Healdsburg Today • Sun, May 11

• Another local chef trying to keep the Campo Fina dream alive

• The opening of Healdsburg’s second cannabis dispensary

• Some LLC sketchiness reported at our local senior home

• The bold return of Windsor’s disgraced ex-mayor, Dominic Foppoli

• Big changes for two core local wineries — a sale and a move

• A communal fundraiser for a well-loved Healdsburg builder and dad (see “More Local Headlines”)

• The largest-ever graduating class from Corazón Healdsburg’s prenatal workshop (see “Pics of the Week”)

• A bunch of fun seasonal events returning to our local calendar, like the Tuesday farmers market and the Friday party at Dry Creek Bar (see “What’s Happening?”)

• And everything else to know about what’s going on around here 🧐

SPONSOR SHOUTOUT

YOUR LOCAL WEATHER

• Today 🌤️ Mostly sunny and windy. 🌡️ High 68° Low 48°
• Monday 🌦️ Partly sunny and cool, with a large chance of rain! 🌡️ High 63° Low 45°
• Tuesday 🌤️ Mostly sunny. 🌡️ High 72° Low 45°
• Wednesday ☀️ Full sun. 🌡️ High 76° Low 48°
• Thursday 🌤️ Mostly sunny and warm. 🌡️ High 80° Low 52°
• Friday 🌤️ Mostly sunny and warm again. 🌡️ High 80° Low 51°
• Saturday 🌤️ More of the same... 🌡️ High 77° Low 50°

AIR OVER HEALDSBURG

Here’s what the sky overhead looked like earlier today — as captured by my mother, the mastermind behind these “Air of Healdsburg” photos for the past four years and counting. Anyone who knows her, knows she’s the G.O.A.T. Love you so big, mom! (Photo: Holly Wilson)

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Healdsburg Sotheby’s International Realty

New: Prime luxury apartment in downtown Geyserville

A rare property just went on the market in historic downtown Geyserville, right next to Fermata Coffee, Diavola and the Gun Club. The building for sale at 21015 Geyserville Ave. includes 1,615 square feet of ground-floor retail space and a 1,544-square-foot luxury two-bedroom apartment on the second floor — a stunning home with 17-foot barrel-vaulted ceilings and a charming front deck that looks out onto Geyser Peak and the Mayacama Mountains. Out back, another deck leads down to a patio designed for entertaining and events. The property’s zoning allows for a vacation rental and has a permit for wine tasting, but it could also be an art gallery, retail shop or office building. View more pics of this incredible property and reach out to Realtor Eric Drew to tour it in person.

TOP STORIES

1) A new French bistro is taking over the old Campo Fina and Molti Amici restaurant space

The morning after I sent your last Healdsburg newsletter, I got a very exciting email in my inbox from local chef Jacob Harth, the man behind those Winnie’s pop-ups at the Maison Healdsburg wine bar. He wrote: “I previously announced the opening of my restaurant Winnie’s a few months ago and we did several popup previews of the concept at Maison in Healdsburg. Although we did find a location for Winnie’s, the buildout is going to take several years so I don’t have any updates on that front. However in the meantime I have been living, working, and raising my family here in Healdsburg and I recently received a unique opportunity to take over the Molti Amici space” at 330 Healdsburg Ave.

Well, well! The new restaurant, called Bistro Lagniappe, will serve “wood-fired country cooking in the heart of Healdsburg, inspired by the rural bistros of France,” according to its website — and the plan is to open later this month. “Lagniappe will be open for dinner service Wednesday through Sunday, starting at 4pm daily,” Jacob wrote in his email to me. “We aim to open May 2025, with plans to introduce weekend brunch service at a later date.” Here’s what he said to expect, food- and vibe-wise:

Bistro Lagniappe is a wood-fired restaurant, which will showcase California countryside cooking inspired by the rural routiers and bistros of France, informed by the best ingredients from Sonoma County.

Lagniappe (pronounced: /lan'yap/) means “a small gift given” or “a little something extra” — it represents the level of cuisine and hospitality we aim to provide to our guests.

The goal is to create a welcoming space for the Healdsburg community, offering thoughtful service, warm hospitality, and simple, high-quality dishes at an excellent value. We are committed to supporting local producers by sourcing nearly 100% of our ingredients from Sonoma County farms, ranches, and fishers. Our cooking style will be minimalist and straightforward, allowing our exceptional local artisans to shine.

Doesn’t sound too far off from the lofty aims of Molti Amici, which shuttered barely a year after opening last fall, due to major money drama. (Resulting in a legal saga that finally just ended this spring. Rest in peace!) Molti’s founders, a trio of SingleThread alums, hoped to recreate the spirit of the former restaurant in that space, the legendary Campo Fina — a casual Italian eatery that for years served as a warm, bustling meeting place and community hub for locals near the plaza. Now, Bistro Lagniappe will take its shot. The San Francisco Chronicle is calling the space “embattled.” And this is the saucy Eater SF headline: “Maligned Molti Amici Is Out. A French Bistro From a Hype Oregon Chef Is in.” Here’s to hoping this one works out better than the last, for all of our sakes! In the meantime, keep an eye on Chef Jacob’s Instagram page, where he’s been posting sneak peaks and updates.

Also worth noting: Bistro Lagniappe’s announcement comes right as another hopeful French bistro along Old Redwood Highway down in Windsor, called Maison Porcella, closes its doors after around two years. (Ever heard of the two-year restaurant curse?) Their last day open was April 25. “It’s a lot of hard work for little compensation, plus our location is a little off the beaten path,” Chef Marc-Henri Jean-Baptiste told the Press Democrat. “It was really hard to get people out here on a regular basis so we decided that we’re shutting down the restaurant.” However, owners say on Facebook that “you can still privatize our space for groups of 10 and more until the end of June” and that the Maison Porcella team will still be selling charcuterie boards, pastries and catered meals. More info here. And of course, you can still find them at the Healdsburg Farmers Market!

Will this become Healdsburg’s next “third place,” a la Campo Fina? Might depend on whether we can learn to pronounce it — and whether we can afford it. (Photo: Bistro Lagniappe via Craigslist)

  (Photo: TK)

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience

Celebrating the makers behind the magic

The annual Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience returns from Thursday, May 15, through Sunday, May 18, for a weekend-long celebration of world-class wine and food in the heart of Sonoma County. Savor the Vintners Plaza Grand Tasting on Saturday afternoon with 150-plus local and global makers, including curated bites from Food Network stars.

And don’t miss other signature events like Shifting the Lens at J Vineyards with Chef Michael Reed — who fuses Southern soul with his California upbringing for a multi-course dining journey, paired with acclaimed J Vineyards wines. Head to Rodney Strong on Friday evening to groove to live music at the Outdoor Concert, featuring the soulful sounds of Allen Stone. Then keep the party going Saturday night at Guy Fieri’s Big Bottle Party at The Matheson, where magnums flow alongside paired bites from chefs Lee Anne Wong and Viet Pham.

The Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience has become the wine country’s can’t-miss weekend. Get your tickets today! 🥂

2) Healdsburg’s second weed shop, JANE Dispensary, is now open in the Mill Street shopping center

The Mill Street shopping center just got a little more lit. The JANE Dispensary has officially opened at 44D Mill St., right next to the Coyote Sonoma tasting room and live music venue (aka, the “Coyote Den,” run by Wilson Artisan Wines). If you remember, JANE is one of two weed shops approved to open in Healdsburg by our City Council in a long and drama-filled process back in 2023. The Solful dispensary was the first to open its doors last October, in an old freestanding Victorian on Healdsburg Avenue — and now, around half a year later, JANE opens in a much more modern, industrial space at the other end of town. Both JANE and Solful are regionally based dispensaries with a homey feel, and both have two existing locations in the North Bay (Cotati and Santa Rosa for the former; Sebastopol and San Francisco for the latter). The JANE team threw a big opening party last weekend for their new Healdsburg outpost — filled with live music, cannabis farmer cameos, food popups, live pipe glass-blowing, product drops and more. JANE is now open every day from 9am-9pm. Follow their Instagram page to stay posted!

JANE is conveniently located next door to Coyote Sonoma and across the way from the Elephant, which both host regular live bands that pair perfectly with bud. Here’s some fancy footage from the shop’s grand opening party last weekend. 🎉 (Image: JANE Healdsburg via Instagram)

  (Photo: TK)

Oh, and while the skunk of cannabis is still in our noses, I should mention that h2hotel, Hotel Healdsburg’s hip younger sister, just launched a new weed-infused experience for hotel guests. It’s called the “Vines & Leaf Cycling Adventure.” Guess we’re a pot hotspot now! Here’s the pitch:

Sonoma County has long been celebrated for its exceptional wines and breathtaking landscapes, making it a haven for cycling enthusiasts. More recently, the region has gained recognition for its cannabis cultivation. H2hotel invites you to explore the best of both worlds with Vines & Leaf, a new cycling tour hosted in collaboration with Getaway Adventures.

Pedal through picturesque backroads framed by endless vineyards and rolling hills of Dry Creek Valley. Along the way, you'll visit two family-owned wineries with charming grounds, Quivira and Amista, where you'll sample their certified-organic wines — ranging from crisp sparkling wines to bold Rhône blends and Zinfandels. Indulge in a gourmet picnic amidst the stunning vineyards along the way.

The adventure culminates with a visit to Solful, a boutique cannabis dispensary in downtown Healdsburg, specializing in organic and biodynamic products that are 100% sun-grown and locally sourced. Solful holds the distinction of being the sole source for the world’s only Biodynamic-certified cannabis. Here, you’ll have the chance to explore the nuances of cannabis and sustainable farming, with expert staff on hand to guide you through a curated selection, tailored to your preferences.

3) Healdsburg’s senior home is being run by a mysterious new LLC

The saga continues this spring for the Healdsburg Senior Living facility on Grove Street. Last we heard, back in March, the Press Democrat reported that Pacifica — the San Diego-based real estate and hospitality company that has owned Healdsburg Senior Living since 2018, along with 80 similar facilities across seven states — was forced to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, leaving the fate of Healdsburg’s local senior home and its dozens of residents uncertain. This, after years of complaints, citations and a lawsuit alleging “clear reckless neglect” on the part of Healdsburg Senior Living, leading to the death of resident Phyllis Johnson. (Pacifica recently settled with her family for around $2.5 million.) And now, dogged Press Democrat reporter Phil Barber — who has been all over this story! — writes that Pacifica has handed off our local senior home to a shadowy new company called “Healdsburg Mgr LLC.” An attorney for Pacifica tried to argue to Phil that Pacifica no longer manages Healdsburg Senior Living, and that everything is being handled by this other LLC, but Phil is skeptical. “Despite the arrival of Healdsburg Mgr LLC at Healdsburg Senior Living,” he reports, “it’s unclear whether any substantive leadership changes have taken place, in part because of the layers of companies connected to the facility.” Among them:

A deeper look at Healdsburg Mgr LLC... reveals that that company didn’t exist until September. In that initial filing with the California secretary of state’s office, Carl Knepler is the “organizer.”

Knepler spent 13 years as Pacifica Senior Living’s chief operating officer and managing partner, according to his LinkedIn page.

Knepler now holds those same titles for another newly registered company called Heritage Resource Group. A relative of one Healdsburg Senior Living resident told The Press Democrat that when a representative of the new management company there gave him a business card, it identified her as working for Heritage Resource Group.

That company incorporated in October. Its most recent statement of information, filed with the secretary of state, lists Knepler as a manager, along with Naresh Kotwani, who is a principal at Pacifica Companies.

This reminds me so much of slumlord reporting I did back when I was the New York City editor for Patch. Basically, I learned that LLCs are a top obfuscation tool of property managers trying to dodge responsibility. I only hope our local seniors aren’t suffering amid this corporate mess. (If you live there or know someone who does, I’d love to hear from you.) For what it’s worth, Pacifica’s attorney did insist in a statement issued to the PD that all is fine and well at 725 Grove St. The statement reads, in part:

“Healdsburg Senior Living is a licensed, fully independent, financially stable community that remains deeply committed to providing exceptional care to our residents. In fact, we are excited to announce that Healdsburg Senior Living is growing! We’re expanding our services with the construction of a new Assisted Living building and the expansion of our Memory Care Program to better meet the needs of our residents and their families.

“Our dedication to delivering high-quality care has not wavered. We are enthusiastic about the future and look forward to continuing to serve our community with the excellence our residents deserve. We hope this message helps to clarify any confusion and eliminate any concerns for our residents, families, and staff.”

To get to the sprawling Healdsburg Senior Living campus, you take a driveway off the west side of Grove. (Image: Google Maps)

  (Photo: TK)

4) Dominic Foppoli is backkk

Dominic Foppoli’s name is once again on the lips of locals, as news has arrived of his return to the streets of Windsor. What’s more, this notorious 42-year-old Healdsburg winery bro and former Windsor mayor — who resigned in 2021 and moved to Italy with his fiancee, where his family reportedly owns a 1,000-year-old castle, after an avalanche of sex-abuse allegations came out against him — told the Press Democrat earlier this month that he plans to move back to Windsor for good. What’s more, he might even run for Windsor mayor again in 2026. I kid you not! If you’re wondering how the people of Windsor feel about his big announcement, or at least a subset of them, this Nextdoor thread might get you started. Anyway, here’s what we know so far, from the pages of the PD:

Dominic Foppoli, the former Windsor mayor accused of sexual misconduct by at least nine women in three different civil lawsuits, says he is moving back to the northern Sonoma County town permanently and is considering a bid for mayor next year.

In an email to The Press Democrat, Foppoli said his focus for the rest of the year is “starting a family, fully moving back to Windsor and winning decisively and completely in civil court.”

He also said he would “consider accepting a call to run” for mayor next year.

“The truth is that it’s sad to see what has happened to our beautiful town since I left office” in May 2021, said the recently married Foppoli, who has been splitting his time between homes in Italy and Windsor. “If the town continues to fall down this terrible path, with the support of my family, I will seriously consider accepting a call to run next year.

Dominic Foppoli also tells the paper that he’s had “countless Windsor residents in the last few months ask me to consider coming back to my role as mayor in next year’s election.” The town’s current mayor through November 2026, Rosa Reynoza, expressed her disgust in a followup interview with the PD. She said: “ I hate — and I don’t use this term often — that his face and name are back in the headlines. The trauma that this is causing so many women and families is simply unimaginable.”

For background, Dominic Foppoli — son of the Christopher Creek Winery family, whose tasting room is on Limerick Lane in Healdsburg — has been accused by at least nine women of leveraging his status to get them into situations where he could sexually assault and abuse them. One of his accusers was reality TV star Farrah Abraham, who claimed Dominic drugged and sexually assaulted her a wine-tasting event in Florida circa 2021. “I went through some of the darkest times in my life when this happened,” she said at a press conference last year. “If nothing is done, a rapist will repeat their behavior.” Dominic’s other accusers include one of his young campaign volunteers and a former colleague on the Windsor Town Council, both of whom claim he raped them at parties.

The Christopher Creek Winery name has also been sullied by all this, of course — especially since some of Dominic’s alleged behavior took place on winery grounds, according to his accusers. Dominic’s brother, Joe Foppoli, even filed a separate lawsuit against Dominic and Christopher Creek last year, claiming he was pushed out for questioning how the company was managing its finances — then quietly later removed Dominic’s name from the suit, according to the PD.

Last bit of background tea for you, then I’ll let this one rest for now: The Los Angeles Times ran a fascinating media-insider story in 2021 about the former Press Democrat reporter who, shut down by her editors after bringing them the allegations against Dominic Foppoli, quit and took them to her new job at the San Francisco Chronicle, where she broke the story and owned the ongoing coverage — causing a wave of outrage toward the PD, and much internal newsroom turmoil, too. The title of the LA Times piece says it all: “In wine country, a newspaper war brings down a mayoral ‘prince’ accused of sex abuse.” Kinda writes itself!

Mr. Foppoli in better days, receiving a commemorative street sign at a Windsor City Council meeting to honor his service as mayor. (Image: Healdsburg Tribune)

  (Photo: TK)

5) Healdsburg winery Medlock Ames is up for sale

A $44 million property in the Healdsburg countryside hit the real-estate market yesterday: The Medlock Ames winery and estate at 13414 Chalk Hill Rd. and tasting room at 3487 Alexander Valley Rd. I’ve reached out to the winery for more information about what this means, and why it’s happening; all I know for now is that the 20-year-old Medlock Ames brand and properties are listed for sale on sites like Redfin, Mayacama Luxury Real Estate, Coldwell Banker, etc. Here’s what the listing says:

Harvest the opportunity to own the most premier Chalk Hill winery and estate available for sale in Sonoma County, Medlock Ames, located at beautiful Bell Mountain in Healdsburg with an additional Alexander Valley tasting room. This sprawling vineyard estate sits majestically on 342 acres, of which 47 are prime Russian River and Alexander Valley appellation, providing the best of the best 92 to 96 point Cabernets and Chardonnays across the valley, yielding 8,000 cases with a capacity for 20,000 total.

Awarded with regenerative organic certification, this winery has the infrastructure and operations in place for future growth and offers 33 additional plantable acres. Neighboring Verite, Chalk Hill and Roth wineries, this property is uniquely divided into 4 distinct parcels separating the wine operations and hospitality from the three esteemed modern estate homes adorned with organic gardens, multiple pools/terraces, fitness centers and bocce court plus 140 acres with 3 building envelopes sub-dividable for additional development or expansion of hospitality services.

The Medlock Ames winery and estate is available for sale as a whole or can be purchased in individual parcels. Conveniently located minutes from the Sonoma airport and posh wine country town of Healdsburg.

Medlock Ames has gotten some major buzz over the past few years for becoming the first “regenerative organic certified” winery in Sonoma County — which means, according to the Press Democrat, that vintners are focusing on the health of the soil, which in turns helps mitigate climate change. The face of Medlock Ames, co-founder Ames Morrison, reportedly doubled down on this aspect of farming after the Kincade Fire tore through his Chalk Hill estate in 2019 — “turning much of its green pastures to black and in the process [destroying] more than 1,000 trees along with a couple miles of deer fence.” He also had to tear out and replant about 20% of his vines. After that, Ames said: “I did a lot of soul searching. I really wanted to understand what was going on with the environment and what our responsibility is.”

The epic Medlock Ames plot out Chalk Hill. (Video: Medlock Ames via Instagram)

  (Photo: TK)

6) Another local winery, Montagne Russe, is moving to Petaluma

The Bacchus Landing wine-tasting collective on Westside Road, next to the animal shelter, has been adding new wineries right and left lately — but one of its original and most beloved tenants, the Montagne Russe tasting room and record shop, has decided to pack up and head south, the Petaluma Argus-Courier reports. We now have until the end of May to stop by Montagne Russe and take advantage of the winery’s moving sale (20% off of six-plus bottles) before it makes the leap down to Petaluma, according to its website. Where in Petaluma, you ask? The Argus-Courier did some sleuthing and noticed that “a sign recently went up on the Petaluma Boulevard spot formerly occupied by Black Knight Vineyards, promising a June debut of its downtown Winery & Record Lounge” at 155 Petaluma Blvd. North. More from the story:

The wine industry can seem a lot like a roller coaster sometimes, which is part of the reason that winemaker Kevin Bersofsky named his winery Montagne Russe, translated as Russian Mountain, the original name that the French gave to roller coasters.

Bersofsky — who once designed roller coasters while studying engineering in college — started making his own wines in 2006, experimenting in his tiny garage until he got busted in 2013, and finally emerged as a legally acceptable wine-making business in 2015.

Almost immediately, Montagne Russe wines — affectionately made from grapes grown in places like as the Petaluma Gap — began winning fans.

The operation’s Healdsburg tasting room quickly became a popular spot for visitors eager to check out offerings like its Dragon’s Back Pinot Noir and Poet-Laval White Blend, and also for its Vino & Vinyls Record Shop, featuring over 2,000 vinyl records ranging from $5 to $40.

Back when Kevin opened his tasting room on the Bacchus Landing campus, in summer 2021, he said in a press release that he “started his own personal record collection to play at the tasting room.” Then, “as it grew, people were continuously asking to buy his records... and so began the idea of creating a record shop within the tasting room.” Our loss, Petaluma’s gain!

The Healdsburg location. (Photo: Vino & Vinyls Record Shop via Google Maps)

  (Photo: TK)

MORE LOCAL HEADLINES

• Community members have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help well-known Healdsburg carpenter Tracy DeuFriend make ends meet as he recovers from shoulder surgery. “Let’s rally around this long-time Healdsburg friend and help him make it through healing and recovery without the stress of how he’ll support himself and his teen Abbey,” organizers say.
• It took four local agencies to rescue a dog who got stranded on the rock dam at Memorial Beach in Healdsburg last weekend. One of these agencies, the Sonoma County Fire District, posted on Facebook: “It was a tricky rescue, but our rescue swimmer suited up and, after two attempts, safely brought the pup back to shore.”
• The live-music lineup just dropped for Tuesdays in the Plaza this spring and summer! I’m seeing some pretty big names on the list, like Bollywood bluesman Ali Kumar, raucous “cello-led rock-blues-bluegrass band thing” Dirty Cello and lots of great Latin groups. Shows start three Tuesdays from now, on May 27.
• And the lineup for the BloodRoot Ramble music festival on the Community Center field, one of Healdsburg’s hottest summer parties, is looking pretty good, too: Organizers locked down Ziggy Marley, La Luz, Local Natives and more. Tickets cost $100-plus per day on Friday, June 6, and Saturday, June 7.
• Annnd of course, Healdsburg’s crown jewel event, the Future Farmers parade and fair, is right around the corner on May 22, just two Thursdays from now. This will be the 76th annual! Details here.
• The increasingly popular “¡Vamos! Al Tianguis” night market is in full swing again for the season, too — taking over the Healdsburg City Hall parking lot on the first Sunday of each month. Stop by the next one on June 14 from 4-9pm.

Here’s the scoop on the second season of ¡Vamos! Al Tianguis, which doubles from four events to eight events this year, via Healdsburg Tribune news editor Christian Kallen: “The pop-up street market, held last year at the City Hall north parking lot, proved to be a surprise hit with the city as well as the community. It will return there again in 2025 every second Saturday from May to December, with a potential move to the Foley Family Community Pavilion in 2026.” (Image: ¡Vamos! North Bay)

PICS OF THE WEEK

Local nonprofit Corazón Healdsburg hosted a sweet “baby shower” last Tuesday for the largest class to graduate yet from its “Mi Bebé y Yo” prenatal workshop series. Twenty-one families just completed the program, according to Corazón spokesperson Holly Fox — and “for the first time ever,” she says, “Corazón formally incorporated a series of support group sessions... so that parents and families could build relationships and share experiences as they navigated this important life transition together.” So this year’s graduation was an extra celebratory and emotional affair, complete with classic baby shower games and rounds of Lotería; giveaways of essential items like diapers, baby clothes, car seats and handmade quilts from volunteer Tina Crabtree; and plenty of tacos to go around. FYI, the Mi Bebé y Yo program covers topics like “physical and emotional changes during pregnancy, parenting roles and life adjustments after birth, parent-infant engagement, breastfeeding, brain and infant development, postpartum mood disorders and self-care, as well as infant care and safety.” It also just gives local Spanish speakers a place to navigate early parenthood as a community, instead of going it alone. Learn more here. (Photos: Corazón Healdsburg)

River’s Edge Kayak & Canoe, which runs river trips out to and from Memorial Beach in Healdsburg, arranged a bunch of kayaks in the shape of a love letter to the NOAA late last month. I’m assuming that stands for National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, the federal weather-monitoring agency that has been targeted by the Trump administration’s budget cuts, but I’ve reached out to River’s Edge to clarify! (Photos: River’s Edge via Facebook & Mary Ruffatto via Facebook)

And here are a couple of recent pics shared by Farm to Pantry, our local food-justice nonprofit. The first, according to org rep Kelly Conrad, shows special-needs volunteers from the Santa Rosa-based Becoming Independent program helping out at the Mason Street community garden near the train depot, across the street from the Longboard Vineyards tasting room. Each Wednesday, they tend to the garden’s “empowerment plot,” as Farm to Pantry calls it. Kelly explains: “The Mason St. Garden Empowerment Plot (a former industrial equipment staging area) addresses land equity and food justice. We are working together with local community members (many of whom live in apartments with no land space for a garden) to transform this county-owned plot of land into a space where community members have the resources to grow their own food. We hope the Mason Street project will blossom into a place of genuine community, where the marginalized feel welcome, cared for and safe.” If you want to get involved, Farm to Pantry hosts a Mason Street garden workday every Thursday from 9am-noon. (Photo: Farm to Pantry)

WHAT’S HAPPENING?

Monday, May 12 🌝

• “Jumpstart Your Art” working session for artists and creatives at The 222 (weekly, 1-4pm)

• “Dungeons & Dragons Campaign Club” for kids aged 8-18 at Heartizens (weekly through May 19, 3:30-8:30pm)

The late artist Jendala’s studio on Moore Lane is now a sanctuary for young gamers, among its many other purposes. (Image: Heartizens)

• Info night for fifth grade parents at Healdsburg Junior High (5:30pm)
  

• SOLD OUT: Perfume Genius, popular indie-rock musician hyped by Charlie XCX, plays Little Saint (6-10pm)

• Spacewalker hosts open mic and industry night at the Elephant in the Room pub (weekly, 7-10pm)

Tuesday, May 13

• Healdsburg Farmers Market on the plaza: First Tuesday market of the season (9am-12:30pm)

• “Ben’s Friends” group hosts sober meetup at Lo & Behold for “anyone struggling with addiction in the hospitality industry” (weekly, 10am)

• Oil painting class at Healdsburg Art Atelier (weekly, 10am-1pm)
• Student theater performance at Healdsburg Junior High (4:30pm)
• Homework help for kids in grades K-12 at the mini Healdsburg Library (weekly, 4:30-6:30pm)

• Aikido class for adults at the Healdsburg Community Center (weekly through May 20, 5:15-6:15pm)

• True West Film Center hosts “La Dolce Drag,” drag dinner with Italian cinema theme, at Diavola Pizzeria in Geyserville (6pm)

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Is Healdsburg’s hometown film org trying to give those flamboyant “T.O.W.N.” dinners a run for their money? (Image: True West Film Center)

Wednesday, May 14

• Teen hangout at the mini Healdsburg Library: Watch movie and eat popcorn (weekly, 1:30-3pm)

• “Intercambio” grupo de conversación / conversation group at the mini Healdsburg Library: Learn English or Spanish (weekly, 4:30-5:30pm)

• Open mic night at Heartizens (6pm)

• “Canon Book Group” meeting at the mini Healdsburg Library: Discuss “East of Eden” by John Steinbeck. (monthly, second Wed, 6-7:30pm)

• City of Healdsburg’s parks and rec commission holds regular meeting at City Hall (monthly, second Wed, 6pm)

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Thursday, May 15

• Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience (Thu-Sun, May 15-18)

• Farm to Pantry hosts community garden workday at Mason Street Garden: Weeding, mulching, planting and more (weekly, 10am-noon)

• Healdsburg cyclists celebrate Bike to Everywhere Day with first-ever “energizer station” on the plaza (3-5pm)

• Live jazz at Furthermore Wines (weekly, Thu-Sat, 5:30-8:30pm)

• Live jazz and prime rib dinner deal at Goodnight’s Prime Steak & Spirits (weekly, 5:45-8:45pm)

• Northern Sonoma County Fire Protection District holds regular board meeting at the Geyserville fire station (6pm)

• City of Healdsburg hosts community meeting on the March Avenue reconstruction and pedestrian upgrades project at Healdsburg Elementary’s Fitch Mountain campus: Free pizza and drinks (6-7pm)

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Come check out the city’s plan for March Avenue and speak your piece. Community organizer and former mayor Brigette Mansell says she’ll be at the meeting, too, to talk about the grassroots effort to plant a bunch of native street trees along March. Good company! (Photo: City of Healdsburg)

• May flowers paint party at Healdsburg Bar & Grill (6-9pm)

• Trivia night at the Fogbelt Station beer garden (weekly, 6-8pm)

• Sam Blasucci, a singer-songwriter from SoCal, plays free show at Little Saint (6-9pm)
• New comedy play at the Raven Theater: “Home, I’m Darling” (Thu-Sat, May 15-17, 7:30pm)
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Friday, May 16

• Healdsburg-born music festival “Cosmico” runs for three days at Dawn Ranch in Guerneville: Sets by Leah Blevins, Gilligan Moss, Jason Crosby and more (Fri-Sun, May 16-18)

• Art therapist Erin Partridge hosts “intuitive movement to art” dance session at The 222 (weekly, 1-3pm)

• “Dry Creek Fridays” party at the Dry Creek General Store and Bar: Live music by Jive Samba, food by Pain BBQ (weekly, 5-8pm)

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My favorite place on Earth. (Video: Shop Local Healdsburg via Instagram)

• Madonna and Blondie tribute bands play Coyote Sonoma (doors 6pm, show 8pm)

• Special chef collaboration dinner at The Parish Cafe between two storied Healdsburg chefs: Campo Fina chef Ari Rosen and Parish chef Mike Ruffino join forces for “one-of-a-kind menu” (6:30pm)

• Mad scientist “Doktor Kaboom!” performs for kids at the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa (6:30-9pm)

• Greyhound Band performs spring concert at Healdsburg High School (7-8:30pm)
  

• Maxx Cabello Band plays the Elephant in the Room pub (8-11pm)
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Saturday, May 17

• Sonoma County Farm Trails hosts spring tour of farms across the county: “Blossoms, Bees & Barnyard Babies” (Sat-Sun, May 17-18)
• Healdsburg Rotary Club’s sunrise chapter hosts 40th annual Giro Vignetti bike tour: 20-100 mile routes, starting and ending at Bacchus Landing (6am)
• Healdsburg Farmers Market in the west plaza parking lot (weekly, 8:30am-noon)
• Annual cleanup day at Oak Mound Cemetery (9am-1pm)
• Annual “Battle of the Blends” at Alexander Valley Vineyards: Wine-blending competition and family-style lunch (10:30am-2:30pm)
• Read to a dog at the mini Healdsburg Library (weekly, 11am-noon)
• Opening reception for new art exhibit at the Rena Charles Gallery: “The Art of Play” by Vanessa Montenegro (noon-4pm)
• Live music on the piazza at Bacchus Landing (weekly, noon-4pm)
• Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience: “Vintners Plaza Grand Tasting” in the west plaza parking lot (12:30-4:30pm)

Always a scene... (Photo: Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience)

• Painting session at Healdsburg Art Atelier (weekly, 4-6pm)

• The Rootstocks play Coyote Sonoma (doors 5pm, show 7pm)

• Ian Scherer Trio plays live jazz at Hotel Healdsburg (weekly, 6-9pm)

• Dot Wines hosts spring release party with disco, karaoke and dim sum at Bacchus Landing (6-9:30pm)

• 20-year reunion party for Healdsburg High School Classes of 2004 and 2005 at the Fogbelt Station beer garden (6:30-9pm)

If you only knew what it took to plan this party... (Photo: HHS Reunion Committee)

• Nicolas Bearde Quintet plays live jazz at The 222 (7pm)
  

• Healdsburg High School prom at the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa (7pm)

• Jazz singer Diana Krall performs at the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Roasa (8pm)

• Sirsi, a pop-rock duo from New York, plays the Elephant in the Room pub (8-11pm)

Sunday, May 18

• “Move! Healdsburg” hosts community bike ride around the Magnolia Loop, starting and ending at the plaza (10am)

• Curated brunch experience at Bacchus Landing: “The Bacchus Brunch Club” (11am-12:30pm)

• Geyserville’s Diavola Pizzeria hosts popup Italian brunch at Seghesio Winery (11am-1pm)

• City of Healdsburg hosts renaming celebration for the Healdsburg Community Center, now the Abel De Luna Community Center (1-5pm)

• Matinee performance of new comedy play at the Raven Theater: “Home, I’m Darling” (2pm)
• “Art of the Dose” workshop at Breathless Sparkling Wines (2:30pm)

• Idlewild Wines hosts “Sunday School” Italian wine class (4-6pm)

• “Vinyl Sundays” at Furthermore Wines: Listen to ’80s pop records with musician Nate Lopes (weekly, 4-7pm)
• Free pipe-organ concert and choral evensong at St. Paul’s Church on Matheson (5pm)
• Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience: Soul singer Allen Stone plays outdoor concert at Rodney Strong Vineyards (5:30-8pm)

• Aki Kumar Band plays the Elephant in the Room pub (6-9pm)

• Hurray for the Riff Raff, an all-female country-folk band, plays Little Saint (6-10pm)

Another great get for Little Saint — count me in. (Video: Hurray for the Riff Raff)

• Clerestory, 10-man vocal ensemble from the Bay Area, performs at The 222 (8pm)

That’ll do us for this week. Now let’s hear it for the moms! Time to go hug yours, or give her a call, or pour one out in her memory. Sending love from my Healdsburg home to yours. 💐

— Simone Wilson

About me: I was born and raised in Healdsburg, CA, and have since worked as a local journalist for publications in San Diego, Los Angeles, New York City and the Middle East. I’m now a senior product manager and staff writer for the Weeklys newspaper group, including the Healdsburg Tribune and the North Bay Bohemian.

Have any feedback, questions, suggestions or corrections? Or a tip about something happening in town? Hit me up at swilson@weeklys.com.