Tyger Tyger: Party DJ Colleen Teitgen

Colleen Teitgen—the prolific DJ Dyops—likes to party. Sitting across from her bold eyes, bouncy blond tresses and brazen laugh at Brew Coffee, I found myself thinking of “the party animal.” 

That, of course, is an animal perfectly adapted to flourish in the environs of party land. The mythological party animal is apparently a moth, as Teigan takes the Heniocha dyops as her sigil—the night-loving, flame-seeking “butterfly.”

DJ Dyops is open format, not bound to genre, but her musical heartland is house music, hip-hop, afro beat and spun pop sugar.

Cinncinnatus Hibbard: Colleen, I understand your first DJ kit was an orange and tan Fisher-Price record player. How long have you been a pro?

Colleen Teitgen: Ten years.

Tell me about your method.

I’m a hard worker. And more than that—I’m obsessed with (laughs); I spend all my free time looking for hot new tracks, discovering new artists or digging through my record crates.

Tell me about your approach to DJing.

Mostly, I let music speak for itself. When I can, I try to enhance the music through my mixing and to create unexpected surprises—like mixing Britney (Spears) into Bad Bunny.

DJing is much more than putting together playlists and mixing (blending in the next song).  Lead us into the art of the DJ by describing your DJ console-controller.

It has eight pads for q-points, and effect controls for 10,000 effects—like echoes, delays, sound fx, studders, spirals, and reverb, the equalizer controls. It has disk platters for nudging, backspin and finding your spot in a track or scratching. And it has the stem splitter, which can divide digital tracks into their individual instrument and vocal tracks.

Those are a lot of creative choices for the DJ—beyond track selection. When you’re up on your console, bossing the party, what else are you paying attention to?

I am constantly reading the dance floor—what genres people are really responding to—leaning into that, but not letting things get stagnant. I’m looking for that next track and deciding at what point in the song to mix it in. I’m checking  the clock, or I’m checking my phone to see if the next DJ is here yet. I’m shooting promo footage and taking selfies with people. I’m checking in with security about any trouble developing in the crowd. I am responding to drunk girls flashing song requests with their phones.

(Laughs) That is a lot to manage into beat-matched smoothness. You play around a lot, with the wild Wolf Pack DJs, at ecstatic dances, exercise classes at SPITE Fitness and at music festivals, but your flagship event is LUSH—at Vintage Space. Describe LUSH.

LUSH is Sonoma County’s only monthly LGBTQ+ dance party. I started it at Jaspers before moving it to Vintage Space. In addition to monthly guest DJs, we have go-go dancers, and we break up the dance with burlesque and drag performers. We also have vendors—usually Jenny DeYoung and Illiana Sanchez.

I have fond memories of the ‘queer prom’ you hosted there. What’s your next event?

It’s an alien disco.

Party local: DJ Dyop’s instagram (@dj.dyops), where she cross-promotes with many of her DJ friends, doubles as a listing of some of the best parties in the North Bay. 

Her next event, ‘Area 54: An Intergalactic Alien Disco,’ is 8pm, Saturday, Oct. 18, at Vintage Space at the Flamingo Resort and Spa, 2777 4th St., Santa Rosa. 

The event features space-y light art by Magicalized, alien burlesque by Foxy Cheex and Taters Mashed, alien disco soul singing by Audio Angel and Space Walker, soul train dance lines and a climactic alien dance battle. See this week’s ‘Crush’ column on page 11. And search Eventbrite.com for ‘Area 54.’

One Really Mean Girl: ‘Bad Seed’ at 6th Street Playhouse

Grim and morbid suits me fine these days. And the David Lear-helmed Bad Seed, running through Oct. 26 on the Monroe Stage at 6th Street Playhouse, provides that in spades. 

With a refreshingly pulpy script by Maxwell Anderson, which inspired the 1956 cult film of the same name, Bad Seed gives its cast the opportunity to explore the darkness of humanity. 

A study in gorgeous scenic and costume design (Bruce Lackovic, Mae Heagerty-Matos), the show features the best work that this reviewer has seen from Sandra Ish as the increasingly stressed out Christine Penmark, whose daughter, Rhoda (an eerie Sylvia Whitbrook, who has the smooth, almost clinical  physicality of a predator), is the titular antagonist. 

Ish’s performance is nothing short of astonishing, as she goes from doting mother to a woman terrified by her child. Her scenes with a wonderfully soft and noble Mike Pavone (as Christine’s father, Richard) anchor the show in the right amount of family turmoil that really makes one feel the pain of the tragedy that befalls them. 

Coupled with the banal evil that Whitbrook wholeheartedly commits herself to, and one has got an ending that makes them want to shake their fists at the sky and scream, “Noooooo” in the best possible way. 

These are performances that are lovingly crafted, from Mary Gannon Graham as the brassy and Freud-obsessed Monica Breedlove, to an at once hilarious and pitiful Kimberly Kalember as Mrs. Daigle. Priscilla Locke, as Miss Fern, feels like she was plucked directly from the ’50s. John Craven oozes from scene to scene as suspicious caretaker Leroy. And kudos to Thaddeus Louviere as Kenneth Penmark, who has the challenge of bookending the show by reacting truthfully to events he never personally witnesses. 

Though the script does sag in the middle, and the blocking feels cluttered at times, the gripping unraveling of Ish’s character will keep one’s attention. If one watches Whitbrook in her quiet moments, they’ll be rewarded with some nuanced choices from this promising young actor. As the sense of foreboding increases with each scene transition (often courtesy of sound by Laurynn Malilay), the work of all these actors made me grin like an idiot because it seemed like so much fun. 

If one is seeking a fiendishly devilish ride for Halloween, this might be the treat. 

‘Bad Seed’ runs through Oct. 26 on the Monroe Stage at 6th Street Playhouse, 52 W. 6th Street, Santa Rosa. Thurs–Sat, 7:30pm; Sat & Sun, 2pm. $27–$40. 707.523.4185. 6thstreetplayhouse.com.

Sonoma’s Songster: Marty O’Reilly on ‘The Voice’

Sonoma County based fans of the NBC reality music competition show The Voice may have seen a familiar face on their screen during the third night of the show’s “blind auditions.” 

That’s when Sonoma’s native son and local troubadour Marty O’Reilly belted out a truly gorgeous version of the Ray LaMontagne stunner, “Trouble.”

Armed with his handmade Resonator guitar, the same one he says he’s played “basically every show of my life with,” O’Reilly eased his way into a lovely, throaty chorus. Host Carson Daly seemed authentically taken aback as he exclaimed, “What a voice.” Judge Reba McEntire looked stunned as well. Or, perhaps she realized she left the oven on. 

At another point, fellow judge Snoop Dogg lowered his sunglasses to reveal wide eyes, a newly recognized international symbol for “wow.” Niall Horan, former member of the boy band One Direction, leaned over to hear and agree with effusive praise from fellow judge Michael Bublé, who recognized a kindred spirit in the young O’Reilly. As each judge slammed down on a red buzzer signaling O’Reilly was locked into the show, for now, perhaps fans and even O’Reilly himself were wondering, “How did this happen?”

Indeed, O’Reilly seems still somewhat as surprised as anyone that he’s not only on the show but on to the next round. Speaking by phone, he explains how this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity came to be.

An avowed disliker of having to use social media as a modern day artist, O’Reilly was doing his due diligence on Instagram when he saw an odd direct message from a woman claiming to have “an amazing PR opportunity” for him. Recounting the story by phone, O’Reilly says, “So I responded to this woman, and I was like, ‘You have to have a Zoom meeting with me to prove that you’re not a robot.’ She was like, ‘OK.’” 

Surprised by this accepted challenge, the two exchanged emails. O’Reilly recalls, “So, I forwarded her email to a few industry folks, and they were like, ‘No, this is real.’ And I was like, ‘Wow.’ So I called her back, and I was like, ‘I’m so sorry; I thought you were a robot. You don’t have to have a Zoom meeting with me.’ And she was like, ‘It’s cool, Marty.’ The internet is a weird place. That was a year ago.”

A long, strange year to be sure. O’Reilly notes that most of the show has already been shot, but he is under strict guidelines to not disclose anything that happens. In fact, during our call, a lovely woman from Warner Brothers, which produces the show, stays on the line in case O’Reilly inadvertently slips up. He doesn’t, but he does reveal a very grateful and sincere approach not just to his nascent celebrity but also, to his career up to this point. 

Born in San Francisco, O’Reilly moved to the town of Sonoma when he was four and stayed there until his college years, when he relocated to Santa Cruz. From there, his passion for music became more than just a notion, and he began touring relentlessly across the United States. He also found time to fall in love and get married to his now wife, Caroline. And in 2021, when she was five-months pregnant with their son, Miles, he decided hometown Sonoma was the best place to raise a family. 

“She loves it; he loves it; I love it. It’s safe; it’s quiet; it’s beautiful, and I had a really happy childhood here,” says O’Reilly.

As is the norm for reality shows, each competitor on The Voice has a “story” that the producers and editors lean way into to establish a character fans can root for … or against. Although there’s only been one episode featuring O’Reilly, his family as well as his kind, gentle spirit and incredible vocals are looking to be that storyline. 

While he performed on the show, Caroline and Miles looked on proudly before the antsy youngster went walking about on the stage, seemingly not really registering the enormity of the moment for his dad. There’s also a genuinely touching moment where O’Reilly explains in an older video clip in which he’s speaking to a baby Miles that when he leaves to go on tour, it’s to take care of his family.

Fellow Sonoma County headliner David Luning was a contestant on season 13 of American Idol back in 2014. Speaking by email, Luning is excited for his musical compadre, saying, “I think it’s super awesome that Marty is going on The Voice; he’s a killer artist.” Yet he also has some advice for staying in the moment.

“One thing I learned pretty quick was: Be ready to be completely out of your comfort zone,” says Luning. He explains, “What I mean by that, other than the obvious of being surrounded by cameras, and celebrity judges, and the fact that millions are watching, was that they would create environments that would push you.” 

Luning goes on to talk about the nature of shooting a reality show that has deadlines and such and says that several times, “They had us working late into the early morning, and then had a call time at 6am. So the whole cast was working on a few hours of sleep.” Yet he offers up sage advice as well, saying, “Ultimately, it’s a TV show; they want good TV. If you can waltz through what they throw at ya and still keep your head on, you’re good. I think with Marty’s extensive touring and experience, he will definitely have a leg up.”

Neal Gottlieb, co-founder of the sadly shuttered, Sonoma County-based Three Twins Ice Cream, was also a reality show contestant, having appeared on Survivor: Kaôh Rōng in 2016. 

He went considerably farther into the show than Luning, but ultimately an injury pulled him from competition just as he was gaining momentum. Since that time, he seems to be a fairly common target of internet trolls.

Speaking by email, Gottlieb says, “Being on reality television is the best of times and the worst of times. On one hand, you’re privileged to have a spectacular set of experiences that you’ll remember for the rest of your days and find yourself in the spotlight on a national stage. But, that spotlight can be harsh.” 

He finished with a clear-eyed note, saying, “Most who compete will see a dream escape them on public view, and while fans can be an absolute joy, those on X and Reddit can be absolute garbage and detract from the joy.”

While it would indeed be amazing for O’Reilly and his career to go deep into the season, for people like him and Luning, their talent supersedes whatever celebrity reality TV can bring. O’Reilly seems to grasp this, noting, “I have my spot in each part of North Bay that I love to come back to, and it’s really nice to be able to just play all these wonderful gigs and be able to go home at the end of the night. It’s not a bad place to have your roots put down when you want to lead the life that I want to lead, which is playing, performing, but also to be able to come home to my family.” 

Next up for O’Reilly is more touring as well as the next part of the show, where he will be paired with a fellow contestant for the popular “Duet” round.

Keep up with Marty O’Reilly at martyoreilly.com and watch ‘The Voice’ on NBC or Peacock Monday and Tuesday nights.

A Future Imperfect: It Gets Better … Probably

There are two quotes that describe my feelings on the future.

The first comes courtesy of The Amazing Criswell’s dead-eyed introduction in filmmaker Ed Wood’s cinematic abortion, Plan 9 From Outer Space: “We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives.”

Criswell, at least according to Wikipedia, was “an American psychic known for his wildly inaccurate predictions,” a phrase that cracked me up for a straight five minutes. To be known for one’s inaccuracies is an achievement all its own—most of us are wrong constantly, but few of us are canonized for it. But therein lies Criswell’s secret genius: The only way to be right about the future is to be wrong

The future will always defy expectations. So much chaos is woven into its perceived coherency that any particular outcome is completely up for grabs. Consider the past five years, the greater contours of which have been shaped by climate-borne catastrophes, a global pandemic, racial and political violence, war, the disruptions of artificial intelligence and something called Skibidi Toilet.

Given this context, it’s easy to be a doomsayer, especially when one’s pocket supercomputer constantly corroborates apocalyptic cultural motifs through an algorithm designed to addict us to them. 

To be clear—the world is not ending. It’s barely begun. Compared to the rest of the universe, ours is a baby planet, and our existence on it as a species has only been a few hundred thousand years—a blink in geologic time. Civilization, such as it is, has only been a concept for about 6,000 years. It’s clearly still cruising with training wheels. 

When one is a writer, it’s a dereliction of duty to say “the future is unwritten.” The job is, in part, defining the future by capturing, word by word, the present. This is “the rough draft of history.” 

And I’m no Criswell, but I think it’s a safe assumption that the cosmic joke is on us. All of our fretting and kvetching about the end of the Big Now (an era marked by an overabundance of preventable tragedy) will someday be the Big Then, when the people of tomorrow look back at us like some kind of narcissistic black hole in a universe that revolves around them and say, “They had it easy.”

Which brings me to the second quote about the future. Frequently attributed to Groucho Marx, it goes something like, “Why should we care about future generations? What have they ever done for us?”

Here’s the answer, Groucho: They’ve given us perspective.

Editor Daedalus Howell is at dhowell.com.

Stirring Strings, Hound Howls and Area 54 Aliens

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San Rafael

Dog Jam Tunes Up 

Red Hill Community Dog Park’s “Dog Jam” music series has one more upcoming Sunday of live music, cold brews and canine camaraderie—all to support the volunteer-run dog park. Hosted at Pond Farm Brewing Co., the fundraiser series raises money for essential park maintenance, from gravel and lumber to plumbing and paint. Each $35 ticket includes two free drinks, a raffle entry and an afternoon of music from local favorites Stella Orr, Aaron Halford and Henry & Eli on Oct. 19. Silent auctions, Red Hill Dog Park merch and plenty of tail-wagging energy round out the vibe.

4–7pm, Sunday, Oct. 19, Pond Farm Brewing Co., 1848 Fourth St., San Rafael. Tickets $35–$40. All ages and well-behaved dogs are welcome.

Santa Rosa

Intergalactic Alien Disco

It’s time to beam up for a night of cosmic revelry when Performance Lab, Vintage Space and the Neflar Star Empire present AREA 54: An Intergalactic Alien Disco on Saturday, Oct. 18 at Vintage Space in Santa Rosa. Doors open at 8pm, with the party launching at 9pm. The night promises extraterrestrial entertainment including DJ Saint Rose Disco, DJ Dyops (profiled in this issue’s “Locals” column on page 12), a Sexy Scary Alien Burlesque and Alien Dance Battles. The galaxy’s own Space Walker appears as Space Don Cornelius, with luminous light art by Magicalized and cocktails like the appropriately titled Blue Milk. Whether one comes as a Martian, a moonwalker or just a creature of the night, expect a shimmering mashup of sci-fi spectacle and disco decadence. Costumes encouraged, gravity optional.

8pm–late, Saturday, Oct. 18, Vintage Space, 4001 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa. Tickets $15 advance, $20 day of. Visit vintagespacesr.com for info.

Calistoga

Harvest Reverie at Hans Fahden 

A fusion of fashion, music and magic descends upon Calistoga when Hans Fahden Winery hosts Harvest Reverie—an immersive bridal fashion show and musical showcase—on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 6–10pm. Guests will be transported into a dreamscape of fall romance as designer Chenoa Faun unveils her new bridal and gown collection alongside guest designer Georgie Scheiblich in “A Runway of Dreams,” set inside Hans Fahden’s candlelit wine caves. The night unfolds with live performances from Tumbleweed Soul Duo, Rainy Eyes and Jenica Thorp & Friends, with a guest dancer bringing kinetic artistry to the stage. Sparkling, red and white wines will flow (first glass complimentary), enhancing the evening’s ethereal ambiance amid the winery’s lush vineyards and mystical caverns. Tickets are $25 presale and $30 at the door.

6pm doors and live music; 8pm fashion show; 8:30pm headline acts continue. Hans Fahden Winery, 4855 Petrified Forest Rd., Calistoga. More info at hansfahden.com.

Mill Valley

53rd Season of Chamber Music

Chamber Music Marin launches its 2025–26 season with the award-winning Esmé Quartet. Formed in Cologne and now resident at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Esmé—winners of London’s Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition—will perform Ravel’s String Quartet, Dutilleux’s Ainsi la nuit and Beethoven’s Op. 131 on Oct. 19 in Mill Valley. Now in its 53rd year, Chamber Music Marin presents five world-class ensembles in an intimate setting at accessible prices.

Tickets $48 GA; subscriptions available; youths 18 and under free. The performance begins at 5pm, Sunday, Oct. 19, at Mt. Tamalpais United Methodist Church, 410 Sycamore Ave., Mill Valley. chambermusicmarin.org.

Your Letters, Oct. 15

Mixed Message

Gosh, I’m finding it challenging to reconcile how our brilliant chief executive is “brokering” peace in the Middle East while inciting violence and war in our cities in the former United States.

One could conclude that we have a really fun multiple personality disorder problem in the White House, which is after all, what we taxpayers deserve, having installed a degenerate lunatic not once but twice as leader of the free world. 

This disaster is going to take a long time to deal with, folks. Let’s get at it. It was too late decades ago.

Craig J. Corsini
San Rafael

Veil Mail

Every October, as the days grow shorter and the air takes on that electric crispness, we hear again that old phrase: “The veil is thin.” Whether one takes that literally or metaphorically, there’s something about Halloween that makes the invisible visible. The past brushes up against the present, and we glimpse the ghost of who we were—or might yet be.

Amid the candy and costumes, Halloween reminds us that mystery still exists in the margins of our overlit lives. Maybe the veil isn’t between the living and the dead at all, but between the ordinary and the extraordinary, waiting for us to peek through.

Cammy Blake
Petaluma

Deciding to Fight, Dems Deliver with Prop 50

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The 2025 election will be the first time I’ll be able to vote. As a newly-turned 18 year old, as well as someone with an openly political family, I’m excited to vote and to finally be able to have a say in a country I’ve been living in my whole life. 

Another reason I’m so excited to be able to vote in this upcoming election is because of the controversial measure on the ballot this year: Proposition 50.

I can say with certainty that I will be voting “yes.” Even though I don’t always agree with my democratic representatives’ choices, or sometimes their lack thereof, I view supporting Prop 50 as something necessary. In a political climate that is increasingly polarizing and extreme, Prop 50 is a chance for Democrats to finally fight fire with fire. 

Over my entire life, I’ve seen Republicans make major political and morally-gray decisions, and Democrats always trying to uphold a moral high ground. From the Supreme Court to the filibuster, only one party has been making these decisions, and gaining political power from them. I think that the Democrats’ standing back goes against the platforms they ran on, and doesn’t accomplish anything. While they can claim that they are the “fair,” the “just” and the “better” party, their actions only succeed in letting Republicans have their way. They are not considering the voters their lack of action might impact. 

I think Prop 50 may be the first time the Democrats are deciding to fight, and to compromise their morals rather than step back and let the Republicans take control. While I don’t support gerrymandering, I believe Prop 50 is necessary to fight back and equalize the playing field for both parties. It would return the representation back to the baseline, and would tell other states that California is willing to do what it takes, even if that means doing something morally gray. I don’t think that elections can ever be fair if both parties don’t play by the same rules, and follow the same protocols. 

The equalization of representation that Prop 50 will achieve is the first step in that direction.

Simone Dayton is a high school student in Marin County and an intern at the ‘Pacific Sun.’ 

Free Will Astrology: Week of Oct. 15

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): Life is tempting you to tiptoe to the brink of the threshold of the rawest truth, the wildest beauty and the most precious love. Your ancestors are conspiring with your guardian angels to lure you into the secret heart of the inner sanctum of spiritual truth. I am totally sincere and serious. You now have a momentous opportunity—a thrilling opening to commune with subtle powers that could provide you with profound guidance.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In the forests of America’s Pacific Northwest, “nurse logs” lie fallen but fertile. These dead trees host seedlings, mosses and new saplings that rise from their decaying trunks. I regard this as a powerful metaphor for you, Taurus. Something old in you is crumbling, like outdated beliefs, outmoded duties or obsolete loyalties. Part of you may want to either grieve or ignore the shift. And yet I assure you that fresh green vitality is sprouting from that seemingly defunct thing. What new possibility is emerging from what was supposed to end? Resurrection is at hand.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): A deeper, wilder, smarter version of love is beckoning you from the horizon. Are you ready to head in its direction? I’m not sure you are. You may semi-consciously believe you already know what love is all about, and are therefore closed to learning more. It’s also possible that your past romantic wounds have made you timid about exploring unfamiliar terrain. Here’s my assessment: If you hope to get exposed to the sweeter, less predictable kinds of intimacy, you will have to drop some (not all) of your excessive protections and defenses. P.S.: At least one of your fears may be rooted in faulty logic.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Princess Diana transformed the British monarchy because she insisted that royal duty should include genuine emotional connection. Her generosity wasn’t merely ceremonial but was expressed through hands-on charity work. She had close contact with youth who had nowhere to live. She walked through minefields as part of her efforts to rid the planet of that scourge. She hugged people with AIDS at a time when many others feared such contact. “Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward,” she said. Her ability to maintain grace while remaining emotionally authentic reflected a genius for blending strength with sensitivity. Can you guess her astrological sign? Cancerian, of course. Now is a perfect time for you to draw inspiration from her example. Express your wisely nurturing energy to the max.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Certain African lions in Kenya have no manes. Scientists theorize it’s an adaptation to heat or a reflection of extra aggressive hunting strategies. But symbolically, it challenges expectations: Is royalty still royalty without the crown? I bring this to your attention, Leo, because I suspect you will soon be asked to explore your power without its usual accouterments. Can you properly wield your influence if you don’t unleash your signature roar and dazzle? Will quiet confidence or understated presence be sufficiently magnetic? Might you radiate even more potency by refining your fire? I think so. You can summon strength in subtlety and majesty in minimalism.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): During the next nine months, you will face a poignant and potentially inspiring choice: whether to wrangle with an endless tangle of mundane struggles, or else to expand your vision to the bigger picture and devote your energy intensely to serving your interesting, long-term dreams. I hope you choose the latter option. For best results, get clear about your personal definition of success, in contrast to the superficial definitions that have been foisted on you by your culture. Can you visualize yourself years from now, looking back on your life’s greatest victories? You’re primed to enter a new phase of that glorious work, rededicating yourself with precise intentions and vigorous vows.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I’m pleased to inform you that the coming weeks will be an excellent time to make a big wish upon a bright star. But I must also tell you how important it is to be clear and exact. Even a slight error in formulating your wish could result in only a partial fulfillment. And aiming your plea at the wrong star could cause a long delay. Sorry I have to be so complicated, dear Libra. The fact is, though, it’s not always easy to know precisely what you yearn for and to ask the correct source to help you get it. But here’s the good news: You are currently in a phase when you’re far more likely than usual to make all the right moves.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): During World War II, Scorpio actor and inventor Hedy Lamarr developed frequency-hopping technology to prevent enemies from jamming torpedo guidance systems. Her solution rapidly switched radio frequencies in hard-to-intercept patterns. The technology was so advanced that no one could figure out how to fully adopt it until years later. Engineers eventually realized that Lamarr’s invention was essential for WiFi, GPS and cell phone networks. In the coming weeks, Scorpio, you, too, have the potential to generate ideas that might not be ready for prime time but could ultimately prove valuable. Trust your instincts about future needs. Your visionary solutions are laying the groundwork for contributions that won’t fully ripen for a while.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I guarantee you won’t experience a meltdown, crack-up or nervous collapse in the coming weeks, Sagittarius. What unfolds may bring a similar intensity, but in the opposite direction: a personal breakthrough, a cavalcade of illumination or a surge of awakening. I urge you to be alert and receptive for relaxing flurries of sweet clarity, streams of insights that rouse a liberating integration or a confluence of welcome transformations that lead you to unexpected healing. Can you handle so many blessings? I think you can. But you may have to expand your expectations to welcome them all.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In 1959, a Swedish engineer named Nils Bohlin designed the three-point seatbelt, revolutionizing car safety. Working for Volvo, he insisted the design must be made freely available to all car manufacturers. Bohlin understood that saving lives was more important than hoarding credit or profit. Capricorn, your assignment now is to give generously without fussing about who gets the applause. A solution, insight or creation of yours could benefit many if you share it without reservation. Your best reward will be observing the beneficial ripple effects, not holding the patent.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Your exploratory adventures out on the frontiers have been interesting and mostly successful, Aquarius. Congrats. I love how you have avoided tormenting yourself with self-doubt and roused more boldness than you’ve summoned in a long time. You have managed to ignore useless and superstitious fears even as you have wisely heeded the clues offered by one particular fear that was worth considering. Please continue this good work. You can keep riding this productive groove for a while longer.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In Korean tradition, mudangs are shamans who endure a personal crisis or illness and emerge with supernatural powers. They perform rituals to seek the favor of spirits. They heal the ancestral causes of misfortune and ensure good fortune, prosperity and well-being for the people they serve. I don’t mean to imply you’re following a similar path, Pisces. But I do think your recent discomforts have been like an apprenticeship that has given you enhanced capacity to help others. How will you wield your power to bless and heal?

Discovery to Destiny: Vinarosa’s Chef Sergio Howland

Executive Chef Sergio Howland leads the kitchen at newly revitalized Vinarosa Resort & Spa in Santa Rosa. He grew up in Mexico City, lucky to know at 10 what he was destined to do. Upon immersion in a set of Discovery Channel videos, “Great Chefs, Great Cities,” he recreated each dish from the show for his family. 

At 18, firmly set upon a culinary life path, he enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York, launching him into an international career guided by some of the world’s best chefs. That global expertise shines through the truly farm-to-table menu at John Ash, including impressive housemade breads; Howland’s passion for sourdough baking shows off well.

Amber Turpin: How did you get into this work?

Sergio Howland: I’ve been cooking professionally for more than 25 years, a career that has taken me from New York to Colorado, Florida, Barcelona and Mexico. I feel fortunate to have traveled so widely while refining my craft. Along the way, I developed a deep passion for wine, which makes my current role especially meaningful. When the opportunity arose to move to the Russian River Valley and lead the culinary program at Vinarosa, I didn’t hesitate.

Did you ever have an ‘aha’ moment with a certain beverage? If so, tell us about it.

Back in culinary school, my very first wine class hooked me completely. I remember diving into the subject, eager to learn as much as I could about this incredible world. My true ‘aha’ moment came with a glass of Barolo from Piedmont. The aromas, the complexity, the layers of flavor—everything about that wine was captivating. From that moment on, I knew wine would be more than just an interest; it would become a lifelong passion.

What is your favorite thing to drink at home?

Usually when I get home, my wife and I cook dinner. We usually have a glass of white wine while cooking and then a glass of red for dinner. We don’t really drink hard liquor. We stick to local craft beer and wine.

Where do you like to go out for a drink?

I love to visit wineries and taste what they are doing. Yesterday on my day off, we visited Bacigalupi. I also like to visit Cooperage and Russian River breweries.

If you were stuck on a desert island, what would you want to be drinking (besides fresh water)?

If I’m stuck on a deserted island, I’d probably be grilling fish or making ceviche, so a crisp white wine would be my go-to. Something bright and refreshing, like an Albariño or a Sancerre—perfect with all that seafood. Of course, I’d hope I washed up with a corkscrew too… Otherwise, it could get tricky.

Vinarosa Resort & Spa, 4350 Barnes Rd., Santa Rosa, 707.575.7350. vinarosaresort.com.

Critter Carnival, a Paws-itively Perfect Day in Sonoma

It’s that time of year again when Sonoma’s most adorable citizens take center stage—some furry, some feathered, all indubitably fabulous. 

Pets Lifeline’s Critter Carnival returns Saturday, Oct. 18, from 11am to 2pm at the organization’s state-of-the-art shelter on 8th Street East in Sonoma, promising a free, family-friendly day of music, games and good vibes—all in the service of our four-legged (and occasionally winged) friends.

“The Critter Carnival is a celebration of community and compassion,” says Mary Serafini, events coordinator at Pets Lifeline. “It’s a day where families, friends and animal lovers can come together to enjoy fall festivities, connect with our mission and just have fun.”

And fun is indeed the order of the day. Think live music by Curley & Curlier, Aunt Betty’s famous corn dogs, pumpkin and face painting by Mama Mary, gelato from Fiorello’s and enough cotton candy to make a raccoon reconsider its diet. The carnival will also feature classic games courtesy of Sonoma Party Rentals, plus a raffle for a basket of local goodies—a collection of community-made treats and treasures fit for both humans and their loyal companions.

When I spoke with Serafini recently, the affection she and her team have for the animals—and the community—was palpable. “We’re not just going to have dogs and cats here,” she says. “We actually might even have birds. We hate to narrow it down—our day-to-day is focused on cats and dogs and their welfare, but we’ve invited some folks to bring other critters too.”

Among them is a local bird enthusiast who strolls around with parrots and parakeets perched on his shoulders, delighting children and charming the crowd. Serafini notes with a laugh, “Everyone will be separate in their own little zone—dogs, cats and birds alike.”

Upstairs in the shelter, the cats enjoy what she calls their “private loft,” lounging in individual rooms with access to an outdoor catio—essentially a screened-in terrace for safe feline sunbathing. “Some of the cats can go outside and hang out in the outdoor air and view the public from atop,” she says.

The Critter Carnival isn’t a fundraiser, Serafini emphasizes. It’s a community open house—an invitation for locals to meet adoptable pets and maybe, just maybe, fall in love. “It’s the season for people to nest a little bit,” she says. “No better way than to have a furry creature to come home with and nest at home for the holidays and the fall season.”

A quick scan of the Pets Lifeline website confirms that falling in love is practically guaranteed. There’s Cloudy, a cat currently in foster care who’s “really playful and fun,” says Serafini, and a host of dogs—some photographed in full fall regalia, including one named Jackson Browne in a Superman costume. The team just rescued 11 new dogs from Contra Costa County shelters, who will soon be up for adoption and ready to meet their new families at the event.

Pets Lifeline has been part of the Sonoma landscape since the early 1980s, founded by a handful of determined locals who began rescuing animals long before there was an official shelter. Their once-humble operation has since evolved into a state-of-the-art facility, completed in 2021, surrounded by pollinator-friendly gardens and built to provide comfort for both animals and the humans who care for them.

Whether one comes for the corn dogs, the kittens or the raw energy of Curley & Curlier, the Critter Carnival is the ticket to feel-good fall fun. Meow.

Pets Lifeline Critter Carnival, 11am–2pm, Saturday, Oct. 18, 19686 8th St. East, Sonoma. Free and open to the public. petslifeline.org/critter-carnival.

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Pets Lifeline’s Critter Carnival returns Saturday, Oct. 18, from 11am to 2pm at the organization’s state-of-the-art shelter on 8th Street East in Sonoma.
It’s that time of year again when Sonoma’s most adorable citizens take center stage—some furry, some feathered, all indubitably fabulous.  Pets Lifeline’s Critter Carnival returns Saturday, Oct. 18, from 11am to 2pm at the organization’s state-of-the-art shelter on 8th Street East in Sonoma, promising a free, family-friendly day of music, games and good vibes—all in the service of our four-legged...
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