Tag: california

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2016 Fairs

2016 Fair Schedule.  If you want links to each show and more information there are links to each on my Events Page.

 

CONFIRMED FAIRS FOR 2016:
March 19-20 :Voices in Cloth, Richmond

THESE ARE POTENTIAL FAIRS FOR 2016. ONCE I GET CONFIRMATION I WILL LET YOU KNOW.
April 29-May 1: Renegade Craft Fair San Francisco

June 19 & 20 : KPFA Summer Arts Fair

June 25-27: Urban Craft Uprising Seattle

July 16 & 17: Renegade Craft Fair San Francisco San Francisco

September 10 & 11: Mountain View Art and Wine Fest

September 17-18: North Country Fair, Arcata

October 8 & 9: San Carlos Art & Wine Faire

November 7 & 8 Urban Epicurean Fest San Francisco

November 13, 14, 15: San Mateo Harvest Festival

November 19 & 20: Renegade Craft Fair San Francisco

November 26 & 27 SF Etsy Indie Emporium

December 2, 3, 4 Humboldt Artisans Fair, Eureka, CA

December 18 & 19 KPFA Crafts Fair, Richmond, CA

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Local, Organic Wine Weekend!

wine glass and vineyard

This weekend my friend and I explored the small community of Hopland with wine glasses in tow.  I live in Cloverdale in the northern most portion of Sonoma County.  Hopland is 10 minutes north in southern Mendocino County.  I have driven through many times and even had a meal there a few times but never really got to know the town.

wine glass and vineyard

This last weekend they held their bi-annual Hopland Passport.  Two full days of wine tasting and food at over 15 wineries around the valley.  Quite a deal I thought.  $50 for two days and at least 3 pours at every winery.  Each stop had a stamp for your passport and free food for pairing.

 

 

Everyone we bumped into was smiley and warm and having a great time.  The pretension level was much lower than what I would’ve expected.  My friend Brynn and I could’ve easily spent an hour at each place, drinking wine outside in temperate weather in always beautiful settings.

 

 

My favorite stop was Seebass.  It is open to the public only for this event and is just a working vineyard and winery the rest of the year.  It was off the beaten path, quiet and so welcoming.  The woman pouring owned the winery and her mother owned the vineyard.  Everything bottled by them was grown on site.  And they had to heeler dogs which of course were a hit!

blue heeler and friend

It was a very nice was to be involved with our local businesses and agriculture.  Many of the wineries were certified organic.  There was an olive mill involved.  It just felt good to support these local folks in doing something they love and participating in the community.

Be sure to put this in your calendar for next year if you are nearby.  It won’t disappoint!

carole at seebass

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Love Lake County

valleyfirecomplex

Saturday night as I was driving home from the Mt View Art & Wine Fest I could see an orange light glowing over the hills to the east.  I thought “Could that be a fire?” but then thought no.  In the morning as I took the dogs for a morning walk ash rained down like so many gray snow flakes.  It was the Valley Fire which started in Cobb, Lake County.

I was nervous to leave the animals but had to drive back to the fair Sunday morning.  Lucky for us the fire was headed the opposite direction so I did feel okay to leave for the day.  Evacuation would be so stressful but doable so I watched the fire updates from the fair.

valleyfirecomplex

This fire is so terrible and fast moving that close to 600 structures have already burned.  What absolutely killed me were the reports that people had to flee so quickly that they didn’t have time to take their pets and livestock with them.  I just started crying for all the devastation and animal lives lost in this event.

 

As of this morning:

  • 67,000 acres burned
  • 15% contained
  • 13,000 people displaced
  • 9,000 structures threatened
  • 585 homes destroyed
  • 2.362 fire workers
  • 4 injured firefighters
  • 1 confirmed death

If you feel moved like I did to help any way you can there is a website set up for item and financial donations.  Lovelakecounty.org has lists of organizations that are helping and what they still need.  I just gave a financial donation to Wine Country Animal Lovers so they could get whatever they needed.  My heart goes out to all who are affected by this tragedy.

 

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Winter in California is spoiling me!

pink red camellias

January and February have been so mild I feel guilty about what the East and Midwest have had to go through!  The green grass is really taking off now and so many flowers are in bloom!  First the daffodils popped out, then my plum trees started budding.  Now the Camiellia bush is bursting, the redbuds have arrived and the Brodiaea have blanketed the hills.

I just cannot keep from photographing these beauties!   On Instagram here.

little yellow white daffodils

 

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Nevada County Country Christmas Fair

Country Christmas Faire
Nov. 28 – 30, 2014

Rated as one of the top handcrafted shows in Northern California, the Country Christmas Faire features unique gifts and crafts from top artisans from across the state.2014-CCF-Flyer-tn

Thanksgiving Weekend (driving directions)
Hours: 10 am to 5 pm on Friday and Saturday; 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday
Cost: $4 for adults; children 12 and under are free (Bring a can of food on Sunday, and receive $1 off admission)
Parking is free
No Pets Allowed

Exhibit buildings will be filled during the Thanksgiving weekend, giving shoppers a chance to start their holiday shopping with quality hand-made holiday items, ornaments, jewelry, wooden crafts, soaps and lotions, hand-woven baskets, stained glass, candles, beadwork, and dozens of other unique gifts.

Visitors to the Faire will enjoy strolling live entertainment, festival foods, the magical Gingerbread House exhibit, errand elves, and a community bon-fire. Wagon rides around the Fairgrounds will be offered; and Victorian singers, the bell ringing RiverBells, and the Sierra Symphony quartet will perform throughout the event. Santa will be available each day until an hour before the event closes, so bring your camera to capture that special photo with Santa. Free babysitting will be offered by Girl Scouts of the Northern Mines Service Unit, so parents can drop off their children while they enjoy holiday shopping. Errand Elves from Clear Creek School will be available to assist shoppers throughout the event.

As a reminder, no pets are allowed on the grounds during the Country Christmas Faire.
Entertainment at the Country Christmas Faire

Visitors to the Faire will enjoy musical entertainment, wagon rides, and visits from Santa!

Sierra Symphony, Northern Mines, Friday and Sunday, noon – 3 pm
RiverBells, Pine Tree Stage, Saturday, 1 – 4 pm
Rick Toles, strolling entertainment, Friday and Saturday, 11 am – 3:30 pm; and Sunday, 1 – 3 pm
Victorian Carolers, strolling entertainment, Friday and Saturday, noon – 3 pm; and Sunday, 11 am – 2 pm
Horse drawn wagon rides (weather permitting) by Empire Carriage Company, near Main Street Center, on Friday and Saturday.
Blended Metal Saxophones, holiday music, Saturday, 1 – 4 pm
Santa Claus, located in the Chapel at the end of Gold Path, Friday and Saturday, 11 am – 4 pm; and Sunday, 11 am – 3 pm

More info here.

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