Kathleen Hill: Garden Court sold, Grenache Day and the new owner of the Purple Onion
Personal note: This is my 500th column for the Sonoma Index-Tribune, which adds up to about one million words. Thanks for reading. Whew.
Garden Court Café sold
But don't panic.
Nothing is changing.
Longtime Sonoma residents Rosemarie and Nick Ramponi have sold their always packed Garden Court Café in Glen Ellen to 'longtime' employee Jazmin Vargas and Jazmin's mother, Olga Vargas.
But nothing has changed: The menu is the same, the prices are the same, they still make banana bread, and the food is still cooked by Chuy Martinez and crew. During a breakfast visit last Sunday a friend and I found an uptick in energy and young happy helpful servers who practically danced around the restaurant.
The Garden Court has been through an interesting history.
According to Bob Rice, 'When Patti and Chris Greene bought Mother Flugger's Old Same Place in the '70s they changed the name to Garden Court Café. Patti Greene just passed away last year. She was a real dear and the heart of that place.'
Pete and Kirsten Stewart bought the Garden Court Café next to Triangle Body Shop, on a wedge in the late David Pleydell-Bouveriie's property, now part of the Audubon Canyon Ranch Preserve across Highway 12 from Sonoma County Regional Park in Glen Ellen.
The Stewarts sold it to Peter and Lesley Fay and moved on to own the Bear Flag Café in the now neglected building across from Mary's Pizza Shack on Highway 12 in Boyes Hot Springs. Eventually the Stewarts started Deuce restaurant, named for their twin daughters, in the old Au Relais (now HopMonk) location on Broadway.
After they moved to New Mexico, Peter and Lesley Fay ran a couple of hot dog carts and a successful café in Taos for several years until it closed rather quickly and mysteriously one night. They are now in San Miguel de Allende where Lesley has a fabric and interior design business and shop.
The Fays sold the Garden Court to Rich and Stacey Tregila, Rich having a long country club cheffing background and Stacey running the front of the house, carrying on the restaurant's food traditions. Rosemarie and Nick Ramponi last owned the popular Glen Ellen center and, after many years of hard work, have passed it on to the Vargas family.
Longtime Sonoma residents might remember Nick's father, Louie Ramponi, who had a television and radio repair shop on Third Street West and built the light blue professional office building next door. Louie Ramponi also served as a member of the Sonoma City Council and Mayor of Sonoma.
According to Rosemarie Ramponi, 'Olga Vargas will be assisting the kitchen while Jazzy continues to work front of house, which she has managed for the last several years, and it's just a perfect fit. All our staff have been very supportive, and of course the menus, name and chefs will remain the same (as well as our longtime kitchen manager).
'We've decided to move to Washington state to be closer to some family. We are taking time off through the New Year, and are looking forward to spending time with our kids. As most people have asked, we will not be opening a restaurant here.
'We have had an amazing nine year super successful run, and are so thankful for all the amazing locals and regulars. We wouldn't have the many lasting friendships we've formed had we never taken over the Garden Court. It was our dream to make it the community spot in Glen Ellen. I definitely think it became that.
'Jazmin will be a familiar face, as well as Chuy and his team. I'm sure customers favor them from time to time instead of Nick and me. Nick will be in the restaurant for the next few weeks, facilitating the change of ownership, and then will join us in Washington. We are looking forward to more free time and some outdoor adventures there,' Rosemarie said in an email.
Grenache Days this weekend
Sam Coturri's Sixteen600 tasting room and Sondra Bernstein's Rhône Room will honor International Grenache Day this weekend.
Why Grenache Day and what is it?
The grenache grape originated in the Aragon region of northern Spain and spread to Sardinia, southern France, San Joaquin Valley and Australia. Grenache noir or red grenache is the best known, followed by grenache blanc, which is now reportedly the fourth most planted white wine grape in France.
Since Grenache Day is the third Friday in September, Sonoma's celebration starts today, Sept. 21 at the Rhône Room on Broadway, with tastings running from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday brings Peter Mathis' wines from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and Casey Graybehl's from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday offers Lightening Wines, 1 to 3 p.m., followed by delightful chocolate tastings from Volo of Healdsburg from 2 to 4 p.m. 20816 Broadway, Sonoma.
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