When the sun hits your eye… Keswick Hall

Upon entering the intimate 48-room mansion, my sister and I felt like we were visiting a (very well off) friend’s country estate instead of checking into a hotel. Over 100 years old, with a rather checkered past, Keswick Hall is “one lady who’s aged marvelously well.”

Originally built in 1912, this sumptuous, 8,000 square foot Italianate estate snuggled in 200 acres of prime Virginia countryside, was known as the Villa Crawford. The property changed hands and purposes several times over the next 100 years. It served as a lavish country club in 1948 when an additional 400 acres were purchased. Unfortunately, this was followed in the 70’s by two decades of complete decline, when the property was known as the ‘mansion of senile ruin’. In the early 1990’s Sir Bernard Ashley, widower of Laura Ashley, spent millions restoring Keswick to its former glory. Orient-Express Hotels took a turn at the helm, during which time it was awarded Conde Nast’s #1 Small Resort in Mainland U.S. It was recently purchased by the Richmond based, Riverstone Group LLC.

Shout out to all golfers, legendary golf course architect, Pete Dye, is currently renovating the Keswick Club course, slated to open late 2014. His goal is to modernize the course while maintaining its exceptional natural beauty.

Golf course before make-over

Rooms please

Each bedroom is completely unique

Although each of the 48 rooms (and three suites) are completely unique, they are all elegantly appointed with English and early American antiques, beds plumped with feather duvets, exquisite fabrics (many by Laura Ashley, left over from Sir Bernard days) and original works of art as well as many homey touches including family photos, well-thumbed books and china water pitchers. Generously sized bathrooms feature glass-enclosed showers, claw footed tubs, plush robes, and heated towel racks, in other words, every modern amenity without forgoing a smidge of the graciousness of yesteryear.

The Spa at Keswick Hall

Keswick has pampering down to a fine art, starting with a little pre- treatment relaxation time in the Meditation Room. It’s difficult to choose from their full menu of facials, wraps, and massages (doesn’t the “raindrop therapy” sound wonderful?) but next time I’m going to splurge on the The Keswick Reserve, a blissful three-hour, vineyard-inspired spa treatment utilizing every part of the grape from vine to the seed.

My sis said her massage was so good that she felt like she had disappeared to a much better place for 60 incredible minutes. After her return to reality she took a peek at my face (post facial) and said my skin was positively glowing.

Dining Options

Wine dinner at Fossett’s

Whether you’re in the mood for an elegant wine dinner at Keswick’s award-winning Fossett’s Restaurant, a relaxed bite poolside, or a convivial meal at one of the bars, there are a numerous dining options to fit your every need.

Other girlfriend-to-girlfriend tips

Patricia held us spellbound with her tales

1. The 30-minute tour with property historian Patricia Castelli is an absolute hoot. Patricia channels Keswick’s crazy-cool, former owners to perfection. It’s long been Patricia’s personal mission to get the house’s old walls to talk-and once she got them going the gossip was great!  She recently penned “The Story of Keswick Hall“ which is full of fascinating back-stories involving murder, mayhem and unsolved mysteries plus fabulous photos from the early years to the present.

Perfect for Cold Case Files

2. Although you’ll be tempted to order breakfast in bed, I’d strongly recommend getting dressed and heading down to Fossett’s Restaurant where the spectacular views of the Blue Ridge Mountains are only equaled by the scrumptious Pan Fried Cornmeal Trout sautéed with asparagus, tomatoes, and Chesapeake crab, which we requested served over a bed of scrambled egg-white as our nod to health. This was just one of the many tempters from their Taste of Virginia menu. Word is that they also offer some fantastic special wine dinners here, such as one perpetual favorite, the Winemakers Keswick Winemakers Dinner, held out in the vineyards.

3. No Girlfriend Getaway is complete without including a civilized afternoon tea and the one served at Keswick Hall at Monticello is a classic. Enjoy your choice of tea brewed in a silver teapot served alongside warm scones with clotted cream, lemon curd, preserves, fruit and assorted pastries.  If you took advantage of Keswick’s fitness facility, tennis courts or infinity pool, then feel free to add on traditional tea sandwiches, champagne and truffles.

4. We absolutely adored our ultra- bright, corner room (number 9) which had a glorious private veranda overlooking the property and was the original master bedroom back in the day.

Our Bedroom #9

Kewsick Hall’s peachy perfect location is completely private yet still only minutes from Thomas Jefferson’s beloved home, Monticello, his “academic village” at the University of Virginia, James Monroe’s, Ash Lawn-Highland, many top vineyards, breweries and cideries, lavish horse farms, and the vibrant town of Charlottesville. More on that in the next GG installment.

By Janice Nieder - Stark Insider.

Nexus 4: You’re about to get flipped.

Next week Google will stock the Play Store with two familiar devices. Both the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 will be made available as pure Android “Google Editions”. They will join the Nexus 4 as the company’s current line-up of non-carrier, non-contract smartphones. Unlocked bloat-free goodness for all. For a price.

I don’t anticipate stock shortages, or the nasty web errors we’re accustomed to seeing when Google starts taking orders on June 26th. At $599 and $649 for the One and S4 respectively, unlocked freedom doesn’t come cheap – and, all of a sudden, the Nexus 4 looks like even more of a screaming bargain at just half the cost.

But I’m game.

I was originally waiting for a new Nexus. The Nexus 5 would slay all. But Google I/O came and went. No new hardware was announced. Instead the conference focus was squarely on… development. That’s a good thing (imagine that, a developer conference focused on developers and not product launches!). Now it looks like the the N5 won’t arrive until Q4. There’s even the increasing likelihood it won’t arrive at all; that Google’s new strategy will be to stock Play with pure versions of flagship devices, just as we’re seeing next week with HTC and Samsung (and word is Sony partner up as well with the Xperia). Then came the leaked “X-Phone” specs. Looks like Google is going mid-market with that now less mysterious, and far less desirable, Motorola device.

On the one hand you’ve got design aficionados. For them, it’s the One all the way, every time, six ways from Sunday.

So now I find myself in that most terrible of early adopter places: stranded in between a long product cycle. In fact, when Key Lime Pie–Android 5.0–finally does arrive it will mark the longest time between major software updates for the Android OS platform. That is also not a bad thing. Google and Apple’s slowing cycles does perhaps lend credence to my suspicion that the mobile market is maturing. Slowing?! No, maturing, man (see: The Incremental Era).

That leads me to the million dollar question:

Samsung Galaxy S4 or HTC One?

Which is better?

My research suggests the internet is split.

On the one hand you’ve got design aficionados. For them, it’s the One all the way, every time, six ways from Sunday. Then there’s those indifferent to plastic and huge fans of expandable memory and a removable battery. The vote there is for the Galaxy S4. Again, passionately so. There doesn’t seem to be much middle ground.

I have some thoughts as to which way I’m leaning. But first let me address the why. Why would I even bother “upgrading” from a Nexus 4? It launched less than a year ago, and as it stands now, at least, reflects the best pure-play Android experience. But, alas, there’s a few problems with N4:

1. The glass back looks nice, but drives me nuts – Matrix-like design aside, it makes for a slippery phone. If I accidentally crack or scratch it, my ability to flip phones on eBay to satiate my ridiculous early-adopter hunger takes a financial hit.

2. Soft keys aren’t quite Valhalla - for the longest time I extolled the virtues of on-screen keys (the Nexus 4 has omnipresent back, home and apps softkeys along the bottom), but I’m starting to think otherwise. For one, the lack of a hardware button means the only way to wake the phone is to reach for the power button on the side. This is a pain and unnecessary nuisance if all I want to do is check a text. I think Samsung and Apple figured this out long ago. The other bugaboo with softkeys is the take up screen real estate. I’d much prefer that space go to more screen space instead. It would be helpful when using the smartphone for things like nav.

And the zinger:

3. The Nexus 4 is no longer the latest and greatest - yes, I’m a geek. It comes with a price. All hail the Rasperry Pi (the perfect XBMC!).

Ok, then there’s the price situation. Actually if you do your comparison shopping you’ll likely discover that $599-650 is the going rate for a flagship, contract-free smartphone. At $300 Google did drop jaws with the Nexus 4. I suspect they also subsidized the crap out of it. But without contract, of course, because Google does things to help others. They are Good. Or maybe it’s just because they wanted to seed the Android platform. Take your pick. Either way, it was fun while it lasted.

Here’s the other thing about price. It’s not really $600. Think of it as about $100-150 over twelve months. That’s because in November-ish when the next big Android lands, you’ll likely do what I do and flip it on eBay. I’m discovering that very clean, top-spec Androids do well on the secondary market. Maybe they’ll lose 20% or so of their value. For me, that’s acceptable. It’s also, once again, cheaper than the carrier option which would have you pay $20 per month to cover the cost of the phone. In a year you’d be out $240. In this scenario the net is less. I’ve yet to test this theory much truth be told, so ymmv. When I flipped my Galaxy Nexus I sold it for $275. I paid only $299 for it. How that was possible I’m not sure – could be that the phone was discontinued but still desirable.

Well, now you know how I rationalize this to my wife. Feel free to drive a truck through the hole in my logic. Just don’t tell her. In my bizzaro world of Android lust it makes perfect sense.

Enough of all that. Back to the original question: S4 or One?

At this point I’m leaning towards the S4. Here’s why:

– I like the physical home button for the aforementioned convenience of waking it up without having to reach for the side power button

– faster processor

– removable battery/expandable memory (neither is too big a deal to me, but it somehow makes me sleep better at night)

– multi-colored LED. The One only has 3 colors so far as I know. S4 has programmable. Yes, I sometimes focus on tiny details that no one else cares about

– wider selection of after-market accessories

– better battery life according to reports

Both have 802.11ac wi-fi (5G) which is a plus as I just upgraded my home and office router to a Asus AC66u.

Having said all that it seems the Internet is voting about 70% in favor of the HTC One. Maybe the $50 price difference has something to do with that. I get that the One is one sexy beast – many call it the best designed Android handset ever (it is). And the front-facing speakers? Perfectomendo. But neither of those features matter to me much. The looks won’t matter as soon as I put a $10 TPU case over it. And I listen to most of my music via headphones (yes, Beats… sadly).

Well there you have it. I could be swayed. But at this point I’ll likely be placing an order for a Galaxy S4 on the Play Store. Anyone looking for a mint, super clean Nexus 4?

By Clinton Stark - Stark Insider.

Keth Moon: The Real Me

With the summer here, there’s plenty to see and do around the San Francisco Bay Area. When it comes to the live stage, we’ve got several suggestions percolating here on Stark Insider, and are ready to share them with the world.

We’re making the rounds once again, taking you on a theater and arts ride up and down the peninsula, from San Francisco over to Berkeley, then down to San Jose, and just about everywhere in between.

As always if you’d like to be included in our regular What’s Happening updates and The Buzz column, please send an email to press (at) starkinsider.com. Better yet, tweet us @StarkInsider for even more visibility (and love).

And it wouldn’t be a legit Stark Insider theater stage update with the requisite quote. This time we’re not leaning on Beckett or Stoppard or Shakespeare. Instead we turn to that classic figure of American Theater, Lady Gaga. She once brilliantly said:

“I just am committed wholeheartedly to theatre with no intermission.”

Thanks again for following Team Stark.

Don’t forget to bookmark the San Francisco region’s largest theater and most complete guide. And also subscribe to Stark Insider on YouTube (it’s free) so you can get notified of the latest interviews, videos and behind the scenes segments from all the places you love including San Jose Repertory Theater, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, A.C.T., TheatreWorks, San Jose Stage, Cirque du Soleil, SHN, Broadway San Jose, Magic Theatre, and more.

With that, let the show begin…

30/20 Benefit for San Jose Stage

Silicon Valley Athletic Club, San Jose

One night only: June 21

San Jose Stage Company is kicking off the 2013 Summer Solstice on June 21 by celebrating 30 Years of Award-Winning Excellence in Theatre, as well as 20 years of political satire in Monday Night Live. The Stage will host this star-studded benefit performance at the Silicon Valley Athletic Club’s Corinthian Grand Ballroom on Friday evening, June 21 from 7 PM to midnight.

The party will include a cocktail reception, show, music and dancing in true Hollywood style, all in the elegant Corinthian Grand Ballroom of the Silicon Valley Athletic Club, located at 196 North Third Street, in downtown San Jose. thestage.org

dark play or stories for boys

Do it Live Productions, San Francisco

Opens June 22, 2013

Who would you like to be today? Nick Suttcliffe has landed his first girlfriend, but after the two seal the deal, he finds that he’d better explain the bevy of stab wounds that bedeck his abdomen. Dark Play tells the story of Nick’s very first lover, the power a teenager can take from the internet, and the false selves Nick creates to be free of his own body. doitliveproductions.com

“Empowering Women” a 36 Hour Play Festival

To Benefit San Francisco Safehouse

Live Oak Theatre, Berkeley

One night only: June 24

Female Equity Members come together for a one night only,  36 hour play festival, to showcase the Women of Actors’ Equity Association.  New 10 minute pieces will be written, rehearsed, stage managed and performed entirely by Female Professional Equity Theatre Artists and their colleagues within a 36 Hour time frame. theatrefirst.com

Instant Gratification

City Lights Theatre Company, San Jose

One night only: June 26, 2013

An evening of music by San Jose’s own Curious Quail. With an eye toward creating a new indie rock musical, this energetic alternative band will perform all the songs from their Instant Gratification album.

Instant Gratifications tells the haunting story of a man and woman who have reached a limbo-esque afterlife where they must discover not only how they died, but who they were and how they knew each other by piecing together information through snapshots taken throughout their lives. cltc.org

A Minister’s Wife

San Jose Repertory Theatre

Opens June 26, 2013

This new musical re-telling of George Bernard Shaw’s Candida questions Victorian notions of love and marriage amidst the swirl of a love triangle.

Candida, the strong-willed and beautiful wife of Reverend James Morrell, returns home to London, from a trip to the country, with a young poet who wants to rescue her from what he presumes to be a dull family life. As Reverend Morrell finally recognizes what he might lose, Candida has to decide what she wants to gain, and choose between them. Filled with lush 19th century ballads, this well-known story questions what it is that a woman really desires from a man. sjrep.com

Keith Moon: The Real Me

Eureka Theatre, San Francisco

Opens July 10

Written and performed by Mick Berry and directed by Bobby Weinapple, Keith Moon: The Real Me pays homage to Moon, and delivers a first-hand account of the late drummer’s rise to stardom and tragic downfall, demonstrating along the way his drumming genius and unveiling how he earned his reputation as the wildest man in rock and roll. (Photo by Cynthia Smalley at Fine Art Photography). eurekatheatre.com

By Monica Turner - Stark Insider.

The firsts keep on coming here at Stark Insider. Last week Loni got her inner zombie on and chomped a limb in what could be one of the most gruesome segments Team Stark has ever shot, Twizzlers and all.

Now Loni heads to the San Jose Rep where she encounters a caffeine-fueled director who describes the interview process with her as “torture.” Then later: “brutal.”

“I’m done here!” said A Minister’s Wife director Michael Halberstam, before storming off set.

Here’s your chance to see the rare outtakes. We’ll be taking them down soon so watch them while you can. The final cut which should come out next week–and features never before seen footage of the costume shop at the Rep–will be cleaned up, re-edited, hopefully lessening the psychological damage incurred by all involved.

As if that wasn’t crazy enough, Loni took the opportunity to showcase her Cher impression to the world. The results were… Well, the results were… interesting. Watch for yourself:

OUTTAKES: A Minister’s Wife + Loni and Cher

Clinton Stark says he likes to put Loni in a Cher wig every now and then “so people don’t confuse Stark Insider with KQED and NPR.”

I’m not so sure it’s necessary, but one supposes every little bit helps.

Stay tuned for the full interview for A Minister’s Wife which opens soon at San Jose Repertory Theatre.

By Monica Turner - Stark Insider.

Robert Mondavi would’ve celebrated his 100th birthday today. It’s impossible to envisage the U.S. wine industry–and California wines in particular–coming this far without his influence. A legend. An icon. A good friend. There’s many words people use to describe the gregarious, and remarkably generous man.

I never met him. Though I did have the good fortune of meeting, and interviewing Margrit just last year at the winery. She’s a hoot, and still full of energy – and stories!

Margrit Mondavi accepts the Monteith Trophy for contributions to wine.

There’s several interesting (and no doubt random) things that come to mind when I think about Robert Mondavi, the  winery, and Napa in general.

First and quite interestingly, the winery is relatively understated by Napa standards. Unlike many of its neighbors, and even other properties towards the coast, over in Sonoma, you won’t find a large Downton Abbey-like castle here. Nor are there garish columns, velvet rooms, or discotheques. Instead, quiet taste is the order of the day. Artwork adorns the grounds, testament to Magrit Mondavi’s support of the arts and local artists. But don’t confuse that for a lack of humor. “Welcoming Muse,” a statue of a nude woman crafted by Henry Waddel, greets visitors. If you go, that’s most definitely a classic Instagram moment.

Entrance to the Robert Mondavi Winery, just off Highway 29 in Oakville, Napa: Understated, welcoming, and featuring at least one naked woman.

Then there’s the summer concert series. Yes, a lot of wineries throw parties and host various performers; but the folks at Mondavi seemed to have perfected the formula. Each summer a bevy of musicians make their way onto the outdoor stage. It was there, on a gorgeous Napa evening, that I was able to film Chris Isaak a few years back. It was a relaxed, pinch-me-this-is-too-cool kind of event, what with the Napa Valley as the backdrop, and the sun setting over the hills.

Chris Isaak seduces the Wecoming Muse… or is that the other way around?

But this is really about the wine, though, isn’t it?

And the name you need to know is Geneviève Janssens:

Don’t pass up a chance to listen to Geneviève Janssens talk about winemaking, its philosophy, and history.

Under Geneviève’s direction, the wine operation is in good hands. I’ve been tasting wines at Mondavi for the last thirteen years, with special focus over the last four with the birth of Stark Insider. I fondly recall an extraordinary four vintage tasting over dinner, and then another time a panel featuring outstanding wines (Tor, Paul Hobbs, Alpha Omega, Cliff Lede, Provenance, Schrader) made from grapes sourced from the To Kalon (Greek for “highest beauty”) vineyard located on the estate. The To Kalon vineyard was one of the primary reasons why Robert Mondavi chose the location for the winery in 1966.

DID YOU KNOW?

Some of Robert Mondavi’s favorite places in the Napa Valley included the Oakville Grocery Co. and French Laundry, where he and Margrit would dine on Valentine’s Day.

You can find accessible examples of To Kalon under the “Oakville” label. Quality examples include the 2011 Fumé Blanc ($32) and 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon ($45) seen here:

The “Oakville’ label is a good, accessible introduction to the To Kalon estate vineyard. 2010 Robert Mondavi Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2011 Robert Mondavi Oakville Fumé Blanc.

Fumé Blanc is perhaps Robert Mondavi’s nudge-nudge-wink-wink to the industry. It is, after all, Sauvignon Blanc. This 2011 has 91% of it, and the rest is Sémillon. But, back then Sauvignon Blanc had a negative image with the public. How to get around that? Rename it! Ah, it was 1968 and wine marketing had begun in earnest.

My favorite Mondavi wines, though, are the Cabs. And the 2010 is a good example of a quality wine at a reasonable price (a bargain actually by Napa standards) that could afford it regular rotation in your wine schedule.

Some of our most memorable Stark Insider moments over the past four years happened at Robert Mondavi Winery.

The winery sent Stark Insider a small, artistic book honoring Robert Mondavi’s life and legacy. I particularly like that they’ve expressed sentiments in a series of reflections by other titans of food and wine, including Warren Winiarksi (Stag’s Leap), Mike Grgich (Grgich Estate), Brad Warner (Foley Johnson), and Thomas Keller (French Laundry), among others.

Here’s what they had to say about Mondavi, in their own words:

Mike Grgich (Grgich Hills Estate, Rutherford)

“At my interview in 1968, Mr. Mondavi asked my how all the wines were made at Beaulieu Vineyard under Andre Tchelistcheff, what research we did, what my job was. He wanted to hear every detail. After so many questions, he looked straight into my eyes and said, ‘I am going to make out of you a little Andre Tchelistcheff.’”

Robin Lail (Lail Vineyards, St. Helena)

“Near the end, people started saying, ‘Who’s going to be the next Robert Mondavi?” And I would think, how stupid. There is no next Mondavi. He was one of a kind. He planted an acorn and grew this incredible oak tree.”

Warren Winiarski (Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Napa Valley)

“Bob was definitely a risk taker, although I don’t think he calibrated decisions in terms of risk. He tended to say, ‘”What’s there to worry about?’”

Zelma Long (Worked for Robert Mondavi Winery from 1970-1979)

“In the early days, Europeans regarded Napa Valley with amused condescension. But but by the time I left Mondavi, he had started his joint venture with Opus One. That this could happen only 13 years after he started the winery would have been unthinkable, but he drove toward it so intensely.”

Peter Mondavi Sr. (Younger Brother – Charles Krug, St. Helena)

“In recent years, when we used to get together for Christmas, I remember saying to Bob, ‘Aren’t you ever going to slow down!’ And he said, ‘Never!’”

STARKIN VIDEO: Robert Mondavi Winery

Chris Isaak Performs Live

Napa Valley Film Festival Opening Night

Interview with Margrit Mondavi

By Clinton Stark - Stark Insider.

Dancers from the Mark Morris Dance Group perform Spring, Spring, Spring at Cal Performances, a new choreography for Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring.

Ojai! This means that Berkeley has been vibrating more than usual these past few days, as the Ojai Music Festival moves up from its SoCal origins to bring us Ojai North!, a joint venture with Cal Performances. This year’s music director, Mark Morris, brings a veritable whirlwind of dance and music to town, celebrating Lou Harrison, Henry Cowell, and John Cage.

Choreographer and founder of the Mark Morris Dance Group, Mark Morris might seem to be an unusual music director.  However, given that past music directors  – including Aaron Copland, Pierre Boulez, Michael Tilson Thomas, Dawn Upshaw, John Adams, and Igor Stravinsky – have changed classical music as we know it, MacArthur fellow Morris is an inspired choice.

This year’s Ojai North events included a ballet to Henry Cowell’s Mosaic and United, performed by the American String Quartet, and a world premiere of Spring, Spring, Spring, a ballet to Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, performed by The Bad Plus.

Watching the dancers perform Mosaic and United was like watching art being liberated from human form.  They radiate intentionality with energy extended through space. This isn’t minimalist dance, but nary a motion serves a purely decorative purpose, which leaves you on the seat’s edge, afraid to miss a single motion.   Morris’ dancers aren’t the usual ballet clones of perfection, but appear more like you and I on a particularly god-like day, making them seem more and more like a miracle.  Energy gets released, restrained, moves as fluidly as the proverbial pearls on a string.

This work was following by Spring, Spring, Spring, a dance performed to Stravinsky’s Rites of Spring.  This was a risky choice, because with the exception of the Bolshoi, whose artistic director Sergei was violently attacked by a dancer who threw acid on him in January of this year, every ballet company and symphony worth its salt is presently celebrating the centennial of this work.

Morris’ work reached back in time, opening with a recording of Stravinsky on piano. With the audience plunged into total darkness, the piano recording played the eerie bassoon solo that opens this piece.  Five minutes into the recording, the startling illumination of a single light for the musicians disoriented, launching the dancers into the present moment.

Morris’ creation of  a new work for the Rites of Spring avoided problems associated with reenacting the past, which is often fraught with failure.  Dance historian Jennifer Homans writes of Millicent Hodson’s (another Berkeley dancer) attempt.  While Hodson’s choreography tried to recreate the earthy, ungainly movements of Nijinky’s original dancers, Homans writes that Hodson created a “American post-modern dance masquerading as a seminal modernist work.  What was by all accounts a radical and shocking dance is thus rendered tame and kitschy.”

Other than tipping his hat to the original work at the outset, Morris wisely didn’t try to reenact the past – or even loosely try to follow the plot of the original. No adoration of the earth  and no virgins sacrificed either.  However, Mosaic and United set the bar high – and was a hard act to follow. While the Spring Spring, Spring dancers were fascinating to watch, this piece seemed to lack the tight integrity of that which preceded it.

If the thunder of the Rites of Spring was stolen by Mosaic and United, the musicians carried the evening.  At the outset, I was skeptical.  How could a three-piece band possibly pull off this symphonic work?  However, sitting directly behind drummer David King and pianist Ethan Iverson, I was completely blown away by their energy. These guys had the power of an atomic bomb, uniting the fragmented rhythms of the Stravinsky into a structural whole.

Ojai North! continues through Saturday, performances of John Cage’s Four Walls, Eva Solte’s film about Lou Harrison, talks by Mark Morris, and red fish blue fish by the Mark Morris Dance Group Music Ensemble.

By Cy Ashley Webb - Stark Insider.

It looks like Google will once again beat Apple to market in the red-hot 7-inch tablet market.

Will Google deliver a tablet blockbuster this summer?

According to several reports today Google, with the next-gen Nexus 7–the 7-inch tablet that Google first brought to market last year to rave reviews–will once again beat Apple to the punch. An updated version is expected next month.

Research firm IHS told CNET that Japan Display and AUO would be making the display for the second generation Nexus 7. Resolution is expected to come in at 1,920×1,200 – that’s a much needed upgrade over the 1,280 x800 current spec. Word is Google will price the tablet with 16GB at $229. A comparable iPad Mini sells for $329.

Most interesting perhaps though is the fact that Google will (once again) beat Apple to market.

If the refreshed 7-incher does launch in July it will give big G at least a quarter, possibly more, to take sales away from Apple. And with the growing success of the smaller tablet market (7-inch and 8-inch appear to be the sweet spots for consumers, offering the perfect balance of portability and utility), investors are likely going to be none to pleased that CEO Tim Cook’s product teams appear to be slowing down when it comes to release cycles. Then again, the iPad Mini was a latecomer and sales were not hugely impacted – brand loyalty appears to still be a huge factor when it comes to mobile device purchases.

Tablet and Smartphones continue to morph

With the proliferation of device sizes, and form factors, at what point does a tablet stop being a “tablet” and a smartphone stop being a “smartphone”? Functionality is more or less the same–aside from the inclusion of a cellular chip–and the apps generally the same too.

Regardless of how consumers react over time to the myriad of choice, it appears for now that: (1) 7″ is the hot category for the tablet segment; and (2) 5″ is becoming the de facto standard for smartphones.

Meantime I can’t help but think Apple missed a huge opportunity. At its recent developer’s conference, little innovation was revealed in the way of new, shipping products. Yes, the MacBook Airs are best-in-class. But the other products announced, such as iOS 7 and the MacPro, won’t ship until later this year. Given that the pace of product cycles in mobile, at least for hardware, has slowed dramatically since the heydays of 2010 maybe this isn’t a complete disaster. Still you have to wonder how much longer Apple can continue to lag the competition and still command a premium market cap.

That’s why the nextgen Nexus 7 is more than just a sequel. It’s a precursor of what we can expect for the remainder of 2013, and a barometer of the level of innovation between Cupertino and Mountain View. Let’s also not forget about Amazon. Bezos and company have been quiet recently. When will the new, improved Kindle take to the stage this year?

By Clinton Stark - Stark Insider.

Fight call during 1 hour before curtain at Reefer Madness the Musical. San Jose Stage’s production caps at stellar 30th anniversary season, and heaps on the camp.

Drop that joint! Did you know marijuana will cause you to axe murder your family?

So said the US government in the 1936 cautionary film Reefer Madness. Unintentionally funny it has become a cult classic, and now made into an even campier, hilarious musical (review).

Join Loni of Stark Insider TV as she heads on set at San Jose Stage. Anything can, and does, happen. Who said Twizzlers (oops, I mean, “licorice rope”) can’t be used as a horrific stage prop?

This marks the first time (and probably last) that we’ve had an actor tell us about being “sodomized by a goatman” during a performance. More interesting still was that he had to warn his parents. Their reaction after opening night: abject horror mixed with equal amounts of pride.

Watch: Reefer Madness the Musical (On Set)

We’ve been wanting to film a SI segment at San Jose Stage Company for years. So we were thrilled when it finally came to be.

MORE: SJ Stage news, reviews, photos and videos

Executive director Cathleen Kind and artistic director Randall King have become theater legends in these parts. Kudos to them for running a gem of a regional theater. This year they are celebrating 30 years in the business. A drug-free benefit takes place at the Silicon Valley Athletic Club on June 21st.

So, what will it be: Mary Jane or Mary Lane?

By Clinton Stark - Stark Insider.

Though I’m guessing there are several Russian River valleys in this world, my favorite is the one actually right here in California.

Russian River Valley, the AVA (American Viticultural Area) is perhaps my favorite of all wine appellations, or at the very least in the top three.

The reason? There’s absolutely no shortage of superb Pinot and Chardonnay produced in the region. And though there’s many, many other types of grapes grown in the RRV, I find myself time and time again coming back to the P and the C. Provincial, I know. Do they serve Diet Coke at Downton Abbey?

This here example is produced by Lawer Family Winery under the “Hooker” brand. “There once was a Hooker named Dave…”

It’s a good thing Dave Lawer played rugby. It just wouldn’t be as catchy if it were hockey: “Center”, “Goalie.” Maybe: “Cherry Picker”?

I found the ’11 Chard mostly agreeable, especially for the price ($24). Those that generally gravitate toward fruits, and steer away from oaks might like to give this one a go. Melons, pears are the order of the day. I’m not so sure the slight tang on the finish is my favorite, but, riddle me this, that’s a personal thing… and wine is a personal thing. So let’s not get personal, right?

Winemaker Larry Levin produced 320 cases. Look for it if you want to try something that exhibits something a little different than the standard RRV flavor profile.

Lawer also sent us a Hooker Zin and Cab, so it’ll be interesting to see how their reds fare.

Hooker 2011 Breakaway Chardonnay, Russian River Valley

13.7% alc.

320 cases

87 points, $24

By Clinton Stark - Stark Insider.

Hershey Felder as America’s favorite composer in ‘George Gershwin Alone’ at Berkeley Rep.

When I got home from George Gershwin Alone, I spent the next 24 hours combing through YouTube clips of playwright, actor and pianist Hershey Felder. Felder spent the past 14 years bringing this work to New York, London, Ravinia, South Korea, and everywhere else, except the Bay Area. After the show at the Berkeley Rep, Felder noted that this was roughly the 3,000th performance – and suggested that it was soon to be retired. This deadline makes it urgent to catch this show now.

George Gershwin Alone is part of what Felder refers to as his “sonata.” Just as a sonata is made up of three movements and (occasionally) a coda, Felder’s sonata is composed of three different shows – Beethoven as I Knew Him, Monsieur Chopin, and George Gershwin Alone, with Maestro: The Art of Leonard Bernstein added, as a coda.

The third movement of sonatas tend to be upbeat, social and joyous – corresponding perfectly with the music George Gershwin. Felder presents a bio-pic of Gershwin’s 38 years, interweaving narrative and powerful piano playing.

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Born on the lower east side, Gershwin grew up in the age of great Yiddish theatre. Like Copland, he was the foreigner who created American music, mirroring us back to ourselves.

Felder trotted out such gems as Felder’s father, a Russian Jew émigré, renaming “Rhapsody in Blue” as “Rhapsody for Jews,” and singing “fashions in the river” instead of  ”Fascinating Rhythm.” He repeatedly returns to the inevitable comparison between Irving Berlin and Gershwin, nothing that not only did Gershwin’s mother dog him with the “why can’t you be more like Irving Berlin?” but Berlin himself jabbed that Gershwin was the “first American songwriter that turned into a composer.”

While most of the evening was devoted to Gershwin’s life and stories about his music, Felder didn’t avoid the analytical, as he opened doors to key changes, musical structure and how (as Ira Gershwin required) that the lyrics were echoed in the music itself.

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Perhaps one of the best parts of the evening, was being in an entire audience that so cared so darn much about this music. After the show, everyone lingered for a half hour of so, singing “Summertime,” “I Got Rhythm,” and a half dozen others. Outside of summer camps and nursing homes, there’s almost no place for this type of social singing, which makes evenings like the all the more treasured.

George Gershwin Alone will be at the Berkeley Rep until June 23rd.

By Cy Ashley Webb - Stark Insider.