Southern Sonoma Country Life

Travel Tuesday — Dispatch From the Lincolnshire Fens

Greetings from the heart of the Fenlands, in England's East Anglia. I'm here with my parents, celebrating my Mum's 80th Birthday this week. I was over in March of this year so it hasn't been too long between visits, but whenever my feet touch British soil I'm filled with inspiration for future travels. 

There's not a part of this more remote region of the country that isn't packed with history — and even more thrilling, hidden history waiting to be uncovered. 

Yesterday, my husband, Timo and I took a few hours to ourselves for a Monday visit to beautiful Burghley House in nearby Stamford, Lincolnshire. We walked the Garden of Surprises and the bucolic Sculpture Garden, enjoyed lunch in the elegant yet casual Orangery and toured the house itself in relative solitude given the early weekday timing,

Photos: Frances Rivetti 

Docents at Burghley have been there for years, some into their third decade. There's nothing like an extraordinarily learned and enthusiastic docent to bring history alive. Given that I'm a writer and a history buff I had lots of questions, too! There are a pair of white, kid leather gloves in a case in the bedroom where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert stayed for a couple of nights. When the glass case was opened in recent years after many decades to inspect the gloves for age damage, handwritten notes from the Prince were found tucked inside the gloves. 

"There's always a surprise tucked away within these walls," said the impeccably dressed and articulate room docent. The notes, with regards to their visit, were written to then-hosts Brownlow Cecil, 2nd Marquess of Exeter and his wife Isabella, née Poyntz.

The original William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley  (13 September 1520 – 4 August 1598) was an English statesman and chief adviser of Queen Elizabeth I for most of her life. In fact, I learned that so fond of him as a mentor she was, she spoon fed him soup at his deathbed. He was born and educated in Lincolnshire and Cambridge University and developed vast properties in England, Burghley surprisingly not the largest. 

The Netflix Series The Crown airs season 5 in early November 2022 in the UK & USA. Several scenes including the 1992 fire at Windsor Castle were filmed at Burghley with the use of realistic looking fire and smoke created by an elaborate lighting set up. This new season stars the wonderful Imelda Staunton as the Queen. Elizabeth Debicki takes on the role of an older Diana and Dominic West steps in as Charles. I expect there will be a growing audience as the show approaches a period so many of us remember. 

Centuries prior, Queen Elizabeth I and her entourage were the most costly guests by all accounts. 

Burghley is not part of the National Trust because the family wished all of its treasures to remain within the house and not be distributed amongst any other historic properties. Home of the international Burghley Horse Trials and several seasonal special events, its a terrific spot to add to your list if you're traveling north from London. 

My intrepid journalist/editor sister Kerry has launched a new travel site The British Travel List recently. She's a fountain of knowledge of top spots to visit and stay and writes for multiple international newspapers and magazines. Sign up for her newsletter if you're a fan of British travel or follow on social media. 

My main focus this trip is my folks and I'll be tagging on some extra travel on the end of this visit, which I'll be posting about when I'm back home in Sonoma County. Until then, cheerio. It's tea time again! 

 

 

 

Travel Tuesday — Christmas in England — The Wow House Company Holiday Selection for A Festive Escape with Family & Friends

I've lost count of the times friends have shared their festive fantasy of spending the holidays in the English countryside. Feel-good movies such as The Holiday and Love Actually evoke a sense of seasonal comfort and joy in a loved-up setting straight out of location hunting.  And so when I received a press release email from The Wow House Company in England offering a selection of gorgeous country homes to rent over the holidays, I figured you may enjoy perusing them as much as I have. And if you happen to have a group of 16 willing to chip in for a week, well, then it's not all that outrageous an idea.  Swapping homes with a pal from the UK might be a more affordable option, as in The Holiday, a movie which friends have confessed to having watched multiple times over the years, but if you don't have a house trade deal in the works, there are lots of ways to enjoy the hols in the UK to fit a range of budgets. Classic hotel stays go all out at Christmas. Serviced apartments are a better-priced option in London if you'd like a kitchenette to start or finish your day after taking in the sights, theaters and stores and if you don't require the frills and fancy of a hotel. But there's truly nothing like a beautiful fire place, plush beds, bucolic views and a comfy couch in a country house to come home to after exploring historic towns and villages and a pint or two at the local pub! Cartmel House, Lake District, sleeps 20 Set in the village of Cark at the southern end of the Lake District, close to Lake Windermere, this beautifully restored Grade II listed Georgian property has all ingredients for a perfect festive getaway. Whether celebrating with a pint in the bar, sampling a glass of something special from the stunning 1,000 bottle wine cellar, organising a tasting in the specially built tasting room, or relaxing in the snug featuring a pin ball machine, jukebox and refurbished 1960’s Coca-Cola Machine, there are plenty of spaces to have some festive fun. There’s also an elegant drawing room with great grandfather clock, a cosy dining room with open fireplace, an orangery, a cinema room and two kitchens – one commercial and one domestic. The property can sleep 20 guests in 10 en-suite bedrooms, all named after famous hotels around the world: the Sandy Lane Suite has its own entrance while Claridge’s has private stairway access. There’s also the Annex, a self-contained apartment, perfect for those who like their own space. Or head to Caesar’s Palace, a dedicated card room. Outside there are six acres of grounds and woodlands plus an Outhouse where guests can make their own coffee or, upon request, a barista will serve up coffee each morning. Price: Available for six nights’ self-catering over Christmas from £22,800, or five nights’ self-catering over New Year from £20,400. Wisteria Manor, Cotswolds, sleeps 16 For a real wow factor Christmas, book this stunning Grade II listed house dating back to the 13th Century in the pretty Cotswold village of Ebrington, just outside Chipping Campden. The property sleeps up to 16 guests in eight en-suite bedrooms and oozes character.  Expect large open fireplaces, beamed ceilings, wood panelling, window seats, a card table and a cinema room with bar. The real showpiece is the property’s grounds with 20 acres of beautiful gardens to discover, offering never-ending views across the Cotswolds, towards Broadway Tower. The parkland is full of ancient apple, pear, plum and walnut orchards, plus there is a walled rose garden and spring-fed lake for those brave enough for a festive dip (a paddle board and rowing boat are also available), as well as a large firepit for outdoor festivities and a lawn with football nets. Two well-behaved dogs are welcome too. Price: Available for a week’s self-catering over Christmas from £20,160. Cromwell House, Sussex, sleeps 12 Oliver Cromwell famously tried to clamp down on Christmas, so guests staying at his former Hunting Lodge, a beautifully restored Grade II listed building located in West Sussex, might be tempted to celebrate the festive season with extra vigour. The property sleeps 10-12 guests in six bedrooms – four in the main house and two in a separate annex. Wow factors here include open fireplaces, a games room featuring a Playstation with virtual reality headset and plenty of traditional board games, and a stand-out kitchen for whipping up Christmas dinner. Outside there’s two acres to explore, with a large terrace with seating, heating and a sunken fishpond, plus a croquet lawn, trampoline, hot tub and a sauna/steam room. Located in the village of Lickfold, which sits in the middle of the golden triangle of the historic country villages of Lodsworth and Lurgashall, the beautiful South Downs National Park is on the doorstep with a variety of walking trails to blow away the cobwebs. It’s also just over an hour away from London. Dogs are welcome too. Price: Available for a week’s self-catering over Christmas from £9,950, or a week’s self-catering over New Year from £9,450. River View House, Devon, sleeps 8-10 For a Christmas beside the water, opt for this gorgeous, recently refurbished and renovated property with stunning views across the Avon estuary and the South Hams countryside in the village of Bantham. Sleeping between 8-10 guests, the house features a cinema room with bar – perfect for settling down to watch the Christmas movies, and landscaped gardens with a path providing private access to the river estuary. It’s also just a short walk from Bantham Beach, within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Wood burning stoves, underfloor heating, comfy sofas galore, and copious sliding doors and windows that drink in the views, complete the picture of this snug hideaway.  Price: Available for a week’s self-catering over Christmas from £9,495.   Riviera House, Devon, sleeps 10 Located at the heart of the traditional seaside town of Torquay in Devon, this beautifully restored Victorian manor house is just a short walk away from the harbour and seafront. Five spacious bedrooms, all with en-suites, cater for ten guests, plus there is an array of facilities to keep all ages entertained this festive season. Head to the gym with its treadmill, cross trainer and selection of free weights to work off the festive excesses; take on the family with a pool tournament in the games room; or make merry music in the drawing room which features a piano and guitar. Outside, there’s three acres of grounds set within a walled garden, perfect for the kids to run wild.  There is also an outdoor kitchen/dining area boasting a bbq, pizza oven and outdoor heaters. Dogs are welcome too. Price: Available for a week’s self-catering over Christmas from £6,750, or 5 nights’ from £5,535.   Vista House, Cornwall, sleeps 8-14 Another waterside stunner, Vista House is a modern home located in the fishing village of St. Mawes. The beach house can accommodate up to eight adults and six children in four en-suite bedrooms, with a family bedroom sleeping up to five guests, perfect for a kids’ sleepover or for a family wanting their own space. The master bedroom can also double as a family suite.  This family-friendly bolthole boasts luxurious interiors, a generous glass-frontage, a games room with pool table and table tennis and beautiful gardens for relaxing (or trampolining) and taking in the sea views. When not celebrating festivities in the cosy retreat, there are plenty of beach walks to choose from and St. Mawes Castle is just a few minutes’ walk away. Price: Available for a week’s self-catering over Christmas or New Year from £5,950.

For more information on The Wow House Company visit thewowhousecompany.co.uk,

History, Heritage and Rosemary for Remembrance — National Unity in a Flawless State Funeral for a Beloved Monarch

It was the relatively simple wreath that I was most drawn to during the pomp and splendor of extensive early hours BBC World news coverage of the largest and most extraordinary ceremonial occasion in my lifetime as a dual national British born American. 

I felt a little guilty for those who'd camped out throughout a cold night in London and Windsor as a nation came together to pay respects to the country's longest serving monarch in history. With an eight hour time difference, I was propped up in my bed with a pile of fluffy pillows, lights off, TV on, my cat, Moxie curled at my feet and my dog, Rosie snoring contentedly in the family room next door. 

While California slept, London revealed its deep and ancient history, heritage and sense of national pride. I'd set my alarm for 2.45 am but I couldn't sleep with the knowledge of all that was unfolding around Westminster and Buckingham Palace. 

And so I ditched the plan for a couple of hours of a pre-service power sleep and settled in to full immersion of the glorious and engrossing 21st Century coverage. 

English Oak — stately and unique, its distinctive leaves woven into the beautiful floral wreath that graced the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II during her flawless state funeral on Monday, September 19th, 2022. Her coffin, born on the shoulders of the Grenadier Guards (one of the most senior regiments of the British Army, dating back to 1656) seemed to me quintessential Elizabeth with its dazzling crown, orb, sceptre and a hand written note from her son, King Charles III.

At King Charles’s request, this lovely and sustainable wreath on top of the Queen’s coffin contained fresh flowers and foliage from the royal properties of London's Buckingham Palace and Clarence House and Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, affixed in a nest of English moss and oak branches.

The gorgeous and feminine wreath also featured  myrtle, the ancient symbol of a happy marriage, cut from a plant  grown from a sprig of myrtle in the then Princess Elizabeth's wedding bouquet in 1947. Rosemary, symbol of remembrance along with English oak, a national symbol of strength, a nod to the Queen’s steadfast duty and constancy. Flowers and foliage featured pelargoniums, garden roses, autumnal hydrangea, sedum, dahlias, and scabious in shades of pink and gold, burgundy and white.

It's always breathtaking to see the streets of ceremonial London emptied of traffic and lined by hundreds of thousands of people in crowds 20 or more deep from all around the world. The Queen's funeral led by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police was something else altogether in comparison to more celebratory occasions. She was the world's most famous female leader and though grief in the crowd was palpable, it was love, fondness and respect that undoubtedly shone through.  

The Queen was descended from Robert the Bruce on two lines of her lineage. Her mother, Lady Elizabeth was the ninth child and fourth daughter of Lord Claude George Bowes-Lyon and Lady Nina Cecilia Bowes-Lyon, Lord and Lady Glamis of Glamis Castle in Scotland. Members of the Mass Pipes and Drums led the procession played traditional tunes, favorites of the Queen at Windsor and Balmoral. She and the Queen Mother shared a love of bagpipes and it was this haunting sound that transported me from my house in the wee hours of the morning across the Atlantic and an entire continent in Petaluma, Sonoma County to the Mall in London, a classic Bedknobs and Broomsticks musical fantasy moment.

Later, a lone bagpiper in Westminster Abbey played a haunting tribute appropriately called: "Sleep Dearie."

Elizabeth was the most traveled monarch in history having visited 115 countries since she became Queen on her trip to Kenya in 1952. This journey via gun carriage from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace and out through the green fields to Windsor was her last, her final full stop. 

HMS Bubble  — Ladies of the Queen's Household, pictured above. Did you know that one of these wonderful women actually wore in all of the Queen's new shoes for her? During lockdown, her dresser doubled as her hairdresser. Trusted aides and Ladies in Waiting, they were the Queen's most cherished confidantes and I'm sure they're missing her terribly.  

Buses ushered in some two thousand guests - a congregation of its kind in Westminster Abbey not seen since the passing of the Queen's father, King George. It was a relief to see this go off without a hitch. Security and logistics must have been a huge undertaking. 

U.S. President and First Lady Joe and Jill Biden took tea with the Queen last year. The Queen had met 13 of 14 American Presidents during her 70 year reign. The reason she never met Lyndon B. Johnson, according to archivists is that she was pregnant with Prince Edward and was unable to attend J.F.Kennedy's funeral.  

Heads of State from around the world transcended national borders in this age of jet travel. Five hundred foreign leaders was an incredible and hopeful sight to see gathered in one hallowed space. 

In the words of the U.S. President: "Queen Elizabeth II was a stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy who deepened the bedrock Alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States. She helped make our relationship special . . . Her legacy will loom large in the pages of British history, and in the story of our world."

Westminster Abbey was built between 1245 and 1517. It is a World Heritage Site and burial place of some 30 kings and queens. It is built from sandstone and limestone and contains art and sculptures of the medieval period, tapestries, tombs, chapels and gothic arches. Small beams of sunlight stream through stained glass. As I watched the proceedings unfold from the warmth of my covers, I could almost smell the distinct aroma of history, that old- Cathedral aroma of ancient relics, oils and wax and wood. 

A bell in the abbey later tolled once a minute for 96 minutes in commemoration of each year of the Queen's life. 

The royal torch has been passed at the same time the country has a new Prime Minister. It's interesting to note that the Queen's first PM, Sir Winston Churchill, was born in 1874, whereas PM Liz Truss was born over an entire century later in 1975. That puts perspective into the picture. Charles will, I believe, as a forward thinker, usher in plentiful timely change into the British monarchy and hierarchy. By the time William becomes King there will most certainly be a more streamlined working Royal Family. The family was clearly grieving and under a global spotlight. I'm surprised there was no veil in sight, though mourning attire was elegant and tasteful all round.

Two small figures, Prince George (9) and Princess Charlotte (7) were remarkably poised and patient with such a lengthy and public obligation. Charlotte made me smile as she swung her legs beneath her chair and gazed intently at the order of service, no doubt thinking her own private thoughts on such a day as this. She's not shy about keeping her brother in line, reminding him to bow at the appropriate time. Her diamond horseshoe brooch, the first piece of fine jewelry she has worn in the public eye will undoubtedly set off a trend of its own. It was given to her by her great grandmother, whom she called Gan Gan. 

"People of loving service are rare in any walk of life. Leaders of loving service are still rarer," said the Archbishop of Canterbury on the pulpit in the Abbey. "But in all cases, those who serve will be loved and remembered when those who cling to power and privilege are long forgotten." 

When it came to the Commonwealth, commentators described her as a career woman with a human touch, the glue that held it all together. She respected heads of state as equals and knew the Commonwealth like nobody else. Much of the work regarding the future of the British monarchy will undoubtedly be focused on the modern age of independence for many of these Commonwealth nations.

Two of the Queen's Corgis, Sandy and Muick and her Fell pony, Emma awaited her arrival at Windsor along with those who had known her best and worked with her, gathered in St George's Chapel, in which she had known as a girl and worshipped as an adult and where she now is buried. 

I'll leave you with a sweet anecdote I read on India Hick's instagram. India's mother, Lady Pamela Hicks was one of the Queen's bridesmaids. Lady Pamela remembers how the Queen would visit with a box of chocolates for her host and a box for herself. During one visit she came to her host with a small complaint. Lady Pamela's intelligent pet mongoose, Neola had a tendency to creep into the guest room. It wasn't that she minded him helping himself to one chocolate, but the Queen considered taking a bite out of each one a bit rude!

The Queen has been laid to rest in a side chapel with her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. Farewell Elizabeth. And thank you. 

An appreciation from Petaluma: A moment in time — the end the 2nd Elizabethan Age (My Essay in Santa Rosa Press Democrat)

There’s a saying that life is not measured in time, it’s measured in moments. I’m not one for remembering exact dates and years, but the most seismic historic moments in my lifetime this far are permanently etched in my mind.

When I was 11, in my last year of primary school in rural East Anglia, England, I wrote and hand-illustrated a booklet on the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.

I still have it, some 45 years and a continent later. It has a blue cover decorated with a heraldic fleur-de-lis stenciled with silver spray paint and inside color pencil drawings featuring a crest, an orb and the Queen in various ceremonial attire.

Every schoolchild in the U.K. received a commemoration mug. I have that in my possession also, along with various others that people have offloaded on me knowing my penchant for history and heritage and tea parties.

My granddad was chairman of the town council and organized a big shindig of a Silver Jubilee Celebration in a marquee on the town green. The beer — and shandy for the kids — flowed. We stuffed ourselves with ham sandwiches and salt and vinegar crisps and danced the Hokey-Cokey (Pokey here in the States) until the sun went down, we girls dragging one another in our party dresses made by our mums across the wooden dance floor with glee.

I couldn’t say what specific date that was without looking it up but I’ll never forget how exciting it all was.

Flash forward to my early twenties as a cub reporter in 1987 on the Ely Standard Newspaper in my native Cambridgeshire Fens. I was assigned station reporting duty as the Queen arrived in the small city of Ely for the annual Maundy Monday Service at Ely Cathedral, via the British Royal Train. Again, I had to search what month that was — April, though it’s not an occasion or experience I’ll ever forget.

Photo- Ely Cathedral 

More than three decades later, on Thursday morning, I awoke to a stream of messages on my phone. This is not all that unusual for a British expat given the time difference between family and friends in the U.K. and California.

But there was an urgency in those updates as my two sisters, Kerry, a Kent-based royal correspondent in the UK for Australian media and Lindsey, a teacher in the greater London area alerted me to the news that the Queen’s passing was imminent. I certainly hadn’t expected this so soon after watching the traditional handing of the baton for 10 Downing Street in the Balmoral footage of the British prime ministerial update just a couple of days before.

Outside my west Petaluma home an unprecedented heat spike was already climbing toward another sweltering 100-plus-degree day. I switched on the two large ceiling fans in my one-story midcentury house and immediately turned my attention to BBC World Service.

It was raining in the UK. The heavens had opened in Britain but not here as ominous updates pinged on my phone as to reporters being spotted in black clothing. Still, the world and I watched and waited, glued to the gates of the Scottish Balmoral Estate.

We all knew this was coming. Someday. Yet 70 years of service is a long time to be Queen. And, as in fairy tales, surely, we believed, iconic Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor of York with her hats and handbags, her coronets and adorable corgiis was somehow invincible to the slings and arrows that eventually take down mere mortals.

If I was to walk my eight-year-old dog Rosie in any degree of bearable heat I figured I’d have to make a move before 9.30 am. I asked my sister to message me if immediately there was any announcement while I was away from my TV. As so many people have shared, and not just British or Commonwealth citizens and expats, but Anglophiles around the globe, the prospect of a world without the Queen’s reassuring constancy and dignity, was just too grim to bear.

We strolled down the hill and past McNear Elementary School, crossed D Street at the lights and made our way over El Rose to B Street and back around the block. A good 40-minute walk reaching home before midmorning temperatures soared.

I felt the suspended pause, a surreal and poignant protective film coating the prospect of what was about to happen. I’d left the television on in my kitchen, something I never do when there’s nobody home. It wasn’t long after I stepped back in before the sad news came in around 10.30 a.m. here.

A black-tied, solemn-faced BBC presenter, Huw Edwards. announced that Buckingham Palace had confirmed that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully at age 96, surrounded by family in the comfort of Balmoral that afternoon.

Over the years, my British American community in Sonoma County has gathered for Jubilee parties and royal wedding breakfasts, any excuse to air out the teapot collections, table linens, fine China and silverware. Sausage rolls, real ale, Cornish pasties, pork pies. Cucumber sandwiches and picked onions. Trifle and Victoria Sponge. It’s all very civilized and good fun and compounds our cultural connection despite being so far from home.

Home is here also and though there are mixed sentiments surrounding the precise future of the monarchy in a modern age, the common thread has been the Queen and that she’s been such an awfully good one.

Elizabeth II, as the longest serving monarch in British history, is unlikely to be usurped in this record of her extraordinary lifetime achievement. She was the mother of a nation and the commonwealth, diplomatic, wise and funny. It was wonderful to witness the ease in which she shared her sense of humor in her later years. Those endearing skits with James Bond and Paddington — as quintessentially British as afternoon tea and biscuits.

Pass the scones and clotted cream, I'm tearing up again.

 

I’m hopeful that her legacy continues to inspire female leadership on the world’s stage and that her frequently (publicly) imperfect life and family teaches that we have to keep on turning the pages and chapters and learn from the past to better the future.

A new prime minister and a monarch in one week is a lot to process. One of my British friends in Sonoma County who has never taken dual nationality messaged me to say she hoped she wouldn’t have to go through the complicated process of renewing Her Majesty-issued passport again for the second time this summer now that we have a new king. I’ve been helping several friends and family members with online passport renewal since post-Brexit and pandemic delays and regulations made it so much harder to navigate. I assured her that (I hope) she’ll be able to pass freely between borders until it's time to renew again. Same with postage stamps. No doubt we’ll be looking out for a King Charles III likeness on our snail mail from family in the UK soon.

I read in Town and Country Magazine that the Queen’s signature scent was Guerlain L'Heure Bleue, a spicy citrus with a powdery dry down. I’m flying back to Britain for a visit this fall. I think I’ll have a look for her perfume in Duty Free and test it out as I leave. That way I’ll carry her with me as I continue to connect the two countries and cultures that share my heart.

Long Live King Charles III, a dedicated, focused, green monarch for our age.

Click here to view the article on the PD website

 

 

A Tour of The Mysterious Thunderbird Lodge — Old Tahoe's National Register of Historic Places

Photos: Frances Rivetti 

In the decades that I have visited Lake Tahoe once or twice a year, I had yet to discover the allure of the east shore's mysterious Thunderbird Lodge. It's always a thrill to find something new to explore on even the shortest of mini-breaks and so thanks to enthusiastic Frannie behind the counter in the Incline Village Visitors Center, I returned from a wedding on the North Shore in June with a glossy brochure touting Thunderbird's elegant gardens, underground tunnel, lagoons, waterfalls, fountains, the history and architecture of a gilded age burning a hole in my pocket.

Fortunately, my three intrepid Tahoe trekker Glamper girlfriends had never visited Thunderbird either and so we hatched a plan to add a tour to our busy late-August hiking/swimming trip itinerary.   

There are a few different options for taking a docent-guided tour — by land (shuttle bus transportation from Incline Village), wine and cheese tours, a cruise with breakfast and picnic lunch aboard an historic wooden boat from South Shore, by kayak on a paddle tour from Sand Harbor State Park or a private group, family or school activity tour. Reservations are required for all tours (see link at the end of the article). 

We opted for the shuttle bus land tour without any added extras as, coming from Sonoma County, we had plenty of great wine and cheese of our own back at the cabin. 

The mystery and ornate legacy of the lodge was evident the moment our shuttle bus driver pulled in through decorative electric, wrought-iron gates. Born to super wealthy San Franciscans of German Irish stock in 1881, George Whittell Jr., took his privacy on the east shores of pristine Lake Tahoe extremely seriously. He had an elaborate security system built into the extensive stonework that leads down to his lodge. 

George, otherwise known as The Captain, was a world traveler, handsome and eccentric and not in the least interested in ivy league schooling or society living in the city. By 1936, he was, however, not opposed to the idea of a lavish summer estate on the water's edge at Tahoe. This development in his unscripted life came after he had run away and joined the circus. He had toured with Barnum and Bailey in his younger years, self-funding, or most likely family-funding trips to Africa to catch wild animals for the ring. He was fanatical about his animals and built an elaborate stone building at Thunderbird for his elephant, Mingo. Bill, his beloved African lion sat beside him in his Murphy convertible roadster as he drove around the lake. 

He'd met his third wife, Elia Pascal as an ambulance driver and army captain in France during World War I. Elia didn't spend all that much time at Thunderbird, she considered it a little too rustic for her tastes, preferring the couple's year-round residence, theater, pool and small private zoo in Woodside, CA and her chateau in France. It surely helped in the running of these Gatsby-esque abodes that the Captain had cleverly extracted some $50 million in stocks and bonds before the 1929 Great Crash of Wall Street and relocated to Nevada which he used as a tax haven.

With massive cash in his pocket, George bought up most of the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe and tapped famous Reno architect Frederick DeLongchamps as his designer for Thunderbird Lodge. Though he had in mind originally to develop 40,000 acres into a ski resort, casino and neighboring summer properties he grew increasingly reclusive in his private lakeside life and opted to focus his all on his own spot, far from the increasingly popular lake resorts. We have the Captain to thank for the wild beauty of the east shore, though it sounds like it wasn't entirely an unselfish decision to stop anyone else from getting their hands on the land.

The Thunderbird yacht, a custom-built 1950s mahogany speedboat became his most treasured possession. And to house it away from the prying eyes of the lake-going public, he housed it in a 100-foot long boat house, connected to the lodge by a 600-foot long tunnel.

Welsh miner immigrants blasted this winding underground tunnel out of solid granite with dynamite. It took some time to build as you can imagine and, as we discovered on our tour, it veers off into rooms from the servants quarters and kitchen downstairs to a creepy, unfinished swimming pool, an austere little stone dungeon and probable safe room/opium den. 

A card house drew fellow recluse Howard Hughes and other Hollywood friends, though the Captain had a secret escape route back into the lodge should all the socializing of all-night poker games become too much — or, if he didn't like the company.

Our docent showed us a porch light on the lodge that indicated to incoming boat parties of scantily clad showgirls and cohorts if George's wife Elia happened to be at home. The couple did not have any children and as far as it is known, there were no other claims to his paternity. One historian called him a “king-sized playboy,” and despite his reclusive nature he made plenty of time for “fast things, including cars, airplanes and women.”

Exotic pets were constant company when there was nobody else around. Although there are plentiful animal hides and taxidermy within the lodge's decor today, it's not clear whether George would have had any large hunting trophies on display given his love of wildlife. 

Downstairs the kitchen and staff rooms were considerably more modest and must have been freezing cold come fall, making the lodge unappealing for a winter stay.

He left most of his estate to various wildlife organizations. After George Whittell, Jr. died on April 18, 1969, aged 87 his beloved lodge was bought by a man named Jack Dreyfus of Dreyfus Investments. Until then, no land holdings had been sold. However, after immediately selling much of the land to the Nevada State Parks and the Forest Service, Dreyfus set about modifying the lodge to his own taste and needs, adding an entertainment room to the original light house as well as a two-story wing on the original garage decking, connected by an enclosed glass bridge. 

Dreyfus and his wife painted the beautiful wood of the original lodge interior white to suit the era. It has since been returned to its original, natural beauty. 

In 1998, the estate and 140 acres were bought by a corporation named Del Webb for $56 million. Del Webb swiftly exchanged the land but not the lodge in a deal with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for 4,000 acres of Clark County near Las Vegas. 

The Forest Service wasn't interested in managing the lodge and the non-profit Thunderbird Preservation Society was created in partnership with the University of Nevada, Reno. 

The estate was gifted to the National Register of Historic Places in the year 2000. It has become the de facto repository for the region's art, films, photography, furnishings, records, maps, lake artifacts, family heirlooms and hotel and casino and recreation memorabilia. 

By 2003 the university no longer wished to be a part of its preservation and disassociated itself from the non-profit society. 

In 2009, with gifts from Pulte Homes, which took over Del Webb, the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation and a bunch of fundraising campaigns, the Preservation Society settled debts and has kept the lodge afloat with tours, weddings and special events ever since. More than 10,000 visitors tour the intersection of Native American, westward expansion, Anglo settlement, lumbering, mining, railroading, maritime transit, conservation, recreation and environmental activism each year. 

George Whittell's legacy is one of conservation, no matter his range of motives. His ownership and stewardship provides us with an east shore landscape that has been virtually untouched by development today. It's pretty amazing. 

Click here to select a tour that works for you. 

If you've $5,000 or more to spare, the yacht itself is available to rent for an hour-long special event. With the cost of fuel these days, it's likely even pricier today to take this vintage vessel out on the lake for a spin. 

Join Me at a Poetry Reading in the Galleries of Agri-Cultured - Reflections on Our Local Food Community by Land and by Hand — Food & Memory Petaluma Arts Center Thurs Aug 18 6pm to 7.30

 

Join me and fellow poetry readers as guest poet Sandra Anfang and the winners of Petaluma Arts Center's poetry competition, juried by new Sonoma County Poet Laureate Elizabeth Herron, read our work in the galleries against the backdrop of the Agri-CULTURED exhibition.   CLICK HERE FOR FULL LIST OF EVENTS

1st Place: "Mochi Tsuki" by Jodi L. Hottel 2nd Place: "The Dante Box" by Helen Heal 3rd Place: "Ode to BLT" by Steve Trenam Honorable Mention: "Cafeteria Cuisine" by S. Simon Corwin Honorable Mention: "Fog Valley — the Tastiest Little Place on Earth" by Frances Rivetti

Poetry Reading - Food & Memory Petaluma Arts Center 230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma  Thursday, August 18, 2022 6:00 PM 7:30 PM $12 members, $15 non-members

TICKETS

National Book Lovers Day — Tuesday August 9th

Bookworms and bibliophiles rejoice, for today, Tuesday, August 9th, is National Book Lovers Day! It's a great day (or evening) to ditch the phone and the tv remote, pick up a new read or an old favorite and transport into another time, place or culture. Or maybe you, like me, enjoy reading books set in familiar places, that's good too. Books provide us the purest form of escapism. 

It being National book Lovers Day has given me a nudge to update my regular readers on what I've been up to in the writing arena outside of Southern Sonoma Country Life posts and my social media shares. 

I was delighted to attend the four day San Francisco Writer's Conference at the Hyatt Embarcadero in July. This was my first time attending such a full-on event of its kind. Three, almost four books in the world and I've finally discovered that there's something undeniably magical about immersing oneself in the company of a big crowd of friendly and inspiring fellow writers and poets and people whose passion it is in life to help us translate our thoughts into words on page for others to read.

Writing is a solitary affair. It was encouraging to be around so many authors (published and unpublished) who have spent the past two and a bit years like most of us, secluded at our desks far more than we usually would've been if it had not been such an extraordinarily isolating time. Even though we were masked, it was clear from our eyes, head nodding greetings and lightness of step that everyone was just so happy to be dashing around from room to room in person, soaking in speaker-led sessions on everything from technique to publishing options.

Promoting a book in chaotic times is as important as crafting engaging stories with unforgettable casts of characters. I sat in on sessions from dynamic dialog to discovering what's newsworthy about my book. Sessions ran after an early call to breakfast throughout the day and evening and I stayed for a Writing For Change Summit one night and a Poetry and Jazz Party on the last night. It was all such a spirit boost, I'm a convert after making lots of new friends and connections and I can't wait for the 2023 conference to roll around.

There's never been a better time to publish. If you're an aspiring author, take heed. And indie publishing is as respected within the writing community these days as any other form of getting one's work out there in the world. There was lots of talk of authors who have multiple books out in many formats and some with big publishers who opt to indie publish other titles of their own if it makes more sense. 

Some authors are heading straight to ebooks and/or audiobooks. It's a brave new world. 

My second novel, The House on Liberty Street is almost finished. I'm working hard to switch brains into the publishing then marketing side of things in order to launch it into the world this fall. The story is set in Petaluma, CA in a fictional Victorian house in the heritage home district. It is a condensed timeline which means everything happens quite quickly — in this case, within 24 hours or so from Christmas Eve afternoon to Christmas evening 2019.  

Because the story takes place in December, it will make a great read during the festive season. I'm drawn to the darker side of Christmas in my story telling. The House on Liberty Street is a domestic drama — a family on the brink of irreversible change. 

I'm not ready to start pre-orders etc but I will be working it all out for a fall release in the next couple of months. I do have a Reader's Club Newsletter sign up on my author website Francesrivetti.com, which I will be populating with new book related news and cover-reveal fairly soon. If you've already signed up and have wondered if you've missed any newsletter emails over the past year or so, the answer is, no, I haven't been able to activate my brain away from the actual manuscript much. Once the book is ready for formatting I will endeavor to focus on producing a dynamic newsletter!

I read somewhere recently that authors who are building their newsletter mailing lists should think of each person who has signed up as a guest at their dinner table. I thought that was a fun way to visualize the honor of having readers commit to the company of my work. With so many forms of social media awaiting original content, anyone of us who adds a newsletter to our repertoire knows what it takes to keep our connections authentic. 

And at the end of the day, it's about the books. I have two more outlined in folders on my desk and I'm going to have to stuff them in a drawer for a few weeks this fall in order to release The House on Liberty Street. 

To all my writer friends, write on! To all my reader friends, don't stop! As Stephen King says: "Books are a uniquely portable magic."

“If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”

Toni Morrison

“There is no friend as loyal as a book.”

Ernest Hemingway

“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”

Neil Gaimon, Coraline

15th Annual Petaluma Music Festival Saturday August 6th, 2022

The Petaluma Music Festival is a non-profit festival and all proceeds benefit the music education programs in all Petaluma area public schools.

Kids 12 and under are free with a paying adult

Students 13-17 may purchase $25 tickets at the door

Ticket prices will increase on the day of the festival.

click here for tix 

Agri-Cultured, Reflections on our Local Food. Community, by Land and by Hand — Petaluma Arts Center AUG 11 TO 24 2022

On August 13, 2022 the Petaluma Gap Winegrowers will be pouring their wines to celebrate the upcoming harvest and another year of award-winning releases. A wide array of wines will be poured, with Pinot Noir being featured, due to its prominence in the Petaluma Gap AVA and in advance of National Pinot Noir Day the following week. VIP entry will begin at 1 PM and General Admission at 2 PM with wine tasting, food, live music and storytelling until 4 PM. Participating wineries include Adobe Road, Brooks Note Winery, Bruliam Wines, Carpenter Wines, Cline Cellars, Dutton-Goldfield, Ernest Vineyards, Guarachi Family Wines, Gust Wines, Keller Estate, Kendall-Jackson, Kendrick Vineyards, Light of Day Wines, McEvoy Ranch, Montagne Russe Wines, Panther Ridge, Ron Noble Wines, Sangiacomo Family Wines, Sojourn Cellars, Thirty-Seven, Trombetta Family and more.

Winemakers will be sharing their most interesting winemaking tales in the “story room” inside the historic barn at the ranch and several pre-recorded interviews from the Petaluma Historical Museum will be broadcast about the history of wine-grape growing in the Petaluma area. Event attendees will enjoy delicious bites from OTL Fine Catering, and a gourmet popcorn booth, featuring flavored popcorn to pair with Petaluma Gap wines, hosted by Presenting Sponsor American AgCredit. For entertainment, guests will be treated to the masterful classical and Flamenco guitar sounds of Bay Area musician Mark Taylor. Lastly, firefighters from the Lakeville Volunteer Fire Department will be on-site to share tips on fire safety and showcase one of their fire engines.

The festival will take place in Petaluma at the historic Gambonini Family Ranch located on Old Lakeville Road #3; the ranch was previously used for dairy farming and includes the historic hay barn and an outdoor patio adjacent to where the Gambonini family plans to plant a vineyard. The barn was built more than 100 years ago and has been restored with its heavy old redwood beams, sliding doors, and expansive windows to take in the spectacular hillside vistas.

Tickets can be purchased online. VIP ticket-holders are invited to enter the festival at 1:00 PM, when winemakers may choose to pour some library and limited-release wines, in addition to current release wines. General Admission ticket-holders are invited to enter at 2:00 PM. The festival ends at 4:00 PM. VIP tickets are $95 and General Admission tickets are $65.