Culture Crush, March 22

Santa Rosa

Dancing Fools

For nearly a decade, Sonoma County Dance Beat has provided an online calendar listing all the dance music events in the county—gratis. Fans are invited to give back by dancing on over to the service’s fundraising dance party, which is aptly titled “April Foolery,” from 4 to 8pm, Sunday, April 1, at The California, 528 7th St., Santa Rosa. The party features live performances by perennial faves The Pulsators and Foxes in the Henhouse, an award-winning act known for their upbeat roots music and three-part harmonies. There will also be a costume contest, so “jesterize!” suggest the organizers (the new word hasn’t made the Oxford English Dictionaryyet). Tickets are available for $25 in advance or $30 on the day of the show. For information and tickets, visit socodancebeat.com.

Mill Valley

Seeing Double

Repetition is in their genes—in fact, it is their genes—so it’s no wonder that identical twin musicians Adam and David Moss call themselves the The Brother Brothers. But wait, there’s more repetition: They’re on tour for their album, Cover to Cover, an album praised for its “crystalline vocal blend” by the Associated Press. The duo, with over 520K monthly Spotify followers, brings their double act to the Sweetwater Music Hall in a live performance at 8pm, Tuesday, April 11. The venue is located at 19 Corte Madera Ave., Mill Valley, and tickets are $22, which, incidentally, is a pair of two’s for those playing at home. sweetwatermusichall.com.

Occidental

Off the Cuff

As Paul Simon once said, “Improvisation is too good to leave to chance.” Fortunately, he was a wee little musician and not a seasoned comedian like Laura Wachtel, who returns to her native Occidental with ZipLine Improv to perform an evening of…wait for it…improvised comedy. The evening promises a veritable highwire act of comedic hijinks spurred by audience suggestions and begins at 7pm, Saturday, April 8 at the Occidental Center for the Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. General admission is $27 ($20 for OCA members), and refreshments will be available for purchase at the event. For tickets and more information, visit occidentalcenterforthearts.org.

St. Helena

To B One, ASH One

If you enjoy drinking wine and making up acronyms, work with me here: Appellation St. Helena (a.k.a. “ASH”) is hosting an annual wine and food pairing competition, featuring 20 member wineries paired with savory bites prepared by students and chefs of the Culinary Institute of America Greystone (a.k.a. “CIA”). So, what acronym would you call the event? Um. Yeah, I have no f–king idea either. But they did: “bASH.” Let’s assume the little “b” is from “bites,” which I gleaned from their PR. Hey, it’s worked for 12 years, so why fix it if it ain’t broke? Speaking of broke, tickets are $175 per person (so comp the media, y’all) and are available only in advance at appellationsthelena.com/events. Attendance is limited to 300 guests, all of whom must be 21+. The annual event begins at 6pm, Saturday, April 1 at the historic barrel room of the CIA, 2555 Saint Helena Highway, St. Helena.

— Daedalus Howell, Editor

Author Ed Davis is on Track

In April of 2022, local author Ed Davis, 70, of Glen Ellen, embarked upon a 7,500-mile tour promoting his latest book, The Last Professional. He completed most of the journey on Amtrak, covering about a third of the United States and traveling as far east as Illinois and as far south as Texas. “It was a fantastic experience, and one I’ll never forget,” Davis said.

The irony is that Davis began and wrote much of The Last Professional while riding the rails during the 1970s and early ’80s as an on-again, off-again hobo. Unsurprisingly, the fiction book involves a vagabonding adventure like no other, in which a techie takes to the rails to track down a villain from his past, and along the way meets an old-school hobo who agrees to teach him the dos and don’ts of hopping the rails.

Davis began riding the rails by chance, while hitchhiking from Sebastopol to the East Coast in 1972 at the age of 19. Somewhere near Crescent City he and his friend were picked up by a guy in a van who suggested they might have better luck riding the rails. After giving them some important tips, their driver dropped them off at the freight yard in Eugene, Oregon, where they caught a train within a half hour. It was the beginning of a decade-long love affair.

When he and his wife began having kids in the early ’80s, Davis stopped catching freights. “It is just too dangerous, and always has been,” he said. But his tenure on the rails allowed him to witness and document the waning years of a unique American subculture. “There were very few [hobos] riding when I did, and there are probably fewer now. I was lucky to ride with some of the last of the old-time, professional hobos—Profesh—guys who had devoted their lives to wanderlust. They were true American originals, and they live on now only in memory, and on the page.”

Davis’ writing life is intimately connected to his hobo days. With The Last Professional, he put to paper life on the rails as he experienced it. One of the central characters is a Profesh known as The Duke, “an old hobo who calls America’s landscape his home and adheres to a time-honored code.” The Duke mentors the main character, Lynden Hoover, in the time-honored ways of the vagabond.

“For me writing and riding the rails started at virtually the same time,” Davis said. “When I was taking that first trip I was also in a new relationship with Jan, the woman I’ve been lucky enough to call my wife since 1976. I had just discovered this new way of seeing the world from a moving freight.”

“I was in this great new relationship,” he continued. “Every chance I got I was writing Jan letters—from freight yards, in diners, in hobo jungles—anywhere I could find a dry place with enough light to see by. Bringing these new passions together with words was like alchemy, and created something new in my life—writing—that I immediately wanted more of. I still do.”

Davis’ other books include A Matter of Time, a free downloadable story he wrote in real time about a death row convict writing about his own final 24 hours, as well as In All Things: A Return to the Drooling Ward, stories about his time spent working at Sonoma State Hospital as a teenager in the early ’70s, and Road Stories, tales of his travels during the past 50 years, both of which achieved Amazon Top Ten bestseller status (www.eddavisbooks.com). His short stories have also appeared in numerous literary journals.

“My major influences have been the great American writers of 50 to 75 years ago,” Davis said. “If I had to pick one, it would be John Steinbeck. But Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Wolfe, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Harper Lee, Kerouac, Carson McCullers, Ken Kesey … they all held up a mirror that allowed us to see ourselves with a clarity and an intimacy that still resonates today. That was my goal with The Last Professional, to allow readers to experience their own journey through the story of two quintessentially American characters—a young wanderer who must confront the traumas of his past, and an old hobo who is clinging to his vanishing way of life.”

Much has changed on the rails since Davis rode freight trains in the 70’s and early 80’s. Not only have cabooses and open boxcars all but disappeared, but freight trains now stretch as long as three miles long. And security is much tighter.

“Compared to the first third of the last century, when it is estimated that as many as a million people had taken to the rails, there were very few riding when I did, and there are probably fewer now,” Davis said.

One thing has not changed, though—he still rides the rails every chance he gets. But now he buys a ticket, something the old hobos called “riding the cushions.”

“For me, writing is about connection,” Davis said. “Though the act itself is solitary, it is readers who make it complete. I am so grateful for those who have read and encouraged my work over that last half century, and those who continue to discover it.”

Join Ed Davis for his A Matter of Time book party at Occidental Center for the Arts on Sunday, March 26, from 4–5:30pm. The free reading will be followed by book sales and a signing. Refreshments, wine, beer and non-alcoholic beverages will be offered for sale.

Located in greater downtown Occidental, nonprofit OCA regularly hosts live music, art classes and workshops. Its facilities are accessible to people with disabilities and available to rent for purposes consistent with its charitable function as a center for visual and performing arts. Newsletter signup and events calendars are available on its homepage. Donations are always welcome.

Occidental Center for the Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Ct., Occidental. 707.874.9392. www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org

Mark Fernquest once hitchhiked to Alaska but has not yet ridden the rails. He currently resides in rural Sebastopol, where he writes for a living.

‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ Returns

Chamber Music Marin

Mt. Tamalpais United Methodist Church, 410 Sycamore Ave., Mill Valley. chambermusicmarin.org.

The Telegraph Quartet and San Francisco Conservatory of Music graduate students bring, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, their “soulfulness, tonal beauty and intelligent attention to detail” to Marin. 5pm, Sunday, April 2. $40.

Elephant in the Room

177 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. elephantintheroompub.com.

“Jammy, swampy funk”—not your shoes and it’s not the blues—it’s Sebastian St. James and The Highway Poets! 9pm, Saturday, March 18. $10.

The Flamingo Resort

2777 4th St., Santa Rosa. vintagespacesr.com.

IrieFuse is a puntastic San Francisco Bay Area based reggae band. 8pm, Saturday, March 18.

21+. $15.

Green Music Center

1801 East Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. gmc.sonoma.edu.

Francesco Lecce-Chong conducts the Santa Rosa Symphony’s performance of The Blue Danube, Johann Strauss’ iconic waltz we only know because of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Various times, Saturday–Monday, March 25–27, $32-$105.

Hopmonk Tavern Sebastopol

230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. hopmonk.com.

Get your yucks in a row at the Comedy Open Mic. 8pm, Sunday, March 19. Free.

JaM Cellars

1460 First St., Napa. jamcellars.com.

Yacht rock meets Mötley Crüe, resulting in the best band name ever: Yachtley Crew—the titans of yacht rock. 8pm, Saturday, March 18. $25.

The Lost Church

427 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. thelostchurch.org.

Folksters Joselyn & Don and The Musers play an April Fool’s Day prank—just kidding—they’re playing a show. 7:30pm, Saturday, Apri 1. $20.

The Phoenix Theater

201 Washington St., Petaluma. thephoenixtheater.com.

Give yourself over to absolute pleasure when Barely Legal presents The Rocky Horror Picture Show with a live shadow cast. Doors at 11:30pm, Saturday, March 18. $10.

Peri’s Tavern

29 Broadway, Fairfax. peristavern.com.

Get wrecked and/or strange with the Wreckless Strangers when they play this beloved West Marin enclave. 9pm, Friday, April 7. $10-$13.

—Daedalus Howell

Send your gigs to dh*****@*****ys.com.

Be the Change: It’s never just the tip

By Craig J. Corsini

It is no secret to anyone reading this that the restaurant business is where good ideas and good people go to die quickly. It may be the toughest business there is, serving diners day after day.

My late father, the Jesuit accountant, was in the restaurant business—in a way. He was a widely respected restaurant operations and finance professional whose expertise was centered “in the back of the house,” meaning he knew all about where to acquire the food, how much it should cost, how to keep it fresh, how to prepare it, how to find people to work like slaves and when to let them go when things weren’t working out.

Either despite all this or because of it, my dad was the cheapest SOB you ever saw when it came to tipping. So, I have spent my adult life attempting to reverse the effects of my dad’s poor tipping habits. It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it.

A few years ago, I was visiting with friends at a modest place in Berkeley. Early on, we learned that it was our server’s first day on the job, and she was clearly not having a good time.

Once I established basic rapport with her, I walked over to her station and said, “No matter what you do, you are going to get the fattest blanking tip you have ever received in this dining emporium.” I think she got the joke, and she relaxed.

Everything went beautifully. The bill came to me and it was for $55. I gave her $90 in cash and said, “This is all yours.”

She went back to her station and cried.

Now I know that my habit of overtipping will never reverse the hunger problem, global climate change, toxic political partisanship or racial hatred. But when there is a hint of good service even in the most modest kind of setting, I am going to overdo it as a tipper.

At age 72, I still have some time left on Earth, and there is plenty of catching up to do. One tip at a time.

Craig J. Corsini of San Rafael is a writer, grandfather and ‘a hell of a cook.’

Your Letters, March 22

Too Little Too Late

Mike Pence finally said in March 2023, “History will judge Donald Trump” for his actions around Jan. 6. Way to pass the buck to history, Mike. He could not bring himself to offer even a soft-shoe public judgment about his boss’ behavior until over two years after Jan. 6, 2021. Not until the political winds were starting to blow in a different direction for Republicans.

In America, we have a saying, “If you see something, say something.” That means now, today, not two years later or down the road a generation or two.

In his speech, Pence did not encourage any legal action, like prosecution, party censure or disqualification from officeholding. People of conscience who love their country should see Pence for what he is, a politician, not a leader. He lacks a conscience.

Kimball Shinkoskey

Santa Rosa

Mendo Me: A Spring Coastal Getaway


Elk Cove, which offers some of the most stunning views on the Mendocino coast, as well as luxury suites, cottages and a day spa, is dog-friendly too.

Spring in Mendocino County is one of the best times of year. While the wind can sometimes still be a bit nippy, the menus are changing over from winter vegetables and Dungeness crab to spring fare such as asparagus, beets, cabbage and halibut. Wildflowers are starting to bloom, and there are plenty of gorgeous sunny days to be enjoyed—without the crowds that summer brings.

For those who are looking for a coastal retreat that offers peace, privacy, ocean views, a fantastic on-site restaurant and beach access, the newly updated Elk Cove Inn and Spa is an ideal choice.

The Updated Elk Cove Inn and Spa

Built in 1893, the Elk Cove Inn and Spa is a Craftsman style mansion that was converted into one of the first bed and breakfasts on the Mendocino coast in 1968. The inn sits on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The property features four oceanfront suites, four cliffside cottages, two carriage-house rooms and six mansion rooms (located in a separate historic building/former mansion), 12 of which are pet-friendly. Pet-friendly rooms include five ocean view suites.

When new owners Victor Passalacqua (the chef) and wife Melissa (a sommelier) took ownership of the Elk Cove Inn and Spa a few years ago, their vision for the property wasn’t to change everything—but instead to update the existing property and to open a farm-to-table restaurant (SIBO) on the property, where they could serve food made with ingredients sourced from their own culinary garden and farm and/or caught or foraged locally.

Since opening, the Passalacquas added a greenhouse (for vegetables and herbs), a culinary garden, honey bees, chickens, goats and rabbits to the property. Eggs from the chickens make their appearance at breakfast, while rabbit, fish, sea creatures and mushrooms (caught or foraged by Victor Passalacqua) are normally featured on the dinner menu.

The property, which has always been dog-friendly, remains so under the new ownership. “We have four dogs of our own, and we know how hard it is to find an elegant escape that allows you to bring your pups,” says Melissa Passalacqua. “We don’t just allow dogs—we welcome them as part of our family.”

The inn may be the most luxurious dog-friendly accommodation option on the coast—featuring a day spa and large suites or apartments with plenty of windows, ocean views, private decks, kitchenettes and bathrooms with both a large, soaking tub and a separate shower. All rooms are just steps from a dirt path and private stairs that lead down to a peaceful, driftwood strewn beach. The inn is also situated just a two minute walk from the Elk Store and Mattson Mercantile.

In the mood for something more immersive than hanging out at the beach or hitting local hiking trails? Elk Cove offers guests the options of several unique, outdoor activities, from tidepooling and fishing expeditions to ocean canoeing (advance reservation required).

Chef Victor and Melisssa Passalacqua have also planned a series of food and wine lover experiences over the course of eight weekends in 2023. In January, they offered a mushroom foraging expedition; in November, they will be introducing participants to tide pooling and fishing, followed by a seafood-centric dinner.

March and October will feature an Anderson Valley Winemaker’s dinner with wine and food pairings. And in April and May, the couple will explore the farm to table concept with guests—including farm visits, cooking demonstrations and dinners.


Spring specials at Elk Cove include Free Tuesdays (for any three-night booking that includes a Tuesday, the Tuesday night is free) and $100 off regular room rates for garden view rooms through March 31. elkcoveinn.com.

Free Will Astrology, March 22

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): If we were to choose one person to illustrate the symbolic power of astrology, it might be Aries financier and investment banker J. P. Morgan (1837–1913). His astrological chart strongly suggested he would be one of the richest people of his era. The sun, Mercury, Pluto and Venus were in Aries in his astrological house of finances. Those four heavenly bodies were trine to Jupiter and Mars in Leo in the house of work. Further, sun, Mercury, Pluto and Venus formed a virtuoso “Finger of God” aspect with Saturn in Scorpio and the moon in Virgo. Anyway, Aries, the financial omens for you right now aren’t as favorable as they always were for J. P. Morgan—but they are pretty auspicious. Venus, Uranus and the north node of the moon are in your house of finances, to be joined for a bit by the moon itself in the coming days. My advice: Trust your intuition about money. Seek inspiration about your finances.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “The only thing new in the world,” said former U.S. President Harry Truman, “is the history you don’t know.” Luckily for all of us, researchers have been growing increasingly skilled in unearthing buried stories. Three examples: 1. Before the U.S. Civil War, six Black Americans escaped slavery and became millionaires. (Check out the book Black Fortunes by Shomari Wills.) 2. Over 10,000 women secretly worked as code-breakers in World War II, shortening the war and saving many lives. 3. Four Black women mathematicians played a major role in NASA’s early efforts to launch people into space. Dear Taurus, I invite you to enjoy this kind of work in the coming weeks. It’s an excellent time to dig up the history you don’t know—about yourself, your family and the important figures in your life.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Since you’re at the height of the Party Hearty Season, I’ll offer two bits of advice about how to collect the greatest benefits. First, ex-basketball star Dennis Rodman says that mental preparation is the key to effective partying. He suggests we visualize the pleasurable events we want to experience. We should meditate on how much alcohol and drugs we will imbibe, how uninhibited we’ll allow ourselves to be, and how close we can get to vomiting from intoxication without actually vomiting. But wait! Here’s an alternative approach to partying, adapted from Sufi poet Rumi: “The golden hour has secrets to reveal. Be alert for merriment. Be greedy for glee. With your antic companions, explore the frontiers of conviviality. Go in quest of jubilation’s mysterious blessings. Be bold. Revere revelry.”

CANCER (June 21-July 22): If you have been holding yourself back or keeping your expectations low, please STOP! According to my analysis, you have a mandate to unleash your full glory and your highest competence. I invite you to choose as your motto whichever of the following inspires you most: Raise the bar, up your game, boost your standards, pump up the volume, vault to a higher octave, climb to the next rung on the ladder, make the quantum leap, and put your ass and assets on the line.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): According to an ad I saw for a luxury automobile, you should enjoy the following adventures in the course of your lifetime: Ride the rapids on the Snake River in Idaho, stand on the Great Wall of China, see an opera at La Scala in Milan, watch the sun rise over the ruins of Machu Picchu, go paragliding over Japan’s Asagiri highland plateau with Mount Fuji in view, and visit the pink flamingos, black bulls and white horses in France’s Camargue Nature Reserve. The coming weeks would be a favorable time for you to seek experiences like those, Leo. If that’s not possible, do the next best things. Like what? Get your mind blown and your heart thrilled closer to home by a holy sanctuary, natural wonder, marvelous work of art—or all the above.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): It’s an excellent time to shed the dull, draining parts of your life story. I urge you to bid a crisp goodbye to your burdensome memories. If there are pesky ghosts hanging around from the ancient past, buy them a one-way ticket to a place far away from you. It’s OK to feel poignant. OK to entertain any sadness and regret that well up within you. Allowing yourself to fully experience these feelings will help you be as bold and decisive as you need to be to graduate from the old days and old ways.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Your higher self has authorized you to become impatient with the evolution of togetherness. You have God’s permission to feel a modicum of dissatisfaction with your collaborative ventures—and wish they might be richer and more captivating than they are now. Here’s the cosmic plan: This creative irritation will motivate you to implement enhancements. You will take imaginative action to boost the energy and synergy of your alliances. Hungry for more engaging intimacy, you will do what’s required to foster greater closeness and mutual empathy.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio poet Richard Jackson writes, “The world is a nest of absences. Every once in a while, someone comes along to fill the gaps.” I will add a crucial caveat to his statement: No one person can fill all the gaps. At best, a beloved ally may fill one or two. It’s just not possible for anyone to be a shining savior who fixes every single absence. If we delusionally believe there is such a hero, we will distort or miss the partial grace they can actually provide. So here’s my advice, Scorpio: Celebrate and reward a redeemer who has the power to fill one or two of your gaps.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Poet E. E. Cummings wrote, “May my mind stroll about hungry and fearless and thirsty and supple.” That’s what I hope and predict for you during the next three weeks. The astrological omens suggest you will be at the height of your powers of playful exploration. Several long-term rhythms are converging to make you extra flexible and resilient and creative as you seek the resources and influences that your soul delights in. Here’s your secret code phrase: higher love.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Let’s hypothesize that there are two ways to further your relaxation: either in healthy or not-so-healthy ways—by seeking experiences that promote your long-term well-being or by indulging in temporary fixes that sap your vitality. I will ask you to meditate on this question. Then I will encourage you to spend the next three weeks avoiding and shedding any relaxation strategies that diminish you as you focus on and celebrate the relaxation methods that uplift, inspire and motivate you.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Please don’t expect people to guess what you need. Don’t assume they have telepathic powers that enable them to tune in to your thoughts and feelings. Instead, be specific and straightforward as you precisely name your desires. For example, say or write to an intense ally, “I want to explore ticklish areas with you between 7 and 9 on Friday night.” Or approach a person with whom you need to forge a compromise and spell out the circumstances under which you will feel most open-minded and open-hearted. PS: Don’t you dare hide your truth or lie about what you consider meaningful.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Piscean writer Jack Kerouac feared he had meager power to capture the wonderful things that came his way. He compared his frustration with “finding a river of gold when I haven’t even got a cup to save a cupful. All I’ve got is a thimble.” Most of us have felt that way. That’s the bad news. The good news, Pisces, is that in the coming weeks, you will have extra skill at gathering in the goodness and blessings flowing in your vicinity. I suspect you will have the equivalent of three buckets to collect the liquid gold.

Best Spot for Arborial Romance

Armstrong Redwoods, Santa Rosa

Writing about the glory of the sequoias, naturalist John Muir once said, “I am in the woods woods woods and they are in mee-ee-ee.”

Muir was horny for redwoods, and who could blame him? The sight of such majestic trunks soaring hundreds of feet overhead, the musk of the forest floor, dewy air beading on one’s skin like sweat.

In today’s state parks, it can be hard to find the requisite seclusion to act on the lust the scenery inspires. Guerneville’s Armstrong Redwoods provides a solution to this problem—scenic roads so one can enjoy a romantic oral encounter from the relative privacy of one’s car.

As the narrow road weaves through the forest, sequoias aren’t the only wood soaring skyward. The gentle rumble of the car adds a soft, arousing vibration. A speed bump ensures the car will move slowly, but it also helps quicken your pace—nudging your lover’s thick trunk deeper into your mouth.

When you come up for air, it is fresh, frisky, forest air and it impels your face right back down into your lover’s intoxicating lap. You are in the woods and the wood is in you. — C.R.G.

Best Place for Gaming Goblins

Sonoma County Board Game Club at Goblin Bros., Petaluma

At Goblin Bros. in Petaluma, board games bloom like a field of wildflowers, every variety of board-, card- and tabletop game for sale. Figurines and expansion packs abound.

Every Sunday, the covered back patio of this games store is made available for families to discover and play new games. These games are not cheap to buy, so the chance to try out games before purchasing them is appreciated, especially when games for kids are involved.

Hosted by Sonoma County Board Game Club using space donated by Goblin Bros., club members act as guides to help families navigate the setup and procedures of games.

On a recent visit, my son and five friends sat at a big picnic table and played through game after game. The guide ran them through Tsuro, Fluxx and Exploding Kittens.

Having the guide on hand is a great way to try out more difficult games, to help all the players up some steep learning curves.

Staff told me that they provide a bunch of board games so that Sonoma County Board Game Club can have multiple tables of games going.

Goblin Bros. provides the space for some community joy. My son and his friends howled in unison at the instruction of some card game. They were totally engaged the full two plus hours they played.

Fueled on hot chocolate from a coffeehouse around the corner, the kids dug into complex games like the conversational betrayal deduction game, Avalon. I am not sure I could have explained this successfully to six 11 year olds, but the Board Game Club guide had them all looking at each other side-long to see who was the assassin among them.

While in the store, it is always well worth your time to engage the staff on the kinds of games you are interested in. Everyone who works at Goblin Bros. is helpful and eager to share their deep knowledge of horrifying dungeon crawlers (not to mention provide biscuits for your dog).

Sonoma County Board Game Club is every Sunday from 12 to 5pm at Goblin Bros., 133 Kentucky St., Petaluma. — M.G.

Best Place to Watch a Wedding (and Check a Property Deed)

Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder’s Office

Photo by Will Carruthers

In late 2021, billionaire oil heiress Ivy Getty’s wedding made San Francisco’s City Hall a briefly infamous wedding venue. The timing (mid-pandemic), location (a few blocks from the poverty-ridden Tenderloin), expense (somewhere in the six-figures) and guest list (Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi officiated and other political elites are rumored to have attended) of Getty’s wedding all understandably rankled the public—or at least a lot of Twitter pundits.

But, what may have been lost in the discourse is that the venue is more frequently used as the location for weddings on the cheap. If you’re down and out, just pay a reasonable fee, file some paperwork with the right city office, ask a friend to officiate and, hey presto, you’re legally bound together!

I’ve attended three friends’ ceremonies on City Hall’s marble steps. At 21, for instance, I photographed my roommates’ wedding before they made an unsuccessful attempt to elope to Canada. None of these modest ceremonies prompted Twitter debates about wealth taxes, but they were sweet and memorable.

Now living in Santa Rosa, visits to the Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder’s Office frequently bring back these fond memories for me. If you’re not familiar, the employees of the Clerk-Recorder’s Office are charged with documenting births, deaths, property transfers and, yes, weddings.

For just $82 and a little bit of paperwork, you and your partner can have your very own marriage license, party not included. (For an additional $16, you can have a Confidential Marriage License to match a James Bond-themed ceremony.)

If you’re not ready to get hitched, but you are looking for a pick-me-up, swing by the Clerk-Recorder’s Office (585 Fiscal Dr. #103F) next time you’re in Santa Rosa. You may just catch a couple celebrating their nuptials with family and friends in the charming wedding venue near the office’s double doors. — W.C.

Culture Crush, March 22

Santa Rosa Dancing Fools For nearly a decade, Sonoma County Dance Beat has provided an online calendar listing all the dance music events in the county—gratis. Fans are invited to give back by dancing on over to the service’s fundraising dance party, which is aptly titled “April Foolery,” from 4 to 8pm, Sunday, April 1, at The California, 528 7th St.,...

Author Ed Davis is on Track

In April of 2022, local author Ed Davis, 70, of Glen Ellen, embarked upon a 7,500-mile tour promoting his latest book, The Last Professional. He completed most of the journey on Amtrak, covering about a third of the United States and traveling as far east as Illinois and as far south as Texas. "It was a fantastic experience, and...

‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ Returns

Chamber Music Marin Mt. Tamalpais United Methodist Church, 410 Sycamore Ave., Mill Valley. chambermusicmarin.org. The Telegraph Quartet and San Francisco Conservatory of Music graduate students bring, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, their “soulfulness, tonal beauty and intelligent attention to detail” to Marin. 5pm, Sunday, April 2. $40. Elephant in the Room 177 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. elephantintheroompub.com. “Jammy, swampy funk”—not your shoes and it’s...

Be the Change: It’s never just the tip

By Craig J. Corsini It is no secret to anyone reading this that the restaurant business is where good ideas and good people go to die quickly. It may be the toughest business there is, serving diners day after day. My late father, the Jesuit accountant, was in the restaurant business—in a way. He was a widely respected restaurant operations and...

Your Letters, March 22

Too Little Too Late Mike Pence finally said in March 2023, “History will judge Donald Trump” for his actions around Jan. 6. Way to pass the buck to history, Mike. He could not bring himself to offer even a soft-shoe public judgment about his boss’ behavior until over two years after Jan. 6, 2021. Not until the political winds were...

Mendo Me: A Spring Coastal Getaway

Elk Cove, which offers some of the most stunning views on the Mendocino coast, as well as luxury suites, cottages and a day spa, is dog-friendly too. Spring in Mendocino County is one of the best times of year. While the wind can sometimes still be a bit nippy, the menus are changing over from winter vegetables and Dungeness crab...

Free Will Astrology, March 22

ARIES (March 21-April 19): If we were to choose one person to illustrate the symbolic power of astrology, it might be Aries financier and investment banker J. P. Morgan (1837–1913). His astrological chart strongly suggested he would be one of the richest people of his era. The sun, Mercury, Pluto and Venus were in Aries in his astrological house...

Best Spot for Arborial Romance

Armstrong Redwoods, Santa Rosa Writing about the glory of the sequoias, naturalist John Muir once said, “I am in the woods woods woods and they are in mee-ee-ee.” Muir was horny for redwoods, and who could blame him? The sight of such majestic trunks soaring hundreds of feet overhead, the musk of the forest floor, dewy air beading on one’s skin...

Best Place for Gaming Goblins

Sonoma County Board Game Club at Goblin Bros., Petaluma At Goblin Bros. in Petaluma, board games bloom like a field of wildflowers, every variety of board-, card- and tabletop game for sale. Figurines and expansion packs abound. Every Sunday, the covered back patio of this games store is made available for families to discover and play new games. These games are...

Best Place to Watch a Wedding (and Check a Property Deed)

Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder’s Office Photo by Will Carruthers In late 2021, billionaire oil heiress Ivy Getty’s wedding made San Francisco’s City Hall a briefly infamous wedding venue. The timing (mid-pandemic), location (a few blocks from the poverty-ridden Tenderloin), expense (somewhere in the six-figures) and guest list (Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi officiated and other political elites are rumored...
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