A Trip to Sonoma

The ultimate trip to Sonoma. A visit to the original WIlliams Sonoma, handmade pasta from Flour+Water, and wine at Silver Oaks Winery.

A trip to Sonoma / loveandlemons.com

I love my job more than anything, but working from home can sometimes get a little isolating. So when opportunities like this come my way, I’m all in! Last month, I spent an amazing few days with Williams Sonoma, Fortessa, The Fairmont, and a group of lovely bloggers in Sonoma. We were wined and dined and wined some more… Here’s just a quick recap!

A trip to Sonoma / loveandlemons.com

I’m a sucker for kitchen gear so it was fun to visit the original Williams Sonoma store. It just reopened this year – many of the charming details were replicated from the store that Chuck Williams first opened in 1956. If you’re in Sonoma, check it out. We were also treated to a pasta-making class:

A trip to Sonoma / loveandlemons.com A trip to Sonoma / loveandlemons.com

Isn’t it fun to watch other people cook? Chef Thomas McNaughton of San Francisco’s Flour + Water Restaurant made handmade pasta for us. I’ve eaten a lot of pasta in my life, so this is a big statement: his pasta was the… best… ever. (It was even tastier on this beautiful dinnerware!). Check out his book, it’s a stunner. He also made a darn good kale & roasted squash salad too. I wish I had gotten the recipe:

A trip to Sonoma / loveandlemons.com

I wanted one of everything from these gorgeous wall displays:

A trip to Sonoma / loveandlemons.com A trip to Sonoma / loveandlemons.com

After lunch, we took a tour of Silver Oaks Winery – I especially loved their vegetable garden. I had major meyer lemon tree envy, and their kohlrabi was especially beautiful:

A trip to Sonoma / loveandlemons.com A trip to Sonoma / loveandlemons.com

Our group! (bloggers from: What’s Gaby Cooking, Waiting on Martha, Sugar and Charm, The House That Lars Built, Style Me Pretty, Once Wed, Snippet and Ink, Coco + Kelley, Green Wedding Shoes, Intimate Weddings, Wedding Chicks)

A trip to Sonoma / loveandlemons.com

The trip ended with a beautiful dinner at the Fairmont. Below Chef David Blum plates up chocolate soufflés for dessert.

A trip to Sonoma / loveandlemons.com

Thanks to Fortessa, Williams Sonoma & The Fairmont for a lovely trip! This post was created in partnership, and is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Fortessa. The opinions and text are all mine. (Some photos by Mark Poss).

13 comments

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  1. I agree with you, one of each please for me as well. I just heard about Chuck Williams the other day…rest in peace.

    • jeanine
      12.07.2015

      I know! so sad…

  2. Kate from cookieandkate.com
    12.06.2015

    This looks like a blast! I’m going to have to find an excuse to visit their original store now.

  3. Lisa
    12.06.2015

    Love this. Thanks for sharing. Links aren’t working from my phone for the other blogs. Is it just me?

  4. Rachel from cookingthroughbittman.blogspot.com
    12.02.2015

    Your photos are so beautiful! I love looking through your blog, it’s so inspiring 🙂 Also, those kitchen tool wall displays were making me crazy–I’m such a sucker for vintage kitchen gadgets. I mean, look at that mandolin!!

  5. Jeannine
    12.02.2015

    Sounds like a trip that I should plan in the near future. BTW…my kids were sent two of the cookbooks that you suggested for my Christmas present. Can’t wait!

    • jeanine
      12.02.2015

      oh, so glad! Hope they like them!

  6. Kathy Roselli
    12.02.2015

    What a fun trip Jeanine. My kids grandparents lived near the Sonoma area – always a favorite spot!
    We saw Scott and Nana in Charlotte and I introduced my daughter to your site. Can hardly wait for your book to come out!

    • jeanine
      12.02.2015

      aw, thanks Kathy! Hope to see you soon 🙂

  7. Kristin from eatflyloveblog.com
    12.02.2015

    Wow! Now I know what I would do if I won the lottery – organize this trip! Looks like you all had an amazing time and the pictures are gorgeous!

  8. Ok, this sounds like an absolute dream. Spending a day with the Williams Sonoma crew, drinking wine and looking at beautiful kitchenware…. Gosh, that basically sounds like my version of paradise.

  9. What a fun trip! I love love love WS and this trip seems like a dream (those kitchens are SO good!)

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.