Will Clark readily admits that his passion in life is California Foothill wines. He retired from investment banking in the early 1990’s, and with wife Jeanne, opened up his shop at 200 Main Street in Downieville. Jeanne runs the antiques and collectibles shop next door.
“We came here to do what we really wanted to do,” said Will. “People don’t expect us to be here. But really, Downieville is the first town north of Nevada City where you can find good food, lodging – and major historical lore about the area.” It all comes together in a mountain setting at the confluence of two rivers, with an enormous amount of Gold Country history. Will boasts a stock of around 50 wines. Here are some of my favorites from the tasting:
2006 Hatcher Cabernet Sauvignon, Sierra Foothills. Will believes this is his current best value in a Cabernet Sauvignon. The Hatcher winery is located in Murphys, Calaveras County, and they source most of their fruit from vineyards near Angels Camp. The fruit for this wine was sourced from the vineyard of Lori Kautz. Winemaker Matthew Hatcher has crafted this wine to have aromas of tropical fruit, volcanic minerality, anise and other exotic spices. Flavor is lush and ripe with flavors of melon, ginger, and spice, ending in a clean finish. Enjoy with spicy Asian foods, BBQ, lamb. 14.6% alcohol. $17.50/bottle at 49 Wines.
The only daughter of Kirk Yates and Marie Jeanne deForet, a Navy Seal and an environmental chemist, respectively, Autumn Yates brings total commitment and enthusiasm to whatever project she has at hand, whether it’s news reporting, cartography, or, just recently, teaching English as a foreign language overseas.
Sara Schneider is Sunset’s wine editor, and I was able to speak with her recently on “The Good Life” Show about the upcoming Sunset Celebration Weekend at their new Corner Stone location in Sonoma.
Sara writes a monthly wine column, as well as covering wine related travel and food. She’s a graduate of the California Culinary Academy, and edited Bay Food magazine prior to joining Sunset, where she was the food editor before being named the magazine’s first wine editor.
With so many things to do in Northern California, Sunset’s Celebration Weekend is a great opportunity to check out their new Corner Stone facility which is home to an outdoor kitchen, wine bar and exhibit area, along with outdoor test gardens.
The staff at Sunset looks forward to these events as it gives them a chance to get out of the office, and hang out with and get in touch with their readers. It also doesn’t hurt that there’s plenty of good food and wine involved as well!
Food and culinary demos will include some well know “celebrity Chefs” including Ludo Lefebvre, Nyesha Arrington, Perry Hoffman, Andy Ricker and many more. Sara has been nominated twice for James Beard Journalism Awards and holds the Academy of Wine Communication’s Certificate for Excellence in Wine Writing.
Poppies is a locally-owned boutique dedicated to bringing top quality women’s fashions and unmatched customer service to the Yuba Sutter area. Come shop brands such as Brighton, Hobo, Habitat, Nomadic Traders, CMC, FDJ, and Holly Yashi. Poppies is proud to offer a selection that is vast, appealing, and fairly patriotic - many of their brands are made in the U.S.A!
If you’re looking for a gift, ask about our Wish List program, pick up a gift certificate, or let our knowledgeable team help you choose that special something. We can't wait to see you!
Rick Zullo is one of those guys that took the plunge, gave up everything he had in the USA and left for a new life in Rome. Well, besides that, he also happened to meet his wife on the second night in the Eternal City during a sabbatical. Rick's blog, Rick's Rome, isn't seeking to be an 'Eat, Pray, Love' copycat, but rather give a real insight on living as an expat in the capital of Italy. For work, he teaches English to locals and continues to be a success with his popular blog. We love reading Rick's posts for his sense of humor and eternal optimism; he also has a number of handy guides, like this free restaurant guide, which he wrote with help from some famous food bloggers. Rick won our coveted 2013 Best Living in Italy Blog Award, which makes his blog one to watch!
My mission is to decode Italian culture for the English-speaking world. Italy is such a wonderful destination, but there is always more than initially meets the eye. A deeper knowledge of the people and the culture translates to a richer travel experience. I love discussing all things Italian and I welcome all comments and questions. Ciao!
A chat with Founder and CEO Deland Jessop of "Counting Sheep Coffee".
Mike Wreyford sits down with Linden Schafer, Founder of Pravassa Travel about the journey from New York city's Fasion District to Paradise.
Mike Wreyford talks to Lyle West about his rise to the NFL from a small town background, to playing in the Superbowl, and the transition back to a "normal" life after the game. Along the way, a former teamate introduced him to Yoga, and it's had a lasting, positive effect on his life.
Benjamin Lyle West was born in 1976 in Columbus Georgia.
His family moved to Fremont, California in 1977.
Washington High School, Class of 1995, in Fremont, California where he played
football, basketball and baseball.
2nd team All Bay Area along with Tom Brady. Lyle and Brady were the only two
players to make it to the NFL.
Chabot Jr. College in Fremont, California
Safety and punt returner for the football team.
In his freshman year he led the state junior college league in interceptions (8)
San Jose State University in San Jose, California
Safety and for the football team.
First team All-Western Athletic Conference (1998, 1999)
Notable achievements:
Averaged 120 tackles per season
Defeated Stanford at Stanford stadium
New York Giants Football
Drafted in the sixth round in 1999.
Played safety and special teams
Led the team in special team tackles in the 2000 season
Recovered a fumble and led the team in special teams tackles and recovered a
fumble in the NFC Championship game.
Played in Superbowl XXXV in February 2001
(The Ravens defeated the Giants 34–7)
Kansas City Chiefs
Brought to camp in 2001 but was injured for the season
2002 & 2003 played in every game as backup safety and special teams
2004 he was released after tearing his hamstring
Post playing career
Received his real estate license in May 2005
Introduced to Yoga by another former NFL player Gio Carmazzi in 2011
Completed Yoga Instructor training in December 2013