New Generation

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New Generation

Jenner occupies a prime piece of coastal real estate between Bodega Bay and Fort Ross at the mouth of the Russian River.

Hundreds of tourists stop here every week year-round to photograph the stunning views and enjoy the world-famous Highway 1. And yet for the last few years the front-and-center Jenner By the Sea Inn was ghost-town empty, its restaurant and bar perpetually closed, leaving visitors with the small, day-time Cafe Aquatica or the upscale River’s End.

This spring, however, locals and tourists woke up to a new reality.

Bay Area entrepreneur Stephen Compagni Portis, “just a guy trying to do stuff that’s meaningful,” bought the property from Richard Murphy, and the business underwent a revival.

“I’ve been coming to the area for 40 years, and this place was essentially dead when I talked to the owner and found out he wanted to sell,” says Portis. Along with an extensive renovation of the rooms, the crown jewel of the inn is its restaurant, a bright, inviting space offering breakfast, lunch and dinner all week long.

Entrepreneurial spirit is infectious. Monica Padua, a chocolatier and chef who worked across the highway at Cafe Aquatica at the time, felt moved to take part in the inn’s rebirth and approached Portis with a food-centered business plan. Soon enough, Padua and her team took over the kitchen. A menu was built, the facilities remodeled, the space reimagined and groovy music started welcoming the intrigued clientele. Communal sitting, big plants and bright colors came to replace the cluttered, old-fashioned furniture and the supremacy of dark brown wood. The bar received the playful name “Mermaid Cove,” and you can now say “Jenner” and “DJ” in the same sentence, thanks to the music events held on weekends.

“We’re trying to create a space that offers wholesome food, a place to rest, things that nourish the soul,” says Portis. “The nature here is off the charts, so it’s a good place to channel your spirit. Food and shelter are the basics.”

This spiritual attitude, as well
as the benefit of working and socializing locally, attracted Jenner’s small, youthful population.

“The previous staff didn’t feel they fit the culture of youth and family we’re trying to create,” says Portis. The younger population embraced the opportunity to contribute. Other Cafe Aquatica veterans, including Padua’s partner, Robert, and twenty- and thirty-somethings, now staff the kitchen and reception. The vibe at the new eatery is fittingly upbeat, cozy and efficient—one counter reads “Ask” and the other, “Receive.” The menus are plainly laminated like at a fast-food diner, but the ingredients are anything but plain.

“We try to bring casual comfort food to the coast,” says Padua.

With a degree from the Culinary Institute of America and previous experience in building restaurants from scratch, Padua has created an affordable, crowd-pleasing menu designed to cater to the international tourist as well as the mindful West County foodie. All products are organic and sourced from local farmers and ranchers, in order to create “familiar flavors, done in a different way.”

A perfect example is the bowl of wild smoked salmon chowder, made with fingerling potatoes and bacon ($8). The broth has a beautiful rusty hue, and the taste, well-rounded and borderline sweet, is something you crave days later. From the breakfast menu, the Goat Rock crêpe ($9) is made with regular and buckwheat flour and smothered with Niman Ranch bacon and cheddar, runny egg on top. This is a mild, satisfying and comforting dish that won’t change your life, but will keep you full and happy until noon.

For lunch, it doesn’t get any better than the turkey club burger ($12). The patty is flavorful and juicy, and the avocado, cheddar and bacon toppings dress it up. Everything, from the bun to the ketchup accompanying the crispy, spicy fries, is made from scratch. For dessert, options revolve around crêpes and sundaes, but why not get a luscious, healthy smoothie to go? Surfer and Starfish ($6) are not too sweet and delightfully creamy, perfect to take to the beach.

As if delicious food in a gorgeous setting and spiritual atmosphere isn’t enough, the whole experience comes with a very West County community angle. Both Padua and Portis stress the “collective” aspect of their new venture. “We’re not trying to make money,” says Portis, “just to make sure everybody’s involved and be as hospitable and warm as we can.”

Padua reveals that all kitchen staff members receive the same salary and make decisions together. The occasional traveler might not know that, but at least the prime real estate is now backed up with something to remember it for.

Jenner By the Sea Inn & Eatery,
10400 Hwy. 1, Jenner. 707.865.2377.

Nov. 28-30: Parisian Dream in Sonoma

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Nov. 28-30: Parisian Dream in Sonoma

Take a trip back in time to 1920s Paris in an enchanting and magical circus show from a band of talented and colorful characters. Le Cirque de Boheme’s Winter Circus celebrates the holiday season with a special performance this weekend at Cornerstone, based on the classic French circus tradition of adventurous stunts and whimsical humor. The show follows the dreams of a young girl who encounters a magician, a contortionist, ropewalkers, knife throwers and other assorted performers. These inaugural shows, led by ringleader and Sonoma resident Michel Saga, will benefit the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance. The lights go up on Le Cirque de Boheme’s Winter Circus, Friday-Sunday, Nov. 28-30, at Cornerstone, 23570 Arnold Drive, Sonoma. Friday-Saturday, 3pm and 5pm; Sunday, 1pm and 3pm. $15-$25; $50 VIP. 707.933.3010. 

Nov. 28-29: Hip-Hop Holidaze in Sebastopol

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Nov. 28-29: Hip-Hop Holidaze in Sebastopol

This year, don’t stuff yourself too much on Turkey Day, because there’s a whole lotta grooving and shaking to be done in Sebastopol, as 775 After Dark (formerly Aubergine) is hosting a stellar weekend lineup of homegrown hip-hop. First, on Nov. 28, Sebastopol-raised rapper and producer Smoov-E makes a return to his old haunts with a show that also features appearances by Semaj the Poet, Count Salaz and others. The next night, Santa Rosa rapper Vocab Slick celebrates the release of his new album, Issues & Episodes. That show also features former Hieroglyphics member Opio and way too many others to list here. Smoov-E cruises in on Friday, Nov. 28, and Vocab Slick lays it down on Saturday, Nov. 29, at 775 After Dark, 775 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. Friday, 8pm; Saturday, 9pm. $10-$15. 707.829.2722. 

Nov. 29: New Kid on the Block in Mill Valley

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Nov. 29: New Kid on the Block in Mill Valley

He’s barely two decades old, but already 19-year-old guitarist, singer and songwriter Matt Jaffe has won over fans around the Bay Area and beyond with pop melodies and rock exuberance. Reportedly discovered at an open mic by ex-Talking Head Jerry Harrison, Matt Jaffe and his band the Distractions have taken a shimmering slice out of the dream-pop musical pie with songs that simultaneously hark back to the American image of classically clean-cut, straightforward rock and roll and the Brit-pop new wave of jangly jams and tongue-in-cheek lyrics. Mill Valley native rocker Caroline de Lone open the show when Matt Jaffe & the Distractions roll into town on Saturday, Nov. 29, at 142 Throckmorton Theatre, 142 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley. 8pm. $16-$21. 415.383.9600. 

Nov. 29: Slide Art in Petaluma

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Nov. 29: Slide Art in Petaluma

Slide guitarist and songwriter Roy Rogers is a master musician and acclaimed artist who has collaborated with everyone from John Lee Hooker to Norton Buffalo. A figure of the San Francisco rock club scene since in the 1980s, Rogers’ eclectic blend of roots, blues, acoustic and jazz stretches the limits of each genre with his mesmerizing slide technique. Rogers has been touring with his band, the Delta Rhythm Kings, for the better part of the year, electrifying audiences with their live shows. This week, Roy Rogers and the Delta Rhythm Kings are joined by multi-instrumentalist Carlos Reyes when they slide into the North Bay on Saturday, Nov. 29, at the Mystic Theatre, 23 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. 8:30pm. $26. 707.765.2121.

Not Field Tested

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Not Field Tested

It is sad and bizarre that in this season of family and generosity—welcoming strangers into your house, sharing the wealth of a nation of immigrants brimming with abundance—the national outburst over Obama’s immigration order last week would come with such unhinged xenophobic fixings.

Was it the message or the messenger?

On Sunday in the North Bay, it seemed as if an unofficial holiday had been called—Latinos “came out of the shadows” with a kind of holiday spirit that carried through the weekend. But if you expected a moment of weepy national unity over what amounted to a limited and long-overdue reform to the broken immigration system . . . pffffffft.

A week later, the national conversation had lurched from Mexicans and back to Ferguson, and the anti-immigrant commentariat was back to snickering about another dead black child-thug.

While the fuming over Obama’s order may have had more to do with the man signing it than the millions who will benefit from it, there’s a long way to go for millions of immigrants before they, too, might be able to “come out of the shadows.”

Critically, Obama’s order didn’t cover the bulk of the California ag workforce, comprising many undocumented and younger Latino men without citizen-children. California has taken steps to protect them from undue persecution by federal immigration officials. Last year lawmakers saw fit to push back against the so-called safe communities, safe schools regime enacted by the feds. The state passed the Trust Act, which has been in force since January.

The act clipped the wings of deportation-oriented immigration officials by saying the state would no longer hold undocumented aliens for deportation who were charged with minor offenses. The idea was that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents would deport felons—but food-cart workers operating without permits, for example, also got caught up in the net.

So what becomes of the Trust Act protections now that Obama has stripped away the underlying rationale for the state taking action on behalf of undocumented ag workers?

Good question.

“We’re waiting to see how that is going to be affected by the president’s proposal,” says Jesus Guzman, an organizer and immigration activist at the Graton Day Labor Center.

If recent history is any indication, be on the lookout for a spasm of vengeance politics on the backs of ag workers not covered by Obama. Howls of “Defund!” have been the order of the day since Obama’s announcement—but there’s not much for anti-immigration congressmen to defund, as numerous observers have pointed out.

The state may be another matter—and anti-immigration sentiment has run strong in recent years. Remember, California is the state that in 2009 considered a ballot initiative that would have created a two-tier birth certificate protocol: so-called anchor babies would get one, and the children of American citizens would get another.

The ploy would have created a separate and unequal designation for people who are guaranteed citizenship under the Constitution. With that in mind, are we seeing the possible emergence of a Juan Crow regime for those immigrants left out of the Obama order? Separate, unequal—and easy to deport?

Guzman has been critical of Obama (2 million deportations on his watch) but supports the executive action, limited though it may be, and notes that the state, along with enacting the Trust Act, has just made it easier for undocumented immigrants to get a Cali driver’s license.

The ICE program, says Guzman, was never supposed to target undocumented aliens in the shadows who were generally law-abiding non-citizens, but that’s exactly what happened.

“Obama recognized that,” he says.

But his order doesn’t protect undocumented workers without children. The Trust Act, which does, led to a “huge drop-off in deportations” this year.

“There is a lot of uncertainty and wait-and-see about that,” he says. “A lot of people, though they weren’t covered under this announcement under Obama, [had] a measure of safety under the Trust Act that brings some normalcy to families and workers. California has been leading and pushing to integrate immigrants more fully, but there are some questions about the Trust Act component.”

Business organizations in Sonoma County contacted by the Bohemian say it’s too early to say how Obama’s order may impact undocumented workers not covered by it. Karissa Kruse, president of the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission says that growers here have “yet to determine the implications of Obama’s immigration action.”

Ditto Tim Tesconi, president of the Sonoma Farm Bureau, who says the bureau’s directors have not met since the Obama order to discuss it, “but immigration reform is a major issue for our farmers and ranchers.”

Going Native

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Going Native

As the name implies, Petaluma’s Native Kitchen
& Kombucha bar has two personalities: food and drink. Make that a split personality. While there are few a standouts from the food menu, the liquid offerings are the real strengths here.

The food cooked in the tiny kitchen is gluten-free and mainly vegetarian, and is prepared with “healing intent,” says the menu. I’ve got nothing against a plant-based menu if it’s done with skill and finesse. Simple food made with good ingredients can be a pleasure, but co-owner Jasmine Dravis’ food is more spartan than simple. I did like the Mediterranean pickle plate ($9) and the excellent hummus served with it. The Sonoma Bounty salad (arugula, sprouted chickpeas; $9) was good but nothing you couldn’t make at home. Other dishes like the wan vegetable tacos ($12), chickpea and quinoa chili ($8) and quinoa-stuffed squash ($12—lots of quinoa here) suffered from an aggressive case of the ho-hums. Food can be medicine, but it shouldn’t taste like it.

Native’s kombucha is as good as any I’ve had, a great balance of sweet and tart. There is a changing lineup of flavors like mango, strawberry and mint, and rose-verbena. Native also offers creative kombucha cocktails that draw on the esoteric selections from the bar. Flor de Muerte ($11) combines kombucha with Sibona amaro, Oregon’s sublime Petal & Thorn vermouth and Abbot’s bitters. Served in a tall tulip glass, it goes down very smoothly.

There’s an interesting list of kombucha-based “tonics” made with various herbs and juices that each claim to cure what ails you.

The wine list is great. Co-owner Joseph Dravis has assembled a few local wines, but it’s the French, Spanish and Italian wines that are the most exciting. There are no usual suspects here. The list is clearly the expression of Dravis’ passion. He’s happy to help customers navigate the highly curated list. There is a small but excellent beer list too.

Since you’ll probably have them last, I saved the lineup of sherries, vermouth and amaro for last, as well. Sherry you’ve probably had before. The list includes three from Alvear that range from dry to sticky sweet. Vermouth and amaro are less familiar, but don’t let that stop you. If all you know about vermouth are the three drops of Noilly Prat that go into your martini, you’re in for a surprise. The aforementioned Imbue vermouths (Bittersweet and Petal & Thorn varieties) are wonderfully aromatic and complex, made for savoring. My favorite vermouth is the Contratto Rosso ($8). The Italian fortified wine is off-dry and luxuriously supple on the tongue, with aromatic flavors and a nuance that seemed to expand each time I took a sip.

Amaro is a delicious bitter-sweet digestif from Italy, the perfect postprandial sipper. Native has four on the menu.

The atmosphere at Native is as inviting as the drinks menu. While the square planks of wood atop wine barrels make for less than comfortable seating, the long, zinc bar, well-pillowed back dining room and cool tunes create a bohemian chic vibe all its own.

Native Kitchen & Kombucha Bar. 110 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. 707.559.3750.

Forever Everdeen

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Forever Everdeen

There is more natural light in a dozen submarine movies I could name than in director Francis Lawrence’s Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part I. Just where you wanted to spend the holiday season: in a concrete bunker.

Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) is now part of an underground guerrilla army, with her refugee mother and daughter sharing her concrete cell. Also interred is Katniss’ Heathcliffean pal Gale (Liam Hemsworth), kept strictly in the friend zone, with a kiss or two to keeps his hopes up.

The rebels want to use Katniss in a “proppo” (propaganda) video. Their leader, President Coin (Julianne Moore, with a silver Emmylou Harris haircut), takes meetings with her advisers, the (late) schemer Phillip Seymour Hoffman and cyberhacking expert Jeffrey Wright.

Mockingjay is not for people who feel Katniss Everdeen is at her best running around shooting arrows. It’s about the war for her mind—a little difficult to make into cinema, since Katniss, like many action heroes, displays her character by what she does.

The future may have technical sophistication, but the film presumes that politics and propaganda haven’t increased in subtlety since the 20th century. Worse, the dastardly President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and grim Coin are equally blind to an essential part of governing: the importance of withholding information.

The keenest dominant-paradigm hatred is displayed, as always, by Stanley Tucci as the TV host manipulating the poor dumb blonde hostage Peeta (Josh Hutcherson). Tucci has his revenge. Lawrence, shot in iPhone-ready closeups, seems distracted. She should be, since Katniss watches this movie about herself on television in the bunker.

This is the last of Philip Seymour Hoffman, and he evinces boredom, mostly. He has a fine last scene. When Moore addresses her troops, he smirks coolly, silently mouthing the speech he wrote for her, as she delivers it word for word.

‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part I’ is playing in wide release.

Wine Camp

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Wine Camp

When you see cow horns and Baccarat chandeliers in the same place, you know what’s happened to this winery. See those mannequin party animals, hear the thump of that dance track? JCB is in the house.

Last time we dropped in at DeLoach Vineyards, in 2007, not much had changed since Boisset Family Estates purchased the respected producer of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and Zinfandel. While flamboyant new owner Jean-Charles Boisset swept across wine country, transforming staid Raymond Vineyards into a surreal, biodynamic dog park and James Bond fantasy pad—or something like that—and upgrading Buena Vista Winery’s historic bona fides, DeLoach got bluebird boxes and a set of oak tanks.

This year, we were invited to sample a debut of the winery’s remodel and new visitor “experiences,” a something-for-everyone slate that starts with traditional walk-up tasting at the bar. In the “Appellation Room,” vineyard-designate winetasting ($30) features lots of maps and stemware; in a room stylized with Louis-the-something-or-other flair, the “M.F.S. Blending Experience” ($100) includes a bottle of your custom blend to take home after an educational session that’s not too serious—beakers and pipettes are matched with silly costuming, floppy berets and team competition. Fun for groups.

In a remodeled guest house with the feel of a high-end conference center, the seminar is “Taste of Terroir,” ($50–$100) comparative flights of wine from Boisset properties in both Russian River Valley and Burgundy. There’s wine and cheese pairing, pizza and wine pairing, “Les Libertines Cellar Tasting.”

Boisset took over a portion of winemaker Brian Maloney’s barrel room for “JCB Winery,” a funky hangout where you’d be right to expect lots of Baccarat crystal, a James Bond flick on widescreen video and mannequins dressed in leather club garb. Add to that a wall of atomizers for aroma education and a selection of multicolored wigs for getting wacky.

Plenty of wineries are now offering gourmet pairings and other enticements to enthrall visitors with their brand. Boisset’s efforts may be among the more unusual, but do they also reflect an unusually personal concern that people have fun with wine? After liberally wining and dining members of the press at an event that wrapped up with a wig-swapping dance party in the JCB Winery, any good host might single out a particularly phlegmatic attendee to ask, “Did you have a good time?” Only Jean-Charles wants to know again a minute later, just to be sure: “But did you have a good time?”

DeLoach Vineyards, 1791 Olivet Road, Santa Rosa. Open daily, 10am–5pm. Tasting fee, $15. 707.755.3309.

Gift Guidance

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Gift Guidance

Whether you like it or not, the holidays are here, and that means you’ve got to buy stuff. It’s the American way. You could be cynical and put it off until the last minute and buy things that will get tossed in the garbage or regifted, or you can do the adult thing, put some thought into it and buy some good stuff that your friends and family will actually like. There is a third option: check out our gift guide to make shopping easy and thoughtful. Need even more gift inspiration? Check out our local gifts guide next week. You’re welcome.—Stett Holbrook

MUSIC

‘Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes,’ Thom Yorke

Radiohead’s frontman throws down a sophomore solo album that continues to toe the proverbial line between genius and insanity that he’s known for, delivering a layered and trippy yet approachable effort. There’s some hype around Yorke’s method of album release; his experiment in skipping the middleman of the record industry and making the whole bundle available online through BitTorrent at the affordable price of $6 has made it an accessible gift for the music lover in your life. For those who prefer to give a physical copy, a luxurious 180 gram white vinyl deluxe edition is also available for sale online for $50.

‘I Forget Where We Were,’ Ben Howard

Howard shows growth on his second album, a worthy follow-up to his wildly popular folksy first studio album Every Kingdom, complete with soulful ballads. Don’t expect a complete reincarnation, however; instead, look forward to a darker sound, with more electric guitar on longer songs, behind Howard’s familiar vocals. This, or a package of Howard’s two albums, is great gift for $10–$20.

‘Trampin’ On,’
Steep Ravine

An independent bluegrass gem from the Bay Area, Steep Ravine have been enjoying steady success as a fresh addition to the scene, embarking on national tours and playing the festival circuit. Recent graduates from UC Santa Cruz, their technically proficient music displays a mastery of the genre beyond their years and is, above all, an ultimate feel-good album, even for those who don’t necessarily consider themselves fans of the genre. Listen to their lyrics and compositions and immediately become a fan. Download for $10; CD for $15.

‘Honeybear,’
Father John Misty

J. Tillman, aka Father John Misty, is releasing a highly anticipated second album in the vein of his first. Anticipate more satire, more good-hearted disdain of his generation and more lyrical artistry. The album comes out
Feb. 10, but the promise of this album as a gift will be well worth it to listeners of all ages, and preorders are available now from $12 to $40. And perhaps even more of a treat than the album itself is seeing the charismatic showman Father John do his thing onstage. Tickets for his Sonoma show at the Vets Hall Ballroom on Jan. 17 are $25, and that’s more than worth it.

ART

de Young / Legion of Honor Gift Membership

Give the gift of fine art appreciation with one-year membership good for two museums in San Francisco. The most basic level includes free access to special exhibitions, discounts at the museum store, and invitations to special member-only events—and, of course, unlimited admission with an accompanying guest to the permanent collections and most special exhibitions. (Maybe your giftee will take you as a thank-you!) Exhibiting his holiday season: “Keith Haring: The Political Line,” “Anthony Friedkin: The Gay Essay” and “Lines on the Horizon: Native American Art from Weisel Family Collection.” $99. deyoung.famsf.org.

‘Yosemite in the Sixties’ by Glen Denny

Not your average coffee-table book. This time capsule of climbers in the ’60s reads like a love letter to the time, mentality and thrills of Denny’s youth. It doubles as the perfect gift to a climber or outdoorsy person, but also to the photography lover who can’t receive one more Diane Arbus print from a well-meaning friend. A throwback to the photos of Ansel Adams, but with a nostalgic personal touch, Yosemite in the Sixties is an aesthetically pleasing photo story about the golden years of climbing. $44 on Amazon.

Andy Goldsworthy’s ‘Rivers and Tides’

A documentary about artist Andy Goldsworthy, Rivers and Tides is a serene portrait of a man whose art is less about studio art and more about the impermanent nature of natural art. The film shows Goldworthy’s process of creating art pieces out of ice, leaves, rock and clay in their environment, and the process of their natural disintegration, with a focus on water. If you know an art lover who hasn’t seen this film, they need to, and it will be a gift in itself to watch this film together. Available on Amazon.com for purchase, or for free to view various places online.

Cranky Pressman Instant Business Card Stamp

A whimsical and simple way to promote your business, these self-inking, train-inspector-style stamps are only three-fourths of an inch in diameter, but they make a bold statement. That statement can be your name, number, website or logo—in fact, it can be anything you want, since you submit the design, then get the made-to-order stamp mailed back to you, all for $25. The stamp has an exterior metal casing and a key ring so you can take it everywhere and never have to pat all your pockets awkwardly before realizing you’ve run out of cards. It’s a perfect gift for those who travel light and enjoy a clean, simple design for their business’s image. www.crankypressman.com/printery_bindery.

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FOOD & DRINK

Tovolo Sphere
Ice Mold

A beautifully deigned ice mold that keeps your drink cold without watering it down, this gift will excite drink lovers of all kinds. It’s easy to use, compact and reasonably priced at $10.95 for a set of two. It can replace whiskey stones, and for those willing to experiment, the Tovolo mold can be filled with a cocktail meant to be served ice cold, such as a Negroni, and once half-frozen can be cracked for an artful flow of cold beverage, iced and ready to go. surlatable.com.

Misto Box

Rejoice, you’ve found the perfect gift for coffee aficionados! This subscription includes four different bags of whole bean coffee delivered to your giftee’s home each month. Misto Box’s curated selections are chosen carefully from across the country and sent without shipping charges. Also included are discounts on full bags of the coffee you like, tips and advice from expert brewers, and information about each variety of coffee you receive. Gift a subscription for four 1.7 ounce bags or four 3.4 ounce bags for $19 or $30 per month.

Shrubs

A unique gift for a lover of fine beverages, shrubs are a little-known elixir that have been around for centuries. These sweetened vinegar-based syrups can be infused with fruit and herbs, and added to soda water or cocktails, and can be used as an alternative to bitters. Available for purchase online from a range of vendors, or more easily (and cheaply) made at home, a variety of flavors can be a thoughtful gift and a great addition to any bar cart. Find a recipe online and get started!

Bodum Travel Press

A nifty gadget for those who enjoy a warm beverage on a cold winter’s morning, this travel thermos doubles as a French press. Easy to use and compatible with both coffee and loose-leaf tea, its stainless steel, double-wall design replaces the traditional three-cup French press and features a silicone and mesh filter. A functional and appreciated gift for anyone from a favorite teacher to the mailman. From $30 on bodum.com.

MOVIES & TV

‘Twin Peaks: The Definitive Gold Box Edition’

The great thing about Twin Peaks is that the whole thing is great, and now the original remastered David Lynch saga is available to purchase with all the extras, like deleted scenes, an exclusive feature-length documentary, the European pilot and a lot more. If you already know a fan, this is what they want. If you know a film buff who somehow hasn’t seen the cult TV classic, it’s the perfect occasion for them to enter the mystery. And it’s all in time for the new 2016 reboot that is set to take place 25 years after the original series ends. $55. Amazon.com.

‘Party Down’

If you know someone who enjoys television shows like Parks and Recreation and The Office, it’s a safe bet that seasons one and two of Party Down will be right up their alley. This prematurely canceled comedy features a rag-tag catering crew trying to make some cash while hoping to be discovered in Los Angeles. The cast features comedic big-hitters like Adam Scott, Ken Marino, Lizzy Caplan, Jane Lynch and Kristen Bell. Seasons available at target.com for $8.99 each.

‘Friday Night Dinner’

For lovers of that certain British brand of comedy, try Friday Night Dinner. Similar to the immensely popular British TV hit Inbetweeners (and also starring Simon Bird), this show is pure comedy, with gags, one-liners and tons of situational humor. Each episode takes place at one kooky family’s weekly Friday night dinner, and can be the perfect gift for a family to watch together. (Because the show is British, make sure to order the correct regional DVD to match U.S. formatting.) Amazon.com starting at $10

Criterion Collection New Releases

A surefire gift for a film fiend is anything from Criterion Collection. With new releases all the time, Criterion restores films, includes commentary, and often creates new beautiful artwork for the packaging, among other goodies. Just search for their favorite classic! Recent picks
from their new releases
include Pedro Almódovar’s
Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down (1990), a dark comedy about Stockholm syndrome starring Antonio Banderas. This BluRay/DVD dual version includes tons of extras and a bonus booklet about the film. In Spanish with subtitles, $32. Alfonso Cuaron’s Y Tu Mamá También received quite a lot of buzz for it’s portrayal of young sexuality, but more importantly it is critically acclaimed for its beauty, humor and emotional texture. This version of the film features deleted scenes, interviews with the director as well as Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna, who became stars after the film premiered. In Spanish with subtitles, $24.

criterion.com

LIT

‘Yes Please’ by Amy Poehler

Comedian turned hero-to-women has finally written a book! Released just in time for the holidays, it’s sure to be a funny, heartfelt sneak peek into the life of this comedic powerhouse from her experiences with Upright Citizens Brigade to Saturday Night Live to Parks and Rec. (Dey Street Books; $28.99)

McSweeney’s Subscription

McSweeney’s has long been lauded as a cutting-edge literary force, publishing the best short stories, novels, humor, poetry and more. Founded by Dave Eggers, the publishers are still going strong in the print game, offering popular subscriptions to their lit journal McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern (four issues for $60) and highbrow magazine The Believer (six issues for $45). For any lit lover, a subscription to either would make a great gift that comes year round.
Store.mcsweeneys.net.

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OUTDOORS

‘180 Degrees South: Conquerors of the Useless’

A documentary about outdoorsman Jeff Johnson, who retraces the 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia, with a few hiccups along the way. The film is an exciting and captivating story of surfing, climbing and sailing, and is a great film for those who enjoy the outdoors and adventuring either up-close or from afar. With great photography and interviews, it also touches on the importance of environmental activism. $30. Patagonia.com or Amazon.com.

Poler Napsack

A “sleeping bag-puffer jacket” hybrid, the Poler Napsack is seriously one-of-a-kind. The Oregon-based camp gear brand Poler has combined its love of outdoors with its hip style sense and created a bag with a drawstring at the foot to be pulled up around the waist while walking around camp, or even the house in winter. Zippers open and close arm holes, a cozy hood can cinch closed, and a variety of colors and sizes complete the package (which fits neatly into a stuff sack). Rated to 40 degrees, these “napsacks” are better for casual summer camping than anything extreme, and work in a pinch for an après-surf or snow warm-up, or for those times when Snuggies are just too embarrassing. $130. Polerstuff.com.

JetBoil Coffee Press

So imagine you’re backpacking and you wake up to a fresh cup of pressed coffee each morning. Sounds like a dream, right? JetBoil has created a super lightweight, easy to use French Press accessory tool to work in conjunction with its already well-known cooking systems. For $15 on JetBoil’s website, this would be a great gift for someone who already has the base system, or could be an add-on to the JetBoil itself for an avid camper.

STUFF

Lomo Sardina Camera

Lomography is known for it’s quirky retro cameras, and La Sardina is great for the analogue-photo-inclined individual. With uber-basic controls, this 35mm film camera is known for wide-angle shots and crazy double exposures. For extra fun, try some expired film and get unexpected and singular effects, but be warned: La Sardina is great for experimenting but don’t count on getting a perfect print from every shot. $59–$109. Lomogrpahy.com.

Betabrand Cornucopia

If you were ever going to spend nearly $80 on a backpack, this should be the one. Betabrand introduces its Cornucopia bag with a sense of humor, saying “42-liter capacity, designed specifically to hold the answer to life, the universe, and everything.” The bag is made up of shelved compartments that can be opened and closed as the user sees fit, a laptop sleeve, reflective edging and a light loop attachment for biking, plus it boasts a reinforced bottom and water-resistance. Did I mention it’s 100 percent machine-washable? For the biker/walker/commuter/human in your life that could use a pack, this one will be yielding fervent thank-yous for years. Betabrand.com.

Flicker Phone Case

For those with an iPhone, it is probably attached to their hip. For increased organization, Flicker has created a protective phone case with a few unique features: it doubles as a phone stand and a card case for a driver’s license or credit card. Winner of the Red Dot design award, this case is made from trustworthy materials, and it looks great in black or white finishes. The bad news, it is only available for the 4 and 4s. $15. flickerinteractive.com.

Monkeys Always Look Rings

These customizable sterling silver or copper band rings can be stamped with a name, date, latitude and longitude of an important location, or anything else you can think of. They can be given as one ring or a stack of three and can also have a secret message stamped on the inside, and are very affordable at $28–$38. The website also has a selection of 14k gold rings for higher price points. Make sure to get a jump on ordering so it makes it to you by the holidays! monkeysalwayslookshop.com.

COATT Morse
Code Necklace

These customizable Morse code necklaces use beads to create a secret message, whether that be a name or a phrase. Personalized and heartfelt, this can be a great gift for close friends, a spouse or family member. Customers choose from different materials such as silk and gold fill. Bracelets are also available.

$42–$100. coattonline.com/jewelry.

Stance Socks

It is a truth universally acknowledged that at some point in life you will be given socks for the holidays. Don’t you wish they were comfortable, extremely cool socks? Stance offers a variety of socks for men, women and kids in a plethora of heights, weights and awesome designs, all with arch-support technology. Whether they’re a stocking stuffer, one of those eight Hanukkah gifts or even a gift to yourself, these socks will be appreciated. $10–$25. stance.com.

New Generation

Jenner occupies a prime piece of coastal real estate between Bodega Bay and Fort Ross at the mouth of the Russian River. Hundreds of tourists stop here every week year-round to photograph the stunning views and enjoy the world-famous Highway 1. And yet for the last few years the front-and-center Jenner By the Sea Inn was ghost-town empty, its restaurant...
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Nov. 28-30: Parisian Dream in Sonoma

Take a trip back in time to 1920s Paris in an enchanting and magical circus show from a band of talented and colorful characters. Le Cirque de Boheme's Winter Circus celebrates the holiday season with a special performance this weekend at Cornerstone, based on the classic French circus tradition of adventurous stunts and whimsical humor. The show follows the...
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Nov. 28-29: Hip-Hop Holidaze in Sebastopol

This year, don't stuff yourself too much on Turkey Day, because there's a whole lotta grooving and shaking to be done in Sebastopol, as 775 After Dark (formerly Aubergine) is hosting a stellar weekend lineup of homegrown hip-hop. First, on Nov. 28, Sebastopol-raised rapper and producer Smoov-E makes a return to his old haunts with a show that also...
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Nov. 29: New Kid on the Block in Mill Valley

He's barely two decades old, but already 19-year-old guitarist, singer and songwriter Matt Jaffe has won over fans around the Bay Area and beyond with pop melodies and rock exuberance. Reportedly discovered at an open mic by ex-Talking Head Jerry Harrison, Matt Jaffe and his band the Distractions have taken a shimmering slice out of the dream-pop musical pie...
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Nov. 29: Slide Art in Petaluma

Slide guitarist and songwriter Roy Rogers is a master musician and acclaimed artist who has collaborated with everyone from John Lee Hooker to Norton Buffalo. A figure of the San Francisco rock club scene since in the 1980s, Rogers' eclectic blend of roots, blues, acoustic and jazz stretches the limits of each genre with his mesmerizing slide technique. Rogers...
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Not Field Tested

It is sad and bizarre that in this season of family and generosity—welcoming strangers into your house, sharing the wealth of a nation of immigrants brimming with abundance—the national outburst over Obama's immigration order last week would come with such unhinged xenophobic fixings. Was it the message or the messenger? On Sunday in the North Bay, it seemed as if an...
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Going Native

As the name implies, Petaluma's Native Kitchen & Kombucha bar has two personalities: food and drink. Make that a split personality. While there are few a standouts from the food menu, the liquid offerings are the real strengths here. The food cooked in the tiny kitchen is gluten-free and mainly vegetarian, and is prepared with "healing intent," says the menu....
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Forever Everdeen

There is more natural light in a dozen submarine movies I could name than in director Francis Lawrence's Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part I. Just where you wanted to spend the holiday season: in a concrete bunker. Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) is now part of an underground guerrilla army, with her refugee mother and daughter sharing her concrete cell. Also interred is...
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Wine Camp

When you see cow horns and Baccarat chandeliers in the same place, you know what's happened to this winery. See those mannequin party animals, hear the thump of that dance track? JCB is in the house. Last time we dropped in at DeLoach Vineyards, in 2007, not much had changed since Boisset Family Estates purchased the respected producer of Russian...
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Gift Guidance

Whether you like it or not, the holidays are here, and that means you've got to buy stuff. It's the American way. You could be cynical and put it off until the last minute and buy things that will get tossed in the garbage or regifted, or you can do the adult thing, put some thought into it and...
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