Best Reaching Across the
Rubber Mat

A cyclist taking a yoga class to salve his aching hamstrings becomes fast friends with the cyclist on the mat next to him. A woman in desperate need of daycare finds it after an announcement by her yoga teacher. A couple meets and falls in love. At Solstice Dance and Yoga Studio, relationship-building is par for the course, and is one of the reasons why it's your pick for Best Dance Studio in Sonoma County.

"We have a sense of community. People make friends, people get together," says Claire Zenet, who started the studio four years ago with Elana Quihuis. Solstice offers a wide variety of yoga classes as well as bellydance, NIA, Zumba, and core strength classes with chiropractor Dr. Jake, and Zenet says that one reason people keep coming back to the studio, aside from the sense of community, is because of the expertise and the dedication of the teachers. "It's not just work to us," she says. "It's something we love."—L.C.

Best Art Gallery

Marin

Gallery Route One

11101 Hwy. 1, Pt. Reyes Station. 415.663.1347.

Napa

Di Rosa Preserve

5200 Carneros Hwy., Napa. 707.226.5991.

Sonoma

Riverfront Art Gallery

132 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. 707.775.4278.

Honorable Mention

Quicksilver Mine Co.

6671 Front St., Forestville.

707.887.0146.

Best Museum

Marin

Bay Area Discovery Museum

557 McReynolds Road, Sausalito. 415.339.3900.

Napa

Sharpsteen Museum

1311 Washington St., Calistoga. 707.942.5911.

Sonoma

Charles M. Schulz Museum

2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa. 707.579.4452.

Honorable Mention

Sonoma County Museum

425 Seventh St., Santa Rosa.

707.579.1500.

Best Outdoor Art Event

Marin

Sausalito Art Festival

www.sausalitoartfestival.org

Napa

Calistoga Art in the Park

www.calistogaartcenter.org

Sonoma ARTrails

http://sonomaarts.com/artrails

Honorable Mention

Great West End & Railroad Square Handcar Regatta

www.handcar-regatta.com

Best Movie Theater

Marin

Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center

1118 Fourth St., San Rafael.

415.454.1222.

Napa

Cameo Cinema

1340 Main St., St. Helena. 707.963.9779.

Sonoma

Rialto Cinemas

www.rialtocinemas.com

(Note: 551 Summerfield Road is now Summerfield Cinemas.)

Honorable Mention

Sebastiani Theater

476 First St. E., Sonoma.

707.796.9765.

Best Ballet Company

Marin

Marin Ballet

100 Elm St., San Rafael. 415.453.6705.

Napa

Napa Regional Dance Company

1527 Polk St., Napa. 707.252.4615.

Sonoma

Sebastopol Ballet School

390 Morris St., Sebastopol. 707.824.8006.

Honorable Mention

Dance Center

56 W. Sixth St., Santa Rosa. 707.575.8277.

Best Performing Dance Company

Marin

Roco Dance & Fitness

237 Shoreline Hwy., Mill Valley. 415.388.6786.

Napa

Napa Valley Ballet

www.napavalleyballet.org

Sonoma

Joweh

www.terrianneandjoweh.com

Honorable Mention

Raks Rosa Dance Company

www.raksrosa.com

Best Dance Studio

Marin

Roco Dance & Fitness

237 Shoreline Hwy., Mill Valley. 415.388.6786.

Napa

Academy of Danse

1123 Jordan Lane, Napa.

707.226.6170.

Sonoma

Solstice Dance & Yoga Studio

2450 Third St., Santa Rosa.

707.322.0701.

Honorable Mention

Dance Center

56 W. Sixth St., Santa Rosa.

707.575.8277.

Best Place to Dance

Marin

Rancho Nicasio

1 Old Ranchero Road, Nicasio. 415.662.2219.

Napa

Uptown Theatre

1350 Third St., Napa. 707.259.0123.

Sonoma

Hopmonk Tavern

230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. 707.829.7300.

Honorable Mention Tie

Aubergine Vintage Emporium & Cafe

755 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. 707.827.3460.

Mystic Theatre

23 Petaluma Blvd., Petaluma.

707.765.9211.

Best Media Personality

Marin

Professor Cosmo, KWMR 90.5-FM

State Route 1, Ste. 1, Pt. Reyes Station. 415.663.8068.

Napa

Kellie Fuller, KVYN 99.3-FM

1124 Foster Road, Napa. 707.257.8463.

Sonoma

Brent Farris, KZST 100.1-FM

3392 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.528.4434.

Honorable Mention

Bill Bowker, KRSH 95.9-FM

3565 Standish Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.588.0707.

Best Festival

Marin

Italian Street Painting Festival

999 Fifth St., Ste. 290, San Rafael. 415.457.4878.

Napa

Festival Del Sole

1556 First St., Napa. 707.294.2800.

Sonoma

Great West End & Railroad Square Handcar Regatta

www.handcar-regatta.com

Honorable Mention

Harmony Festival

www.harmonyfestival.com

Best Music Festival

Marin

KWMR Far West Fest

State Route 1, Ste. 1, Pt. Reyes Station. 415.663.8068.

Napa

First Place Tie

Mustard Mud & Music Festival

www.calistogavisitors.com

Robert Mondavi Winery Summer Music Festival

7801 St. Helena Hwy., St. Helena. 888.766.6328.

Sonoma

Harmony Festival

www.harmonyfestival.com

Honorable Mention

Russian River Jazz & Blues Fest

www.omegaevents.com

Best Performing Arts Center

Marin

The Playhouse in San Anselmo

27 Kensington Road, San Anselmo. 415.456.8555.

Napa

Napa Valley Opera House

1030 Main St., Napa. 707.226.7372.

Sonoma

Wells Fargo Center for the Arts

50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. 707.527.7006.

Honorable Mention

Sixth Street Playhouse

52 W. Sixth St., Santa Rosa. 707.523.4185.

Best Theater Troupe

Marin

Marin Theatre Company

397 Miller Ave., Mill Valley. 415.388.5208.

Napa

Lucky Penny Productions

www.luckypennynapa.com

Sonoma

The Imaginists Theatre Collective

www.theimaginists.org

Honorable Mention

Sixth Street Playhouse

52 W. Sixth St., Santa Rosa. 707.523.4185.

Best Band

Marin

Petty Theft

www.pettytheftrocks.com

Napa

Brian Cline Band

www.briancline.com

Sonoma

Peter Welker

www.peterwelker.com

Honorable Mention

Dgiin

www.dgiin.com

Best Music Venue

Marin

142 Throckmorton Theatre

142 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley. 415.383.9600.

Napa

Uptown Theatre

1350 Third St., Napa. 707.259.0123.

Sonoma

McNear's Mystic Theater

23 Petaluma Blvd., Petaluma. 707.765.2121.

Honorable Mention

Hopmonk Tavern

230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. 707.829.7300.

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