Summertime and the Living is Easy

-
0
Summertime and the Living is Easy

It is easy to be negative or even snarky about having fun these days, given the current political and world climate that has somehow managed to ooze down onto all of us here in chill, progressive Northern California. 

And it almost feels challenging to have fun with so much sadness and idiocy around every corner. Alas, what else do we have? Plus, we’re incredibly lucky to live in a vibrant and, perhaps more importantly, temperate area where summertime allows for some outdoor fun.

It would be nearly impossible to name all the events happening in and around Sonoma County this summer, but here are a few to get one started on enjoying the next few months. After all … it may be the last. See, there we go again.

Sonoma Botanical Garden’s Sunday Funday series returns this summer, kicking off Sunday, June 22 and then picking back up Sunday, July 13 and finally, Sunday, Aug. 10. Packed with fun for all ages, this year’s events will also celebrate the stunning new exhibit, Winged Wonders, featuring larger-than-life bamboo birds hidden throughout the garden.

As if that weren’t enough, one can enjoy live bird presentations by The Bird Rescue Center of Sonoma County, guided family birding walks, face painting and crafts with Art Escape’s Art Van Gogh, Family yoga with Sonoma Yoga, lawn games and more festival favorites. Free with admission (members enjoy free entry).

Santa Rosa’s Summer on the Square is back again. And if one hasn’t checked out how this event rolls (and rocks), it’s time they did. Santa Rosa Metro Chamber’s popular series of free, family-friendly events hits Courthouse Square all summer long, filling downtown with live music, outdoor movies and vibrant cultural celebrations.

The fun begins Friday, June 20 with a Country Summer Preview Concert—featuring local stars Dustin Saylor and Nicole Marden. This event is presented in partnership with Country Summer Music Festival. Then, Friday, July 18 brings a special treat as KRSH 95.9 puts on their first Backyard Concert on the Road. This event will feature venerable locals The Sorentinos and upstarts Pardon the Interruption.

Throughout the summer, every Monday and select Fridays through June and July, families can enjoy a lively mix of live concerts showcasing homegrown talent, community movie nights under the stars and family-friendly festivities for all ages. All in the heart of Santa Rosa.

Speaking of KRSH, the beloved radio station’s backyard concert series has a solid lineup set for their free Thursday night shows, as this new season brings an electrifying mix of rising talent and beloved favorites to the outdoor backyard series. Kicking things off is local up-and-comer Bella Rayne and Friends playing the music of JGB and Grateful Dead with local teen sensations Gas Money setting the stage. 

The excitement continues with San Francisco legends Lydia Pense & Cold Blood, preceded by the crowd-pleasing sounds of Marshall House Project to get the crowd warmed up. This carefully curated lineup promises unforgettable performances under the stars, blending fresh energy with timeless appeal. There’s also food and drink available at every show. 

Other KRSH backyard shows include Wreckless Strangers, Rockabilly Roadhouse with Big Dave presents: Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys plus Jinx Jones & The KingTones and a Sonoma County Super Jam featuring the Pulsators and All-Star Special Guests: Volker Strifler, Spike Sikes, Sebastian St. James, Andre DeChannes, Ellie James, Danny Sorentino, Anna Jae, Kevin Mulligan, hosted by Johnny Campbell.

Even in more certain times, few things lift the spirit like gathering with good company and savoring the endless bounty our area provides. And that’s exactly what Sebastopol’s 52nd Annual Gravenstein Apple Fair delivers—a joyful celebration of community, flavor and tradition. One may want to mark those calendars for Aug. 9–10, when the fair returns at the perfect moment: peak Gravenstein apple season. Set in the picturesque Ragle Ranch Regional Park in Sebastopol, this beloved event brings together farm-fresh flavors and local food, live music to lift spirits and good vibes for all ages.

OK, so maybe all this outdoor, daytime fun sounds cool. But some like the nighttime events a little more. Fair enough. Sonoma County’s nonprofit film hub, True West Film Center, has revealed the lineup for its 2025 Movies Under the Stars outdoor film series. Running June 6 through Oct. 25, the six-event series will bring free, family-friendly screenings under the open sky at venues in Cloverdale and Healdsburg. 

This year, True West has really done a good job mixing in family fare with films that appeal to an older crowd. Disney/Pixar’s Elemental screens on June 6 in the Healdsburg Plaza. And that crazy Bruce the Shark celebrates the Big 5-0 this year with a screening of Jaws on July 13 at the Cloverdale Airport, where no bodies of water are around to add to the thrills. All films begin at dusk, and tickets are not required. Audiences are welcome on a first come, first served basis.

One of the neatest pop-up events in Petaluma has become a local jazz tradition. Live and free every Sunday from 1 to 3:30pm, the Chuck Sher Quartet brings together world-class musicians from the Bay Area, New York City and beyond for unforgettable performances in Putnam Plaza Park (next to the Speakeasy). Since its debut in 2020, this weekly gathering has become a must-experience event for jazz lovers and casual listeners alike. One may pull up a seat, soak in the vibrant downtown atmosphere and enjoy some of the finest jazz performances around—no cover, just pure musical magic.

Another, more long-standing musical event is the vibrant Cotati Accordion Festival. For 33 years, this fest has brought together accordion lovers of all ages and cultures for two unforgettable days of music and merriment. This year’s event takes place Aug. 16 and 17 at La Plaza Park in Cotati. Typically featuring around 30 accordion acts—from world-class soloists to zany bands—there’s also all kinds of vendors, unique crafts, delicious eats and general accordion conviviality.

Right down the road from downtown Cotati, one can check out the annual Green Music Center Summer Series. The lineup recently dropped and, per usual, there’s a little something for everyone. Located inside and outside of Sonoma State’s gorgeous Weill Hall, a few highlights include “Weird Al” Yankovic, Pink Martini, Tower of Power, Rhiannon Giddens, a 4th of July fireworks show featuring the Santa Rosa Symphony accompanied by Transcendence Theatre Company and a whole bunch more.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Windsor’s popular and fun summer staple, Summer Nights on the Green, which is back for its 23rd edition starting May 29 and running through Aug. 28. The Thursday night event ties in with the Windsor Farmers’ Market, along with food vendors, farm fresh produce and family lawn games. There’s also a solid music lineup featuring Fleetwood Macrame, Pop Rocks, Pride and Joy, David Martin’s House Party and many more.

Sure, we’re leaning into a lot of live music here. But maybe one is looking for a way to enjoy nature. Would surrounding oneself in the lovely smell of lavender also be a motivator? Then one may choose to immerse themself in the sights, scents and serenity of the lavender fields at Santa Rosa’s Lavender Bloom Fest at Bees ’n’ Blooms Farm starting May 24 and running through July 13 from 10am-4pm. 

At the fest, they may stroll through the fragrant Lavender Labyrinth, explore the vibrant Flower and Butterfly Gardens and visit the intriguingly named Poultry Palace. And they may bring a picnic to enjoy amid the blooming fields, then browse their Farm Stand for fresh lavender bundles, handmade bath and body products, local honey, essential oils and other farm-fresh treasures. Admission is $15 per person, with children 12 and under free when accompanied by an adult.

As if roaming fields of lavender weren’t uplifting enough, how about the chance to experience the magic of Transcendence Theatre Company’s Broadway Under the Stars? If one hasn’t done so, then why wait? This is a truly world-class event that begins with a Wine Country picnic featuring gourmet fare and local wines. As twilight falls, the excitement builds toward a spectacular performance by world-class talent from Broadway, Hollywood and beyond, all set against the breathtaking backdrop of Sonoma’s Field of Dreams, just steps from Sonoma Plaza.

This season, acts include Broadway’s Best Night Ever, which features song and dance from the greatest hits of musical theater, showcasing music from dozens of Broadway shows, with talent from Broadway brought to Sonoma. There will also be a performance of Beautiful—The Carole King Musical, featuring Sarah Bockel, who played King on Broadway and across North America and then, later, Ladies of Broadway, which is billed as “a celebration of dreams, stories, and the magic of live theater. Featuring beloved Broadway performers, inspired by the legends of musical theater.”

Again, these are but a few picks we have for summer fun. And one can be sure the Bohemian will be bringing even more event ideas throughout the summer.

Raven Goes Retro With ‘Home, I’m Darling,’ Mixing Nostalgia with Delusion

-
0
Raven Goes Retro With ‘Home, I’m Darling,’ Mixing Nostalgia with Delusion

An interesting but uneven story about the intricacies of obsession is the Raven Players’ latest offering, Home, I’m Darling. The Caroline Clark-directed show runs through May 25 at the Raven Performing Arts Theater in Healdsburg.

Playwright Laura Wade’s Home considers what happens to a contemporary young married couple when they embark on a lifestyle change that revolves around immersion into the world of 1950s Britain. 

Will Judy and Johnny (Heather Berger and Christopher Johnston) lose societal respectability and a precious job opportunity in favor of wearing vintage clothes and driving a vintage car, all while running an expensive vintage refrigerator? Will the gloss and maintenance of such a specific life lead to a marriage in ruins? Keep calm and … it’s all neatly tied up at the end.

The “why” of this arrangement is loosely explained by Judy and also hinted at in her Daddy complex. But not much else is explored, and the characters don’t get any deeper as the story unfolds. Not even a powerful monologue by Judy’s incredulous mother (played with funny harshness by Mary DeLorenzo) about the downfalls of relishing life in an austerity soaked, coal-dominated post-war England can muster much of a reaction from Judy.

I sincerely hope the ensemble will find their stride and timing once they’re deeper into the run, because it’s apparent that they’re all trying very hard to bring energy to a production that is hampered by glacial pacing and awkward staging. The weight of the dramatic material is often diminished by musical scene changes that, while charming at first, overstay their welcome.

I was imagining this play to be a darker, dystopian tale, where things go wildly off the rails. But, despite the compelling Art Deco setting (superbly done by designer Ron Nash), and the gorgeous costumes (by Jeanine Gray), the world that playwright Wade has Judy and Johnny existing in is all surface-level. 

Berger has compelling moments and tries hard to carry this story, but too much of the focus that should be on her is lost by poor blocking choices. And she and Johnston don’t get enough time to explore their deeper connection.

Still, it is always worthwhile to support local theater, and check out new works that swing for the fences.

‘Home, I’m Darling’ runs through May 25 at the Raven Performing Arts Theater, 115 North St., Healdsburg. Thu-Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 2pm. $10-$25. 707.433.6335. raventheater.org.

Lonely Nation, Artists Needed Now More than Ever

-
1
Lonely Nation, Artists Needed Now More than Ever

Throughout history, Americans have turned adversity into action, transforming injustice into powerful movements for change. 

When faced with segregation, we built a civil rights movement. When faced with environmental destruction, we built an environmental justice movement. 

Today, in the face of an epidemic of disconnection and loneliness, what movement will rise to meet this moment? Who is leading the work of bringing us back to one another? It is the musicians, the muralists, the actors—the artists. Artists are not just responding to this crisis; they are leading us through it, quietly stitching society back together through beauty, music and shared experience.

When I look at the fractured state of our world, I notice where connection still thrives. Where else can you find a Catholic businessperson, a Jewish teacher, an interracial gay couple, sober and drinking folks and a Gen Z influencer all together? A music festival. A movie. A gallery. The dance floor. A poetry slam. Arts experiences remain one of the few truly democratized spaces where our diverse identities are free to gather and are celebrated as essential to the experience.

How did we get here? We’re living in a world shaped by generations who chose individual success over collective wellbeing, business profit over humanity and technological convenience over true community. And we feel it everywhere: in the silence of our grocery store lines, in the disappearance of casual “water cooler chat” at work and even in the lack of vulnerability in conversations of our closest circles. 

Believe me, this isn’t just random folks feeling awkward—these are symptoms felt by all of us. The deeper disease is showing up in the mental health crises among our students and communities, the collapse of trust within our public institutions and our collective soul’s aching for belonging that we can no longer ignore.

In Sonoma County, YouthTruth found 40% of teens describe themselves as “chronically lonely.” More than half of California’s young adults report feeling isolated. The U.S. Surgeon General’s 2023 Advisory says loneliness increases the risk of premature death by 29%—about the same as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Isolation doesn’t just harm us as individuals; it corrodes democracy, empathy and the very idea of community itself. 

The antidote to loneliness is community. The antidote to division is shared experience. Artists, and the spaces we create, are the vital infrastructure for this social cohesion movement. If connection is the cure, then how are we investing in the people and spaces weaving us back into one another?

This is the first in a series called “Arts as … Connection. Healing. Beauty.” that will identify where one can help change the world. Healing isn’t a metaphor anymore; it’s a mandate. And the work starts now.

Nikko Kimzin is social impact producer and cultural strategist with Kimzin Creative, a Petaluma-based arts and equity consulting group. KimzinCreative.com.

Bottle-Free at Bottle Rock, Annual Fest Hits ‘Play’ on Non-Alcoholic Options 

-
2
Bottle-Free at Bottle Rock, Annual Fest Hits ‘Play’ on Non-Alcoholic Options 

In December of 2013, the day before my 22nd birthday, I decided to get sober. 

No need to get into the gritty details here, but it was a necessary, and messy, decision that came after a great deal of hemming and hawing. I realized that I could not live a manageable life if drugs and alcohol were involved, and that a drastic change was necessary. At the same time, given how young I was, it felt like in making this decision, I was effectively shutting the gates to ever having fun again. 

So much of how we, especially younger people, socially organize ourselves revolves around drinking. We drink at parties, concerts, bars and wine tastings. We go out to nice dinners and ask for recommendations on wine pairings. We meet up with friends and first dates for drinks to catch up or get to know each other. 

As a result, venues, restaurants and events tend to give the most attention to people who drink. They design extensive menus of craft beers, craft custom cocktails and advertise various flights of spirits to sample. While there are always non-alcoholic options, in 2013, they often felt like an afterthought. 

Given that it’s named Bottle Rock and is located in Napa, perhaps the most renowned global destination for wine, it is easy to deduce that the upcoming music festival, now entering its 13th year of existence, is friendly toward drinkers. The festival markets itself as a big-budget event with an epicurean spin. Along with huge music headliners, there is an extensive culinary and wine schedule, with a curated selection of wineries and cellars pouring at booths throughout the event. 

While this level of attention is expected for a major event in Wine Country, it is a welcome surprise to see that the festival has also built out a rather robust selection of non-alcoholic options and even given space to an event company dedicated to alcohol-free experiences on the festival grounds.

Charlie Krebs is a lifelong veteran of the food and wine industry in Northern California. Born and raised in Napa, he has worked as a bartender and beverage program developer across the county and has developed a tight-knit community with other members of the hospitality industry. During the Covid lockdowns, he found himself taking a hard look at his drinking and decided to go fully sober. While he doesn’t regret the decision one bit, he acknowledges the initial difficulty and social impact not drinking had in his line of work. 

“I experienced a divide from my community,” he says, “and that was really tough.” He encountered a similar sense of alienation, or lack of consideration, as I did when first getting sober. “I’ve felt alienated going to restaurants and festivals,” he reports. “I’d go, and all they’d have for me is a Sprite.” 

From this sense of alienation, coupled with a lifetime of professional experience, Krebs started Good Times Alc Free, a catering and events company dedicated to making sure folks who don’t drink aren’t stuck with Sprite when they go out. 

“I think it’s important no one feels like an afterthought,” he says. “We are dedicated to bringing an elevated experience to non-alcoholic orders.” Thanks to industry connections and his long standing reputation in local hospitality, Krebs was able to bring Good Times into Bottle Rock two years ago and has been invited back ever since.

“There are so many venues I go to where I have to order a soda water with a splash of cranberry juice and lime,” says Sativa Gonzales, “like they don’t have preset non-alcoholic options, so I have to make my own concoction.” 

Gonzales is a Napa resident who works in marketing and runs Sober In the Valley, a connections and event platform for sober people looking for community in the heart of Wine Country. “There is so much to be said about inclusivity in marketing,” she says, “and there is strength in numbers.” 

Sober In The Valley has been working hard in the area to partner with restaurants, bars and other event spaces to create non-alcoholic events, mocktail menus and beverage pairings in order to prove to local industry insiders that creating a more inclusive menu is good for business. 

“People are hesitant to work with us sometimes, but are always happy they did,” Gonzalez says. “It’s one thing if two or three people come in and order a mocktail, but it’s entirely different if 30 people do.” 

This story is obviously not occurring in isolation. Over the past five years, there has been a surge in the non-alcoholic beverage industry. Most major breweries have their own dedicated brand of NA beer. Fine-dining establishments have begun creating upscale mocktails. Trends like Dry January are becoming more popular for people beginning to interrogate their relationships with alcohol. In the process of preparing for Bottle Rock this year, Krebs reports he’s even been able to open a NA bottle shop in Napa. 

Addiction has often been called a disease of isolation, but getting sober can be lonely too. It was tough enough to go to concerts in early sobriety without drinking. But to then be relegated to a selection of what were essentially mixers for beverage options served to increase a deepening sense of division between me and the world of entertainment. That is just to say, a little goes a long way as far as inclusivity is concerned. 

To go to a festival like Bottle Rock and see that someone put thought and attention into NA drink options creates a sense of belonging. To be able to go somewhere on the grounds where it’s possible to meet other folks who, for one reason or the other, aren’t drinking either creates an opportunity for connection and community. As the work and successes of Krebs and Gonzales show, this sort of attitude is good for business as well. 

I’m looking forward to going to Bottle Rock and trying some fancy mocktails. Krebs and Gonzalez will be there too. Gonzales says she may even try to organize a small mixer at the Good Times booth for sober attendees to come and mingle. Maybe I’ll see you there. Cheers.

Into the Light: Author Samantha Rose’s ‘Giving Up the Ghost’ Event at OCA

-
2
Into the Light: Author Samantha Rose’s ‘Giving Up the Ghost’ Event at OCA

Grief leaves its mark in silence, in questions, and sometimes—in stories. 

When Susan Swartz died by suicide in 2020, the columnist’s daughter, bestselling ghostwriter Samantha Rose, began writing through the pain. The result is Giving Up the Ghost: A Daughter’s Memoir, a book released earlier this year—the fifth anniversary of Swartz’s death.

This Sunday, Rose brings the book to Occidental Center for the Arts for an afternoon of readings and conversation.

The book is a raw, unflinching examination of grief, identity and family legacy. It’s also Rose’s first book under her own name after penning 17 for others as a ghostwriter, which adds another wrinkle to how readers might perceive the memoir’s title.

“Giving Up the Ghost began as an exercise to better understand and untangle my mother’s irrevocable choice,” she says. “But as I got deeper into the writing, truths about my own life began to emerge—most notably, that I’d become a ghost in my own life, professionally and personally, and that writing my story was a deliberate step out of the shadows. It challenged me to become visible and use my voice in a way I hadn’t in years.”

That act of stepping into the light—professionally, emotionally and creatively—is central to Giving Up the Ghost. For years, Rose has worked behind the scenes, ghostwriting bestsellers for others, with clients whose names regularly appeared on bestseller lists and in glossy magazines. This time, the story was hers.

“There’s a greater sense of creative freedom in telling your own story (one can say whatever they want), but it’s much more vulnerable and messy,” she explains. “I understood pretty quickly that I wasn’t only exploring my mother’s suicide; I was channeling my grief onto the page. It was important to me to capture my emotional honesty, in its raw and conflicting form, which meant writing without holding back. Because I’m a much more disciplined ghostwriter, I had to trust a more intuitive process—and know that I could edit myself later.”

The result is a memoir that often reads like it’s unfolding in real time. 

“Giving Up the Ghost was published nearly five years to the day of my mother’s death, but I started writing about it in real time, as it was all happening in 2020,” Rose says. “I think this is why readers tell me they feel the visceral shock, rage and regret alongside me. Much of the dialogue wasn’t reconstructed, either; I wrote it as I heard it in conversation with my son, my sisters and my grief counselor. In that way, the structure of the story was created naturally.”

For readers who knew Susan Swartz through her local column and activism, Giving Up the Ghost also offers a personal and nuanced view of a woman many appreciated from afar. 

“I admired her and was so proud of her influential career,” Rose says. “When I became a journalist, I continued to regard her as ‘the writer’ in the family, and me as the ghost. As I explore our mother-daughter dynamic in the book, I come to understand that I have a bigger role to play, and Mom encourages me in one of our dream sequence dialogues when she says, ‘I’m the ghost now. It’s time for me to step aside and for you to step forward.’”

The memoir is candid not only about loss, but about what follows: the reckoning, the remembering, the silence that suicide can leave in its wake. 

“I hope it inspires people to tell the truth, to share the scary thing out loud,” Rose says. “For a variety of reasons I explore in the book, my mother didn’t seek the preventative care that may have helped her because she was resistant to engage in an honest conversation about her mental health. I feel that it is my responsibility, given how she suffered, to create an opening to talk about suicide and to remind people that asking for help may be the single act that saves a life.”

The North Bay community has responded with an outpouring of support. 

“The response has been overwhelmingly positive,” she says. “Many people have told me that the book has finally allowed them to heal. Others have said it’s helped them better understand my mother and the complexities of suicide. Some of my favorite notes have been from people who didn’t know my mom and who have reached out to say—thank you for introducing me to Susan.”

Rose, who studied journalism at San Francisco State University and mass communication at Sonoma State University, is also the principal of Yellow Sky Media, a boutique editorial agency in Petaluma. Still, Giving Up the Ghost pushed her beyond any deadline she’d known. 

“I treated this project like all others in terms of practice—I wrote every day for nearly eight months and kept myself on a strict deadline,” she says. “That said, the narrative took many surprising turns along the way, specifically in the second part of the book when I start ghostwriting the ghost of my dead mother by initiating conversations between this world and the next. This channeled writing process provided many aha and insightful moments I hadn’t seen coming, and that eventually helped me to move forward with my life.”

That forward motion continues this weekend—the OCA event falls on Memorial Day, apropos for a book that, in part, explores how we hold the memories of those we’ve lost. 

“I hope it reminds people to remember my mother’s life more than her death,” Rose says. “Her ending was tragic, but it was just one moment, and the 76 years leading up to it were filled with many moments marked by curiosity, great humor and wit, and a deep belief in the power of beauty, fairness and friendship. She would want that to be her legacy.”

Giving Up the Ghost: A Daughter’s Memoir—Reading & Conversation with Samantha Rose goes from 3-5pm, Sunday, May 25, Occidental Center for the Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Way. Admission is free. Donations welcome. Book sales and signing to follow. For more info: occidentalcenterforthearts.org. More about the author at yellowskymedia.com and instagram.com/samantharose_writer.

Free Will Astrology: May 21-27

-
0
Free Will Astrology: May 21-27

ARIES (March 21-April 19): I think you’re ready to establish new ways of nourishing and protecting what’s valuable to you. Your natural assertiveness will be useful in setting boundaries and securing resources. Your flourishing intuition will guide you to implement adjustments that safeguard your interests while remaining flexible enough to permit legitimate access. Be extra alert, Aries, for when you need to balance security with accessibility. Your best defenses will come from clever design, not brute force. Do what you need to feel secure without feeling trapped.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In July 1971, 26-year-old Taurus poet Bernadette Mayer kept a scrupulous diary. Every day, she shot a roll of 35 mm film, wrote about the day’s events and recorded herself reading her accounts. By Aug. 1, she had accumulated 1,100 photos and six hours of readings. One of her goals in doing the project was to learn more about how her memory worked. What was worth remembering, and what wasn’t? She also hoped to gain an objective perspective about her routine rhythm. Years later, she acknowledged that though this was a narcissistic experiment, she had no shame about it. Inspired by Mayer, and in accordance with astrological omens, you might find it worthwhile to lovingly and thoroughly study the details of your daily life for a while. It’s an excellent time to get to know yourself better.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini writer Raymond Carver (1938-1988) established a reputation as a master of terse minimalism. One critic noted that he practiced the “Theory of Omission”—an approach to writing fiction that mandates the elimination of superfluous narrative elements. But it turns out that Carver’s editor, Gordon Lish, had a major role in all this. He deleted half of Carver’s original words and changed the endings of half his stories. Years after his death, Carver’s widow, Tess Gallagher, published the original versions, with the omitted material reinstated. I believe the coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to make comparable restorations, Gemini. In every way you can imagine, tell the full story, provide the complete rendition and offer elements that have been missing.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Even if you don’t regard yourself as a psychic or prophet, I suspect you now have an uncanny knack for deciphering future trends. Your intuition is operating at peak levels, especially when you focus it on the big picture of your long-term destiny. As long as you’re not overconfident about this temporary bloom of expansive vision, you can trust your ability to see the deep patterns running through your life story. To make the most of this gift, take a loving inventory of where you have been and where you are going. Then devote relaxed meditations to adjusting your master plan.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): River deltas form where rivers meet the sea, creating fertile and complex ecosystems that nourish abundant life. Some of my favorites are the Rhône River Delta in France, the Po River Delta in Italy and the Shinano River Delta in Japan. In the coming weeks, Leo, I will visualize you as the metaphorical equivalent of a river delta. I’ll call you the Leo Delta, trusting you will be inspired to celebrate and cultivate the rich intersections that characterize your life—areas where an array of ideas, paths and relationships converge. Be open to synergizing different aspects of your world: integrating emotions and logic, connecting with diverse people, blending personal and professional goals.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Your natural inclination is to solve problems through detailed planning and careful analysis. On occasion, that process dead-ends in overthinking, though it often works pretty well. In accordance with current astrological omens, however, I suggest an alternative approach for you in the coming weeks. Instead of trying to figure everything out, how about if you simply create a relaxed spaciousness for new things to emerge? Experiment with the hypothesis that progress will come not from doing more, but from allowing more.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): As they climb, mountaineers carefully assess every handhold and foothold. Unfailing concentration is key. I recommend adopting their attitude in the coming weeks, Libra. You are entering a phase when ascension and expansion will be among your main assignments. The best approach to your adventures is to make steady progress with precision and thoughtfulness. Rushing rashly ahead or taking needless risks could be counterproductive, so be scrupulous about planning and preparation. Trust that the most efficient path to the summit will be via small, deliberate steps. Your winning combination will be ambition leavened with caution.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): At age 42, Scorpio painter Georgia O’Keeffe left her busy New York art career and traveled to New Mexico for the first time. The landscape’s beauty overwhelmed her. She wandered around the desert for three months, creating no art at all. A few critics accused her of wasting time. She rejected their ignorant misunderstanding of her process, replying, “To see takes time. I had to learn the country first before it would let me paint it.” Her most iconic paintings emerged after this phase of pure observation. I’m recommending a similar period for you, dear Scorpio. While your instincts may tempt you toward a flurry of activity, I believe now is a time to wait and see; to pause and ponder; to muse and meditate.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): By the 20th century, the 483-mile-long Seine River in France was so polluted that most of its fish were gone. But clean-up efforts have been successful. Now there are 32 fish species, including the Atlantic salmon. The Seine is also very close to being completely safe for humans to swim in. I would love it if you were inspired by this success story to undertake a comparable project in your own life, Sagittarius. What would you most like to see revived and restored? Now is a good time to begin the effort.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Until she reached her 70s, Capricorn visual artist Louise Bourgeois was a peripheral figure in the art world, modestly respected but not acclaimed. Then New York’s Museum of Modern Art presented her work in a major show. In response, The New York Times reviewed her work, saying it was “charged with tenderness and violence, acceptance and defiance, ambivalence and conviction.” I bring this to your attention, Capricorn, because I suspect the coming months will also bring you recognition for labors of love you’ve been devoted to for a while—maybe not in the form of fame, but through an elevated appreciation by those whose opinion matters to you.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The name of the old Talking Heads album is Stop Making Sense. One of its many implications is that we periodically derive benefit and relief from being free of the pressure to sound reasonable and be consistent. According to my detailed, logical, in-depth analysis of your astrological omens, now is a perfect time to honor this counsel. I hope you will give yourself a sabbatical from being sensible, serious and overly sane. Instead, please consider a sustained pursuit of pure pleasure, fun foolishness and amazing amusement.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Be on high alert for fleeting intuitions that flow through your awareness. Really good ideas may rise up only briefly and only once, and you should be ready to catch them in the ripe moment before they fade away. Do you hear my urgency? Pay special attention to passing thoughts or sudden insights. They may contain more value than initially apparent. I will even speculate that seemingly ephemeral inspirations could become foundational elements in your future success. Document your hunches, even if they seem premature.

Homework: What meaningful message could you give to a person you hurt? Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

Open Mic: Say It Ain’t So, Ex-Prez Cover Up

-
1
Open Mic: Say It Ain’t So, Ex-Prez Cover Up

President Joe Biden’s recent disclosure of an aggressive, metastatic prostate cancer diagnosis has cast a somber shadow over the Democratic Party. 

The cancer, characterized by a high Gleason score of 9 and spread to his bones, is hormone-sensitive, offering some avenues for treatment. However, this revelation, coupled with the release of the book Original Sin by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, which alleges that Biden’s inner circle concealed signs of his cognitive decline during his presidency, has intensified scrutiny over the party’s leadership and transparency. 

As a liberal deeply invested in progressive politics, this moment is both heartbreaking and infuriating. Biden’s tenure brought significant achievements: economic resilience, strengthened democratic institutions and earnest efforts to address climate change. 

Yet, the apparent lack of foresight and contingency planning within the Democratic leadership is alarming. The party’s reluctance to acknowledge and address the aging of its leadership cadre has left it vulnerable, with no clear succession plan or fostering of emerging leaders. Even when we had Kamala Harris—a comparatively youthful 60—we missed the opportunity to ready her (and a campaign) four years ago.

The allegations presented in Original Sin—that Biden’s aides and family members may have obscured his declining health—are particularly troubling. If true, they suggest a prioritization of political expediency over transparency and the public’s right to informed leadership. This mirrors past criticisms of other administrations where health issues were downplayed, undermining public trust.

Moreover, the Democratic Party’s current predicament underscores a broader issue: the need for a dynamic and forward-looking leadership pipeline. The absence of prominent, younger voices ready to step into national leadership roles is a glaring deficiency. Progressive politics thrives on innovation, inclusivity and adaptability—qualities that must be reflected in its leadership.

In this critical juncture, the Democratic Party must undertake a candid assessment of its leadership strategies. This includes fostering transparency regarding the health and capabilities of its leaders, actively developing and promoting emerging talents and ensuring that the party’s future is not tethered to the legacy of a single individual. The stakes are too high, and the challenges too significant, for complacency.

Micah D. Mercer lives and loves in the North Bay.

Community Centered, Vanessa Rognlien of Sonoma

-
0
Community Centered, Vanessa Rognlien of Sonoma

Four sure weeks after Sonoma Trash Fashion 15 (the Bohemian’s April 15 cover story, “Trash into Treasure”; see link at end), I returned to Sonoma Community Center with a question on my mind.

I have long held the Sonoma Community Center to be an example-exemplar of a community venue fully realized in its potential. There aren’t enough venues—that’s damnably true. 

But the equally challenging problem is that most of the venues that are, are only half and quarter realized in their community-building potential (read it in their calendars; read it in their vibes).

The community at The Center is not only capable of mounting high spectacle like the trashion runway (organizing many hundreds of people and many thousands of volunteer hours), but they manage to pull it off within a homey atmosphere. 

On my first visit to the center, I saw children running in hand-stitched felt dance costumes, heard the muffled sounds of musical scales through woodwork and smelt Italian cooking (from a class) pouring forth its fragrance.

From the first, I wanted to make The Center a home. Because it is a home. Returning to The Center now, I had come to ask executive director Vanessa Rognlien how they do it. So we all can know. Community is what we need right now.

Passing a lively class printing paper with dead fish (and shrimp) pressed in Japanese ink, I found the office. To my surprise, I found Rognlien working in a windowless cubicle, cornered within an open plan office shared by all the senior staff.

She is a handsome woman of middle years. While having the cornerstone solidity of a leader, her manner is open, gracious and familiar. I liked her from the start. Her nonprofit background is in youth arts, and interestingly in jail deferment programs in the arts for juvenile offenders.

Cincinnatus Hibbard: Vanessa, in addition to its event calendar, The Center hosts a great many classes. Within those classes, what expressions of community do you see?

Vanessa Rognlien: To take just one example, a program that we are very proud of is the fiber arts happy hour that meets every Wednesday. People come, they can make a donation, they can bring food to share. They bring something to work on or Jill [Valavanis] can help find them something to work on.

And they are in community, crafting—making things together, talking and sharing, helping and supporting each other—building relationships. And if someone doesn’t show up, you can bet someone is on the phone calling: Where are you today; are you OK? It’s a cross-generational, diverse group of people in that room, younger people learning technique from older people, younger people sharing energy and new ideas.

Events, institutions like that used to hold community together. And we don’t have that as much anymore. It’s what we need.

I think the ideal community is modeled on the ideal family, which is multi-generational. Many local events are in effect age-segregated into young or old. I hear you have a great team running your programs. Tell me about your team.

We have an incredible team of people right now. And that allows us to have the strength in programs that we have. As director, I want people to pursue the things that they love, so I let them run with their passions.  It means that they will put in the time and effort needed to make a program grow to fruition. If they say, “The community needs this,” I trust them. We are flexible enough and nimble enough to make that happen.

Learn more: linktr.ee/sonomacommunitycenterLINKS.

Indie Again, James Hall of Patz & Hall Winery

-
0
Indie Again, James Hall of Patz & Hall Winery

It might be surprising to learn that a driving impetus behind Sonoma County wine venture Patz & Hall Winery bloomed in Santa Cruz in the late 1970s.

Founder and owner James Hall was a UCSC slug back then, and a sip of wine he took at the restaurant he worked in served as a lightbulb moment. Fast forward a few decades to 2024, when Hall reclaimed the label’s legacy by repurchasing the winery following eight years as part of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates’ corporate portfolio. 

Amber Turpin: How did you get into this work?

James Hall: I got interested in wine while working at restaurants during my college years. I noticed that folks that ordered wine seemed to enjoy their meals more. They definitely had more fun. That intrigued me, and led me to eventually attend UC Davis and study fermentation science.

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

Yes, a glass of 1978 Meursault Charmes that I got to taste when I was working at a restaurant in Santa Cruz. I tried it with my shift meal, and it absolutely blew me away. I didn’t realize wine could be that good. I went home and looked it up in Hugh Johnson’s World Atlas of Wine, which set me on the path of wine discovery that I’m still on.

What is your favorite thing to drink at home?

Wine. Often Patz & Hall, but I drink a lot of other things. In no particular order: Burgundy, Northern Italian, Bordeaux, Spanish reds, Champagne and German riesling. To be honest, I love the diversity of wines.

Where do you like to go out for a drink?

My favorite place, hands down, is called Folklore. It’s a newer place in downtown Napa. It’s a bar, wine shop, record store, restaurant and FM radio station. The wine scene is incredible; so many treats from the classics to the uncommon. The bar has the best cocktails in Napa. The owners are great, and I could spend all day there.

In Sonoma County, I’m a big fan of Russian River Brewery, as they have an incredible range of super well-made beers. Pliny the Elder is always in my fridge, but I love to go to the brewery and catch up with their Belgian-style ales, many aged in wine barrels. 

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

Grand Cru Burgundy and Hyde Vineyard Pinot Noir … and some vintage Champagne for when I was feeling lonely, as well as the occasional bottle of Château Haut-Brion Blanc when the fishing went well. Perhaps a bit of XO Cognac for Friday nights when the stars come out.Patz & Hall, 21200 8th St. E., Sonoma. 707.265.7700. patzhall.com.

Culture Crush, 5/21

-
0
Culture Crush, 5/21

Healdsburg

Bombay in the North Bay

Ready to be transported into a world of storytelling and conversation? If yes, then The 222 is the place to be when the internationally bestselling author, Alka Joshi, takes the stage to discuss her latest novel, Six Days in Bombay. Joshi is perhaps best known for the Jaipur Trilogy, which took the world by storm. Now, she’s bringing that global appeal, fame and storytelling mastery to our local venue, where one can attend a bestselling author talk right here in the North Bay. The evening includes a reading, an intimate conversation about her creative journey and time for audience Q&A.

Join Joshi and like-minded bookworms from the Sonoma community in the can’t-miss conversation on Saturday, June 7 at THE 222, located at 222 Healdsburg Ave. in Healdsburg.

Fairfax

From Tam to Taz

Fairfax is like the cool older sibling in Marin, or the auntie who comes to the holidays with outrageous outfits, opinions and gifts everyone loves (though the real gift is their presence alone). And in early June, it’s officially time to celebrate Fairfax culture with the Fairfax Festival and Ecofest … or should I say the Fairfax Faire? This event has everything from art to music to food to the real draw, the people who comprise the local community and make this iconic cultural hubbub into a living, breathing thing.

The Tazmanian Devils will perform in a free-to-attend concert at the Fairfax Festival from 1:30 to 2:40pm on Saturday, June 7 in downtown Fairfax. Visit tazmaniandevils.net to learn more.

Santa Rosa

Partay at the Library

You, me, a free-to-attend festival at the local library—sounds like fun, right? I thought so. So, now we all know about the upcoming Lectura Fest, a family-friendly festival that has everything from live performances to entertain guests all afternoon; face painting to get festive and transform into a tiger, lion or bear (oh my); photo booth to record that animalistic painted transformation; and hands on activities to dig into while we wait for the paint to dry. Oh, and of course, this festival will have food enough for a hungry, hungry face-painted hippo or two too.

The festival will take place from 1 to 4pm on Saturday, June 8 at the Central Santa Rosa Library.

Muir Beach

51 Years of BBQIt’s time to pack a cooler, call the carpool and get that tailgate into gear, because the 51st annual Muir Beach Volunteer Firefighters’ Barbecue is almost here. This family-friendly Marin tradition is full of all the best things in life, including food, wine, beer, live music and oh so much more joy and good cheer. This year’s BBQ is extra special, since the Muir Beach Volunteer Fire Department is all set to build a brand new firehouse on the Muir Beach Overlook. In other words, more resources for the firefighters who volunteer their time and energy to keep Marin safe from unexpected flames. As we head directly into fire season, now is a great time to show some appreciation to our firefighters.

The volunteer firefighter BBQ will take place on Sunday, May 25 over the Memorial Day weekend at Santos Meadow near Muir Beach and Muir Woods. Visit muirbeachfire.com for more info.

Summertime and the Living is Easy

It is easy to be negative or even snarky about having fun these days, given the current political and world climate that has somehow managed to ooze down onto all of us here in chill, progressive Northern California.  And it almost feels challenging to have fun with so much sadness and idiocy around every corner. Alas, what else do we...
Read more

Raven Goes Retro With ‘Home, I’m Darling,’ Mixing Nostalgia with Delusion

An interesting but uneven story about the intricacies of obsession is the Raven Players’ latest offering, Home, I’m Darling. The Caroline Clark-directed show runs through May 25 at the Raven Performing Arts Theater in Healdsburg. Playwright Laura Wade’s Home considers what happens to a contemporary young married couple when they embark on a lifestyle change that revolves around immersion into...
Read more

Lonely Nation, Artists Needed Now More than Ever

Throughout history, Americans have turned adversity into action, transforming injustice into powerful movements for change.  When faced with segregation, we built a civil rights movement. When faced with environmental destruction, we built an environmental justice movement.  Today, in the face of an epidemic of disconnection and loneliness, what movement will rise to meet this moment? Who is leading the work of...
Read more

Bottle-Free at Bottle Rock, Annual Fest Hits ‘Play’ on Non-Alcoholic Options 

In December of 2013, the day before my 22nd birthday, I decided to get sober.  No need to get into the gritty details here, but it was a necessary, and messy, decision that came after a great deal of hemming and hawing. I realized that I could not live a manageable life if drugs and alcohol were involved, and that...
Read more

Into the Light: Author Samantha Rose’s ‘Giving Up the Ghost’ Event at OCA

Grief leaves its mark in silence, in questions, and sometimes—in stories.  When Susan Swartz died by suicide in 2020, the columnist’s daughter, bestselling ghostwriter Samantha Rose, began writing through the pain. The result is Giving Up the Ghost: A Daughter’s Memoir, a book released earlier this year—the fifth anniversary of Swartz’s death. This Sunday, Rose brings the book to Occidental Center...
Read more

Free Will Astrology: May 21-27

ARIES (March 21-April 19): I think you’re ready to establish new ways of nourishing and protecting what’s valuable to you. Your natural assertiveness will be useful in setting boundaries and securing resources. Your flourishing intuition will guide you to implement adjustments that safeguard your interests while remaining flexible enough to permit legitimate access. Be extra alert, Aries, for when...
Read more

Open Mic: Say It Ain’t So, Ex-Prez Cover Up

President Joe Biden’s recent disclosure of an aggressive, metastatic prostate cancer diagnosis has cast a somber shadow over the Democratic Party.  The cancer, characterized by a high Gleason score of 9 and spread to his bones, is hormone-sensitive, offering some avenues for treatment. However, this revelation, coupled with the release of the book Original Sin by Jake Tapper and Alex...
Read more

Community Centered, Vanessa Rognlien of Sonoma

Four sure weeks after Sonoma Trash Fashion 15 (the Bohemian’s April 15 cover story, “Trash into Treasure”; see link at end), I returned to Sonoma Community Center with a question on my mind. I have long held the Sonoma Community Center to be an example-exemplar of a community venue fully realized in its potential. There aren’t enough venues—that’s damnably true.  But the...
Read more

Indie Again, James Hall of Patz & Hall Winery

It might be surprising to learn that a driving impetus behind Sonoma County wine venture Patz & Hall Winery bloomed in Santa Cruz in the late 1970s. Founder and owner James Hall was a UCSC slug back then, and a sip of wine he took at the restaurant he worked in served as a lightbulb moment. Fast forward a few...
Read more

Culture Crush, 5/21

Healdsburg Bombay in the North Bay Ready to be transported into a world of storytelling and conversation? If yes, then The 222 is the place to be when the internationally bestselling author, Alka Joshi, takes the stage to discuss her latest novel, Six Days in Bombay. Joshi is perhaps best known for the Jaipur Trilogy, which took the world by storm....
Read more
1...343536...1,000Page 35 of 1,000
11,084FansLike
4,446FollowersFollow
6,928FollowersFollow
north bay bohemian newspaper sonoma napa county logo
CURRENT ISSUE & ARCHIVES
East Bay Express cover
East Bay Express cover
CURRENT ISSUE & ARCHIVES
Newsletters Subscribe Advertise About Us Contact Us Letter to the Editor Press Release Obituaries Writing an Obituary Archives Find a Paper Distribute Bohemian Vote for Best Of Plaques & Banners
win free stuff
Features Local News News
Arts Books & Literature Crush Culture Movies Music Spotlight Theater
Astrology Look Media Opinion Letters To The Editor Open Mic Press Pass Rolling Papers
Dining Restaurants Small Bites
Readers' Picks 2025 Arts & Culture Beer, Wine & Spirits Beauty, Health & Wellness Cannabis Everyday Services Family & Pets Home Improvement Recreation Restaurants Romance Shopping
All Upcoming Events Today's Events Submit an Event Promote Your Event
weeklys california local media group logo

FOLLOW US

Copyright © Weeklys All rights reserved.

Our Publications

ADVERTISING Advertise Legal Submit an Obituary Legal NoticesFictitious Business Name (FBN) StatementsDoing Business As (DBA) NoticesTrustee Sale Notices

COMPANY INFO Job Opportunities Journalism Awards Privacy Policy Terms of Service

Support Local Journalism