Sonoma's Jimtown Store

Carrie Brown's Jimtown Store in Sonoma County, California wine country on Highway 128 north of Healdsburg is a destination in itself. A revival of an old country store, with the sign commanding "Get In Here and Eat," the market purveys gourmet sandwiches and carry-out boxed lunches for wine country touring. And its dime-store-style wares offer nostalgic toys for wistful early Baby Boomers, including Sock Monkeys (and Sock Monkey Baby Slippers) and Potato Guns, along with sweet baby things, like Canus L'il Goat's Milk Soap.

Presiding with artistic personality and local character is Carrie Brown, who with her late husband (Silver Palate partner John Werner) visited from New York City more than 15 years ago and made the bicoastal leap. They turned back the Jimtown clock to its 1895 origins as a community gathering place. Today's Jimtown still reflects lack of pretension and an easy down-home feel, yet the upscale tastes of food, wine and antiques expected in sophisticated wine country. Wear jeans, nibble on a Brie and chopped olive spread sandwich, drink a latte on oilcloth on the patio, take home an antique crate made of Burma Shave signs or a folk art carnival ride helicopter. Gosh, we're hooked -- and keep coming back to have more fun.