A softer option
The town in the shadow of the big city entices in its own right
BY IRENE LECHOWITZKY Petaluma, once known as the “Egg Basket of the World,” has since softened its image as a hard-boiled agricultural town. It retains some of its agricultural base, but these days it’s more farm to table than chicken coop central. On my recent visit to the Bay Area, my friends Susan and Rich suggested we stay overnight in Petaluma, one of their favorite towns — and, yes, it was all it was cracked up to be. The town has been feathering its nest with antique stores, new shops and restaurants in its historic city center. Its downtown has some striking buildings (Victorian, Queen Anne, etc.) that withstood the catastrophic 1906 Bay Area earthquake. Petaluma radiates small-town charm and is the perfect escape from the big-city scramble. The tab: I spent $157 plus tax for a night at the Hotel Petaluma, and about $105 for meals.
The bed
Hotel Petaluma (205 Kentucky St.; [707] 559-3393,
hotelpetaluma.com) opened in 1924 and still has some original architectural elements, including its Otis traction elevator. I was leery of stepping into the pull-door contraption, but it worked just fine. The hotel had an eerie, almost haunted feel when I walked down the hall at night. But it won’t be ghostly clanking that will wake you in the morning; rather, it’s the real-life construction. The hotel offers free earplugs as it undergoes a major revitalization of the lobby, fireplace lounge and guest rooms. On the plus side, rooms are offered at a good price, and the hotel is steps from restaurants and bars, entertainment and boutique shops. The prerenovation rooms are basic but offer free Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV and Pharmacopia toiletries.
The meal
Dempsey’s Restaurant & Brewery (50 E. Washington St.; [707] 765-9694, dempseys.com) has a terrific, diverse menu; my friends and I split pan-roasted mussels, pulled pork tacos and a Chinese chicken salad for lunch. If the weather is good, eat on the patio overlooking the waterfront. Central Market (42 N. Petaluma Blvd.; [707] 778-9900, www.centralmarketpetaluma
.com) has locals in a foodie fever. I didn’t think it was as hot as touted, but its heart is in the right place. It’s a true farm-totable experience: It has its own organic farm that raise a diversity of items from vegetables to pigs. We dined on oysters, ocean trout crudo, beef short ribs, wood-grilled chicken and strawberry shortcake in the simple rustic space housed in a historic 1918 building.
The f ind
In the early evening, we were slowly spinning our wheels looking for somewhere to have a pre-dinner drink. We went from 0 to 200 mph when we spotted Adobe Road Winery Tasting Room (6 Petaluma Blvd. North; [707] 939-9099, www.adoberoad
wines.com), race car driver and vintner Kevin Buckler’s tasting room, which opened in the summer. We chose the “Showcase” pouring, three samples for $15; a 2014 Semillon and a 2013 Rose
Lesson earned
Next time, I will stay longer. I’d like to see a show at McNear’s Mystic Theatre (www.mystic
theatre.com), a renovated 1911 vaudeville house that has live music concerts as well as an adjacent eatery and bar; and take the time to leisurely browse Copperfield’s Books (www.copperfieldsbooks.com), which carries new, used and rare books in a restored brick building.