Published: Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 3:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 10:18 p.m.
New Years' Eve was greeted with horn toots — and sighs of relief — by Sonoma County revelers, who toasted the end of 2009 at local bars, restaurants and pubs.
“Personally, life is good, but it's a little scary out there,” said Dana Fox of Penngrove, who attended a party at Hopmonk Tavern in Sebastopol. “Hopefully, we will actually enter the 20th century soon.”
In addition to funk-fusion bands and a deejay, the artsy party included belly dancers, aerial acts, fire dancers and live painting by Stanley Mouse and Neal Barbosa. Producers expected the event to draw more than 600 people by the end of the night.
“This kind of party-goer likes to shake a leg,” said Damian Peters, who produced the event in conjunction with Juke Joint. “Since New Year's Eve fell on a Thursday night, we said, ‘Let's blow it up.' ”
“I'm looking forward to 2010 — I think it's the era of a new beginning,” said July Thomas of Penngrove, who came to the party to dance away her cares. “It pays to be optimistic.”
Most folks agreed that the best thing about 2009 was the fact that it was over. And bidding farewell to a decade that started with Y2K fears and 9/11, then sagged under the weight of two wars and a recession, was not exactly bittersweet.
“Y2K - we wish that was all we had to worry about now,” said chef Mark Stark, who cooked for 300 people at Stark's Steakhouse in Santa Rosa. “We all got a lot smarter in ‘09, and it's going to come in handy in ‘10.”
Stark's Steakhouse, like many other Sonoma County restaurants, was fully booked on New Year's Eve, a sign that people were ready to get out and share good times again.
“People are feeling like they can indulge a bit,” Stark's manager Chris Wisner said. “They are either loosening up, or .
.
. they are really glad 2009 is over.”
Mary Sloup of Healdsburg, who got laid off this year from her video production job, was enjoying drinks and appetizers with friends during happy hour at Stark's before heading off to see “Avatar,” the hot flick of the holiday season.
“Barack Obama was the shining light of 2009,” she said. “I'm looking forward to the new public health initiative and hoping that the economy will turn around so people will get their jobs back.”
In general, the mood appeared to be more upbeat than last New Year's Eve. “We're all more comfortable than a year ago,” said Ralph Tingle of Bistro Ralph, who was dining out at Jackson's in Railroad Square. “In Healdsburg, we have more tourism, and that supports the numbers. I had a slight uptick at the end of this year.”
“I'm just hoping for a little recovery .
.
. this is tough right now,” said Joe Castro, a contractor from Santa Rosa, who was having a beer at Jackson's. “I want everyone to loosen up with the money and let it breathe a little.”
Both Castro and his buddy, winemaker Joe Ramazzotti of Ramazzotti Winery in Geyserville, were loosening up their wallets for a night on the town.
Castro was heading out to Santa Rosa's Equus for dinner, while Ramazzotti was going up to Santi for the restaurant's last blast in Geyserville. The Italian eatery will close today and reopen in Santa Rosa this spring.
While the restaurants and bars were packed, some folks celebrated the holiday at home with their families.
Rosso Pizzeria managing partner Kevin Cronin said he was going to spend the evening watching a video with his son.
“It's hectic if you want to go out to eat out,” he said. “In my opinion, New Year's Eve is like amateur night.”
The best day of the year to dine out is today, Cronin said, when restaurants are less crowded and the food - left over from the night before — is still stellar.
<p>New Years' Eve was greeted with horn toots — and sighs of relief — by Sonoma County revelers, who toasted the end of 2009 at local bars, restaurants and pubs.</p><p>“Personally, life is good, but it's a little scary out there,” said Dana Fox of Penngrove, who attended a party at Hopmonk Tavern in Sebastopol. “Hopefully, we will actually enter the 20th century soon.”</p><p>In addition to funk-fusion bands and a deejay, the artsy party included belly dancers, aerial acts, fire dancers and live painting by Stanley Mouse and Neal Barbosa. Producers expected the event to draw more than 600 people by the end of the night.</p><p>“This kind of party-goer likes to shake a leg,” said Damian Peters, who produced the event in conjunction with Juke Joint. “Since New Year's Eve fell on a Thursday night, we said, ‘Let's blow it up.' ”</p><p>“I'm looking forward to 2010 — I think it's the era of a new beginning,” said July Thomas of Penngrove, who came to the party to dance away her cares. “It pays to be optimistic.”</p><p>Most folks agreed that the best thing about 2009 was the fact that it was over. And bidding farewell to a decade that started with Y2K fears and 9/11, then sagged under the weight of two wars and a recession, was not exactly bittersweet.</p><p>“Y2K - we wish that was all we had to worry about now,” said chef Mark Stark, who cooked for 300 people at Stark's Steakhouse in Santa Rosa. “We all got a lot smarter in ‘09, and it's going to come in handy in ‘10.”</p><p>Stark's Steakhouse, like many other Sonoma County restaurants, was fully booked on New Year's Eve, a sign that people were ready to get out and share good times again.</p><p>“People are feeling like they can indulge a bit,” Stark's manager Chris Wisner said. “They are either loosening up, or .<TH>.<TH>. they are really glad 2009 is over.”</p><p>Mary Sloup of Healdsburg, who got laid off this year from her video production job, was enjoying drinks and appetizers with friends during happy hour at Stark's before heading off to see “Avatar,” the hot flick of the holiday season.</p><p>“Barack Obama was the shining light of 2009,” she said. “I'm looking forward to the new public health initiative and hoping that the economy will turn around so people will get their jobs back.”</p><p>In general, the mood appeared to be more upbeat than last New Year's Eve. “We're all more comfortable than a year ago,” said Ralph Tingle of Bistro Ralph, who was dining out at Jackson's in Railroad Square. “In Healdsburg, we have more tourism, and that supports the numbers. I had a slight uptick at the end of this year.”</p><p>“I'm just hoping for a little recovery .<TH>.<TH>. this is tough right now,” said Joe Castro, a contractor from Santa Rosa, who was having a beer at Jackson's. “I want everyone to loosen up with the money and let it breathe a little.”</p><p>Both Castro and his buddy, winemaker Joe Ramazzotti of Ramazzotti Winery in Geyserville, were loosening up their wallets for a night on the town.</p><p>Castro was heading out to Santa Rosa's Equus for dinner, while Ramazzotti was going up to Santi for the restaurant's last blast in Geyserville. The Italian eatery will close today and reopen in Santa Rosa this spring.</p><p>While the restaurants and bars were packed, some folks celebrated the holiday at home with their families.</p><p>Rosso Pizzeria managing partner Kevin Cronin said he was going to spend the evening watching a video with his son. </p><p>“It's hectic if you want to go out to eat out,” he said. “In my opinion, New Year's Eve is like amateur night.”</p><p>The best day of the year to dine out is today, Cronin said, when restaurants are less crowded and the food - left over from the night before — is still stellar.</p>