Welcome Home

We’re glad you made it! Swipe around for house tips and tricks and our local recommendations and then throw your phone away :)

Important information

 

  • Network: Graton House

    Password: pinkcactus9448

    The router is located in the second bedroom should you ever need to reset it.

    You can also use the GratonHouse_EXT network, same password.

  • To use the wall unit in the living room: Select the “sun” icon for heat, and the “snow” icon for cooling. Press the “fan” button for maximum fan. And then set the desired temperature. You should feel cold or hot air beneath the unit if it is working. It may take a few minutes to get going.

    You’re welcome to use the Dyson heaters / fans in the bedrooms to supplement. If you use both (as heaters) then please make sure one of them is plugged into the pink outlet in the big bedroom, otherwise the circuit breaker will need to be reset.

  • Food scraps can be placed in the green bin outside. The blue bin is for recycling. And the grey bin is for waste. Extra trash bags are located at the bottom of the bins.

    You’re welcome to close the front gate if you wish, but please make sure to leave them open on Sunday night so the trash can be collected Monday morning. No need to do anything else for them to be collected. They walk in and take the bins themselves.

  • Apologies in advance for how tricky these doors are to lock.

    To lock the doors:

    1. Close both doors

    2. Pull up firmly on both handles to engage deadbolt.

    3. Turn both locks so they are pointing in a vertical direction

  • You can turn the hanging lights on and off individually with a gentle quick pinch of the cable just above the lamp head. If you pinch and hold, the lamp will slowly dim up and down. There is a master switch on the black cylinder on the floor. If the pinching isn’t working, give that master switch a click and try pinching again.

  • Once you connect your phone or computer to the wifi, you should be able to see “Samsung The Frame” as an option to stream your content.

    You can also use the remote to navigate to your streaming service of choice. Don’t forget to log out if you use your own account!

  • Please be sure to use only the supplied dishwasher pods under the sink. Be careful not to use the liquid dish soap or it will explode =)

    To use, press the “P” button to select the program. And then press the “start / pause” button once and close the dishwasher. You should hear it start immediately.

    Make sure to press the “start” button again if you open the dishwasher mid cycle. You will hear a series of beeps once the dishwasher is completed.

    If the dishwasher is intermittently beeping at you, chances are it thinks it’s still mid-cycle. Open it up and press the start button and close it and it will leave you in peace.

  • Note, as we are on septic, please do not put bleach into the system**

    The best setting for the dryer is on “timed dry”. “Automatic” has a tendency of stopping before the clothes are fully dry.

  • You can find battery powered lanterns for sunset dining and lounging in the linen closet next to the printer. Press the button on the side of the handle to turn them on.

  • Once you connect your device to the wifi, you should be able to print wirelessly to the printer. It is “HP Officejet 8020”. It is a new and functioning printer. But it is a printer. So it is sometimes infuriating for no reason. Reach out with any issues!

  • To turn on, first find the valve on the top of the propane tank and turn counter clockwise to start the flow of gas. Then, turn the burner to the ignite position, and press the button to the left of the burners to ignite the flame.

    Please remember to close the propane valve again when finished.

    There is an extra tank on the property if you need, just reach out!

  • Please remember we are on a septic system. Only toilet paper down the toilet, and please flush often. The button to flush the toilet is located on the side of the seat, near the toilet paper roll. There is a plunger located in the linen closet.

  • The top drawer of the freezer holds the ice maker. If its not making ice, look for the switch to turn it on / off on the top left of the top drawer.

  • Thank you again for staying. The house is yours, so please treat it accordingly. We appreciate no shoes on the white rugs, and using the provided makeup towels for your makeup needs. We are also very grateful for not washing any darks (like the makeup towels) with any of the white towels or linens, as it is a non stop battle to keep those looking white.

    If anything is missing, broken, or generally disappointing, please don’t hesitate to reach out so we can make it right! We are here to help. And the most important thing for us is that you feel taken care of and at home.

    Have fun, relax, and enjoy :)

Recommendations

The short list of our favorite things to do when staying in the cottage.

Walking Distance

One of the best parts of staying here is not always having to get in the car to do things. Stretch your legs with some of these favorites.

 

Underwood Bar and Bistro

A solid bistro and bar where local winemakers and workers stop in for a drink after work. Always a friendly and eclectic mix at the bar. The food is solid and the service is always friendly. Don't be put off by the random Thai items on the menu! It's a holdover from covid and is actually delicious.

Willow Wood Market Cafe

A quaint country diner / cafe / restaurant that almost always has a line on the weekends. During the week, it’s a great place to grab a coffee and do some work in the always quiet outdoor patio. The polenta and farmer’s scramble are outstanding. Definitely worth popping in at some point during your stay.

Paul Mathew Winery

More demure than Bowman Cellars next door, but more delicious. Outdoor seating out the back and super knowledgable staff make this place a favorite for people who are serious about wine.


Full Bloom Flower Farm Flower Stand

Take a right out of the cottage and look for a sign that says “flowers.” Turn right down the driveway and you’ll encounter a flower stand full of wedding-quality floral bouquets by one of the Bay Area’s best florists.

Joe Rodata Trail

Take a left out of the cottage and look out for the walking / bike trail on the left, just after you pass over the Atascadero creek. This is an eight and a half mile trail that connects Forrestville to Sebastopol. It meanders through vineyards and features a pair of friendly llamas. Perfect for morning runs and late afternoon meanders. Stroller friendly!

Grapes!

There are 20 wineries within a five minute drive from the cottage. Some require reservations ahead of time but many allow walk-ins. Try to sample wines grown from a few different regions (the cottage is located in the Green Valley appellation) to see which region you prefer. Note that most wineries close early. So plan your day accordingly!

 

Iron Horse Vineyards

(8 min drive ) Famous for their sparking wines which have been served at the White House for the last six consecutive administrations. They make a chardonnay that is a perfect example of Green Valley wine. The best part is being able to take in the stunning views of the mountains and vineyards while enjoying your glass of wine. Highly recommend!

Lynmar Estate Winery

(4 min drive) One of the best Pinot Noir vineyards in Sonoma County. Another tasting room with a spectacular backdrop of the vineyard and under redwood trees. For the ultimate luxury wine and culinary experience, make a reservation for the Collector’s Lunch Pairing and you’ll get to enjoy a three course lunch paired with their wines that will blow your mind.

Horse & Plow

(5 min drive) An organic, all natural winery that also makes outstanding cider. Before vineyards took over, Sebastopol used to be filled with apple orchards, and you can taste some of that history here in their all-gravenstein apple cider. There’s always a chill vibe outside with live music on the weekends.

Pax Wines

(11 min drive) Our favorite tasting room in The Barlow. Famous for their Syrah, they also craft a wonderful selection of funky wines including our favorite Gamay. We almost always leave here with a case full of wines. They close at 8pm on the weekends, making it a great option for a later tasting.

Restaurants / Cafes

From Michelin guide dining to no-fills pubs with local flair, there is something for everyone within a short drive away. Here are some of our faves.

 

Khom Loi

(7 min drive) A bib gourmand from the Michelin guide. Delicious Northern Thai food in a vibe-y atmosphere with an always trendy and eclectic crowd. Bamboo planters and a fish pond in the atrium and a natural wine list and excellent service. This is our top pick for dining in the area.

Ramen Gaijin

(9 min drive) Another bib gourmand pick from the Michelin guide. It's a gourmet ramen and izakaya that makes their noodles in-house. The chicken karaage is excellent.

Sonoma Pizza Company

(8 min drive) A great excuse to visit the charming little town of Forestville. They make delicious wood-fired sourdough pizza with a slow 72 hour ferment. They also have the option to do gluten free pizza dough and vegan pizza. They have an outdoor garden and the atmosphere is perfect.

Goldfinch

(9 min drive) An upscale restaurant with a seasonal menu using local ingredients and a wood-fired grill. Excellent cocktail menu as well!

Fern Bar

(9 min drive) Excellent cocktails and creative small plates for sharing. Probably our favorite spot located in The Barlow for dining.

Hog Island Oyster

(40 min drive) This place is well worth the drive. The drive itself is a pleasure - it's a beautiful scenic drive through rolling hills and farmlands. Hog Island is an oyster farm on Tomales bay in Marshall where you can eat oysters at a rustic, casual, and chic spot overlooking the bay, just a few feet from where they are grown. The vibe is unpretentious and casual and they have a good wine list to complement the oysters. They have a full menu besides oysters as well. Book ahead of time or grab a bag of oysters from their to-go menu and take them to enjoy on the beach.

Produce, Bread, Dairy

One of the best parts of West Sonoma is being surrounded by farms. Be sure to stop by one of the world class bakeries, cheese shops, and produce markets to make the most of your time here. Highly recommend picking up a bottle of wine and a few cheeses and taking a picnic out to Bodega Bay Head.

 

Wild Flour Bread

(12 min drive) We visit here every weekend to pick up one of their olive loafs and a fougasse. If you get there early, you'll avoid the line. Some of the best bread in California. Do not miss it!

Andy’s Produce Market

(4 min drive) Farmer’s market quality produce available every day in the open-air produce market. This grocer has everything you need for all of your cooking needs, including bulk grains and plenty of organic health foods. There is a cafe stand outside as well as a stand for Panizzera Meat Company, a local artisanal butcher selling top quality cuts of beef, lamb, and chicken.

Delivery

Delivery to the cottage is available via Whole Foods and Instacart. Takeout is also available via Uber Eats and Grubhub.

Things to do

You could spend you’re entire time here drinking wine and eating food and it wouldn’t be a wasted trip at all. But if you want to try something else, this list is a good place to start. Feel free to reach out with questions for more if you’re looking for something else.

 

The Coast

The Sonoma coast is only a 25 minute drive away from the cottage through farmland and vineyards. We often take a day trip to Bodega Bay, where we stop at Spud Point for lunch before we continue on to Bodega Head, just further down the road. It’s a great site for whale watching and hiking and taking in the breathtaking rugged coastline.

From there, you can keep driving up the coast to Jenner. If you park at Goat Rock and walk north to the end of the beach, you’ll see a colony of seals there lounging and swimming about. There’s also some great coastline hikes around there, too!

If you have the time, taking the hour and a half drive up the coast to Salt Point State Park is absolutely worth the detour. Incredible hikes and rock formations make this a very magical place.

Or, if you’d rather head south, we definitely recommend stopping at Hog Island Oyster for lunch and then continuing the drive south through Point Reyes Station and then ending up doing one of the dozen spectacular hikes in Inverness or renting a kayak for a couple of hours and exploring

The Barlow

The Barlow is a 12-acre Bay Area outdoor market district featuring local food, wine, beer, spirits and crafts made onsite by Sonoma County artisans. There’s a farmers market on the weekends and more often than not some kind of festival going on in the summer weekends. You can easily spend an afternoon and evening here browsing the shops and enjoying excellent examples of wine and cuisine.

Check out the Rialto Cinemas, an art house cinema that plays obscure foreign films as well as the latest Hollywood films. They sell alcohol and food there as well.

Spas

Osmosis Day Spa is a Japanese style spa where you can relax with a massage and their signature Cedar Enzyme bath where you immerse your body completely in a fermenting combination of cedar and rice bran. You have to try it for yourself

For the ultimate in luxury pampering, book a treatment at The Wellness Barn at the Farmhouse Inn. Offering couples massages, and a unique experience involving a day of biking, yoga, a six-course wine and food pairing, and then a sixty minute massage.

User Manuals

For more information on any of these appliances, please click on the button below the picture of what you’re looking for. If you still need help, please reach out!