Kathleen Hill: What’s red, white and educational all over?
Red & White Ball brings Wonder Bread 5
Sonoma Valley Education Foundation’s Red & White Ball on Saturday, Aug. 27 should be better than ever with food from Stellar Catering and music by local cover band Wonder Bread 5 and the Dixie Giants, a Sonoma Valley High School band lead by Casey Jones.
According to Education Foundation Executive Director Laura Zimmerman, “This is the largest and most important fundraising event for the public schools of Sonoma Valley. Every single student and every single school will benefit from the ball. We are so proud of our community’s dedication and involvement in the future of our schools!”
Ari Weisswasser of Glen Ellen Star has designed the menu with Park 121’s Bruce Riezenman to include an arugula and peach salad, Marcona almonds and Chevoo’s marinated feta; Paella Valencia with roasted pimento spiced shrimp, steamed mussels and clams, and grilled orange chicken; and succotash, followed by Red & White Ball ice cream dessert, with vegetarian options available.
The R&W Raffle prizes are fantastic such as a one-week Hawaiian vacation, two electric bikes, a group cooking class and dinner for 10 at Ramekins Culinary School and several wine tasting experiences.
You can purchase raffle tickets at the Tuesday evening farmers market and at the Red Grape restaurant. Raffle tickets are $20 and it all goes to support Sonoma Valley’s public schools. Red & White Ball $200; dance only $40 includes one drink ticket. 5 to 10 p.m. Tickets and info at 935-9566 or svgreatschools.org.
Gravenstein Apple Fair ?this weekend
Sonoma County’s precious and endangered crop of Gravenstein apples will be celebrated this weekend, Aug. 13 and 14, at Ragle Ranch Park near Sebastopol. Expect terrific historic apple processing equipment, fabulous apple pies made by local churches and community groups, cider, arts and crafts, chefs’ demos, a children’s corner and loads of live music from locals such as Tommy Thomsen, the Bad Apple String Band, Bootleg Honeys, La Mixta Criolla, Mumbo Gumbo, Sourdough Slim, the Tipsy Gypsy Trio and Zulu Spear. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Gravensteinapplefair.com.
Dutch Bros. donates ?Aug. 17 proceeds to schools
Speaking of food and schools, Dutch Bros. Coffee at Broadway and Andrieux holds its “Dutch Bros. Coffee Sonoma Give Back Day” next Wednesday, Aug. 17. All proceeds all day will go to Sonoma Valley Education Foundation for many of its programs, including the School Garden Project.
French and Italian ?classes at Ramekins
If you aren’t going to France this summer, learn a little French Riviera cuisine with Chef Pierre Lagourgue at Ramekins Culinary School on Friday, Aug. 19. Lagourgue is from the southern French Basque country and will lead the yummy class that includes a lunch of spicy shrimp and squid salad, quiche with goat cheese and potato, sautéed chicken with escargots, rice pilaf, and apples sautéed in Calvados, with banana sherbet. $95. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reserve at ramekins.com.
On Sunday, Aug. 21 Joe Mangiantini will show how to make al fresco Italian dishes such as warm garlic and anchovy dip with toasted baguette, prosciutto stuffed with fresh mozzarella and tomatoes, wild mushroom risotto with homemade ricotta, and “Fragole al Vino” wine-soaked strawberries with whipped cream. $95. 3 to 6 p.m. Reserve at ramekins.com.
More museum goodies
Sonoma Valley Museum of Art’s “Great Places Great Spaces” feature “the art of architecture, interior design and exceptional epicurean entertainment” of houses many people would love to peek into.
Some of SVMA’s recent home fundraisers took place at the homes of Hank Martinson and Frank and Andi Valo-Espina.
Hank Martinson’s home is a little gem once owned by the Lasseter family on the eastside of Sonoma. The house was built by the first Sam Sebastiani along with several others and sold to employees for one big dollar. Hank has added lovely gardens, water features, and a lot of love, shared by neighbors Dr. Brian Sebastian and Richard Mabe.
Bob Rice of the Breakaway Café catered the evening enjoyed by Toni Rothschild, Rhoda Peterson, Phyllis and John Gurney, Tery and Dan Parks, Lorraine and Hugh Gordon, Katharine Kunst and Katherine Fulton, Trish Rodimer, Steve and Thale Macrostie, Jirja and John Muncy, Jane and Al Milotich, Penny McGrane, Joan Howley, Catherine and Sam Humphreyts, Holly Kyle, Lucy Weiger and Robert Crane, Susan and Lewis Cook, Catherine and Sam Humphrey’s, Christine Bohar, Barbara Aliza, Ron Moser and Tom Graves.
Frank and Andi Valo-Espina hosted another Great Places fundraiser at their Creekside home just over the Ig Vella Bridge. Andi designs elegant menswear in San Francisco while Frank leads his large CPA office down the peninsula. And they come here to rest, tend their vineyard and polish their car collection while helping many causes.
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