Wintertime is the offseason in many parts of Wine Country, but not in Healdsburg. Even amid a global pandemic, our tiny town of 12,000 is jam-packed with things to do—a refreshing reminder that there’s always something happening around here. The latest shelter-in-place orders were rescinded January 25, so here’s a sneak peek at four happenings about which we’re particularly excited.
We love a good night at Duke’s Artisan Cocktails. Even though the watering hole can accommodate customers outdoors again, bartenders are getting creative, organizing regular at-home tastings over Zoom. The set-up is simple: You pay for and pick up your samples in advance, then log on from home to follow-along with experts who provide history of the spirit in question. Previous events have spotlighted aromatized wines and a new California brandy. The next event, scheduled for Feb. 1, will spotlight Kō Hana Hawaiian Agricole rums. Participants will taste through five different rums and receive recipes and history to whip out at their next cocktail party. To sign up or to receive more information, click here. And check out a few photos of Duke’s Co-Founder and Awesome Bartender Tara Heffernon in action in a recent photo shoot with Kim Carroll.
Healdsburg abounds with local artists (see the spotlight below), and the Healdsburg Center for the Arts 2021 Annual Members Exhibit puts some of these great creators on display. The exhibit is held in the gallery, where visitors are admitted in timed blocks and must wear masks to minimize the risk of virus spread. Inside, Center members show their work—everything from plein air to traditional oil-on-canvas. The annual event is a great way to tap the local zeitgeist. The exhibit opened January 9 and runs through February 21.
Montage Healdsburg, our new luxury hotel neighbors on the north end of town, recently opened a hiking trail from Passalacqua Road up to the resort. The trail winds around the foothills, meandering between the oak trees and bridging creeks. If you park at Barbieri Brothers Park in the Parkland Farms residential development, the tromp is about 1 mile to the end, which just happens to be steps from the hotel lobby and Scout Field Bar, where legendary mixology master Scott Beattie works his wonders. Locals have started calling the trail “Martini Trail” for what awaits them at the summit. Be sure to get the full experience.
It’s never too late to learn your history, and the Healdsburg chapter of the American Association of University Women is sponsoring two six-week-long online lecture series that kick off this month. The first track, on Tuesday mornings, is titled “The Transformation of America: A Social and Economic History of the United States,” and is being taught by Dr. Chris O’Sullivan, a professor of American history at the University of San Francisco. The second track, on Thursdays, is titled, “Mexican Immigration to the U.S.: A Bilateral Perspective, 1965 to the Present,” and is being taught by Alex Saragoza, a professor at University of California, Berkeley. Every class is about two hours, and participants can register any time. For more information, visit the AAUW’s website.
