Helping the Helpers, Katelyn Willoughby of nonprofit CVNL

Fear and anger are go emotions and carry a powerful kinetic charge. Unless they are expressed in action, they will burn us up inside with their galvanic fire. This wrought inauguration week, I invite one to take their anxiety, dread, anger and revenge to the volunteer portal at volunteernow.org. Their charge can help us build the beloved community from the bottom up. There those bad vibes will revolve into hazy feelings of compassion and love.

Volunteernow.org is powered by CVNL, the Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership. With a staff of 55 and offices in Napa, Sonoma, Marin and Solano counties, this nonprofit is the North Bay’s go-to resource for volunteers and nonprofits.

I Zoomed with Katelyn Willoughby, their director of marketing and communications, about our opportunities to act locally.

CH: I see you have volunteer opportunities in 16 broad categories, including school mentoring, civil rights, seniors, veterans, homeless and disaster relief.

KW: Yes. With that last category, we contract with the counties to coordinate volunteers and donations during local disasters.

CH: That’s something to remember. About how many local nonprofits utilize this free-to-use volunteer matching tool?

KW: About 400. We are always reaching out to add more.

CH: Our readers will spread the word. Four hundred nonprofits and nonprofit causes. I didn’t even know there were that many in the North Bay. And how many volunteers did you match to them last year?

KW: Approximately 15,000 matches. And that includes single days of service, project-based volunteering and long-term positions.

CH: Volunteernow.org is just one of the many services provided by the Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership. I see from your main website that your nonprofit trains and advises nonprofit leaders, helps find new nonprofit leaders and conducts peer-nominated nonprofit award events, too. What would you say is the role or position of CVNL in the nonprofit sector? 

KW: A lot of people refer to us as a hub—a resource hub, the place to go when nonprofits have needs or questions. At the end of the day, nonprofits are businesses, too. They need the same kind of support that for-profit small businesses need, particularly around infrastructure, finances, fund development, recruiting, running an effective board of directors, and recruiting volunteers of course, how to deliver effective programs and who to partner with in their communities. If nonprofits stay in business, more good is going to happen in our world.

Learn more. Civil society is the bulwark of democracy, so we need to build it out. Volunteering can change one’s life. Go to cvnl.org.

Culture Crush, 1/22

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Mill Valley

Tesla Quartet

Chamber Music Marin presents the Tesla Quartet at 5pm, Sunday, Feb. 2, at Mt. Tamalpais United Methodist Church in Mill Valley. Part of their 2024-2025 Chamber Music Concert Series, now in its 52nd year, this concert showcases a diverse repertoire blending timeless classics and new works. The Tesla Quartet, formed at Juilliard in 2008, has won top prizes in numerous competitions and commissioned 12 new works during the 2020 pandemic. The program includes Haydn’s “Joke” Quartet, Opus 33, No. 2; Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 10, Opus 51; and String Quartet No. 3 by Grazina Bacewicz. Tickets are $48 GA, $130 for a three-concert subscription or $190 for the full season. Youth 18 and under attend free. For tickets and details, visit chambermusicmarin.org. Mt. Tamalpais United Methodist Church, 410 Sycamore Ave., Mill Valley. More at chambermusicmarin.org.

Napa

Mustard Season Celebration

Silverado Resort of Napa Valley hosts its Mustard Celebration Wine Tasting Event, 3-6pm, Saturday, Feb. 1, at the Silverado Ballroom. Part of Napa Valley’s Mustard Season (Jan. 1-March 31), this event features tastings from wineries like Peju and ZD Wines, plus gourmet cheese and charcuterie with mustard-inspired pairings. Tickets are $40 and include a keepsake wine glass. Guests can also explore artisan vendors, partake in mustard-themed culinary specials or unwind with a limited-time Mustard Seed Spa Experience. Exclusive Mustard Room Packages include resort credits, a commemorative wine bottle and a limited-edition art print. Dining highlights include grilled pork chop with mustard crème fraiche, house-made pretzel with mustard trio and a roast turkey sandwich with dijonnaise and cranberry apple mostarda. The spa offers a seasonal body scrub and massage featuring the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits of mustard seed. Silverado Resort, 1600 Atlas Peak Rd., Napa. More at silveradoresort.com or @silveradoresort on Instagram.

Petaluma

Found Poets

Found Poets! celebrates the art of performance poetry, blending spirited entertainment with a vibrant community. Featuring graduates from its development program and nationally acclaimed headliners, this event is designed to offer a dynamic and memorable experience. The program features food and beverages from The Big Easy. Doors open at 3pm, Saturday, Feb. 1, with the show beginning at 3:45pm. Admission is $15 at the door. All ages are welcome, though some content may be mature. Headlining is Mr. Witz, a poet from Brooklyn now based in Charlotte, who has been entertaining audiences since 2013. With 11 solo projects and roles in many poetry collectives, he brings a wealth of talent and energy to the stage. IG: @mrwitzthepoet. The Big Easy, 128 American Alley, Petaluma. More info at bigeasypetaluma.com.

Sebastopol

Art at The Livery

The Art Workshop of Western Sonoma County (AWS) recognizes artists at a free reception from 5-7pm, Friday, Jan. 24, at The Livery CoWork. This event is open to the public and offers an opportunity to meet the artists and view their work, now on display throughout the space. This exhibition features a variety of pieces available for purchase, making it a chance to invest in local art while supporting the creative community. Attendees can also learn more about AWS and its members. Lite bites and refreshments will be provided. The Livery CoWork, 6940 Burnett St.,  Sebastopol. More information at liverycowork.com.

Free Will Astrology: Week of Jan. 22-28

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): Author Anais Nin wrote, “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” I bring this to your attention because you Aries folks now have a mandate to expand your life through courageous acts, thoughts and feelings. I suggest we make the Arctic fox your power symbol. This intrepid creature undertakes epic migrations, journeying over 2,000 miles across sea ice, using starlight and magnetic fields to navigate. Let’s dare to speculate that you have something in common with it; let’s propose that you are equipped with an inner guidance system that gives you a keen intuitive sense of how to maneuver in unfamiliar territory. P.S.: Anais Nin has another tip: “We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus archeologist Howard Carter made a spectacular discovery in 1922: the intact tomb of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun, more than 3,300 years after his death. It was filled with more than 5,000 artifacts, became a global sensation and to this day remains the most famous find from ancient Egypt. A short time before he succeeded at his five-year quest, Carter nearly gave up. But then his sponsor agreed to provide funds for a few more months, and he continued. In this spirit, Taurus, I urge you to keep pushing to fulfill your own dream. Renew your faith. Boost your devotion. Remember why you feel so strongly.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The James Webb Space Telescope is the largest telescope in space. Recently, it discovered hundreds of galaxies that no humans had ever before beheld. They are very old, too—far more ancient than our own Milky Way Galaxy. I propose we make this marvelous perception-enhancing tool a symbol of power for you. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you now have a robust potential to see things that have always been invisible, secret or off-limits to you. Some of these wonders could motivate you to reinterpret your life story and reshape your future plans.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): One theory says that humans evolved to be afraid of reptiles because our early ancestors were frequently threatened by them. Among the most commonly feared creatures in modern culture are snakes. And yet, as anyone knows if they’ve studied mythology, snakes have also been symbols of fertility and healing in many cultures. Because they periodically shed their skin, they also represent regeneration and rebirth. I’m hoping you don’t harbor an instinctual aversion to snakes, Cancerian. The coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to call on and benefit from their iconic powers.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In the coming months, be extra creative as you enhance your network of connections and support. Encourage your allies to provide you with tips about opportunities and possibilities that you would not otherwise know about. Ask them to serve as links to novel resources that will nurture your long-term dreams. Here’s an idea to energize your efforts: Get a vivid sense of how trees use vast underground fungal webs to communicate with each other. (Learn more here: bit.ly/TheWoodWideWeb.) Knowing about this natural magic may impregnate your subconscious mind with evocative suggestions about how to be ingenious in weaving the kind of community you want.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I love my job as a horoscope writer. What could be more fun than analyzing cosmic signs to generate inspirational counsel for my readers? It’s a big responsibility, though. I am intensely aware of how crucial it is that I craft my messages with utmost care and compassion. Having been scarred as a young adult by reckless, fear-mongering fortune-tellers, I’m rigorous about nurturing your free will, not undermining it. I want you to be uplifted, not confused or demoralized as I was. With these thoughts in mind, I invite you to take a vigorous inventory of the effects that your work and play have on the world. Are they aligned with your intentions? Are your ambitions moored in impeccable integrity?

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Why are diamonds considered so valuable? I’m skeptical. High-grade diamonds are not as rare as public perception would lead us to believe. Yes, they are extraordinarily hard and scratch-resistant, but is that a reason to regard them as a sublime treasure? I acknowledge they are pretty in a bland way. But other gems are more intriguingly beautiful. Maybe the most important reason they are so prized is that diamond sellers have done effective marketing campaigns to promote them as symbols of love and luxury. All this is a prelude to my main message: Now is an excellent time to think and feel deeply about what is truly beautiful to you—and take steps to bring more of it into your life. For you Libras, beauty is an essential ingredient in your life’s purpose.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The way that ancient Romans made concrete was more ingenious than modern methods. Their manufacturing materials included “lime clasts,” which gave the concrete self-healing qualities. When cracks arose, they fixed themselves. That’s why Roman aqueducts built 2,000 years ago can still convey water today. Metaphorically speaking, I hope you will work on building similar structures in the coming weeks. It’s time to create strong foundations that will last for a very long time.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Do you harbor a yearning to learn a new language, new skill or new trick? The coming weeks will be a favorable phase to get serious about doing it. Have you fantasized about embarking on an adventure that would expand your understanding of how the world works? The time is right. Have you wished you could attract an inspirational prod to unleash more creativity and experiment freely? The astrological omens suggest that inspirational prod is imminent. Have you wondered whether you could enhance and fine-tune your receptivity—and thereby open up surprising sources of fresh teaching? Do it now.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Bristlecone pine trees grow very slowly, but they are hardy and long-lived. Their wood is so dense and strong that it’s virtually immune to disease, insects and erosion. They grow in places that are inhospitable for many other trees, flourishing in cold, windy environments where the soil is not particularly rich in nutrients. For the bristlecone pine, apparent obstacles stimulate their resilience. I don’t want to exaggerate the ways they remind me of you Capricorns, but you and they certainly have affinities. I believe these shared qualities will be especially useful for you in the coming weeks.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In old Hawaii, it was forbidden for ordinary people to touch objects that belonged to the chiefs or to anyone with spiritual powers. Other taboos: Never walk across the shadow of an important person, and never wear red and yellow feathers. Our modern taboos are different, but often equally rigid. For example, you are probably hesitant to ask people how much money they make or what their relationship status is. What are other taboos you observe? I won’t outrightly advise you to brazenly break them, but now is a good time to re-evaluate them—and consider changing your relationship with them.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): As winter progresses, each day is longer and each night shorter. Most humans feel an undercurrent of joy that the amount of light in the world is growing. But as an astrologer who appreciates cycles, I like to honor the beauty and powers of darkness. That’s where everything new gets born. It’s where the future comes from. In ancient Hawaiian religion, the word kumulipo meant “beginning-in-deep-darkness.” It was also the name of a prayer describing the creation of the world. In the coming weeks, I believe you will be wise to tap into the rich offerings of darkness.

Your Letters, 1/22

Dumbass Debate

I just read Joe Manthey’s tirade against POTUS, etc. or “Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive” (Jan. 8 Letters to the Editor). Well, here’s my own tirade: 

What kind of dumbass would not get the message of this play, and what kind of dumbass would think that it was prejudiced against all men? It was clearly only about POTUS. Does Manthey think he is as great as Donald Trump thinks he is? 

And as for Laura Coti Cohen (of The Larchmont Buzz), is she trying to say that all women are just like the seven specific women in the play? Of course, they are “simpering and foolish, morally bereft and addled, immature and flailing”; they are Trump’s women. 

Both Mathley and Cohen were coloring all men and all women with the same crayons when this play was only about one specific man and seven specific women. So, who’s prejudiced now?

Buck Moon
Rohnert Park

Highway to Hell

What’s cool about the Trump/Musk/Kennedy/Vance/Citizens United oeuvre is that, whereas society used to have standards of behavior (many violations of which brought social sanctions), the days of right and wrong are now officially over.

The road ahead is now a highway without speed limits, where you do, or say, what you want, and no one will be able to respond, “Whoa, now, we don’t have that here. It’s against the law.”

Equality under the law? Courtesy? Civility? Mutual respect? Logic? Reason? The common good?

So quaint, those days, weren’t they?

Craig J. Corsini
San Rafael

Grave Situation

Rest in Peace, America

July 4, 1776 – Jan. 20, 2025

Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they’ve done

Bob Canning
Petaluma

Constitutional Conventions, 6th Street’s Timely Show

As a gentleman seated next to me at a recent performance of What the Constitution Means to Me said, “Well, this should be interesting.” 

Running on the Monroe Stage at Santa Rosa’s 6th Street Playhouse through Jan. 26, the production elicited further commentary. “I don’t really think we even have a Constitution anymore,” the man added grimly.

Despite this sentiment, it was apparent from the vocal and engaged audience that we do still have arts patrons who care about the state of our country and its landmark founding document. 

This lean and efficient production, evocatively staged by set designer Andrew Patton and directed by longtime local theater veteran Bronwen Shears, leaves one with lots to discuss afterwards. This reviewer found herself wound into an existential tizzy, and not just at wondering how, in 2025, a phone can still go off during a production, despite the curtain speech aforehand. 

What the Constitution Means to Me isn’t subtle. It demands we engage with the material, and our own individual experiences and responsibilities as citizens. 

To this end, playwright and actress Heidi Schreck takes us through her life, both as a 15 year old competing in national rotary debates to win scholarship money (which she did—enough to put her through college), and as a middle-aged actress sharing deeply personal memories as she seamlessly, and often hilariously, ties these memories to particular amendments and clauses. 

Aided by two solid supporting performances from Keith Baker and astonishing newcomer Nadia Hill, Sandra Ish delivers a heartfelt and raw performance as Schreck, the creator and star of the original play, which debuted off-Broadway in 2018 and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. 

Ish is real, grounded and never pushes for emotion as she talks for nearly two hours about such topics as violence against women, the 14th Amendment and everyone’s favorite gang of nine, the Supreme Court. 

The audience was transfixed, especially at the end, when a debate about whether or not to abolish the Constitution ensues between Ish and Hill. An interactive show, this is a hard one to ignore, even if the format might not be traditional. There’s even swag, as audience members get a pocket-sized Constitution to take home with them.

Wherever one falls on our political spectrum, they might consider heading to 6th Street and immersing themself in some powerful storytelling, a very appropriate brush-up on history and some thoughts on what our obligations to the country might be at present.

‘What the Constitution Means to Me’ runs through Jan. 26 on the Monroe Stage at 6th Street Playhouse, 52 W. 6th Street, Santa Rosa. Thurs-Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 2pm. $29–$48. 707.523.4185. 6thstreeetplayhouse.com.

Folk/Americana Trio, The Wildwoods, Arrive in Sebastopol

Lincoln, Nebraska-based folk/Americana trio, The Wildwoods, make their North Bay debut at 7:30pm, Saturday, Jan. 25, at the Sebastopol Community Center. 

Composed of husband and wife duo Chloe Gose (violin) and Noah Gose (guitar), as well as bassist Andrew Vaggalis, The Wildwoods are embarking on an extended tour starting this week.

The group features gorgeous harmonies and modern-day lyrics mixed with an almost old-timey folk sensibility. They were fortunate to crack the always-challenging social media algorithm to get some viral love, pushing their Instagram following to nearly 250,000. 

Last February, they released the album, Foxfield St. John, and already have a new album, Dear Meadowlark, in the can and dropping on Jan. 17. We had a chance to catch up with Chloe Gose as she preps for the monthslong U.S. trek.

Bohemian: Is this your first trip out to Northern California or Sebastopol?

Chloe Gose: This is actually our first time performing in Sebastopol, and we’re really excited to be there. Northern California has such a rich history of art, music and natural beauty, so we’ve always wanted to visit. We’ve heard wonderful things about the vibrant, creative community there and the stunning landscapes. We’re looking forward to exploring a bit and connecting with folks at the show—it feels like a special place to share our music.

B: You just released an album (‘Foxfield St. John’) last year, and now you have another record (‘Dear Meadowlark’) releasing this month. Were the three of you just striking while the creative iron was hot, or was there too much for the one album, so it became another album or…?

CG: It’s funny you mention that because it wasn’t exactly planned this way. Foxfield St. John came together as a culmination of songs inspired by our time on the road and the people we met along the way. Dear Meadowlark, on the other hand, is more rooted in home—Nebraska. 

The two albums reflect different chapters for us. After Foxfield St. John, we realized we had this other collection of songs that shared a common thread, so we leaned into that. It felt natural to let each album stand on its own rather than trying to condense them into one project.

B: You’re diligently releasing singles right now via your website. Will these all comprise the new album, or are these something different?

CG: Yes, the singles we’re releasing right now will all be part of Dear Meadowlark, which comes out on April 11. It’s been so rewarding to share the songs gradually—each one tells its own story but also fits into the larger narrative of the album. We love giving our listeners a chance to get to know the songs one by one before hearing the full record.

B: Will copies of Dear Meadowlark be available at the show? Do you sell vinyl and other swag folks can grab?

CG: While the full album won’t be out until April, we plan to bring some Dear Meadowlark CDs with us as an exclusive pre-sale. The vinyl aren’t in yet, but will be available for pre-order. And yes, we do sell vinyl of Foxfield Saint John that will be available at the show. There’s something so special about holding an album in your hands and listening to it in its entirety—it feels like the way our music is meant to be experienced.

B: Seeing as you’re new to the area, if you met a stranger in a gas station and wanted to get them out to the show, what would your pitch be?

CG: Hey, if you’re looking for a great night of live music, you should come check out our band, The Wildwoods. We play folk music with a twist—three-part harmonies, beautiful string arrangements and heartfelt storytelling. It’s like a mix of modern Americana and the timeless sounds of artists like Watchhouse, The Milk Carton Kids and Gillian Welch.

The Wildwoods perform at 7:30pm, Saturday, Jan. 25, at the Sebastopol Community Center, 390 Morris St. Tickets are $30-45 and are available online at seb.org/concerts-events.

Found Poet, Michael Giotis

Michael Giotis is a poet, independent journalist and organizer. When I met him at his home, this hero was slightly hobbled, nursing a late fútbol injury. 

Giotis is a former announcer and color commentator for the Sonoma Sol soccer team, and he has one of those mahogany voices. At his dinner table, he served me his homemade miso soup before we launched an epic conversation in which Giotis read seven of his poems in English and Greek. 

The conversation I recorded for my podcast is linked and quoted here. Of his poetry, Giotis declined pigeon-hole classification. Still, across our interview, he cited as influences praxis, domesticity, punk DIY culture, the lyrics and mystic fantasy of early Sabbath and Def Leppard, the panegyric poetry ancient Greeks wrote to hail conquerors and the modernist Greek poetry of anticolonial liberation. He also cited business presentations, slam poetry, William S. Burroughs, the stark sci-fi parables of Octavia Butler and fatherhood. 

A professional prose-writing journalist, Giotis favors the medium of poetry for its “wide open expression” and “directness.”

CH: Amid the welter of poetic and lyrical influences, how did you find your voice?

MG: It took me a while, but in the end, I found my voice was me all along (laughs).

CH: You have several active political and educational organizing efforts, but in the context of this conversation, can you tell me about your “Found Poets” poetry series?

MG: With others, I organize a poetry group that meets and puts on a show most first Saturdays, 3-6pm, here in Petaluma at The Big Easy.

CH: Ah, a classic low-lit jazz hole—the perfect setting.

MG: It feels really good in there for sure. We bring in poets from around the country to headline, and we have a collective of poets in the North Bay and Bay Area in a curated undercard. I want to say we are organizing this for a general audience—because poetry can be entertaining as well as challenging.

CH: Especially with those slam poetry influences. Could you throw out some local poets from your collective that we should know better?

MG: Mahrs Schoppman, powerful, understated, improvised poetry; Stacy Tuel, who captures the essence of what it is to be connected to the world so well; Rashida Clendening, the Audio Angel; Bernice Espinoza, an immigration lawyer and bad-ass poet.

Learn more. Follow linktr.ee/giotisLINKS for our interview, the ‘Found Poets’ series and more. Giotis’ first poetry anthology, Daybreak, can be purchased at Copperfield’s Books.

End Times for Wine? New Health Advisory Spurs Sober-Curiosity

In 2010, then California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law AB1798, which mandated conjunctive labeling of Sonoma County-made wines to include both their American Viticultural Area (AVA) designation and “Sonoma County” on their labels. 

It was proudly seen as a boon for the local wine industry. Now, that same label may soon include a surgeon general’s warning that wine causes cancer.

Earlier this month, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued a new advisory highlighting the connection between alcohol consumption and a higher risk of cancer. Alcohol use ranks as the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, following tobacco use and obesity, and is linked to an increased risk for at least seven different types of cancer.

To wit, as one of his final acts under the outgoing Biden administration, Murthy has called for cancer warnings to be added to alcoholic beverages in a manner akin to cigarette packaging. For imbibers who may be reevaluating their rates of consumption, it’s enough to make the sober-curious sober-furious. 

Thanks to the popularity of the so-called French Paradox (the theory that wine consumption may contribute to lower rates of coronary heart disease in France despite a diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol) and resveratrol (a naturally occurring compound in red wine once believed to have health benefits), many bought into the notion that—in moderation—drinking wine could be a healthy lifestyle choice. This, at best, is a medical misapprehension and, worse, marketing. 

Younger generations may already have intuited this possibility. In recent years, there has been a generational trend away from alcohol in general and wine in particular. This past September, The Guardian ran a story headlined, “Stuffy, unhealthy or ‘just mid’—are young people over wine?” 

“The surgeon general’s announcement underscores a growing awareness that alcohol consumption can have negative health impacts,” said Sean Goldsmith, CEO and co-founder of Atlanta-based The Zero Proof, a maker of non-alcoholic wines and spirits. “At The Zero Proof, we’re not only seeing interest from those who abstain entirely but also from a rising number of consumers who are choosing to drink in moderation and want more sophisticated options.”

Goldsmith says 90% of The Zero Proof’s customers are alcohol drinkers seeking healthier alternatives—and 60% of those are women, with the majority being millennials between the ages of 28 and 43.

What does this portend for the wine industry as boomers, who once drove the wine market, ride into the sauvignon blanc sunset?

In a 2023 interview published in wine trade publication Meininger’s International, wine industry expert Steve Melchiskey, president of importer USA Wine West, said that Gen X has begun to outdrink the once flush and lush baby boomers. 

“They recently became the demographic that consumes the most wine, taking the title from the aging boomer generation,” said Melchiskey. “While their numbers are small, they punch far above their weight class in terms of wine consumption.” And even Gen X is beginning to heed the shift.

Founded by David Risher, the 50-year-old CEO of Lyft, Napa-based Tomorrow Cellars launched its first non-alcoholic wine in time for practitioners of Dry January—the annual month-long challenge to abstain from alcohol. Tomorrow Cellars’ press materials use words like “present” and “engaged,” reflecting consumers’ increasing desire not to be out of their skulls in social contexts. Perhaps this is just marketing speak, but one thing is for sure—non-alcoholic wines don’t require cancer warning labels.

‘A Complete Unknown’ May Be the Best of All Possible Dylan Biopics

From its casting to its settings to its all-important musical choices, James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown is an electrifying, irresistibly engaging portrait of one of America’s unique originals, Bob Dylan.

Covering the years from Dylan’s 1961 arrival in New York City from Minnesota, to the time just before his serious 1966 motorcycle accident, the film depicts the artist’s life and times in sumptuous detail.

Director-writer Mangold and screenwriter Jay Cocks—working off a book by Elijah Wald—their crew and a well-chosen cast portraying mostly real-life characters, inhabit their Greenwich Village and Newport Folk Music Festival environs with live-wire creative energy. The young singer-songwriter leaps off the screen with maximum appeal, like a living legend should.

The moment 20-year-old Dylan (Timothée Chalamet) first steps onto MacDougal Street, he wears an innocent expression on his face. That doesn’t last very long. As he makes the rounds of Village folk clubs and interacts with the bohos, Beats, guitar pickers and various ambitious entertainers, our hero acquires wised-up eyes.

He spends his time playing gigs—Chalamet does his own singing—couch-surfing and post-midnight songwriting in the company of such fellow performers as Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro) and Pete Seeger (Edward Norton). But there’s always one other folkie in mind: Dylan’s idol, legendary Dust Bowl troubadour Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy, in a marvelous performance), now laid up in a New Jersey hospital bed. 

From Guthrie, Dylan has learned the common touch, a musical empathy with downtrodden people. It’s a feeling-tone that stays with the young artist and makes him attractive to socially minded musicians like Seeger and Baez. 

Dylan’s musical taste provides the film with its central dramatic conflict. His would-be mentor, Seeger, trapped in political idealism, envisions young Dylan as a civil rights crusader with a backpack full of catchy melodies, rallying crowds with his acoustic guitar. 

When push finally comes to shove one night at Newport, Dylan blows some of his older, tweedier fans’ minds with high-powered blues-rock (“Maggie’s Farm”), but simultaneously picks up a younger, hipper crowd. 

Meanwhile, Dylan shuffles his romantic cards. Who’s going to be his main squeeze, visual artist Sylvie Russo—Elle Fanning, portraying a surrogate for the real-life Suze Rotolo—or his regular duet partner, Barbaro’s best-selling Baez? Both Fanning and Barbaro have exquisite moments as the drama plays out.

A Complete Unknown is salted with a treasure trove of ’60s-era pop-culture tidbits. Gerde’s Folk City music club in New York City. Anxiety over the Cuban Missile Crisis. Johnny Cash’s comical drunk-driving stunt in his enormous Caddy. And the age-old musical question: “Where do your songs come from?” Dylan’s riposte: “They’re really saying, ‘I wish I could write songs like you.’”

Chalamet handles a tricky role adroitly. Before the film ends, he’s fully in Dont [sic] Look Back mode, as a sharp-tongued, often mean-spirited headliner that everyone adores. The song list is gorgeous and generous. This movie will create new Dylan fans. 

In theaters.

Winning Lunar New Year: Why the Year of the Snake Arrived Just in Time

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. And right on schedule, the Year of the Snake winds its way in. While many—from Eve to Indiana Jones—have strong opinions about snakes, the Year of the Snake is probably just what we need right now. 

The Lunar New Year’s snake can be clever and curious, and it can also be wise and calculating. However, when augmented with this year’s element, wood—which suggests creativity and imagination—it becomes a year to use that cleverness and cunning to express one’s creativity in bold, meaningful and impactful ways, meaning it’s a great year for artists to make their mark. 

The North Bay Celebrates

The lunar year begins on the second new moon after the winter solstice—and in 2025, that’s Wednesday, Jan. 29. Opening this potent year of creative expression are multiple events for everyone in the North Bay. They include the Marin Chinese Cultural Association’s (MCCA) Chinese New Year Celebration Dinner on Saturday, Feb. 8, in San Rafael, where attendees will celebrate with a dinner of traditional foods and performances, including lion dancers, traditional guzheng and more. Complete listings below.

Further north, a special free celebration will be held on Sunday, Jan. 19, at The Museum of Sonoma County and hosted by the museum and the Redwood Empire Chinese Association (RECA). It will also include lion dances, traditional Chinese music, a Xinjiang cultural performance and a special tea ceremony. 

Families with small children may also attend the Lunar New Year Festival on Saturday, Jan. 25, at the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County, where attendees are encouraged to bring their own picnics. Activities include traditional Chinese dancers, lion and dragon dances that children can join, calligraphy and traditional paper cutting.

For the Family

Whether it’s in celebration of one’s own heritage or in appreciation of the diversity of the area where we all live, it’s important to include family in the festivities.

Hsiao-Ching Chou says in her book, Feasts of Good Fortune: 75 Recipes for a Year of Chinese American Celebrations, from Lunar New Year to Mid-Autumn Festival and Beyond, “As a parent, I never know what practices and traditions stick with my two kids and their five cousins…But passing on traditions requires someone to receive them with intention. It’s also the responsibility of the bearer to invite the next generation into the narrative, to make space for the perspectives of those who will carry on our histories.”

Here in the North Bay, there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate these traditions. Following are a few ways one can mark the Lunar New Year around the Bay Area—perfect for families, artists and anyone ready to welcome the Year of the Snake.

2025 Lunar New Year Events

Lunar New Year 2025 Celebration
2-4pm, Sunday, Jan. 19
Free.
Presented by the Museum of Sonoma County and the Redwood Empire Chinese Association (RECA)
Museum of Sonoma County, 425 Seventh St., Santa Rosa
707.579.1500, museumsc.org

2025 Lunar New Year Festival
10am-2pm, Saturday, Jan. 25
Children’s Museum of Sonoma County
1835 W Steele Ln., Santa Rosa
cmosc.org/events/lunar-new-year-celebration
Infants free, adults and children $20, museum members $12.
Discounted admission available for seniors, military, teachers, EBT/WIC/MediCal beneficiaries.

Traditional Lion Dances
11-11:30am, Saturday, Jan. 25
San Anselmo Town Hall Plaza, 525 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo
bit.ly/town-hall-san-anselmo

Red Panda Acrobats with Wayne Huey
4-5pm, Monday, Jan.
Belvedere Tiburon Library Founders Room, 1501 Tiburon Blvd., Tiburon
bit.ly/red-panda-tiburon
Registration is not required.

Lion Dancing with the Sonoma Vietnamese Association
2-2:30pm, Sunday, Feb. 2
Free for all ages.
Central Santa Rosa Library, 211 E St., Santa Rosa
bit.ly/lion-dance-sr

MCCA Chinese New Year Celebration Dinner
5:45-9pm, Saturday, Feb. 8 
San Rafael Community Center, 618 B St.
Go to website for tickets.
bit.ly/MCCA-New-Year

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