Rockin' Rio Nido, May, 2011

Rockin’ Rio Nido -- a monthly column for the Sonoma County Gazette
By Elisabeth Parker and Elena Chronis.

RNHOA Memorial Day BBQ kicks off summer season

We love the Rio Nido Home Owners Association (RNHOA)’s summer events in their picnic area. The Memorial Day BBQ on Sunday, May 29^th from 4-9 p.m. offers fun to kids and grown-ups alike. Enjoy a delicious chicken dinner, adult & kids’ beverages, bake sale desserts, kids’ talent show, mini-golf, music, dancing, marshmallow roast, and more! Also, look for the July 4^th & Labor Day BBQs, pancake breakfasts, and Art Festival!

Friends of Rio Nido (FRN) elects bored members.

Oops, we meant to say BOARD members. Neighbors elected Kim Holliday, John Uniack, Jennifer Ostrom, Matt Malik, and Marsee Henon for FRN’s board of directors. Congratulations! No mud-slinging occurred because only five neighbors ran for the five available openings, which greatly reduced this election’s entertainment value.

Support the RNHOA’s Proposal for Rio Nido’s Canyon 2 Entrance!

Following Rio Nido’s flat rejection of Dennis Judd’s development plans for “downtown Rio Nido,” the RNHOA and local business owners presented an alternative proposal at the Russian River Redevelopment Oversight Committee (RRROC) meeting on April 21^st. It requests funds for landscaping, public recreation areas, walkways, pocket parks, parking space, and legal protection from development,

Help jazz up our dingy fire hydrants!

The Friends of Rio Nido (FRN) Beautification Committee needs volunteers to paint our fire hydrants and stanchions (boundary poles) to enhance their appearance and visibility. If you’d like to help, drop by the Rio Nido Roadhouse’s parking lot on Saturday, May 21^st at 9:00 a.m. with sloppy clothes and a paintbrush. First-comers get to wear those fabulous day-glow yellow and orange safety vests (until supplies run out)! Special thanks to Matt Malik for organizing, and Sweetwater Springs for supplying the paint.

Pet of the month.

Elena created this new monthly feature, because she KNOWS how we Rio Nidans totally LOVE our dogs, cats, and other critters. Please contact us about YOUR pet. For now, here’s Jesse James, Elena’s adorable, playful, and rambunctious rottweiller pup. LOVES: Nice people, play-mates, bones, rolls of toilet paper. HATES: Mean people and cages.

Rumor has it …

A filmmaker has contacted Kim Link and Brad Metzger about shooting scenes for a movie at the Roadhouse. Celebrity chef, “slow food”movement pioneer, and advocate for ecologically sustainable gardening and culinary education plans a visit to the Guerneville School in honor of its innovative garden, environmental education, and nutrition curriculum.

Elisabeth Parker Bids Rio Nido a fond farewell.

After six-and-a-half years in this magically beautiful enclave beneath the redwoods and whimsical gaze of the RNHOA Pee Wee Minigolf’s “Winky Moon,” Elisabeth and her family are packing up for San Jose, where her husband now works. Alas, paying a 2004 mortgage in a 2011 economy, and only seeing her husband on weekends, makes no sense. She has enjoyed working with her neighbors to improve this already wonderful community, and is proud of the progress we’ve made together. If you’re interested in running her Russian River Rattina blog and the Rio Nido Neighbors community email list, please email her before she leaves on June 1^st.

Living on the Russian River

What I love about this community:

• Folks are friendly and care about our communities & local issues. We support our schools even when we don't have children in our schools through fund raising and tax dollars; We help the hungry & homeless who live here; we care about local issues and attend meetings when we can; and when the chips are down, we come together and help one another.
• Our schools totally kick butt: Despite drastic budget cuts, local parents can make good choices for their kids thanks to strong principals & administrators; experienced & committed teachers; a handful of devoted parents; & smart, dedicated students. The Guerneville School has earned the only California Distinguished School award in Sonoma County, due to its rigorous academics, & high STAR test scores. The Monte Rio School also enjoys strong test scores, but devotes more resources to the arts & holistic learning approaches for students. Either way, parents & kids win.
• It's beautiful, so beautiful: When I drive home down River Road from my job in Rohnert Park, I breathe in the Eucalyptus groves with delight, & then sigh with immense pleasure upon being enfolded by our protective redwood groves.
• It's laid-back: You don't have to pretend to be anything you're not here, you can just be who you are.
  

What I find hard about this community:

• The HUGE gap between "friendliness" & genuine warmth: Folks are friendly here, but not necessarily warm. Being on friendly terms with neighbors is one thing. Feeling connected & having friendships with your neighbors is another thing all together. Folks who relocate here need to be fiercely independent.
  
• High cost of living vs. lack of jobs: Why are the basic costs of living -- housing, food, property taxes, & energy -- so high around here, when local workers' earnings are so low? The costs of living here in Sonoma County are almost as high as those in the SF Bay area, yet employers pay half as much. If you relocate here, you need to be prepared for that.
  

But ... don't let what I said stop you. Pretty much all similarly desirable communities here in California will present you with the same obstacles if you wish to live here. Visiting is another thing altogether.

Rockin' Rio Nido, April, 2011

Rockin’ Rio Nido -- a monthly column for the Sonoma County Gazette
By Elisabeth Parker and Elena Chronis

April showers bring … lack of power.

As spring draws closer, Rio Nido bustles with all sorts of activity – some legal, some not. With all this jogging to get in swimsuit shape, while detouring around logging crews and storm-tossed redwood debris, who has time for reveling in the lush greenery and keeping an ear out for the chirping of baby birds? Especially since we’re still catching our breath from a mid-March storm and two-day power outage! Yet we definitely see signs of spring, as neighbors launch into spring cleaning mode. Seneca Rising and the rest of the organic veggie garden gang came out in full force for the annual Community Garden kick-off meeting on March 20^th.

Champagne fountain grand opening

During the March 26th Friends of Rio Nido (FRN) meeting, Rio Nido Lodge owner Dennis Judd announced his plans to pay $1 million to Sweet Water Springs for installing a pipeline from Korbel to Rio Nido’s entrance for a champagne fountain. "We're excited about the restoration of this historic structure," exclaimed Sweet Water Springs General Manager Steve Mack. Not to be outdone, the Rio Nido HomeOwner's Association proclaimed their plans to build a chihuahua race track and giant redwood bungee jumping tower in the picnic area. "I look forward to taking the first jump!" RNHOA President Doug Misner exclaimed. The grand opening will be held when pigs fly … Happy April Fools Day, everyone!

St. Patrick’s Day shenanigans

Around 30 infuriated Rio Nidans – including home owners from hte city – attended the March 17^th RRROC meeting at the Guerneville Veteran’s Hall to protest Dennis Judd’s proposed large-scale development in the front lot of Rio Nido. Not only did neighbors fear it would be big and ugly – we also worried about the lack of parking for the Roadhouse! Dennis withdrew the proposal via email shortly before the meeting.

The Twins are back … at Tavern McHughs

Les Jumelles recently closed, but we’ll soon see more of the eponymous twins, thanks to their mom and step dad’s new venture at the same location. Rio Nido residents Ben & Sherell McHugh are busily preparing for opening day at Tavern McHughs. El Molino High School students Amythist and Brianna (also from Rio Nido) will be pitching in to help. “We look forward to offering great quality food with fresh ingredients in a family atmosphere,” Ben enthuses.

In addition to lunch, dinner, and an amazing river view, the restaurant will offer a charming, old-fashioned ice cream parlour and video games for the kids. If all goes as planned, Tavern McHughs will open in April. Since Ben and Sherell claim to actually enjoy working with the County’s Permit Management and Resources Department, this may actually happen.

Featured personality: Erin Handy.

On March 9^th, Erin – an up-beat, doe-eyed, late twenties-ish brunette with a pixie cut – and her quiet, pragmatic, and sandy-haired partner Suzy welcomed neighbors to their home for the Handy Harvest Club and Coop’s open house. While sipping wine and nibbling local artisanal cheeses, breads, and Erin’s signature pickled tomatoes, Erin and Suzy explained their upcoming projects. The co-op will start out as an informal, outdoor gathering of neighbors looking to trade fruits, vegetables, and home-made foods. The Harvest Club will operate more formally as a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), offering weekly or monthly subscriptions to local produce selected from local growers. Keep an eye out for

Rio Nido Roadhouse hosts 3^rd annual Easter Egg Hunt

Held on April 24^th at 1:00 p.m., the hunt is open to kids of all ages, and will be followed by a marshmallow roast and Hot Chocolate. There will also be a Peep's diorama contest (to be judged at 2:30 p.m.). To enter, sign up at the Roadhouse. For more information call 707 869-0821.