The North Bay Pyrate Punx has long been hosting shows with a conscience, often benefiting the most in need in our community, those living on the street and the growing number of encampments throughout Sonoma County. What better reason to scream into a microphone while shredding guitars? Portland-based doom mavens Fox Medicine headline the second annual Sharkfest benefit at the Phoenix Theater, supported by local hardcore standouts Right to Remain plus more bands and poetry. Proceeds benefit NBPP’s Mutual Aid Fund—which supplies basic needs for the unhoused—and Voices. 6pm, Saturday, Feb. 10. Phoenix Theater, 201 Washington St., Petaluma. $10-$20 sliding scale.
Sonoma
The Last Kiss
The Sonoma Writers’ Workshop celebrates a decade of popular literary events held at Sonoma’s Bump Cellars tasting room with “The Last Kiss.” This Valentine’s-themed event marks the 10th year of poetry, music and readings offered by local wordsmiths, including AJ Petersen, Lisa Summers, Steve Meloan, Carol Allison, Stacey Tuel and Jonah Raskin. Steve Shain accompanies the readers on standup bass. Editor Daedalus Howell emcees. Owners Geordie Carr and Mieko Imai will be pouring their wines for purchase by the glass, with light snacks and desserts courtesy of the writers themselves. Doors 6:30pm, event 7pm, Saturday, Feb. 10. Bump Cellars Tasting Room, 521 Broadway Ave., Sonoma. Limited seating. Free.
Ross
Flower Power
Marin Art and Garden Center and Lilia Chandran’s Werkstatt market pop-up present a Valentine’s Day Flowermarkt. The hand-tied bouquets on sale will make a truly heartfelt Valentine’s gift—or score bonus points with pre-ordered arrangements set in vases by Rebecca J. Designs. The shop also displays goldsmith Lilia Chandran’s curated local art, craft, music and design, which the Pacific Sun has called “an amalgam of great music, beautiful art.” 12-6 pm, Wednesday, Feb. 14 in The Shop at Marin Art and Garden Center, 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Ross. Pre-orders can be placed online at maringarden.org/shop.
Tiburon
Love and Pizza
Malibu Farm is offering a tasty take on Valentine’s. Farm in Tiburon? Not to worry—no dirt on the Jimmy Choos—this restaurant offers a distant taste of scenic San Francisco from the comfort of the Tiburon waterfront. The menu lists a breadth of farm-like food, including coconut shipped across the ocean and out-of-season specialties like watermelon and zucchini. An extensive cocktail menu is inspired by, but not limited by, the traditions of cultures worldwide. As a special Valentine’s Day offering, the signature veggie-forward pizzas will be heart-shaped—like love hearts, not animal hearts. 11am-8:30pm, Wednesday, Feb. 14. Malibu Farm Tiburon, 9 Main St., Tiburon.
“No Steps Left To Trace” is the album title of super-group PAKT’s latest musical offering and showcases the instrumental quartet further defying simple classification. With one part jazz, one part ambient, one part progressive rock fare, and the remainder wholly unidentifiable, this may be the sleeper critic’s choice of 2024.
For those not privy just yet, the PACT musical collective features bassist Percy Jones (Brand X, Brian Eno, David Sylvian, Suzanne Vega), guitarist Alex Skolnick (Testament, Trans-Siberian Orchestra), drummer Kenny Grohowski (John Zorn, Secret Chiefs 3, Imperial Triumphant), and guitarist Tim Motzer (Bandit65, Jaki Liebezeit, Ursula Rucker, Jamaaladeen Tacuma).
And while their brand new album doesn’t technically come out on all formats (CD, vinyl, digital) until March 1, the band is dishing out some heady streams on their Bandcamp page. The group also released a spectacular self-titled album back in July 2021, in addition to making numerous recordings of different live shows on the East Coast and more via MoonJune Records.
With songs like the fabulous “Solar Myth” clocking in at over 22 minutes in length, it would appear the quartet’s members clearly aren’t limiting themselves by time constraints in order to bring the listener in. Highlights of the forthcoming album also include “The Ghost Mills,” “Spontaneous Combustion,” and “On The Other Side, Part 1,” all of which clock in at 9 minutes and up without sounding dated or derivative when compared to other specialty jazz groups.
Given the busier-than-normal touring schedules of Grohowski and Bay Area metal guitar great Skolnick, PAKT shows are far fewer these days. Thankfully, the group’s current run of shows started on February 1 in Seattle and will stop in Mill Valley before finally ending in Phoenix on February 13. Expect to see a hodgepodge of fans wearing heavy metal t-shirts and an older and sophisticated contingent who follow Jones and Motzer’s other projects. You only get one chance to see this configuration at this Mill Valley venue, so make your travel plans now and get a ticket before it’s ultimately too late.
PAKT and Mongolian sextet Tsadig will perform together on Thursday, February 8, at the Sweetwater Music Hall located at 19 Corte Madera Avenue in Mill Valley. Doors open at 7 pm, and the show kicks off at 8 pm. Tickets are $25 in advance and can be purchased at www.sweetwatermusichall.com. All ages are welcome.
Are you searching for reliable escort services online, desiring a responsible and secure approach to finding companionship? This article is your guide to discovering the best escort sites that prioritize safety and credibility in online connections. Delve into our exploration of top escort sites, spanning a variety of options, including local escorts, escort agencies and escort directories. Here, you’ll gain valuable insights through escort reviews and discover the allure of the sexiest escorts and more. Join us as we navigate these reputable platforms, ensuring a safer and more informed exploration of online companionship experiences.
Our journey will lead you through diverse escort sites, empowering you with a comprehensive understanding to make informed decisions. From exploring different escort services to understanding various escort site features, we aim to equip you with the tools for responsible and secure exploration of companionship opportunities available online.
Top 8 Trusted Escort Sites
Featuring the best escort sites prioritizing safety and credibility, this table offers insights into escort reviews and aids in discovering the sexiest escorts and more. Explore this compilation of top escort sites for a secure and fulfilling online companionship experience tailored to various preferences.
Escort Site
Rating
Find Your Partner
Slixa—Best Escort Site for a User Friendly Navigation
Below, you’ll find an in-depth review of the top 8 best escort sites, each meticulously chosen for their credibility and commitment to providing a secure platform for your companionship needs. These 8 trusted sites have been carefully selected to ensure a safe and fulfilling experience while seeking a partner.
Slixa—Best Escort Site for User-Friendly Navigation
Slixa stands out as a versatile escort directory offering a sleek platform for a swift and exclusive sensual experience. This escort website presents a diverse lineup of glamorous escorts from various locations globally and across the United States. The best part is it’s completely free! Slixa offers engaging blogs covering non-sexual topics and allows conversations with escorts. Its classy yet enticing layout, discreet browsing options, and handpicked featured escorts ensure a tailored experience for diverse preferences. With strict photo verification, Slixa emphasizes authenticity and safety, providing a refined yet alluring platform for intimate desires.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Cons
✅ The website has a simple yet classy design
🚫 Prices are pretty high compared to other escort websites
✅ It showcases a stunning selection of top-tier escorts
🚫 Only premium users get access to top clips
✅ Detailed profiles offer comprehensive information about the girls
Ashley Madison—Best Escort Site for Discreet Connections
OneNightFriend, a popular dating site, hosts a vast American membership of more than 1,550,000 singles, mainly aged 25 to 34. With approximately 137,000 weekly active members, it’s a bustling community. The free sign-up offers basic features like photo and video uploads, limited winks, and a Like Gallery for photo likes. Premium membership is available for more extensive access, including messaging, complete search results, and HD photo and video sharing in chat. Register swiftly with just an email, age, interest, and location—completing the process in under five minutes. Explore OneNightFriend’s vibrant community, and consider a paid membership for complete access to all features.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Cons
✅ Conversations vanish to ensure confidentiality
🚫 Users have reported receiving automated messages from fake profiles
✅ Implements robust security measures to safeguard your identity
🚫 Absence of an automatic matchmaking feature
✅ Premium membership is free for women and reasonably priced for men
🚫 Profiles lack details and are frequently incomplete
OneNightFriend, a popular dating site, hosts a vast American membership of over 1,550,000 singles, mainly aged 25 to 34. With approximately 137,000 weekly active members, it’s a bustling community. The free sign-up offers basic features like photo and video uploads, limited winks, and a Like Gallery for photo likes. For more extensive access, including messaging, complete search results, and HD photo and video sharing in chat, a premium membership is available. Register swiftly with just an email, age, interest, and location—completing the process in under five minutes. Explore OneNightFriend’s vibrant community, and consider a paid membership for complete access to all features.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Cons
✅ Completing profiles unlocks perks and features
🚫 Plenty of fake profiles with fake images
✅ Members enjoy 5 free daily messages
🚫 There are many more men than women
✅ Satisfaction Policy ensures positive dating experiences
🚫 Online customer support is currently unavailable
AdultFriendFinder acts as a versatile platform connecting individuals for diverse encounters, including escort services, dating, and personal ads! This directory-style site houses a myriad of profiles perfect for those searching for local escorts. Users can engage with like-minded individuals through free-access chatrooms and groups, while the ‘Hot or Not?’ feature offers a playful matchmaking experience. Although premium access is needed for certain features like direct messaging, the platform ensures a swift and straightforward registration process, requiring minimal information and email verification, granting access to a vibrant community of users seeking hot dates and more.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Cons
✅ Offers active customer support
🚫 Features sexually explicit content
✅ Embraces diverse sexualities, kinks, and fetishes
🚫 Has outdated web design
✅ Sign-up and profile creation are free
🚫 Lacks an information-based matchmaking algorithm
Escort Directory’s got you covered with people looking for a spicy adventure. This escort directory isn’t your average escort website; it’s a free classified site bursting with the hottest escorts waiting to make your day. Whether you’re seeking local or eye-catching independent escorts, this place hosts a range of escort ads to fulfill your desires. Plus, inactive profiles are a thing of the past here, as Escort Directory prunes out those that aren’t verified, ensuring a safe and authentic experience. So, if you’re looking for a thrilling hot date, this popular escort site might be your perfect match!
Pros & Cons
Pros
Cons
✅ Easy access to a plethora of sexual content
🚫 Limited search features and categorization
✅ Features an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface
🚫 Excessive ads and sponsored content
✅ Provides frequent updates with new content
🚫 High-quality videos limited to registered paying users
EuroGirlsEscort is an escort website catering to men seeking new experiences with diverse companions locally or while traveling. The platform offers a visually appealing interface with profiles featuring hottest escorts showcased through high-quality photos, detailed service information, reviews, and contact details. With various search categories, including nationality and physical traits, you can effortlessly find local escorts based on your preferences. EuroGirlsEscort is a go-to escort directory for exploring different companionship experiences.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Cons
✅ Comprehensive profiles with high-quality images and services
🚫 Engaging with escorts might pose security risks
✅ Multiple filters for preferences
🚫 No privacy guidelines and no email verification
✅ A wide range of escorts from various cultural backgrounds
Only Flirts—Best Escort Site for Younger Companions
Only-Flirts.com, a purported dating site targeting younger singles, allures with a modern design and free registration within minutes. Promising a platform for casual dating via its mobile app, the site creates an impression of facilitating spontaneous dates regularly. However, its landing page’s lack of comprehensive information detracts from its initial appeal. Moreover, the platform’s disguised objective of providing “entertainment” through moderated fake profiles incurs hefty expenses for interactions, reflecting a blatant deceptive practice that leaves users dissatisfied.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Cons
✅ Website has a modern interface and design
🚫 Presence of fake profiles and chat operators
✅ Free registration for both men and women
🚫 Negative user experiences and scam allegations
✅ Focuses on casual dating for younger singles
🚫 High expense associated with the platform’s services
Escorts Affair—Best Escort Site for Streamlined Companionship
EscortsAffair simplifies the process of finding companionship. As an escort agency, it is a reliable platform connecting individuals with local escorts through categorized classified ads. Whether seeking a meaningful connection or a companion for an evening, this platform offers a range of escort services and a diverse selection of sexy escorts listed, akin to accessing multiple options seamlessly. EscortsAffair stands as a practical Backpage alternative, streamlining the search for suitable companies without the complexity of browsing numerous porn sites or various classifieds.
Escort Websites facilitate consensual connections, emphasizing responsible behavior with companionship. Operating as a safe space for individuals seeking various escort services, these websites cater to diverse preferences, offering options like male escorts, female escorts, and trans escorts while ensuring a secure environment and promoting respectful interactions. Escort sites act as hubs similar to dating sites, enabling users to explore a variety of services, including other forms of adult entertainment through classified ads.
Tips for a Perfect Date Night Using Escort Services
When exploring escort sites for a memorable date night, prioritize respectful behavior and responsible engagement throughout your online interactions. For a positive and consensual experience with escort services, maintaining clear communication and understanding boundaries is key. Below are some essential tips to ensure a memorable and enjoyable experience when using escort sites for a date night:
Privacy Protection
Ensuring privacy is crucial when engaging with escort services on various escort sites. Protecting your personal information and maintaining confidentiality safeguards your identity and provides a secure and comfortable experience. Prioritize the best escort websites that prioritize privacy protection measures, using specific communication channels to safeguard sensitive details until you establish trust with a reputable escort agency or independent escorts.
Boundaries and Expectations
When stepping into the world of escort services, it’s crucial to have open and clear conversations about what you expect and where your boundaries lie. Express your preferences openly and respectfully to the escort or agency, and encourage them to do the same. This two-way communication ensures that both parties are comfortable and aware of each other’s limits, fostering a respectful and enjoyable experience within the top escort sites.
Safe Interactions
Ensuring safety during your interactions within the escort community is paramount. Start by initiating meetings in public spaces when engaging with escort services from various escort sites. Trust your instincts and take your time to establish rapport and comfort before advancing to more private settings. Prioritize informing a trusted individual about your whereabouts and have an exit strategy for added security.
Understanding Escort Terms
Enhancing your understanding of the widely used terms in the escort industry can greatly contribute to your knowledge when exploring different escort websites. Here are a variety of standard terms often encountered used to ensure you have a more precise grasp:
Call Girl: A female escort providing services on a call or appointment basis.
Client: Refers to the person hiring the services of an escort.
Dinner Date: An extended booking where the escort accompanies the client for a meal or social event.
Erotic Fun: A broad term encompassing enjoyable and pleasurable experiences, often involving intimate encounters.
GFE (Girlfriend Experience): An encounter meant to simulate a genuine romantic relationship between the client and the escort.
Hourly Rate: The fee charged by the escort for services rendered per hour.
Incall: When the escort invites the client to their own location for the service.
Outcall: When the escort travels to the client’s chosen location to provide services.
Pornstar Escorts: Escorts known or associated with the adult entertainment industry.
PSE (Porn Star Experience): A service offering a more explicit and sexually adventurous encounter.
Provider: A term used to describe the escort offering services.
Travel Companion: Escort hired to accompany a client during trips or vacations.
TS Escorts: Escorts identifying as transgender, offering services to a diverse clientele.
Talk Respectfully with Escorts
Respecting escorts through your communication is crucial for fostering positive interaction within the escort site. Always use polite and considerate language when engaging with escorts or escort agencies, acknowledging their professionalism and boundaries. Prioritize mutual respect by adhering to their set guidelines and valuing their time and services. Being courteous and understanding enhances the experience for both parties, creating a welcoming and comfortable environment within the escort websites.
Different Types of Escorts Services
Exploring the diverse and multifaceted landscape of escort services opens doors to many experiences, each catering uniquely to individual preferences. Here’s an insightful breakdown to provide you with a comprehensive understanding:
Erotic Services/Sexual Services: These encompass a wide array of intimate encounters designed to fulfill various sexual desires and fantasies.
Massage Services: Typically found in dedicated massage parlors, these services focus on providing relaxation and stress relief through professional massage techniques.
Companionship Services: Escorts may offer companionship for social events, dinners, or outings, providing engaging and pleasant company.
Role-Playing Services: Some escorts specialize in role-playing scenarios, fulfilling specific fantasies or scenarios per clients’ desires.
Fantasy Fulfillment: Escorts might cater to unique and individual fantasies, providing tailored experiences beyond traditional encounters.
Travel Companionship: Certain escorts offer services as travel companions, accompanying clients on trips or vacations, ensuring an enjoyable travel experience.
Dominance and Submission Services: For clients seeking BDSM or power-play experiences, some escorts specialize in providing such services within agreed-upon boundaries.
Sensual Dancing Services: Escorts may offer sensual dance performances or lap dances for entertainment and pleasure, often in private settings or specific venues.
This comprehensive understanding of the varied offerings within escort services empowers you to select experiences aligned precisely with your desires, ensuring a more enriching and enjoyable encounter.
How to Pick the Best Escort Site
In today’s digital landscape, choosing the right escort site requires caution and informed decision-making to ensure a secure and enjoyable experience. Making responsible choices when navigating through various escort sites is crucial for your safety and satisfaction.
Features
To select the best escort sites, various pivotal features demand your attention to ensure a fulfilling and secure browsing experience:
User Interface for Seamless Navigation: Prioritize platforms with an intuitive user interface, offering hassle-free and straightforward navigation to enhance your exploration of diverse services.
Safety Measures for User Protection: Emphasize platforms prioritizing robust safety measures, encompassing stringent verification processes and comprehensive privacy protection, ensuring confidentiality and peace of mind.
Transparent Pricing Models for Budget Planning: Vital to your decision-making process, seek transparent pricing structures that enable you to gauge affordability while avoiding unexpected or concealed charges that could impact your budget.
Authentic User Reviews for Service Insight: Opt for platforms that host genuine user reviews, providing invaluable insights into the quality of services allowing you to make informed decisions based on authentic experiences.
Diverse Selection of Local Escorts: A site featuring a broad spectrum of local escorts caters more effectively to your specific desires and geographical preferences, ensuring a personalized experience.
These pivotal features should guide your assessment when navigating diverse escort sites, ensuring you find a platform that aligns seamlessly with your preferences and priorities for a satisfactory experience.
Safety and Data Protection
Placing paramount importance on safety measures remains an indispensable aspect of your online journey, the best escort websites. Selecting platforms that uphold stringent verification processes is crucial to safeguard user security effectively. Robust data protection mechanisms protect your identity and ensure a secure browsing environment. Keep an eye out for encrypted connections (HTTPS) and platforms that uphold a stringent privacy policy. These protective layers significantly enhance your confidence and peace of mind while navigating various escort sites.
Pricing and Membership Plans
The most reliable escort websites, among others, excel in their transparency, providing comprehensive breakdowns of fees, services, and diverse payment methods. These detailed insights into the costs empower you to make informed decisions while avoiding unexpected charges that might disrupt your budget. Exploring the array of membership plans available offers an added advantage, ensuring you select options that align seamlessly with your requirements.
Reviews and User Base
Taking into account the experiences shared by others plays a pivotal role in your quest to find the ideal escort site. Authentic user reviews are a treasure trove, providing invaluable insights into service quality and platform credibility. Furthermore, evaluating the depth of the user base contributes significantly to gauging the site’s reliability and ability to cater effectively to your specific preferences and needs. Integrating these considerations empowers you to make an informed decision when selecting the right escort site for a satisfying and tailored experience.
How to Choose an Escort for My Needs?
Manage Your Budget Responsibly
To responsibly manage your budget for engaging escort services, begin by establishing a clear financial boundary. Determine an affordable range you’re comfortable spending without compromising your financial stability. While exploring different escort sites, prioritize value for money over low-cost options, ensuring a balance between quality and affordability. Remember, setting a budget and sticking to it is crucial for a stress-free experience.
Consider the Location
Location matters significantly when choosing an escort service. Opt for local escorts to avoid inconveniences related to long-distance travel or unfamiliar surroundings. Research escort ads or classified ads within your vicinity using platforms like free classified sites or popular escort sites. Prioritize safety by selecting reputable services in well-known areas or major cities. This approach not only streamlines accessibility but also enhances comfort and security during your engagement.
Align Your Personal Preferences With the Escort
Aligning your preferences with the chosen escort service ensures a mutually satisfying experience. Whether seeking female escorts, male escorts, shemale escorts, or any specific preferences like porn star escorts or Latina escorts, communicate your desires. Use escort directories or search tools on various platforms to filter and find the most suitable match. Additionally, explore specialized services such as erotic massage or premium escorts based on your interests.
FAQs on Escort Sites and Services
Are Escorts Services Legal?
Yes, escort services operate within a legal gray area. While selling sex is often illegal, companionship for a fee is typically legal in many places. However, laws vary across regions and countries, affecting the legality of escort agencies and independent escorts. It’s crucial to research and understand the local laws concerning these services.
The information provided herein is for informational purposes only. Your use of any of the sites listed in this article is subject to each site’s terms and conditions. Laws vary from state to state and over time. It is your sole responsibility to ensure the use of any sites or any of the services provided through the sites is compliant with your jurisdiction’s laws. The information provided herein shall not be used in any way to exchange money for sex.
What Are the Age Restrictions for Hiring Escorts?
The legal age for hiring escorts varies and is typically determined by local laws. In most areas, the minimum age is 18 years old. It’s essential to adhere to these age restrictions to avoid legal issues and ensure ethical practices when engaging with escort girls or when you find male escorts.
Are There STD Testing Requirements for Escorts?
While there might not be universal requirements, a reputable escort directory or escort website prioritize health and safety. Many professional escorts undergo regular STD testing voluntarily to ensure their well-being and that of their clients. However, it’s advisable to discuss health concerns openly before engaging in any intimate services.
Can Escorts Refuse Service for Me?
Yes, escorts reserve the right to refuse service for various reasons. It could be due to discomfort, safety concerns, or incompatibility. Respectful communication is key; if an escort declines, it’s important to acknowledge their decision and seek alternatives elsewhere among the myriad of escort services available.
In Conclusion: How to Choose the Best Escort Sites?
In wrapping up, choosing the best escort sites means keeping a few key things in mind. Remember to prioritize safety and respect in all your interactions. Look for escort sites that put your privacy first and have clear pricing without any surprises. Always communicate openly about your expectations and boundaries to ensure a positive experience. Take your time to find the right match that aligns with your preferences, whether you’re interested in shemale escorts, erotic massage, or companionship services. And above all, be mindful and considerate in your dealings with escorts and sex workers, respecting their profession and boundaries as you search for your perfect match on these escort websites.
A classically trained cellist, many know her as the dynamic performer rocking the cello in the Marin-based band Dirty Cello, which has achieved global recognition for its raucous live performances
But wait there’s more: Roudman also performs with the Renegade Orchestra and the Death and Taxes Swing Band. And they all have gigs over the next few weeks—four local shows, four different venues, each showcasing a distinct genre. From a swing dance to a live movie soundtrack and lots of rock in between, we had to ask how she does it.
Bohemian: Your upcoming gigs are a kind of whirlwind of different genres — rock, swing, an orchestral soundtrack, and an eclectic mix of American moments — what has prepared you for such sonic diversity?
Rebecca Roudman: To prepare for all these diverse shows coming up, I have to dig deep into my background, as do the other musicians in the various ensembles. The upcoming shows see us bouncing from rock shows to a movie soundtrack, to orchestral rock, to a swing dance, and what allows us to do all this is our training. Throughout all the various ensembles I lead, both myself and the musicians I’ve gathered are all music-reading, classically-trained players. What makes this crew special is that we use that classical training as a starting point for bigger and better things.
B: Throughout your career, you’ve boldly gone into genres the cello has seldomly gone before. To what do you attribute this elasticity in both the instrument and your musical interests?
RR: I love the word “elasticity” to describe my diverse projects, but in my mind, it’s more of a short attention span. With all the great music in the world, I would hate to be stuck doing one thing, and this is what gets me going with all the various groups. I love the music, but I also love the adventure of not just doing one thing. With the Renegade Orchestra (a 16-piece rock orchestra), we do a crazy intersection of classic rock and the orchestral world. With the Death and Taxes Swing Band, it’s all about 1940s big band jazz, and with Dirty Cello (rock and blues band), all bets are off, and we try to do a bit of everything. For the movie soundtrack at the Sebastiani Theater on Valentine’s Day, I get to make my cello sing in a romantic way.
B: Is there any music you wouldn’t/couldn’t/shouldn’t play on cello?
RR: In my mind, playing the cello needs to be an emotional experience for me and the audience. That’s not to say I’m looking to convey a sappy emotion, and what I prefer to convey is energy, excitement and fun. To answer what a cello shouldn’t play, I guess I would go with “a cello should never be used for the evil of boring music.” Unfortunately, I fear boring music from personal experience, having been stuck playing the cello part to Pachabel’s Canon which consists of only 8 notes played on a loop, usually while a bride slowly walks down the aisle.
B: As a singer as well as a songwriter, what are you most attracted to in terms of subject, and how do these upcoming performances speak to that?
RR: For subject matter, they always say, write what you know. So, I try to base anything I write, or anything I write with my partner, Jason Eckl, on our personal experience. These personal experiences are rarely the typical singer-songwriter moaning about the unfairness of life. Instead, we write about our crazy adventures, like what happens when you take a 4 piece band to Iceland on a shoe-string budget or what happens when you accidentally end up providing the soundtrack for an overly amorous jilted man from Chicago trying to win his ex-girlfriend back. These songs will be performed at our Hopmonk Sebastopol show on March 2.
B: All of these shows cluster in Sonoma County, which is ironic since you’re often touring the country or other countries entirely. Have you noticed any differences between local audiences versus your other fans throughout the world?
RR: I could talk about the differences in audiences for hours, but here are a few generalizations. In Sonoma County and all of Northern California, there’s a great appreciation for the music of the 60s. In Germany, the audiences always want more encores than you would expect. In Ireland, people come out for music and party hard any day of the week, and in some of the more unusual places we’ve performed, like China, people are still the same in that they love a good beat and an enthusiastic performance. Whenever we’re away for a while, we always look forward to coming back home for local performances. In fact, we just got back from Florida, and while the shows were great—the food was not.
The Shows
7:30 pm, Saturday, Feb. 3 — Renegade Orchestra performs at the California Theater, 528 7th St., Santa Rosa. “This will be a rock and roll show with an orchestra or an orchestra show with rock and roll—we’re not sure, but it’s going to be a lot of fun. Featuring some of the area’s top string musicians,” says Roudman. caltheatre.com
7 pm, Saturday, Feb 10 — Death and Taxes Swing Band Valentine’s Dance at Viansa Winery, 25200 Arnold Dr., Sonoma. “This is an old-fashioned swing dance at the beautiful Viansa Winery. The group features seasoned professionals mixed with rising stars from a local college. Also, free dance lessons,” says Roudman. viansa.com
7:30 pm, Wednesday, Feb. 14 —Renegade Orchestra Live Soundtrack to a Silent Movie at the Sebastiani Theater, 476 1st St E., Sonoma. Says Roudman, “We’re taking the movie, ‘Flesh and the Devil’ with Greta Garbo and presenting it with a newly composed soundtrack that will be performed live as the movie plays, with members of the Renegade Orchestra” sebastianitheatre.com
8 pm, Saturday, March 2. Dirty Cello at HopMonk Tavern, 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. “The Dirty Cello band has been traveling around the United States, collecting songs from the places they’ve visited and writing new ones inspired by their adventures,” says Roudman. “These songs will be presented at the band’s yearly extravaganza at Sebastopol’s Hopmonk.” hopmonk.com/sebastopol
The U.S. Supreme Court will weigh in on whether cities can legally ban or limit unhoused people camping in public spaces—a case that could grant California officials more power to sweep homeless camps.
The case, originating from the Oregon city of Grants Pass, could overturn or narrow a five-year-old precedent from a federal appeals court that limited how much cities in Western states could criminalize those who sleep on the streets when there aren’t enough shelter spaces available.
In the older case—Martin v. Boise—the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2018 that it’s cruel and unusual punishment to criminalize camping on public property when the people in question have nowhere else they can legally sleep. The ruling was binding on West Coast cities, where rising rates of unsheltered homelessness that later spiked during the pandemic were driving local politicians to pass public camping prohibitions. In 2019, the Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal of that case.
Since then, California cities have often been subject to federal lawsuits after passing restrictions on when and where the unhoused can set up camps. Relying on the ruling in the Boise case, judges have delayed or outright halted camping bans from being enforced in cities including San Francisco, Sacramento, Chico and San Rafael, finding that the cities had failed to provide adequate alternate shelter options for the residents they were about to sweep from their encampments.
The situation has led city officials—and Gov. Gavin Newsom—to complain that the Boise ruling has tied their hands from addressing the state’s sprawling encampments, arguing they need to sweep camps both for health and safety reasons and for the well-being of encampment residents. It led liberal state and local officials, including Newsom, to join conservatives in asking the court for more power to penalize the homeless for sleeping outside. The high court has a 6-3 conservative majority.
In a high-profile case that has particularly drawn Newsom’s ire, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals this month backed a judge’s 2022 ruling restricting San Francisco’s enforcement of certain bans on sleeping on sidewalks and in parks, because the city hadn’t shown there were other locations that were “realistically available” to unhoused residents before a city sweep.
“California’s elected officials who seek in good faith to improve what often appears to be an intractable crisis have found themselves without options, forced to abandon efforts to make the spaces occupied by unhoused people safer for those within and near them,” Newsom’s administration wrote to the Supreme Court in September.
An attorney for the homeless Grants Pass residents said in a recent statement that politicians were wrong to blame judges for the homelessness crisis. He said cities have always been allowed to regulate encampments, even under the recent rulings.
“The issue before the Court is whether cities can punish homeless residents simply for existing without access to shelter,” said Ed Johnson, director of litigation at the Oregon Law Center.
The case is being closely watched by officials across California and could widely affect how they respond to encampments. Newsom’s statement was part of an amicus curiae brief the administration filed in the case. Amicus briefs are legal briefs submitted by parties not directly involved in a given case, but who typically take one side or the other in a case. The majority of the amicus briefs filed in the case were from California entities and, though more than a dozen state governments also filed a brief, Newsom was the only governor to weigh in.
In addition to Newsom’s, other filings include the California State Association of Counties, the California State Sheriffs’ Association, district attorneys for Sacramento and San Diego counties, the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, the Bay Area Council and even the Brentwood Community Council.
But advocates for the unhoused say the Boise ruling is clear. They point out that most cities have hardly enough shelter beds to accommodate their homeless populations and that shelters are often near-full on any given night, and say banning public camping or restricting it does more harm than good by pushing homeless people from location to location.
“All you need to do to be compliant with (the Boise case) is stop using our criminal system as the stick here to solve this problem,” said Will Knight, decriminalization director at the National Homelessness Law Center, last year.
In particular, the court rulings have led to a patchwork of interpretations across the state on what qualifies as the “adequate shelter” cities must provide before sweeping homeless camps. The Oregon case that the Supreme Court agreed to hear could provide some clarity—or so California officials hope.
While the Boise ruling said the government can’t broadly ban any public camping without giving people alternative places to stay, Newsom and city officials across California said in briefs filed before the Supreme Court that they want to know whether they can set restrictions on times or locations where camping is allowed.
Other questions include whether cities can criminalize public camping for those whom they call “voluntarily” homeless—people who refuse offers of shelter. And California cities have asked the court to rule on whether, in order to ban camping, they need to have a suitable shelter space available for every individual unhoused person no matter their circumstances, or simply have general shelter beds open the day they sweep a camp.
But U.C. Berkeley law professor Jeffrey Selbin, who has studied statewide responses to homelessness, said claims from both sides are overblown.
Selbin said the existing cases neither fully tie cities’ hands, as some politicians say, nor provide a broad right to sleep outside, as some advocates say. He defended the status quo in which cities sometimes must seek guidance from federal judges to know whether their local rules are constitutional under the Boise decision.
In Chico, for example, a federal district judge in 2021 ruled that sending unhoused residents to camp on an unshaded airport tarmac on the outskirts of town was not “adequate” enough shelter to justify banning encampments in town. In response, the city settled the case by setting up a site of tiny homes where it can offer encampment residents a room before proceeding to sweep their camp.
That case, Selbin said, provided direction to other cities, showing that the court cases have “required local jurisdictions to take seriously what it means to provide basic shelter and options.”
The Supreme Court is unlikely to provide that kind of “micromanaging,” Selbin said, predicting instead that the justices will simply overturn the 2018 precedent set by the Boise case and allow cities to broadly criminalize encampments.
“It’s just going to return California to the whack-a-mole of prioritizing punishment over services,” he said.
Long before there was Jerry Seinfeld and his eponymous show about nothing, there was Thornton Wilder and his play about nothing. While Seinfeld mined the mundane in big-city living for often outrageous hilarity, Our Town took a gentler approach to the day-to-day minutiae of life in early 20th-century small-town America. The Ross Valley Players have a production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama through Feb. 25.
An early example of modern metatheatre, the three-act show opens with the Stage Manager (Lisa Morse) introducing the audience to “Daily Life” of the community of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire in 1901. We get the layout of the town before we encounter its citizens. We meet the paperboy (Dalton Ortiz) and the milkman (Justin Hernandez) before focus turns to two Grover’s Corners families.
There’s Dr. and Mrs. Gibbs (Michael-Paul Thomsett, Lauri Smith) and their children, George (Jaedan Sanchez) and Rebecca (Alexandra Fry). Next door is the Webb family. Mr. Webb, the local newspaper editor (Steve Price), and his wife (Jennifer S. McGeorge) are also raising two children, a daughter, Emily (Tina Traboulsi), and a son, Wally (Ortiz).
The second act jumps three years later and brings “Love and Marriage” to George and Emily while the third act jumps another nine years and brings “Death and Eternity.” Life goes on for some. For others, it doesn’t.
Director Chloe Bronzan has melded a group of RVP regulars with a few newcomers and come up with a very tight ensemble. Morse’s Stage Manager is well-grounded and really connects with the audience. Thomsett, Smith, Price and McGeorge all bring a mixture of gravitas and gentle humor to their roles. Sanchez could stand to bring a bit more immaturity to his younger George to allow us to better appreciate his growing into a man. Traboulsi is the standout with her charming, delightful and doomed Emily. The rest of the ensemble all provide solid supporting work.
Wilder’s original stage directions specifically state “no scenery.” Plain wooden chairs, tables, two arched trellises and a couple of ladders are all there are set-wise. Props are well-mimed by the cast. Costumes by Michael A. Berg are what bring period and character to the forefront.
Wilder stated that he wrote Our Town as “an attempt to find a value above all price for the smallest events in our life.” There is a simpleness and sincerity to the Ross Valley Players production with which audiences should find great value.
‘Our Town’ runs through Feb. 25 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.
If one knows pro skateboarding, they’ve heard the name Reese Forbes. He’s such a humble guy, though, that one sort of has to drag that out of him these days.
What do you do?
Great question. I’m now in real estate but am also a recovering skateboarder, nursing a 17-year pro career. Happy dad, husband and dog owner.
Where do you live?
Currently, Greenbrae, but you and I first met in San Anselmo, which I miss!
How long have you lived in Marin?
Seven years.
Where can we find you when you’re not at work?
Driving my kids far too much—I actually love it. Sometimes in the city riding my board. Giving the occasional skate lesson at Proof Lab. Doing yoga at Red Dragon.
If you had to convince someone how awesome Marin is, where would you take them?
On a hike. It sort of sums it up… Sausalito is also in Marin; just a reminder.
What’s one thing Marin is missing?
Spago?! Maybe we don’t need the glitz and glam, but I held the door for Sidney Poitier there once.
What’s one bit of advice you’d share with your fellow Marinites?
Let’s Go! Just kidding; let’s go lower case.
If you could invite anyone to a special dinner, who would they be?
Any active BBC journalist covering current major events. Colin Powell. JFK. And maybe Alfred Hitchcock. And Sidney Poitier.
What is some advice you wish you knew 20 years ago?
Save consistently. A little planning wouldn’t hurt.
What is something that in 20 years from now will seem cringeworthy? The current state of hip-hop!
Big question. What is one thing you’d do to change the world?
Eliminate the production of Fentanyl.
Keep up with Forbes at @r_e_e_s_e__f 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.
Shrubbery is a rather unassuming word, which most Marin County citizens would probably not consider within the top three, 10 or even 50 threats to the native ecosystem of the North Bay.
But one particularly malicious shrub poses a far greater and more immediate danger than its misleadingly pretty flowers would indicate.
This devastatingly destructive piece of greenery is called broom. And though broom is an unintimidating name, remember this rhyme: Broom starts with a bloom and ends with doom and gloom.
But what makes broom so bad? Well, broom is an invasive species of plantlife native to the more Mediterranean parts of Europe—its preference for such climates, especially those without significant amounts of frost in the winter time, makes places like coastal California and the Bay Area in general a perfect place to put down roots—literally.
Those roots quickly take hold in the soil, seeping up nutrients, space, sunshine and other resources from the native plants of the North Bay. Broom’s tenacious nature can easily choke out entire fields, meadows, roadside and other open spaces, making it difficult for other plantlife and animals to navigate through the thick, dense shield of invasive shrubbery.
To make matters worse, broom is a hardy plant that grows strong and quick. And even if broom is cut back, its roots can often regrow another plant from what lies hidden beneath the soil. Once the shrub has grown and flowered, it develops seed pods that, once mature and dried out, will pop open and spread hundreds upon thousands of seedlings in every direction like little baby broom bullets. In other words—yikes!
Broom isn’t just inconvenient in maintaining the delicate balance of the native plants and animals of Marin, but is a danger to the citizens of Marin as well. See, after the broom grows up into a lovely bush and spreads its seed, it then dries out and becomes the best, most flammable kindling a spark could hope to find in those rainless summer months.
So, what can be done about all this broom doom and gloom? Especially when the seed-spread is so wide and the plant itself incredibly—almost admirably—tenacious? Well, the only thing that can be done is to band together to battle the broom and prove that humanity can outsmart a shrub. Or at least stop its spread, one season at a time.
Broom comes in a few different subcategories of species, the most relevant in Marin being French broom, Scotch broom, Spanish broom and Portuguese broom. And though some garden shops may still sell broom, buying other shrubs is best to avoid any mix-ups.
Other than not bringing any more broom into the county, there are other ways to wage war against this noxious weed. The best way to battle broom is to pull the plants when they are still developing and while the soil is wet from winter rains, which prevents pulling the plant and leaving behind the root system. For those who miss the window to pull the broom, there is also the option of clipping it back throughout the spring and summer to prevent the plant from seeding.
What one wants to avoid doing in the war against broom is mowing the mature plants down. Not only does this invite the seeds to spread even farther and faster than the already far-reaching and fast plant—mowing may also make enough friction to spark a fire if one is not careful enough.
Local ecological groups are already fighting the broom invasion, including the Broom Busters of Old St. Hillary’s, a volunteer group with over 20 years of shrub-busting experience.
Broom Busters is holding yet another (registration required) Broom Busting event from 9am to noon on Saturday, Feb. 3. Reach out to them or other environmental agencies in Marin County to help in the battle of the broom.
As the primaries heat up and the nation goes through another election cycle, cast a vote for something unexpected that defies the lies of politicians, something that could save our nation—and most certainly our souls.
In past years, our election cycles have been marked with fear, distrust, polarization, heightened divisiveness and even violence. In 2024, if we do one thing as citizens, let’s end this toxic cycle.
Let’s “vote” for respect, safety and decency in countless ways through our actions and words until Nov. 5, 2024—and beyond. The choice is reflected in whether or not we:
· Discuss the nominees and issues respectfully with family and friends.
· Post articles that are inflammatory or factual on social media.
· Be careful about spreading misinformation versus fact-based information.
· Choose yard signs that are respectful or derogatory.
· Show up at polling places calmly and without violence.
· Help neighbors, elders, youth and others get to the polls safely.
· Refrain from harassment or intimidation of those who don’t share our views.
· Hold back on insults and sneers at those with whom we disagree.
· Take the time to listen to our fellow citizens and hear their just grievances.
· Support poll workers and election officials in counting the vote fairly.
· Accept the results of a fair and just election.
With deep respect for our fellow citizens, we can stand for common decency and ask others to join us. We can offer each other a basic dignity transcending left and right political views.
It also helps us unravel the profitable hate-mongering that has brought us to our current predicament.
Why not reject the politics of hate in favor of the culture of mutual respect? It’s one powerful political choice that every American can make this year.
We expect our president and politicians to sort out many issues. But changing how we behave during an election year—that’s on us.
Rivera Sun is the author of ‘The Dandelion Insurrection’ and the ‘Ari Ara’ series.
There is a spectrum of professional elected officials, the privileged denizens of Politics Incorporated, who worry out loud about government spending and the deficit, as they all should.
However, we rarely hear from them about cutting toxic waste from within their own offices’ operations.
One way to cut government spending is to reduce the cost of being a professional elected official at the local, state and federal levels. Every member of Congress of both parties is a publicly-funded human boondoggle. The grift is staggering.
We can start by removing all taxpayer-funded benefit packages, for example. Since we citizens must find ways to fund our health care out of our pockets, so should they. They should also pay for any travel expenses they incur.
Want to come home to California from our nation’s capital for a long weekend? You are going to pay for that. Need gas to drive back to Marin from Sacramento to watch the Niners? Comes right out of your pocket.
Oh, you need staff? You get one freebie, a full-time chief admin person. All the others you pay for on your own, on a project or short-term contract basis.
If you want to build credibility about what it costs to work for the taxpayers, show us. Show us today.
Your explanation had better be piercingly accurate and completely transparent.
Reducing government spending starts at home.
Craig J. Corsini
San Rafael
Health Nut
Donald Trump says his doctor says he’s in “perfect health.” Transparency demands to see that report. Is that the same doctor who got him out of military duty because of a bone spur? Trump and physical fitness. A muscle-bound liar.
Petaluma
Shark Attack!
The North Bay Pyrate Punx has long been hosting shows with a conscience, often benefiting the most in need in our community, those living on the street and the growing number of encampments throughout Sonoma County. What better reason to scream into a microphone while shredding guitars? Portland-based doom mavens Fox Medicine headline the second annual Sharkfest benefit...
"No Steps Left To Trace" is the album title of super-group PAKT’s latest musical offering and showcases the instrumental quartet further defying simple classification. With one part jazz, one part ambient, one part progressive rock fare, and the remainder wholly unidentifiable, this may be the sleeper critic’s choice of 2024.
For those not privy just yet, the PACT musical collective...
Sponsored content by Levitated Media
Are you searching for reliable escort services online, desiring a responsible and secure approach to finding companionship? This article is your guide to discovering the best escort sites that prioritize safety and credibility in online connections. Delve into our exploration of top escort sites, spanning a variety of options, including local escorts, escort agencies and...
Rebecca Roudman is a busy woman.
A classically trained cellist, many know her as the dynamic performer rocking the cello in the Marin-based band Dirty Cello, which has achieved global recognition for its raucous live performances
But wait there’s more: Roudman also performs with the Renegade Orchestra and the Death and Taxes Swing Band. And they all have gigs over the...
The U.S. Supreme Court will weigh in on whether cities can legally ban or limit unhoused people camping in public spaces—a case that could grant California officials more power to sweep homeless camps.
The case, originating from the Oregon city of Grants Pass, could overturn or narrow a five-year-old precedent from a federal appeals court that limited how much cities...
Long before there was Jerry Seinfeld and his eponymous show about nothing, there was Thornton Wilder and his play about nothing. While Seinfeld mined the mundane in big-city living for often outrageous hilarity, Our Town took a gentler approach to the day-to-day minutiae of life in early 20th-century small-town America. The Ross Valley Players have a production of the...
If one knows pro skateboarding, they’ve heard the name Reese Forbes. He’s such a humble guy, though, that one sort of has to drag that out of him these days.
What do you do?
Great question. I’m now in real estate but am also a recovering skateboarder, nursing a 17-year pro career. Happy dad, husband and dog owner.
Where do you...
Aye, there’s the shrub
Shrubbery is a rather unassuming word, which most Marin County citizens would probably not consider within the top three, 10 or even 50 threats to the native ecosystem of the North Bay.
But one particularly malicious shrub poses a far greater and more immediate danger than its misleadingly pretty flowers would indicate.
This devastatingly destructive piece of greenery...
As the primaries heat up and the nation goes through another election cycle, cast a vote for something unexpected that defies the lies of politicians, something that could save our nation—and most certainly our souls.
In past years, our election cycles have been marked with fear, distrust, polarization, heightened divisiveness and even violence. In 2024, if we do one thing...
Offending Spending
There is a spectrum of professional elected officials, the privileged denizens of Politics Incorporated, who worry out loud about government spending and the deficit, as they all should.
However, we rarely hear from them about cutting toxic waste from within their own offices' operations.
One way to cut government spending is to reduce the cost of being a professional elected...
