There is a certain quiet wildness to Sonoma — the fog rolls in not to obscure the valley, but to remind you that beauty does not always need to be seen clearly to be felt deeply.

This Months Sponsor 

3 Badge Beverage / Gehricke Tasting Room
32 Patten Street
Sonoma, CA 95476
Phone: (707) 732-9590 for the tasting room;

Art Escape Sonoma has been a creative refuge for the Sonoma Valley community since 2012, founded by local arts educators with a simple mission: make art accessible to everyone. Over 20,000 youth, teens, and adults have taken part in its programs — and more than three-quarters keep coming back.

From tuition-free youth initiatives and free family workshops to glassblowing classes and a roving mobile studio called Art Van Gogh, Art Escape offers something for every age and background. Many former students even return as instructors, keeping the creative spirit alive for the next generation.

I asked a Sonoma local what their retirement plan was.

They said, "I'm going to keep working until I can finally afford to live here as a tourist."

Sonoma Stompers manager Zack Pace reached a milestone Tuesday, picking up his 200th career regular-season victory as his club rolled past the San Francisco Seagulls, 12–4, at San Bruno Park. Pace was quick to share the credit, framing the achievement as a collective effort — coaching staff, front office, host families, fans, and all.

The offense did its damage the hard way, with seven of Sonoma's twelve runs crossing the plate with two outs. Connor Johnston got things started in the second inning, plating Nic Sebastiani to open the scoring. The Stompers pulled away for good with a two-run seventh and a six-run eighth that put the game firmly out of reach.

The bullpen was airtight over the final four-plus innings, with Griffin Messenger earning the win and Kyle Seo and Riley Dickey closing it out. Sonoma sits third in the division at 19–13, three games back of first-place Walnut Creek.

Interesting Facts

Sonoma holds more history than most visitors realize — and some of its best stories are hiding in plain sight.

The Bear Flag Revolt began right here in Sonoma Plaza in 1846, when a short-lived California Republic was proclaimed before California became part of the United States. It lasted only a few weeks, but its bear flag eventually helped inspire the state flag we know today.

Just outside town, Buena Vista Winery traces its roots to 1857, when Agoston Haraszthy helped shape the future of California wine. The winery is widely celebrated as California’s first premium winery, long before Napa and Sonoma became global wine names.

In nearby Glen Ellen, Jack London spent his later years on his ranch, where he dreamed up Wolf House — a massive stone home that burned before he and Charmian London ever moved in. For years the fire carried an air of mystery, though later investigation pointed to spontaneous combustion from oil-soaked rags.

Even Sonoma’s name has layers. “Valley of the Moon” is the version most people know, but historians have pointed to several possible Native-language origins, including “many moons” and other debated interpretations.

And then there’s Mission San Francisco Solano, founded in 1823 — the last and northernmost of California’s 21 missions. For a city of fewer than 12,000 people, Sonoma carries an outsized piece of California history.