When they sold the old Victorian in which my office had been located in downtown Sonoma, I dreaded the search this meant for another place to meet my clients. It is difficult to find the sort of setting that works well— a quiet, healing, private place, easy to get to and yet where noise can be made without disturbing others. Besides, office space tends to be, well, officious, and uncomfortable.
After several weeks of fruitless searching around town, Maria and I decided to take the day off to go for a walk in the countryside near our home, a few miles north of town. There, without looking for it, we found it: a cabin made of barnwood on the creek, a half-mile from our home, remote and peaceful.
The old cabin is part of a historic complex that had been established early in the 19th Century, when General Vallejo built a sawmill at the confluence of two brisk streams. There are many stories about the colorful people who have been here, from the struggling pioneers and settlers to the artists and musicians that have made it their home. The articles I have written about them can be found here, and they have been published with historic photographs in a book titled A Brief & Amateur History of Jack London Village.
What follows are links to the websites of some of my neighbors here at Jack London Village:
Olive & Vine Catering, Cafe and Winebar
Wine Country Chocolates
The Cheesemonger
The Beauty Sanctuary Day Spa
The Bluegrass Bar & Grill
Figone's Olive Oil
Marine Conservation Biology Institute
Eric Ross Winery
Yeti Restaurant