M.F.K. Fisher Doc at Rialto

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M.F.K. Fisher Doc at Rialto
Sebastopol

Celebrate Living

“There might be one lamb chop left. It would not be good by noon. I would eat it cold for a secret breakfast, with a glass of red wine, after the family had scattered.” So was the world of venerated 20th century food writer M.F.K. Fisher. The new documentary film, The Art of Eating: The Life of M.F.K. Fisher, explores the thrilling life of the California native who elevated food writing to fine art. Special event screens at 4pm and 6:30pm, Wednesday, Nov. 15. Rialto Cinemas Sebastopol, 6868 McKinley St. Post film discussion with Sonoma County food writer Michelle Anna Jordan, director Greg Bezat and producer Gary Meyer. $15.

Occidental

Write Bravely

Sonoma County poet laureate Elizabeth C. Herron will be hosting a poetry workshop called “Being Brave” in Occidental. The workshop pays special “attention to acceptance and affirmation” as Herron facilitates community through a series of exercises in the rawest of creative acts, putting one’s own words out into the world. The workshop is inspired by—and a vital part of—the current era’s growing awareness of poetry and its power. Two and a half hours, the workshop is ideal for those who have written little or no poetry before. 1pm, Sunday, Nov. 19. Occidental Center for the Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Advance reservations required. occidentalcenterforthearts.org/upcoming-events.

 
Petaluma

Scrumptious Holidays

First dreamed up as a way to support local producers after the fires of 2017 by the community-minded Barber Cellars, the Petaluma Holiday Food Fair has become a new tradition anchored the way all beloved traditions are, in food. There is no shortage of it in Sonoma County. Vendors will be offering food and beverages for purchase in the courtyard of the Hotel Petaluma. Required free tickets in half-hour increments to reduce lines. Kids do not require tickets, and Santa will be on site for photos. 3:30 to 7:30pm, Tuesday, Nov. 21. Hotel Petaluma, 205 Kentucky St. Reserve spot at holidayfoodfair.com.

 
Point Reyes

Opening to Art

Every year on Thanksgiving weekend, local artists in Point Reyes Station, Inverness Park, Inverness, Olema and Marshall open their studios to the public. The featured artists include ceramicists, photographers, sculptors in stone and wood, painters, printmakers, fiber artists, glass artists, jewelry-makers and more. Created by the Point Reyes Open Studios Group as a way to feature the distinct art of west Marin, the biannual Point Reyes Open Studios is bound to surprise visitors with its wide range of styles and themes. 11am to 5pm, Friday to Sunday on Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 24-26. Find studios at pointreyesart.com/map.

No Going Back

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No Going Back

Last week’s off-year elections not only brought further proof that Democrats are doing better with voters than the pundits, polls and political media keep insisting, they also marked a major stride forward for the cannabis legalization movement: In a referendum, Ohio voters resoundingly approved Issue 2 by a vote of 57%-43%.

By almost precisely the same margin, Ohioans approved a measure to add abortion rights to the state constitution. Rick Santorum, a former Ohio U.S. Senator and current cable news yammerer whose radical, right-wing views seemed outlandish just a decade ago, but now comport perfectly with the party’s mainstream, declared on election night that both measures passed because they’re “sexy.” His theory was that the sexiness of abortion and cannabis drew young voters to the polls—because who likes sexy abortions more than the young do?—and declared that “pure democracy,” in the form of voter initiatives, is “not the way to run a country.”

As shown later in the week, and as seen on a regular basis for several years now, Republicans’ ideas about how to run a country have a lot to do with subverting the will of voters. The party in Ohio vowed to fight against both measures via possible legislation and through the courts.

But they can’t stop the national momentum behind legalization. Ohio is the 24th state to legalize pot for adult use, with more states following. Fully 70% of Americans now favor legal weed, as do 55% of Republicans, according to the results of a Gallup poll issued last week. That’s a leap from just 10 years ago when only 50% held the same opinion.

Of course, this doesn’t mean much in Washington, where the will of the electorate is at best a tertiary consideration. Republicans in Congress, in league with some Democrats, have stymied efforts to legalize pot nationally.

Proponents keep trying, though. The day after Tuesday’s vote, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, New York Democrat, extolled Democratic victories in both Ohio, Virginia and elsewhere, and included cannabis legalization in his litany of what he called defeats of “MAGA extremism.” In part, this was an attempt to drive a wedge between those MAGA extremists and Republican lawmakers who still might be called “moderate,” at least by comparison.

Still, for the moment, most of those “moderates” are toeing the MAGA line, at least publicly. But cannabis might be an issue where some ground can be gained, and Schumer vowed to “keep moving on bipartisan cannabis legislation as soon as we can.”

Democrats now hold majorities in both of Virginia’s legislative chambers, which greatly increased the chances of legalization in that state. And in Kentucky, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, a proponent of legalization, held his office in a decisive victory.

For all the current momentum legalization has, though, it seems unlikely there will be any substantive movement on it until at least after next year’s elections. The new House Speaker, Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, is vehemently opposed to cannabis and almost certainly will not allow a floor vote on the matter.

Legislation to enable legal cannabis businesses access to banking services—in the form of the SAFER Banking Act—might have a better chance, but even that seems unlikely to happen soon.

The frustrations of the cannabis industry and legalization advocates continue to mount. Earlier this month a coalition of cannabis businesses, led by Verano Holdings, sued the Justice Department to block federal enforcement of pot laws against legal cannabis operators. Though the DOJ has remained mostly hands-off the legal industry in terms of conducting raids or busting executives, the threat lingers while the laws are on the books.
More to the point, pot companies are still stymied by restrictions on banking and insurance services, and are still disallowed from writing off expenses on their federal taxes.

“This unjustified intrusion of federal power harms Plaintiffs, threatens the communities they serve, and lacks any rational purpose,” according to the complaint.

Exec Editor Responds to False Accusations That a Story Was ‘Spiked’

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Exec Editor Responds to False Accusations That a Story Was ‘Spiked’

As a journalist, I have spent time in all parts of Israel and Palestine, including Gaza more than once, to see the reality and hear the stories of Jews and Arabs who live amidst a horrifically tragic conflict. 

Over the years, the hopes for a Palestinian state that could live in peace with Israel and build a prosperous future have turned into a distant dream, as extremists on both sides fought for control of all the territory in Israel and Palestine, rather than share a land.

Both the Hamas leadership, which is committed to replacing Israel with an Islamic Palestinian state—and ultranationalists in the Israeli government—contributed to the impasse. Both camps undermined progress towards peaceful co-existence that had been made through the Camp David and Oslo Accords, and towards normalization of regional relations through the Abraham Accords.

The hopes for peace have not been advanced by the Biden administration either. It has been unable to temper the Israeli government’s military counter-reaction to Hamas’ terrorist attacks. Similarly, when Free Palestine protests employ language like “from the river to the sea” or make other statements that clearly oppose the very existence of the state of Israel, it stokes Israel’s security fears and promotes a scenario—elimination of the world’s only Jewish state—that puts the lives of its 9 million Jewish and Palestinian citizens at grave risk. The chants are arguably anti-Semitic, since they hold Israel to a standard to which other international players get a pass. An upsurge in antisemitism is causing American Jews to worry about their safety, and many are fearful to speak up.

As I explored the Middle East conflict with an open mind some years ago, I realized that both peoples have a genuine connection to one land. This deep sense of belonging is historic, religious, personal and familial. Each narrative is equally compelling and just. Neither’s can be allowed to triumph at the expense of the other, which would result in a human disaster of cataclysmic proportions. Lives, be they Jewish, Palestinian or others caught in the crossfire, are precious. Reducing the likelihood for the loss of lives is an imperative for thinking, caring people.

Informed by this view, it is our editorial policy to cover these current events in an evenhanded and fair way that gives voice to all sides. Last week, we received a piece by a longtime freelance journalist that we believe did not meet the balance test. Because it was turned in less than 24 hours before our sister publication’s press deadline, we decided to hold the story for a week, and asked for additional reporting to provide balance to the story.

The 1000-word story submitted as a reportorial news piece was, in our view, colored by opinion. It described Israeli actions no less than 11 times as “genocide” without providing countervailing perspectives. It quoted only Israel’s critics, except for a quote from Israel’s defense minister—three days after the massacre in Israel—describing Hamas fighters as “human animals.”

After reading the piece, I wrote our editor: “This piece is one-sided and does not place the war in context of factors such as the hostages, the massacre, the tunnels, the use of civilians, hospitals & ambulances as human shields, the explosions caused by stored explosives in Gaza, the unreliability of statistics, etc. Our coverage of the war needs to have some evenhandedness given that there is much pain and emotion on both sides.”

The piece’s author has accused us of “spiking” or “censoring” the story. This is not the case, as we planned to run the piece the following week, with additional reporting, and discussed this with the writer. There is a normal process in which editors work with writers to improve stories and provide honest and fair coverage of important issues. Our readers deserve thoughtful, intelligent writing about complex subjects, and we will always strive to provide that.

It is disconcerting to see the divisions in the Middle East creating conflict here in the United States. We are saddened to see relationships with colleagues we have worked with for years ripped apart over this issue. 

We are heartbroken to read that a six-year-old Palestinian-American boy in Illinois was fatally stabbed by his landlord.  And, as we debated this submitted story, a 69-year-old Jewish American died in Ventura County after a confrontation between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrators. It was a reminder that passions are too high and need to be dialed back a bit, so that we can just live together.

We take full responsibility for the decision to not rush an article to print without reflection, and we believe that that call was prudent. Others are free to disagree. Editing decisions are not censorship, something which a government does, and there are many other venues where opinions can be published.

We call upon Israel to stop the bombing of civilian areas and to allow food, water and supplies to enter Gaza. A humanitarian disaster will not bring security, only a new generation of PTSD-impacted haters with weapons. Hamas must release the hostages. And it must stop firing missiles into Israel’s neighborhoods, cease building tunnels of death with money that should be used to build a better life for Gazans and not turn Gaza’s schools, hospitals and religious centers into military sites.

After that, both sides must make concessions to coexist. War sucks. Human life is precious. We don’t build a better planet or improve our lives by demonizing and killing one another. 

Dan Pulcrano is the executive editor of the Weeklys publishing group, which publishes the Pacific Sun. This article was updated on November 14.

‘May December’

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‘May December’

In director Todd Haynes’ difficult-to-admire May December, the characters inhabit the upscale surroundings of Savannah, Georgia. And yet the dramatic atmosphere is so brittle, the personalities might as well be acting out their frustrations in a rehearsal diagram, or even on a giant chessboard.

Actor Elizabeth Berry (played by Natalie Portman) visits the comfortable home of the woman she’s scheduled to portray in a TV drama, Gracie Atherton-Yoo (Julianne Moore), with the task of preparing for the upcoming role by living with Gracie for a few days; getting to know her subject and prying into her story. It is established that Gracie is a scandalous figure. She’s the matron who, a few years earlier, dumped her husband and children after falling in love with Joe Yoo (Charles Melton), a seventh-grade schoolboy she met in a pet shop. Their ill-starred romance and ultimate marriage triggered criminal charges, plus instant froth on the covers of supermarket gossip magazines.

And now, as the hasty-looking screenplay—by writers Samy Burch (The Hunger Games) and Alex Mechanik (Ant-Man)—would have it, the nervous, easily distracted Gracie is seemingly basking in the sort of gaudy, middle-aged notoriety that pretty much guarantees a future of heartbreak and court appearances.

In other words, veteran filmmaker Haynes (Carol, Mildred Pierce, I’m Not There, The Karen Carpenter Story) is back in the dumpster again, sorting through the “celebrity” trash in search of vicarious cheap thrills with unreliable protagonists. In that respect, May December stirs up a witches’ cauldron of prurient possibilities salted with ironic laughs. But there’s not quite enough of the latter.

Haynes and his cast don’t seem to enjoy the experience. Gracie and Elizabeth’s slo-mo, would-be catfight might be better served with a more generous sprinkling of humor to decorate its grim discoveries. Instead, the two women circle each other warily, walking on eggshells while preening themselves in the nearest mirror.

Gracie attends a gardening workshop and talks endlessly about herself. Elizabeth essentially follows suit, and her wandering eye temporarily settles on poor Joe—at this stage an insecure young man who appears to have been relegated to hired-help status in Gracie’s pecking order, misplaced amid her loony entourage and content to spend his time raising Monarch butterflies. The prevailing tone is one of artificial conviviality and manufactured cable TV-style family togetherness. The net effect is airless and suffocating.

Actors Moore and Portman play types they’re very familiar with—from previous work in more inspired projects—but here with no special spark of enthusiasm, aside from Elizabeth’s subdued sexuality and Gracie’s frantic quest for emotional reinforcement. In their tight little sphere of operations, makeup qualifies as a character trait.

Meanwhile the bedraggled members of Gracie’s extended family pass in review: her horrid son Georgie (Cory Michael Smith), disappointed daughter Honor Atherton-Yoo (Piper Curda), the reticent adopted immigrant twins (Gabriel Chung, Elizabeth Yu) and Joe’s taciturn father (Kelvin Han Yee), quietly holding onto his meal ticket. Nobody at all to either cheer or feel sorry for, just a standard-brand collection of entitled hangers-on in a pathetic, ingrown environment. The added-on wrinkle concerning rumors that Gracie has had incestuous longings for family members is thankfully glossed over in a short bit of dialogue.

Audiences with an established taste for campy female-centric entertainment may be faintly reminded of Valley of the Dolls, The Big Cube or even the far reaches of Rainer Werner Fassbinder (The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant) or Fassbinder’s avatar Douglas Sirk (particularly All that Heaven Allows and Written on the Wind).

But as May December peters out, it’s inescapable that filmmaker Haynes, ordinarily a competent stylist with a flair for stressed-out heroines, went shopping for the wrong story in the wrong place. It’s hard to imagine how an audience could develop even the most casual interest in Gracie and Elizabeth’s nervous little dance. Skip May December and catch up on the John Waters catalog instead—particularly Female Trouble. 

In theaters and on Netflix.

Free Will Astrology: Week of November 15

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Free Will Astrology: Week of November 15

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In accordance with astrological omens, I would love you to experiment with blending the sacred and mundane. Bring your deep self into the daily routine and imbue ordinary rhythms with tender care. Here are a few fun rituals to get you in the groove: 1. Say prayers or chant ecstatic poems while you’re shopping. 2. Build a shrine in a parking lot. 3. Stir up an inspired epiphany while doing housework. 4. If you find yourself in a confusing or awkward situation, dance like a holy person to conjure a blessing. 5. Commune with the Divine Creator during crazy-good sex.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I’ve met many people who feel their love lives are jinxed. Often, they believe this nonsense because a creepy fortune-teller declared they will forever be denied a satisfying intimate relationship. I hate that! Any astrologer who delivers such crippling bewitchments should be outed as a charlatan. The good news for you, Taurus, is that you are in a grace period for all matters regarding romance, intimacy and togetherness. If you have ever worried there is a curse, obstruction or bad habit inhibiting your love life, the coming weeks will be a favorable time to free yourself from it.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini comedian Drew Carey says, “If I didn’t run from my fears, I wouldn’t get any exercise at all.” Let’s discuss his approach in relation to you. After analyzing the astrological omens, I believe that as 2023 draws to a close and 2024 unfolds, you will feel less and less motivated to run from your fears. In part, that’s because you will face them with more courage and poise; they won’t have the same power over you. In addition, I suspect your fears will become objectively less scary. They will be less likely to come to pass. More and more, your fine mind will see how they trick you into imagining they’re more threatening than they truly are. Congratulations in advance, Gemini!

CANCER (June 21-July 22): I would love to see you intensify your devotion to your masterpiece—however you understand “masterpiece.” It could be a work of art or an innovation in your job or business. It could be a new baby, an adopted pet, a redefinition of what family means or an invigorated community. Might even be a beautiful alliance or enhanced connection with the divine or a refinement of the best gift you give the world. Life will conspire to help you in unexpected ways during the coming months if you rededicate yourself to this treasure.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Dear Sun, our one and only star: We love you and appreciate you! It’s amazing that you consume five million tons of yourself every second to generate the colossal energy you send in our direction. Thank you, beloved Sun! Is it OK with you if we think of you as a god? You are a superpowered genius of nourishment! And by the way, do you know who adores you the best? I’ll tell you: the Leo people here on Earth. They comprehend your grandeur and majesty better than anyone else. Would you consider giving them extra rewards in the coming weeks? They need and deserve a massive delivery of your bounty. Please fill them up with even more charisma, personal magnetism, vitality and generosity of spirit than usual. I promise they will use it wisely.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo musician and actor Shirley Manson has a message for you. She testifies, “I say embrace the total geek in yourself and just enjoy it. Life is too short to be cool.” This will be especially helpful and inspirational counsel for you in the coming months, dear Virgo. The wish to appear chic or trendy or hip should be so far down on your list of priorities that it drops off the list entirely. Your assignment is to be passionately devoted to your deepest truths, unique desires and imaginative experiments. 

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): If you’re given a choice to advocate for either a dull, mediocre truth or a beautiful, invigorating truth, give your love to the latter. If you wonder whether you should ask a polite question that engenders harmony or a provocative question that pries loose agendas that have been half hidden, opt for the latter. If you feel nostalgic about an old tradition that stirs up little passion or fresh insight, let it go. Instead, dream up a new tradition that moves you emotionally and excites your mind.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Icelandic singer Bjork is a triple Scorpio, with sun, moon and ascendant in your sign. Neptune is there, too, giving her even more Scorpionic intensity. It’s not surprising that she describes her daily practice like this: “I have to re-create the universe every morning when I wake up and kill it in the evening.” In another quote, she places greater emphasis on the rebirth: “To wake up in the morning and actually find the day exciting is the biggest victory you can have.” In accordance with current astrological omens, I invite you to exalt and celebrate the post-resurrection aspects of your life’s work. It’s time for you to shine and sparkle and shimmer and bedazzle.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): At the risk of sounding melodramatic, I prophesy that what has been lost will be found. What was last may not catapult all the way into the first spot, but it might—and will at least be close to the first. Here are more zingers for you as you move into the climactic stages of the Season of Turnarounds and Switcheroos: A difficult test will boost your intelligence; a rut will be disrupted, freeing you to find a smooth new groove; an unsettling twist will ultimately bring you delightful support. To get the best out of the upcoming challenges, Sagittarius, welcome them as opportunities to expand your understanding of how the world works.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Many cultures throughout history have staged rites of passage to mark the transformation from childhood to puberty. In ancient Greece, for example, kids formally relinquished their toys, symbolizing the intention to move into a new phase of their destinies. In accordance with astrological omens, I want to tweak this custom for your use, Capricorn. I propose that you embrace your second childhood. Fantasize about how you might refurbish your innocence, curiosity, playfulness and spontaneous joy. Then select an object that embodies a burdensome or unpleasant aspect of adulthood. Discard it. Find an object that signifies the fresh young spirit you’d like to awaken within you. Kiss it, sing to it and keep it in a prominent place.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): For advice about money, I talk with a banker who sometimes analyzes financial trends using Tarot cards. To keep abreast of politics on the ground level, I consult with a courtesan who has a Ph.D. in political science and cultivates intimate relations with governmental leaders. For guidance about rowdy ethics and etiquette, I seek input from an activist singer in an all-women punk band. How about you, Aquarius? Now is a favorable time to take an inventory of your posse of teachers, helpers and counselors. Make sure it’s serving you well and providing maximum inspiration and support. Hot tip: It may be time to add a new facilitator or two to your entourage.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Now and then, you glide through a phase I describe as Freedom from Cosmic Compulsion. During these grace periods, fate has a reduced role in shaping your destiny. Your past doesn’t have its typical power to limit you or entrance you. According to my astrological analysis, you are now enjoying such a chapter. That’s why I predict that an infertile status quo will soon crumble. A boring, inflexible rule will become irrelevant. These and other breakthrough developments will give you extra leeway to innovate and invent. You will have a big, bright emptiness to work and play around in.

Homework: My new book, Astrology Is Real, is available: https://bit.ly/AstrologyReal.

National Homeless Youth Awareness Month

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National Homeless Youth Awareness Month

For many of us, November is the month of Thanksgiving and the beginning of the holiday season. November is also National Homeless Youth Awareness Month. The purpose is to raise awareness for unhoused children and families and to educate the public on ways to help end this occurrence. Estimates say 1.3 million children under six experience homelessness in the United States.

Over one-half of these children experience depression and anxiety. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, approximately 550,000 unaccompanied youth and young adults up to age 24 experience a homelessness episode longer than a week. 43% of homeless youth are unsheltered. Many of them have experienced significant trauma before and after being unhoused.

Based on a 2022 study by the National Library of Medicine, suicide is the leading cause of death among unhoused youth. Other studies have shown that more than one-half of homeless youth have experienced suicidal ideation in their lifetime. Another study from the National Health Care for the Homeless said that 40% of homeless teens struggle with depression, which is higher than their housed peers.

Major depression is a significant risk factor for suicide. Homeless youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than students who live at home. Youth.GOV suggests that providing timely and direct interventions to youth experiencing homelessness is important to protect them from suicidal ideation and other risks from living on the streets.

Also important is providing these young people access to mental health care. Suicide rates are higher among young people with mental health disorders. Many have never been diagnosed with a mental health disorder.

If one has friends or loved ones who are homeless, it is necessary to know the warning signs and risk factors associated with suicidal ideation. Knowing this information could be crucial in saving that young person’s life.

The Jason Foundation is dedicated to the prevention of youth suicide through educational awareness programs that equip us with the tools and resources to help identify and assist at-risk youth. For more information, visit jasonfoundation.com.

Evening Glass: The sound of the ocean in song form

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Evening Glass: The sound of the ocean in song form

The home of West Coast rock has always been the ocean.

From the Beach Boys to Pearl Jam to the Mermen, the lapping of waves on endless sand form a rhythmic template for generations of noisy melodic groups. Sonoma’s local variant is Evening Glass.

Zachary Carroll’s dreamy vocals ride the peaks of ultra-clean guitar and dips of flange-y noise to tell tales of love and surfing. And love of surfing.

The 2022 EP, Steady Motion, is suffused with imagery which exhibits that intimacy with the natural world that surfers have let sink deep into their skin from years of crashing into breakers at the break of dawn.

Sometimes that imagery is specific (“west of the 405,” “to Half Moon Bay”), and at other times Carroll paints a picture of the cycles of love and loss, or the flow of life, that resonates with the movement of the Pacific (“I hope you row back … cause I’m in too deep,” “at the bottom of the sea”).

The sound of the four-piece band is captured effortlessly in the record, so obviously recorded as a live group. A point of pride for the band.

In the midst of the pandemic, “We did a DIY recording of six songs all live [and] overdubbed the vocals,” said Carroll. “Then I mixed it with [drummer] PJ [Hakimi] and we put it out.”

The simple act of creation, such a globally shared story of the pandemic days, revitalized the band.

“I want to do some more recordings,” noted Carroll. “We have an hour and a half set and only recorded 10 of those songs. [The plan is] to keep recording and put out something else.”

No wonder that the EP was voted #4 best EP of the year by Janglepophub. It is more than a high pitched jangle record though.The band works hard to craft their sound, which carves along the edge of surf and noise, all at the pace of the sun setting slowly off the edge of the continent until the rush of the horizon accelerates to meet it.

“Well, I do play a little bit of flanger pedal,” said Carroll. “On that EP, every song that had a little bridge, I hit the flanger. The ’90s influence, like Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr, Lemonheads, all that kind of like alternative sound, you know, that’s my root.”

In fact, the band has members rooted in four decades. While Carroll is in his mid-40s, drummer PJ Hakimi is in his 50s and guitar player Chris Miller is in his 60s, bassist Thomas (yes, just “Thomas”) is only in his 20s.

“It’s kind of funny to share influences and like turn him on to music that we may have heard, you know, 20, 30 years ago, [knowing] that he wasn’t even born yet,” laughed Carroll.

It all makes for a formula that has brought the group increasing recognition, including this year’s North Bay Music Award for Best Indie Band.

The indie scene in Sonoma is rich enough to draw comparisons between Evening Glass and other bands like The Flyover States from Santa Rosa and The Bumble and Bones in Sonoma.

In discussing contemporary influences, Carroll names too many bands to mention here (Sub Pop darlings Fruit Bats sticks in the mind). The unifying factor is the desire to hit a guitar like the face of a perfect swell and let it ring.

“All these like modern bands that I’m heavily influenced by [have that] full band sound,” said Carroll.

It’s all about two guitars and a rhythm section grooving along the coast in the fading light.

Evening Glass’ EP, ‘Steady Motion,’ is available on streaming platforms now.

Creekside Pizza’s Pat Townsley Talks Inspiration

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Creekside Pizza’s Pat Townsley Talks Inspiration

Pat Townsley is the owner of Creekside Pizza & Taproom. My wife and I had some pizza and beer there in 2020, and that’s what convinced us to move to San Anselmo, or so the story goes.

What do you do? I serve. I’m a storyteller. I’m on a mission. We set the stage and the table for memorable experiences and quality of life in our community. We also make pizza.

Where do you live? Over 20 years in San Anselmo. Marin native.

How long have you lived in Marin? 56 years.

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

When I’m not at Creekside, I’m at our new venture, Stonework Pizza & Tap in Petaluma, or out hiking with Storm the Husky. I’m currently writing an autobiographical screenplay (with our son, Richard) about growing up in Marin in the ’60s as the son of Nancy Besst, “Miss Nancy” on television’s Romper Room, and her lifetime struggle with severe bipolar disorder.

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

The Marin Headlands. Magical sunrises, sunsets and moonrises over the bay, an endless ocean view, the sweeping hills, the bridge, the city, and there’s a bunker named Battery Townsley.

What’s one thing Marin is missing?

A great spa retreat; Sonoma Mission Inn meets Spirit Rock meets Sedona.

What’s one bit of advice you’d share with your fellow Marinites? Life is short; find your purpose, passion, mission and go for it. Work hard, play hard, keep a journal. Live intentionally. Live with an attitude of gratitude.

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

I’d invite my mentors for a family style dinner in our new VIP Barrel room: Tony Robbins, Brendon Burchard, Joel Osteen, George Lucas, Sir Richard Branson, Bill Gates, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Oprah Winfrey, Dawn Lyons (BNI), of course Tony Gemignani, my wife Laura Townsley, our now adult children, Ellie and Richard, plus the late Steven Covey, Wayne Dyer, and Anthony Bourdain, and throw in authors James Patterson, Marissa Meyer, and Ernest Cline.

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

The power of networking. Quality connections matter. No one is an island. You don’t know who they know.

What is something that in 20 years from now will seem cringeworthy? Our ravenous consumption of animals. Amongst many things, it’s unsustainable.

Big question. What is one thing you’d do to change the world? We have got to get off fossil fuels. The book, How To Avoid A Climate Disaster, by Bill Gates is a real eye opener.

Follow Townsley at HeartOfMarin.com and on social media @CreeksideSA and @StoneworkPizza.

Your Letters, Nov. 8

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Your Letters, Nov. 8

‘Plea’ Reply

To Mr. Barnett and anyone like him (re: “Ceasefire Plea,” Nov. 1, 2023): I’m guessing you didn’t get the memo about such terrorist groups as Hamas, PLO, Hezbollah, etc., etc.? Their total commitment to the complete annihilation of every last Jew on the planet?

So, what part don’t you understand? The part where Hamas crossed the line and attacked, raped, tortured, then murdered more than 1,400 innocent Jewish men, women and children? That part? Or maybe how Hamas has put thousands of Palestinians in harm’s way

by using them for shields.

Sir, what you are suggesting is nothing more than typical rhetoric sold by knee-jerk liberals and those on the so-called left. It’s also suicide for Israel. As a Jew, you should know better.

You want a cease-fire? Me too. Then, tell Hamas and their ilk to give up the hostages and surrender. Period! It’s not complicated. Not this time. I, too, am a Jew and certainly not part of any right or left but merely a 70-year-old citizen of this planet.

David Dale

Sonoma Valley

Trump Stumped

At some point in the next year, as a veil of contempt obscures his fading image, former president Donald Trump will tell a judge, “I never worked for me. I only met myself a few times, at parties, but I didn’t learn much about me. The fact is, I hardly know me. I certainly never asked me to do the things all these people have said I asked me to do. There must be some mistake.”

Craig J. Corsini

San Rafael

‘Small Business Saturday’ Gift Guide

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‘Small Business Saturday’ Gift Guide

’Tis the season to eat, drink and be merry with those who matter the most.

Rather than ordering gifts online and outsourcing resources, one relatively new holiday begs local consumers to consider participating in something called Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday is a celebratory occasion that was created over a decade ago as a way to encourage consumerism on a local scale. This celebration of keeping cash within one’s own community takes place every year on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving and, as one could probably guess, is a countermovement in response to the more capitalistic holiday, Black Friday.

This year, Shop Small Saturday takes place on Nov. 25 and will be marked by many, many participating small businesses across all of Marin County. This means it’s time to break out the checkbook and check out the creative local shopping opportunities the North Bay can offer up for the holidays.

Downtown San Rafael’s Parade of Lights & Winter Wonderland

For an all-encompassing celebration of local seasonal spending, there’s no place better to be than Downtown San Rafael during the Shop Small Saturday holiday marketplace between noon and 6pm on Saturday, Nov. 25.

This downtown extravaganza promises an opportunity to support the local businesses of San Rafael by shopping, eating and just generally participating in the event. Alongside shopping, there will also be entertainment, an elf hunt, food trucks, juggling, face painting, balloon animals, a photo booth, a toy drive, a window decorating contest and much, much more.

For more information about San Rafael’s upcoming Parade of Lights & Winter Wonderland, visit the website at downtownsanrafael.org.

Marin Art & Garden Center’s Winter Wonderland

Another option for local shopping can be found at the Marin Art & Garden Center’s perfectly seasonal Winter Wonderland celebration. Experience a fully operational ice rink with music, lights, snacks, hot cocoa and cider. The warming hut will be set up to keep away the chill, and children can stay warm running around during the scavenger hunt. Attendees can take in a performance of It’s a Wonderful Life from the Ross Valley Players.

There are even more opportunities to shop local for the holidays at the pop-up shop, which offers locally made art, apparel, jewelry, home goods and more.

To learn more about the upcoming shopping opportunities at the Marin Art & Garden Center or to buy tickets to the Winter Wonderland experience, visit the website at maringarden.org/winterwonderland.

Local Artists and Artisans Galore

All across Marin County, there are countless points of access where one can find, buy and take home items made by local artists. In Marin’s galleries alone, there are some truly stunning pieces of artistry just waiting to adorn some lucky art-lover’s wall.

But galleries aside, there are still a million and one places across all of Marin where one can find locally-made items for all kinds of gifts and giftees. Copperfield’s Books, for example, offers up not only works written by local authors but curios such as jewelry, cross-stitch and more. From pottery to patio furniture and all the plants in between, there’s no better gift for the holidays than something that was made by hand.

And if the need for holiday gifts is not quite satisfied on Small Business Saturday or with hand-crafted items, know that the Sausalito Center for the Arts (SCA) has its first-ever annual print marketplace on Dec. 9 and 10. This timing makes for perfect last-minute holiday shopping, especially for the artistically inclined giftee.

For more information about the SCA’s print marketplace and more, visit the website at sausalitocenterforthearts.org.

The Gift of Food Goods

Is there any better gift than the gift of food that’s been sourced, made and marketed all within Marin? And with the holidays just around the corner, now is the perfect time to celebrate the local restaurants, caterers, winemakers and more. Whether it’s honey and mead from Heidrun Meadery in Pt. Reyes or perhaps an evening of dining and drinks on the docks of Sausalito before taking in a show, the gift of food is one that just about everyone enjoys. So, shop local for sustenance as well because the holidays are the ideal time to gift someone or even oneself an opportunity to wine and dine.

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‘Small Business Saturday’ Gift Guide

’Tis the season to eat, drink and be merry with those who matter the most. Rather than ordering gifts online and outsourcing resources, one relatively new holiday begs local consumers to consider participating in something called Small Business Saturday. Small Business Saturday is a celebratory occasion that was created over a decade ago as a way to encourage consumerism on a...
Read more
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