‘Titus’

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‘Titus’

Titus.

Pie-Eyed

A renowned wine expert matches wits–and wines–with ‘Titus’

By David Templeton

Writer David Templeton takes interesting people to interesting movies in his ongoing quest for the ultimate post-film conversation. This is not a review; rather, it’s a freewheeling discussion of life, alternative ideas, and popular culture.

“IF I HAD TO SELECT a wine to go with a human-head pie,” muses Dennis Overstreet, “which wine would I choose?” An unusual problem, to be sure, and one that Overstreet, an expert at matching the perfect fine wine with a particular food and event, has never been asked to solve. Until now.

As the owner/proprietor of Beverly Hills’ landmark 21-year-old store The Wine Merchant, Overstreet has won the nickname “wine consultant to the stars,” with a clientele ranging from Johnny Carson to Mick Jagger. These names and others, along with wine tips galore, appear in Overstreet’s hip and helpful book Overstreet’s New Wine Guide: Celebrating the New Wave in Winemaking (Clarkson Potter, 1999).

In this sharp and witty book, the sly-humored author ably demonstrates his encyclopedic knowledge of all the world’s wines.

With this in mind, Overstreet has agreed to a little experiment. Having just seen the awe-inspiring film Titus–in which the aforementioned human-head pie figures rather prominently–the master is now prepared to suggest the appropriate libation.

“I’ve considered this carefully,” says Overstreet, a tall, Gary Cooperish fellow with a deep, authoritative baritone. “I’ve picked the wine that I think is the perfect metaphorical companion for this entire film. I’d suggest a Mouton Cadet.”

A Mouton Cadet, for those unfamiliar with such things, is a light-bodied red wine from the Bordeaux region of France–and not an expensive wine at that.

In fact, there are those who would cringe at calling Mouton Cadet a wine at all, just as there are those literary purists who would cringe at linking Titus–a truly sensational film, starring Anthony Hopkins and Jessica Lange and adapted from William Shakespeare’s ultra-obscure Titus Andronicus–to William Shakespeare.

True, Titus remains faithful to the story and text of the Bard’s bloodiest play–packed to the sinews with murders, beheadings, amputations, orgies, rapes, mutilations, and cannibalism. But director Julie Taymor has tossed poor Titus Andronicus (Hopkins), general of the Roman army, into a phantasmagorical stew of shifting times and eras, with Hopkins wearing battle-scarred armor in the early scenes and a white chef’s coat and hat for the climactic pie scene.

Lange (as the vengeful Queen of the Goths) appears in a cage on a horse-drawn cart, wearing heavy-metal S&M duds, while her paramour, the new emperor (Alan Cumming), has a thing for black lipstick, dresses, and classic cars. The film opens, inexplicably, with an agitated boy wearing a helmet made of a brown paper bag, trashing his kitchen as he plays with creepy action figures.

“Maybe if Titus Andronicus was adapted differently, I’d pick a different wine,” says Overstreet, “but the way the movie was envisioned, that bit with the little boy wearing a brown paper bag on his head–to me it right away suggests Mouton Cadet. This is a wine that really belongs in a brown paper bag.”

Ouch. “It’s the perfect metaphor to go with that ending scene,” he adds, laughing delightedly. “If you’re more into tricks than treats, Mouton Cadet would be the defining wine.” Another ouch. But there’s more.

“Because it is a pie–it isn’t something that is dished up alongside some interesting garnish–this is going to demand a very simple wine, a wine you’d want to just take a goblet full of, rather than swilling it around and sniffing at it,” he adds. “Because it’s a pie you’re going to enjoy it with, you’ll want to just grab that goblet and let yourself become a giraffe. You’ll want to just swallow the wine and let it go down your throat, bypassing your stomach and cascading right down to your liver.”

Which (come to think of it) is more or less what the film does.

“I really didn’t know what to expect,” says Overstreet. “I was left bewildered and sick, annoyed and amused, but somewhat deeply reflective. It’s the kind of movie that makes you sit and go ‘Wow!'”

Indeed. And those “wows” are not limited to the banquet scene; wows and gasps and squeals and jolts are equally distributed throughout the film. Take the eye-opening orgy scene, where the Goth queen and the emperor preside over a sprawling entanglement of writhing bodies, decadent food . . . and plenty of wine.

“This seems like more of a Burgundian event,” Overstreet observes. “I do see a Burgundy for this orgy, something akin to a Corton or a Volnay. Something very fresh and full of pinot noir, just gobs and gobs of fruit. It should be a very young Burgundy, a Burgundy so youthful that even Roman Polanski wouldn’t like it.

“Because a Burgundy is an orgy,” he elaborates, “an orgy of delicious fruit. Imagine a million raspberries all dropped in your mouth at once. If you press your cheeks the fruit’s going to explode in a wonderful, wonderful, delightful Burgundian orgy of flavors. Imagine it running down your wrists as you wipe it from your mouth.

“That,” he says, “would be very appropriate for an orgy. At an event of this nature you could even flash the label.”

Overstreet seems to be stuck on red wines at the moment. When that’s pointed out to him, he agrees, saying, “It just seems like a red-wine movie to me. Or maybe I simply want to get Anthony Hopkins away from the Chianti and fava beans.”

Overstreet, fully inspired, has one final suggestion.

“There should be a requirement that theaters be allowed to serve some sort of alcoholic beverage with this film, before, during, and after,” he suggests. “In fact, alcohol should be required during the orgy scene and the banquet scene. Just to smell these wines and swallow these flavors at all those key moments–it would add so much to the magic.”

From the March 30-April 5, 2000 issue of the Sonoma County Independent.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

Spins

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Spins

Slippin’ and slidin’: Eels head honcho E returns.

Sound Advice

An avalanche of aluminum and acrylic for your entertainment pleasure

The Eels Daisies of the Galaxy (DreamWorks)

THE SNIPPET of a funeral march at the opening of this disc signals a new beginning for Virginia-born singer/ songwriter E and his ever-shifting band. The much anticipated follow-up to the Eels’ 1998 CD, Electro-Shock Blues, finds E slowly wriggling out of the funk that marked that acclaimed CD, largely inspired by the suicide of his sister and the long illness and imminent death of his mother. Presenting an unblinking look at mental illness and death, that disc concluded with the words “maybe it’s time to live.” On Daisies, E acts like a slacker Mr. Rogers, leading a tour around the neighborhood, sometimes dark and brooding, sometimes merry in a the-meds-have-finally-kicked-in sort of way. There’s a goofy but endearing quality to this off-center alt-pop (as in the metaphorical twists of the whimsical “I Like Birds”). It’s not at all edgy or driven like the college radio hit “Novocain for the Soul” or the hip-hop-inflected urban tragedy of “Susan’s House,” from the band’s 1996 breakthrough debut. Peter Buck of R.E.M. and Grant Lee Phillips of Grant Lee Buffalo round out the band. But this is very much one man’s vision, and E’s skewed take on life has a way of creeping into your psyche. Greg Cahill

The Rev. Horton Heat Spend a Night in the Box (Time Bomb)

FRONTMAN Jim Heath (a.k.a. the Rev. Horton Heat) seems hell-bent on conjuring up the devil with his scorching brand of rockabilly: a raucous, rebellious country stew of Johnny Cash honky-tonk souped up with more than a pinch of swamp, surf, and blues. He made a name for himself on the juke-joint circuit for songs about beerin’ and boozin’ and seems proud there are only six songs about drinking on the band’s seventh album. “Sue Jack Daniels” does blaze with the hard-drinkin’ style that made the trio a rowdy favorite, but other songs take a different angle, like the kick-in-the-pants “The Girl in Blue” and the racy “Whole Lotta Baby” and “I’ll Make Love.” “The Bedroom Again” tackles divorce, while “It Hurts Your Daddy Bad” is Heat’s take on fashion models who sell their souls for the glamour of the fast lane. Spend a Night in the Box was produced by Butthole Surfers guitarist Paul Leary and recorded at Willie Nelson’s Pedernales Studios; the title pays tribute to Cool Hand Luke. Sarah Quelland

The Bloodhound Gang Hooray for Boobies (Geffen)

THESE TWISTED weirdos write silly, stupid, and irreverent songs with obnoxious lyrics, deviant humor, and expert pop-culture references (including Pac Man, Shrinky Dinks, Falco, and Pee-wee Herman). The music ranges into punk, pop, metal, New Wave, rap, hip-hop, and honky-tonk; the only common thread is a severe punk-rock attitude. The aggressively adolescent band incorporates clever samples, including a junky Casio beat and a snippet from The Simpsons. The Bloodhound Gang often appropriates famous songs and lyrics for its own use, incorporating Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s “Relax” into “Mope” and rewriting lyrics from Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall, Part II” into “Right-Turn Clyde.” The band’s single “The Bad Touch,” with the lyrics “You and me baby ain’t nothin’ but mammals/ So let’s do it like they do on the Discovery Channel,” is getting play across the country. S.Q.

Rollins Band Get Some Go Again (DreamWorks)

THE NEW ROLLINS BAND has punk/spoken-word icon Henry Rollins leading the L.A. blues-rock power trio Mother Superior, and Hank says it’s the first time he’s really been in a “rock” band. That’s not quite accurate, in light of Rollins’ stint as vocalist for the seminal L.A. hard-core act Black Flag and the arty metal-jazz of the original Rollins Band. But that does give an idea of the vigor Rollins feels in his fresher, more streamlined material. His lyrical targets are no surprise (critics, weak-ass rockers, the image establishment), but Mother Superior is brick-hard and searing, with a sound so loud and clear that on some solos you can actually hear the pre-distortion sound of the pick hitting the string. As if to humble himself, Rollins brings in guest guitar gods Scott Gorham (of Thin Lizzy, for a cover of that band’s “Are You Ready?”) and Wayne Kramer (of the MC5, for a 14-minute hidden-track chicken-scratch ‘n’ sax rant). Rollins’ first rock band? Hardly, but one of his best. Karl Byrn

Dogs on Valium Something for Everyone (ALM)

ROHNERT PARK-BASED rockers Dogs on Valium have lots going for them–a strong pop-rock sound, a second release, industry connections, a Bay Area fan base–but perhaps the band should consider a new name. Their sound is nothing like the perverse wackiness and punkish humor implied by their moniker; instead, D.O.V.’s strengths are melodic soft-rock hooks, emotion-laden choruses, sincere lyrics, and tight professionalism. Something for Everyone lives up to its promise and includes Latin sounds and live material, and yet, with their sweet, crisp echoes of Chicago and Elton John, it’s hard to imagine . . . Dogs on Valium? K.B.

Spin du Jour: Penelope Houston Once in a Blue Moon (Innerstate)

SINCE HER DAYS as the lead singer/songwriter for the seminal ’70s San Francisco punk band the Avengers, Penelope Houston has whiled away her days at her day job with the public library and eeked out a critically acclaimed career as a critic’s darling. The New York Trouser Press Record Guide has proclaimed her “the archetypal indomitable rock ‘n’ roll woman.” This decidedly tender rarities collection offers intensely personal demos, outtakes from Houston’s recent flirtation with a major label, and reworkings of punkish folk material that find the onetime punk firebrand wistfully contemplating gardening and life. Hey, we all knew that the punk generation was going to hit middle age, but who knew it would sound this introspective? G.C.

From the March 30-April 5, 2000 issue of the Sonoma County Independent.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

Julia Butterfly Hill

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Julia Butterfly Hill

Forest guardian: After two high-profile years in a giant redwood, Julia Butterfly Hill has hit the ground running, determined to save all of America’s ancient trees.

Butterfly Blues

Julia Butterfly saved her beloved redwood, but her struggle is just beginning

By Patrick Sullivan

SHE’S SPENT the last two years living high among the branches of an ancient redwood tree, so you might think Julia Butterfly Hill would need time to find her land legs. Instead, the 26-year-old activist has hit the ground running.

In December of 1999, Hill triumphantly ended her high-profile struggle to save her beloved Luna, a 1,000-year-old redwood tree in Humboldt County, by reaching a landmark protection agreement with Pacific Lumber and then climbing tearfully down to solid ground amid international media attention.

But her fight is far from over. Armed with Legacy of Luna, her frank new book about her experiences, Hill has launched a national crusade to keep forest protection in the national spotlight.

On Friday, March 31, she arrives in Sebastopol to give a sold-out talk at the Vets Memorial Building.

However, the world’s most famous tree-sitter is finding her quest complicated by both her own fame and controversies over the deal she made to end her high-profile tree sit. All told, it seems a lot to handle for someone still getting used to life on solid ground.

“Two days out of the tree I found myself on the ground in New York City,” Hill explains in her pleasant, slightly breathy voice. “So I have definitely been on a fast track of learning and transformation since coming down.”

Speaking by phone from an office in Marin’s Muir Woods where she is meeting with ABC News, Hill passionately discusses a range of topics, from the Headwaters Forest deal to the intense public scrutiny she’s experienced since coming down from Luna to the growing power of grassroots environmental activists.

Above all, however, she wants to talk about ancient trees and irresponsible logging.

“Ninety-seven percent of the original ancient forests are gone,” she says. “Of the remaining 3 percent, only 1 percent is protected. Our government and corporations are failing us, so we as citizens have to get involved.”

You couldn’t get involved much more quickly than Hill, a preacher’s daughter who took on the name Butterfly when she first began her famous tree-sit in 1997. Having discovered during a cross-country vacation the beauty of the redwoods and the danger confronting them, Hill returned home to Arkansas, sold most of her belongings, and returned to Humboldt County determined to help stop the pell-mell logging operations being conducted by Pacific Lumber.

Hill plunged almost immediately into the thick of the struggle. After casually embarking on her tree-sit, Hill displayed remarkable tenacity in the face of El Niño storms, lightning strikes, and harassment by Pacific Lumber helicopters and security guards.

Her feat of endurance and her natural charisma turned her into one of the world’s most famous environmentalists, leading her publisher (HarperSanFrancisco) to call her “the Rosa Parks of the environmental movement.” But talk like that seems to make Hill a little uncomfortable.

“I have a hard time being compared to other people. I’m just me,” she says. “I followed my heart and my spirit, and I did what I felt I had to do. I think for Rosa Parks it was the same.

“At the same time, I don’t want people to think that I’m different from them,” she continues. “I’m a human being who is doing her part, and I ask that other people do their part too.”

There are, of course, some people who think Hill falls far short of being a hero. Timber company supporters call her two-year sit a dangerous stunt. More surprisingly, some radical environmentalists have criticized the details of the deal that saved Luna–even going so far as to heckle Hill during speaking engagements for agreeing to pay $50,000 to Pacific Lumber.

Hill notes that the money was actually turned over to the forestry department at Humboldt State University. She also points out that hers was one of the few tree-sits that actually ended with the tree still standing.

“If we can use money to protect the environment, that’s what we’ll do,” she says. “Our government should get involved and protect these forests, but until that happens, we have to use the tools available to us.”

You might expect such controversy to discourage Hill. But she seems to take it comfortably in stride.

“It’s a rule of activism that for every action there’s an equal and opposite criticism,” Hill says. “Because we are all different people, we all have different ways of looking at the world. I don’t expect everyone to agree with me. But if we all get up every morning and do what we think is right to help save the earth, we will succeed.”

Of course, some of her critics may be further incensed by her book, which offers a frank account of the difficulties Hill sometimes had with unnamed members of the radical environmental organization Earth First!, which organized the occupation of Luna.

But in her phone conversation, Hill insists that her account is simply honest. “Nowhere in the book does it attack anyone,” she says. “The book is only about being truthful about what I went through, because so many people had such romantic notions about what I was doing.”

Still, Hill does admit that relations with Earth First! were not always easy.

“I love and respect many people in Earth First!” she says. “I also had many, many difficulties with the organization.”

What does the future hold for Hill? She says she plans to remain in Humboldt County and continue her crusade through a wide variety of means, from walking the halls of Congress to engaging in direct action. But will she embark on another tree-sit?

“Every day I wake and I say, ‘Creator, how can I best be of service?'” she says.

“If that guidance leads me up another tree, then I’ll go.”

From the March 30-April 5, 2000 issue of the Sonoma County Independent.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

Usual Suspects

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Usual Suspects

Priest Charged

Ex-Santa Rosa priest to face rape charge

By Greg Cahill

A FORMER SANTA ROSA priest surrendered to local court officials on Wednesday to face charges that he raped a 14-year-old girl under his care. Donald Wren Kimball, 56, is charged with a four-count felony complaint alleging that in 1977 the ex-Resurrection Parish priest raped and committed lewd and lascivious acts on an unidentified girl while he worked as a youth group leader.

It is further alleged that Kimball sexually assaulted a second teenage girl in 1981, and that he may have abused as many as 11 boys and girls over several decades. In a published statement, Deputy District Attorney Gary Medvigy said, “There is an endless number of people [Kimball] is alleged to have touched.”

On Wednesday, Kimball returned from a vacation and surrendered to a Sonoma County judge. His attorney, Chris Andrian, says Kimball has denied all wrongdoing and will fight the charges. If he is convicted, Kimball could serve up to 15 years and would become the second Santa Rosa priest sent to prison in recent years for sexual misconduct.

The case is the latest sex scandal to rock the Diocese of Santa Rosa. Last summer, Bishop Patrick Ziemann resigned when it was revealed that he had a relationship with the Rev. Jorge Hume Salas. Ziemann has maintained that the relationship was consensual; Salas has alleged that Ziemann pressured him into the relationship. On Monday, Ziemann invoked his constitutional right against self-discrimination when he refused to testify during a scheduled weeklong deposition in San Francisco for the sexual coercion lawsuit filed by Salas.

The diocese has been rocked by a $16 million fiscal crisis as well, stemming in part from efforts by diocese officials to pay off several million dollars in settlements brought in sexual misconduct cases.

The newly filed felony charges against Kimball resulted from evidence submitted in a civil suit in which Kimball is alleged to have molested two girls and two boys during the ’70s and ’80s. In that case, a tentative $1.6 million settlement has been reached between the plaintiffs and the diocese.

The California Supreme Court has ruled that California law can eliminate the statute of limitations for certain sex offenses, allowing district attorneys to file charges in cases if there is independent corroboration.

Turnabout Is Fair Play

JUDGE-ELECT Elliot Daum, who defeated incumbent Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Patricia Gray in a bitter election race, has filed a complaint with state election officials charging that Gray violated judicial ethics with a controversial “Cop Killer” campaign mailer.

The campaign literature–mailed just days before the March 7 election–characterized Daum, a respected public defender, as caring more about the rights of violent criminals than about the rights of victims.

The mailer led four judges who had endorsed Gray to distance themselves from her campaign.

Daum filed the complaint with the state Commission on Judicial Performance. Gray, who won her position on the bench in 1995, has nine months left in her term. The commission has the authority to remove, censure, or admonish a sitting judge.

Ironically, on election night, Daum had this to say about Gray when asked to comment on allegations that he had run a negative campaign: “When you go up against an incumbent, you have to bring out negative things–you can’t say, ‘Hey, I’m a good guy, vote for me.’ I got into this race because I was very unhappy with our incumbent. This is the way you have to run a campaign. It would be ridiculous to do it otherwise.”

Editorial assistant Shelley Lawrence contributed to this article.

From the March 30-April 5, 2000 issue of the Sonoma County Independent.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

‘Ghost Dog’

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Exhausted author Donald Antrim on the nature of ambivalence, psychopathic samurai, and Jim Jarmusch’s ‘Ghost Dog’

Writer David Templeton takes interesting people to interesting movies in his ongoing quest for the ultimate post-film conversation. This is not a review; rather, it’s a freewheeling, tangential discussion of life, alternative ideas, and popular culture. He welcomes comments at ta*****@********us.net.

Donald Antrim stares across the coffee counter, taking in the vast assortment of beverage opportunities that now stand before him. Espressos. Mochas. Cappuccinos.

“I’ve had so much coffee in the last 36 hours,” he sighs.

Momentarily considering some sort of tea, he goes on to recognize the existence of decaffeinated coffee drinks as well. Then there’s the whole question of hot drinks vs. iced drinks. It’s quite a problem, made all the more difficult by the fact that Antrim–the inventive and audacious Brooklyn-based author of such wonderfully weird and idiosyncratic novels as Elect Mr. Robinson for a Better World, and The Hundred Brothers–is clearly exhausted.

He’s been going almost nonstop for weeks, city-hopping across the country to promote his latest book, The Verificationist (Knopf). The novel is a brilliant, comical, tongue-tripping tour de force about a pancake-house meeting of psychoanalysts that becomes a surreal rite of passage for Tom–a likable shrink with ambivalence issues (he suffers an anxiety attack when he can’t decide whether to order pancakes or eggs)–who inexplicably floats to the roof of the restaurant and stays there for the rest of the (exhilarating and odd) book.

The words “odd and exhilarating” could also describe the movie Antrim and I have just seen. Ghost Dog–The Way of the Samurai, the striking new film by innovative movie-meister Jim Jarmusch, tells the story of a mysterious hit man (Forest Whitaker) who lives by the ancient code of the Japanese samurai. Whitaker’s character has made himself the “retainer” of a low-level mob goon who uses Ghost Dog to even his family’s many scores.

It is a tribute to Jarmusch’s genius that Antrim–who, by the way, has resolved his own libation ambivalence by ordering an iced-decaf coffee–was able to stay awake through the entire film in spite of his sleep-deprived state.

And now he’s ready to talk.

“It’s interesting. Ghost Dog, in effect, is a stalker,” submits Antrim, sipping his drink on the semi-sunny outside patio. “His attachment to the mobster has a pathological quality to it. He’s devoted his life to this samurai code–and to this mob character–in a way that, in the absence of that code, would seem pathological in the extreme. But with the code, I don’t know . . . it almost seems moral.”

“We’re somewhat programmed to appreciate sacrifices made in the name of a code, aren’t we?” I say. “Think of all the stories we hear about the American Revolution, ‘Give me liberty or give me death,’ and all that. We’re taught from kindergarten to honor people who follow a strict code–even when others call it madness.”

“Well, it’s very powerful rhetoric,” Antrim agrees. “But there’s a way in which rhetoric, taken out of context–or even in the context–of its original utterance, can become quite crazy-sounding. ‘Give me liberty or give me death’ is not a choice that most sane people, were they faced with that choice, would really want to make. Most people won’t say, ‘Give me liberty or give me death.’ They’ll merely stay alive, then somehow struggle to regain their liberty.”

“So, then, is Ghost Dog is some kind of psychopath?” I ask.

“He’s a cold-blooded killer,” Antrim reminds me. “He murders without remorse, like James Bond and Dirty Harry. I’d call him a psychopath.”

Among the many rules that Ghost Dog lives by is the sacred admonition to “Make every important decision in the space of 7 breaths.”

Consequently, he makes some fairly desperate decisions–like storming single-handedly into a mob boss’ fortress–without a lot of internal agonizing or debate.

It’s kind of cool. But is that a reasonable way to live a life?

“The question might be, Is it a reasonable way of life to life by a strict code of any kind?” Antrim muses. “I can’t say whether it’s a good idea to make decisions quickly. In fact, I think that living outside of ambivalence–which is what Ghost Dog does–might be another kind of pathology.

“This is a very high-functioning, efficient character because he’s given over his own though-making process to this ancient instruction manual. This is a character who’s not operating with ambivalence.

“And really,” he continues, “have you ever known anybody in real life who’s operating without ambivalence? It can be an very upsetting thing to watch people making rash decisions and change their lives quickly.

“Ambivalence is something that protects us. It’s something that gives us time, time to consider and weigh alternatives, to think about how our decisions will affect our lives and the lives of other people.”

“I think your pancake psychologist would have appreciated a bit less ambivalence,” I suggest.

“Maybe,” nods Antrim. “But maybe not. Ambivalence is not an inability to make a choice. Ambivalence is a struggle that results from the consideration of many possibilities. Ambivalence, as a state in a world that wants to be high-functioning, in a culture in which we clearly value getting things done, getting them done quickly and well–in the space of seven breaths, as it were–is something that is quite underrated.”

“If I were a samurai I might disagree with you,” I tell Antrim.

“Not if you were a thoughtful samurai,” Antrim replies. He mentions Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo, a film that ends–like a John Ford western, or Ghost Dog, for that matter–with a sense that these violent men, by the self-sacrificing nature of their own moral code, will eventually destroy themselves.

“To actually follow a code to the letter–to free yourself of choice, and your own ambivalence over choice–can have very destructive consequences,” he says.

“And besides,” he adds, rattling his ice as he absorbs the last gulp of his decaf, “while holding to a fixed idea might offer you some freedom, it’s also just a very tiresome way to live.”

From the March 30-April 5, 2000 issue of the Sonoma County Independent.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

‘The Road to El Dorado’

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‘The Road to El Dorado’

The Road to El Dorado, a new animated film that features the talents of Santa Rosa-born animator Rick Farmiloe.

Road Warrior

Santa Rosa-born animator lands a leading role in ‘The Road to El Dorado’

By David Templeton

TO RICK FARMILOE, an animation whiz kid with an eye-popping résumé, his latest film–DreamWorks Pictures’ The Road to El Dorado–marks not one but two important milestones.

This isn’t just Farmiloe’s 10th consecutive animated flick. It’s also the movie in which he moves from drawing sidekicks to animating one of the show’s major stars. Farmiloe played a major role on the team that brought to life Tulio (voiced by Kevin Kline), a semi-incompetent 16th-century scoundrel who, along with his equally unlikely partner, Miguel (Kenneth Branagh)–accidentally discovers El Dorado, the mythic City of Gold, hidden in the mysterious jungles of the New World.

Farmiloe, a Santa Rosa native, found his own New World among the animation studios of Hollywood. Unlike Tulio and Miguel, however, this adventurer had always known what he was looking for–and where he would find it. Farmiloe, 43, was dreaming of becoming a big-screen animator as far back as 1971, when he first began attending Montgomery High in Santa Rosa.

“I was just a little kid when I knew I wanted to draw cartoons,” he says. “Some of my first high school art teachers, unfortunately, seemed to think that cartoons were a waste of time.”

Unable to persuade Farmiloe to pursue a fine-arts career, his instructors finally gave in and supported his fledgling attempts at animation.

“Montgomery High ended up being a great experience,” he says. “I got a lot of encouragement and support.”

After attending SRJC and then the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, Farmiloe landed a job in Southern California, animating a series of television shows, including Fat Albert, Mighty Mouse, and Heckle and Jeckle.

Eventually he moved all the way up to Walt Disney Studios, where his first feature was the infamous failure The Black Cauldron.

“Ouch,” Farmiloe says, cringing at the mention of that film. “I’d hoped people would forget all about The Black Cauldron someday.”

Farmiloe got into a groove animating goofy sidekick characters: Einstein, the lovable Great Dane in Oliver & Company; Scuttle the seagull in The Little Mermaid; the clumsy albatross airline pilot in The Rescuers Down Under; and the inept Le Foo Beauty and the Beast.

“I like doing sidekicks,” says Farmiloe. “So that’s what they always gave me.”

Any such large-scale character, he explains, has a team of several animators assigned to it. They learn the character’s moves and facial expressions, getting to know him or her literally upside down and inside out.

“It gets to where you know exactly how that character would react to any given thing that happens,” Farmiloe says.

After leaving Disney in search of more creative freedom, he briefly freelanced, working on The Swan Princess for Rich Studios, before finding a new home at the brand-new DreamWorks studios, where his sidekick status continued. “I did the camel in Prince of Egypt,” he says. “But he was a really fun camel.”

Then came The Road to El Dorado, a fast-paced, swashbuckling buddy comedy set in an ancient Mayan wonderland. The main characters, two goodhearted rogues, are mistaken for gods and decide to go on playing the part–until they can make their escape with bags filled with gold.

Under constant threat of discovery, and certain death by ritual sacrifice, Tulio and Miguel look as if they might get away with their scheme. But then the partners each fall in love: Tulio with the alluring Chel (Rosie Perez), and Miguel with the city of El Dorado itself.

The songs, by The Lion King‘s Elton John and Tim Rice, are tuneful, though a bit intrusive at times, and the subject matter–including Tulio and Chel’s amorous romp in bed–have earned the film a PG rating.

“Chel originally invited Tulio to take a bath with her,” Farmiloe reveals, “but we decided that was going too far.”

Though not as consistently visually awe-inspiring as Prince of Egypt, the new film nevertheless marks a significant step forward in animation characterization. From Tulio’s and Miguel’s distinctive body posturing to their amazingly realistic (and funny) facial expressions, Farmiloe and his many collaborators (who include another Sonoma County born artist, Ruben Hickman of Sonoma) may have created the best-acted animated humans in memory.

“There’s a lot of pretty sophisticated acting done by the characters in Road to El Dorado,” Farmiloe says proudly. “In the old days it would have been ‘Here’s the scared face, here’s the happy face, here’s the sad face’–and now we have a wider range of subtle emotions, so the audience can always tell what poor Tulio is feeling and thinking.”

Too bad animated characters can’t get Oscars. Thanks to Farmiloe and DreamWorks, “poor Tulio” would be a shoo-in.

From the March 30-April 5, 2000 issue of the Sonoma County Independent.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

Best of Napa County

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Best of Napa County

Photograph by Charles O’Rear

Bon Vivant

‘Best of ‘ Napa County (Staff Picks)

“Through the trance of silence
Quiet breath
Lo! for there, among the flowers and grasses
Only the mightier movement sounds and passes
Only winds and rivers
Life and death.”

–Robert Louis Stevenson

Best Place to Hobnob with Old Money

Since the 1920s Meadowood, in the heart of the Napa Valley, has been catering to the whims and desires of the wealthy with quiet elegance. This resort is so exclusive it doesn’t even bother to post a sign on the Silverado Trail to announce its presence. Most people in Sonoma County have never even heard of the place. Still, if you’re looking for a spot to get away from it all and work on your tennis or golf–and you’ve got around $500 a night for the tariff–then Meadowood might well be worth checking out. Even if you’re not rich, you can still dine in the restaurant or grill and maybe have a shot at meeting that well-heeled potential spouse you’ve been praying for. Meadowood also features a world-class croquet field. Throughout the year Meadowood’s Wine School offers wine and food courses. An elaborate menu of health and fitness activities, along with full spa services and well-being programs, is offered. 900 Meadowood Lane, St. Helena, 963-3646; 800/458-8080.–B.E.

Best Place to Learn How to Write for a Living

A writer’s life can be difficult, so it’s good to know there’s help out there. Now in its 19th year, the Napa Valley Writers’ Conference runs July 23-28. Open to participants in poetry and fiction, the conference will feature two Pulitzer Prize-winning novelists: Michael Cunningham and Jane Smiley. Lose yourself in poetry workshops led by Forrest Gander, Brenda Hillman, Claudia Rankine, and David St. John. Not only will this talented bunch read their work and lecture to the public, but they’ll teach you how to bring out the muse in yourself. The conference also includes fiction workshops, and scholarships are available. The conference is held at the Upper Valley Campus of Napa Valley College in St. Helena. Cost is $500. Call Anne Evans at 253-3188.–S.L.

Best Place to Get Down ‘n’ Dirty

Sure, your mama told you never to play in it, but you’re going to anyway. So slide into a tubful of bubbling brown muck and wallow to your heart’s content in the thick earth-scented mud at Dr. Wilkinson’s Hot Springs in Calistoga–the volcanic-mud capital of Northern California. An attendant will shovel the heavy glop over your torso so you feel as if you’re suspended under a filthy wet blanket. The basis for the traditional mud bath used at Dr. Wilkinson’s is volcanic ash left over from the eruption of Mt. St. Helena. It’s mixed with the boiling mineral water from the gurgling geothermal well on the property, with a little peat moss added for texture. Top off the relaxing treatment with a warm, tangerine- and lavender-scented mineral whirlpool bath, a steam bath, a shower, and a brief nap, swaddled in cozy blankets. Whether or not you subscribe to the ancient curative powers of soft wet earth, you’ll come away believing a little mudslinging sure does a body good. 1507 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga. 942-4879.–P.H.

Best Place to Eat on the Run

Hop on board the gloriously restored vintage beauty of the Napa Valley Wine Train for a 21-mile tour through the Napa Valley. As if the velvet swag curtains, etched glass, and polished mahogany weren’t enough, 1999’s Chef of the Year, Patrick Finney, offers a prix fixe dinner menu as well, which begins in the lounge car with appetizers of herbed cheese, truffle mousse, and other delights. Once in the dining car, guests can select from one of four or so dinner entrées. The wine list is solid (of course, this is the Napa Valley), with many selections available by the glass as well as the bottle. The three-hour excursion doesn’t come cheap, though; expect to spend around $150. Reservations are required. 1275 McKinstry St., Napa. 800/427-4124.–S.L.

Best Local Rock Climb

As you drive up to Mt. St. Helena’s Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, a stunning band of cliffs emerges in the distance: The towering dark gray columns look like a climber’s paradise. Don’t get too excited, since upon closer inspection it’s a pile resembling mud more than rock. The park’s quality crags are tucked out of sight, some more than an hour’s walk from the parking lot. Fortunately, the best climb on Mt. St. Helena is also the most accessible: no bushwhacking through the ubiquitous poison oak; good bolts for setting anchors. “The Bubble” formation is on the Mt. St. Helena hiking trail, where the fire road makes a sharp turn. The formation’s namesake 60-foot climb is a wild ride of overhanging andesite rock, with bucket-sized handholds and scooped-out shallow caves that seem almost big enough to sit in and rest those pumped-out biceps. Once you’ve pulled your way to the top, be sure to turn around and take in the sweeping view of the Napa Valley.–J.W.

Best Place to Pretend You’re in Italy in 1689

THE CEILING OF CARLO MARCHIORI’S Ca’Toga Galeria d’Arte reminds one of the Sistine Chapel, with its representations of constellations, continents, and mythological figures. The terrazzo floor depicts the complete lunar cycle with the earth in the middle, into which is deeply carved “HIC ES,” or “You Are Here.” The gallery itself is a work of art with its painted walls, large sculptures, artfully placed windows, and tile work in the walls. The piece that really catches my eye is a 16-square tile work of a parrot painted in a lovely cerulean blue, which is selling for $2,000. Maybe I’ll get the postcard instead. Outside, the courtyard is painted salmon, aged stonework abounds, and the pillared portico sets the building back from its overlook of the Napa River. 1206 Cedar St., Calistoga. 942-3900.–S.L.

Best Place to Get Good and Bloated

Roaming the streets of downtown Calistoga with a fine beer, ale, cider, or mineral water (all locally made) in one hand and a plump sausage product (also from roun’ these hyar parts) in the other is a form of bliss that one cannot often experience outside the Strassenfests of southern Germany, but the annual Calistoga Beer and Sausage Festival captures the feeling and adds a little wine valley flair, too. Vendors, live music, and displays are part of the added fun. $20 gets you in the gates, rain or shine; $10 if you’re the designated driver (how PC!). This year’s annual festival is slated for Sept. 30, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine. Napa County Fair Association, Calistoga. 942-6333.–S.L.

Best Place That Isn’t a Winery to Learn about Wine

So, you want to be a wine snob? If you’re a rank beginner, the first thing to know about wine is that you don’t know much. Sniffing the cork and speaking through your nose about the piquant quality of the bouquet gets you only so far. When you’re ready to do some quiet study to back up that big attitude, head over to the Napa Valley Wine Library. Located in the back of the St. Helena Public Library, in front of wide windows overlooking expansive vineyards, this broad collection offers a bit of everything for the studious grape groupie, including such primers as Wine for Dummies, reference books on the science of wine making, and practically every published periodical about wine, including Wine X, American Vineyard, and Wine Spectator. Also on offer: a bevy of wine-related novels and a special 200-volume collection of wine labels from around the world. Finally, if all this leaves you feeling a bit sodden, just crack the covers on the collection’s copy of Alcohol and the Addictive Brain. 1492 Library Lane, St. Helena. 963-5244.–P.S.

Best Unabashed Drinker’s Guide to the Wine Country

Slavering booze hounds drool over tasty cocktails while others guzzle thirstily from giant jugs of wine. The clip art alone tells you The Unofficial, but Honest Guide to the Napa Valley is not your average wine-country newsletter. The eight-page Rutherford zine is full of alcohol-sodden reminiscences, odd little essays by such writers as Dean Martini and Rip Diddley, and fake restaurant ads lampooning the wine country’s tendency toward hauter-than-thou cuisine. Alas, you may have a bit of trouble finding it, though. But you can pick it up in coffee shops around Napa County, or contact the publication at P.O. Box 40, Rutherford, CA 94573.–P.S.

Best Romantic Fish Story

Love pops up in the most unexpected places. For example, take the Old Faithful Geyser in Calistoga. The stalwart tourist attraction, which shoots a giant plume of hot water into the air every 30 minutes or so, may seem an unlikely spot for romance. But back in 1994, local tropical-fish enthusiast Troy Thompson had a special problem. One of his beloved fish, a Pseudeotropheus zebra female, was not adapting well to captivity. Noticing that the shallow pool around Old Faithful was remarkably similar to the environment of his pet’s native home in an African lake, Thompson decided to release his fish into the shallow water. Almost immediately, the zebra disappeared and was presumed dead. Undaunted, Thompson tried again with a male Zebra. As soon as the second fish was released, the female reappeared, apparently full of health. Within a few weeks, the newly vigorous fish had produced a school of baby zebras that were spotted flitting about the pool under the geyser’s warm shower. Unfortunately, like many love stories, this one has an unhappy ending. When the management at Old Faithful discovered the pool was now home to an alien species, Thompson was ordered to go fishing and remove both his old pets and their new family. Still, the fishy aura of romance lingers. 1299 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga. 942-6463.–P.S.

Best Place to Find a Special Recipe for Any Occasion

IT’S NO SECRET that when the politicos in Washington, D.C., want to know what’s going on with governmental bodies and holders of high office around the globe, they call upon the CIA. Likewise, when wine country dinner hosts want to serve a truly special dish to guests, they, too, think CIA. Only in the case of the dinner hosts, CIA stands for Culinary Institute of America, housed in what was once a sprawling Napa Valley winery. The CIA Marketplace covers 3,100 square feet of the historic stone building that was constructed in 1889, and it draws chefs from near and far for its selection of cooking tools and cookbooks. More than 1,500 cookbooks and reference books are available, and as one staffer put it, “If you can’t find a recipe here, it probably doesn’t exist.” 2555 Main St., St. Helena. 967-2309.–B.J.

Best Place to Pork Out on Pork Loin

Oakville Grocery no longer is a simple country store situated along the Napa Valley wine trail. In recent years it has become a brand and a chain, with no fewer than five locations now dotting the landscape. Still, many thousands of people make annual or more frequent pilgrimages to the original store because of its heritage and the down-home attitude of its staff. This is where picnic-bound visitors stop for fuel of the edible variety (the selection of cheeses and breads is mind-boggling) and where locals stop for the wine country’s version of “fast food.” Among the inventive sandwich offerings is the house-roasted pork loin with barbecue sauce, red onions, and baby greens on sourdough; it is unlike any sandwich you’ve ever tasted. 7856 St. Helena Hwy., Oakville; 944-8802.–B.J.

From the March 23-29, 2000 issue of the Sonoma County Independent.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

Best Local Romance

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Best Local Romance

Kiss, Kiss

‘Best of’ local romance (Staff Picks)

“Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight!
For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.”

–William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

“To err is human–but it feels divine.”

–Mae West

Best Unlikely Place to Spend a Cozy Night

There is no shortage of romantic bed-and-breakfast spots in wine country, but none is as unusual and unexpected as the world-class B&B located upstairs at Sonoma’s Ramekins Culinary Institute. As chattering students congregate below, stirring up delicious recipes, the upstairs inn–just walk up the asparagus-spindled staircase–remains quiet, elegant, and uniquely inspiring. There are five rooms–plus a large chef’s suite–whimsically decorated and furnished with remarkable taste and wine-country flair, from the down-quilted four-poster beds to the open-view showers and earthenware sinks. The sheer out-of-the-ordinariness of it all makes for a surprisingly intimate romantic environment. Best of all, the prices are less than you’d pay at a lot of other places. Bonappa-sleep! 450 W. Spain St., Sonoma. 933-0450.–D.T.

Best Wedding Minister

The Rev. Kimberly Thompson performs weddings. Now, on the surface, this is not especially noteworthy. There are, after all, hundreds of ordained ministers working in this county who routinely perform the odd sociolegal ceremony we’ve come to call a wedding. What sets Thompson apart from many of the others is that she has performed weddings while on horseback, while floating far above the ground in a hot-air balloon, while scuba diving, and while bungee-jumping. She’s even performed a few weddings in churches. A nondenominational minister, Thompson tailors her ceremonies to the needs and desires of her clients and is as capable of performing a religious ceremony as a purely civil one. But be warned: Thompson’s services are in constant demand, so be sure to book her as far in advance as possible. Call 253-1492 or e-mail her at we******@*******ty.net.–D.T.

Best Place to Lick Caramel Off Your Lover in Public

SMEAR. LICK. MOAN. REPEAT. This is how our dessert experience went at Syrah, the barely-a-year-old French/California cuisine heaven. We sampled several of pastry god Michael Glissman’s ambrosiac concoctions, starting with the Peanut Buster, one of the desserts on his Charles Schulz tribute menu. As we spooned up mouthfuls of crunchy peanut chocolate clusters, caramel, and marshmallow goo, I couldn’t help noticing what a swell crew Syrah has. Everybody seems genuinely happy to be doing the job they are doing, which can be rare in a world often staffed by grumpy and bitter wait persons. But back to the sensual sweets. Next came crunchy sour green apple slices to be twirled in a plate of housemade caramel sauce (the best I’ve had yet, and I’m a serious caramel connoisseur), and we got to take home a purple, cinnamon-flavored caramel lollipop each, also house-made (his was shaped like a button; I got the “hang 10” hand). All in all, a splendid experience, enhanced by the tasteful and comfy ambiance. I can’t wait to go back for dinner. (For the record, folks, the love birds above are just good friends.) 205 Fifth St., Santa Rosa. 568-4002.–S.L.

Best Place to Snuggle in a Yurt

Isis Oasis Lodge, in Geyserville, is a retreat center such as you’ve never seen. Unless, of course, you’ve been there already. While the place is elegantly functional as a conference location, with a dining pavilion and outdoor theater area, plus a main lodge that sleeps up to 80 people, the real magic of Isis Oasis lies in its, um, alternative housing possibilities. For instance, you can spend the night in a comfortable room that is actually a teepee, or in a fully furnished massive wine barrel, or in a tower, or in an Enchanted Cottage (with its own fireplace and private hot tub), or–most romantic of all–in a yurt. A yurt, inspired by a circular Central Asian nomadic dwelling, is a surprisingly charming and cozy environment for a memorable night’s stay. And check out the Temple of Isis. Though you can’t sleep there, the mystical feel of ancient Egypt positively seeps from the sinews of the place. 20889 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville. 857-ISIS.–D.T.

Best Place to Meet a Blind Date

My mom told me once that it’s always a good idea to meet a blind date in the morning or early afternoon, because if you wind up hating him, you can tastefully excuse yourself without hurting feelings. Sound advice, Mom. That said, I feel that a coffee shop is an excellent meeting place. It’s crowded, it’s perky, there are newspapers to be read and pastries to be et. Not only does Wolf Coffee offer the strongest cuppa joe in the county, but it has a fine selection of exquisite teas, and its munchies are not to be sneezed at (I’ve eaten a bagel and cream cheese a day there for the last two years). There are four locations, all in Santa Rosa; after coffee, you and your date could take a stroll around the JC rose garden, visit the bridal fair in Coddingtown Mall (in the case of love at first sight), sit on the bear at Montgomery Village (still one of my favorite pastimes), or waltz to the canned music in downtown Courthouse Square. Options galore. Wolf Coffee, 1810 Mendocino Ave.; 336 Coddingtown Center; 722 Village Court; 614 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 546-WOLF.–S.L.

Best Place to Fall Head over Heels in Love

If you can keep all that pink chewy popcorn, pink lemonade, and pink puffy cotton candy in your belly where it belongs, the Zipper at the annual Sonoma County Fair can be the perfect romantic spot. You and your squeeze suffer the bonding experience of sheer terror, being upside down together, and when the ride ends, you’ve got the perfect excuse for clutching each other to keep from falling down. Take a sawdusty stroll down carny row and try for the big stuffed-animal prizes, get a sunburn, and rub lotion on each other. Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa. 545-4200.–S.L.

Best Cheap Date

My friend’s dog’s new favorite words are “chow fun!” since he sampled a bit of it, cold: the leftovers from a cheap Ting Hau date. I’ve been going to Ting Hau Restaurant since I was in the womb (literally!), and in 21 years it’s stayed consistently greasy, cheap, and delicious. Taking your lover there for lunch is always an excellent deal, because you can get a plate of almond chicken (Tuesday lunch special) heaped up more than a foot high for $3.99. Rice included. After lunch take a digestive hike around the fountain outside or walk down the quiet (except for the shouting bums) alleyway to the parking lot behind. Ain’t love (and lunch) grand? 717 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 545-5204.–S.L.

Best Place to Dance by Moonlight

The gazebo in downtown Sebastopol gets plenty of use. If it’s not the farmers market on Sundays or the musical acts in summer, it’s the skateboarders wearing the edges of the steps down to a black, rounded sheen. But night is when the pavilion comes into its full power, as a playhouse for grown-ups, a dance floor for dreamers in all seasons. Crisp winter nights, when the breath blows white and the waltz keeps you warm; hot summer evenings, with a rare breeze blowing mists off the fountain and seeming to make rainbows around the moon. The pillars are sturdy and wide enough to shelter the most lascivious leanings, until you must either dance or find a private room. If the dark doesn’t seem enough to hide your impromptu promenade, dance anyway, and thrill to the notion that some other soul, restless with desire, might see you and be inspired to his or her own semi-public act of the art d’amour.–M.W.

Best Place for Java and Romance

AH, THE JOYS OF SINGLEHOOD. No jealous other, no trying to plan your schedule around somebody else’s life, all options open for a freewheeling Sonoma County denizen. A’roma Roasters and Coffeehouse is a swell place to meet other swingers in the spring. It seems like the whole town crowds around the patio tables on sunny afternoons, and what better place for poignant chatter over an icy caffeinated beverage than beautiful Railroad Square? Pull up a piece of ground and strike up a conversation, because today is the first day of the rest of your life. 95 Fifth St., Santa Rosa. 576-7765.–S.L.

Best Place to Tie the Knot in Wind-Swept Nuptial Bliss

Looking for a place to get hitched? Elegant wineries and quaint inns abound. But if you want to get married on the wilder side of Sonoma County, head to Goat Rock State Park. There, on a bluff overlooking Blind Beach (ignore any metaphors that spring to mind) is a grassy expanse that has postcard-perfect views of the craggy cliffs and crashing surf of the north coast. Of course you have to get lucky and score blue skies instead of the ubiquitous coast fog. And don’t pay too much for a fancy hairdo–the winds can whip up a frenzy (parasol and huppah carriers, beware). Avoid spike-heeled shoes, unless you’re an expert at mincing your way down dirt trails (a good time to rely on Dad’s steady arm). And pay attention to parking–nothing spoils a wedding ceremony like a ranger slapping tickets on the cars. Couples may be required to provide liability insurance coverage, depending on alcohol and catering at the event, and there is a $25 fee for the permit application. Tousled wind-blown hairstyling free of charge. Russian River State Parks and Recreation Department, 865-2391.–J.W.

From the March 23-29, 2000 issue of the Sonoma County Independent.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

Best Local Culture

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Best Local Culture


Slammin’!

‘Best of’ local culture (Staff Picks)

Best Unsung Hero

During his time at Santa Rosa Junior College, anthropologist Benjamin Foley Benson–coordinator of Native American studies at SRJC and director of the Jesse Peter Museum–has quadrupled the collection at the museum (a collection of North American Indian art and objects from other cultural groups) with pieces amassed from all over the world. His intent is to serve the educational interests of students at all levels, from preschoolers to academic scholars. Specific displays at the museum change regularly to coincide with SRJC’s curriculum in anthropology courses, of which Benson is a spellbinding instructor. He also lectures publicly and frequently on a variety of fascinating topics, specializing in how tribal cultures manage their habitats without destroying them. SRJC, 1501 Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa. Benjamin Foley Benson can be reached at fo**********@****************sa.edu.–S.L.

Best Bargain in Boogie

What’s powerful enough to make even the Backstreet Boys skip a beat? Answer: Sixty pairs of sneakered feet landing the 8 count in the dance studio at Santa Rosa Junior College. Hip-hop teacher Debbe-Ann Medina assured me that the newly padded and shockproofed stereo cabinet wasn’t going to jump this term, but there’s just no stopping the thundering force of the increasingly full hip-hop classes at the JC’s dance department. Other classes are hitting maximum capacity, too: department chair Medina says dance enrollment is over 1,000 in all the classrooms countywide. But in spite of the jumping CDs and the packed rows of eager dancers–think A Chorus Line with slightly less room and slightly more giggling–the JC remains the best price for dance in the county: $11 per three hours a week for five months. It’s enough to make anyone’s heart skip a beat. 1501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 527-4237.–M.W.

Best Place to Complete Your Set of Jean Auel Books

‘Course, you’re gonna have to look hard for them, because at the Friends of the Santa Rosa Library biannual book sale, there’s a lot to sift through. Board member Judith Weber estimates 500 to 600 cartons of books get brought to the sale site at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, enough to fill three moving vans. The books range in price and quality from trashy romance novels ($4 for a flat) to high-quality collectors’ items, which usually get snapped up in the first hour by book dealers who wait in lines at the door. For nonmercenary types, the best buys are the hardbacks: $1 per inch of spine. So stock up on Valley of the Horses if you must (Oh, yes, Jondalar! . . . ), but be sure to bring enough canvas bags to carry the rest. The next book sale is April 7-10. April 7, preview day from 4 to 8:30 p.m.; April 8-9, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; April 10, 2 to 7 p.m. Admission is $5 for the preview, free for all other days; April 9 is half-price day; and on April 10 a grocery bag of books is $4. Friends of the Library: Third and E streets, Santa Rosa; 545-0831, ext. 541. Fairgrounds: 1350 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa; 545-4200.–M.W.

Best Blend of Art and Community

THE WHIMSICAL, all-but-hidden Live Art Gallery in downtown Petaluma is tucked behind the Heebe Jeebe Gift Store (a work of art in its own right). About the size of a large closet, the newly opened tiny gallery is routinely crammed with amazing artworks. The first show highlighted owner Susan Ginnever’s work. Last month Ginnever, above right, hosted “Holding the Sacred Heart,” an exhibit by local artists. The gallery sold 18 pieces of work from the show and raised funds for COTS, the local homeless shelter. “The thing that’s different about this gallery is that we don’t display flowers and landscapes–it’s cutting-edge art,” says Ginnever. Through March 25, the gallery will be exhibiting “GloBall Logic: Wordz4Now,” featuring the art of photographer Scott Hess, documentary filmmaker John Bertucci, and designer Beth Meredith. Every few months or so, Ginnever–a committed community activist–plans to open the walls of the gallery to artists from around the community, and the resulting potluck of artistic imaginings should continue to be truly wondrous to behold. 46 Kentucky St., Petaluma, 773-2880.–D.T.

Best Place to Hoist a Pint and Ruminate on Media Mavens Past

Well, it weren’t no Algonquin Round Table. Twenty years ago, when Petaluma’s free press cowered in the skirts of that great gray bitch the Press Democrat and its onion-skinned rival the Argus-Courier, crafters of the column inch regularly jawed and guffawed in a corner of the back room at Volpi’s Speakeasy (as it was known back in 1925)–a sanctified patch officially dubbed Volpi’s Press Club on March 7, 1980. Ed “Toby” Tobin, a longtime customer and bartender at the bar, recalls its newshound heyday when reporters nightly smelted their rapier wits into the iron guts they rusted away with $1.50 drafts (the price remains the same, as do journalists’ salaries). “It was just a bunch of guys from the Argus-Courier and Press Democrat who came by mostly after work,” says Tobin of the longtime rival newspapermen. “But it wasn’t cutthroat; they were all good drinkers. It was really congenial.” Among them was inveterate Argus-Courier columnist and people-ologist Bill Soberanes, who still holds the world’s record for being photographed with the most celebrities and is often lauded as the Herb Caen of the North Bay, which is unfortunate because Caen is dead. (Sobranes can be seen nightly perched on the porch of his Petaluma home, puffing on his trusty pipe.) Volpi’s Deli, Speakeasy, and Bar, 124 Washington St., Petaluma. 762-2371.–D.H.

Best Local House Painter

Technically speaking, Ross Parkerson doesn’t paint houses; he uses pen and ink. The soft-spoken Parkerson, a former Santa Rosa city planner and Petaluma City Council member, has made a name for himself over the last few years as an artist with a very specific specialty: he draws the exteriors of historic buildings and residences throughout the county. These finely detailed black-and-white drawings have appeared in sought-after framed editions, in local museums, and on calendars and postcards–there’s even a Ross Parkerson collector’s blanket featuring textile reproductions of a dozen of the artist’s Petaluma Heritage Homes. On warm summer days, Parkerson can be glimpsed sitting on some sidewalk, his easel and pen kit before him, facing a house with concentration–wrapped in an undeniable aura of pleasure and joy. He clearly loves these old buildings. We’re pretty sure they love him right back.–D.T.

Best Price for Queer Comedy

Who wants to wait until Gay and Lesbian Pride Month to get a pew at a big-name comedy event? For $5, you can crowd into a handsome man’s lap, drink strong drink, and laugh your ass off at the weekly comedy nights at the Russian River Resort. The Saturday-night stand-up show started as a lark in early 1996 and now is a destination for dozens of gay and lesbian comedians looking for an excuse to get away from big-city life. “The comics call us all the time to book their act,” says general manager Jeff Bridges. “The word is out. They love coming up. It’s like a weekend retreat for them.” It may be a retreat for them, but for locals it’s a full-on forward charge into queer comedy, bringing such names as Scott Capurro, Doug Hosclaw, Karen Ripley, and Marga Gomez to the cozy little bar in San Francisco-on-the-river. During winter the bar is cozily packed; in summer, the crowd gets raucous and ridiculous, with standing room only out on the deck. All this for $5 (drinks are extra). 16390 Fourth St., Guerneville. 869-0691.–M.W.

Best Local Laureate Positions

In the wake of 81-year-old Santa Rosa poet Don Emblen’s appointment as Sonoma County’s first poet laureate by the Literary Arts Council (operating under the aegis of the Sebastopol Center for the Arts), several other laureate positions have cropped up throughout the county. Healdsburg, for example, has a city-specific laureate, and Petaluma has long enjoyed the presence of poetry-slam impresario Schotzki and his weird friend Govind, rumored to have been laying the groundwork to be their city’s poet laureates before disagreeing over how to spell laureate and dropping the notion entirely. Emblen, too, may have his own way of spelling the word. “A friend of mine who’s kind of suspicious of all these honors says that as far as he’s concerned, you’re a poet lariat and your job is to rope people in.” Emblen, a nationally published laureate, has been lassoing poetry readers since he penned his first collection while serving in the Navy during World War II, as well as during his 40-year stint as a poetry instructor at Santa Rosa Junior College before retiring in 1988. Emblen also operates his Clam Shell Press, which has published the work of other poets since the ’70s.–D.H.

The Best Local Place to Catch a National Treasure

IT’S EASY TAKE Johnny Otis for granted–the ex-deli/market/cabaret owner, former organic apple farmer, and Sebastopol resident is a ubiquitous presence in the county. But Otis, a pioneering R&B songwriter, producer, and bandleader, is a bonafide national treasure–a triple-crown winner who has been inducted into the Rock and Roll, Rhythm & Blues, and Blues halls of fame. Catch him on the air hosting his Saturday morning R&B show on KPFA (94.1-FM), from 9 a.m. to noon, when he delivers a mix of soulful tunes, up-to-the-minute health reports on a variety of things that ail him, and frequent rants about political wrongdoings–all of which have endeared Otis to a large Bay Area radio audience. Or scurry on down to the Powerhouse Brewing Co. (28 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol), where Otis holds court during his weekly live broadcasts.–G.C.

Best Local Indie Feature Film

Lights, camera, art flick! ‘Twas with talent, moxie, and under a 100 grand (a spit in the ocean–or eye–by Hollywood standards) that Tomales-bred filmmaker Abe Levy produced, wrote, and directed his feature film debut, Max, 13–a coming-of-age chronicle of 13-year-old wastrel Max’s summertime hijinks on the eve of his freshman year in high school. Both hilarious and poignant, the seriocomic examination of boyhood shenanigans (from first smokes to first strokes) previewed to enthusiastic audiences last fall at the Phoenix Theatre in Petaluma. Levy now awaits word from regional film festivals, including the Wine Country Film Festival and the San Francisco International Film Festival, with the hope of garnering more exposure for the film. “With limited screenings Max, 13 has gotten great response from the community,” says Levy. “It’s thrilling to have the audience on my side and so overwhelmingly positive.” Levy is now editing his second feature film, Don’t Worry, Ma, I’m Only Trying, which he will preview in May.–D.H.

Best Place to Reach Outer Space

Feel like getting out of the house? Hike to Pluto at the Ferguson Observatory’s new Planet Walk at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park in Kenwood. The 2.2-mile interplanetary trek was installed last summer and joins the world’s largest reflecting telescope dedicated to public use to form a destination of choice for Sonoma County astronomy buffs. The hike across our solar system is marked with scale models of planets and offers a fun and interesting opportunity to learn more about our solar system. The walk begins in the parking lot of the observatory and takes space explorers high into the surrounding hills. This is a fairly serious climb, so be in shape. Those venturing to the outermost planets are advised to wear comfortable boots and watch out for rattlesnakes. The average hiker can make the round trip to Pluto and back in less than three hours. Admission is $5 to Sugarloaf State Park. The planet walk is free. Take Highway 12 to Kenwood; at Landmark Winery take Adobe Canyon Road northeast to Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. The observatory is just beyond the horse stables. 833-6979.–B.E.

Best Annual Resurrection of a Long-Dead Composer

Every May, John Philip Sousa, the “March King” himself, triumphantly takes the stage at Healdsburg’s Raven Theater, to lead the Healdsburg Community Band in its annual John Philip Sousa concert. This is one of the year’s most anticipated musical events. For those of you who know that Sousa is technically dead (and has been since 1932), we concede that in Healdsburg, Sousa–author of such blood-stirring anthems as “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” “Semper Fidelis,” “The U.S. Field Artillery March,” and “The Washington Post March”–is played by Lew Sbrana, longtime Healdsburg High School band instructor, who dresses as Sousa, right down to the March King’s immaculate white gloves. The Healdsburg Community Band, which Sbrana leads with cofounder Gary Johnson, has been staging the Sousa shows each May since 1989, when the first Sousa experiment was greeted with wildly enthusiastic standing ovations. Stars and stripes forever, indeed.–D.T.

Best Local Historical Oddity

It’s weird. It’s big. It conjures up colorful pictures of a historical nature. It’s that giant sign, painted in now-fading letters right on the immense side of an old barn, highly visible from Hwy. 101 as you pass through the remote rural hamlet of Asti, near Highway 128. The sign reads, “Dr. Pierce’s Medical Discovery,” and what the good doctor’s incredible breakthrough was, well . . . few people seem to know. It really doesn’t matter. For millions of motorists, who momentarily turn their heads and wonder aloud about the glimmering oddness of our county’s past, it’s just nice to know it’s there.–D.T.

Best Place to Deliver Mail Straight to the Devil

AS PAT ROBERTSON HAS LONG MAINTAINED, the devil wants to talk to you. But you’re so cruel: you never write, you never call, you never even drop the Lord of Lies an e-mail. Wasn’t one of your Y2K New Year’s resolutions to get back in touch with old friends? Then scribble a quick note, enclose a photo of your first-born (without making any covenants, implied or explicit), and drop your letter off by the door sculpture resting on a grassy berm in front of the fire station on Bodega Highway in Sebastopol. Dubbed “The Door to Hell” by churchgoing critics, the 3,000-pound concrete sculpture was created last year during Sebastopol’s annual Sculpture Jam by a team of local artists (above) who didn’t have any diabolic intention in mind. But God works in mysterious ways, and so does the Fallen One, so we’re willing to bet that any devilish correspondence left there will not be returned “addressee unknown.”–P.S.

Best Local Architectural Wreck

Just off of Highway 101, slightly north of the grand entranceway to Asti Winery in Asti, sits a collapsed wreck of a building, tucked away a bit into the expansive vineyards. The former El Carmello chapel–nearly 100 years old–is unusual in that it is green and is shaped roughly like a Hershey’s Kiss. Well, it was shaped that way; a good portion of the tiny building has fallen over, crumbling sadly away, nearly lost if not quite forgotten. In fact, the El Carmello Restoration Project in Asti has been slowly raising the funds necessary to restore the “Little Chapel,” as it’s come to be known. Hopes are that reconstruction of this remnant of the Italian-Swiss Colony will be able to begin before the end of this year. At such a point, there will surely be plenty of real kisses all around. 522-9112.–D.T.

Best Dragon Man

Nick Westbrook, a Santa Rosa welder-turned-sculptor, has a certain thing for dragons. Not only has he named his sculpting operation Fire Dragon, but he’s also designed his share of large metallic dragons, including Ah Chu–a dragon wearing reading glasses, peering at the remains of a newspaper he’s just sneezed fire at–that is making an exhibition tour of Sonoma County elementary school libraries. First bitten by the sculpture bug when he was hired by internationally renowned Petaluma kinetic sculptor Mark DeSuvio, Westbrook has now designed and built hundreds of sculptures, including such giant kinetic works as the multicolored, wind-altering installation in front of the Sonoma Community Center. He’s now at work on several other large pieces, but also plans more dragons, including a child-sized dragon riding a tricycle. He’ll call that one Draggin’ Dragon. Nick Westbrook welcomes visits, by appointment, from interested sculpture fans. 544-2829.–D.T.

Best Leftover of a Bygone Era

It makes us cry sentimental baby-boomer tears to see the abandoned shells of two A&W Drive-Ins, alone and empty but still standing at 600 E. Washington Blvd. in Petaluma and 48 Healdsburg Ave. in Healdsburg. Gone are the rollerskating waitresses. Gone are the icy-cold root beer floats. Gone are the artery-clogging deep-fried onion rings. But the instantly recognizable architecture, the bright orange paint, and those wonderful drive-up speaker stands all still exist, just waiting for some inventive entrepreneur with a knack for revitalizing important icons from the not-so-distant past. Or maybe they’re just waiting for bulldozers.–D.T.

Best Lost Cause

Noreen Evans was the last best hope for the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. Not just a breath of fresh air, the Santa Rosa Councilwoman would have been a breath of fresh gender. Instead we got Mike Kerns, who–no offense intended–is another frumpy middle-aged white guy. With three Mikes, two balding pates, a beard, a mustache, and a whole lot of conservative, pro-development blather couched in the words of public service, it’s dang hard to see the difference between the five supes. Put the county counsel and the county controller up on the dais, and it’s a panel that makes affirmative-action fans cry. Janet Nicholas was the last woman elected to the board, and she left in 1991. Noreen Evans and Dawn Mittleman took up the cause in March, and both were quashed by incumbents. But remember, gals, even if you lose the race, at least we can tell you apart from the boys.–J.W.

Best Local Haunted House

THERE IS SOMETHING MYSTERIOUS afoot at the Cavanaugh Inn. Formerly the home of a soft-spoken, well-mannered woman named Adelaide Cavanaugh, the charming old Victorian is now beautifully restored, comfortably charming . . . and haunted. Late at night, according to numerous guests, footsteps can be heard and felt, creaking against the floorboards as someone paces back and forth in the Magnolia Room. At such times, the bedroom closet–which is permanently locked–can be heard opening and closing. The innkeepers’ best guess is that the ghost is the spirit of Adelaide herself, who, it is reported, was always a bit of a flirt around menfolk. According to reports, she still is, somewhat preferring the company of men to that of women. Having a ghost in the inn hasn’t hurt business in the least, by the way. Most guests find Adelaide to be as charming now as she apparently was when she was alive. 10 Keller St., Petaluma. 765-4657.–D.T.

Best ‘Scream’ Substitute

Way back in ’94, when that whole lamentable brouhaha happened with director Wes Craven and his film Scream, the idiosyncratic director was forced to abandon his plans to shoot scenes at Santa Rosa High School, mainly because the school board didn’t like the icky, blood-drenched script. Fortunately for Scream–which went on to become the most financially successful horror film of all time and recently screened its third installment–a two-part substitute for SRHS emerged: the Sonoma Community Center and the Healdsburg Square. In the finished film, the Sonoma location makes up the exteriors of the school building, while the Healdsburg site becomes the school grounds. While lacking some of the gothic creepiness of the original location, these other sites worked quite well–and have since become a part of filmmaking history. On the other hand, SRHS may always be remembered as the location of Inventing the Abbots. (Wait! What movie was that again?)–D.T.

Best Celtic Harpist with Rabbit Ears of His Own

Patrick Ball is not just one of Sonoma County’s most famous folk musicians. The Forestville resident is widely accepted as being one of the few truly great Celtic harpists alive. Having already recorded numerous albums of his inspiring, soul-enlightening music–including several that are considered classics, and one great children’s album, the Rabbit Ears Records version of The Ugly Duckling, narrated by Cher during one of her maternal incarnations–Ball has now branched out into more daring terrain. For the last two years, he’s been honing his one-man stage show, a dramatic presentation about the life of blind Irish harpist and bard Turlough O’Carolan, to considerable critical acclaim. He’s toured the world and enchanted ears across the globe. We’re just glad, and proud, that he always comes back home . . . to Sonoma County.–D.T.

Best First-Time Novelist under 18

LAST YEAR, Emma Kallok, 13, saw her first children’s novel picked up by a major publisher. The Diary of Chickabiddy Baby (Tricycle) was received with critical praise and with general surprise at the mature quality of the writing. The author, a Sebastopol resident, was nonplussed by all the attention she received. Said she, “I just hope other kids who want to write are inspired enough to go ahead and follow their hearts.” This proves that Emma Kallok isn’t merely a first-class writer, she’s a class act, period.–D.T.

Best Place to Watch Bands Claw Their Way to the Top

For the past 11 years Northern California bands have been conducting an all-out musical war to achieve the top slot in Sonoma County’s legendary Battle of the Bands. Scott Goree, former owner of Magnolia’s nightclub in Santa Rosa and the current proprietor of Inn of the Beginning in Cotati, oversees the 13-week event and does most of the judging. The contest, open to all bands that write and perform original music, makes for a varied and lively collision of styles. With up to 27 bands rocking the house in an effort to blow off the competition (and win big, big prizes), there’s plenty of music for all tastes. Past winners include Disciples of Ed, Hangman’s Daughter, and Eric Lindell and the Reds. Inn of the Beginning, 8201 Old Redwood Hwy., Cotati, 664-1100.–B.E.

Best Dysfunctional Political Family (Runner-up)

In one corner is the Santa Rosa City Council majority angling for its pro-development agenda. In the other corner, the outspoken minority harps on its dais-mates’ kowtowing to big money. Some city councils schlep to retreats to foster consensus building and team spirit. Here, they just threaten to sue each other. The most recent fracas involved the selection of a planning commissioner, which took on Shakespearean proportions when a candidate was approved by a dubious process. Councilwoman Marsha Vas Dupre cried foul, and Vice Mayor Sharon Wright responded in a huff, threatening legal action. Perhaps it makes more sense for the council to be moderated by a boxing referee–or maybe a therapist: “Now, Marsha and Sharon, if you two can’t get along, we’ll have to ask you to take a 10-minute timeout.”–J.W.

Best Literary Event That Almost Didn’t Happen

The natives were restless and trouble was brewing. As usual, the root of the problem was sex. Seems some of the more conservative members of the Sebastopol Center for the Arts didn’t much care for the “Orgasmic” poetry writing contest being organized by the center’s Literary Arts Committee. But after a short bout of controversy, erotica and free speech prevailed, and the contest went on as planned. On Feb. 18, the winning writers gathered before a packed audience to read their sexy poems, which proved to be no more than slightly salacious in most cases. The neo-Victorians can relax: for explicit content most of these works would have been trumped by a sweeps-week episode of NYPD Blue (though cop shows rarely feature so many fruit-and-vegetables-as-my-beloved metaphors). Still, the audience heard some excellent poetry that night, especially from contest judge and award-winning San Francisco poet Kim Addonizio, whose readings made the windows in the room seem foggier than a car windshield on a Saturday night.–P.S.

Best Profane Band Name

Frankly, we were getting desperate. Every year, we try to bestow this award on some richly deserving local band (usually of the metal persuasion, for some reason). And every year, someone in the local music scene coins a name that springs right out at us, dripping and drooling with obscenity or blasphemy or both. But when we looked around this time, we couldn’t find a new moniker that met our needs. Then, in the dead of night, someone slipped a press release under our door announcing the creation of a new hardcore band: Patrick Ziemann’s Screamin’ Semen. And a legend was born.–P.S.

Best Use of Telecom Money

THE SHOCK IS STILL WEARING OFF. When a Sebastopol real estate developer put a plan in motion to convert the Phoenix Theatre into an office building, local music fans prayed for a last-minute miracle to save Petaluma’s venerable all-ages music venue. They got their wish, but not in the form they expected. Some figured Les Claypool and Tom Waits would step in with big music money to save the day. Others believed Metallica and Green Day were planning a benefit concert/protest march. But no one among the throngs of skateboarders, rockers, ravers, and hardcore kids who frequent the Phoenix guessed the bizarre truth–that a local group of middle-aged telecommunications engineers would use a bucket of Cisco Systems-buyout money to purchase the theater and preserve it as a youth hangout and sanctuary for alternative culture. That’s exactly what happened, of course, and the Phoenix is now going stronger than ever. Coming soon to the alt-music venue: AFI leads a punk-rock revival on Saturday, March 25, and Ozomatli offer their Latin rap on Friday, March 31. Check out the resurrected Phoenix at 201 Washington St. For more info, call 762-3565.–P.S.

From the March 23-29, 2000, 1999 issue of the Sonoma County Independent.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

Usual Suspects

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Usual Suspects

Photograph by Michael Amsler

Hart Beat

Davis appoints Caryl Hart to state board

By Stephanie Hiller

EVER SINCE she came to Occidental and discovered the drastic shortage of parks and trails in the beautiful west county, Caryl Hart has been fighting for public access to open space. This week, Gov. Gray Davis announced her appointment to the state Parks and Recreation Commission.

She’s delighted.

“I feel it’s a perfect match with my interests and passions,” she says. Her application to the volunteer post last June was supported by Vice President Al Gore, state Sen. Mike Thompson, Rep. Lynn Woolsey, state Assemblywoman Virginia Strom-Martin, county Supervisor Mike Reilly, and others.

Athletic, slim, and sharp, Hart, 42, is the chair of the Open Space Citizens Advisory Committee to the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, to which she was appointed in 1993 by then Supervisor Ernie Carpenter. A Los Angeles native and a graduate of Cornell University, she earned a law degree at the University of San Francisco.

She is the wife of Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart. The couple has one child.

“It’s especially exciting because of the new state bond act that just passed. The commission recommends which projects will be funded from that and from all other sources,” Hart explains.

The commission is also responsible for developing a comprehensive policy for state parks, identifying appropriate use for existing parks, and recommending programs and activities.

“And it preserves cultural resources of the state,” Hart adds, “something Mickey is very interested in.”

Hart’s appreciation of public open space became more than a hobby during her years as a public defender in Marin County, when hiking the trails on Mt. Tamalpais helped her keep her sanity. From that experience, she understands the growing importance of free access to nature in an increasingly urbanized world. Parks need to be diversified, she says, to suit the people that use them.

“Everyone is paying taxes and has a right to public space,” she says, noting that wider use generates more widespread support. “Unless more people become involved, this may be the last [open space and parks] bond act that passes.”

Fortunately, it was passed by a large majority, showing that the need for wild places is recognized by the public as well as by the governor and Rusty Areias, the new head of the state Parks and Recreation Department, who has “energized the entire agency,” according to Hart.

STATE PARKS certainly needs to be revitalized. The department has been drastically underfunded by successive Republican administrations. “That’s why LandPaths was established,” says Hart, referring to the local nonprofit created to help manage the state-owned McCormick Ranch. The agency was a combined effort by Hart, Dee Swanhuyser, and the owner of the ranch, Sandra Perry. Linking Mt. Hood and Sugarloaf state parks, McCormick is expected to open next month.

Recently LandPaths has been working with the Mendocino Redwood Co. to create a program for public access to the fabulous Willow Creek watershed in Occidental. Visitors permits will be issued by LandPaths. Hart looks favorably on such partnerships with private organizations; if business were to become sustainable, she has said, that would go a long way toward solving the problems we face.

Environmental education is another key to preserving the natural environment, Hart says. “There are kids in Los Angeles who have never seen the ocean–that’s got to change,” she observes. “School trips are important–then the kids bring their parents back.”

Meanwhile, Hart is proud of what she has accomplished in Sonoma County. “People are noticing what we’re doing. Our Ag [Agriculture Preservation] and Open Space District is nationally recognized as a model of how to preserve land.

“That’s why I got the appointment.”

Now Hart will be expanding her considerable influence throughout the state. Sonoma County residents have reason to hope she’ll be applying some of that clout in her home territory.

From the March 23-29, 2000, 1999 issue of the Sonoma County Independent.

© Metro Publishing Inc.

‘Titus’

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