‘Starchitect’ Killed by AI

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‘Starchitect’ Killed by AI

Making buildings smarter, more sustainable

In the next 30 years, sea levels will rise as much as they have in the last century, threatening urban areas all over the world.

Unfortunately, most of our existing cities aren’t built to withstand encroaching salt water or other climate-change impacts like floods and extreme storms. And while we need new infrastructure in order to adapt, construction is a major polluter. Today’s built environment is responsible for close to 40% of energy-related carbon emissions.

Architects can help us get out of this double bind—but only if they embrace generative artificial intelligence, which many have so far resisted. To fight climate change, architects need to reimagine their role and abandon their long-held obsession with individual authorship.

For example, generative AI can help architects pinpoint the best building locations and develop the most sustainable materials. It can use satellite images to create detailed land-use maps, making it possible to test future climate scenarios, such as extreme heat or flooding, for specific places.

In all likelihood, the collective creativity of generative AI heralds the end of sole authorship and the celebrity architect. It’s time for architects to abandon individual perspectives and work together to overcome the very real existential threat of climate change.

The end of the celebrity architect is actually a return to older understandings of authorship. Sole credit for a single designer has never been as central to great architecture as some would like to think. Long before Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Marin Civic Center, unknown designers created what is now the world’s longest-standing temple, 11,000-year-old Göbeklitepe in modern-day Turkey.

Architects, and those of us who teach future architects, have a major role to play in saving our environment. With the help of AI, we can design, construct and maintain structures that emit little or no carbon and also protect us from what’s ahead. Sacrificing claims to authorship to fulfill our duties to the planet is a small price to pay.

Alessandro Melis is the inaugural IDC Foundation endowed chair and a professor in the School of Architecture and Design at New York Institute of Technology.

Your Letters, 3/27

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Your Letters, 3/27

Countdown

With the election a few months away, those citizens who would not be comfortable with a fascist takeover of our country might want to take time out to make a things-to-do list.

The very first thing to do is to recognize the threats of all the anti-democratic people and ideas that are flying around like NFL linebackers. They are real.

The list might include supporting Republican Party officials who stand for democratic ideals, if there are any left.

We can also rally around non-partisan, independent public servants who still believe in the rule of law and are willing to defend our democratic institutions.

Pro-democracy and anti-violence coalitions may have to spring up around the country to protect first targets.

The American authoritarian phenomenon is now eight years old, at least, and it needs to be taken seriously and literally.

I don’t know about you, but I am not ready to “terminate” the Constitution, allow “retribution” against political opponents and to encourage anybody to be “dictator for a day.”

The dynamics of an authoritarian takeover are going to have to be altered in this country in order to preserve and protect this country.

There are still a lot of people who are a little too comfortable supporting a degenerate buffoon who has 91 felony counts on his head.

Let us make them very uncomfortable.

Craig J. Corsini

San Rafael

Payback

The Social Security Amendments of 1983 (Public Law 98-21, April 20, 1983) reinstated the previously expired interfund borrowing authority and extended it through 1987. Ronald Reagan started borrowing against Social Security in the ’80s. All following presidents have done this as well.

If you want to save Social Security, have Congress pay back what it has taken.

Gary Sciford

Santa Rosa

‘Private Space,’ Loretta Lynn and Recycled Art

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‘Private Space,’ Loretta Lynn and Recycled Art

Petaluma

‘Private Space’ Goes Public

Dive into the enigmatic world of “Private Space,” an innovative, collaborative exhibition qua installation by Petaluma artists Luc Addleman and Taylor Mancini. The unveiling reception is scheduled for 5 to 8pm, Saturday, April 6 at Usher Gallery in downtown Petaluma. “Private Space” is engineered to be an immersive foray into the realms of painted vinyl and abstract artistry, delving into deep-seated themes of anxiety, perseverance and desire. This exhibition is designed to captivate attendees with its gravity-defying brushstrokes and soulful compositions, showcasing a blend of individual pieces alongside unique collaborations developed specifically for the Usher Gallery space. Meanwhile, attendees can groove to the tunes of local sensation Swing State, offering a fusion of funk, ska and jazz-inspired melodies. Savor the moment with fine wine and refreshments while mingling with the creative minds behind the mesmerizing display. Usher Gallery is located at 1 Petaluma Blvd. North. For more info, visit ushergallerypetaluma.com.

Santa Rosa

Clone Miner’s Daughter

“The Loretta Lynn Tribute Show,” a celebration of the iconic Coal Miner’s Daughter, is set to take place at The California, located at 528 7th St. in Santa Rosa. Scheduled for 7pm, Friday, April 19, this event brings together a lineup of Bay Area country music artists for an evening dedicated to the legendary Loretta Lynn. Featured artists include Crying Time, Laura Benitez, Jill Rogers, Becklyn, Loralee Christensen, Margaret Belton, Nashville Honeymoon, Mauri Tan, Aireene Espirtu, Cindy Each, Allegra Bandy, Laugh Crow, Rucy Vixenn and Lias Maris Johnston. The show will cover a range of Lynn’s hits and deep album tracks, highlighted by unique duets and interpretations, all accompanied by the Oakland-based band Crying Time. This event, priced at $25 per ticket, follows successful shows at notable venues like Freight & Salvage in Berkeley and The Chapel in San Francisco. It promises a special evening for fans of country music and Loretta Lynn, marking a one-time performance at this venue. Tickets are available online through the caltheatre.com website.

Santa Rosa

Reuse Muse

Santa Rosa Arts Center hosts “Transformations: Recycled Art” from April 5 through June 1. This unique exhibition focuses on the innovative reuse of materials through sculptures, assemblages and collages by artists from the Bay Area and Northern California. The artists’ reception is planned for 5 to 8pm, Friday, April 5, at the center, located at 312 South A St. in Santa Rosa. This annual exhibit not only showcases the creativity and ingenuity of local artists but also serves an educational purpose by promoting conservation and highlighting the potential for new uses of materials typically considered disposable. By incorporating these objects into their artwork, the artists contribute to reducing waste and the amount of trash ending up in landfills. “Transformations: Recycled Art” is an initiative that aligns with broader environmental conservation efforts, reflecting a commitment to sustainability. The exhibition is partially sponsored by Recology Sonoma Marin, emphasizing the importance of recycling and resource conservation. For more information about the exhibition, visit the Santa Rosa Arts Center’s website at santarosaartscenter.org.

Corte Madera

Memoir Moment

An author event with Satsuki Ina, focusing on her work, The Poet and the Silk Girl, is scheduled for 4pm, Saturday, March 30 at Book Passage in Corte Madera. This free event offers attendees the opportunity to dive into a narrative that spans generations, highlighting the resilience and struggles of Japanese Americans against racial oppression and their fight for civil liberties. Ina, a licensed psychotherapist with a specialization in community trauma, brings her expertise and personal activism into her writing. She explores the themes of resistance, empowerment and transformation against systemic oppression. Ina’s activism is further demonstrated through her co-founding of Tsuru for Solidarity, a project aimed at advocating for social justice and the end of detention sites through nonviolent direct action. In addition to her literary contributions, Ina has produced two significant documentaries, Children of the Camps and From a Silk Cocoon, focusing on Japanese Americans’ World War II incarceration. Book Passage is located at 51 Tamal Vista, Corte Madera. For more information, visit bit.ly/satsuki-ina.

Free Will Astrology: Week of March 27

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Free Will Astrology: Week of March 27

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the coming days, your hunger will be so inexhaustible that you may feel driven to devour extravagant amounts of food and drink. It’s possible you will gain 10 pounds in a very short time. Who knows? You might even enter an extreme eating contest and devour 46 dozen oysters in 10 minutes! APRIL FOOL! Although what I just said is remotely plausible, I foresee that you will sublimate your exorbitant hunger. You will realize it is spiritual in nature and can’t be gratified by eating food. As you explore your voracious longings, you will hopefully discover a half-hidden psychological need you have been suppressing. And then you will liberate that need and feed it what it craves!

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus novelist Lionel Shriver writes, “There’s a freedom in apathy, a wild, dizzying liberation on which you can almost get drunk.” In accordance with astrological omens, I recommend you experiment with Shriver’s strategy in the coming weeks. APRIL FOOL! I lied. In fact, Lionel Shriver’s comment is one of the dumbest thoughts I have ever heard. Why would anyone want the cheap, damaged liberation that comes from feeling indifferent, numb and passionless? Please do all you can to disrupt and dissolve any attraction you may have to that state, Taurus. In my opinion, you now have a sacred duty to cultivate extra helpings of enthusiasm, zeal, liveliness and ambition.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): At enormous cost and after years of study, I have finally figured out the meaning of life, at least as it applies to you Geminis. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to reveal it to you unless you send me $1,000 and a case of Veuve Clicquot champagne. I’ve got to recoup my investment, right?! APRIL FOOL! Most of what I just said was a dirty lie. It’s true that I have worked hard to uncover the meaning of life for you Geminis. But I haven’t found it yet. And even if I did, I would of course provide it to you for free. Luckily, you are now in a prime position to make dramatic progress in deciphering the meaning of life for yourself.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): For a limited time only, you have permission from the cosmos to be a wildly charismatic egomaniac who brags incessantly and insists on getting your selfish needs met at all times and in all places. Please feel free to have maximum amounts of narcissistic fun, Cancerian! APRIL FOOL! I was exaggerating a bit, hoping to offer you medicinal encouragement so you will stop being so damn humble and self-effacing all the time. But the truth is, now is indeed an excellent time to assert your authority, expand your clout, and flaunt your potency and sovereignty.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Michael Scott was a character in the TV sitcom The Office. He was the boss of a paper company. Played by Leo actor Steve Carell, he was notoriously self-centered and obnoxious. However, there was one famous scene I will urge you to emulate. He was asked if he would rather be feared or loved. He replied, “Um, easy, both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me.” Be like Michael Scott, Leo! APRIL FOOL! I was half-kidding. It’s true I’m quite excited by the likelihood that you will receive floods of love in the coming weeks. It’s also true that I think you should do everything possible to boost this likelihood. But I would rather that people be amazed and pleased at how much they love you, not afraid.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Now would be an excellent time for you to snag a Sugar Daddy or Sugar Momma or Sugar NonBinary Nurturer. The astrological omens are telling me that life is expanding its willingness and capacity to provide you with help, support and maybe even extra cash. I dare you to dangle yourself as bait and sell your soul to the highest bidder. APRIL FOOL! I was half-kidding. While I do believe it’s prime time to ask for and receive more help, support and extra cash, I don’t believe you will have to sell your soul to get any of it. Just be yourself!

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Happy Unbirthday, Libra! It’s that time, halfway between your last birthday and your next. Here are the presents I plan to give you: a boost in your receptivity to be loved and needed; a constructive relationship with obsession; more power to accomplish the half-right thing when it’s hard to do the totally right thing; the disposal of 85% of the psychic trash left over from the time between 2018 and 2023; and a provocative new invitation to transcend an outworn old taboo. APRIL FOOL! The truth is, I can’t possibly supply every one of you with these fine offerings, so please bestow them on yourself. Luckily, the cosmic currents will conspire with you to make these things happen.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Now would be an excellent time to seek liposuction, a facelift, Botox, buttocks augmentation or hair transplants. Cosmic rhythms will be on your side if you change how you look. APRIL FOOL! Everything I just said was a lie. I’ve got nothing against cosmetic surgery, but now is not the right time to alter your appearance. Here’s the correct oracle: Shed your disguises, stop hiding anything about who you really are and show how proud you are of your idiosyncrasies.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I command you to love Jesus and Buddha! If you don’t, you will burn in Hell! APRIL FOOL! I was just kidding. I was being sensationalistic to grab your attention. Here’s my real, true oracle for you: Love everybody, including Jesus and Buddha. And I mean love them all twice as strong and wild and tender. The cosmic powers ask it of you! The health of your immortal soul depends on it! Yes, Sagittarius, for your own selfish sake, you need to pour out more adoration and care and compassion than you ever have before. I’m not exaggerating! Be a lavish Fountain of Love!

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): If you gave me permission, I would cast a spell to arouse in you a case of ergophobia, i.e., an aversion to work. I think you need to take a sweet sabbatical from doing business as usual. APRIL FOOL! I was just joking about casting a spell on you. But I do wish you would indulge in a lazy, do-nothing retreat. If you want your ambitions to thrive later, you will be wise to enjoy a brief period of delightful emptiness and relaxing dormancy. As Buddhist teacher Sylvia Boorstein recommends, “Don’t just do something! Sit there!”

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In accordance with current astrological omens, I suggest you get the book Brain Surgery for Beginners by Steven Parker and David West. You now have the power to learn and even master complex new skills, and this would be an excellent place to start. APRIL FOOL! I was half-kidding. I don’t really think you should take a scalpel to the gray matter of your friends and family members—or yourself, for that matter. But I am quite certain that you currently have an enhanced power to learn and even master new skills. It’s time to raise your educational ambitions to a higher octave. Find out what lessons and training you need most, then make plans to get them.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In the religious beliefs of Louisiana Voodoo, one God presides over the universe but never meddles in the details of life. There are also many spirits who are always intervening and tinkering, intimately involved in the daily rhythm. They might do nice things for people or play tricks on them—and everything in between. In alignment with current astrological omens, I urge you to convert to the Louisiana Voodoo religion and try ingenious strategies to get the spirits to do your bidding. APRIL FOOL! I don’t really think you should convert. However, I believe it would be fun and righteous for you to proceed as if spirits are everywhere—and assume that you have the power to harness them to work on your behalf.

Homework: Speak aloud as you tell yourself the many ways you are wonderful. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

Small (or No) Rewards

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Small (or No) Rewards

A reflection on a moment

As I descend (slip, roll, dive, tumble, freefall) into my mid-70s, I am learning to cope, not simply with diminished expectations but with diminished capacity.

I haven’t always been this old, but I certainly am now, and being this old requires certain adjustments. Whereas I once had ambition, energy, a drive for self-improvement and a willingness to put up with massive challenges to achieve some level of personal fulfillment, none of that is happening as of today. It is gone, perhaps for good.

In place of a need to excel, or at least keep up with reality, I now have the opposite. I want almost nothing to do with this FUBAR world. Patterns of inertia have taken hold. I find it hard to care about the things I used to hold so dear: public affairs, the state of the nation, global power politics and ambitious proposals to solve problems on a massive scale.

In the ’70s and ’80s, I worked in the bank’s “politics” department—a group of hand-picked young brainiacs responsible for managing external relations with local, state and federal elected officials, banking industry policy figures, business media outlets and responsible large-scale business associations. It used to be known as lobbying. Such a quaint term, in retrospect. In truth, I was a former high school civics teacher hired to help local bankers better understand how to represent the bank’s interests in their communities.

A great job with low pay and high rewards, but the work seemed vital to the global economy, the holy grail of existence at the time. That enthused young banking businessperson no longer exists. In his place, I think it’s fair to say he’s a bum. An argument could be made that I am older now than ever.

I admire people my age and younger who still care about what happens in the public sphere. They are still out there participating, collecting signatures, having important conversations and engaging with the world of competing interests. They have a lot more patience than I do.

All that doing has been replaced by a desire to undo. Disgust with public affairs has replaced passion. Disinterest has taken over for intense curiosity. Constant “networking,” meet my new friend, “solitude.”

Craig Corsini lives in Marin County.

Your Letters, 3/20

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Your Letters, 3/20

Assange Melange

Apology and corrections to Dan Shiner (Letters, “WikiPeaved,” 3/13/24): I have followed The Guardian and The Intercept. Two women had consensual sex with Julian Assange in Stockholm. One was asleep when Assange decided to repeat penetration [without consent]. That is considered rape in Sweden [and here], which I learned from a Swedish man the day of my Open Mic (“Sticky Wiki,” 2/28/24). Two—not “multiple women”—reported for STI testing for unprotected sex days later.

The Swedish government repeatedly dropped and reinstated the investigation, finally closing the case when investigators concluded the evidence “was not strong enough to form the basis for filing an indictment” against Assange. He was never charged or convicted of a crime by Sweden.

Assange was never a Donald Trump supporter. He broke the story of Hillary Clinton subverting the 2016 presidential primary—similar to Trump’s actions culminating in the 1/6/21 Capitol riot, fake electors and fishing for votes. Trump (serial liar) associate Roger Stone fabricated visiting Assange in the Ecuadorian Embassy.

I despise Trump, but Clinton initiated the overthrow of the Ukrainian and Libyan governments. She wanted to invade Iran and supported coups in Honduras, Haiti and Bolivia.

As my former mentor, the late Daniel Ellsberg—who knew something about false espionage charges—stated about the Assange persecution and trial: “It cuts out the First Amendment.”

This case threatens all journalists and publishers everywhere, including the Bohemian’s progressive reporting. My curt phrase, “fake rape charge,” I regret—but I only had 350 words and much to say!

Barry Barnett

Santa Rosa

Poetry, Wine, Books, and Blood

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Poetry, Wine, Books, and Blood

Santa Rosa

Verse First

Santa Rosa Junior College hosts an evening of poetry with Dana Gioia, former California poet laureate, at 6pm, Thursday, March 28, at the SRJC Frank Chong Studio Theatre, Burbank Auditorium at 1501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. An internationally celebrated poet and critic, Gioia’s latest collection, Meet Me at the Lighthouse, continues to captivate audiences. Gioia’s journey from a working-class background to a leading voice in American poetry, alongside his significant contributions to the arts as chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, underscores a career dedicated to elevating poetry and literature. This free event is part of the SRJC Arts & Lectures series.

Sausalito

Wine, Women & Food Event

Celebrate Women’s History Month with a night of empowerment and flavor at the Sausalito restaurant and bar, Ditas. Dubbed “Women, Wine, and Dine Event,” the three-course dinner is co-hosted by the trailblazing Jill Osur (founder of the award-winning, women-led Teneral Cellars from Amador County) and Dita’s own culinary maestro, chef John Carney. 6pm, Thursday, March 28, at Ditas, 562 Bridgeway, Sausalito. Tickets at DitasMarin.com/DitasEvents-2. For more information, call 628.261.9267.

San Geronimo

‘Book of Days’

Explore the depths of Judy North’s creative psyche at “Judy North: A Painter’s Book of Days,” showcasing at the Maurice Del Mue Galleries, San Geronimo Valley Community Center, 6350 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., throughout March. This exhibition presents North’s unique blend of cautionary tales, perceptions, poems, meditations and mysteries, offering a glimpse into her method of “thinking in pictures.” With a storied career spanning teaching roles at prestigious institutions and a persistent exploration of the union of opposites in her work, North invites viewers into a world where rationality meets imagination.


Petaluma

Have a Bloody Good Time

The American Red Cross calls on volunteers and donors to provide lifesaving blood and platelet transfusions—particularly those with type O blood (though they encourage everyone to contribute to the national blood supply, ensuring hospitals can meet the demand for transfusions). Upcoming opportunities include 9am to 2pm, Saturday, March 30, at Living Word Lutheran Church, 901 Ely Blvd., Petaluma. To schedule a donation, visit RedCrossBlood.org, download the Red Cross Blood Donor app, or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

‘The Divine Sarah’ at Ross Valley Players

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‘The Divine Sarah’ at Ross Valley Players

Sarah Bernhardt arguably invented modern celebrity culture. She was an irrepressible, controversial and highly complex woman working at a time when women had little to no agency. Couple that with her public relations/marketing genius, and it’s hard to know what part of her legend is true and what was part of her orchestrated facade. Anyone trying to write her story faces an uphill battle.

The Divine Sarah, a new musical originally written in the 1980s by June Richards and Elaine Lang, takes on the battle by trying a new approach, focusing on the traumatic childhood relationships that created Sarah’s personality. New Works at Ross Valley Players has a production at the Barn Theatre at the Marin Art and Garden Center through April 7.

The play opens with Sarah receiving a letter from the Moliere Theater offering her the role of Phaedra. The catch is that she has to learn the iconic role in only three days. The story then veers unexpectedly backward into Sarah’s past. The entire first act is spent on Sarah’s relationship with her mother, Youle. Youle is even given her own song about never wanting to be a mother. Act two, which focuses more on the better-known aspects of Sarah’s adult life, flows more evenly and starts to make a dent in the complex story of what made Sarah divine.

The script utilizes one actress playing Sarah (Merrill Grant) from age 16 onward and a choir that plays all other roles as needed. Grant is a clearly talented performer with a strong stage presence that matches her talent. In fact, director Jay Manley has done a good job of casting a talented ensemble with strong voices and a lot of stage presence.

The choreography by Lucas Michael Chandler is clean and well-executed, and musicians Jon Gallo and Diana Lee are crisp and engaging. Unfortunately, the costumes by Michael A. Berg didn’t serve the production at the same level—notably Sarah’s scene-stealing bum roll, which drew attention away from Grant’s performance.

Ultimately, this sentimentally rose-tinted view of Sarah Bernhardt doesn’t present a new or deeper understanding of the legend. Nor does it say anything original about the culture that created her or the culture she created. When asked what they thought as we filed out of the theater, one patron summed it up best; “Well, it, uh, told a story.”

The divine Sarah, perhaps, deserves more.

‘The Divine Sarah’ runs through April 7 at the Barn Theatre in the Marin Art and Garden Center, 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Ross. Thurs.-Sat. 7:30pm; Sun., 2pm. $20-$35. 415.456.9555. rossvalleyplayers.com.

Marauding Macy’s: Robbery, carjacking, police chase

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Marauding Macy’s: Robbery, carjacking, police chase

A suspect in a robbery at a Macy’s department store in Marin County was arrested Monday after allegedly carjacking a vehicle and triggering a police chase in multiple counties, authorities said.

At about 3:25 pm Monday, officers were alerted to a robbery involving three suspects at a Macy’s in Corte Madera.

One suspect reportedly punched a security guard in the face and threatened that he had a gun. That suspect then got into a vehicle and fled, the Central Marin Police Authority said in a statement.

Police said officers saw a vehicle matching the fleeing suspect’s description on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in Larkspur. The officer attempted to pull it over, but the suspect sped away and a pursuit ensued. However, the chase was halted for public safety reasons.

Meanwhile, Macy’s loss prevention personnel were already in custody of the other two suspects. The suspects, identified as Dorothy McGriff, 30, and Alair Woodcock, 34, were arrested by Central Marin police and booked into the Marin County Jail for suspected commercial burglary and conspiracy to commit a crime. Police said McGriff was also detained on suspicion of possession of narcotics and an outstanding warrant out of Santa Clara County.

After the chase was terminated in Larkspur, officers were dispatched to a welfare check of an individual in the area of Forbes Avenue near San Anselmo. Police said the person matched the description of the outstanding robbery suspect, and he was asking residents for a change of clothes and an Uber ride.

With help from the Marin County Sheriff’s Office, police officers found the suspect and attempted to detain him. However, the suspect still resisted arrest and fled on foot into a nearby residence in San Rafael. A sheriff’s deputy gave chase, but the suspect went into a neighboring yard, police said.

Central Marin police then received a call from a resident on Island Drive in San Anselmo that their house was broken into and their vehicle was stolen when they were away from the residence. Shortly thereafter, another deputy saw the stolen vehicle traveling in Fairfax, authorities said.

That deputy attempted to stop the stolen vehicle, but the vehicle sped away, and a pursuit again began. Police said the deputy pursued the vehicle into San Rafael, with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office helicopter monitoring the chase from the air.

When the chasing deputy was involved in a vehicle collision, the pursuit ended. And the vehicle was followed by the sheriff’s helicopter into downtown San Rafael, where the suspect abandoned it and allegedly carjacked a passing motorist by alleging that he had a knife.

The suspect tried to flee by getting onto Interstate Highway 580, but police said the Sonoma County sheriff’s helicopter and California Highway Patrol were able to track the suspect into Richmond, where officers assisted with the chase.

Eventually, the suspect abandoned the vehicle in San Pablo, where he was arrested by Richmond police. Central Marin officers then took custody of the suspect, identified as 34-year-old Richard Contreras, and booked him into Marin County Jail for suspected robbery, residential burglary, stealing a vehicle, carjacking, being a repeat felony offender, resisting arrest, evading a police officer and evading a police officer with disregard for safety.

Valley Guy: Forest Knolls’ Tommy Breeze

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Valley Guy: Forest Knolls’ Tommy Breeze

Tommy Breeze’s hats are often spotted all over Marin and beyond. And with his new flagship store in Fairfax (a collaboration with retail brand California Cowboy), things are only looking bigger and brighter.

What do you do?

I design, sew, write emails, dream and hang out with awesome people all day.

Where do you live?

Forest Knolls, in “The Valley.” I grew up in Fairfax, where I have my studio.

How long have you lived in Marin?

29 years, minus four years at college in eastern Washington.

Where can we find you when you’re not at work?

Probably hiking somewhere in Marin, but I might be hard to locate. I prefer the secluded trails. Other safe bets include getting a bite in downtown Fairfax, listening to live music or hanging out at the Marin Museum of Bicycling.

If you had to convince someone how awesome Marin is, where would you take them?

If I liked them, I’d take them along West Ridgecrest Boulevard on Mount Tam. If I really, really liked them—that’s a secret.

What’s one thing Marin is missing?

A dynamic events venue featuring live music, live art experiences, live manufacturing, and popups with local food and beverages. Drop me a line—investors welcome.

What’s one bit of advice you’d share with your fellow Marinites?

If you want Marin to become better in some way, you can contribute to that future.

If you could invite anyone to a special dinner, who would they be?

My parents, for three reasons: They’re amazing, they’ve always supported me and I know they’d say yes.

What is some advice you wish you knew 20 years ago?

Hi, nine-year-old Tommy. Don’t worry: You’ll never need to grow out of make-believe and dreaming big.

What is something that 20 years from now will seem cringeworthy?

Over-reliance on gasoline.

Big question. What is one thing you’d do to change the world?

I’d like to figure out a way for more artists and musicians to be paid really, really well for their work.

Keep up with Breeze at tommybreeze.com and @tommybreeze on Instagram.

Nish Nadaraja was on the founding team at Yelp, serves on the San Anselmo Arts Commission and attempts to play pickleball at Fairfax’s Cañon Club.

‘Starchitect’ Killed by AI

Click to read
Making buildings smarter, more sustainable In the next 30 years, sea levels will rise as much as they have in the last century, threatening urban areas all over the world. Unfortunately, most of our existing cities aren’t built to withstand encroaching salt water or other climate-change impacts like floods and extreme storms. And while we need new infrastructure in order to...
Read more

Your Letters, 3/27

Countdown With the election a few months away, those citizens who would not be comfortable with a fascist takeover of our country might want to take time out to make a things-to-do list. The very first thing to do is to recognize the threats of all the anti-democratic people and ideas that are flying around like NFL linebackers. They are real. The...
Read more

‘Private Space,’ Loretta Lynn and Recycled Art

Petaluma ‘Private Space’ Goes Public Dive into the enigmatic world of “Private Space,” an innovative, collaborative exhibition qua installation by Petaluma artists Luc Addleman and Taylor Mancini. The unveiling reception is scheduled for 5 to 8pm, Saturday, April 6 at Usher Gallery in downtown Petaluma. “Private Space” is engineered to be an immersive foray into the realms of painted vinyl and...
Read more

Free Will Astrology: Week of March 27

Free Will Astrology: Week of March 27
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the coming days, your hunger will be so inexhaustible that you may feel driven to devour extravagant amounts of food and drink. It’s possible you will gain 10 pounds in a very short time. Who knows? You might even enter an extreme eating contest and devour 46 dozen oysters in 10 minutes! APRIL FOOL!...
Read more

Small (or No) Rewards

Click to read
A reflection on a moment As I descend (slip, roll, dive, tumble, freefall) into my mid-70s, I am learning to cope, not simply with diminished expectations but with diminished capacity. I haven’t always been this old, but I certainly am now, and being this old requires certain adjustments. Whereas I once had ambition, energy, a drive for self-improvement and a willingness...
Read more

Your Letters, 3/20

Assange Melange Apology and corrections to Dan Shiner (Letters, “WikiPeaved,” 3/13/24): I have followed The Guardian and The Intercept. Two women had consensual sex with Julian Assange in Stockholm. One was asleep when Assange decided to repeat penetration . That is considered rape in Sweden , which I learned from a Swedish man the day of my Open Mic (“Sticky...
Read more

Poetry, Wine, Books, and Blood

Santa Rosa Verse First Santa Rosa Junior College hosts an evening of poetry with Dana Gioia, former California poet laureate, at 6pm, Thursday, March 28, at the SRJC Frank Chong Studio Theatre, Burbank Auditorium at 1501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. An internationally celebrated poet and critic, Gioia’s latest collection, Meet Me at the Lighthouse, continues to captivate audiences. Gioia’s journey from...
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‘The Divine Sarah’ at Ross Valley Players

Sarah Bernhardt arguably invented modern celebrity culture. She was an irrepressible, controversial and highly complex woman working at a time when women had little to no agency. Couple that with her public relations/marketing genius, and it’s hard to know what part of her legend is true and what was part of her orchestrated facade. Anyone trying to write her...
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Marauding Macy’s: Robbery, carjacking, police chase

A suspect in a robbery at a Macy’s department store in Marin County was arrested Monday after allegedly carjacking a vehicle and triggering a police chase in multiple counties, authorities said. At about 3:25 pm Monday, officers were alerted to a robbery involving three suspects at a Macy’s in Corte Madera. One suspect reportedly punched a security guard in the face...
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Valley Guy: Forest Knolls’ Tommy Breeze

Tommy Breeze’s hats are often spotted all over Marin and beyond. And with his new flagship store in Fairfax (a collaboration with retail brand California Cowboy), things are only looking bigger and brighter. What do you do? I design, sew, write emails, dream and hang out with awesome people all day. Where do you live? Forest Knolls, in “The Valley.” I...
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