“The directive coming out of the Bay Area. . .is no gatherings, which just makes sense to me at this point. . .a moment in time. . .and it may be many moments in the future, but nonetheless. . .we will work together through this moment of challenge and we will triumph over fear, anxiety and this disease.” ~ CA Governor Gavin Newsom
Have A Little Extra Time on Your Hands?
Last month we wandered through Cloverdale soaking in the peacefulness and quiet that pervades our little town. We reveled in the friendliness and fun of our friends and neighbors, both those we know and those we don’t know.
Wine aficionados - of which there are a few in this area - may enjoy a
UC Davis course “Wine Tasting - Sensory Techniques for Wine Analysis” being offered through the Coursera platform at https://www.coursera.org/ learn/wine. And if that’s not right for you, there are many other free courses available on many different topics. Some offer on-line discussion groups and other chances to safely interact with the rest of the “class”.
Today, it is very different. Cloverdale is quiet, but it is an unnatural quiet. Businesses are dark; streets are empty; schools are closed until the end of April; people are staying away from each other. We talk to our friends – on the phone or via texting; we visit our friends, but stand on the porch maintaining social distancing. What a difference a week makes!
Another educational option is at Great Courses - a free introductory month lets you sample hundreds of courses. Right now, I’m enjoying “Decoding the Secrets of Egyptian Hieroglyphics”.
Cloverdale along with the rest of California is “sheltering-in-place” until at least April 7th and maybe beyond. Coronavirus, also known as COVID – 19, is here, meandering its way through the population, unfortunately, often unidentified. We would love to give statistics, but this is being written only days after the order to stay in place went out and not unlike elsewhere those statistics are changing hourly as testing increases and symptoms make their appearance telling us of its existence.
Wine Tasting: Sensory Techniques for Wine Analysis from University of California, Davis. With its roots in ancient cultures as early as 6,000 BC, wine has long been part of the human experience. Today, increasing worldwide interest in wine ... www.coursera.org
People are not to get together in a group of any size (10 people or more) and, if you do get together with a few friends, you need to remain 6 feet apart. If you all stood in a line that would be 60 feet, well 54 feet because 10 people or more means not more than 9 people. The point being, the line is longer than either of our houses.
Food In Geyserville: As of press time, beloved local salumeria Diavola’s has added an on-line ordering option and is processing take-out orders only from Noon until 8pm daily. They’ve even run a special which included a roll of toilet paper with your order! Check their Facebook page for updates.
So, how are we spending time, adjusting to the requirements, and saving our sanity that seems to be escaping us as a result of not having contact
with others. The Clover Theater and the Cloverdale Performing Arts here in Cloverdale are closed for now. Most organizations have canceled meetings. No group get-togethers. Traveling out of town? You face the same limitations – no entertainment. Shopping is for essentials only.
Local classic Catelli’s is offering curbside pre-paid to-go dishes and, again, the best place to keep up with them is on their Facebook page or by calling (707) 857-3471.
So exactly what can one do? One place we head almost immediately is to the Library! Without leaving our homes! Digital access is unbelievable. Movies, books, music, information, classes, games, work related information, news and so on – the list is long – all free, all without going into a building with people, potentially exposing yourself to the virus. www.sonomalibrary. org You can call the Library and talk with someone if you do not know how to maneuver through the digital maze to get what you need or want. An actual person will answer your call and talk with you, helping you. For the open/ closed status of other businesses call the Cloverdale Chamber. 707-894-4470
Hungry and don’t want to cook? Maybe to eat “out” (well, you have to eat in, unless you want to go to the park!) First, Washington School – Free breakfast and lunch for all children under 18, pickup 11am-1pm. Many restaurants in town are open for take-out/pickup with some doing delivery.
A few of these restaurants are: Papa’s Pizza –707-894-4453; El Milagro – 707- 894-6334, $40 family specials; Pick’s Drive In – 707-894-2962; Thai Spice – 707- 894-8899; El Molcajete – 707-894-4495; and Piacére – 707-894-0885.
Grab an order, take it home, settle in and watch a movie, read a book, or play a game.
We can get through this time. Nobody knows exactly how bad it will be, but it is so much better to take precautions than later say why didn’t you. . .We would much rather have people say, “Well we did too much. . .but we are safe and minimized the impact.” In the meantime, if you get bored as Reece’s mother used to tell her, then it is up to you to un-bore yourself. Happy Un- boring!
Here’s to a Future “Foodie Moment of the Month”
We are all watching the former location of the Route 128 wine tasting room at 21079 Geyserville Avenue as it transforms into The Corner Project which promises to offer “Ales and Eats”. This spot between AJ’s mini-mart and
Gin Gillie’s will provide our beloved “downtown” with another eating and drinking place in the near future. We’re looking forward to a grand opening soon! Find them on Facebook.
Though this event is not in April, it’s helpful to plan to attend - WE HOPE! Geyserville’s annual May Day celebration on Sunday, May 3rd! This nearly century-old event continues to please locals and attract visitors who want to experience this joyous small-town day of food, fun, & Maypole dance.
Looking Just a Little Ahead ... MAYbe...
As usual, it will be held at the Hoffman House picnic grounds at the northern end of town. It’s free to the public and runs from Noon until 4pm. CONFIRM it’s happening t the Geyserville Chamber of Commerce website at https://geyservillechamber.com/event/may-day-festival/.
Though some sources suggest that our May Day celebration began in 1925, an article from the Healdsburg Tribune dates to May, 1923. And I guess we are still “Healdsburg’s little northern neighbor.” - The clipping is from the California Digital Newspaper Collection at the University of California at Riverside’s Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research.
Let me know what’s going on! Email me at the address above.
22 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 4/20