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166 SONOMA

When I planned a mid-November wellness es-
cape to the Sonoma Valley, timing was key:
Grape harvest crowds would be gone, but vine-
yards and trails would most likely still be vibrant
with fall colors. Prices would be down; reserva-
tions would be easy.

180 SONOMA DINING

One of the best-known restaurants in the town of
Sonoma is the iconic girl & the fig. (Yes, the en-
tire name is lower case.) It’s where I started my
Sonoma dining adventures.

Maribeth Mellin

Maribeth Mellin is an award-winning journalist whose travel articles have ap-
peared in Endless Vacation Magazine, U-T San Diego and Dallas Morning
News among others. She also travels and writes for several websites including
CNN Travel, Concierge.com and Zagat, and has authored travel books on Peru,
Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico, Hawaii and California.

Tom Gable

Tom Gable has been writing about wine and travel since 1972 when he was
business editor of the San Diego Evening Tribune and had a weekly syndicated
wine column in more than 400 newspapers. He wrote for The Wine Spectator
and lifestyle and airline publications before moving into a career in public re-
lations. While in PR, he continued as the wine columnist for San Diego Maga-
zine for more than 35 years and a freelance travel writer. After retiring in
March 2023, he now writes wine and travel features for magazines and news-
papers, and blogs at (www.sdwineguru.com).

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