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MARI N E X T R A O R D I N A R Y

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CONTENTS

Features 74

home design A Fine Line

Step inside his deceptively compact home above Tiburon and be surrounded by clean, spare space and elegant light. story harriot manley photos barbara ries

80 think

Dawn of a New Age

In bucolic isolation, scientists at Novato’s Buck Institute for Age Research hope to give us a hundred good years. story jeff miller photos barbara ries

88 green

The Big Picture

From kids in creeks to scientiﬁc discoveries, how one Novato organization aims to restore San Francisco Bay to its ecological glory. story harriot manley

94 journey

Finding India

Everyday life in an exotic land—with palaces, fortresses, and the occasional camel. story & photos jim wood

M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

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CONTENTS

Departments

at-a-glance

snap

fyi

Hot tips day by day around the Bay

In step with Marin’s philanthropists at four great causes. by mimi towle

Books Greenbrae mystery author Sheldon Siegel; four books based in the Bay Area Home Switching to low-energy lights—with style Performing Arts An old theater brings new life to downtown Mill Valley Gifts Great ways to spoil Mom Spas These spas put the “treat” in treatments Gardens Discovering bowers of ﬂowers at public places

weddings

fashion

Gowns for spectacular settings; rings with personal style.

Spring’s hot haute look. by samantha schoech Life Style: Chrise de Tournay, a chat with one well-dressed woman.

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looking back

play

Remembering Mt. Tam’s turn-of-the-century railway. by jim wood

Luxury getaways in Marin and San Francisco.

A trio of ﬂat, family-friendly trails to try.

M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

3/14/05 3:33:54 PM

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100 CONTENTS

The Cover San Rafael photographer Barbara

Departments

Ries captures an intimate portrait of Spring in Marin. Look for her work throughout this issue, and visit her

100

galleries

109

flavor

112

calendar

129

microclimate

138

dialogue

Four galleries unveil paintings, tapestries, and sculpture. by anne crump ray

website at barbararies.com.

138

Adding Caribbean style to San Rafael. by harriot manley

A roundup of performing arts, events, galleries, and more.

Celebrating the charm of San Anselmo. by jim wood

A talk with San Rafael ﬁlmmaker Jonathan Parker.

Columns 109

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view from mount tam

editor’s note

pov

120

family

The creators of Marin Magazine welcome you to share their vision.

Weaving a lifetime of connections.

Will we be safe in the foreseeable future? by jim wood

Reconnecting with your overscheduled family. by dr. denver coleman

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principal/editorial director Nikki Wood ext 105 nwood@marinmagazine.com

principal/editor-at-large Jim Wood ext 106 jwood@marinmagazine.com

Editorial editor Harriot Manley ext 103 hmanley@marinmagazine.com

department editor Mimi Towle ext 101 mtowle@marinmagazine.com

associate editor Samantha Schoech ext 104 sams@marinmagazine.com

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Marin Magazine One Harbor Dr, Ste 208 Sausalito, CA 94965 phone: 415.332.4800 fax: 415.332.3048 email: editorial@marinmagazine.com web address: marinmagazine.com

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principal/publisher Lisa Shanower ext 107 lshanower@marinmagazine.com

Advertising advertising director Courtney Q. Roberts ext 108 croberts@marinmagazine.com

account manager Lisa Wolford ext 110 lwolford@marinmagazine.com

account executive Genevieve Luckel ext 109 gluckel@marinmagazine.com

advertising coordinator Marc Moore ext 111 production@marinmagazine.com

Administration controller Jill Harmston ext 106 jharmston@marinmagazine.com

Volume 1, Issue 1. Marin Magazine is published in Marin County by Marin Magazine LLC. All rights

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V I E W F R O M M O U N T TA M

any consider Mount Tamalpais the

home and garden, and offer an intriguing calendar of

“heart” of Marin County. It’s a symbol of strength and

events, as well as highlight nearby places to dine, shop,

beauty that all of us can enjoy and be inspired by.

enjoy art, and play. The covers of Marin Magazine will

Literally, Marin County revolves around Mount Tam—

always feature the work of a talented painter or photog-

it’s an integral part of the county community.

rapher and purposely be free of copy. In addition to the

We believe that a magazine can also play a vital role

editorial content, we believe readers will benefit from

in the life of a county. In launching Marin Magazine, we

the advertising messages that make our magazine pos-

intend to do just that. As we celebrate Marin County’s

sible. Marin Magazine, with a circulation of 45,000, will

extraordinary living experience within these pages,

appear bimonthly in 2005, then monthly in 2006.

our goal is to create “a beautiful magazine that makes

Our ambitions are high, our standards lofty, and our

you think.” We seek to inform and enhance the lives

intentions clear. Like mighty Mount Tam, we look for-

of Marin residents while hoping to intensify a sense of

ward to being an integral—and inspirational—part of

community in this spectacular place where we live.

the Marin County community.

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and our mission is to publish thought-provoking stories

Lisa Shanower, Principal and Publisher

about people, places, and businesses along with top-

Nikki Wood, Principal and Editorial Director

ics of international scope. We will also feature fashion,

Jim Wood, Principal and Editor-at-Large

BARBARA RIES

With offices in Sausalito, our staff is Marin-based

M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

3/14/05 1:11:44 PM

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3/12/05 11:55:04 AM

EDITOR’S NOTE

Making connections

o feel like we fit in is one of our strongest desires as humans. We want community. It gives us touchstones and feedback, support and sympathy. And, often times, laughter. In the few months that our team has come together at Marin

Magazine, we have felt that bond of community, supporting each other through the process of creating something out of nothing. In this case, the “baby” is a magazine that aims to create and celebrate community for everyone in Marin. I grew up in this county—trudged trails and got poison oak with my brother and sister out our back door on the Tiburon Peninsula. After college, I moved away for many years, and then—happily—found myself home again, with husband, two kids, and a large dog. Joining the staff at Marin Magazine created a new community for me, and now, in serendipitous ways, it’s harkening back to my early years here. While I was working on the article on the Bay Institute (page 88), a comment by one of my resources rekindled old connections. It was suggested that I call Bill Davoren, who founded the institute back in 1981 (after I’d left Marin), if I could track him down. Track him down? His son, Ben, was my date at the senior prom at Redwood High School back in 1976; my mom, Hildy, still considers Bill and his wife Bess two of her dearest friends. A quick phone call (the Davoren’s still have the same number they had when I was 10) and Bill and I were chatting away, time erased. That reweaving of old threads has been happening all over the county. Marinbased filmmaker Jonathan Parker, our first Dialogue subject (page 138), used to play poker with a band of high school buddies—including my brother—at our family’s dining room table. While touring the home of architect (and Tiburon mayor) Miles Berger for the story on page 74, I also got to hang out again with wife Piper (née Ross)—we first met as seventh-graders back at Del Mar Junior High. As you enjoy the pages of Marin Magazine, perhaps you’ll run across a familiar name or face. We’re not that far apart in this county—our towns and villages separated by water and a mere handful of ridgelines. Maybe we need to look up more often and notice who and what is passing us by. That’s what we hope to do for you in Marin Magazine—spark a memory, learn something new about the place where you live, work and play. In other words, build community. But don’t expect us to always take the easy road. We don’t plan to skirt important issues; sometimes we might even ruffle a feather or two. Our monthly POV department, penned by editor-at-large, Jim Wood, will frequently take on tough topics. This month, on page 32, Jim ponders whether our fears of another terrorist attack could be overblown. Are they? We ask you to consider the tough questions with us and look

Harriot Manley, Editor

026-027_Editor_note.indd 26

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK Visit marinmagazine.com, reply to our editorial survey and you will be entered into a drawing for an overnight stay at The Inn Above Tide (featured on page 70).

BARBARA RIES

forward to hearing from you.

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3/12/05 8:47:46 PM

at a glance april Quick picks on what to see and do around San Francisco Bay and beyond

s THRU APRIL & MAY

THRU APRIL 30

Rock on

Have a heart

Tropical treat

Classic Eames rocker ($379) at Design Within Reach, Mill Valley dwr.com

Satchet ($5) sales build homes for tsunami victims, Mill Valley Candleworks, 415.380.8355, mvcandleworks.com

Piña Colada Scrub Stellar Spa, Corte Madera 415.924.7300, stellarspa.com

APRIL 2 – 10

APRIL 4

Happy feet

Hot type

Paul Taylor Dance Company Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, SF 415.392.2545, performances.org

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close A Novel by Jonathan Safran Foer $25, Houghton Mifflin

▼

THRU APRIL & MAY

APRIL 8 A cappella Sweet Honey in the Rock Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley 510.642.9988, calperfs.berkeley.edu

APRIL 15

APRIL 17

Good taste

Wild things

McEvoy Olive Ranch Tour with Marin Agricultural Land Trust ($20) near Petaluma, 415.663.1158, malt.org

Birdbrain/Australian DanceTheater at Marin Center, San Rafael 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

THRU APRIL 30

APRIL 24

Batter up

Spring white sail

The Art of Baseball George Krevsky Gallery, SF 415.397.9748, georgekrevskygallery.com

Opening Day on San Francisco Bay

▼

APRIL 28

ANYTIME

Raise a glass

Spring bling

Monterey Wine Festival montereywine.com

Sapphire & diamond earrings ($17,500) on request at Bulgari, SF 415.399.9141, bulgari.com

M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

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3/14/05 3:17:27 PM

at a glance may MAY 8

Meet the artist

Flip out

Painter Luc Leestemaker noon–5 at La Sede Bella, San Anselmo 415.453.8200

Mother’s Day pancake breakfast West Point Inn, on Mt Tam 415.388.9955, westpointinn.com

▼

MAY 1

MAY 14 Laugh track Martin Short at Marin Center, San Rafael 415.499.6800, marincenter.org ▼

MAY 16 Story time ▼

Diana Ferlatte spins tales at Marin Center, San Rafael, 415.457.4878, youthinarts.org

MAY 21 Hot rods May Madness Marin’s classic car show, San Rafael 415.485.3383

THRU MAY 21

MAY 28

MAY 29

Great shape

Dive in

Old news

Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, SF 415.392.2545, performances.org

Ocean’s Edge opens Monterey Bay Aquarium 831.648.4888, mbayaq.org

Outdoor Antique Faire San Anselmo, 415.459.2002

THRU OCT 30

▼

Dress-up Artwear: fashion and anti-fashion Legion of Honor, SF 415.863.3330, thinker.org

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M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

3/14/05 1:30:27 PM

Fashions for Living

Nordstrom, Macy's, The Cheesecake Factory and 80 upscale shops and restaurants. Highway 101 at Paradise Drive in Marin. For guest assistance and to purchase gift cards, visit the Concierge. (415) 924-8921 www.VillageAtCorteMadera.com

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3/11/05 8:58:34 PM

POV

Fighting a phantom

BY JIM WOOD

Will Marin—and America—be safe in the foreseeable future? Godley has bulletins like “Defending the American

ists obtained radioactive isotopes and wrapped them

Homeland” on his desk, and bookshelves lined with

around an explosive device, the real danger is in the

titles such as The Dynamic Terrorist Threat. Chris, Marin

blast, not radioactivity. “It [radioactivity] simply doesn’t

County’s manager of emergency services, claims to

disperse in the air.”

spend 40 percent of his time on terrorist-related mat-

Again, similar to Chris Godley, Professor Palmore be-

ters. Yet ask him if a local attack is imminent and his

lieves it is unlikely terrorists have the expertise to pull

answer might surprise you. “Truthfully, Marin isn’t im-

off a radiological attack. That speculation made, my

pacted by terrorist threats; other places are far more

mind goes to the terrorist who, after the 1993 World

threatened—absolutely.”

Trade Center bombing, returned to the Ryder truck

Similar to Chris Godley, with long-ago duty in Naval intelligence, I also read a lot about terrorist threats. It’s

There are other reasons for believing a terrorist attack is not imminent in the U.S. First, like our

Marin—but throughout the United States. Here’s why:

armed forces, al Qaeda could now be tied down by

Following 9/11, exclusive of wars in Afghanistan

the Iraq War. Whether you agree with his motives or

and Iraq, over 160 international terrorists have either

not, President Bush makes a point—benefiting only the

been captured or killed. Of these, 25 were top al Qaeda

U.S.—when he says, “Better we fight them over there

operatives including persons instrumental in the 9/11

than here at home.” Second, attacking American soil

attacks and the bombings of the U.S.S. Cole, Bali resort,

isn’t a top priority for fundamentalists. In The Crisis of Islam, Middle East historian Bernard Lewis writes

Agreed, 160 is a small percentage of the total num-

“Triggers for bin Laden’s actions, as he’s explained very

ber of terrorists afoot in today’s world—and bin Laden

clearly, were America’s presence in Arabia—a des-

is still in hiding—but it sends out a powerful message:

ecration of the Muslim Holy Land.” Third, The 9/11

If you’re a potential terrorist, you’re under constant sur-

Commission Report offers that bin Laden had consid-

veillance. Furthermore, terrorists captured or killed are

erable opposition—within al Qaeda and the Taliban—

not just the result of U.S. and European intelligence ef-

before ordering the 9/11 attacks, with leaders of both

forts; they also involved Pakistani, Moroccan, Kuwaiti,

groups resisting drawing U.S. forces into a jihad.

Saudi, and Thai forces. In Imperial Hubris: why the West

Finally, Gwynne Dyer, whose writings appear in 45

is losing the war on terror, former CIA unit chief Michael

countries, recounts: “September 11 is a raw date for

Scheuer concedes, “The victories against al Qaeda by

Americans when 3,000 of their fellow citizens died. But

the United States and its allies are impressive.”

not one American has died from Islamist terrorism on

Since 9/11, there hasn’t been one terrorist attack involving chemical, biological, or radiological weapons.

032-033_POV.indd 32

rental office to claim his deposit.

my view that a terrorist attack is unlikely not only in

and Madrid railroad.

tional security issues, maintains that even if terror-

home soil since then.” Then comes Dyer’s searing question, “Was it all just a flash in the pan?”

According to Marin’s Chris Godley, “Chemical and biolog-

At times, I believe it was; the 9/11 attacks were a

ical weapons aren’t easy to obtain, transport, or release.”

horribly unfortunate convergence of faulty intelligence,

(Anthrax attacks that killed six Americans in 2001 have

inadequate security, and crystral-clear weather. But will

never been linked to international terrorism.)

another terrorist attack, even of different intensity and

As for terrorists detonating a “dirty bomb,” Julian

configuration, occur in America—or Marin County—in

Palmore, a University of Illinois mathematician, de-

the foreseeable future? I don’t believe it will. That’s my

clares, “It’s just silly.” Palmore, a specialist in interna-

point of view. What’s yours? Let’s keep in touch.

BARBARA RIES

n his office in the Marin County Civic Center, Chris

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3/11/05 9:09:43 PM

SNAP

SPECIAL EVENTS TO REMEMBER AROUND THE BAY

PHOTOS SHERI MONTGOMERY

Carol Goodman

Larissa Bell

Dan and Judy Noyes

HAIR APPARENT From Goldilocks to dreadlocks, hair was the must-have fashion accessory at the Hair Ball and 11th annual Art

Patty and Michael Thompson

Inspiring Hope event. Over 500 guests donned their ﬁnery—plus wigs, hairpieces, and chapeaus—for a spectacular evening. Beneath tents in the shadow of the Bay Bridge, guests balanced (appropriately) strawberry-blond martinis and bid on silent auction items, including nearly 50 pieces of art in beautiful frames donated by longtime supporter Thompson Framing. Dinner followed with a live auction, including an electric guitar from (and personally inscribed) Sheryl Crow, who rocked the house after thanking everyone for attending. Thanks indeed—the evening raised a record-breaking $620,000 for Camp Okizu, near Oroville, which provides children Vlado Skibola, Ed O’Neill

with cancer—and their families—a place to be kids again. —H.M. Ken Miller, Marti Massoud Graciela Placak, Cindi Lee, Martha Apaza

Barbara and Tom Mack

Eric Clark, Dawn Lyon

Elizabeth and Brad Bird

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Cheryl Jennings, Rick Pettibone

3/14/05 1:24:28 PM

SNAP Peter Lewis, Pam Hamilton

Barbara Tomber, Don Mathews

BIG SCREEN, BIG FUN Over 300 ﬁlm buffs from around the bay glammed it up in black-tie, baubles and blue jeans for Oscar Night America at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center. Before the show guests enjoyed cocktails, speculation and a sneak peak at Academy Award-nominated shorts. Comedian Brian Copeland emceed the evening as attendees enjoyed CaterMarin’s tasty boxed dinners in the comfort of their seats. Mark Fishkin, Executive Director of the ﬁlm institute summed up the event. “It’s the best way to watch the Oscars, if you can’t be there in person.” All proceeds from the event support the California Film Institute Mary Poland

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outreach and education programs. —M.T. Jeannie and Christopher B. Smith

M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

3/15/05 12:09:14 PM

Mark Cavalier, Linda Dougherty

Richard Idel, Mary Poland

Leon and Sallie Huntting

Sherry Barkadar, Annie Rubenstein

Bettina Sporkenbach, James Chenney

Morton Gothelf, Jill McAuliff

The Cliff House …Where San Francisco begins

Reopened in Splendor! San Francisco’s Best Ocean views 1090 Point Lobos Avenue San Francisco CA 94121 For reservations in Sutro’s call 415-386-3330 • cliffhouse.com

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Dominick and Nancy Alfano

Lauren Berguer, Dr. Mary Mockus

Jane Kahan Alan Liss, Robin Collins

PINK PASSION Over 550 guests donned pink ties and pink shoes for the Susan B. Komen Pink Tie Ball at San Francisco’s RitzJoanne and Richard Horning

Carlton. Despite the serious reason for the gathering, the mood was celebratory with Tom Postilio and his Orchestra kicking off the dancing before dinner even started. Highlights included Joanne and Richard Horning accepting a Komen Cameo Award for their dedication to the cause as guests enjoyed a delicious sit-down dinner. During the rest of the evening dancers raised the roof as bidders raised nearly $500,000 which will go toward breast cancer education, screening, and scientiﬁc research. All in all, it was a rosy success for an important issue. —M.T.

Katrina Weigant, Peter Chow

John and Tracy Novick

Lorenzo Petroni, Gavin Newsom, Ronn and Jan Owens

Michael and Diane Mina

Steve and Alysine Aiella

LAURIE GO RDO N

Mark Lebos and Jessica Leigh Lebos

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LAURIE GO RDO N

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SNAP

Hal Brown, Charles McGlashan, Carol Misseldine

Heidi Rizzo, Jacqueline Spielberg

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE From a towering statue of

Bob and Nannette Griswold

Venus to a ﬂowing champagne bar, the exhibit hall at the Marin Civic Center was transformed into a veritable love nest for the Marin Valentine’s Ball. Supervisor Hal Brown, the event’s founder, presided over the evening while the nearly 500 guests enjoyed delicacies from Sage Catering and danced to the music of the Big Bang Beat. Silent auction contributor, Lea Ditson of Lea Designs, showed off highlights from her collection on committee member models including Kathy Graham, Susan Gilmore and Deb Bianchini as well as Marin IJ’s Leslie Harlib, who, as emcee, sang her own rendition of My Funny Valentine. All proceeds went to Marin Charities: North Bay Children’s Center, St. Vincent’s School for Boys and Whistlestop. —M.T.

Dan Roberts, Phyllis Secosky Leslie Harlib, Deb Bianchini

Mike DiGiorgio, Bill Cope, Donna DiGiorgio

Peter Leabo, Susan Gilmore

Margaret MacLean, Meghan Peddicord, Mark Santana

Jack and Pauline Hanson

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Tom Clark

Terese Eastman

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FYI BOOKS

uthor Sheldon Siegel is sitting in

For a man who makes up murders for a living, Sheldon Siegel is an awfully nice person

his messy home office in Greenbrae when he admits that part of the joy in writing fic-

tion is getting revenge. This is coming from a man who often cuddles his cat while working, coaches Little League, and raises money for Kent Middle School, where his twin sons attend sixth grade, by auctioning off character names in his next novel—the highest bidder appears as a P.I., or a cop, or even a suspect. Contrary to Sheldon’s claim, it doesn’t take a detective to sense that Sheldon Siegel isn’t exactly a vengeful type. Only at the keyboard does his inner toughguy come out. His main character, Mike Daley, a former San Francisco priest turned criminal defense lawyer, thinks and talks like Sheldon, a corporate securities lawyer originally from Chicago. Mike’s ex-wife and business partner, Rosie, gets her wit and wisdom from Sheldon’s wife, Linda. It’s a convenient way to get a little retribution. “They get to say things we would

BY SAMANTHA SCHOECH

never say. If someone is mean to me, I can be mean back in my writing,” he says, laughing. Eight years ago, Sheldon Siegel was a full-

class at Book Passage in Corte Madera. It

seven languages and have sold millions of

time lawyer in San Francisco who had always

taught him about pacing and plot, character

copies. His sixth book is due this fall. Sheldon

wanted to write. It took his impending for-

development and creating suspense. It also

now teaches at Book Passage and co-chairs

tieth birthday to get him to do it. That, and

encouraged him to ﬁnish what he’d started.

a laptop from his wife. “She called my bluff,” he says of the gift.

The rest, as they say, is history. His five

the annual Mystery Writer’s Conference. “I get to share the stage with people like

bestselling Mike Daley novels, all set in San

Martin Cruz Smith and Gillian Roberts,” he

He wrote during his 45-minute commute

Francisco and Marin—The Confession, Special

says, grinning at his good fortune. Clearly,

on the Larkspur ferry each day. When he had

Circumstances, Incriminating Evidence,

success—and revenge—haven’t gone to this

50 pages, he signed up for a mystery writing

Criminal Intent, and Final Verdict—appear in

author’s head.

Booksellers Recommend Favorite novels set in the Bay Area 1906: A Novel

The Maltese Falcon

The Joy Luck Club

by James Delassandro (Chronicle, $14)

by Dashiell Hammett (Vintage, $11)

by Amy Tan (Ivy Books, $8)

by Thomas Pynchon (Penguin, $15)

“The author contends that the

“Stands out as one of the greatest

“. . . a sad, intimate portrait of lives

“Screamingly, impossibly funny . . .

earthquake was one of the biggest

books written about San Francisco—

disrupted by immigration and brought

a remarkably wise commentary on the

cover-ups of all time. It’s loaded with

it deﬁned the distinctly American voice

together again by the love of family

California psyche.”

historical details.”

of the 20th century.”

and friends.”

—ADAM SCHNITZER, GREEN APPLE BOOKS

—LENNY JAY, THE BOOK DEPOT

—LUISA SMITH, BOOK PASSAGE

—SAGE VANWING, PT. REYES BOOKS

042-053_FYI.indd 42

LA RRY MARCUS

The Crying of Lot 49 and Vineland

M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

3/13/05 4:51:10 PM

Go2Marin.com For all your Real Estate Needs…

NO. 1 MARIN COUNTY REALTOR 2004 ALL COMPANIES – ALL AGENTS (70 CLOSED TRANSACTIONS)

Shana Rohde-Lynch 415.925.3225 ShanaMarin@aol.com

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FYI HOME

LEGAL LIGHTING Get ready—latest low-energy rules cast a new light Planning a remodel or new construction?

Rue, since it’s the room, along with bath-

New state regulations geared at improving

rooms and laundry rooms, where we usually

energy-efficiency will change the way you

depend the most on light ﬁxtures. In kitch-

light your home, inside and out.

ens, notes Rue, “ﬁfty-percent of the installed

Starting in October, all new fixtures attached to the outside of new homes must

power must be high-efﬁciency luminaries,” in other words, mostly ﬂuorescents.

be ﬁtted with photocells that cue your lights

Fortunately, you don’t have to trade form

to turn on only when it is dark, or the fix-

for function. New, low-proﬁle ﬂuorescent lin-

tures must be fitted with low-energy fluo-

ear strips can subtly light countertops and

rescent bulbs. Inside, motion sensors and

glass-fronted cabinets, and compact ﬂuores-

dimmers will be mandatory as well as ﬂuo-

cent bulbs with warmer tones ﬁt into attrac-

rescent bulbs that plug into ﬁxtures (instead

tive, dimmer-controlled chandeliers.

Low-energy light options

of twist-in incandescent bulbs). No more

If you are still in the dark, designers like

1 Aladdin pendant by Basic Source, $337 at Lights of

switching to energy-guzzling lights once the

Rue and Novato-based lighting consultant

building inspector leaves.

Nancy McCoy can shed light on attractive

Rafael, 415.472.7292 2 Imperial Lantern, $2,550, and 3 Lineage Wall Sconce, $855, both at Boyd Lighting, 415.778.4300

“The room hardest hit is the kitchen,” notes Petaluma-based lighting designer Lee

042-053_FYI.indd 44

options to meet the new energy-conscious regulations. —M.T.

M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

3/13/05 4:51:38 PM

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042-053_FYI.indd 45

3/12/05 5:28:12 PM

FYI PERFORMING ARTS

CURTAIN UP IN DOWNTOWN MILL VALLEY 142 Throckmorton Theatre takes center stage with music, plays and some guys named Dana, Robin, and Mark

early a century ago in downtown Mill

Valley, candle-lanterns twinkled along the streets as townsfolk gathered in front of the theater at 142

Throckmorton—a happy, friendly, and expectant group, all ready for a good show. Fast-forward to any given night in Mill Valley. Streetlights have nudged out candle-lanterns, but the people gather once again in front of the tall, white theater, knowing this is the place to be. Breathing community life into this historic building— and into downtown Mill Valley—is what Lucy Mercer imagined when she bought the turn-of-the-century site in 1998. “I wanted to restore a place where people could participate, not just pass through as shoppers,” she says, cradling a cup of coffee at the nearby Bonavitas. Not that buying the theater made any sense. “People told me to tear the place down,” she says with a laugh. The theater originally opened in the early 1900s, its movie screen ﬂickering to life with a two-reel Charlie Chaplin movie. The two-story building bustled

Lucy Mercer, owner, 142 Throckmorton Theatre

with activity until 1929, when an even spiffier movie Hub, as 142 Throckmorton was known back then, sputtered along, taking on different guises, ending up in the 1950s as an Oddfellows Lodge. 46

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B ARB ARA RIES

theater, the Sequoia, opened just up the street. Still, the

M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

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110” European Fabrics & Home Furnishings

“The place was falling apart,” says Kathy Severson of the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce, which has its offices on the theater’s second ﬂoor. Mercer began to rediscover the original bones of the old theater. A handsome lobby reappeared, also a tiered balcony and two “queen’s boxes” flanking a raised stage. Working with local artist and set designer Steve Coleman and theater manager Tim Stone, Mercer gave the place the feel of an

La Sede Bella

intimate Victorian theater—with a few wacky touches (Japanese paper lanterns nod from

English & French Country Furniture Accessories — French & Italian tableware — Lighting Interior Design — Custom Upholstery & Drapery

the ceiling), a place where both performers and audiences could feel comfortable. According to Mill Valley resident Mark Pitta, who hosts a popular weekly comedy show at the theater, she’s succeeded. “I

535 San Anselmo Avenue San Anselmo, CA 94960

Open Daily 415.453.8200

didn’t know Mill Valley would stay out until 11.” Of course, the fact that his comedy buddies Dana Carvey and Robin Williams often show up—all for a $10 ticket—doesn’t hurt. “Robin

Marin’s Finest Collection of Boutique Hotels

LaSedeBella_v3.indd 1

3/9/05 9:26:31 PM

was blown away when he saw the space, he didn’t even know it was here,” says Pitta.

The theater’s shows go far beyond comedy. Musicians—from Bonnie Raitt to the Left Coast Chamber Ensemble Musicians—speakers (including Michael Krasney and Isabel Allende) and theater (think Tobias Wolff and Josh Kornbluth) all take the stage. Artists’ exhibits change monthly in the lobby. “I aspired to create a place where community could challenge itself, could sing with passion, and laugh out loud together,” says Mercer, finishing her coffee. “I imagined a place that believes both audience and performer are important—and inspires us all as a community.” And, as the townsfolk did nearly a century ago, enjoy a really good show. For upcoming events, see the Calendar

Acqua Hotel 555 Redwood Highway Mill Valley CA 94941 415.380.0400

Mill Valley Inn 165 Throckmorton Ave. Mill Valley CA 94941 415.389.6608

Waters Edge Hotel 25 Main Street Tiburon CA 94920 415.789.5999

Pacific Rim stylings on the Bay in Mill Valley

European-style hotel amidst historic mill town charm

A serene escape on the Bay next to the ferry landing

section of this magazine, go to the website

www.marinhotels.com

at 142throckmortontheatre.com, or call

These hotels are managed by Joie de Vivre Hospitality. www.jdvhospitality.com Photos: Mark Darley, Cesar Rubio

415.383.9600. —H.M. M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

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FYI GIFTS Bring the spa home with this luxurious olive oil inspired body and hair set. $51. Mediterranean Bath Collection, L’Occitane at The Village at Corte Madera, 415.924.7843, loccitane.com

Every mom tries to be on time, and why not count the minutes with this new 18k yellow gold and diamond watch by Cartier. $20,500. Santos Demoiselle, Cartier, San Francisco. 415.397.3180, cartier.com

HAUTE MAMAS Four ways to spoil Mom Motherhood has its esoteric rewards—being greeted with open arms, snuggling together on the couch, and those sweet moments when the children are sleeping soundly. But let’s face it, there’s nothing like some blatant materialism to make her feel appreciated. Whether you’re buying for your mother, your partner, or yourself, here are a few gift items to make any mom happy. —MT

Colorful and practical for the mom on the go who sometimes needs to pack a couple of teddy bears or a baseball uniform. $278. Signature Scarf Tote, Coach at The Village at Corte Madera, 415.924.5046, coach.com

Soft, silky, and pink. She’ll feel like a queen wearing these 100% silk charmeuse men-styled pj’s. $85, $95 with personalization. Silk pajama set, Red Envelope, 877.733.3683, redenvelope.com

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F Y I S PA S

CUCUMBER CRUSHES AND CAVIAR CREAMS These spa treatments sound good enough to eat

BY MIMI TOWLE

ick up a spa brochure these days and

you’ll think you’re reading a menu—can deli-

cacies like caviar and champagne rejuvenate, refresh, and make you feel beautiful? Our simple answer: “Absolutely!” Try one or all of these yummy treats at spas in San Francisco or Marin, and give your skin a taste of the good life.

Apricot whip, paprika scrub Evo Spa This intimate spa, tucked into Strawberry Village, uses ancient and modern beauty techniques in massages and facials. Try this Eastern European three-part treatment to detox, rejuvenate, and stimulate your skin.

Caviar decadence Spa Radiance

caviar helping to cleanse and exfoliate your

Start with an organic fruit glycolic peel to

With a Russian owner, it seems like destiny

skin. Your facial includes micro-dermabrasion

prepare your skin for an herbal paprika treat-

that this sophisticated San Francisco spa

followed by a micro-current laser to deep

ment, designed to exfoliate and stimulate cir-

would add caviar to its list of treatment op-

clean and lift facial muscles. End with a cavi-

culaton. After a carrot masque, choose either

tions. Using a specially formulated, odor-

ar-infused eye treatment and LED light thera-

an apricot-whip moisturizer, or, for extra hy-

less serum derived from caviar, Angelina

py to boost collagen production.

dration, a soothing berry cream.

Umansky’s estheticians aim to hydrate and

Grand luxe caviar dreams, 3 hours, $750

Hungarian Secret, 90 minutes, $125. Evo Spa,

nourish your skin. Slip into your own pri-

(2-hour treatment, $375). Spa Radiance, 3011

216 Strawberry Village, Mill Valley. 415.383.3223.

vate sanctuary of warm Italian linens and get

Fillmore St, San Francisco. 415.346.6281. spara-

evo-spa.com

ready for hand and facial treatments, with

diance.com

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Fruit-cocktail facial International Orange

Champagne top to bottom Tea Garden Springs

Cooling cucumber Stellar Spa

This sleek, combination yoga studio/spa, co-

Who knew this festive drink could make you

vera, the cool cuke is not only a crunchy low-

owned by Mill Valley’s Amy Darland, offers

look so good? Actually, estheticians at this

cal treat, it’s also a well known remedy for

Boasting skin-healing qualities similar to aloe

a veritable fruit basket for your face. Take a

long-standing, Zen-style spa don’t use the

puffy red eyes and other skin problems, and

class in the adjoining studio, then slip into a

real stuff on your body (though they will let

a natural source of beneficial enzymes as

cozy robe and prepare to be pampered. Kick

you sip a glass during and after your treat-

well as vitamins B1 and C.

off with kiwi cleanser for an antioxidant blast,

ment). It’s the yeast used in the champagne-

followed by a nourishing cranberry toner.

making process that’s featured in various po-

rich sea salts into your skin and then wraps

Your esthetician then applies a fruity enzyme

tions and oils—the ingredient that makes you

you in plastic and heated blankets to maxi-

To start, your esthetician rubs mineral-

mask—papaya, pineapple, or pumpkin—to ex-

shine with its regenerative and nourishing

mize the detoxifying and exfoliation process.

foliate, refine blemishes, and diminish fine

qualities. Start off with a bubbly champagne

As you cleanse, enjoy a face and scalp mas-

lines. Finish with a moisturizing lemon balm,

footbath followed by a champagne fusion

sage, followed by a hydrating mixture of hon-

and you’ll glow with confidence. This lush

mask and body exfoliation, plus body wrap

ey and almond-extract oils to nourish your

treatment is ideal before a big event or late

and rich oils, all with more champagne-yeast-

skin, and ﬁnish with a calming cucumber lo-

night on the town.

infused products. You’re ready to party!

tion to soften your newly buffed bod.

Custom fruit enzyme facial, 1 hour, $95. Inter-

Head-to-toe champagne indulgence, 2

Cucumber crush, 1 hour, $100. Stellar Spa,

national Orange, 2044 Fillmore St, San Fran-

hours, $225. Tea Garden Springs, 38 Miller Ave,

26 Tamalpais Dr, Corte Madera. 415.924.7300.

cisco. 415.563.5000. internationalorange.com

Mill Valley. 415.389.7123. teagardensprings.com

stellarspa.com

10400 Sonoma Highway Kenwood, CA 95452 800.353.6966 707.833.1293 kenwoodinn.com

Kenwood_Spa_v5.indd 1

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3/13/05 5:07:38 PM

FYI GARDENS

FLOWER POWER These gorgeous gardens, open to all, explode with color this month

pring is here! Like a bugle announc-

ing the queen, purple iris, orange poppies

and red columbine trumpet the arrival of spring in Marin. If your yard hasn’t started blooming, or you’re looking for great landscaping ideas, check out the following public gardens, all within an hour’s drive. Like what you see? All have plant sales this month.

Marin Art and Garden Center For a blast of spring, amble through the but-

Gazebo sits at the center of Marin Art and Garden Center

terﬂy garden just north of the main parking lot at this 11-acre Ross landmark. Here you’ll

place to get your spring ﬂower ﬁx is the 55-

UC Botanical Garden, Berkeley

find showy monarchs resting on milkweed,

acre San Francisco Botanical Gardens (for-

Grab a map at the entrance of this sprawl-

and tiger-stripe anise swallowtails flitting

merly Strybing Arboretum). For a hint at

ing, 32-acre living museum in the Berkeley

from fennel to Queen Anne’s lace. If you’re

what much of California looked like before

hills, and head to the springtime show at

lucky, you might spy another native butter-

French broom and other exotics overran our

the Asia garden. Pass through South African

ﬂy, the burnt orange and black West Coast

hills and meadows, visit the California Native

plantings on your way—red cowslips, violet

lady (Vanessa annabella); it fancies the nec-

Plants Garden to see an abundance of wild

baboon ﬂowers, and yellow Cape marigolds—

tar from lupine. Pack a picnic, then settle on

lilacs, California poppies, meadowfoam, iris,

then take the path right to the garden’s large

and ﬂannel bush. Need more spring? Head

pond. Find a sunny boulder facing the water-

Daily, dawn to dusk. Free. 30 Sir Francis

over to the park’s dazzling seasonal plantings

fall and enjoy rhododendrons in all shapes

Drake Blvd, Ross. 415.455.5260, maagc.org.

of Icelandic poppies, pansies, and primula

and colors—shades of lilac, white ﬂowers the

Spring Flower Festival and Plant Sale, 10–4,

fronting the Conservatory of Flowers.

size of cantaloupes, and an extremely rare,

April 23–24.

Park open daily, dawn to dusk. Garden open weekdays 8–4:30, weekends 10–5. Free.

magenta-bloomed rhodie from Bhutan. Daily 9–5 (closed first Tuesday). Adults $3

Golden Gate Park

Ninth Ave at Lincoln Way, San Francisco.

(free Thursdays). 200 Centennial Dr, Berkeley.

While magnificent floral displays brighten

415.661.1316, sfbotanicalgarden.org. Annual

510.643.2755, botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu.

the entire park this time of year, the best

Spring Plant Sale 10–2, April 30.

Spring Plant Sale 10–2, April 30. —M.T.

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BI LL K ATIS

a bench to enjoy the show.

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3/11/05 9:12:50 PM

C re a t i v e

Occasions

Be a Guest at your own Event

Larry Dyer Photography

Sylvia’s Photography

Parties • Weddings • Special Events C

P h o n e . 4 1 5 - 8 9 7 - 9 9 3 9 . F a x . 4 1 5 - 8 9 8 - 9 8 2 2 w w w . c r e a t i v e - o c c a s i o n s . c o m

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WEDDINGS

HAPPILY EVER AFTER

Stunning spring gowns for every bride’s idea of perfect BY SAMANTHA SCHOECH

PHOTO: THERESA VARGO/TH ERESA VARGO P HOTO GRA PH Y. H AIR & MAK EUP: DANA ADA MS AND TRACY JOHNSTON/SPROOS, SAN ANSELMO

There are as many types of weddings as

We’ve taken a cue from Lynn and

there are types of brides. Lynn Rosenzweig,

matched up these spectacular gowns with

co-founder and designer at Ristarose in

ﬁve equally spectacular local wedding sites.

San Francisco says she imagines the whole

Whether you are a barefoot-on-the-beach

package when she starts designing a gown.

type or a fairy princess, there is a gown to

“I think about the location, the type of wom-

complete the wedding of your dreams.

an, the style of wedding—I see the whole thing before I create a dress.”

Ristarose’s clingy “Chloe” gown with satin diamond insets throughout is all about Art Deco glamour. It goes perfectly with the stylish luxury at the Clift Hotel and a glass of Dom Perignon. $2,970 at Ginger’s Bridal Salon (SF), 415.781.8559 M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

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WEDDINGS

Whether you are a barefoot-on-the-beach type or a fairy princess

French designer Suzanne Ermann is known

A formal outdoor wedding calls for sun-

Designer Dana Gail names her dresses after

for curlicues, exterior hoop skirts, and oth-

shine, a string quartet, and a bit of whimsy.

the first bride who wears them. Act quick-

er avante garde touches. Modern and ultra-

Carolina Herrera’s strapless organza confec-

ly and this tiered chiffon strapless could be

fashionable, it’s perfect for the spare, light-

tion with a white-on-white floral pattern is

your namesake. It’s both girlish and sophisti-

filled rooms at the Headlands Center for

just the thing for an afternoon wedding at

cated, sexy but not too serious. Let a Stinson

the Arts.

the Marin Art & Garden Center.

Beach breeze set this dress aﬂutter.

1 $3,350 at Marina Morrison (SF), 415.984.9360 2 About $6,000 at Marina Morrison (SF), 415.984.9360 3 $2,500 at Dana Gail Couture (Sausalito), 415.686.1768

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WEDDINGS

RINGS ON HER FINGER Light, bright, and colorful—today’s couples can pick from a candybox of rings From rose-gold bands to rainbows of pre-

bands,” notes jewelry designer Glenda

Janet Deleuse of Tiburon’s Deleuse Jewelers,

cious stones, rings slipping onto betrothed

Queen of San Francisco’s Union Street

specializing in custom jewelry, “Couples often

ﬁngers take on bright new shades this sea-

Goldsmith. Even the metal bands them-

come in together looking for matching bands.

son. “Couples are choosing colorful stones

selves get a new jolt of color, combining 22-

However,” she smiles, “she usually opts for

for their engagement rings and wedding

carat yellow gold, shimmering platinum, and

something matching her engagement ring,

other hued metals together in one band, or

and he chooses a relatively plain brushed

alternated in stacking rings.

platinum band”—a compromise to both tradi-

But trendy hasn’t squelched tradition.

tion and style.

Antique settings and other estate-jewelry

Not sure what you want? Browse your fa-

discoveries are hot, notes Queen, and catch

vorite jewelers, no matter how luxe. Looking,

many an engaged-couples’ eye.

after all, doesn’t cost a thing, and it’s a great

Sometimes, couples know what they want

way to get a sense of what style you like—and

but can’t ﬁnd the perfect rings, old or new, so

whether you’ll need to rethink that sumptu-

they opt for custom designs. According to

ous honeymoon to St. Croix. —M.T.

1 Gothic rings, Judith Ripka, San Francisco, 415.399.1995 2 Suspension diamond solitaire, Stuart Moore, San Francisco, 415.292.1430 3 Ruby and diamond ring, Deleuse Jewelers, Tiburon, 415.435.2484 4 Green tourmaline and diamond pavé platinum ring, Alexandria Gallery, Mill Valley, 415.380.0880 5 Rose and platinum diamond stack, Union Street Goldsmith, San Francisco, 415.776.8048

054-059_Weddings.indd 58

M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

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Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii • Elegant Estate Two-acre estate, staff cottage, separate one bedroom guest cottage, tennis court, swimming pool, 4-car garage and 8-car motor court. The main residence includes 5 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, fabulous outdoor entertainment areas. A rare opportunity to acquire a private retreat with ultimate privacy and stunning bay and ocean views. $3,350,000

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054-059_Weddings.indd 59

Vicki P. Hossellman Direct 808-593-6478 Cell 808-351-3833 Vickih@cbpacific.com

3/12/05 5:37:52 PM

FASHION

heat wave raise the temperature with a swirl of colors and patterns BY SAMANTHA SCHOECH

Marin may be 38 degrees north of the equa-

We covet the sherbet-colored Mena

tor but as far as we’re concerned the tropics

mules by Hollywould, but even if your week-

are a state of mind. This season’s designs in

end plans involve nothing dressier than a trip

colors that range from palm frond to papaya

to Mollie Stone’s, you can bask in a little sun-

bring the heat to us. With fabrics inspired by

shine style. Wear the coral and white Milly

Indian saris, bold African patterns, and the

halter dress with a pair of sparkly ﬂip-ﬂops

colors of Brazil, these pieces are a welcome

to peruse the produce. Carry the salmon-

relief from the winter triad of black, brown,

pink Sobella bag and no one has to know it’s

and gray. Think cabana boys. Think samba.

packed with Goldﬁsh crackers and juice box-

Think sunsets. Think “ahh…”

es. Remember: fashion is supposed to be fun.

1 Mughal earrings with pearl, ruby, emerald, lemon topaz, turquoise, coral, and onyx in 22k gold by Isharya, $877 at Marisol (Mill Valley), 415.388.5038 2 Mena mule by Hollywould, $365 at Heidi Says (San Francisco), 415.749.0655 3 Wave print taffeta tank dress by Marc Jacobs, $4995 at Marc Jacobs (San Francisco), 415.362.6500

060-065_Fashion.indd 60

M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

3/14/05 3:53:05 PM

Spring Delectables: Metallic accents Full skirts Ethnic prints

Flowing fabrics Beads, sequins, and crystals

4 Halter Dress by Milly, $360 at Saks Fifth Avenue (San Francisco), 415.986.4758 5 Zinnia Vintage belt in citrus by Hadley Pollet, $188 at Green Apples (Sausalito), 415.331.8227 6 Bella bag by Sobella, $240 at Folio 949 (Larkspur), 415.461.0120, or sobella.com 7 Babba Cool strapless dress by Diane Von Furstenberg, $325 at Neiman Marcus (San Francisco), 415.362.3900 8 Sari Print peasant skirt by TIBI, $297 at The Fig Garden (San Anselmo), 415.457.9443

M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

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FASHION

life style Name Chrise de Tournay Birkhahn Home San Rafael Occupation Designer and Owner, Signia Fine Papers

060-065_Fashion.indd 62

What are you wearing?

What is always in your bag?

Costume National shoes with four-inch

Kiehl’s lip balm, pictures of my

heels. Adriano Goldschmied jeans from

kids, Peet’s tea bags, and a pair of

Easy Pieces in San Anselmo, a layered

Tweezerman tweezers because you

tank by Nolita that I got at Bella in

never know when you’re going to be

San Rafael, an H&M jacket I bought in

somewhere with good light.

Paris, a necklace with Peruvian opals

What is the single most essential

by Julie Brown in San Rafael, a pair of

piece in your wardrobe?

diamond hoops I bought myself from

My Manolo Blahnik pony hair boots

Ross-Simons, and a Luis Vuitton bag.

with three-inch heels. Even my husband

How long does it take you to get

admits they’re beautiful.

ready in the morning?

What would you never be caught

Twenty minutes. I never dry my hair.

dead in?

Where would you wear this outfit?

Uggs.

Around town, to pick up my kids from

What is your best cheapo secret?

school.

I buy all my underwear at Ross.

Describe your personal style.

What’s your fashion pet-peeve?

Eclectic. It’s always changing but I’m a

Thong underwear showing above jeans

bit of a prude, actually.

and bra straps showing under a tank.

Who are your fashion influences?

What do you splurge on?

Parisian women. Stars today are all

Really nice soap, good food, and tea

styled; they have no personal look.

from Paris—I buy it by the kilo.

Favorite designers?

What’s the most expensive thing

Armani, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro,

you’ve ever bought?

and vintage Hermès.

My Baume et Mercier watch. I bought

Where do you love to shop in Marin?

it for myself for my fortieth birthday.

Viva Diva and Bella on Fourth Street

Did it make you happy?

in San Rafael, but I try not to shop as

It made me thrilled. It makes me hap-

an activity.

pier every time I put it on.

—S.S.

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FASHION

When one of our editors told her friend Jennifer, who grew up in San Anselmo, that we would be covering men’s fashion in Marin, she heaved a sigh of relief and said, “Do me one favor. Please stop them from wearing socks with sandals.” We hope to do better than that. But, we have to admit—it’s a good

The Trail Blazer

place to start, especially with summer on the ho-

The Dorado (100-percent recycled cotton webbing and an out-

rizon. So guys, here they are: six pairs of comfy,

sole of 50-percent recycled materials) by TEVA, $60 at rei.com

stylish sandals to fit every mood, personality, and fallen arch. Just remember: these are to be worn over the naked foot. We mean it. No socks with sandals. Okay, maybe with the fisherman’s sandal from Cole Haan. But we draw the line at white socks. White socks are for sneakers only. Period. —S.S.

The Artist

The Bohemian

Peu by Camper, $145 at Camper

Brooklyn in black leather by Birkenstock, $155 at Birkenstock

(San Francisco), 415.296.1005

(San Francisco), 415.989.2475

foot loose

six sandals to match every mood The Dude Premium leather flip flop in Sierra brown by Rainbow Sandals, $49 at Nordstrom (The Village at Corte Madera), 415.927.1690

The Suit

The Jet-setter

Neruda Fisherman in mahogany leather by Cole Haan, $175 at Cole Haan store (San Francisco), 415.391.1760

Columbus in black leather by Birkenstock, $155 at Birkenstock (San Francisco), 415.989.2475

060-065_Fashion.indd 64

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3/14/05 1:41:30 PM

Yardbirds_

Let us Create your Dream Kitchen

Free In-Store Design No appointment necessary! Free estimates too. Just bring in your room measurements and our kitchen pros will get you started.

Professional Staff Our factory trained kitchen pros are knowledgeable and friendly. They’re ready to get to work on your new kitchen.

Over 2500 popular styles and stain variations to choose from.

YardBirds Home Center | 1801 4th Street | San Rafael, CA 94901 | 415.457.5880 Yardbirds_final.indd 1 65 060-065_Fashion.indd

3/9/05 6:39:18 3/12/05 5:57:05 PM PM

THE

LOOKING BACK

CROOKEDE ST R AILROAD

At left, a 1923 photo of No.

A CENTURY AGO MOUNT TAM’S HISTORIC RAILWAY TOOK THOUSANDS

7, a 37-ton, 2T Shay locomotive alongside a Chevrolet

OF SIGHTSEERS TO THE TOP OF MARIN’S WORLD

BY JIM WOOD

pickup that navigated the

In 1896, on the flanks of Mount Tamalpais, over seven

to what soon would be the elegant Tamalpais Tavern,

frantic months, nearly 200 men accomplished what to-

tucked just below the mountain’s summit (it burned

day seems utterly impossible. Using only picks, shov-

down long ago). With its loops and turns up the moun-

els, and blasting powder, often cutting through solid

tain, the train and its tracks became known as “The

rock, they carved a path—and laid over eight miles of

Crookedest Railroad in the World.”

track—for the Mill Valley and Mount Tamalpais Scenic Railway.

066-068_Mt.Tamv2.indd 66

“She was crooked all right,” recalls Bill Provines, who, at age 18, tended fires in the bellies of the mighty

The route started from a depot in downtown Mill

steam engines during the mid-20s. “There were 281

Valley (now the site of the aptly named Depot Bookstore

curves which amounts to 42 complete circles,” says

and Café). Debuting that year, trains headed out West

Provines, now age 96, living in Mill Valley, and still able

Blithedale Canyon, then puffed up the winding miles

to recall the railroad in detail. The longest stretch of

MI LL VAL LEY LI BRA RY HI STO RY RO O M

rails to the top of Mt Tam.

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straight track ran for 413 feet, he notes, with an average uphill grade of between five and seven percent. “We ran two trains on weekdays, four on weekends,” remembers Provines. According to him, each train of three cars could take about 200 people to the top. Seats were apparently snapped up for the 1½-hour ride up and 45-minute ride down. In the railroad’s first year of operation, a reported 23,000 tourists, nearly twice the population of Mill Valley today, made it to the top of Tam and back. By the turn of the century the railway was a major West Coast tourist attraction, the only way for most people to reach the top of Marin’s signature peak. Remarkably, according to the authoritative book, The Crookedest Railroad in the World, “not a single passenger was killed and only a couple were injured in [the railway’s] 34 years of existence.” A half-mile in the sky, the view from the top inspired

both coming and going, the engines’ position precluded

By 1907, Gravity Cars were

wonder. “In all my wanderings, I have never had a more

“runaway” cars as engines were always on the downhill

silently coasting down to

glorious experience,” remarked Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,

side of the passenger cars.

Mill Valley and Muir Woods

creator of Sherlock Holmes, after he rode the train to the summit in 1924.

By 1907, a new twist had been added—Gravity

along rails that became

Cars. These square, open-top cars used simple physics

known as “The World’s

The laying of track wasn’t the railroad’s only note-

to transport as many as 30 passengers. People climbed

Longest Roller Coaster.”

worthy engineering feature. The standard-gauge Mount

aboard, and the engineless cars coasted from the top of

Tam steam locomotives had an innovative drive shaft

Tam down to either Muir Woods or Mill Valley. A brake

that delivered power to all the wheels. This enabled the

operator, or “gravity man,” played the brakes artfully,

engines to push passenger cars up the steep grade while

slowing descent when needed or, when approaching the

facing downhill and going in reverse. Then, on the re-

route’s few level stretches, allowing the car to speed up

turn trip, engines were conveniently in position to lead

to avoid rolling to a stop. Gliding almost silently down

the tourist-laden cars down the same route. Thus, while

the mountain, the cars averaged 12 mph, but some-

MI LL VALL EY LI BRA RY HISTORY RO OM

training ground For all its spectacular twists and turns and engi-

the project. Plans call for a 1,000-square-foot, two-

neering marvels, it’s surprising that the “World’s

story interpretive barn to house memorabilia, dis-

Crookedest Railroad” has no permanent exhib-

plays, and a $25,000 reproduction of a Gravity Car,

it commemorating its achievements. That could

already completed by a Berkeley ironworker, and

change soon. Ambitious plans to build an interpre-

awaiting its new mountaintop home.

tive center devoted to the Tam-climbing railroad

The multi-year capital campaign has had impres-

are firmly underway, says Arlene Halligan of the Mt.

sive results. “We’ve raised $150,000, with an esti-

Tamalpais Interpretive Association.

mated $50,000 to go,” states Halligan. “If we can

“It will be located near the top of Mount Tam’s

raise a few thousand more dollars, construction

East Peak, where Boy Scouts from Mill Valley laid

would start this year.” To contribute time, expertise,

several feet of track for the centennial celebration

money, or memorabilia, call 415.479.3317, or visit mt-

in 1996,” says Halligan, who heads up fundraising for

tam.net. —J.W.

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066-068_Mt.Tamv2.indd 67

3/14/05 6:49:03 PM

“She was crooked alright,” recalls Bill Provines, who, at age 18, tended ﬁres in the bellies of the mighty steam engines during the mid-1920s. times accelerated to a thrilling 20 mph. “People just

tion of a gravity car sits beneath the redwoods. Up on

loved the gravity cars,” notes Bill Provines, “although a

the mountain, there’s the West Point Inn, a century-old

few were afraid to ride in them.” Like the steam-pow-

way station, where train passengers could catch a stage-

ered railway, the gravity cars got a nickname, too: “The

coach down to the ocean. Today, you can book a night

World’s Longest Roller Coaster.”

in its simply furnished rooms and cabins, or just stop in

But by the late-1920s, automobiles were bumping along the recently completed Ridgecrest Boulevard

But perhaps the most significant reminder is the

Tamalpais. In 1929, a major Mill Valley fire damaged

popular Old Railroad Grade Trail (from town, head up

several of the railroad’s engines and cars, and then

West Blithedale Avenue to just past Lee Street to find

the Great Depression sent tourism tumbling. Finally, in

the trailhead). For seven miles, this wide trail retraces

1930, the end came. Tracks were pulled up faster than

the railway’s original route. Conveniently, the moder-

they were put down 34 years earlier. “It took one en-

ate grade makes the trail perfect for hikers, runners and

gine and a crew of about 30 men to do the job in about

mountain bikers.

Fortunately, you can still find evidence that the trains once rolled. In Mill Valley’s Old Mill Park, a reproduc-

066-068_Mt.Tamv2.indd 68

ing or pedaling by.

and Panoramic Highway on their climb up Mount

two months,” notes local historian Fred Runner.

for a lemonade and a rest on the wide porch when hik-

“I hike it often,” comments Runner, “just to look at the view, to think of what they saw over 100 years ago, and to imagine what it was all like.”

M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

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INSTANT ESCAPISM

View from The Inn Above Tide

Luxurious—and local—lodgings that take you away from it all

he badly needed getaway is planned—kids farmed out to friends and family, dog boarded, luggage packed, plants watered. You flip the bolt in the front door and make a last-minute call to the airport to check on your departure. What? The flight is cancelled?

Okay, rewind. This time, the door clicks shut, you jump into the car together, take a few twists and turns down 101, and end up a million miles away. Fortunately, this is a land of riches when it comes to luxury lodgings. Here are some favorites, four that are right in the thick of Marin, and one new find a ferry ride away in San Francisco. All take you to another world once you walk through their doors. Oh, and the airline tickets? Spend the money on champagne, a spring bouquet

The Inn Above Tide

and Scharffen Berger chocolate.

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Gerstle Park Inn porch

Gerstle Park Inn, Leonhard Suite

Casa Madrona Hotel and Spa Sausalito Welcome news: this isn’t your grandmother’s Casa Madrona. A few years back, RockResorts bought the rambling Village Faire shopping complex (adjacent to the existing hotel), and converted it into 31 luxury rooms and suites. Each one has window-filling views of the Sausalito waterfront—sailboats racing, kayaks cruising, ferry boats coming and going. Sumptuous furnishings have a California contemporary look, accented by high ceilings and original artwork. Long for the old Casa Madrona? Brick pathways lead to rooms in the hotel’s original Victorian mansion, and to “mini-casitas” with individual themes—everything from Khatmandu and Rose Cottage—many with fireplaces and private balconies. Two more reasons to visit: the 3,000-square-foot Avanyu Spa is on site, as is Poggio, offering elegant Tuscan dining. Rates start at $149. 801 Bridgeway, Sausalito. 415.332.0502, casamadrona.com

Waters Edge, view from deck

Gerstle Park Inn San Rafael After entering the grounds of this 1895 mansion, you’ll forget what year it is. And probably that you’re in San Rafael. Towering oaks rise above rolling lawns at this elegant hideaway, with brick pathways leading to a croquet court straight out of a Jane Austen novel. Fortunately, more modern conventions haven’t been forgotten: four of the inn’s dozen suites feature spa baths. Want to spread out? There’s a honeymoon lodge and two cottages with full kitchens, if you want to whip up your own private feast. Work it off hiking a network of trails that lead all the way to San Anselmo. Rates, including full breakfast and afternoon wine, start at $179. 34 Grove St, San Rafael. 415.721.7611, gerstleparkinn.com

The Inn Above Tide Sausalito Book a stay in this dramatic, waterfront hotel, built literally over the bay. It’s almost Waters Edge, lobby

like being on an elegant boat, minus the swaying. From its watery perch, the hotel’s 26 rooms, done in sea-foam green and soft blue, afford sweeping views of San

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Casa Madrona suite

Casa Madrona casitas

Francisco—a 20-minute ferry ride out the door. But why leave? A full breakfast arrives each morning, so you can stretch out on your deck and finally finish that book. Want to go really luxe? The Vista Suite and Penthouse have entertainment centers, wet bars, large spa baths, and that same killer view. Rates start at $275, including full breakfast and afternoon wine and cheese. 30 El Portal, Sausalito. 415.332.6714, innabovetide.com

Hotel Vitale San Francisco Catch the ferry to this brand-new, eight-story hotel across the street from the San Francisco Ferry Building. “Ours is a concept that can be summed up in two words— luxury, naturally,” says founder and CEO Chip Conley. That means sinking into

Hotel Vitale, Bay Bridge view

European-style feather duvets and 440-thread-count sheets, flat-screen TVs, limestone-tiled bathrooms, and fresh flowers in each of the 199 rooms. Even in the city, the hotel makes you think nature—lights cast tree-pattern shadows on the walls. You don’t have to venture far to be pampered and fed—the hotel houses Americano, a 125-seat restaurant, and Spa Vitale on the penthouse level. Rates start at $269. Embarcadero at Mission St, SF. 415.278.3700, hotelvitale.com.

Waters Edge Tiburon With the clapboard, false-front styling of Tiburon’s Main Street, stepping into this sleekly styled lodging on that thoroughfare comes as a visual surprise. Inside, colorful accents and art pieces that hint at the exotic merchant-trade history of the bay brighten the lobby. Sink down in the sofa by the fire and enjoy a complimentary glass of wine, or sip it out on the balcony fronting the bay. Along Main Street, there’s a bustling restaurant scene—choose from The Caprice, Guaymas, Sam’s Anchor Café, Servino’s, or Rooney’s. Back at the hotel, there are fireplaces (and feather beds) in each of the inn’s 23 rooms. Curl up and watch the moon rise over Angel Island. Rates start at $225, including deluxe Continental breakfast and afternoon wine and

Hotel Vitale suite

cheese. 25 Main St, Tiburon. 415.789.5999, marinhotels.com

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P L AY

Las Galinas Ponds, Marinwood

ON A ROLL

Searching for new places to stroll? Here’s a trio of ﬂat, family-friendly trails to try

hen it comes to trails, Marin is a land of riches. But what can be a challenge

familiar, mostly flat routes we do have—Tennessee Valley and the Tiburon

Shoreline Trail, China Camp State Park

bike path, for example, are undeniably lovely, but often crowded. Well, lace up your hikers or walking shoes—these three trails aim to add some new choices to your mix. All are easily negotiable by sturdy strollers (or not-so-sturdy, pint-size explorers).

072-073_Play.indd 72

BEN DAVIDSO N

here is finding a route that doesn’t clamber up hills and down dales. The

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D i r e c t i o n s : From Highway 101 in Marinwood, take Smith Ranch Road east 1 mile. Just before the entrance to McInnis Park, turn left 1 mile (still Smith Ranch Road). When the road ends, you’re there. Roll the stroller across the concrete bridge and take off. Dogs on leash only.

Shoreline Trail China Camp State Park, San Rafael Thickets of moss-covered oaks, quiet footbridges across creeks, blooming manzanita and madrone, and sunshine-dappled meadows (often hiding browsing deer and flocks of turkeys) are the highlights along this mostly flat trail, recently upgraded in stretches to allow ADA access. Pick up the wheel-friendly

Please note: No nets were harmed in the landing of this Tuna.

section at Miwok Meadows Group Area. Walk to Back Ranch campground and return, and you’ve done about 2 miles. Directions: From Highway 101 in San Rafael, take North San Pedro Road 3 miles to China Camp State Park’s Back Ranch entrance. Continue 1 mile on North San Pedro to the gated Miwok Meadows Group Area entrance, on your right. Park here and walk the fire road to the group area; trail continues at the far end of the parking lot, beyond the

All fish we sell comes to us whole, fresh off a boat that it jumps into. It then fillets itself into the delectable portions you see on ice in our store.*

picnic tables. No dogs allowed.

Verna Dunshee Trail Mount Tamalpais State Park Okay, so this is a fairly quick jaunt (it measures less than a mile). But it’s not what it is, but where it is that makes the Verna Dunshee different. The route, recently repaved, circles

Las Gallinas Ponds Near McInnis Park, Marinwood

the very top of Mount Tam. On weekends,

Give kids a first dose of birding on the miles

ter; number markers on the trail refer to map

of levee trails scribing these lively ponds—hard

highlights. But you don’t really need a map to

to believe they’re the settling basins for the lo-

see them or point them out to children—San

cal sanitary district. Great blue herons, snowy

Francisco, Oakland, the Pacific Ocean, three

and American egrets, Canada geese, white peli-

bridges, all of Marin, plus lakes, mountains,

cans, avocets, and endangered clapper rails vis-

and waterways—spread out below you.

you can pick up a trail map at the visitor cen-

*Okay, the second part of this statement isn’t entirely accurate. In truth, Bryan is the first one on Pier 45 early every morning and personally eyeballs the catch before selecting his own “best of show” (every last one of which met the end of their line at the end of a line). He then heads back over the Golden Gate Bridge to turn loose the only machine allowed near the fish – our resident fillet maestro. His name is Olman. Olman is the man. Come buy some.

it throughout the year. Migratory waterfowl in-

Directions: From Highway 101 near

cludes a wide range of ducks, such as pintails

Sausalito, take State Route 1 ½-mile to Shoreline

and buffleheads. Hikes can vary in distance de-

Highway; turn left and continue 3 miles to

Bryan’s Fine Foods

pending on how many ponds you choose to cir-

Panoramic Highway. Turn right, follow signs 12

Corte Madera Town Center

cle. Pack binoculars as well as the sunscreen—

miles to Mt. Tam’s East Peak Summit parking

927.4488

shade is scarce.

area. Trailhead on the right. No dogs allowed.

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HOME DESIGN

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INTO THE LIGHT With clean, spare lines and a dramatic skylight, a Tiburon home dazzles “Space and light and order. Those are the things that men need just as much as they need bread or a place to sleep.” So said the great Swiss architect Le Corbusier, but the words work equally well as a mantra for San Francisco-based architect Miles Berger. Step inside his deceptively compact, shingled home on a Tiburon hillside, and be surrounded by clean, spare, uncluttered space, bathed in elegant, natural light. Le Corbusier would nod in approval. Perhaps the home has an unnatural advantage, with its flawless view of Belvedere Island and the Tiburon harbor, across San Francisco Bay to the vertical streets scribing Pacific Heights. But the visitor’s eye is equally drawn to the home’s striking interior elements as it is to the view. Most dramatic is an opaque gable skylight soaring overhead the full length of the house—from the upstairs kitchen at the rear of the house clear across the length of living room. The skylight’s fiberglass panels actually form the entire peak of the house—the two sides of the roof never touch, but hang from the skylight.

STORY HARRIOT MANLEY PHOTOS BARBARA RIES

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The Berger’s home is ﬁlled with references to modern architects, such as this volume on Richard Neutra and a pair of metal-banded leather armchairs designed by Le Corbusier, at right.

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“It’s a ‘Look, ma,’ design,” explains Berger, “a bit of structural gymnastics that’s kind of fun.” Not just fun, but surprisingly inviting, with soft sunlight brightening the vaulted space. The room, which only measures 20-by-18 feet, feels light and airy. “You can make a small house look elegant and even glamorous if you open up the spaces and keep the eye moving to take in the view,” says Berger. Le Corbusier’s sense of order is another one of Berger’s touchstones, especially in the living room. “The clutter of everyday life—the stacks of books, the stereo equipment—those things tend to overpower the geo– Above: the architect and

metry of a room,” notes Berger, who shares the house

his wife, Piper. Below: a

with wife, Piper, and teenage son, Ross. (Daughter

classic Eames La Chaise,

Alexis is in her final year at Rhode Island School of

originally designed in 1948.

Design.) To solve the problem of his family’s inevitable accumulation of stuff, Berger designed a subtly lit gallery that runs the length of one wall. Shelves neatly cradle hundreds of books—including, not surprisingly, dozens of titles on architecture—and niche areas showcase historical photographs collected by Piper, archivist for the Belvedere-Tiburon Landmarks Society. “The gallery works as an art piece in itself,” she notes. In the living room, furnishings function like strategically placed chess pieces. A white fiberglass Eames chaise, as elegant as a breaking wave, is framed by a sleek, stainless steel Tolomeo floor lamp. Two black

leather chairs are reproductions of Le Corbursier’s 1929 “Petit Chaise” design. “An architect doesn’t buy his male-menopause sports car—he buys his male-menopause piece of furniture,” admits Berger. For all its interior drama, the house practically disappears among the other bungalows, clapboards, and Craftsman-style homes that crowd the Tiburon hillside—and that’s the architect’s intent. Berger, who now serves as the town’s mayor and has spent many years on planning and design-review boards, harbors a strong sense of community. “I wanted our home to fit into the context of the neighborhood, a design that wouldn’t scream ‘Look at me,’” he explains. Instead, the shingled house with simple, square lines sits quietly on the hill, keeping its visual secrets to itself, until you open the front door and get swept away in the space and light. Le Corbusier would feel right at home. MM

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Above and left: a gallerystyle hallway uses warm colors to add depth and set off art pieces.

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THINK

WANT 100 GOOD YEARS? How Novato’s mysterious box on the hill aims to change the way we think about growing old STORY BY JEFFREY W. MILLER PHOTOS BARBARA RIES

OF A

DAWN 80

NEW AGE

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arin’s hillsides have long been prized

for their views, and from the slopes of Novato’s 1,558foot Mount Burdell, it is easy to see why. But for drivers

on Highway 101, it is the view looking up the scenic hill that sometimes evokes not just an appreciation for the rolling landscape, but also a dose of mystery. Atop 488 acres of Mount Burdell’s eastern flank rests a modernist temple of travertine and terrazzo, crowned by a glass pyramid—the classic signature of its architect, I.M. Pei. There’s no turnoff from Highway 101, and only a nondescript sign at the bottom of long, winding, high-security road hints at the intellectual hub high on the hill. Yet, it is here in bucolic isolation that scientists from the Buck Institute for Age Research hope to make history by dissecting, laying bare, and conquering the mysteries of aging. Or as 52-year-old Dale Bredesen, the former surfing bum turned neuroscientist, physician, Buck Institute president, and CEO declares, “We want to give people 100 good years of life.” It is an audacious mission statement for a scientific research institute barely six years old and only 150 employees strong. But it typifies the spirit of its leader, who has lit an intellectual fire in this sanctuary of stone floors, soft light, and indoor olive trees—a setting Pei designed to encourage contemplation and intellectual musing, a chance to ponder the “what ifs” of science. “I see the Buck becoming the Caltech of aging,” says Dr. Bredesen, who left San Diego’s prestigious Burnham Institute in 1999 to take charge of the new Buck research enterprise. “The work we do here to understand aging and to prevent the diseases of aging like Alzheimer’s and cancer represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change the world.” Hyperbole? Well, imagine if millions of people could be liberated from nursing homes—their creative power, health, and independence restored—and billions of health care dollars saved. Still, even this hopeful turn does not capture the radical essence of Dr. Bredesen’s vision. At heart, he believes that aging is not an accident of evolution, a decay in the vital force that favors

Thinking big: Dale Bredesen, perched atop the

youth and reproduction. Instead, he argues, aging is the

pyramid-peaked roof of the Buck Institute for

byproduct of a finely regulated biological program, sub-

Age Research, has a new view about why we age.

ject to influences that affect lifespan. In his mind, aging

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“I foresee a time when doctors will test you at age 15... and tell you your medical future. And if you’re prone to a disease, we’ll be able to tell you how to ward it off.” —Dale Bredesen

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the conditions that humans label “aging.” Follow this aging pathway upstream, Dr. Bredesen contends, and you might find its master genetic controls. Tweak the dials and you should be able to lengthen healthy old age (a concept the institute has dubbed “healthspan”). Insight alone, though, does not ordain greatness. It takes organization, and here too, the Buck Institute is drawing high cards. Its independence from university politics, its focus on a single research objective, and its annual budget of more than $20 million, one third of which is a subsidy from the Marin Community Foundation (the organization that administers funds from the estate of famed philanthropist Beryl Buck), give it a strong hand. Add the growth in projects funded by federal grants, which now number more than 60, the dozen laboratory chiefs (many of whom are internationally recognized), staff from 17 countries, and a plan to double in size in five years, and, Dr. Bredesen insists, the strong hand becomes a winning one.

Unlocking the cell-death program Ironically, it is death, or more specifically cell suicide, that explains much of his excitement. Most people are unaware that the cells inside their bodies commit suicide at the rate of one million per second. Indeed, cell suicide is part of the normal renewal process that sustains life. Certain genes help regulate this process, which, not surprisingly, must stay in balance if our bodies and brains are to stay healthy. Consider cancer, the premier disease of aging: 77 percent of all malignancies are diagnosed after age 55. In cancer, rogue cells develop after a series of genetic changes. Some then escape detection and grow uncontrollably because of malfunctions in the cell-suiTop: Researcher Pankaj

and the diseases of aging can be delayed so that death

cide program. As reported last fall in the journal Nature,

Kapahi studies the vitality of

can eventually come not because of illness or incapaci-

Dr. Bredesen, an expert in programmed cell death, and

fruit ﬂies for clues to human

tation, but because our parts simply wear out.

his French colleague Patrick Mehlen added a chapter

Detractors dismiss as illogical such talk of a master

to this cancer story with their discovery of a new kind

Lithgow consults a ﬂow

“death program,” a grand scheme that’s separate from

of cancer gene called a conditional tumor suppres-

chart mapping metabolic

aging. Why would an organism design a program that

sor. Like the legendary ability of Dr. Jekyll and his al-

interactions—“100 years of

orchestrates its own demise? Dr. Bredesen’s response

ter ego Mr. Hyde, this gene can switch back and forth

biochemical research,”

goes a long way to explaining the philosophical impulse

between blocking cancer and promoting it, depending

behind much of the institute’s scientific agenda, which

on the amount of a particular protein molecule near-

centers on the purpose of things, not just their work-

by. Dr. Mehlen believes there might be as many as 100

aging. Above: Dr. Gordon

he notes.

080-087_F_Think_Buck.indd 84

ings. Under this standard, longevity is a “master pro-

different conditional suppressors, a possibility that

gram designed to inhibit death,” he explains. In longev-

could change the way scientists envision and strategize

ity’s system of genetic checks and balances, stresses—

against cancer.

both internal and external—accumulate over a lifetime,

The discovery fits perfectly into one of Dr. Bredesen’s

tipping the scale toward illness or health and creating

goals for the institute, namely transforming medicine

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If there is not unanimity of opinion at Buck, there is uniformity of purpose: to answer three questions: What is aging? How does it work? Why does aging lead to disease?

Fruit flies may seem an odd choice to supply the answers, but in fact, they could hold the key to understanding why near starvation . . . prolongs life.

I.M. Pei’s dramatic and wide hanging staircases are not just architectural frippery— they enhance a view meant to inspire researchers and encourage conversation.

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from a reactive model to a predictive one. Detecting abnormalities in levels of different protein molecules “might help us identify those patients at risk for developing malignancies,” he explains. Manipulating the amounts of these molecules might also lead to ways to stop cancer in its early stages, he adds. Such possibilities electrify the childhood math whiz, who confesses that for all the microscopic events that govern the inner world of cells—where he must reside as a neuroscientist— he remains at heart a “forest guy, not a tree guy.” “We’re at the dawn of a new age,” he emphasizes. “I foresee a time when doctors will test you at age 15 or 20 and tell you your medical future. And if you’re prone to one disease or another, we’ll be able to tell you how to ward it off.” Such lofty ambition is appealing, of course, but with more than 36 million Americans already aged 65 or older (Marin County’s over-65 population was 13.6 percent of its total in the 2000 census), and double that number expected by 2030, worried baby boomers are looking everywhere for anti-aging remedies. More often than not, Dr. Bredesen contends, they find snake oil and hucksters. “That’s why it’s important that the Buck become a source of legitimacy, a place where scientists discover what works to combat aging and why.” Fruit flies may seem an odd choice to supply the answers, but in fact, they could hold the key to understanding why near starvation—the P.C. phrase is “caloric restriction”—prolongs life. It has long been known that harsh environments with little food force small organisms, such as rodents, worms, and fruit flies, to limit reproduction and growth in favor of long-term survival. The institute’s British-born, Indian-raised and American-trained caloric-restriction expert, Pankaj Kapahi, is now studying mutations in 1,000 different strains of fruit flies to learn the mechanisms that govern their lifespan. While seemingly worlds apart from

080-087_F_Think_Buck.indd 86

humans, these tiny flies actually share similar methods

with those high in protein being most suspect for limit-

of providing and using energy, but in a much quicker

ing life span.

time frame (flies usually live 40 to 60 days, making

Microscopic worms, another organism with some

them useful subjects for tracking over a lifetime). Dr.

genes similar to humans, might help explain longevity

Kapahi has found that by altering the way in which the

as well. Scottish-born Gordon Lithgow and a laboratory

cells of a fruit fly sense the presence of nutrients such

colleague, Matthew Gill, fiddle with the natural repair

as proteins and sugars, he can buy them more survival

mechanisms inside the cells of microscopic nematode

time. And in what could serve as a cautionary tale to

worms, cells that keep delinquent molecules from do-

the overindulgent, Dr. Kapahi has bred a strain of fruit

ing any harm. Dr. Lithgow and Dr. Gill have found that

fly that dies within five days when overfed. Moreover,

by pushing these repair systems into hyperdrive, worms

there are hints that the sources of calories—fruits, veg-

live longer. Does that mean that aging in humans can

etables, animal protein—may have differing effects,

be manipulated? That answer is unclear, but even as Dr.

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Olive trees in the Buck atrium

Lithgow probes the possible role played by hormones,

late, or suppress, our appetites for food and sex, de-

his research suggests that there might be a hierarchy of

pending on the environmental threats to our survival.

mechanisms at work. And to Dale Bredesen, hierarchies suggest a program.

Not that everyone within shouting distance of Dr. Bredesen’s office necessarily agrees. Opinions and theo-

“Why such a program exists is a different question

ries are welcomed at the intstitute. Still, if there is not

than whether it exists,” Dr. Bredesen writes in a recent

unanimity of opinion at Buck, there is uniformity of

medical journal. One of many possibilities, he notes, “is

purpose: to answer three basic questions: What is ag-

the potential evolutionary advantage of having the abil-

ing? How does it work? Why does aging lead to dis-

ity to adapt to an inconstant environment, by shifting

ease? Finding the answers to even one of these ques-

toward high fecundity or toward delayed reproduction,

tions would put the still-nascent Buck Institute for Age

depending on the conditions.” In other words, evolution

Research on the map. Maybe then the state of California

may have equipped us with on-off switches that stimu-

would see fit to give it a freeway exit sign. MM

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GREEN

the big

icture P With its sites set on one of the world’s great estuarine systems, The Bay Institute uses science, partnerships, and determination to recreate San Francisco Bay’s ecological glory days STORY HARRIOT MANLEY

For most of us, San Francisco Bay is that swath of blue trimming our shorelines, a place where pelicans splash, boats play, and the occasional whale comes for a visit. But the bay stretches far beyond that blue world we see out our windows. Viewed from thousands of feet in the air, the bay’s networks appear—ribbons of creeks tumble from hill-

Sacramento Valley and Delta and into the bay. A complex, estuarine web appears, supporting thousands of species. Now imagine the bay dead. No more wheeling gulls, no more pelicans, no more seals cutting a wake with their shiny wet noses. No more smell of steaming crab at Fisherman’s Wharf, nor wayward whales, nor chug of herring boats moving across the water.

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GETTY IMAGES / ASTROMUJOFF

sides into tidal marshlands, great rivers flow from the Sierra across the

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From the ﬁshhook penisula of Pt Reyes to the southwest to the labyrinthine waterways of the Sacramento Delta to the northeast, the San Francisco Bay reveals itself as a complex–and massive–watershed.

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shed has got major ports, supports

That grim scenario may seem impossible, but scien-

hinting at a man with a mission. “The bay watershed

tists and other experts warn that beneath the surface of

has major ports, supports thousands of tidal and fresh-

the bay, and around its tattered shores, serious trouble

water species, provides the water needs for two out of

brews. “The false assumption is that the bay still works,”

three people in this state. It is,” he finally takes a breath,

cautions Marc Holmes, an expert in wetlands protection

“the lifeblood of California.”

thousands of tidal

and policy for the Marin-based The Bay Institute (TBI).

Problem is, he notes, we haven’t been very good

and freshwater

“In fact, it doesn’t work—productivity is declining, spe-

stewards. Of the roughly 225,000 acres of original wet-

species, provides the water needs for two out of

cies are extinct, fisheries are gone. People should be

lands that once fringed the bay, a paltry 10 percent re-

concerned.”

main. About a century ago, hundreds of acres here and

Before writing this off as another gloom-doom-hu-

in other bay-front counties were diked, drained, and

mans-are-horrible rant, take heart. Holmes and other ex-

used as grazing lands or scrappy hay fields. (The lands

perts believe we can significantly reverse the decline of

at Silveira Ranch, on Marinwood’s east side, are some

three people in

the 40 watery square miles known as San Francisco Bay.

of the few remaining large parcels of diked ranchlands.)

the state. It is the

On dikes, dams, and a slow slide down

marshlands dry. “It was a 1,000-mile-long earthen levy

It’s a lofty title—The Bay Institute—a name that sug-

holding back the bay, more dikes than Holland uses to

gests something grander than the suite of nondescript

hold back an ocean,” notes TBI’s Marc Holmes.

lifeblood of California.” —Grant Davis

Like a huge, girdling necklace, this dike system bled the

offices and cubicles filled by the institute’s dozen or so

Over time, many of these lands, with levies intact,

permanent and part-time staff. Housed in one of the

became conveniently flat sites for development (such

original, 1940s stucco buildings at the former Hamilton

as The Village at Corte Madera and homes at Bel Marin

Air Force base in Novato, TBI looks like folks there

Keys), even though the former farmland had sagged be-

haven’t unpacked—even though they’ve been there for

low bay level.

four years. Probably because the staff hasn’t had time. Grant Davis, the institute’s executive director since

sponge-like attributes, areas where floodwaters could

1997, keeps assorted scientists, program coordinators,

accumulate and disperse into the bay. The labyrinthine

and policy experts busy working on a slew of projects,

channels that once looped through the wetlands, chan-

all aimed at one goal: bring San Francisco Bay back to

nels that not only supported wildlife but also helped

its former, ecological glory.

scour away accumulated sediments, also disappeared.

“The bay is a giant watershed, stretching from the Sierra to the sea,” says Davis, his rapid-fire phrases

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As wetlands disappeared, the lands lost their natural

Exotic plants moved in, overpowering native species and degrading habitat.

STEVEN JENNER

“The bay water-

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Another threat ran even deeper through the bay, and

especially from the San Joaquin river. “It’s David and

still does: the alteration of San Francisco Bay’s very

Goliath out there,” notes TBI’s Marc Holmes, hinting at

chemistry. With the advent of the last century’s great

the noble but limited efforts of nonprofits like the in-

dams and diversion projects, nearly every major fresh-

stitute and the venerable Save the Bay, versus the pow-

water source that once flowed unimpeded into the bay—

erful development and agricultural interests that don’t

the Sacramento, the Feather, the Mokelumne, and the

want flows restored. “It’s a critical time for partnerships

Merced rivers—has had at least some of its water re-

around the bay—we need lots of organizations to pro-

routed for human needs. The biggest drains have been

tect and restore the entire watershed,” adds Holmes.

Los Angeles and agricultural interests in the Central

To reach that goal and broaden the institute’s focus,

Valley. Arguably the most egregiously diverted water-

TBI under Grant Davis has branched out beyond found-

way has been the San Joaquin, the bay’s second largest

er Davoren’s original scientific mandate, ushering in a

tributary. About a half-century ago, agricultural inter-

host of new programs and projects. One of the most

ests brokered a deal to nab virtually 100 percent of the

popular is TBI’s educational program known as STRAW

San Joaquin’s water, before it reached the bay.

(see box, page 92), which aims to get kids—and edu-

“There’s no fresh water coming from the San Joaquin,” explains Jared Huffman, senior attorney for the Natural

cators—into the field, restoring damaged creeks and streams within the bay’s watershed.

Resources Defense Council in San Francisco. “Species

Another goal is to acquire remaining diked farm-

like the Delta smelt can’t survive, and other fish that

lands bordering the bay, and convert them back to func-

eat them lose a major food source,” he adds. Other spe-

tioning, productive wetlands. Last year, agricultural

cies, including native Chinook salmon, have suffered

acreage just east of Highway 37 at Lakeville Highway

from this unnatural tinkering with the bay’s chemistry

was earmarked for a massive casino. With a major effort

and flow.

from TBI and other organizations and legislators, the casino deal was scrapped, and a new deal was brokered

Fighting for flow

to purchase the land for wetland restoration. TBI has

Before you put your head under a pillow, there’s hope-

its sights on other potential lands, such as 1,700-acre

ful news here. Back in the early 1980s, that appalling di-

Cardoza Ranch (with lovely Tolay Lake naturally sup-

version of fresh water prompted Tiburon’s Bill Davoren,

plying fresh water to the bay), and 1,280-acre Silveira

a former Colorado cowboy almost as salty as the bay, to

Ranch in Marinwood, which could be reclaimed as tidal

create The Bay Institute. For several years before that,

wetlands.

Davoren had been working for assorted agencies over-

“Silveira Ranch is especially significant,” notes Marc

On a hill overlooking the new

seeing the health and vitality of San Francisco Bay, so

Holmes, “because there are very few remaining loca-

homes and restored hangars

he understood the threats to the bay’s health.

tions where you can get the transitions—from open wa-

at Hamilton, in Novato, TBI’s

“Nobody was doing anything about the biggest prob-

ter to marsh to damp upland edge to oak woodland—

Grant Davis explains future

lem,” barks Bill, now 81 and still refreshingly blunt.

which many species use as refuge during very high tides.

restoration of roughly 2,600

“There was no goddamn fresh water flowing into the

Silveira Ranch still has that connection, and plenty of

acres of wetlands bordering

bay.” The need to do something sparked him to create a

acreage to restore as wetland.”

the development.

nonprofit organization specifically focusing on the problem of freshwater flow. From the get-go, Davoren aimed to ground TBI’s efforts in science, to make sure that claims of environmental threats and degradation had a leg to stand on. He hired scientists, and set them to work. “Other groups had the education, the advocacy, the policy makers, but TBI had all that, and the science,” notes hydrologist

THERESA VARGO

Peter Vorster, a nearly 30-year veteran of water resource issues in the state and now one of TBI’s staff scientists. The scientific focus stuck. Today, more than two decades later, TBI’s experts still hammer away at waterdiversion policies, which choke the bay’s natural flow,

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Planting the seed How a Bay Institute program helps rebuild the bay and inspire the next generation “Is this plastic toxic to animals?” It’s not the av-

begun at San Anselmo’s Brookside School.

biodegradeable, and won’t harm animals or

erage question you expect from a smudged

To date, roughly 10,000 schoolchildren have

pollute the environment.

taken part in STRAW, restoring miles of Marin and Sonoma waterways.

Such hands-on information and education is critical to making kids understand their

dirt, this third-grader from Petaluma’s Old

On this soft spring day at Cardoza Ranch,

part in making the world a better place. “Kids

Adobe School is wearing a very earnest ex-

1,700 acres near Sears Point Raceway and a

get a taste of real-world restoration,” notes

pression, complete with furrowed brow. He

favorite pumpkin patch for generations, stu-

Liz Lewis, who, as Marin County’s creek natu-

wants an answer—right now.

dents and accompanying adults line the wa-

ralist, partners with the program. “It instills

The child is one of several classrooms’-

terway, now virtually denuded of plants by

a sense of stewardship, and that our water-

worth of students involved in a day-long

cattle grazing. Teams of three or four chil-

sheds need help.”

restoration in southern Sonoma. It’s part of

dren carefully plant native species, such as

The Bay Institute’s highly successful educa-

buckeye, wild rose, and willow.

Often, ranch owners work alongside the children. At this planting, rancher Marv

tion program called STRAW (“Students and

And that’s where the plastic comes in. To

Cardoza (below, center) maneuvers his pick-

Teachers Restoring a Wetland”). This planting

deter hungry cows and deer, the children

up through the spring mud as he heads to

is “the Superbowl of restorations—the biggest

must install a bright-green plastic mesh tube

the planting site, and looks out the window,

we’ve done in our 13 years,” says program co-

around each young plant. No, assures Brita

across the velvet-green hills. “I want to be

ordinator Laurette Rogers, who notes that

Dempsey, STRAW’s watershed education co-

remembered,” he says quietly, “as a rancher

STRAW was patterned after a program ﬁrst

ordinator, the plastic is not toxic; it’s in fact

who cared for the land.”—H.M.

088-093_F_Green_Bay.indd 92

THERESA VARGO

little boy, sneakers and sweatshirt splotched with mud. But in addition to a good deal of

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And that leads to The Bay Institute’s other, argu-

agencies, has embarked on one of the most ambitious

ably most significant new thrust—actually rebuilding

wetland restoration projects ever in the U.S.—and it’s

the bay. How? By recreating tidal marshlands on the

happening on The Bay Institute’s doorstep.

remaining parcels of diked and undeveloped lands en-

On 2,600 acres of diked and undeveloped acre-

circling the bay, an effort that’s “both an art and a sci-

age, stretching from Hamilton north to the homes at

ence,” explains hydrologist Vorster. The idea is to re-

Bel Marin Keys, San Francisco Bay’s wetlands are being

move the dikes and let bay water once again flood the

reborn. Heavy equipment rumbles at the water’s edge,

acreage. “But you can’t just knock down the dikes,” cau-

beyond the new homes and restored airplane hangers.

tions Vorster. “You’ve got to decide how much water to

They’re involved in the first steps of restoration, prepar-

let in, how to sculpt the channels, and how to restore

ing the site to be built up to levels above bay level. In

appropriate flow.”

coming months, new channels will be created, an invi-

Nadine Hitchcock, who works on bay projects for

tation to water and wetland plants and animals.

the California Coastal Conservancy, agrees. “If you just

“In 100 years, it should reach maturity,” says The

opened up the levies, you’d end up with a big, salty

Bay Institute’s Marc Holmes. “Worms in the mud, birds

lake, not a marsh,” she cautions. Instead, Hitchcock,

in the ponds, fish in the water.” In other words, a bay

working with TBI and other local, state, and federal

not dead, but vibrantly and unmistakably alive.” MM

BARBARA RIES

“It’s a critical time for partnerships around the bay. We need lots of organizations to protect and restore the entire watershed.” —Marc Holmes

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JOURNEY

ﬁnding india Among the throngs in a very foreign land, a hint of the familiar peeks through STORY & PHOTOS JIM WOOD

arly one morning in Jaipur—the capital of India’s sprawling state of Rajasthan—I met Rahul Pansabi.

ful appearance. “I don’t drink or smoke; I go to temple

Upright and proud, standing near his three-wheeled

every morning, do yoga every day and eat only rice

pedicab, he looked me in the eye.

and vegetables—no meat.”

“How old do you think I am?” he challenged. Glancing at his sturdy physique, his legs wrapped in a royal-blue skirt, and noting the difficult pedaling required on the rutted and already-crowded streets

“You’re 38,” I answered, expecting him to be in his mid-40s.

me on an hour-long ride through his bustling north Jaipur neighborhood; me sitting high in his pedicab’s seat, him pedaling while giving commentary in his

“Mornings are quiet here,” he said as we dodged an onslaught of screaming motorcycles, motor-scooter cabs (called tuk-tuks), fuming mini-trucks, cows, dogs,

“I’m 74,” Rahul countered, puffing out his chest. “I was born in 1930.”

a camel-drawn cart, a lumbering diesel, and people— hundreds of them. Clearly, Rahul and I saw his “quiet”

Here on a two-week visit to central India and tak-

neighborhood differently.

ing a break from my tour group’s fixed agenda, I’d

To Rahul, the surroundings were proper and orderly.

stumbled upon the quintessential Rajasthani. Rahul

To me, the day’s controlled chaos, so endemic to India,

was hard-working, committed to colorful clothing,

had begun.

lived barely above poverty and was blessed with a full tank of pride.

094-099_F_Journey_India.indd 094

For 50 rupees, about a dollar, Rahul agreed to take

thickly accented English.

around us, I played it safe.

He was also happy to share the secret of his youth-

“Do you see the lovely children in uniforms?” he asked, “They are heading to school.” Yes, I saw the chil-

MARIN

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An international gathering takes in the Taj.

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• Bikaner • Jodhpur • New Delhi • Pushkar • Agra • Jaipur dren, but they were only part of a mass of people—some in dark suits, others in flowing robes and twisting turbans, and one fellow in dreadlocks and a soiled loincloth. Three dark-eyed women in bright saris passed close by. “They are going to morning temple,” Rahul commented over his shoulder while standing on his pedals. “The men you see,” he added, “they are headed for work.” The sky glowed a hazy yellow, the air was filled with a range of smells—not all of them pleasant. When I inquired about a crowd near a rickety building, Rahul told me: “That’s a tea shop. They’re waiting for it to open.” Apparently, I’d spied Jaipur’s equivalent of a Starbucks. Then it struck me: life in India may appear vastly different from that in the U.S., but when seen through the eyes of a local like Rahul, most routines are surprisingly mundane and similar. People go to work, to school, to church, shopping, whatever—it’s just that there are throngs of them out doing it all at the same time. My challenge as a Westerner was to see the order in the chaos, to see beyond the poverty and lack of concern for sanitation, the streets teeming with cows, pigs, beggars and touts, and not let it cloud my thinking or impact my memories. Rahul Pansabi’s insights into present-day life in India were a welcome discovery, but I’d also journeyed

and were used to verify the calculations of other similar

to India to learn more about its rich past. In Jaipur, we

giant stone instruments in the complex.

saw Maharaja Jai Singh II’s phenomenal Jantar Mantar

From maharajas to Hermés bargains

(“instruments of calculation”). For the historically and

094-099_F_Journey_India.indd 096

scientifically curious, here was an experience not to be

We continued to discover India’s rich history in

missed.

Jodhpur, an intriguing city capped by the spectacular

Completed in 1724 by the proliferate warrior and

Mehrangarh Fort. In a country filled with fortresses, this

astronomer Jai Singh II (the man had 28 wives and nu-

15th-Century (begun in 1459) walled complex sits on a

merous concubines), this 43-acre garden-like complex

bluff hundreds of feet above the city and ranks among

features 14 stone and marble structures used over the

the most magnificent in India. Built by Rao Jodha,

past 280 years to tell time as well as to predict mon-

Jodhpur’s founder, it’s been almost fully restored and

soons, floods and famine. Two sunken-marble “bowls”

makes for a fascinating self-guided audiocassette tour. A

the size of swimming pools once mapped the heavens

standout among the structures within the fort’s walls

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“I don’t drink or smoke; I go to temple every morning, do yoga every day and eat only rice and vegetables—no meat.”—Rahul Pansabi

On a morning pedicab ride through Jaipur, a city of 2.3 million people and the capital of Rajasthan, Rahul Pansabi (above) pointed out children walking to school (above, left) and the start of the day’s business at the marketplace (left).

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is the Sukh Mahal (Sukh meaning “pleasure,” Mahal

there, carefully calculated water pressure performed

meaning “palace”), with its mirrored ceiling, gold and

a multitude of tasks. Aided by a grant from the Getty

jewel-encrusted rooms where harem dancers once

Foundation, Ahhichatragarh is well on its way to being

swirled for their maharajas by candle light.

restored to its original grandeur.

From these ancient walls it was time to switch gears

The Pushkar Camel Fair

again, as our group negotiated the beyond-hectic, narrow streets of Tambaku Bazaar for a textile-buying spree

If Nagaur’s Ahhichatragarh Fort was engineered ahead

at Maharani Art Exporters. As 28-year-old owner and

of its time, the Camel Fair at Pushkar was an exuber-

salesman Chitranjan Jain put it, “We are five floors full

ant glimpse back in time. Located between Jaipur

of the finest fabrics in the world.” Emphasis belongs on

and Jodhpur, Pushkar usually has the feel of a sleepy, Southern California desert town, except in November. That’s when, for two weeks, Pushkar awakens with the full moon to a flurry of camel and cattle trading. Countless religious pilgrims also descend on the town, which pulses with life around the clock. One pre-dawn morning, when chanting and amplified Indian music—along with that full moon—made sleeping a challenge, I dressed and strolled into town. I wasn’t alone. Blanket-shrouded men and boys huddled around bonfires, while throngs of Hindu families—the women in lime, lemon-yellow, and ruby saris—made their way to the nearby lake to bathe away their sins and receive redemption. Yet all was not penitent in the pre-dawn darkness— there was serious selling going on. One young man’s small table displayed rows of tiny glass vials containing “aromatic Indian body oils.” I bought two, one sandal-

Jaipur’s Jantar Mantar

the word “full.” At every level, not just stacks, but piles

(above), is an 18th Century

of colorful textiles reached from floor to ceiling.

collection of “instruments

“Here is a bedspread we produced for Donna Karan’s

wood, one musk. Next to him a man in a bright yellow turban was solemnly selling samosas (deep-fried meat, vegetable or potato dumplings) and pkora (vegetables,

of calculation.” And in

DKNY line,” claimed Jain, unfurling a length of silk bro-

flour and tiny chilies). I bought one of each, and felt

Jodhpur (opposite page,

cade that would, he said, cost five times his wholesale

entitled to snap a photo.

top), the spectacular Meh-

price once it made the long haul to New York. “And

As eastern skies lightened, a vendor started up his

rangarh Fort sits high on a

this colorful piece we do for Valentino,” Jain continued,

noisy (and surprisingly frightening) sugar-cane crush-

bluff overlooking the city

evoking gasps from women in our group, and a few

er. I watched as the vendor fed the cane into the teeth

while in the village of Push-

sideway glances from the men. Confession: I did buy

of the menacing machine, wondering how often some-

kar (opposite page, bottom)

a cashmere Hermés scarf for my wife. Cost in Jodhpur:

one loses a finger or even an entire hand in the pro-

elder mystics, known as

$36 (they go for hundreds more in the U.S.).

cess. But the vendor seemed oblivious to such dangers

Babas, walk toward the marketplace.

094-099_F_Journey_India.indd 098

From Jodhpur, our group traveled some 80

and churned out cup after cup of fresh sugar cane juice,

miles east to another extraordinary structure—

mixing it with lime and mint to produce a popular

Ahhichatragarh (pronounced “ah-he-chat-ra-garh”), in

Indian drink.

the city of Nagaur. Smaller than Jodhpur’s Mehrangarh,

Compared to the entertaining but confusing cha-

this 16th-Century palace/fortress is, quite literally, real-

os of Pushkar, the famed Taj Mahal was unbelievably

ly cool. The system of gravity-powered waterways that

calm. We arrived outside the city of Agra on a warm,

once filled the massive pools and propelled the majestic

sunny afternoon and stayed past sundown, struck by

fountains also functioned as an early form of air condi-

a sense of space and an atmosphere of reverence and

tioning, our guide told us. “Camels laden with caskets

respect that surrounds this gleaming white marble pal-

of water ascended ramps to the highest roofline, where

ace. Only electric-powered vehicles are allowed close

slaves kept cisterns filled with water,” he said. From

to the site, and visitors must endure a creeping line to

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pass through a full security check (no gum, cigarettes, or food allowed) before even getting a glimpse of this world wonder. You don’t see a full-view of the entire structure until you are directly in front of it. Then, amid the crushing and craning, you suddenly hear rolling waves of “ooohhh’s” and “aaahhh’s.” And deservedly so. After a lifetime of looking at Taj Mahal photos, seeing it up close and in person held me in silence and in awe. The Taj Mahal is a massive and perfectly proportioned tribute to love. Started in 1631 by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, a devout Muslim, construction spanned 20 years and required the efforts of 20,000 workers. It honors Mumtaz Mahal, Shah Jahan’s beloved second wife, who died giving birth to their four-

nating. Along the way I absorbed unforgettable impres-

teenth child.

sions and lessons regarding the people of the world—

This magnificent testament to love is of course only

our past, present, and future. India is a “must go” des-

one of India’s many wonders. There is much more to

tination for those aspiring to call themselves “experi-

see and admire in this multi-faceted country. Yet India

enced travelers.”

isn’t for everybody. Even while traveling in an air-condi-

“Do you like being in my country?” Rahul Pansabi

tioned bus, days can be punishing. And while accommo-

asked, as my tour bus was about to leave Jaipur. “I love

dations of all levels, from backpacker hotels to luxury

it,” I told him, “and people like you make it especial-

resorts in maharaji palaces (including the famed Oberoi

ly interesting.” He gave me his address and asked if I

Hotels) exist, there is still the insidious pollution, a lack

would send him one of the pictures taken of us. “Sure,”

of Western sanitation, and, of course, relative poverty.

I said, “no problem.”

What makes a journey to India appealing are the

Then I thought about my comfortable home, my of-

ever-enduring people (like Rahul Pansabi), the brilliant

fice looking across the San Francisco bay—even my lo-

colors, and the century upon century of compelling his-

cal post office—and for the first time in several days, I

tory. I went there, it was challenging, and it was fasci-

felt nostalgic. MM

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GALLERIES

A Fresh Look

BY ANNE CRUMP RAY

Four Bay Area galleries breathe new life into familiar work

Above: Everyday

hange is good. Three years ago, Edith Caldwell

by artists including Squeak Carnwath, Alan Magee,

switched from her longtime gallery space in

and Donald Farnsworth. Computer-programmed looms

downtown San Francisco and moved across

translate the artists’ original works into richly detailed

Right: The Cutter

the bridge to a light-ﬁlled location in Sausalito. Her man-

tapestries, which hang in the new gallery space. (A few

by Duncan Regehr

date for the new, street-side gallery—designed to catch

large pieces will also be on display in the original gal-

(oil on board, 1996,

passers-by as well as the gallery-going faithful—is to make

lery, along with paintings, drawings, and other works on

28” x 22”)

art more fun. For Ms. Caldwell, who specializes in con-

paper.) “We get a lot of [foot] trafﬁc—people who don’t

temporary realism, more fun means presenting an ever-

know much about art,” notes Ms. Caldwell. “I want to

changing array of works by her regular stable of artists,

show them something really cool.”

by Squeak Carnwath, (tapestry, 2004, 81” x 82”)

and displaying it alongside exotic objects and furniture collected by her friend Durwood Zedd. “I want people to get to see and to share as much

Edith Caldwell Gallery, 819 Bridgeway, Sausalito, 415.331.5003, edithcaldwell.com, 11–5 Mon and Wed thru Sat, noon–5 Sun, closed Tue

good work as possible,” Ms. Caldwell says about her eclectic approach.

ince his debut in 1974, Canadian artist Duncan

To further her mission, she recently opened a second storefront, two doors down from the gallery. Here, she showcases limited edition tapestries created from works 100

100-107_Art Galleries.indd 100

Regehr has garnered international acclaim for his jewel-colored, highly stylized oil paintings,

noted for their textures and stained-glass lumines-

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artists whose technique recalls that of the Old Masters but whose subjects are undeniably current. Seattlebased Juliette Aristides’ lush but delicate paintings, on view April 7–30, feature timeless compositions of still lifes and figures, but glimpses of low-slung blue jeans and tattoos suggest their modern provenance. Along with Aristides’ paintings on boards and canvas, Pence displays triptychs the artist constructed on the panels and doors of wooden cabinets. In May, more realist interiors, still lifes, and figures fill the gallery, this time by local artists Dean Larson and John Patrick Campbell. Mr. Larson’s landscapes reveal an affinity for the American Realist Movement with their fluidly rendered hillsides, placid streams, and cloud-dappled skies. His still-life paintings, classic in composition, offer hints of modernity—paperback books, plastic-tipped pushpins, and framed color photographs. Mr. Campbell’s paintings go one step further, applying masterly technique to still lifes comCloudscape, Marin by Dean Larson (oil on canvas, 2004, 26” x 32”)

cence. Stylistically rooted in Surrealism, Mr. Regehr’s

posed of stacks of old tennis shoes or Barbie dolls, as

works have been exhibited around the world, from

well as to nostalgic collections of antique dolls and his-

Canada to Hong Kong to Denmark to the private col-

torical memorabilia. New works by Mr. Larson and Mr.

lections of Sharon Stone and Olivia NewtonJohn. Now Larkspur’s Gallery Bergelli gives Marin residents an opportunity to view some

Campbell are on view May 5–28. John Pence Gallery, 750 Post St, San Francisco, 415.441.1138, johnpence.com, 10–6 Mon–Fri, till 5 Sat

of Mr. Regehr’s vibrant paintings. The works on view at Bergelli are from Mr. Regehr’s Poetic Imagery and Witness series, both of which highlight his fascination with the sub-

(painted bronze, 1998,

The works, an assortment of small female figures and life-size, freestanding forms, are cast, carved, and

psychology student—as well as painter,

embellished with deliberately abstract applications of

Mr. Regehr targets unspoken realities and

paint. Their rough surfaces suggest works-in-progress,

“unrealized truths” in his artwork.

but the effect is intentional—and sometimes exagger-

Such cryptic style intrigues Bergelli

ated by the artist—to create a sense of arrested devel-

owner and director Robin Critelli. “I love

opment. These pieces reﬂect Mr. Neri’s interest in how

to show paintings with thought-provoking

time inﬂuences transformation—of people, materials, or

themes, or some element of mystery,” she

objects. The pieces also harken back to his roots in the

notes. Mr. Regehr’s works will be on display

Bay Area Figurative Movement of the ’50s. Many of the

through April, along with complementary

pieces on view have never been exhibited publicly, and

works by other Bergelli artists.

at least one, titled Coming in Last Thursday, is the cul-

Larkspur, 415.945.9454, gallerybergelli.com, 10– 5 Mon–Fri, weekends by appointment

mination of 15 years’ work. Mr. Neri will speak about his sculptures at an opening reception, 5:30 p.m. April 7. The exhibition continues through June 4.

an Francisco’s John Pence

Hackett-Freedman Gallery, 250 Sutter St, 4th ﬂoor,

Gallery, specializing in realism,

San Francisco, 415.362.7152, hackettfreedman.com,

presents a trio of contemporary

10:30–5:30 Tue–Fri, 11–5 Sat, or by appointment

S 100-107_Art Galleries.indd 102

spotlight with the exhibition of recent bronz-

es and plasters by sculptor Manuel Neri.

conscious and unconscious thoughts.

66” x 19” x 14”)

102

Francisco returns a Bay Area treasure to the

An actor, ﬁlmmaker, poet—and former

Gallery Bergelli, 483 Magnolia Ave, Julia by Manuel Neri

ackett-Freedman Gallery in downtown San

M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

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Raimonds Staprans Somewhat Over-Ripe Sunshine Pears 50 x 50” oil on canvas, 2004

20th Century and Contemporary Art 250 SUTTER STREET SAN FRANCISCO

Milton Avery Richard Diebenkorn Guy Diehl Marsden Hartley

Hans Hofmann Frank Lobdell Manuel Neri Louise Nevelson

David Park Roland Petersen Terry St. John Wayne Thiebaud

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M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

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FLAVOR

Island hopping

PHOTOS BARBARA RIES

A new breed of restaurants adds a tropical twist to San Rafael’s Fourth Street

ourth Street, already an eclectic res-

honed her recipes, making the big step to her

but each dish is carefully made to order, right

taurant row in Central Marin, now

permanent Fourth Street location this winter.

down to the fresh avocado garnish.

boasts two new spots to try foods

from the Caribbean isles.

“It’s a dream—to meld one of my cultures

Sol Food, 732 Fourth Street, San Rafael,

with the other,” explains Hernandez. “People

415.451.4765. Entrees $4–$9. Lunch, dinner

Not far from where 101 soars over Fourth

from Marin try the food for the first time and

(till 9 p.m.) weekdays, dinner only weekends

Street, Sol Hernandez offers Puerto Rican

love it, and people from Puerto Rico say it’s the

(till 10 p.m. Sat, 9 p.m. Sun)

comfort food at her lively corner to-go shop,

best they’ve ever had. That makes me happy.”

appropriately called Sol Food. It’s a jaunty (al-

All that happiness comes from a simple

beit tiny) spot, with a tin awning out front for

menu featuring the staples of Puerto Rican

urther north on Fourth Street, Maria Manso World Cuisine, named after

street-side dining and family snapshots from

cooking—rice, often jazzed up with oregano,

Old San Juan decorating the tropical-green

cilantro, and green olives; equally flavorful

phistication to the local dining scene. Flan-

walls inside (counter-service only).

slow-cooked beans; and plantains—the pota-

colored walls and twinkling candles cast a ro-

to of the islands. Mofongo, fried green plan-

mantic glow inside, with a look that’s elegant

cutting kids’ hair for 10 years before realizing

tains “smashed up with olive oil and salt and

but friendly (tables often sport a couple of

her dream of serving the foods here that she’d

garlic,” says Hernandez—is a Marin favorite.

kids). Out back, there’s a secluded courtyard

come to love on trips back to her father’s home-

“People eat it and go crazy.”

straight out of Havana, trimmed with split

Hernandez, a San Rafael native, had been

land. Starting with a booth at the Thursday

One word of warning—don’t expect to be

farmer’s market in downtown San Rafael, she

in and out in seconds. Foods may be to-go,

M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

108-111_Flavor.indd 109

the restaurant’s chef/owner, adds so-

palms and sized just right for an intimate private gathering.

109

3/14/05 2:11:11 PM

The menu highlights the foods from Chef

rants, including the highly praised Asia de

is a big, open window that looks out from

Maria’s native Cuba—grilled cowboy steak

Cuba Restaurant at San Francisco’s Clift Hotel.

the kitchen into the restaurant. “One of my

heaped with mushrooms, shallots, and corn;

While working in the city, Manso bought a

regulars comes in and I know he likes steak,

pineapple salsa alongside guava-glazed chick-

house in Novato and began to dream of her

and it’s on the grill,” smiles Manso. “I like it like that.”

en. The menu takes off from there, with classy

own restaurant. She wanted a place where

Asian offerings like pan-seared red snapper

she could share her favorite recipes (like her

and green-tea-crusted tuna.

grandmother’s creamy flan) and where she

Fourth Street, San Rafael, 415.453.7877,

could get to know her guests.

mariamanso.com. Entrees $10–$23. Lunch and

The eclectic mix comes from Manso’s professional past. Over her 22-year career as a

She found her future in this Fourth Street

chef, she has opened seven high-end restau-

locale, where one of her key design elements

Maria Manso World Cuisine, 1613

dinner Tu–Fri; dinner only Sat (open till 10 Tu–Th, till 11 Fri and Sat)

Sweden HOUSE Waterfront Cafe and Bakery SINCE 1968

E UROPEAN PASTRIES AND S PECIALTY C AKES F INE C ATERING AVAILABLE FOR P RIVATE PARTIES AND A LL O CCASIONS

35 Main Street

•

Tiburon

•

415.435.9767

SERVING BREAKFAST AND LUNCH DAILY

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CALENDAR

APRIL MAY 2005 p

PERFORMING ARTS

1905 classic melodrama. A.C.T. at the Geary Theater (SF). 415.749.2228, act-sf.org

T H E AT E R

Company at the Novato Community House (Novato). 415.892.3005, novatocommunityplayers.com

Apr 1-17 through Apr 10

Apr 15 - May 14

Evita The Argentinean legend lights up the stage. Golden Gate Theatre (SF). 415.512.7770, bestofbroadway-sf.com

An Evening of Edward Albee Two works, Zoo Story and The American Dream. Marin Classic Theatre at The Playhouse (San Anselmo). 415.721.4410, mctheatre.com

through Apr 17

Apr 15 - May 6

Lennon A musical tribute to the late artist, this production is in ﬁnal tune-ups before heading to Boston and then Broadway. Orpheum Theatre (SF). 415.512.7770, bestofbroadway-sf.com

The Voysey Inheritance David Mamet’s interpretation of Harley Granville-Barker’s

Mame The larger-than-life auntie sings her way into our hearts. Novato Theater

Apr 16

spotlight on tom brokaw Longtime anchor for NBC News, Tom Brokaw has no shortage of insights into world affairs, which he’ll share during the Marin Speaker Series this spring. Marin Magazine asked Brokaw, who has family here in the Bay Area and visits often, a few questions about his take on our region:

Josh Kornbluth: Love and Taxes A journey of epiphany, redemption, and the tax man. Osher Marin JCC (San Rafael). 415.479.2000, marinjcc.org

Apr 21 The Clean Break From the Playwrights’ Lab at 142 Throckmorton Theatre (Mill Valley). 415.383.9600, 142throckmortontheatre.com

Apr 22 and 23 Madama Butterﬂy (See story, page 113.)

MM: In your more than three decades covering news, what Bay Area events have the most historical signiﬁcance?

MM: What role do you see the notoriously liberal Bay Area playing in our country’s future? TB: San Francisco’s political DNA has always been more liberal than what you find in the rest of the country. But seldom have the contrasts been so striking. Nonetheless, the Bay Area—with the size of its population, its demographics, and

112

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The Hot House Four rotating world premieres: The Hot House, The Rules of Charity, The Black Eyed, and 3F 4F. Magic Theatre (SF). 415.441.8822, magictheatre.org

through Apr 24 its academic and financial institutions— will always be a player. MM: Do you have favorite activities you’ll do when you’re here in April? TB: Our daughter, Jennifer [who lives with her family in San Francisco], is a triathlete. She’s determined to get me into the bay for a swim. We’ll see. Tom Brokaw, Marin Speaker Series, Apr 4 and 7, Marin Center, San Rafael. Tickets, 415.499.6800; info, speakerseries.net.

The Dresser The story of a faithful man backstage and the larger-than-life actor he dresses. Ross Valley Players at Marin Art & Garden Center (Ross). 415.456.9555, rossvalleyplayers.org

Apr 28 - May 29 A Moon For The Misbegotten Eugene O’Neill’s ﬁnal play, a grand portrait of unlucky love. A.C.T. at Geary Theater (SF). 415.749.2228, act-sf.org

May 6-8, 13-15 Carousel Dark tale, incredible music in this 1943 classic. San Anselmo Town Players at

MARK LUK ASIEWIC Z/NB C NEWS

TB: San Francisco as the epicenter of the Beat Generation and counter culture of the ’60s, Patty Hearst and the murder of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone in the ’70s, the earthquake in 1989, and the region’s role as the playground of the “net riches” in the ’90s.

Apr 23 - June 19

M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

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The Playhouse (San Anselmo). 415.258-4640, thetownplayers.com

Mexico’s ﬁnest composers. Old First Church (SF). 415.474.1608, sfsongfestival.org

May 13 - June 19

May 1 and 3

The Cemetery Club A comedy about Jewish widows looking for love in Philadelphia. Ross Valley Players at Marin Art & Garden Center (Ross). 415.456.9555, rossvalleyplayers.org

Marin Symphony with Markus Groh Mozart’s lyrical Piano Concerto No. 23. Marin Center (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marinsymphony.org

May 7 May 14 Martin Short The comedian appears at Marin Center (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

May 19 - June 19

Harmony Festival Catch the a capella at the 21st annual event. Marin Center (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

May 26 Strauss and Mozart New Century Chamber Orchestra. Legion of Honor (SF), 415.392.4400, ncco.org

SF Jazz Spring Season Highlights include Apr 16 Brazilian vocalist Maria Rita Apr 29 jazz great Shirley Horn May 12 sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar May 13 tenor sax legend Sonny Rollins May 21 smokeand-whiskey vocals of Madeliene Peyroux. Various venues (SF). 415.776.1999, sfjazz.org

spotlight on madama butterfly

Running with Scissors A comedy about what happens when life, love, and death intersect. Marin Theatre Company (Mill Valley). 415.388.5200, marintheatre.org

O N G O I N G C O M E DY

Every Tuesday Mark Pitta and Friends From newcomers to Robin Williams—all ﬂex their standup muscles. 142 Throckmorton Theatre (Mill Valley). 415.383.9600, 142throckmortontheatre.com

MUSIC

Apr 2 and 3 John Williams One of the world’s virtuoso guitarists performs classical Spanish music. Herbst Theatre (SF). 415.392.2545, performances.org

Apr 3 and 5 Joseph Alessi San Rafael native Alessi, principal trombone for New York Philharmonic, performs Filas and Brahms with Marin Symphony. Marin Center (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marinsymphony.org

MARK LUK ASIEWIC Z/NB C NEWS

Apr 22 Bach Magniﬁcat and Easter Oratorio A celebration of the season by the American Bach Soloists. St Stephens Church (Belvedere). 415.621.7900; americanbach.org

Apr 30 San Francisco Song Festival An evening of Spanish-language songs created by some of

For the first time in nearly two decades, a full-scale, professionally produced opera will fill the stage in Marin, as Golden Gate Opera presents Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. The cross-cultural tale of a Japanese geisha and her arranged marriage to an American naval officer will be sung in Puccini’s original Italian by performers from Korea, Russia, Ukraine, and Japan—and one spunky five-year-old from

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Mill Valley, who plays the geisha’s daughter. The production aims to dazzle, with original sets, a 30-piece orchestra, and costumes by Tracy Bell (designer for the likes of operatic icon Luciano Pavarotti). Puccini would be proud. Madama Butterfly, Apr 22 and 23 at Marin Center (San Rafael). Tickets, call 415.499.6800; info, goldengateopera.org.

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CALENDAR San Francisco Symphony

Apr 17

Apr 1 and 2 Kurt Masur conducts Mozart and Brucker Apr 6-9 Kurt Masur conducts Brahm’s Symphony No. 2 and Schnittke’s Cello Concerto Apr 10 Valery Gergiev conducts Russia’s Kirov Orchestra, playing Tchaikovsky, Borodin, and Mussorgsky Apr 14-17 Conductor Laureate Herbert Blomstedt presents Bruckner’s Eighth Symphony Apr 21-23 Herbert Blomstedt conducts Dvorak’s Violin Concerto Apr 27-30 Bernard Labadie conducts Handel’s Water Music.

Birdbrain/Australian Dance Theatre The tradition of Swan Lake, with rapid techno music and dance steps at breakneck speed. Marin Center (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

Fourth St, San Rafael. 415.451.8119, artworksdowntown.org

Art Brokers, Inc Irene Belnap, Tjasa Owen, Eric Zener and others featured in limited edition prints. 247 Shoreline Hwy, Mill Valley. 415.380.4100, artbrokersinc.com

Claudia Chapline Clay Works: Mary Jones, Camille VandenBerge, Peter VandenBerge, Apr 3 (reception) through 24. Etta Deikman New Work, Apr 30 (reception) through May 29. 3445 Shoreline Hwy, Stinson Beach. 415.868.2308, claudiachapline.com

May 4-7 Paul McCreesh conducts Haydn and Mozart May 8 Rat Race, a chamber piece by the symphony’s bassist, Larry Epstein, plus pieces by Beethoven and Brahms May 12 David Robertson conducts Bernstein’s Symphony No. 2 May 19-22 Michael Tilson Thomas conducts Also sprach Zarathustra (tone poems by Richard Strauss), with soprano Laura Claycomb May 26-28 Michael Tilson Thomas conducts violinist Pinchas Zukerman in works by Oliver Knussen, and Prokoﬁev’s Suite from Romeo and Juliet. For information on all performances, call 415.864.6000, sfsymphony.org.

Contemporary Fine Arts (CFA) Claudia Marseille, through Apr. Art of the Book, through May. Kay Brodner, through June. 20 Greenﬁeld Ave, San Anselmo. 415.457.8847, cfagallery.com

Edith Caldwell See page 100 for details.

Gallery Bergelli See page 100 for details.

DANCE

Gallery Route One Oil on panel at John Pence Gallery

Apr 2-10 Paul Taylor Dance Modern dance premieres and favorites. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (SF). 415.392.2545, performances.org

Apr 5-16 SF Ballet Program 6 Sir Fredrick Ashton’s Symphonic Variations, plus dance to Bach, Bernstein, and African rhythms. War Memorial Opera House (SF). 415.865.2000, sfballet.org

Apr 7-17 SF Ballet Program 7 Repertory from choreographers Christopher Wheeldon, Jerome Robbins, and Helgi Tomasson at War Memorial Opera House (SF). 415.865.2000, sfballet.org

Apr 14-17 Alonzo King Lines Ballet World premiere set to music by Japanese composer Somei Satoh, and a piece set to music by jazz great Pharoah Sanders. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (SF). 415.978.2787, linesballet.org

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May 19-22 Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company Barrier-breaking pieces based on a story by Flannery O’Connor and set to music by Beethoven. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (SF). 415.392.2545, performances.org

Givens and Reclamations Mary Mountcastle Eubank. Trashed/the dark side of the American dream, David Herveat, Jeff Hvid, Michelle Waters, through May 1. In the Annex, Zea Morvitz, through May 1. Hwy 1, Pt Reyes Station. 415.663.1347, galleryrouteone.org

Garzoli May 21 and 22 ODC Dance Repertory Concert The company’s signature energy and imagination. Jewish Community Center of San Francisco (SF). 415.292.1233, odcdance.org

New works by Laurie Curran This contemporary artist is a ﬁrst-prize winner in the Crocker-Kingsley Exhibition. 930 B St, San Rafael. 415.459.4321, garzoligallery.com

Robert Green Fine Arts

GALLERIES

Paul Jenkins Work from the ’60s (Apr), 1990 to present (May). 154 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley. 415.381.8776

MARIN

William Lester Art Works Downtown Transitions: The Art of Richard Moquin, through Apr 15. Bay Area Fine Craft: RED Apr 21 (reception) through June 3. 1337

Jeanette le Grue Paintings, through Apr. Marin Agricultural Land Trust Exhibit, through May. 11101 Shoreline Hwy, Pt Reyes Station. 415.663.9365, williamlestergallery.com

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Tiburon Fine Art Kathleen Dunne, Carol Jessen, Paige Peterson and others. 84 Main St, Tiburon, 415.435.5999, tiburonﬁneart.com

SAN FRANCISCO

Fraenkel Night Works by Peter Hujar, through Apr 30; Martina Mullaney, through Apr 30. Ralph Eugene Meatyard, May 5 – July 1. 49 Geary St. 415.981.2661, fraenkelgallery.com

George Krevsky The Art of Baseball Annual show celebrates America’s favorite pastime in varied paintings and illustrations. 77 Geary St. 415.397.9748, georgekrevskygallery.com

Hackett-Freedman See page 100 for details.

Hang Annex Figuratively Speaking Jylian Gusatlin, Nicole Hayden, and Katherine Valentine, through Apr 30. Organic Abstraction Jenny Balisle, Paul Brigham, and Bryan Ida, through May 31. 567 Sutter St. 415.544.0610, hangart.com

Hang 556 New paintings by Erik Jacobsen, through Apr. New paintings by Stephanie Jucker, through May 31. 556 Sutter St. 415.434.4264, hangart.com

Jack Hanley Dealing Kindly with Insects in the Home Saskia Leek, Thomas Ravens, and Sue Tompkins, through Apr 2. New Works by Piotr Janas, Apr 2-30. Matthew Sawyer and Leslie Shows, May 5 – June 4. 395-389 Valencia St. 415.522.1623, jackhanley.com

John Berggruen Gallery Richard McLean, through Apr 30. 228 Grant Ave. 415.781.4629, berggruen.com

John Pence Gallery See page 100 for details.

Paul Thiebaud Jeffrey Hester: recent paintings and works on paper. 718 Columbus Ave. 415.434.3055, paulthiebaudgallery.com

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CALENDAR MUSEUMS MARIN

Contemporary Literary Comics Drawings by dozens of artists represented. Through May 22. 415.227.8666, cartoonart.org

Falkirk Cultural Center Annual Juried Exhibition Marin artists, through June 4 (San Rafael). 415.485.3328, falkirkculturalcenter.org

Marin History Museum Stories of World War II, making history come alive An oral-history exhibit about local World War II veterans. Boyd Gate House (San Rafael). 415.454.8538, marinhistory.org

Marin Museum of the American Indian We Are Still Here A photographic essay

FAMILIES/KIDS

Cartoon Art Museum MARIN

through Apr 30 Legion of Honor Windows Facing East, Japan’s worldwide inﬂuence on prints, through Apr 30. Artwear: fashion and anti-fashion, evolution of wearable art from hippies to today, May 14 - Oct 30. 415.863.3330, famsf.org

Mexican Museum 30th Anniversary Exhibition Recently acquired artworks including pre-conquest artifacts, paintings, sculpture and textiles, through Apr 23. 415.202.9700, mexicanmuseum.org

Pattern Wizardry Enjoy a giant interactive kaleidoscope at the Bay Area Discovery Museum (Sausalito). 415.339.3900, baykidsmuseum.org

Apr 2, 19 Spring Fling Check out chicks, goat kids, and little lambs—plus farm-based activities for all ages, at Slide Ranch (Muir Beach). Toddler day Apr 19. 415.381.6155, slideranch.org

Apr 12 Tim Cain Shop’n bop along with Tim Cain at Pottery Barn Kids at The Village at Corte Madera (Corte Madera). 415.927.3558

Apr 19 Black Irish Band’s “Westward Bound/ California Gold” Music from before California’s statehood at Marin Center (San Rafael). 415.457.4878, youthinarts.org

Apr 24 Baby Shower Bring a “baby gift”—paper towels, fresh or frozen berries, or heads of Romaine lettuce—for the youngest rescued animals at Wildcare (San Rafael). 415.453.1000, wildcarebayarea.org

May 16

SF Museum of Craft and Folk Art

From Earth to Sky: Listen to the Things Around You Storyteller Diane Ferlatte and singer Eric Pearson celebrate our relationship with Mother Earth at Marin Center (San Rafael). 415.457.4878, youthinarts.org

Mithila Indian painting tradition Through Apr 24. 415.775.0991, mocfa.org

SAN FRANCISCO

SFMOMA

Apr 16

New Work by Marilyn Minter Apr 1-July 24. 2004 SECA Art Awards, through May 15. 415.357.4000, sfmoma.org

Physics of Toys Explore and make gadgets that help keep the Earth beautiful. Exploratorium (SF). 415.563.7337, exploratorium.edu

Spring lambs in Marin

of the Coast Miwok People. Miwok Park (Novato). 415.897.4064, marinindian.com

SAN FRANCISCO

Sui Jianguo: The sleep of reason An exhibit of 14 witty, incisive, and humorous large-scale works, through Apr 24. 415.581.3500, asianart.org

California Academy of Sciences Ongoing exhibits include Ants: hidden worlds revealed and Astrobiology: life in the extreme. 415.750.7145, calacademy.org.

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Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Big Deal & Blow Up Large-scale sculpture, through Apr. Perfect Spaces: pictures and ﬁlms by Oliver Boberg and new work by Polish artist Robert Kusmirowski, Apr 16-July 3. 415.978.2787, ybca.org

Apr 17 Family Studio at SFMOMA Hands-on art; drop-ins welcome. Focus on the works of painter Robert Bechtle. SFMOMA (SF). 415.357.4000, www.sfmoma.org

TH ERESA VARGO

Asian Art Museum

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May 7 SF Symphony Composer’s Workshop Kids ages 7 and up create their own masterpieces at Davies Symphony Hall (SF). 415.864.6000, sfsymphony.org

ONGOING Asian Art Museum Drop-in art activities for families, plus self-guided gallery activity, ﬁrst Saturday of every month (SF). 415.581.3500, asianart.org Book Passage Sing-along with Christopher Smith Sunday mornings—call ahead to conﬁrm (Corte Madera). 415.927.0906, bookpassage.com Borders Books & Music Read-aloud classics and new favorites every Tuesday (San Rafael). 415.454.1400, bordersstores.com California Academy of Sciences Ant and penguin feedings daily, hands-on science Fridays (SF). 415.321.8000, calacademy.org

ebrates the arrival of the spring strawberry at Kule Loklo (Pt Reyes National Seashore). 415.479.3281, mapom.org

Apr 21-May 5 San Francisco International Film Festival Over 200 ﬁlms from 50 countries at various venues. 925.866.9559, sﬁff.org

Apr 22-24 Marin Environmental Film Festival Films on alternative energy, land use, biodiversity and more. Rafael Film Center (San Rafael). marinenvironmentalﬁlmfestival.org

Apr 23-24 Spring Flower Festival Plant sale, tours, and gardening tips. Marin Art & Garden Center (Ross). 415.455.5260, maagc.org

Apr 28 Spring House and Garden Tour Visit homes and gardens, with lunch at the Outdoor Art Clubhouse (Mill Valley). 415.455.4655

Apr 28-30 Cartoon Museum Saturday classes for children (SF). 415.227.8666, cartoonart.org Legion of Honor Saturday morning tours of current exhibitions are followed by studio workshops taught by professional artistteachers (SF). 415.682.2483, famsf.org Library story times For details visit marin. org/comres/libraries.cfm Schulz Museum 2nd Saturday guest cartoonists share how they create their work (Santa Rosa). 707.579.4452, schulzmuseum.org

EVENTS

Monterey Wine Festival Central Coast wines, pairing dinners, talks, auction, and the jewelry collection of famed heiress Doris Duke. Various locations. 888.814.9463, montereywine.com

May 4 Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration Ceremony includes interactive workshops led by Holocaust survivors, clergy, and scholars at Congregation Kol Shofar (Tiburon). 415.444.8060, marinjcc.org

May 5-30 ArtsFest 2005 A showcase of visual and performing arts—from street to elite—at assorted Bay Area venues. 415.626.6710, ArtSFestSF.org

TH ERESA VARGO

Apr 3 May 7

MALT Birthday Celebration Honor 25 years of Marin Agricultural Land Trust’s efforts to preserve local farmlands. Photo exhibition, local food and wine at Druid’s Hall (Nicasio). 415.663.1158, malt.org

Human Race Beneﬁts Marin nonproﬁt organizations. Sponsored participants walk or run 4 miles around Marin Lagoon (San Rafael). 415.479.5710, marinhumanrace.org

Apr 17

May 8

Native American Strawberry Festival Traditional Native American festival cel-

Mother’s Day Pancake Breakfast at West Point Inn Treat mom to breakfast at a 101-

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CALENDAR year-old inn built on the slopes of Mt Tam (Mill Valley). 415.388.9955, westpointinn.com

May 14 Tiburon Festival Enjoy the ﬁne things in life—great wine, delicious food, live music—at Point Tiburon Plaza (Tiburon). 415.435.5633, tiburonchamber.org

May 28-29

Apr 11

Marin Greek Festival Dancing, food, music. Nativity of Christ Greek Orthodox Church (Novato). 415.883.1998, nativityofchrist.org

Isabel Allende The celebrated Marin author sits down with KQED’s Michael Krasny to discuss her new book, Zorro. 142 Throckmorton Theatre (Mill Valley). 415.383.9600, 142throckmortontheatre.com

May 29 San Anselmo Antiques Faire The town’s renowned antique stores present their wares for this annual event. 415.457.1266

May 15 Bay to Breakers The annual ode to nuttiness in running shoes—and sometimes little else (SF). baytobreakers.com

May 29 Caledonia Street Festival Art, music, food, and more ﬁlls this charming street (Sausalito). 415.289.4152, ci.sausalito.ca.us

May 17-18 Dining for Wildlife Eat at dozens of participating Marin restaurants and a portion of the proceeds will go to WildCare. For participating restaurants, 415.453.1000, wildcarebayarea.org

May 30 Mill Valley Memorial Day Parade Floats, bands, and fun. 415.388.9700, millvalley.org

Apr 12 Queen Noor Lunch The former queen of Jordan talks about her book, Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life. Pan Paciﬁc Hotel (SF). 415.927.0960, bookpassage.com

Apr 13 Poetry Night with Jane Hirshﬁeld Local poet shares her work. Larkspur Café Theater, (Larkspur). 415.924.6107, murphyproductions.com

Apr 15 May 21 May Madness San Rafael’s classic car parade and street dance. Fourth Street (San Rafael). 415.720.5591, downtownsanrafael.org

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TOURS/ TALKS/WALKS Apr 4 and 7 Tom Brokaw See page 112.

Deborah Madison talks about her book, Vegetarian Suppers, and prepares lunch at The Left Bank (Larkspur). 415.927.0960, bookpassage.com

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3/15/05 1:47:00 PM

Apr 29

Spirit Rock Meditation Center (Woodacre). 415.663.1158, malt.org

Van Deren Coke: Collecting 20th-Century Photography Insights on collecting modern photography. SFMOMA (SF). 415.357.4000, sfmoma.org

Apr 24 Illustrating Wildlife of the African Savanna All abilities welcome. San Francisco Zoo (SF). 415.753.7080, sfzoo.org

May 4 Eric Weihenmayer. First blind climber to summit Mt Everest. Slide presentation. Fairmont (SF). 415.597.6705, commonwealthclub.org

Apr 24 Wildﬂowers, Vineyards, & Wine-tasting Tour Leiss and Corda ranches (near Petaluma). 415.663.1158, malt.org

NATURE WALKS/TALKS Apr 28

Apr 2 Audubon Canyon Ranch Walk. Naturalist-led walk explores this 500-acre preserve (near Stinson Beach). Also Apr 16, 23; May 14, 21. 415.868.9244, egret.org

A Straus Family History Learn about this organic dairy’s important role in bringing Marin ranchers and environmentalists together, at Straus Home Ranch (Marshall). 415.663.1158, malt.org

Apr 10

May 8

Spirit Rock & Loma Alta Ranch Hike With historian Dewey Livingston and Dharma teacher and author Wes Nisker.

Birds & Restoration Visit Presser Ranch to search for native birds (near Pt Reyes). 415.663.1158, malt.org

May 14 Sheep Shearing & Dairy Tour Watch Bill Jensen gives his sheep crew cuts, continue to nearby Poncia Ranch for more on ranching (near Tomales). 415.663.1158, malt.org

May 15 Spring planting Learn about organic row crops and Allstar Organics at LaFranchi Ranch (Nicasio). 415.663.1158, malt.org

May 21 Horseshoe Cove Beach Clean-up Join the National Park Service and Marin Conservation Corps near Fort Baker (Sausalito). 415.561.3034, marin.org

Marin Magazine makes every effort to ensure accuracy in these listings. Please note that dates and times are subject to change. Items may be sent for consideration to calendar@marinmagazine.com; please submit items at least four weeks in advance.

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FA M I LY

Life in the fast lane

BY DENVER COLEMAN, PHD

No more room on the calendar. Time to refocus I remember the way it used to be—days of hide-and-

Mary Kitchens, a teacher at Drake High School, sees

seek, walking home with friends to play kickball in the

some parents pushing their children in a certain direction,

cul-de-sac. Our afternoons were filled with unstructured

rather than letting them find and follow their own inter-

play. I remember, at times, actually feeling bored.

ests—a risky proposition, in her view. “Kids that haven’t

Today’s kids don’t have time to be bored. Shuttled

developed any passion or interest in anything are lost.”

from one activity to the next, the question is, do they

With such crazy schedules—yours and your kids—

have time to be kids? Belvedere mother Johnna Coats

you risk losing sight of who your kids really are, and

has her seven-year-old daughter scheduled to the hilt.

what’s going on in their lives. When that part of your

Why does she do it? Because, she explains, with every

family starts slipping away, it’s time to reconnect.

other kid heading to scheduled activities after school, there’s no one left to play with. But is over-scheduling really worth it, and are there consequences to too much running around?

Dr. Denver’s suggestions:

p Don’t sacrifice sleep for a too-full schedule. If you notice your child is unusually crabby, has low energy, trouble concentrating, or is extra-emotional, it could

Unplugging Baby Mozart

“Kids that haven’t developed any passion or interest in anything are lost.” —Mary Kitchens, teacher, Drake High School

be lack of sleep.

Kate Mecca, PhD, founder and director of Mt. Tamalpais

p Eat dinner together. A study by the University of

School in Mill Valley, considers parents’ desire to keep

Minnesota of nearly 5,000 adolescents showed that

kids plugged into activities. “Children are, by their very

the more meals a family eats together, the less de-

nature, active, curious, engaged learners, and like being

pressed the children were, and the better the grades.

involved in activities,” she notes. That describes my two

Kids here agree. “Connecting with my family at din-

children, and probably your family. Children haven’t

ner is 100%-plus important,” says Maggie Polachek,

changed, but parenting sure has, and so has the pres-

a 9th-grader at Drake. The study also found that

sure to pack it all in now.

kids who dined more with the family used less to-

At my home, we began our family with good inten-

bacco, alcohol, and drugs.

tions. That’s why we bought a Baby Mozart CD. Now, I

p One day each month, let one family member choose

wonder about our intent. Did we think Mozart would

an activity to do together—a hike, a movie, lunch.

gently stimulate our babies or did we want to get an

Keep it simple; more stress you don’t need.

early jump on the competition? The older the kids got,

p Find time—somewhere, somehow—to simply hang

the busier we got. Going to the park was out; driving to

out with your kids, and let them talk about their

ballet class or piano lessons was in. Somewhere along

lives, and their pressures. Find a moment that’s just

the way, we substituted the click of tap shoes and the

for you (and preferably not in the car when you’re

echo of a gymnasium for simply being together.

shuttling between activities), maybe just before bed.

It’s an insidious situation. Once a family has joined

With the lights out, together in the quiet, you can re-

the fast track, each stage brings new challenges. When

build those delicate—and critical—bonds between

college looms, notes Dr. Mecca, parents wrestle with

parent and child.

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120-127_Family.indd 120

natural passions, another that pushes the need to get

Denver Coleman, PhD, is a clinical psychologist focus-

into the best colleges. When the latter yells the loudest,

ing on couple and parenting issues. His practice is based

the child’s packed schedule becomes laden with even

in Mill Valley. If you would like to submit concerns or

more classes and activities.

questions, send them to DrDenver@marinmagazine.com.

BARBARA RI ES

competing motives—one that encourages the child’s

M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

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M I C R O C L I M AT E

SAN ANSELMO

MARIN’S PERFECT MAIN STREET

“This is Debbie.” No maddening voice machine; no fancy front-office receptionist. Simply, “This is Debbie.” Debbie Stutsman is town administrator for San Anselmo, a town of 12,400 residents tucked away in what many call the center of Marin County. Ask what she thinks of her domain and you’ll hear, “I love it, it’s a nice little community.” And if you think Debbie—who manages San Anselmo’s $10.6 million budget and its 60 city employees—loves the uncomplicated and convenient, even cosmopolitan, town where she lives and works, wait till you meet her friends and neighbors. “You can buy everything from a diamond ring to toilet paper on or near San Anselmo Avenue,” boasts community activist Jennifer Couture, who quickly lists several of the town’s eclectic stores. “Chocolat, Crystal Reflections, Shadows, Comforts, Green Fusion, Doodlebug, Debbie Does Desserts, Rossetti Cartoleria, Maha Devi Gallery, a hair salon called Peace, Love & Grilled Cheeses, and one business called WorldDance Fitness & Goddess Wear Boutique.” According to Connie Rodgers, president and executive director of San Anselmo’s Chamber of Commerce, these aren’t here-today-gone-tomorrow businesses, “but reliable merchants, most who’ve been around for years and contribute greatly to what makes this town a fine place to live.” Another example of the town’s steady business climate is Élan Fitness Center. “They’ve been in business 22 years,” adds Rodgers. “They were pioneers in their field and never stop giving back to the community.”

BY JIM WOOD PHOTOS HARRIOT MANLEY

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Folks in San Anselmo cherish their uncomplicated gem of a town “There’s a lot to like here,” adds architect Jeff Kroot, a San Anselmo resident for 25 years, who has

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that downtown, “we have home-brewed Marin Coffee Roasters that attracts scads of bicyclists everyday.”

twice served as the town’s mayor and is now a mem-

Talk with any San Anselmo realtor and a residential

ber of the town council. “You feel a sense of commu-

price pattern emerges—condominiums in the $400,000

nity, the sense of belonging.” His list of attractions in-

to $500,000 range with homes going from $700,000 to

cludes “Gourmet Gulch,” the nickname given to San

well over 2 million dollars. Apartments rent as low as

Anselmo’s lineup of worldly restaurants. “Within a few

$400 a month, with homes starting at $1,400. Realtors

blocks of each other, there’s Bistro 330 (French), Lanna

are also quick to point out the ease of a San Francisco

Thai (Thai), Riccardo’s (Italian), Ted’s (American),

commute: Golden Gate Transit buses make regular

Cucina (Mexican), Fork (Continental), and Insalata’s

runs, or connect with the Larkspur ferry. “Our only

(Mediterranean).” A little detail Councilmember Kroot

problem,” remarks one local real estate agent, “is that

doesn’t mention is that the last three—Cucina, Fork,

people like this place and seldom move out, so inven-

and Insalata’s—are listed among the San Francisco

tory is scarce.”

Chronicle’s Top 100 Restaurants of the Bay Area.

Local accountant Bill Permar, attributes much of San

Another culinary point—San Anselmo, somehow, seems

Anselmo’s magnetism to its schools. “My three daugh-

to have been overlooked by Starbuck’s. “Oh, we have

ters got a fine education here, elementary through high

a Starbucks—it’s inside Safeway at Red Hill Shopping

school,” he says, “and most of the time they could walk

Center,” says chamber president Rodgers, who notes

to school.”

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If San Anselmo has a downside, its name is Sir

and Toiles de Jouy, attracts buyers from well beyond San

Francis Drake, as in boulevard. The four-lane, divided

Anselmo. Then why locate here? Hammill gives two rea-

highway cuts through the town’s midsection and then, at

sons: “One, this town reminds me of a French village,

“The Hub,” sends traffic either out to Fairfax and Olema,

and two, it is central to Marin County—buyers can reach

or back towards San Rafael and Highway 101. “Actually,

my store with very little difficulty.” Hammill isn’t alone—

you can’t be in the 21st Century and not have some traf-

the town practically bursts with shops selling fine an-

fic,” comments the chamber’s Connie Rodgers. “And Sir

tiques, attracting collectors from all over the West Coast

Francis Drake takes the brunt of ours. Other San Anselmo

and beyond.

areas are rather mildly impacted by traffic.”

With hiking trails nearby, a full calendar of commu-

Which is fine with Richard Hammill. His recently

nity events, and intriguing shopping and dining, San

opened, 4,500-square-foot La Sede Bella, specializing

Anselmo is hard to resist. And if one day isn’t enough,

in fine European antiques and fabrics such as Matelasse

consider a stay at the charming San Anselmo Inn.

Theresa Coleman PRESIDENTS GOLD AWARD OF DISTINCTION

10 Place Moulin, Tiburon This fabulous fourbedroom, three and a half bath home at the top of Mt. Tiburon displays views from every room from Mt. Tam to the Richmond Bridge and San Pablo Bay. You can see forever. Extensively remodeled in 2002, the property is ready to move in. Situated on approximately onethird acre, lush vegetation and walking trails create a magical environment. $2,395,000

415.609.4532

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TheresaColeman@comcast.com www.buymarinrealestate.com

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Mill Valley

Sausalito

his classic early 20th century home occupies a +/- 3/4 acre lot. It has been updated & restored w/extraordinary craftsmanship & attention to detail. It’s boasts 5BR/4.5BA, spacious LR w/box beam ceiling, DR, guest/au pair unit w/separate entry, family rm, ofc, & off street parking for 10+ vehicles. Offered at $3,275,000

Napa

Mill Valley

riginal craftsman built in 1925, 2,015 sq. ft. with Oak floors, High ceilings, Period wall trim, Original lighting fixtures, Original windows and Wooden doors with original glass design. Gardens throughout the property with flowers, vegetables, garden paths, and seating area for back garden enjoyment. Offered at $900,000

ne must walk up to the main level of this home to truly appreciate the potential of this home-site. Privacy, sunlight and serene views across the sailboats and wildlife of Richardson Bay give the potential to create a private oasis with abundant greenery and sunlight. Gently sloping, this 1/4 acre parcel is presently configured with a two level home that has seen better days. Offered at $849,000

ight and bright multilevel townhouse with beautiful views. Upper level consists of 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, and laundry closet. Wonderful office/retreat on lower level, inviting curb appeal with special landscaping touches, surrounded by beautiful GGNR for great hiking and biking! Offered at $649,000

FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THESE PROPERTIES PLEASE CONTACT

MC G UIRE M ARIN 415. 3 8 3. 85 0 8 1040 Redwood Highway, Mill Valley

w w w. Mc Gu i re . c om

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Paciﬁc Union

Congratulates Marilyn Rich The #1 Agent 2004 Sales Volume Greenbrae Ofﬁce

Approximately $50 Million sold in 2004:

Paciﬁc Union “Opus” Award Winner 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 Member of: Paciﬁc Union’s Estates Division Luxury Home Agents’ Network Top Agent Email Network Group

Belvedere • Corte Madera Greenbrae • Kentﬁeld Mill Valley • Novato San Anselmo • Tiburon Listing and Selling in all price ranges, Marilyn specializes in BOTH Central and Southern Marin. Her style and marketing expertise bring her clients back time and again!

Coming Soon Marilyn Rich 189 Sir Francis Drake Blvd Greenbrae, CA 94904 415.464.3741 Direct www.marilynrich.com

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• $1,495,000 • $7,750,000 • $1,595,000 • $6,995,000

Mill Valley Ross San Rafael Belvedere

3/11/05 7:19:42 3/12/05 6:50:04 PM

Pac Union

185 Lagunitas Road, Ross This is what you’ve been waiting for! Great for San Francisco buyers looking to make the move to Marin. Built in the mid1880’s, this graceful three story home behind private gates offers six bedrooms, four full and one half baths, enormous level lawns, tennis court site, pool, large formal entry foyer, gorgeous living room, formal dining room, separate bar area, library, sunroom overlooking the pool, cook’s kitchen, separate butler’s pantry with mud room, wine cellar, family room, master suite, ofﬁce, study, storage room and more. Sited on approximately 1.15 acres* (per tax records) in Ross, which is known nationally for its excellent schools. Lovingly updated, the charm of yesteryear combines with modern living in a very special way.

Offered at $7,500,000

25 Upper Road, Ross Beginning with the dramatic entry and its curved staircase, this custom home is a unique and masterful blend of contemporary and traditional architectural styles. Fully fenced and private, it is situated on approximately one acre* (per tax records) with a level lawn area, 15 rooms, and attached 3+ car garage. Ross, known nationally for its excellent schools, provides a serene setting for this custom home, which was designed by Jerry Smania for the current owner and built in 1991. With four bedrooms, four full and two half baths, a dramatic living room, state-of-the-art kitchen, inviting formal dining room, handsome study/library, large computer/play area, luxurious master suite, and more, this property is magniﬁcent. Great Ross opportunity!

Offered at $6,995,000

Marilyn Rich 189 Sir Francis Drake Blvd Greenbrae, CA 94904 415.464.3741 Direct

For more photos see: www.MarilynRich.com

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3/11/05 7:40:41 3/12/05 6:50:39 PM

Sausalito

Price to be Determined

Coming soon! Beautiful and spacious almost new Mediterranean style home with 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, 2 family rooms, great bay views, and 3 car garage. Only five years old.

Tiburon

Enjoy amazing views from this stunning 4 bedroom 4.5 bath home which was totally rebuilt using only the finest materials. The open floor plan and level lawn works for formal and informal living.

Carol Matney • 415-272-9266 cmatney@coldwellbanker.com

Tiburon

$3,150,000

Randi Brinkman • 415-789-2745 rbrinkman@coldwellbanker.com

$1,725,000

Breathtaking views of SF and the Bay from this 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath hillside home remodeled with taste and sophistication. Patio, decks, 2-car garage and wine cellar. See and be SOLD!

Tiburon

$1,595,000

Enjoy the privacy at the end of a quiet culde-sac in this bright tastefully-styled contemporary home in prestigious Tiburon. Lovely outlook. Four bedrooms, 3 baths on one-half acre. Hazel Carter • 415-789-2746 hazel@pacbell.net

Kathy Bass • 415-789-7908 kathy.bass@cbnorcal.com

83 Beach Road Belvedere, CA 94920 Previews International

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Presented by: BRUCE ENGEL 415.380.4377 First Marin Realty

San Francisco Bay on 6+ acres. Call for details. Offered at $6,900,000

extend from patios. Security at the end of a private road. Fantastic views of open space and

4+ bedrooms, 4.5 baths, wine cellar, exercise room, media room and library. Large level lawns

Grand formal living room, dining room, gourmet kitchen, family room,

known local architect. Top of the line construction by Marin’s custom builder.

rchitecturally significant with over 6,500 square feet of elegant living by well-

A A

New Home in Private Compound

TIBURON

DIALOGUE

Filmmaker Jonathan Parker You could live anywhere. Why Marin? I’m from here—I’m of the land, and because I have two businesses and two kids in school here. What makes you happy in Marin? Walking the three blocks from my house to the grocery store on Saturday afternoon. What gets on your nerves here? The politics. What’s your favorite place to have breakfast? My breakfast room. What’s your personal idea of luxury? Swimming in the back yard. What person has influenced you the most? My wife, Deborah. I have never known anybody with higher integrity. What’s been the most fulfilling moment in your work? Having Bartleby open the New Films/New Directors Festival in New York City. What’s a Marin stereotype here that fits?

but the lights, cameras, and action of ﬁlm-

The pompous guy at Whole Foods ordering pancetta

making are alive and well here in Marin,

and brie on a baguette.

thanks to independent filmmaker Jonathan Parker

What stereotype doesn’t fit?

and his San Rafael-based Parker Film Company. As

That it’s all white here.

writer-producer-director of independent ﬁlms shot al-

What do you value every day?

most entirely in the county, Jonathan, with colleague Catherine di Napoli, has laid down serious cinematic roots in the county. His ﬁrst feature, 2001’s Bartleby,

Anything prepared by someone with a military rank. What food do you love? Red wine.

realistic take on the modern workplace. Shot at vari-

Do you have a favorite Marin view?

ous Marin locations, it garnered raves from The New

One is at China Camp, up above Peocock Gap. I

York Times. His latest feature, The Californians, due

like the view of the San Pablo Bay all the way to the

out later this year, uses Henry James’ 1886 novel, The

city. There’s something about the nice lay of the hills

Bostonians, as its jumping off point. In the Parker-di

there—we shot it for the last scene in The Californians.

Napoli version, the story skewers a developer (played

What do you like about yourself?

vironmentalists, including Cloris Leachman and Keith Carradine. Their battleground? Marin.

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What food makes your skin crawl?

twisted an 1856 James Melville short story into a sur-

with smug charm by ER’s Noah Wyle) warring with en-

138

My family and the two palm trees in my back yard.

Oh boy, this is embarrassing. “I dream big.” How do you want to be remembered? “He dreamt big.” A preview screening of The Californians will show

We visited Jonathan at his 1906 Craftsman in San

April 21 at the Rafael Film Center. Proceeds benefit

Rafael’s Dominican neighborhood. Here’s how this

Heads Up—San Rafael Public Education Foundation,

home-grown talent (Redwood High, Class of ’76), an-

which supports public schools in San Rafael. For infor-

swered the Marin Questionnaire:

mation and tickets, call 415.492.3201, or visit srpef.org.

BARBARA RIES

ollywood may be hundreds of miles south,

M A R I N A P R I L / M AY 2 0 0 5

3/15/05 11:33:01 AM

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