Page 171 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SPRING 2025 GRAND VOYAGE

Sapper was a font of information,
pointing out trailheads and historic sites as
we moseyed. He showed me the First Con-
gregational Church of Sonoma – noting
that on Fridays and Saturdays, it serves as
a synagogue for Congregation Shir Shalom.
We visited Gen. Mariano Vallejo’s retire-
ment home, built in 1852 – two years after
California became a state. We were free to
wander the well-preserved two-story
wood-framed Victorian manse on our own.
Vallejo’s daughter Louisa turned the prop-
erty over to the state in 1933 (when she
was 87 years old.)
Our “sunset cruise” rolled through Arm-
strong Estates, a luxe neighborhood of sin-
gle family homes, most of them Victorian-
style masterpieces modeled after the home
of the 1890s lumber baron who once owned
the land.
Pushpak Tours usually include a tasting
at Vella Cheese Company, a 90-year-old
family owned Sonoma gem. We finished at
Capo Isetta, one of about two dozen wine
tasting rooms around Sonoma Plaza. Over
a local red blend and a small charcuterie
board, we talked about how riding a trike
might aid wellness:
“It’s simple,” Sapper said. “Wellness is a
state of mind. We deliver folks to that state
– taking in the beauty of this valley, the
smells, the sights, the sounds… Enjoyment
is a really important part of wellness.”
Natural healing
I leaned into the opportunity to restore
my spirit by embracing the outdoors. A few
miles up valley in Glen Ellen, I found a
sweet little downtown and an abundance of
walkable natural beauty at Jack London
State Historic Park, and the Sonoma Botan-
ical Garden.

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