It’s that time of year—to hit the reset button! Yoga classes are filled to capacity, swim lanes are doubled up and the single-track trails of Marin are teeming with determined joggers clad in their newly gifted workout clothes. Here are some healthy food, eating and cooking ideas to help keep you energized while you get “back on the program” in the coming year.
Maria Quintana-Pilling, founder of Urban Spice Nutrition and a certified nutrition consultant and chef, will be offering a class on January 20 from 6-9pm at Taste Kitchen & Table in Fairfax. She’ll teach attendees how to prepare seasonal, organic, healthy and delicious balanced meals. If you register before midnight on January 17, you’ll receive $20 off. And look what’s on the menu: Roasted Chicken with Ginger; Turmeric and Hazelnuts; Green Lentils & Rice with Nutmeg & Cinnamon; Spice-Rubbed Skirt Steak with Southwest Cactus Salsa; Mixed Greens with Tomato & Avocado; and Chocolate Chip Cookies. Register and learn more at mariaquintanapilling.com.
Good bars are hard to find. Not that kind of bar. Original FreshBite Bars are chewy energy bombs, chock-full of organic oats, tart cherries, almond butter, coconut and chocolate chips—and best of all, they are made right here in San Rafael. Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Sonya Bolch Angelone began her company, FreshBite, with this product, and she now has a total of five different flavors to choose from. Order online at freshbitebars.com or call 415/317-6248.
For those who are fans of juice cleanses, there are three Marin retail locations of Urban Remedy that offer everything from healthy meal plans and detailed juices regimens to nut milks and teas. Tonics and broths—with claims of staving off colds and boosting immune systems—are also on the shelves. There’s an Immunity Kit that includes Chinese herbal teas, vitamin-packed juices, a potassium broth and carrot curry crackers, and the staff can even tailor kits and cleanses for individual needs and concerns. Find all of this and more at 1904 Fourth Street in San Rafael, 15 East Blithedale Ave. in Mill Valley and at 238 Magnolia Ave. in Larkspur. Ordering online is also an option at urbanremedy.com.
Finally, if you haven’t tried an acai bowl yet, head over to Mana Bowls in Fairfax and start your morning off with a colorful mound of fresh fruit and granola. Seemingly transplanted directly from a beach in the Hawaiian Islands, this cozy café’s menu focuses on acai berries, known for their high levels of antioxidants. Both savory and sweet options are available, along with a list of smoothies and teas. Visit them at 1930 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. in Fairfax, and learn more at manabowls.com.
If there is such a thing as a one-stop shop for all of those new year aches, kinks and insecurities, that would be The BodySong Massage Center and School, a healing center and education temple in Novato. Rachael Angelese, founder, certified master healer, bodyworker and educator, isn’t a stranger to anxiety and fear of the unknown—in 2007, she was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin lymphoma. Overcoming the scary disease led to shaping and honing new concepts in her practice: The Infinity Wave, attentiveness to the body’s energy cycles and rhythms, and the Golden Path, a teaching method in which students learn to “help the body go into a deeper state of unwinding, and can move stuck energy, allowing the system to regenerate.” The wave and beach connotations of these names aren’t accidental—Angelese grew up in New Zealand, and draws great inspiration from nature.
Along with massage programs and courses, BodySong offers custom massages by Angelese and experienced practitioners, as well as services—from coaching to hypnotherapy to acupuncture—by different specialists ready to tackle any mind and body problem that the shift into 2016 might bring. “My intent is to reach more
Rachael Angelese, founder of The BodySong Center and School, equips students with groundbreaking insights and skills.
people than I am able to personally touch in my practice,” Angelese says, “to help more people connect to the heart of our being, to staying present with compassion, and trusting the unfoldment of our individual healing journey.”
Prior to the grand spiritual journey, however, it would be nice to figure massages out, once and for all. The most relaxing activity on earth doesn’t come naturally to many, and there are plenty of questions and confusions out there, from the right practice to those embarrassing tickles. Since Angelese, a massage therapist of 20 years, would be the perfect person to address them, we asked her a few—so that you don’t have to.
Flora Tsapovsky: How should I ask the therapist for what I need?
Rachael Angelese: “The massage therapist is there for you and the benefit of your healing. If you are experiencing too much or not enough pressure from the therapist or experiencing pain, please let them know. In my practice, I ask the client about the pressure being given, and listen for subtle cues such as the client’s breath, or hesitation in their answer to make sure they are receiving what they want from the massage.
“There should be no concern that you will offend the therapist, as we truly want your comfort so you can deeply relax and feel supported. Communicating openly with your therapist is important and appreciated for what you want or don’t want in a massage. With that being said, an experienced therapist will sense and know what is needed in the body that may differ from where you are experiencing pain.”
How do I find the right massage therapist for me?
“Just as each artist, musician and designer is unique, so is each massage therapist. With that in mind, finding the right therapist that resonates with you is important, and not one therapist fits all. With our toolbox of modalities and intuitive gifts, we each differ in styles and expertise. There are usually two common elements we each have, and that is the love of massage and the wish to help people. If you are not having an experience when you get off the table of feeling healed and uplifted, then keep looking for the right therapist for you, because it is a very personal choice.”
When and what should I eat before a massage?
“It is best to eat lightly one to two hours prior to receiving a massage, to allow for optimal digestion and comfort. Eating closer to the massage time, or a full meal may be uncomfortable, as the digestive system needs blood to digest food, and massage draws more blood to your extremities. Avoid eating sugar, processed or heavy foods, and drinking coffee or alcohol before a massage to help your digestion, nervous system and lymphatic system. Drinking water before and after is beneficial for your blood circulation and the lymphatic drainage of metabolic wastes from your muscle tissue. This will help your energy levels and prevent nausea.”
How do I know what massage is best for me each time?
“If a client comes to me with low back pain they have had for the past week, the session will be different than if they are coming to unwind and relax. For relaxation, opt for Swedish, Hot Stone, Lomi Lomi—using long soothing gentle strokes. For treating pain and specific conditions—Deep Tissue, or Trigger Point Therapy, Neuromuscular Therapy, Lomi Lomi—focusing on specific areas rather than massaging the whole body to relieve pain. For rejuvenation—Shiatsu, Thai Massage, Breema, Sports Massage, Lomi Lomi—improving the flow of energy in the body, improving flexibility, for athletes. Many therapists use an eclectic blend of techniques throughout the massage to customize to the client’s needs.”
How do I get the most from my massage?
“I always like to ask my client if there is anything in particular they would like from the session. It helps to know if the client would like me to work on certain areas such as their feet and hands, or to concentrate on the areas of pain and compensating muscles, or do they want a full body massage? This inquiry allows me to have an understanding of my client’s wishes for their session. If your therapist doesn’t ask at the check-in, please let them know before you get on the table.”
How much information do I need to tell my massage therapist?
“Certainly communicating any past and current injuries you have, pain you are experiencing and any other medical condition that may be necessary for us to know, such as cancer, vertigo, lyme disease, Parkinson’s, digestion imbalances, just to name a few. It is not necessary to share what you are going through emotionally. However, stored emotions may be released from your body in some sessions, and you may wish to share that you do want relief from a particular stressful time, or are experiencing grief, for example. We do not need to know the details at all, yet knowing the quality of emotion may be helpful for the therapist to support your releasing through touch.”
How can someone NOT love massage?
“Massage is not for everybody. Devoted clients who recommend massage to their friend or family member believing that a session would greatly help them, can be left baffled when the person does not follow through and make an appointment. There are many reasons why some people prefer not to be massaged: Being uncomfortable with being touched by a stranger, even if it is a professional therapist, sensitive to being undressed on a table, having ticklish areas of their body, and they feel instinctively protective, reluctant to feel the painful spots in their body or the fear of being hurt. Also, there may be stored trauma in the body. One thing I have learned from my own healing journey and my years of experience in this work is that we all have our own timing and readiness for this to heal. Whatever the reason may be, it is not one for us to judge or push. It is a very personal decision.
The BodySong Massage Center and School, 100 Professional Center Drive, #112, Novato; 415/308-3930; thebodysong.com.
Getting fit is a New Year’s resolution cliché—the stuff health magazines, health clubs and online listicles thrive on. But how often do commitments to get in shape stick? All the Fitbits and CSA veggie deliveries in the world won’t make it any easier to actually get off your butt and start making exercise a regular and enjoyable part of your life. Too often fitness devolves into a boring gym chore, something you should do but don’t want to do. But fear not. We’ve compiled a list of 10 fun and novel ways to get your body moving. No treadmills required.
Be a Trail Maven
Bay Area–based Trail Mavens is a hiking and adventuring website for women, offering overnight camping trips in Marin County and farther destinations like Tahoe and Big Sur. The Mavens team supplies the gear and food, and serves as guides for participants. In addition to learning essential off-the-grid skills, such as how to pitch a tent, the trips (priced around $400) promise bonding, memories and good old girl power, i.e., climbing that mountain without complaining. Upcoming trips include Point Reyes and Angel Island. Trailmavens.com.
Pound Away
If a workout consisting of rocking drum sticks to infectious music sounds too good to be true, you probably haven’t heard of Pound. The patented technique involves energetic, dynamic moves planned with “strategic distractions” from the cardio effort. Fierce Fitness, the longstanding Santa Rosa destination for all things movement, just added a new Pound class for 2016, and it can be tried for a mere $8 a visit. It’s an excellent way to tone arms and curb work and personal frustrations. Facebook.com/srfiercefitness.
Join the Circus
Ever imagined being a part of Cirque du Soleil? Sonoma’s TrapezePro caters to that fantasy while training body muscles in all sorts of ways. The small studio offers a bunch of classes you’ve probably never tried before: Aerial silk, flying trapeze, trampoline and circus skills. Judging by the way acrobats and trapeze artists usually look, you might want to take all of the classes. They’re $40—not cheap—but the thrills (and bragging rights) are worth it. Trapezepro.com.
Train for the Vineman
We all have that friend, once a normal person, now a marathon junkie, who posts running images on Instagram and gushes over every race they run. Somehow, the triathlon seems the cooler way to go, especially when it’s called Vineman. The Sonoma County twist on the swim, bike, run combo? A scenic path from Guerneville to Windsor, river views, riding through vineyards and wine tasting after the big day. Three races await in March and July, so there’s plenty of time to start a training group. Vineman.com.
Join a New Fitness Studio
There’s something about a new, slick studio that makes jumping into workout mode easier. This year, there are plenty of new places to check out, with everything from Pilates to brutal TRX and beyond. SweatMood (sweatmoodfitness.com) in Santa Rosa specializes in boot camp–like workouts, in a nightclub atmosphere, low lights and bouncy music and all. The minimalist Body by X in Corte Madera (getfitmarin.com) offers indoor cycling and rowing. And in Napa, there’s a brand-new In Shape gym, complete with a photogenic pool and a wide variety of classes (inshape.com/health-clubs/california/napa).
Hop on a Bike
Cycling often doesn’t feel like exercise; pedaling while surrounded by beautiful scenery sounds more like the perfect daytrip. Sonoma County’s Grasshopper Adventure Series capitalizes on this with scenic and moderate-to-grueling rides that range from 27 to 100 miles long. Ride locations include Lake Sonoma, Kings Ridge, Chileno Valley and many others. Grasshopperadventureseries.com.
Put a Mask On
They say wearing layers while working out makes you shed even more pounds. This is pretty much a guarantee with fencing. The Marin Fencing Academy takes the practice very seriously and offers beginner
Take a stab at fencing at the Marin Fencing Academy. Photo courtesy of the Marin Fencing Academy.
adult classes and tournaments. Monthly memberships begin at $130. Have a competitive streak? Like sword fighting? Look no further. Marinfencing.com.
Paddle Away
Paddleboarding looks free-spirited and stylish, but it’s also a strenuous workout. Petaluma’s Clavey Paddlesports offers $70 beginner and advanced stand-up paddle classes in Tomales Bay or on the Petaluma River. It’s fun, but you might be surprised by how hard it is, too. Clavey.com.
Try Piloxing
No, not boozing with pillows. Piloxing combines Pilates and kickboxing. The workout combines interval work and the importance of supplementing muscle strength with outbursts of cardio. Throw weighted gloves and dance moves into the mix, and you’ve got a crazy-effective, slightly terrifying fitness smorgasbord that you simply must try. Pilates Napa Valley (pilatesnapavalley.com) and Bridgeway Gym & Fitness (bridgewaygym.com) in Sausalito are on it, with weekly Piloxing classes for the masses.
Join an Adventurous Meetup
Working out is always better in a supportive group, especially if it’s not really called a workout. Santa Rosa’s Spirit of Adventure Meetup group has more than 1,000 active members and fun, sporty activities to boot, from whitewater rafting to rock climbing. In Marin, the Marin Running Club is perfect for aspirational runners, and Napa-based North Bay Hikers and Backpackers awaits folks who like to burn their calories while looking at nature and chatting with new friends. And the best part? It’s free. Meetup.com/Spirit-of-Adventure; meetup.com/Marin-Running-Club; meetup.com/North-Bay-Hikers-and-Backpackers.
Hero: Why did the elephant seal cross the road? No one knows, but it might have been to find a quiet place to have her baby. Yes, Tolay, the 900-pound elephant seal who made international news last week after her repeated attempts to cross Highway 37, gave birth on Sunday. This happy ending was made possible by many heroes, including the California Highway Patrol, which kept Tolay at bay from the dangers of the road, and the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, which tried to persuade the persistent pinniped to move from Tolay Creek to the ocean. Finally, Tolay was moved to Point Reyes, where the big beautiful mama delivered her precious pup. To help name the pup, visit The Marine Mammal Center’s Facebook page.
Zero: When Linda walked into the crowded West Elm in Strawberry Village, she was overcome with desire. The prices seemed reasonable enough, so she plunked her credit card to order a pair of chairs for her living room. After shipping and something called shipping surcharges, the total was almost $2,500. Six weeks later, the boxes arrived at her home. She carefully screwed in the legs and gave her coveted chairs a cursory inspection: Noticeably crooked seams, thin upholstery wrapped around sharp edges, wood legs with scratches and dings. Disappointed, she took her chairs back to West Elm and pointed out the issues to the store manager. “You’re not shopping at Henredon” the head honcho responded. “What did you expect for $2,500?” Customer service without the attitude.
Got a Hero or a Zero? Please send submissions to ni***************@ya***.com.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): John Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. His novel Of Mice and Men helped win him the award, but it required extra persistence. When he’d almost finished the manuscript, he went out on a date with his wife. While they were gone, his puppy Toby ripped his precious pages into confetti. As mad as he was, he didn’t punish the dog, but got busy on a rewrite. Later he considered the possibility that Toby had served as a helpful literary critic. The new edition of Of Mice and Men was Steinbeck’s breakout book. I’m guessing that in recent months you have received comparable assistance, Aries—although you may not realize it was assistance until later this year.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Remember back to what your life was like during the first nine months of 2004. I suspect that you fell just short of fulfilling a dream. It’s possible that you were too young to have the power you needed. Or maybe you were working on a project that turned out to be pretty good but not great. Maybe you were pushing to create a new life for yourself but weren’t wise enough to make a complete breakthrough. Almost 12 years later, you have returned to a similar phase in your long-term cycle. You are better equipped to do what you couldn’t quite do before: Create the masterpiece, finish the job, rise to the next level.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): To become a skillful singer, you must learn to regulate your breath. You’ve got to take in more oxygen than usual for extended periods, and do it in ways that facilitate rather than interfere with the sounds coming out of your mouth. When you’re beginning, it feels weird to exert so much control over an instinctual impulse, which previously you’ve done unconsciously. Later, you have to get beyond your self-conscious discipline so you can reach a point where the proper breathing happens easily and gracefully. Although you may not be working to become a singer in 2016, Gemini, I think you will have comparable challenges: 1. To make conscious an activity that has been unconscious; 2. To refine and cultivate that activity; 3. To allow your consciously-crafted approach to become unselfconscious again.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Ancient humans didn’t “invent” fire, but rather learned about it from nature and then figured out how to produce it as needed. Ropes had a similar origin. Our ancestors employed long vines made of tough fiber as primitive ropes, and eventually got the idea to braid and knot the vines together for greater strength. This technology was used to hunt, climb, pull, fasten and carry. It was essential to the development of civilization. I predict that 2016 will bring you opportunities that have metaphorical resemblances to the early rope. Your task will be to develop and embellish on what nature provides.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): British author Anthony Trollope (1815-1882) had a day job with the postal service until he was in his fifties. For years he awoke every morning at 5:30 and churned out 2,500 words before heading to work. His goal was to write two or three novels a year, a pace he came close to achieving. “A small daily task, if it really be daily,” he wrote in his autobiography, “will beat the labors of a spasmodic Hercules.” I recommend that you borrow from his strategy in 2016, Leo. Be regular and disciplined and diligent as you practice the art of gradual, incremental success.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Umbrellas shelter us from the rain, saving us from the discomfort of getting soaked and the embarrassment of bad hair. They also protect us from the blinding light and sweltering heat of the sun. I’m very much in favor of these practical perks. But when umbrellas appear in your nightly dreams, they may have a less positive meaning. They can indicate an inclination to shield yourself from natural forces, or to avoid direct contact with primal sensuality. I hope you won’t do much of that in 2016. In my opinion, you need a lot of face-to-face encounters with life in its raw state. Symbolically speaking, this should be a non-umbrella year.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Around the world, an average of 26 languages go extinct every year. But it increasingly appears that Welsh will not be one of them. It has enjoyed a revival in the past few decades. In Wales, it’s taught in many schools, appears on road signs and is used in some mobile phones and computers. Is there a comparable phenomenon in your life, Libra? A tradition that can be revitalized and should be preserved? A part of your heritage that may be useful to your future? A neglected aspect of your birthright that deserves to be reclaimed? Make it happen in 2016.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Fourteenth-century author Geoffrey Chaucer produced a collection of stories known as The Canterbury Tales. It became a seminal text of English literature even though he never finished it. The most influential book ever written by theologian Thomas Aquinas was a work he gave up on before it was completed. The artist Michelangelo never found the time to put the final touches on numerous sculptures and paintings. Why am I bringing this theme to your attention? Because 2016 will be an excellent time to wrap up long-term projects you’ve been working on—and also to be at peace with abandoning those you can’t.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): A bottle of Chateau Cheval Blanc wine from 1947 sold for $304,000. Three bottles of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild from 1869 went for $233,000 apiece. The mystique about aged wine provokes crazy behavior like that. But here’s a more mundane fact: Most wine deteriorates with age, and should be sold within a few years of being bottled. I’m thinking about these things as I meditate on your long-term future, Sagittarius. My guess is that your current labor of love will reach full maturity in the next 18 to 20 months. This will be a time to bring all of your concentration and ingenuity to bear on making it as good as it can be. By September of 2017, you will have ripened it as much as it can be ripened.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In her poem “Tree,” California poet Jane Hirshfield speaks of a young redwood tree that’s positioned next to a house. Watch out! It grows fast—as much as three feet per year. “Already the first branch-tips brush at the window,” Hirshfield writes. “Softly, calmly, immensity taps at your life.” I suspect that this will be an apt metaphor for you in 2016. The expansion and proliferation you have witnessed these past few months are likely to intensify. That’s mostly good, but may also require adjustments. How will you respond as immensity taps at your life?
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Centuries ago, lettuce was a bitter, prickly weed that no one ate. But ancient Egyptians guessed its potential, and used selective breeding to gradually convert it into a tasty food. I see 2016 as a time when you could have a comparable success. Look around at your life, and identify weed-like things that could, through your transformative magic, be turned into valuable assets. The process may take longer than a year, but you can set in motion an unstoppable momentum that will ensure success.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Imagine that a beloved elder has been writing down your life story in the form of a fairy tale. Your adventures aren’t rendered literally, as your waking mind might describe them, but rather through dream-like scenes that have symbolic resonance. With this as our template, I’ll predict a key plot development of 2016: You will grow increasingly curious about a “forbidden” door—a door you have always believed should not be opened. Your inquisitiveness will reach such an intensity that you will consider locating the key for that door. If it’s not available, you may even think about breaking down the door.
Homework: Write a one-page essay entitled “2016 is the Year I Figure Out What I Really Want.”
Q: You responded to a woman who was very proud of herself for leaving the room to compose herself when she got really angry with her boyfriend. It is very unhealthy to stuff your anger. Why would you give this terrible advice—encouraging her to keep holding back—instead of telling her to vent her anger?—A Healthier Way
A: Nothing like screaming obscenities into somebody’s face to get them to respond, “Gosh, I forgot how much I love you. And I really want to make all of those changes in myself.”
Also, unlike a box of Cap’n Crunch, anger does not rapidly get used up. In fact, Charles Darwin observed that raging on will make you even … rage-ier. But thanks to Freud, people still believe that “venting” anger is a healthy way to reduce it. Not because he had actual evidence for that but because he said so and accessorized so credibly, with the cigar, the iconic eyewear and the groovy Viennese fainting couch.
One of the first modern researchers to debunk this myth (back in 1966) was Michael Kahn, then a Harvard grad student who’d actually hoped to demonstrate the benefits of venting anger. Posing as an aggressively rude medical technician, he made seriously insulting remarks while taking subjects’ blood pressure, making them really angry. As part of the study, some subjects were allowed to vent their anger to a researcher posing as Kahn’s supervisor. To Kahn’s surprise, those who did got angrier, and their already-elevated blood pressure took off toward strokesville.
Some people will say, “I don’t care what the dumb research says; I feel better after I blow my lid.” Well, these people still experience all the ill effects of anger on their physical health. The relief they feel is emotional, coming out of how anger arises from the feeling that we’ve been treated unfairly. Raging back makes them feel that they’ve done something to right the balance. However, it also tends to provoke a defensive reaction in the person they’re raging at, so it’s a counterproductive tactic—assuming that they weren’t aspiring to kick off 20 years of trench warfare in the condo commons.
The answer isn’t stuffing your anger; it’s expressing what’s behind it—in a civil discussion instead of a civil war. Controlling the body’s role in anger is an essential part of this. The problem is that surging adrenaline and other elements of the body’s anger response can’t just be thrown into reverse. So, when you feel anger brewing, it’s wise to take a step back—or to do as this woman did and step into another room.
Keeping your cool allows you to present your case—your feeling hurt by somebody’s behavior—in a way that evokes sympathy rather than defensiveness. This is important because sympathy tends to motivate us to do things to make hurting people feel better. This, in turn, bodes better for the future of a relationship—sexy as it can be when a man interrupts a woman’s rage-athon to whisper, “Baby, I don’t mean to turn you on, but that pulsating vein in your forehead looks like an arteriovenous fistula about to blow.”
Q: My girlfriend wants me to compliment her more—to notice how she looks and say something. I know I’m not Mr. Effusive. But honestly, if I didn’t find her hot, I wouldn’t even be with her!—Still Here!
A: It may not come naturally to you to effuse, but civilization is all about doing what doesn’t come naturally. Note that chimps in the wild are rarely observed wearing shoes, ties and cuff links.
Many men complain that women’s idea of communicating what they want is hinting, pouting or slamming drawers while insisting nothing’s wrong. You, however, have a woman who comes right out and tells you, “Here’s what you could do to make me happy,” and it doesn’t even involve risking jail time or going on a double date with her mother. Her simple request: When she’s, say, vacuuming in her new underwear and your jaw drops, run with that. Make it go up and down, and make words come out.
Basically, the terrorism prevention line applies: “If you see something, say something.” Put a daily reminder on your phone if you have to. For added incentive, consider the fringe benefits. Research by social psychologist Sara Algoe finds that the stock-taking that goes into expressing appreciation for a romantic partner actually makes the person doing it feel more satisfied with the relationship. Not surprisingly, being appreciated seems to do the same for the recipient. And yes, you have to do the appreciating using the spoken word. Nonverbal creative alternatives are only (borderline) acceptable if you are a working mime or birthday party clown, and even then, there’s always something lost in translation with balloon animals.
This week in the Pacific Sun, you’ll find our cover story, ‘A Day on Death Row,’ by Tom Gogola. Gogola was one of the reporters allowed into San Quentin last week to view the state’s new lethal-injection facility and speak to the condemned. On top of that, Tanya Henry visits the Wu Wei Tea Temple in Fairfax, Flora Tsapovsky talks to Marin native and aerialist Brennan Figari about his role in ‘Odysseo,’ David Templeton reviews Cinnabar Theater’s ‘Mahalia Jackson: Just As I Am,’ and Charlie Swanson reveals BottleRock’s lineup. And don’t forget: Today is the last day to nominate your Heroes of Marin!
Like a really good punk rock recording, The Big Short is a triumph of snotty tone and fourth-wall breaking, right down the middle between sweet-tempered populism of a Michael Moore, and the smugness of Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street. Director Adam McKay (the Anchorman franchise, Step Brothers) makes grim farce out of the traders who made a mint betting on the financial collapse of ’08. It’s based on the book by Berkeley author Michael Lewis (he also wrote Moneyball); in this fictionalized telling, among the few who understood that AAA-rated mortgages were mixed with useless subprimes was the solitary Silicon Valley physician/founder of Scion Capital Dr. Michael Burry (Christian Bale). Clapping a pair of drumsticks, hanging his jaw in an imitation of a smile, it’s a one-note performance by Bale. Another trader is Mark Baum, a principled Manhattanite who is God’s angry man (a Lee J. Cobbish Steve Carell, in his most impressive movie acting role yet); a guru who quit The Street in disgust (Brad Pitt) and Ryan Gosling as a typical young Wall Street turk—the most cynical of the characters.
McKay makes genial comic use of celebrities, to focus the wandering attention of people who can’t seem to understand how the fleecing worked. If you can’t figure out what a CDO or a subprime mortgage is, what if supermodel Margot Robbie in a bubble bath spelled it out for you? This lightness of tone counterpoints the landscape of financial horror—stories of the so-called “ninja mortgage,” ‘ninja’ an acronym for “no income, no job,” the insane exuberance of the market that turned bankers from dull, solid citizens to frothing gamblers.
The Big Short is short on women, though Melissa Leo and Marisa Tomei provide typically hard-edged supporting work. McKay ends with a new slant on the would-be Capra-style piece de resistance in a more strictly mainstream movie—Carell, giving a speech explaining the intrinsic problem at the heart of committing fraud, has an audience of distracted traders, checking their thrumming cell phones for news of the final swoon of Bear Stearns. In captions, advice by Mark Twain, as well as the words of some guy overheard in a bar, are as dryly funny as The Big Short’s point is urgent. In the end, six million houses were left vacant because of fiscal malfeasance. The people who said it’ll never happen again are also the people who said it would never happen in the first place.
Heading into its fourth year, the North Bay’s big and bold BottleRock Napa Valley music, wine and food festival has announced the lineup for 2016, taking place May 27-29, with headliners the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stevie Wonder and Florence + the Machine.
“Last year went very well,” says Dave Graham, CEO of Latitude 38 Entertainment, the festival’s organizing group. “And the day after, we started anew and reviewed everyone from customers to vendors and partners to figure out where we can improve, and we have been working diligently on that all year.”
That work includes booking bands for the current festival even before last year’s started. “That’s how competitive the festival market can be,” Graham says.
Also confirmed are The Lumineers, Death Cab for Cutie, Lenny Kravitz, Walk the Moon, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Ziggy Marley, Grouplove, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Gogol Bordello, Cold War Kids, Buddy Guy, Jamestown Revival, Ozomatli, Pimps of Joytime, The Pharcyde, Langhorne Slim & the Law and many others.
North Bay and Bay Area talent will also be on display once again this year, with festival favorites Moonalice appearing, as well as Diego’s Umbrella, Royal Jelly Jive, The Deadlies, The Iron Heart, Anadel and more.
“This year, with the credibility we were able to build with the industry and our customers, we’ve been able to bring on an amazing lineup of artists,” Graham says.
Fans of the massively popular Red Hot Chili Peppers will be glad to hear that the flashy funk rockers, who’ve been relatively quiet since releasing their last album in 2011, spent last year back in the studio and are gearing up for a massive 2016, including a top spot at BottleRock.
Soul and Motown legend Stevie Wonder last year proved that he was still one of the most in-demand singers and performers today with an extended, sold-out North American tour, Songs in the Key of Life, a stage adaptation of his ambitious 1976 album of the same name.
London’s longtime indie rock sensation Florence + the Machine round out the headliners for BottleRock 2016 with their own, artful baroque pop fronted by the stunning voice of lead singer Florence Welch.
“We are incredibly excited about what we have in store this year,” Graham says.
BottleRock Napa Valley takes place May 27–29 at the Napa Valley Expo, 575 Third St., Napa. Tickets go on sale Jan 7; bottlerocknapavalley.com.
By Tanya Henry
It’s that time of year—to hit the reset button! Yoga classes are filled to capacity, swim lanes are doubled up and the single-track trails of Marin are teeming with determined joggers clad in their newly gifted workout clothes. Here are some healthy food, eating and cooking ideas to help keep you energized while you get “back on...
By Flora Tsapovsky
If there is such a thing as a one-stop shop for all of those new year aches, kinks and insecurities, that would be The BodySong Massage Center and School, a healing center and education temple in Novato. Rachael Angelese, founder, certified master healer, bodyworker and educator, isn’t a stranger to anxiety and fear of the unknown—in 2007,...
By Flora Tsapovsky
Getting fit is a New Year’s resolution cliché—the stuff health magazines, health clubs and online listicles thrive on. But how often do commitments to get in shape stick? All the Fitbits and CSA veggie deliveries in the world won’t make it any easier to actually get off your butt and start making exercise a regular and enjoyable...
By Nikki Silverstein
Hero: Why did the elephant seal cross the road? No one knows, but it might have been to find a quiet place to have her baby. Yes, Tolay, the 900-pound elephant seal who made international news last week after her repeated attempts to cross Highway 37, gave birth on Sunday. This happy ending was made possible by...
By Rob Brezsny
ARIES (March 21-April 19): John Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. His novel Of Mice and Men helped win him the award, but it required extra persistence. When he’d almost finished the manuscript, he went out on a date with his wife. While they were gone, his puppy Toby ripped his precious pages into...
By Amy Alkon
Q: You responded to a woman who was very proud of herself for leaving the room to compose herself when she got really angry with her boyfriend. It is very unhealthy to stuff your anger. Why would you give this terrible advice—encouraging her to keep holding back—instead of telling her to vent her anger?—A Healthier Way
A: Nothing...
This week in the Pacific Sun, you'll find our cover story, 'A Day on Death Row,' by Tom Gogola. Gogola was one of the reporters allowed into San Quentin last week to view the state's new lethal-injection facility and speak to the condemned. On top of that, Tanya Henry visits the Wu Wei Tea Temple in Fairfax, Flora Tsapovsky...
By Richard von Busack
Like a really good punk rock recording, The Big Short is a triumph of snotty tone and fourth-wall breaking, right down the middle between sweet-tempered populism of a Michael Moore, and the smugness of Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street. Director Adam McKay (the Anchorman franchise, Step Brothers) makes grim farce out of the traders who...
By Charlie Swanson
Heading into its fourth year, the North Bay’s big and bold BottleRock Napa Valley music, wine and food festival has announced the lineup for 2016, taking place May 27-29, with headliners the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stevie Wonder and Florence + the Machine.
“Last year went very well,” says Dave Graham, CEO of Latitude 38 Entertainment, the festival’s...
