YEAR 57, NO.48 NOV 27- DEC 3, 2019
HOW DAILY NEWSPAPER OWNER DARIUS ANDERSON SET UP AN EMERGENCY FUND TO REBUILD SONOMA COUNTY, RAISED MILLIONS FROM HIS CLIENT, PG&E, THEN SPENT MONEY ON LOBBYING TRIPS INSTEAD OF HELPING VICTIMS OF CALIFORNIA’S WORST FIRE
SERVING MARIN COUNTY
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A SPECIAL INVESTIGATION BY PETER BYRNE & WILL CARRUTHERS P5
Ho, Ho, Poe P8 Joy of Cooking P15 Press Pass P16
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Celebrate!
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SAT DEC 7 8 pm
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The 10th Annual Other Café Comedy Showcases
NEW YEAR’S EVE
Stand-Up Comedy Celebration
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Send off the year with laughter, friends & fun!
ON THE COVER
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PACIFIC SUN (USPS 454-630) Published weekly, on Wednesdays, by Metrosa Inc. Distributed free at more than 500 locations throughout Marin County. Adjudicated a newspaper of General Circulation. First class mailed delivery in Marin available by subscriptions (per year): Marin County $75; out-of-county $90, via credit card, cash or check. No person may, without the permission of the Pacific Sun, take more than one copy of each Pacific Sun weekly issue. Entire contents of this publication Copyright ©Metrosa, Inc., ISSN; 0048-2641. All rights reserved. Unsolicited manuscripts must be submitted with a stamped self-addressed envelope.
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Letters
Washed Up
Like the Petaluma River (Creek Deemed Dirty, Nov. 13), when Stinson Beach and Bolinas were found to be impairing waters of the state more than 40 years ago, we were justifiably threatened with a complete building ban if we didn’t come up with solutions. Bolinas built a low-tech but effective sewer system. Stinson created a septic tank maintenance district, with serious regulations that got stricter over time and an effective inspection program. It looks like the Petaluma River was found to be impaired at about the same time. There is no reason that Petaluma and Sonoma County can’t take the same steps as Bolinas and Stinson did. They could start by requiring houses to be connected to the sewer or to an effective, engineered, septic system at the time of sale and no later than five to ten years out. Skip Lacaze Via Facebook
InoculateYour Homes
To prevent communities from being destroyed by wildfires, houses need to be fireproofed. Normally we depend on the fire department to put out fires. Unfortunately, when wildfires are threatening our communities, the
situation is too extreme for the fire departments to fight the inferno. That being the case, each house should be individually fireproofed. Just as we inoculate people keep them from catching the flu and other serious illnesses, actions must be taken beforehand to prevent buildings from catching fire. Three things are needed for the fireproofing: 1. Water 2. An installed sprinkler system to cover the house 3. A source of electricity to power the sprinkler system. Since there would not be enough water for everybody, your system needs a cistern with enough capacity to spray over the whole structure. Because the public electricity grid often goes down in major fires, a small electric generator is needed to power the sprinkler; the sprinkler system should be set up so that it can function by itself after being started. This system would not be cheap, but would cost nothing compared to the cost of replacing the home, to say nothing of the lives lost. Lower insurance rates will help to pay for the “inoculation.” Another benefit for society: If most buildings installed the fireproofing system, we’d have an innovative industry employing tens of thousands of highly paid skilled workers. Lee Spiegel Corte Madera
Smokescreen Foundation reneges on promise of ‘immediate relief’ to fire victims By Peter Byrne and Will Carruthers
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S THOUSANDS of Sonoma County homes smoldered in ruins from the Tubbs Fire in the fall of 2017, Darius Anderson—veteran lobbyist for Pacific Gas & Electric Corporation and an owner of the Press Democrat daily newspaper— established the non-profit Rebuild North Bay Foundation. In an application for tax-exempt status, Anderson told the Internal Revenue Service that his charity would “provide immediate disaster relief to those residents of the North Bay who were hardest hit: families and
individuals with low incomes who have been displaced from their homes and/or lost their jobs due to the wildfires.” According to a months-long investigation by the Pacific Sun’s sister paper, the North Bay Bohemian, that’s not how things played out. The foundation’s independent audit and tax returns and hundreds of emails obtained from local governments reveal that the non-profit founded by Anderson and headed by Jennifer Gray Thompson functions more as a lobbyist than disaster relief group. During its first year of existence, most of the foundation’s revenue
came from PG&E while the bulk of expenses went to management. It spent relatively little money on grants to the public, according to the audit. The foundation made erroneous claims in its tax return regarding its lobbying activities—serious errors which the organization said it will correct. Despite laws prohibiting such foundations from making campaign contributions, Rebuild North Bay donated cash to support local elected officials. While Rebuild North Bay has performed some charitable acts, it has devoted more resources to »6 creating a network of business
Peter Byrne
The Rebuild North Bay Foundation distributed 5,000 promotional tchotchke-filled ‘GO! Bags’ to fire victims and other residents and claimed it as a $75,000 charitable grant.
By Nikki Silverstein
James, the school crossing guard stationed between St. Rita Catholic Church and the Fairfax public library, reports that motorists blow through the crosswalk, even as he stands in the middle of the street wearing a yellow vest and cap while waving a red stop sign. Did we mention there’s also a flashing yellow light? It happens daily, especially during his morning shift. We’re definitely describing zero behavior here, but new Fairfax police officer Eric Conrado makes this a hero story. Officer Conrado recently began pulling over motorists who clearly saw James and the flashing light, but chose to ignore them. James says Officer Conrado’s diligence keeps the children safe. We offer kudos to James for shepherding the children and to Officer Conrado for punishing the scofflaws who barrel through the school crosswalk like race car drivers. Speaking of race car drivers, reviewers are giving two thumbs up to the racing film Ford v Ferrari. With such a good flick on screen, we’re wondering why a Zero sprayed a fire extinguisher at a Novato theater audience watching a matinee showing of the auto action movie last Wednesday. Imagine sitting in the theater at Century Rowland Plaza, munching on hot, buttered popcorn, engrossed in Matt Damon on the big screen, and suddenly an 18-year-old punk pulling a prank sprays a fire extinguisher in your direction. Apparently, his buddy egged him on. (These two Mensa members need to get a job or a hobby or something.) Witnesses saw the suspect make his getaway in a red Mustang and reported it to the police, who found the young man and his car down the street at Novato Community Hospital. No one was hurt during the incident; however, the Novato PD, rightfully so, is taking the caper seriously. They booked Joshua Quinn Meade of Fairfield into the Marin County Jail on suspicion of battery, vandalism, releasing a gaseous substance within a theater and disturbing the peace. Got a Hero or a Zero? Please send submissions to nikki_silverstein@yahoo.com. Toss roses, hurl stones with more Heroes and Zeros at ›› pacificsun.com
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Upfront
Heroes &Zeroes
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6 Rebuild «5 people and local public officials to lobby bureaucrats and legislators in Washington DC. Under IRS rules, a charity may engage in some lobbying related to its purpose—but a primary focus on lobbying can cost its taxexempt privilege. According to multiple experts, Rebuild North Bay blurred the boundary between charity and political influence machine. “It’s not even a close call; it’s blatant lobbying,” said Ellen Aprill, a Loyola Law School professor. “The foundation is primarily a lobbyist, not a charity.”
Days of Fire In addition to Rebuild North Bay’s founders Anderson and Marisol Lopez of Platinum Advisors, its 18-member governing board comprises a “who’s who” of Bay Area business elites. Board president Elizabeth Gore runs Alice, an artificial-intelligence website for business owners, and is married to Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore. Other directors include four renowned vintners and United Way of the Wine Country CEO Lisa Carreño. In the tax filing, Anderson’s business partner, Press Democrat publisher Steve Falk, is listed as a friend of the board. Anderson alone controls a fairly powerful business empire. Over the past decade through Sonoma Media Investments, he’s snapped up virtually every major news, business and lifestyle print publication in the North Bay, including the Press Democrat, Petaluma Argus-Courier, Sonoma Index Tribune, North Bay Business Journal, Sonoma Magazine, Spirited Magazine, La Prensa Sonoma and Emerald Report. Anderson’s stake in the local news business paid off last year when a panel of arbitrators implicated him and Doug Boxer—his partner in Kenwood Investments and son of former senator for California, Barbara Boxer—in a fraud scheme that victimized a group of indigenous people. Just about a year ago, the San Francisco Superior Court affirmed the arbitrators’ finding that Anderson and Boxer bilked the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria when the tribe was trying to develop a casino in Sonoma County in 2003. The Press Democrat did not report the finding of fraud in its brief coverage of the court-ordered $725,000 award to the Native Americans. It was Anderson’s unsavory dealings with the tribe that prompted this news organization to take a closer look at Rebuild North Bay.
To its credit, the foundation does boast some charitable accomplishments. Over the past year, it organized PG&E and other businesses to help replace burned street walls in several neighborhoods. It gave a county government $25,000 and partnered with United Way of the Wine Country to distribute $300,000 in small grants to community groups. For these acts, Rebuild North Bay has received plenty of coverage in the Press Democrat in articles that “disclose” Anderson as the founder of the charity. On the other hand, Press Democrat articles omit Anderson’s role as a PG&E lobbyist in stories about the utility. Nor did the newspaper report that PG&E gifted Rebuild North Bay millions in start-up funds—money which has yet to trickle down to fire victims.
Flashback 50 Years Ago THIS WEEK
“Now, for the first time in California, we have a legal objective method of determining whether a person is under the influence of intoxicating liquor,” Sullivan declared. “It will go a long way toward assisting the court or a jury to determine the guilt of an alleged drunk driver.” Under the presumptive limits law, a person with a blood alcohol level of .10% is presumed to be under the influence of intoxicating liquor. If the blood alcohol level is between .05% and .10% there is no presumption, and if the blood alcohol level is less than .05% the person is presumed not under the influence. It does not prevent introduction of other evidence relevant to the question of intoxication.—Untitled, 11/26/69
40Years Ago THIS WEEK
The trial of the Pacific Sun vs. the Chronicle and the Examiner opened Monday in U.S. district court in San Francisco. Although the case has been in the works for 4 1/2 years, will take a month to try and involves five squads of lawyers, it seeks basically to answer one simple question:
Why did Examiner president Randolph Hearst and the late Chronicle publisher Charles Theriot decide in 1962 to quit competing for advertising and circulation?
PG&E to the Rescue? The day after Christmas 2017, PG&E cut Rebuild North Bay a check for $2 million; the utility’s largesse accounted for 75 percent of the foundation’s contributions in the ensuing months. While the region struggled to rebuild itself after devastating fires, however, the foundation disbursed only 1 percent of its cash to the public during its first year. Meanwhile, it spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on salaries, consulting fees, overhead, lobbying, advocacy and travel, according to its tax filings, and ended its first fiscal year with $1.8 million in the bank. “We were conservative in the first year because we are committed to the long term,” Thompson explains. According to the foundation’s independent audit of its first fiscal year, it made only one cash grant— $25,000 to Lake County to help it pay for fighting the Pawnee wildfire. Management and administration costs amounted to $302,760—83 percent of its total cash expenses of $362,428. Many of the disbursements the foundation claimed as charitable grants raise questions about their value to a community trying to recuperate from devastating wildfires. To celebrate its first anniversary in October 2018, Rebuild North Bay distributed 5,000 emergency preparedness bags emblazoned with its logo to local residents. The bright yellow sacks did not adhere to the California Department of Public Health’s recommended components for standard emergency kits. Rather, the bags contain two dust »16
California Highway Patrol Commissioner H.W. Sullivan has characterized the state’s new “presumptive limits” law which became effective November 10 as “a major boost to efforts to remove drunk drivers from the state’s highways.”
Was it because a joint operating agreement, in which production facilities are shared and profits split 50-50, was the only way to prevent both the examiner and News CallBulletin from going out of business? If so, that’s legal and the Sun loses its case. Or was it because the joint operating agreement was merely the most profitable of several ways by which the Examiner and/or News Call-Bulletin could have been saved? If so, that’s illegal and the Examiner and Chronicle will have to dissolve their agreement and stand again on their own two feet.—Newsgrams, 11/23/79
30 Years Ago THIS
With The Little Mermaid, Disney’s first animated feature since 1959’s Sleeping Beauty, the old studio is really back up to speed. Though more Disney than Hans Christian Anderson (predictably, the movie avoids WEEK the tale’s sad ending), John Musker and Ron Clement’s charmer is bound to become a favorite. Deservedly so. The style is more or less classic Disney, with its full animation, lush colors, cute heroine and hateful villain, lovable sidekick characters and hummable songs. It’s familiar territory – derivative, even, though what it derives from is so good that one can scarcely object. Most of the action is set under water – “Darling, it’s better down where it’s wetter, under the sea,” as one character sings – and it is better indeed, with lots of gorgeous color and an array of sea creatures ranging from winsone dolphins and whales to seahorses, turtles and snails. Makes you want to grab your mask and fins and dive right in.—Renata Polt, 11/24/89
20
Years Ago
What [public health scientist George Carlo] found may prove to be the cell phone industry’s worst nightmare.
THIS WEEK
He found that the risk of acoustic neuroma, a benign tumor of the auditory nerve that is well in range of the radiation coming from a phone’s antennae, was 50 percent higher in people who reported using cell phones for six years or more. ...He found that the risk of rare neuroepithelial tumors on the outside was more than doubled, a statistically significant increase, in cell phone users as compared to people who did not use cell phones. He found that there appeared to be some correlation between brain tumors occurring on the right side of the head and use of the phone on the right side of the head. And, most troubling, he found that laboratory studies looking at the ability of radiation from a phone’s antenna to cause functional genetic damage were definitely positive, and were following a close-response curve. Carlo said that he has repeatedly recommended that the industry take a proactive, public health approach on the issue, and inform customers of his findings. He says that he uses a cell phone, but only with a headset. —Russell Mokhiber & Robert Weissman, 11/24/99
Friday, November 29, 2019
Fourth Street ~ B st. to Lootens Downtown San Rafael Noon to 8 pm
Kids Activities Huge 3 lane slide Parade of Lights Holiday Marketplace Tree Lighting Ceremony Santa, Mrs. Claus and Friends
Please Note: Due to weather changes and lack of funding to create the Snow Hill we are not able to offer the Snow Sledding for this year.
For more Information visit www.SRESproductions.com
PacificSun.com
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Parade of Lights & Holiday Festival 40th Annual San Rafael
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Ho, Ho, Poe! Lee Presson is Edgar Allen Poe for X-mas By David Templeton
Courtesy of Great Dickens Christmas Fair
Marin’s Lee Presson performs as author Edgar Allen Poe at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair for his 31st year.
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dgar Allan Poe (as embodied by Marin County’s Lee Presson), rifling with a kind of reluctant amusement through a clutched sheaf of pages, proclaims “I’ve been asked to present something in the spirit of the Christmas season.” He is addressing a standing-roomonly audience at the Adventurer’s Club, in a bustling corner of the
Great Dickens Christmas Fair, now in its 20th year at the Cow Palace in Daly City. It’s opening day of the annual celebration of Victorian culture and Dickensian storytelling, and this—the highly anticipated daily appearance by the famous American author—is one of the Fair’s most popular events; the presentation of Poe’s “The Tell Tale Heart,” as recited by the author himself.
The 30-minute show began with Poe’s gleefully unsettling recitation of “The Conqueror Worm,” before moving on to his grief-stricken reading of “Annabelle Lee.” After his deliriously entertaining, audienceparticipation performance, he will conclude with a delightfully macabre reading of “The Raven.” But first, by special request of his fellow historical figures Oscar Wilde, Lady Ada Lovelace and the Rev.
Dodgson (AKA Lewis Carroll), Poe is preparing to present something “Christmassy.” “Well, all right … this is the most ‘Christmassy’ piece I have,” he says with a kind of sinisterly you-askedfor-it warning on his face, and launches into a gradually escalating performance of the initially light but increasingly frantic and terrifying poem “The Bells.” “Hear the sledges with the bells—
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Courtesy of Great Dickens Christmas Fair
“Many, many years ago I was dating a woman whose mother operates the Dark Garden corsetry store at the Dickens Fair,” Presson says, explaining how this annual Poe impersonation began. “It was suggested that, to give me something to do that was appropriately dark and creepy, I play Edgar Allan Poe, as if the guy was visiting London at Christmastime,” he recalls, noting that Poe was very much alive during the Victorian era, and was, in fact, a friend of Charles Dickens. “At the time, I was not a big Poe fan,” he continues. “I knew about him, of course. I hadn’t read a lot of his work, but it sounded like something I could do, so I contacted to Leslie Patterson at the Fair, and said, ‘I believe I’d like to play Edgar Allan Poe for you!’ And Leslie said, ‘Edgar Allan Poe? Don’t you think that’s a little depressing for a Christmas fair?’ And I remember, I paused a moment and then said, ‘Depressing? You’ve READ Dickens, right?’” That year, he put on a historically accurate Poe-esque outfit, based on portraits of the famously glum author, and he’s been doing it every year since. “I’ve basically come up with a happy-go-lucky version of Poe,” says Presson. “In addition to my daily presentation at the Adventurers Club, where I spend a lot of time hanging out with Mary Shelley and Oscar Wilde and other historical figures, I enjoy singing and dancing once a day at Mad Sal’s Dockside Alehouse. The only way we can get away with putting Poe on stage there, of course, is to act like he doesn’t want to be there, so we’ve come up with a story in which he’s sort of coerced into singing a song. Occasionally, you can even find me accompanying the singing sailors on piano, but I just play along as a sad, silent drunk, which is more what people expect from Edgar Allan Poe.” Asked about favorite moments from his years of playing Poe in a vast hall filled with Dickensian characters historical and fictional, Presson mentions an encounter he had years ago with the Ghost of Christmas Present, from Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” “I decided that Mr. Poe can see spirits, though he’s not very comfortable with it,” Presson says. “When the ghosts of Christmas escort Ebeneezer Scrooge through the streets of the Fair, Poe can see
Nathan Wetzel (left) performs as Oscar Wilde with Lee Presson as Edgar Allen Poe.
them. So one day I tipped my hat to one of them, and said, ‘Spirit.’ And he said, ‘You can SEE me?’ ‘Yes I can,’ I said, and he answered, ‘That’s wonderful!’ Later that day, after Scrooge has been redeemed, he’s running through the streets saying ‘Merry Christmas’ to everyone, and I saw him and said, ‘An eventful night, Mr. Scrooge?’ He said, ‘Yes, a VERY eventful night, Mr. Poe.’ That’s one of my favorite moments I’ve ever had at the Dickens Fair.” Having began as someone with only a minimal knowledge of the life and work of E.A. Poe, Presson has evolved into a full-on Poe expert, having read countless books on the man, and nearly everything he ever wrote. “I still read new books on Poe, all the time,” he admits, “because there’s always something new coming out.”
Spending months of every year playing Poe at a Christmas Fair does put Presson in a pleasantly “Christmassy” mood each year, he allows, though by the time the Fair concludes a few days before the 25th of December, he’s generally had his fill of Christmas. “On Christmas Day, I’m often at a loss for what to do,” he says with a slightly Poe-ish laugh. “I’ve just been celebrating Christmas for a month, so what I do with the actual day? I usually think, ‘I don’t have time for Christmas! I have a New Year’s Eve show to do!” The Great Dickens Christmas Fair runs Saturdays and Sundays (and the Friday after Thanksgiving) through Dec. 22 at the Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva Avenue, Daly City. Tickets $14–$32. DickensFair.com.
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silver bells!” he begins. “What a world of merriment their melody foretells! How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, in the icy air of night! While the stars that oversprinkle all the heavens, seem to twinkle, with a crystalline delight. Keeping time, time, time, in a sort of Runic rhyme, to the tintinnabulation that so musically wells from the bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells—from the jingling and the tinkling of the bells.” As the poem continues, Presson masterfully builds the pace of the piece, gradually escalating its intensity and volume, practically shrieking the final lines, as the poem that began with a sleigh ride turns into a ghost- and ghoul-filled description of eternal damnation. “Keeping time, time, time, in a sort of Runic rhyme, to the throbbing of the bells … of the bells, bells, bells … to the sobbing of the bells … keeping time, time, time … as he knells, knells, knells … to the rolling of the bells … of the bells, bells, bells … to the tolling of the bells … of the bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells! To the moaning and the groaning of the bells!” After absorbing a mighty cheer from the electrified audience at the Adventurers Club, including many folks outside who are now peering in with astonishment, Presson/ Poe takes a deep recovery breath, reaches for his glass of “absinthe,” tosses off a quip about alcohol being “medicine,” and continues. Presson as Poe has become, over the years, as much a tradition at the fair as is a procession by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, the appearance of Fagin and the Artful Dodger, a chance to waltz at Mr. Fezziwig’s, and a chance to chat with Mr. Dickens himself. “This is year 31 of me playing Poe at the Dickens Fair,” says Presson, of San Rafael, when no longer in character. “I’ve technically been playing Edgar Allan Poe longer than I’ve been playing Lee Presson.” The multi-talented performer is, of course, the founder and leader of the goth swing band known as Lee Presson and the Nails, which just released its 25th anniversary album, a swing-based celebration of Halloween titled “Last Request.” The band will be appearing on New Year’s Eve at the Uptown Theatre in Napa, as part of the club’s annual presentation of The Hubba Hubba Revue’s New Year’s Eve Burlesque Bash. But first, he’s got five more weekends of the Dickens Fair.
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Sundial
THE WEEK’S EVENTS: A SELECTIVE GUIDE
NICASIO Holiday Traditions
Don’t feel like cooking dinner this weekend? West Marin–institution Rancho Nicasio has you covered. First, the venue serves its traditional Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, then hosts a pair of dinner shows sure to satisfy any appetite. On Friday, sibling folk-rockers the Mad Hannans play their eighth annual “Leftover’s Party.” On Saturday, Vegas comes to Marin with crooner Bud E Luv’s 15th annual “Holiday Party.” Nov. 28–30, 1 Old Rancheria Rd, Nicasio. Thurs, noon to 7pm; Fri and Sat, 8pm. Reservations advised. 415.662.2219.
POINT REYES STATION Art Feast
In West Marin, Thanksgiving Weekend means art, as the 21st annual Point Reyes Open Studios leads visitors on a rural, self-guided getaway to secluded art studios along the backroads. Sculptors, photographers, painters, printmakers and woodworkers show off their spaces, sell their works and allow visitors a chance to explore the area’s charm and picturesque locales Friday to Sunday, Nov 29–Dec 1, throughout Point Reyes and Inverness. 11am to 5pm each day. Free. Maps can be found at pointreyesart.com.
SAN RAFAEL Comedy Comes Home
In addition to the internationally-known annual San Francisco Stand-Up Comedy Competition, San Rafael’s Anne and Jon Fox host several standup shows throughout the year. One of the most popular shows is the upcoming Home for the Holidays, which features longtime Bay Area headliner Johnny Steele and several other alumni of the competition coming back to the North Bay to share in the spirit of the season on Saturday, Nov. 30, at the Marin Center Showcase Theater, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. 8pm. $30. 415.499.6800.
POINT REYES STATION
Clean Fun
-Charlie Swanson
Bill Reitzel
Fast-rising jazz vocalist Tiffany Austin performs ‘A Tribute to Nina Simone’ on Sunday, Dec. 1, at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley. See clubs & venues, pg 19.
RockSoberFest is a grass-roots organization that creates spaces where performers who are clean and sober can present their music to an audience, including families, who are also committed to sobriety. Often, the group hosts day-long festivals of music, though now the community is welcome to try out Rock Sober Nights, an evening of live music featuring singer-songwriters Chris Holbrook and Jean Watson Knapp, with poetry, improv and other entertainment on hand on Sunday, Dec. 1, at the Dance Palace, 503 B St., Point Reyes Station. 6:30pm. $17–$20. Rocksoberfest.org.
MUSIC
Close to Home Anna Dellaria finds strength in her songs By Charlie Swanson
F
rom a young age, San Rafael native Anna Dellaria used music as a built-in mode of selfexpression. The keyboardist, vocalist and singer-songwriter remembers dragging family members into the living room to perform make-shift concerts and teaching herself music in middle school.
“I went through a lot of weird phases as a kid in middle school, trying to make friends and such, as I’m sure many people go through,” says Dellaria. “The thing that kept my head on straight was writing songs. It allowed me to work through what I was feeling and grapple with these larger issues of what it means to grow up.”
Now based in Los Angeles, Dellaria graduated from the prestigious and competitive USC Popular Music Program in 2017, and the 24-year-old is ramping up her pop-music career with a steady performing schedule in L.A. and gigs writing music for television programs like TV Land’s “Younger” and Paramount Network’s “Heathers.”
Anna Dellaria appears at the Beyond Differences Fundraising Ride on Sunday, Dec. 1, at CycleBar, 5800 Nave Drive, Suite J, Novato. Rides happen 8am, 9am, 10:30am; reception at noon. Reserve a spot at cyclebar.com/location/novato.
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Max Baker
Marin-native Anna Dellaria uses her music to empower others.
“That’s been an awesome opportunity in a way that I’ve been focusing in on utilizing music not only to express myself but to tie in with film and TV in creating a story,” she says. Regarding her own work, Dellaria has a debut EP in the works, and is hyping the EP with a series of singles being released through next year. “Coming up in 2020 will be a series of singles that I think are my most cohesive work that I’m most excited about,” she says. Dellaria is also passionate about using her music for good causes, and she possesses a philanthropic streak, donating her talents to organizations like Girls Inc. in Alameda. “A lot of my songs are centered around the idea of selfempowerment, even through challenging times,” Dellaria says. “As someone who grew up struggling with anxiety and depression without having the tools to describe it yet, I feel strongly about telling people that are also struggling with these emotions that those struggles don’t define your worth, but rather make you stronger because you’re able to battle through them.” This weekend, Dellaria is back in Marin County and giving back to the community that fostered her music with a one-of-a-kind collaboration with Cyclebar in Novato on Sunday, Dec. 1. The fundraiser begins bright and early at 8am and will include several 45-minute cycling classes at Cyclebar, with Dellaria performing inspiring music in-class and in a public noontime concert reception. All donations go to Marin-founded organization Beyond Differences, which inspires students nationwide to combat bullying, social media anxiety and more. “For me, (the event) is going to bring together art and fitness, which has also been a helpful tool for me to work through those issues,” she says. “It’s open to the public, anyone can ride, or if they just want to check out the music or come out, we want to bring people together and think about how we can help empower kids in our community.”
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Scream Queen Jamie Lee Curtis is the matriarch of a suspicious family in ‘Knives Out.’
FILM
Sharp Mystery Rian Johnson presents a whodunit for Thanksgiving By Richard von Busack
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iddling, but not without surprises, Knives Out is Rian Johnson’s mystery about a group of greedy heirs in ugly holiday sweaters. They’re the descendants of writer Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), author of The Menagerie Tragedy Trilogy and other bestselling bafflers. The morning after his 85th birthday party, the old
man was found with his throat cut–an apparent suicide. The deceased was no stranger to the macabre. “He basically lives on a ‘Clue’ board,” says the investigating Lt. Elliott (Lakeith Stanfield of Sorry to Bother You); it’s a turreted Victorian manor floating in a sea of dead leaves, with hidden entryways, creaky floorboards and sinister-doodads galore. Placed prominently is a life-sized, jolly-
sailor dummy in homage to the Olivier/Caine (and later, Caine/Jude Law) Sleuth. Harlan’s parasitic family isn’t exactly weeping over the senseless waste of human life. They include designer Jamie Lee Curtis whose business Harlan’s checkbook propped up, and her loafer-husband Don Johnson. Their son is a professional wastrel (Chris Evans handles this anti-Captain America
role well). Another son is grumbling Michael Shannon, limping on a cane; he’s furious at the old man’s refusal to sell his work to the movies, even after Netflix makes a solid offer with numbers on it. On scene is Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc, “Last of the Gentlemen Detectives,” recently profiled in the New Yorker. (“I read a tweet about the article,” says another suspect, Toni Collette’s Joni, burnished by unnatural skin bronzers.) Craig uses a Southern accent, with more molasses in it than the one he used in Logan Lucky. This diction increases Craig’s likeness to Robert Mitchum. What’s uniquely his own is the satisfactory way Craig wears his fine clothes, dandles his cigar and utters Gothic comments about “vultures at the feast, knives out, beaks bloody!” To him, the case is a sort of donut, the hole beckoning. This metaphysical donut mirrors a frightening living-room sculpture: hundreds of knives, all blades pointing to a vortex. Johnson gets us out of the house for an encounter with a mildewed old gatekeeper (M. Emmet Walsh) who puts his faith in the sturdy old VHS player he’s been using for decades. There’s also a car chase— justly described by a character as “the dumbest of all time”—through a dozing milltown, with only one old witness who lacks the energy to do a double take at the speeding Hyundai careening past him. The air-weight movie is a little furry; we wait in vain for some crack in old Harlan’s stern benignness— he has such good reasons for his iron-willed decisions that we want to see a touch of evil revealed. Knives Out is also strangely sexless. Unless Miss Marple is the sleuth, Agatha Christie-esque entertainments usually have a bit of plunging neckline and a suggestion of kink. A scene of Evans and de Armas drinking beer at a country inn with Gordon Lightfoot’s “Sundown” playing in the background is about as heated as it gets. Johnson’s superb emulation of Hammett and Chandler in his debut Brick (2006) gave us a more energetic mystery, and this sputters a bit by comparison. But he does have a purpose, beyond pastiche: Knives Out is Thanksgiving entertainment for those seething at their relatives over the turkey carcass. ‘Knives Out’ is playing now.
By Matthew Stafford
Friday November 29-Thursday December 5 A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (1:48) True tale of the friendship between children’s TV legend Fred Rogers and Esquirelapsed cynic Tom Junod; Tom Hanks stars. Charlie’s Angels (1:59) Elizabeth Banks’ reboot of the ’70s TV classic finds Angels Naomi Scott, Kristen Stewart and Ella Balinska righting wrongs. Dark Waters (2:06) A corporate defense attorney takes on an environmental lawsuit against a chemical company that exposes a lengthy history of pollution. Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway star. Deconstructing The Beatles: The White Album (1:30) Musicologist Scott Freiman presents a multimedia discussion of the Fab Four’s genre-spanning double album and how it was created. Everybody’s Everything (1:56) Hard-hitting documentary portrait of Lil Peep, the genreexpanding punk-music icon who died of a drug overdose at 21. Faustina: Love and Mercy (1:20) Faithbased docudrama about the Polish nun whose visions of Jesus inspired worldwide veneration. Ford v Ferrari (2:32) Matt Damon and Christian Bale star as two rogue Ford Motor designers whose revolutionary race car took on Ferrari’s finest at Le Mans in 1966. Frozen II (1:43) Anna, Olaf, Sven and the rest of the gang head to an enchanted forest in search of age-old wisdom; Kristen Bell and Alfred Molina vocalize. The Good Liar (1:49) Suave grifter Ian McKellen sets his sights on rich widow Helen Mirren, but one damned thing leads to another… The Great Gatsby (2:24) Limpid 1974 version of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel stars Robert Redford as the Midwestern golden boy reinventing himself in Long Island society. Gundam (2:15) Celebrate the 40th birthday of the anime TV series about a crew of fledgling space warriors and their humanoid mentor. Harriet (2:05) Cynthia Erivo stars as the legendary Harriet Tubman, the escaped slave who liberated hundreds of others and became a human-rights icon. Honey Boy (1:34) Shia LeBeouf writes and stars as his own dad in semi-autobiographical story of a young actor's stormy childhood and struggles to reconcile with his father and deal with his mental health. The Irishman (3:29) Martin Scorsese’s highly anticipated cinematic epic stars Robert De Niro as a real-life mobster recalling past glories; Al Pacino is Jimmy Hoffa. Jojo Rabbit (1:48) Edgy dramedy about a young boy in Nazi Germany confronting nationalism and antisemitism with input from doofus imaginary friend Adolf Hitler. Knives Out (2:10) Writer/director Rian Johnson’s latest is a who-dunit centered on the death of a patriarch of an eccentric, combative family. Last Christmas (1:42) Emma Thompson romcom stars Emilia Clarke as a department store elf falling in love in Yuletide London. The Lighthouse (1:50) Existential nightmare about two 1890s lighthouse
keepers on a remote New England isle; Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson star. Marriage Story (2:16) Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver star as a married couple in writer/director Noah Baumbach’s comedic drama. The Metropolitan Opera: Akhnaten (3:31) Direct from New York, composer Philip Glass’ vivid opera finds an Egyptian pharaoh who attempts to inspire his people to adopt a new religion. National Theatre London: Present Laughter (3:00) Live from the Old Vic it’s Noël Coward’s fun-filled farce about an aging, narcissistic matinee idol. Pain and Glory (1:53) Pedro Almodóvar drama stars Antonio Banderas as an acclaimed film director reflecting on his past as he grapples with age and mortality. Parasite (2:12) Bong Joon Ho’s acclaimed dark dramedy about the symbiotic relationship between two Korean families, one wealthy, the other not so much. Precious Guru (1:10) Documentary tribute to Padasambhava, the revered, rambunctious Indian yogi who brought Buddhism to Tibet in the 8th century. Queen & Slim (2:12) A thriller for our time: A black couple on a first date have to go on the run when they accidentally kill a white cop on social media. Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins (1:31) Boisterous documentary focuses on a Texas journalist whose razor-sharp wit was feared by the rich and powerful and cherished by everyone else. Retablo (1:35) Segundo Paucar, a 14 year old Ayacucho boy who wants to be an altar boy, has his world fall apart in director Alvaro Delgado Aparicio’s drama. 21 Bridges (1:39) Action thriller stars Chadwick Boseman as a New York cop searching for killers trapped in Manhattan after the island’s bridges are closed down. Under African Skies (1:48) Documentary follows Paul Simon to South Africa for a tumultuous 25th anniversary Graceland reunion concert; Harry Belafonte, Paul McCartney and Quincy Jones share insights on art, politics and commerce. Watson (1:39) Documentary celebrates the life and work of Capt. Paul Watson, whose high-seas confrontations with whalers, seal hunters and shark finners have earned him powerful enemies around the globe. Waves (2:15) Acclaimed drama about an African-American family dealing with loss and recovery in a Florida suburb. Western Stars (1:26) Introspective look back at the life and career of Bruce Springsteen features the Boss performing songs from his latest album. When Harry Met Sally… (1:36) Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal star as squabbling buddies edging uneasily towards romance; Rob Reiner directs. Wise Children (2:30) Catch the York Theatre’s bawdy, exuberant production of Angela Carter’s novel about twin 75-year-old chorus girls and their century-old thespian daddy.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PG-13) Larkspur Landing: Fri-Sun 11:15, 2, 4:45, 7:30, 10:15; MonWed 7, 9:50 Northgate: Fri-Wed 11:15, 2:10, 4:55, 7:45, 10:30 Regency: Fri-Sat 10:30, 1:10, 4:10, 7, 10; Sun-Mon 10:30, 1:10, 4:10, 7; Tue 1:15, 4:10, 7; Wed-Thu 1:30, 4:10, 7 Rowland: FriWed 11:10, 1:55, 4:45, 7:30, 10:15 Charlie’s Angels (PG-13) Northgate: Fri-Wed 10:40, 1:45, 4:40, 7:40, 10:40 Rowland: Fri-Wed 4:15 Dark Waters (PG-13) Regency: Fri-Sat 10:30, 1:30, 4:30, 7:30, 10:30; Sun-Thu 10:30, 1:30, 4:30, 7:30 Rafael: Sun 4:15 • Deconstructing The Beatles: The White Album (NR) Downton Abbey (PG) Lark: Fri 10:30; Sat 4:30; Tue 4; Wed 2 Everybody’s Everything (NR) Lark: Sat, Wed 9:30 Regency: Wed 1, 6:30 • Faustina: Love and Mercy (PG-13) Ford v Ferrari (PG-13) Cinema: Fri-Sun, Tue-Wed 11:45, 3:20, 7, 10:35 Northgate: FriWed 12, 3:30, 7, 10:30 Regency: Fri-Sat 12, 3:25, 6:50, 10:15; Sun-Wed 12, 3:25, 6:50 Rowland: Fri-Wed 11:20, 2:45, 6:10, 9:50 Frozen II (PG) Larkspur Landing: Fri-Sun 10:45, 1:30, 4:15, 7, 9:45; Mon-Wed 6:45, 9:30 Northgate: Fri-Wed 10, 10:45, 11:40, 12:40, 1:35, 3:25, 4:15, 5:20, 6:15, 7:15, 8:10, 9:05, 10:05; 3D showtime at 2:30 Playhouse: Fri-Sat 12, 12:30, 2:20, 3, 4:35, 5:30, 6:50, 9:20; Sun 12, 12:30, 2:20, 3, 4:35, 5:30, 6:50; Mon-Thu 4:35, 6:50 Rowland: Fri-Sun 10:20, 10:40, 11, 12:20, 1, 1:40, 3:40, 4:20, 5:40, 6:20, 7, 8:20, 9:40, 10:10, 3D showtimes at 3, 9; Mon-Wed 10:20, 11, 12:20, 1, 1:40, 3:40, 4:20, 5:40, 6:20, 7, 8:20, 9:40, 3D showtimes at 3, 9; Thu 11, 12:20, 1:40, 4:20, 5:40, 7, 8:20, 9:40, 3D showtime at 3 The Good Liar (R) Larkspur Landing: Fri-Sun 11, 1:45, 4:30, 7:15, 10; Mon-Wed 7:15, 10 Northgate: Fri-Wed 11:05, 1:55, 4:45, 7:35, 10:25 Rowland: Fri-Sun 1:30; Mon-Wed 1:30, 9:50 Lark: Fri 7:30 • The Great Gatsby (PG) Regency: Thu 7 (in Japanese with English subtitles) • Gundam (NR) Harriet (PG-13) Sequoia: Fri-Sun 1:20, 4:40; Mon-Tue 4:40 Honey Boy (R) Sequoia: Fri-Sat 7:30, 9:50; Sun-Tue 7:30 The Irishman (R) Playhouse: Fri-Sat 8; Mon-Wed 3, 7; Thu 3 Rafael: Fri, Sun 11:30, 3:30, 7:30; Sat 11:30, 3:30, 7:45; Mon-Thu 6:30 Jojo Rabbit (PG-13) Sequoia: Fri-Sat 1:40, 4:20, 7, 9:35; Sun, Wed 1:40, 4:20, 7; Mon-Tue 4:20, 7 Joker (R) Northgate: Fri-Wed 11:35, 2:40, 5:40, 8:40 Knives Out (PG-13) Fairfax: Fri-Wed 12:15, 3:30, 6:50, 9:55 Larkspur Landing: Fri-Sun 11:45, 3, 6:15, 9:30; Mon-Wed 6:30, 9:40 Northgate: Fri-Wed 10:15, 1:20, 4:25, 7:30, 10:35 Playhouse: Fri-Sat 12:45, 3:45, 7, 9:45; Sun 12:45, 3:45, 7; Mon-Thu 3:45, 6:45 Regency: Fri-Sat 10:20, 1:20, 4:20, 7:20, 10:20; Sun-Thu 10:20, 1:20, 4:20, 7:20 Rowland: Fri-Wed 12:50, 4:05, 7:10, 10:15 Last Christmas (PG-13) Northgate: Fri-Wed 7:05, 9:45 Lark: Sat 10; Sun 8:20; Thu 4 • The Lighthouse (R) Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice (NR) Rafael: Fri 12, 2, 4; Sat 12; Sun 12, 2, 6:15; Mon 6:15 Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (PG) Northgate: Fri-Wed 10:10, 1:15, 4:10 Marriage Story (NR) Rafael: Fri-Sun 11, 1:45, 4:30, 7:15; Mon-Thu 7:15 The Metropolitan Opera: Akhnanten (NR) Regency: Wed 1, 6:30 Sequoia: Wed 1, 6:30 Midway (PG-13) Northgate: Fri-Wed 12:30, 3:50, 7:10, 10:25 Motherless Brooklyn (R) Lark: Fri 1:15; Sun 10; Mon 6; Tue 8:20 • National Theatre London: Present Laughter (PG-13) Lark: Sat 1; Thu 6:30 Pain and Glory (NR) Rafael: Fri 6, 8:30; Sat 7:30; Sun-Mon 8:15 Parasite (R) Regency: Fri-Sat 10:40, 1:40, 4:40, 7:40, 10:40; Sun 12, 7:40; Mon-Tue, Thu 10:40, 1:40; Wed 10:40 Playing with Fire (PG) Northgate: Fri-Wed 11:25, 2, 4:35, 7:20, 9:55 Rowland: Fri-Sun 7:20; Mon-Wed 10:50, 7:20 Rafael: Thu 7 (filmmakers in person) • Precious Guru (NR) Northgate: Fri-Wed 12:50, 4:05, 7:25, 10:35 Rowland: Fri-Wed • Queen & Slim (R) 12:10, 3:30, 6:50, 10
Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins (NR) Lark: Mon 8:45; Wed 4:20; Thu 2 Lark: Fri 4:20; Sun 6:15; Mon 4; Tue 2 Retablo (NR) Northgate: Fri-Wed 12:35, 3:45, 6:55, 10:10 Terminator: Dark Fate (R) Northgate: Fri-Wed 11:55, 2:35, 5:15, 8, 10:40 21 Bridges (R) Lark: Sat 7 • Under African Skies (PG-13) Rafael: Tue 7 (filmmaker Lesley Chilcott in person) • Watson (NR) Regency: Fri-Sat 12:50, 4, 7:10, 10:20; Sun-Tue 10:30, 1:40, • Waves (R) 4:50, 7:55; Wed 1:40, 4:50, 7:55; Thu 10:25, 1:25, 4:50, 7:55 Lark: Sun 4:15; Mon 2; Tue 6:30 • Western Stars (PG) Regency: Sun 4; Tue 7 • When Harry Met Sally… (R) Lark: Sun 1; Wed 6:30 • Wise Children (NR)
We have omitted some of the movie summaries and times for those that have been playing for multiple weeks.
Showtimes can change after we go to press. Please call theater to confirm. CinéArts Sequoia 25 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley, 388-1190 Century Cinema 41 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera, 924-6506 Fairfax 9 Broadway, Fairfax, 453-5444 Lark 549 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur, 924-5111 Larkspur Landing 500 Larkspur Landing Cir., Larkspur, 461-4849 Northgate 7000 Northgate Dr., San Rafael, 491-1314 Playhouse 40 Main St., Tiburon, 435-1251 Rafael Film Center 1118 Fourth St., San Rafael, 454-1222 Regency 80 Smith Ranch Rd., Terra Linda, 479-6496 Rowland 44 Rowland Way, Novato, 898-3385
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Movies
• New Movies This Week
Kevin Berne
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Joan of Arc’s (Rosie Hallett) family life is explored in ‘Mother of the Maid’ at Marin Theatre Company.
STAGE
Saintly ‘Maid’ MTC presents a medieval family drama By Harry Duke
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hat’s a mother to do when her daughter says she hears the voice of an angel instructing her to lead an army to war? ‘Love her unconditionally’ is the short answer provided by playwright Jane Anderson in Mother of the Maid, running at Marin Theatre Company through Dec. 15. Poets, authors, playwrights and filmmakers have told the tale of Joan of Arc for close to six centuries now, and one wouldn’t think there’s much more to say on the subject. Playwright Anderson moves the focus of the story to Joan’s family and turns what is often treated as a religious or historical
treatise into part situation comedy/ part medieval family drama. Joan (Rosie Hallett) confesses to her mother Isabelle (Sherman Fracher) that the voice of Saint Catherine has informed her that Joan’s destiny is to lead a great French army and cast the English from her country. When Joan’s father Jacques (Scott Coopwood) finds out, he tries to beat the effrontery out of her. Thinking that a trip to the local vicar will rid Joan of the idea, the family is surprised when Father Gilbert (Robert Sicular) finds Joan’s claim credible. Under the escort of her brother Pierre (Brennan PickmanThoon), Joan is soon off to the palace of the Dauphin to meet her destiny. Much of that ‘destiny’ occurs off-
stage as the focus remains on the impact of Joan’s decisions on those around her. Her brother first attaches himself to Joan as a protector but soon sees the circumstances as a way out of the peasant life. Her father trusts no one and senses things will not end well, and her mother does what mothers do—she stands by her child through thick and thin and tries to keep the family together. Anderson tackles a lot of themes here: faith, class, power, sexism and familial relationships. She expresses these themes’ universality through the use of anachronistic dialogue which, while occasionally jarring, does make the material more accessible. Director Jasson Minadakis and a
quality cast do a fine job in bringing balance to Anderson’s sometimes odd mixture of comedy and drama. The scenic design by Sean Fanning and lighting design by Chris Lundhal is superb with breathtaking visuals. Sara Huddleston’s sound design in conjunction with Penina BiddleGottesman’s delivery of Chris Houston’s compositions aurally transport us between the worldly and other-worldly. Yes, you know how the story ends, but remember—it’s not the destination, it’s the journey. ‘Mother of the Maid’ runs Tuesday– Sunday through Dec. 15 at Marin Theatre Company, 397 Miller Ave., Mill Valley. Tues–Sat, 7:30pm; Sat & Sun, 2pm. $10– $60. 415.388.5208. marintheatre.org.
10 to 25 servings
Heidi’s Bridge
‘Bird’ is the word this time of year.
DINING
Kitchen Classic ‘Joy of Cooking’ still tasty By Tanya Henry
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ost of us own a copy of Joy of Cooking. It’s likely many a college student tucked the enduring classic into their box of belongings when they headed off to school. Or perhaps it was a wedding gift, or as in my case, the well-worn copy on my kitchen shelf was their mother’s. Irma Starkloff Rombauer wrote Joy of Cooking, first published in 1931, along with her daughter, Marion Rombauer Becker, who recipe-tested and illustrated. They kept the All Purpose Cookbook updated for the last 88
years, and this month a ninth revised edition with over 600 new recipes hit bookstore shelves across the country. They kept it all in the family—Irma Rombauer’s great-grandson John Becker and his wife Megan Scott spent almost 10 years mindfully revising the book to reflect and include “changing cooking methods, the availability of new ingredients and to be more globally inclusive.” To learn more about the book, its history and the process of revising and updating this iconic compendium of recipes, Becker and Scott will discuss
the process over lunch at Left Bank in conjunction with Book Passage. In the meantime, here are two classic recipes for the season—that will remain as timeless as the beloved cookbook. Cooks with Books: John Becker & Megan Scott present ‘The Joy of Cooking’ as part of the Book Passage Book & Author lunch at 12:30 pm, Saturday, Dec. 7 at in Larkspur at Left Bank, 507 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur. Tickets: $125 per person; $200 per couple (includes meal & book).
This is the ideal method to use for birds over 15 pounds in weight, though it works well for smaller birds, too. The lower heat ensures that the bird cooks to doneness relatively evenly. While we give the option to stuff the bird, please be aware that you will have to remove the stuffing and finish cooking it in a baking dish, as it will not cook through at the same rate as the turkey. Please read About Turkey, 426, and About Roasting Turkey, 427. A day or more before roasting the turkey, you may brine or dry-brine it, 405 (we recommend dry-brining), if desired. If you have wet-brined the bird, pat it dry and allow it to air-dry overnight, uncovered and refrigerated, on a rack set over a baking sheet. It is imperative to dry out the skin to encourage browning. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 500°F. If you wish to stuff the bird, have hot or at room temperature: (Basic Bread Stuffing or Dressing, 532, or Basic Cornbread Stuffing or Dressing, 532, with any desired additions) If you have not done so already, remove the giblets and neck from: One 10- to 25-pound turkey If the bird is not kosher, self-basting, or brined, rub all over with: Salt Loosely pack the body and neck cavities with the stuffing, if using. Bring the legs together and tie them to hold the stuffing in. Set the turkey breast side up on a V rack in a roasting pan or on a large rimmed baking sheet. Any leftover stuffing can be placed in a buttered baking dish. Brush the turkey’s skin all over with: 3 to 6 tablespoons melted butter, depending on the size of the turkey, or as needed Transfer the turkey to the oven and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Roast until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 155°F, and the thickest part of the thigh reaches at least 170°F. (Stuffing must reach 165°F.) This may take as little as 2 hours for a 10-pound turkey and up to 6 hours for a very large turkey. Transfer the turkey to a platter and let rest for at least 20 and up to 40 minutes before carving. If the breast is done but the thighs are not, take the turkey out of the oven and carve the legs off at the hip joint. Place the legs on a rimmed baking sheet and return to the oven to finish cooking through while the breast and carcass rests. Excerpted from Joy of Cooking by John Becker and Megan Scott. Copyright © 2019. Reprinted by permission of Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
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Classic Roast Turkey
masks donated by Freidman’s Home Improvement, a tiny hand-cranked flashlight courtesy of PG&E, a throwaway cell phone charger supplied by Comcast and a toothbrush, toothpaste, plastic razor, shampoo and conditioner gifted by Kaiser Permanente. Completing the socalled GO! Bags were a handful of brochures, including a “Prepare with Pedro” coloring book. A FEMA brochure warns us to “Save for a Rainy Day” and “Make a Plan.” Casey Mazzoni, a San Rafael-based lobbyist hired by Rebuild North Bay for $60,000, oversaw the bag project, which the foundation pegged as a $75,000 community grant. By contrast, following the fires, Redwood Credit Union’s North Bay Fire Relief Fund distributed $31 million to the community from more than 41,000 donors. Its administrative costs amounted to 3 percent of its grants, according to its 2017 tax return. The non-profit North Bay Organizing Project’s UndocuFund made $6 million in cash grants to almost 1,900 families that lost homes, possessions and earnings in the fires while only 10 percent of revenue went to overhead. The law allows Rebuild North Bay, as a charitable organization, to focus some of its activities on lobbying government officials on issues relevant to its mission. Non-profit tax experts consulted for this story say such a group should spend more than 80 percent of the budget on the charitable purpose, not on lobbying of any sort. According to tax filings and financial documents provided by Thompson, Rebuild North Bay deposited $2.8 million in cash and non-cash donations from more than 100 donors in its first year. PG&E donated most of the cash. Ordinary people wrote checks for $20 or $50, richer folks donated five-figure sums for disaster relief. The Ford Dealers Advertising Association gave $25,000; the Associated Students of Stanford University gave $5,000; a Girl Scouts Brownie Troop raised $904. What happened to the money? During its first year, Rebuild North Bay distributed $169,499—6 percent of its donations—as wildfire disaster relief, offering only a small part of that charity in cash. Most of it came in the form of donated items passed through the foundation’s books and counted as grants to the public. According to its tax return, much
of the foundation's first year budget went to “coordination,” paying staff salaries, consulting fees and more than $100,000 for building a website featuring headshots and glowing biographies of its directors. It spent $28,500 on “advocacy” and $18,500 for lobbying, which it defined as “direct contact with legislators, their staffs, government officials or a legislative body.”
Pay to Play Anderson ostensibly chartered Rebuild North Bay for disaster relief, not to intersect with the founder’s financial and business interests or send politicians to lobby in DC. Yet time and again, the nonprofit apparently went far astray from its stated mission. For example, until Nov. 1, Anderson’s lobbying firm, Platinum Advisors, counted PG&E as a client. As PG&E grappled with bankruptcy and $30 billion in liabilities for sparking wildfires around California, two of its executives served on the foundation’s board, which counted the utility as a “partner” in charitable giving. The debris removal company Ashbritt Environmental also hired Anderson’s lobbying firm and gifted the foundation with $450,000— only after some of the foundation’s board members pressed federal officials to change regulations governing disaster cleanup reimbursement. Ashbritt was paid $288 million in federal funds as part of the $1.3 billion cleanup operation. In its IRS tax filing, Rebuild North Bay credits its influence for Congress upping the debriscleanup reimbursement rate. When asked for evidence that the foundation played such a pivotal role, Thompson replied: “Prove that we didn’t.” While the foundation boasts of its effective advocacy, however, Thompson denies that such influence activities constitutes lobbying. Ultimately, it’s up to the IRS to determine whether the Rebuild North Bay has run afoul of nonprofit rules, according to Philip Hackney, a professor of non-profit law at the University of Pittsburgh. “What is most interesting is that Rebuild told the community it was going to do one thing and then ended up doing another,” he says. Y
Morvanic Lee
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Thank you for reading this cutline.
PRESS PASS
Gratefool
Gratitude problem By Daedalus Howell
T
rawling for Thanksgiving quotes, Pacific Suncontributor and Petaluma ArgusCourier community-editor David Templeton emailed a questionnaire to the usual suspects. He topped it with “What are you most thankful for right now?” I have yet to reply because A) I’m on my own damn deadline and B) the question gives me psychic hives. I begrudge Templeton nothing, but the query registers as a threat to the heap of social anxiety that cringes just below my well-hewn persona. Perhaps it’s too personal or too undeveloped to express, or maybe I haven’t taken the time to cook up a pithy, on-brand answer— something affably wry with just enough poignancy to suggest I’m human. This isn’t the first time I’ve failed this test. Remember Cafe Gratitude, the
vegan cafe on Marin’s Miracle Mile? They were known for a peculiar ritual that arrived with the bill—the server would ask, in that sanctimonious tone peculiar to aughts-era millennials, “What are you grateful for?” Sudden, self-righteous rage was harder to come by back then so I suppose I should’ve been grateful for that. As with Templeton now, I hadn’t worked up a bit back then, so I improvised something about my disdain for ending sentences in a preposition. “There’s no ‘attitude’ in ‘gratitude,’” they replied. I had to write it down on the napkin to make sure. Damn it, they were right. Cafe Gratitude shuttered all of its Bay Area eateries by 2015. The owners retreated to Los Angeles and a year later endured death threats from vegans after they decided to start eating meat again. No one got hurt (except, apparently, some animals) and Cafe Gratitude continues to thrive as a vegan hub in several LowCal locations. I was curious as to whether the proprietors brought their post-meal question ritual to Los Angeles, so I called the location in my old neighborhood, Venice. When asked, Jalysa kindly informed me that their location asks a different question every day. At the time of this reporting, the query was “What are you overcoming today?” I suppose I’m overcoming my ingratitude today, Jalysa. Here’s why: According to PsychologyToday. com, that online enclave where armchair psychologists can diagnose their exes’ borderline personality disorders, one will also learn that “Psychologists find that...feeling grateful boosts happiness and fosters both physical and psychological health, even among those already struggling with mental health problems.” Which is to say me and my entire readership. So, in our mutual self-interest, I’ll start: I’m grateful someone put the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving playlist on Spotify. I was playing “Charlie’s Blues” while writing these very words when my partner Karen asked, “Are you on hold?” “Good grief,” I sighed. But, yeah, some Vince Guaraldi jazz does sound like on-hold music. Grateful or grating? I dunno. Now you, dear reader—what are you grateful for? Y
SWIRL
Aha, Rioja Tempranillo—not quite taking Alta California by storm, as of press time By James Knight
W
hen I say Burgundy, you say Pinot Noir—the red wine grape of Burgundy that’s also made the Russian River Valley a famous wine region. And when I say Bordeaux, you say Cabernet. Got the pattern? So when I say Rioja, you say—huh? The answer is Tempranillo, the major red-wine grape of Rioja, the best-known wine region of Spain. But Tempranillo is not at all a key grape in the wine history of Alta California,
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Pilgrim? Nee. Rembrandt’s portrait of Nicolaas van Bambeeck as pictured on a bottle of Spanish wine.
the northernmost territory settled by the decidedly wine-positive, militaryecclesiastical complex of the Spanish Empire in the 18th century. Instead, they brought Mission, a productive but now largely-forgotten grape. Did we miss out? Last April, I received an out-of-theblue shipment of Rioja wines from a press agency. Luckily, Rioja wines cellar well, and I recently put them up against the few local versions that I could find from intrepid Tempranillo-positive wineries. Faustino VII 2017 Rioja Tempranillo ($10.99): The leastcostly wine of the bunch is handily opened with a screw-cap enclosure and conveys a lot of basic information about Rioja style for the price: the aroma is more reminiscent of old casks of wine than anything else, and it’s nothing if not serviceable. While I could find nothing that connects the Dutch gentleman pictured on the label to this winery, founded in the 1860s, it does suggest that the Puritans picked up some fashion tips from their sojourn in 17th-century Holland. Finca Las Cabras 2013 Rioja Crianza ($19): My favorite of the Rioja bunch, this spices up that singular, old (and traditionally, American oak) cask aroma with French-roast coffee, chocolate cake and cooked strawberry. Roasted pecan and dried-berry trail mix? A Portolá trek dream mix. Muriel 2014 Fincas de la Villa Rioja Reserva ($19.99): Here’s a more serious Rioja, showing aromas of dried black olives, blackberry fruit leather and finishing on an all-tooserious display of grippy tannins. Marimar Estate 2015 Don Miguel Vineyard Russian River Valley Tempranillo ($53): Better known as a Pinot Noir plot in cool Green Valley, this vineyard derives its name from the late Miguel Torres—Marimar’s father, and a big name in Spanish wine. Deep color, sticky tannin and charred flavor from this cool-climate site. Enriquez 2013 Sonoma Coast Tempranillo ($44): This is a Right Bank Bordeaux–lover’s special, sporting tea-leaf aromas and a super-easy, aged Bordeaux feel that dances across the tongue. Mi Sueño 2016 Napa Valley Tempranillo ($60): From California-dreamer Rolando Herrera, this is the sweetest-smelling of these wines, with blueberry and vanilla aromas that tease like from a tiny tin of fruit-scented candies. A nice alternative to Merlot or some of your more easygoing Zins. Y
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THU, NOV 28 > 12–6PM FREE, BAR SHOW, ALL AGES TERRAPIN THANKSGIVING! with THE TERRAPIN ALLSTARS feat GRAHAME LESH, SCOTT GUBERMAN, BRIAN RASHAP & DANNY LUEHRING FRI, NOV 29 > 8PM THE GRATE ROOM, 16+ HALF PINT with THE YELLOW WALL DUB
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ANDREW MARLIN OF MANDOLIN ORANGE 100 YACHT CLUB DRIVE, SAN R AFAEL terrapincrossroads.net | 415.524.2773
Nov 29 The Mad Hannans 8:00 Nov 30 Bud E Luv Dec 1 Sat
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Trivia Café
By Howard Rachelson
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The highest and the lowest elevations in the continental U.S. are both located in California. What are they?
2
In 1972, Parker Brothers introduced what word game played with 16 lettered cubes?
3
What’s the title of the award-winning 2012 movie about the life of Abraham Lincoln? What actor played an older Abraham Lincoln in this film? What legendary director created this movie?
4
Steve Jobs used the phrase ‘magical and revolutionary’ to describe what Apple product, introduced in February, 2010?
5
What three ingredients are added to coffee to make proper Irish Coffee?
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6
In area, what are the world’s three largest countries?
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Sun 12⁄1 • 7pm ⁄ $27–32 • All Ages
Tiffany Austin
A Tribute to Nina Simone Thu 12⁄5 • 7pm ⁄ $30–35 • All Ages
Monophonics Soulful Social Ghost & The City
Fri 12⁄6 • 8pm ⁄ $27–32 • 21+
Foreverland
The Electrifying Tribute to Michael Jackson Sun 12⁄8 • 12:30pm ⁄ $22–24 • All Ages
Griffin House
Mon 12⁄9 • 7pm ⁄ $27–32 • All Ages
Marco Benevento The Mattson 2
Tue 12⁄10 • 7pm ⁄ $27 • All Ages
The Rat Pack Christmas Show Dean O Holics Wed 12⁄11 • 7pm ⁄ $15–20 • All Ages
Nikki Hill The Gold Souls Thu 12⁄12 • 7pm ⁄ $17–20 • All Ages
The China Cats Zach Nugent Band
English Princess Anne, daughter of Queen Elizabeth, competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics in what event with a 13-letter name, contested equally by men or women?
8
Once you reach a depth of about 100 meters below sea level, there is no more any what?
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Which U.S. state has the lowest per-capita personal income, about $38,000 annually?
10
Air Force One, the President’s plane, is what airplane make and model? BONUS QUESTION: Which country in the world has the largest number of colleges and universities?
Sun 12⁄15 • 6pm ⁄ $19–27 discount <12, +65 • All Ages
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You’re invited to the next Trivia Cafe team contest on Tuesday, Dec. 10, at Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael. 6:30pm. Free with Prizes. Bring a team or come join one. Have a great question? Send it in and if we use it we’ll give you credit. Contact howard1@ triviacafe.com for more information and visit www.triviacafe.com.
Answers on page
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Concerts Erick Baker Tennessee Valley songwriter has played with everyone from John Legend to Brandi Carlile. Dec 2, 8pm. $15. HopMonk Novato, 224 Vintage Way, Novato, 415.892.6200. Half Pint Jamaican dancehall and reggae star performs with the Yellow Wall Dub Squad and Andrew Bees of Black Uhuru. Nov 29, 8pm. $18. Terrapin Crossroads, 100 Yacht Club Dr, San Rafael, 415.524.2773. Rock Sober Nights Skip the alcohol and enjoy good vibes with music by Chris Holbrook, Jean Watson Knapp and others. Dec 1, 6:30pm. $17-$20. Dance Palace, 503 B St, Pt Reyes Station, 415.663.1075.
Clubs & Venues George’s Nightclub Dec 1, 5pm, Lady D & the Tramps with Noel Jewkes. 842 Fourth St, San Rafael, 415.226.0262. HopMonk Novato Nov 29, Ancient Baby and James Harman Band. Nov 30, Wonder Bread 5. 224 Vintage Way, Novato, 415.892.6200. Iron Springs Pub & Brewery Dec 4, Lorin Rowan’s Deep Blue Jam Acoustic Xmas. 765 Center Blvd, Fairfax, 415.485.1005. Mantra Wines Nov 30, Blues & BBQ with Charles Wheal Band. 881 Grant Ave, Novato, 415.892.5151. 19 Broadway Nightclub Nov 29, Bob Marley tribute with Sol Horizon. Nov 30, the Crooked Stuff. Dec 1, Elvis Johnson’s Fairfax Blues Jam. 17 Broadway Blvd, Fairfax, 415.459.1091. Papermill Creek Saloon Nov 29, Koolerator. Nov 30, PSDSP. Dec 1, 6pm, Jeremy D’Antonio Band. 1 Castro, Forest Knolls, 415.488.9235. Peri’s Silver Dollar Nov 29, Eric McFadden Band. Nov 30, Talley Up. 29 Broadway, Fairfax, 415.459.9910. Rancho Nicasio Nov 29, Leftover’s Party with the Mad Hannans. Nov 30, Bud E Luv’s holiday party. 1 Old Rancheria Rd, Nicasio, 415.662.2219. Sausalito Seahorse Nov 30, the 7th Sons. 305 Harbor View Dr, Sausalito, 415.331.2899. Smiley’s Schooner Saloon Nov 30, LoWatters. 41 Wharf Rd, Bolinas, 415.868.1311. Sweetwater Music Hall Nov 29, Petty Theft. Dec 1, Nina Simone tribute with Tiffany Austin. 19 Corte Madera Ave, Mill Valley, 415.388.3850. The Tavern on Fourth Nov 29, Collectivity Trio. Nov 30, Johnny
Terrapin Crossroads Nov 29, Top 40 Friday with the Steve Pile Band. Nov 30, Jon Chi Band. Dec 4, Dragon Smoke with Magic In the Other. 100 Yacht Club Dr, San Rafael, 415.524.2773. Way Station Nov 30, 5pm, Lauren Ashley. 2001 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Fairfax, 415.300.3099.
Art Opening Marin Center Bartolini Gallery Dec 4, “Food, Farms & Art,” see work by local artists who are passionate about local food and farming. Reception, Dec 4 at 6pm. $100. 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. marincounty.org.
Comedy Best of the San Francisco Stand-Up Comedy Competition: Home for the Holidays Headliner Johnny Steele headlines a night of holiday laughs. Nov 30, 8pm. $30. Marin Center Showcase Theatre, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael, 415.499.6800. Improv Behind-the-Scenes Get insights into spontaneous comedy with a performance/real-time coaching event. Nov 29-30, 8pm. $10. West End Studio Theatre, 1554 Fourth St, San Rafael, 415.454.2787. Jay Alexander’s Mind Tricks Enjoy a captivating and fun show with the master magician, mentalist and comic. Nov 29, 8pm. $30-$50. Throckmorton Theatre, 142 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley, 415.383.9600. Tuesday Night Live See standup comedians at the top of their game. Dec 3, 8pm. $17-$27. Throckmorton Theatre, 142 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley, 415.383.9600.
Events Bank of Marin Turkey Trot One-mile, 5K and 10K courses offer Thanksgiving Day fun for all ages. Nov 28. $25-$55. College of Marin, Indian Valley Campus, 1800 Ignacio Blvd, Novato, marinturkeytrot.com. Black Friday Book Sale Find a full range of new and gently used books, beautifully organized and displayed for your shopping pleasure. Nov 29-30. San Rafael Library, 1100 E St, San Rafael, 415.485.3323. Bolinas Museum Turkey Trot Two-mile run to burn off those Thanksgiving calories offers prizes and Bloody Marys at the finish line. Nov 30, 8am. $10-$15; kids 9 and under are free. Bolinas Museum, 48 Wharf Rd, Bolinas, 415.868.0330. Family Day at MarinMOCA New program provides art-making opportunities to parents with their children. Sun, Dec 1, 11am. Free. MarinMOCA, 500 Palm Dr, Novato, 415.506.0137.
Jigsaw Puzzle Swap Come by the store with at least one puzzle to swap and you’ll be able to buy brandnew puzzles at discount. Nov 30. Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd, Corte Madera, 415.927.0960. Parade of Lights & Holiday Festival San Rafael family tradition returns with live entertainment, holiday marketplace and tree lighting in City Plaza. Nov 29, 12pm. Downtown San Rafael, Fourth St, San Rafael, 800.310.6563. Point Reyes Open Studios Many of West Marin’s finest sculptors, photographers, potters, painters, printmakers and woodworkers open their doors to the public. Nov 29-Dec 1. Free. Pt Reyes Artist Studios, State Route 1, Pt Reyes Station, pointreyesart.com. Sukhasiddhi Sunday Buddhist practices and teachings are shared in an accessible and approachable way for Westerners. Dec 1, 9am. $10-$70. Sukhasiddhi Foundation, 771 Center Blvd, Fairfax, 415.462.0127.
Field Trips Black Friday Sail on the Bay Extend your Thanksgiving celebrations with a tasty lunch and Bay views. Nov 29, 12pm. $75. Schooner Freda B, Sausalito Yacht Harbor, 100 Bay St, Sausalito, 415.331.0444. Sunrise Tour of Muir Woods See majestic trees and hear the story of the forest. Reservations required. Dec 1, 7am. Free. Muir Woods Visitor Center, 1 Muir Woods Rd, Mill Valley, 415.388.2596.
Film Cinema & Psyche Four-session film class studies “Fanny & Alexander,” Ingmar Bergman’s epic family saga, in its original, unabridged version. Mon, 2pm. through Dec 16. $25; $100 full series. Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 240 Channing Way, San Rafael, cinemaandpsyche.com.
Center Showcase Theatre, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael, 415.499.6800. Contemporary Classics Pat Holt’s monthly book-discussion group covers the novel “Kudos” by Rachel Cusk. Dec 4, 6:30pm. $20. Point Reyes Books, 11315 Hwy 1, Pt Reyes Station, 415.663.1542. Deep Writing Workshop with Susanne West Work with a variety of writing prompts and processes to help free your imagination. Dec 2, 10:30am. Free. Corte Madera Library, 707 Meadowsweet Dr, Corte Madera, 415.924.3515. Introduction to Beekeeping Learn about bees and basic considerations in caring for them. Dec 1, 9am. $65. Fairfax Backyard Farmer, 135 Bolinas Rd, Fairfax, 415.342.5092. The Vanishing Wall Between Church & State Authors Joel Richard Paul, Ronit Stahl and Binyamin Blum discuss the growing cracks in what Jefferson called “a wall of separation” between the church and the state. Dec 3, 7pm. Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd, Corte Madera, 415.927.0960.
Readings Book Passage Nov 30, 2pm, INK young writers event. Nov 30, 4pm, “The Adventurous Eaters Club” with Misha and Vicki Collins, ticket includes signed book. $34. Dec 1, 1pm, “Aging Joyfully” with Carla Marie Manly. Dec 1, 1pm, “I Fell in Love With Your Mother on a Bus in India” with Barry Hoffner. Dec 1, 4pm, “Cheese Boards to Share” with Thalassa Skinner, includes cheese tasting. Dec 4, 7pm, “Alice Adams: Portrait of a Writer” with Carol Sklenicka. 51 Tamal Vista Blvd, Corte Madera 415.927.0960.
Theater
Food & Drink
Middletown Dramatic comedy follows down-to-earth folks in a small town. Through Dec 8. College of Marin Kentfield Campus, 835 College Ave, Kentfield, 415.457.8811.
Sausalito Gingerbread House Tour & Competition Stroll the shops around Sausalito and view elaborate, festively decorated gingerbread houses galore. Dec 1-31. Downtown Sausalito, Caledonia Street, Sausalito, 415.289.4152.
Mother of the Maid Playwright Jane Anderson reimagines Joan of Arc’s epic tale through the eyes of her mother. Through Dec 8. $25-$60. Marin Theatre Company, 397 Miller Ave, Mill Valley, 415.388.5208.
St Vincent de Paul Thanksgiving Dinner The 38th annual dinner is free for Marin’s hungry neighbors. Nov 28. St Vincent de Paul’s Dining Room, 820 B St, San Rafael, 415.454.3303.
She Loves Me Mountain Play and Ross Valley Players co-production is a delightful musical treat. Through Dec 22. $25-$40. Barn Theatre, Marin Art and Garden Center, 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Ross, mountainplay.org.
Thanksgiving Day Celebration at Left Bank Enjoy a four-course holiday prix fixe dinner. Nov 28. Left Bank Brasserie, 507 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur, 415.927.3331.
Lectures Best of SF Solo Series Solo performer Brian Copeland presents “The Jewelry Box.” Dec 1, 7pm. $40. Marin
The PACIFIC SUN’s calendar is produced as a service to the community. If you have an item for the calendar, send it to calendar@bohemian.com, or mail it to: NORTH BAY BOHEMIAN, 847 Fifth St, Santa Rosa CA 95404. Inclusion of events in the print edition is at the editor’s discretion. Deadline is two weeks prior to desired publication date.
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Seminars&Workshops To include your seminar or workshop, call 415.485.6700
SINGLES GROUP. Single & Dissatisfied? Tired of spending weekends and holidays alone? Join us to explore what’s blocking you from fulfillment in your relationships. Next nine-week Single’s Group starts December 2nd. Advance sign-up required. Space limited. Also weekly, Coed (emotional) Intimacy Groups and Women’s Group (all meeting now) and Individual or Couples Sessions. Meets in spacious Victorian in Central San Rafael. For more info, call Renée Owen, LMFT #35255 at 415-453-8117 or email reneeowen@sbcglobal.net or http://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/renee-owen-san-rafaelca/183422
Seminars & Workshops CALL TODAY TO ADVERTISE
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Real Estate HOMES/CONDOS FOR SALE AFFORDABLE MARIN? I can show you 60 homes under $600,000. Call Cindy Halvorson 415-902-2729, BRE #01219375. Christine Champion, BRE# 00829362.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT— File No: 147834. The following individual(s) are doing business: PACIFIC TEA COMPANY, 506 DE CARLO AVE, N. RICHMOND, CA 94801: COMSEECO, INC., 506 DE CARLO AVE, N. RICHMOND, CA 94801. This business is being conducted by A CORPORATION. Registrant will begin transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed herein. This statement was filed with the County Clerk-Recorder of Marin County on NOVEMBER 01, 2019. (Publication Dates: NOVEMBER 13, 20, 27 DECEMBER 4 of 2019) FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT— File No: 2019147781. The following individual(s) are doing business: REAL MARIN GROUP, 300 DRAKES LANDING STE 120, GREENBRAE, CA 94904: CATHERINE YOUNGLING., 302 DURANT WAY, MILL VALLEY, CA 94941., TRACI THIERCOF., 300 DRAKES LANDING STE 120, GREENBRAE, CA 94904., MICHELLE DODD., 300 DRAKES LANDING STE 120,
GREENBRAE, CA 94904., CHRISTINE FLECHSIG., 300 DRAKES LANDING STE 120, GREENBRAE, CA 94904. This business is being conducted byUNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATION OTHER THAN A PARTNERSHIP. Registrant will begin transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed herein. This statement was filed with the County Clerk-Recorder of Marin County on OCTOBER 21, 2019. (Publication Dates: NOVEMBER 13, 20, 27, DECEMBER 4 of 2019) FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT— File No: 2019147738. The following individual(s) are doing business: MARIN CANINE ADVENTURES, 745 SUN LANE, NOVATO, CA 94947: SHAUNNA L ANDERSON., 745 SUN LANE, NOVATO, CA 94947. This business is being conducted by AN INDIVIDUAL. Registrant will begin transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed herein. This statement was filed with the County Clerk-Recorder of Marin County on OCTOBER 11, 2019. (Publication Dates: NOVEMBER 13, 20, 27, DECEMBER 4 of 2019)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT— File No: 147829. The following individual(s) are doing business: F.M.G CABINETRY, 25 GELDERT DR, TIBURON, CA 94920: FRANÇOIS MARIE GOUNARD., 25 GELDERT DR, TIBURON, CA 94920. This business is being conducted by AN INDIVIDUAL. Registrant will begin transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed herein. This statement was filed with the County Clerk-Recorder of Marin County on OCTOBER 31, 2019. (Publication Dates: NOVEMBER 13, 20, 27, DECEMBER 4 of 2019) FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT— File No: 2019147860. The following individual(s) are doing business: SANTOS CONSTRUCTION, 249 JOHNSTONE DRIVE, SAN RAFAEL, CA 94903: SANTOS MAZAREIGOS F ROSELI, 249 JOHNSTONE DRIVE, SAN RAFAEL, CA 94903. This business is being conducted by AN INDIVIDUAL. Registrant will begin transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed herein. This statement was
PublicNotices FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT— File No: 2019147871. The following individual(s) are doing business: RS HOME IMPROVEMENT LLC, 249 JOHNSTONE DRIVE, SAN RAFAEL, CA 94903: RS HOME IMPROVEMENT LLC, 249 JOHNSTONE DRIVE, SAN RAFAEL, CA 94903. This business is being conducted by A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. Registrant will begin transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed herein. This statement was filed with the County Clerk-Recorder of Marin County on NOVEMBER 07, 2019. (Publication Dates: NOVEMBER 20, 27, DECEMBER 4, 11 of 2019) FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT— File No: 2019147949. The following individual(s) are doing business: SATURN RETURNS, SATURN RETURNS TAX PREPARATION, 9 WOMACK CT, NOVATO, CA 94947: JASMINE B CAPERTON, 9 WOMACK CT, NOVATO, CA 94947. This business is being conducted by AN INDIVIDUAL. Registrant will begin transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed herein. This statement was filed with the County Clerk-Recorder of Marin County on NOVEMBER 11, 2019. (Publication Dates: NOVEMBER 27, DECEMBER 4, 11, 18 of 2019)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT— File No: 147826. The following individual(s) are doing business: S&R Homes Realty, 2130 LAS GALLINAS AVE, SAN RAFAEL, CA 94903: S&R HOMES INC., 2130 LAS GALLINAS AVE, SAN RAFAEL, CA 94903. This business is being conducted by A CORPORATION. Registrant will begin transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed herein. This statement was filed with the County Clerk-Recorder of Marin County on OCTOBER 30, 2019. (Publication Dates: NOVEMEBER 27, DECEMBER 4, 11, 18 of 2019) FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT— File No: 147884. The following individual(s) are doing business: BUILDERGIRL DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION, BUILDERGIRL PRODUCTS, 34 BRIGHTON BLVD., MILLVALLEY, CA 94941: HUMPHREY DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION., 34 BRIGHTON BLVD., MILLVALLEY, CA 94941. This business is being conducted by A CORPORATION. Registrant will begin transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed herein. This statement was filed with the County Clerk-Recorder of Marin County on NOVEMBER 08, 2019. (Publication Dates: NOVEMBER 27, DECEMBER 4, 11, 18 of 2019) OTHER NOTICES ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: CIV 1904094 SUPERIOR COURT
OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF MARIN TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS 1. Petitioner (name of each): DIEGO RODRIGO ALONZO KROELL, has filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present Name: DIEGO RODRIGO ALONZO KROELL to Proposed Name: DIEGO RODRIGO KROELL 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. if no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING a. Date: 12/30/2019, Time: 9:00am, Dept: B, Room: B. The address of the court is same as noted above; 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903. 3.a. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the Pacific Sun, a newspaper of general circulation, printed in the county of Marin. DATED: NOVEMBER 06, 2019 Andrew E Sweet Judge of the Superior Court James M Kim Court Executive Officer MARIN COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT By E. Anderson, Deputy (November 13, 20, 27 December 4 as of 2019).
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE AND ANCILLARY PROBATE: Francis McDonough Culver, also known as Francis M. Culver CASE NO.: PR 1904045 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: Francis McDonough Culver, Francis M. Culver, Mickey Culver. A Petition for~Probate~has been filed by: Ann E. Bardeen, in the Superior Court of California, County of Marin. The Petition for~Probate~requests that: Ann E. Bardeen, be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. Decedent died on 12-01-2018, a resident of Massachusetts, Essex County. Bond not to be required for the reasons stated in item 3e. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be
held in this court as follows: Date: 12/16/2019, Time: 9:00AM, Dept.: J, Address of court: 3501 Civic Center Drive, PO Box 4988, San Rafael, CA 94913-4988. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California~Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of theCalifornia~Probate~Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in~Probate~Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: Carole J. Gray, Esq. , McNeil, Silveria, Rice & Wiley 55 Professional Center Parkway, Ste. A, San Rafael, CA 94903 415.472.3434. FILED: November 01, 2019, James M. Kim, Court Executive Officer,
MARIN COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT By: K. Yarborough. Deputy. (Publication Dates: November 20, 27, December 4 of 2019) NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE AND PROBATE: Sonja M. Lind CASE NO.: PR 1904576 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: Sonja M. Lind also known as Sonja Lind. A Petition for~Probate~has been filed by: R. Craig Lind, in the Superior Court of California, County of Marin. The Petition for~Probate~requests that: R. Craig Lind, be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. Decedent died on 03-11-2019, a resident of The Tamalpais, City of Greenbrae, County of Marin, CA. Decedent was a citizen of a country other than the United States: South Africa. Bond not to be required for the reasons stated in item 3e. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The indepen-
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PublicNotices dent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: 12/16/2019, Time: 9:00 AM, Dept.: J, Address of court: 3501 Civic Center Drive, PO Box 4988, San Rafael, CA 949134988. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California~Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of theCalifornia~Probate~Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in~Probate~Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available
from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: Carole J. Gray, Esq. , McNeil, Silveria, Rice & Wiley 55 Professional Center Parkway, Ste. A, San Rafael, CA 94903 415.472.3434. FILED: October 25, 2019, James M. Kim, Court Executive Officer, MARIN COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT By: K. Yarborough. Deputy. (Publication Dates: November 20, 27, December 4 of 2019) NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF LILLIAN R. HINDS. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to the creditors and contingent beneficiaries of the abovename Trust & Settlor that all persons and entities having claims against the LILLIAN R. HINDS 2014 REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST and decedent, are required to file them with ALEXANDER T. HINDS & SARAH G. MEGENHARDT, P.O. Box 827, Inverness, CA 94937, Co-Trustees of the said Trust dated August 19, 2014, wherein the decedent was the settlor, within the later of four (4) months after the date of the first publication of this notice to creditors (November 20, 2019, or within sixty (60) days after the date of mailing or delivery to you if notice is mailed or personally delivered to you. For your protection, you are encouraged to file any claim by certified mail, with return receipt requested. Lois A. Prentice, Esq. (SBN 36499) 1301 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA 94965 (Tel.) (415) 3321066, Attorney for ALEXANDER T. HINDS & SARAH G. MEGENHARDT, Co-Trustees of the LILLIAN R. HINDS 2014 REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST.
(Publication Dates: November 20, 27, December 4 of 2019) NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: MARILYN SUSAN NELSON CASE NO.: PR 1904203. To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: Marilyn Susan Nelson. A Petition for~Probate~has been filed by: Kathy Baldwin, in the Superior Court of California, County of Marin. The Petition for Probate requests that: Kathy Baldwin, be appointed as executor of the estate of the decedent. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: 1/13/2020, Time: 9:00AM, Dept.: J Room: J, Address of court: 3501 Civic Center Drive, PO Box 4988, San Rafael, CA 94913-4988. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with
the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California~Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of theCalifornia~Probate~Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in~Probate~Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: John Boudett 42719, P.O. Box 188, San Anselmo, CA 94979 415-456-7522. FILED: November 15, 2019, James M. Kim, Court Executive Officer, MARIN COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT By. Deputy. (Publication Dates: September (NOVEMBER 27 DECEMBER 4, 11 of 2019) NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE AND PROBATE AND FOR LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION
AND AUTHORIZATION TO ADMINISTER UNDER THE INDEPENDENT ADMINSTRATION OF ESTATES ACT: MARY HEROLD CASE NO.: PR-1902810 SECOND AMENDED To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: Mary Herold. A Petition for~Probate (Second Amended)~requests that: Douglas Herold, be appointed as administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. Decedent died on 4-252019, a resident of San Rafael, Marin County CA. $260,500 Bond be fixed. The bond will be furnished by an admitted surety insurer or as otherwise provided by law. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: 12/16/2019, Time: 9:00AM, Dept.: J, Address of court: 3501 Civic Center Drive, PO Box 4988, San Rafael, CA 94913-4988. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your
objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California~Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of theCalifornia~Probate~Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in~Probate~Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner: Piper Hanson, SBN 297035 Crawford & Hanson Law Offices, LLP, 1750 Francisco Blvd.Pacifica, CA 94044 650-738-0720. FILED: NOVEMBER 22, 2019, James M. Kim, Court Executive Officer, MARIN COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT By: C. Lucchesi. Deputy. (Publication Dates: November 27, December 4, 11 of 2019)
By Amy Alkon
Q:
I was feeding my meter the other day, and this guy chatted me up outside his store and got me to take his number. He seemed sweet, but things got weird when he wanted to come over the next night. I said that didn’t work for me, but I offered to swing by his work and say hi during the day. He responded angrily: “No. I wanna come to your house, but you aren’t ready for it.” I politely explained that I didn’t know him at all and wasn’t into casual sex anymore. If that didn’t work for him, that was totally cool and we could just be friends. He got angry again, saying (bizarrely), “I’m not a negative person” and then “But now you’ll never know how awesome I am!” I was dumbfounded. Why do some guys get so jerky when you turn them down or just want to take things slow?—Baffled
A:
Sure, you might miss out on how “awesome” he is. You might also miss out on trying to call 911 with your face while zip-tied to the coffee table. We can’t know exactly why the guy went so nasty on you. The easy assumption is that he wanted sex. However, research on men’s responses to romantic rejection suggests some interesting possibilities, including strong masculine “honor beliefs.” Social psychology doctoral student Evelyn Stratmoen explains, “Masculine honor beliefs dictate that men must respond aggressively to threat or insult in order to create and maintain their desired masculine reputations.” “Honor beliefs” come out of a “culture of honor.” It rises up in places with weak or nonexistent formal law enforcement. It’s why men of yore fought duels. In modern life, we see it in gangs and prisons. Literary scholar Jonathan Gottschall explains in “The Professor in the Cage: Why Men Fight and Why We Like to Watch” that a “culture of honor” is a “culture of reciprocation.” “In a tit-for-tat fashion,” a man “returns favors and retaliates against slights.” His building a “reputation for payback” protects him physically, socially and even economically. In two studies that Stratmoen and her colleagues ran, they found that as men’s “honor beliefs increased”—that is, when individual men had more intense honor beliefs—“so did their perceptions that a man’s aggressive responses to the woman rejecting his attempt to initiate a relationship with her were ... appropriate.” The Stratmoen team’s findings suggest that being romantically rejected “is perceived as an insult to the man’s honor,” making him feel insulted and like less of a man and justified in using “aggressive behaviors, possibly in an effort to restore his lost honor.” Other research by social psychologist Khandis Blake and her colleagues found that men showed heightened aggression following romantic rejection by a “sexualized” woman: a woman wearing revealing, sexy clothing and expressing attitudes that “give an impression of sexiness and availability for sexual encounters.” The researchers grant that “women have varied reasons for self-sexualizing,” like finding it “empowering and enjoyable.” Their motivations may even be “nonsexual in nature.” However, women with a sexualized look and demeanor activated a sex-seeking mindset in men (primed “sexual goals,” as the researchers put it) in a way nonsexualized women did not. This sex-goal activation—plus the presumption that a sexualized woman is “more interested in having sex”—increases “the expectancy that romantic interest is reciprocated.” Any romantic rejection that follows has a worse bite—“a greater ego threat,” especially in men with shaky self-esteem—triggering aggressive responses. Now, this is not a call for women to start shopping at Burka Barn or Amishcrombie & Fitch. Wearing a miniskirt (or expressing “liberated” attitudes about sex) does not make you responsible for men’s behavior any more than serving chocolate cake at a party makes you responsible for a guest’s subsequent struggle to fit into their favorite pants. In short, you did everything right, asserting what works for you in kind and dignitypreserving ways. Though this guy’s party manners fell off faster than a bumper Scotchtaped to a car, other aggro men might be better at hiding their Mr. Scary Side. With those guys, your new “take it slow” approach should serve you well. And with the good guys out there, your not wanting to rush into anything is ultimately a signal: You’re a woman worth having—and for more than relationships that begin at 11 pm and end at 1, give or take 20 minutes after the guy’s shoe is confiscated and dragged off to a secure location by your sociopathic Pomeranian. Got a problem? Write Amy Alkon at 171 Pier Ave. #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or email adviceamy@aol.com. @amyalkon on Twitter. Weekly radio show, blogtalkradio.com/amyalkon
Astrology
For the week of November 27
By Rob Brezsny
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Humans invented the
plow in 4,500 B.C.E., the wheel in 4,000 B.C.E., and writing in 3,400 B.C.E. But long before that, by 6,000 B.C.E., they had learned how to brew beer and make psychoactive drugs from plants. Psychopharmacologist Ronald Siegel points to this evidence to support his hypothesis that the yearning to transform our normal waking consciousness is a basic drive akin to our need to eat and drink. Of course, there are many ways to accomplish this shift besides alcohol and drugs. They include dancing, singing, praying, drumming, meditating and having sex. What are your favorite modes? According to my astrological analysis, it’ll be extra important for you to alter your habitual perceptions and thinking patterns during the coming weeks.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Most sane people wish there could be less animosity between groups that have different beliefs and interests. How much better the world would be if everyone felt a generous acceptance toward those who are unlike them. But the problem goes even deeper: Most of us are at odds with ourselves. Here’s how author Rebecca West described it: Even the different parts of the same person do not often converse among themselves, do not succeed in learning from each other. That’s the bad news, Libra. The good news is that the coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to promote unity and harmony among all the various parts of yourself. I urge you to entice them to enter into earnest conversations with each other!
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): What’s
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Poet Cecilia Woloch
something you’re afraid of, but pretty confident you could become unafraid of ? The coming weeks will be a favorable time to dismantle or dissolve that fear. Your levels of courage will be higher than usual, and your imagination will be unusually ingenious in devising methods and actions to free you of the unnecessary burden. Step one: Formulate an image or scene that symbolizes the dread, and visualize yourself blowing it up with a “bomb” made of a hundred roses.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The word “enantiodromia” refers to a phenomenon that occurs when a vivid form of expression turns into its opposite, often in dramatic fashion. Yang becomes yin; resistance transforms into welcome; loss morphs into gain. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you Geminis are the sign of the zodiac that’s most likely to experience enantiodromia in the coming weeks. Will it be a good thing or a bad thing? You can have a lot of influence over how that question resolves. For best results, don’t fear or demonize contradictions and paradoxes. Love and embrace them. CANCER (June 21-July 22): There are Americans who speak only one language, English, and yet imagine they are smarter than bilingual immigrants. That fact amazes me, and inspires me to advise me and all my fellow Cancerians to engage in humble reflection about how we judge our fellow humans. Now is a favorable time for us to take inventory of any inclinations we might have to regard ourselves as superior to others; to question why we might imagine others aren’t as worthy of love and respect as we are; or to be skeptical of any tendency we might have to dismiss and devalue those who don’t act and think as we do. I’m not saying we Cancerians are more guilty of these sins than everyone else; I’m merely letting you know that the coming weeks are our special time to make corrections. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “Erotic love is one of the
highest forms of contemplation,” wrote the sensually wise poet Kenneth Rexroth. That’s a provocative and profitable inspiration for you to tap into. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you’re in the Season of Lucky Plucky Delight, when brave love can save you from wrong turns and irrelevant ideas; when the grandeur of amour can be your teacher and catalyst. If you have a partner with whom you can conduct these educational experiments, wonderful. If you don’t, be extra sweet and intimate with yourself.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In the follow-up
story to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, our heroine uses a magic mirror as a portal into a fantastical land. There she encounters the Red Queen, and soon the two of them are holding hands as they run as fast as they can. Alice notices that despite their great effort, they don’t seem to be moving forward. What’s happening? The Queen clears up the mystery: In her realm, you must run as hard as possible just to remain in the same spot. Sound familiar, Virgo? I’m wondering whether you’ve had a similar experience lately. If so, here’s my advice: Stop running. Sit back, relax, and allow the world to zoom by you. Yes, you might temporarily fall behind. But in the meantime, you’ll get fully recharged. No more than three weeks from now, you’ll be so energized that you’ll make up for all the lost time—and more.
asks, “How to un-want what the body has wanted, explain how the flesh in its wisdom was wrong?”“Did the apparent error occur because of some ghost in the mind?” she adds. Was it due to “some blue chemical rushing the blood” or “some demon or god”? I’m sure that you, like most of us, have experienced this mystery. But the good news is that in the coming weeks you will have the power to un-want inappropriate or unhealthy experiences that your body has wanted. Step one: Have a talk with yourself about why the thing your body has wanted isn’t in alignment with your highest good.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian composer Ludwig van Beethoven was inclined to get deeply absorbed in his work. Even when he took time to attend to the details of daily necessity, he allowed himself to be spontaneously responsive to compelling musical inspirations that suddenly welled up in him. On more than a few occasions, he lathered his face with the 19th-century equivalent of shaving cream, then got waylaid by a burst of brilliance and forgot to actually shave. His servants found that amusing. I suspect that the coming weeks may be Beethoven-like for you, Sagittarius. I bet you’ll be surprised by worthy fascinations and subject to impromptu illuminations. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I have a lot of
confidence in your ability to renew and reinvent yourself in the coming months. In fact, I think that doing so will be a fun project you’ll both enjoy and be able to carry out with flair. But right now you may be going through a brief period when your own confidence for this project is low. You might be entertaining doubts about your ability to summon the courage and willpower you’ll need. But I feel this is a temporary dip. I have faith that you will soon be tapping into previously unavailable reserves of energy that will provide you with all the fuel necessary to renew and reinvent yourself.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The only thing we learn from history is that we never learn anything from history. Philosopher Georg Hegel said that. But I think you will have an excellent chance to disprove this theory in the coming months. I suspect you will be inclined and motivated to study your own past in detail; you’ll be skilled at drawing useful lessons from it; and you will apply those lessons with wise panache as you re-route your destiny. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In his own time,
poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882) was acclaimed and beloved. At the height of his fame, he earned $3,000 per poem. But modern literary critics think that most of what he created is derivative, sentimental and unworthy of serious appreciation. In dramatic contrast is poet Emily Dickinson (1830–1886). Her writing was virtually unknown in her lifetime, but is now regarded as among the best ever. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to sort through your own past so as to determine which of your work, like Longfellow’s, should be archived as unimportant or irrelevant, and which, like Dickinson’s, deserves to be a continuing inspiration as you glide into the future.
Go to realastrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s Expanded Weekly Audio Horoscopes and Daily Text Message Horoscopes. Audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1.877.873.4888.
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