Happy New Year! A celebration of Nowruz, the Iranian new year, is underway at Baci Cafe and Wine Bar, 336 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg.
The holiday celebrates the first day of spring, which this year was Thursday, March 20, but the restaurant is celebrating by serving a special dinner on Thursday and today.
The meal is $55 plus beverages, tax and gratuity, and features traditional Persian foods that include several types of kebabs, crispy rice a variety of stews and rice dishes.
For reservations, call 433-8111.
Loving Frank Hayhurst: On Sunday, a big dance and dinner party at the Sebastopol Community Center will feature a great array of local musicians who are coming together to support fellow-musician Frank Hayhurst of Zone Music in Cotati.
Hayhurst has been a tireless promoter of the local music scene for decades, and now he needs hip replacement surgery. All proceeds from the event go toward his surgery and recovery.
Here's how the fete works. Admission is a suggested donation of $10. From 5 to 7 p.m., Rasta Dwight's Barbecue will serve chicken dinners and vegetarian options for $5, $10 and $15. During dinner, a Jazz Cabaret will feature Randy Quan and Tim Haggerty's Collaboration, with special guests Sarah Baker, Gailene Elliot, Hal Forman and Allyson Page.
Snacks, desserts, Lagunitas brews, local wines and dairy-free kefir from the Kefiry will be available for purchase.
A silent auction features music gear, art, collectibles and other cool things.
The dance party gets started at 7 p.m. and continues until 9:30 p.m., with performances by Gator Nation, Uncle Wiggly, Blue Moon, Soul Fuse with Michael Barclay, Danny Sorentino, Levi Lloyd, Onye Onyemaechi, Gailene Elliot, Preston Bailey, the Bootleg Honeys and the Legendary Bronze Hog.
All Things Cheese: At press time, there were still tickets for many of the events at this weekend's Artisan Cheese Festival, including Sunday morning's "Bubbles and Brunch," featuring Percy Whatley, executive chef at Yosemite's Ahwahnee Hotel.
Chef Whatley will present a cooking demonstration, while Gloria Ferrer bubbles flow and brunch is served.
Things get started at 9:30 a.m. Cost is $115, which includes an 11 a.m. entry into the Artisan Cheese Tasting and Marketplace, which opens to the public at noon.
All of today's farm tours are sold out.
The marketplace offers 75 cheese makers, cooking demonstrations and vendors, including winemakers and brewers offering samples and the chance to purchase your favorites. Admission is $45, $20 for children under 12.
For a full schedule and to purchase tickets, visit artisancheesefestival.com.
The worms crawl in, the worms make compost: On Sunday, Shed (25 North St., Healdsburg) hosts a vermiculture workshop by Rick Kaye, founder of the Compost Club.
In the workshop, you'll learn how to establish and maintain a composting system of red wiggler worms, which transform food scraps into what is often called black gold, a nutrient-rich compost.
The set-up and maintenance of a worm compost bin is quite simple, manageable by almost anyone, including children and adults who claim they have a black thumb. There is no unpleasant odor, and the black gold worm casings appear almost as if by magic.
Cost of the workshop, which starts at 11 a.m., is $20. You can snag tickets at healdsburgshed.com or pay at the door.
Washi Egg Classes: It's time for Barbra Friedman's series of Washi Egg classes. This spring, there are three.
The first takes place from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday, April 3, at Patisserie Angelica (6821 Laguna Park Way, Sebastopol). Cost is $45 and includes tea and treats.
On Saturday, April 5, there will be a class at Riley Street (103 Maxwell Court, Santa Rosa) from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Cost is $35.
A final class will be taught from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, at Cast Away and Folk Modern Craft (100 Fourth St., Santa Rosa) for $35.
Students in all classes will create three eggs using handmade Japanese mulberry paper.
Barbra Friedman, who is an expert in this ancient art, also is available to teach private classes.
For more information and to register, call 696-2009, email barbravf@yahoo.com or visit barbrafriedman.com.
West End Farmers Market: If you missed last Sunday's seasonal opening of the West End Farmers Market, don't worry; they are doing it again.
Apparently, opening day was such a great success and so much fun that they have dubbed this Sunday's market "Opening Day - The Sequel."
The market at 817 Donahue St. in west Santa Rosa, adjacent to the DeTurk Park and Round Barn, opens at 10 a.m. and continues until 2 p.m. With one of the county's best dog parks, this is a great place to take the entire family or at least those that might want to go; you should probably leave the cats and other critters home.
Music at this Sunday's market will be by Caitlin Jemma, and we suspect there will be dancing, as there was last week.
Felting Class: On Saturday, April 5, Jontha Foli conducts a four-hour beginner level class on wet felting. Participants will learn the process and then be guided through the construction of a personalized purse.
Cost is $60, which includes materials, and takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To sign up, visit castawayandfolk.com, where you can see a full schedule of upcoming classes.
Wet felting is an excellent entry-level craft, perfect for people who may have doubts about their artist abilities. Ms. Mouthful says check it out.
Michele Anna Jordan hosts "Mouthful" each Sunday at 7 p.m. on KRCB 90.9 & 91.1 FM. E-mail her at michele@micheleannajordan.com. You'll find her blog, "Eat This Now," at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.
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