Compare Sonoma and Sebastopol

[kpage9]

Hello from the East--Sonoma. I've been living here for a year, am happy with the place in many ways, but am REALLY drawn to Sebastopol and preliminarily looking around at places to rent. I'm curious to hear opinions from people who have experienced both towns--values? culture? creativity? overall sweetness?

thanks for your thoughts--
Kathy

[decterlove]

Sonoma sucks, frankly, although I suppose it's all a matter of individual taste. I've lived here for a total of about 7 years on and off and whatever was interesting about it has up and gone in the last 5 years with the exceptions of:

the bike path is really cool....

the new Whole Foods provides a nice little oasis in an ocean of winey blandness....

barking dog seems interesting although I've never actually hung out there yet...

it is very centrally located if you have a good reason to wanna go to Napa, Santa Rosa, Petaluma and Novato on a regular basis...

the Church Mouse is a pretty decent set of thrift stores.....

The Community Center may be overall the best Community Center in the North Bay...hmmmmn. let me qualify that....Sebastopol may actually win that contest....

And last but not hardly least.....If you love the "Town and Country" kind of thing and you love wine.....well, maybe Slownomo is indeed your hometown...

I'm from NY originally though and it's just too damn tame for my tastes....I went to the big Art Fair again last year and saw about 3 pieces out of hundreds that I thought were worth the canvas they were painted on...

So.........I guess that's really a rant as much as an answer.....but I did try to be fair, no?

My faves are Petaluma and San Rafael but I've spent a lot of time in the past hanging out (not living in) Sebastopol and it's pretty unique......

[Dark Shadows]

I've got to admit that agree with Dectorlove. Having just moved from Sonoma, I feel much happier in Petaluma. Sebastopol is not as centrally located as Petaluma, that's why I chose Petaluma over Sebastopol. But given a choice between Sonoma and Sebastopol, I would pick Sebastopol. The only thing Sonoma's got going for it is the expensive restaurants and shops surrounding the square and the Sebastianni Theater that shows some decent films. The Whole Foods doesn't even have a bulk food section like other Whole Foods stores. Sonoma Market has a nice cozy area to eat and is okay if you have money to spare. Outside of that, there really isn't much else to do. I spent more money on gas driving to Petaluma and Santa Rosa (because it was too boring in Sonoma) than I've ever spent anywhere else I've lived, and I've lived in some pretty remote places.

Sonoma sucks, frankly, although I suppose it's all a matter of individual taste. I've lived here for a total of about 7 years on and off and whatever was interesting about it has up and gone in the last 5 years with the exceptions of:

the bike path is really cool....

the new Whole Foods provides a nice little oasis in an ocean of winey blandness....

barking dog seems interesting although I've never actually hung out there yet...

it is very centrally located if you have a good reason to wanna go to Napa, Santa Rosa, Petaluma and Novato on a regular basis...

the Church Mouse is a pretty decent set of thrift stores.....

The Community Center may be overall the best Community Center in the North Bay...hmmmmn. let me qualify that....Sebastopol may actually win that contest....

And last but not hardly least.....If you love the "Town and Country" kind of thing and you love wine.....well, maybe Slownomo is indeed your hometown...

I'm from NY originally though and it's just too damn tame for my tastes....I went to the big Art Fair again last year and saw about 3 pieces out of hundreds that I thought were worth the canvas they were painted on...

So.........I guess that's really a rant as much as an answer.....but I did try to be fair, no?

My faves are Petaluma and San Rafael but I've spent a lot of time in the past hanging out (not living in) Sebastopol and it's pretty unique......

[decterlove]

Thank you Dark Shadows!

Hey Kath.....you been to the Moose Lodge yet?

I've got to admit that agree with Dectorlove and I've lived in some pretty remote places.

[Dark Shadows]

Do you have to be a member? I haven't been to a Moose lodge since I was 13 years old back in Martinez with my good friend (who passed recently) Cindy Pfaff. Her dad was a member and treated us to dinner. We spent most of the time talking with the 17 year dishwasher (who was a good looking Native guy) in the kitchen. Memories...

Thank you Dark Shadows!

Hey Kath.....you been to the Moose Lodge yet?

[decterlove]

You don't have to be a member to participate in 90% of the events....and this is not your father's Moose Lodge...it's the most happening Moose Lodge in the entire U.S. mainland.....of course, it's not as cool as Sebastopol's Unicorn Lodge but hey....it's Cow Town after all not the Land of the Ancient Gravenstein.

Did I sign you up for Aqus....that's what you need to keep abreast of all the events in Petaluma....there's also now an Aqus Cafe on F st? and 2nd? right down by the river.....

Do you have to be a member? I haven't been to a Moose lodge since I was 13 years old back in Martinez with my good friend (who passed recently) Cindy Pfaff. Her dad was a member and treated us to dinner. We spent most of the time talking with the 17 year dishwasher (who was a good looking Native guy) in the kitchen. Memories...

[Peace Voyager]

Hey East County Folks,

I've lived in the West County for quite a while and moved to the 1st District last year; I'm in Glen Ellen right now. I moved here to bring progressive values into the Supervisor's race.

I'd love to connect with other progressive people in the Sonoma Valley area.

Best wishes,

Colleen Fernald
938-3834

[mykil]

Decterlove sold me first thought "Sonoma Sucks"! I had a girlfriend that lived in Sonoma and drove there a few times a week and tried to like it, it is just not the same as Sebastopol in so many wayz on so many different levels. Sonoma has the city atmosphere, the fast paced life of the city and even the smell of city life. Trying to be country but just not making the grade. The cold breeze even colder that here. The fog moves in off the bay and the wind is terrible. The yuppies are not real, they are just pretending and all is just way to phony! Move here if you are for real, stay there if you are not! Peace!

Hello from the East--Sonoma. I've been living here for a year, am happy with the place in many ways, but am REALLY drawn to Sebastopol and preliminarily looking around at places to rent. I'm curious to hear opinions from people who have experienced both towns--values? culture? creativity? overall sweetness?

thanks for your thoughts--
Kathy

[lifequest]

Sebastopol and the west county are beautiful and ever interesting. I pass through Sonoma and the Sonoma Valley (Agua Caliente and all the other strange little towns between there and Santa Rosa) often and in my take they are just small towns with their own problems. Sonoma really is a small town kind of place with a strong Italian past but struggling with tourism around the plaza. There are some good French restaurants there though. The Sonoma Valley has its share of problems... I keep hearing that they get more than their share of parolees steered there. Poverty abounds and places like the Sonoma Mission Inn drawing the elite as contrast. Kenwood is cool though with the Pillow Festival. There's some nice parks and a Development Center (polite name for what used to be called a mental hospital).

If I had my choice I'd pick Sebastopol... then again I'm stuck with Santa Rosa and I wouldn't wish that problem on anyone. Sonoma's better than Santa Rosa but Sebastopol is way better than either. Count your blessings if you live there. I can visit but always have to return to the sprawling grasp of Saint Rose.

[decterlove]

City? Yikes, Mykil! You definitely did not grow up in New York, did you? I wish i could just catch a faint whiff of the city vibe in Sonoma.

The best way I can illustrate Slonoma or Doughnoma, as I'm inclined to call in my darker moments lately, is that that someone had a fitness center right off the square about 5 years ago just to the right of the Sebastiani Theatre which is a very cool theatre, I agree.

The person with the fitness center had the alley way going back to her center painted with very tasteful and nicely done black silhouettes of people swinging a tennis racket, jogging, etc. And the City Fathers made her paint over it because it was too "wild' and not proper for the square ambience!

They also outlawed sidewalk sandwich boards a little after that.

So it goes. Petaluma has gotten very gentrified over the past 5 year....every place has....but a city or even a small town needs a little grit someone if it wants to still be able to make a pearl or two now and then.

IMHO.

Sonoma has the city atmosphere, the fast paced life of the city and even the smell of city life.