Sunset Celebration Weekend in Sonoma Valley draws big crowd

Ayesha Curry was preparing parsley-mint chicken, steak with chimichurri, and a citrus-infused tequila cocktail Saturday, and the crowd that had come to see her at Sunset magazine’s newly opened outdoor kitchen and test gardens in Sonoma Valley was captivated.

Some, of course, even chanted. “Go Warriors!”

And Curry, a popular and bubbly lifestyle blogger and wife of Golden State guard and NBA MVP Stephen Curry, cheered in return.

She was teamed up for Sunset’s Celebration Weekend at Cornerstone Sonoma with Williams-Sonoma Culinary Director Amanda Haas. The duo proved to be one of the most popular draws for the estimated 2,000 guests Saturday who took in the newly opened landscape and culinary space for the Oakland-based lifestyle magazine.

Curry’s demo was one of the main reasons Fairfield resident Jennifer Washington attended the event, which continues today.

Her 11-year-old daughters, Camyrn Washington and Lauren Sheppard, raced to the stage after the demonstration to take pictures with Curry, and later snapped a photo with her mother, who was in the audience along with other relatives.

“I was shocked how fun she was,” Sheppard said about Curry, who will be releasing her first cookbook in September.

The demonstration was just one of many to feature food, wine and gardening in the new showcase spot for Sunset. The magazine’s parent company, Time, Inc., sold its Menlo Park campus and announced a move of its test gardens and kitchen last year.

Carol Hewlett, who attended the same event in the South Bay two years ago, said she was impressed with the new site.

“Now that I’ve seen the new test gardens, having a bigger parcel to work with I’m sure has been a big blessing,” said Hewlett, 69, of Clearlake.

She was upset to miss the Curry demonstration, but couldn’t wait to catch the other cooking and gardening demonstrations.

“There’s so much to see, so much to do,” she said, sipping on a pink-colored drink while standing in the Cocktail Garden, a small area filled with lavender, mint and citrus plants.

The mixed drinks served to guests included Jack London Gardentinis, Whiskey Smash and Sunset Garden.

Hewlett’s daughter, Kristi Silvestre, of San Jose, had to travel further for the event this year, but judged the North Bay site a better host for Sunset and its 118-year-old brand of western outdoor living.

“The location itself is prettier. It’s out in the country,” she said.

Kenwood Investments founder and Sacramento lobbyist Darius Anderson formed an investment group to acquire Cornerstone Sonoma in 2014. Anderson also is the managing member of Sonoma Media Investments, which owns The Press Democrat.

Booths were set up throughout the 40-acre grounds, some promoting travel destinations around the state and others selling plants, cutlery, linens, coffee and old fashioned sweets. Visitors sipping on beer and wine strolled the many gardens searching for landscaping and home-decorating ideas.

Napa resident Nora Levinson said she also had doubts about the new outdoor and culinary showpiece for Sunset.

After exploring the venue and looking for ideas to remodel her kitchen, she was convinced it was a “perfect” site.

“It’s going to bring more people to the area,” she said.

You can reach Staff Writer Eloísa Ruano González at 521-5458 or eloisa.gonzalez@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter?@eloisanews.