The Year That Was

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The Year That Was

The big news in the North Bay this year, if you had to pick one story? Tough call.

Natural phenomenon ruled the above-the-fold headline landscape, or whatever remains of it, and you have to start with the Aug. 25 South Napa Earthquake. That thing shook a 6.1 on the Richter, made national headlines, and the New Yorker even sent a writer to Napa for a predictably boring report about how awful it was. Losing all that wine, that is.

Meanwhile, the Napa jail got hit pretty bad, numerous businesses got hammered, and all told, about $1 billion in damages was assessed. People in Napa are just now getting on the good foot with Small Business Administration loans and other stand-up efforts, even if they haven’t yet re-upped their New Yorker subscriptions. (A Bohemian sub is where it’s at.)

Verdict on the quake: not the big one, but kind of a big one. Stay vigilant. Check your batteries and make sure you got plenty of Lagunitas at the ready, just in case.

Meanwhile, it rained quite a bit in December in the North Bay. But it didn’t rain much this year. The rain was therefore newsworthy, as was this bit of news: If it rains too much, too fast, the Army Corps of Engineers has to drain reservoirs in Sonoma and Mendocino counties so dams don’t get over-flooded. They did it in 2012 after big December rains, but nobody figured on two more years of drought. Like the man says: D’oh!

The blessed bud may be California’s number-one cash crop, but Gov. Jerry Brown would rather you hit the frack pipe to save the state’s economy, not to mention his legacy-humping ambitions. Four more years? You got ’em, Guv. How about four more dabs in return?

Cannabis news in the North Bay was dominated by the December Emerald Cup at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. Verdict: it was fun.

Less fun were the idiots who made the local news after they blew themselves up trying to extract THC for wax dabs using the dumb and dangerous butane-extraction method.

Meanwhile, state legislators tried, and failed, to come up with language this year that would encode statewide protocols for medical cannabis dispensaries, in business here since 1996.

That did not happen, and the bill bit the dust in a late-game flurry of Tough on Crime language.That’s what happens when you ask the state’s police chiefs to write a cannabis bill that’s supposed to be underpinned by empathy over enforcement. They suck at it, and they loaded the bill with all sorts of last-second hate for those who’ve been working in the illicit pot economy and would like to come out from the shadows into the medi-marijuana light.

So now all eyes are on 2016’s expected legalization referendum.

The state did make strides in the department of criminal justice this year. Lawmakers passed and Brown signed a law that decriminalized numerous drug-related, nonviolent crimes—and in doing so, carved space for lawmakers interested in scampering across the no-man’s-land that is the war on drugs.

It would be cool if Gov. Brown could lead the charge in 2016, with a blazing bong in hand. Hey, it’s not like prominent California Democrats haven’t already been charging through the streets, loaded down with elixirs and marching to their destiny, with impassioned intent. Care for a couple of Plinys?

So, what else? Marin County continued its long battle over this quaint concept of “affordable housing.” The Marin mandarins meanwhile took a cue from Sonoma County and told people it was OK to live in their cars. Given the recent and steep decline in gasoline prices, it’s fair to say that living in your car is what they’re talking about when they talk about “affordable housing” in hyper-monied Marin. Sort of like the way ketchup can be a vegetable..

The North Bay also made a “contribution” of sorts to the national freak-out over policing. Young Andy Lopez was killed by a Sonoma sheriff’s deputy in late 2013, after he was spotted carrying a gun that turned out to be a toy rifle with its “safety” tip cut off. The officer involved in the shooting wasn’t charged, after DA Jill Ravitch spent most of the year reviewing the incident.

Man, we’d love to get on the phone with Robin Williams and get his take on the year in North Bay news. But Williams is unfortunately part of the not-so-great-news checklist. He took his life on Aug. 1. Williams was a funny man with a headful of worry, and his death jolted harder even than the Napa quake. Now he’s gone, just like that.

Year in a Bottle

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Year in a Bottle

In case you missed it, 2014 was the year that Sweden’s leading wine club named Sonoma and Napa their wine region of the year.

For those in the wine business, the year will be remembered for a harvest that was strangely early. Before they could celebrate, however, nature hit them with the Napa quake. For Swirl, variety was the spice of the year, in varietal wine as well as spirits and alternative drinks being made in the North Bay.

Wine Highlights

Back in April, we witnessed the most dramatic way to begin a toast, when Sigh Sonoma owner Jayme Powers (pictured) sabered a bottle of Champagne in “Vine Alley.” Cheers to Heitz Cellar, whose commitment to the pale, charming wine Grignolino was called “moral” early this year. A toast to Vince Tofanelli, whose exotically aromatic but table-friendly 2012 Charbono is an island in a sea of Cabernet.

Rhône rangers were on the job. Onesta’s peppery, plum-licorice flavored 2011 Cinsault and Ram’s Gate’s 2012 Ulises Valdez Diablo Vineyard Grenache were notable. We found a “Galician ranger” in Peter Franus, whose cooly aromatic 2013 Napa Valley Albariño had that perfectly salty sensation. At Robert Stemmler, the 2012 Skin Contact Chardonnay is an intriguing step on a less-trod path.

Our favorite Riesling of the year is the hardest to acquire. If you can find the yet-to-be-released Weingut Edelweiss 2013 Carneros Riesling—hints of honey and citrus oil on a featherlight palate—it promises to be nearly as unctuous (I resolve to only use that word once a year) as the 2010. And then J Vineyards popped the cork out of the park with their teasingly rich, lean and snappy Cuvée XB sparkling wine.

Beer in Review

Fogbelt Brewing’s $8 growlers of Armstrong Stout became part of my routine; Warped Brewing’s butterscotchy Crash of ’83 IPA earned extra points; in Rohnert Park, Beercraft opened the taps for, among other rare beers, Henhouse Brewing’s oyster stout.

Of Booze and Bees

The Taste California Act was good news for Prohibition Spirits, which can now charge for flights of bourbon and rum finished in wine barrels, and for Sebastopol’s Spirit Works, which released a barrel-aged gin. Good news for martini mixers, Hanson organic vodka is made with grapes.

Among local ciders, Tilted Shed’s Graviva! was a standout—and they opened a tasting room in 2014. In Point Reyes, Heidrun Meadery explores the concept of terroir with the help of bees. The rules still won’t allow their 2014 mead to be vintage-dated, but the essence of that year will always be in the bottle.

Dec. 26: Folk Getaway in Fairfax

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Dec. 26: Folk Getaway in Fairfax


Kai Killion & The Getaway Dogs began as a thematic concept for the young singer-songwriter. On his debut full-length album, last year’s Mermaid Legs & Getaway Dogs, Killion deftly combines Brazilian soul and indie rock-folk for a hypnotically rhythmic and melodic collection of laid-back, though no less intriguing, acoustic tunes. The Getaway Dogs currently act as the back-up band for Killion’s live outfit, an ever-evolving lineup of close friends and collaborators from Killion’s hometown of Santa Cruz. This week, Kai Killion brings the Getaway Dogs with him when they play a post-holiday show on Friday, Dec. 26, at the Sleeping Lady, 23 Broadway, Fairfax. 9:30pm. 415.485.1182. 

Dec. 26-27: Holiday Hangover Cure in Guerneville

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Dec. 26-27: Holiday Hangover Cure in Guerneville

The days immediately after Christmas always give me a bit of post-holiday-depression. After weeks of chaos, it’s time to unwind from the relentless schedule of holiday cheer with pianist Cole Thomason-Redus at the R3 Hotel piano bar. Thomason-Redus is a San Francisco native classical capable of entertaining audiences in any setting, from the theater to the symphony hall, to the casual crowds of west Sonoma County. This special holiday weekend of music is the perfect chance to enjoy a cocktail and swoon along, when Cole Thomason-Redus tickles the ivories on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 26–27, at R3 Hotel, 16390 Fourth St., Guerneville. 8pm. 707.869.8399.

Dec. 26-28: Cali Soul in Sebastopol and Novato

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Dec. 26-28: Cali Soul in Sebastopol and Novato


Orgone began with two teens, keyboardist Dan Hastie and guitarist Sergio Rios, hanging out at the boardwalk and record stores of Los Angeles. Fueled by a common love of the soul of the ’60s and ’70s, the two steadily recruited friends and like-minded musicians. Now the band is a massively popular collective, eight members strong, and rejuvenated by the recent addition of powerhouse singer Adryon de León Orgone takes up a mini-residency in the North Bay, performing Dec. 26–27, at HopMonk Sebastopol, (230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol; 9pm; $20; 707.829.7300) and Dec. 28, at HopMonk Novato (224 Vintage Way, Novato; 9pm; $20; 415.892.6200). 

Dec. 30: Days on Earth Film in Napa

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Dec. 30: Days on Earth Film in Napa

Alt-rock star Nick Cave has been stretching the limits of creativity in music, writing and film for over 30 years, and recently celebrated a unique milestone in a signature surreal way with his quasi-documentary ‘20,000 Days on Earth.’ Cave gives frank insights into his life and an intimate portrayal of the artistic process in the dreamlike film, which melds the real and imaginary in a fictitious portrait of Cave’s 20,000th day, with appearances by the likes of writer Warren Ellis, actor Ray Winstone and singer and actress Kylie Minogue as well as Cave’s family and friends. 20,000 Days on Earth screens on Tuesday, Dec. 30, at City Winery, 1030 Main St., Napa. 7pm. $10. 707.260.1600.

Out with a Bang!

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Out with a Bang!

SONOMA

Ring in the new year with lots of laughs at the all-comedy cabaret with Sandy and Richard Riccardi at 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa. The Riccardis riff on menopause, social consciousness and their cracked road to marital bliss at 7pm ($25) and 10pm ($40–$50). 52 W. Sixth St., Santa Rosa. 707.523.3544.

The Petaluma Museum hosts its sixth annual New Year’s Eve gala from 7pm to 10pm. Celebrate with a concert by violinist Yun Chu, cellist Shu Yi Pai, pianist Elizabeth Walter and Nancy Severance on viola will perform selected works of Beethoven and Dvorak. Petaluma Creamery and Russian River Vineyards’ fine wines and cheeses will be served complimentary. Guests also have the option to purchase preferred tickets with “elite beverage service.” Prices go up as the event nears. $35–$70. 20 Fourth St., Petaluma. 707.778.4398.

Dance in the new year at the Flamingo Resort. Party in two rooms of music and dancing, with a special reunion performance of Crossfire in the Grand Ballroom. Top DJs include DJ Don Dada and DJ JMag in the Lounge, spinning continuous dance tracks before the countdown ball falls. The event features a cash bar, and tickets are available online or at the door for $55. Doors at 8pm; show starts at 9:30pm. 2777 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.545.8530.

Get bluesy this New Year’s Eve with Tommy Castro and the Painkillers at the Mystic Theatre in Petaluma ($41). This guitar-driven blues band is known for putting on a great show, and there will be a special guest performance with Keith Crossan and Nancy Wright. 23 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. Doors at 8pm; shows starts at 9pm. 707.765.2121.

Get a leg up on your New Year’s fitness resolution with the Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen on Jan. 1. As a part of the national “First Day Hikes” movement sponsored by America’s state parks, the free event will be offering a series of hikes for all fitness levels this year that take hikers through the mixed evergreen forest up to a summit offering sweeping vistas of Sonoma Valley for the more experienced. 2400 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen. 707.938.5216.

For those looking to end the year with some serious groove time, swing by HopMonk Sebastopol for “Brainstorm New Year’s Eve: The Time of our Minds” event from Daniel K Presents. The event will feature multi-genre dance music, hip-hop and dub-step with performances by Wick It, Stylust Beats and more. This high-energy celebration starts at 9pm and is 21 and over. $30 early bird; $35 advanced purchase; $40 at the door. 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. 707.829.7300

Hip-hop is not forgotten in Sonoma County this year with New Year Steeze at the Whiskey Tip in Santa Rosa. A-Plus and Casual from Oakland’s legendary Hieroglyphics crew will perform, and well as M.C. Radio Active and more, killing it with conscious hip hop, indie rap, and electronic music all night long. With a complimentary whiskey toast at midnight, the event is $20 pre-sale online and $30 at the door. 8pm–2am. 1910 Sebastopol Road. 707.495.9351.

Jazz lovers, ring in the New Year at Guerneville’s Main Street Station with artist Frankye Kelley, a Grammy-nominated singer who will perform a series of jazz standards as well as a few familiar blues tunes. $20–$35. This venue also has a dining option before the show. 16280 Main St. 707.869.0501

There’s sing-a-long music at Redwood Cafe in Cotati. The evening starts with the crowd singing Beatles hits at 8pm with lyrics provided (free), and at 9:30pm the dancing starts with the GrooveMatics ($10). Get ready for classic rock, Motown, and the blues. 8240 Old Redwood Hwy., Cotati. 707.795.7868.

Enjoy some R&B and rap this New Year’s Eve at the Tradewinds in Cotati. DJ J.Lately will be headlining, and getting everyone ready for a midnight toast. No cover charge. 8210 Old Redwood Hwy. 707.795.7878.

For something different, explore the life and times of Edith Piaf in Cinnabar Theater‘s play Edith Piaf: Beneath Paris Skies. This performance recreates Piaf’s unlikely road from the brothels of Paris to stardom in the 1930s. Musical accompaniment by a five-piece band completes the experience. On New Year’s Eve only, enjoy desserts before the show, party favors and a Champagne toast at midnight. $55–$65. 3333 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. 707.763.8920.

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MARIN

Dance and laugh into the new year with Danny Click & the Hell Yeahs and Jude Johnstone at the Throckmorton Theatre in Mill Valley at ($40–$70). Keep the fun going on New Year’s Day with some of the funniest comedians around: Will Durst, Johnny Steele, Debi Durst, Michael Bossier, Mari Magloni and Arthur Gaus at 8pm. $21–$25. 142 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley. 415.383.9600.

The New Year’s Eve extravaganza at 19 Broadway in Fairfax is the ultimate funky dance party in Marin ($35–$40) with versatile band Vinyl, and featuring local soul diva Cathleen “Sweetie Pie” Ridley, starting at 9pm. 19 Broadway Blvd., Fairfax. 415.459.0293.

Laughs abound at the Fifth Annual New Year’s Eve StandUp Comedy Celebration at the Osher Marin Jewish Community Center in San Rafael. This year the event boasts five comedians in one night, including headliner Don Gavin. The night kicks off at 7:30pm with a no-host cocktail party and continues on to a NYE Champagne toast at midnight with the comedians. The event doubles as a canned food and coat drive for SF-Marin Food Bank and One Warm Coat, so bring along nonperishable foods and warm lightly used or new coats. $33–$37. 200 N. San Pedro Road, San Rafael. 415.444.8000.

There are even more opportunities to laugh at the annual Best of the San Francisco Stand-Up Comedy Competition at the Marin Center in San Rafael. Featuring a variety of performances by the comedy competition alumni, the show starts at 9pm. $35. 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. 415.473.6400.

Brooklyn-based band Pimps of Joytime play at Sweetwater Music Hall in Corte Madera at the annual NYE celebration. Their sound is completely their own unique blend of including Afrobeat, rock, hip-hop and electronica. Tickets include a Champagne toast at midnight, and VIP tickets include a dinner of locally sourced, seasonally driven and organic foods sure to delight the palate with worldly flavors. $47–$102.
19 Corte Madera Ave, Mill
Valley. 415.388.3850.

Get ready to rock with the Unauthorized Rolling Stones at George’s Nightclub in San Rafael. This New Year’s Eve bash not only has good tunes but a Champagne toast at midnight and a guaranteed good time with the club’s two-drink minimum. (Does the Champagne count?) $35. Check out the reserved seating option. 842 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.226.0262.

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If you love good beer and classic rock, spend your last hours of 2014 at HopMonk Novato, listening to the sweet sounds of Rock Candy as they treat the audience to some classic rock covers. HopMonk also switches things up by treating guests to an IPA toast at midnight. $25–$30. 224 Vintage Way, Novato. 415.892.6200.

Beso Negro rings in the new year with style and passion as they perform their gypsy jazz and “swing gigante” covers. This will be a band to dance to well into the night at Peri’s Silver Dollar in Fairfax, starting at 9:30pm. $20.
29 Broadway, Fairfax. 415.459.9910.

If the sounds of Prince are more your style, spend New Year’s Eve at Fenix, where the Prince cover band the Purple Ones will be performing and the prix-fixe menu will be available for two separate time slots. The early bird seated dinner and show goes from 5:30pm to 7pm with a Champagne toast ($75), and the all-night version runs 8pm to 12:30am ($125). There are also options for seating at the Back Bar for both performances. 919 Fourth St.,
San Rafael. 415.813.1234.

Rancho Nicasio heats things up for its 12th Annual New Year’s Eve Party with the Zydeco Flames, playing an upbeat danceable blend of traditional Cajun music. $35–$45. 1 Old Rancheria Road, Nicasio. 415.662.2219.

NAPA

Long Meadow Ranch Winery & Farmstead in St. Helena celebrates the new year with a special evening featuring executive chef Stephen Barber’s annual four-course farm-to-table dinner menu paired with delicious wine, festive cocktails and Long Meadow Ranch’s very own grappa and live music. Join the evening’s delicious events at 5pm ($65) with optional wine pairings ($20). 738 Main St., St. Helena. 707.963.9181.

The Harvest Inn‘s New Year’s package with Goose and Gander provides a guaranteed reservation at the annual party, this year featuring pianist Bob Ringwald, and a late-night DJ. Upon arrival each guest receives a bottle of sparkling wine and five-star accommodations within the hotel. 1 Main St., St. Helena. 707.963.9463

La Toque‘s five-course “Red Tie Dinner” ($274) is a New Year’s delicacy. At the Michelin one-star restaurant inside the Westin hotel, enjoy dinner with full access to the Red Tie Party ($75) at BANK Cafe and Bar. 1314 McKinstry St., Napa. 707.257.5157.

The 2015 New Year’s Eve Champagne tasting menu at 1313 Main is bursting with delightful pairings. $185. 1313 Main St., Napa. 707.258.1313.

Silo’s brings us back to the 1980s with SuperHuey, the Huey Lewis and the News cover band. This New Year’s celebration features either a dinner option at 6pm ($75) or the later 9:30pm show complete with a glass of Champagne and dessert ($100). 530 Main St., Napa. 707.251.5833.

Silverado Resort offers an array of celebrations to ring in 2015, including a four-course meal at the Grill or a prix-fixe menu at the Royal Oak, the Gary Mule Deer music and comedy show and finally the fourth annual New Year’s Eve Extravaganza. The final event will feature dancing, party favors, a balloon drop and a cash bar. 1600 Atlas Peak Road, Napa. 707.257.5431.

Do it up big this New Year’s Eve with Celebrate! Napa Valley’s all-inclusive event in Calistoga. This means your choice of a $50 voucher to a variety of Calistoga restaurants, a shuttle service from downtown to the Napa Valley Fairgrounds where the party gets going with an open bar, a dessert bar, late-night snacks and music from Night Fever. Enjoy a glass of Shramsberg sparkling wine at midnight before the shuttle delivers you safely to your Calistoga destination. $150 for the package, $100 for party only. 1435 N. Oak St., Calistoga. 707.942.5111.

The Meritage Resort and Spa celebrates New Year’s Eve with plenty of options including a multi-course meal at Siena ($95), a ballroom celebration, a Champagne toast at midnight and live music by the Brian Cline Band ($60). A VIP Lounge upgrade option with bottle service and small bites, or even a combination of all of the above is also available. 875 Bordeaux Way, Napa. 844.993.9628.

Grace Under Fire

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Grace Under Fire

For the North Bay, there is but one easy way to access San Francisco. The Golden Gate Bridge has long been a source of intrigue, excitement and admiration. But what about the darker side of the bridge, the dangers of crossing with no median barriers for those many cars that commute everyday?

From Jan. 10–12, the bridge will shut down to allow the construction of a movable median that will make the bridge a little safer for those who travel across it. This change is just a few yeas too late for
Dr. Grace Dammann.

Dammann’s story of a near-fatal head-on collision on the bridge in 2008 is the focus of the 2014 award-winning documentary States of Grace, which shows how her life changed over the years due to this one moment, and how it could have been prevented.

A great humanitarian notable for her work instituting HIV/AIDS clinics for underprivileged individuals, Dammann was lucky enough to survive to tell her story, though she was left physically and mentally shattered. The film also follows the demanding task of working with her partner to continue to care for their disabled teenage daughter, while concurrently rehabilitating herself. The film intends to be a story of resilience over despair, and in Dammann’s own words, “a teaching tool for medical students, for physicians, for physical therapists, and for family members who are dealing with caregiver and care-receiver issues—to that extent, my goals were totally met.”

In honor of the new movable median barrier, States of Grace is returning to the Bay Area with multiple showings, including a special screening at Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center on Jan. 8 at 7pm, including a Q&A with Dammann, her partner Fu Schroeder, and the filmmakers.

Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center, 1118 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.454.1222.

It’s High Time

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It’s High Time

The Emerald Cup’s 2016 marijuana legalization panel last weekend may have been in the only hall of the Santa Rosa Fairgrounds not smelling of skunkweed, but there was still plenty of buzz among the half-dozen speakers.

For the first time, competitive factions of the state’s cannabis movement were at the same table to discuss what a legalization measure might look like. The good news for the California economy and the millions who enjoy the state’s largest cash crop? A 2016 legalization measure will likely pass.

In 2010, Proposition 19 failed with 46.5 voting in favor. But a poll from last year following legalization initiatives in Colorado and Washington found that
65 percent of Californians are now likely to vote to end marijuana prohibition.

So the big question for panelists was not when but how—how will a legal cannabis industry work? The panel brought together representatives of the nation’s largest legalization organizations and leading statewide activists and attorneys.

Steve DeAngelo, founder of Harborside Medical Center and the uncrowned king of California cannabis reform, took lead role as consensus builder.

“We’ve got to put our histories aside and come together,” DeAngelo said. “The only way we get this done is if we do it California-style. We all sit down in a circle and we talk to each other until we’ve figured it out. If we don’t, our California values of respect for nature, caring for our neighbors and diversity will be crushed.”

DeAngelo warned that without a “collaborative consensus” document that represents advocates, growers, consumers, the incarcerated, industry workers and the state, then lobbyists for Big Tobacco, casino and agribusiness could create a legalization bill that would dominate and transform the industry.

“If we don’t do it, they’ll do it their way,” DeAngelo said. “We’ve got to make damned sure that regulations protect the people who built this industry.”

DeAngelo wants to adopt Colorado’s policy of banning out-of-state investors and growers for three years, post-legalization. He believes small growers should be taxed at lower rates than large corporations, and that size limitations for cannabis farms might be useful.

This approach finds wide support. “We need to be politically active and come up with a solution, so that the people who are now doing what they’re doing at least have a chance to be grandfathered in,” said a Northern California grower in the business for decades. “We shouldn’t have to be buying a $250,000 cultivation license. That’s a consolidation of wealth; that’s not a free market anymore.”

Omar Figueroa, a prominent attorney based in Sebastopol, is an independent leader in the effort to craft a bill that benefits growers, whose expertise has made California cannabis the most sought-after on earth.

“It’s good that a purple state like Colorado took the lead in legalization,” Figueroa explained, “because neither party in a presidential election wants to alienate these voters. But now California has the most dedicated people, the most experience and the best strains. We need to regain our leadership with the best legalization law.”

San Francisco civil rights attorney Matt Kumin, who helped California pass its medicinal marijuana bill in 1996, agreed. “We need to take the lead like in ’96,” Kumin said. “It’s great that we can learn from the mistakes of others, because this group is going to make it right.”

In 2010, California’s Proposition 19 was panned as the poorly written product of a noncollaborative process. Lindsay Robinson, director of development for the Marijuana Policy Project, believes the 2016 California bill should follow the messaging road paved by Colorado. She says calling the California measure the “Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol” act could cut through the opposition’s often-deceptive pushback.

Dale Sky Jones, chair of the Coalition for Cannabis Policy, will likely play a key role in 2016 legalization negotiations and suggested the measure might borrow a page from the recent push to release 10,000 low-level offenders from California prisons.

“I liked the ‘Safe Communities, Strong Communities’ title, and we might want to use something like that,” Jones said.

Solid Fare

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Solid Fare

Perry’s Inverness Park Grocery is your basic West Marin gourmet deli. Which is to say that there’s nothing basic about it. For every grocery staple, there’s another that’s hooked into the magic market of West Marin. One fridge is loaded with Mary’s Chicken, and around every bend there’s another locally sourced product—Shorty’s Produce included.

Last week the deli opened an eat-in room adjacent to the main store. The gist: family-style benches and a wooden counter along the window upon which to rest your weary hams.

Enjoy the views. There’s big ol’ Elephant Mountain yonder-ways and sheep bumbling in a field across the street. When you’re at Perry’s, you are deep at the edge of the fringe of the center of pure wilderness.

Order at the deli and enjoy your snack in the fresh-painted room, whose walls are filled with prints from photographer Daniel Dietrich. Chef Ed Vigil’s fresh on the scene here, and he’s cranked up a choice selection of new salads, specials and sammies.

I ordered an $11 Cubano off the deli chalkboard. It’s a dense, pressed sandwich and appears to be a new addition, since it’s not on the printed menu. The verdict? That is one good and meaty Cuban policy, and the sandwich is pretty good too.

I also tried Perry’s $6.75 breakfast burrito: bacon, potatoes, melted cheese, eggs, green chilies, your mama. Total rib-sticker.

I munched that burrito with a big coffee and tuned in to the locals and their chit-chat: the tides, the weather, alien sightings on Inverness Ridge.

There’s a sign in the new room that says, simply, “Gather.” And so we gather, wearing muddy boots, drinking coffee, expecting rain and appreciating solid fare in a sweet new spot.

Perry’s Inverness Park Grocery,
12301 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Inverness
Park. 415.663.1491.

The Year That Was

The big news in the North Bay this year, if you had to pick one story? Tough call. Natural phenomenon ruled the above-the-fold headline landscape, or whatever remains of it, and you have to start with the Aug. 25 South Napa Earthquake. That thing shook a 6.1 on the Richter, made national headlines, and the New Yorker even sent a...
Read more

Year in a Bottle

In case you missed it, 2014 was the year that Sweden's leading wine club named Sonoma and Napa their wine region of the year. For those in the wine business, the year will be remembered for a harvest that was strangely early. Before they could celebrate, however, nature hit them with the Napa quake. For Swirl, variety was the spice...
Read more

Dec. 26: Folk Getaway in Fairfax

Kai Killion & The Getaway Dogs began as a thematic concept for the young singer-songwriter. On his debut full-length album, last year’s Mermaid Legs & Getaway Dogs, Killion deftly combines Brazilian soul and indie rock-folk for a hypnotically rhythmic and melodic collection of laid-back, though no less intriguing, acoustic tunes. The Getaway Dogs currently act as the back-up band...
Read more

Dec. 26-27: Holiday Hangover Cure in Guerneville

The days immediately after Christmas always give me a bit of post-holiday-depression. After weeks of chaos, it’s time to unwind from the relentless schedule of holiday cheer with pianist Cole Thomason-Redus at the R3 Hotel piano bar. Thomason-Redus is a San Francisco native classical capable of entertaining audiences in any setting, from the theater to the symphony hall, to...
Read more

Dec. 26-28: Cali Soul in Sebastopol and Novato

Orgone began with two teens, keyboardist Dan Hastie and guitarist Sergio Rios, hanging out at the boardwalk and record stores of Los Angeles. Fueled by a common love of the soul of the ’60s and ’70s, the two steadily recruited friends and like-minded musicians. Now the band is a massively popular collective, eight members strong, and rejuvenated by the...
Read more

Dec. 30: Days on Earth Film in Napa

Alt-rock star Nick Cave has been stretching the limits of creativity in music, writing and film for over 30 years, and recently celebrated a unique milestone in a signature surreal way with his quasi-documentary ‘20,000 Days on Earth.’ Cave gives frank insights into his life and an intimate portrayal of the artistic process in the dreamlike film, which melds...
Read more

Out with a Bang!

SONOMA Ring in the new year with lots of laughs at the all-comedy cabaret with Sandy and Richard Riccardi at 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa. The Riccardis riff on menopause, social consciousness and their cracked road to marital bliss at 7pm ($25) and 10pm ($40–$50). 52 W. Sixth St., Santa Rosa. 707.523.3544. The Petaluma Museum hosts its sixth annual New...
Read more

Grace Under Fire

For the North Bay, there is but one easy way to access San Francisco. The Golden Gate Bridge has long been a source of intrigue, excitement and admiration. But what about the darker side of the bridge, the dangers of crossing with no median barriers for those many cars that commute everyday? From Jan. 10–12, the bridge will shut down...
Read more

It’s High Time

The Emerald Cup's 2016 marijuana legalization panel last weekend may have been in the only hall of the Santa Rosa Fairgrounds not smelling of skunkweed, but there was still plenty of buzz among the half-dozen speakers. For the first time, competitive factions of the state's cannabis movement were at the same table to discuss what a legalization measure might look...
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Solid Fare

Perry's Inverness Park Grocery is your basic West Marin gourmet deli. Which is to say that there's nothing basic about it. For every grocery staple, there's another that's hooked into the magic market of West Marin. One fridge is loaded with Mary's Chicken, and around every bend there's another locally sourced product—Shorty's Produce included. Last week the deli opened an...
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