Rockin' Rio Nido: September Happenings

Below, please find the column my neighbor Elena Chronis and I wrote for the Sonoma County Gazette's October issue.

Rockin' Rio Nido
by Elena Chronis and Elisabeth Parker

Labor Day Barbecue Marks End of Summer
As the kids head back to school, we’re getting into the swing of fall. We’re savoring the splendor of West County’s bountiful and colorful harvest season, and Labor Day seems so long ago! Over 200 people gathered for the Rio Nido Home Owners Association’s final barbecue, making it this year’s busiest event. Everyone enjoyed the food (we want that chili recipe!), live music and games. Thanks, RNHOA for this summer’s events!

RNR Puts the “Rock” in “Rockin’ Rio Nido”
The Rio Nido Roadhouse launched into September with its usual fun and eclectic musical line-up. The Poyntlyss Sistas performed on Sept 10th, followed by Dgiin on Sept. 12th. The Thugs rocked the house on Sept. 18th, and Jake Richmond and Friends played for the Pegasus Theater benefit on Sept 19th. NOTE: If you can stop in for lunch, the BLT sandwich with fries can't be beat!

Rio Nido Task Force Considers Bylaws
On Sept. 18th, our Task Force met at the RNR to discuss writing bylaws, electing officers, and pursuing non-profit status. Over 20 neighbors attended this productive meeting. Kim Holliday and John Uniack from the Infrastructure Committee will write the bylaws; Richard Grace from the Safety and Security Committee is helping organize our Neighborhood Watch; Jennifer Ostrom and Matt Malik from the Beautification Committee are spearheading a campaign to clean up our street signs; and Marsee Henon from the Business/Economic Viability Committee encouraged neighbors to visit and contribute to our Web site at http://rionido.net/.

People also applauded Nate Lester for graciously building some stairs so we can access Rio Nido beach. We also thank all members for their forward-thinking ideas for bringing our little enclave into the 21st century. The next Task Force Meeting will be held on Oct. 3oth, 11:00am at the RNR.

Quick Clarification
People keep asking us about the Task Force and whether it’s part of our Home Owners Association. The Task Force is a new grass-roots organization seeking to improve our community. The 48-year old Home Owners Association consists mainly of older summer residents who put together the annual barbecues we all enjoy.

Spaghetti Cook-off Fundraiser at the RNR
The RNR will host the Second Annual Spaghetti Cook-off fundraiser for the Guerneville School on Oct. 17th, 3:00pm-6:00pm. Prepare for some great tunes, good eats, and friendly competition amongst local pasta chefs! The event includes the spaghetti sauce tasting, dinner, raffle and spaghetti sauce winner announcements, art contest for middle-schoolers; and live music from Gamma Rhythm. Prizes include fine wines, one night get-aways at local resorts, gift certificates, and more!

The Spaghetti Cook Off costs $10 to enter a sauce recipe; $20 per adult (includes dinner and two raffle tickets); $10 per child (ages 5-12, includes dinner and one raffle ticket); and a special rate for a family of five ($50 includes dinner and five raffle tickets). Children under five can attend free. To enter the contest or sponsor this event, contact Lori at 869-8384, Kristen at 869-9412, or gfundraiser@yahoo.com by Oct. 11th.

Rusky Rika Dachas Rehabilitation
Has anyone had a chance to see the newly refurbished and remodeled Rusky Rika Dachas property on River Road? The new homes and landscaping look so much better, and reflect positively on our community. We also applaud Dennis Judd for his ongoing renovations to the Rio Nido Lodge.

A Convenience Store That’s Actually Convenient!
Vijay Sharma and Johit Kumar recently purchased the gas station/mini-mart on River Rd. and renamed it Guerneville Food and Gas. Plans are underway for a deli and selling beer and wine. We look forward to finally having a high-quality convenience store in walking distance.

Pegasus Performs to Full House
We laughed and cried at Pegasus Theater’s Sept. production of The Oldest Profession by Paula Voegel at the Rio Nido Lodge, as five engaging (and still-hot!) elderly prostitutes reminisced about their New Orleans bordello days and contrived to keep their flagging venture in Manhattan afloat. Alas, the clients keep dying off! Lead actresses Diana Grogg, Jana Molina, Lois Pearlman, Noel Yates, and Michelle Randall delivered spicy performances and belted out smoking torch songs. Nancy Hastings ably directed and Kit Mariah provided musical direction. We can’t wait for Pegasus’ next performance.

• Visit the Rio Nido Web site at http://rionido.net/
• Got news? Email Elisabeth Parker at RussianRiverRattina @ gmail . com and Elena Chronis at elenachronis @ yahoo . com.

Rockin' Rio Nido: August Happenings

Below, please find the column my neighbor Elena Chronis and I wrote for the Sonoma County Gazette's September issue.

Rockin’ Rio Nido
By Elena Chronis & Elisabeth Parker

Summer Daze
As summer winds down, we’re enjoying beautiful, sunny, hot days (finally!) here in our little enclave. Colorful flowers bloom in our Community Garden; dogs frisk about in the Dog Park; children frolic on the playground; and the joggers are out in full force. Meanwhile, children splash around in the Rio Nido Roadhouse’s pool, play on the grass, and wolf down hot dogs and Popsicles, while adults relax in comfy Adirondack chairs sipping chilled margaritas.

Wish You Were Here
Here in Rio Nido, we’ve been too busy to write about this summer’s exciting events for the past two issues of the Gazette! We’ve been cleaning up, building a Web site, re-launching our Neighborhood Watch, having community meetings, and attending all the fun and wonderful happenings. As Labor Day approaches and the kids return to school, we savor the last days of our summer bliss.

Spring Cleaning
Despite budget cuts, we successfully pulled off our Annual Spring Clean Up (um … in July!), thanks to local activist Jennifer Ostrom (for organizing); Rio Nido Lodge owner Dennis Judd (for the site); North Bay Corporation executive Pam Davis (for dumpsters and logistics); Roadhouse owner Brad Metzger (for coffee and donuts); and an energetic crew of volunteers, including Johnny Ethridge and Fred Beehler. You wouldn’t believe what people hauled out of our creeks!

“Beautification Vigilantes” on the Loose!
We’ve also had an epidemic of individuals performing random acts of kindness and beauty. Carolyn Thompson coaxed the scraggly rose bushes by the neglected fountain at our entrance to bloom beautifully all summer long. Others regularly paint over graffiti, and contribute time, labor, and materials towards sprucing up our Pee Wee Mini Golf (open Fridays and Saturdays during summer from 6:00-9:00pm for 50 cents per game!).

National Night Out
On August 3rd, neighbors gathered at the Rio Nido Roadhouse for National Night Out – a celebration promoted as “America’s Night Out Against Crime.” Sponsored by Rio Nido Home Owners Association and the Roadhouse, the event featured a delicious assortment of potluck dishes from neighbors, along with free hamburgers, hot dogs, and iced-tea. Big thanks to Brad Metzger and Doug Misner for organizing this event.

Rio Nido Task Force Meeting
On August 7th our Task Force met with the Community Development Commission’s Kathleen Kane to discuss how we’d like to see Rio Nido prosper, and obtaining redevelopment funds. Also present were new Redevelopment Manager John Haig, Russian River Redevelopment Oversight Committee members Justin Lacey and Amber Twitchell; Dennis Judd; and about 25 neighbors. The Task Force formed in December 2009 to improve the quality of life in Rio Nido. NEXT MEETING: August 18th, 11:00am at the Roadhouse.

Please, Can I Have S’More?
That evening, around 20 children and parents met in the picnic area to roast marshmallows, make s’mores, and play mini golf. The Marshmallow Roast was followed by a kids’ movie on the big screen. The children seemed to love those “Pink Panther” cartoons as much as we did! Thank you, Domenic and Suzanne Farnocchia (for hosting); Susie Markell (for operating the mini golf), and the RNHOA (for sponsoring).

Pancakes and Art
On August 8th, the RNHOA hosted a delicious Pancake Breakfast, which was enjoyed by over 100 neighbors and visitors … especially those who sampled the mimosas. Long-time Rio Nidan John Colonico sure can mix those drinks! Afterwards, we showcased local talent at the Rio Nido Arts Festival, including: Edward Garcia, Vincenza Gregori, Bruce Fossum, Don Wilson, Patty Byrd, Matt Bedford, Tom Azevedo, Beverly Bird, Rebecca Lichau, Seneca Rising, and Moire Martin.

Barbecue Hoedown at the Roadhouse
Cowboys and cowgals had a rip-snortin’ good time at the Roadhouse’s 1st Annual BBQ Hoedown on Saturday August 21st. The Roadhouse outdid itself in providing great grub and drinks, country music from Rockabilly Mac, plus a straw maze, sack races, watermelon eating contest and piñata smash for the kids. We love the Roadhouse!

Is It Labor Day Already?
We can’t wait for the RNHOA’s Barbecue on Sunday September 5th with delectable chicken, tasty chili and myriad of sweet and scrumptious desserts prepared by the Technology High School to tempt our taste buds. Food served 4:00-8:00pm ($8.00 adult, $5.00 child); Music, dancing mini golf, and children’s talent contest 5:00-9:00pm.

• Visit Rio Nido’s Web site at: http://rionido.net.
• For photos of recent events, see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/russianriverrattina/
• Please send comments, news, and gossipy tidbits to: RussianRiverRattina @ gmail . com.

BIG Rio Nido Meeting: Judd not lest ye be judded, part 2

Actually, the subtitle should be "Judd not lest ye be judded, part 4" because our fourth meeting in as many months is coming up (see previous post). However, River Rattina has been too busy avoiding phone calls from bill collectors while sitting on her porch with a shotgun "jes' in case them danged bankers come round agin" to write up the last two meetings.

The second meeting was held on December 12th 2pm inside the Rio Nido Lodge. And Lo and Behold! The first sight which greeted us as we approached the former hotel lobby was the huge gleaming edifice of a relic from glory days past ... the beautiful, antique, redwood bar which had been stolen from the Rio Nido Lodgea few weeks before! And was found and reported to the Sheriff by an observant neighbor -- in some crankster's pickup truck hack-sawed into three jagged pieces. This was a supreme vindication for Brad Metzger, owner of the Rio Nido Roadhouse, who had been implicated by some bizarre rumor.

The bar had been carefully restored by skillful hands and stood stolidly as though it had never been removed. As JRR Tolkein's hero, Aragorn, declared about the once-broken sword of Isildur, "It has been remade." More brownie points for new Rio Nido Lodge owner Dennis Judd, who now looks like the judicious custodian of this precious artifact from Rio Nido's history. Which basically comes down to ... a bar? Um, let's not go there. *Hic*

Chaired by newly elected RRROC member and long-time Rio Nido resident, Chris Auszten, the meeting was attended by over 50 people, including Mr. Metzger from the Rio Nido Roadhouse (which currently serves as our beloved neighborhood hangout, restaurant, bar, music venue, community center, pool, etc.), Mr. Judd, his representative Steve Radjelic, Doug Meisner and others from the Rio Nido Home Owners' Association, 5th District Supervisor Efren Carillo, Mark Krug from the County Development Commission, Tom Lynch from RRROC & the Zoning Board, Sergeant Kevin Young from the Sheriff's Department, Vesta Copestakes from the West County Gazette, Amber Twitchell RRROC member elect and Economic Recovery Director for California Human Services, Karen Kopp from the Guerneville 5&10, Joe Feladjic from GoLocal Coop, local blogger Steve Gladfelter, and many others.

Rio Nido resident Rebecca Ford kept things on track with her calm, professional demeanor, along with a timer to keep things moving at a reasonable pace so we could leave before midnight. Elena Chronis was kept busy furiously jotting down the minutes. Local resident and writer Justin Raimondo and others served as the obligatory anti-development hecklers until others urged them to pipe down and listen to what The-Powers-That-Be have to say. Domenic Farnocchia, the unofficial but de-facto Mayor of Rio Nido was, alas, nowhwere to be found.

Mr. Raimondo squeezed in one last expression of his suspicions regarding Mr. Judd's motivations, only to have Mr. Auszton lose his temper and thunder out, "THIS IS NOT A DEMOCRACY!" Dang! So much for any political prospects he may have enjoyed beyond RRROC. Such a shame, he ran such a good campaign. Thankfully, the One Who Has Innumerable Political Prospects, Efren Carrillo, later gently chided, "Actually, this IS a democracy."

Mr. Judd once again reiterated that he has no specific plans for the Rio Nido Lodge property (affordable housing -- Sonoma County Department of Subliminal Advertising), wants to hear what we folks from the community have to say (affordable housing -- Sonoma County Department of Subliminal Advertising), believes we should unite as a community (affordable housing -- Sonoma County Department of Subliminal Advertising), and wants to work with us towards common goals (affordable housing -- Sonoma County Department of Subliminal Advertising).

As you may have guessed, I do believe that Mr. Judd sincerely wants to work with us towards creating something totally fabulous in keeping with our fabled history, but I also believe that the County's objectives combined with our arcane zoning codes and permit requirements/procedures will make it absolutely impossible for any property owner to make money -- or just break even -- unless they build "affordable housing". Personally, I would love to see more affordable housing in combination with mixed commercial use so we can also have a grocery store, laundromat, coffee shop, theater, the restoration of our once fabulous beach, a dock for boats, a bait & tackle shop, & other amenities. Orrin Theissen ... where ARE you?!

Numerous ideas were exchanged. The energy was amazing. Representatives from our distinguished theater group, Pegasus, expressed hope in finding a new home here. Ms. Twitchell energetically stated the need to use available funds towards creating jobs so people can afford to live here and urged us to "Please think beyond this moment towards what's sustainable." Mr. Feladjic from GoLocal offered "a helping hand" to local businesses ... which currently consists of the Rio Nido Road House & whatever Mr. Judd winds up doing. Rio Nido resident Jennifer Ostrom distributed a handout on potential uses for the space and things we can do towards the beautification of Rio Nido. Mr. Meisner said that running the Rio Nido Homeowners' Association is "like herding cats."

In the end, a sign-up sheet was passed around for those interested in forming a Rio Nido Task Force, and a meeting was set up for January at the Rio Nido Fire Station.

JANUARY 9, 2010 MEETING -- Apparently, Rio Nido was QUITE the happening place back in December. The following meeting on January 9 was well-attended with about 25 neighbors present, but not nearly as crowded and contentious and vibrant as the previous one. Mr. Auszten was facilitating the meeting until ... suddenly, he didn't want to any more. I don't get it ... we ornery, obnoxious, & digressive Rio Nido folks seemed to be on our best behavior that day. Dang, we DO seem to chew through so many of those poor meeting facilitators. Luckily, local resident and business consultant Kim Holliday stepped in and orchestrated some key agreements on what we should focus on: Safety/security, beautification, infrastructure, business development, and internal stuff (how we're organized, how we make decisions, how we work together).

So now these five major items are slated for the upcoming meeting agenda. The meeting is scheduled for Saturday February 13th, 10am, at the Rio Nido Road House. With all the opening and closing stuff, we have 12 agenda items. That means 5 minutes per agenda item. That means we'll need to split off into committees so we can have more detailed discussions & start accomplishing things. Please come, and please also WISH US LUCK!

Summer fun in Rio Nido -- 2009

Today's recessionary trends which declare summer "stay-cations" all the rage, make me feel like quite the cutting-edge trendsetter. Once again, my family & I plan to spend summer right here in Rio Nido -- a cool, green, redwood-shaded, historic enclave of a mere 179 dwellings nestled amongst the winding canyons & along the Russian River -- for some good, clean, summer fun (I've heard that some good, down-and-dirty, summer fun can be had here too, but as a dorky stay-at-home mom with 3 kids, I fall asleep before any of that stuff happens).

Our charming little collection of winding canyons shaded by redwoods is located 2 miles east of Guerneville (the largest town in our area), just a mile or two West of the famed Korbel Winery, off of River Road.

RIO NIDO SUMMER EVENTS:

RIO NIDO ROADHOUSE --- POOL, RESTAURANT, BAR, & MUSIC all summer long: The pool & snack bar officially opens Memorial Day Weekend, but Leanne & Brad started early because this past weekend was so danged hot! They also run a bar & restaurant with good food for reasonable prices, & host an eclectic assortment of danceable bands on Saturday nights for a modest $5.00 per adult (kids are free) in their attractive, enclosed picnic area.

RIO NIDO HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION EVENTS

Come join the fun! Everyone's invited!

Once again, these events are hosted between Rio Nido Road & Canyon Seven Road (off of River Road) in the main picnic area, except for the golf tournament. Once you turn in, we're hard to miss. If you live in Rio Nido, PLEASE consider joining our neighborhood association (information provided below). You don't need to actually own a home, you just need to live here, run a business here, summer here on a regular basis; plus a filled-out form, a pulse, & $20):

• Memorial Day Chicken Barbecue, Sunday May 24^th: Food: 4pm-7pm ($8.00 adult, $5.00 child). Music & dancing: 5pm-9pm
• Fourth of July Hot Dog & Hamburger Barbecue, Saturday July 4^th: Food: 5pm-8pm $5.00 per plate; Music & Dancing: 5pm-9pm
• Rio Nido Cleanup Day, July 11th
• Pancake Breakfast: Sunday July 19^th: Breakfast 9am-12noon. Adults $6.00, Child $3.00
• Rio Nido Homeowners Golf Tournament, Saturday August 8^th: Northwood Golf Club, starting at 9am. 2-player Better Ball format (no handicap). $80 per player. Includes: 18 holes, cart & BBQ at Rio Nido BBQ area after game. To sign up, list the names & addresses of the players, include a check payable to the Rio Nido Homeowners Association, & snail mail to RNHA P.O. Box #A, Rio Nido, CA. For more information, contact Troy Held at troymheld at yahoo dot com (this is not formatted as a link because I don’t want the poor guy to get automatically-generated spam)
• Pancake Breakfast & Art Festival, Sunday August 16^th: Breakfast 9am-12noon. Adults; $6.00, Child $3.00; Rio Nido Art Festival 10am-3pm
• Rio Nido Homeowners Association (RNHA) General Membership Meeting, Saturday August 29^th at 11am.
• Labor Day Chicken Barbecue, Sunday September 6th: Food: 4pm-7pm ($8.00 adult, $5.00 child). Music & dancing: 5pm-9pm
• MARSHMALLOW ROASTS ... To be announced: For good, wholesome family fun, join our gracious hosts, Domenic & Suzanne Farnocchia for roasting marshmallows by a roaring campfire, followed by a rated G movie (maybe PG, if they’re feeling kind of wild).
• RIO NIDO MINI GOLF – OPEN WEEKEND EVENINGS Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend: Our mini golf course isn’t as fancy as the one on Drake Road near downtown Guerneville (which is wonderful & seems well on its way towards becoming designated as an historical landmark), but it’s fun, charmingly designed, is in walking distance for folks who live or vacation in the neighborhood, it costs only .50 cents per play, & it’s RNHA member Susie Markham’s labor of love. The kids adore it – plus, it keeps them occupied & somewhat corralled during our events. There’s even a small rec-room with kids’ games & inexpensive candy, chips & sodas for sale.
• Cool, shady playground: We also have a lovely little playground & picnic area with a circular path for scooters, roller skates, & bicycles/tricycles, which goes over a charming little bridge for our seasonal creek. It’s located a couple of “blocks” north of our picnic area, post office & fire station.

IF YOU’RE A VISITOR OR NEWCOMER: Bring along some extra cash to the holiday events, because you may want to buy a Rio Nido T-Shirt or Sweat shirt with a picture of our winking moon; purchase a yummy dessert from the baked goods table; treat your kids to minigolf; or wet your whistle with some beer, wine, or a mixed drink. You’ll also need an extra layer, because it gets cool here at night. If you have kids & feel nostalgic for the sort of fun, small-town summers you enjoyed as a child, Rio Nido is definitely the place to go – especially during summer holidays.

There are also tons of festivals throughout our area throughout the summer & a lively fireworks show on July 4^th weekend in downtown Guerneville. For events listings, visit the Russian River Chamber of Commerce in downtown Guerneville or check their Web site at http://www.russianriver.com/ . If you want to stay here in Rio Nido, consider a vacation rental through Balaika Guest Homes or D&G Equities. These folks are reliable & have a good selection of rentals in this area.

IF YOU LIVE HERE - Please support the RNHA – Become a member: Do you live, work, or own property in Rio Nido or on Rio Nido Road (which is basically in Rio Nido, despite the Guerneville zip code)? If so, PLEASE join the RNHA. All you need to join is $15, a membership form with your contact information (RNHA has them at the booth at all the major events), & a pulse. Your yearly membership dues will help support all these events; maintenance of our picnic area (which is available year-round) & mini golf course. You will also periodically receive an RNHA newsletter with local news & upcoming events (it seems to come out about four times per year). Despite the organization’s name, renters are also welcome to join. For more information & sign-up forms, please visit the RNHA table at one of our holiday events, or write to: Rio Nido Homeowners’ Association, PO Box A, Rio Nido, CA 95471.