Breaking News and Late Updates This new appendix to our calendar serves as a running update to the sonomapicnic.com and the guidebook Sonoma Picnic   A Wine Country Travel Companion. One of the inevitable aspects of guidebook writing is that as soon as your book is out on the market, small bits and pieces of information will become out of date. One of the great things about the Internet is that you can continuously update your work online. Please scroll on for breaking news: New Business Update:    New! Sonoma County Catering and Event Planning sonomapicnic Chef and Editor Jack Burton will be happy to talk to you about the location, foods, rentals, and entertainment for your next Sonoma County event. chefjack@sonomapicnic.com Russian River Festivals Blues in June, Jazz in September By our reckoning, this will be the tenth Blues Festival, and the fall Jazz Festival has been added. Tickets go on sale in January. For details on both events, please visit the Festivals website: http://russianriverbluesfest.com. Photo: RR Blues Fest   SONOMA LAVENDER FESTIVAL Sonoma Lavender has held two-day festivals annually in June. Check their Web site for current info and upcoming events: http://sonomalavender.com In the 'Burg: There is a new hotel on the Healdsburg Plaza. In a space long vacant, development is nearing completion on a tasteful complex that will include fifty-five rooms and a great restaurant. Hotel Healdsburg 25 Matheson St. Healdsburg, CA 95448 707-431-0414/800-889-7188 ww.hotelhealdsburg.com Charlie Palmer's Dry Creek Kitchen 317 Healdsburg Ave. Healdsburg, CA 95448 707-431-0330 (Fax: 707-431-8990) www.charliepalmer.com/dry_creek Dragonfly Floral 425 Westside Road Healdsburg, CA 95448 707-433-3739 Bonnie Z www.dragonflyfloral.com Unusual flowers, over 1,500 roses, presented in "Wine Country Style." Full floral service for weddings and events, plus classes and workshops. Also new: The Cheese Course/Susan Walrabenstein 423 Center St. Healdsburg, CA 95448 707-433-4998 H B G 245 Healdsburg Ave. 707-433-3333 Nick The much-anticipated Healdsburg Bar & Grill is now open and jammin' on the Plaza AmicitiA Winery First release!  "Get in on the ground floor with the up-and-coming winery!"   The Wine Tout www.amicitiawine.com New in Geyserville: Locals, a collective tasting room featuring six Sonoma County wineries and specializing in flight tastings of our regional varietals in beautiful downtown Geyserville. 21023 Geyserville Avenue Geyserville, CA 95441 707-857-4900 www.tastelocalwines.com With the new River Rock Casino,The Dry Creek Rancheria Band of the Pomo Indians have opened the door to an exciting new chapter in their long history of living in what has come to be known as Sonoma County Wine Country. On a recent visit to the tribe's fledgling enterprise on a splendid hillside setting overlooking the vineyards, I was delighted by the pride of my neighbors as they begin again to make their living as a group in their traditional homeland. 3250 Highway 128 East Geyserville, CA 95441 707-473-4400 or 877-883-7777 www.river-rock-casino.com New in Santa Rosa: Vineyard Creek Hotel, Spa and Conference Center 170 Railroad Street Santa Rosa, California 95401 Phone: 707-636-7100 Fax: 707-636-7130 vineyardcreek.com New in Hawaii: Tastings Restaurant and Wine Bar Our friends Derek and Sandy have moved to Hawaii! Say hi for us when you get to Maui. www.tastingsrestaurant.com Link logos shown are copyright by their respective owners. Promotional graphics used by permission. sonomapicnic.com