The Sonoma Spiel

Jeannie Perales returns to The Sonoma Spiel to talk about one of Sonoma Valley’s most fascinating places to wander: Sonoma Botanical Garden. Tim and Jeannie get into the garden’s old quarry history, its pools, waterfalls, winding trails, and why it feels a lot more like a woodland adventure than a formal stroll past flower beds. They also talk about the garden’s evolution from Quarryhill to Sonoma Botanical Garden, and how its mission now includes both rare East Asian plants and California native plants.

They also spend time on Spirit Guides, the colorful new outdoor exhibition of fantastical creatures from the workshop of Jacobo and María Ángeles, along with the garden’s Wednesday evening programs, sunset concerts, picnics, and all the reasons this place keeps giving people something new to come back for.

Along the way, the conversation heads into Jeannie’s Florida museum-and-garden background, orchids, circus history, tomatoes, and the very real truth that sometimes the person running the botanical garden does not have the best garden at home. It’s a fun, thoughtful, slightly wandering episode in the best Sonoma Spiel way.

Learn more about Sonoma Botanical Garden at sonomabg.org.

The Sonoma Spiel is brought to you by the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau, sharing the people, places, and stories that make Sonoma Valley such a special place to visit.

🍷 Save up to 25% on Sonoma wine tastings with the Sonoma Tasting Pass! Choose three great wineries in Sonoma Valley:

Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

In this episode of The Sonoma Spiel, Tim talks with Kim Jones of The Future Collective and Aaron Brown of Arable about storytelling, land, farming, housing, and the future of Sonoma Valley.

Kim shares how The Future Collective grew out of a desire to bring younger community members into deeper conversations about the big issues shaping local life, from housing affordability and food insecurity to labor, mental health, and what it means to build a community that can actually sustain the people who live and work here. Aaron talks about Arable, a storytelling project exploring natural wine, cider, farming, and the people who are rethinking the relationship between agriculture, place, and community.

The conversation also touches on Sonoma Valley Collaborative, the emerging Sonoma Valley Commons, heirloom apples, hybrid grapes, documentary storytelling, and the creative overlap between nonprofit work, agriculture, branding, and local identity. It’s a thoughtful, wide-ranging episode about what it means to care for a place — and how culture, land, and collaboration all shape Sonoma Valley’s future.

Learn more:

About The Sonoma Spiel

The Sonoma Spiel is brought to you by the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau, sharing the people, places, and stories that make Sonoma Valley such a special place to visit.

🍷 Save up to 25% on Sonoma wine tastings with the Sonoma Tasting Pass! Choose three great wineries in Sonoma Valley:

Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

This week on the Sonoma Spiel, Tim sits down with Amanda Doherty and Jason Palter from Sonoma Golf Studio to talk about Sonoma’s indoor golf scene and why it’s changing the way people practice, play, and connect.

They get into TrackMan simulator technology, lessons with PGA pros, memberships, beginner-friendly practice, and how the studio creates a low-pressure space to improve your game without the long drive to a course or range. The conversation also covers private events, corporate outings, wedding weekend activities, and why Sonoma Golf Studio is a great fit for both locals and visitors looking for something active and social to do in Sonoma Valley.

Plus, Tim and his guests answer a few classic visitor questions covering quirky Sonoma sights, local history, and community creativity.

In this episode of The Sonoma Spiel, Tim talks with Ronnie Cotter of West Wine Tours about one of the most memorable ways to explore Sonoma Valley: riding through wine country in a vintage Volkswagen bus.

Ronnie shares what makes West Wine Tours special, from its fleet of colorful classic VW buses to its focus on family-owned wineries, boutique tasting experiences, and a more laid-back, off-the-beaten-path feel. They talk about some of the stops guests might enjoy, including Bartholomew Estate Winery, Winery Sixteen 600, and Anaba, along with the stories, scenery, and local flavor that make the ride part of the experience.

The conversation also covers Ronnie’s path into hospitality, growing up in Sonoma, learning to drive stick, working as a farmer before becoming a tour guide, and why he enjoys helping visitors see what Sonoma Valley is really all about. Along the way there are detours into deli sandwiches, music playlists, local golf, pizza memories, and visitor questions about burgers, hostels, mashed potatoes, and hot springs.

It’s a warm, funny, local episode about classic vehicles, Sonoma hospitality, and the joy of taking the scenic route.

In this episode:

Learn more:

About The Sonoma Spiel

The Sonoma Spiel is brought to you by the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau, sharing the people, places, and stories that make Sonoma Valley such a special place to visit.

🍷 Save up to 25% on Sonoma wine tastings with the Sonoma Tasting Pass! Choose three great wineries in Sonoma Valley:

Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Spring has arrived in Sonoma Valley, and in this episode of The Sonoma Spiel, Tim sits down with Kenneth “Kenny” DeAlba of Songbird Parlour in Glen Ellen for a wide-ranging conversation about food, hospitality, cocktails, community, and what makes Sonoma Valley such a special place to gather.

Kenny shares the story behind Songbird Parlour, the cozy and beautifully designed restaurant located in historic Jack London Village, and talks about its evolution into a full restaurant known for seasonal, farm-forward cuisine, warm hospitality, and memorable special nights like Prime Rib Wednesdays and Epic Fried Chicken Sundays.

Along the way, Tim and Kenny talk about Kenny’s background in hospitality and bartending, his years working in Sonoma restaurants, his upbringing between Mexico and Sonoma, and his passion for creating experiences that make people feel at home. The conversation also takes a few fun detours into cocktail culture, motorcycle rides through Wine Country, local history, and even Napa’s mysterious “reebobs.”

It’s a fun, local, heartfelt episode full of great stories and plenty of Sonoma personality.

In this episode:

Learn more:

About The Sonoma Spiel

The Sonoma Spiel is brought to you by the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau, sharing the people, places, and stories that make Sonoma Valley such a special place to visit.

🍷 Save up to 25% on Sonoma wine tastings with the Sonoma Tasting Pass! Choose three great wineries in Sonoma Valley:

Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

What do beer cruises, Sonoma theater, travel planning, and UFOs have in common? Chelsea Smith.

Gretchen Schoenstein returns to The Sonoma Spiel for a third appearance—host of the Finish Line Moments podcast and a key part of the team behind the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon + Rosé 5K.

Tim and Gretchen talk about what makes this race weekend feel like a true Sonoma Valley celebration (not a “fly-in, fly-out” event), including the popular Show Your Bib program that encourages runners to explore local businesses, wineries, and neighborhoods throughout the weekend. Gretchen also shares what Finish Line Moments is all about—how running stories (and life stories) connect us—and what she’s covering next in the running world.

In “We Get Questions,” they answer quick visitor FAQs about the Sonoma Valley Wine Trolley, what to do with a 20-year-old in Sonoma, wine tasting costs for groups, where to find hot cross buns, when the Plaza roses bloom, and fun nighttime ideas (speakeasies, shows, stargazing, and more).

Race info: runnapatosonoma.com

 🍷 Save up to 25% on Sonoma wine tastings with the Sonoma Tasting Pass! Choose three great wineries in Sonoma Valley:

👉 https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass

Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at [email protected], text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.

It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b

Think you know Sonoma Valley? Sonoma podcast host Tim Zahner will be the first to tell you… he’s “expert-adjacent.” 😄

On this episode of The Sonoma Spiel podcast, Tim hangs out with two pros from The Lodge at Sonoma who 'actually' know how the magic happens:

We talk concierge myths (“Do I have to pay extra?” “Is it fancy?” “Can they really get me in?”), how travelers plan trips now (spoiler: a lot of people arrive with zero reservations), and what the Lodge at Sonoma offers—from cottage-style rooms and spa vibes to on-site dining and an easy shuttle to the Plaza.

Then we jump into "We Get Questions” with quick, super-local tips on:

More info:

The Lodge at Sonoma: thelodgeatsonoma.com

 🍷 Save up to 25% on Sonoma wine tastings with the Sonoma Tasting Pass! Choose three great wineries in Sonoma Valley:

👉 https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass

Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at [email protected], text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.

It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b

Host Tim Zahner welcomes Jeremy Noland of Vine & Vista Tours, an e-bike rental experience based in Kenwood that’s helping visitors explore Sonoma Valley in a fun, self-guided, eco-friendly way—often with dogs along for the ride (including sidecar setups for larger pups).

Jeremy shares how the idea started, what makes their premium e-bikes different, how routes are curated with safety in mind, and the best ways to experience Kenwood and Glen Ellen by bike—wineries, parks, and great local food stops included.

In the “We Get Questions” segment, Jeremy helps answer visitor FAQs about self-guided winery biking, Sonoma food gifts that travel well, and buyout options for high-end corporate groups and private events.

It’s late winter in Sonoma Valley—mustard in bloom, trees blossoming, and citrus everywhere—and Tim Zahner welcomes Jessie Marioni of Rosa Grande Tattoo to The Sonoma Spiel.

Jessie shares how she became a tattoo artist, what’s changed in tattoo culture over the years, and why tattooing is as much about meaning, memory, and community as it is about art. They also talk trends, styles, and some of the most common “Sonoma visitor” tattoos.

In the “We Get Questions” segment, Jessie helps answer real visitor questions about Swiss connections in Sonoma, a (wild) idea to rebuild Jack London’s Wolf House, planning Sonoma Sips for a large group, and what happened to the famous “LOVE” sculpture near Sonoma City Hall.