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Stylish Summer Entertaining
“We
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~ John and Maureen Herr
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Extraordinary wines are waiting for you at J Vineyards and Winery — just three miles from Downtown Healdsburg.
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30 Music to His Ears San Anselmo resident Jeff Wells shares highlights from his Austin-Marie collection of rare, historical guitars.
34 Natural Phenomena Mill Valley-based photographer Jay Tamang shares the stories behind his stunning shots.
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77 5. 245.6221 membership@tahoebeachclub.com
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IN MARIN
19 Currents Fashions through the decades, new business openings, pet wedding witnesses and more.
26 Reading List
Marin author Isabel Allende talks about her first children’s picture book, Perla The Mighty Dog
SPACES
44 Happy Place
With a new party barn and elevated pool area, a weekend home in Healdsburg is primed for entertaining.
50 Modern Heart, Old Soul
Architect Monica Sanga renovates her own 1886 San Francisco home for contemporary living while preserving its Victorian-era charm.
56 Cool Summer
Say goodbye to “June Gloom” and hello to these mood enhancers for your outdoor spaces.
OUT & ABOUT
61 Calendar
A roundup of what to do in Marin and beyond.
70 Dine
An insider’s guide to dining and food in the Bay Area.
80 On the Scene
Snapshots from events around the county.
MARIN
HOME
87 Backstory
A dark, dated home is transformed into an airy, elegant oasis with timeless appeal for a retired couple in Kentfield.
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GREEN SEAL CERTIFIED
Stay sustainably at the Green Seal Certified OUTRIGGER Reef Waikiki Beach Resort.With stunning ocean views and green sea turtles fronting the resort, all rooms come with OUTRIGGER Zone re-usable metal water bottles. Enjoy complimentary reef-safe sunscreen at the pool and check out Ethan Estess’ 30-foot mural of iconic Diamond Head, made from reclaimed plastic fishing industry rope that washed up on the shores of Hawai‘i.
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Build a balanced portfolio that works for you
With today’s changing markets and interest rate concerns, it’s important your portfolio has the right mix of investments to help preserve assets, generate cash and minimize risk. I can provide a thorough review of your existing portfolio to identify opportunities to help you feel more confident about your financial future. Contact me today for a complimentary consultation.
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Helen Abe, CIMA®, CPFA™, CRPC®
Senior Vice President – Financial Advisor Senior Consulting Group 300B Drakes Landing Road, Suite 155 Greenbrae, CA 94904
(415)445-8468
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Investment and insurance products: • Not insured by the FDIC or any other federal government agency • Not a deposit of, or guaranteed by, the bank or an affiliate of the bank • May lose value
Asset allocation and diversification do not assure a profit or protect against loss. Bond investors should carefully consider risks such as interest rate, credit, repurchase and reverse repurchase transaction risks. © 2023 RBC
PRESIDENT / OPERATIONS
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Art
ART DIRECTORS
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Joe Fletcher, Sylvia Hardy, John Merkl, Adam Potts, Jay Tamang, Victor Volta
COVER Joe Fletcher
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YOUR WINE COUNTRY RETREAT
Canopy is the first collection of luxury residences available at Mill District, featuring 43 condominiums by world-renowned architects Olson Kundig. Scheduled for completion in 2024, Canopy is situated within a preserved grove of redwood trees in the heart of Mill District’s 10-acre neighborhood in downtown Healdsburg. A boutique hotel, retail experiences, a private pool house, and an array of resident amenities are just steps from Healdsburg’s galleries, tasting rooms, boutique shops, bakeries, and Michelin-starred restaurants.
1-BEDROOMS $1.8M | 1-BEDROOM + DEN FROM $2.85M | 2- AND 3-BEDROOMS FROM $3.5M | PENTHOUSES FROM $7.5M
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ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Summer plans? What? Not yet. Not to worry, we’ve got you covered. This special flip book features all the usual community-minded Marin Magazine content in the front, and the party (travel) in the back. As summer draws residents to other parts of the world and brings tourists to our county's hiking trails, beaches, restaurants and unique shops. We shine the light on a few local milestones like Station House Café in Point Reyes Station — which turns 60 and Gene Hiller Menswear in Sausalito is 39 (again). We're also showcasing the ubertalented photographer, Jay Tamang, who is having a show at the Mill Valley Community Center June 4th. In this photo essay, you’ll learn just how dedicated photographers can be to get the right shot. Our cover showcases yet another inspirational dream home. I love how the home owners collaborated with their architect, Malcom Davis, who had worked with them on their home in San Francisco, to create the ultimate party barn. They make it look so easy! And then, just for fun, we have evolved our Summer Guide into a Local Getaways flip book.
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Open Studios — this is just the beginning of what we hope will be your “sushi near me” go-to when you are home or traveling in California or Hawaii. In the flip book we offer up a variety of things to do in a three-month summer calendar, as well as California getaways including photographer Victor Volta’s inspiring solo journey hiking the John Muir Trail. And then, closer to home, we celebrate (with a box of Kleenex), our longtime editor Kasia Pawlowska’s new adventure (whatever it may be) with her husband Mac by her side. Kasia has been with us for nearly ten years and is basically running the place, so please excuse the upcoming typos as we get used to our new normal. Wearing her writer hat, Kasia foraged for fungi, explored the wild world of cannabis via her “High Life” column, interviewed hundreds of Marin’s most interesting residents, and if you weren’t “interesting” she knew the right questions to ask to find the story. So with a heavy heart, we force a smile and cheer her onto her next chapter(s).
If you are on our newsletter list, you might have noticed us sprinkling in articles about the best tasting rooms in Napa, dog-friendly restaurants in Tahoe or the best clam chowder in Carmel. One could say Local Getaways (LG) is our pandemic baby, and she is now walking and ready for prime time. Our LG motto is "Travel Like a Local,” and to make sure our audience gets the best insider tips, we work with seasoned regional editors up and down the California coast and in Hawaii. This month you might have also noticed our new LG app partnership with Marin
Speaking of next chapters, next month we’ll be exploring the tips and tricks to aging well from the inside out, and then August is all about Best in the County — the votes are in and readers’ choice winners will be announced.
As always we love hearing from you, connect at @marinmagazine and editorial@marinmagazine.com.
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“The difficult we do first, the impossible takes slightly longer.”
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Celebrating Women
“Incredible issue! Thanks for the amazing article!” @careyclahan via Instagram in response to our May feature article, Powerful Pool Artistry
“Amazing!!! It’s beautiful,” @jbluxurywine via Instagram in response to our May issue cover reveal.
Design Love
“We couldn’t have asked for a better article. Thank you most kindly @lotusabrams_writes and @marinmagazine,” @sawyers_design via Instagram in response to our April Backstory article, A Colorful Personality
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CORRECTIONS
In our May article, The Best Person for the Job, Joan Linn Bekins’ name was spelled incorrectly.
In our May calendar section we erroneously conveyed that Etel Adnan was still alive when, in fact, she had passed away in November 2021.
Letters to the editor
Have something to say? Email us at editorial@marinmagazine.com and be sure to include the town you live in. Your comments may be edited for clarity and brevity.
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Thena Holmen, RN has specialized in Aesthetic Nursing for over three decades and has performed over 1000 Fotona4D® laser treatments. As the leading Fotona4D® provider in Marin, she has been privately trained by Fotona’s top European Physician. She continues to build on her advanced skills and knowledge in an industry that is rapidly changing. With her expertise she has been published nationally and internationally including Tatler of London.
Skin Suite Marin offers the most advanced technology with the Fotona4D® non-invasive laser combined with the Hydrafacial and PRX Peel. With an emphasis on natural-looking beauty and collagen remodeling, Thena can help you achieve the best version of you with little discomfort and no down time.
Skin Suite Marin — the premier natural beauty and wellness destination in Southern Marin. Dr. Beth McDougall — Medical Director | Thena Holmen, RN — Aesthetic Nurse
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Tailor-Made Philanthropy
YOU’VE GOT A VISION.
WE’VE GOT JUST THE RIGHT TEAM TO FIT YOU.
For decades, the Marin Community Foundation has been a philanthropic force, partnering with individuals and families to maximize their giving in ways that create a positive impact in the community and in the world.
Our Family Office of Philanthropy provides customized, comprehensive services that enable donors with significant assets to turn their philanthropic ambitions into reality.
CURRENTS
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Pawfect Wedding Witness
BY KASIA PAWLOWSKAFor pet owners it may sound too good to be true, but in California and 22 other states (and Washington D.C.), your beloved dog — or cat, or cockatiel, or turtle — can serve as a witness at your wedding. Well-behaved pets can be the sole witness or part of a mix of canine/ feline/reptile and human witnesses. This tradition has been in existence for decades in the U.S. and is a result of selfsolemnizing, a legal provision that lets couples marry without an officiant or traditional witnesses. Some of the other states where pets can act as witnesses include Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii and New York.
Do’s and Don’ts Over the Decades
Talking the best and worst of fashion with Gene Hiller Menswear.
EDITED BY MIMI PINSONIt’s hard to keep up with the latest fashion trends of the past year. It’s even harder to keep up for 70 years.
Since the dawn of khaki, fashion trends have gone through epic highs and lows: high tops and low rises, small sunglasses and big disasters. But to achieve a timeless look that ascends to the title of “fashionable,” you might need to talk to someone who’s been through the ever-changing cycle of style. Enter Gene Hiller Menswear, Sausalito’s long-standing, award-winning luxury menswear boutique.
In honor of the shop’s platinum anniversary, the stylists at Gene Hiller are parsing the “hots” from the “nots” across seven decades. So before you get a style transformation from them, or invite them over to reorganize your closet, sample their services with a bit of a throwback. Here are the bests and worsts of men’s fashion through the years, courtesy of those who have seen it all, Gene Hiller’s owners Tove Hiller, Tom Gangitano and Wayne Kaleck.
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1950s
Hit: The longest lasting fashion hit of the 1950s was James Dean in his leather jacket and t-shirt look, which is
still popular today.
Bust: In the 1950s, the teddy boy suit was the fashion disaster of the decade, along with its bird beak, or croissant-style hairdo. You needed a lot of hair product to pull this style off.
1960s Winner: suits with Chelsea boots. This
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style of suit and shoe is very popular today, as it was in the ’60s. Not so groovy: Psychedelic bell bottom pants! Need I say more?
1970s
Off he hook: The Pierre Cardin & Yves Saint Laurent three-piece suits of the 1970s were a big fashion hit in menswear.
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Still today men wear three-piece suits. Not so fab: Two of the biggest disasters in fashion of the 1970s were the polyester leisure suit, and platform shoes. Never to be seen again!
1980s
The tubular: The biggest fashion hit in menswear in the 1980s was Giorgio Armani style. He started the Italian revolution in
menswear around the world. To date, the Italians are still the leading men’s fashion producers in the world. The gnarly: The big padded-shoulder, loose-fitting suit. This made every guy look like he was swallowed up by his suit. Not a flattering look. Also, the mullet-style hairdo was a disaster, never to return in good taste.
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NEW IN TOWN
BY KASIA PAWLOWSKA![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/240528183255-0ba40a0187687537ef2011cca7b290c1/v1/151e8952ee966fc631f5b71ecec6c4d7.jpeg)
MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN | NOVATO
The Museum of the American Indian (MAI) recently reopened, marking over 55 years of preserving and promoting Native American and Indigenous cultures. Situated within the serene landscape of Miwok Park, MAI took the opportunity during the pandemic to revitalize its physical space and enhance its programming. The museum's renewed commitment to incorporating traditional ecological knowledge re ects its dedication to addressing contemporary issues through the lens of indigenous wisdom. marinindian.com
ESQUELETO | MILL VALLEY
Esqueleto features handcrafted ne jewelry, artwork and objects. The shop is also:
• Committed to ethical sourcing
• Supports sustainable practices
THE COUNTY COLLECTIVE FAIRFAX
Anchored by California Cowboy, The County Collective is a retail shop and event space formed by a group of Marin-based brands, including:
• Tommy Breeze
• High Camp Flasks
• Mount Tam Apparel
Special bonus: you'll be o ered a free beer when you walk in! californiacowboy.com
• Supports creative and talented independent designers and makers. shopesqueleto.com
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LIMITLESS BODY STUDIO | SAUSALITO
Owner Erin Burch’s vision for this studio was her own body journey and development of her highest values: Alignment, Attunement and Assembly combined together create a complete path to healing and freedom. “Our body is our most valuable asset. I’ve developed a unique system for eliminating pain, reversing aging and peak performance,” says Burch. theburchmethod.com
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Enter for a chance to WIN!
Enter our giveaway for a chance to win two VIP tickets to the Healdsburg Jazz Festival's concert featuring multiGrammy Award winner Samara Joy on June 16, a signed album, plus a complimentary one-night stay at Hotel Trio!
How to Enter
Scan the QR code below and follow the instructions on the page, and tag a friend on our giveaway post pinned at the top of our @localgetaways Instagram! A lucky winner will be randomly selected and announced on Monday, June 3, 2024.
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AUTHOR TALK
BY JESSETTE LONGIsabel Allende, the critically acclaimed author of bestselling works like Violeta, A Long Petal of the Sea, The House of the Spirits, Of Love and Shadows, Eva Luna and Paula, has sold over 74 million copies of her translated novels in 42 languages. In 2014, President Barack Obama awarded Allende the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She calls Marin home.
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Both The Wind Knows My Name and Perla the Mighty Dog are being published in late May. How does your process change when writing for adults versus children? A story for little kids (three to six years old) is linear, simple, memorable and preferably about something that matters to the child. Good fiction for adults is complex, detailed, layered, nuanced, erotic. I prefer to write a long historical novel rather than fourteen pages for a toddler. The playful and charming illustrations of Sandy Rodriguez made my task easy.
Despite the di erence in genre and target audience for each of these stories, do the characters exhibit similar emotional responses to challenges? Anita in The Wind Knows My Name and Nico Rico in the kids’ book experience fear. Anita is separated from her mother, her situation is tragic. Nico is bullied at school. Different circumstances but a similar emotion. They both use fantasy to cope with reality. Anita invents the planet Azabahar and Nico uses magic dust.
What lessons have you learned from your dog Perla along the way that you wanted to share with young readers? Size, looks and gender don’t matter. What matters is courage and attitude. And my Perla has a lot of both.
Do you have plans to write more children’s books in the future? I have written two more Perla adventures with Sandy’s illustrations: Perla and the Pirate, and Perla and the Princess They will be published in the next couple of years.
Book Passage will celebrate both of these books with Isabel in-person at its Corte Madera store and online on June 1 at 11 a.m. Tickets at bookpassage.com.
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The Wind Knows My Name The paperback release of The Wind Knows My Name follows young Samuel as he fles Nazi-occupied Austria, and Anita, as she escapes violence in modern-day El Salvador. Generations apart, both carry the weight of lost family and seek home.
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Perla the Mighty Dog
In Isabel’s rst children’s picture book, Perla The Mighty Dog, Perla teaches her human brother, Nico Rico, how to use his superpowers to stand up to a bully. This book is available for purchase in Spanish and English.
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The Comfort of Ghosts
Jacqueline Winspear releases the nale of her award-winning Maisie Dobbs series, where the psychologist and investigator unravels a mystery from her past in a war-torn London grappling with its future. Jacqueline Winspear will be at Book Passage in Corte Madera on June 5 at 6 p.m. for an in-person and online event. Tickets at bookpassage.com.
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Marin’s Premier Cabinetry Showroom
Discover luxury at Lamperti Contracting & Design. Elevate your space with our range of interior and outdoor kitchen, and bath remodeling solutions. Visit our showroom or call for an appointment today.
In Partnership with Book Passage
Farewell, Amethystine: An Easy Rawlins Mystery Award-winning author Walter Mosley brings Black 1970s L.A. detective Easy Rawlins back to tackle a missing person case that turns deadly, forcing him to confront his own past and navigate a changing world lled with racial tension. Walter Mosley will be at Book Passage in Corte Madera on June 22 at 4 p.m. for a free in-person and virtual event. 1241 Andersen Drive, San Rafael, CA 415/454-1623 lampertikitchens.com
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A New Hope. A New Home.
After 44 years on Ritter Street, Ritter Center is poised to make a transformative move to a new home at 800 A Street, San Rafael, in late 2024.
"This new building will enable Ritter Center to expand their services to reach many more people and to have a remarkable place that can serve as a beacon of hope and dignity."
—Rhea Suh, President & CEO, Marin Community FoundationDiscover how you can get involved in our Capital Campaign and create a lasting legacy of hope and healing in our community. RitterBuildsHope.org
Contact Annie Everett aeverett@RitterCenter.org / (415) 847-8043 to book a tour with Ritter Center CEO, Mark Shotwell.
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Station House Café Turns 60
BY MIMI PINSONA Point Reyes staple has entered its seventh decade. Station House Café celebrates 60 years this June. It all started in 1964, when the Rehbein family opened Station House Café, decorating its exterior with the now defunct signage: FOOD TO GO. HAMBURGER.
In the years since, various owners have come through, but some things stayed the same. The hamburger remains a lunchtime favorite (perhaps owing to the sign), and polenta has been another big seller. The key to keeping business fresh? For owner Sheryl Cahill, it’s striking the balance between continuity and change for a loving clientele that can say, “Never change… But what’s new?”
After a recent move to a new building (actually the restaurant’s original location), Station House looks poised for another 60 years. What does 60 years at Station House look like? Well that means…
500,000 burgers grilled
125,000 dozen oysters shucked 2,000 live music shows
1,250,000 popovers baked
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Honoring D-Day on a Ship from Its Armada
BY MIMI PINSONThe SS Jeremiah O’Brien is a ship that’s used to being one of a kind:
Of the 2,710 Liberty cargo ships massproduced during World War II, the O’Brien is the only one that still exists in its original operating condition.
It’s the only ship to have sailed on its own power out of the Navy reserve fleet of retired ships (the “mothball” fleet).
And in 1994, it was the only ship that was part of the D-Day armada to return to Normandy for the 50th anniversary of the Allied invasion that began June 6, 1944.
Now the ship stands as a living memorial to the merchant marines and servicemen who operated it during the war. The original triple-expansion steam piston engine still runs; it even made a cameo in the 1997 film Titanic. On June 1, O’Brien will hold a day of festivities to honor the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Fisherman’s Wharf. From 1–3 p.m., visitors can expect a 1940s-style band, a Rosie the Riveter lookalike contest and a series of speakers to talk about the ship and its history. O’Brien is also open to the public seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ssjeremiahobrien.org
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Coming back stronger never stops.
At Novato Community Hospital, orthopedic excellence isn’t just our mission—it’s our achievement. Recognized as one of the top 50 U.S. hospitals for orthopedics, we never stop striving for better. When you choose Novato, you get outstanding care from the moment you enter our doors through recovery and beyond. We never stop working to get you back in action.
Learn more at sutterhealth.org/novato-orthopedics.
COLLECTORS {} music
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San Anselmo resident
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After studying classical guitar as a child, Jeff Wells went on to become an avid collector of historical guitars in later years. Now the San Anselmo resident owns more than 60 rare and historical guitars from across Europe and the United States in his Austin-Marie Collection, which is showcased on his website, austinmarieguitars.com, and book series. On October 5, the Austin-Marie Collection will be presented at the Marin Art and Garden Center, along with performances by guitarists playing period-appropriate pieces on several instruments in the collection from different eras. Here, Wells shares how he got into collecting, along with some of the most notable guitars in his collection.
Collector : Jeff Wells
Collection: I’m the owner of the Austin-Marie Collection of historical guitars dating from the early 17th century to the end of the 19th century.
Years collecting: I’ve been collecting for many years, but as for seriously assembling a “collection” of the leading and most representative makers of their time and region, about 20 years.
How many pieces? Presently, there are 65 guitars in the collection.
Where do you keep them? Many of the instruments are displayed on my website. They are physically kept in an offsite storage facility in Marin County.
Why? I began studying classical guitar at age 12 and went on to receive my master’s degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. I was accepted to the Peabody Institute at John Hopkins University for the Ph. D. program but declined to attend just before the fall semester began. Through a turn of circumstances, I became involved in finance but kept performing and recording for some years. On a trip to Switzerland in the late 1980s, I purchased my first historic guitar, an 1820 Joseph Rieger from Mittenwald, Germany. I was hooked.
How do you acquire the guitars?
I find them in various locations, primarily in England and Europe. I have a contact at the University of Cambridge, Dr. James Westbrook, who is a leading organolo -
gist and knows where many of the treasures are buried! Sometimes, however, the instruments have been sourced in the unlikeliest of places. For example, Pierre René Lacote was the premier builder of fine guitars in Paris in the first half of the 19th century. The 1834 Lacote in my collection, which was owned by wealthy 19th-century musical instrument collector Andrew Fontaine (he owned the Strad violin still known today as Le Fontaine), was sourced in Napa by a woman whose husband had died. How he got it, no one knows. It’s arguably the finest Lacote to survive and has been featured in collection books.
Favorite guitar? That’s very tough to answer. Likely, it would be my 1834 Lacote, 1812 Furnielas (the only one), or maybe my 1834 C.F. Martin (only 12 have survived from Martin’s first year of making guitars in America).
Most valuable? Likely, it’s the 1652 Alexandre Voboam (only four extant), or maybe the 1785 Giovanni Battista Fabricatore (the earliest extant six single-string guitar in the world), my circa 1625 Matteo Sellas or my 1834 Martin.
Most unusual? Unusual would have to go to either one of my Laprevottes for their oval sound holes, or maybe to the presentation guitar by Aubry-Maire made in Mirecourt, France, for an American buyer.
Fun fact: My circa 1890 Jerome Thibouville-Lamy was used by actor Colin Firth in 2002’s The Importance of Being Earnest, which had an all-star cast that included Reese Witherspoon, Rupert Everett and Judi Dench. Firth actually damaged the guitar, but thankfully, it wasn’t serious (the subsequent repair shows no trace of the damage). Fortunately, it wasn’t damaged to the extent that Kurt Russell destroyed a priceless Martin in 2015’s The Hateful Eight Martin & Co. Museum stopped loaning out guitars after that incident.
Are you still adding to the collection? being added to the collection regularly and at the moment, there are four guitars in the queue to be posted on the website, including an Italian five single-string transition guitar from 1760 and a guitar owned by one of Napoleon’s generals, Bacheville, who in turn gifted the instrument to Ferdinand Pelzer, the famous 19th-century teacher and impresario who was the father of the even more famous, Madame Sidney Pratten, who went from child prodigy to becoming the foremost guitar personality in London during the Victorian era.
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STUNNING
PHOTOGRAPHY THAT WILL MAKE YOU GO,
"WOW!"
Jay Tamang is a photographer who lives in Mill Valley. At the core of his photography, Tamang conveys a reverence for the beautiful phenomena of nature. In the following pages, he shares his method for capturing those fleting moments in time that result in an interesting photo. Tamang’s photography will be on display throughout June at the Mill Valley Community Center, where he’ll also hold a reception from 5:30–7:30 p.m. on June 4. A portion of all sales will be donated to support children’s education in Nepal.
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Bristlecone Pine
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One of the oldest trees, about forty minutes from Bishop, the town. The astronauts are there, training and studying the stars. There’s nothing there. You need to take food from the city. I go in the night, sit until midnight and wait for the perfect moment, for stars to glow, for the Milky Way. I open up my shutter so you can see the star trails. I’ll spend a whole night up there by myself. If you’re brave enough to stay by yourself or with friends, it’s quiet. It’s beautiful. You hear the wind. Being in nature, it’s phenomenal. The trees are not dead. They’re actually smooth. So beautiful and smooth.
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Bolinas
Around sunset. I love Bolinas Ridge because I’m above the ocean. And when the fog flws above the oceans, and the sunlight hits the curvy hills, the light is so beautiful. It feels like I’m above the heavens.
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Mono lake - Tufas (opposite)
From the outside, if you look at Mono Lake while driving through Highway 395, you see the big lake but not the tufas. They form sandstone. I go around twelve or one in the morning, walk down by these tufas, sit with them and look. Billions of stars cover the tufas, and you feel like you’re covered in the stars. On top of that, you get the beautiful hues of the Milky Way.
People ask me, “Is that real?” You have to be there the time that I was there. If it’s cloudy, you won’t be able to see it. If you go during the night, and it’s clear, midnight, a day when there’s a Milky Way — then yes, you will be able to see it. Nature will do.
Horseshoe bend
This was a difficult tripor me. I hiked the day before in Marin Headlands. I got poison oak! This was in summer, and it was 100 degrees there as we drove to these places — Zion, Lake Powell, Grand Canyon. When we got to the Grand Canyon, I started to get itchy in my hands, legs, all over.
When you go out to walk to Horseshoe Bend, you walk through this heat. I felt like I was gonna die there, or go crazy. But I got patient and watched the sunset. At that time, there were no steel bars. I could walk to the edge and start taking photos of it. When the lights come through the holes in the canyon, it’s amazing — a beautiful shine through the walls of the canyon.
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Rodeo beach sunset
Being a photographer, I can capture the things that have environmentally impacted our world. In 2020, when we had a big wildfie, for a few days the sky was blacked out. Everyone was inside, but for me I wanted to go outside to see how things were happening. I went outside during sunrise and sunset. When the smoke cover blocked the light, a red sun was just sitting above the ocean. It’s incredible to see that moment that you won’t see again — unless there’s another smoke. The red colored light refleting on the ocean. Even though the environment is impacted, you can still see some beauty. Scan for the full story
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A HEALDSBURG HOME IS PRIMED FOR OUTDOOR
ENTERTAINING, A SAN FRANCISCO VICTORIAN GETS A THOUGHTFUL MAKEOVER AND MORE
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HAPPY PLACE
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With a new party barn and elevated pool area, a weekend home in Healdsburg is primed for entertaining.
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Surrounded by rolling hills planted with acre upon acre of vineyards, the town of Healdsburg , with its historic town square lined with chic restaurants, boutiques and tasting rooms, is a go-to wine country getaway destination for many Bay Area residents. For San Francisco couple Thomas Ranese and Brian Jackson, Healdsburg has officially become a home away from home since they found their dream weekend property there a few years ago: a 1,950-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath farmhouse-style home with a pool on the outskirts of town.
“We purchased the property in 2017, after looking persistently for almost two years,” Ranese says. “We fell in love with the expansive vista and infinite view of vineyards throughout Dry Creek Valley, yet it’s located only 12 minutes from everything downtown Healdsburg offers.”
When Ranese and Jackson purchased the house, they knew that they would eventually like to make changes, however. For one thing, they wanted more space to entertain family and friends. And, while the previous owner of the property had put in a pool, it was located at the edge of the property line and awkwardly aligned with the house, making it feel disconnected.
It took the couple several years to decide how to proceed, and their vision evolved over time. “We had originally wanted to expand the footprint of the main house, but it was proving difficult given the boundaries with the road and a creek that runs through the property,” Ranese says. “But as we spent more time there, we realized our desire was actually to be outdoors.”
To help them decide on the best approach, Ranese and Jackson turned to San Francisco-based Malcolm Davis Architecture
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(MDa), the firm that had transformed their San Francisco home a decade earlier, and Healdsburg landscape architecture firm Lucas & Lucas. “MDa inspired us to see that we could create a more integrated indoor-outdoor experience with a communal space outdoors connected to indoor areas,” Jackson says.
Together, the team landed on a plan. Rather than enlarging the existing home, they would build a new structure on the property devoted to indoor-outdoor entertaining, while making only small changes to the existing home, including carving out space for an additional bathroom.
The new “party barn” complex encompasses a 600-square-foot covered outdoor kitchen and dining area, a 300-square-foot drive-through parking space, a 600-square-foot guest suite with bathroom, an expansive patio lounge area with a fire pit overlooking the vineyards and a courtyard that connects the new structure to the existing house. All told, the new solution provides more usable square footage than the original expansion plan.
“Now the compound has four bedrooms and four bathrooms, so it works really well for entertaining and provides a wider range of living experiences as opposed to just a big house,” says founding principal of MDa Malcolm Davis. “We also aligned the new structure with the existing swimming pool, so they speak to each other along a clear line; it’s almost like we reverse engineered it.”
The new structure is intentionally simple in form, built with redwood siding harvested locally from a managed forest and a corrugated copper gable roof. “It’s pretty low-key and plays off the vernacular barns of the area,” Davis says. “It looks like a simple dogtrot barn from the street, so when you drive by you don’t even really notice it.”
At the same time, MDa added thoughtful design details that elevate the spaces and speak to the couple’s aesthetic — a blend of modern sophistication and rustic charm.
“On the guesthouse portion of the structure, we used a board and batten motif, because that’s very common on barns, but we did it in reverse, so you see the board, and the battens are behind the boards to fill the gaps,” Davis says. “But on the outdoor kitchen portion, we left the batten off, so when you go around the corner you get this surprise that it’s not only an open space with this exposed steel moment frame, but you also see light coming through the gaps in the boards.” Corrugated polycarbonate
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skylights above the outdoor kitchen and covered parking area illuminate the spaces further with dappled light that streams through the trees overhead.
Primed for entertaining, the outdoor kitchen features a barbecue, beverage refrigerator and dishwasher set against a wall of Heath Ceramics tile, as well as under-counter cabinetry and hidden storage in the walls. Ceiling fans and heaters hung beneath the exposed corrugated copper roof ensure the space remains equally comfortable on hot days and cool evenings, and builder Shawn P. Bettega Construction managed hide to the necessary wiring to maintain a seamless appearance.
Inside the guesthouse portion of the structure, a bay window overlooks the vineyard in the spacious bedroom, which has enough room to accommodate a small table and chairs and sitting area. The bathroom is easily accessible from the entryway without the need to pass through the bedroom, making it well-suited for pool-time use.
“Since the renovation, we spend as much, if not more, time outside than inside, including the winter, given the use of ceiling heaters and the fire pit,” Jackson says. “We practically live in the outdoor barn, sipping coffee in the morning on the patio facing the valley vineyards and cooking meals in the outdoor kitchen, whether it’s just the two of us or we’re hosting a group of friends. And, Thomas uses the guest suite as an office when working from home, which helps separate work from play.”
The pool area has also been vastly improved, not only because it’s now aligned with the new entertaining structure, but also through cohesive landscaping and hardscaping designed by Lucas & Lucas.
“While set apart from the house, the pool now feels like part of the overall experience, as it’s an easy walk over the creek with the addition of a concrete bridge,” Ranese says. “We now have this wonderful wine country complex where every element is seamlessly interconnected by stunning landscaping and thoughtful sightlines. It’s a space that we truly cherish and enjoy.”