Film: Sunken Place

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Film: Sunken Place

The top 10 films of 2017, in alphabetical order are: The Florida Project, Get Out, Lady Bird, The Shape of Water, The Square, Twin Peaks: The Return, War for the Planet of the Apes, Whose Streets?, Wonderstruck and Wonder Woman.

Watching Wonder Woman was the first two hours since the Inauguration that made me forget about Trump.

Most of the time, 2017 was “The Sunken Place,” in Get Out’s term, the zone of helplessness in which one can only observe and hope for deliverance. In some respects, Get Out was the most zeitgeist-ridden movie of the year, a film about horrible science fiction skullduggery carried out by good white people.  

Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water had the texture of classic cinema, from its yearning for the red-velvet-lined movie theaters of the old days, to its sensational color. Sally Hawkins’ performance sums up one odd aspect of 2017 in film—there were so many fine mute performances: Hawkins (the best), the delightful Millicent Simmonds as Rose, a girl of 1927 in Wonderstruck and Amiah Miller’s Nova in War for the Planet of the Apes.

The Florida Project’s endearingly hopeful study of the ground-down poor was unique. The street kids were ingenious, hustling, sticky and mischievous in this tribute to the Our Gang series set in Florida welfareland motels. It couldn’t have been a more different approach from The Square’s video—not a guilt-whipping over a homeless kid, but a fun if grotty vacation. Lady Bird could have been as facile as John Hughes’ Pretty in Pink—but there’s a difference in the way it savors the reverse angle of the hard-working, weary mom driven nuts by her daughter’s fancies.

Whose Streets?, a documentary made under the noses of the police in Ferguson, Missouri, introduced us to people drastically different than the rampaging thugs in the news. We need visions of heroism—real, as in the neighborhood guardians in Whose Streets?, and as in the gallant Gal Gadot.

Arts: Stage on Screen

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Arts: Stage on Screen

Marin has an insatiable craving for the arts; hence the reason why live cinema and performance events thrive in this region. Gone are the days when being physically present for a live concert, play, opera or ballet was a requirement. Now there’s a shortcut to seeing the world’s foremost companies perform live—and it’s from the comfort of your local independent cinema.

There is, of course, no replacement for a live, in-person performance experience. But live cinema events do have their place, and offer unprecedented convenience and savings.

As the exclusive distributor for the Bolshoi Ballet, the Paris-based Pathé Live and its partner BY Experience in New York City reach more than 1,600 cinemas in select cities across 60 countries—providing audiences with the best stage view from the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow via satellite broadcast in HD with 5.1 Dolby sound. Come 2018, the Bolshoi Ballet kicks off the remainder of its season in January with Romeo & Juliet.

Ellie Mednick, executive director of the Lark Theater in Larkspur, says that audience reactions to the Bolshoi Ballet performances have been tremendous. Some have even called the dancers “superhuman.”

“This project is not commercial for us in terms of money, but a very important one,” says Katerina Novikova, head of press service for the Bolshoi Ballet. “We can see that every year interest is growing and we are having more and more cinemas and countries. Here we are covering two goals—we are enlarging our audience worldwide and we have a chance to have a very high-quality recording of our productions.”

London’s Royal Ballet has four upcoming productions via satellite, beginning in late February with The Winter’s Tale, presented exclusively by distributor Trafalgar Releasing.

“Ballet in cinema is proving to be extremely popular around the world,” says Marc Allenby, CEO of Trafalgar Releasing. “In my opinion the cinematic release of cultural productions is important as it democratizes access. It’s an opportunity for audiences around the world to see some of the best productions at an affordable cost and at a level of convenience unimaginable 10 years ago. This is particularly empowering for audience members who may be restricted in their ability to travel. It’s also an opportunity for the major arts organizations to forge relationships internationally ahead of tours and continue relationships once tours have concluded.”

According to Jeff Coventry, head of marketing at the Royal Opera House, roughly 760,000 people worldwide saw a Royal Opera House production in their local cinema during the 2016-17 season. “Offering a variety of ballets, from classic works such as The Nutcracker to contemporary creations as The Winter’s Tale, each cinema season enables us to reach a spectrum of audiences outside our London home and showcase the broad repertoire of the company,” Coventry says.

The beauty of attending the ballet at your local cinema? You can decide to dress up or dress down, grab some popcorn, sip wine or coffee and lose yourself for a few hours. Once the lights go dim, succumb to the experience. Hear the string and wind instruments as the musicians tune up. Notice a slight shutter once the first movement begins. Watch the curtain rise. Take in the stage design and costumes. Observe how the dancers and live orchestra interact. Notice stage patterns within the choreography and how the music is interpreted and synchronized with each movement. At the finish, commit the experience to memory to relive at your leisure.

2018 Bolshoi Ballet performances at the Lark Theater

January 21 & 23: Romeo & Juliet

February 4: The Lady of the Camellias

March 4 & 6: The Flames of Paris

April 8 & 10: Giselle

June 10 & 12: Coppelia

Lark Theater, 549 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur; 415/924-5111; larktheater.net.

2018 Royal Ballet performances at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center

February 28: The Winter’s Tale

March 27: Bernstein program from Wayne McGregor, Liam Scarlett and Christopher Wheeldon

May 3: Manon

June 12: Swan Lake

Rafael Film Center, 1118 Fourth St., San Rafael; 415/454-1222; rafaelfilm.cafilm.org.

Food & Drink: Artisan Vegan

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Food & Drink: Artisan Vegan

When Dawn Yun became a vegetarian more than 25 years ago, she was dismayed by how few delicious meat-free food options were available. It wasn’t until she tasted a flavor-packed cashew butter product that she decided to develop a vegan spread that everyone could enjoy without compromising on flavor.

“I didn’t want my creation to taste like a stereotypical vegan food,” explains Yun, who in July launched four flavors of her Creativ Cashew Cream: Himalayan Salt, Ancho Chile, Mexican Chocolate and Caramel Churro. She touts them as an “artisan dairy alternative” and sells them at two farmers’ markets and a handful of local grocery stores.

“It is without question the hardest thing I have ever done,” says the journalist/advertising professional-turned-entrepreneur. She cites two longtime Marin grocers for providing invaluable help along the way—David Canepa of Mill Valley Market, who offered sage business advice, and United Markets owner, Bill Daniels, who encouraged her through every step.

Yun, a San Rafael resident since 2000, rents a commercial kitchen in Petaluma and produces her Creativ Cashew Cream products fresh two days a week. She is a one-woman show and does everything from recipe development, to attaching labels to each container of spread to packing them up in cases of six for delivery.

Now a vegan, Yun strongly believes that her tasty nut-based offerings can help shift eating habits toward more plant-based diets—which in turn, will change the world. Find these locally made products in Marin at Mill Valley Market, United Markets and the Sunday Marin Farmers’ Market (Marin County Civic Center, San Rafael), and impress friends and family with this Himalayan Salt Cashew Cream Pizza, recipe courtesy of Yun.

Creativ Cashew Cream, 415/233-2483; creativcashewcream.com.

Himalayan Salt Cashew Cream Pizza

Serves 4

Ingredients

One fresh, frozen or handmade 12-inch pizza crust (wheat, gluten-free or cauliflower)

1 container of Himalayan Salt Cashew Cream

1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms

1 eggplant

1 cup broccoli florets

1 red pepper

1 onion

2 tablespoons of oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon Himalayan salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

-Slice vegetables into thin slices.

-Heat oil in pan.

-Sauté eggplant until it starts to wilt.

-Remove eggplant and let drain on paper towels.

-Sauté onions until translucent.

-In same pan, add fresh red pepper, mushrooms and broccoli and sauté until they just start to brown and then remove from heat.

-Spread cashew cream on crust so it is completely covered.

-Arrange eggplant slices around pizza in a round design.

-Sprinkle remaining vegetables atop eggplant.

-Sprinkle garlic powder and red pepper flakes on top.

-Pop into oven under 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

-Remove, sprinkle with salt and black pepper.

Enjoy!

Upfront: Warning Signs

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Upfront: Warning Signs

It’s no exaggeration to say that I nearly died in the Nuns fire.

Around three in the morning on Oct. 9—and without any official warning from anyone (or any device) that a deadly catastrophe was unfolding—I left my home, only to be blinded by heavy smoke and swirling ash as I tried to navigate my car down Bennett Ridge, a mountainside community east of Santa Rosa.

It was an excruciatingly slow process, as visibility was nil. Flames surrounded the car and fell from above. There was no time for caution, only escape. The smoke blocked my vision and also made breathing difficult. As I drove down the road, neighboring houses were already succumbing—either fully engulfed or within moments of going up.

A quick and tense glance back at the house my parents bought in 1974 provided a view of embers falling from the sky, and the beginnings of a fire along what used to be a beautiful wooden deck—a fire that would annihilate my childhood home.

As the smoke cleared, the news was horrible. More than three quarters of the homes on Bennett Ridge were lost, and one of my neighbors had died.

But for hours leading up to this perilous escape, there hadn’t been a single warning from emergency officials, or from anyone. There were no blaring alarms, no police or fire sirens, no phone calls of warning. Around midnight, a car heading down the hill honked its horn, but that could have someone tooting a farewell after a Sunday-night visit. It certainly wasn’t an urgent message declaring a dire emergency or a need to evacuate. Those things never occurred on Bennett Ridge.

The Nuns fire hit Bennett Ridge hard, and a simulation created by the National Weather Service says the winds were likely between 75 and 90 miles per hour. The speed, force and intensity of the fire has given rise to the argument that an early-warning system may not have saved many houses. It’s hard to fight a fire that’s raining down from above and moving swiftly from treetop to treetop.

But it’s also true that an early-warning system may have given people enough time to salvage some personal belongings. I’d liked to have saved the American flag given to my mother at Arlington National Cemetery when my father, a Marine Corps war hero, was laid to rest. But there was no chance to grab those family heirlooms—or even a spare pair of shoes.

The absence of a regional early warning for Napa and Sonoma did not go unnoticed in those counties, and around the state, where fires continue to burn late into the year. But new legislation may address that.

The online journal Wildfire Today reported that the day before the series of fires forever changed Sonoma and Napa counties, “all cell phones in Rincon Valley east of Santa Rosa loudly blared with a message about a child abduction in San Francisco about 48 air miles to the south, but the Amber Alert system was not used as the wildfires bore down on the densely packed communities in Sonoma County.”

No such alert was issued in the early hours of the fire. Instead, local officials leaned on the Nixle and SoCo alert systems, which were inadequate to the task and wound up sending messages to fewer than 35,000 cell phone users, reported Wildfire Today, in a county of more than 500,000 people.

The Nixle and SoCo systems require people to opt-in or sign up in advance—but the Catch-22 was that if residents didn’t know to sign up in advance, chances are they didn’t. Most learned of the fires from first responders banging on their doors, or through fleeing neighbors, or because their house was already on fire.

It may be too little, too late for some in burned-out Bennett Ridge, but regional elected officials announced plans this month to get the whole state on the same page when it comes to an emergency alert system. As-yet-unwritten legislation would require a robust wireless alert system in all 58 counties and create standards for their use.

The program would utilize the existing wireless-emergency alert system administered by the FCC to provide early warnings from local officials. As has been widely reported, warnings were never issued in the North Bay fires through the so-called wireless-emergency alert (WEA) system set up by the feds. The new legislation would presumably standardize and update the WEA technology and protocols to promote wider use.

One of the would-be bill’s sponsors is Marin County–based State Assemblyman Marc Levine, whose spokeswoman Shannon Flaherty explained that WEAs are short, geographically targeted messages sent to mobile devices during emergencies. Marin County officials, particularly those in West Marin, have been paying close attention to developments on the early-warning front, given the daunting challenge of evacuating fire-sensitive areas along the coast, where the roads are few and the fire-fuel is ample.

The warnings range from presidential alerts, imminent-threat alerts and AMBER alerts. The first is issued in the event of a national emergency; the second alerts are issued for events such as the fire disasters this fall; and the third are issued when law enforcement enlists the public to help locate abducted children. The system has been stymied by insufficient upgrades that haven’t kept up with the pace of technology, which is one of the reasons that local officials did not use the system during the North Bay fires. Another reason the system wasn’t used, as offered early in the aftermath of the fire, was they didn’t want people to panic by issuing the warnings.

State Sen. Mike McGuire is onboard for the legislative push, and a staffer for the Healdsburg Democrat says the goal is to create emergency-alert uniformity among the counties. The North Bay delegation of McGuire, Levine, Assemblyman Jim Wood, Sen. Bill Dodd and Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry aims to offer legislation that will require every county in California to adopt the most up-to-date WEA system, with trained operators who can implement an evacuation order using the system.

The benefit of the WEA is that residents don’t have to opt-in or opt-out of it to get the geographically tailored warning. All you need is a cell phone or tablet that can receive the text-like message warning of imminent danger. (Another suggested reform would give more leeway to the number of characters that can be utilized in an alert.)

“Since WEAs are geographically targeted, most mobile phone users do not need to opt-in or be added to a registry,” Flaherty says.

“For example,” she adds, “let’s say an individual is a Los Angeles County resident but was visiting Sonoma County during the fires. If that individual had a WEA-capable mobile device, they should have received the mobile alert regardless of their residency in Los Angeles.”

According to the FCC, most major wireless providers carry WEA-capable devices. Individuals can confirm if their device is capable of receiving the alerts and that they are available in their area by checking with their wireless provider. It’s up to the provider to opt-in or out under the program, says the FCC. “Wireless companies volunteer to participate in the WEA system, which is the result of a unique public-private partnership between the FCC, FEMA and the wireless industry to enhance public safety,” says the FCC website.

The WEA was created in 2012 under the Warning, Alert and Response Network Act (WARN), and since then, reports the FCC, some 21,000 WEA alerts have been issued. None, however, were issued in the North Bay fires.

“The local alerts themselves have to be issued by local authorities,” says Doherty. “In that way, local providers must do the opting-in. While FEMA is the host of WEAs, individual alerting authorities such as cities or counties must receive training before receiving alert-issuing authority. This is why we want to see counties given the resources and training necessary to ensure all counties have alert-issuing authority.”

There’s no projected cost to implement the program, and it’s unclear what the bill will do to encourage wireless companies to participate.

“We will have to see what the Appropriations Committee decides in May,” says Flaherty. “Currently, it is still a legislative concept, the bill still needs to be drafted and introduced. We expect to know closer to spring what its timeline for approval will look like.”

Spring is just in time for what used to be known as “fire season” in California, which officials now warn is a year-round phenomenon.

Tom Gogola contributed reporting. 

Feature: Count It Down

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Feature: Count It Down

Allow us to be the first to close the books on 2017. With old acquaintances—both forgotten and remembered—we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet, and we’ll start with these New Year’s Eve parties around the North Bay. From delectable dinners to cabaret shows and blowout concerts, here’s a selection of ways to ring in 2018.

MARIN COUNTY

Noon Year’s Eve Ring in the New Year with your little ones at the Bay Area Discovery Museum. Kids will love the celebratory ball drop at noon, dance to DJ Mancub and get busy with various art activities. In addition, the family can enjoy access to the museum’s indoor and outdoor exhibits. Fort Baker, 557 McReynolds Rd., Sausalito. 9am to 2pm. $14-$15. 415/339.3900.

New Year’s Eve Standup Comedy Showcase Osher Marin JCC’s eighth annual New Year’s Eve event boasts more laughs than you can shake a bottle of champagne at. This year, the showcase finds five smart and clean comedians on the bill, hosted by Jeff Applebaum, who has spent more than 20 years making crowds laugh in his adopted hometown of San Francisco. The rest of the lineup includes standup stars like Andrew Norelli, a veteran of both late-night talk show and TED Talks, and relatable comedian and writer Milt Abel. A selection of cocktails, beer and wine starts the party and a midnight toast wraps it up. 200 N San Pedro Rd., San Rafael. Pre-show party starts at 7:30pm. $32 and up. 415/444.8000.

New Year’s Eve at Throckmorton Theatre The community comes together to break bread, literally, in this New Year’s Eve party that feeds the masses with a symbolic offering of bread and other bites, and promises a chance to dance the night away with a headlining set from Marin’s country rock veteran Danny Click & the Hell Yeahs. The theatre also hosts the good vibration of Tivoli, with Tibetan bowls, native flutes, bells and more ringing in the year. Champagne will be flowing and spirits are sure to be high. 142 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley. 7:30pm. $25-$50. 415/383.9600.

Chris Robinson Brotherhood A popular sight in the North Bay, the psychedelic rock ’n’ roll family that operates somewhere in the wilds of Marin County dubbed “Unicorn, California” is back at Terrapin Crossroads for another round of New Year’s festivities. This past year saw the brotherhood release their acclaimed roots-rock album Barefoot in the Head, and now the former Black Crowes front man and his bearded band of merry men once again fly their freak flag on Dec 29-31, 100 Yacht Club Dr., San Rafael. Friday and Saturday, 8pm; Sunday, 9pm. $50/$80-$200. 415/524.2773.

Lucero One of the hardest-working bands for nearly 20 years, Memphis musical institution Lucero lays down three nights of alternative rock in Mill Valley this New Year’s Eve, and they’re inviting different local stars to join them each night. On Friday, Marin country-rock raconteur Victoria George opens the weekend with a Nashville-meets-San Francisco sound. On Saturday, reliable roots-rock outfit San Geronimo descends from the hills of West Marin for a show of what critics call California Soul. On Sunday, San Francisco staple Travis Hayes offers a heaping helping of emotionally stirring folk-rock. Three-night passes are available, so Lucero fanatics can get a whole year’s worth of the band’s guitar-driven, denim-clad rock ’n’ roll on Dec 29-31, at Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera Ave., Mill Valley. 9pm, 21 and over, Friday and Saturday, $42-$47; Sunday, $87-$97; three night pass, $157. 415/388.3850.

New Year’s Eve Sound Healing Groove The ever-enchanting Harmonia social and wellness club says farewell to 2017 and welcomes 2018 with a loving and eclectic community celebration. Start the night in the Kava Lounge, before getting into the groove with the Sonic Shamanic’s assortment of gongs, singing bowls, drums and more. After midnight, let it all hang down by sipping on elixirs and champagne, dancing to DJs and basking in the glow of the new year and possibilities to come. 2200 Marinship Way, Sausalito. 8pm. $75-$100. 415/332.1432.

NYE at the Center Mill Valley Recreation and Piazza D’Angelo present the party of the year with live music from The Sonic Steps and headliner Notorious. Enjoy complimentary champagne upon entry, plus delicious appetizers throughout the night, no-host full bar and festive party favors to heighten the mood during an exhilarating countdown to midnight. Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley. 8pm. $70. 21 and over. 415/383.1370.

New Year’s Eve Prix Fixe Dinner Show Fenix, San Rafael’s premiere supper club, knows how to cook up a good time. This year, they mix a delectable dinner with the power-packed sounds of Heartless, Northern California’s best tribute act to Heart. 919 Fourth St., San Rafael. 7pm. $125. 415/813.5600.

New Year’s Eve Celebration at Left Bank Brasserie The festive Brasserie is open all day with an a la carte menu and a four-course prix fixe dinner. While it’s sure to be packed all day, in this case the last seating may be the first to fill up, as those who book 11pm reservations can expect to enjoy a complimentary sparkling wine toast and party favors at the stroke of midnight. 507 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur. Opens at 11am. $75 for prix fixe dinner. 415/927.3331.

Best of the San Francisco Stand-Up Comedy Competition This gut-busting comedy show at the Marin Center’s Showcase Theater rings in the New Year with the funniest alumni of the internationally recognized stand-up competition. Several hilarious standups will be on hand for this show, which always sells out well in advance. 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. 9pm. $40. 415/473.6800.

Boogie Under the Golden Gate New Year’s Eve With panoramic views of the bay as a backdrop, the Travis Marina Bar & Grill, formerly the Presidio Yacht Club, welcomes Western swing veterans the Lone Star Retrobates back for their seventh annual New Year’s Eve party. Boasting a boogie-woogie attitude, the ensemble welcomes popular vocalist Sylvia Herold to join in the harmonies. Toast to 2018 in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge with complimentary champagne at midnight. 1679 Sommerville Rd., Sausalito. 9pm. $30-$40.

SONOMA COUNTY

Happy New Year, Charlie Brown Kids and families are invited to join Master of Ceremonies Snoopy and the gang at the Charles M. Schulz Museum for a fun afternoon of crafts and games, with a big balloon drop and root beer toasts at noon and 3pm. Hey, it’s New Year’s somewhere. 2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa. 10 to 4. $5-$12. 707/579.4452.

New Year’s Eve on the Square Since reunifying earlier this year, downtown Santa Rosa’s Courthouse Square has become a beacon of fun in Sonoma County. This New Year’s Eve is no exception, as the square welcomes families for an evening of live entertainment, activities for kids and several vendors serving food and drinks. Third Street and Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 5pm. Free admission, catered VIP packages available at $125. 707/701.3620.

Mischief Masquerade The North Bay Cabaret never fails to raise a few eyebrows, and master of ceremonies Jake Ward is pulling out all the stops for this third annual New Year’s Eve spectacular. Featured performers include Sonoma County burlesque starlet Dangerous Dollie, musician and inventor Andy Graham, improv comedy troupe the Gentlemen Bastards, slam poet Jordan Ranft and others. The masquerade also features two full bars, dinner and bites, a photo booth and a champagne toast at midnight. Whiskey Tip, 1910 Sebastopol Rd., Santa Rosa. 8pm. $20-$25. 21 and over. northbaycabaret.com.

New Year’s Eve at Barndiva The Healdsburg culinary destination once again offers two separate menus of elegant dining in a festive and fun atmosphere. In the restaurant, a six-course meal of classic favorites features prime sirloin and black truffle mac & cheese, with special wine pairings available. In the relaxed bistro setting, the music gets pumping as you work off the calories with a dance or two. Reservations are recommended. 231 Center St., Healdsburg. $145 and up. 707/431.0100.

Petaluma Museum’s Gala Concert & A Night in Vienna Sky Hill Cultural Alliance and the Petaluma Museum Association present their ninth annual New Year’s Eve gala concert, full of classical flair and marvelous entertainment from members of the San Francisco Symphony. After that show, the action moves to nearby Hermann Sons’ Hall for “A Night in Vienna,” featuring many traditional Viennese dishes and desserts and waltzes performed by a live orchestra. This black-tie optional event toasts the New Year in stellar fashion. The gala concert happens at 20 Fourth St., Petaluma, 6pm. $50-$70. A Night in Vienna happens at 860 Western Ave., Petaluma. 8:30pm. $150. 707/778.4398.

Totally Awesome New Year’s Eve Party Break out your best ’80s gear and turn back the clock for a radical NYE celebration at the Flamingo Resort. The ’80s invasion includes throwback party band Aqua Nett and DJ Refugee mixing it up in the ballroom and lounge. Full bars and concessions fuel the fun, and the resort hotel is offering special guest room packages with a deluxe breakfast buffet the next morning. 2777 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 8:30pm. $55-$75. 21 and over. 707/545.8530.

New Year’s Eve Bootleg Ball Can you imagine what New Year’s Eve must have been like during Prohibition? Well, Sonoma Cider is laying out all of the good stuff that came from bootlegging in the Roaring ’20s, including cider, beer, wine, cocktails and bubbly, a load of casino games and live music from local favorites Dixie Giants, Oddjob Ensemble and Hannah Jern-Miller. Three-course dinner options are also available. 44 F Mill St., Healdsburg. 7pm. $65-$150. 21 and over. 707/723.7018.

New Year’s Eve Purple Party If funk is what you want, funk is what you’ll get at this blowout party in Twin Oaks Roadhouse. First up, Bay Area world-beat buzz-makers Free Peoples set the tone with a mix of soul, reggae and funk that has defined the band since 2005. Then, Sonoma County’s Marshall House Project lays down some of the slickest grooves this side of the Family Stone with eclectic and energetic rhythms. 5745 Old Redwood Hwy., Penngrove. 9pm. $25. 21 and over. 707/795.5118.

NAPA COUNTY

Brian Culbertson Since opening in downtown Napa, Blue Note Jazz Club has brought world-class talent to one of the North Bay’s most intimate stages. This New Year’s, Blue Note welcomes back multi-instrumentalist Brian Culbertson for three nights of music, including a jazzy New Year’s Eve celebration. Dec 29-31. 1030 Main St., Napa. Friday and Saturday, 7:30pm and 9:30pm; Sunday, 7:30pm and 10:30pm. $55 and up, $69-$99 NYE show. 707/880.2300.

Red Tie Affair The Westin Verasa in Napa is seeing double and throwing not one, but two parties to ring in 2018. First up, a dinner party at La Toque offers a champagne reception before a sumptuous six-course dinner with a sommelier wine pairing option. After the meal, a Red Tie Affair kicks off next door at Bank Café & Bar, with dancing and cocktails leading up to the champagne toast. 1314 Mckinstry St., Napa. Dinner at 7:30pm; after party at 9pm. $75 and up. 888/627.7169.

Carlos Reyes & Friends If formal attire is not your forte, Napa also offers an electric and eclectic night of music from renowned Bay Area harpist and violinist Carlos Reyes, who welcomes several special guests to Silo’s for two shows. Special desserts, party favors, bubbly and down-home fun culminate in two ball drops, one for each coast. 530 Main St., Napa. 7pm, 10pm. $75-$100. 707/251.5833.

New Year’s Eve Dinner Train The Napa Wine Train is a popular adventure for North Bay wine and travel enthusiasts, and this New Year’s Eve event boasts a night of culinary delights aboard the train. Sparkling wine and appetizers await you at the station, and a decadent four-course meal is served while the sights of the Napa Valley pass you by during a three-and-a-half-hour ride. 1275 McKinstry St., Napa. Reception at 5pm, train boarding begins at 6pm. $229 and up. 800/427.4124.

New Year’s Eve Dinner & Party at Silverado The resort makes a day of it with a New Year’s Eve dinner that features four courses and includes complimentary admission to the big party, which features DJs spinning the hits, party favors and a sparkling wine toast at the midnight balloon drop. 1600 Atlas Peak Rd., Napa. Dinner, 5 to 9, $30-$90. Party, 9pm, $35. 707/257.5400.

Hero & Zero: Wonder Dog & Save Our Ocean

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Hero & Zero: Wonder Dog & Save Our Ocean

Hero: It’s just like a man to climb a ladder with no one around to help steady it. Unfortunately, that’s what Michael from Mill Valley did and he has the battle wounds to prove it. He fell off the ladder while changing a light bulb in his garage, fracturing three vertebrae in the process. As he lay moaning on the driveway, no one heard his cries, except for one very smart poodle that lives across the street. Pete, a 7-year-old pup rescued from a local shelter, began barking incessantly. His mother opened her front door, but saw nothing. Still Pete continued to bark madly, which motivated her to go outside. It was then that she found Michael and Pete ceased his clamor. Good boy, Pete, good boy.

Zero: Enough already with this Trump. In addition to the Utah national monuments that he’s opened up for mining and drilling, he’s now placing three pristine marine national monuments on his hit list: The Pacific Remote Islands, Rose Atoll and the Northeast Canyons and Seamount. Established under the last two presidents, these monuments protect some of the healthiest coral reefs and marine wildlife in the world, including endangered sea turtles, whales and sharks. “I personally have dived some of these islands and seen and documented their indescribable biodiversity and richness,” said David McGuire, a marine biologist and founder of the nonprofit Shark Stewards. “This unprecedented act is an outright theft of our shared national treasures.” Call Trump at 202/456-1111 to tell him to keep his little hands off.

Free Will Astrology

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Free Will Astrology

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Your life in the first half of 2018 will be like a psychological boot camp that’s designed to beef up your emotional intelligence. Here’s another way to visualize your oncoming adventures: They will constitute a friendly nudge from the cosmos, pushing you to be energetic and ingenious in creating the kind of partnerships you want for the rest of your long life. As you go through your interesting tests and riddles, be on the lookout for glimpses of what your daily experience could be like in five years if you begin now to deepen your commitment to love and collaboration.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You’ll soon have a chance to glide out into the frontier. I suggest that you pack your bag of tricks. Bring gifts with you, too, just in case you must curry favor in the frontiers where the rules are a bit loose. How are your improvisational instincts? Be sure they’re in top shape. How willing are you to summon spontaneity, deal with unpredictability and try impromptu experiments? I hope you’re very willing. This may sound like a lot of work, but I swear it’ll be in a good cause. If you’re well-prepared as you wander in the borderlands, you’ll score sweet secrets and magic cookies. Here’s more good news: Your explorations will position you well to take advantage of the opportunities that’’ll become available throughout 2018.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): These days it’s not unusual to see male celebrities who shave their heads. Bruce Willis, Dwayne Johnson, Seal, Tyrese Gibson and Vin Diesel are among them. But in the 20th century, the bare-headed style was rare. One famous case was actor Yul Brynner. By age 30, he’d begun to go bald. In 1951, for his role as the King of Siam in the Broadway play The King and I, he decided to shave off all of his hair. From then on, the naked-headed look became his trademark as he plied a successful acting career. So he capitalized on what many in his profession considered a liability. He built his power and success by embracing an apparent disadvantage. I recommend that you practice your own version of this strategy in 2018. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to begin.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): In the Northern Hemisphere, where 88 percent of the world’s population resides, this is a quiescent time for the natural world. Less sunlight is available, and plants’ metabolisms slow down as photosynthesis diminishes. Deciduous trees lose their leaves, and even many evergreens approach dormancy. And yet in the midst of this stasis, Cancerian, you are beginning to flourish. Gradually at first, but with increasing urgency, you’re embarking on an unprecedented phase of growth. I foresee that 2018 will be your Year of Blossoming.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): If you’ve had an unfulfilled curiosity about genealogy, your ancestors or the riddles of your past, 2018 will be a favorable time to investigate. Out-of-touch relatives will be easier to locate than usual. Lost heirlooms, too. You may be able to track down and make use of a neglected legacy. Even family secrets could leak into view—both the awkward and the charming kinds. If you think you have everything figured out about the people you grew up with and the history of where you came from, you’re in for surprises.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Most of us regard our ring fingers as the least important of our digits. What are they good for? Is there any activity for which they’re useful? But our ancestors had a stronger relationship with their fourth fingers. There was a folk belief that a special vein connected the fourth finger on the left hand directly to the heart. That’s why a tradition arose around the wedding ring being worn there. It may have also been a reason why pharmacists regarded their fourth fingers as having an aptitude for discerning useful blends of herbs. I bring this up, Virgo, because I think it’s an apt metaphor for one of 2018’s important themes: A resource you have underestimated or neglected will be especially valuable—and may even redefine your understanding of what’s truly valuable.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In fairy tales, characters are often rewarded for their acts of kindness. They may be given magical objects that serve as protection, like cloaks of invisibility or shoes that enable them to flee trouble. Or the blessings they receive may be life-enhancing, like enchanted cauldrons that provide a never-ending supply of delicious food or musical instruments that have the power to summon delightful playmates. I bring this up, Libra, because I suspect that a similar principle will be very active in your life during 2018. You’ll find it easier and more natural than usual to express kindness, empathy and compassion. If you consistently capitalize on this predilection, life will readily provide you with the resources you need.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Like all of us, you go through mediocre phases when you’re not functioning at peak efficiency. But I suspect that in 2018 you will experience fewer of these blah times. We will see a lot of you at your best. Even more than usual, you’ll be an interesting catalyst who energizes and ripens collaborative projects. You’ll demonstrate why the sweet bracing brightness needs the deep dark depths, and vice versa. You’ll help allies open doors that they can’t open by themselves. The rest of us thank you in advance!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The blunt fact is that you can’t be delivered from the old demoralizing pattern that has repeated and repeated itself—until you forgive yourself completely. For that matter, you probably can’t move on to the next chapter of your life story until you compensate yourself for at least some of the unnecessary torment you’ve inflicted on yourself. Now here’s the good news: 2018 will be an excellent time to accomplish these healings.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In 2018, one of your primary missions will be to practice what you preach; to walk your talk; to be ambitious and masterful in all of the ways a soulful human can and should be ambitious and masterful. Live up to your hype in the coming months, Capricorn! Do what you have promised! Stop postponing your dreams! Fulfill the noble expectations you have for yourself! Don’t be shy about using exclamation points to express your visions of what’s right, good and just!

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Years ago, when I started my career as a horoscope writer, my editor counseled me, “Always give priority to the Big Three. Romance, money and power are what people care about most.” After a few months, he was disgruntled to realize that I wrote about how to cultivate psychological health and nourish spiritual aspirations as much as his Big Three. He would have replaced me if he could have found another astrology writer whose spelling and grammar were as good as mine. But his edict traumatized me a bit. Even today, I worry that I don’t provide you with enough help concerning the Big Three. Fortunately, that’s not relevant now, since I can sincerely declare that 2018 will bring you chances to become more powerful by working hard on your psychological health … and to grow wealthier by cultivating your spiritual aspirations … and to generate more love by being wise and ethical in your quest for money and power.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): What binds you? What keeps you closed down and locked up? I urge you to ponder those questions, Pisces. Once you get useful answers, the next step will be to meditate on how you can undo the binds. Fantasize and brainstorm about the specific actions you can take to unlock and unclose yourself. This project will be excellent preparation for the opportunities that the coming months will make available to you. I’m happy to announce that 2018 will be your personal Year of Liberation.

Homework: Write a parable or fairy tale that captures what your life has been like in 2017. Testify at Freewillastrology.com.

Advice Goddess

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Advice Goddess

Q: I’m a married lesbian in my 50s. I blew up my happy marriage by having an affair with somebody I didn’t love and wasn’t even that attracted to. Now my wife, whom I love very much, is divorcing me. Why did I cheat on her? I don’t understand my own behavior.—Lost

A: There are those special people you meet who end up changing your life—though ideally not from happily married person to lonely, middle-aged divorcee living in a mildewy studio.

There’s a widespread assumption that “a happy marriage is insurance against infidelity,” explained the late infidelity researcher Shirley Glass. Even she used to assume that. But, her research (and that of subsequent researchers) finds that even happily married people end up cheating—for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they want better sex or even just different sex. Sometimes they want an ego shine. And sometimes they feel that something’s missing within them. But soul-searching is emotionally grubby, tedious work, so they first look for that missing something in the nearest hot person’s underpants.

It seems inexplicable (and borderline crazy) that you risked everything you care about for somebody you find kind of meh—until you look at this through the lens of “bounded rationality.” “Bounded rationality” is the late Nobel Prize-winning cognitive scientist Herbert Simon’s term for the constraints on our ability to make truly reasoned, rational decisions. These decision-making constraints include having a limited time to make a choice and limited cognitive ability.

We can end up engaging in what psychologists call “framing,” a sort of selecta-vision in which we make decisions based on whichever part of the picture happens to be in mental focus at the time.

For some people, behavior from their spouse that suggests, “Ha-ha … crossed my fingers during that vows thing!” is simply a deal-breaker. But say that your wife still loves you and is mainly leaving because she feels that she can’t trust you. (A partner who inexplicably cheats is a partner there’s no stopping from inexplicably cheating again.)

If you can explain—though not excuse!—your thinking (or nonthinking) at the time, maybe your wife will agree to try couples therapy, at least for a few months. Bounded rationality aside, I suspect that you’re unlikely to cheat again.

Q: How long does it take to get over someone? One friend said it takes half as long as you were together, and another said it takes twice that time.—Recently Dumped

A: Sometimes it takes a while to let go, but sometimes you’re so ready that you’d chase the person off your porch with a shotgun (if you had a porch or a shotgun and weren’t afraid of doing time on a weapons charge).

Your friends, with their precise breakup timetables, are confusing emotional recovery with mass transit. The reality is, people vary—like in how naturally resilient they are—and so do relationships.

Sadness after a breakup can feel like the pointless adult version of getting grounded indefinitely. However, as I’ve written in previous columns, psychiatrist and evolutionary psychologist Randolph Nesse explains that sadness appears to be “adaptive”— meaning that it has useful functions. For example, the “disengagement” from motivation that accompanies sadness gives us time to process what happened, possibly helping us learn from our mistakes instead of inviting them back in for an eggnog.

Accordingly, a way to heal emotionally is to find meaning within your mistakes—figuring out what you might have seen or done differently, which tells you what you should probably do differently in the future. In other words, think of the sadness holding you down not as your hostage-taker but as your helper. Deliberately using it that way might even help you curb the impatience that leads some to start dating before they’re actually ready. Sure, on a first date, it’s good to give a guy the sense that you’re passionate and emotionally present, but probably not by sobbing uncontrollably when he asks whether you want a latte.

This Week in the Pacific Sun

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This Week in the Pacific Sun

This week in the Pacific Sun, our cover story, ‘The Year in Review,’ recaps 2017—the good, the bad and the ugly. On top of that, we’ve got the lowdown on Lawson’s Landing, a gluten-free recipe from Flour Craft Bakery, a story about believing in Santa and an interview with band The Brothers Comatose. All that and more on stands and online today! 

Film: Heartbreak Kid

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Film: Heartbreak Kid

Manohla Dargis of the New York Times says: “You don’t just watch Luca Guadagnino’s movies, you swoon into them.” There was much swoonage to be had in Guadagnino’s I Am Love, but his newest, Call Me by Your Name, invites not a swoon, but perhaps a pitch forward into a doze.

Erotic or sclerotic, it focuses on two American men in a highly unequal relationship in Italy’s Lombardy region in the summer of 1983. Young Elio (Timothée Chalamet) becomes fascinated with a handsome 24-year-old American student named Oliver (Armie Hammer). Oliver has come to stay in the family’s villa for six weeks to assist Elio’s archeologist father (Michael Stuhlbarg).

Working from André Aciman’s novel, scriptwriter James Ivory uses ancient art as a vision of homoeroticism unfrosted by Christianity. This is the kind of idea that gets politely described as so old that it’s new. Oliver strokes the boy with one hand and pushes him away with the other, leaving Elio notes that say things like: “Grow up. I’ll see you at midnight.”

Call Me by Your Name concludes with a much-praised monologue about the difference between old and young love, saying that the aged are no longer capable of the kind of all-consuming love felt in youth. Stuhlbarg delivers the speech with every ounce of his humanity. And not a minute of it can be believed. It’s no favor to his love-scalded son, and it’s hardly true. Age does what it can to put the brakes on the folly of romantic love, but of course, it never stops, all the way to the grave.

Guadagnino shows us Italy—the townscapes of Crema, the country roads, the stunning waterfalls, the villa with its rock-lined swimming pool—this is where the swoon comes in. Do people love the movie, or do they love the real estate?

Film: Sunken Place

The top 10 films of 2017, in alphabetical order are: The Florida Project, Get Out, Lady Bird, The Shape of Water, The Square, Twin Peaks: The Return, War for the Planet of the Apes, Whose Streets?, Wonderstruck and Wonder Woman. Watching Wonder Woman was the first two hours since the Inauguration that made me forget about Trump. Most of the...
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Arts: Stage on Screen

Marin has an insatiable craving for the arts; hence the reason why live cinema and performance events thrive in this region. Gone are the days when being physically present for a live concert, play, opera or ballet was a requirement. Now there’s a shortcut to seeing the world’s foremost companies perform live—and it’s from the comfort of your local...
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Food & Drink: Artisan Vegan

When Dawn Yun became a vegetarian more than 25 years ago, she was dismayed by how few delicious meat-free food options were available. It wasn’t until she tasted a flavor-packed cashew butter product that she decided to develop a vegan spread that everyone could enjoy without compromising on flavor. “I didn’t want my creation to taste like a stereotypical vegan...
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Upfront: Warning Signs

It's no exaggeration to say that I nearly died in the Nuns fire. Around three in the morning on Oct. 9—and without any official warning from anyone (or any device) that a deadly catastrophe was unfolding—I left my home, only to be blinded by heavy smoke and swirling ash as I tried to navigate my car down Bennett Ridge, a...
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Feature: Count It Down

Allow us to be the first to close the books on 2017. With old acquaintances—both forgotten and remembered—we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet, and we’ll start with these New Year’s Eve parties around the North Bay. From delectable dinners to cabaret shows and blowout concerts, here’s a selection of ways to ring in 2018. MARIN COUNTY Noon Year’s Eve Ring...
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Hero & Zero: Wonder Dog & Save Our Ocean

hero and zero
Hero: It’s just like a man to climb a ladder with no one around to help steady it. Unfortunately, that’s what Michael from Mill Valley did and he has the battle wounds to prove it. He fell off the ladder while changing a light bulb in his garage, fracturing three vertebrae in the process. As he lay moaning on...
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Free Will Astrology

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Your life in the first half of 2018 will be like a psychological boot camp that’s designed to beef up your emotional intelligence. Here’s another way to visualize your oncoming adventures: They will constitute a friendly nudge from the cosmos, pushing you to be energetic and ingenious in creating the kind of partnerships you want...
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Advice Goddess

advice goddess
Q: I’m a married lesbian in my 50s. I blew up my happy marriage by having an affair with somebody I didn’t love and wasn’t even that attracted to. Now my wife, whom I love very much, is divorcing me. Why did I cheat on her? I don’t understand my own behavior.—Lost A: There are those special people you...
Read more

This Week in the Pacific Sun

This week in the Pacific Sun, our cover story, 'The Year in Review,' recaps 2017—the good, the bad and the ugly. On top of that, we've got the lowdown on Lawson's Landing, a gluten-free recipe from Flour Craft Bakery, a story about believing in Santa and an interview with band The Brothers Comatose. All that and more on stands and...
Read more

Film: Heartbreak Kid

Manohla Dargis of the New York Times says: “You don’t just watch Luca Guadagnino’s movies, you swoon into them.” There was much swoonage to be had in Guadagnino’s I Am Love, but his newest, Call Me by Your Name, invites not a swoon, but perhaps a pitch forward into a doze. Erotic or sclerotic, it focuses on two American men...
Read more
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