North Bay Woman Magazine
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1177968
F A L L 2 0 1 9 | NORTH BAY WOMAN 45 November Bountiful Potluck Brunch. Guests bring a dish to share, and the hostess sets up a bloody Mary bar with flavored vodkas and a garnish station, (olives, celery, bacon, pickled beans, pickles, cheese, chiles, etc.) Gratitude cards serve double duty as place cards and a take-away, and, in lieu of a blessing, everyone reads their card aloud before breakfast. Bonus: Collect coats, canned food, socks or gift cards from guests to donate to a local organization benefiting those in need. December Holiday Shenanigans. Meet up for a ferry ride into San Francisco. Coffee, snacks and shopping at the Ferry Build- ing start your adventure, followed by a brisk walk downtown. Ice skating at Union Square is sure to get you in the holiday spirit. A trek up the hill to the Fairmont to spy the gingerbread houses before sipping mulled wine or spiked cocoa and having a late lunch rounds out the day. (Feeling spunky? You may find some holiday parties to crash along the way. Just don't tell 'em that we sent you.) January Bodega Bay Chowder Day. This annual event is a self guided tour tasting chowder from a variety of restaurants at the coast, and perfect to make a couple's day. Rent a limo bus so that you can cleanse your pal- ate with some bubbles between tastings. Pack a picnic and end your day at Doran Regional Park sipping California Char- donnay. (Anthony Bergland at North Bay Charters is our preferred limo bus driver and company providing rockin' tunes and clean flutes at every stop.) February Galentines. Get the girls together for an interactive dining experience. The hostess picks a theme, like Moroccan or Brazilian, finds recipes, does the shopping, and puts a recipe with corresponding ingredients in a bag. Each guest, or team, picks a bag, and is tasked with making an appe- Top to bottom, left: Bloody Mary bar pairs per- fectly with a November potluck brunch; Bodega Bay's Chowder Day in January warms guests as they enjoy the coast. Right: Holiday adorned gin- gerbread houses are a delight inside and out; try something new like this Moroccan Tajin beef stew with rice. – Photos courtesy Bodega Bay Chamber of Commerce, Fairmont San Francisco Hotel, iStock