Sunset and Jazz is here and the Menu is incredible!

“Sunset & Jazz”

Featuring

“On The Air”

Gypsy Jazz and Fats Waller Swing with Ned Ripple and Dennis Fortin

Whale and Jazz Festival 2011

Course Country French Menu

Friday, April 22, 2011; 5:30 & 8:00 Seatings

Phillip Kaufman, Executive Chef

Amuse

Spiced Chicken Pate

Cherry Gastrique

Starters

French Onion Soup

Cave Aged Gruyere

Pear, Endive and Radicchio Salad

Point Reyes Blue Cheese, Candied Walnuts, Sherry Vinaigrette

Steamed Manila Clams Marinières

White Wine, Garlic, Olive Tapenade Crostini

Garlic Braised Escargot Vol au Vent

Confit of Red Onion, Garlic Butter, White Wine, Puff Pastry Shell

Entrées

Beef Bourguignon

Braised Beef with Red Wine, Pearl Onions, Bacon and Mushrooms

Roasted Red Mullet

Spring Vegetable Ratatouille

Crisp Duck Leg Confit

Braised Green Lentils, Baby Artichokes, Spinach

Grilled Lamb Loin

Cauliflower Gratin, Rosemary Jus

Desserts

Raspberry Napoleon

Chocolate Pot du Crème

Lemon Tartlet

Offered at $49 per person plus tax and gratuity

Reservations 707.785.2371

Spring

Springtime on the coast is like the universe is waking up from a long winter hibernation and gifting our hillsides with a rainbow of color we are well on our way to Mid March and the wildflowers are peeking through and starting to beautify the coastal cliffs and hiking trails. We have such an amazing variety of flowers to see, it always amazes me to see the rainbow of color and variety during my seaside hikes. .

Spring is also a time to book a wedding. We are bursting at the seems with prospective brides and booked weddings. 2011 will be a great year for weddings at the coast. All of our couples are wonderful and we are looking forward to making each event unique and special for each couple. Our Executive Chef, Phillip Kaufman, is constantly working on menu's for the upcoming events and we love to see what amazing items he comes up with to match the special couple's vision.

We hope you have a chance to enjoy the rainbows on the cliffs this spring.

Spring Specials

March - May is Wildflower season.

Midweek rates starting $159 per night and includes a full breakfast. Stay 2 nights midweek and mention "Wildflower" and receive a special gift amenity.

Stay 3 or 4 nights and get 15% off your room rate and a bottle of Sea Ranch Lodge Cab or Chardonnay.

Our New Inspired restaurant the Black Point Grill opened its doors on Tuesday. The new table settings, menu and decor was a great hit with our customers.

The expanded menu was welcomed with great reviews and we already have guests wanting to come back for more.

Isn't that the idea? Have such a great relaxed evening that you want to do it again. Well we got the idea from all of our loyal clients and are now making it happen. So come on in for the best views on the coast and a wonderful meal with friends!

Winemaker Dinners

We have most amazing winemaker dinners scheduled this 2011 year! This last Saturday we had a great dinner with Lazy Creek Vineyards. Six courses deliciously paired with wines to enhance your experiences. The cost is $99.00 and that includes, dinner, wine pairing, gratuity and taxes. That price can not be beat.

In February we have a dinner scheduled with Fort Ross Vineyards. This will be an opportunity to taste some of the great wines featured by Fort Ross Vineyards and a tantalizing spread of food specially designed by our Executive Chef, Phillip Kaufman. Our Chef Phil not only is great at pairing wines with food but you will get to see another side of him while dining as he comes out to tell you about the food and charms you with his wit! I hope you have a chance to enjoy one of the monthly dinners we have out at the Sea Ranch Lodge.

Yelp

Do Yelp reviews actually help the person writing the review or the person reading it? It seems like a platform to somewhat anonymously complain. Don't you want your problem resolved so you do not have to think about it, stew over it and be overwhelmed by the response of the staff when they fix it? I know I do.

Here is a recent review for your viewing pleasure:

My partner and I just eloped and we had the most amazing experience at Sea Ranch Lodge. I am so happy we went here and would give it more stars if I could.

I have to highlight a few of the best moments from our stay. First, all of the staff greeted us with such warmth and even when staff turned over, everyone knew who we were and were full of warm congratulations to us. The panoramic ocean views from our room made it difficult for us to want to leave, and they delivered a decadent cheese plate with several cowgirl creamery cheeses and fresh fruit.

On our second day, our wedding day, everything was just lovely. We were switching rooms, so the front desk provided us a room to get ready in. The barn was just beautiful for our intimate ceremony, and our photographers had so many amazing views to choose from among the old fences, beautiful grass, beach, cliffs, and the 19th century barn. We had a lovely dinner in the lodge. The service was unbelievable and the assistant manager even sent us home with a box of honey that we had raved about during the meal. It just couldn't have been better.

I just can't say enough about how beautiful our stay was. I have never had such wonderful customer service, and the staff really treated us like royalty during our stay. Can't wait to go back!

Winter

Winter is my favorite time to drive up the coast. All of the baby animals are out and following their mamas. The ocean is dark and full of wonder. Whales spouting in the distance and rainbows are always not far off.

I do often wonder if I am the only person that seems to know about the Sonoma Coast's Wonderful Winter. The coast is always a summer's haven but winter is for the true lover of all things nature. I hope you get a chance to experience it more often.

Wedding Season

Wedding season does not really start until April but the hunt is on to find the perfect venue. We are all different in what we are looking for in the perfect day and each wedding we do at the Sea Ranch Lodge is so unique. No two wedding are the same. Some venues boast that they host a lot of weddings each year but they are cookie cutter events that all meld together.

The Sea Ranch Lodge is a unique place that designs the weddings around the couple. Even the Chef gets involved and is on the creative team. He meets with the couple and discusses the likes of the individual couple and then helps create the perfect day that is perfect for each individual couple. Can you imagine a chef writing a menu after a meeting with you? What would be on the menu? Our wedding couples are really treated with care and love in hopes that your union will last a lifetime. Happy Trails!

Much anticipated Recipe............

Kendall Jackson Tomato Festival Recipe

Heirloom Tomato Bread Salad

Executive Chef Phillip Kaufman

1 pound Assorted Heirloom Tomatoes- ie..Green Zebras, Brandywine Tomatoes, Red Flame, Sungold Cherry, etc. Cored and sliced.

2 Cloves Minced Garlic

½ Red Onion, Thinly Sliced

2 cups Cubed, Seasoned and Toasted Ciabatta Bread

1 cup Sliced Fresh Mozzarella

1 cup Washed Baby Spinach

2 Tablespoons Fried Basil, Sub fresh when Fried not available

¼ cup Red Wine Vinegar

3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Oilve Oil

1 Tablespoon Meyer Lemon Olive Oil

To Taste Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Pinch Mendocino Sea Salt

Combine Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Onion, Garlic, Spinach, and Basil and Bread. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.

Add the vinegar and EVOO and mix again.

Plate the dish and finish with the Meyer lemon olive oil and Mendocino sea salt.

Tomato Fest

The Kendall Jackson Tomato Festival this year was a blast. We met so many new people and loved sharing info about the Sea Ranch Lodge with new people.

I was so surprised that so few people that live in Sonoma County rarely get out to the coast. We are so lucky to be living in Northern California, we are so close to so many things and the coast is our hidden treasure. You should make some time to get out to see the beautiful ocean a lot more. It is food for the soul.

Harvest Season

We are now headed into what Sonoma County refers to our Harvest Season. This is when the vintners begin to test the sugars in the grapes on the vine, the tomatoes are in full swing and the strawberries are at their sweetest.

I personally look forward to the tomatoes..It reminds me of when I grew up on a tomato farm. This is when your forearms turned green from harvesting tomatoes of all colors and sizes. It is a grown up easter egg hunt. The beautiful leaves leave the most wonderful smell on your arms and the sweet succulent tomato popping into your mouth when the sun has kissed it with a warm glow. It also creates a craving of fresh mozzarella and basil. Luckily I am always prepared in the Harvest season for these such occasions and have basil and mozz on hand at all times. I would hate to miss such an occasion by bad planning on my part. Off to the fields...

Summer and Fall when does one start and another begin

Since when does school start in the middle of August? Isn't August designed to be the hottest month for outdoor swimming and beach fun? I always thought when school started that was the beginning of fall and the end of Summer.

Living in California our Summer usually goes all the way through September and sometimes October. Out on the Coast the best time to visit are the outlying months of all seasons....early spring and late summer are so beautiful and still hold all of the beauty of the actual meat of the season with less traffic and people to navigate. I love the Northern California Coast because it feels like I am part of an exclusive group that few are invited to be a part of. I know that once the smell of salty air and a cool breeze hits my face that Summer is very much still here and there is no end in sight.

Camping

When you are planning a camping trip what are you most looking forward to? Is it the campfire, the time spent with your friends and family or is it the packing and unpacking of your car and food stuffs?

I like to think that it is the shared experience with family and friends. Spending uninterrupted time with the people we care about. Plus getting to go kayaking or hiking is also a favorite past time. Well when you stay on the Sonoma Coast at the Sea Ranch Lodge you get the best of both worlds. Uninterrupted fun with family and friends without the hassle of setting up a tent or making your own breakfast.

Whales

Today was an exciting day. 2 Pods of whales were passing by the property and they were close enough for all on the property to see. No Binoculars needed. They jumped, splashed, waved a tail or two and spouted water for all of us on the shore to watch in amazement. It was 15 minutes of pure bliss. I was in awe and then looked into the eyes of our guests and realized that we are all lucky today to get such an amazing opportunity.

Vacation

What does vacation mean to you? Is it getting away from work? Is it spending quality time with your family or friends?

Whatever a vacation is to you I think it should include a little bit of relaxing time without distractions. The distractions include, phone, email, internet, work..etc. Just some time to really take a deep breath long enough to enjoy the exhale. Hear your heart beat and ponder the next years tasks. Most days we get to caught up in what's next and not enough of really enjoying the moment.

I relax and listen to the waves crash as I wonder if this is really a body double for Heaven.

Body Double for Heaven

Recently I was at a seminar and heard someone refer to Sonoma County as the body double for Heaven. Boy did that get me thinking.

I think she was right. Why would we want to be any where else? We have it all and it is all relatively close to the next amazing place.

Driving through the vineyards and then the dairy farms on your way to Sea Ranch Lodge just helps remind me of the amazing place we call home. It also gets me thinking about the Slow-Food Movement and the farmers that are helping our chefs deliver such great items.

Not only are we the Body Double for Heaven but we are also the Caterers for Heaven with our abundance of amazing fruit and vegetables, fresh cheeses, grass fed meats and fresh local seafood.

I think I will like Heaven!

Sonoma County has such an amazing variety of adventures and things to see and do. Yes we have the best "Wine Country" but there is so much more to the county than just wine. We have winding rivers, beautiful white sand beaches, breathtaking cliffs with panoramic views, mountains, valleys, hiking, biking, you name it Sonoma County has it. Out on the coast we have all of the things that make Sonoma County great. Adults, children and dogs can all find something that they love out on the Sonoma Coast and will yearn to rediscover for all of their years.

Hiking along the coast is such a rewarding experience in the spring. The wildflowers are out and some are still just sprouting so I can see each stage of the amazing awakening of the earth. What a powerful place to be an observer. The waves are crashing, wind blowing and the natural wonder of everything opening to be a part of the eco-system. The Sonoma Coast is an amazing place year round with many changes each season and each day. I hope you get a chance to be an observer on a day like today. I hope it changes the way you see and feel about life's blessings

June Art Shows

We are so thrilled to have such amazing artists to be showcasing their art on our walls. each moth we showcase a new artist and have a small reception to welcome the artist and for our guests to have an opportunity to meet the artist. This next month we will be Showcasing artist, Connie Matz, Oils. in the fireside room

The show runs from June 1st to June 30th.
The artist Opening Reception is Friday, June 4th from 5-7PM.
The other two galleries remain the same through June.

We hope to see you there!

There are so many days when I feel relaxed and enjoying the Journey of Life. On my drive home from The Sea Ranch to Sonoma I was acutely aware of the deep level of relaxation that I was able to reach while there. The universe was reminding me that we do not let our bodies reach that level in our everyday lives and it is something I need to strive for. Thankfully I have this slice of heaven to help get me there.