Open Mic

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Slow & Steady

By Jim Winston

TO PROTECT our environment and natural resources, we must manage our growth more responsibly. Sonoma County cities have been growing so rapidly that we seem to be outpacing our infrastructure and carrying capacity, which negatively affects our quality of life.

I’m sure this is no surprise to any of us. So‚ how can we responsibly manage our growth? Over the years, we have left growth management up to our elected officials; in return, we have gridlock traffic, reduced air quality, damage to our rivers, urban sprawl, and wastewater and freshwater problems. We must take growth-management power away from our elected officials and shift the power back to the voters. In November 2000, Healdsburg voters did just that. By a 56 percent margin, they passed Measure M, a growth-management initiative that restricted residential building permits to only 30 houses per year.

In past years, Healdsburg built more than 100 market-rate houses annually. Measure M focused only on market-rate housing; it exempted all low-income and affordable housing from the cap. Passage of Measure M brought the strictest slow-growth policies that exist in the state. As the author of Measure M, I am proud to say it’s working. Developers are starting to focus on the construction of affordable housing, which I feel will bring more opportunities to all segments of our population.

Growth-management initiatives are a hard-line approach to getting the attention of our elected officials. Unfortunately, these initiatives seem to be the only tool left to save our cities from urban sprawl. While it’s unreasonable to try to stop growth, we do need to manage growth in a visionary way. I have that vision for Healdsburg and other cities. What vision do you have for your city?

If we think progressively, we can make significant changes and manage growth wisely. I am now consulting with growth-control advocates in Windsor and Santa Rosa to place growth-management initiatives on the November 2002 ballot. I hope growth-management advocates in other cities will also be proactive in bringing real growth management to their cities.

Because I feel passionate about land use and growth management, I offer my services pro bono.

You will find growth-management initiatives are relatively easy to create–and they work.

Jim Winston is a Healdsburg activist.

For more information on the slow-growth movement, click on to citizensinitiative.homestead.com/slowgrowth.html.

From the August 30-September 5, 2001 issue of the Northern California Bohemian.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

Arts Etc

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HBO Bound

WHAT DOES MARIN County singer-songwriter Roberta Donnay have in common with mobster Tony Soprano? Just this: the Grammy-nominated Donnay may also be appearing on HBO this fall. On Sept. 3, Donnay performs at a special HBO concert being filmed for the network’s Reverb program. The Black Crowes are the focus of the show, but their performance is being shot elsewhere. Orixa is among the Bay Area acts scheduled to perform with Donnay at the Labor Day show, which starts at 8 p.m. at the Paradise Lounge, 308 Folsom St., San Francisco. No word yet on when the show will air.

Erotica Alert

“My intent is definitely to push the boundaries,” Soundscape owner Marc Silver says of his Erotic Art Exhibit. For the seventh year, Silver is using his Santa Rosa audio-video store as a gallery for explicit artwork. The exhibit features some graphic images that even Silver acknowledges may cross the boundaries of good taste–including a piece by an Eastern European artist depicting a nun masturbating with a crucifix. The show opens with a reception on Saturday, Sept. 1, at 5 p.m. at Soundscape’s new location at 1044 Fourth St.

From the August 30-September 5, 2001 issue of the Northern California Bohemian.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

Medea Benjamin

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Medea Benjamin

Pilgrim’s Progress

Medea Benjamin will speak at 4th annual Progressive Festival

By Greg Cahill

Medea Benjamin will speak Sunday, Sept. 2, at the fourth annual Progressive Festival, at Walnut Park on the corner of Petaluma Boulevard South and D Street in Petaluma. Speakers at this year’s festival will focus on community issues: the energy crisis, a living wage, health care, toxic spraying, and water, as well as perspectives on media reporting of international events. The event is billed as a Labor Day celebration of the people who do the work. About 50 social justice, environmental, and community organizations will have booths/tables with information.

Andrea Lewis, KPFA-FM co-host of The Morning Show, will MC this year’s event. Other speakers include Richard Becker, co-director of the International Action Center, founded by former Attorney General Ramsey Clark; Salvador Mendoza, head of the United Farm Workers in Sonoma County; Peter Phillips, director of Project Censored at Sonoma State University; Betty Woods, a representative of the California Nurses Association; Miguel “Gavilan”Molina, a Graton resident who is the programmer of KPFA’s La Onda Bahita; Joel Beinin, professor of Middle East history at Stanford University; Petaluma City Councilmember Pam Torliatt, who will talk about Sonoma County’s water problems and how to fix them without harming the Russian River; Bohemian contributing writer Shepherd Bliss of the No Spray Action Network; Martin Bennett of the North Bay Living-Wage Campaign; and folksingers U. Utah Phillips and Faith Petrick.

The fourth annual Progressive Festival, running from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., is sponsored by the Petaluma Progressives and the Peace and Justice Center of Sonoma County. Admission is free. For more information, or if your organization would like to participate with a table at the event, call 707/763-8134.

From the August 30-September 5, 2001 issue of the Northern California Bohemian.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

Healdsburg Bar & Grill

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Healdsburg Bar & Grill

On the line: Chef Kurtis Lumetta cooks up some interesting dishes at the newly opened Healdsburg Bar & Grill.

Gourmet Grub

Healdsburg Bar & Grill serves high-end pub fare

By Paula Harris

THE STAFF at the Healdsburg Bar and Grill won’t take your dinner order. Sure, a server and busser flutter by now and then, but there’s no waitperson hovering behind with pen and notepad poised–and that’s just how they planned it.

In this new eatery, diners must select their meals from the menu, then leave the table, go up to the kitchen window, and order in fast-food restaurant style. There is a “part-server” who will bring it out. It’s a dining experience that’s weird, but works, according to our part-server. “By cutting out this extra step, we can hire less wait staff and keep food costs low,” she explains.

But the do-it-yourself episode didn’t work that well for us. On the first visit I didn’t realize I had to specify to the kitchen staff that the appetizers be brought out before the entrées. Duh! And the whole meal–starters, salads, and main courses–arrived at the table in one out-of-control flurry of plates. Very annoying. On the second visit I duly requested that the meal be delivered as courses, yet the entrées still arrived shortly after the appetizers. Oh well, maybe this is just a good idea in theory only.

Still, the prices are reasonable. There are gourmet sandwiches, like pan-seared snapper topped with guacamole, Meyer lemon aïoli, and sprouts on a soft roll, for around seven bucks; and entrées such as barbecued chicken for $9.75; and grilled salmon filet, with sautéed radicchio and grain-mustard sauce, for $10.75.

We eat perfect roasted garlic bulbs with soft Cambozola cheese spread on crostini ($5.50); yummy chipotle fries with housemade ketchup (extra points for Chef Kurtis Lumetta here!), and housemade creamy garlic sauce. But avoid the buttermilk onion rings ($6.50)–too greasy.

I definitely recommend the vineyard salad ($6.75), a luscious blend of arugula, red flame grapes, candied walnuts, and goat cheese. Lovely on a summer evening. The HBG burger ($7.25) is also very good. The juicy Angus chuck has a tasty herbal quality and comes on a sesame bun with iceberg lettuce, tomato, Bermuda onion, pickle, matchstick fries, and a fresh and light-tasting cole slaw. Thumbs up also for the smoky, perfectly textured slow-roasted and flash-grilled chicken with barbecue sauce ($9.75), served with veggies and couscous; and the lamb chops marinated in rosemary and zinfandel ($11.25).

Like Dempsey’s Restaurant and Brewery in Petaluma, this is the kind of food that pub grub aspires to be, although Dempsey’s desserts far exceed the pleasant but ho-hum strawberry crème brûlée and chocolate mousse (both $5.25) offered here.

Kids under 12 get their own menu items: a turkey dog, chicken strips, burger or cheeseburger, or pasta with alfredo sauce. All kids’ meals come with veggie sticks and chips, and cost between $3.75 and $4.50. It is a cool place for parents who have young children and lust for somewhere decent to eat out with the young ‘uns that doesn’t resemble Chuck-E-Cheese.

The family-friendly place is casually simple yet sophisticated with its cozy full bar, built from cherry-wood planks, plus mahogany chairs, warm wood floor, and recessed lighting. There’s not much in the way of artwork: a decorative American flag holds a place of glory on a burnt-red wall next to the bar.

The stereo emits a cheerful mix of recorded music: blues, doo-wop, mambo, and rockin’ oldies. But on Friday and Saturday nights they slide back the tables and chairs in one corner and present live blues performances (sometimes for free and sometimes with a cover charge). Last month’s artists included blues guitar great Coco Montoya; among next month’s lineup are the Boneshakers and guitar wiz kid Corby Yates. Check it out.

Healdsburg Bar & Grill 245 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg; 707/433-1580 Hours: Daily, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. for the restaurant; bar stays open (late-night dining coming soon) Food: Upscale pub grub Service: Friendly helpers, but part of the experience is serve yourself Ambiance: Like a chic pub but not snooty; crowded at weekends Price: Moderate Wine list: Good inexpensive selection; also beers and full bar Overall: 2 3/4 stars (out of 4).

From the August 30-September 5, 2001 issue of the Northern California Bohemian.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

Art for Life

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Art for Life

Art in Action

Annual AIDS fundraiser becomes landmark art event

By Paula Harris

FLASH BACK 14 years ago to the first Art for Life exhibit and auction, an annual fundraiser that benefits Face to Face/Sonoma County AIDS Network. That year, a small group of artists propped their donated works up against cardboard boxes in a room in Santa Rosa’s Flamingo Hotel.

Nothing fancy–not a pedestal in sight. The event lasted one day and raised $11,000.

Flash forward to recent years, and the changes are astounding. Art for Life now spreads out over four days, offering a landmark North Bay art event that attracts artwork and attendees from across the Bay Area and beyond.

Oh, and last year it raised more than $150,000. Indeed, thus far Art for Life has raised more than $1 million for AIDS services in Sonoma County.

“This is the Face to Face fundraiser of the year. It generates money that helps us run throughout the year for items not covered by grants and federal stipulated funds,” explains Ina Chun, Face to Face’s events coordinator, who has organized Art for Life for the past five years. “This fundraiser is critical for us. It’s our lifeblood.”

The event –which this year runs Sept. 6-9–relies on the generosity of artists. Each year 250 local artists from Sonoma County and beyond donate pieces in all media for the silent auction. “The most heartfelt part for me is to see how people with relatively little give so much,” Chun says.

And even high-profile artists are getting in on the act. This year’s auction will include a three-piece set donated by internationally renowned artist Christo: “Running Fence, Sonoma and Marin Counties, California, 1972-76,” consisting of one lithograph and two heliogravures.

“The art is getting better,” Chun says. “We’ve had artists come in with pieces to deliver on the day, and they’ll take a look around and say, ‘You know, I think I’ll take this back and bring in a different piece!'”

Santa Rosa pastel and watercolor artist Tamra Sanchez has participated in Art for Life for six years. Before that, she worked for several years as a volunteer for Face to Face, cooking, cleaning, and “just being a friend” to AIDS victims–until she could no longer cope with the loss of lives.

“Donating my paintings helps me to feel I’m still contributing even though I’m not there for the people,” Sanchez explains, adding that she and other artists often even bid on each other’s work. “Every year I buy a piece of local art at the event,” she says.

According to Chun, Face to Face’s biggest enemy is the fact that many people believe that AIDS is no longer a crisis.

“AIDS is not going away, and infection rates are on the rise and alarmingly so in young people,” she says. “And all the complications of AIDS victims now living longer make our job much bigger and more costly and more complicated.

“The issues are still there,” she continues. “They’re just different, and there’s still lots of work to be done.”

The Art for Life exhibit runs Sept. 6-8, from noon to 5 p.m. on Thursday and Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. on Friday; the auction takes place Sunday, Sept. 9, from 2 to 6 p.m., at the Friedman Center, 4676 Mayette Ave., Santa Rosa. Exhibit admission is free; auction admission is $50 (includes food, wine, and music). 707/544-1581.

From the August 30-September 5, 2001 issue of the Northern California Bohemian.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

Shane Weare

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Shane Weare

Ages of Man

Printmaker Shane Weare etches time

By Gretchen Giles

NURSED BY the Jazz Age and moved by the beat, outgoing Sonoma State University art professor Shane Weare was among those Englishmen of a certain age who were impassioned by the myth that was America.

While Weare attended London’s Royal College of Art as a printmaking student, Jets fought the Sharks, teenagers were fresh-branded cultural icons, and American vistas stretched in the imagination for limitless arid miles, unclouded by village parish steeples, endless cups of tea, or cold July rains. Free, raw, new–America appeared a story whose plot anyone could write for himself.

And so, like many of his countrymen, Weare came to the United States and made it his own.

Traveling to the States in 1962 with a group of students, Weare drew his America state by state, producing terse inward prints that were so deeply personal as to be an intimate diary of the nation. He briefly returned home, but found himself the next year as a postgraduate student at the University of Iowa.

The rest, of course, is history. In the ensuing 38 years Weare married American artist Sally Weare and became a U.S. citizen and a professor at SSU. He retired from teaching last spring, and the University Art Gallery honors him with “Then and Now,” an exhibit opening Sept. 6.

“It’s not a retrospective,” Weare explains, standing in the hangar-like living room of the Bennett Valley home he and his wife share. “That would have been too confusing. The work that I did in the late ’60s and early ’70s is really relevant to what I’m doing now, and I wanted to show something cohesive.”

A love for the old-fashioned marvel of drawing led him to study printmaking, since, as he says, “unfortunately, drawing is not taken seriously.” The Library of Congress took Weare’s printmaking seriously enough to purchase his early study of Nevada for its archives, an artifact of one artist’s experience of the West.

When he and Sally began their family–their son and daughter are now grown–the cheery demands of domestic life drove him inward, resulting in fantastical mindscapes of surreal worlds that he nonetheless says “are about America.” Inner seeking led to an appreciation of the natural beauty of the Bay Area. Large prints of the Bolinas shore caused former San Francisco Chronicle reviewer Thomas Albright to proclaim him “a brilliant etcher and one of the Bay Region’s most inventive imagists.”

But Weare doesn’t do landscapes anymore. “I think that it’s extraordinarily difficult to talk about this world,” he says. “Nature upstages everything, thank goodness, and I’m not really interested in saying much about it. The human condition is what I’m interested in.”

And so his work has changed, moving from a reflection of an exotic newness to subliminal portraits of the natural world and out to mankind as a whole. “Then and Now” centers on Weare’s relentless fascination with man’s relationship to his world, replete with his own handmade mythos. Birdlike women, carnivorous fish, and black-inked figures often inhabit his pages; mortality looms.

“They’re more about being in life in this world,” Weare says. “I don’t believe in God, yet I believe in the wonder of the universe and how amazing people are. This is about fear, religion, good, and evil.” This, in fact, is about life itself.

‘Shane Weare: Now and Then’ opens Sept. 6 with a reception from 4 to 6 p.m. and continues through Oct. 21 at the University Art Gallery, SSU, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. 707/664-2295.

From the August 30-September 5, 2001 issue of the Northern California Bohemian.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

Kenneth Cleaver

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Consumer Correspondent

International Home Foods Inc. 80 Tiverton Court, Suite 600 Markham, Ontario L3R OG4 Canada

Dear International Home Foods:

My friend David had a cockroach problem. While David still suffers from problems, cockroaches are no longer one of them–and it is all because of Pam cooking spray! I do not know if you have cockroaches in Canada–I have never seen them traveling north in V formation. They are quite common here in the United States. As anyone who has battled cockroaches can testify, the critters are quick! David is pretty quick too, though he was not quick enough to qualify as a contestant on the New Hollywood Squares. Is it a wonder he has problems?

Be it a rolled-up newspaper, brick, or broomstick, cockroaches get out of the way fast. In the film The Karate Kid, martial arts master Mr. Miagi teaches young Daniel to catch a fly with chopsticks as a lesson in speed and agility.

Without any realization of the historical weight of his decision, David sprayed Pam in the cockroaches’ path. With their traction hampered, it was “Wham, bam, thank you, Pam!” David repeated the procedure until it was clear to the cockroach community that its presence in his kitchen would no longer be tolerated.

I understand that “Pam: Cooking and Roach Spray” might be a turnoff to consumers. You might consider marketing the spray separately as the “Pammer-Slammer.” Included with the bottle would be a plastic or wooden “slammer.” Since cockroaches are perceived as an urban problem, the “Pammer-Slammer” could be not just a means to a roach’s end, but a new and essential part of the urban lifestyle. The inner-city father and son may not be able to shoot deer in November, but they can slam cockroaches year round (without a license)! When Betty and Ben aren’t slam dancing, they’re slamming roaches with Pam, etc. . . .

I realize that a discovery of this magnitude does not occur every day. It will certainly take a lot of hard work before the “Slammer” is a reality for consumers. In the meantime, I will be more than happy to answer any of your technical questions regarding the “Slammer” or the marketing ideas I have expressed.

Yours always, Kenneth Cleaver

Dear Mr. Cleaver,

Thank you for your recent letter. We are always delighted when our consumers take the time to let us know how much they enjoy our products.

As interesting as your idea sounds, legal considerations prevent us from accepting any ideas not developed by our test kitchen or advertising agency. We are therefore required to return your letter with our response to you.

Thank you once again for contacting International Home Foods.

Sincerely,

International Home Foods (Canada) Inc. S. Henry Consumer Affairs

From the August 30-September 5, 2001 issue of the Northern California Bohemian.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

John Hammond

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John Hammond

Waiting Game

John Hammond delivers the goods

By Greg Cahill

IT SEEMS odd at first. A dozen of the 13 tracks on bluesman John Hammond’s latest album, Wicked Grin (Virgin/Pointblank), were penned by the eccentric Beat songster Tom Waits, some of Waits’ band members play on the sessions, and even the elusive Waits pops up with guitar work, errant handclaps, and his trademark growl.

Oh yeah, did I mention that Waits, a Two Rock resident, supervised the sessions at his favorite haunt, Prairie Sun Studio in Cotati?

That makes it a Tom Waits tribute, produced by Tom Waits and featuring Tom Waits. That’s a lot of Tom Waits from a guy who’s notoriously, let’s just say, low-key. In fact, the project brings to mind that 1998 Woody Allen movie Celebrity, in which director Woody Allen hires the younger and much more bankable British actor Kenneth Branagh to play a character who exhibits all the neurotic mannerisms of . . . Woody Allen!

But don’t jump to conclusions–Wicked Grin wasn’t planned as a Waits tribute, it just happened that way.

“This was a very spontaneous album–there were no rehearsals. We went in cold as a band and gelled almost immediately,” explains Hammond, during a phone call from his East Coast home. “The plan was not to record Tom Waits’ songs at all [though he was producing], but I was hoping that there might be one of his songs that we might do. So he suggested one. That was the first tune we recorded [“2:19”]. It was done in one take–live. We all looked at each other and said, ‘Tom, do you have another one?’ It was truly dynamic.

“It was . . . inspired.”

Hey, go with the flow. After all, the result is the best album of Hammond’s 40-year career. A record dripping in soul-wrenching blues, gospel, and country influences that has drawn rave reviews. The All Music Guide declared Wicked Grin to be Hammond’s “most daring musical departure.”

“It was daring in a way,” Hammond demurs, “though at the time it didn’t seem like anything other than a chance to jump into these songs, a lot of which I hadn’t heard before. So it was a completely fresh take from my perspective, and Tom just enjoyed the heck out of it.”

This was no flash in the pan; the pair go back 25 years. In 1992, Waits wrote a song for Hammond called “No One Can Forgive Me but My Baby,” and Hammond played on Waits’ acclaimed 1999 CD Mule Variations. “From the first time I ever heard him perform–in 1976 I was on a show with him at a dance hall in Tempe, Arizona–and I knew that this guy was really special and one of the greatest performers I’d ever heard. Having this truly extraordinary chance to work with him was way over the top–it was a dream-come-true kind of thing.”

Of course, a lot of folks have tapped the Waits songbook–even Rod Stewart scored a big hit with the 1990 cover of “Downtown Train”–but few have delivered the goods like Hammond, a savvy song interpreter who has a reputation for avoiding hoary old blues chestnuts. “I’ve been recording for more than 40 years–literally hundreds of songs and 35 albums,” he says. “When I choose a song, I want to make it my own, which is really the case with any singer. I’ve been fortunate to be in the right place at the right time.

“I don’t why or how, but I’m a very lucky guy.”

John Hammond performs songs from ‘Wicked Grin’ on Friday, Aug. 31, at 7:30 p.m. at the Mystic Theatre, 21 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. Tim Easton opens the show. Tickets are $20. 707/765-2121.

From the August 23-29, 2001 issue of the Northern California Bohemian.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

Fall Events

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Fall Events

Fall into Fall Fun

New season offers bounty of art, music, dance, and more

By Greg Cahill, Paula Harris, and Patrick Sullivan

TAKE A HEADLONG leap into a fresh season of fun as North Bay arts organizations unveil their fall offerings. Jazz, opera, art studio tours, poetry–there’s something for just about everyone over the next few months.

August

Kurt Weill Cabaret Actors Theatre presents a Berlin-to-Broadway-style musical retrospective of German songwriter Kurt Weill (Three Penny Opera, et al.), featuring Sonoma County songstress Betty Cole-Graham and a few friends. Aug. 31 to Sept. 29. Luther Burbank Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $12. 707/523-4185.

September

Sausalito Arts Festival The works of 270 artists from around the world (selected from 1,200 entries) form the centerpiece of this huge three-day event over Labor Day weekend (Sept. 1-3) on the shores of San Francisco Bay. Hundreds of craft booths, a children’s theater, gourmet food, fine wines, and premium beers are available. Add to that top-name entertainment, including Richie Havens and John Hammond (both on Sept. 1) and Dave Mason and the Bacon Brothers (both on Sept. 3). $15 for general admission, $7 for seniors, $5 for juniors (ages 5-12). 415/705-5555.

Progressive Festival Lefty activists come together for an afternoon of networking, live music, and speeches from folks like Green Party activist Medea Benjamin and United Farm Workers organizer Salvador Mendoza. Sunday, Sept. 2, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Walnut Park, Petaluma Boulevard South and D Street, Petaluma. Free. 707/763-8134.

Photograph by Rory McNamara

Russian River Jazz Festival It’s all about sun, sand, and sound on the banks of the lazy Russian River when the Russian River Jazz Festival returns to Johnson’s Beach in Guerneville Sept. 8-9 for a weekend of straight-ahead, smooth, and soul jazz. This year’s lineup is still tentative, but it may include the following: Sept. 8, Bobby Caldwell, the Bob James Trio, the Pete Escovedo Latin Jazz Orchestra, the Bobby Hutcherson Quartet, and Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks; Sept. 9, the Jimmy Smith Quartet, Pat Martino with Joey DeFrancesco, and Mark Levine and the Latin Tinge. Tickets are $35-$80 for a one- or two-day pass. 707/869-3940.

Art for Life Compassion is still in style, as the ongoing success of the Art for Life Exhibit and Auction demonstrates. Now in its 13th year, the annual silent auction–a benefit for Face to Face/ Sonoma County AIDS Network–thus far has raised more than $1 million for AIDS services in Sonoma County. Featuring more than 250 works of art donated by Bay Area artists, this year’s free exhibit runs Sept. 6-8, from noon to 5 p.m. on Thursday and Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. on Friday. The auction will be held Sept. 9, from 2 to 6 p.m. and includes food, wine, and live music, as well as a great opportunity to help people in need. Friedman Center, 4676 Mayette Ave., Santa Rosa. $50. 707/544-1581.

Napa Wine and Crafts Faire Art and wine mingle in abundance at the Napa Wine and Crafts Faire, which features original art and crafts by 200 artists, plus live entertainment and beer and wine by the glass. Sept. 8, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. First Street in downtown Napa. 707/257-0322.

Art in the Park Stroll beneath the shady trees in one of the county’s most quaint Victorian neighborhoods while enjoying works by more than 50 exhibiting artists at this event sponsored by the Petaluma Arts Association. Sept. 8-9, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Walnut Park, between Fourth Street and Petaluma Boulevard at D Street, Petaluma. Free. 707/763-2308.

Rhyme, Rhythm, and Song Poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and blues singer Sarah Baker headline this poetry and music fundraiser for the Sonoma County Book Fair and the Petaluma Poetry Walk. Sept. 9 at 4 p.m. Phoenix Theatre, 201 Washington St., Petaluma. $15 (available at most local bookstores). 707/544-5913.

Moscow Chamber Orchestra Headed by Constantine Orbelian, the only American ever to become director of a Russian ensemble, this acclaimed group comes to Sonoma County for the first stop on its American tour. Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m. Spreckels Performing Arts Center, 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park. $28. 707/588-3400.

Glendi International Food Festival Greek treats and more await you at this two-day ethnic food fest. The 13th annual Glendi celebration will include Balkan music by Anoush and Edessa, folk dancing, crafts, and children’s games. Delicacies from around the globe include Greek gyros, Russian piroshki, and baklava. Sept. 15, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sept. 16, from noon to 6 p.m. Holy Virgin Orthodox Church, 90 Mountain View Ave., Santa Rosa. $5. 707/584-9491.

Redwood Arts Council Chamber Music This annual series features talented ensembles performing in intimate venues. On Sept. 15, catch the San Francisco Conservatory Strings performing works by Ravel, Haydn, and Mozart. On Oct. 13, enjoy Synchronicity, a piano and percussion duo that fuses classical and jazz sounds. On Nov. 3, the acclaimed Pacifica String Quartet comes to town. Concerts take place at various venues in Occidental and Sebastopol. Call for locations, times, and prices. 707/874-1124.

Something’s Brewing Quench your thirst in a serious way at the 16th annual Something’s Brewing beer tasting and fundraiser for the Sonoma County Museum. The event offers unlimited beer tasting from more than 50 specialty breweries in Northern California, plus munchies. Sept. 21, 5:30 to 8 p.m. Veterans Building, Brookwood and Maple avenues (across from the fairgrounds), Santa Rosa. $35, or $15 for designated drivers. 707/579-1500

California Small Works Small but potent artwork from around the state (all pieces are 12 inches cubed or smaller) fills the room at this popular exhibit, which will be judged by San Francisco Chronicle art critic Kenneth Baker. Opening reception: Sept. 22, 4 to 7 p.m. The exhibit continues through Dec. 2, Wednesday and Friday, 1 to 4; Thursday, 1 to 8; Saturday-Sunday, 11 to 4 p.m. Sonoma Museum of Visual Art, Luther Burbank Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $2. 707/527-0297.

Sonoma County Book Fair Year two of this event features readings, workshops, book signings, open mics, and panel discussions. Scheduled to appear are such North Bay authors as Diane di Prima, Noelle Oxenhandler, Gerald Haslam, Robin Beeman, and Jonah Raskin, as well as visitors like Chitra Divakaruni. Saturday, Sept. 15, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Courthouse Square and other venues in downtown Santa Rosa. Free. 707/544-5913.

Petaluma Poetry Walk Poets prowl Petaluma in this annual outpouring of free verse. Diane di Prima and Terry Ehret are among this year’s readers. Sept. 16, noon to 7 p.m. Various downtown venues, including Copperfield’s Books and the Phoenix Theatre. Free. 707/763-4271.

Bayanihan-Philippine National Dance Company The National Folk Dance Company of the Philippines makes its North Bay debut with a performance that merges contemporary theatrical presentation and ancient cultural traditions. Sunday, Sept. 23, at 3 p.m. Marin Center, Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. $20, $25, $35. 415/472-3500.

Celtic Festival Year seven of this annual Celtic music blowout features performances by Sandy Silva, Marc Bru, April Verch, Cucanandy, the Healy Irish Dancers, and many others. Sept. 28-30. Community Center and Laguna Youth Park, 390 Morris St., Sebastopol. $10-$20 at the gate; advance discounts apply. 707/823-1511.

Camera Art 3 The North Bay’s only all-photography art festival returns for another year of diverse images from dozens of local shutterbugs, guest speakers, and music by blues artist Sarah Baker. Sept. 22-23, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Montgomery Village Shopping Center, Santa Rosa. Free. 707/539-1855.

Fairfax Jazz Festival Legendary jazz vocalist Jon Hendricks and the Harold Jones Big Band headline this fourth annual event. Sept. 29 at 8 p.m.; Sept. 30, noon to 7 p.m. Various indoor and outdoor stages in downtown Fairfax. Prices vary. 415/453-5928.

October

Sculpture Jam IV Local sculptors give new meaning to the term “public art” as they team up to craft work before your very eyes. And keep your orbs peeled, ’cause this is the event that produced the controversial “Door to Hell” piece. Oct. 4-7. Old lumber yard (across from the Sebastopol plaza), Petaluma Avenue, downtown Sebastopol. Free. 707/829-4797.

Così Fan Tutte The Western Opera Theater presents Mozart’s timeless tale of love and fidelity. Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. Luther Burbank Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $22.50-$42.50. 707/546-3600.

San Francisco Comedy Competition Up-and-coming comedians get to bare knuckles and brass tacks as they duke it out for supremacy in this event. Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. Luther Burbank Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $25 and $30. 707/546-3600.

ARTrails Open Studio Tour Investigate the haunts and lairs of 149 Sonoma County artists during this 16th annual studio tour, which encompasses all sections of the county and a wide variety of artists, from photographers to painters to printmakers. A preview exhibit runs Oct. 5-25 at the SoFo2 Gallery (Cultural Arts Council of Sonoma County), 602 Wilson St., Santa Rosa. A gala reception will be held at the gallery on Oct. 5 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The tour itself takes place on two weekends: Oct. 13-14 and 20-21. A catalog with maps will available at the gallery. 707/579-2787.

Wadaiko Yamato Drummers Acclaimed Japanese taiko drummers perform a dynamic range of ritual forms with theatrical splendor. Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. Marin Center, Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. $24 or $30 for adults; $16 for kids 14 and under. 415/472-3500.

November

Dennis Miller Say what you will, but from Saturday Night Live to the National Football League, Miller’s career has always erred on the side of intelligence–a rare mistake among today’s comedians. Catch him live in this standup performance. Nov. 2 at 8 p.m. Luther Burbank Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $35-$55. 707/546-3600.

Penn & Teller The bad boys of magic bring their award-winning, irreverent blend of comedy and magic to the North Bay stage on Thursday, Nov. 15, at 8 p.m. Marin Center, Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. 415/472-3500.

From the August 23-29, 2001 issue of the Northern California Bohemian.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

Open Mic

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Better Dead

By Wayne Grytting

AFTER DECADES of sticking their heads in the sand about the hazards of tobacco, Philip Morris has found a new tactic–promoting the benefits to society of premature deaths from smoking. A study produced for them by Arthur D. Little, one of the “foremost management consulting firms,” found the early death of a smoker has “positive effects” for society that more than counteract the medical costs of treating smoking- induced cancer, etc.

This path-breaking research was limited to smoking in Czechoslovakia. It found that in 1999, despite health-care costs for dying smokers, the government still had a net gain of $147.1 million from smoking. Thus, the American Legacy Foundation calculated the Czech government saved $1,227 per dead smoker.

Philip Morris has since come in for a flood of criticism and has publicly apologized for the conclusions, which is too bad, because the report makes fascinating reading. It is, as the authors state, “the results of the exercise of our best professional judgement.”

Not only did the researchers find out precisely how much early deaths save on health-care expenses, housing for the elderly, social security, and pensions, they also uncovered savings from premature deaths in areas we nonexperts would never dream to look. Who would think to look at the effect of smoking deaths on unemployment? But these authors found that “replacing those who die early . . . leads to savings in social benefits paid to the unemployed and in costs of re-training.”

A wonderful gift to society by smokers.

But it gets even better. The researchers, with obvious relish, note that when a smoker dies prematurely, the savings to the state for that year “is only one part of the positive effect.” You need to look at all the other years the smoker would have lived had she or he not smoked, because, we are told, “the savings will therefore influence the public finance balance of smoking in future years(!)” It’s a gift that keeps on giving.

Lest you think that Philip Morris is alone in recognizing the benefits to society of early deaths, know that it is in good company. Four years ago, the the attorney general of Alabama arrived at similar conclusions. And State Farm Insurance recently followed the same line in a study defending SUVs. Their researchers reported: “Sport utility vehicles may actually save insurers money in a few accidents, by killing people who might otherwise have survived with serious injuries. Severe injuries tend to produce larger settlements than deaths.”

Sounds like public thanks are owed to SUV makers, too. Obviously, great minds work in the same circles.

From the August 23-29, 2001 issue of the Northern California Bohemian.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

Open Mic

Slow & Steady By Jim Winston TO PROTECT our environment and natural resources, we must manage our growth more responsibly. Sonoma County cities have been growing so rapidly that we seem to be outpacing our infrastructure and carrying capacity, which negatively affects our quality of life. I'm sure this is no...
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Arts Etc

HBO Bound WHAT DOES MARIN County singer-songwriter Roberta Donnay have in common with mobster Tony Soprano? Just this: the Grammy-nominated Donnay may also be appearing on HBO this fall. On Sept. 3, Donnay performs at a special HBO concert being filmed for the network's Reverb program. The Black Crowes are the focus of the show, but their...
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Medea Benjamin

Pilgrim's Progress Medea Benjamin will speak at 4th annual Progressive Festival By Greg Cahill Medea Benjamin will speak Sunday, Sept. 2, at the fourth annual Progressive Festival, at Walnut Park on the corner of Petaluma Boulevard South and D Street in Petaluma. Speakers at this year's festival will focus on community...
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Healdsburg Bar & Grill

On the line: Chef Kurtis Lumetta cooks up some interesting dishes at the newly opened Healdsburg Bar & Grill. Gourmet Grub Healdsburg Bar & Grill serves high-end pub fare By Paula Harris THE STAFF at the Healdsburg Bar and Grill won't take your dinner order. Sure,...
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Art for Life

Art in Action Annual AIDS fundraiser becomes landmark art event By Paula Harris FLASH BACK 14 years ago to the first Art for Life exhibit and auction, an annual fundraiser that benefits Face to Face/Sonoma County AIDS Network. That year, a small group of artists propped their donated works up against...
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Shane Weare

Ages of Man Printmaker Shane Weare etches time By Gretchen Giles NURSED BY the Jazz Age and moved by the beat, outgoing Sonoma State University art professor Shane Weare was among those Englishmen of a certain age who were impassioned by the myth that was America. While Weare...
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Kenneth Cleaver

Consumer Correspondent International Home Foods Inc. 80 Tiverton Court, Suite 600 Markham, Ontario L3R OG4 Canada Dear International Home Foods: My friend David had a cockroach problem. While David still suffers from problems, cockroaches are no longer one of them--and it is all because of Pam...
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John Hammond

Waiting Game John Hammond delivers the goods By Greg Cahill IT SEEMS odd at first. A dozen of the 13 tracks on bluesman John Hammond's latest album, Wicked Grin (Virgin/Pointblank), were penned by the eccentric Beat songster Tom Waits, some of Waits' band members play on the sessions, and even the...
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Fall Events

Fall into Fall Fun New season offers bounty of art, music, dance, and more By Greg Cahill, Paula Harris, and Patrick Sullivan TAKE A HEADLONG leap into a fresh season of fun as North Bay arts organizations unveil their fall offerings. Jazz, opera, art studio tours, poetry--there's something for just about...
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Open Mic

Better Dead By Wayne Grytting AFTER DECADES of sticking their heads in the sand about the hazards of tobacco, Philip Morris has found a new tactic--promoting the benefits to society of premature deaths from smoking. A study produced for them by Arthur D. Little, one of the "foremost management consulting firms," found the early...
Read more
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