A new flock has arrived in Petaluma, and while it doesn’t fly, it does catch the eye.
Artist Jonny Hirschmugl has completed three new murals along the Lynch Creek Trail, each commissioned by the City of Petaluma, and the result is a vivid, expressive infusion of nature into one of the town’s most trafficked greenways.
With a ribbon-cutting ceremony set for Wednesday, May 14 at 5:30pm, the public is invited to see Slough Birds up close—and maybe chat with the artist himself. “Half my job was chatting with any and most passersby,” Hirschmugl says. “I learned a lot from them, while not getting a whole lot done.”
Hirschmugl, a longtime Petaluma artist known for his unfiltered, physical approach to painting, brought his signature “drip” style to the trail project, adapting it to the outdoors in a way that blends spontaneity with specificity. “I try to keep it as loose and expressive as nature can be,” he says. “Although there is structure in everything, it’s hard to predict which way a branch will grow on a tree, or the line of paint I’m putting to a surface.”
Familiar elements in his work—birds, blossoms—take on new meaning in context. “Even though I tend to add blossoms on my murals, regardless of location, there actually is an old, 20-foot-tall, pink-blossomed magnolia tree right between the walls,” he says. “So, connection.”
That theme of connection carries through every response. “A lot of the people that use this trail live nearby,” Hirschmugl says. “And I’d like them to feel the imagery belongs here.”
Some of those images include corvids, a heron he named Kinokonik and a bird dubbed Ron. “The ol’ raven appears a lot here. Though crows or corvids can be included in describing the birds. A couple of waterfowls, too. A great blue heron named Kinokonik posed for a portrait. And one of the birds named Ron would sing me rhythmic incantations, to keep me tuned to my environment,” he says.
For an artist whose journey once included unsanctioned street art, working with the city now brings a touch of full-circle symmetry. “Um … you’ll have to speak to my lawyer on that. He’s on vacation right now,” Hirschmugl says. “But I’ll paint on anything, just as long as I can get away with it … I’ll also say, it’s nice to play in the sanctioned areas as I get older. I don’t have to constantly be looking over my shoulder. And as for the kids today, I hope they can see some connection with the possibilities of mark-making by a rehabilitated man.”
It’s a characteristically wry but sincere reflection—much like his guiding phrase, “Stay Calm,” which remains a constant presence in works that can be seen throughout Petaluma. “Stay Calm is always on my mind. It’s a part of everything I do,” he says.
“Nature can be both peaceful and hostile,” Hirschmugl notes. “One wall had bundles of 3-foot-tall stinging nettle brushed up against it. And the wall near the slough’s embankment had a sloshy clay ground, almost consistent enough to throw on a potter’s wheel. And if you put your full weight down, you’d risk your boots becoming an entombed part of the landscape.”
Still, Hirschmugl wants the work to speak for itself, up close, in the open air. “The stories our own eyes tell us are uniquely individual,” he says. “We share the similarities, but the deep stuff is different for everyone.”
The City of Petaluma hosts a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Jonny Hirschmugl’s new murals at 5:30pm, Wednesday, May 14, along Lynch Creek Trail. jonnyhirschmugl.com
There are many reasons to be obsessed with Petaluma—rolling hills, a haunted downtown, all the chickens—but my favorites are the ways it makes life better. Which explains why half of this list is edible.
Brutally Addictive Chocolate Croissants
Whenever I tell someone I live in Petaluma, the first thing out of my mouth usually involves croissants. That says a lot more about me than it does about Petaluma, but here we are. And we do have some good ones.
Most notably, from Della Fattoria. Does everyone already know this? Probably. They’re possibly the best chocolate croissants I’ve ever eaten and certainly the only croissants I’ve ever attempted to save for myself by performing experimental mind control on the people in line ahead of me when there’s only one chocolate croissant left. I’ve also heard expressions of dismay behind me when I’ve been the lucky soul to snag the last chocolate croissant on a Saturday morning. 143 Petaluma Blvd. N., dellafattoria.com.
Stellina Pronto also makes a lovely chocolate croissant, only it’s called a nutella cornetto and it’s an altogether different experience. It’s bigger, more dessert-y—one can almost get away with calling the chocolate croissant from Della’s a reasonable breakfast—and decorated with toasted hazelnuts. It was exactly what I needed on the Wednesday after Election Day when Della was closed and my existential dread required soothing. 23 Kentucky St., stellinapronto.com.
Side note about Stellina patrons: As I made my way out of the bakery on that fateful Wednesday morning, my massive nutella cornetto balanced in two hands, a man held the door for me and called me “ma’am.” On this particular day, when a woman had not gained entry to the White House and a man many women would refuse to be in the same room with did, there was something especially touching about being treated well. THAT’S RIGHT; RESPECT ME. And my powdered-sugar-dusted breakfast treat.
All the Refills One Could Ever Want
Ever open up an Amazon package and lift out lotion and laundry detergent, only to picture an image of Jeff Bezos’ smug face as he stands atop landfill piled with all the empty plastic bottles we’ve all personally tossed in? Or is that just me? I’m not trying to eco-shame anyone, because 1) rude and 2) whenever someone tries to shame me, I have to physically restrain my inner child from running off to do the exact opposite of whatever they just told me to do. Being able to easily refill all the stuff I use regularly is just something I’ve wanted for years, and I’m happy to have such a lovely option right downtown.
For those whose brain does something similar, may I suggest the Refill Mercantile? Customers can bring in their own reusable bottles, scrounge from the communal free offerings or purchase something nice to use over and over. They can fill them up with everything their household needs, from face wash to dish soap. The husband-and-wife team who owns it takes pains to find the healthiest versions available, often locally sourced.
When I dithered over shampoo because a combination of well water and my particular hair texture makes finding the right one basically impossible, they let me take home a week’s worth to try for free. I extended that free week to a month because I listened when Jonathan Van Ness said one should only wash their hair every other day, and then I took it way too far because, well, let’s just blame Covid. 6 Petaluma Blvd. N., refillmercantile.com.
Soothing the Crazy
We’re walking around in a trauma echo chamber these days, especially if we listen to the news or participate in social media. Those who succumb to road rage or find themselves in a fugue state scrolling a phone on the couch for hours at a time may find their nervous systems are in disarray.
For a long time I had no idea what chiropractors do—and, honestly, I’m still not entirely sure—but I do know that they can chill out one’s adrenals and fix that wonky hip. Acorn Chiropractic Club will probably do something else. But for anyone with a nervous system that needs help, it’s a good place to go. 141 Second St., acornchiropractic.com/petaluma-ca.
For those of us who spend a fair amount of time at the doctor, only to walk away after getting no help whatsoever—I was once told to wait until the symptoms got worse and then go back for medication—Chinese medicine might be the answer.
Petaluma Community Acupuncture is another communal space where one can receive acupuncture and herbs tailored to their own particular needs, and the sliding scale makes it really doable. Chinese medicine has helped me with so many of the things doctors shrug their shoulders over before shuffling me out of the office. Go in, tell the acupuncturist about all those weird symptoms, get some needles tapped in and take a nice rest. 21 Kentucky St., petalumacommunityacupuncture.com.
Drinking Tasty Things by the River
We have a river, so why not go drink things by it? Just don’t fall in. Medieval map makers would definitely label the bottom of that river with a toothy dragon and a casual “Here Be Monsters.”
My favorite place to eat in Petaluma right now is Luma. The staff always takes good care of us, even when we have to eat on the velvet couches because we strolled in without a reservation an hour before the Petaluma Lighted Boat Parade. Pro tip: Strolling in an hour before the Petaluma Boat Parade is a good way to skip the gnarly parade traffic, have a cheeseburger and a cocktail, and then just walk out the back door to the river as the boats begin their watery cavalcade of light and motion. 50 East Washington St., lumaeatery.com.
My favorite mocha in town can be found at Grand Central. The baristas there use high-quality chocolate, and they’ll sweeten to one’s taste. One may get a nice coffee and sit in the sun on a wooden lounge chair or in a hammock by the river. Customers with kids are in luck because the establishment is wildly kid friendly. Those without kids might want to bring noise-canceling headphones on the days when the place turns into an impromptu kindergarten. 226 Weller St., grandcentralpetaluma.com.
Of course, Petaluma’s best place to enjoy a vast array of fine wines in a river-adjacent piazza is La Dolce Vita Wine Lounge. Located in the heart of Theatre Square, the spot is the perfect place to while away a day—and perhaps the evening, too—sipping and soothing away this anxious era. 151 Petaluma Blvd. S., ldvwine.com.
Amber Adrian is a writer and healer who blogs at amberadrian.com.
Sonoma’s “Professional Multiple Personality Artiste” is at it again. Since 2001, historian and actor George Webber has portrayed General Vallejo, Count Haraszthy, Mark Twain, Professor Vine, and many others in walking tours, appearances, and lectures.
Beginning May 23, Webber is adding three more historic characters to his repertoire: Reverend Thaddeus Minor Leavenworth, Captain Henry Earnest Boyes, and Rudy Lichtenberg—the three people most responsible for creating the oasis of relaxation and hot water known today as the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa.
Capt. Boyes is the most well-known; it was in 1898 that the English Naval Captain—turned hot water impresario—petitioned the Northwest Pacific railroad to add a stop at his Agua Rica Hot Springs Resort. In 1901 they did so, and called it “Boyes Hot Springs,” thus keeping the Captain in the public eye ever since.
“I am truly thrilled with this new project,” says Webber. “The beautiful and historic Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn is a marvelous stage set; bringing the Reverend, the Captain, and the Pitcher to life on the grounds where they walked will be a hoot.”
Creating valid and historically accurate living history requires extensive research, and to pull off this ambitious endeavor Webber has brought in a fellow actor-historian, C.W. Bayer.
For the last two years they have been a two-man performance team called the History Buskers, and have brought their original theatrical piece, “The Condensed History of Wine,” to the Sonoma Plaza, and local wineries.
Combing the historical record, these two history sleuths have uncovered little-known facts that make for an exciting and comprehensive tour. In the one-hour Agua Rica Tour, visitors will be led around the grounds of the beautiful resort by Webber or Bayer—will explain its history—and at times change hats to portray the three main characters.
The Agua Rica Tour runs 10 to 11 am, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, starting May 24. Attendees are invited to meet at the 38 Degrees North Lounge off the lobby of the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa, 100 Boyes Blvd., Sonoma. Tours are $25 per adult, children free and welcomed. Reservations required via AguaRicaTour.com. The public is invited to attend the Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 11 am on Friday, May 23.
Are Tesla owners complicit in Musk’s DOGE “chainsaw” massacre of hundreds of critical government programs?
The firing thousands of federal workers by claiming their jobs are wasteful (with no such evidence), trying to break Social Security, calling it a fraudulent Ponzi scheme, and threatening to de-fund health care for millions of low-income people —just for starters?
When they bought a Tesla, they were only trying to be green. Yet now, adding to Musk’s coffers by driving his car presents a moral dilemma.
The historical, psychological and political answers for why Musk decimated our federal infrastructures and installed himself as leader of a ruling class technocracy are complex and mindboggling—picture a face with spinning eyes and hanging tongue.
But one answer is not that hard to grasp: Trump promised an $854 TRILLION dollar tax cut for the 1% uber rich donors (like Musk) and other multi-billion-dollar corporations if they would support him in his bid for president.
Thanks to the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Citizens United case for striking down corporate campaign spending limits, Musk was unrestricted in his ability to donate one BILLION dollars to Trump super PACs and become an un-elected co-president.
To get their hands on the trillions needed to pay for the tax cuts due to the uber rich, they claimed they were “saving” money for the American people by gutting the innards of the federal government. And they plan to increase and make those tax cuts for the uber rich permanent, so they will continue to rob, lie and create blinding chaos to keep themselves in power.
The boycott of Musk’s Tesla, including company shares, charging stations, components for repairs etc. is having a big effect—the last I heard, Tesla had lost a whopping 71% of its profits as of April 2025.
Dis-owning your Tesla sends a financial message to Musk demanding he stop his depraved attempt to destabilize our democracy and leave us vulnerable to the oppression of kings, technocrats and dictators. Americans on your family tree for generations to come will be proud you did.
Miriam Ginden, a long-time resident of Sonoma County, is seeing something and saying something.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): What may appear to be slow or static is actually moving. The developing changes are imperceptible from day to day, but incrementally substantial. So please maintain your faith in the diligent, determined approach. Give yourself pep talks that renew your deeply felt motivation. Ignore the judgments and criticism of people who have no inkling of how hard you have been working. In the long run, you will prove that gradual progress can be the most enduring.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The most successful people aren’t those who merely follow their passion, but those who follow their curiosity. Honoring the guidance of our passions motivates us, but it can also narrow our focus. Heeding the call of our curiosity emboldens our adaptability, exploration and maximum openness to new possibilities. In that spirit, Taurus, I invite you to celebrate your yearning to know and discover. Instead of aching for total clarity about your life’s mission, investigate the subtle threads of what piques your curiosity. Experiment with being an intrigued adventurer.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini author Huston Smith was a religious scholar who wrote 13 books. But he was dedicated to experiencing religions from the inside rather than simply studying them academically. Smith danced with Whirling Dervishes, practiced Zen meditation with a master and ingested peyote with Native Americans, embodying his view that real understanding requires participation, not just observation. In the spirit of his disciplined devotion, I invite you to seek out opportunities to learn through experience as much as theory. Leave your safety zone, if necessary, to engage with unfamiliar experiences that expand your soul. Be inspired by how Smith immersed himself in wisdom that couldn’t come from books alone.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): More than 2,000 years ago, people living in what’s now the Peruvian desert began etching huge designs of animals and plants in the earth. The makers moved a lot of dirt! Here’s the mystery: Some of the gigantic images of birds, spiders and other creatures are still visible today, but can only be deciphered from high above. And there were, of course, no airplanes in ancient times to aid in depicting the figures. Let’s use this as a metaphor for one of your upcoming tasks, Cancerian. I invite you to initiate or intensify work on a labor of love that will motivate you to survey your life from the vantage point of a bird or plane or mountaintop.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You now have extra power to detect previously veiled patterns and hidden agendas. That’s why I urge you to be alert for zesty revelations that may seem to arrive out of nowhere. They could even arise from situations you have assumed were thoroughly explored and understood. These are blessings, in my opinion. You should expect and welcome the full emergence of truths that have been ripening below the surface of your awareness. Even if they are initially surprising or daunting, you will ultimately be glad they have finally appeared.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Renowned Virgo author Nassim Nicholas Taleb has called for the discontinuation of the Nobel Prize in Economics. He says it rewards economists who express bad ideas that cause great damage. He also delivers ringing critiques of other economists widely regarded as top luminaries. Taleb has a lot of credibility. His book The Black Swan was named one of the most influential books since World War II. I propose we make him your inspirational role model for now, Virgo. May he incite you to question authority to the max. May he rouse you to bypass so-called experts, alleged mavens and supposed wizards. Be your own masterful authority.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I predict that your usual mental agility will be even more robust than usual in the coming weeks. Although this could possibly lead you to overthink everything, I don’t believe that’s what will happen. Instead, I suspect your extra cognitive flexibility will be highly practical and useful. It will enable you to approach problems from multiple angles simultaneously—and come up with hybrid solutions that are quite ingenious. A possibility that initially seems improbable may become feasible when you reconfigure its elements. PS: Your natural curiosity will serve you best when directed toward making connections between seemingly unrelated people and fields.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You’re ready to go to the next evolutionary stage of a close alliance. Although you may not feel entirely prepared for the challenge, I believe you will be guided by your deeper wisdom to do what’s necessary. One way I can help is to provide exhilarating words that boost your daring spirit. With that in mind, I offer you a passage from poet William Blake. Say them to your special friend if that feels right, or find other words appropriate to your style. Blake wrote, “You are the fierce angel that carves my soul into brightness, the eternal fire that burns away my dross. You are the golden thread spun by the hand of heaven, weaving me into the fabric of infinite delight. Your love is a furnace of stars, a vision that consumes my mortal sight, leaving me radiant and undone. In your embrace, I find the gates of paradise thrown wide.”
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In ancient Egypt, mirrors were composed of polished copper. To remain properly reflective, they required continual maintenance. Let’s take that as a metaphor for one of your key tasks in the coming weeks. It’s high time to do creative upkeep on your relationships with influences that provide you with feedback on how you’re doing. Are your intended effects pretty close to your actual effects? Does your self-image match the way you are perceived by others? Are you getting the right kind of input to help you stay on course?
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Chances to initiate creative transformations will come from unexpected sources in the coming days. I guarantee it. But will you be sufficiently receptive to take maximum advantage? The purpose of this horoscope is to nudge you to shed your expectations so you will be tenderly, curiously open to surprising help and inspiration. What sweet interruptions and graceful detours will flow your way if you are willing to depart from your usual script? I predict that your leadership qualities will generate the greatest good for all concerned if you are willing to relinquish full control and be flexibly eager to entertain intuitive breakthroughs.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): For many Indigenous people of California, acorns were part of every meal. Nuts from oak trees were used to create bread, soups, dumplings, pancakes, gravy and porridge. But making them edible required strenuous work. In their natural state, they taste bitter and require multiple soakings to leach out the astringent ingredient. Is there a metaphorical equivalent for you, Aquarius? An element that can be important, but needs a lot of work, refinement and preparation? If so, now is a good time to develop new approaches to making it fully available.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): When Pisces-born Jane Hirshfield was a young poet, she mostly stopped writing poetry for eight years. During that time, she was a full-time student of Zen Buddhism and lived for three years at a monastery. When she resumed her craft, it was infused with what she had learned. Her meditative practice had honed her observational skills, her appreciation of the rich details of daily life, and her understanding that silence could be a form of communication. In the spirit of the wealth she gathered from stillness, calm and discipline, I invite you to enjoy your own spiritual sabbatical, dear Pisces. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to relax into the most intriguing mysteries.
Saturday, May 10 and Sunday, May 11 is the 3rd Annual Mill Valley Music Festival at Friends Field in, you guessed it, Mill Valley.
The festival has become a popular family event featuring an impressive music lineup, a marketplace featuring local handmade crafts, clothing, jewelry and more plus a killer lineup of all kinds of food and drink including wine and beer.
Some of the bigger musical acts include Gary Clark Jr., Chic featuring Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Nile Rodgers, Monophonics, Sister Nancy and The Crosby Collective which boasts multi-instrumentalist virtuoso Jason Crosby and an array of impressive jam band musicians.
However the festival is also great about celebrating local artists. We wanted to talk to a few of them about the upcoming gig.Singer/guitarist Rose Paradise grew up just over Mt. Tam in Stinson Beach.
With a folky sound new album, cheekily titled “Over the Hill” (she’s under 25 years old), which she says “is largely a tribute to West Marin, leaving home and the experience of coming back.”
When asked about her experience with bigger shows, she says “I’ve been playing a bunch the last few years back and forth between New York and the Bay Area. The biggest shows were at venues like Bowery Ballroom in NYC and The Independent in SF. Mill Valley Music Festival is however my first festival! I’m super excited to be playing it in my hometown along with so many incredible artists.”
Her set is from 5:00-5:45 on Saturday. Mill Valley’s own Matt Jaffe has been steadily building a buzz around the Bay Area and has also been named host of the popular Open Mic Night at Sweetwater which incidentally is sponsoring the stage where both he and Paradise will be performing with Jaffe there Sunday from 2:15-2:45 pm.
As for big crowds, Jaffe says he’s done the National Anthem twice at Golden State Warriors games as well as once at Oracle Park before a Giants game but not as many festivals. He says he likes how the fest combines new as well as establish acts adding “they’ve done a fantastic job of remaining true to the foundational music of Mill Valley (i.e. a significant jam band contingent) while introducing acts that cater to a broader audience.
”Another popular Marin performer is Elliott Peck of the band Midnight North which she co-founded with Grahame Lesh who needs no introduction. An old hat to the festival circuit, Peck has played all over including at the famed Newport Folk Fest. Says Peck of that experience, “That day I had the chance to play with a star studded Phil Lesh & Friends lineup, which included the incredible Sheryl Crow! Truly one of my favorite, all time experiences playing music.”
Peck kicks off the fest on Saturday from 12:30-1:00pm so get there early.With a fan base that comes out to see them as well as new ears hoping to find a new fave, Jaffe says for a shorter festival set “sticking to tried and true tunes is usually a reliable recipe. Comedians have their “tight ten” for when they have a slim window to make ’em laugh, and we have a strong half hour that is down to muscle memory.”
Peck agrees adding “I tend to choose songs I believe will draw in new listeners, songs with my strongest melodies & a bit tighter arrangements.”
Paradise’s aim is to be “playing a lot of the songs off the album. Now that these songs are out in the world, it will be fun to see how the audience engages and whether they know the songs. I probably will sneak some new stuff in too that I’m excited about!”If you’re able to check these locals out live it’s always great to support them after the fact. Jaffe says he has a new single out called “Girl in the Moon House” while Peck has a new EP called “In the Pines” which is available now.
More information about these musicians and the Mill Valley Music Fest can be found at millvalleymusicfest.com. The day is open to all ages and a wide variety of ticket options are available now.
Sure, Inception, Dreamscape, The Lathe of Heaven or any of a number of sci-fi flicks that explore harnessing the dream state are entertaining—but are they healing?
A recent study led by Dr. Garret Yount, a molecular neurobiologist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS), which is perched over the border of Sonoma and Marin counties, points to the potential of healing minds while sleeping.
Yount’s research explored the potential of lucid dreaming—a state in which a person becomes aware of dreaming and can actively engage with the dream—as an alternative therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“I’ve always wanted to do research in dreaming since I was a kid,” Yount said. “And then as an adult was working with PTSD alternative therapies to help them and came across this combination. So, I was excited to explore that.”
The study involved a six-day lucid dreaming workshop providing 22 hours of live instruction and group activities via video conferencing. About half of all participants, including those in a control group, experienced at least one lucid dream. Among those who did, 63% of workshop participants reported achieving a “healing lucid dream,” compared to 38% of the controls.
Workshop participants reported significant reductions in PTSD symptoms and nightmare distress, with improvements persisting at a one-month follow-up. Increased well-being and diminished negative emotions were also noted.
“A lucid dream is a dream in which waking consciousness awakens inside the dreamscape,” Yount explained. “So the waking consciousness that we’re using right now to talk to each other just kind of wakes up inside the dreamscape. Realization occurs that dreaming is happening, and in that state, it becomes possible to interact with the scenario.”
The therapeutic goal is not controlling the dream but participating in it consciously, particularly when confronting symbolic representations of trauma.
“You encounter a monster in the dream, and instead of running from it, embrace it, turn to it, somehow ask to integrate with it,” Yount said.
In one of his own lucid dreams, Yount recounted becoming aware of a ghoul pursuing him. Remembering his training, he chose not to flee but instead addressed the figure: What can you teach me? he asked. The figure promptly shrank into a younger version of himself, leading to what he described as “an amazing healing lucid dream.”
For individuals coping with PTSD—whether veterans, survivors of abuse or others facing traumatic memories—this type of symbolic engagement can offer real relief.
The study also suggests lucid dreaming might replicate some of the neurochemical effects of medications commonly prescribed for PTSD.
“Many of the medicines are dampening neurotransmitters, which is part of the symptoms of stress in the brain,” Yount noted. “During rapid eye movement sleep, the neurotransmitters are dampened also. So it’s kind of like mimicking the conditions that the meds are trying to reach.”
In this unique state, traumatic memories can be recalled without triggering stress hormones, allowing for a kind of reprogramming. “Whether the dreamer embraces the monster or simply observes a recurring scene and acknowledges, ‘I’m OK; I’m going to be OK,’ the process becomes a kind of self-hypnosis,” Yount said.
Lucid dreaming offers a relatively low-cost and accessible approach to trauma therapy. While some achieve lucidity naturally, others can learn induction techniques like those taught in the study’s workshop. Even participants who did not consistently reach lucidity reported therapeutic benefits.
“Just doing this ‘dream thinking’ about dreaming—and realizing trauma can be transformed in dreams—seems to work even if lucidity is not achieved,” said Yount.
The findings point to a fascinating frontier in the science of sleep and the potential of the dreaming mind—not a fantasy, but an emerging therapeutic reality.
For more information on the work at IONS, visit noetic.org.
Gallery Route One invites art and culture lovers out to West Marin to experience Maakon/Yowa: Grounded in Coast Miwok, a vibrant art exhibition featuring a collection of contemporary works by 13 Indigenous Californian artists. Curated by Meyokeeskow Marrufo, the show centers on the theme of land and showcases the various artists’ paintings, basketry, regalia and more. The celebration continues with the Maakon Yowa Art Festival, a lively outdoor gathering with traditional dancing, artist vendors, acorn processing, basket weaving, food and plenty of community connection and cultural appreciation. The exhibition runs through May 11 at Gallery Route One, located at 11101 Highway One in Point Reyes Station.
The gallery is open Thursday through Monday from 11am to 5pm. The Maakon Yowa Art Festival will take place on Saturday, May 10, from 11am to 4pm on The Green in Point Reyes. For more information, visit galleryrouteone.org.
Glen Ellen
Acoustic Sunsets
Sonoma Botanical Garden’s Acoustic Sunsets outdoor music series is back at it again with immaculate summertime vibes, live tunes and a weekly Wednesday night wine ’n’ dine invite that’s simply divine. Guests of the garden can come on out and enjoy live performances in the outdoor amphitheater, with its lovely view perfect for unwinding with family and friends (and furry loved ones, too, since well-behaved, leashed dogs are welcome). Expect a rotating lineup of local artists spanning genres like pop, rock, folk and Americana, along with the addition of some special events one may not want to miss. Think concert series meets community experience with more than a splash of wine and endless celebration of local Sonoma culture and tradition to match.
The series runs every Wednesday from 5 to 8pm starting May 7 and running until Oct. 29. Admission is included with general entry and is free for Sonoma Botanical Garden members. The garden is located at 12841 Hwy. 12 in Glen Ellen. For more information, visit sonomabg.org.
Santa Rosa
Blues, Brews, BBQ
Every Wednesday this summer, one new Santa Rosa restaurant, Downtown Barbecue, is settin’ up to transform into the city’s central honky-tonk hub—not with bull riding or rodeo clowns (unless someone gets ambitious), but with the welcomed addition of Downtown Barbecue’s upcoming Summer Concert Series. Hosted on a spacious outdoor patio conveniently located across from Courthouse Square, Downtown Barbecue’s Summer Concert Series pairs live country and blues music with breweries on tap each and every week. The best part? It’s free. The second-best part? It syncs up perfectly with the Wednesday Night Market, so one may two-step their way through town square tacos and small-batch IPAs before posting up for a patio show under the stars.
The Country Blues and Brews Downtown Barbecue is free to attend and will take place from 4:30 to 8:30pm every Wednesday in May, June and July at 610 3rd St. in Santa Rosa. Visit downtownbarbecue.co to learn more.
Tiburon
AAPI Festival
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, a time to honor the rich histories, diverse cultures and significant contributions of AAPI communities across the United States. At 1pm on Saturday, May 17, Zelinsky Park in Tiburon will host the Tiburon AAPI Heritage Festival 2025. This free event features a rich lineup of performances, including Qi Gong, Tai Chi, Kung Fu, lion dances, stilt walkers and hula. Emcees Felicia Lowe and Albert Yu will guide attendees through the festivities. Local organizations such as the Marin Chinese Cultural Association and the Asian American Curriculum Project will have exhibits, and food vendors like Mama Yali’s Dumplings and Bai Cha Boba Thai will offer culinary delights.
For more information, contact the Tiburon Diversity Inclusion Task Force at di******@************er.org or visit Tiburon Chamber of Commerce.
In a village where people have lost the ability to dream, one old man dons a magic hat to dream on their behalf.
When the time comes to pass his mantle to a young successor, corporate forces, of course, want in.
This is the premise of Petaluma animator Gene Hamm’s new hand-drawn feature, The Dream Hat, screening May 10 at the Petaluma Arts Center.
If the plot sounds like an allegory—capitalism versus creativity—one is not wrong. But it’s also a celebration of storytelling, music (17 original songs) and the singular passion of an artist who has spent nearly five decades drawing his dreams into reality.
“I’ve been an animator since 1978 when I got my first job on Ralph Bakshi’s Lord of The Rings,” says Hamm, who has called the North Bay home since his “Gumby” days. That’s right; he also worked on the beloved stop-motion, green clay dude with the convex arc head—and his horse, Pokey.
His early credits read like a kid’s Saturday morning fever dream: Smurfs, Superfriends, Plastic Man, FangFace, and music videos for Michael Bolton (Everybody’s Crazy) and Big Trouble in Little China. He even worked under a young James Cameron in the art department of Battle Beyond The Stars.
“Everything I learned in school; they teach you how to be a starving artist,” Hamm says with a laugh. “But at Hanna-Barbera, I took classes at night and learned from some of the best teachers. One of my teachers [worked on] Betty Boop and Popeye cartoons. They taught me how to get 30 usable drawings out of me a day. That was really valuable.”
Hamm later taught animation at Academy of Art University for 15 years. But it wasn’t until he embraced newer technology that he fully seized control of his storytelling destiny.
“The cool thing is that because of the new technology, you can be a one-man show,” Hamm says. “It used to be only rich people could make films. Now you can do stuff on your own, and it doesn’t have to have a big budget.”
Hamm’s first solo feature, Hell Toupee—animated entirely in his apartment during the pandemic—is currently streaming on TubiTV, SmashTV and Fawesome. “When it was a 28-minute work-in-progress, it won Best Animation at the Hell’s Kitchen Festival in New York City,” he notes.
For The Dream Hat, Hamm animated using a graphics tablet (a computer input device that allows users to create digital artwork) and Adobe Animate (a multimedia authoring program—formerly known as “Flash”). It’s not his first go at the story—he originally created a shorter version decades ago, only for the computer company behind his software to go bust mid-production. “The new one is 77 minutes long, and it’s done the way I always wanted to do it,” he says.
The DIY spirit extends to casting. “You can source talent from all over the world. They can literally phone their performances in, record at home and send them to you,” he explains. The film also boasts a marquee voice actor: Julie Newmar, best known as Catwoman from the 1960s’ Batman TV series.
Looking ahead, Hamm is already deep into his next feature—another musical odyssey he describes as his “Yellow Submarine.” Fortunately, he doesn’t need to don a magic hat to dream big—just a graphics tablet and vision.
The Dream Hat plays at 5:30pm, Saturday, May 10 at the Petaluma Arts Center, 230 Lakeville St. Tickets are $15-$20 and available at bit.ly/dream-hat.
Last December, my father died. And as my family arranges his memorial—an event set to be larger and more emotional than any of our weddings—I’m brought up short by the realization that his life might never have included any of us.
I am the adopted child of a formerly incarcerated man. And if my father had faced the conditions in California prisons today, I would not have had a father at all.
All I will ever see inside prisons are people who need help, so they can get back home to build sets for their kids’ dance performances, coach pee-wee soccer, build a beautiful house in a forest and live a good life. That’s my father’s story, and my own.
When he was incarcerated in the 1960s, the state of California had different, more rehabilitative policies, and he got some of the help he needed. According to the National Library of Medicine (NLM), “The 1966 Narcotic Addiction Rehabilitation Act (NARA) authorized the civil commitment of narcotic addicts, and federal assistance to state and local governments to develop a local system of drug treatment programs.”
Furthermore, states the NLM, “The NARA legislation imposed the following contract requirements on treatment centers: (1) thrice-a-week counseling sessions; (2) weekly urine tests; (3) restorative dental services; (4) psychological consultations and vocational training; and (5) the treatment modalities of drug-free outpatient, therapeutic community, and methadone maintenance.”
My dad, using some of these supports, changed his life. He did not support the use of methadone, and was too insubordinate to make use of those psych consults, but worked with NARA in various capacities. Without it—under the conditions that currently exist—he probably would have remained in prison.
All incarcerated people deserve support and rehabilitation. My father never needed prison; he needed help. That’s only one reason I can’t accept the dangerous situation in prisons today, but it’s the one that chills me.
A 2010 paper from the NLM states: “At 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-up, patients who received methadone plus counseling were significantly less likely to use heroin or engage in criminal activity than those who received only counseling. The potential exists for immediate adoption of methadone maintenance for incarcerated persons with opioid addictions, but most prison systems have not been receptive to this approach.” Mom says Dad wasn’t “receptive” to it either, but the point is, it was there.
Compared to the mid-1960s, the state of California’s approach to incarcerated people today is to punish them, keep them as long as possible behind bars and to deny them almost any help. This is true of drug offenders, but it’s also true of everyone else.
FAM (From left) Hiya Swanhuyser, and her father, Peter Swanhuyser, share a milestone moment in the ’80s. ‘If my father had faced the conditions in California prisons today, I would not have had a father at all,’ says Hiya Swanhuyser. Photo courtesy of Dee Swanhuyser.
I see him, the other him, unhelped, in photos of people in prison, and I mean precisely. Dad never “looked like” anything other than someone who had done hard time; this is how he wanted it. His three earrings, long hair, large beard, tattoos and leather vest caused him problems. This was especially true the time he was officially dismissed from coaching youth soccer, at a meeting he came home from with a look on his face I had never seen. To this day, no one will tell me exactly what words were said at that meeting, but I had to go to high school with kids whose parents had said them.
Other times, it was only that men spontaneously tried to fight him. He didn’t mind this so much. Those men needed to know what it was like to step up to a real-life badass. They found out he explained to them he wasn’t going to fight them right then, because he didn’t feel like it, and he was busy having a family. And he did this while still frightening them.
In spite of this type of interaction, Dad never changed the way he looked and didn’t explain his choice to anyone. So he always had that look about him. As a result, I reflexively feel warmth and trust in people who look intense, an impulse that has served me well.
But if Peter Swanhuyser maintained his tough-guy looks, he had changed everything else about himself: He relaxed with friends, he laughed aloud, he had nice clothes to wear at festive events, and he drove his family to the coast on Sundays. None of that happens in prison.
I also see the other path, the other Peter Swanhuyser, in people living rough, people whose bad times separate them from their families and friends. He could easily have been among them his whole life. I recognize him in their gravelly voices and hard eyes, in their swagger that says, “I can hurt you quick.” My dad had those.
And let me be clear: He had been a person who made really bad choices, and who hurt people. He was far worse than, for example, the “no angel” public-opinion conviction that made nice people think it was OK for officer Darren Wilson to kill Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014.
Yes, I don’t remember learning what “an addict” was, because I just always knew. Yes, there were drugs in my childhood home. Yes, the hate that people had for him was sometimes directed at me and hurt me.
But now look at that guy again, the bad guy. And try to realize: In 1977, my mother picked me up from the first day of first grade at Harmony School in Occidental. When we got home, my dad was waiting for me, kneeling down, with open arms. “Hey. How’s my big first-grader?” he bellowed, swooping me up in his strong arms. It seemed like an important celebration. I was proud of myself. Peter Swanhuyser continued to show up for my brother, my mother and me for the next 48 years.
Through the years, he built houses from the ground up, got his contractor’s license and founded Oasis Construction, when he’d come home covered in sawdust, exhausted. On weekends, my parents forged a partnership with the normal-looking nextdoor neighbors to create an informal co-op farmstead, with a giant vegetable garden, a chicken coop, pig pen, steer pasture and roaming geese, plus all the trucks, compost piles, weed whackers and post-hole diggers a farm requires. Those neighbors may have recoiled from our hippie appearance at first, but they became our weed-pulling, dirt-smeared compadres.
It was hard work, but Dad loved it. He swore at the old machinery we often had to use, but he was fascinated and gratified to put his hands in the soil, and learn what would grow.
Graduations, performances, soccer games, summer camping trips with our arms out the windows and The Eagles on the tape deck. Sunday drives to see the ocean, Easter egg hunts, massive Christmases with trees we cut in our own forest, when he loved to “play Santa” and hand out gifts, sitting cross-legged under the tree.
Birthday parties, family outings to the annual Occidental Volunteer Fire Department barbecue in Union Hotel Grove, dropping us off at Harmony School on misty West County mornings after a trip to the Land House bakery for one of their legendary bear claw pastries. It was all pretty normal paterfamilias behavior, as much nostalgia as I have for it all now, in the wake of his death.
All this is to say: Look at someone who has been labeled human garbage. Look at what one despises about them, their scary tattoos, their lawless behavior, their arrogant hatred of normal people. And now try to realize—anyone can come back from it. I know they can, because it is the only life I know, the whole life I know.
Some people would have put him behind bars and tossed the key. But not me.
Donations in Peter Swanhuyser’s memory are welcome at the Last Mile, thelastmile.org, ‘a team of social innovators who are breaking the cycle of incarceration with technical education and training that champions students’ success after their release.’
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Point Reyes
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Last December, my father died. And as my family arranges his memorial—an event set to be larger and more emotional than any of our weddings—I’m brought up short by the realization that his life might never have included any of us.
I am the adopted child of a formerly incarcerated man. And if my father had faced the conditions in...
