Vamos a VOTMA Fiesta!
August 20 will soon be here. That’s the day of VOTMA’s (Valley of the Moon Alliance) fourth annual summer fundraiser at the Kenwood Plaza Park. This year’s event is a Family Fiesta with strolling Mariachis, a special dance performance by the Ballet Folklorico troupe, a large selection of live and silent auction items, a variety of raffle items (your ticket stub enters you in the raffle), piatas for the kids and an authentic South of the Border buffet.
The live auction features four items:
• A 3 day/2 night stay for 2 people at Le Meridien Beverly Hills four-star hotel, including a special 5-course meal at Il Grano, plus several other meals at restaurants such as Dominick’s retroclassic restaurant and the hip, trendy 101 coffee shop. A $200 air travel certificate completes this auction item.
• An extravagant evening for 6 in San Francisco, beginning with a limousine ride from Sonoma County, including refreshments. Enjoy a few drinks and appetizers at McCormick and Kuleto’s on the San Francisco Bay at Ghirardelli Square, followed by dinner at the Green Valley Restaurant in North Beach. Finish off the evening with a visit to a local jazz club.
• A signed, numbered, framed print of the Family Fiesta poster donated by our local artist Jenn Burkhardt.
• A framed, signed print of the “Save Sonoma Valley” artwork used for our T-Shirts, painted by Millie Bissett.
The silent auction includes a Chef’s Dinner from Vineyard’s Inn; a Family Meal from Doce Lunas Restaurant; certificates from many other restaurants such as Caf Citti, the fig caf, Garden Court Caf, and Roberto’s; a catered lunch for 12 by Kristi Jeppesen at the Glenelly Inn and other fine restaurants nearby. Wines in the silent auction include a 3 liter bottle of Kunde 2000 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon; a magnum of Peter Michael 1995 Les Pavots; a magnum of L’Angevin 2003 Chardonnay; a magnum of BR Cohn Zinfandel; 6 signed bottles from Kaz Winery; 4 signed bottles from VJB Vineyards, 4 signed bottles from Chris Loxton at Loxton Winery, 3 signed bottles from Peter Wellington at Wellington Vineyards, and many more wines from Sonoma County. Lodging includes stays at local places such Birmingham B&B on Sonoma Highway in Kenwood, Casa Bella Vista on Lawndale Road, as well as the Lodge at Sonoma in Sonoma. You can also bid on a round of golf for 2 with cart at Fountaingrove Golf Club. Many local merchants have donated items including a Sauvignon Massage at the Kenwood Inn and Spa, a Lavender basket from Sonoma Lavender, and a floral wreath from Oak Hill Farm.
There will be many other items available (see our website at www.votma.org/fiesta2005), so be sure to visit the Silent Auction area at the Family Fiesta.
The highlight of the day will be an authentic South of the Border buffet. Chef Steve Rose and his worthy assistants will prepare several authentic salads and vegetable platos to accompany main courses of fire roasted chickens and slow cooked Barons of Beef. Ranchero rice and frijoles refritos will be there along with made to order tortillas and a spicy array of salsas frescas!
Tickets are $40 and can be purchased at Swede’s Feeds and Vineyards Inn in Kenwood, at Sonoma Valley Bank in Glen Ellen and at the Oakmont Village Grocery in Oakmont. A ticket order form can be downloaded from the VOTMA website (www.votma.org/fiesta2005) or you can call 833-6695 to order tickets by phone. A mail-in form is also included in this issue of the Kenwood Press (see page 6). Tickets can also be purchased at the event. Children’s plates are available for $10 for kids age 11 and under. When you get to the park, be sure to deposit the raffle stub from your ticket to be eligible for numerous door prizes that will be given away during the Fiesta. Get there early for the Fiesta Hour (3-4 p.m.) featuring Colleen’s world famous MARGARITAS. Beer, wine, soft drinks and bottled water will be available for purchase during the Fiesta. VOTMA is a non-profit organization (Tax ID 80-0038375). Your ticket price and auction purchases are tax deductible within the guidelines of the law.
The Kenwood Plaza Park is located on Warm Springs Road, just off Highway 12 at Los Guilicos.
The Valley of the Moon Alliance was formed to promote the preservation, protection and maintenance of the agricultural character, natural resources and rural beauty of the Valley of the Moon. We are committed to providing a forum for research, information, education and recommendations on projects that affect the environmental qualities of the valley communities. For further information, please see our website at www.votma.org or call our hotline at 707-833-6695.
