Author Richard Louv wrote about nature deficit disorder (the lack of interaction with nature) and his concerns for kids today—who have a plethora of electronic experiences, but little contact with nature in Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder.  Fairfield Osborn Reserve Director Claudia Luke says the new series of Saturday family hikes planned for the reserve are designed to combat just that.

Just show up on Saturdays from Oct 24-Dec 5 with a lunch, water, good hiking shoes and a donation of $3 per person for  naturalist-guided hikes through this gorgeous preserve on Sonoma Mounatin. Hikes last until approxiamtely 2 pm.

Fairfield Osborn Preserve

6543 Lichau Rd, Penngrove

707-795-5069

Coming soon: Free installation of high-efficiency plumbing fixtures (toilets, urinals, faucet aerators, showerheads) for commercial, residential and multi-family customers located in eligible service areas, which include:

• Airport / Larkfield / Wikiup Sanitation Zone
• Geyserville Sanitation Zone
• Occidental Sanitation District
• Penngrove Sanitation Zone
• Russian River County Sanitation District
• Sea Ranch Sanitation Zone
• Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District

Sign up online to be notified as more details become available.

If you’re a struggling musician, Sonoma County offers several opportunities to get yourself heard. Here’s a list of local Sonoma County Open Mic nights. If you know of any I’ve missed, please add a comment or email me. [Read more →]

In Sonoma County, we know we have it all—beaches, rolling farmlands, orchards, charming towns where (if you squint a bit) you could be in 1950 (or 1850), Victorian farmhouses, lavish mansions, suburban tract homes, vineyards, hey, we even have a few Tuscan courtyards. Hollywood knows it, too.

Here’s a list of 110 movies said to have been filmed (or partially filmed) in Sonoma County (alphabetically by title).

It makes a great DVD night trivia game—can you recognize Sonoma County in these films?

But I’m adding another game into the mix. Do you recognize a house in one of the movies (and know what corner it’s on)? Or can you give me more specific locations for scenes I have listed below? Were you an extra? Or a spectator? Do you know of a movie (big screen only–no made for TV movies) that isn’t on my list? Or do you just want to guess on a filming spot in one of these movies or  suggest a movie that looks like it was filmed here? Enter a comment below. On May 1, all the comments to this post will be entered in a drawing. One lucky reader will get 4 free movie passes for Reading Cinema’s Rohnert Park 16 at 555 Rohnert Park Expressway West in Rohnert Park.  Another lucky commenter will win their own DVD of Bottle Shock.  And one of our email subscribers will win a copy of the gorgeous photo book, Hidden Sonoma.

 Ready? Action!

[Read more →]