Kathleen Hill: Ferlinghetti turns 98, Sonoma Springs gets canned, and more

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Ferlinghetti at Muscardini Cellars

Lawrence Ferlinghetti, revered poet and artist and co-founder of San Francisco's City Lights Books, will celebrate his 98th birthday at Muscardini Cellars on Saturday afternoon, March 25.

Ferlinghetti is a longtime and dear friend of Kate Eilertsen, former executive director of the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, who brought his work to the museum a couple of years ago.

Ferlinghetti and his daughter will help launch the exhibit of his paintings at Muscardini with a special tasting of Michael's new Vermouth. Previously Ferlinghetti designed a label for Muscardini's Dago Red, traditionally made by combining leftovers from other bottlings. 9380 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood. 933-9305.

Sonoma Springs Brewery bubbles up in cans

Sonoma Springs Brewery's award-winning Kolsch, Subliminal Gold IPA, and HazyCali North East inspired IPA will be available next week in 16-ounce cans, to be sold both wholesale and retail.

Managing partner Derek Drennan says the Subliminal Gold IPA is the top seller in the taproom, while the HazyCali is one of the eight new beers released in 2017. All of their ingredients are locally sourced, according to founder and brew master Tim Goeppinger.

The 16-ounce cans are available in the taproom at 19499 Riverside Drive, Suite 101, conveniently next to Divewalk Café in the former Nicholas Turkey building. Find the interactive map of retail beer availability at sonomaspringsbrewing.com/findhaztcali.

Bulb Weekend at Cornerstone

Cornerstone hosts “Bulb Weekend” Saturday and Sunday, March 25 and 26 for guests to build their own “Infinity Pot” full of bulb varieties that will bloom ostensibly May through October. Just go purchase a pot at Potter Green at Cornerstone and take it to the Sunset Outdoor Test Kitchen. Admission is free. Just buy your pot ($18 to $40), or bring your own. Purchase bulbs (50 cents to $5 depending on varieties) and experts will teach you what to do and how to select colors you like. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. 23570 Arnold Drive, Sonoma.

And the Sweet Scoops ice cream cart will be right next door near Chateau Sonoma offering its handmade ice cream cones as they are every non-rainy Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Paula Wolfert featured in ‘New York Times'

Sonoma's resident famous chef, Paula Wolfert, had a high powered visit two weeks ago from Kim Severson of the New York Times, a photographer, and Emily Kaiser Thelin, who has written a biography of Wolfert called “Unforgettable Paula: The Bold Flavors of Paula Wolfert's Renegade Life.”

Some of the delightfully detailed story deals with Wolfert's Alzheimer's and how she copes and does her best to slow down its progress, since there isn't a cure. The book also includes 50 of her favorite recipes, some of which Wolfert uses for her own health.

Several publishers turned down the book, so Thelin launched a successful Kickstarter campaign that brought in nearly three times its goal. Those of us who gave already have our T-shirts and look forward to the book. We will try to create a special Last Wednesday Food Group event once the book is available at Readers' Books.

‘James Beard' documentary

The documentary “James Beard – America's First Foodie” will show next Friday, March 31 at 5:30 p.m. at the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art and at Vintage House at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 1. (For the record: I'll be presenting both screenings.) The film features several national and international food experts who tell a century of food stories about this man who mentored and inspired many of America's chefs. New York chef Larry Forgioni and Clark Wolf of Guerneville will be present at both showings, along with co-producers Kathleen Squires and Elizabeth Federici.

So many Sonoma anniversaries this year

Sonoma International Film Festival's 20th, Crisp Bakeshop's 5th, La Casa Restaurant & Bar's 50th, the Girl & the Fig's 20th, and Sebastiani Theatre's 25th anniversaries will all be celebrated this year.

Crisp Bakeshop turns 5 on April 1 and that is no joke with details of celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to come.

La Casa will celebrate the restaurant's founding by Al Gordon, also the original developer of El Paseo, 50 years ago in 1967, with the advice of Lynn Bergeron, son of Trader Vic Bergeron and then president of Trader Vic's Food Products.

As a way of thanking the community for such longtime support, the Sherpa Brothers, current owners of La Casa, invite everyone to dine at the restaurant during April. Ten percent of all sales will be divided between the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation, Stand By Me Mentoring Alliance, F.I.S.H., La Luz Center, Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley, and Pets Lifeline.

“Use only the best fresh regional ingredients in season and keep it simple.” – James Beard

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