Girl From the North Country

We've decided to uproot ourselves from the eucalyptus grove in Oakland and head for greener pastures in Petaluma. This is one of those major life decisions that I would have made in about one minute ten years ago, like when we moved to Portland without jobs after traveling through Europe for a month.  That is not my life anymore. Now we have to debate about leaving schools, friends and our old familiar haunts. We've been hemming and hawing about it for a while now. Despite the fact that it's a small city, and a bit off the beaten path, Petaluma has a robust, creative downtown and the outlying neighborhoods are within walking distance. On the outskirts of town there are lots of cows, past the cows there's beautiful coastline and fancy oysters. I like this a lot. I grew up in a small town, and I went to college in a small town, so this feels right. We move this Summer. I expect I'll be doing lots of Sunset Magazine style write ups on my new finds.  Here's what I'm most excited about* so far in our new city:

Acre Coffee - it's important to me to have a coffee place to call my own.  I'm really serious about my coffee, it has to be good.  We stopped at Acre twice in one day during a recent visit. They do it right.

Cowgirl Creamery- made in Petaluma, enough said.

Central Market- A five star farm to table restaurant in downtown Petaluma.  I cannot wait to eat here.


The Seed Bank- Petaluma has an excellent climate for home gardening and this is Baker Creek Heirloom Seed's west coast location. We poked our heads in and it looks amazing.


The Petaluma Farmer's Market- The markets run twice a week in different areas of the Theater District of downtown.  I've read that Three Twins Ice Cream sometimes has a booth here. 

Lagunitas Brewing Company- We stopped by on our way out of town so that my double IPA loving man could get a growler to take home.  They put them in giant jam jars.  The tasting room has an adjoining patio with picnic tables and live music.  Oh, there was a Neko Case poster in the bathroom, so this place is obviously awesome.

*Yes, this is all food related.