Taste the Place, Dan Berger’s Take on Wine 

Dan Berger hardly needs introduction if one knows about wine. As a wine columnist since 1976, the Los Angeles Times wine writer (1988-1996) and award-winning journalist has lived here in Sonoma County since 1986. He is an international competition judge, author, speaker and professor, as well as a member of the Hall of Fame of the New York Wine Writers’ Circle.

Amber Turpin: How did you get into this work?

Dan Berger: I’ve been a professional writer since 1967.

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

In 1976, I was working at Associated Press, and a good friend of mine found out that Moët & Chandon had opened a California operation, the first time a French company had ever come here to make wine in California. This friend of mine had acquired a bottle and opened it up for me one evening, and I tasted and smelled something I had never experienced before… It made me realize that if the French came in here using their technology and our grapes, it was a whole new direction. 

What is your favorite thing to drink at home?

Riesling. I think it is one of the greatest wines in the world because it can be made dry or sweet and can be so transparent, meaning that it shows off where it came from. It isn’t covered up by dark flavors; it doesn’t have high alcohol. Rieslings are structured by having high acidity, and I’m an absolute lover of wines with good acidity.

Where do you like to go out for a drink?

Nowhere. My wine collection is better than any restaurant in the world. I typically don’t go to restaurants for the wine list; I go for good food. I’m not a huge drinker of wine, more of a wine evaluator. I think that all great wine is better if it’s been in the bottle for two or three years, sometimes more… My favorite thing coming out of my cellar is maturity. 

The whole idea is that wine is a living product, and the more you can understand the changes that take place in the bottle, the more you understand why wine is so infinitely interesting. 

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

If somebody said you can take 10 cases of wine to a desert island, I would take 120 bottles of different things. I just wouldn’t drink the same thing every day. What excites me is all the differences, all the different wines from all the different places. For me, that’s the most interesting thing: the diversity, the sense of place, the sense of personality, its uniqueness. 
For more information, visit vintageexperiences.com.

Free Will Astrology, Feb. 18-24

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): Saturn has entered Aries. I see this landmark shift as being potentially very good news for you. Between now and April 2028, you will have enhanced powers to channel your restless heart in constructive directions. I predict you will narrow down your multiple interests and devote yourself to a few resonant paths rather than scattering your intense energy. More than ever before, you can summon the determination to follow through on what you initiate. My Saturn-in-Aries prayer: May you be bold, even brazen, in identifying where you truly belong, and never settle for a half-certain fit.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I am issuing a Wow Advisory. Consider this your high-voltage wonder alert. Your future may offer you thrilling quests and epic exploits that could be unnerving to people who want you to remain the same as you have been. You will have a knack for stirring up liberating encounters with lavish pleasures and rich feelings that transform your brain chemistry. The rousing mysteries you attract into your sphere may send provocative ripples through your own imagination as well as your web of allies. Expect juicy plot twists. Be alert for portals opening in the middle of nowhere.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks, you find anatomical drawings next to flying machine designs, mathematical calculations alongside water flow observations and philosophical musings interrupted by grocery lists. He moved from painting to engineering to scientific observation as curiosity led him. Let’s make him your inspirational role model for now, Gemini. Disobey categories. Merge categories. Mix and match categories. Let’s assume that your eager mind will create expanded knowledge networks that prove valuable in unexpected ways. Let’s hypothesize that your cheerful rebellion against conventional ways of organizing reality will spawn energizing innovations in your beautiful, mysterious life.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): In falconry, there’s a practice called “weathering.” It involves regularly exposing trained birds to the wild elements so they don’t become too domesticated and lose their wildness. The falconer needs a partner, not a pet. Does that theme resonate, Cancerian? Is it possible that you have been too sheltered lately? Either by your own caution or by well-meaning people who think they’re protecting you? Let’s make sure you stay in touch with the fervent, untamed sides of your nature. How? You could expose yourself to an experience that scares you a little. Take a fun risk you’ve been rationalizing away. Invite touches of rowdiness into your life.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The loudest noise in history? It was the 1883 volcanic eruption of Krakatoa in Indonesia, heard thousands of miles away. The pressure wave circled the Earth multiple times. I am predicting a benevolent version of a Krakatoa event for you in the coming months. Not literal loudness, but a shiny, bright expression of such magnitude that it redefines your world and what people thought was possible from you. Can you be prepared for it? A little. You’ll be wise to cultivate visionary equanimity: a calm willingness to stay focused on the big picture. I predict your big boom will be challenging but ultimately magnificent and empowering.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Buddhism teaches about “near enemies”: qualities that may appear to be virtues but aren’t. For example, pity masquerades as compassion. Clingy attachment pretends to be love. Apathy and indifference pose as equanimity. In the coming weeks, Virgo, I hope you won’t get distracted by near enemies. Your assignment: Investigate whether any of your supposed virtues are actually near enemies. After you’ve done that, find out if any of your so-called negative emotions might harbor interesting powers you could tap into.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Many intelligent people think astrology is dangerous nonsense perpetrated by quacks. For any horoscope writer with an ego, this affront tends to be deflating. Like everyone else, we want to be appreciated. On the other hand, I have found that practicing an art that gets so much disdain has been mostly liberating. It’s impossible for me to get bloated with excess pride. I practice astrology for the joy it affords me, not to garner recognition. So in a backhanded way, a seemingly disheartening drawback serves as an energizing boon. My prediction is that you, Libra, will soon harvest an analogous turnabout. You will draw strength, even inspiration, from what may ostensibly appear to be a liability.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Mycologist Paul Stamets claims mushrooms taught him to think in networks rather than hierarchies. He sees how everything feeds everything else through vast webs of underground filaments. This is Scorpio wisdom at its most scintillating: homing in on the hidden circuitry working below the surface, gauging the way nourishment is distributed incrementally through many collaborative interconnections, seeing the synergy between seemingly separate sources. I hope you will accentuate this mode of understanding in the coming weeks. The key to your soulful success and happiness will be in how well you map the mycelial-like networks, both in the world around you and in your inner depths. P.S.: For extra credit, study the invisible threads that link your obsessions to each other, your wounds to your gifts and your rage to your tenderness.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The peregrine falcon dives at speeds exceeding 240 miles per hour, making it the fastest animal on Earth. But before the dive, there’s often a period of circling, scanning and waiting. The spectacular descent is set up by the patient reconnaissance that precedes it. I believe you’re now in a phase similar to the falcon’s preparatory reconnaissance, Sagittarius. The quality of your eventual plunge will depend on how well you’re tracking your target now. Use this time to gather intelligence, not to second-guess your readiness. You’ll know when your aim is true.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): There’s a certain miracle you could really use right now, Capricorn. But to attract it into your life would require a subtle and simple shift. In a related development, the revelation you need most is concealed in plain sight. To get these two goodies into your life, you shouldn’t make the error of seeking them in exotic locales. Ordinary events in the daily routine will bring you what you need: the miracle and the revelation that will change everything for the better.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Over the last 4,000 years, a host of things have been used as money in addition to precious metals and paper currency. Among them have been cows, seashells, cheese, tobacco, velvet, tulips, elephant tusks and huge stone wheels. I hope this poetic fact will inspire your imagination about financial matters. In the coming weeks, I expect you’ll be extra creative in drumming up new approaches to getting the cash you need. Here are questions to guide you. Which of your underused talents might be ready to boost your income? What undervalued gifts could you be more aggressive about giving? What neglected treasures or underutilized assets could you use to generate money?

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Big, bright transitions are at hand: from thrashing around in the educational mire to celebrating your sweet escape, from wrangling with shadows and ghosts to greeting new allies, from messing around with interesting but confounding chaos to seizing fresh opportunities to shine and thrive. Hallelujah. What explains this exhilarating shift? The Season of Dazzling Self-Adoration is dawning for you Pisceans. In the weeks ahead, you will be inspired to embark on bold experiments in loving yourself with extra fervor and ingenuity.

Homework: What imperfect but pretty good part of your life deserves more of your love? Newsletter. FreeWillAstrology.com

Living While Dying: Co-Owner of Local..ish Market, Thomas Botzler

The title of this edition comes from the subject himself—Thomas Botzler, whose confrontation with death has lent his languaging a stark directness and impact. 

“Gravitas” is a word that comes to mind, evoking “graveness” and “weight.” And yet Thomas carries his own tired body with a certain lightness of being. Death has enlightened him.

Thomas has fourth stage (metastatic; spreading) cancer. While stage four cancer is not necessarily terminal, the continued growth of his cancer in treatment and narrowing options have caused Thomas to treat his own cancer as life-ending. This is not an uncommon story. Sixty-five hundred people in the three counties in which this article will be printed are (knowingly or unknowingly) in the last year of their life. Twenty percent of them (one in five of us) will die from cancer.

What is uncommon about Thomas is that he has chosen not to enter into mute seclusion but to enter the public more fully, and share his end of life story with us.

He wants to document his real life for the grandchildren he shares with his wife, Lisa Marie. And he wants to address something that has always bothered him—an American culture of dying and death that refuses to acknowledge the greatest fact of life (that it ends). Here, Thomas stands as an advocate for the dying—and for their families—an example to his grandchildren, and to us.

For the first of two conversations, I visited him at the store he owns and co-curates with Lisa Marie, Local…ish. The concept is in the name. He toured me, and as we spoke we stood between a section containing local wines, beers, ciders and shrubs, and that of a complete selection of biodegradable feminine hygiene products.

Cincinnatus Hibbard: You’re currently in chemotherapy?

Thomas Botzler: Yes, I am in my third week in this round—my off week, and I’m more productive.

Tell me, what is the worst symptom of chemo?

Neuropathy. For me, that is a painful tingling in my hands and chest triggered by changes in heat or energy—just clapping can set it off. It’s like wearing a burning hot steel wool sweater.

What do you think happens when we die?

I don’t know. I’m not religious. But I am comfortable not knowing … and I am OK with life just ending. For some people [in his situation], the focus is on the hereafter. For me, my focus is here and the energy I put out here. I really don’t do things I don’t want to do anymore… In that way, cancer has given to me the same thing it has taken away from me—time. I go through my day-to-day and think about, do I want to spend my energy on this? I say no to things a lot—with no obligation or guilt. And if I’m tired, I’m tired…

Thomas, all your life you have moved from one place to the next. But here in West County, at the very end of your life, you have finally found community…

Truly, I thought I was looking for a place to die… But what I found here was a place that I could truly live.

Learn more: Visit Thomas and Lisa Marie Botzler at their store’s new location at 16355 Main St. in Guerneville. Local..ish will be reopening there Feb. 20. Follow this link for links to their social media, Thomas’ documentation of his cancer story and our full length podcast interview. Reach out. linktr.ee/Thomasbotzler.

Hypocritical Hijinks: Deceit Over Decency

Donald Trump to Iran’s leaders who are cracking down on protesters: “You better not start shooting, because we’ll start shooting, too.” Iran’s leaders say the protests are the result of foreign meddling.

On the other hand, when Trump was asked about the shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, he said he’d always protect ICE agents and that protesters there were paid.

Apparently, the theocratic dictators in Iran and the white Christian nationalists in the White House are using similar narrative playbooks.

Trump routinely accuses Democrats of improper funding of their campaigns, and congressional member Gerald E. Connolly, ranking member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, finally issued a blunt call-out of that hypocrisy:

“If Donald Trump was at all serious about cracking down on foreign corruption of U.S. elections, he would start by taking the For Sale sign off his own back. Selling access and influence is the defining feature of the Trump White House.”

Do MAGA voters care if their man claims that he is commander-in-chief bombing another sovereign nation to stop drugs from coming into our country, even as he pardons a former leader of another country convicted of overseeing literally tons of illegal drugs smuggled into the U.S.?

Donald J. Trump is the epitome of hypocrisy, proven on an ongoing basis by the gulf between what he says one day and does the next. The examples are so numerous, they will fill entire books.

This is not leadership; this is a man who conned his way into controlling the most powerful military in world history, and who bullies friend and foe until they vote how he demands they vote. His ego is so fragile and yet so easily inflamed that even a Nobel Peace Award recipient frames her award and presents it to him in an obvious obsequious and ingratiating gesture, which he comes to expect.

Donald Trump is not an appropriate role model nor leader. His vision is nothing but greed and domination over others, exactly the opposite of what we need now. Impeach, convict, remove.

Dr. Tom H. Hastings is coördinator of conflict resolution BA/BS degree programs at Portland State University.

An Unused Life: ‘Shirley Valentine’ in Sonoma  

A middle-aged British woman, wife, and mother wonders whatever became of herself and sets out to rediscover life in Willy Russell’s Shirley Valentine. Jennifer King stars in the one-woman show now running on the Rotary Stage in the Sonoma Community Center through Feb. 22.    

We meet Shirley in her Liverpool home kitchen where she’s preparing a dinner of chips and egg for her (unseen) husband. Shirley spends a lot of time these days talking to her kitchen wall,as her children are grown and out of the house and her husband isn’t the most communicative person.

Shirley’s been given an opportunity to travel by a friend, something she’s always dreamed about. She wants to drink wine in the country where the grapes were grown, and a trip to Greece with her friend just might be the ticket. She wants the opportunity to be the Shirley Valentine she once was. 

We learn about Shirley through the stories she tells about her youth, her schooling, her friends, her family, and… sex. She talks a lot about sex. Her frustration with life is palpable. When one finds oneself in a rut, it’s fair to review how one got there in the first place.  

The first half of the play is all about Shirley building up the strength to take the trip to Greece. The second is what happens when she gets there. It should come as a surprise to anyone that Shirley gets her groove back.

King commands the stage from the get-go, bringing the audience into Shirley’s life through gentle humor and compelling storytelling and never letting them go. It’s a very human performance. 

Set designer Laurynn Malilay makes great use of the space. The functional kitchen set is nicely detailed and the transition of the space from Liverpudlian kitchen to seaside Greek resort works well. 

Director Sharon Winegar leads an all-female team in bringing an (interestingly enough) male playwright’s take on a woman’s mid-life crisis to life. Russell believed so strongly in his character that he actually performed the role for three weeks early in its run when the actress cast took ill. 

While the character is certainly female and a great deal of the issues Shirley struggles with are female-centric (Particularly on the subject of sex. Be prepared to hear the word “clitoris” a lot.), it would be a mistake to label Shirley Valentine as strictly as “a woman’s play”. What person of a mature age hasn’t looked back at the regrets in their life? Who hasn’t toyed with the idea of a re-start or re-invention?

You may not leave the theater and book that trip to a far-flung place you’ve always thought about taking.

But you’ll think about it.

‘Shirley Valentine’ runs through February 22 on the Rotary Stage at Andrews Hall in the Sonoma Community Center, 276 E. Napa St., Sonoma. Thurs – Sat, 7:30pm.  Sat & Sun, 2pm. $25–$42. 866.710.8942. sonomaartslive.org.

Sarah Wilson and her Brass Tonic Ensemble Hit the Right Notes for Valentines Day

Singer-songwriter-composer-trumpeter Sarah Wilson—a Healdsburg native and Petaluma resident—celebrates her “defiantly buoyant music” from her new album “Incandescence” with a Valentine’s Day Album Release Concert on Saturday, February 14 at Della Fattoria in Petaluma.

The concert features her Bay Area ensemble Brass Tonic featuring alto saxophonist Kasey Knudsen, trombonist Mara Fox, guitarist John Schott, bassist Lisa Mezzacappa, and drummer Jason Levis.

Some may note that it’s perhaps unusual to see a female composer whose instrument is the trumpet but Wilson says it’s not as uncommon as one might think and that her journey started as a 10-year-old.

Wilson says, “I picked up the trumpet at Healdsburg Elementary School and continued through junior and high school playing in school bands led by Lew Sbrana, a legendary music teacher in the Healdsburg public school system. That was my first introduction to marching band music, which for me morphed later into a reverence for New Orleans street marching music.”

When asked what it was about the trumpet that excited her at this early age, she adds, “I was drawn to the trumpet because I grew up hearing live horn sections in pop music I was listening to, artists like Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind & Fire. The disco and funk eras had these incredible live horn sections and the trumpet in that music drew me right in. Most of the girls in my school headed for the flutes and clarinets, but I beelined to the trumpet” she laughs.

Wilson has certainly used her musicianship as a way to have a pretty amazing lifes journey thus far. After graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in Anthropology, she joined Bread and Puppet Theater based in Vermont. After touring with that group for 2 years, she moved to New York City.

Wilson says, “I was living in New York City in the early 1990s and absorbed the Downtown Music scene where jazz and improvised music were flourishing. It was an incredibly dynamic, vibrant scene. I was going out to shows all the time and hearing [avant garde] Downtown Jazz artists like Henry Threadgill, Myra Melford, Steve Coleman and John Zorn but was also listening to a lot of Afro-Cuban music and even Eastern European folk music.” From there, she started studying with various trumpet teachers before landing a composing gig at Lincoln Center for the Arts. Wilson notes, “It was not a typical path of my colleagues who often came out of music conservatories.”

Also perhaps unusual is the choice of Petaluma’s fantastic bakery and café as the spot for an album release show. Wilson, who returned to the area in spring of 2024 says, “I live in Petaluma and love Della Fattoria. Not only is it a great bakery and restaurant but has such a great vibe. They’re hosting curated music concerts every so often so it’s an honor to be able to perform here. I also have childhood connections to staff so it feels like family to me.”

The choice for a Valentine’s Day Show also came together fairly naturally after Wilson was approached by Della Fattoria owners. Wilson says they “approached me about playing a gig and Valentine’s Day naturally fell to the top of our list. Why not? Let’s celebrate how much we love music on a holiday of love.” She adds “also, it’s a great activity for Valentine’s Day which is so ripe for expectation and pressure. Instead, come sit with us, escape to a magical place, go on a musical journey.”

Tickets for the event are on sale now for $49.87 and there will be beer, wine and light snacks. For more information, visit sarahwilsonmusic.com

Congratulations North Bay Pet Photo Contest 2026 Winners!

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Congrats to the North Bay Pet Photo Contest ’26 Winners! Thanks to our sponsors: Western Farm Center, Pawsarotti’s and The Dapper Dog Salon.

Furry Friends—Piper

Piper, north bay pet photo contest

Best Senior Pet—Bam Bam

Bam Bam, north bay pet photo contest

Best Adventure/Working Dog—Comet AKA Kansa’s The Night Fire

Comet AKA Kansa's The Night Fire, north bay pet photo contest

Best Puppy—Puppy in Powder

Puppy in Powder, north bay pet photo contest

Best Belly—Raisin

Raisin, north bay pet photo contest

Best Passenger—Vlad the Nomad

Vlad the Nomad, north bay pet photo contest

Best Owner/Look-Alike—Jasper

Jasper, north bay pet photo contest

Cutest Kitten—Junior

Junior, north bay pet photo contest

Best Costume—Pugsley Addams aka Pancho

Pugsley Addams aka Pancho, north bay pet photo contest

Best Coif—Yes, your magistrate

Yes your magistrate, north bay pet photo contest

Best Service Dog—Hope

Hope, north bay pet photo contest

Where Is the Line? Time to Choose a Side.

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I have a question I never imagined I’d have to ask in the United States. Not, “Are you worried about where the country is heading?” We’re past that. It’s a question I keep asking myself—and now I’m asking you:

What has to happen before you actively push back at a government transforming into an authoritarian state before our eyes?

Because here’s what haunts me: law, decency and truth are all buckling—and far too many people are still waiting until they’re personally threatened before they act. They’re waiting, as if democracy collapses suddenly, instead of the way it usually unravels: quietly, gradually—one normalized outrage at a time.

So the question is: How will you know when the United States has crossed the line?

I keep hearing the same inadequate answers: “I don’t know.” “I’m not political.” “I just want to live my life.”

But authoritarianism doesn’t ask permission. It doesn’t say, “Excuse me, we’re about to end your rights. Is this a good time?” It sells itself as “order,” “security,” “patriotism.” And once it settles in, it sells something else: fear.

So, beginning with myself, I ask again—more personally: Is there a number of U.S. citizens who have to be killed—or disappeared—before we say the words dictatorship or fascism out loud? What if the government begins spiriting away children? What if five year olds can be taken without due process—snatched from school, from home, from a parent’s arms? Would that be your line?

Because by the time the proof is undeniable, the system has already changed. The twisted genius of authoritarianism is simple: It doesn’t need to convince everyone. It only needs to convince enough people to wait.

Wait for the courts. Wait for the next election. Wait for the next news cycle. Wait until it hits your zip code. Wait until it hits your child. Wait until it hits your body.

And that’s when I ask the question that echoes through every authoritarian society:

Which side are you on?

Rob Okun is editor emeritus of ‘Voice Male,’ which has long chronicled the profeminist men’s movement.

The Ingredients & Seasons of Sonoma Chef Armando Navarro

Chef Armando Navarro has guided the kitchen at El Dorado Kitchen, the signature restaurant within El Dorado Hotel & Kitchen in downtown Sonoma, since 2011. 

With nearly three decades of culinary expertise, he crafts seasonally inspired California fare highlighting ingredients from nearby farms and artisan producers, honoring the area’s abundant agricultural heritage. 

His culinary philosophy emphasizes clarity, accessibility and refined execution—all infused with a wine country perspective that defines each plate. Chef Armando Navarro has guided the kitchen at El Dorado Kitchen, the signature restaurant within El Dorado Hotel & Kitchen in downtown Sonoma, since 2011. , celebrated for its reliability and warmth.

Born in Michoacán, Mexico, Navarro built his culinary groundwork through formal education and global stages, bouncing from coast to coast while absorbing the precision demanded by Michelin-level operations within America’s most distinguished fine-dining circles.

Finally returning westward, he held positions at celebrated San Francisco venues Jardinière and Masa’s, then became chef de cuisine at Redd in Yountville. A stint as executive chef at Larkspur Restaurant in Vail, Colorado followed, where he introduced his California sensibility to resort guests before arriving at El Dorado Kitchen.

Deeply embedded in Sonoma’s fabric, Navarro champions the team he’s nurtured throughout the years, many advancing under his guidance. He prioritizes fostering a collaborative, respectful workplace equally as much as delivering exceptional cuisine—a dedication that extends to the restaurant’s devoted patrons whose enduring relationships continually influence his culinary direction. And his special Valentine’s Day Prix Fixe Menu could be the ticket come Feb. 14.

Amber Turpin: How did you get into this work?

Armando Navarro: Growing up in Michoacán, Mexico, my connection to food began early and stayed with me as I found my way into the kitchen. Formal training at the Napa Valley Cooking School, followed by an apprenticeship at The Grand Palace in Switzerland, helped shape my discipline and respect for technique. 

After I returned to Napa in 1999 as executive sous chef at Auberge du Soleil, my belief in letting ingredients and seasonality guide my work led me to New York City five years later, training in some of the country’s most esteemed kitchens, like Le Bernardin, Jean-Georges and Daniel by Daniel Boulud.

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

Yes. On a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico, I was introduced to an Oaxacan mocha that truly impressed me. The Oaxacan chocolate added a special twist—spicy, rich and wonderfully complex.

What is your favorite thing to drink at home?

Dark roast coffee, no milk, in the morning. At night, a hot tea infusion made with ginger, lemon peels and a dash of black pepper.

Where do you like to go out for a drink?

The Plaza Bistro in Sonoma.

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

Watermelon Agua Fresca.El Dorado Hotel & Kitchen, 405 First St. W, Sonoma. 707.996.3030. eldoradosonoma.com.

Free Will Astrology, Feb. 11-17

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): “The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them,” wrote Ernest Hemingway. This Valentine season, I propose you experiment with his approach. Take a smart risk with people who have shown glimmers of reliability but whom you haven’t fully welcomed. Don’t indulge in reckless credulity, just courageous and discerning openness. Be vulnerable enough to discover what further connection might bloom if you lead with faith rather than suspicion. Your willingness to believe in someone’s better nature may help bring it forth.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus singer Barbra Streisand addressed her legendary perfectionism. She said that truly interesting intimacy became available for her only after she showed her dear allies her full array of selves, not just her shiny, polished side. In alignment with astrological omens, I encourage you to experiment with the daring art of unfinished revelation. Let the people you care for witness you in the midst of becoming. Share your uncertainties, your half-formed thoughts and your works in progress. Surprise. Your flaws may prove as endearing as your achievements.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Author Anaïs Nin wrote, “Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” I believe this understanding of camaraderie should be at the heart of most Geminis’ destinies. It’s your birthright and your potential superpower to seek connections with people who inspire you to think thoughts and feel feelings you would never summon by yourself. You have an uncanny knack for finding allies and colleagues who help you unveil and express more of your total self. Now is a good time to tap further into these blessings.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Poet David Whyte said that “heartbreak is unpreventable.” It’s “the natural outcome of caring for people and things over which we have no control.” But here’s the redemptive twist: Your capacity to feel heartbreak proves you have loved well. Your shaky aches are emblems of your courageous readiness to risk closeness and be deeply affected. So let’s celebrate your tender heart not despite its vulnerability but because of it. You should brandish your sensitivity as a superpower.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Choreographer Twyla Tharp said she fell in love with her husband partly because “he was the only person who didn’t seem impressed by me.” I will extrapolate from that to draw this conclusion: Our most valuable allies might show their most rigorous respect by seeing us clearly. This Valentine season, Leo, I invite you to test the hypothesis that being thoroughly known and understood is more crucial than being regularly praised and flattered. Enrich your connections with the perceptive souls who love you not for your highlight reel but for your raw, genuine self.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The famously kind and caring author Anne Lamott confessed, “I thought such awful thoughts that I cannot even say them out loud because they would make Jesus want to drink gin straight out of the cat dish.” That’s a liberating insight. She revealed that even kind, caring people like her harbor messy internal chaos. This Valentine season, Virgo, I dare you to share a few of your less-than-noble thoughts with soulful characters whom you trust will love you no matter what. Let them see that your goodness coexists with your salty imperfections. Maybe you could even playfully highlight the rough and rugged parts of you for their entertainment value. What’s the goal? To deepen spirited togetherness.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): How do we eagerly and daringly merge our fortunes with another person while maintaining our sovereign selfhood? How do we cultivate interesting togetherness without suppressing or diluting our idiosyncratic beauty? In some respects, this is a heroic experiment that seems almost impossible. In other respects, it’s the best work on the planet for anyone who’s brave enough to attempt it. Luckily for you Libras, this is potentially one of your superpowers. And now is an excellent time to take your efforts to the next level of heartful grittiness.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Here’s a quote by the character Carrie Bradshaw from the TV show Sex and the City: “The most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you that you love, that’s fabulous.” I invite you to make this a prime meditation, Scorpio. To begin, get extra inspired by your own mysterious beauty: captivated by your own depths, fascinated by your mysterious contradictions and delighted by your urge for continual transformation. The next step is to identify allies and potential allies who appreciate the strange magnificence you treasure in yourself. Who devoutly wants you to fulfill your genuine, idiosyncratic soul’s code? Spend the coming weeks enriching your connections with these people.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): This Valentine season, I propose that you infuse your intimate life with a fun dose of playful curiosity. Visualize your beloved allies, both current and potential, as unfolding mysteries rather than solved puzzles. Ask them provocative questions you’ve never thought to ask before. Wonder aloud about their simmering dreams and evolving philosophies. (Brezsny’s Togetherness Rule #1: When you think you’ve figured someone out completely, the relationship withers.) In fact, let’s make this one of your assignments for the next five months: Heighten and nurture your nosiness about the beautiful people you love. Treat each conversation as an expedition into unexplored territory. (Brezsny’s Togetherness Rule #2: A great way to stoke their passion for you and your passion for them is to believe there’s always more to discover about each other.)

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Ecologists studying symbiosis know that successful partnerships aren’t always between similar organisms. Some bonds link the fortunes of radically different creatures, like clownfish and sea anemones or oxpeckers and buffalo. Each supplies resources or protection the other lacks, often assuring they live more successfully together than they would on their own. This is useful information for you right now. At least one of the allies you need looks nothing like you. Their genius is orthogonal to yours, or they have skills you don’t. The blend may not be comfortable, but I bet it’s the precise intelligence you need to achieve what you can’t accomplish alone.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Poet Mary Oliver asked her readers, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” This Valentine season, I propose a collaborative version of this prod: Ask those you care for to help you answer Oliver’s question, and offer to help them answer it for themselves. Now is an excellent time to act on the truth that vibrant intimacy involves the two of you inspiring each other to fulfill your highest callings. Do whatever it takes to make both of you braver and bolder as you learn more about who you are meant to be.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Can you care for stressed people without making it your duty to rescue them? Can you offer support without being taken advantage of? I hope so, Pisces. Life is inviting you to be more skilled about expressing your love without compromising your own interests. How? First, offer affection without signing up for endless service. Second, don’t let your empathy blur into entanglement. Third, monitor your urge to care so it doesn’t weaken your sovereignty. Your gift for soothing others’ struggles evokes my deep respect, but it’s most effective when it’s subtle and relaxed. Give people room to carry out their own necessary work.

Homework: What fresh, bold action on behalf of love could you take? Newsletter. FreeWillAstrology.com

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