Turn Around

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Turn Around

the arts | visual arts |

Hot Summer Guide:
Michelle Williams of the Arts Council of Napa Valley | Summer movies | Save Net radio! | ‘Hair’ and Marin’s Mountain Play | Summer listings

Photograph by Brett Ascarelli
Creator: Michelle Williams’ eclectic background has helped her revitalize Napa’s art council.

By Brett Ascarelli

As the executive director of a rather typical nonprofit, Michelle Williams is a pretty atypical person. Just 33, not only is she a lot younger than most of her counterparts, but she could likely sing or act them under the conference table. Now, three years after taking over the then-beleaguered Arts Council of Napa Valley, Williams’ efforts finally seem to be paying off. In fact, a panel of her peers just rated Napa’s turnaround to be so dramatic that the California Arts Council has rewarded her organization with some very coveted funding for administration costs.

One can’t help but wonder whether the council’s success has anything to do with its leader’s crazy-quilt background. With a symphony conductor for a dad and a composer for a mom, Williams and her siblings grew up as the arts equivalents of army brats, tagging along as their parents went where the music was. Not surprisingly, Williams ended up with a BFA in musical theater, and afterwards appeared regularly as a java-sipping extra on Friends. Eventually, she moved to New York, where, like a lot of the city’s actors and singers, she worked steadily as a server.

Her grab-bag of other activities included working on a novel and volunteering as a Red Cross relief worker in Lower Manhattan. She wrote about Ground Zero (really well) for Slate magazine, took EMT classes and applied to the Peace Corps. Eventually, they accepted her to work with women doing sustainable farming in Mauritania. Other than a fondness for gardening, she didn’t have farm experience–but the Peace Corps was willing to hedge their bets and train her.

As it happened, the acceptance package arrived two days after Williams returned from Napa, where she’d been visiting her father, Richard, who is also the director of cultural affairs at Meadowood and on the Napa Valley Arts Council board. Rather than packing for the desert, she took a job at the Culinary Institute of America. Hoping to recharge her batteries and work on a novel, she relocated to Napa. That was four years ago.

“When I moved here,” says a candid Williams, settled in behind her desk at the arts council’s new headquarters downtown, “I was definitely really surprised about the trouble in the arts sector.”

Since late 2004, Williams explains, Napa lost 12 arts organizations. Hardly any of Napa’s tourists knew about the depth and breadth of the county’s arts programs. Originally a blue-collar town, Napa was supplanted quite suddenly by a sprawling tourist industry but had little infrastructure to support the home-grown community. To this day, there’s not even an art-supply store in the county.

But the problem isn’t just Napa County; it’s the entire state, which spends less than any other on the arts. Whereas France, the world’s sixth largest economy, spends $56 per capita on the arts each year, California, the world’s fifth largest economy, doles out a magnanimous 3 cents. And even the arts-friendly climate of Sonoma County is facing challenges. Its arts council’s executive director, John McElwee, recently resigned after less than two years at the helm; Catherine DePrima, director of the popular open studios ARTrails program also just stepped down.

Last June, it didn’t even look like Napa’s arts council would survive the summer. But now, less than a year later, it’s coming back with a plan that might actually allow the arts some room to grow in Napa.

“It began this time last year in March,” Williams says. “We hit a wall, and basically I went to the board and said everything needs to change, or we need to close our doors. We’re worrying more about staying alive than about serving the community.”

The Community Foundation of Napa Valley agreed to fund the council for three months while Williams trotted up and down the valley meeting with various arts organizations to figure out what should be done. The outcome: Napa needed a “cultural plan.” Basically, a cultural plan is a timeline for developing arts and culture infrastructure in a community. San Francisco and Sonoma both have cultural plans, and Williams says that many other communities have revitalized themselves this way.

After that, the council managed to raise $100,000 in just eight weeks. “Everyone knows that the arts are in trouble,” Williams says. “We were able to name the trouble and name a solution. Then,” she smiles, “it was like dominoes.” The Arts Council moved into a new office space, hired a full-time administrative assistant and launched a comprehensive online calendar detailing the county’s arts and culture events. In late December, the council launched the cultural planning process, gathering input from artists and arts organizations.

Once the initial data is collected, Williams will spend the summer meeting with different sectors, from education to business, to see how the arts affects them and what they want from the arts. Then, a strategy team–which includes di Rosa Preserve executive director Kathryn Reasoner, St. Helena’s White Barn owner Nancy Garden and others–will make recommendations based on all this data. A public vetting will either confirm or amend these recommendations. By late this year, Williams hopes to actually craft the plan. “From there,” she says hopefully, “we jump straight into implementation. We do not want this plan to sit on the shelf for a day.”

So far, the data has already yielded some interesting results. For example, St. Helena, which only houses 5 percent of the county’s population, attracts 16 percent of the county’s artists. Williams wants to know why.

In addition to the cultural plan, Williams has finalized an arts and culture commission, drawing local government officials together with arts leaders, and she wants to institute a public-art ordinance.

In a way, none of this seems very extraordinary, except for the fact that Napa County was so far behind at the outset (see “Southern Exposure” sidebar). And still, the council isn’t able to offer much in the way of programs right now, besides education and an open studios, which operated at a loss last year and whose participation price has been raised to the irritation of some artists. Nevertheless, focusing on the cultural plan now will hopefully give the arts-parched community a basis for more programs down the road. “[The plan] serves the community ten-fold more than a smaller program at this point,” says Williams.

Williams credits her background as actor, writer, singer, disaster-relief worker and server for imbuing her with a bevy of skills. For example, she says that being a server teaches “grace under pressure and getting more done than humanly possible”; disaster relief teaches “working in crisis mode–which is basically the nonprofit sector, particularly in California where there is a crisis.”

But because of arts advocates like her, the crisis may be on its way out: after a four-year dry spell, the California Arts Council has started to fund local arts councils again.

For more information on the Arts Council of Napa Valley’s cultural plan, visit www.artscouncilnapavalley.org.

Southern Exposure

The Marin Arts Council–which in comparison to Napa is quite flush with funding–has made almost $2.5 million in grants over the past two decades and announced late last year that it would bestow, in partnership with the Marin Community Foundation and through the larger Bay Area Fund for Artists Initiative, $10,000 to eight artists this year to create new work.

One of the awardees is installation artist Judith Selby, who just completed her project, a Japanese garden replica, last month. The three-day installation took place in San Francisco’s Civic Center plaza, and Marin Arts Council executive director Jeanne Bogardus says, “It was beautiful to look at–and then people were really surprised when they went up and looked closer.” Why? The garden was made entirely of plastic bags which looked like sand, and tires, which were the rocks.

The other lucky awardees are filmmaker Nancy Kelly, choreographer Stacey Printz, composer Joseph Venegoni, writer Jasmin Darznick, playwright Robert Ernst, painter Timothy Horn and photographer James Sansing.

–B.A.



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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.

Morsels

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Morsels

May 23-29, 2007

Unless you are an avid reader of this paper–meaning, you pick it up as soon as it leaves the hands of our dedicated delivery folks–you are going to miss this event. Our apologies, but we just found out about Clotilde Dusoulier’s arrival. The Parisian Dousoulier, 27, started our favorite French food blog, Chocolate and Zucchini (www.chocolateandzucchini.com), shortly after returning to France after two years in Silicon Valley during the dotcom boom. Laden with her own recipes and food writing, Dusoulier’s blog is casually well-written (in English), as if it weren’t her second language. Better, it’s full of beautiful jpegs–glowing French-toasted brioche, pink praline chocolate cake, you get the idea–taken by Dusoulier (above) herself. Now her first cookbook, Chocolate & Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen (Broadway; $18.95) has arrived. Make haste and meet Dusoulier on Wednesday, May 23, at a three-course, prix fixe dinner and book signing at Bovolo. 106 Matheson St., Healdsburg. 6:30pm. $25; reservations required. 707.431.2962. For those who will inevitably miss her in Healdsburg, Dousoulier appears May 26 at the San Francisco Ferry Building as well.

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.

First Bite

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May 23-29, 2007

What a lovely thing a hot fudge sundae is. Especially when it’s capped with exquisite brandied cherries plus lots of candied pecans and toasted almonds. When my mom ordered it ($6.95), I told her I’d just sneak a taste, but she eventually felt it necessary to point out that I’d eaten more than half.

Ice cream sandwiches ($7.50) can be a thing of joy, too, especially when the insides are super-butter-fat vanilla, the outsides are warm-from-the-oven chocolate cookies and the whole glory is drowned in gooey fudge. I’ll just take a bite, I promised my sister. Sue me, I guess I lied.

Desserts like this are even better when they’re landing in a belly (mine) already full of terrific Memphis pulled pork ($9.95) from the new BarBersQ in Napa. The sandwich was my sister’s, and being younger than I am, she should be quicker than I am, but too bad for her.

How could I resist? This juicy, hickory-smoked pig was moist with vinegary sauce, mounded with creamy-crisp coleslaw and plopped on an Alexis Baking Company bun. There were squeeze bottles on the table for adding extra sauce, but no bother, the balance was already perfect.

I politely offered mom and sis samples of my chipotle-braised short-rib sandwich ($14.75); unfortunately (for them), they were momentarily distracted by a big bowl of chili ($9.75) I’d shoved in their path. Yes, the chili was fine, quite spicy with Long Meadow Ranch sirloin, Rancho Gordo yellow-eye beans, a scoop of rice and chopped pepperoncini. But the rib sandwich was gorgeous, its mouth-coating richness cut by a slick of fiery horseradish under a crunchy chop of romaine. I can’t help it if mom and sister got mere wisps on their forks.

OK, maybe I’d also ate more than my share of mom’s Fra’Mani grilled sausage sandwich ($9.50), the plump link laden with tart sauerkraut, pepper relish and whole-grain mustard. But if she wasn’t guarding it closely enough, it was her own fault, now wasn’t it?

And who’s to blame for the side order of cornbread ($3.75)? There were three cakes and three of us, but BarBersQ crafts it from gourmet Ridgecut Gristmills mix and bakes it into plump triangles to be slathered with honey butter. What am I, a math genius?

To say I like BarbersQ would be correct, though entirely accurate only after throwing in several really, really, reallys. Really.

My only complaint would be that this one meal wasn’t nearly enough for me. Named for chef Stephen Barber (formerly of San Francisco’s sexy, sophisticated Mecca), the upscale spot has a long, ravishing menu of delightful things like grilled local oysters, CK Lamb sliders, cast-iron-pan-seared Long Meadow Ranch rib eye and even a fancy grilled cheese sandwich of aged Cabot cheddar on Model Bakery sourdough.

I absolutely deserve, I believe, to work my way through the Fulton Farms roasted vinegar chicken, the collard greens and the biscuits studded with Benton’s County ham, cheddar and scallion. OK–the fish and chips and smoked Diestel turkey, too.Next time, though, I’ll bring more grateful guests. Crab, crab, crab. Complain, complain, complain–that’s all I got from my mom and sister, all their hungry way home.

BarBersQ, 3900-D Bel Aire Plaza, Napa. Open for lunch and dinner, 11am to 10pm daily. 707.224.6600.


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

Wine Tasting

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Kunde Winery generally charges from $5 to $10 to sample its product, but free tasting flights are now offered monthly upon completion of a kind of wine country par course. The Sustainable Winegrowing Tour is a unique five-mile trek through the pastoral hills and vineyards of the Kunde Ranch, with commanding views of the Sonoma Valley and beyond. The 72 folks who showed up for the inaugural hike didn’t need any vinous encouragement, but at the end of the trail, it probably helped.

The tours are led by docent Bill Myers, a Kunde neighbor and veteran leader of state and regional park-sponsored hikes. Comprising 1,850 acres, with more than 700 in grapes, Kunde is one of few family-owned operations of this scale. The trail begins in vineyards and winds past bellowing cows, their calves blinking with a glimmer of curiosity, then skirts a series of lakes. Ski Lake suggests it wasn’t always work and no play down on the ranch. A Kunde employee who happened to be along helped fill in commentary on the land and history. We learned, for instance, that C.S. Ridge is not exactly named for Cabernet Sauvignon (and not for cow something-or-other, but you’re close). In a peaceful clearing, the historic ruins of the Dunfillan Winery remind us that award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon was being made here back in the 1880s. We crossed cattle grates, and at one point, a field of bulls fortunately disinterested in our trespass.

As for sustainable winegrowing, there are owl boxes, and the vineyards are irrigated using rainwater collected in lakes. This is sustainable we’re talking about, not cowhorns and crystals (the horns are in fact still affixed to the cows at this working ranch), and the general picture is of good stewardship of this beautiful land. Kunde is one of 12 wineries in the county to be distinguished with Second Level Green Business Certification.

Complimentary or not, I wasn’t looking forward to jostling with tourists at the tasting bar after four hours of hilly hiking. Turns out Kunde had arranged a whole spread just for us on the adjacent terrace. It’s like a thank you for enjoying the views! I alone could have drunk a chilled carafe of the 2006 Magnolia Lane Sauvignon Blanc ($15), a sweet, moonshine-pale nectar tasting of pineapple and starfruit. (When was the last time I had starfruit? I don’t recall, but it sure sounds right.)

The 2004 Meritage 202 ($40), balanced and mild, plummy with a grape twist, is much as I imagine a fine California Claret would be described in a dispatch from the turn of the last century.

Kunde Estate Winery and Vineyards, 9825 Sonoma Hwy., Kenwood. Tasting room open daily, 10:30am to 4:30pm. Fees, $5-$10. Free hiking tours and tasting Saturdays, June 9, July 14, Aug. 11, Sept. 8, Oct. 13, Nov. 10 and Dec. 8. Kunde also offers Eco Tours with Jeff Kunde, which cost $75 and include lunch. 707.833.5501.



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What Happens Next

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May 23-29, 2007

Hot Summer Guide:

The score so far is remakes, 8; sequels, 11. Clearly, the public has shown its preference for sequels over remakes in the summer of 2007. All opening dates are subject to change depending on studio desperation; most art films open in San Francisco before moving to the North Bay. S = sequel; R = remake, including TV or video-game adaptation.

May 25: ‘Bug’ Ashley Judd holds off a legion of dangerous mutant bedbugs. ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End’ (S) Off to Singapore with the crew of the Black Pearl.

What to See The pirate movie is hardly going to need more viewers. If William Friedkin’s Bug is as good as they say it is, why has it been in the can so long? Sight unseen, let’s recommend ‘Severance’ (currently playing,) a grisly comic horror film about a group of arms dealers who are, as they used to say, hoisted by their own petards.

June 1: ‘Day Watch’ (S) The demon/mankind war continues from Russia’s Night Watch. ‘Angel-A’ Luc Besson’s angel-in-Paris story. ‘Mr. Brooks’ Jekyll-and-Hyde story with Kevin Costner and William Hurt as the split personality. ‘Gracie’ Soccer story set in New Jersey in ’78. ‘Once.’ ‘Knocked Up.’ ‘Hollywood Dreams’ Henry Jaglom’s newest, a study of an Iowa girl yearning for fame.

What to See Try Mr. Brooks, even though it does have Demi Moore as the detective. Good word attends Once, a Dublin romance between Frames singer Glenn Hansard and pianist Markéta Irglová.

June 8: ‘The Wendell Baker Story’ Luke Wilson saves a nursing home in this self-written comedy of what would seem to be of the Wes Anderson school. ‘Surf’s Up’ Animated penguins hang 10. ‘Ocean’s Thirteen’ (S) See note below for Fantastic Four.‘Hostel: Part II’ (S). ‘Paprika.’

What to SeePaprika. Unless Sinatra’s coming back from the grave, we can pass on the Ocean’s sequel. As for watching a sequel to Hostel, remember that Voltaire comment about how once makes you a philosopher and twice makes you a pervert? Satoshi Kon’s Paprika is, by contrast, the newest and strangest work by this rising talent in anime.

June 15: ‘Golden Door.’ ‘Nancy Drew’ Pulp fiction’s most dangerous two-fisted dick returns to investigate a “haunted” house. ‘Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer’ (S) The director promises it’ll be better than the last one. ‘Fido’ A sentimental boy-and-his-pet-zombie story. ‘La Vie en Rose’ Piaf time.

What to See The carriage trade will want to come out for Emanuele (Respiro) Crialese’s Golden Door, a drama about an Italian family’s migration to America at the turn of the 19th century and this year’s San Francisco Film Festival opener.

June 22: ‘A Mighty Heart.’ ‘Evan Almighty’ (S) Steve Carell stars as a modern Noah in the follow-up to Bruce Almighty. ‘Eagle vs. Shark’ Kiwi cashiers in love; plot sure sounds like The Shop Around the Corner. ‘DOA: Dead or Alive’ (R). ‘1408’ Stephen King’s story about a bad, bad hotel room.

What to SeeDOA: Dead or Alive, believe it or not. This video-game-derived picture looks like it takes up right where Planet Terror ended.

June 29: ‘Live Free or Die Hard’ (S; June 27) John McClane (Bruce Willis), never to be confused with John McCain, takes out cyberterrorists. ‘You Kill Me’ Drunken hit man Ben Kingsley becomes a teetotaler for Téa Leoni in a drama by John Dahl. ‘Evening’ Susan Minot’s novel about a dying woman’s romantic life. ‘Martian Child’ John Cusack’s boy is weird without the beard. ‘Death at a Funeral’ Comedy secrets come out during Dad’s big fat English burial; the previews smell like the grave. ‘Ratatouille.’

What to SeeRatatouille. A beguiling animated rat seeks to become a French chef, despite health regulations. It’s not Flushed Away all over again; director Brad Bird (The Incredibles) wouldn’t let that happen.

July 4: ‘Transformers’ (R) Michael Bay’s little movie that could, starring kilbots.

July 6: ‘License to Wed.’ ‘Vitus’ A boy prodigy has trouble adjusting. ‘Joshua’ Just like Vitus, except the prodigy is evil. Sam Rockwell and Vera Farmiga play the worried parents of a three-foot antichrist.

What to SeeLicense to Wed. Ken Kwapis’ TV work (Malcolm in the Middle) suggests that this could provide just the right portions of Robin Williams as a cracked minister forcing a couple to get premarital counseling.

July 13: ‘Talk to Me.’ ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ (S) Potter forms a secret cadre to defend against the black arts of the evil You Know Who. ‘The Strangers.’ ‘My Best Friend’ Daniel Auteuil as an arrogant antique dealer in Patrice Leconte’s newest. ‘Rescue Dawn’ Christian Bale (emaciated again) plays Dieter Dengler, hero of Werner Herzog’s 1997 doc Little Dieter Needs to Fly, in Herzog’s full-length adventure story of how downed German-American U.S. fighter pilot Dengler escaped the commies in Vietnam.

What to SeeTalk to Me. Don Cheadle meets Chiwetel Ejiofor in a “Good Morning, D.C.” story about an out-of-control DJ in the 1960s.

July 20: ‘Clubland’ Australian comedian (Brenda Blethyn) raises sexually precocious teen. ‘Fierce People’ Donald Sutherland, Diane Lane in coming-of-ager set in New Jersey. ‘Hairspray’ (R) Musical version of the John Waters farrago, with John Travolta looking very much like Barbara Streisand. ‘I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry’ Firemen (Adam Sandler and Kevin James) pretend to be gay to get domestic-partner benefits. Apparently, it required a Swiss clinic full of script doctors. ‘Exiled’ Johnnie To on the warpath in Macau right before the Chinese takeover.

What to See It all sounds awful.

July 27: ‘The Simpsons Movie’ (R). ‘I Know Who Killed Me’ Lindsay Lohan gets her personality split after an assault. ‘Skinwalkers’ Werewolves! ‘No Reservations’ (R) Catherine Zeta-Jones’ life as a chef, with Aaron Eckhart for salt and Abigail Breslin for sugar; a remake of the German film Mostly Martha.

What to See The contraction “D’oh” probably comes from “Duh” plus “Ooof.”

Aug. 3: ‘Charlie Bartlett’ John Hughes-type deal about a kid who becomes the freelance shrink of his high school. ‘Hot Rod’ Andy Samberg, of Lazy Sunday fame, as a self-taught stuntman. ‘Molière’ Biopic of the man who would have written Hot Rod if he’d thought of it. ‘Underdog’ (R) Saw the previews; there is need to fear. ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’ (S) Matt Damon hits North Africa while playing a chess game with his spymasters.

What to SeeMolière for the costumes and to vulture up that culture; Bourne for the chase scenes through Tangiers.

Aug. 10: ‘Daddy Day Camp’ (Aug 8). ‘Bratz’ Whaddya know, little dolls that look like hookers! ‘Becoming Jane’ Anne Hathaway stars as Jane Austen. ‘Rocket Science.’ ‘Rush Hour 3’ (S) “Look out for the fruit cart! Yahhhhhhh!” ‘Stardust’ Neil Gaiman’s answer to The Princess Bride has dirigible pirates (Robert De Niro), an ugly witch (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Claire Danes.

What to SeeRocket Science, in which a stutterer joins his high school debate team. The unlikely story has a likely director: Jeffrey Blitz (Spellbound, the only good spelling-bee movie).

Aug. 17: ‘Arctic Tale’ Documentary account of walrus and polar bear lifestyles. ‘Penelope’ Christina Ricci has a face like a pig. It’s a fairy-tale curse, but she learns to get over it. ‘Superbad’ Teens need liquor! Jonah Hill and Michael Cera star as two guys who think they’ll score girls if they get hootch. ‘The Invasion’ (R) Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman in a new version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. ‘Fanboys’ Four kids head cross-country to see the preview of The Phantom Menace at the Lucas Ranch. It’s supposed to be a comedy, even if it sounds like a tragedy. ‘Wedding Daze’ Voted “most likely to be postponed” by a one-man jury of critics.

What to SeeSuperbad could be super bad, but it’s directed by Greg (The Daytrippers) Mottola.

Aug. 24: ‘Good Luck Chuck’ Every time Dane Cook dates a girl, she drops him and finds Mr. Right. ‘The Last Legion’ A legionnaire tries to stave off the decline of the Roman Empire. Could be that long-awaited Oscar nod for Edward Gibbon. ‘Mr. Bean’s Holiday’ (S) The strange little fellow (Rowan Atkinson) voyages to France.

What to SeeThe Last Legion. There’s only one sword-and-sandal movie all summer long.

Aug. 31: ‘Halloween’ (R) The good news: Rob Zombie’s directing. ‘Death Sentence’ (S) James (Saw) Wan gets out of the dungeon and into the streets for a film version of a book that was Brian Garfield’s sequel to Death Wish. You wanted Charles Bronson, you get . . . Kevin Bacon!

What to See Get ready for spooks early with Halloween.


New and upcoming film releases.

Browse all movie reviews.

Hot! Summer! Guide!

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Hot! Summer! Guide!

May 23-29, 2007

Hot Summer Guide:


Our highly subjective guide to festivals, gatherings and out-and-abouts scheduled from June to August that you won’t want to miss as the summer season enfolds us in its warm, languorous, sun-blessed grasp.

Oh yes, please.

June

Healdsburg Jazz Festival
The Jazz Fest kicks off its ninth year with a performance by Bay Area pianist Stephanie Ozer and her Brazilian Band (June 1). The Patricia Barber Quartet follows up (June 2), then the ReBirth Brass Band and the Delfeayo Marsalis’ New Orleans Quintet (June 3), the Terry Henry Trio (June 4), Rhiannon (June 5), the Glen Pearson Quartet (June 7), Trevor Kinsel and Gerry Grosz (June 8), the Cookers (June 8), the John Heard Trio (June 8 and June 9), the Christian Foley-Beining and Gary Johnson Duo (June 9), the Jim Hall and Dave Holland Duo (June 9) and the George Cables Project (June 10). Tickets range from $35 to $130, and events are hosted at various locations in Healdsburg. Go to www.healdsburgjazzfestival.org or call 707.433.4644.

Film Night in the Park
Lie out under the stars and enjoy family-friendly movies while you munch. Not a bad concept, and one that’s popular in both Marin and San Francisco. Beginning on June 1 in Mill Valley with a screening of Happy Feet, the nights travel around the Bay Area, also screening in San Anselmo, San Rafael and San Geronimo. Of note is the Sound of Music sing-along scheduled for July 20 in San Geronimo at the cultural arts center. Films run through Sept. 22 in Marin. $3-$6 donation requested. For details, go to www.filmnight.org.

Lindsey Buckingham
The most “undervalued visionary” in rock? So sayeth Jann Wenner. Undervalued, misunderstood or just plain successful, Buckingham brings his first solo album in 14 years, Under the Skin, to the WFC on June 1 for show featuring a full band that revisits highlights of his career as well as the new album. Wells Fargo Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. 8pm. $45-$65. 707.546.3600.

Summer of Love 2007
The San Geronimo Valley Community Center hosts a daylong tribute to 40 years ago with an art show featuring the work of such as Wavy Gravy, Jerry Garcia, Dave Sheridan and Stanley Mouse. Wavy Gravy himself will perform, as will the Music of Wavy Gravy Summer of Love Revival All-Stars, featuring members of Zero, JGB, Big Brother and the Holding Company and others. June 2 from 4pm; music from 5:30pm. $10-$25, sliding scale. 6350 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Geronimo. 415.488.8888.

Beerfest
Eat, drink, be merry and support an excellent cause as the 16th annual Beerfest to benefit Face to Face swarms the outdoor areas of the Wells Fargo Center. Tickets include all food and beer tastings and we’re talking pulled-pork sandwiches, oysters, tri-tip and even strawberries. The 35 brewers are a veritable who’s who of Northern California artisans and the bouncy beat of the Thugz rounds out the day. June 2 from 1pm. WFC, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $30-$35. 707.887.7031.

Ocean Song Earth Festival
This environmental fair held high on the slopes of Occidental features activist and author Jerry Mander, live music by such as the Bear Bones Band, and spoken word by Drew Dellinger. Bring water bottles and eating utensils; no pets or alcohol. June 2 from 1:30pm. $10. 19100 Coleman Valley Road, Occidental. 707.874.1526.

Art at the Source
Artists in western Sonoma County open their studios to the public during two weekends: June 2-3 and June 9-10. Come get a look behind the scenes with over 126 professional artists. Preview exhibit sampling the work runs through June 10 at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts. Maps can be found at www.artatthesource.org or at the SCA, 6780 Depot St., Sebastopol. 707.829.4797.

Marin Home Show & Benefit Jazz Fest
Eco-friendly alternatives for home and garden await at this year’s Marin Home Show from over 350 different vendors. Stay for a showcase of big band and jazz from Marin high schools as they compete in “The Battle of the Bands.” June 2-3 from 10am. Marin Civic Center Exhibit Hall & Fairgrounds, San Rafael. Tickets $8 for two days. 415.499.6900. www.marinhomeshow.com.

Di Rosa Community Celebration
The entirety of this private art enclave is opened to the public in a 10th-anniversary celebration featuring family art workshops, live music by Trio Solea and plenty of surprises. Bring a picnic and come prepared to hike a bit; food and drink available for purchase. June 3 from 11am. 5200 Hwy. 121, Napa. Free; please make a reservation. 707.266.5991, ext. 47.

Sonoma County Bites
Pop quiz! What do 20 bites add up to? A very happy tummy, that’s what. Some 20 food purveyors offer lovely yummy tastes of their best vittles for $1-$3 each in this benefit for area schools. Live music and kids’ stuff round out the day. June 3 from noon to 5pm. Outside at O’Reilly and Associates, 1005 Gravenstein Hwy. N., Sebastopol. Free. 707.823.9587.

Larkspur Food & Flower Fest
Local gardeners bloom with pride when they bring their best florals down to show off to the community at this 17th annual celebration of good things to look at and good things to eat. Live music and a kids zone, a new food court area and a free shuttle round out the ease of the day. June 3 from 11am on Magnolia Avenue, downtown Larkspur. 415.383.3470.

Tesla
Originally named for the father of electromagnetism, this blues-rock band heavily indebted to Robert Plant kick off their 2007 summer tour in celebration of a new album, Real to Reel. Voices should be in prime shape and a CD with 12 previously unreleased songs is part of the ticket price. June 7 at the Wells Fargo Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. 8pm. $45. 707.546.3600.

Auction Napa Valley
Having raised more than $60 million for local nonprofits since its inception in 1981, Auction Napa Valley is a crazy-big way for wine-lovers and deep pockets to enjoy a 30-mile-long block party. The event will be held June 7-10 this year and features all of the many different kinds of auctions, winery events, dinners, dress-up opportunities and fun that regular attendees count on. The main event is slated for June 9 at Meadowood and features Dana Carvey. www.napavintners.com.

Pride Comedy night
Now in its 13th year of setting some things straight, this year’s lineup features Second City alumnus and Popcultured Canadian satirist Elvira Kurt. Standup guy Eddie Sarfaty gets the chuckles going. A post-concert dance buzzed by the Sapphire Lounge completes the night. June 9 at the Wells Fargo Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. 8pm. $25-$50. 707.546.3600.

Fairfax Festival
Never one to say no to a party, Fairfax celebrates its 76th year with its 30th festival, a gentle riot of live music, great food and nice folks. Look for the Trailer Park Rangers, Tasmanian Devils and Bonnie Hayes this year, as well as an original rock opera. Concurrent with the town celebration is the adjacent Ecofest, the proceeds of which will in part purchase owl and bat boxes for the Indian Valley College campus. The whole weekend kicks off with free outdoor screening of March of the Penguins on June 8 and a 10am parade on June 9. Festival, June 9-10, from 11am. Downtown Fairfax. 415.250.8506.

Harmony Festival
Transitioning from a lifestyle event into a major music festival, the Harmony Fest this year brings a yowza lineup that includes Brian Wilson, Erykah Badu, Common, the Roots, Rickie Lee Jones, the New Orleans Social Club, moe., Humphrey’s McGee, Steve Kimock, Hot Buttered Rum, ALO, Sound Tribe Sector Nine, the Banana Slug String Band and such speakers as Amy Goodman, our own Rob Brezsny and Arianna Huffington, to name but a few. The 29th annual festival seeks to promote global cooling this year, aims further to produce a 100 percent waste-free fest and examines the prophecies that predict strange times in 2012. Stay for the legendary Techno-Tribal Dance at the Grace Pavilion which promoters breathlessly promise will be “unmatched in all the known universe for musical brilliance, dazzling splendor, and breathtaking acrobatic performances.” Tickets range from $32 for a one-day pass without camping to $179 for a three-day camping pass. A “Magic Pass,” which provides access to every single thing the festival has to offer (and then some), is $500. Rock it June 8-10, Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1375 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa. www.harmonyfestival.com.

Novato Festival of Art, Wine & Music
Two-day live music fest in its 24th year features area crafters and good things to eat and drink. They’ve moved the fest and added a second stage. Musical highlights include Sacramento rocker Jackie Greene (June 9) and the David LaFlamme Band (It’s a Beautiful Day), followed by the Tasmanian Devils (June 10). Kids’ rock, local wonders and the reliable flamenco of David Correa and Cascada throughout. June 9-10, from 10am. Old Town Novato, On Grant, between Redwood Blvd and Seventh Street. Free. 415.897.1164.

Italian Street Painting Festival
Some 60,000 people come to downtown San Rafael to marvel at this celebration featuring hundreds of madonnari–or street painters–using the pavement as their canvas. Look for two stages of entertainment and plenty of food. Italian Street Painting Festival, June 9-10, 9am-7pm, Fifth Avenue and A Street in downtown San Rafael. Free. www.youthinarts.org.

Marco Antonio Solis
Hugely popular Latin singer-songwriter with some 300 songs to his credit presents Trozos de Mi Alma 2 and makes ’em weep at the WFC, where standing-room only tickets are $45 and guaranteed to sell out. June 15 at 8pm. Wells Fargo Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $45-$125. 707.546.3600.

Cotati Jazz Festival
Get set for some food, music and fun at this year’s Cotati Jazz Festival. The theme is New Orleans to benefit the Hurricane Katrina relief fund. For the third year, this all-day event is entirely free and encompasses every musical and nonmusical venue in downtown Cotati. Performers booked for La Plaza park include the Fourth Street Jazz Band, Gumbo West and others. Check individual venues for their bookings. June 16, from noon to midnight. www.cotatijazz.com.

Dana Carvey
Presumably refreshed from helping to raise a few cool million at the Auction Napa Valley earlier in the month, Mr. Choppin’ Broccoli brings his improv and standup routine to the WFC. The venue warns that there may be “adult material” in his routine. Dear God, we hope so. June 16 at 8pm. Wells Fargo Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $15-$65. 707.546.3600.

Marin Art Festival
“The lawn party for the arts” features over 250 artists by the Lagoon in the Marin Civic Center in a two-day outdoor art party that includes Xtreme stiltwalking, international food, live music, strolling jesters and the ubiquitous “more.” In addition to the paintings, jewelry, sculptures etc., patrons can enjoy a wide variety of food including a taste from all over the globe with Cajun, Greek and French fare. Enjoy the food and stay to stroll the pavilions and listen to the jazz quartets. June 16-17, from 10am. $8; under 14, free. Lagoon Park, at the Marin Center, Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. 415.388.0151.

Russian River Blues Festival
The torch has been passed, as longtime promoter Lupe de Leon this year sold the Blues Fest, but it’s in capable hands and hasn’t missed a beat. Featuring headliners Little Richard (June 16) and Buddy Guy (June 17), as well as such notables as Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Koko Taylor, Roy Rogers, Elvin Bishop, Bettye Lavette and others. June 16-17, from 10am. On Johnson’s Beach, Guerneville. $50-$185. 707.869.1595.

Sonoma Lavender Festival
Lavender crafts, farm tours, cooking demonstrations and lunch in the lavender field are among the fragrant draws to this annual festival, held on a working lavender farm ordinarily not open to the public. June 16-17, from 10 am to 4pm. Inside the Chateau St. Jean Winery, Highway 12 in Kenwood. $5, parking. Cooking demos, $20 donation; to reserve, call 707.523.4411, ext. 1. www.sonomalavender.com.

Sonoma-Marin Fair
How do you know it’s summer? Lucha Libres, the world’s ugliest dogs and a hundred tons of colliding metal in the destruction derby–that’s how, as the Sonoma-Marin Fair kicks things off on June 20 with every fair trope from baked goods to a hypnotist, livestock shows to an Abba tribute band. Entertainers include post-punk poppers Bowling for Soup (June 20), country divas SHeDAISY (June 21), guilty retro-pleasure Cheap Trick (June 22). Tribute sounds abound with Abbacadabra (June 23) and Chicago Tribute Authority (covering the music of that self-named Windy City act) and Bad Company cover act Desolation Angels (June 24). Wrapping up, the Latino Festival features Banda San José de Messilas and Grupo Jornalero Del Norte (June 24). Sonoma-Marin Fair, Petaluma Fairgrounds, Two blocks west of E. Washington Exit, Petaluma, Noon to Midnight, $8-$14; under three, free. 707.283.3247.

Booker T. Jones
“Green Onions” fame may never go away, but there’s more to Jones than a great instrumental track. Producer of Willie Nelson’s acclaimed Stardust album and Bill Withers’ seminal Ain’t No Sunshine, Jones has played with every one from George Harrison to Neil Young. He performs on June 23 with great blues rocker Lydia Pense and her Cold Blood; special guests are promised. At the B. R. Cohn winery, 15000 Sonoma Hwy. 12, Glen Ellen. 3pm. $30-$40. 800.330.4064, ext. 27.

Rodney Strong Concert Series
Omega Events, the same folks who purchased the Russian River blues and jazz festivals, also book this series, which is very strong this summer. Set in the sunny grasslands behind the Strong winery, things begin lite but gain power, starting with the Jazz Attack of Rick Braun, Jonathan Butler, Richard Elliot and Peter White (June 23). Next up is Chris Isaak (July 14), David Sanborn with Tower of Power (July 28), with Dave Koz & Friends (Aug. 5), Madeleine Peyroux (Aug. 25) and ending with a Guitars and Saxes attack featuring Gerald Albright, Tim Bowman, Jeff Golub and Kirk Whalum (Sept. 29). Rodney Strong Vineyards, 11455 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg. Doors generally open around 2pm. $40-$95. 707.869.1595.

Summer Nights
Osher Marin JCC makes a hot summer buzz featuring the David Grisman Quintet (June 23), Tito y Su Son de Cuba (July 14), African music by the Nigerian Brothers, Alpha Yaya Diallo and the Bafling Riders (July 21) and Les Yeux Noir (Aug. 11). Swig Field, 200 N. San Pedro Road, San Rafael. $20-$35, students half off. 415.444.7000. www.marinjcc.org.

Mill Valley Wine & Gourmet Food Tasting
Some 70 vintners from our wine country as well as from Europe and the Pacific Northwest and some 30 food providers converge on the parking lot behind the Depot Bookstore to pour out and serve up the good stuff. Purveyors purveying! Everyone’s happy. June 24 from 1pm. Lytton Square, Sunnyside and Miller avenues, Mill Valley. $40-$50. 415.388.9700.

Diana Krall
Have we forgiven her for marrying Elvis Costello? Well, we offered a grudging forgiveness when the universe granted them twins. But what it comes down to with Krall is the voice and the phrasing and the impeccable jazz credentials. She tours on the strength of her new disc, From this Moment On, appearing June 24 at the Wells Fargo Center. 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. 8pm. $25-$95. 707.546.3600.

Kate Wolf Memorial Music Festival
A fantastic lineup hails this festival’s 12th year of honoring the work of the late singer-songwriter Kate Wolf. Artist highlights include performances by Dave Alvin, the Devil Makes Three, Richie Havens, Tom Russell, Utah Phillips, Rosalie Sorrels and an exhaustive list of others so stunning that they should never be lumped together as “others.” Plan to camp. June 29-July 1. Black Oak Ranch, Laytonville. Full festival pass, including three nights camping, is $150; $160 at the door. Daily tickets available. Under six, free. 707.823.1511. www.cumuluspresents.com.

Marin County Fair
“Aquatic Adventures” is the theme of the 62nd Marin County Fair, and that means that sea lions will perform and that a special interactive Pacific Ocean-type exhibit will dominate the indoor hall. As always, the music and the fine art are stellar, and fireworks close each night. Look for the Wailers (June 30), the New Orleans music festival with the Wild Magnolias, Henry Butler and others (July1), Pat Benatar (July 2), the Village People with KC and the Sunshine Band (shudder; July 3) and Jesse Colin Young (July 4). Marin County Fairgrounds, adjacent to the Marin Center, Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. $11-$13; under four, free; July 2, 12 and under, free. 415.499.6800.

Napa County Fair
Classic small-town country fair, including Mexican-style rodeo and live music. Musical highlights include Wonderbread 5, Mark McLay and the Dust Devils and headliner Kristen McNamara. Celebrate Independence Day with a parade through downtown Calistoga. June 30-July 4. 4135 Oak St., Calistoga. $3-$7, under six free. 707.942.5111. www.napacountyfairgrounds.com.

Robert Mondavi Winery Summer Music Festival
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band (June 30) kicks off the annual summer fest, held outdoors on the lawn behind the sculpture-filled Mondavi Winery, presaging what will be a very hot summer indeed. This is a slate worth purchasing every gig. Next up the Grammy-winners rain down with jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves (July 7), Mr. Herbie Hancock (July 14) and the fabulous Los Lobos (July 21). All shows at 7pm. $55-$200. Highway 29, Oakville. 888.RMWJAZZ.

July

Red, White & Boom
Annual July 4 celebration at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds is all about the family and this year features music by the Poyntlyss Sisters. Fireworks at 9:30pm. From 5pm. $5; under 12, free.

Marin Shakespeare Company
Stellar, professional outdoor theater is this year marked by an ambitious two-part presentation of Henry IV, parts I and II. For something lighter, the Reduced Shakespeare Company’s Complete Works, (Abridged) opens the season July 6. Henry parts I and II begin Aug. 17 and 18, respectively. Forest Meadows Amphitheatre, Grand Avenue, Dominican University of California, San Rafael. Friday-Sunday at 8pm; Sunday also at 4pm. $15-$30. 415.499.4488.

Carrera de San Rafael
Downtown San Rafael is transformed into a bike race track as pros take over the main downtown streets. Plenty of kids’ stuff, too. July 7. Race encompasses Fourth, A, D and Fifth streets. Free. www.carrerasanrafael.com.

Green Music Festival Summer Season
Former SR Symphony maestro Jeffrey Kahane continues as this fest’s artistic director, offering an exciting slate of performances and even returning to tickle the keyboards himself. Titled “Extreme Chamber, Vintage Classics, Unexpected Thrills,” the Green Music fest runs July 7-15 with six concerts total. Among the highlights are Kahane offering an all-Chopin concert (July 11) and the Grammy-nominated 45-member choral group Pacific Mozart Ensemble (July 12). The annual July 4 pops concert is on hiatus. Evert B. Person Theater, SSU, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. $15-$38. 877.778.3378.

Boz Scaggs
Boz live is a wondrous thing indeed, as his new two-disc live album ably attests. This two-night stand at the WFC promises to be one of summer’s absolute highlights. July 10-11 at 8pm. Wells Fargo Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $19.50-$65. 707.546.3600.

San Anselmo Art & Design Festival
Over 50,000 folks converge on downtown San Anselmo each year–hungry, thirsty, craft-starved folks. Given the recent flooding, the town needs those visitors more than ever. As usual, a section of the fest will be devoted to cooking and home and landscape design, and will include demonstrations, displays and hands-on projects. July 14-15. San Anselmo Avenue between Bolinas and Tamalpais streets. 10am-6pm. Free. 800.310.6563. www.artanddesignfestival.com.

Sonoma County Showcase of Wine & Food
Four-day foodie lovefest features the Taste of Sonoma County (Jul 14-15) at MacMurray ranch, various winery lunches and dinners (July 12-13), a celebration of winemakers hosted by Wine Spectator (July 13) and a hands-on, $200-jeans-in-the-dirt vineyard experience (July 13). $75-$350. For details, go to www.sonomawine.com/showcase.

Queen Latifah
Why has the Queen named her latest effort The Dana Owens Album? Find out for yourself when she performs a slate of jazz standards, blues, pop and R&B from her new album in one of only three West Coast gigs on July 12 at the Napa Valley Opera House. 1030 Main St., Napa. 8pm. $93-$98. 707.226.7372.

Festival del Sole
An astounding exercise in fine music performance, the Festival del Sole is back for its second year with a flourish July 13-22. Academy Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Corigliano is the composer-in-residence this year, and the slate runs from flutists Sir James and Lady Jeanne Galway to mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, conductors Stéphane Denéve and Carlo Ponti Jr. leading the Russian National Orchestra and much, much more. A gala and auction on July 21 is among the highlights. For complete details, go to www.festivaldelsole.com.

Sonoma County Fair
Aiming to “Bee Cool” in honor of Snoopy, the fair runs July 17-30 this year, offering such favorites as horse racing, rodeos, destruction derbies, the Charreada Mexicana and plenty of live music. Look for Eddie Money (July 18), Melissa Manchester (July 26) and the always-popular Blues Fest (July 28), this year featuring John Lee Hooker Jr., Janiva Magness, Michael Burks, Patrick Sweany, the Volker Strifler Band and David Jacobs-Strain. “Snoopy’s Garden of Dreams” is the flower show theme, kicking off with a gala reception on July 15. www.sonomacountyfair.com.

Small Things Considered
Three Sonoma County venues band together to offer three distinct interpretations of the art of the small work. Participating are the Quicksilver Mine Co. with art by Adam Wolpert (opening July 14), the Sebastopol Center for the Arts with a competition juried by Jill Plamann of Hammerfriar Gallery (opening July 19) and the A Street Gallery, which has 10 artists “Sweating the Small Stuff” in a variety of media (opening July 21).

Wine Country Film Festival
Running July 17-Aug. 5 (see Paseo de España below), the festival presents features, documentaries, shorts and animation in six categories: world cinema, Latin cinema, US cinema, the arts in film, cinema of Conscience and eco-cinema. For details, go to www.winecountryfilmfest.com.

Battling Breast Cancer Brewfest
Slake a thirst to do good while enjoying great suds from all over Northern California. Live music, super eats and a bike auction complete the afternoon. July 21 from noon to 5pm. Larkspur Landing Courtyard, outside of Marin Brewing co., 1809 Larkspur Landing, Larkspur. $20-$25. 415.461.4677.

Festival of Art & Wine in Duncans Mills
The ever-popular duck races are back, along with music by Steve Lucky and the Rhumba Bums and Zydeco Flames. Wineries and breweries are featured in this year’s Wine and Microbrewed Beer Tasting. Five tastings cost $12, with each additional taste for $1. Benefiting the Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, this is all about food, wine, community and the arts. July 21-22 at 10am. Downtown Duncans Mills. $9-$5; under 12, free. 707.824.8717. www.winecountryfestivals.com.

Catalan Festival
The fastest trip to Barcelona possible, the annual festival at Gloria Ferrer features live flamenco guitarists and dancers, the winery’s own sparkling wine and tastings from many Spanish-influenced eateries, along with cooking demonstrations. July 21-22, 11am-4pm. Gloria Ferrer Champagne Caves, 23555 Carneros Hwy., Sonoma. $40; minors, $32; under five, free. 707.933.1999. www.gloriaferrer.com.

Patty Griffin
The Austin songbird lands, touring to support her newest disc, Children Running Through. Of the recording, done at a makeshift studio across the street from her home, Griffin says, “I wanted to be a little less wordy, but I also wanted to make a record where I didn’t hold back and let myself sing as loud as I wanted to.” July 23 at 8pm. Wells Fargo Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $16.50-$39.50. 707.546.3600.

John Hiatt & Shawn Colvin
Two of the industry’s greatest, smartest and funniest singer-songwriters team up for a thoughtful evening of acoustic song madness, playing alone and surely, together. July 27 at 8pm. Wells Fargo Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $35-$60. 707.546.3600.

August

Rufus Wainwright
Gig of the summer? Indeedy. The so-called Gay Messiah who famously restaged an entire Judy Garland album last year brings his newest effort, Release the Stars, to little old Santa Rosa. What’s more, Sean Lennon and a Fine Frenzy open. Pull out the credit card for Aug. 2 at 8pm. Wells Fargo Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $39.50-$45. 707.546.3600.

Reggae Rising
This is the replacement gig for the annual Reggae on the River event, which lost the race to retain its status as reggae royalty. Look for Richie Stevens, Sly and Robbie, Steel Pulse, Damian Marley, Ziggy Marley, Stephen Marley, Wisdom and other stellar performers. Aug. 3-5. Dimmick Ranch and French’s Camp, north of Piercy, Humboldt. $100-$200; this is camping. www.reggaerising.com.

All Nations Bigtime
The Petaluma Adobe’s ninth annual celebration of Native American culture offers dancers, flutists, basket weavers, artists, crafts and food. Features the Traditional Maidu Dancers and children’s hands-on activities. Aug. 4, 10am-7pm. Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park, 3325 Adobe Road, Petaluma. Adults, $5; 16 and under free. 707.762.4871.

Paseo de España
Part of the Wine Country Film Festival, this two-evening event ringing the Sonoma Plaza is a Walk of Spain that examines the cinema, wine, food and culture of that country through its distinct regions Aug. 4-5. A fiesta ends the event on Aug. 5. For details and to learn more about the Wine Country Film Festival, go to www.winecountryfilmfest.com.

San Rafael Food & Wine Festival
The Mission City of Marin plays host to the San Rafael Food and Wine Festival this August at Falkirk Cultural Center. Regional wineries will be there as well as the local brew folks and plenty of food purveyors. What would wine be without art and music? A lonely drunk, indeed. Plan for Aug. 11, from 10am at the Falkirk Cultural Center,1408 Mission Ave., San Rafael. 415.456.6455

Cartoonist Open House & Sketch-a-Thon
Cartoonists Paige Braddock, Joe Wos, Jorge Pacheco, Thomas Yeates and many others celebrate the Charles M. Schulz Museum’s fifth anniversary by drawing onsite in an effort to create something for the museum’s permanent collection on Aug. 11. 2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa. $5-$8. www.schulzmuseum.org.

Edible Gardens
COPIA’ fourth annual festival of all the many good things that grow from the ground features cooking demos, live music, an artists marketplace and kids’ activities. No surprise that there’s plenty of good things to eat and drink, too. Aug. 11-12, from 11am. COPIA, 500 First St., Napa. $10-$15. 707.259.1600.

Dar Williams
“When I Was a Boy” heartbreaker has since moved on from that early classic, but continues to draw comparisons to Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell for her fine, thoughtful lyrics and rich voice. She appears Aug. 16 at 8pm. Napa Valley Opera House. 1030 Main St., Napa. $30. 707.226.7372.

Best of the San Francisco International Stand-Up Comedy Competition
Four past competition winners campaign to make you laugh. Headliner is Danny Bevins, the 2000 winner. Buckle up to chuckle on Aug. 18. Napa Valley Opera House. 1030 Main St., Napa. $35. 707.226.7372.

Solar & Good Living Festival
SolFest combines fun with being eco-friendly. Speakers/performers this year include Alice Walker, Bruce Cockburn, Amy Goodman and Dar Williams. Aug. 18-19, 10am. Real Goods Solar Living Institute, Hopland. 707.744.2017. www.solfest.org.

Cotati Accordion Festival
The Golden State Accordion Club kicks off this year’s two-day tribute to the squeezebox. Both days are full of performers beginning at 10am and going until 8pm. Headliners this years are Tony Lovello, Brave Combo, and Brian Jack and the Zydeco Gamblers The Lady-of-Spain-a-thon is not to be missed. Aug. 25-26 from 9:30am. Cotati Town Square, Cotati. $15-$25; children under 15 free. 707.664.0444. www.cotatifest.com.

Seafood Art & Wine Festival
Bodega Bay celebrates with seafood deluxe and music by Marcia Ball and Pride and Joy. Showcases the best of California’s wineries and breweries, artists and craftspeople that even Hitchcock would want to join. Benefits Stewards of the Coasts and Redwoods and also the Bodega volunteer Fire Department. Aug. 25-26 from 10am. Watts Ranch, 16855 Bodega Hwy., just east of the town of Bodega. $8-$10; under 12, free. No dogs this year. 707.824.8717. www.winecountryfestivals.com.


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.

Gold Star Sister

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music & nightlife |

By Brett Ascarelli

From the pictures on her website, singer-songwriter Kristy Krüger is all pin curls and pouts, an appropriate look for her sultry, self-described “Amerilectrocana” sound, as heard on her last CD, Songs from a Dead Man’s Couch. But in reality–or at least reality via her cell phone on the road–she’s just plain funny, despite the circumstances.

Originally from Dallas, Krüger is on an ambitious music tour of all 50 states to honor her brother Lt. Col. Eric John Kruger, who was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq last November, just a couple of months before his 42nd birthday. Why the grand tour? She’d like to see the country he died for. So far, she has visited eight states; she arrives in California, via Santa Rosa’s Last Day Saloon, on May 26.

But add Krüger’s cats, Samson and Delilah, into the mix and such a grand salute to the fallen becomes a morass of domestic responsibilities. “I contacted over 50 rescue places,” Krüger says, on the road somewhere outside of Las Cruces. “They did not care at all that my brother was killed in Iraq. I just sounded like some bad cat mom who was crying.” One shelter suggested she keep the cats in collapsible cages on the tour bus. But for Krüger, the bus is actually more like, well, a Mazda Protegé. Finally, a friend–one located some 3,000 miles off her tour route–agreed to take them in. Krüger gamely drove there.

“At the time my brother died,” Krüger says, “I was really unhappy with my life. My music wasn’t going the way I wanted it to; I hated my job. Then he died. When I stood over his coffin, I just became totally inspired by him. Oh my God, I thought, this is what you wanted to do and you died doing it.”

A few miles later, she laughs, “I still can’t believe that someone in my family actually asked to go to Iraq!” Noting that he was a very high-ranking officer, she remarks, “He could have taken a cushy spot in Italy. It was like he felt guilty being anywhere else. I really admire that.”

Thus inspired, Krüger quit her job as an office clerk in Los Angeles, put all her stuff in storage and hit the road. But it’s a difficult way to live, she admits. Venues, for example, often won’t guarantee payment for performances. “I’m funding [the tour] on my good faith that people will put money in the jar,” she says.

Slowing down for the border patrol, Krüger says, “Just a second.” They ask where she’s headed. She tells them and then mutters into the phone, “They should recognize me by now!”

Kristy Krüger honors her brother and Sonoma County’s fallen soldiers during her nonpartisan 50 State Memorial Tour on Saturday, May 26, at the Last Day Saloon. 120 Fifth St., Santa Rosa. 4pm. Free; donations hugely welcomed. A large portion of the proceeds go to a memorial fund for Lt. Col. Eric John Kruger’s four children and to the Fisher House. 707.545.2343.




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The Dow of Food

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The Dow of Food

May 23-29, 2007

Editor’s note: This story was prompted by an innocent-looking blueberry buckle that was left out in our office as a treat. After reading the polysyllabic chemicals comprising this foodstuff, we accordingly handled it like a nuclear device that had suddenly begun to tick. But even just last year, many of us wouldn’t have thought twice about digging right in.

Even at the natural-foods store, harmful food additives lurk behind innocent-looking labels. Hundreds of shoppers who reached for “Quorn” veggie burgers, for example, became ill with severe vomiting and diarrhea when that product was introduced to the United States from Britain in 2002. Others developed hives and had trouble breathing. It wasn’t clear from the label, but Quorn is made from an allergy-inducing mold called Fusarium venenatum.

Others who purchase products like juice, yogurt and ice cream listing “natural colorings” are in fact eating tiny ground-up bugs. Disguised as an additive called “carmine,” the insects can cause a severe allergic reaction or even anaphylactic shock in sensitive people.

Most of the FDA tests on food additives are conducted and paid for by the manufacturer, so there is a built-in potential for ethical conflicts. It pays, then, to read labels carefully. “It’s a matter of equipping your tool belt with knowledge about the most problematic additives,” says Craig Minowa, an environmental scientist with the Minnesota-based Organic Consumers Association. “There’s all sorts of stuff hidden in there.”

Chicago nutritionist David Grotto, a spokesman for the American Dietetic Association, puts it this way: “If you can’t pronounce it, it would probably make sense to avoid it in food.” He adds that if a product has an ingredient list longer than your arm, it should be avoided.

Minowa, Grotto and Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), offer this list of offenders:

  • Partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated vegetable oil “The science is completely irrefutable as far as the toxic effects of consuming hydrogenated oil,” says Minowa. “When you consume it, your body immediately goes into a defense mode.” This stuff is in everything yummy, from donuts and fried chicken to french fries, chips and Twinkies. The health effects? Not so appetizing. These oils produce trans fat, which is linked to, among other things, heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s.
  • Sodium nitrite If left on the shelf for a week, meat tends to turn an unpleasant grayish color. To keep their hotdogs, bacon and bologna looking pink, meat companies add sodium nitrite. There’s one problem: this additive turns into something cancerous called nitrosamine in the body. Recently, meat producers started adding ascorbic acid, which is supposed to prevent nitrosamines from forming. Still, for kids and pregnant women, it may be wise to steer clear. “The amount this one ingredient can add to your cancer risk is incredible,” Minowa says. Indulging in the occasional hotdog at the ballpark won’t kill you, Grotto says. But eating nitrate-laden lunch meat several times a week isn’t a good idea.
  • Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet) Scientists and regulators have debated the potential link between aspartame and cancer since the 1970s. A 2005 Italian study found rats that drank aspartame equivalent to three or four cans of diet soda per day had a significantly higher chance of developing leukemia or lymphoma. A 2006 National Cancer Institute study, which used human subjects rather than animals, found no brain cancer link. “I think the Italian study raised a red flag,” says the CSPI’s Jacobson. Dr. Samuel S. Epstein, chairman of the Chicago-based Cancer Prevention Coalition, believes there is enough evidence to ban aspartame already. Aspartame breaks down into formaldehyde in the body, he explains. Formaldehyde, the same chemical used in embalming fluid, is a well-known carcinogen.
  • Artificial coloring, food dyes Some people appear to be more sensitive to food dyes than others. In certain children, the dyes, especially Blue 1 and Blue 2, have been linked to hyperactivity. Some of the most common dyes, Red 3 and Red 40, have not been adequately tested, according to CSPI reports. “Food colorings are used to replace real food, like fruit,” Jacobson says. “If there are a lot of them, it’s usually a sign the food is junk.”

    • In the tricky world of food additives, it pays to approach labels like a detective. Companies can call their food organic even if they only have one natural ingredient combined with 20 synthetic ones. The only truly safe way to buy organic is to look for the green certified organic label.

    Manufacturers don’t have to list MSG on labels. They can hide it in yeast extract, tuna broth, chicken broth and “hydrolyzed vegetable protein.” One sure way to avoid MSG is to buy only certified-organic products. Organic companies can’t get the certification if MSG shows up in their food.

    Consider the way additives might react together in the body or break down into different chemicals altogether. For example, recent news reports pointed to the carcinogen benzene in soda pop. If exposed to heat (like intense sunlight), the preservative sodium benzoate will mix with ascorbic acid to form a toxic cocktail.

    Food safety and nutrition experts suggest that consumers sticking to a budget should invest in organic meat and hormone-free milk first. Join a consumer supported agriculture program. Shop at farmers markets. Buying local produce is good for the environment because it prevents long-distance shipping. The produce also is lower in pesticides. Drink water, homemade sun tea or 100 percent fruit juice instead of soda laden with high fructose corn syrup or aspartame.

    Food additives present so many pitfalls, shopping can be overwhelming. The key, experts say, is to prioritize. For Jacobson, the biggies are trans fat, sugar and salt. “Those three additives are a thousand times more dangerous than anything else in the food supply,” he says. “If fast-food chains would agree to cut them in half, we could save hundreds of thousands of lives lost to heart attacks and cancer.”

    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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    May 23-29, 2007

    Fatal error

    Maddison Riley Wesley, age 10 months, died May 18 after being left alone in a vehicle by her mother, Haley Wesley. There’s no indication that alcohol, drugs, medication or mental illness played any role in the tragic incident, says Capt. Gene Lyerla of the Napa County Sheriff’s Department. “The mother’s normal routine is to take her child to daycare on the way to work at Pacific Union College in Angwin. This day she had to go to Napa prior to work. She took the baby with her to Napa, to show to friends she used to work with. She went back to Angwin, but instead of dropping the baby off at daycare, she went directly to work without realizing the baby was still in the car.” The mother, who doesn’t usually pick the child up after work, drove home still unaware that her baby was in the vehicle. About 4pm she rushed out to the car and started CPR. Deputies and firefighters responded immediately; the baby was pronounced dead at St. Helena Hospital. The average temperature in Napa Valley on May 18 was 80 degrees, Lyerla notes. According to Stanford University researchers, on a sunny day the interior of a parked car heats up an average of 40 degrees in one hour, even if it’s relatively cool outside.

    For the pastor

    First Missionary Baptist Church held a candlelight vigil May 21, seeking “spiritual restoration” for its leader, the Rev. Derek Guyton, who was arrested May 8 in Novato on suspicion of being under the influence of narcotics and possessing drug paraphernalia. “He was seen walking down the street looking frantic, as if he was lost,” explains Sgt. John McCarthy of the Novato Police Department. An officer stopped Guyton to see if he needed assistance and decided that Guyton was under the influence of drugs. A search revealed Guyton was carrying a small glass pipe. Guyton was booked into the Marin County Jail.

    Not popular

    Don’t invite Sonoma State University’s president Rubin Armiñana and its Academic Senate to the same party. A recent “no confidence” vote in Armiñana’s leadership garnered 73.4 percent of the votes, with 68 percent of all eligible faculty members participating. The resolution charges Armiñana with favoring community interests (including the under-construction Green Music Center) to the detriment of teaching and learning. Armiñana issued a written statement that he will take the faculty’s vote into consideration, but that poor funding of higher education is a problem statewide.


    Ask Sydney

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    0

    May 23-29, 2007

    Dear Sydney, how do you feel about Internet dating? I’ve tried some of your suggestions already. Joining a group hasn’t really led to anything, and taking a class hasn’t helped me meet anyone (there’s not much time for socializing, and now I have homework–thanks for that). I feel like Internet dating could be a humiliating sign of how undesirable I am that I can’t even meet anyone without self-advertising. But on the other hand, what do I have to lose at this point?–Livin’ with My Dog

    Dear Dawg: I have known of some very successful relationships that have germinated through e-mail and a couple of partially fabricated profiles. I wouldn’t abandon the group or the junior college, however. How about going online and looking for contra dances in your area? Dance is very interactive, and contra dancing, in particular, allows you the opportunity to interact in a positive, dance-with-everyone sort of way.

    As for the JC, just pick a class that you’re really interested in and stop bitching about the homework. What else do you have to do at night? And sure, start cruising the Internet and looking at some of the dating sites. See what’s right for you, and cautiously proceed.

    Try not to do any of these activities, however, with a list of expectations in your free hand. Just do it for yourself, and the cool people will come. It’s a magnetic thing. We all have to advertise for ourselves; it’s something we do constantly. Advertising on the Internet is no different than stepping on someone’s toe in the dance line, looking up and realizing this is a moment where your most generous smile might earn you a phone number. So lay it on.

    Dear Sydney, why does a bartender making a simple rum and Coke or just serving a beer get tipped better than someone making a cup of espresso or a shot of wheatgrass or a sandwich? Nothing against bartenders, but drinks are expensive enough. Throw a dollar tip on top of every drink, and that’s a 25 percent tip. Who establishes these things, anyway? I just don’t see why a bartender should get tipped so much better than everyone else.–Befuddled Deli Worker

    Dear Befuddled: In the United States, tipping is an expected addition in the service industry. The etiquette varies, however, from business to business. If you fail to leave a tip in a restaurant, this will be considered a great slight and will earn you nothing but undercooked meat, should you dare to return. Baristas, massage therapists and others in the service industry, however, are tipped intermittently, depending on the generosity of the tipper.

    As you know from your deli experience, people who receive tips are usually paid a low hourly wage to compensate for the tipping, or they suffer the inconsistent nature of being self-employed. They are often working hard to provide you with a service; they almost never have health benefits, paid time off or sick leave; and their ability and desire to do a good job are the deciding factors for the resulting quality of their work. Tipping helps them survive, and you receive better service.

    But why overtip the bartender? First of all, the bartender will be making your drinks, and if you want quality, you have to pay for it. Also, the bartender has to put up with you, and hundreds of other people, who are drunk. Anyone who spends his or her evenings hanging out with a bunch of drunks deserves the extra cash. So kick down. If you can’t afford it, then stay home and drink. You’ll be safer, and the streets will be spared one more person who probably shouldn’t be driving but is anyway.

    Dear Sydney, several issues ago you talked about parental involvement and said, (April 4). I think you were including financial assistance. My parents always claimed that would take away my ambition and incentive, so they didn’t. My daughter, who is almost 24, is floundering. She doesn’t have a job and seems too depressed to look for one. I could give her more incentive by not sending her any more money, but some kids get in trouble when they’re broke. She’s a very good kid, almost too good and naive for this world. Friends say I’m helping her “goof off” and not making her face the facts, but I don’t want to feed her into the machine. I want to give her a lot of time to find her way.–Love Hurts

    Dear Love: When I look around me, in a time where a single parent working full-time, making just above what would be considered a “living wage” (a little over $10 an hour), makes about $200 a month over rent, I see a clear pattern. Young people who seem to be the most financially secure have help from their families. This doesn’t mean that you should buy your daughter everything she has ever wanted, but there are simple things, like education and rent and learning how to survive, that take time and the sort of money that it’s genuinely difficult, if not impossible, for a 24-year-old to consistently earn on her own. For this reason, if you can help her and buy her some time to figure out how to make it, then why not do it?

    Consider, did your own parent’s philosophy help you to achieve more? The people I see achieving have very often been put through college, their parents pay their medical and car insurance, someone helps them put a down payment on a house, etc. Not everyone is lucky enough to get this kind of help, and not all of us can afford to give it, but we can do the best we can. Even something seemingly small, like sending your daughter a gift card for a local grocery store or a book of postage stamps or a bottle of good quality vitamins, can be a tremendous help and an act of love that, in her present state, will not go unnoticed or unappreciated. Ultimately, she will have to find her own way to that elusive beast contentment, but your willingness to support her is proof of your love and commitment as a father. Sending your children out into the world unassisted is like putting your one-year-old in high heels and saying, “Learn how to walk.” I guess you could do that, but why would you?

    ‘Ask Sydney’ is penned by a Sonoma County resident. There is no question too big, too small or too off-the-wall. Inquire at www.asksydney.com or write as*******@*on.net.

    No question too big, too small or too off-the-wall.


    Turn Around

    the arts | visual arts | Hot Summer Guide: Michelle Williams of the Arts Council of Napa Valley | Summer movies | Save Net...
    Read more

    Morsels

    May 23-29, 2007Unless you are an avid reader of this paper--meaning, you pick it up as soon as it leaves the hands of our dedicated delivery folks--you are going to miss this event. Our apologies, but we just found out about Clotilde Dusoulier's arrival. The Parisian Dousoulier, 27, started our favorite French food blog, Chocolate and Zucchini (www.chocolateandzucchini.com), shortly...
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    First Bite

    May 23-29, 2007What a lovely thing a hot fudge sundae is. Especially when it's capped with exquisite brandied cherries plus lots of candied pecans and toasted almonds. When my mom ordered it ($6.95), I told her I'd just sneak a taste, but she eventually felt it necessary to point out that I'd eaten more than half.Ice cream sandwiches ($7.50)...
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    Wine Tasting

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    What Happens Next

    May 23-29, 2007Hot Summer Guide: The score so far is remakes, 8; sequels, 11. Clearly, the public has shown its preference for sequels over remakes in the summer of 2007. All opening dates are subject to change depending on studio desperation; most art films open in San Francisco before moving to the North Bay. S = sequel; R...
    Read more

    Hot! Summer! Guide!

    May 23-29, 2007Hot Summer Guide: Our highly subjective guide to festivals, gatherings and out-and-abouts scheduled from June to August that you won't want to miss as the summer season enfolds us in its warm, languorous, sun-blessed grasp. Oh yes, please.JuneHealdsburg Jazz FestivalThe Jazz Fest kicks off its ninth year with a performance by Bay Area pianist Stephanie Ozer...
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    Gold Star Sister

    music & nightlife | By Brett Ascarelli ...
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    The Dow of Food

    May 23-29, 2007Editor's note: This story was prompted by an innocent-looking blueberry buckle that was left out in our office as a treat. After reading the polysyllabic chemicals comprising this foodstuff, we accordingly handled it like a nuclear device that had suddenly begun to tick. But even just last year, many of us wouldn't have thought twice about digging...
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    News Briefs

    May 23-29, 2007 Fatal error Maddison Riley Wesley, age 10 months, died May 18 after being left alone in a vehicle by her mother, Haley Wesley. There's no indication that alcohol, drugs, medication or mental illness played any role in the tragic incident, says Capt. Gene Lyerla of the Napa County Sheriff's Department. "The mother's normal routine is to take...
    Read more

    Ask Sydney

    May 23-29, 2007 Dear Sydney, how do you feel about Internet dating? I've tried some of your suggestions already. Joining a group hasn't really led to anything, and taking a class hasn't helped me meet anyone (there's not much time for socializing, and now I have homework--thanks for that). I feel like Internet dating could be a humiliating sign of...
    Read more
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