The House of Happy Walls

I had been to the "House of Happy Walls" but Mrs. had not, so it was a happy day indeed to make that happen. This of course was the home of Jack London's widow Charmian, now a museum at Jack London State Historic Park.

Duhring building

The 1891 Duhring building struck me every time I saw it at the southeast corner of the plaza. The plaques explain that on this site there have been businesses serving Sonoma for over 130 years. Also that this beautiful structure has also survived some nasty fires over the years.

Sonoma morning stroll

There were many interesting sights on my morning stroll to the plaza. Among my favorite was the above mural / map of downtown Sonoma, seen on Broadway - the city's central street.

Sonoma Plaza, part 2

This stately building in the center of the plaza is City Hall. A concentration of interesting buildings and sights are found in and around the plaza.

Mission San Francisco Solano

Founded in 1823, Mission San Francisco Solano was the last and northernmost of the 21 Alta California missions. North of here, Spanish and Mexican control gave way to Russian and American expansion.

Sonoma Barracks

Also known as the Presidio of Sonoma.

Sonoma State Historic Park

I don't remember any of this, but I love the history. 

Sonoma Plaza stroll

Maybe it was the dim evening light but I had a hard time connecting this experience of the famous Sonoma Plaza with my earlier ones. They weren't matching up. In my memory the plaza was smaller with fewer trees and more sunshine. I get it that trees will grow over time, but do streets do that?

the girl & the fig

There's no question that this is a fine dining venue on Sonoma Plaza. I only regret that, due to its popularity, we had to be squeezed into a small patio table between two noisy parties. This is why I left New York City, although in the restaurant world the comparison is probably a compliment. Having said all that, I enjoyed my mocktail - a "fig hug" - and the crunchy garbanzo beans.

Inn at Sonoma, part 3

The lobby was the real heart of this inn - a pleasant seating area where a person could enjoy water, coffee, reading, games, and every afternoon wine and cheese.

Inn at Sonoma, part 2

The design of this property reminded me of the one we stayed in up in Jacksonville, OR: clean and minimal with lots of natural light. I also liked the attention to detail, such as reusable water bottles in the room and a water station in the lobby - a commendable victory over plastic.

Inn at Sonoma

While finding the place for the first time was tricky, I did appreciate that Inn at Sonoma was set back from the main road. It's an attractive, thoughtfully designed property in a good location.

"volunteers"

While visiting friends and getting a tour of their garden, the term "volunteer" came up, meaning a plant that just starts growing on its own. The conditions created by chance and mother nature favor such plants, which tend to be robust. I hadn't heard this term in a long time, and interestingly I overheard it used a second time on this trip - during our anniversary dinner of all places.

laundry bags

Mrs. forgot her laundry bag so I picked some up at the Walmart across the street.

Morgan Hill Marriott

A nice swim was followed by a cocktail / mocktail hour, which was followed by dinner. This Marriott had a "Bistro" so we could set aside the driving for the day and just relax. 

Paso Market Walk

This clean, well designed space was opened in 2020. I like it because it breathes some life into the other, more overlooked end of Spring Street in Paso Robles.