Off the Charts

-
0
Off the Charts

From intimate dinners to gala events, the second annual Yountville Live once again pairs platinum-selling musicians with Napa’s finest restaurants and wineries for a weekend of tasteful must-see events.

March 31, day one, kicks off the festivities with a reception at Napa’s contemporary French-inspired Brix Restaurant and Gardens. Chicago-based pop rock outfit Plain White T’s, best known for their massive 2005 ballad “Hey There Delilah,” complement dishes from executive chef Cary Delbridge in an acoustic afternoon.

Day two, April 1, is a chic way to spend April Fools’ Day with Yountville Live’s Red Carpet Gala. Bottega’s chef Michael Chiarello, Stella Artois chef ambassador Grant MacPherson and James Beard Award–winning pastry chef Gale Gand rub elbows and show off their stuff while the Goo Goo Dolls play their biggest hits in a stripped-down fashion. A duo since 2013, songwriters Robby Takac and John Rzeznik (pictured) are still writing new material in addition to celebrating the 20th anniversary of their double-platinum album, A Boy Named Goo.

April 2 is a full day of foodie-centric events featuring chef demonstrations and tastings before a VIP after-party that sees Grammy-nominated soul singer Mayer Hawthorne offering up a DJ set. April 3 finishes off the weekend with a bubbly brunch boasting mimosas and American Idol winner Kris Allen.

Yountville Live goes live on March 31 at various locations. $75 and up. yountvillelive.com.

Take Two

-
0
Take Two

The foundation of any theatrical production is the script. True, it is possible to conjure a first-rate show from a second-rate play, but it’s never easy.

Currently, two shows I’ve never liked are running in the North Bay. One production ultimately fails to overcome the inherent problems of the script, despite some excellent acting and directing, while the other show comes closer, mainly by ably tricking us into believing there is more going on than there actually is.

First, there is Left Edge Theatre’s rambunctious new staging of Yasmina Reza’s perplexingly popular comedy God of Carnage, playing one more weekend at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts. The play follows two married couples who meet to discuss a playground scuffle between their sons. Faster than you can say “People are basically animals,” the convivial confab devolves into pouting, shrieking, name-calling, some vigorous vomiting and general suburban mayhem.

Featuring a stellar cast of North Bay veterans (Heather Gordon, Melissa Claire, Ron Severdia and Nick Sholley) and directed by Argo Thompson with minimal fussiness and a smart emphasis on physical humor, the play still suffers from its aimless storytelling, the assaulting unpleasantness of the story and an overall absence of anything fresh or truly engaging to say. And, no, graphic onstage vomiting does not qualify as a social statement.

Rating (out of 5): ★★★

The essential failure of Amy Herzog’s 4000 Miles—the story of an angry cyclist and his passive-aggressive relationship with his testy, suspicious grandmother—is its lack of direction and absence of coherent plotting, along with characters who, with one exception, start off being largely unlikable and reveal themselves so slowly that by the time we see something admirable, it’s too late.

So credit must be given to director Norman Hall for casting an intrinsically appealing cast for the play’s run at the Novato Theater Company: Shirley Nilsen Hall and Jesse Lumb as the grandmother and grandson, and Emily Radosevich and Courtney Yuen in supporting roles. Hall allows them to show their vulnerable sides even in the midst of some off-putting, occasionally repellant behavior, and they prove expert at mining laughs from the long, uncomfortable silences that often hang between their halting words.

I still don’t think much of the play itself, but this amiable and occasionally moving production definitely makes me dislike it less.

★★★½

Shine On

-
0
Shine On

Songwriter and bandleader Giovanni Di Morente can do it all. The founder and frontman of the eclectic alternative pop ensemble El Radio Fantastique describes himself as a free-range artist, meaning that his approach to music is categorically indefinable yet surprisingly accessible.

This weekend, El Radio Fantastique unveil their new EP, Shine, with a raucous release show on April 2 at McNear’s Mystic Theatre in Petaluma that also features San Francisco’s animated Extra Action Marching Band.

Di Morente, a Point Reyes Station native, grew up on a steady stream of Sinatra before discovering the Sex Pistols and playing punk rock. “We were out in the woods, and I was just left to my own devices,” says Di Morente. “I had no boundaries musically, and punk got me delving into Old World music—Gypsy, Brazilian songwriters—all these paths that I took with open ears.”

In the mid-’80s, Di Morente moved to Los Angeles and, under the pseudonym Johnny Dollar, was part of the one-hit wonder pop group Times Two, whose single, “Strange but True” peaked at number 21 on the pop charts in 1988. Yet he compares the experience to selling his soul. He spent the next decade depressed and being bounced around from label to label.

Finally, Di Morente left L.A. for New Orleans, working as a gravedigger by day and playing jazz and blues clubs by night. Newly inspired, Di Morente formed his first incarnation of
El Radio Fantastique in 2002. “I felt redeemed,” he says.

Originally a darkly classical take on New Orleans jazz, the band expanded its sound to encompass all of Di Morente’s musical influences, from the Beatles to Bowie to the Sex Pistols and beyond. “With El Radio Fantastique, I felt like I was able to put everything I love together,” he says.

After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2006,
Di Morente moved back to Point Reyes Station and started up the band anew. Currently, El Radio Fantastique is a seven-piece outfit, with Di Morente sharing songwriting duties alongside bassist Colin Schlitt and pianist Robin Livingston.

Shine, the first EP in a planned series of five releases expected over the next two years, is a perfect example. The five tracks encompass Space Oddity–era Bowie, baroque pop, sizzling zydeco jazz, growling punk rock and even Persian-inspired orchestration.

“I really want to write pop songs,” Di Morente says. “But in my own fashion.”

Ag Is Open Space

-
0
Ag Is Open Space

While sometimes convenient, abbreviations of otherwise unwieldy titles can backfire. Take the SCAPOSD, or the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, these days referred to by most as simply the Open Space District. Yet those few missing words are today jeopardizing the original intent of a public entity voters created in 1990, an omission that last week threatened to derail an innovative proposal to help prepare a new generation of local food producers and land stewards.

“Open space just means untouched land,” declared Rohnert Park mayor Gina Belforte before voting to oppose plans for an incubator farm on the 45-acre Young-Armos property just north of the city.

Nearly 20 years ago, SCAPOSD acquired the property and, with the UC Cooperative Extension, recently drafted a proposal to restore its native wetlands, while simultaneously establishing a program that would provide small, temporary parcels to beginning farmers, allowing them to develop skills to run a successful small-scale farm.

The proposal comes at a time when the average age of farmers in this county surpasses 60, a trend that threatens the viability of our local food system. Despite Rohnert Park councilman Joseph Callinan’s inability to equate agriculture with a business enterprise—a misperception thankfully corrected by the project’s lone supporter on the city council, Jake Mackenzie—it is precisely the refinement of business skills that agricultural aspirants need and the very aim of the incubator project.

While the city council is responding sympathetically to neighbors’ concerns over the project—ranging from obstruction of view to impact on wildlife—for the council to echo residents’ assumptions that the land would remain “untouched” attempts to redefine the original mission of the SCAPOSD: “to permanently protect the diverse agricultural, natural resource, and scenic open space lands of Sonoma County for future generations.”

Not only are diversified farms scenic, while providing us life’s essentials, the support of beginning farmers is in fact an exponential investment in the preservation of even more open space. The greatest tool we have to prevent sprawl is the protection of healthy, working, bountiful lands. This will require a new crop of stewards. Let’s start growing them.

Evan Wiig is director of the Farmers Guild.

To have your topical essay of 350 words considered for publication,
write op*****@******an.com.

West End Wonder

-
0
West End Wonder

When Allen Thomas moved to Santa Rosa from San Francisco in 1990, he settled in the West End neighborhood, the block of houses and businesses that stretches from the west side of Highway 101 to Dutton Avenue, and from West Third Street up to West College.

The urban setting in a small community appealed to him, though at the time, West End was considered the wrong side of the tracks for many living in Santa Rosa. Much has changed there in the last 26 years, thanks in part to the many community events that Thomas and others have initiated, most visibly the West End Farmers Market, which Thomas co-founded in 2012.

Previously located on Donahue Street near the historic DeTurk Round Barn, the West End Farmers Market is moving to Railroad Square at Wilson and West Fourth streets, offering more space and more vendors for the weekly event that takes place every Sunday morning starting April 3.

“When I moved in, many homes were considered undesirable, but through the years, things have changed for the better,” says Thomas of the West End.

Thomas says local businesses like Franco American Bakery and Western Farm Center and the city itself have all been involved in the neighborhood’s transformation. “It’s not just one person,” he says, “it’s a whole group that have moved the neighborhood in the right direction.”

The West End Farmers Market is a culmination of many of those efforts, says Thomas. “We’ve always tried to make this a positive place for families and kids, with picnics, bike parades, things like that,” he says. “So a farmers market just seemed like the right thing for the neighborhood and the whole community.

“The whole market has been a labor of love for a lot of people,” Thomas continues. “There was a whole group of people that came out to help and volunteer, and I think they all cherish having this market in an area that’s within walking distance of their homes.”

The market also offers low-income patrons a chance to enjoy the offerings with a special EBT program that matches funds for those with food stamps. By collecting donations from various businesses, the market allows food-stamp users to swipe their cards at the market in exchange for tokens, and the market will match up to $20 of what the user spends, meaning that $20 spent yields $40 worth of purchases. This way, those with less can still take advantage of the fresh, locally grown produce and foods at the market, and the farmers can still make a profit on their goods.

Now, with the farmers market moving to Railroad Square, Thomas hopes the larger community will join in on the fun, and he anticipates a day when the SMART train will drop folks off right at the market’s doorstep.

“It’s been a dream of mine,” he says, “and of many in the community to have something by the new station that celebrates the agricultural ties of Sonoma County to the whole Bay Area and makes Santa Rosa a focal point.”

The West End Farmers Market starts Sunday, April 3, at Railroad Square, 9:30am to 2pm. www.wefm.co.

Letters to the Editor: March 30, 2016

-
0
Letters to the Editor: March 30, 2016

Best Ever

Shotsie Gorman Rocks (Cover, March 16)! The Bohemian has great covers—always—but this one really grabbed me. I met Shotsie and his wife, Kristine, when Aubergine had its artist/model/musician nights. The Gormans are genuinely inspiring, to say the least, and the cafe/bistro/art scene had a good energy. We could use a similar venue.

—Tim McKusick

Sonoma County

Thorough and Accurate

Thank you for your continuing coverage of Sonoma County’s IHSS workers (Debriefer, March 23). For years now your articles have been thorough and accurate, making sense of a very complicated program.

—Carol Taylor

Via Bohemian.com

Tenants Unite

Housing should be a right for all citizens, not a privilege based on one’s income level (Letters, March 23). Landlords and real estate speculators, aka “investors,” have treated renters in outrageously unfair ways, slapping down rent increases of $500 to $700 and throwing good tenants, who adhere to rules and pay their rent on time, out into the street so they can make a fast buck. The so-called market seems motivated by greed and lust for profit at all costs.

As for the alleged travails of poor landlords, cry me a river. Those who have enough disposable income to invest in real estate and property “flipping” to make a tidy profit are undeserving of any sympathy whatsoever, especially when many own multiple properties worth millions of dollars. Landowners have powerful organizations and lobbies working for their interests and bending the ear of politicians to keep regulations lax and renters at a disadvantage.

Some sort of control on rent increases along with a just-cause eviction law is the least the politicians who have looked the other way and done nothing the past 20 years in Santa Rosa and Sonoma County can do for the elderly, disabled and working poor, along with the struggling working middle classes, who make up a sizable percentage of the population in this area, and, at times, spend 40 to 60 percent of their income to keep a roof over their heads. Perhaps renters need their own lobby or union to press for their interests, as the landlords have their property owners associations and chambers of commerce.

—Chris Donnellan

Santa Rosa

Money Talks

What a useful idea (“Show Me the Money,” March 23): a city/county/state/federal ballot initiative, which would force all elected legislators to wear patches of their top 10 donors any time they speak or take an official action. (My edit from John Cox’s idea printed in the article).

—Leo Larkin

Via Bohemian.com

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

Female Retail

-
0
Female Retail

The value of Women’s History Month (which concludes March 31)
is up for debate depending on how you approach it. Some believe it only serves to highlight the gender gap; others advocate for its importance in balancing the scale. But regardless of the angle, risk-taking women who support each other is always worth celebrating.

Female entrepreneurship—in fields ranging from the arts to tech—has seen steady growth in recent years, in big cities and rural areas alike. Success can be especially challenging when the business is based away from central hubs. Being a female business owner in the North Bay often means cultivating community support and joining forces with other like-minded women. A number of such female-powered ventures are sprouting up across Northern California, and they deserve recognition—whether it’s Women’s History Month or not. From a chic co-working space to a knitting haven, here is a sampling of businesses that make sure local woman power is alive and kicking all year long.

Jam Jar, Santa Rosa The best collaborations are often multidisciplinary. Jam Jar, located in Santa Rosa’s SOFA district, is a great example. Artist Molly Perez and jewelry designer Jamie Jean Wilson decided to join forces, and opened the colorful, chic Jam Jar. “We’ve known each other for 15 years and often talked about going into business together,” Perez says. “I couldn’t handle it all by myself.” Inside, you can find quirky collages and paintings by Perez, earrings and necklaces by Wilson and guests designers, vintage finds and décor items. Jam Jar is a decidedly “neighborhood” shop—one of the two owners will usually greet you with a big smile, and the store is an active participant in all of SOFA’s happenings and events. 320 South A St., Santa Rosa. 707.480.8506. mollyperezstudio.com.

428 Collective, Healdsburg An all-women arts collective, 428 organizes art events and presentations and serves as a marketplace for some of the area’s most cutting-edge artists. Among them are multimedia artists Alice Sutro and Jessica Martin, photographer Caitlin McCaffrey, filmmaker Flora Skivington, painter Christina Hobbs and six other creative women. In addition to art-themed parties and lectures in the Healdsburg headquarters, the collective keeps an online art store and supports its individual members by promoting new shows and exhibits on their Facebook page.

“We all bring something different to the table in terms of our experiences, vision, circumstance and general outlook, having a deep respect for one another and an unwavering belief in art’s ability to educate, enhance and unite us in the human condition,” says collective member Victoria Wagner. “There was no presumption or foresight regarding gender; it had much more to do with a sense of community that we naturally formed around having really high regard for one another.” 428 Moore Lane, Healdsburg. 707.433.6842. 428collective.com.

The Soap Cauldron and Three Sisters Apothecary, Sebastopol Soap, family and female friendship: sounds like a recipe for a Hallmark mini-series—or the story behind the Soap Cauldron. Emma Mann began her small soap venture with her daughter, now a student at UC Berkeley, who manages the company’s social media accounts. Located in the Barlow since 2013, the Soap Cauldron is a family business that happens to employ all women, and the theme thrives in Three Sisters Apothecary, a line of beauty and soap products that the Cauldron produces.

“I named it for my sisters and I, who are all two years apart,” Mann says. “My sister Marlo was killed in her home back in 2010, which mobilized me on many fronts. My sister Pandora is a payroll and [human resources] specialist, and weighs in on our business structure. Her daughter Roxanne and my daughter all work actively in the business with me.”

Together, the group of women makes herbal bar soaps, body butters, shampoo and salves,
all packaged in simple, retro-inspired tins. 6780 McKinley Ave., Ste. 120, Sebastopol. 707.888.5659. soapcauldron.com.

[page]

Cast Away & Folk, Santa Rosa For lovers of all things yarn, Cast Away & Folk must feel like heaven on earth. Leslee Fiorella, a textile designer, Isla Corbett, wool artist extraordinaire and Justine Malone, an entrepreneur with a passion for knitting, came together in this adorable Railroad Square space to establish a crafty empire. Along with an elaborate shop that sells fabrics, yarn, crafting and weaving supplies, the bright, cozy spot offers knitting, weaving, crochet and tapestry workshops—for absolute beginners to ambitious knitters—led by the three ladies. “We strive to support each other in running a successful retail store,” says Corbett, who rightfully calls
the store’s merchandise “inspiring goods.” 100 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.546.927. castawayandfolk.com.

Farmers Jane Wine Company, Napa The collaborative effort of two female winemakers, Farmers Jane is a refreshing voice in the local wine industry. Angela Osborne, the woman behind A Tribute to Grace Wine Co., a Southern California label, and Faith Armstrong Foster, who’s based in Napa and makes Onward Wines, have known each other since working a Healdsburg harvest together in 2002. Their joint label produces rosé, field white and field red wines, craftily constructed from a variety of California grapes. The logo alone—two free-spirited ladies balancing on a wine barrel—is worth some kind of an award; the wine is an instant favorite. 707.812.1456. farmersjanewine.com.

The Hivery, Mill Valley Breathtakingly beautiful and welcoming, this brand-new coworking space and “inspiration lab” is owned by Grace Kraaijvanger, a woman of many talents. A former ballet dancer, Kraaijvanger has worked in marketing and consulting, and now pours her heart into the Hivery. Catering to an all-women clientele, the space offers a peaceful, creative environment in the best traditions of coworking spaces. There are personal and professional development events and a focus on empowering women—whether they’re going back to work after a long break or starting a fresh business.

“I started the Hivery because of a deep conviction that every woman has unique gifts that are meant to be brought forth in this world,” Kraaijvanger says “I believe that women have an instinctual desire to support each other, and that creativity flourishes when women feel connected.”

The Hivery encourages women to use their skills, expertise, wisdom and passions in different ways while exploring new phases in their lives, such as childbirth, and starting a new business. “Navigating these new chapters alone can feel isolating and depleting,” Kraaijvanger says. “Acting on them together is invigorating and inspiring.”
38 Miller Ave., Ste. 20 Mill Valley. 415.569.7760. thehivery.com.

Rikshaw Design, Greenbrae Looking at this brand’s impressive, globally inspired website, it’s hard to believe that the business is practically right here in our own backyard. Rikshaw Design founder Catherine Hedrick was motivated by her love for Indian textiles when she launched the brand’s first collection in 2008. Since then, the business has grown and has started manufacturing children’s clothing and women’s collections, adorned in colorful Indian prints and made out of 100 percent cotton. Although Rikshaw Design is based in Marin, the brand’s activity takes place mainly in its online store, and through a series of trunk shows that anyone can apply to host—so be on the lookout. 243 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Greenbrae. 877.474.5742. rikshawdesign.com.

Flourish and Thrive Academy, Sausalito “Supportive” and “nourishing” are accurate attributes of many female-owned businesses, and Tracy Matthews and Robin Kramer turned them into a business. Matthews, a jewelry designer, and Kramer, a marketing expert based in Sausalito, joined forces over their love of jewelry and launched a virtual “academy” of tools and materials for budding designers and entrepreneurs in the accessories industry. Together, the women craft online courses with promising names like “Multiply Your Profits” and “Dream Client Intensive,” and help women (and men) across the country realize their dream venture. The Flourish and Thrive website offers a variety of complimentary materials—podcasts, short lectures and 101 videos led by the witty, fast-paced duo. flourishthriveacademy.com.

Edition Local Shop & Outpost, West Marin Although not exclusively female, this collective of artists and makers includes quite a few talented ladies—jewelry maker Marion McKee, soapmaker Olivia Johnson of Fat + Fallow (whose products are made of tallow), felter extraordinaire Patricia Briceño of Raw Felt, indigo artisan Carrie Crawford of Mineral Workshop and woodworker Gwen Gunheim of Hendley Hard Goods. The collective gathers its members on one beautiful website, where goods by each maker can be purchased, and it “strives to build resilient local economies and champion neighborliness.” While you can find each artisan in his or her own studio, the “power of many” makes Edition Local a real local gem. 9940-A Hwy. 1, Olema. 844.326.3260. editionlocal.com.

Breeze In

-
0
Breeze In

I have been attending the Carneros Wine Alliance’s annual barrel tasting for several years now, only partly because of the high-quality commemorative coffee mugs they hand out at the end of the event. I’m also trying to answer a question: Is there such a thing as a Carneros style?

But let’s back up for a minute—I realize that, if you aren’t familiar with the wines from this region, Carneros does sound a bit like an optional filling for your burrito. Taking a historical name for the region, Spanish for “the rams,” Los Carneros was established as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1983. The region is unusual in that it’s shared between Napa Valley and Sonoma County, and was the first AVA to be defined mostly by its cool, windy climate rather than arbitrary boundaries—resulting in the ugliest mug on the map. I think it resembles the head and shoulders of a dragon, with whiplash.

The wines are much prettier. Carneros may seem dominated by sparkling wine producers, but most of the wines on offer recently at an intimate tasting at Cornerstone Sonoma were Pinot Noir and Chardonnay table wines. Sparkling wine producer Domaine Carneros offered a 2015 White Pinot Noir, a surprisingly fleshy, toasty wine infused with red fruit notes in the way a mineral water might be—with hardly more hue. After all, Pinot Noir is a major ingredient in traditional sparkling wines, and it represents
44 percent of the grape varieties grown in Carneros.

Chardonnay trumps Pinot at 46 percent of the appellation’s 8,000 vineyard acres. The 2015 Chardonnays I tasted were extraordinarily lean and refreshing, with the sweet tang of pink grapefruit and crisp apple; they were barrel-fermented but saw little if any malolactic fermentation. Is that what you can expect from Carneros Chardonnay? Not at all. Carneros is a top source of Chardonnay for Napa Valley’s butterball leaders—it’s all in the winemaking.

So what’s the point of an AVA designation, if not to guarantee a style of wine? An AVA is more of a signpost. To my eyes—or nose, rather—the Carneros signpost points mostly to a style of Pinot: waxy aromas of Christmas candle, cinnamon, dried rose petals and fruits—a smoky, sensuous potpourri.

While this impression held up for some of the member wineries’ exciting 2015 Pinots, consistency was, unfortunately, elusive, even for the most iconic of Carneros Pinot Noir vineyards. Case in point, Garnet Vineyards’ bright, lively, red-cherry-toned Pinot from Stanly Ranch, which dates from the 1950s, reminiscent of Jayson Woodbridge’s Cherry Pie Pinot from that same vineyard. So, aha? Not according to Starmont Winery’s lush, darkly fruited 2015 Stanly Pinot Noir. More study required.

Hog Heaven

-
0
Hog Heaven

The Naked Pig is expanding with a dinner-only restaurant in downtown Santa Rosa called Flower and Bone. The rootsy, farm-driven Naked Pig has been a hit, in spite of its tiny, 300-square-foot size, since it opened two years ago. The new place will occupy a roomier, 1,600-square-foot space in a 100-year-old mercantile building at 640 Fifth St. that owners Jason Sakach and Dalia Martinez are restoring to its tongue-and-groove-floor and brick-wall glory.

Sakach says Flower and Bone’s menu will follow the Naked Pig. He says it will marry art and food with a “dinner series” concept that revolves around Martinez’s changing menus of what Sakach calls “peasant cooking,” hearty, soulful food traditionally made by women in clay pots and over an open fire. Preserved and pickled food will also play a big role on the menu. Shelves of preserved fruit and vegetables will line one wall of the restaurant and will be available for purchase.

Sakach and Martinez are also making plates and tiles for the restaurant to create
“a living, working art space that you can
eat at,” says Sakach.

What’s with the name? Flower and Bone refers to the fundamental ingredients of cooking, Sakach says. Most fruit and vegetables we eat are mature forms of flowers, and slow-cooked bones derived from whole animal cooking are the basis for flavorful broths and stocks. The name sounds really cool, too. Sakach hopes to open in early summer.

Secrets and Lies

-
0
Secrets and Lies

People hide things. We bury our sins, secrets and hidden thoughts down deep, or we simply disguise them behind a mask of pretense. Theater is the ultimate exercise in pretense as art, and in two first-rate plays, those secrets are uncovered in very different ways.

Outside Mullingar by John Patrick Shanley (Doubt), now running at Main Stage West, features strong performances from a well-matched cast of four, with fine, frisky direction by David Lear. In rural Ireland, two awkward neighbors—having rarely spoken despite having lived their whole lives on adjoining farms—are suddenly forced to take very bumpy steps toward cordiality, friendship and possibly love, spurred along, more or less, by their crotchety elderly parents.

As the central pair, Rosemary and Anthony, Sharia Pierce and Jereme Anglin are thoroughly charming and ferociously odd, blending humor and heartache as smoothly as Guinness flows from a tap. Each carries a weighty secret that has held them in place for years, the unfolding of which carries a touch of Irish magic.

As Tony, Anthony’s crustily fuming father, Clark Miller is wonderful, a gentle heart buried beneath a roguish snarl. As Aoife, Rosemary’s recently widowed mother, Elly Lichenstein gives one of the sweetest and loveliest, most relaxed and engaging performances of her career.

About the story, the less said, the better. The biggest surprise is in how deeply it reaches into one’s emotions, like a good Irish ballad, and how much fun it has doing it.

Rating (out of 5): ★★★★½

In Frederick Knott’s classic thriller Wait Until Dark, Spreckels Theatre Company tackles a nail-biter of a story made famous by the 1967 Audrey Hepburn film. Directed by David Yen, this intimate staging of the clever mystery-drama features a vulnerable, increasingly fierce performance by Denise Elia-Yen as a terrified blind woman holding her own against a trio of criminals (Nicolas Christenson, Chris Schloemp and Erik Weiss) dead set on retrieving a stolen stash of drugs they believe she’s hidden in her Greenwich Village apartment.

A few technical issues aside, with some bumpy pacing late in the show, the cast and crew nevertheless deliver, giving audiences a thoroughly riveting, fully entertaining thrill ride from darkness into full, satisfying light. ★★★★

Off the Charts

From intimate dinners to gala events, the second annual Yountville Live once again pairs platinum-selling musicians with Napa's finest restaurants and wineries for a weekend of tasteful must-see events. March 31, day one, kicks off the festivities with a reception at Napa's contemporary French-inspired Brix Restaurant and Gardens. Chicago-based pop rock outfit Plain White T's, best known for their massive...
Read more

Take Two

The foundation of any theatrical production is the script. True, it is possible to conjure a first-rate show from a second-rate play, but it's never easy. Currently, two shows I've never liked are running in the North Bay. One production ultimately fails to overcome the inherent problems of the script, despite some excellent acting and directing, while the other show...
Read more

Shine On

Songwriter and bandleader Giovanni Di Morente can do it all. The founder and frontman of the eclectic alternative pop ensemble El Radio Fantastique describes himself as a free-range artist, meaning that his approach to music is categorically indefinable yet surprisingly accessible. This weekend, El Radio Fantastique unveil their new EP, Shine, with a raucous release show on April 2 at...
Read more

Ag Is Open Space

While sometimes convenient, abbreviations of otherwise unwieldy titles can backfire. Take the SCAPOSD, or the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, these days referred to by most as simply the Open Space District. Yet those few missing words are today jeopardizing the original intent of a public entity voters created in 1990, an omission that last week...
Read more

West End Wonder

When Allen Thomas moved to Santa Rosa from San Francisco in 1990, he settled in the West End neighborhood, the block of houses and businesses that stretches from the west side of Highway 101 to Dutton Avenue, and from West Third Street up to West College. The urban setting in a small community appealed to him, though at the time,...
Read more

Letters to the Editor: March 30, 2016

Best Ever Shotsie Gorman Rocks (Cover, March 16)! The Bohemian has great covers—always—but this one really grabbed me. I met Shotsie and his wife, Kristine, when Aubergine had its artist/model/musician nights. The Gormans are genuinely inspiring, to say the least, and the cafe/bistro/art scene had a good energy. We could use a similar venue. —Tim McKusick Sonoma County Thorough and Accurate Thank you for...
Read more

Female Retail

The value of Women's History Month (which concludes March 31) is up for debate depending on how you approach it. Some believe it only serves to highlight the gender gap; others advocate for its importance in balancing the scale. But regardless of the angle, risk-taking women who support each other is always worth celebrating. Female entrepreneurship—in fields ranging from the...
Read more

Breeze In

I have been attending the Carneros Wine Alliance's annual barrel tasting for several years now, only partly because of the high-quality commemorative coffee mugs they hand out at the end of the event. I'm also trying to answer a question: Is there such a thing as a Carneros style? But let's back up for a minute—I realize that, if you...
Read more

Hog Heaven

The Naked Pig is expanding with a dinner-only restaurant in downtown Santa Rosa called Flower and Bone. The rootsy, farm-driven Naked Pig has been a hit, in spite of its tiny, 300-square-foot size, since it opened two years ago. The new place will occupy a roomier, 1,600-square-foot space in a 100-year-old mercantile building at 640 Fifth St. that owners...
Read more

Secrets and Lies

People hide things. We bury our sins, secrets and hidden thoughts down deep, or we simply disguise them behind a mask of pretense. Theater is the ultimate exercise in pretense as art, and in two first-rate plays, those secrets are uncovered in very different ways. Outside Mullingar by John Patrick Shanley (Doubt), now running at Main Stage West, features strong...
Read more
1...675676677...1,000Page 676 of 1,000
11,084FansLike
4,606FollowersFollow
6,928FollowersFollow
north bay bohemian newspaper sonoma napa county logo
CURRENT ISSUE & ARCHIVES
East Bay Express cover
East Bay Express cover
CURRENT ISSUE & ARCHIVES
Newsletters Subscribe Advertise About Us Contact Us Letter to the Editor Press Release Obituaries Writing an Obituary Archives Find a Paper Distribute Bohemian Vote for Best Of Plaques & Banners
win free stuff
Features Local News News
Arts Books & Literature Crush Culture Movies Music Spotlight Theater
Astrology Look Media Opinion Letters To The Editor Open Mic Press Pass Rolling Papers
Dining Restaurants Small Bites
Readers' Picks 2025 Arts & Culture Beer, Wine & Spirits Beauty, Health & Wellness Cannabis Everyday Services Family & Pets Home Improvement Recreation Restaurants Romance Shopping
All Upcoming Events Today's Events Submit an Event Promote Your Event
weeklys california local media group logo

FOLLOW US

Copyright © Weeklys All rights reserved.

Our Publications

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

COMPANY INFO Job Opportunities Journalism Awards Privacy Policy Terms of Service

Support Local Journalism