Miracle worker

Little Saint, El Molino Central, Santa Clara real estate, Underwood, Olema House, MORE

Wine wrangler

SARA MORGANSTERN • beverage industry consultant, director of operations, co-founder • Morgenstern Consulting, Ruth Lewandowski Wines, Little Trouble Wine Co
Neighborhood you work in: Sonoma County
Neighborhood you live in: Healdsburg

It’s Friday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
An Americano made by my partner Joey, two Grocery Outlet hashbrowns, dog sleeping next to the space heater at my feet, typing away on the computer in my dining room at home. I like to wake up pretty slowly, so I usually start the work day answering emails in my pajamas and setting up my to-dos. I use 11a-5p for running errands, office time in Forestville, meetings, and calls if I can.

Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Yes, we have two days of special treats ahead! We’re taking a family drive tonight for a Facebook Marketplace find, so we’ll stop at El Molino Central in Sonoma before heading home, and I’ll pick up some tamales to keep in the freezer. Tomorrow, I’m spending the entire day moving out of my previous cottage in Occidental, CA and will treat my moving helpers to dinner at my favorite restaurant, Underwood. It’s a perfect martinis-and-French-fries kind of place.

How about a little leisure or culture?
I’m really into the idea of mushroom foraging, but still need more practice identifying the right ones to bring home. I look forward to heading towards the Sonoma and Mendocino coast after the next rain with my guidebook and mushroom knife I got for the holidays. I’m dying to check out True West Film Center in Healdsburg, which plays a mix of current and classic films and partners with some incredible restaurants around Healdsburg. Seeing a show at Little Saint’s intimate upstairs venue is a favorite — you can shop the amazing wine wall downstairs and bring your bottle to the show.

Any weekend getaways?
My favorite weekend trip is heading to Point Reyes with my girlfriends and our horses. We rent a little apartment that sits above a barn and get to enjoy miles and miles of trail rides through the national seashore. There’s a ton to do in the area: the Marshall Store for oysters and crab sandwiches, dinner at Olema House, a beer at the Old Western Saloon, and hiking to see tule elk (which are bigger than our horses).

What was your last great vacation?
My family lives in Florida and I visited them over the holidays. We took a side quest to go visit Tampa which I know almost nothing about and was delighted by our trip. We stayed at Palihouse in Hyde Park Village, which was so beautifully appointed (and comfortable). Incredible Japanese-inspired cocktails at Tanto, which has an omakase next door, and Bern’s for dinner, which is an absolute heaven for wine enthusiasts. We ended the brief trip with a visit to the Sunday Thai market at the Wat Mongkolratanaram Buddhist temple, which was off the beaten path but delicious and beautiful.

What’s a recent big ticket purchase that you love?
Oh my gosh, without question, the Zojirushi Rice Cooker! It’s a miracle worker.

Where are you donating your time or money?
I’ve been a long-time donor to the Human Rights Campaign, which focuses on advocating for and supporting LGBTQ+ equality and the ACLU.

---

RESTAURANTS • The Nines

Restaurants, Noe Valley

The Nines are FOUND’s distilled lists of the best. Paid subscribers have access to the complete Nines archive.

• Hamano Sushi (Castro St), industry fave, reserve omakase, order takeout rolls