Your Letters, 1/22

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Dumbass Debate

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

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

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

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

Buck Moon
Rohnert Park

Highway to Hell

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

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

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

So quaint, those days, weren’t they?

Craig J. Corsini
San Rafael

Grave Situation

Rest in Peace, America

July 4, 1776 – Jan. 20, 2025

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

Bob Canning
Petaluma

Constitutional Conventions, 6th Street’s Timely Show

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Constitutional Conventions, 6th Street’s Timely Show

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Folk/Americana Trio, The Wildwoods, Arrive in Sebastopol

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Folk/Americana Trio, The Wildwoods, Arrive in Sebastopol

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Found Poet, Michael Giotis

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Found Poet, Michael Giotis

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In theaters.

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

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

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

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

The North Bay Celebrates

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

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

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

For the Family

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

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

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

2025 Lunar New Year Events

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let’s Let the Sky

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Let’s Let the Sky

Let’s Let the Sky

A poem

By Robin Lee

let’s let the sky
relax a bit today
let’s let the clouds
lie a little lower

let’s let the buildings
incline this or that way
towards or away from
each other

let’s let the birds
float past the windows
like fish in a tank
their scarlet cries

smearing pastel, and
as well, let’s let the
sky sigh one grateful
sigh and relax a bit

today

Robin Lee is a Kentfield-based poet. Lee’s poem was submitted as a ‘counter’ to our recent publication of W.B. Yeats’ ‘Second Coming,’ which ran on Jan. 1, 2025.

Your Letters, 1/15

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RIP, Carter

POTUS 39, Jimmy Carter, was a great American and an even greater worldwide humanitarian. President of this great nation, he took the Oath of Office, swore to uphold and defend the Constitution and kept his word, believing in TRUTH, JUSTICE and the AMERICAN WAY. 

He was a truly pious, humble, honorable winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 and a “Man” not just “of the Year” but of all ages. 

I strongly suggest everyone watch A Stranger In Town (1943), which can be found on YouTube, or at least watch the final speech from it by Frank Morgan’s character, which is remarkably pertinent and topical to today’s events (he also portrayed the Wizard of Oz). Remember, there’s no place like home, and America remains the most respected and greatest nation on Earth.

Paul Simmons
Santa Rosa

Veg-a-lution

New Year’s resolution, anyone? How about one with multiple benefits for our health, planet and animals? Eating more veggies, fruits, legumes, grains and nuts helps us stay healthier, reduce global warming and stop animal suffering. It requires no exertion or deprivation. And it saves money, too.

The abundant nutrients and vitamins in plant foods keep us in top health, while their fiber keeps us regular. Plant foods don’t do drugs, antibiotics, hormones, cholesterol or saturated fats. 

Best of all, plant-based eating is supported by your local supermarket, which offers a rich variety of plant meats, cheeses and ice creams in its frozen food section, as well as a wide selection of nut and grain milks. The same goes for your favorite family restaurant and nearly every fast-food franchise.

Larry Rogawitz
Santa Rosa

Get Another Slice as North Bay Pizza Week Continues

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Get Another Slice as North Bay Pizza Week Continues

North Bay Pizza Week continues with its mouthwatering array of creative and delicious pies from local restaurants. Many participants are offering specials that showcase the region’s culinary flair, which are listed below. For the full lineup, visit NorthBayPizzaWeek.com.

Agave Healdsburg

Tlayuda (10″ – $19)
“Oaxacan pizza.” Ten-inch yellow corn tortilla spread with pork crackling paste, served with cabbage, black bean paste, quesillo, queso fresco, avocado and tomatillo salsa.
Tlayuda + Meat (10″ – $24)
Same as above, with a choice of meat.
1063 Vine St., Healdsburg. 707.433.2411. agavehealdsburg.com

Ausiello’s Homeslice

Smash Burger Pizza (12″ – $20)
Ground beef, caramelized onions, tomatoes, cheddar, mozzarella with chopped pickles and homeslice sauce. Includes a free side Caesar.
5755 Mountain Hawk Dr., Santa Rosa. 707.595.3923. ausielloshomeslice.com

The Bird

Crabby Pie (12″ – $33)
Fresh Dungeness crab with white truffle mushroom sauce, mozzarella, scallions and Meyer lemon zest on 24-hour fermentation dough.
Prosciutto Egg Pie (12″ – $28)
Thinly sliced prosciutto, burrata, olive oil and a sunny-side-up egg on wood-fired dough.
4776 Sonoma Hwy., Santa Rosa. 707.542.0861. thebirdrestaurant.com

Campanella

Meatball & Ricotta Pizza (14″ – $24)
New York-style crust topped with marinara, mozzarella, ricotta and house-made meatballs.
7365 Healdsburg Ave., Sebastopol. 707.910.3030. campanellasoco.com

Cibo Rustico Pizzeria

Cibo Star (12″ – $26)
An 8-pointed, star-shaped pizza with cheese-stuffed crust, San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella, prosciutto, sausage, basil and Parmesan.
Limone (12″ – $22)
Olive oil, baked shaved Parmesan, arugula, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper.
1305 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.623.9906. ciborustico.com

Diavola Pizzeria & Salumeria

The Strip Mall Supreme Pie (12″ – $24)
Radicchio, smoked mozzarella, caciocavallo and potatoes.
Bar Pie (16″ – $24)
Thin crust, basil, thin onions, pepperoni and oregano.
21021 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville. 707.814.0111. diavolapizzeria.com

Downtown Barbecue

BBQ Chicken (12″ – $22)
BBQ chicken with red onion, cilantro, gouda and mozzarella.
Texas Brisket Spice (12″ – $22)
Texas brisket and Calabrian chili with tomato and mozzarella.
Pork Rib With Pickled Jalapeños and Pineapple (12″ – $22)
Broken rib BBQ with pickled jalapeños, pineapple, fontina and mozzarella.
610 3rd St., Santa Rosa. 707.843.4830. downtownbarbecue.co

Fogbelt Brewing Company

Slice and Pint Special ($15)
Detroit-style square slice with mozzarella, house tomato sauce, pepperoni, ricotta and bold hot honey, plus a pint of beer.
Slice Only ($10)
Detroit-style square slice with the same ingredients.
410 Hudson St., Healdsburg. 707.473.8532. fogbeltbrewing.com

Forge Pizza

Pizza Capri (12″ – $20)
Neapolitan-style pizza with marinated cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, burrata and arugula.
Forge Pepperoni Pizza (12″ – $20)
A classic with house-made pizza sauce, mozzarella, Zoe’s nitrate-free pepperoni, jalapeño, green olive and red onion.
155 Gasser Dr., Ste. B, Napa. 925.927.3394. theforgepizza.com

Fox Pizza

Hot Pepperoni (14″ – $24)
Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes, mozzarella blend, pepperoni and house-made pickled jalapeño with a side of herby ranch.
Tin Dye Pie (14″ – $23)
Mozzarella blend, Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes, and house-made pistachio and walnut pesto swirl.
158 Crescent Rd., Corte Madera. 925.212.3466. foxpizzamarin.com

Il Fuoco Pizza

Duck Confit (12″ – $27)
With braised cabbage and Comte cheese. 
Roasted Delicato Squash (12″ – $25)
With toy box tomatoes, goat cheese and arugula.
8350 Sonoma Hwy., Sonoma. 707.522.7778. ilfuocopizza.com

Mama J’s Pizzeria

Grandpa Bill’s Sweet Heat (12″ – $24)
Pepper jelly, mozzarella, chicken, applewood-smoked bacon and jalapeños.
The Festa Potesto (12″ – $24)
Pesto, mozzarella, red potatoes, roasted red peppers and feta cheese.
10101 Main St., Penngrove. 707.664.1515. eatatmamajs.com

PizzaLeah

Mr. Sweetpea (12″ — $24) (16″ — $32)
Red and yellow bell peppers with sausage.
Sfincone (12″ — $24) (16″ — $32)
Tomatoes, herbs, onions and anchovies in a red sauce topped with Sicilian breadcrumbs.
Local Brocolini Special
Ingredients TBD.
Guest pizzaiola Nicole Bean of Pizzaro’s Pizza in Houston will share her pizza-making talents onsite.
9240 Old Redwood Hwy. #116, Windsor. 707.620.0551. pizzaleah.com

Psychic Pie

Close to the Godfather (8″ x 8″ – $24)
Sopressata, tapenade, peppadew peppers, stracciatella, mozzarella, arugula and olive oil.
Meal Deal ($15)
Four-finger slice of Close to the Godfather with a seasonal salad.
980 Gravenstein Hwy. S, Sebastopol. 707.827.6032. psychicpie.com

Red Boy Pizza

Medium 2 Toppings Pizza (12″ – $25.99)
Choose two toppings.
Various locations in Novato and San Rafael. redboypizza.com

The Red Grape

B.L.T. Pizza (12″ – $23.50)
Olive oil and garlic base with applewood-smoked bacon, fresh tomatoes, green onions, mozzarella and jack cheese topped with shredded lettuce tossed in ranch dressing.
529 First St. W, Sonoma. 707.996.4103. theredgrape.com

Salt & Stone

Barbecue Chicken Flatbread ($18)
Grilled chicken breast, barbecue sauce, mozzarella cheese and green onions.
Margherita Flatbread ($16)
Cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil and house-made tomato sauce.
9900 Sonoma Hwy., Kenwood. 707.833.6326. saltstonekenwood.com

Sonoma Pizza Co.

Crispy Chips & Crème (12″ – $26)
Crispy sunchokes chips, mozzarella, provolone, St. Jorge creamed leeks, crème branches, pickled onions, mixed herbs and shaved St. Jorge cheese.
6615 Front St., Forestville. 707.820.1031. sonomapizzaco.com

The Village Italian Restaurant

Mikey Likes It! and Hot Wings (12″ – $42.95)
Pepperoni, spinach, mushrooms, onions and garlic.
1200 Grant Ave., Novato. 415.898.2234. thevillageitalianrestaurant.com

VJB Cellars

Italian Sausage Pizza (Neapolitan Size – $22)
House-made sausage and a signature four-cheese blend.
60 Shaw Ave., Kenwood. 707.833.2300. vjbcellars.com

Your Letters, 1/22

Dumbass Debate I just read Joe Manthey’s tirade against POTUS, etc. or “Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive” (Jan. 8 Letters to the Editor). Well, here’s my own tirade:  What kind of dumbass would not get the message of this play, and what kind of dumbass would think that it was prejudiced against all men?...
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Constitutional Conventions, 6th Street’s Timely Show

As a gentleman seated next to me at a recent performance of What the Constitution Means to Me said, “Well, this should be interesting.”  Running on the Monroe Stage at Santa Rosa’s 6th Street Playhouse through Jan. 26, the production elicited further commentary. “I don’t really think we even have a Constitution anymore,” the man added grimly. Despite this sentiment, it...
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Folk/Americana Trio, The Wildwoods, Arrive in Sebastopol

Lincoln, Nebraska-based folk/Americana trio, The Wildwoods, make their North Bay debut at 7:30pm, Saturday, Jan. 25, at the Sebastopol Community Center.  Composed of husband and wife duo Chloe Gose (violin) and Noah Gose (guitar), as well as bassist Andrew Vaggalis, The Wildwoods are embarking on an extended tour starting this week. The group features gorgeous harmonies and modern-day lyrics mixed with...
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Found Poet, Michael Giotis

Michael Giotis is a poet, independent journalist and organizer. When I met him at his home, this hero was slightly hobbled, nursing a late fútbol injury.  Giotis is a former announcer and color commentator for the Sonoma Sol soccer team, and he has one of those mahogany voices. At his dinner table, he served me his homemade miso soup before...
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End Times for Wine? New Health Advisory Spurs Sober-Curiosity

In 2010, then California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law AB1798, which mandated conjunctive labeling of Sonoma County-made wines to include both their American Viticultural Area (AVA) designation and “Sonoma County” on their labels.  It was proudly seen as a boon for the local wine industry. Now, that same label may soon include a surgeon general’s warning that wine causes...
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‘A Complete Unknown’ May Be the Best of All Possible Dylan Biopics

From its casting to its settings to its all-important musical choices, James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown is an electrifying, irresistibly engaging portrait of one of America’s unique originals, Bob Dylan. Covering the years from Dylan’s 1961 arrival in New York City from Minnesota, to the time just before his serious 1966 motorcycle accident, the film depicts the artist’s life and...
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Winning Lunar New Year: Why the Year of the Snake Arrived Just in Time

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. And right on schedule, the Year of the Snake winds its way in. While many—from Eve to Indiana Jones—have strong opinions about snakes, the Year of the Snake is probably just what we need right now.  The Lunar New Year’s snake can be clever and curious, and it can also be wise and calculating....
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Let’s Let the Sky

Let’s Let the Sky A poem By Robin Lee let’s let the skyrelax a bit todaylet’s let the cloudslie a little lower let’s let the buildingsincline this or that waytowards or away fromeach other let’s let the birdsfloat past the windowslike fish in a tanktheir scarlet cries smearing pastel, andas well, let’s let thesky sigh one gratefulsigh and relax a bit today Robin Lee is a Kentfield-based...
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Your Letters, 1/15

RIP, Carter POTUS 39, Jimmy Carter, was a great American and an even greater worldwide humanitarian. President of this great nation, he took the Oath of Office, swore to uphold and defend the Constitution and kept his word, believing in TRUTH, JUSTICE and the AMERICAN WAY.  He was a truly pious, humble, honorable winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002...
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Get Another Slice as North Bay Pizza Week Continues

North Bay Pizza Week continues with its mouthwatering array of creative and delicious pies from local restaurants. Many participants are offering specials that showcase the region’s culinary flair, which are listed below. For the full lineup, visit NorthBayPizzaWeek.com. Agave Healdsburg Tlayuda (10″ – $19)“Oaxacan pizza.” Ten-inch yellow corn tortilla spread with pork crackling paste, served with cabbage, black bean paste, quesillo,...
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