Page 928 – Bohemian | Sonoma & Napa Counties

Design for Eatin’

Dining

Jessica Dur Taylor

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May 22, 2013

A few years ago, restaurant designer Shawn E. Hall was hired to rebuild the Pine Cone, Sebastopol’s longstanding diner, which had served up eggs and hash to the community for almost half a century. After gutting the interior, exposing the original brick and beams, and installing a new kitchen, Hall agreed to help find a new owner for the space.

“Designing a restaurant is like giving birth to a child and then giving it away,” Hall tells me on a recent morning. “I get into a space and I find its bones and I bring it to life. So I decided it might be fun to actually have my own restaurant.”

And that’s how Hall, designer of 35 restaurants, including Hopmonk and Willi’s Wine Bar, found herself running Sebastopol’s hippest diner, the Gypsy Cafe.

First, let’s get one thing straight: all rhetorical nuances and political correctness aside, the “gypsy” refers not to the Roma people, but to Hall’s eclectic flea-market-and-architectural-salvage aesthetic. “‘Gypsy’ is an attitude,” says Hall, who’s been re-purposing materials since “distressed” referred to someone’s state of mind, not their shabby-chic end table.

In this, Gypsy Cafe is an homage to Hall’s mother, Norma, an orphan who once made a dress out of her bedspread so she could go to the school dance, where her scalloped hem made her the belle of the ball. A self-taught designer, contractor and seamstress, and a single mother, Norma supported her daughter by renovating houses in exchange for rent.

“We lived in 13 houses in eight years,” Hall tells me. “She was the first person I ever saw make a table out of a door.” (Fittingly, Hall is likely the first person most have seen make an elegant table out of an old radiator grate.)

A native of Missouri, Hall earned a degree in environmental studies from UC Santa Cruz. The first restaurant she designed was a Jamaican joint called Miss Pearl’s Jam House in San Francisco, where she lived for 20 years. “I wanted to make it as authentic as possible,” says Hall, who loves to uncover the intrinsic beauty of a space. “So I went to Jamaica.”

Remnants of her wanderlust can be seen all over the walls of the Main Street Sebastopol cafe, hung with old signage, blown-up photographs (a Jamaican fruit stand, a Moroccan egg cart), and gathered antiques—boxing gloves, a transistor radio, even a turquoise kiddie T-Bird.

Each item tells a story—like the framed yellow crocheted doily in the shape of a pineapple (the symbol for hospitality), a gift from a customer in honor of the cafe’s first anniversary. Or the old sign that says “Draperies” hanging over the bar, given to Hall by a couple who collects antiques. “They basically ate free for a year,” she laughs.

Several old doors are incorporated into the cafe’s décor, apt metaphors for Hall’s personal philosophy. “It’s about having an open door to life, being open to new experiences and cultural diversity,” Hall says. “Besides just getting sustenance,” she says, eyes twinkling, “I want people to feel like they’re on a little vacation.”

Staffed by Hall’s friends and family—including her boyfriend, two best friends from college and a daughter-in-law—Gypsy Cafe breeds repeat customers, whether they be daily locals or far-flung travelers. (Just recently, a British couple vacationing in Yountville were thrilled to find a great restaurant that was, as they put it, “not too posh.”)

“We’re not highfalutin’, we’re not trying to be the best,” Hall tells me, “but we’re darn friendly. We will take good care of you.” Perhaps this is why an astounding 1,400 people have signed up to receive Hall’s weekly email newsletters, which keep people posted about upcoming events like the Tilted Shed Ciderworks pourings and the popular Friday night dinners (pot roast and fried chicken are menu favorites).

But if it’s standard diner food you’re after, take note: this is no greasy spoon. Yes, all the usual suspects are on the menu—pancakes, corned beef hash, huevos rancheros, Cobb salad, a slew of burgers—but chef Martin Maigaard brings a fresh approach to the classics. Standouts include the Grits and Greens, with eggs, garlic wilted greens and bacon lardons ($12), and the Sriracha burger with pickled cabbage, limed onion and Sriracha mayo on a potato roll ($11.50). This being Sebastopol, vegan and gluten-free options abound.

Running a breakfast and lunch joint in a flimsy economy may seem like a fool’s gamble, but a year and a half after opening, the Gypsy continues to carry the Pine Cone’s “town cafe” torch. At 10:30 on a recent Thursday morning, the place is buzzing with life; Hall greets an incoming regular, who, she mentions, always gets scrambled eggs.

“My mom dreamed of having a storefront in a small town,” says Hall, who recently designed Mateo’s Cocina Latina in Healdsburg and is at work on the Point Reyes Oyster Bar. Though Norma died 20 years ago, her legacy clearly lives on here.

“I’ve been successful thanks to my mom,” says Hall. “My longtime friends visit the cafe, and the first thing they say is, ‘Norma would have loved this.'”

Gypsy Cafe, 162 N. Main St., Sebastopol. 707.861.3825.

‘Son’ Down

Theater

David Templeton

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May 22, 2013

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All My Sons was Arthur Miller’s first Broadway success as a playwright, and its brilliance and beauty are still clear after 66 years. But in live theater, a play is only as good as its presentation. Hobbled by some unclear direction and generally weak acting, a new production at Ross Valley Players—despite an occasionally strong lead performance by Craig Christiansen—ultimately fails to capture the power, or much of the authenticity, of Miller’s play.

The post-WWII setting of the early masterpiece, driven by Miller’s piercing questions about morality and business during wartime, carries a strong contemporary resonance. When done well, with a skilled cast up to the challenges of Miller’s rich, multitextured language, All My Sons can be devastating. Under the direction of Caroline Altman, who’s had success in the world of opera—and whose best ideas are the pop musical interludes between scenes—RVP’s uninspired staging is consistently flat.

Joe Keller (Christiansen) is a force of nature. A self-educated man, he built his own manufacturing empire through hard work and a canny sense of business. Three years after his son Larry, an Air Force pilot, disappears in World War II, Joe finds himself caught between the desperate hopes of his wife, Kate (Kristine Ann Lowry), who insists that Larry is still alive, and his other son, Chris (Francis Serpa), who announces his plans to marry Larry’s former fiancée, Ann (Amber Collins Crane).

Hanging over everything are the wartime deaths of 21 pilots, whose planes crashed due to faulty equipment manufactured by Joe’s factory. While many in the town suspect Joe of having knowingly sold the damaged parts to the military, it is his longtime business partner Steve—Ann’s father—who is serving a prison sentence for the crime.

As written, revelations unfold slowly, almost casually, at first, but the intensity picks up with the arrival of Ann’s brother George (Philip Goleman), a lawyer who believes he has evidence proving that Joe let Steve take the fall for his own mistake. Ann, too, has a secret she’s been keeping, and it has the power to turn everything the family believes upside down.

Miller’s carefully crafted writing, in RVP’s version, is washed out by a lot of unmodulated hollering, made worse by a number of unfortunate line readings indicating that the actors don’t always understand what their characters are saying.

That’s a shame, because in All My Sons, Arthur Miller is saying a lot.

Rating (out of 5): ★★

Letters to the Editor: May 22, 2013

Letters to the Editor

Bohemian.com

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May 22, 2013

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Ironic, Ain’t It?

Why is it that nowhere in this story (“Steep Climb,” May 15) is Amgen (the tour sponsor) mentioned as the manufacturer and clandestine provider of the primary drug in the scandal? Why do the riders get slammed over and over while the creator and pusher of EPO gets the publicity, and praise, for the Tour of California—despite being deeply and darkly implicated in some seriously ugly drug controversy?

—Thom butler

Via online

Dirty Power

I’d love it if PG&E were on this list (“The Final Four,” May 15) to weigh these companies fairly, and if the Bohemian asked Sonoma Clean Power to talk about what it’s like to try to buy cleaner power with a cheaper price in a market known for being dirty in general.

We as citizens just didn’t push hard enough to demand a nationwide clean-energy supply, so now we’re stuck with playing in the dirty muck of the energy market as it is.

—Ben Zolno

Sebastopol

I, too, would like PG&E to be compared with the four companies being considered by Sonoma Clean Power. I am shocked at the heavy involvement in nuclear, and would never support that. And I grew up in New York City with ConEd, which I associate with belching smokestacks. I suspect that PG&E might look angelic in comparison.

Although I spoke last night in favor of Petalumans having some choice, what I have read here is looking like “out of the frying pan and into the fire.” I am concerned and would like to hear what Sonoma Clean Power has to say about the advantages of going with their plan.

—Beverly Alexander

Petaluma

On Wilderness

With great respect for Lynn Hamilton, her letter regarding Drake’s Bay Oyster Company is off the mark on a critical issue. Pt. Reyes National Seashore is not wilderness. “Wilderness” is defined as “an area where the earth and community of life are untrammeled by man” and “an area of undeveloped Federal land retaining its primeval character and influence.” In our region, “primeval” was before white people radically changed the landscape and ecosystems. This area was wilderness when elk and antelope grazed the coastal bluffs, millions of fish filled the waters and humans lived in close relationship with the land, burning, pruning, harvesting and seeding, working respectfully in balance with nature. Those days are long gone and cannot be recreated. Millions of people live in the Bay Area, the great predators and grazers are history, and annual grasses and other nonnative species have replaced native bunch grasses. The bays not only lack the populations of fish and shellfish that used to keep waters clean, but the “nutrient” load is massive.

Oyster farms provide essential “ecosystem services” by removing excess nutrients. Yet oysters are very sensitive to pollution, so the farmers have a vested interest in protecting against “upstream” pollution. Research has shown that grazing with cows and other livestock, when done with careful attention to the land, reduces invasive species, helps to bring back native plants and increases soil carbon sequestration. Now that the landscape is so radically altered, leaving it “alone” only exacerbates the problems.

This is why farmers who live on and with the land have such an important place in today’s world, especially in some of our national parks, where it is our national duty to keep them beautiful and healthy.

Community Alliance with Family Farmers strongly supports the Lunny Family and Drake’s Bay Oyster Farm.

—Wendy Krupnik

Vice President, North Coast Chapter CAFF

Dept. of Thingamajigs

Last week’s illustration of Lance Armstrong raising a pill-filled trophy with syringes hanging out of his arms was not, as we had deduced after much investigation, an uncredited guerrilla public art project (“Steep Climb,” May 15). In fact, it is the work of the very talented local artist Mike Koftinow.

Because some confusion persists, let it be known that we feel BottleRock was a great success against mammoth odds (“Best of the Fest,” May 15). People sucking face, free beer, dominatrixes, boyfriends eating food off the ground—all that so-called negative stuff in last week’s roundup kicks ass in our book, and makes a fun, chaotic, lively festival instead of a boring, staid, dull one.

—The Ed.

Likes Weird Things, I Guess

Write to us at letters@bohemian.com.

Safety Net

News

Patrick M. Klenz

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May 22, 2013

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Judges and juries, not police officers or state hospital orderlies, decide whether or not a defendant’s mental disorder excuses the crime that person committed. Until their day in court, the mentally ill are treated by the system like any others suspected of the same crime. They go to jail.

But jail may not be the best place for forensically committed state hospital patients. Violent mentally ill patients in particular require a level of care that a small local jail cannot be expected to provide. When the jail fails to deliver that care, the consequences can prove devastating for the patients or other inmates.

Now, Napa County wants the Legislature to require state hospitals to keep holding facilities on site to detain patient-offenders. Napa County analyst Liz Habkirk argues that it’s unrealistic to expect a small sheriff’s department to carry this burden.

“That’s like asking us to run a cardiac ward in the jail,” Habkirk explained. “That’s how specialized these services are.”

A report adopted as part of Napa County’s legislative platform outlines the corresponding human cost. A relatively large number of mentally ill suspects ended up spending weeks or months in the Napa jail because of court delays. Across the board, these suspects spent an average of 62.2 days in jail after booking. Bereft of proper treatment for two months, a mental patient can cause a great deal of damage.

The Napa report recounts a few particularly gruesome incidents in graphic detail. The report tells of one patient who tried to self-immolate by wrapping himself in toilet paper and lighting it on fire. Another patient repeatedly smeared feces on the window of his cell to prevent correctional officers from monitoring him. Yet another opened a wound in her abdomen deep enough to fit her hand past her wrist.

Napa County discovered a sponsor in a Central Coast legislator who approached the issue from a totally different perspective.

Republican assemblyman Katcho Achadjian introduced AB 1340 to committee on March 14. The draft legislation would require state hospitals to build “enhanced treatment units” to detain mentally ill assailants. It also calls for the automatic and timely referral of the incident report to the local district attorney. According to staff, Achadjian introduced the bill after learning of the problem from the union that represents state hospital workers.

Coby Pizzotti of the California Association of Psychiatric Technicians said his organization proposed the bill to improve hospital-worker safety. After passing through the jail, charged patients come back to the same ward worse than ever. Almost all of the state hospital patients charged with serious assaults while in treatment ended up at the state hospital after committing a crime in the first place.

“Were talking about people behind the fence,” Pizzotti said. “It’s kind of a vicious cycle. The staff get beat up routinely by the same person.”

The bill has begun to work its way through committee. Proponents expect challenges facing the bill to arise over the fact that the measure will cost the state a still unknown sum in upgraded facilities.

The Department of State Hospitals chose not to take a position on the draft bill at this time. Spokesman Ralph Montano declined to answer questions about the fiscal impact of requiring state hospitals to maintain holding facilities.

“Safety of our patients and employees is one of our top priorities,” Montano said. “We will continue to work with the sponsors of the bill as it moves forward.”

Nevertheless, Atascadero State Hospital recently piloted a special unit to house its sickest patients and managed to do it within its current budget. Pizzotti thinks the state hospital system could find a way to implement the enhanced treatment units for patient-offenders.

San Luis Obispo County, like Napa, contains a large state hospital and a relatively small jail. Undersheriff Tim Olivas said 142 Atascadero State Hospital inmates passed through the jail on new charges over the course of 11 months. He mentioned one state hospital patient who used a stashed safety razor to cut the neck of a correctional deputy who tried to extract the man from his cell.

“It’s a catch-22 to charge them with a crime when they’re already at the hospital trying to get competent, and then to try and bring them through the system again,” Olivas said.

No Escape

Movies

Richard von Busack

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May 22, 2013

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A curdled version of “America the Beautiful” plays in the trailer for the home-invasion thriller ‘The Purge’ (June 7), and some kind of equally subtle political allegory can be discerned in the gated community taken to outer space in ‘Elysium’ (Aug. 9), which depicts a have-not/got-more civil war in the year 2154. The executive mansion gets it yet again in ‘White House Down’ (June 28). Escapism keeps getting harder to find, even in summer movies—and this year, they’re darker than ever.

The previews for ‘Man of Steel’ (June 14) reveal that our hero (Henry Cavill) is a war refugee and that the “S” on his mighty chest is actually a Kryptonian rune for “hope.” This potential Obamaism may trigger wails of “Benghazi!” among loyal right-wingers, even if in Man of Steel the crypto-religious origin story is once again rehashed. Russell Crowe plays the godly Jor-El, while Kevin Costner appears as a corn-fed St. Joseph to the immaculate superhero. Through youthful confusion, Superman rises to face the Hitler of Krypton, General Zod (Michael Shannon). Ad astra per aspera.

Joss Whedon used to encourage impromptu Shakespeare readings during rehearsals for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and in that tactic lies the basis of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (June 7), a low-budget Shakespeare adaptation featuring modern dress, presented in black-and-white and shot in the spurious Tuscany of Santa Monica hillside mansions. Amy Acker from TV’s Angel makes a witty Beatrice, with Alexis Denisof as a sarcastic Benedick determined not to marry (“thrust the neck into a yoke, wear the print of it, and sigh away Sundays”).

Simply colossal, and perhaps rekindling the love of super-robots that Michael Bay tainted in three lousy Transformer movies, ‘Pacific Rim’ (July 12) is fantasy creator Guillermo del Toro’s marriage of Japanese kaiju with a plot seemingly pilfered from John Wyndham’s 1953 novel The Kraken Wakes. An alien enemy nested in the oceans repelled with skyscraper-size battle robots called “jaegers”—it’s big, big, big.

Bright-but-not-brittle director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale) collaborates on ‘Frances Ha’ (May 17) with the ever-rising Greta Gerwig, who was last glimpsed in the most recent Woody Allen film. She co-writes this comedy about a hapless New Yorker who wants to be a dancer. Gerwig’s persisted through a string of half-baked indie movies. She ought to be a star by now, and Frances Ha may finish the job.

‘World War Z’ (June 21), directed by Marc Foster, may either be the flop that finally ends the zombie craze or sparks a whole new round. Brad Pitt plays a U.N. investigator piecing together accounts of the global conflict. Rewrites galore have plagued the project, so the only certainty is that the film has Pitt and several hundred million zombies.

Maybe it’s the graveyard wit, maybe it’s the campiness, maybe it’s the attention to glowing fine surfaces in the era when the digital changeover is making for a lot of ugly movies, but Pedro Almodóvar is one of the few directors who makes completionists out of the hardest to please. ‘I’m So Excited’ (June 28) follows a damaged and seemingly doomed plane of fools headed for Mexico City in an airborne allegory about the horrors of the Spanish economy.

For years, the sweet, bizarre and convulsive Kristen Wiig supported the entire cast of Saturday Night Live on her shoulders. ‘Girl Most Likely’ (July 19) is described as Wiig’s passion project. She plays a cracked-up boomerang girl bounced off the New York theater scene who moves in with her mean mom (Annette Bening) and her mom’s mendacious pal (one of the underrated funny ones, Matt Dillon).

Finally, director Rick Rowley’s ‘Dirty Wars’ (June 7) documents Jeremy Scahill, the journalist investigating the Joint Special Operations Command, which tracks and kills terrorists from Yemen to Central Asia . . . or people who to our best knowledge are terrorists . . . or people who were driving in a truck that was the same make of truck that a sought terrorist was known to drive . . . or people who were just in the wrong tent at the wrong time.

Heart and Soul

Music

Gabe Meline

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May 22, 2013

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In his show at the Sebastopol Grange this weekend, John Gorka will probably get the loudest response from “People My Age,” a funny little tune about the vagaries of time and its effect on one’s flesh in middle age.

But not all of the world’s responses are audible. Through his more to-the-heart songwriting, Gorka is a master of eliciting the silent gasp. “If I Could Forget to Breathe,” “If These Walls Could Talk” and especially the sublime “Love Is Our Cross to Bear” are all Gorka at his earnest, honest best. Even his political material, such as “Ignorance and Privilege,” is rooted in deeply personal experience.

Gorka’s one of those solo guitarists who sounds like he’s playing two guitars at once, and one of those storytellers who can make you forget that another song is coming up again soon. The Sebastopol Grange is the perfect rural place to see him turn an “Oooh” into an “Ewww.” Don’t miss it on Friday, May 24, at the Sebastopol Grange Hall. 6000 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol. 8pm. $25–$27. www.northbaylive.com.

Hot Summer Guide 2013

Features

Taylor May

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May 22, 2013

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Summertime memories are best made casually—the late-night walks, the impromptu skinny-dipping sessions, the boozy kisses and the houses full of friends. But planning your summer is key also, if only to make sure you don’t miss the best that the North Bay has to offer. Here’s our selective list of ways to spend the hottest season of the year, from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

MAY

Napa Chefs’ Market It’s not all about wine in Napa—there’s food, too. At the Napa Chefs’ Market, check out two cooking demonstrations each night and enjoy the finished product. Local produce for sale, live music. Thursdays, May 16 through Aug. 1, downtown Napa. 5–9pm. Free. 707.257.0322.

Larkspur Flower & Food Fest Local gardeners bring their best flora to the 23rd annual celebration of pretty things that smell good and good things to eat. May 26 on Magnolia Avenue, downtown Larkspur. 11am–6pm. Free. 415.924.3803.

Oysterpalooza Celebrate the bivalve with New Orleans cuisine, live music and, of course, salty, sweet oysters in this sixth annual event. Music by Arann Harris and the Farm Band, the Crux, Church Marching Band, the Far West, Windy Hill Bluegrass and Supermule. Music begins at noon for the May 26 event at Rocker Oysterfellers, 14415 Hwy. 1, Valley Ford. $15, does not include food. 707.876.1983.

Healdsburg Jazz Festival Triumphantly returning for its 15th year, this not-to-be-missed, 10-day music festival delivers a straight-ahead jazz lineup of vibrant talent including Carla Bley, Charlie Haden, Ravi Coltrane, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Geri Allen, Lee Konitz, Bill Frisell and many others. Various locations in and around Healdsburg. May 31–June 9. Prices vary per event. 707.433.4633. www.healdsburgjazzfestival.org.

Friday Night Live The small town of Cloverdale hosts this big music series in conjunction with its farmers market. Among others, it features Roy Rogers & the Delta Rhythm Kings (May 31); Tommy Castro & the Painkillers (June 21); Hot Buttered Rum (July 12); SambaDá (July 26); and Chuck Prophet & the Mission Express (Aug. 30). May 31–Aug. 30 in the Town Square, Main Street, Cloverdale. Free. www.cloverdaleartsalliance.org.

JUNE

Pride Comedy Night Sonoma County’s most popular pride event, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender celebration features the riotous humor of comedian Marga Gomez on June 1. Wells Fargo Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. 8pm. $35–$45. 707.546.3600.

Sonoma County Children’s Museum Witness the groundbreaking for this fun museum that will surely delight for several generations. June 1. 10am. Future site of Sonoma County Children’s Museum, 1835 W. Steele Lane, Santa Rosa. $5. 707.546.4069.

Beerfest: The Good One! Eat, drink and be merry to support Face to Face—Sonoma County Aids Network. With more than 50 microbreweries, this event is a who’s who of Northern California artisans. June 1, 1–5pm. 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. Twenty-one and over (alcohol till 4:30pm). $45. 707.546.3600. www.f2f.org.

Mateel Center Summer Arts & Music Festival The most comprehensive celebration of art and music on the North Coast kicks off with music from over 60 local bands, musicians, dance troupes, and children’s entertainers. Over 150 handmade craft and food booths, an all-media fine arts showcase, the Outrageous Kid Zone, Belly Dance Temple and more on June 1–2 at Benbow Lake State Recreation Area. $15–$25; kids free. www.mateel.org.

Marin Home & Garden Expo Exhibitors, lectures and demos showcase all things for house and yard in Marin County at this third annual expo event. Put on by the Marin Builders Association, all proceeds benefit the association’s scholarship fund. June 1–2. Marin Center Fairgrounds and Exhibit Hall, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. 10am–5pm. $10. Free for kids 12 and under. 415.507.1537.

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Forestville Youth Park The only privately owned public park in the country celebrates with plenty of barbecue, community spirit, a parade, a carnival and live music, including evening performances by the Unauthorized Rolling Stones (Saturday) and Wonderbread 5 (Sunday). June 1–2. Parade, Saturday at 10am; festival, Saturday–Sunday. 7045 Mirabel Road, Forestville. Free. www.forestvilleyouthpark.org.

Art at the Source More than 160 artists in dozens of studios throughout western Sonoma County are open to the public during two weekends, June 1–2 and 8–9. Art at the Source provides an opportunity to look behind the scenes, meet the artists and snap up some great deals. Maps can be found at www.artatthesource.org or at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 6780 Depot St., Sebastopol. Free. 707.829.4797.

Long Meadow Ranch Concert Series Music, wine, sunshine—what more could anyone ask for? Especially with a lineup like Matt Costa on June 2; Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers on June 30; USAF Band of the Golden West (free) on July 5; Langhorne Slim & the Law on July 14; the Mother Hips on Aug. 25; and Sean Hayes on Sept. 15. $30–$45. 738 Main St., St. Helena. 3:30pm each day. 877.963.4555.

Peggy Sue’s All-American Cruise Four days of classic-car mania sweep up downtown Santa Rosa for the 11th annual cruise-till-you-snooze celebration. Opens with a cruise-in and performance by the Poyntlyss Sistars (June 6) at a Place to Play Park, 2375 W. Third St., Santa Rosa. Live music, cruises across Sonoma County, chili and pasta cook-offs, pancake breakfasts, contests and awards. June 6–9 at various locations in Sonoma County. $6–$80.

Film Night in the Park Another year of blockbusters and award-winning films free to audiences throughout Marin County’s community parks. Films scheduled this summer include Hugo, Skyfall, Argo, Vicky Christina Barcelona, The Princess Bride and The Birds. Bring blankets, pillows, back rests and low-seated chairs. June 7–Sept. 21. 415.272.2756. www.filmnight.org.

Novato Festival of Art, Wine & Music Two-day live music fest features crafters, food and drink and music on two stages. Highlights include Luvplanet (June 8), the Tubes (June 8), Davey Pattison (June 9) and Tom Rigney & Flambeau (June 9). Saturday–Sunday, June 8–9. Old Town Novato, on Grant between Redwood Avenue and Seventh Street. Free. 415.472.1553.

Filipino Fiesta 41st annual celebration of the Philippine Independence Day in Santa Rosa. Traditional Filipino dancers and singers provide entertainment throughout the day, and delicious food like lumpia and adobo. June 9, 11am to 4pm. Filipino Center, 3361 Fulton Road, Fulton. Free. 707.280.4842.

Huichica Festival Blitzen Trapper, Fruit Bats, Cass McCombs Band, Jonathan Wilson and others serenade locals with a broad range of styles at the scenic Gundlach Bundschu Winery for its third annual celebration. Includes a wine city, gourmet food trucks, film screenings, three performance areas and a “good times” vibe. A first-class, three-course wine dinner offered the eve of the fest. June 14–15. Gundlach Bundschu Winery, 2000 Denmark St., Sonoma. Farm to Table to Amplifier dinner, 6–10pm; 18 and over (June 14). Music Festival, noon–10pm; all ages (June 15). $18–$80. 707.938.5277.

DjangoFest The great French-Belgian-Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt gets a four-day blowout of fans and players presenting concerts, workshops and, yes, “djam” sessions to honor his spirit and inimitable sound. June 14–15 at the 142 Throckmorton Theatre. 142 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley. $35–$85. 415.383.9600.

Marin Art Festival This “lawn party for the arts” features over 250 artists by the lagoon in the Marin Civic Center in a two-day outdoor party that includes live music, fine wine and brews and a wide variety of Cajun, Greek and French fare. June 15–16, Lagoon Park, at the Marin Center, Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. $10; kids and parking, free. 415.388.0151. www.marinartfestival.com.

Cotati Jazz Festival The “biggest little jazz festival” celebrates its 32nd anniversary with food, beer, music and every musical and nonmusical venue in downtown Cotati. Performers include Jason Bodlovich, One World Latin Band, Bautista and the Burleigh Bunch. June 16. Noon–7pm. www.cotatijazz.com.

Sonoma-Marin Fair The world’s ugliest dogs appear and a hundred tons of metal collide in the destruction derby, with carnival rides, fair food and more. Musical lineup includes the Marshall Tucker Band (June 19), Kix Brooks (June 21) and Loverboy (June 22). The Fiesta Latina buttons it up on June 23. Sonoma-Marin Fair, Petaluma Fairgrounds, two blocks west of East Washington Exit, Petaluma. June 19–23. Noon to midnight. $10-$15. sonoma-marinfair.org.

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Sierra Nevada World Music Fest Slightly outside the North Bay but of avid interest to locals is this three-day roots reggae and world-music festival at Booneville’s Mendocino County Fairgrounds, running this year June 21–23. Acts include Damian Marley and Stephen Marley with Ghetto Youths Crew, Alpha Blondy, K’naan, Marcia Griffiths and many others, plus late-night dancehall. All three days, $170; limited camping available. 916.777.5550. www.snwmf.com.

Rodney Strong Concert Series The 23rd annual Summer Concert Series in the sunny grasslands behind the Rodney Strong features adult contemporary favorites and music legends. June 22, Michael McDonald; Aug. 2, BWB (Rick Braun, Kirk Whalum, Nora Brown); Aug. 4, Dwight Yoakam; Aug. 17, Dave Koz with Mindi Abair, Gerald Albright and Richard Elliot; Sept. 1, BB King. Rodney Strong Vineyards, 11455 Old Redwood Hwy., Healdsburg. $60–$115. 707.869.1595.

San Anselmo Art & Wine Festival Over 60,000 folks converge on downtown San Anselmo each year—hungry, thirsty, craft-starved folks. As usual, a section of the fest will include over 200 artists and their various works. There will also be food booths, wine, a merchant marketplace, an emphasis on live music and a kids area. June 22–23. San Anselmo Avenue between Bolinas and Tamalpais streets. 10am–6pm. 415.454.2510.

Mill Valley Wine & Gourmet Food Tasting Now in its 32nd year, this event was founded by Jim Canepa, the late owner of the Mill Valley Market, and has evolved over the years into a fest noted for its large selection of boutique wines and new food trends. Live music, too! June 23 at Depot Plaza, downtown Mill Valley. 1–4pm. 415.388.9700. www.millvalley.org.

Kate Wolf Memorial Music Festival A fantastic lineup appears at this festival’s 18th year honoring the work of late singer-songwriter Kate Wolf. Artist highlights include performances by the Brothers Comatose, Angelique Kidjo, Iris Dement, Pool Man’s Whiskey and many others. Plan to camp. June 28–30. Black Oak Ranch, Laytonville. Full festival pass, including three nights camping, is $80–$225. Daily tickets available, $40–$90. Under six, free. www.katewolfmusicfestival.com.

Broadway Under the Stars Presented each year by Transcendence Theatre Company, some of the brightest stars in Hollywood and on Broadway come to perform in the comfortable night air in Jack London State Park. June 28–30 and July 5–6, “Fly Me to the Moon”; July 19–20, “Fantastical Family Night”; Aug. 9–10, 15–17, “Dancing Through Life”; Aug. 30–31, “Gala Celebration.” Pre-show picnic at 5pm; concerts begin at 7:30pm in the outdoor winery ruins. 2400 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen. $29–$117. 877.424.1414.

California Beer Festival The best brewers in the Golden State face off with over 70 beers on tap. There’s music by Petty Theft, Monophonics and Metalshop with a barbecue cook-off. June 29, 12:30 to 5pm. Stafford Lake, Novato Blvd., Novato. $40. www.californiabeerfestival.com.

Marin County Fair The annual Marin County Fair is back, and, as always, the music and fine art are stellar, with fireworks ending every night. Things kick off with Kingston Trio and Eddie Money (July 4). Disney Channel star, Zendaya entertains (July 5), the Wailers take the stage (July 6) and The Pointed Sisters get excited (July 7). July 3–7. Marin County Fairgrounds, adjacent to the Marin Center, Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. $13–$15; under four, free. June 30, 12 and under, free. 415.499.6400. www.marinfair.org.

Mondavi Winery Summer Music Fest The 43rd edition of this festival includes Martina McBride (June 29); Lifehouse (July 6); Huey Lewis & the News (July 12); Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers (July 13); and ZZ Ward and Delta Rae (July 20); Highway 29, Oakville. Dinner available. $50–$225. 888.769.5299. www.robertmondaviwinery.com.

JULY

Fourth of July with Santa Rosa Symphony Reviving a past tradition dating back to the pre-Green Music Center days, this concert culminates in an explosive celebration of America with a choreographed fireworks display. The back of the main hall will be open for maximum awesomeness. Thursday, July 4, Green Music Center. 1801 East Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. 7:30pm. $25–$85. 866.955.6040.

B.R. Cohn Winery Charity Car Classic Now in its fifth year, this free event with live music, an auction and raffle takes place Sunday, July 7, and features a classic-car exhibit that includes handpicked vintage, rare, sport and collectable cars. Donation proceeds benefit the Redwood Empire Food Bank of Santa Rosa. 15000 Hwy. 12 in Glen Ellen. 707.938.4064, ext. 136.

Festival del Sole An astounding success in fine music, the Festival del Sole is back for its seventh year with a flourish July 12–21. The slate includes Audra McDonald, Sarah Chang, the Russian National Orchestra, pianist Andrew von Oeyen, cellist Nina Kotova, youth ensembles, ballet, theatrics, festive meals and much more. Tickets run from $45 to $150. At various venues. www.festivaldelsole.com.

Pink Martini This retro-pop orchestra crosses genres like a Bach-themed burlesque show, but it always gets those bon-bons shaking. Back wall open to allow lawn seating. Sunday, July 14, Green Music Center. 1801, East Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. 4pm. $25-$85. 866.955.6040.

Rivertown Revival Petaluma honors its woefully underloved waterway with art boat races, aerial acts, a deliciously mysterious “river monster” and a DIY art fair aesthetic that this year salutes an old-timey Coney Island feel. Featuring 27 bands, including the Crux, Frankie Boots, Steve Pile, Highway Poets, Hubbub Club and others. July 20, 11am to 7pm, at McNear Landing (Steamer Landing parking lot, follow the trail). $5. www.rivertownrevival.com.

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Catalan Festival The fastest possible trip to Barcelona, the annual festival at Gloria Ferrer features live flamenco, sparkling wine and tastings from many Spanish-influenced eateries, cooking demonstrations, along with a festive grape stomp and traditional folklore surprises. July 20–21. Gloria Ferrer Champagne Caves, 23555 Carneros Hwy., Sonoma. $45–$55. 707.933.1931. www.gloriaferrer.com.

Sonoma County Fair Celebrating 77 years, this year’s theme is “Homespun Fun,” offering the largest themed flower show in the country and more horse racing, rodeos, destruction derbies, Farmers Day activities than you can shake a 4-H kid at. The Harvest Fair is included in this year’s county fair. Separate admission is required for Hunter Hayes (Aug. 6), Florida Georgia Line (Aug. 7), Bridgit Mendler (Aug. 8) and Intocable (Aug. 9). Fair runs July 25-Aug. 12. 1375 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa. www.sonomacountyfair.com.

KWMR Eighth Annual Far West Fest Voted best music festival in Marin County, this annual green festival boasts three stages with several genres including funk, blues, country, rock and experimental. Bands include Zigaboo Modeliste & the New Aahkesstra, John Doe, Lebo and friends, Beso Negro and others. July 27, 11am–7pm. Love Field, 11191 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Point Reyes Station. $25–$75. www.farwestfest.org.

Fifteenth Annual San Rafael Twilight Criterium Downtown San Rafael is transformed into a bike racetrack as pros take over the main downtown streets. Look for an expo on Fourth Street and plenty of kids’ stuff. July 27. www.srtwilight.com.

AUGUST

Reggae on the River Annual festival features Julian Marley & the Uprising Band, Morgan Heritage, Tarrus Riley & Black Soil, J Boog & Hot Rain, Natural Black and many others. Aug. 1–4 at French’s Camp, Highway 101, Piercy. $190 (three-day) to $250 (four-day) 707.923.3368. www.reggaeontheriver.com.

Petaluma Music Festival Besides hosting a ton of great bands, this festival raises money for music programs in schools. Acts on the three stages include: Xavier Rudd, Sean Hayes, the Pimps of Joytime, the Soul Rebels, Stroke 9, the Brothers Comatose, the Easy Leaves, David Luning, Dgiin, the Incubators, Victoria George and the Grain. Aug. 3 at noon. Sonoma Marin Fairgrounds, 175 Fairgrounds Drive, Petaluma. $15-$30. petalumamusicfestival.org.

San Rafael Food & Wine Festival The Falkirk Cultural Center hosts the fifth annual San Rafael Food and Wine Festival with 25 regional wineries, local brew folks and plenty of food purveyors. What would wine be without art and music? Plan for Aug. 10 at the Falkirk Cultural Center, 1408 Mission Ave., San Rafael. $25, all-day food and winetasting. 800.310.6563.

Patti LaBelle The soul diva makes her Santa Rosa debut, four-octave voice included. See “Lady Marmalade” take the stage Aug. 16 at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts. 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. 8pm. $79–$119. 707.546.3600.

Solfest The Hopland solar-power hootenanny is back with workshops, music and speakers. Solar Living Center, Aug. 17. 10am. 13771 S. Hwy. 101, Hopland. 707.472.2450.

Napa Valley Art Festival Sixth annual juried art exhibit and sale features several representational artists from around the country. Sip Napa Valley wines and taste other delicacies while listening to live music. Aug. 17 at the Yountville Community Center, 6516 Washington St., Yountville. 707.256.3828. www.napavalleyartfestival.com.

Grape to Glass Pre-Harvest Party The Russian River Valley celebrates its 18th annual wine gala with more than 50 wineries, restaurants and food purveyors, a silent auction, a barbecue dinner and fresh, warm Gravenstein apple pie for dessert. Aug. 17 at Richard’s Grove and Saralee’s Vineyard, 3575 Slusser Road, Windsor. 4pm. $85. 707.521.2534.

Cotati Accordion Festival Use an accordion—go to Cotati! This year marks the 22nd festival of keys and bellows. Italy’s jazz accordion legend, Renzo Ruggieri, comes to the festival to play his squeezebox, as do Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic, the Mad Maggies, Jet Black Pearl, The Internationals and many others. Aug. 18–19. La Plaza Park, Cotati. $15–$25; under 15, free. 707.664.0444. www.cotatifest.com.

Randy Travis Country music’s distinctive baritone touches even the coldest of hearts. Aug. 21 at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts. 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. 8pm. $45–$59. 707.546.3600.

Goat Rodeo Sessions Yo-Yo Ma returns to Rohnert Park, but this time he trades the suit for a straw hat. This bluegrass-classical ensemble features fiddle, bass, mandolin, vocals and, of course, cello. Back wall open for lawn seating. Aug. 23. Green Music Center. 1801, East Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. 7:30pm. $25–$100. 866.955.6040.

Seafood Art & Wine Festival Bodega Bay celebrates for the 19th time with seafood and music. Benefits Stewards of the Coasts and Redwoods and the Bodega Volunteer Fire Department. Aug. 24–25. 16855 Bodega Hwy., just east of the town of Bodega. $8–$15; under 12, free. No dogs this year. 707.824.8717. www.winecountryfestivals.com.

Chris Botti This jazz trumpeter has 12 solo albums, including collaborations with Andrea Bocelli, Paul Simon and Sting. His pop instrumental style has garnered him huge success. Back wall open for lawn seating. Aug. 25 at the Green Music Center. 1801 East Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. 4pm. $25–$85. 866.955.6040.

Sonoma Wine Country Weekend Three-day foodie love fest, Aug. 30–Sep. 1, features the 34th annual celebration starting with the Sonoma Starlight Supper Club (Aug. 30) at the Francis Ford Coppola Winery followed by various winery lunches and dinners (Aug. 31–Sep. 1) and the Sonoma Valley Wine Auction (Sept. 1). www.sonomawinecountryweekend.com.

Beating a Dirty Game

Open Mic

Woody Hastings

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May 22, 2013

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The most recent Bohemian article about Sonoma Clean Power (SCP) focuses largely on the four top energy service providers (ESPs) competing for SCP’s contract. The story implies that the power mix of the chosen ESP will be the power mix of SCP, but this is not the case.

As an analogy, when you shop at a store, you don’t buy a portion of everything available in the ratio in stock; you buy what you want. Decision-making about the power mix of SCP is in the hands of its future board, which ideally will include every eligible Sonoma County city. Sonoma Clean Power will launch with a mix of 33 percent renewable energy and will include no coal or nuclear power.

Any community choice energy program emerging today needs to contract with experienced energy players, and—news flash—there are no angels in this game. These are the players with the experience and heft needed for SCP to succeed. Fossil and nuclear sources are part of today’s energy-generation reality. All of these ESPs, however, have a keen interest in expanding their enterprises in the renewable energy arena, and are eager to do so in the California market. The key is that SCP will be a local decision-making entity with the power to transition from fossil and nuclear toward energy efficiency and localized solar, wind and other sustainable energy sources.

The relationship with these ESPs is inherently limited; in fact, the contract in question is only for three years. The ESP will not “run” SCP. The Sonoma Clean Power Authority board will run SCP.

The contract with the ESP is not all that SCP will be doing. Sonoma Clean Power will be taking on energy-efficiency projects that are unrelated to the ESPs, and will also be engaging in policies and programs separate from the ESP contract that aim to develop local energy resources. Over time, dependency on the ESPs for remote power, be it renewable or not, will diminish as Sonoma County produces more of its power cleanly and locally.

Woody Hastings is the renewable energy implementation manager for the Climate Protection Campaign. The Climate Protection Campaign first introduced the idea of Sonoma Clean Power in a white paper in 2005. Contact Woody at wo***@***************on.org.

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

MacPhail Family Wines

Swirl

James Knight

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May 22, 2013

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You know you’re getting old when 10 years seems like, if not yesterday, not too long ago. “It’s hard to believe,” counters James MacPhail, “but 2002 was a different world.” He’s talking about Pinot Noir. MacPhail launched his brand when California Pinot was still something of an up-and-comer for many wine drinkers—two years before the movie in which the funny guy said the thing. And his Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley vineyard sources were somewhat of a new frontier.

With the shaved head and assured mien that may be reminiscent of a tech entrepreneur hobbying about, MacPhail actually changed career course early on, spending the last 20 years in this industry. He was able to put up a winery on his rural lot south of Healdsburg because, back in 2007, it, too, was a different world: “I walked into the bank, and walked out with a construction loan,” MacPhail shrugs. It didn’t hurt that he got the attention of the readership of Wine Spectator, ever thirsty for new shiny things, when his whimsical Radio Flyer–inspired label appeared alongside Russian River Valley notables on the magazine’s cover.

MacPhail is now partnered with the Hess Collection, and he’s winemaker for its Pinot Noir–focused Sequana brand. The compact winery is nicely designed, lets in natural light and has stones laid like parking strips in between the barrels—one of his “late night, crazy ideas” and a Burgundian homage.

Fermentations are finished in barrel, and both Pinot and Chard get battonage. MacPhail is no low-alcohol leader, but the wines tasted here come across as cool, complex and “serious”—don’t blame me if you become an object of fun when you start calling wines “serious.” As for MacPhail, he suggests nothing, preferring to let tasters make up their own mind as regards raspberries, soi bois, “seriosity,” etc. On Saturdays, he hosts seated tastings around a rustic table in the cellar; otherwise, there’s a riveted-together nickel bar fronting a nook that serves as the lab.

MacPhail had already dropped his Russian River Valley wines when the Spectator article came out; the 2010 “Flyer” RRV Pinot Noir ($59) is a one-off from Olivet Lane, densely stitched together with oak-smoked bacon notes, leathery plum fruit and Christmas spice. Fat with bacon, spiced with orange rind and earthy with earth, the 2010 Toulouse Vineyard, Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($49) also sports notes of the pennyroyal herb typical to the area; the 2010 Pratt Vineyard, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($49) makes me reminisce about it after each sip. Wait a few months, and you’ll be able to sample MacPhail and Sequana wines at a tasting room now being built in Sebastopol’s Barlow Center, a welcome addition to the future.

MacPhail Family Wines, 851 Magnolia Drive, Healdsburg. Open by appointment only, Monday–Saturday. Tasting fee, $10. 707.433.4780.

Sonoma County Book Festival Launches a Kickstarter Campaign

BohoBlog

Leilani Clark

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May 20, 2013

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It’s official. Books are still rad. And the people who provide a venue for the authors and book-sellers that stilll believe in the power of the book are still rad. That’s why the Sonoma County Book Festival received a Boho Award in 2011, and that’s why it would be nice to keep the only major book festival in the county around for years to come. Like pretty much everyone else these days, they’ve turned to crowdfunding for help.

Today, the organizers announced the beginning of a $10,000 Kickstarter campaign to keep the festival running and fund an Executive Director to run the whole shabang, since its hard for volunteers to pull of something like this off. This year, the festival moves to Santa Rosa Junior College, instead of running through downtown Santa Rosa, like it has for the past 12 years each September.

From the Kickstarter page:

“The Sonoma County Book Festival has been celebrating books and authors and readers and our local community for the past 12 years each September, and it’s been a glorious contribution to Sonoma County. What you may not know is that we’ve done it on a wing and a prayer. And at this juncture, our funds are low and our volunteers are tired. As the board of directors, we’ve had to ask ourselves, “Do we stop offering this incredible community celebration of books and literacy?” The answer came back as a loud, “Heck no!” The Festival and our community deserve more. In fact, we believe we can make the Festival even better for 2013.”

For more information, here’s the Kickstarter page.