Sebastopol: Junkyard Art, Vintage Boots, + Killer Sorbet

If you find yourself in northern California, own a pair of Chaco’s, and voted for Obama, I have the place for you: Sebastopol. It’s the only town in the region with a Russian name and is known for being liberal and funky. If you go, there are three stops you must make. First is a stroll down Florence Avenue, where you’ll see the whimsically chic sculptures created by Patrick Amiot and his wife, Brigitte Laurent. Built from pieces of reclaimed household appliances, car parts, scrap metal, pipes, plywood, and whatever else they can find, these works of “junkyard art” grace the front lawns of every quirky bungalow on both sides of the street. Next, you’d need to swing by Aubergine Vintage Emporium & Café, a 10,000-square-foot haven of vintage jeans, dresses, sweaters, cowboy boots, scarves, lingerie, earrings, incense, blankets, rugs, and more. It’s located in a former apple processing plant and transforms into an eclectic live music hall after dark. Your last stop would be Screamin’ Mimi’s for some homemade, all-natural ice cream. They use lots of local ingredients and offer such flavors as Mimi’s Mud, Trixie’s Turtle, Tahitian Crème, Pear Gewurtztraminer, and Grapefruit Campari. Lucky for me, they also make several flavors of sorbet, including my two all-time favorites: chocolate and coconut. Score.