Preview: Madeleine Peyroux

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08.22.07

Imagine Billie Holiday leaving Depression-era America behind, following Josephine Baker to Paris. Such an aural image is easy to grasp when listening to “J’ai Deux Amours” from Madeleine Peyroux’s 2004 breakthrough release Careless Love.

Born in Athens, Ga., in 1974, Peyroux spent her early childhood in Brooklyn and then Southern California, before moving to the City of Lights with her mom after her parents divorced. As a teen, Peyroux hung out with the street musicians in the Latin Quarter. By age 15, she was busking with her friends, passing the hat for the Riverboat Shufflers and singing with the Lost Wandering Blues and Jazz Band. For two years she toured throughout Europe, performing the songs of Fats Waller, Bessie Smith and Ella Fitzgerald.

Signed to Atlantic Records in 1996, Peyroux returned to New York to record her first disc, Dreamland. As Lady Day was surrounded by Teddy Wilson and the rest of the Benny Goodman band for her first recording sessions, Peyroux, too was teamed with the best players in town. Cyrus Chestnut, Vernon Reid, Regina Carter and longtime Tom Waits sideman Marc Ribot all contributed to her debut. With covers of tunes by Patsy Cline, Hank Williams and, of course, Billie, Dreamland was a critical success. It sold pretty well, 200,000 copies, and soon Peyroux was touring the States, including a stint at Sarah McLachlan’s Lilith Fair.

Heady stuff for a 22-year-old mademoiselle. Peyroux returned to Gay Paree and to playing on the street. Other than occasional club gigs and a festival or two, she stayed under the radar for several years. One rumor had her going under a surgeon’s knife for work on her vocal chords; another had her disappearing for long periods of time.

Following Norah Jones’ success in 2002, Rounder Records sought Peyroux out and signed her to a new deal, hooking her up with female-friendly producer Larry Klein (Joni Mitchell, Shawn Colvin). In September 2004, Careless Love was released, again to great reviews. Featuring songs by Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and Elliott Smith, her sophomore disc was no jinx, going on to sell over a million copies. Peyroux would never again have to pass the hat.

Now on the road to promote her latest album, Half the Perfect World, Peyroux returns to the North Bay on Saturday, Aug. 25, “with guest” for a show outdoors on the grounds of the Rodney Strong Vineyards. 11455 Old Redwood Hwy., Healdsburg. 4pm. $40&–$65. 707.433.0919.


Fall into Arts

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August 22-28, 2007

Fall Arts:

September

Sausalito Art Festival Sept. 1-3. The Sausalito Art Festival combines breathtaking views with endless entertainment. The celebration begins with the festival’s Summer of Love kickoff (Sept. 1), featuring pianist Tom Constanten and rock bands Moon Alice, It’s a Big Bad Beautiful Day, Quicksilver Messenger Service and Jefferson Starship. The mood changes the next day with (Sept. 2), R&B artist Vonda Shepard, gospel group Blind Boys of Alabama, ’80s cover band Tainted Love, rock band Brite-Robinson, bluegrass group Buxter Hootin, jazz artist Pamela Rose and Cajun faves Flambeau. Country group New Riders of the Purple Sage and the Marshall Tucker Band finish the fest (Sept. 3). 2400 Bridgeway, Ste. 220, Sausalito. $5-$20; under 6, free. 415.331.3757. www.sausalitoartfestival.org.

Napa River Festival Sept. 2. Help protect and celebrate the Napa River with performances by the Napa Valley Symphony, gourmet food, fine wine and more. Napa Valley Expo, 575 Third St., Napa. Free. 707.254.8520. www.friendsofthenapariver.org.

Cajun & Zydeco Fest Sept. 8. All ages will enjoy the dancing bon temps of Chubby Carrier, Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas, Andre Thierry and the ever-popular Gator Beat Band at this 12th annual fundraiser by the Rotary Club of Sebastopol. Food includes Louisiana gumbo, red beans and rice, boiled crawfish and crawfish étouffée. Sebastopol Community Center, 390 Morris St. $20; under 12, free. 707.824.2550. www.rotarycajun.com.

Think Green World Music Festival Sept. 8. Harry Best and Shabang, the Caribbean Allstars, the West African Highlife Band and Mambo This! perform to promote environmental awareness from a solar-powered stage. With workshops, exhibitions and even ballet. Skyline Wilderness Park, 2201 Imola Ave., Napa. 10:30am to 7pm. $20. www.thinkgreen-worldmusicfestival.com.

Benny Carter Tribute Sept. 8. Saxophonist Mel Martin honors his longtime musical partnership with the alto sax great in a special jazz tribute. Warren Auditorium, SSU, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. $8-$12. 707.664.2235. www.sonoma.edu.performingarts.

Russian River Jazz Festival Sept. 8-9. Under new management, the festival goes lite but keeps some stalwart jazz artists to satisfy art lovers from all over. Featured artists include Chaka Khan, Boney James and Poncho Sanchez (Sept. 8). The next day’s lineup includes Norman Brown’s Summer Storm, Christian Scott and Lavay Smith (Sept. 9). Johnson’s Beach, Guerneville. $48-$173. 707.869.1595. www.russianriverfestivals.com/jazz.

Ghosts of Olompali Sept. 8-9, 15-16, 22-23. Promoters who created the original Renaissance Pleasure Faire and the Dickens Christmas Faire go local this time, with a living history celebration of California’s history, circa 1840-1880, held outdoors at the Olompali State Historic Park. Experience the Gold Rush, meet General Vallejo, visit China Camp, flag down a Bear Flagger and learn a more than a little about homesteading at this first annual event. As with the other fairs, come dressed to be a part of the proceedings. Many games and opportunities for children to have a richer experience are found on the website. Olompali State Historic Park, Highway 101 north of Novato, south of Petaluma. $12-$25. www.timegames.org.

The Temptations & the Four Tops Sept. 9. Motown legends the Temptations and the Four Tops unite to make sweet, soulful music together in their only Bay Area concert. Reminisce with hits like “My Girl” and “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) ” at the Marin Center, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. $35-$95. 415.499.6800.

Pink Martini Sept. 10. Portland-based “little orchestra” mixes language with cinema with shrieks with music with outrage with fun. Very arty for us folks, this. Wells Fargo Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $15.50-$39. 707.546.3600.

SF International Comedy Competition Sept. 12. Worldly wits square off for a shot at $30,000 and a fairly high-profile catapult toward fame. Previous contestants include Dana Carvey, Robin Williams and Carlos Alazraqui of Reno 911. Rounds run Sept. 12-Oct. 6. North Bay appearances include Sept. 13 at SSU; Sept. 14 and 21 at the Marin Center; Sept. 28 at the Wells Fargo Center and final rounds Oct. 3 at 142 Throckmorton in Mill Valley and Oct. 5 at the Napa Valley Opera House. www.sanfranciscocomedycompetition.com.

Lewis Black Sept. 14. Angry satirical comic who cut his back teeth with Jon Stewart has plenty of material given to him each day by the Bush administration. He brings his new revue, Red, White and Screwed straight to the top of his lungs. Wells Fargo Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $47.50-$57.50. 707.546.3600.

Sonoma Word Sept. 14-Oct. 26. Multi-date, multi-venue Sonoma County-wide celebration of the written word tackles an amazingly diverse schedule of events, beginning with a celebration of the Beat generation. Other highlights include Lilith Rogers’ one-woman show, Crossing Nature: Rachel Carson (Sept. 20), the Crosswalks of Poetry and Prose lit walk on the Russian River (Sept. 29), the “Stretching Borders” poetry evening with Chester Aaron and others in Occidental (Oct. 17) and the collaborative work, The Village of Speechless Understanding, conceived by Elizabeth Herron, Corlene Van Sluizer and others (Oct. 21). www.sonomaword.com.

Rita Moreno Sept. 14-15. Multiple award winner and West Side Story star leaves New York’s Café Carlyle to bring her cabaret revue Little Tributes on the road. Will she start the show by screaming “Hey, you guys!,” her tagline from The Electric Company? Napa Valley Opera House, 1030 Main St., Napa. $40-$45. 707.226.7372. www.nvoh.org.

Sonoma County Book Festival Sept. 15. This year marks the eighth year the festival has celebrated books and the people who love them. Features include book-signings by authors and poets, literary discussions and musical performances. Highlights include presentations by cookbook maven Mollie Katzen, novelist and Believer editor Vendela Vida, sci-fi and mystery panels, a travel writing workshop featuring Tim Cahill and more. Events located in Downtown Santa Rosa at the Sonoma County Main Library, the Cultural Arts Council Gallery and Court House Square. Free. 707.527.5412. www.socobookfest.org.

Napa Valley Harvest Festival Sept. 15. Sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Napa, the festival offers wine, gourmet food, art, auctions, live music by Pan Extasy and much more. Lincoln Theater, 100 California Drive, Yountville. $50. 800.550.6260.

Glendi International Food Fair Sept. 15-16. Live Balkan music and food from around the world, including Eritrea, Kenya and Romania. The savvy Glendi-goer brings a cooler to haul food home. Protection of the Holy Virgin Orthodox Church, 90 Mountain View Ave., Santa Rosa. $8; under 12, free. 707.584.9491. www.glendi.net.

Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival Sept. 15-16. Some 150 artists converge at this storied fair in the tall redwoods of Old Mill Park. Performers include ‘Til Dawn and the Robin Nolan Trio. Throckmorton Avenue at Cascade Drive, Mill Valley. $7; under 12, free. 415.381.8090. www.mvfaf.org.

Trisha Yearwood Sept. 16. Leading lady of contemporary country music tours in support of her new album, Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love. Wells Fargo Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $25-$85. 707.546.3600.

Chanticleer Sept. 20. Twelve-man vocal group perform their newest work, My Spirit Sang All Day, featuring early 19th- and 20th-century pieces and world premiere of original works All Things Resounding and Jalapeño Blues, as well as folk songs and spirituals. St. Vincent Church, 35 Liberty St., Petaluma. $25-$44. 800.407.1400.

Jarvis Puppet Workshop & Festival Sept. 21-22. Got the world on a string? Learn the über-classified backstage secrets of puppetry, make your own Sifl or Ollie, and see the pros work their magic. Not appropriate for children under five. Jarvis Conservatory, 1711 Main St., Napa. $10-$20. 707.255.5445. www.jarvisconservatory.com.

Sebastopol Celtic Music Festival Sept. 21-23. The greatest Celtic musicians this side of the Emerald Isle do more than just fiddle around. Confirmed performers include Martin Hayes, Dennis Cahill, Darol Anger, Molly’s Revenge and more. Sebastopol Community Center, 390 Morris St. $10-$142; full fest passes already sold-out. 707.823.1511. http://cumuluspresents.com/celtic.

Napa Valley Open Studios Sept. 22-23 and 29-30. Artists throughout the valley open their doors to the public. Sponsored by the Napa Valley Arts Council. Various locations. Opening reception Sept. 14 at St. Supéry. 707.257.2117. www.artscouncilnapavalley.org.

Redwood Arts Council Sept. 23. The autumn portion of the 28th season commences with the 18th-century string and lutes of the Group Galanterie (Sept. 23). The season continues through June with performances by Ensemble Amarcord, the Nobilis and Peabody piano trios, the Euclid and the Talich string quartets and others. Concerts mostly held at the Occidental Community Church. $10-$20. 707.874.1124. www.redwoodarts.org.

21st Annual B.R. Cohn Fall Music Festival & Celebrity Golf Classic Sept. 28-Oct 1. Huey Lewis and the News headline along with the Doobie Brothers and Tower of Power in annual charity concert. Party on, Wayne! Chardonnay Golf Club, Napa; B.R. Cohn Winery, 15000 Sonoma Hwy., Glen Ellen. $25-$300. 800.330.4064. www.brcohn.com.

Sausalito Floating Homes Tour Sept. 29. Self-guided tour of 15 of the world’s most unique homes. Whatever floats your boat. Kappas Marina, Sausalito. $30 (advance reservations recommended). 415.332.1916. www.floatinghomes.org.

Kiri Te Kanawa Sept. 29. If the Marin Center had buttons, they’d be a-poppin’ with the arrival of one of the world’s most beloved sopranos, stopping on a farewell tour in recital with Julian Reynolds. Hope for the aria “Porgi, Amor, Qualche Ristoro” from her famous role as the Countess in The Marriage Of Figaro. Marin Center, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. $35-$95. 415.499.6800. www.marincenter.org.

Country on the River Sept. 29. Bring lawn chairs and a blanket and enjoy refreshments, beautiful scenery and entertainment from Hal Ketchum, Pete Stringfellow, Buckshot Boys, the Trailerpark Rangers and more in the Monte Rio Meadow on the Russian River. Part of the innovative Russian River Food and Wine Fest. $35-$50. www.russianriverfoodandwinefest.com.

Petaluma Progressive Festival Sept. 30. The Progressive Festival highlights the movement’s issues and causes through speakers, live music and information booths. Speakers are still being scheduled, but those confirmed include Texas populist Jim Hightower, peak-oil author and activist Richard Heinberg and NAACP president Ben Terry. Walnut Park, Sixth Street and Petaluma Boulevard South, Petaluma. Free. 707.763.8134. www.progressivefestival.org.

Russian River Food & Winefest Sept. 30. All hail Bacchus and Ceres! This all-day salute to the bounty of the county includes wine, baked goods, cheese and such chefs and authors as Scott Peacock, Mark Stark and Mateo Granados. Proceeds directly benefit river communities. Monte Rio Riverfront Meadow at Rocky Beach, 16467 Hwy. 116, Monte Rio. $20-$60. 707.869.9474. www.russianriverfoodandwinefest.com.

October

Annual Mill Valley Film Festival Oct. 4-14. Now in its 30th year, this prestigious festival showcases over 150 independent films and bigger features destined for the multiplex. Settle in for the fun with some popcorn at various venues in Marin. 415.383.5256. www.mvff.com.

Shaolin Warriors Oct. 5. A return performance by the Buddhist monks who train physically and mentally with disciplined spiritualism in the art of kicking ass. Fun diverting activity: count the Wu-Tang Clan T-shirts in the audience. Marin Center, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. $20-$50. 415.499.6800. www.marincenter.org.

Music at the Center Oct. 5-27. Month-long interdisciplinary and interactive mini-fest mixes the poetry of such stellar writers as former U.S. poet laureate with award-winner Jane Hirschfield with fine art and fine music. Inspired by composer Joyce Kouffman’s music, this is a visual art installation that prompts poetry-writing, music-making and art construction. Oct. 5, “River of Words and Music” features Jane Hirschfield and Kouffman’s new music. Opening reception Oct. 7 and other events centering around Toby’s Feed Barn, Highway 1, Pt. Reyes Station. Prices vary. www.joycejazz.com.

Calder Quartet Oct. 6. Appropriately named after the great visual artist Alexander Calder, this chamber group continues to blur the boundaries of the traditional and avant-garde. Works by Terry Riley, Philip Glass and Franz Schubert, presented by the Russian River Chamber Music Society. Healdsburg Community Church, 1100 University Ave., Healdsburg. Free. 707.524.8700. www.russianrivermusic.org.

Sonoma County Harvest Fair Oct. 6-8. For hayrides, the World Championship Grape Stomp Competition, an amazing assortment of outstanding comestibles and more gold medals than can put the “bl” in “bling”—visit the Harvest Fair. Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1375 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa. $2-$6. 707.545.4203. www.harvestfair.org.

Marc Teicholz Oct. 6. Internationally acclaimed classical guitarist and faculty member of San Francisco Conservatory of Music specializes in works from the 19th century to the present day. Ives Hall, SSU, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. $6-$10. 707.664.2235. www.sonoma.edu/performingarts.

Marin Symphony Presents ‘The Battleship Potemkin’ Oct. 7 and 9. Sergei Eisenstein’s silent classic gets loud with orchestration by Marin Symphony. Opening night is preceded by a black-tie gala and followed by a Champagne reception. Not very proletariat, but much more fun. Marin Center’s Veterans Auditorium, Marin Center, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. $27-$65. 415.499.6800.

Emmylou Harris Oct. 9. Perennial favorite with a voice like an angel and a rare talent for singing duets swoops in. Wells Fargo Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $20-$65. 707.546.3600.

Solid Blues Oct. 11. Mavis Staples, Charlie Musselwhite, North Mississippi All-Stars and Joe Krown come together in a night for the history books. Staples, especially, is in top form on her latest, We’ll Never Turn Back, a breathtaking capture of the Civil Rights era. Napa Valley Opera House, 1030 Main St., Napa. $40-$45. 707.226.7372. www.nvoh.org.

Suburban Comedy Tour Oct. 13. Hear four hilarious comedians perform about their suburban lifestyles. Each has a unique style representing a different generation from the ‘burbs. Spreckels Performing Arts Center, Rohnert Park. $21-$24. www.suburbancomedytour.com.

ARTrails Oct. 13-14 and 20-21. Self-guided opportunity to buy directly from an artist, learn about the work from an artist, support an artist . . . or two or three. Throughout Sonoma County. Free. 707.579.2787. www.artrails.org.

El Día de los Muertos Oct. 14-Nov. 3. Day of the Dead celebration in the North Bay kicks off in Petaluma with fine and folk art, altars and performances throughout the town. Sonoma Valley Museum of Art hosts its annual exhibit Oct. 31-Nov. 4. Santa Rosa celebrates with community altars at the Sonoma County Museum and downtown events Nov. 1-2. www.petalumaartscouncil.org.

Bioneers Conference Oct. 19-21. Hear about groundbreaking ideas and discuss building a blueprint for sustainable systems at the 17th annual Bioneers Conference, a meeting of environmentally focused minds. Marin Center, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. $208-$405. 877.246.6337. www.bioneers.org.

Terry Bradford Oct. 20. Celine Dion’s duet partner has recorded with Elton John, Linda Ronstadt and others, and is lucky enough to have a PBS special on the air as he tours. Bradford appears with a string quartet, backup singers and the 50-member children’s VOENA choir. Spreckels Performing Arts Center, 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park. $23-$26. 707.588.3400.

Kathy Griffin Oct. 26. She filmed her special here earlier this year and loves us so much that she’s come directly back with a whole new bag of bitchy, funny tricks. Wells Fargo Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $20-$65. 707.546.3600.

Mystery Ball Oct. 27. Headlands Center for the Arts throws a killer Halloween party complete with three floors of food, music and dancing. Entertainment includes the French group Les Croque Notes, rock band Kugelplex and DJ Nightbeat. The hippest way to ring in the wiccan New Year. Headlands Center for the Arts, 944 Fort Barry, Sausalito. $90-$100. www.headlands.org.

Savage Jazz Dance Co. Oct. 27-28. Incorporating live music into its new work, the Aton Project, dancers perform to new work by composer Atemu Aton. Spreckels Performing Arts Center, 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park. $21-$24. 707.588.3400.

November

Pilobolus Nov. 2. Innovative and mind-boggling modern dance ensemble convert bodies into interlocking parts, creating a simultaneous blend of living sculpture and creative dance. Marin Center, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. $25-$65. 415.499.6800. www.marincenter.org.

Django Reinhardt Festival Band Nov. 3. There is no working guitarist alive today who both plays and looks as much like Django Reinhardt as Dorado Schmitt, who masterfully leads a group bringing to life Reinhardt’s Quintet of the Hot Club of France, razor-thin moustache and all. Squint your eyes, and you’re in Montmartre listening to the master himself. Napa Valley Opera House, 1030 Main St., Napa. $35. 707.226.7372. www.nvoh.org.

Diana Ross Nov. 3. The website merely lists Ross’ Guinness Book of World Records listing as the most female successful vocalist of all time, but this Dreamgirl has got more than one record to her name. Wells Fargo Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $19-$149. 707.546.3600.

Jupiter Trio Nov. 3. Young, dedicated chamber group and ensemble-in-residence at DePaul University in Chicago performs Beethoven, Dvorák and Rachmaninoff, presented by the Russian River Chamber Music Society. Healdsburg Community Church, 1100 University Ave., Healdsburg. Free. 707.524.8700. www.russianrivermusic.org.

Wine & Food Affair Nov. 3-4. Russian River Wine Road gathers 64 local wineries for another delicious extravaganza. Various locations in Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River valleys. $15-$45. 800.723.6336. www.wineroad.com.

Robert Haas & W. S. Merwin Nov. 6. Haas, a former U.S. poet laureate, and Merwin, one of our greatest living poets, team up for an evening titled “On Land and Language: An Evening of Poetry.” A rare treat for those who love words and are honored to hear the very poets themselves speak them. Wells Fargo Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $10-$35. 707.546.3600.

Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival Nov. 8-11. Enjoy strong, independent films submitted by filmmakers of all ages at Sebastopol’s first-ever doc fest. Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 6780 Depot St. 707.829.4797.

Jake Shimabukuro Nov. 9. If there’s anyone poised to dethrone Israel Kamakawiwo’ole as the king of Hawaiian music, it’s the skinny little kid in glasses who looks like a science major and plays the crap out of the ukulele. His version of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” is already legendary on YouTube. Napa Valley Opera House, 1030 Main St., Napa. $35. 707.226.7372. www.nvoh.org.

Festival of Harps Nov. 10. Now in its 18th year, the festival this time features multicultural lineup from China to Ireland to Paraguay. However, Joanna Newsom is nowhere in sight. Spreckels Performing Arts Center, 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park. $21-$24. 707.588.3400.

Trecento & Quattrocento Music Nov. 16-17. SSU Chamber Singers perform rarely heard works by 14th- and 15th-century Italian composers of Padua and Firenze. Featuring pieces by Paolo Tenorista and Johannes Ciconia. Holy Family Episcopal Church, 1500 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. $8-$12. 707.664.2235. www.sonoma.edu/performingarts.


Museums and gallery notes.

Reviews of new book releases.

Reviews and previews of new plays, operas and symphony performances.

Reviews and previews of new dance performances and events.

First Bite: Odyssey in Windsor

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Editor’s note: First Bite is a new concept in restaurant writing. We invite you to come along with our writers as they—informed, intelligent eaters like yourselves—have a simple meal at an area restaurant, just like you do. This is not a go-three-times, try-everything-on-the-menu report; rather, this is a quick snapshot of a single experience.

There’s something awfully civilized about having hamburger juice dribbling down one’s face when the burger from whence it came is crafted of sirloin stuffed with black truffle, braised short rib meat and foie gras.

It’s hard to feel too sloppy, either, about trying to cram a four-inch tall sandwich into one’s mouth when it’s held together by a clever toothpick designed to look like chopsticks, and when one is paying $22 for the privilege. Or when one is washing the burger down with glass of Domaine Calot Morgon 2005 Beaujolais ($11) that’s been recommended by the waiter-wine specialist hovering attentively over one’s shoulder.And it’s impossible not to love the every bit of it, when experienced at Odyssey, the French-Italian-California bistro in Windsor that opened in May and has promptly stolen my heart. Give credit to chef-owner Rudy Mihal, boasting an impressive résumé from some of New York and San Francisco’s best restaurants (Gramercy Tavern, Cafe Boulud, Fiamma, Zuppa) and now waving his magic wand over this sleepy wine country burg. He’s transformed the tiny grocery-chic space that used to be Amey Shaw’s L’Assiette into a gorgeous little nest of dark woods, soft lighting, cozy banquettes, a curvaceous bar and Fellini films playing on a projector screen above our heads.

Despite the fine food (handmade fettuccine with fresh Sicilian bottarga, fresh fava bean tortelli with lobster and oven-roasted veal chop with shallot marmalade were on the frequently changing menu the night I dined), the mood here is completely relaxed and the prices surprisingly reasonable. My companion and I ate and ate on a basket of pillowy-crisp and salty rosemary flatbread ($3), but couldn’t finish it. A portion of superbly seared, velvety foie gras ($14) was the size small brick, scattered with tangy-sweet peach mostarda and frisée. The liver melted, as close to literally as I’ve ever experienced, on our tongues.

Another appetizer, marinated sardines from Bodega Bay ($12), looked to be an entire filet, expertly deboned and sliced into slabs, then laid atop big chunks of fennel dotted with vinegary carrot dice alongside a slick of arugula jus. Delightful.

My companion declared her salmon ($22) perfect, and it was, the local fish simply decorated with wild mushrooms and English peas. As I licked the hamburger-topping Dijon and sundried tomato from my lips, and nibbled on hand-cut frittes dipped in aioli, I thought, “Does eating out get any better than this?”It does, our server piped in, apologizing for only having a cheese plate for dessert that evening. If we were to return the following night, we would be treated to a flaming rum confection the chef considered one of his best specialties. It would be lit at the table, and the show would be as spectacular as the taste, he promised.

There’s something quite sophisticated about having one’s eyebrows torched off when one can say the damage occurred over dessert at the outstanding, whimsical, wonderful Odyssey.

Odyssey, 426 Emily Rose Circle, Windsor. Open for dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. 707.836.7600.



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Quick-and-dirty dashes through North Bay restaurants. These aren’t your standard “bring five friends and order everything on the menu” dining reviews.

Fall Movie Preview

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08.22.07

Fall Arts:

The less said up front about the fall movie season, the more room there is to write about it. Noteworthy trends include Westerns (Brad Pitt as Jesse James, Russell Crowe as an Arizona hoodlum), the Middle East fiasco (Rendition, In the Valley of Elah, The Kingdom, Lions for Lambs), and rape-revenge (Death Sentence, The Brave One and Rosario Dawson’s Descent, if it ever makes it here).

All dates are subject to the ever-changing whims of neurotic, screaming sub-executives.

Sept. 7

‘3:10 to Yuma’ James (Walk the Line) Mangold’s sweeping but wishy-washy Western remake, with Christian Bale as a broke-down, hollow-eyed rancher facing off against a smooth-as-a-rattlesnake robber (Russell Crowe). ‘Shoot ‘Em Up’ Clive Owen as “Mr. Smith,” a gunman in custody of a baby that the evil Paul Giamatti wants dead.

Sept. 14

‘The Brave One’ Jodie Foster gets it, and so does her boyfriend and so does her dog. Now it’s payback time, but the real question is what kind of payoff got director Neil Jordan involved? ‘Eastern Promises’ Return of the king (David Cronenberg), with Viggo Mortensen as a London gangster.

‘The Hunting Party’ Ex-reporters Richard Gere and Terence Howard head for Serbia to bag a war criminal. It’s a comedy.

‘Mr. Woodcock’ Much-delayed Billy Bob Thornton vehicle. Seann William Scott plays a writer who learns his mom has taken up with the evil gym teacher he hated in high school. ‘Silk’ In France in the 1800s, an industrial smuggler (Michael Pitt) goes to acquire silkworms in Japan; there he falls for a powerful noble’s woman.

Sept. 21

‘In the Shadow of the Moon’ The Apollo astronauts speak out in this much-heralded doc. ‘In the Valley of Elah’ Paul (Crash) Haggis writes and directs this story of an Iraq vet sought by his parents (Susan Sarandon, Tommy Lee Jones) and a police detective who happens to look like Charlize Theron. ‘Trade’ Two-fisted Kevin Kline tracks down international flesh-peddlers.

Sept. 28

‘Across the Universe’ “Hey” Jude (Jim Sturgess) and Lucy (“In the Sky,” etc.) (Evan Rachel Wood) relive those fabulous ’60s under the tutelage of “Dr. Robert” (Bono) and “Mr. Kite” (Eddie Izzard). The coming attractions for Julie (The Lion King) Taymor’s visualization of Beatles’ songs were uproariously bad. The previews have since been fixed. Has the film?

‘The Darjeeling Limited’ Three estranged brothers (Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman) head to India in hopes of reconnecting. The new comedy by Wes Anderson will either be a Gen X Ishtar or his first unequivocal success. Either way, it’ll have a great soundtrack.

‘Into the Wild’ Sean Penn adapts Jon Krakauer’s bestselling wilderness bio of a well-off student who dropped everything to go live in the Alaskan wilderness. ‘King of California’ Michael Douglas as a recently released mental patient who convinces his daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) that there’s literally gold in them thar hills. ‘The Kingdom’ Thriller about FBI agents Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Garner investigating a Saudi Arabian bombing. ‘Under the Same Moon’ A little boy makes a desperate journey to cross the U.S.-Mexico border to join his mother.

Oct. 5

‘The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford’ In Missouri, everyone can trace his descent from James, so it’s no surprise that the Show Me State’s Brad Pitt is playing him. ‘Feel the Noise’ Omari Grandberry is a Bronx rapper who discovers reggaeton, Puerto Rico and the papi he never knew (Giancarlo Esposito). ‘The Heartbreak Kid’ Ben Stiller in the remake of the Charles Grodin comedy, playing a honeymooner who dumps his wife for a new girl (Michelle Monaghan). ‘Michael Clayton’ Tony Gilroy, scripter for the Bourne series, directs this story of heartsick fixer (George Clooney) at a large and malevolent New York law film.

Oct. 12

‘Elizabeth: The Golden Age’ Cate Blanchett’s reprises the role of Queen Elizabeth I, with Clive Owen as Sir Walter Raleigh and Geoffrey Rush as Walsingham, father of the modern police state. ‘Lust, Caution’ Ang Lee, Tony Leung and Joan Chen in Shanghai during the Big War. ‘My Kid Could Paint That’ Amir Bar-Lev’s documentary about a kindergarten-aged prodigy—an abstract expressionist painter—already being heralded as a genius. ‘We Own the Night’ Brighton Beach melodrama set in 1988. Eva Mendes, Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix as members of a family on either side of the law.

Oct. 19

’30 Days of Night’ Amusing premise, based on a graphic novel. In the Alaskan winter, a gang of vamps attack a small town. ‘Rendition’ Gavin (Tsotsi) Hood tells of an American wife (Reese Witherspoon) who tries to learn what happened to her Egyptian husband, a chemical engineer, at the other end of the line at a U.S.-run “black base.” Jake Gyllenhaal helps with the interrogation. ‘Sleuth’ Kenneth Branagh directs the remake of the two-man thriller, with Michael Caine in the part of the older cuckold, previously taken by Olivier. Jude Law is the young wife-stealer.

Oct. 26

‘Dan in Real Life’ Steve Carell in a rom-com about a widower who loses his heart over exactly the wrong woman. ‘Reservation Road’ A hit-and-run accident ruins the lives of Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Ruffalo. ‘Saw IV’ What sound does a saw make? Zzzzzzzzzzz. ‘Things We Lost in the Fire’Dogma-grad Susanne Bier’s story of a widow who learns to love again. Halle Berry, Benicio Del Toro and David Duchovny co-star.

Nov. 2

‘American Gangster’ Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe in a true story of the great heroin epidemic of the early 1970s. ‘Bee Movie’ Jerry Seinfeld as an average, animated bee about town. ‘Kite Runner’ Northern California author Khaled Hosseini’s story of the downfall of Afghanistan, as adapted by Marc Forster.

Nov. 9

‘The Future Is Unwritten’ Maybe the Clash were the only band that mattered after all. Lead singer Joe Strummer is memorialized by Julien Temple, who already made one irreplaceable punk-roc doc, The Filth and the Fury. ‘Lions for Lambs’ A Babel-icious story of the global war on terror encompassing a professor (Robert Redford), reporter (Meryl Streep) and presidential hopeful (Tom Cruise).

Nov. 16

‘Beowulf’ “No, but I saw the movie!” Computer-animated by Robert Zemeckis. ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’ Mike Newell directs the adaptation of the Garcia Marquez novel. ‘Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium’ Dustin Hoffman is the proprietor of a magic toyshop, Natalie Portman a regular customer.

Nov. 21

‘Enchanted’ Amy (Junebug) Adams as a fairy-tale princess transported via witch’s spell to modern-day New York.

‘The Mist’ Stephen King’s story of a deadly fog must never be mistaken for The Fog.

‘No Country for Old Men’ The Coen Brothers adapt Cormac McCarthy’s grisly novel, with Tommy Lee Jones as the hunter who stumbles into a borderland drug gang’s business.

Nov. 30

‘Thomas Kinkade’s The Christmas Cottage’ The ultimate Yuletide horror story stars Peter O’Toole and Marcia Gay Harden in a tale of a young artist who needs to see the light (and smell the money).

Dec. 5

‘Atonement’ In 1935, a child’s casual lie has fateful repercussions. Ian McEwan’s novel is the source. ‘The Golden Compass’ Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials hits the screen; Lyra (Dakota Blue Richards), a 12-year-old denizen of a parallel version of London, learns of a secret organization of the Gobblers. ‘Margot at the Wedding’ Noah Baumbach’s follow-up to The Squid and the Whale has Nicole Kidman attending the wedding of her sister (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and encountering the boor she’s proposing to wed.

Dec. 14

‘I Am Legend’ Will Smith is the last man on earth, immune to a plague that has turned over the world to the undead and, worst of all, driven up the price of gas to $6 a gallon. ‘Juno’ Blogger/stripper turned screenwriter Diablo Cody’s script in the hands of Jason (Thank You for Smoking) Reitman. Sad part: it’s another anti-choice thing about a pregnant teen.


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Letters to the Editor

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August 22-28, 2007

Troops Out Now

Official estimates report 3,702 American deaths since March 19, 2003. The number of Iraqi citizens killed is estimated at 69,784 (which is on the low end of the scale). Seems to me that enough people have died—and for what? It is not because of WMDs, not the feeble attempt to link al Qaida to Iraq, thus tying Iraq to 9-11. Lies! Lies on top of lies. Bush, Cheney and Gonzales should be held responsible for their crimes against humanity and for their total disregard for the Constitution. Impeachment must be back on the table. The people demand no less than prosecution for war crimes.

On Sept. 22&–29, the Troops Out Now coalition is calling all citizens to come to Washington, D.C., to confront Congress and the Bush regime. An encampment will take place directly in front of the Capitol, and will culminate with a massive march on the 29th. Stop business as usual and make it very clear that no additional funding for this Iraq debacle is acceptable. We demand an immediate withdrawal of all troops. Bring them home now! Closer to home, Los Angeles will have its own encampment with a massive march on the 29th.

Barry Latham-Ponneck, Sebastopol

Blasphemer!

I want to second Marlene Alves’ letter to bring back “Ask Sydney” (Aug. 15). I found the column much more entertaining, useful and sincere than Rob Brezsny’s astrological column has ever been. My vote: reinstall Sydney, retire Rob.

Martha Davis , Santa Rosa

Pave Paradise, Put up a Parking Lot

I wanted to express my sorrow re the discontinuation of the “Ask Sydney” column. It was the best advice column in the herstory of the world. So much fun to read the wild questions and the mind-bending answers, and just Sydney’s very audacity in offering to answer questions about anything and everything made it a Bohemian highlight for these past few months. At the same time, I am pleased to see “The Green Zone,” with a focus that couldn’t be more timely or vital. If anyone could fill Sydney’s shoes, I guess it could only be Gianna de Persiis Vona.

David MagDalene, Windsor

You know Who You Know

Here we go again, the “who knows who” helping themselves to the taxpayer till, with absolutely no exposure allowed (The Byrne Report, “DiFi Backlash,” Aug. 8). Pravda elitists!

I once had an assistant vice chancellor at the University of California tell me, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”

He was referring both to my very fine education and training by some wonderful men in Atlanta, and the “sole-sourced” construction project specs going out to “bid” ad infinitum at that facility. Well, in the end, it’s what you know that gets the “who knows who” in lotsa hot water.

Don’t stop, Peter! You just can’t stop now!

Janet Campbell, San Francisco

Dept. of . .

In his letter of Aug. 15 (“Entitlement Spending”), Dr. Richard Doyle of Monterey’s Naval Post-Graduate School accuses Peter Byrne of making an “error” in his reportage regarding budgetary matters. Please note for the record that Peter hotly contests this assertion.

The Ed., Slept Through every semester of Govt. Econ


Seeing Voices

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08.22.07

Canvas, last seen in the North Bay at April’s Sonoma Valley Film Festival, is a beautiful little film about mental illness that has been praised by critics for its vitality and un-sappy honesty, and has picked up numerous awards at film festivals across the country. Inspired by director Joe Greco’s real-life experiences as the son of a woman with schizophrenia, it tells the story of a boy (Devon Gearhart) whose love for his mother, a brilliant painter, has become complicated by her baffling illness and the way it is affecting his relationship with others. Oscar-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden portrays his mother and, with patience, integrity and decency, Greco’s father is portrayed by Joe Pantoliano.

The film, which has been building a solid fan-base through festival screenings and a strong web presence (check out www.canvasthefilm.com) is set to be released in theaters this winter. Thanks to the Santa Rosa chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), the film will be given a special one-night-only screening this weekend at Third Street Cinema in Santa Rosa, with director Greco in attendance. He’ll be in town (with rumors that Pantoliano may tag along) for NAMI’s annual “Heroes in the Fight” awards dinner, at which he will be honored with the media award, given to journalists and others whose work has helped to de-stigmatize depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. The film, with remarkable dual performances by Harden and Pantoliano, is worthy of attention for the dignity and depth of its storytelling, as one family discovers that, like in art, remarkable beauty can be created out of the most unlikely of materials.

Canvas, with director Joe Greco in attendance, screens one time only, Sunday, Aug. 26, at the Third Street Cinema. 620 Third St., Santa Rosa. 7pm. $5-$15. 707.527.6655.


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The Vision Thing

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The Vision Thing

At 10am on a recent morning, jazz bassist and composer Mel Graves reclines on his patio, grooming his large black dog and chomping on a cigar as the morning sun splashes down. The sound of Thelonious Monk pours out of the living room of his new Petaluma home, perched on a hill with a breathtaking view of beautiful Victorians, old grain mills and Sonoma Mountain. Once a decaying schoolhouse, the structure has recently been turned into residences, and Graves is clearly taken with his new digs. “It has that New York loft kind of feel,” he beams.

Mel Graves has every reason to celebrate the good life. He is an undeniable local treasure, having promoted and cultivated jazz for over 25 years as a music professor at Sonoma State University who continually breathes new life into the genre. On this day, he’s preparing rehearsals for what he calls a “culmination of my work in jazz composition,” a two-hour jazz suite for a 10-piece ensemble entitled From the Past—Into the New. A year and a half in the making, it premieres Oct. 27 at Healdsburg’s Raven Theater as part of Performance Sonoma.

Graves’ composition is a highlight of Performance Sonoma, an unprecedented 10-week festival with 12 different arts organizations participating in a celebration of theater, music, dance, film, sculpture and multimedia. At the helm is Jennifer Sloan, executive director of the Arts Council of Sonoma County, who says that the festival, an outgrowth of 2005’s Sculpture Sonoma, is “an opportunity to broaden and deepen and diversify—raising the bar, if you will, for the arts at large in Sonoma County.”

Performance Sonoma’s theme, “Crossing Borders,” has inspired different interpretations of geographical, economic, cultural and generational perimeters. Graves, approaching retirement age, is tweaking that most impenetrable border of all: time.

At 60, Graves appears much younger, dressed in a plaid short-sleeve shirt, casual pants and New Balance sneakers. A slim gold chain hangs around his neck, and he speaks in a rich, confident baritone, occasionally punctuating sentences with self-effacing phrases like “What are you gonna do?” while giving the impression of knowing exactly what to do. From the Past—Into the New is his third large jazz project; Graves defines its concept as multilayered.

“It’s not only all the things I’ve experienced in the past musically, and all the things I’m trying to put in to evolve my music,” he explains, “but I also really like the mix of experiences, the mix of ages in the group itself. It’s going to be very exciting.”

Made up of friends, colleagues and both former and current students, the band will have just two rehearsals before the piece’s public unveiling—a testament to the talent that Graves’ clout can assemble, especially since the challenging work contains all sorts of curveballs for its players. “It includes everything historically, from stride piano up to the most modern of freer improvisation, all sorts of odd time-signature things in there,” he says. “Something they’re not going to see on a jazz standard, something different; they’ve got to dig in and do some creation of their own.”

It might be tempting to evaluate a composition that’s titled From the Past—Into the New as an encompassing statement on the cycle of life in an ever-changing world, but Graves dismisses this notion. “It’s not that academic of a piece,” he says, ashing his stogie into the ventilation holes of his barbecue lid. “It’s just music. You know what I mean?”

Graves was born in West Virginia and grew up in Ohio, where even as a first-grader he remembers drawing a line on his classroom atlas from Cleveland to San Francisco. He played clarinet and tuba until his high school teacher handed him a string bass and told him to learn it. The instrument stuck. “Six weeks later,” Graves says, “I was working professionally.”

A the same time, about age 15, jazz entered Graves’ life through his first album purchases: the famous Jazz at Massey Hall LP with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus, Max Roach and Bud Powell. “The other one was a West Coast thing that had Milt Hinton on it with Al Cohn and Zoot Sims.” By the time he was 18, Graves was working six nights a week.

In 1967, he followed his first-grade inclination and moved out to San Francisco to study composition at the Conservatory of Music. Around the same time, he joined the Jerry Hahn Brotherhood, one of the earliest progenitors of jazz-rock fusion, recording an album for Columbia Records and playing both the Fillmore West and East with bands like Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears. So why isn’t he a household name?

“That’s a long story—crooked manager, scammed for a quarter million dollars—it’s got all the elements,” he says with achuckle. A run of handsomely paying studio work followed, but academia beckoned. “It was one of those vision things, you know,” he says of returning to college. “I’ve always had these things, like the vision to come to San Francisco, or the vision to go back and get my masters, to leave this lucrative thing which was great money-wise but just turned me off musically.”

Since 1982, Graves has been at SSU, watching his students scatter all over the globe. One is Adam Theis, fresh from a string of sold-out shows with his Shotgun Wedding Quintet, who chimes in about his three years studying with Graves. “Mel is one of those folks who is known among students for telling it like it is,” he says. “That took its toll on my ego sometimes, but in the long run made me a much harder worker.” Theis remembers receiving cassettes from Graves chock-full of hand-selected music, an indicator that ultimately jazz is very personal and unique to each individual.

“Mel actually encouraged many musicians,” Theis says, “by not giving a fixed answer to questions like ‘Which note sounds best over this chord?'”

The answer, of course, is whichever note one chooses. From the Past—Into the New has improvised solos, duos and even a massive free blowing segment with 10 instruments playing 12-tone rows in different tempos. There’s humor, of course; at the beginning of the fifth movement, Graves splices together quotes from 30 different blues numbers (“I was thinking it would be good to have a contest,” he laughs, “to see if anybody could name them all”) and elsewhere, drum solos and exotic rhythms crop up.

But probably most amazing of all is that Graves, without a piano at the time of writing, composed the entire two-hour piece from memory, without any instrument to work out the arrangements. “I’m really old-school, for one thing,” he says, noting that he keeps his charts in an old icebox, never writing on the computer. “I like hand-written parts.”

The mind reels at the achievement of writing an entire two-hour, five-movement suite for 10 instruments off the top of one’s head, but Graves shrugs it off.

“I didn’t have a piano,” he says. “What are you gonna do?”

Winery Profile: Blackstone Winery in Sonoma

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The flavor of the week is Tannat. As the name suggests, this grape is an especially tannic varietal that makes a dense bruiser of a wine. Nonexistent to obscure in most wine regions, it’s the main thing going in a widely dispersed few. In far-flung Madiran, in the foothills of the French Pyrenées, wine must contain 40 percent to 60 percent Tannat. Preeminent producers such as the Alain Brumont’s Château Montus have put Madiran on the map.

Since the wine takes a donkey’s age to mellow out, this is the region that invented “micro-oxygenation,” a bit of technical trickery that speeds up the aging process. In the 1880s, Basque settlers brought Tannat to Uruguay, where it has since become the South American nation’s signature grape, like Malbec is for Argentina. Vineyards are grown here and there amid the gently rolling green rangeland, where the climate is tempered by the maritime influence of the Rio de la Plata. Wineries such as the rustic, stucco-walled Establecimiento Juanicó produce a mellow, agreeable version of Tannat more successfully than, say, Cabernet Sauvignon. So when I saw a sign here in Sonoma Valley that said “We Have Tannat,” I was lured in for a taste.

I’d been passing by Blackstone’s Kenwood tasting room for years, assuming it was not of much interest. It was conceived as a “negociant”—the industry’s new pet term for bulk wine brand—owned by Constellation Brands, and widely available in the “fighting varietal” price range. Well, Blackstone’s satellite Sonoma County production facility is tucked in back and pretty much left to do its own thing, producing a variety of ultrapremium-appellation and single-vineyard Sonoma County wines, most sold at the winery only. Learn something new every day.

Even if you’re taking notes and asking über-geek questions, winetasting solo can be tough, especially when the bar is elbow to elbow with couples. The host, who was coincidentally explaining the story of Tannat just at that moment, shunted me on to the bar out back, a blessing. Open on weekends, the patio tasting shack is funky, dressed up just with a tabletop fountain and some piped-in wine country radio. Out of the crowd, this is where the cool folks hang out.

Blackstone Sonoma is big on the reds and unusual varietals like Dolcetto and Teroldego. In the Prestige Appellation Series, the 2003 Lake County Malbec ($20) had an aroma of, according to my notes, industrial cherry fruit—chemical but enticing, with exceptionally supple tannins. Jam fans will love the 2004 Sonoma County Zinfandel ($18), which the backyard bartender says is the jammiest Zin you may currently encounter. “I will argue that,” she declares. I tend to agree, further noting it has the particular nostalgic characteristic of Knotts Berry single-serving raspberry jam packets.

The 2004 Russian River Valley Tannat ($20) was indeed a dense wine; in fact, they add a little Cabernet Sauvignon to mellow it out. It was, um, pretty good. Dark fruit, plums . . . But what have we really learned, what is the flavor of the week? Blackstone, an unexpected surprise for unique local wines.



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Thai Issan in Petaluma changes gears

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08.22.07

Thai Issan general manager Samantha Xiong steps into the foyer of her new bar to confirm that, despite all appearances, her 10-year-old landmark Petaluma restaurant isn’t closed.

It was closed, she explains, for a few weeks a while back and has been under extensive renovation for the past two months. Witness the bar we’re standing in, where the hostess stand used to be, and the full liquor license she anticipates receiving any day now to supplement her wine and beer service. Samantha nods at the new DJ booth tucked by the front door and points to the bright teal, magenta and cocoa-colored paint that covers the walls, which have also been brightened with big, new windows. It’ll be a much more exciting Thai Issan than diners have been used to, she promises, if city officials will let her pull it off, with food service until 2am and music until 3am on the weekends.

“As the night goes on, we’ll play louder, faster house music,” Samantha smiles. “I’ll be the bartender—I make a mean kiwi mint mojito.” She pulls out another new addition to the drink menu, a clever little bottle of Hou Hou Shu and uncorks it for me to sample: it’s a delightful sparkling sake, packaged and tasting like Champagne.

Dressed head to toe in black replete with leather boots and smoky eyeliner to complement her long, straight black hair, Samantha seems a bit out-of-place in an eatery with a tinkling waterfall in the corner and soft Asian acoustic music babbling in the background. But it’s all part of a rebirth of the restaurant, founded by her parents, Toua and Bounleuth Xiong, and now under her control.

The new concept has been a lot for her parents to swallow, Samantha says, but she’s got a strong vision after returning from a short-lived venture with Petaluma’s defunct River House. “I’ve battled with them as far as music goes, but we need to change.”

Handwritten notes stuck to surfaces all around us warn of wet paint, but an area that used to be a dark, underused banquet space already has been turned into a lovely dining room, featuring traditional Thai seating (on cushions on the floor at low tables with billowing white curtains and carved wood quarter walls offering a bit of privacy). This will be the area that Samantha envisions will get the young crowd hanging out at communal tables.

Happily, little is changing with the menu, still under the talent of Samantha’s mother, Bounleuth. Sure, sushi may be offered, but there will still be the delicious, meaty chicken wings in sweet-sour tamarind sauce, the baskets of sticky rice for us to eat with our fingers, velvety pumpkin curry and deep fried whole ginger trout.

The temporary shutdown has been confusing customers, Samantha sighs; they’ve been suggesting she invest in neon signs outside. The stark concrete building is in a terrific location, on the northeast corner of Washington and Petaluma Boulevard North, but to the unsavvy, the place looks a little bit condemned.”They should say ‘Open,’ in bright letters,” she agrees. “One on each corner, so everyone can see as they drive by.”

Thai Issan

Address: 208 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma

Phone: 707.762.5966

Hours: Open for lunch, Monday&–Friday and Sunday; dinner nightly.

Quick dining snapshots by Bohemian staffers.

Winery news and reviews.

Food-related comings and goings, openings and closings, and other essays for those who love the kitchen and what it produces.

Recipes for food that you can actually make.

News Briefs

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08.22.07

Open Space districts in Sonoma, Marin and Napa preserve the future.

Efforts to preserve important areas in the North Bay are ongoing, with lots of recent activity. The conservation easement fund at the Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) got a significant boost this year from the estate of Robert Held, who died in February. Held’s estate was originally valued at $4 million, but his three-bedroom home on a third-acre parcel with views of San Francisco and Mt. Tamalpais plus most of its contents has sold for around $6 million, says Elisabeth Ptak, MALT’s associate director. Negotiations are nearing completion on five projects, and by the end of this year MALT hopes to have another 5,000 acres under conservation easements.

Folks at the Land Trust of Napa County are also working hard on conservation easement projects, in part because recent changes to the tax laws make them more beneficial to landowners, says John Hoffnagle, the organization’s executive director. “We’re working hard right now to get a lot of conservation easements in place. It will keep Napa like it is, by protecting open space and agricultural lands.”

There’s been lots of activity also at the Sonoma County Agricultural and Open Space District. The district is contributing $500,000 toward the purchase and restoration of 27 acres in lower Pitkin Marsh, in the Atascadero Creek watershed between Graton and Forestville. Plans called for the property to be developed as a 29-bed inpatient nutritional facility, but instead it will be preserved as a biotic resource, with a complex mix of native riparian, marsh, oak woodland and grassland habitat areas. Escrow will close later this year.

Another escrow will close in September on the board’s $7.8 million deal to buy 249 acres of scenic hillside on the western edge of Cloverdale, including a 22-lot subdivision on 49 acres within city limits. The south branch of Porterfield Creek traverses the property, which is a mosaic of upland oak forest, mixed evergreens, grasslands, chaparral and some seasonal wetlands.

In addition, Sonoma County’s open space district recently approved 10 matching grant requests. Among them are $2.5 million to the city of Sonoma to preserve the 2.72-acre Castagnasso farm; $2 million for Petaluma’s East Washington Park recreational ball fields; $2 million for a 1.3-mile Colgan Creek greenway and creek restoration in Santa Rosa; and $1.3 million to help Santa Rosa and LandPaths purchase the Bayer property in the Roseland area.


Preview: Madeleine Peyroux

08.22.07Imagine Billie Holiday leaving Depression-era America behind, following Josephine Baker to Paris. Such an aural image is easy to grasp when listening to "J'ai Deux Amours" from Madeleine Peyroux's 2004 breakthrough release Careless Love.Born in Athens, Ga., in 1974, Peyroux spent her early childhood in Brooklyn and then Southern California, before moving to the City of Lights with her...
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Fall into Arts

August 22-28, 2007Fall Arts: SeptemberSausalito Art Festival Sept. 1-3. The Sausalito Art Festival combines breathtaking views with endless entertainment. The celebration begins with the festival's Summer of Love kickoff (Sept. 1), featuring pianist Tom Constanten and rock bands Moon Alice, It's a Big Bad Beautiful Day, Quicksilver Messenger Service and Jefferson Starship. The mood changes the next day...
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First Bite: Odyssey in Windsor

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Fall Movie Preview

08.22.07Fall Arts: The less said up front about the fall movie season, the more room there is to write about it. Noteworthy trends include Westerns (Brad Pitt as Jesse James, Russell Crowe as an Arizona hoodlum), the Middle East fiasco (Rendition, In the Valley of Elah, The Kingdom, Lions for Lambs), and rape-revenge (Death Sentence, The Brave One...
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Letters to the Editor

August 22-28, 2007Troops Out NowOfficial estimates report 3,702 American deaths since March 19, 2003. The number of Iraqi citizens killed is estimated at 69,784 (which is on the low end of the scale). Seems to me that enough people have died—and for what? It is not because of WMDs, not the feeble attempt to link al Qaida to Iraq,...
Read more

Seeing Voices

08.22.07Canvas, last seen in the North Bay at April's Sonoma Valley Film Festival, is a beautiful little film about mental illness that has been praised by critics for its vitality and un-sappy honesty, and has picked up numerous awards at film festivals across the country. Inspired by director Joe Greco's real-life experiences as the son of a woman with...
Read more

The Vision Thing

Mel Graves' new jazz opus encapsulates a life in music
Read more

Winery Profile: Blackstone Winery in Sonoma

Read more

Thai Issan in Petaluma changes gears

08.22.07Thai Issan general manager Samantha Xiong steps into the foyer of her new bar to confirm that, despite all appearances, her 10-year-old landmark Petaluma restaurant isn't closed. It was closed, she explains, for a few weeks a while back and has been under extensive renovation for the past two months. Witness the bar we're standing in, where the hostess...
Read more

News Briefs

08.22.07 Open Space districts in Sonoma, Marin and Napa preserve the future.Efforts to preserve important areas in the North Bay are ongoing, with lots of recent activity. The conservation easement fund at the Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) got a significant boost this year from the estate of Robert Held, who died in February. Held's estate was originally valued at...
Read more
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