Tip of my tongue: Petaluma gearing up for a host of holiday fun
Winter Winemaker Dinner
Street Social and Barber Cellars are teaming up for a winter winemaker dinner Saturday, Dec. 18, from 6-8 p.m. Tickets are $140 per person and quite limited as their space is fairly small. Tickets can be purchased through the events page at streetsocial.social. Without a doubt, Street Social’s food is incredible, and this menu is paired with some of our favorite wines. This four-course, Italian-inspired dinner will include pork belly terrine and cranberry mostarda with Barber’s 2019 Sangiovese, Dungeness crab conserva with Barber’s 2019 Barbera, oxtail sugo sweet potato gnocchi with Barber’s 2019 Zinfandel Reserve and finishing out with lemon verbena panna cotta. We are club members at Barber Cellars because we love their wines but have to give a special nod to their Barbera.
Dating to the 1200s, Barbera is the third most popular red grape in Italy. It was the second most popular until a 1960s scandal where 30 people were killed and many more lost their eyesight due to the illegal addition of methanol. In California, it was mostly grown out in the valley and used for jug wines, but more recently, has garnered the attention of quality wine makers, such as Mike Barber. We received a bottle in our last club allocation and took it for an out of town tasting with friends. Barber’s Barbera was definitely the big winner, with everyone asking us to pick them up a couple of bottles for our next visit. Go to barbercellars.com to view all of the wines or for information on visiting the winery’s downtown Petaluma tasting room.
New Year’s Eve Champagne Dinner
Although details have not yet been announced, Street Social has announced the return of its New Year’s Eve champagne dinner, featuring Lelarge-Pugeot. Ticket sales began online at streetsocial.social on Wednesday.
Latke’s & Lattes
The Chabad Jewish Center of Petaluma will host “Latkes & Lattes on Sunday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m., at its center at 205 Keller St., Unit 101. The center recently hosted a drone gelt drop to celebrate the start of Hanukkah (Nov. 28 – Dec. 6). We always find these events inviting and educational, whether we are just meeting new people or are learning about unfamiliar traditions and practices. Tickets are $10 for one, $18 for two, and $25 for three guests and even if you cannot attend, sponsorships are always welcome. Reservations can be made through the Chanukah 2021 link in the Holidays tab at jewishpetaluma.com. Additionally, the center’s Chanukah Shoppe is currently open for anyone in need of Menorahs, dreidels, candles, decorations and other Hanukkah gifts.
Dine & Donate for McKinley
Barber Cellars, 112 Washington St., and Barber Lee Spirits (across the alley at 120 Washington St.), will host a dine and donate on Sunday, Dec. 5 from 1-6 p.m. Mention McKinley school and both Barbers will donate 20% of proceeds to the school. This would make a great time to pick up holiday gifts, including Barber Lee’s holiday stocking stuffer of six 50-millileter bottles of their select spirits, including their sold-out bourbon, plus a cocktail glass. For those asking for a great Petaluma holiday gift, this is it, and 20% of the proceeds will go to a good cause.
As an added bonus, DirtClay Sonoma will showcase its ceramic wares, from mugs to bowls to vases to ornaments. “We offer small batch pottery, created out of a love for the process,” says owner and Petaluman Danny Gasparini. “With that in mind, you won't find uniformity. Every piece is uniquely its own. Our wares are thrown, glazed, and fired during a yearly cycle, therefore pieces are limited. Our hope is that you find joy in something that was joyfully made.”
Season of Cocktails
Barber Lee Spirits has just added 10 more tickets to its Season of Cocktails event at the distillery on Thursday, Dec. 9, from 7-9 p.m. Your $55 admission includes “food, live music, six samples of different cocktails, and a large cocktail of your choice.”
Grand Central Lighted Boat Parade
Well okay, it’s actually the Petaluma Lighted Boat Parade, but Grand Central Petaluma (226 Weller St.) will host its Festival of Lights on Dec. 11, from 4- 8 pm. in conjunction with the Lighted Boat Parade. The outdoor market will be a great opportunity to find holiday gifts from local makers from Petaluma Toffee Company to LaLa’s Jams to MariaPilar’s chocolate peppermint ice cream bars. Food will be available from Stockhome, which will be cooking up gyros and serving glug, a traditional Swedish hot spiced wine. And get this – they will have an ice-skating show courtesy of Redwood Theater Company! For those looking for the best seat in town, front row VIP seats will be available for purchase along the riverbank through Grand Central Petaluma’s Instagram account or directly in the shop. I recommend going into the shop so that you can also enjoy a couple of their empanadas, a hot cup of coffee and some excellent chocolates.
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