Jan. 1: Walk It Off Around the North Bay

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Jan. 1: Walk It Off Around the North Bay

One of the North Bay’s most popular outdoor traditions is to start each New Year’s off with the refreshing and rejuvenating First Day Hike in the many parks and wilderness spots the region has to offer. There’s no excuse to not get out and get active this Jan. 1, as the Sonoma Coast, Armstrong Redwoods, Jack London State Park, Surgarloaf Ridge and many other places are hosting docent-led walks. There’s even a Christmas bird count happening on the first, hosted by Madrone Audubon Society for the 50th year in a row. Sunday, Jan. 1, at various locations.

Jan. 2: Beyond Ballroom in Petaluma

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Jan. 2: Beyond Ballroom in Petaluma

Dancing doesn’t always have to be a waltz. If you’ve ever wanted to break out of the mold and try on a new routine for size, Petaluma’s international folk dance class kicks off this New Year with instructor Carol Friedman. The classes include folk dances from all over the world, including Serbia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece and Israel. The evening starts with a beginner lesson so all skill levels can participate and each class promises fun and exercise while you experience an assortment of world music. Classes run every Monday through April, starting on Jan. 2, at Hermann Son’s Hall, 860 Western Ave., Petaluma. 7pm. $65 for all classes, $7 drop-in. carolfriedmanfolkdance.blogspot.com.

Jan. 3-5: Strange Love in Yountville

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Jan. 3-5: Strange Love in Yountville

Playwright Harold Pinter’s dramas are marked by his often understated tension, examining characters on the fringe with provocative and intricate dialogue that reveals deeper motivations than what’s on display. Such is the case with ‘The Lover’, a one-act look at modern marriage seen through the eyes of a married couple openly dealing with extramarital affairs. The Lover gets a limited run from the Valley Players in an intimate theater setting that’s sure to produce laughs and tears on Tuesday, Jan. 3, through Thursday, Jan. 5, at the Napa Valley Performing Arts Center at Lincoln Theater, 100 California Drive, Yountville. 7pm. $20. 707.944.9900.

Pop It Off

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Pop It Off

Allow us to be the first to say goodbye to 2016. With old acquaintances—both forgotten and remembered—we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet, and we’ll start with these New Year’s Eve parties around the North Bay. From delectable dinners to cabaret shows and blowout concerts, here’s a selection of ways to ring in 2017.

Happy New Year,
Charlie Brown

Kids love New Year’s Eve as much as the rest of us, but staying up late is not their strong suit. Instead, take them to the Charles M. Schulz Museum for a fun afternoon of crafts and games, with a big balloon drop and root beer toasts at noon and 3pm. Hey, it’s New Year’s somewhere. 2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa. 10am to 4pm. $5–$12. 707.579.4452.

Mischief Masquerade

The North Bay Cabaret never fails to surprise in its eclectic monthly variety shows, and master of ceremonies Jake Ward is pulling out all the stops for this New Year’s Eve spectacular. Attendees to the masquerade are encouraged to dress the part, eye masks included, and the night’s elegance will be matched by the entertainment. Burlesque, belly dance and circus and sideshow acts all come together for a night of dazzling feats, with DJs spinning until 2am and Champagne at midnight. There’s even a raffle with proceeds benefiting Syrian refugees through local nonprofit the Schoolbox Project, which provides education and support to refugee children and families. Whiskey Tip, 1910 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa. 8pm. $20–$25 (21 and over). mischiefmasqueradenye.brownpapertickets.com.

Bubble Ball

The Luther Burbank Center for the Arts is getting into the New Year’s Eve game this year, debuting its own showcase of local music, wine, beer and more in the first annual Bubble Ball. Dance the night away with popular local bands like Wonderbread 5, Kingsborough and the Pat Jordan Band, while sipping (or chugging) the best local brews and vino, and tasting local culinary masters. A general admission ticket gets you a little bit of everything, including the Champagne toast. The night
also benefits Greenacre Homes
in its quest to serve Sonoma County youth with special needs. 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. 8pm. $95 (21 and over). 707.546.3600.

Rivertown Ball

Each summer, the popular Rivertown Revival turns downtown Petaluma into a wonderland of DIY arts and local music. This year, the folks behind the revival, including the North Bay Hootenanny and Second Octave Entertainment, turn their eyes to New Year’s Eve and premiere the Rivertown Ball. Tobias “the Mystic Man” Weinberger of the vaudeville-on-wheels Traveling Spectacular hosts, San Francisco soul-powered band Monophonics headline, and Marin’s El Radio Fantastique and Sonoma County’s ragtag Oddjob Ensemble fill out the lineup. All the while, aerialists and sword swallowers roam, and libations from Lagunitas and Sonoma Cider fuel the fun. The Rivertown Ball also benefits Friends of the Petaluma River, and proceeds will help keep the watershed vibrant. Petaluma Veterans Memorial Hall, 1094 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma. 8pm. $70; $55 for designated drivers (21 and over). rivertownrevival.com.

New Year’s Eve
at Barndiva

The Healdsburg culinary destination has a motto: Eat the View. For New Year’s Eve, the view is looking particularly delicious, as Barndiva’s restaurant and bistro offer two separate menus of elegant dining in a festive and fun atmosphere. In the restaurant, a six-course meal of classic favorites features scallops and short ribs with special wine pairings available. In the relaxed bistro setting, the music gets pumping as you choose between beef fillets and roasted sole before working off the calories with a dance or two. Reservations are recommended. 231 Center St., Healdsburg. 707.431.0100.

New Year’s Eve at Spoonbar

Whether you want an amazing dinner to start the night’s fun, or a spot for late-night cocktails to wrap up your New Year’s Eve, Spoonbar has what you’re looking for. First up, a decadent four-course meal boasts luxurious caviar, truffle ravioli, seared black bass and roasted lamb loins on the menu. After the meal, DJs get the dance party going while photo booths and other fun activities keep spirits high. If you show up after 10pm, you can still partake in the dessert bar and sip on handcrafted cocktails before a glittering Champagne toast rings in the new year. Spoonbar,
219 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 6pm, dinner; 10pm, party. $125 dinner; $55 party. 707.433.7222.

Petaluma Museum’s
Gala Concert & A Night
in Vienna

Sky Hill Cultural Alliance and the Petaluma Museum Association present their eighth annual gala concert and dance with classical flair and marvelous entertainment. First up, the historical museum and library hosts members of the San Francisco Symphony in concert. Violinist Yun Chu, cellist Shu-Yi Pai and viola player Nancy Severance have been performing in the gala since the series’ inception, and this year they are joined by North Bay mezzo-soprano Karen Clark for a program of awe-inspiring artistry and music. After the show, it’s time to dance the night away, as the action moves to nearby Hermann Sons’ Hall for “A Night in Vienna,” featuring many traditional Austrian dishes and desserts, and waltzes performed by a live orchestra. This black-tie-optional event toasts New Year’s in stellar fashion. Gala concert happens at 20 Fourth St., Petaluma, 6pm. $50–$70. “A Night in Vienna” happens at 860 Western Ave., Petaluma. 8:30pm. $150. 707.778.4398.

New Year’s Party
in Sebastopol

After a year of vitriol and anger on all sides of the spectrum, Sebastopol wants to ring in the new year with an emphasis on peace. The party at the Sebastopol Community Center will offer lots of live music and drink, but there will also be thoughtful moments during the celebration to reinforce the feeling of love and togetherness that the west Sonoma County town has come to embody. Onstage, R&B funk masters Soul Fuse and laidback rockers the Rhythm Rangers, winners of the 2016 NorBay Music Award for best Americana and Country band, co-headline the night. Other local favorites like Levi Lloyd, Buzzy Martin, Sarah Baker and Mr. Music and the Love Choir also contribute to the positive vibes. Amid the dancing, a full bar will warm the belly and
a peace ceremony led by shaman and author Francis Rico will
warm the heart. 390 Morris St., Sebastopol. Doors at 7:30pm.
$18–$25. 707.823.1511.

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Ramekins New Year’s
Eve Celebration

The culinary school in Sonoma goes for the Hollywood glam this New Year’s Eve, so dress in your red-carpet best and enjoy an all-inclusive array of delicious bites, beer and wine, Champagne toasts and live music by the French Disconnection.
450 W. Spain St., Sonoma. 8pm. $125. ramekins.com.

Brian Culbertson
at Blue Note

Since opening last October, Napa’s Blue Note Jazz Club, which occupies the first floor of the historic Napa Valley Opera House, has gotten busy bringing world-class talent to one of the North Bay’s most intimate stages. This New Year’s, Blue Note welcomes multi-instrumentalist Brian Culbertson for two nights, including a New Year’s Eve celebration. Culbertson is best known as the founder and champion of the Napa Valley Jazz Getaway. He is also known across the country for his 16 self-produced solo albums and collaborations with everyone from Barry Manilow to Bootsy Collins. Join Culbertson for a jazzy New Year’s on Dec. 30–31. 1030 Main St., Napa. Friday, 7pm and 9:30pm; Saturday, 7:30pm and 10:30pm. $55 and up. 707.880.2300.

Red Tie Affair

The Westin Verasa in Napa is seeing double and throwing not one, but two parties to ring in 2017. First up, a dinner party at La Toque offers a Champagne reception before a sumptuous six-course dinner with a sommelier wine-pairing option. After the meal, the Red Tie Affair kicks off next door at Bank Café and Bar, with dancing and cocktails leading up to the Champagne toast. 1314 Mckinstry St., Napa. Dinner at 7:30pm; after-party at 9pm. $75 and up. 888.627.7169.

Rockin’ Country New Year

If formal attire is not your forte, Napa also has a denim-appropriate affair with a rollicking night of country rock at Silo’s. Live music from the Cripple Creek Band gets the boots stomping for two shows. Special desserts, party favors, bubbly and down-home fun culminate in two ball-drops, one for each coast. 530 Main St., Napa. 7pm and 10pm. $45–$75. 707.251.5833.

A Night in Paris

The Napa Wine Train is a popular attraction for wine and travel enthusiasts, and this New Year’s Eve event travels all the way across the sea for a night of Parisian delights. Sparkling wine awaits you at the station, and a decadent four-course meal is served while the sights of the Napa Valley pass you by during the three-and-a-half-hour ride. Once you return to the station, DJs get a dance party started
and a cabaret club atmosphere brings Paris to California.
1275 McKinstry St., Napa. Reception at 5pm; train departs at 7pm. $299 and up. 800.427.4124.

Speakeasy New Year’s Eve

Wine country public house Goose & Gander’s annual New Year’s bash includes two dinner seatings, cocktails and authentic ragtime music by Bob Ringwald before DJ Rotten Robbie spins vinyl in an after-party perfect for flappers
of any era. 1245 Spring St.,
St. Helena. Dinner at 5pm; after-party at 9pm. $40 admission to the party. 707.967.8779.

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood

A popular sight in the North Bay, the psychedelic rock and roll family that is the Chris Robinson Brotherhood largely operates somewhere in the wilds of Marin County that Robinson has dubbed “Unicorn, California.” This past year saw the brotherhood release their acclaimed roots-rock album Anyway You Love, We Know How You Feel, and now the former Black Crowes frontman and his bearded band of merry men take over Terrapin Crossroads on New Year’s Eve, with two nights of jams and joy. The brotherhood flies the freak flag Dec. 30–31, 100 Yacht Club Drive, San Rafael. Friday, 8pm; Saturday, 9pm. $40; $75. 415.524.2773.

New Year’s Eve Stand Up Comedy Showcase

Osher Marin JCC’s seventh annual New Year’s Eve event boasts more laughs than you can shake a bottle of Champagne at. This show always sells out in advance, and for good reason: the stellar lineup of performers and festive atmosphere is the perfect way to countdown to midnight. This year, the showcase outdoes itself with five comedians on the bill. Hosting the show is New York City native Jeff Applebaum, who has spent over 20 years making crowds laugh in his adopted hometown of San Francisco. His clean comedy sets the mood for the night, and the laughs keep coming from comedian and radio/TV host James P. Connolly, New Age optimist Karen Rontkowski, award-winning comedian Lamont Ferguson and the lovely Jason Love. A selection of cocktails, beer and wine start the party,
and a midnight toast wraps it up. 200 N. San Pedro Road, San Rafael. Pre-show party starts at 7:30pm. $35 and up. 415.444.8000.

Mademoiselle Kiki’s European Cabaret

The alter ego of Bay Area performer Moana Diamond, Mademoiselle Kiki transports audiences to Paris for a night of sultry entertainment and partying. In an intimate Cabaret-style nightclub setting, the mademoiselle leads the Chez Kiki Orchestra in interpreting the music of Edith Piaf and others while burlesque dancers and others take your breathe away with dazzling performances. There’s also a VIP pre-party for those wanting to get started early, and a Cabaret after-party keeps the dancing shoes on until 2am. Harmonia Wellness & Social Club, 2200 Marinship Way, Sausalito. Pre-party starts at 7pm. $30 and up. 415.332.1432.

Sanctuary Santa Rosa?

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Sanctuary Santa Rosa?

On the eve of Noam Chomsky’s call to Obama to pardon the undocumented, Maria de los Angeles (pictured, at right) was one of about 30 artist-activists who participated in a march and protest on Dec. 22 in Santa Rosa. The event was a so-called suitcase action, in which activists demanded the city declare itself a sanctuary for the undocumented in light of recent suggestions from the incoming administration that the country is headed for a brutal round of deportations and the end of the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) program.

De los Angeles is a DACA Dreamer who now finds herself in the crosshairs of anti-immigration zealotry. She helped organize the event last Thursday and describes it as a success, as she highlights that it “was not necessarily a protest,” but more of a gathering for performance artist-activists to push the city to declare itself a sanctuary city. The designation has no legal or official import and simply indicates that a city or town won’t participate or sanction federal raids against undocumented immigrants within its borders.

Before heading back to Brooklyn, where de los Angeles works as a university professor, she says city leaders here pledged to have a conversation, at least, about sanctuary status in Santa Rosa, and she notes that newcomer city councilman Jack Tibbetts attended the rally-performance. Outgoing mayor John Sawyer is still on the council (he was replaced by Chris Coursey by a vote of the council); right after the election, Sawyer issued a statement of support for undocumented immigrants, but, as the Press Democrat noted, he stopped short of endorsing the call for Santa Rosa to join some 40 other cities around the country that have made the pledge to protect their most vulnerable citizens. Now there’s a petition urging the city to join the movement.

“I am a dreamer,” says de los Angeles. “I am concerned.”

She says the only way for her to become a U.S. citizen in short order is to get married, and that’s not a priority for her. Deportation would mean the loss of her university job, not to mention the loss of a community that has sustained her and other Dreamers.

“I grew up here undocumented. I’m undocumented and I have many friends, too, who are undocumented. Local support for sanctuary cities is very important because, nationally, everything is on the line.”

Pardon Plea

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Pardon Plea

Retired MIT linguistics professor Noam Chomsky issued a video message Dec. 23 regarding the critical problem faced by undocumented immigrants on the verge of a Trump presidency.

“President Obama, to his credit, has issued personal pardons in deserving cases, but he should go far beyond,” Chomsky stated.

On Dec. 19, just weeks before leaving office, Obama pardoned 78 people and shortened the sentences of 153 other prisoners. The recipients were all nonviolent, low-level drug offenders deserving of a second chance. In total, Obama has pardoned over a thousand individuals since taking office, more than 50 times that of George W. Bush.

Chomsky then dared the president to set a new record.

“He should proceed to what is, in fact, an urgent necessity: to grant a general pardon to 11 million people who are living and working [in America], productive citizens . . . threatened with deportation by the incoming administration,” Chomsky insisted.

Donald Trump has promised to immediately deport 2–3 million undocumented immigrants. Meanwhile, the White House has shut down the House Democrats’ request for Obama to pardon DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival) recipients through his executive power.

“As we have repeatedly said for years, only Congress can create legal status for undocumented individuals,” a White House official told BuzzFeed.

President-elect Trump said in early December that he would “work something out” for the DACA Dreamers. But considering that Trump campaigned on the promise of deporting every single illegal immigrant, Chomsky isn’t too hopeful.

“This would be a horrible humanitarian tragedy,” Chomsky said of Trump’s deportation plan.

“And moral outrage can be averted by a general pardon for immigration infractions, which the president could issue,” Chomsky said. According to
Peter L. Markowitz, a professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, it’s possible.

“President Obama can still act to bring humanity and justice to an immigration system notoriously lacking in both. He can do so by using the power the Constitution grants him—and only him—to pardon individuals for “offenses against the United States,” Markowitz explained in July, just three weeks before Trump officially became the GOP nominee.

Markowitz then revealed that the president’s pardon power does not solely apply to criminal offenses, and can be used to grant a fairly wide range of amnesties.

“It’s a common assumption that pardons can be used only for criminal offenses, and it’s true that they have not been used before for civil immigration violations. However, the Constitution extends the power to all ‘offenses against the United States,’ which can be interpreted more broadly than just criminal offenses,” Markowitz said, citing Jimmy Carter’s 1977 pardon to half a million draft violators.

Chomsky had a request for viewers, as well.

“We should join to urge [President Obama] to carry out this necessary step without delay,” he added.

Letters to the Editor: December 28, 2016

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Letters to the Editor: December 28, 2016

Let’s Fight

I appreciate what our brave 5th District supervisor said in last week’s cover article (“The Redwood Empire Fights Back,” Dec. 21). The section “Fightin’ Lynda Hopkins” describes her as having “come out swinging against Trump,” who she says has “essentially declared war on progressivism.”

Hopkins advocates that we not play “nice,” but that we should “move aggressively against the next president.” She is especially troubled “by Trump’s positions on immigration and climate change.” Hopkins advocates that we “fight Trump-led deportation, should it come to pass.” Yes, our cities and county should declare themselves to be sanctuaries, which we are asking the Sebastopol City Council to do.

—Shepherd Bliss

Sebastopol

You People

The same people who whine about the government overreaching are the same clowns supporting gun control laws that would effectively confine lethal force to the police and military, but don’t “progressives” hate cops too?

—Christopher Donnellan

Via Bohemian.com

Unneighborly

I live in a rural residential area and I have seen cannabis growers move in to a very close family neighborhood and construct an eight-foot fence all around the little neighborhood lot and house they bought. Only thing missing are the armed guards.This is not kid-friendly or neighborly. Usually one guy lives on these properties as a guard or watchman. These are neighborhoods. We don’t want big industries next door. We want neighborhoods where people live, have kids, know each other and are a community. Many of the grow sites destroy community. They are not usually families, just a caretaker watchman and a big “Keep Out” fence.

—Maetreyii Ma

Via Bohemian.com

Meatless in 2017

The coming New Year’s resolution should be pretty obvious, particularly when it comes to diet: 2017 will go down in history as the year when plant-based meats revolutionized the food industry.

A dozen start-ups, led by Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, are creating plant-based burgers and other meats that are more delicious, convenient and healthy than the old-fashioned animal-based variety. They are backed by tech-industry pioneers like Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Google principals Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt, and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel. Even animal meat behemoth Tyson Foods has announced a $150 million venture capital fund to explore and invest in these products.

Let’s make this New Year’s resolution about exploring the rich variety of delicious, convenient, healthy plant-based dinners, lunch meats, cheeses, milks and ice creams available in every supermarket.

—Steven Alderson

Santa Rosa

Write to us at le*****@******an.com.

Best Bubbles

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Best Bubbles

Anyone who can’t get enough of the pop and whoosh sound of sparkling wine (what we call domestic wines made in the Champagne style) being opened should arrange for a tour of a sparkling bottling line. Bam! bam! bam! go the bottles, as a machine cracks steel caps off them one after the other. Splat! splat! splat! go the plugs of yeast against the Plexiglas enclosure. Yesteryear’s yeast, having worked hard and seen better days, then fallen into slumber in a comfortable curve in the bottle, is ejected by roiling pressure built up over time.

Next, that old yeast is replaced with a small dose of reserve wine and sugar. In brut sparkling wine, it’s just enough to balance the high acidity and effervescence of the sparkling wine, and should taste sweet. Now topped with a proper cork, cage and fancy hat of foil, the sparkling wine is crystal clear, haunted only by the essence of yeast in its characteristic aroma, transforming mere fresh fruit and fizz into something worth contemplating and celebrating.

The theme for this year’s Bohemian holiday sparkling wine roundup was simple: to find the favorite, the best by consensus in a blind tasting (bottles were wrapped in foil—and yes, Stett, the foil was recycled) of the fizzy stuff, mostly from established local producers, and mostly easily found by last minute party-going shoppers on the shelves of better markets.

It was simple, until I mucked it up with a few more categories: “Fancy,” “Midnight Toasting,” “Brunch” and, even more confusing, “Friendly.”

THE FAVORITES

Domaine Chandon Étoile Carneros Brut ($40) This otherwise steely and austere wine, flavored with the sharp fruit of apples marinated in lemon juice, also shows rich aromas of toasted almonds. A fine, balanced wine for toasting, I said, but on balance, Bohemians scored it tops, some of them finding the most evocative phrases to describe it: “the lover,” it’s an “up all night” wine that “would go well with eggs” in the morning. Take it under advisement. ★★★★

Iron Horse 2012 Ocean Reserve Green Valley of Russian River Valley Blanc de Blancs ($50) Tart, lean and salty, even before this wine’s oceanic ambitions were revealed, the Iron Horse Reserve smells only faintly of toast and buttery richness, like a shortbread cookie that’s just come home after years at sea. For each bottle purchased, Iron Horse gives $4 to National Geographic’s Ocean Initiative to protect marine areas—not a bad move if you want to continue pairing this fantastic fizz with seafood. Although only four tasters were still reporting at the end of the tasting, the lightweights having become distracted or bowed out, this serious sparkler enjoyed one of the best consensus approvals. Over several past vintages, this bottling has become my reliable favorite of Iron Horse’s offerings—make no mistake, it’s much more than just another bubbly with a charitable label. ★★★★½

Schramsberg 2012 North Coast Blanc de Noirs ($41) A five-star wine in my book, but not everybody agreed. Like toasty crust on a lemon cream pie, the aroma suggests sweet dessert, but fine carbonation and zippy acidity scours the palate, leaving a lingering notion of sparking apple cider—the non-alcoholic alternative to champagne kind—and baked golden apple. If you don’t already know about Schramsberg, it’s a very safe bet for a “fancy” bottle of North Coast sparkling wine that anyone will love. OK, not everyone. ★★★★

THE FANCY TOASTING WINES

Breathless North Coast Blanc de Noirs ($30) Wood spice and clove on the nose, a pinch of yeast and a hint of wet plaster that reminds me of some single malts, with a barley-alcohol overtone to the melon rind and grapefruit juiciness. Toasting wine. ★★★½

Korbel California Brut ($13.99) Korbel does a fantastic job for the price. This is the kind of all-around pleasing sparkler that wine critics might describe as “surprisingly complex,” trying to walk back the high score they gave a domestic wine in a lineup of more expensive bottles. Lean, lemony and balanced with shouts out from yeast and lemon cream, this reliable sparkling wine should never be overlooked for its ubiquity. ★★★★

Iron Horse 2012 Classic Vintage Brut ($44) From estate vineyards in the cool Green Valley of Russian River Valley appellation, this fizz was slow to lose its sulfury aroma, ending up hinting at Tom and Jerry cocktail, with a tart, lychee fruit finish. ★★★★

THE FRIENDLY BUNCH

Iron Horse 2012 Green Valley of Russian River Valley Brut X ($50) Steel biscuit: it’s not a band you might have seen at the Phoenix in the ’90s, it’s the aroma descriptor this slightly toasty but austere wine brings to my mind. And its juicy white grapefruit flavor brings brunch to mind. ★★★½

Gloria Ferrer 2007 Royal Cuvée Carneros Brut ($37) A fine, but not socks-knocking-off vintage of this extra-aged wine. The usual complement of shortbread
cookie, warm pillow and grilled sourdough inform the aroma,
while a light infusion of red berries, as in a sparkling water, and tangy citrus brighten up a teeny bit sweet finish. ★★★

Gloria Ferrer Carneros Blanc de Blancs ($47) A very Chardonnay sparkling wine, rich with golden toast, baked pear tart. For fancy toasting in the company of moderate imbibers. ★★★★

Breathless North Coast Blanc de Blancs Brut ($29) Steely, with notes of apple and marshmallow, a lingering sweetness, scoury acidity and medium to large bubbles. Citrus and candied pineapple with a dusting of old yeast keeps it interesting. This was my favorite of a recent lineup of Breathless wines. Toast! ★★★★

Breathless North Coast Brut ($25) Everybody, including Robert Parker, has noted that this brut is almost a rosé, with its pinkish hue. A platinum-strawberry blonde, red fruited sparkler with tangy red fruit flavor, this earned the comments “baby shower wine,” “heartbreak” and “chick movie night” from some Bohemians. You get the idea—a fun, can’t-go-wrong bubbly. ★★★

THE BETTER WITH ORANGE JUICE MIXERS

Gloria Ferrer Carneros Blanc de Noirs ($22) Hard to say why this didn’t win more fans, with its initially complex, vintage aroma, but some thought it turned
quickly flat and sour, with a bitter aftertaste. ★★½

Domaine Chandon Rebecca Minkoff Limited Edition California Brut ($24) On the plus side, this could take the place of a budget Prosecco, but most tasters found this sulfurous wine, showing notes of sea foam, egg white and Sweetarts, to be superficially foamy but fall flat, without a lot of flavor payoff. The packaging conceit of these bottles, one in black, the other white, is a partnership with a designer of ladies’ handbags, whose apparently hotly coveted motif is essentially an “X” in a box. For some, this might be another plus; to others it may look phone-in and vapid. Try in bubbly-based cocktails. ★★½

Top Torn Tickets

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Top Torn Tickets

Having viewed over a hundred plays in 2016, on stages all around the Bay Area and beyond, it’s now my responsibility to name my 10 favorites. As this turned out to be an especially strong year for theater—ironically marked by many theater companies struggling for audiences—my task was especially hard this time around. Nevertheless, here they are, the shows I’m most grateful
to have seen over the last 12 months, my top 10 torn tickets
of 2016.

1. ‘Time Stands Still’ (Cinnabar Theater)

Anchored by complex, surprise-packed performances from Laura Lowry and Ivy Rose Miller (alongside solid work from John Browning and John Shillington), with sensitive, propulsive direction by Sheri Lee Miller, playwright Donald Margulies’ deeply insightful story of war correspondents trying to adjust to the real world was a brilliant examination of PTSD and the addictive appeal of a life powered by adrenaline.

2. ‘Gem of the Ocean’ (Marin Theatre Company)

Mild controversy surrounded Daniel Alexander Jones’ jazz-dance semi-sign-language staging of August Wilson’s masterpiece. But the result—thanks in large part to a masterful performance by Margo Hall as the 285-year-old former slave Aunt Ester—was a gem that glittered with emotion and magic, taking its somewhat baffled audiences on a journey that was simultaneously illuminating, beautiful and devastating.

3. ‘Capacity’ (Main Stage West)

In Rebecca Louise Miller’s emotionally satisfying, occasionally surreal fantasia on the relationship between Albert Einstein and his first wife, Mileva, the playwright pulls away the veneer of saintliness carried for decades by the man who developed the theory of relativity. Directed by Beth Craven, with strong lead performances by Ilana Niernberger and Sam Coughlin, this cosmic anti–love story was honestly and frankly bitter, and also strangely and compellingly lovely.

4. ‘A Steady Rain’ (Left Edge Theatre)

Two cops (Nick Sholley, Mike Schaeffer) take turns telling stories. A simple enough idea, but in Keith Huff’s brilliant two-actor drama, directed with intensity and drive by Argo Thompson, the set-up soon explodes into a psychologically gripping story of friendship, betrayal and the cost of carrying too much guilt—and too many secrets.

5. ‘Hope’ (Main Stage West)

Si Kahn’s lovely, song-filled tribute to his Jewish immigrant parents and their many colorful ancestors was heartbreaking, but powerfully uplifting. The ensemble morphed magically in and out of characters, telling a story of the United States that is vitally important at this crossroads moment in our history.

6. ‘Quality of Life (Cinnabar Theater)

Death hangs over every minute of Jane Alexander’s Quality of Life, a deeply moving look at two couples (Susan Gundunas and Richard Pallaziol; Elly Lichenstein and James Pelican) one conservative and religiously devout, and the other, well, not. Each pair is wrestling with the emotional fallout of death, including a recent murder and an impending demise from cancer. Directed by Taylor Korobow, the resulting conflicts and conversations touch the heart of what it means to be a human being in messy and tenuous relationships with loved ones.

7. ‘Bob: A Life in Five Acts’
(Main Stage West)

Born in a restroom, raised in a car, coming of age at a highway rest stop, Bob—played with raw, open innocence by Mark Bradbury—lives his entire life in the course of Peter Sinn Nachtrieb’s bizarrely rich and delightful comedy about love, life and the things that define us on our journey from birth to the grave. As directed by Sheri Lee Miller, it was as hilarious as it was profound.

8. ‘Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley’ (Marin Theatre Company)

A Christmas-time sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, this delightfully light and delicious romance, by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon, was as surprising as a Christmas tree in a Regency-era drawing room, and just as welcome.

9. ‘Titanic: The Musical’ (Spreckels Theatre Company)

The infamous maritime
disaster may seem like an unlikely subject for a full-blown musical.
In truth, it is, but Gene Abravaya’s elegant staging and stellar
cast made this heart-breaking drama sing, beautifully so, when in lesser hands it might have, ahem, sunk.

10. ‘Silent Sky’ (6th Street Playhouse)

Lauren Gunderson’s Silent
Sky told the story of Henrietta Swan Leavitt, smartly played
by Jessica Headington in the jaunty production helmed
by Lennie Dean in the Studio
at 6th Street Playhouse. A pioneering astronomer, Leavitt’s passion for the stars put her
at odds with her devout sister (Juliet Noonan) and the male-dominated scientific community within which she worked at Harvard University. With a marvelous ensemble, this was
an emotionally rich slice of history, as lingering and enthralling as a night sky crammed with stars.

Dark Days Ahead

-
0
Dark Days Ahead

In a pre-election op-ed I wrote, I ironically advised my fellow progressives to “vote their conscience.” My faith in the judgment of my fellow citizens has been shaken by the outcome of this catastrophic election, which will be known henceforward as America’s “11/9.”

This historic moment calls for a sober assessment of the magnitude and scope of this cataclysmic loss in terms of the balance of power in Congress, the Supreme Court and the fate of federal regulatory agencies. This foreknowledge can help set up psychic blast walls for the painful coming demolition of the Obama legacy, climate-crisis denial as policy and the Republican Congress’ long-planned dismantling of the Great Society and New Deal social safety net structures to make budgetary room for tax cuts for billionaires.

The Trump administration will dismantle decades of patient scientific work by federal regulatory agencies like the EPA and the Department of Energy, rolling back decades of hard work by progressive activists and legislators.

Elections are not just about your own personal status needs and lifestyle preferences; they are a sober analysis of what is best for the body politic. I recognize that my political choices impact the real-world lives of many people, who often do not possess the privilege afforded a college-educated white male. We need to learn the distinction between voting as a civic act, instead of an act of individual branding to establish our political purity status. We need to perform a deep self-examination of the culture of the progressive movement.

Noam Chomsky calls the current Republican Party “the most dangerous organization on the face of the planet.” The GOP has now got all the guns, money and lawyers they need to hold American democracy hostage. Buckle up, kids, this will be a rough ride.

Ben Boyce is a community organizer, creator of the ‘Progressive Majority Coalition’ column in the ‘Sonoma Sun’ and a regular contributor to ‘
This Week in Politics’ on KSVY.FM.

Open Mic is a weekly feature in the ‘Bohemian.’ We welcome your contribution. To have your topical essay of 350 words considered for publication, write op*****@******an.com.

Jan. 1: Walk It Off Around the North Bay

One of the North Bay’s most popular outdoor traditions is to start each New Year’s off with the refreshing and rejuvenating First Day Hike in the many parks and wilderness spots the region has to offer. There’s no excuse to not get out and get active this Jan. 1, as the Sonoma Coast, Armstrong Redwoods, Jack London State Park,...
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Jan. 2: Beyond Ballroom in Petaluma

Dancing doesn’t always have to be a waltz. If you’ve ever wanted to break out of the mold and try on a new routine for size, Petaluma’s international folk dance class kicks off this New Year with instructor Carol Friedman. The classes include folk dances from all over the world, including Serbia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece and Israel. The evening...
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Jan. 3-5: Strange Love in Yountville

Playwright Harold Pinter’s dramas are marked by his often understated tension, examining characters on the fringe with provocative and intricate dialogue that reveals deeper motivations than what’s on display. Such is the case with ‘The Lover’, a one-act look at modern marriage seen through the eyes of a married couple openly dealing with extramarital affairs. The Lover gets a...
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Pop It Off

Allow us to be the first to say goodbye to 2016. With old acquaintances—both forgotten and remembered—we'll take a cup o' kindness yet, and we'll start with these New Year's Eve parties around the North Bay. From delectable dinners to cabaret shows and blowout concerts, here's a selection of ways to ring in 2017. Happy New Year, Charlie Brown Kids love...
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Sanctuary Santa Rosa?

On the eve of Noam Chomsky's call to Obama to pardon the undocumented, Maria de los Angeles (pictured, at right) was one of about 30 artist-activists who participated in a march and protest on Dec. 22 in Santa Rosa. The event was a so-called suitcase action, in which activists demanded the city declare itself a sanctuary for the undocumented...
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Pardon Plea

Retired MIT linguistics professor Noam Chomsky issued a video message Dec. 23 regarding the critical problem faced by undocumented immigrants on the verge of a Trump presidency. "President Obama, to his credit, has issued personal pardons in deserving cases, but he should go far beyond," Chomsky stated. On Dec. 19, just weeks before leaving office, Obama pardoned 78 people and shortened...
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Letters to the Editor: December 28, 2016

Let's Fight I appreciate what our brave 5th District supervisor said in last week's cover article ("The Redwood Empire Fights Back," Dec. 21). The section "Fightin' Lynda Hopkins" describes her as having "come out swinging against Trump," who she says has "essentially declared war on progressivism." Hopkins advocates that we not play "nice," but that we should "move aggressively against the...
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Best Bubbles

Anyone who can't get enough of the pop and whoosh sound of sparkling wine (what we call domestic wines made in the Champagne style) being opened should arrange for a tour of a sparkling bottling line. Bam! bam! bam! go the bottles, as a machine cracks steel caps off them one after the other. Splat! splat! splat! go the...
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Top Torn Tickets

Having viewed over a hundred plays in 2016, on stages all around the Bay Area and beyond, it's now my responsibility to name my 10 favorites. As this turned out to be an especially strong year for theater—ironically marked by many theater companies struggling for audiences—my task was especially hard this time around. Nevertheless, here they are, the shows...
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Dark Days Ahead

In a pre-election op-ed I wrote, I ironically advised my fellow progressives to "vote their conscience." My faith in the judgment of my fellow citizens has been shaken by the outcome of this catastrophic election, which will be known henceforward as America's "11/9." This historic moment calls for a sober assessment of the magnitude and scope of this cataclysmic loss...
Read more
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