How to Toast NYE: A Year in Cocktails (all at once)

Mixology has become so mainstream, in the best way possible, that it would not surprise me to see my New Year’s Eve host make their own infused simple syrup, ferment a shrub, and shake up a creative take on a classic. 

The home liquor cabinet has expanded along with our desire for the new and the nostalgic. In these uncertain times, I’m glad we still have a vibrant beverage culture to spur much-needed conversation and connection. 

In the face of micro-dosing, mocktails, and making America gr– I don’t even want to think about it; I’ll take a cocktail. 

I’ll probably need a few strong ones to wrap up a year like this. After all, it might be our democracy’s last. Although the kids these days have replaced sex and booze with doom scrolling and dab pens, I think mixology is here to stay as long as it continues to evolve and delight. To bring in the new year, let’s honor traditional cocktails, which had their renaissance in the late 90s, and bask in the wave of experimental mixology. 

I’ll start my night with an espresso martini, trendy, yes, but worthy of the hype, mixology at its finest. The flavor profile plays well with the enduring cocktail definition from 1806 as “a stimulating liquor composed of any kind of sugar, water, and bitters.” The caffeine should stimulate me the way Biden stimulated my bank account during COVID-19. Let’s just hope Trump’s tariffs don’t drive up coffee and Kahlua prices or I’ll be drinking cold vodka from a silly glass.    

From there, I’ll move into the one-two punch of an M&M, a shot of 50/50 mezcal and Amaro Montenegro, smokey, bitter, sophisticated. Both Mezcal and amaro are having their moments. Mezcal, older brother to tequila, put Oaxaca on the map and opened our palates to the bolder corners of the Mexican liquor repertoire. While amaros, a category of bittersweet botanical liqueurs, provide Old World familiarity.    

Around the holidays, I always want an aromatic dark purple drink redolent with baking spices. Think cranberry or pomegranate juice, red wine, cinnamon, cloves, rosemary, orange peel—you get the idea. A warm mulled wine steeped with a clove-studded orange or a cranberry martini sweetened with rosemary-infused simple syrup will do the trick. 

2024 saw a trend of savory cocktails, so I might get weird with a hot dog martini, a shot of whisky backed by a warm gulp of salty broth, or a bloody maria (tequila instead of vodka) well after brunch time. 

Join the “dirty” crowd and pour olive juice into anything you’d like. The hot dog martini is essentially an extra dirty martini, one can build those savory flavors into your drink with pickle juice, celery salt, mustard-flavored bitters, and garnish with a lil’ smokey, gherkin and a cherry tomato. It’s not weird when you think about how martinis used to be garnished with a pearl onion. Even throwing a micro pinch of salt in the shaker can enhance your cocktails in a way you didn’t know you needed.

If you’re tired of eggnog and still want something creamy yet bubbly and balanced, try my orange creamsicle gin fizz recipe:

2 oz gin

¾ oz orange vanilla simple syrup

1 oz lemon juice

1 egg white 

Splash of club soda

For the simple syrup, combine ½ cup of sugar with ½ cup of water, orange zest, and a Tablespoon of vanilla extract in a saucepot. Bring to a boil and strain. 

For the cocktail,l add the gin, simple syrup, lemon juice, and egg white to a shaker with no ice. Shake for 20 seconds. 

Add ice and shake for an additional 10 seconds

Pour into a glass and top with a splash of soda water

Enjoy.

Fashion Maven Michelle Moquin

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Style is in Michelle Moquin’s blood. She’s been in fashion her entire working career, designing for anyone who’s anyone in the Bay Area. Thanks to Bonnie Powers (who happens to have been my first profile in March 2023), we connected after a quick introduction at this year’s Marin Fashion Night in Sausalito. 

What do you do? 

I’m a personal wardrobe stylist. I empower women and men by helping them discover their true style. It’s not uncommon for someone to tell me I’ve changed their life. There is nothing better than hearing that. 

Where do you live?  Kentfield.

How long have you lived in Marin? Ever since I was seven years old. 

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

Scouring consignment stores for hidden gems, visiting museums and neighborhoods for inspiration and pampering myself at my club with a good morning workout, sauna and massage. 

If you had to convince someone how awesome Marin is, where would you take them? Sunset on Mt. Tam, Stinson Beach, Muir Beach overlook, Tennessee Valley. 

What’s one thing Marin is missing? A really good supper club/cocktail lounge/dance hall with wonderful R&B, funk, soul disco music. A place where people get dressed up to come together and celebrate life. 

What’s one bit of advice you’d share with your fellow Marinites? Get out of the rut of your habits. Marin is filled with interesting places and things to do. Think, “Never been there, never done that.” Then go explore. 

If you could ask anyone to join you at dinner, whom would you invite? Michelle and Barack Obama, Cleopatra, Stephen Hawking or an alien from another planet.  

What’s some advice you wish you knew 20 years ago? To trust my intuition, and know that I can’t do it all alone. Spend my time doing what I love, and hire others to do the rest. 

What’s something that 20 years from now will seem cringeworthy? Spending hours upon hours losing ourselves in the rabbit hole of social media when the juice and the joy are in true face-to-face connection. 

Big question. What’s one thing you’d do to change the world? Develop a matriarchal society with equality for all. It’s time for women to be at the helm. 

Keep up with Moquin at @moquinmichelle and @silverbeauty.michelle or at michellemoquin.com.

Nish Nadaraja was on the founding team at Yelp. See what he’s up to at @IveGotNissues.

Marin’s Best Bars Mixing One Drink, Two Drink, Red Drink, Blue Drink

New Year’s Eve is only a couple of weeks away. 

What better way to celebrate the end of 2024 than by imbibing the year’s final days away with a mixed drink or two…or three…maybe four or more; we’ll see? 

Whatever number of cocktails it takes to get festively and safely inebriated for the holidays, now’s the time to indulge since those pesky New Year’s resolutions are right around the corner.

Happy holidays, everyone—our gift to our readers is this handy-dandy (if biased to the writer’s tastes) list of Marin’s best cocktail bars, clubs and otherwise to help keep the spirits high till 2025. Cheers, and happy early New Year!

California Gold

When in Marin, the top place for kickass cocktails is, of course, California Gold. This beverage-slinging establishment has more cocktail options than Santa has holly, jolly elves. Hell, there are even some bangin’ nonalcoholic cocktails on the Temperance Menu that can cater to the local sober folks who still want to celebrate the holidays with a glass of something fancy-schmancy and tasty. 

For those craving something a little stronger, the must-try items on the menu are (currently and in my opinion) the exciting variety of seasonal hot spiked drinks. So, one may come on out to California Gold before the New Year for some excellent customer service, a stellar ambiance and a boozy hot chocolate so good it would warm the Grinch’s heart…especially the spicy Mexican hot chocolate. Yum! California Gold is located at 848 B St. in San Rafael.

Corner Bar

Cocktail lovers will want to put a trip to Corner Bar on their Christmas list this year since the drinks and edible delicacies over there are beyond top-tier. This new(ish) establishment has beverages that will absolutely knock those stockings straight off. So one may want to bring a spare pair and try not to order too many of the deep-fried duck wings (which is impossible since they’re so good; but still do try). 

And to make Corner Bar even more of a must-visit holiday outing, the Bear Necessities menu sure fixes that with $10 “today only” cocktail options that’ll help with keeping that wallet flush with funds for 2025…the espresso martini and the mojito are both amazing beverages from this menu selection. Plus, the $15 each menu entitled “The Essentials” is stacked high with tasty drinks that are still far from costing an arm and a leg. So, it’s time to put a trip to Corner Bar on that Christmas list and get ready to partay one’s way into the New Year with Marin’s finest (cocktails, that is). Corner Bar is located at 106 Throckmorton Ave. in Mill Valley.

The Speakeasy

Everyone loves a speakeasy. And short of a trip out to the Big Easy, few places in Marin serve up better cocktails with a cooler ambiance. Whether customers of The Speakeasy are looking for a classic cocktail done right or something a little bit more fancy, there are enough options to cater to even the most particular of cocktail enthusiasts. They even serve up some food to soak up all those festive holiday celebrations.  The Speakeasy is located at 504 Alameda Del Prado in Novato.

No Name Bar

Everyone remembers Rudolph, but what about No Name…Bar, that is? This iconic establishment has been serving libations to Marin’s citizens since Santa still had a bit of red in his beard. And don’t let the comfortable, casual ambiance of No Name Bar fool—the cocktails there are absolutely bangin’. No Name Bar is the perfect pitstop for just about any occasion, and patrons stop by on their way home for an afterparty nightcap or before going to a fancy dinner for two at some waterfront Sausalito restaurant. No Name Bar is located at 757 Bridgeway in Sausalito.

Rancho Nicasio

To party in the New Year in West Marin, few could argue against Rancho Nicasio’s hold on the hearts and tastebuds of locals and transients alike. The cocktails out at Rancho Nicasio are incredible, but the ambiance really takes the cake…especially if a more rustic pre-New York drinks thing feels more on the (Rudolph’s) nose for the holiday vibe. Just remember that the roads out to West Marin are a bit windy, so be extra careful arranging that designated driver to get home safe and sound after all the celebrations are done. Rancho Nicasio is located at 1 Old Rancheria Rd. in Nicasio.

Peri’s Tavern

Peri’s Tavern isn’t what one would call artisanal, and that’s kind of the whole point…while other establishments can delight patrons with imported ingredients and enough pomp and circumstance to last till next Christmas, Peri’s brings the party that’ll put all those cocktails to good use. Just jingle bell rock on over to Fairfax and let Peri’s provide all the joy and good cocktails/beer. Peri’s Tavern is located at 29 Broadway in Fairfax.

State Room

Those who enjoy downright delicious cocktails paired with classic, incredibly high-quality food fare won’t want to pass up a visit to State Room before/for the New Year. In fact, State Room is good enough to add last-minute to that 2024 bucket list. From Bloody Marys to something fruity (and all the fries and flights of beer in between), there’s something for just about everyone at this, Marin’s top-tier American brewery and bar. State Room is located at 1132 4th St. in San Rafael.

HopMonk Tavern

HopMonk Tavern keeps things really holly and jolly for the holidays, and the fully-stocked bar is far from the exception to this rule. This tavern is the place to be if casual yet consistently quality drinks are the priority for celebrating the end of 2024. Plus, there’s no shortage of tasty bites to eat at HopMonk, and it never hurts to consume some calories of the solid variety to help fuel all those drinks and all that dancing one will be doing between now and the New Year.  HopMonk Tavern is located at 224 Vintage Way in Novato.

Everyone knows that the end of December is the best time to get a bit tipsy. So, do some civic duty and stimulate the local economy by shopping small (even when it comes to alcohol). A bar crawl may be an unconventional route toward being a good samaritan, but don’t let the haters stop y’all from hitting up some or all of these spots for or before the New Year. It’s hard work keeping Marin’s bars and cocktail lounges well-funded, but that won’t stop Marin’s citizens from doing their best. It’s for a good cause, after all. 

Happy holidays, stay safe and don’t drive drunk unless you want Santa/the police to put you on the naughty list.

‘Gladiator’ all over: Try on these sword-and-sandals epics

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Regarding Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, the sequel to his Gladiator (2000): What would the world do without gladiator movies? The ones set in the ancient Roman Empire, of course, preferably in the vast and menacing Colosseum. Where else would audiences get their regular dose of metaphorical decadence, cruelty and bloodshed, from the bad old days before killer drones and social media?

To help prospective audiences sort through the swords and sandals, here’s a handy overview of some noteworthy gladiator pics, the gaudier the better:

Old-fashioned filmmakers understood that if they wanted to get away with murder, perversion and other naughty ancient pastimes, they needed to present them in a suitably religious wrapper to placate the censors. The sorrowful plight of persecuted Christians dying in the Colosseum fit the bill nicely for director Cecil B. DeMille, whose The Sign of the Cross (1932) featured singing martyrs being torn apart by lions, sexy Claudette Colbert as Empress Poppaea and the perfervid hamming of Charles Laughton as mad Emperor Nero.

Mervyn LeRoy and Anthony Mann’s Quo Vadis (1951) upped the ante in all categories. Actor Peter Ustinov’s Nero has never been surpassed for inspired fruity insanity, and the requisite conscientious objector role of court-satirist Gaius Petronius Arbiter, author of the Satyricon, is ably handled by British thespian Leo Genn. That Technicolor blood is RED.

Spartacus (1960), the epic story of the rebellious slave/gladiator whose name later became a rallying cry for social revolutionaries, was a major career highlight for both actor Kirk Douglas and director Stanley Kubrick. The presence of tough guys Woody Strode and Charles McGraw at the gladiator academy set the violent parameters for every “savage Roman Empire” movie that followed, including Gladiator II.

For drive-in-style thrills and laffs, the 1973 Roger Corman production The Arena opened up new avenues of cheap sadism, as captured barbarian female warriors Pam Grier, a Nubian princess, and Margaret Markov, a Gallic amazon, take on all comers in the title venue. The joyous absurdity of movies like this naturally led to jokes from the Monty Python troupe. Their Life of Brian (1979) ramps up the iconoclastic irony, and the mayhem, with scenes of gladiatorial combat—“Children’s Matinee” at the Jerusalem Colosseum—and the funniest mass crucifixion ever staged. It’s directed by the Pythons’ Terry Jones, who also plays the Virgin Mandy.

And then there’s Barabbas (1961), with Anthony Quinn as the law-breaking would-be-martyr whose place on the cross was taken by a certain rabble-rousing carpenter from Nazareth—directed by Richard Fleischer. Or 1954’s Demetrius and the Gladiators, starring Victor Mature as yet another doomed slave/combatant with a guilty Christian itch that needs scratching. Throughout motion picture history, moviemakers looking for a way to get sweaty swordplay and religious platitudes—plus a little sex—on the same super-duper screen went to the Romans-versus-Christians spectacle well repeatedly.

Scott’s Gladiator II follows the blueprint faithfully. Fearsome captured fighter Lucius (Paul Mescal), son of the late Maximus (Russell Crowe, from the previous installment), also happens to be the long-lost grandson of the noble emperor Marcus Aurelius. So he’s not just some ignorant prole. Lucius’ gory exploits in the Colosseum naturally gratify his mother Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, one of the film’s best performances), but not so much the unscrupulous gladiator dealer Macrinus (Denzel Washington, also in fine form).

The “twin emperors” Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger), a pair of pallid, effete boobies, mince around the palace while gladiators are disemboweled and party guests are served a buffet from the head of a rhinoceros. Sample dialogue: “This city is diseased.” 

Filmmaker Scott’s visuals are as sumptuous, and obviously expensive, as usual, but this is plainly a rehash of familiar material, garnished with nonstop brutal action and a certifiable hint that the Roman populace is fed up with bread and circuses presented by utterly corrupt rulers. Maybe that applies to the rest of us as well.

In theaters

Free Will Astrology: Week of Dec. 18

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): If you worked eight hours per day, seven days a week, it would take you 300 years to count to the number one billion. I don’t recommend you try that. I also discourage you from pursuing other trivial tasks with zero power to advance your long-term dreams. In a similar spirit, I will ask you to phase out minor longings that distract you from your major longings. Please, Aries, I also beg you to shed frivolous obsessions that waste energy; you should instead devote your time to passionate fascinations. The counsel I’m offering here is always applicable, of course, but you especially need to heed it in the coming months.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In 1951, minister and author Norman Vincent Peale was working on a new book. As he wrote, he would regularly read passages to his wife, Ruth. She liked it a lot, but he was far less confident in its worth. After a while, he got so discouraged he threw the manuscript in the trash. Unbeknownst to him, Ruth retrieved it and stealthily showed it to her husband’s publisher, who loved it. The book went on to sell five million copies. Its title? The Power of Positive Thinking. I hope that in 2025, you will benefit from at least one equivalent to Ruth in your life, Taurus. Two or three would be even better. You need big boosters and fervent supporters. If you don’t have any, go round them up.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I love how colorfully the creek next to my house expresses itself. As high tide approaches, it flows south. When low tide is on its way, it flows north. The variety of its colors is infinite, with every shade and blend of green, grey, blue and brown. It’s never the same shape. Its curves and width are constantly shifting. Among the birds that enhance its beauty are mallards, sandpipers, herons, grebes, egrets and cormorants. This magnificent body of water has been a fascinating and delightful teacher for me. One of my wishes for you in 2025, Gemini, is that you will commune regularly with equally inspiring phenomena. I also predict you will do just that. Extra beauty should be on your agenda!

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Just 81 billionaires have commandeered half of the world’s wealth. Even worse, those greedy hoarders are usually taxed the least. That’s hard to believe! How is it even possible that such a travesty has come to pass? I also wonder if many of us non-billionaires have milder versions of these proclivities. Are there a few parts of me that get most of the goodies that my life provides, while other parts of me get scant attention and nourishment? The answer is yes. For example, the part of me that loves to be a creative artist receives much of my enthusiasm, while the part of me that enjoys socializing gets little juice. How about you, Cancerian? I suggest you explore this theme in the coming weeks and months. Take steps to achieve greater parity between the parts of you that get all they need and the parts of you that don’t.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Anthropologist Robin Dunbar theorizes that most of us have limits to our social connections. Typically, our closest circle includes five loved ones. We may also have 15 good friends, 50 fond allies, 150 meaningful contacts and 1,500 people we know. If you are interested in expanding any of these spheres, Leo, the coming months will be an excellent time to do so. In addition, or as an alternative, you might also choose to focus on deepening the relationships you have with existing companions and confederates.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Uncle Tom’s Cabin was the best-selling novel of the 19th century. It was written by a Virgo, Harriet Beecher Stowe. Her story about the enslavement of African Americans in the U.S. was not only popular. It awakened many people to the intimate horrors of the calamity—and ultimately played a key role in energizing the abolitionist movement. I believe you are potentially capable of achieving your own version of that dual success in the coming months. You could generate accomplishments that are personally gratifying even as they perform a good service for the world.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): According to my reading of the astrological omens, you will be teased with an abundance of invitations to grow in 2025. You will be encouraged to add to your current skills and expertise. You will be nudged to expand your understanding of what exactly you are doing here on planet Earth. That’s not all, Libra! You will be pushed to dissolve shrunken expectations, transcend limitations and learn many new lessons. Here’s my question: Will you respond with full heart and open mind to all these possibilities? Or will you sometimes neglect and avoid them? I dare you to embrace every challenge that interests you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio-born Rudolf Karel was a 20th-century Czech composer who created 17 major works, including symphonies and operas. His work was interrupted when Nazi Germany invaded and occupied his homeland. He joined the Czech resistance, but was eventually arrested and confined to Pankrác Prison. There he managed to compose a fairy-tale opera, Three Hairs of the Wise Old Man. No musical instruments were available in jail, of course, so he worked entirely in his imagination and wrote down the score using toilet paper and charcoal. I firmly believe you will not be incarcerated like Karel in the coming months, Scorpio. But you may have to be extra resourceful and resilient as you find ways to carry out your best work. I have faith that you can do it!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): What is the perfect gift I could offer you this holiday season? I have decided on a large square black box with nothing inside. There would be a gold ribbon around it bearing the words “The Fruitful Treasure of Pregnant Emptiness.” With this mysterious blessing, I would be fondly urging you to purge your soul of expectations and assumptions as you cruise into 2025. I would be giving you the message, “May you nurture a freewheeling voracity for novel adventures and fresh experiences.”

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): One of my paramount wishes for you in 2025 is this: You will deepen your devotion to taking good care of yourself. You will study and learn more about the sweet secrets to keeping yourself in prime mental and physical health. I’m not suggesting you have been remiss about this sacred work in the past. But I am saying that this will be a favorable time to boost your knowledge to new heights about what precisely keeps your body and emotions in top shape. The creative repertoire of self-care that you cultivate in the coming months will serve you well for the rest of your long life.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): To fulfill your life mission, to do what you came here to earth to do, you must carry out many tasks. One of the most important is to offer your love with hearty ingenuity. What are the best ways to do that? Where should you direct your generous care and compassion? And which recipients of your blessings are likely to reciprocate in ways that are meaningful to you? While Jupiter is cruising through Gemini, as it is now and until June 2025, life will send you rich and useful answers to these questions. Be alert!

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Mysteries of the past will be extra responsive to your investigations in 2025. Persistent riddles from your life’s earlier years may be solvable. I encourage you to be aggressive in collecting previously inaccessible legacies. Track down missing heirlooms and family secrets. Just assume that ancestors and dead relatives have more to offer you than ever before. If you have been curious about your genealogy, the coming months will be a good time to explore it. I wish you happy hunting as you search for the blessings of yesteryear—and figure out how to use them in the present.

Homework: Get yourself a holiday gift that’s beyond what you imagine you deserve. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

Your Holiday Music Menu

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Strawberry Village

Chanukah Lights

The Marin Chanukah Festival is all set to light up Strawberry Village in Mill Valley (and the hearts of Marin’s citizens) on Thursday, Dec. 26, from noon to 3pm. Those in the North Bay community may not want to miss out on this holiday celebration, hosted by Chabad of Tiburon with support from Chabads across the Bay Area. To ensure the Marin Chanukah Festival is celebrated in style, Strawberry Village will be transformed into a vibrant, festive space filled with sparkling lights, lively music and the scents of seasonal treats. There’s something for everyone, whether one is enjoying live music, getting crafty with Chanukah projects or even decorating donuts (because, really, who doesn’t love a sweet treat?). For the kids—and kids at heart—there’s a special “fun zone” to keep little ones entertained while adults indulge in goodies from the hot latke bar and kosher menu. Best of all? Admission is completely free. Reserve a complimentary ticket in advance at marinchanukahfestival.com.

Petaluma

The Heard Eye

It’s time to Jingle Bell Rock and funk this way to attend a performance put on by none other than the North Bay’s own musical group, The Heard Eye. This collection of local musical magic-makers is keeping the good times rolling with updates to end the year on a high note. Most notably, The Heard Eye’s self-produced, self-financed and self-promoted video, Boomerang (which dropped in November), has become a hit in time for the holidays. The video racked up 93,000 views on YouTube in just a few short weeks, which just goes to show what a loyal fanbase means in the music industry. If one hasn’t seen The Heard Eye’s new video yet, now’s the time to check it out and experience the funky, high-energy vibes. The Heard Eye is also still set to continue its monthly residency at The Big Easy in Petaluma. One can grab a friend or their whole family for a funky, rock-filled seasonal outing there on Thursday, Dec. 19 at 7:30pm. The Heard Eye show is free to attend, so one may come out early, grab a drink and catch some live music before next year is here. To learn more about The Heard Eye and its recent and future success, visit theheardeye.com.

Occidental

Solstice Soul

One may ring in the holiday season with some straight-up ear candy at the Barbara Higbie & Friends Winter Solstice Concert on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 7pm at Occidental Center for the Arts. This North Bay holiday show features Grammy-nominated, Bammy Award-winning pianist and multi-instrumentalist Higbie, known for her musical mastery and dynamic performances. Higbie will lead an ensemble of musicians, including Michaelle Goerlitz (Blazing Redheads), Vicki Randle (Mavis Staples), Lena Anderson, Jasper Manning, Kofy Brown (Skip the Needle) and Mia Pixley (Fantastic Negrito). Together, this star-studded group will guide their audience through a musical journey that blends genres and fills the room with festive cheer, perfect for celebrating the winter season. Alongside the show of the season, the Occidental Center for the Arts also offers refreshments, an open art gallery and accessible seating for patrons with mobility needs. Tickets for this magical musical evening cost $32 in advance, $27 for OCA members and $5 more at the door (if available). To secure a seat at this holiday performance, visit occidentalcenterforthearts.org.

Mill Valley

All That Jazz

Here comes a holiday show that’s anything but ordinary—that’s right, Maria Muldaur in Marin with her seasonal Christmas at the Oasis show, set to play at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley on Friday, Dec. 20. This special holiday performance promises a night of snazzy, jazzy and slightly irreverent holiday entertainment. Starting at 8pm, Muldaur and her “A-Team” of Bay Area jazz musicians will deliver a fresh twist on holiday classics, with swinging songs from jazz and blues legends. One can forget the predictable carols—this show is packed with rare gems that’ll have feet tapping and audience members grooving in their seats. Muldaur calls it “Christmas tunes for hipsters,” and it’s an antidote to the usual holiday ear fare. Whether one is in the mood for bluesy cheer or jazzed-up holiday magic, Christmas at the Oasis is designed to fill the night with style and soul. Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 at the door. So as not to miss out on this festive celebration, tickets can be obtained now at sweetwatermusichall.org.

Your Letters, 12/18

WWBD?

I used to go sit with Spirit Rock, starting when they were at the small community church in West Fairfax. As they grew, it felt more and more like a continual fundraising shakedown of greedy grasping expansion to build this and build that as more people drove, flew and consumed to sit on a cushion and be still.

I’m sure the Buddha never made anywhere near $250,000 per year, let alone took Ubers. Boo-hoo! Personally, I’d rather stay home and sit and be where I am.

Wow, just look at the Beauty of Nature—no need to do or undo; no need to buy and toss. Can we just Be?

Sierra Salin

Fairfax

Lines Crossed

Former President Barack Obama declared that if one side attempts to cement “a permanent grip on power” through suppressing votes, politicizing the military or weaponizing the judiciary and criminal justice system to target opponents, “a line has been crossed.”

Where has he been? All these “red” lines have been crossed already!

“Red” line Obama enabled Vladimir Putin to annex the Crimea and had so many other “red” lines that he has become superfluous. Obama couldn’t even help Kamala Harris.

Gary Sciford

Santa Rosa

We appreciate your letters to the editor—send them to le*****@******an.com and le*****@********un.com. Letters may be edited for clarity and space.

Human Evolution: A Cautionary Conversation

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Me: “Have you heard biologists have found that new human species have evolved recently?”

You: “No, I thought evolution was done, after Homo sapiens kicked the butts of Homo neanderthalensis, Homo erectus and the likes of Australopithicus species.”

Me: “Actually, current humans contain a small amount of Neanderthal DNA, which is expressed in the brains of certain individuals, but that’s another story for a different time.”

You: “Yeah, so, … what’s these new species?”

Me: “You shouldn’t start a sentence with ‘So’ if you’re not reaching a conclusion from earlier statements.”

You: So, “Like, what’s some of these new species?”

Me: “You shouldn’t … never mind! The most important one is Homo politicus, characterized by an obsessive and pathological striving for domination over others using lies, threats and money.”

You: “There’s others?”

Me: “Yes, there ARE others. Another important one is Homo economicus, characterized by views of the world as a quid pro quo marketplace of business opportunities, requiring total lack of empathy.”

You: “How many more?”

Me: “There’s Homo homo, but we won’t go there, since it’s not really new.”

You: “Even more?

Me: “Homo religionensis,” having cult-like tendencies to see the world as a battle between Good and Evil, in which the Good prevail and all the rest die.”

You: “I’m not sure about that one.”

Me: “Homo modernicus, with a compulsive need for continuous change, for the sake of change.”

You: “What’s wrong with change?”

Me: “Nothing; it’s the fuel for all evolutionary development. Take Homo sensibilis, who exhibit clear, rational thinking and an acceptance of the real world of diverse individuals that care for and help each other.”

You: “Which of these will survive and win the evolutionary race?”

Me: “I don’t really know … We’ll see. But it’ll be only those who prove to be most fit; that is, the ones who live long enough to successfully reproduce.”

Jeff Lemontt is a retired biomedical scientist who lives in Novato.

Winter Wanderings

Occidental

Winter Is Coming

With the coming of winter also comes the urge to attend the Barbara Higbie & Friends Winter Solstice Concert. The upcoming performance is part of the annual Winter Solstice Concert Series at Occidental Center for the Arts (OCA). For this year’s festivities, the North Bay gets to celebrate the holiday season alongside Barbara Higbie, a Grammy-nominated pianist and composer. Higbie’s star-studded ensemble includes musicians such as Michaelle Goerlitz, Vicki Randle, Lena Anderson, Jasper Manning, Kofy Brown and Mia Pixley. The Barbara Higbie & Friends Winter Solstice Concert will take place at 7pm, on Saturday, Dec. 21. Tickets cost $32 in advance, $27 for OCA members (and $5 more at the door, if still available). Fine refreshments and an open art gallery will complement the performance. So, it’s almost time to warm the heart at 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. in Occidental for the holidays. For tickets and more details, visit occidentalcenterforthearts.org.

San Rafael

My Voice Matters

The exhibition of student artwork at San Rafael’s Youth in Arts, My Voice Matters, has earned an extension, giving one until Dec. 13 to check out this display of young artistic talent. This show features the work of three high school artists, Heath Carbone, Lea Ortiz and Maddie O’Sullivan, all students whose pieces tackle themes like identity, personal experience and social justice. With its focus on showcasing the voices of local youth, My Voice Matters highlights the vibrant creativity of the next generation of artists. This event also marks the first-ever student-curated show at Youth in Arts, and it is a true celebration of the voice set to shape Marin’s artistic future. The closing reception is set during San Rafael’s 2nd Friday Art Walk, from 5 to 7pm on Dec. 13. There, one may meet the artists, explore their work and take part in a free, hands-on artmaking session in the Art Lab. For more details, visit youthinarts.org.

Guerneville

Chanukah Oy Chanukah

The holiday season may be rung in with music, joy and community at Chanukah Oy Chanukah, a festive celebration hosted by Two Tribes and vocalist Lois Pearlman. Now in its third year, this lively event promises a mix of traditional Yiddish songs, contemporary tunes and instrumentals performed in Yiddish, English and Ladino, too. This musical evening will include performances by Laurie Lippin, Chris Eccles, and, of course, Pearlman (a Weeklys contributor). One may come out and listen to these performers take to the stage and share their love for the music of the Jewish diaspora through song. The Chanukah Oy Chanukah concert will take place from 7 to 9pm on Friday, Dec. 27 at Books and Letters, located at 14045 Armstrong Woods Rd. in Guerneville.

Corte Madera

Wanderers


Wanderland Writers will introduce the ninth anthology in the “Wandering” series with a reading at 2pm, Saturday, Dec. 14, at Book Passage in Corte Madera. Entitled Wandering in American Deserts: Discovery, Visions, Redemption, this new volume explores the haunting beauty and eccentricities of American deserts. It features the Joshua tree, named by Mormon settlers for its resemblance to the biblical figure’s raised arms. Readers will encounter natural wonders—shaman-worthy rock caves, quake-altered terrain and a resurrected ancient sea—alongside a starlit sky as it was at the dawn of time. The anthology also captures desert life: birds, coyotes, lizards and the power of silence. It profiles diverse characters, from Cahuilla musicians to cowboy poets and eccentrics like a wizard and a misfit painter finding salvation on a mountain. Contributors include Madeleine Adkins, J.R. Barnett, Daphne Beyers, Hugh Biggar, Michael J. Fitzgerald, Peg Wendling Gerdes, Cyndi Goddard, Thomas Harrell, Naomi Lopez, Mary Jean Pramik, Anne Sigmon, Tatum Tomlinson, Maw Shein Win, Judy Zimola and others. Book Passage Corte Madera is located at 51 Tamal Vista Blvd. bookpassage.com. The event is free.

Your Letters, 12/11

Critical Cry

I am offended by Stephen J. Lyon’s snide, hateful, self-righteous rant (“Open Mic,” Nov. 27) and I am disappointed that the Pacific Sun chose to publish it.

I believe it is true that we will have the best people in charge of our health and that is great news for our sick nation and our children’s future. 

Thank goodness the EPA is now being forced to remove fluoride from our water, which has proven to lower children’s IQs.

It strikes me as ironic that he predicts a spike in grocery prices. Didn’t that already happen under the Biden-Harris Administration?

Then he plays the race card. Wow. “That damned woman of color” lost the election not because of her gender or her ethnicity but because she promised us four more years of censorship, reckless spending, a widening wealth gap and the threat of nuclear annihilation.

Melanie Peratis

Fairfax

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

One of the fun aspects of the American mood disorder of the past 40 years or so is the rapid onset and expansion of public lying, disrespectful interactions and general trash talk by children disguised as responsible adults across the board.

And I don’t mean by just Donald Trump and his people, the true elite professionals.

Disrespect shows up in many forms and is often practiced by educated, entitled male individuals who live in our North Bay, not just by immigrants like me.

Guys, just until the end of the month, let’s see if we can notice ourselves saying and doing disrespectful things to our spouses, our children, our friends, our retail clerks, our police officers and women in general. 

Let’s see if we can make it a habit.

Of course, for those public officials who openly invite ridicule, let them have it.

Craig J. Corsini

San Rafael

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Winter Wanderings

Occidental Winter Is Coming With the coming of winter also comes the urge to attend the Barbara Higbie & Friends Winter Solstice Concert. The upcoming performance is part of the annual Winter Solstice Concert Series at Occidental Center for the Arts (OCA). For this year’s festivities, the North Bay gets to celebrate the holiday season alongside Barbara Higbie, a Grammy-nominated pianist...

Your Letters, 12/11

Critical Cry I am offended by Stephen J. Lyon’s snide, hateful, self-righteous rant (“Open Mic,” Nov. 27) and I am disappointed that the Pacific Sun chose to publish it. I believe it is true that we will have the best people in charge of our health and that is great news for our sick nation and our children’s future.  Thank goodness the...
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