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All Seasons C A T E R I N G

C O M P A N Y

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CONTENTS

Features 82

home Holiday Magic A white Christmas is created in Ross story p. j. bremier photos barbarba ries

94 life

Gourmet Spirits

Creative bartenders redeﬁne their roles. story jordan mackay photos tim porter

98 interiors

Showcase in Marin

Designers explain their imaginative creations. story p. j. bremier photos barbarba ries

104 journey

Skiing on the Chic

High-style schussing in St. Moritz and St. Anton story & photos ben davidson

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

110

CONTENTS

Departments 74

letters

at a glance

marin green

snap

fashion trends

life style

fyi

Readers respond to Marin Magazine.

Hot tips day by day for the Bay Area.

Ginger Souders-Mason, ladybug legacy. by mimi towle

Out and about, in and around Marin.

Classic culture and recycled rocks. by somer ﬂaherty

Sandy Holbrook James of Sausalito shares fashion insights.

Gifts: Think beyond the typical. by somer ﬂaherty Books: Holiday gift book ideas. by olivia boler Travel: City nights. by mimi towle Business: Cavallo Point re-emerges. by jim wood

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

conversation

110

A visit with Michael Krasny. by jim wood

The call of McCall, Idaho. by jim and nikki wood

Legendary Mountain. Extraordinary Experience.

Lodging and Spa packages available

1 888-736-9750 www.squaw.com

155

CONTENTS

141

Departments 116

play Marin families head for the hills. by samantha bronson

120

looking back

124

wine country

127

galleries

130

calendar

141

flavor

155

microclimate

170

dialogue

Angel Island Christmas tradition. by jim wood

Be a winemaker for a day. by lucas davidson

Wonderful and amazing. by anne crump ray

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

Ora—pan-Asian fantasy. by erika lenkert

There is no place like Nicasio. by jim wood

Sausalito architect C. David Robinson. by mimi towle

Columns The Cover

view from mount tam

pov

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

Gifts, a painting by Marin artist Irene Belknap. Her work can be seen at artbrokersinc.com. 20

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

Beneﬁts from the Marin Community Foundation. by jim wood

l i f e : si m p l i f i e d

bedroom media room

garage home office family room utility area

Visit our beautiful showroom! Call today for a free in-home design consultation 800.2SIMPLIFY | calclosets.com 610A DuBois Street in San Rafael

Editorial editorial director Nikki Wood ext 105 nwood@marinmagazine.com

executive editor Jim Wood ext 106 jwood@marinmagazine.com

associate editor Mimi Towle ext 101 mtowle@marinmagazine.com

editor-at-large Tim Porter tporter@marinmagazine.com

departments editor Somer Flaherty ext 103 sflaherty@marinmagazine.com

copy editor/proofreader Cynthia Rubin

editorial contributors Olivia Boler, P.J. Bremier, Samantha Bronson, Ben Davidson, Lucas Davidson, Erika Lenkert, Jordan Mackay, Anne Crump Ray

Art art director Trpti Todd ext 112 ttodd@marinmagazine.com

production manager Alex French ext 111 production@marinmagazine.com

contributing photographers Drew Altizer, Ben Davidson, Sasha Gulish, Sheri Montgomery, Barbara Ries 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

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

publisher Lisa Shanower 415.332.4800 ext 107 lshanower@marinmagazine.com

Advertising advertising director Courtney Q. Roberts 415.332.4800 ext 108 croberts@marinmagazine.com

account manager Michele Johnson 415.332.4800 ext 110 mjohnson@marinmagazine.com

account manager Genevieve Luckel 415.332.4800 ext 109 gluckel@marinmagazine.com

regional sales offices california media marin associates Lora Dinga 415.898.6400

robert kaufman associates Robert Kaufman 415.721.0558

hawaii destination marketing Debbie Joseph Shana Wong 808.739.2200

advertising art director Alex French ext 111 production@marinmagazine.com

Administration controller Jill Harmston ext 104 jharmston@marinmagazine.com

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Volume 2, Issue 12. Marin Magazine is published in Marin County by Marin Magazine LLC. All rights reserved. Copyright©2006. Reproduction of Marin Magazine content is prohibited without the expressed, written consent of Marin Magazine LLC. Unsolicited materials cannot be returned. Marin Magazine reserves the right to refuse to publish any advertisement deemed detrimental to the best interests of the community or that is in questionable taste. Marin Magazine is mailed monthly to homes and businesses in Marin County. Subscription rates are $36 per year. Marin Magazine, One Harbor Drive, Sausalito, CA 94965. Phone 415.332.4800, fax 415.332.3048, email editorial@marinmagazine.com, website marinmagazine.com. member of the bpa worldwide:

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

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

ach passing year the transition seems to quick-

Doctor Zhivago. P. J. Bremier provides the description,

en from the muted celebration of fall to the

Barbara Ries the photographs. In Journey we tag along

full-on gala of the year-end holidays. No

with Ben Davidson as he samples the winter ski scene in

sooner did the jack-o’-lanterns disappear from door-

St. Moritz and St. Anton. Closer to home, Jordan Mackay

steps and local stores than signs of the new season

introduces us to the latest in bartender culture—gourmet

appeared—Thanksgiving menus in neighborhood

spirits in Marin and throughout the Bay Area.

pumpkins, red-and-green displays in the shops.

Other stories include an in-depth conversation with Marin resident Michael Krasny, host of Forum, the ac-

With gift-giving (and receiving) on the minds of

claimed KQED radio talk show; a visit to McCall, Idaho,

many, we bring you alternatives to the usual holiday

the new hot spot for vacations and second homes; and

ideas in FYI/Gifts—delight an oenophile with a year’s

a profile of Sausalito architect C. David Robinson in

worth of wine, surprise your family with a trip to an ex-

Dialogue.

otic locale (other than Marin, of course), or make some-

As always, our wish is for your good reading. Enjoy

one’s life better by donating to a favorite charity. We also

Marin Magazine, as we continue to celebrate this

know that you will be inspired by the many great gift

extraordinary place!

ideas provided by our advertisers in this issue. As a holiday treat we share the visual gift of

MARIN

Lisa Shanower, Publisher

our Home Design feature—a tour of a Ross family

Nikki Wood, Editorial Director

home decorated for a white Christmas straight out of

Jim Wood, Executive Editor

DECEMBER 2006

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTO: BARBARA RIES

restaurants, fragrant firs in lots that just yesterday sold

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LE TTE R S

“For over a decade, multi-billion dollar investment firms have entrusted us to

Readers respond

manage the wealth of Marin County

beautiful place and be surrounded by such

families...for good reason ”

How truly fortunate we are to live in such a inspiring sights and inspiring people! I loved Tim Porter’s “Now Playing: Dawn’s Early

James Demmert, Managing Partner, Marin County resident

Light,” accompanied by Anne Lamott’s uplifting words. I framed it. —Virginia Brunini, Tiburon While I thoroughly enjoyed most of the articles in your publication, I found “Secret of Stinson” article in the November 2006 issue (pg. 71) to be over the top. How about a little humility and discretion? Focus on the other fascinating aspects of Marin County—our rich history, agricultural and culinary contributions, the arts and the unique individuals who are shaping the future of our special area. —Brigitte McFadden, Mill Valley Thank you for sharing the wonderful story about the generous husband who surprised his wife with a beach house in Stinson. It brought

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tears to my eyes. He is obviously a very hard working and thoughtful person who cherishes his wife and children. —Stefanie Glassner, Tiburon To add to your informative article on the town of Ross, I would like my shop Lea Designs to be included in Ross businesses. Many people think I’ve left town since the flood, but I’m still here and have relocated to the brown shingle Victorian at 27 Ross Common.

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Lea Designs, Inc. Letters to the editor may be edited for clarity and brevity. Send letters to Marin Magazine, One Harbor Drive, Suite 208, Sausalito, CA 94965. Or email to jwood@marinmagazine.com.

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

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Marin Beneﬁts from the MCF Criticisms and concerns result from long-range changes BY JIM WOOD

went to affordable housing projects in Point

a year from the foundation, but that may not

Reyes Station, Larkspur and Sausalito. Others

continue.” The Marin Community Foundation

were relatively small: $30,000 to expand a

underwrites about 15 percent of the agency’s

meeting room at the Marin Art and Garden

$1.4 million annual budget and Chater, on the

Center. In between were other grants: $385,000

job just 13 months, concedes Senior Access be-

went to the Marin Arts Council; $267,500 to

came dependent on the foundation and is now

Community Action Marin; $130,000 for the

scrambling for support. “Am I anxious? Sure,”

Marin Theatre Company. Hundreds of thou-

she says. “But anxiety won’t keep our doors

sands of dollars went to Marin City, Canal

open; hustling for dollars will.”

District, and West Marin causes and projects.

Other community leaders were less kind

“We never provide all the funds a nonprofit re-

toward the foundation but wouldn’t speak on

quires,” says Peters. “Rather, we stay well below

the record for fear of antagonizing the fund.

25 percent of the needed amount and partner

“They’re the only show in town,” said one, “and

with other agencies, foundations and private

they’ve become arrogant.” Remarked another:

donors to see that programs succeed.” Last year,

“Like any bureaucracy, they’re impersonal—

the foundation disbursed more than $50 mil-

they have to be.”

OLIDAYS ARE A TIME to talk about

Giacomini defends the decision. “Marin has

ing in Marin County and the Bay Area.

been blessed by the Marin Community

initiating, which fund special one-time proj-

reduce sustaining grants and free up maybe

Foundation. Still, as the season of giving ap-

ects, and sustaining, which provide operating

$12 million a year for initiating, or what I call

proaches, MCF is receiving considerable criticism.

and program support. The fund tries to evenly

‘impact’ grants.” Past recipients of such

I’m convinced these complaints are undeserved.

balance the two categories but has not always

grants, according to him, include San Rafael’s

what, 2,000 nonprofits?” he says. “It got out

blessings—and Marin has indeed

Basically, MCF has two types of grants:

of balance, so we established a ‘glide path’ to

The Marin Community Foundation’s story is

succeeded. “Like many foundations, we went

Pickleweed Park Community Center ($1.25 mil-

legendary: Leonard and Beryl Buck of Ross in-

overboard in sustaining a bunch of nonprofits

lion), the Mill Valley Community Center ($1

vested in an obscure Bakersfield oil field that,

and lost our ability to fund special projects,” ex-

million), and “The MYC,” Marin’s new youth

over time, grew exponentially. From $7 million

plains MCF board member and former county

center in San Rafael ($3.6 million).

at Mrs. Buck’s passing in 1975, its value soon

supervisor Gary Giacomini. Thus, in 2005, by a

“Marin is extraordinarily blessed to have

doubled and then catapulted into hundreds of

unanimous vote of the nine-member board, it

the magnitude of the Marin Community

millions of dollars. The Bucks willed their wealth

was decided to evenly balance the two types of

Foundation’s endowment,” says Elliot Levin,

to benefit Marin County, and currently, when

grants by 2008. The decision created a looming

president of Partnership Resources Group, a

combined with funds established by mostly

financial crisis for many Marin nonprofits and

22-member firm that advises foundations and

Marin-based families and businesses, the Marin

has generated considerable criticism.

nonprofits throughout the western United

Community Foundation has more than $1.1 bil-

“I don’t know if we’ll make it into 2007,”

States. “That said,” he adds, “whenever they

lion in assets. “It’s an astonishing story,” says

says Cris Chater, executive director of Senior

make a procedural change it’s bound to ruffle

Thomas Peters, president and CEO of the fund.

Access, a Novato day care center that accom-

some feathers.”

In fiscal 2005-06, MCF awarded over 225

modates 110 Marin developmentally disabled

grants. Some were large; more than $2 million

adults. “In the past, we received over $200,000

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

I totally agree with that point of view. Email jwood@marinmagazine.com.

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTO: BARBARA RIES

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AT A G LANC E

D ECEM BER Company–known for their physical comedy—will interpret this classic play by Molière. Marin Theatre Company (Mill Valley). 415.388.5208, marintheatre.org

of Clara and her adventures with the prince, complete with the lavish Victorian party scene and the battle of mice and soldiers. Marin Center (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

THRU MARCH 1 Dorothea Lange Don’t miss

DECEMBER 8 & 9 Faberge Watch Event The

a never-before-exhibited series of intimate family portraits and landscapes by Lange, best known for her WPA images documenting the Great Depression. Marin Community Foundation offices (Novato). 415.464.2500

North American premiere of this rare watch. Dr. Marcus Mohr of Faberge will be on hand to answer questions about the timepiece. Amir H. Mozaffarian, near Gump’s (SF). 415.391.9995, mozzafarian.com

▼

DECEMBER 15 Hanukkah begins at sunset!

DECEMBER 16 The Physics of Toys: Museum Melody Send out

▼

DECEMBER 9 Sausalito Lighted Yacht Parade This 19th annual event

THRU DECEMBER 10 Tartuffe The Dell’ Arte

▼

Stephen McKersie conducts the Marin Symphony Chamber Chorus and Orchestra as they perform music of the season. Church of Saint Raphael (San Rafael). 415.479.8100, marinsymphony.org

DECEMBER 2 & 3 Stapleton Ballet’s Nutcracker The timeless tale

▼

DECEMBER 2 & 3 A Festive Choral Concert

will include Grand Marshal Jim Gabbert on his 85-foot motor yacht Defiance. If you don’t have a boat, gather at Gabrielson Park, just north of the ferry landing, for the show (Sausalito).

the old year and usher in the new. Create and take home your own noisemaker. Exploratorium (SF). 415.561.0360, exploratorium.edu

DECEMBER 21–24 A Christmas Carol

DECEMBER 22 Woody Allen & His New Orleans Jazz Band Don’t miss this film legend playing the clarinet in the band’s first major U.S. tour. 142 Throckmorton Theatre (Mill Valley). 415.383.9600, 142throckmortontheatre.com ▼

EVE NT S IN MA R IN & B EYO N D

Mill Valley local Ron Severdia will perform more than 40 characters, from Tiny Tim to Scrooge, in a new solo performance of this classic. Barn Theater (Ross). 415.226.1316, humbugtheatre.com

DECEMBER 26 DECEMBER 28 First Fruits of the Harvest Daisy Dern and Celebrate Kwanzaa with Dave Gibson For one night

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

only, this husband-and-wife team bring their style of country music to Marin. Larkspur Café Theatre (Larkspur). 415.924.6107, larkspurcafetheatre.com ▼

hands-on activities, performances and food. Bay Area Discovery Museum (Sausalito). 415.339.3900, baykidsmuseum.org

DECEMBER 25 It’s Christmas Day!

DECEMBER 31 Ring in the New Year Join the San Francisco Symphony and dance the night away. When the clock strikes midnight, 2007 balloons will cascade from above. SF Symphony (SF). 415.864.6000, sfsymphony.org

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M A R I N GR E E N

Ginger Souders-Mason: Ladybug legacy BY MIMI TOWLE

The next time you see one of those round signs bear-

The signs resulted in the 1997 formation of the Marin

ing a big orange ladybug and the words “pesticide-free

Beyond Pesticides Coalition, a group Souders-Mason co-

zone,” think of Ginger Souders-Mason.

founded to address the concerns of the Health Council

Souders-Mason, a Marin resident since the early ’70s,

of Marin and Marin Breast Cancer Watch (now Zero

is a longtime environmentalist who has been instrumental

Breast Cancer). To encourage homeowners to use non-

in spreading the word on the perils of pesticides. Given

toxic, natural means of pest control, Souders-Mason

her several decades of activism, including multiple terms

and her cohorts created the ladybug sign for homeown-

as the president of the Environmental Forum of Marin,

ers to post in their pesticide-free yards. Why a ladybug?

it might be unfair to say the ladybug signs are Souders-

Because the cute little critters are voracious. An adult la-

Mason’s most signiﬁcant contribution to a greener Marin,

dybug can eat up to 50 aphids a day, more than enough

but they certainly are the most recognizable.

to keep roses blooming—without pesticide use. The signs have since been adopted as the symbol of action by the National Coalition for Pesticide Free Lawns. More than 15,000 ladybug signs can be spotted in 35 states and four countries. “Our greatest offenders are urban dwellers who have irrational reactions to insects, weeds or rodents,” SoudersMason says. “People also have inﬂated expectations about having the perfect green lawn, and to obtain that perfection, toxic chemicals are haphazardly employed.” Pesticides kill more than bugs, she adds—they can be ticking time bombs for humans. A recent study in the professional journal Endocrinology found just a single exposure of a fetus to a toxic chemical can predispose that child to cancer or a degenerative disease, and that condition can be transmissible to later generations. “What that tells me is that every exposure to a toxic pesticide is signiﬁcant,” she says. “I have had too many Marin friends diagnosed and die of cancer. It’s rinearly every perceived need. So why expose yourself and your loved ones?”

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTO: TIM PORTER

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Big Nights A Symphony Gala It was perfect weather for Marin Symphony’s gala dinner—which helped start off the orchestra’s 54th season. The Italian-themed dinner and décor, created by Stacy Scott, was a show-stopper with candelabras on each table and tasty antipasti and grilled

Linda Segais, Alasdair Neale, Andrea Schultz

Noralee Monestere, Corey Tong, Karen Stern, Lowell Tong

wild king salmon served to the 200 hungry guests. When it was time for the concert, attendees enjoyed conductor Alasdair Neale and guest pianist Orli Shaham, along with performances of Rossini’s Overture to “The Thieving Magpie,” Grieg’s Piano Concerto and two works by Respighi.

Jaya Seaver, Megan Clark

Marge and Lou Bartolini

Cinematic Moments Founded in 1978 by Director Mark Fishkin, the Mill Valley Film Festival has established a track record for launching new ﬁlms and Sydney Pollack

the careers of new ﬁlmmakers. At the opening night VIP party, classical gui-

Helen Mirren, Mark Fishkin

tarist Rob Grant entertained the crowd while Cosentino Wines and Soup to Nuts Catering satisfied the palate. Attendees enjoyed screenings of The Queen starring Helen Mirren and Catch a Fire with Tim Robbins and Derek Luke. Known as a ﬁlmmakers’ festival, the annual event offers a prestigious and non-comRichard and Susan Idell

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

petitive environment to celebrate independent and world cinema. MARINMAGAZINE.COM

MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL: SHERI MONTGOMERY/ HAMILTON INK / SYMPHONY: SHERI MONTGOMERY

Tim Robbins, Zoe Elton, Derek Luke

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Creative Giving Green Thumbs Marianne Giles, Sheri Mowbrae, Sarah Clark, Judi Shils

Richard and Marianne Peterson

Nearly 500 garden enthusiasts gathered in San Francisco Botanical Garden for Garden Feast, a benefit luncheon held in the heart of Golden Gate Park.

Becky Wong, Mark Bottini

Festivities included a tasting of epicurean treats by local purveyors of organic products and a silent auction offering

It Takes a Village

Philanthropists and Bay Area personalities came out for the Search for the Cause Under the Stars gala. Radio Alice morning show host Sarah Clark emceed the event, which featured cuisine prepared by chefs from Piatti, Insalata’s, Wild Fox, Poggio and Kitchen along with wines from Barra of Mendocino, Frey Vineyards, Parducci Wine Cellars and Yorkville Cellars. The heart of the evening was the Search for the Cause Photo Gallery, which featured celebrities and locals joining together.

rare plants and specialty tours of businesses promoting sustainable products. Guest speaker Michael Pollan, sustainable-food hero and author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, engaged guests with a talk about the importance of sustainable gardens.

At the Ross home of John and Frankie Gray, the Downtown San

Fun in the Italian Sun

Anselmo Merchants Association kicked off their partnership with

Recreational and

Marin Advocates for Children, the independent voice for vic-

competitive play-

tims of child abuse in

ers attempted to

Marin County, with a

get their ball clos-

Fall Into the Holidays

er to the pallino at

Fall Into the Holidays

party. The intimate event set the tone for

Frankie Gray, Lauren Gregory, Charles Mead, John Gray

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

Pamela Westfall Bochte, Bruce Bochte, Page Evans

WildCare’s 32-team round-robin Bocce

a fabulous and pros-

Ball Festival, held in

perous holiday sea-

San Rafael. The day didn’t stop with exciting tournament play, a

son in San Anselmo

delicious Italian buffet, vino by Bocce Wines, traditional regional

where participating

music and a silent auction were also on hand. The successful event

merchants will donate

raised money for WildCare, whose mission is to advocate for wild-

a percentage of their

life in a sustainable world through programs in environmental edu-

holiday sales to MAC.

cation and wildlife rehabilitation. MARINMAGAZINE.COM

CAUS E UND ER THE STARS: CRA IG STUART ADAMS / G REEN THUM B S: TOM GIBBONS

Sharon Woo, Lan-Hsin Adamsi

EXCLUSIVITY AND TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE. For devotees of fine mechanisms, Breitling has created a line of exceptional chronographs named “Breitling for Bentley”.Representing the culmination of sophisticated aesthetic research, these wrist instruments mirror the signature features of the famous British car manufacturer. Dedicated to the automobile world, they incorporate several exclusive technical characteristics, including a variable tachometer, and are propelled by high-performance “motors” patiently assembled by watchmakers at the peak of their art.Time is the ultimate luxury.

www.breitlingforbentley.com

PRESTIGE AND PERFORMANCE. Each inspired by its own “winged B” symbol, Breitling and Bentley share the same concern for perfection. The same extreme standards of reliability, precision and authenticity. The same unique blend of prestige and performance. Whether in the Breitling workshops or in the Bentley factory in Crewe, cutting-edge technology is placed in the service of noble traditions. Symbolising this communion of ideals, Breitling participated in styling the instrumentation of the Bentley Continental models, the most powerful ever built by Bentley.

SNAP

Reaching Out Cameron and Lisa Walsmith

A Breath Away Recently, Mill Valley’s All Wrapped hosted a fundraiser to support lung cancer awareness. The Saturday night soiree was a huge success and featured music by the local Cathy Rosekrans, Chris Brettingen, Jane Pallis, Janice Sunderland

band Strange Creek and

Donna and Tom Rutter

Funds raised at the par-

Model Survivors

ty will beneﬁt the Bonnie

Taiko drummers, Chinese lion dancers, women in leather and

J. Ad d a r i o A B re a t h

breast cancer? Seven hundred guests celebrated and honored 37

Awa y f ro m t h e C u re

models—all breast cancer survivors—at the 11th annual Stepping

Foundation, a non-profit

Out to Celebrate Life. The Asian-themed fundraiser featured a

organization dedicated to

dinner, dance and fashion show to raise money for To Celebrate

eradicating lung cancer

Life Breast Cancer Foundation. The all-volunteer nonproﬁt raises

through research, screen-

funds and dispenses grants to Bay Area organizations that provide

ing, education, prevention

support programs, early detection screening, and emotional and

and treatment.

educational services for women and men living with breast cancer.

A Fashion Legend

Ralph Rucci, James Galanos, Tatiana Sorokko, Serge Sorokko

Recently, the Serge Sorokko Gallery welcomed fashion legend James Galanos as he presented his ﬁrst-ever art exhibition, James Galanos: Photographs, which features more than 40 abstract photographic works. Guests, including Wolfgang Puck, Serge and Tatiana Sorokko and Robert Johnson, sipped Mumm Cordon Rouge, chatted with Galanos and browsed the gallery.

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

Dreams for Success Re c e n t l y, S t . John partnered with Dress for Success to help disadvantaged women achieve economic independence. The nonprofit helps women acquire jobs, retain Carolyn Gerin, their new posiMargaret Ghirardelli Lawrence tions and succeed in the workplace. Customers who donated a St. John suit from a previous collection received a $200 credit toward the purchase of a new St. John suit. The evening was a hit, with over 45 suits being donated.

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

AL L W RAP PED P H OTOS : SHERI M ONTGO MERY / SOROKKO GALLE RY: TOM GI BBONS

barbecued local oysters.

SNAP

Grand Openings Ribbon Cutting After months of extensive renovations, Strawberry Village Shopping Center kicked-off its grand opening festivities with a ribbon cutting ceremony in front of Mill Valley Candleworks. New clients include The Spanish Table, La Boulange, Smith & Hawken and Nancy Koltes. Kathy Severson, Kim Facas

Anne Solem, Nick Javaras

Joanna and Francesca San Diego

Michael and Marni Salit

Giving Hope Making a Splash Last October, and nine months to the day following the devastating New Year’s holiday ﬂoods, Sam the Butcher was reborn as Sam the Butcher Contemporary Art, with a grand opening and artist reception. The specialty art

Kay Carlson

gallery’s premiere exhibit, After Pour, features the sophis-

Kim Rawlings, Georgette Osserman, Dr. Gail Shimokaji

ticated, colorful and uplifting work of local artist Georgette Osserman and is sy m b o l i c of t h e ﬂoods that battered

Corte Madera’s Book Passage partnered with the Marin Education Fund for a book signing and luncheon at the Marin Civic Center that att ra c t e d ove r 1200 Marinites to see the possible presidential candidate in person. Senator Barack Obama gave a short talk and spent the afternoon signing copies of his recent book, The Audacity of Hope—a must read for all who want to get to know this potential future president better. Isabelle Allende, Barack Obama

the area. 44

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

R IBBON C UTTING : SHERI M ONTG OMERY / S AM TH E BU TCHER: PAULA JAR RE TT AND DA N A D RA P E R / B A RACK O B A M A : M A R GOT D UA N E

Clint Massey-Blake, Jan Harder

IF ONLY YOUR LIFE WERE THIS ORGANIZED. At Closet Factory, we create custom storage solutions that fit your home exactly. Our Designers are masters at making closets, home theaters, offices and garages that feel twice as big. And look twice as good. VIEW THE NEW CONCIERGE OFFICE AT THE VILLAGE AT CORTE MADERA DESIGNED AND INSTALLED BY CLOSET FACTORY

Complimentary Design Consultation Available

800.999.6607 Or Visit Our Showroom 655 DuBois Street, Suite C San Rafael, CA 94901

www.closetfactory.com

SNAP

Around the Bay Garrett Loube, Annie Palmer

Party for the Planet

Chris Evert, Tracy Austin, Bob Kaliski, Mary Joe Fernandez, Conchita Martinez

Marin environmentalists crossed the bridge for Moulin Blue, Bluewater Network’s fourth annual one-of-a-kind fundraising gala. The magical eveRussell Long, Mark Leno, Danielle Fugere, Dan Sap

ning included world-class circus acts specially created by Helene Turcotte, director of the San Francisco School of Circus

Match Point

Arts. Bluewater Network

Recently, the Harbor Point Charitable Foundation hosted the 2006

is committed to stopping

Comcast Women’s Tennis Classic. The goal of the exhibition is to

environmental damage

create an environment encouraging sponsors and spectators to

from vehicles and ves-

join tennis professionals and collegiate tennis leaders for a week-

sels, and protecting human health and the planet by reducing de-

end of exciting tennis to beneﬁt Bay Area charities. Tennis legend

pendence on fossil fuels. Proceeds from Moulin Blue benefitted

Chris Evert headlined the weekend event, which included high-en-

Bluewater’s Clean Vessels Campaign, which has set the standard

ergy matches, a welcoming cocktail reception and a gala dinner at

for sustainable water transportation in California and the nation.

the Jewish Community Center.

Trails Forever Peace Day Recently Marinites gathered in a peace circle in the Marin Center courtyard for International Peace Brian O’Neill, Charlene Harvey, Greg Moore

Day, a day designated by the United James O’Dea

Nations 23 years ago. The idea is to

At the recent Trails Forever Dinner, Greg

have a day of global

Moore, executive director of the Golden

cease-ﬁre and nonvi-

Gate National Parks Conservancy, wel-

olence. The event in-

comed guests to an evening of dinner,

cluded a showing of

dancing and an exciting live auction. When

children’s “Vision of

guests weren’t bidding on items like a

Peace” entries from

clambake at Baker Beach, they were indulging in grilled Pacific wild salmon and

local schools and

pear upside-down cake—all to benefit the

music by troubadour Scott Huckabay and

creation of a world-class trail system north and south of the Golden Gate.

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

Cindi and Jamie Lee, Kimberly Danek Pinkson

songwriter Sarah Eden Davis. MARINMAGAZINE.COM

TRAILS F OREVER: CH ARLOTTE F IORITO

Tina Dominguez

Building Healthy Families State-of-the-Art Fertility Solutions Laboratory Excellence Warm Personal Care

FREE MD PHONE CONSULTS • EXCLUSIVE ON-SITE EGG DONOR AGENCY • PHYSICIAN LED SEMINARS

Pacific Fertility Center 888.834.3095 • InfertilityDoctor.com All MDs recognized as “Best Doctors” (see BestDoctors.com) for 2005-2006 All MDs ABOG board certified Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Specialists Pacific Fertility Center • 55 Francisco Street, Ste 500 • Egg Donor Agency, Ste 300 • San Francisco, CA 94133 Philip Chenette, MD • Joe Conaghan, PhD • Carolyn Givens, MD • Carl Herbert, MD • Isabelle Ryan, MD • Eldon Schriock, MD

SNAP

The Cause The IRC Dinner

Tom Brokaw and daughter Jennifer Brokaw

T h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Re s c u e Committee is at work in 25 countries, distributing life-saving aid, rebuilding devastated communities, establishing schools and training teachers, caring for war-traumatized children and more. Recently, at the St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco, former NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw hosted the evening’s program which honored the International Rescue Committee staff for their dedication and sacriﬁce. James and Kyle Redford

Mill Valley Honors

Dr. Joan Steidinger, Anne Solem

At this year’s 12th annual Milley Awards, coveted statuettes were presented to seven recipients. The award recognizes those who through their accomplishments in the arts have brought honor to the Mill Valley community. This year’s award winners included Craig Frazier, Laurie Cohen, Elaine Petrocelli, Bill Petrocelli, Peggy Salkind, Rob Nilsson and Jane Hirshﬁel.

Chris Hockett, Janet Harris

Funds for the Theater Heidi Snow, Tom Spengler

A Time to Remember In honor of the ﬁfth anniversary of 9/11, ACCESS, a national nonproﬁt organization that offers aircraft casualty emotional support services, held its second annual Hearts, Clubs and Aces poker and golf tournament at StoneTree Golf Club. Ma ste r of c e re m o n i e s Sydnie Kohara, ACCESS

Last September, the Ross Valley Players

President Andrew August

held their gala fundraiser at the Marin Art

and ACCESS founder Heidi

and Garden Center. The evening featured

Snow were on hand to en-

a performance by jazz vocalist Marsha Remas, backed up by the Big Spenders, a

sure guests enjoyed them-

silent auction and an enticing buffet. The

selves and bid on sensa-

night raised $10,000 for the Ross Valley Players Barn Improvement Fund.

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

tional auction items—includJohn Barrett, Scott Case, Kevin Bushe, Keith Sedwick

ing a meeting with Mayor Gavin Newsom. MARINMAGAZINE.COM

IRC D I NNER: D REW ALTIZER / MILL VALL EY H ONORS: JIM BLO CK

Mary Beth Halsing, Buzz Halsing, Maurice Thouvenin, Heather Gordo

COVER CONTEST Marin Magazine’s 1st Annual Cover Contest

O F L L CA

PHOTOGRAPHY

S E I R T N E R

PAINTING

I LLU STR ATION

EXPOSURE : MAY 2007 GET COVERED Cover Contest provides artists with an opportunity to gain exposure for their work. MARIN MAGAZINE will feature the ﬁrst place winner’s art on the cover of the May issue, followed by the second and third place winners. MARIN ART SALON will feature the winner’s art at the opening of the Marin Art Salon on May 9, 2007.

Contest Eligibility and Rules are available at www.marinmagazine.com/getcovered All entries must be received by March 1, 2007.

FA S H I ON TRENDS

2 5

Fresh Takes on a Classic This month’s top choice for jewelry has long been called the Queen of Gems—and for good reason. John Loring’s new book Tiffany Pearls deﬁnes the pearl as “the only gem perfect in itself, its natural beauty unaided by cutting, faceting and polishing.” The ideal complement to your holiday dress, the pearl’s timeless style is still fashion forward.

1. Sea Bling On the left or right hand, this South Sea pearl ring in platinum will dazzle. $8,265 at Dilek Sezen (SF). 415.810.1002, dileksezen.com

2. Blossoming Beauty This alluring freshwater pearl and diamond ﬂower brooch brings back sunny memories. $4,800 at Amir H. Mozaffarian (SF). 415.391.9995, mozzafarian.com

3. A Bit of Culture A freshwater cultured pearl and 18-karat gold chain necklace by David Yurman might be just the antidote to holiday stress. $4,900 at Bloomingdale’s (SF). 415.856.5300, bloomingdales.com

4. Coco’s Finest Make a statement with these Swing Perle earrings in 18-karat white gold with South Sea pearls and diamonds from Les Perles de Chanel collection. $50,000 at select Chanel ﬁne jewelry boutiques (SF). 800.550.0005, chanel.com

5. Breakfast at Tiffany’s 3

Holly Golightly would have loved this cultured golden South Sea pearl diamond pendant in platinum. $20,000 at Tiffany & Co. (SF). 415.781.7000, tiffany.com by somer flaherty

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

La Sede Bella European Fabrics, English & French Countr y Furniture

HAPPY HOLIDAYS 535 San Anselmo Avenue, San Anselmo, CA 94960 • Open Daily • 415.453.8200

FA S H I ON TRENDS after 2 after 4

before

1 before after before 3 after

Recycled Rocks If loose diamonds, old rings or outdated family heirlooms aren’t getting their use, try re-creating the gem into a custom design with a local jeweler.

1. Objet d’art

5 before

This family heirloom needed to be brought back to life (and used) but the 1920s antique platinum brooch made it difﬁcult to wear. Designer Ashley Berman recreated an art deco three-stone ring mounting with leaf detailing, a perfect ﬁt for the champagne fancy diamond that slid right in. Ashley Morgan (SF). 415.205.6228, ashleymorgandesigns.com

2. Independent Gems A client who had a collection of loose diamonds wanted modern artistic jewelry that was still classic and able to be worn every day. The result is an 18-karat gold and platinum bangle bracelet with matching ring. The design’s bezels also work well for both durability and highlighting. Deleuse Jewelers (Tiburon). 415.435.2484, deleusejewelers.com

3. I Thee Wed A recently engaged client wanted to make a ring with an old European cut diamond that had been in the family since 1870. The soon-to-be

after

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

bride wanted the diamond pendant reset into a design that reﬂected the style and elegance of the original. The 18-karat yellow gold ring was handcrafted using vintage steel dies and a saw-pierced openwork design on the ornate head, which holds the family diamond. Old Gold (Tiburon). 415.789.9583

4. Adaptability A client’s good-quality South Sea pearls were on a simple hook, which she thought made them appear faux and less elegant. To add versatility and beauty, they were reset in 18-karat yellow gold and diamond hoops that can be detached from the pearl and worn alone on simple occasions. Union Street Goldsmith (SF). 415.776.8048, unionstreetgoldsmith.com

5. Retrospection A customer had inherited a diamond pin from the 1930s from her grandmother. It meant a great deal to her, but she rarely wore it. To keep the sentiment but change the setting, the shape of the pin was emulated on a ring. The mounting for the center diamond was built up, making it sturdy and ready for everyday wear. Valentino (Novato). 415.898.1915, valentinogold.com

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

FA S H I O N

life style Name Sandy Holbrook James Home Sausalito Occupation Mom, volunteer, outdoor junkie What are you wearing? I just got this sweater at Allie G in Mill Valley. The skirt is Chanel; I found it in a vintage boutique on the East Coast. I bought the boots at Scoop in New York a few years ago, and I never leave the house without my Nixon watch! Where would you wear this outfit? I’d wear this to lunch in the city or a party—if I ever have the opportunity. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? Five to ten minutes, whether I am taking the kids to school, going to a workout or have a special occasion. I don’t put too much thought into my everyday wardrobe. Describe your personal style. I have always had my own style—somewhat eclectic, keeping a simple but sexy, carefree and natural look. I love great shoes and whether I am dressing up (which is rare) or casually, shoes make the outﬁt. Who are your fashion influences? I like the personal styles of Kate Hudson and Sheryl Crow as well as fashion designers who create individual one-of-a-kind pieces.

Where do you love to shop in Marin? I like Canvas, as they are usually the ﬁrst to have designers like Diane Von Furstenberg 54

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DECEMBER 2006

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

BARBARA RI ES

Favorite designers? I like unique, not necessarily well-known designers as well as some of the big players. For instance, one of my favorites is Catherine Malandrino—I love the way her clothes ﬁt me. I also love local designer (and my best friend) Neely Mack. Her collection of clothes and shoes from Italy is incredible.

and Catherine Malandrino. Both stores offer some unique pieces and designers that I tend to gravitate toward. I can always ﬁnd great basics at Allie G and Cavallo. I also have found fun casual pieces at the Yoga Studio! What is always in your bag/pockets? Lip gloss (or chapstick), cell phone and my wallet. What is the single most essential piece in your wardrobe? Shoes! Shoes! Shoes! I love shoes and tend to buy styles that are classic and sexy and will last forever. Stilettos, whether a strappy sandal or an awesome pump, are timeless. Also, investing in some great boots is a must. If you buy the right shoes and take care of them, they will last for years. What would you never be caught dead in? Blazers—they bother me (it’s personal!). What do you splurge on? Shoes. Surprise, surprise.

TASTE. BALANCE. HAND-CRAFTED ONE BARREL AT A TIME.

R U S S I A N R I V E R VA L L E Y

What is your best cheapo secret? First of all, I don’t buy bulk, so I don’t succumb to those infamous thousand-dollar shopping frenzies. I also ﬁnd great treasures on the sales racks of my favorite shops. What’s your fashion pet peeve? Frumpiness. Women have so many choices when it comes to fashion and personal style. We live in a casual environment, which allows women to be completely ﬂexible with their wardrobe, so take advantage! Why dress frumpy when one has so many choices? One does not need money or a huge wardrobe to have a sense of style. What’s the most expensive thing you’ve ever bought? I was just in Las Vegas with my family celebrating my mom’s birthday, and I bought a dress by Narciso Rodriguez. I loved it, and I knew I had the perfect shoes to go with it at home. Did it make you happy? Yes, but very guilty. But it is something I will have forever and hopefully pass on to one of my girls. MARINMAGAZINE.COM

lacrema.com

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

FYI GIFTS

GIVE THE GIFT OF HOPE THIS SEASON Sometimes philanthropy can be the best present of all. This holiday season, give a double gift, one that taps into your recipient’s passions—the environment, local issues or wildlife—and at the same time helps a needy nonproﬁt.

BY SOMER FLAHERTY

Chickens and their eggs provide nutrition and income to Rwandan children (recipients of Heifer International) orphaned by AIDS.

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

CHARITIES TO SUPPORT National and International Charities Adopt a Classroom F or a $ 50 0 donation you can adopt a local or national classroom. The classroom teacher will be able to order supplies through Adopt a Classroom and an invoice will be sent to your recipient refl ecting how the donation was spent. 3 0 5.6 7 4 .4 4 7 0 , adoptaclassroom.com

ASPCA Sponsor Brutus the dog, F abio the cat or one of the many other shelter animals with a one-time or monthly donation. The ASP CA’s ongoing fight to prevent cruelty to animals includes national programs like humane education, shelter outreach and the ASP CA Animal P oison Control Center. 2 12 .8 7 6 .7 7 0 0 , aspca.org

Heifer International Buy a goat, water buffalo, or other animal for a struggling international family and help bring an end to world hunger. A good dairy cow can produce four gallons of milk per day– enough for a family to drink, share with neighbors and have enough left over to sell for an income. Healthy cows can also have a calf every other year ( as long as there are healthy bulls around) , allowing heifer recipients to pass the animal’s offspring on to others in need, which eventually helps an entire community become self-reliant. 8 0 0 .6 9 6 .19 18 , heifer.org

International Rescue Committee (IRC) OPPOSITE PHOTO: DA RCY KIEF EL

The American Institute of P hilanthropy bestowed an A+

on this charity. Bring hope and

relief to refugees and other displaced people whose lives have been uprooted by violent confl ict, oppression or natural disaster with a one-time or monthly donation. Committed to restoring dignity and self-reliance, the IR C delivers lifesaving aid in emergencies. 2 12 .551.3 0 0 0 , theirc.org

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

Local Charities Adopt a Family of Marin Due to an unex pected crisis in their lives, many parents find themselves needing help to provide for their children. Adopt a local family and make their holiday wishes come true. After receiving a profile and gift wish list, start shopping! Bring the wrapped presents to Adopt a F amily headq uarters, where they’ll be distributed. 4 15.4 56 .7 8 0 5, adoptafamily.org

Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity (AHO) G oing through the transition into adulthood can be difficult, especially without a safety net or strong family support. AHO offers young adults ages 18 to 2 5 who are at risk of being homeless stable housing and guidance. Make a donation, in your recipient’s name, to a specific program or purpose to help AHO in its mission. 4 15.3 8 1.7 17 3 , ahoproj ect.org

Marin Advocates for Children As the independent voice for victims of child abuse and neglect, this nonprofit agency has two agendas– preventing abuse and advocating for the best interests of children in court. Donate proceeds from any eBay sale or give to the special needs fund, which allows these children to participate in camps, field trips or prom. 4 15.50 7 .9 0 16 , marinadvocates.org

Marin Education Fund Marin Education F und provides college access programs, scholarships and support to low-income students in Marin. F or an annual contribution of $ 1,0 0 0 or more a scholarship is established in the name of your giftee. Donors may suggest specific criteria for named scholarship recipients. The full 10 0 percent of contributions go directly to scholarships. 4 15.4 51.4 0 0 5, marineducationfund.org

Ritter Center The R itter Center helps those in need in Marin, particularly those at risk of homelessness.

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

The center offers everything from shower and laundry facilities, food and clothing to crisis counseling, medical care and referrals to shelters and other agencies. Sign up for the annual Family-to-Family program. The center matches donors with recipients. The donors are then able to lend a hand in purchasing holiday food and gifts for them. The supplies are expected to help 600 local families this year. 415.457.8182, rittercenter.org

Save-the-Redwoods League Working to preserve ancient forests since 1918, the league has protected over 165,000 acres. For a donation of $50 or more, have a redwood seedling planted in one of California’s redwood parks as a gift for your favorite tree-hugger. They’ll be notified by Save-the-Redwoods with a commemorative card depicting an ancient grove. 415.362.2352, savetheredwoods.org

The Marine Mammal Center Rescuing and rehabilitating seals, sea lions, otters, porpoises and dolphins is expensive work. Each of these patients requires food and antibiotics—some even need surgical procedures. Adopt a former patient of the center to help today’s current patients have a second chance at life. A $30 gift will feed a malnourished seal for a day. The mammal-lover will receive a photo of the adoptee, a personalized certificate of adoption, an animal biography and a recent issue of the center’s newsletter. 415.289.7339, marinemammalcenter.org

WildCare It’s no small task to care for injured wild animals in Marin. Wildcare’s wildlife rehabilitation hospital accepts more than 4,000 ill, injured and orphaned wild animal patients; the Living with Wildlife hotline answers thousands of calls, and the Terwilliger Nature Education program reaches more than 40,000 local school-

Sparkle, Glam, Bobbles & More, Everything You Need for the Holiday’s Galore! Come Celebrate at Our Annual Holiday Party 25% off everything in the store! Champagne & Hors d’Oeurves December 12 & 13, 4-8 pm

green apples

children. Support with a $25 to $1,000 wild animal adoption. Choose from a hummingbird, squirrel, pelican, fox, owl or bobcat. The package comes with a certificate of adoption, a fullcolor photo and natural history information on the animal. 415.453.1000, wildcaremarin.org

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

FYI GIFTS

It’s the ultimate holiday conundrum.

Acme Fine Wines

whites or one of each—every month. In addition

What do you get the person who has

If you’re looking for a club that will leave them

to the vino, an informational sheet packed with

privy to up-and-coming wines, opt for the

food pairing ideas, recipes and winemaker inter-

everything? The perfect choice may be a gift that keeps on giving and

Under the Radar club, from well-known Napa

views is included in each shipment. Price: $40–

Valley oenophiles David Stevens and Karen

$80, 415.331.2001, bacchusandvenus.com

satisfies the palate—like a wine club

Williams. The duo has strong relationships in

membership. Depending on the club,

the industry, allowing them to showcase wines

California Wine Club

that aren’t readily available. They’ll send one,

If supporting small, family-owned wineries

two or three (usually two) bottles every month

seems ideal, choose the California Wine Club.

be familiarized with new varietals or

that will soon be the toast of the town. Price:

Each month, proprietors Bruce and Pam scour

be reintroduced to blockbuster favor-

$125, 707.963.0440, acmefinewines.com

Temecula to Santa Barbara and Sonoma to Napa

your recipient will explore local gems,

ites—and all with the convenience of delivery straight to their door.

BY SOMER FLAHERTY

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

to fill the company’s inventory with bottles they

Bacchus and Venus Wine Club

say aren’t normally found at the average local

Want more of a choice in the matter? They’ll se-

wine shop. Expect two to four bottles per month,

cure the acclaimed names like Cakebread and

depending on the type of club chosen. Price:

Duckhorn and you’ll pick from two reds, two

$32.95–$175, 800.777.4443, cawineclub.com

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

P H OTO: BARBA RA R IE S

WRAP UP A WINE CLUB

KQED Wine Club For a club with an international appeal, select KQED. For everyday drinking, go with the International Section, which includes six different bottles from around the world every one, two or three months. For special occasions, pick the Reserve Section; it’s like enjoying a bottle off the wine list from the area’s top restaurants. Best of all, the wine club proceeds help support KQED programming. Price: $90, $180, 866.909.5733 kqedwineclub.org

Mill Valley Market A grand gourmet market and an independent grocery store all in one, the market’s success has been dependent on its proprietor’s pride in offering high-quality grocery products and what they say, an unparallel selection of wine. The wine department staff review doesn’t discriminate on geography; they explore wines from around the world to find two outstanding bottles to deliver each month. Price: $20, $30 or $60, 415.388.8466, millvalleymarket.com

The Perfect Grape Based in Sausalito and run by two Brits, Simon Littler and Donald Munro, the Perfect Grape introduces great wines (their experts taste hundreds of bottles for each one they ship) at superb value from all parts of the globe. The shipment includes six wines, their enigmatic tasting notes and delicious recipe pairings. The gift will even benefit a favorite nonprofit or local school—the company has partnered with eSCRIP to contribute 5 percent of purchases. Price: $75, 866.671.9463, perfectgrape.com

The Rack & Roll Wine Club Give them a little piece of Marin with a twiceyearly shipment of four savory red wines in the winter and four new releases of Pey-Marin Vineyards and Mount Tamalpais Vineyards wines in April. In addition, seasonal menus featuring local food, invites to special events (like winemaker dinners) and updates on new area restaurants will be included. Price: $90–$100 per shipment, 415.455.9463, marinwines.com

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

FYI GIFTS

PACK YOUR BAGS: TRAVEL IS THE UNIQUE HOLIDAY GIFT The holidays are steeped in family traditions—lighting the menorah, trimming the Christmas tree, dinner with loved ones and unwrapping presents. However, this season it may be time to establish a new practice, one that offers those same lasting memories along with a peek into another culture. Banish the usual gift-giving and try a one-of-a-kind adventure.

BY SOMER FLAHERTY

Backroads

follow the trail to Machu Picchu, where ar-

itated and passed away. Travel along the plains

Kentfield local Tom Hale had a middle-of-

chaeological ruins, the Sacred Valley of the

of the Ganges to the foothills of the Himalayas,

the-night inspiration to start a bike touring

Incas and colorful Quechua markets will be

all the while seeing the remains of ancient

company, which motivated him to pedal 5,000

discovered. Expert guides guarantee the histo-

monasteries, museums and sacred gardens,

miles alone through the West, all the while

ry and extraordinary culture will be revealed.

along with temples and villages that have

formulating plans for his new business.

800.462.2848, backroads.com

changed little in the last 2,500 years. Shantum

Fast-forward 27 years and today Backroads annu-

Buddha Path

history of India and how it fits in with the

walking and multisport vacations. Destinations

Nourish your soul on a spiritual trip to India

Buddhist teachings. When it’s time to take a

range from close-by wine country to vintage

with the Buddha Path travel company and

rest from the day’s pilgrimmage, relax in com-

settings in France, the pampas of Patagonia and

Buddhist scholar Shantum Seth, who has

fortable and safe accommodations at some of

the Peruvian Andes. The tours will add more

been leading pilgrimages since 1988. After

the best hotels in the area. When you’re not

oomph to the family vacation, bringing the his-

arriving in New Delhi, visit the actual sites

soaking up local culture, exploring neighbor-

tory textbook to life while exploring the path

where the historical Buddha was born, spent his

ing countries is encouraged. 888.279.1484,

of an ancient civilization. Venture to Peru and

childhood, attained enlightenment, taught, med-

buddhapath.com

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

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P H OTO: PATRIC K FINLEY

Seth will add context to scenery, telling the

ally hosts more than 14,000 travelers on biking,

Ciclismo Classico Biking in Marin isn’t just a sport; it’s a lifestyle. But when it’s time for a change of scenery, take the family on a Ciclismo Classico tour. How about a spin from Venice to Bologna or a pedal through Piedmont’s truffle capital? Itineraries are designed to reveal the beauty of each

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region, and the local tour leaders can give behind-the-scenes access into the culture like no one else can. The trip also promises to improve your cycling skills. Riders can take part in clinics for gear shifting, cadence, positioning, climbing and descending as they pedal through the streets and country roads of Italy. 800.866.7314, ciclismoclassico.com

Classic Journeys For the gastronomist wanting to take cooking to a whole new level, try a gourmet tour of Provence, Tuscany and the Amalfi coast. The activity menu includes casual cooking instruc-

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tion in local kitchens along with meet-andgreets with the cheese-makers, truffle-hunters, bakers and olive pressers in each region. Work off the fine food (and make room for more) with included walking tours that reveal the small cities discovered along the way. Savor the results of this epicurean tour and offer to cook next year’s holiday dinner! 800.200.3887, classicjourneys.com

Luxury Travel Consultants San Rafael resident Anne Suire grew up in France and moved to San Francisco 15 years ago to attend culinary school, later working as a private chef and cooking for visiting dignitaries. After years of travel, Suire now organizes and leads luxury trips for small

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groups, through Provence, Bordeaux, Paris, the Lake Como area and Normandy. The cus-

tom trips include first-class train rides and accommodations in centuries-old mansions with amenities like private chauffeurs, chefs and masseuses. As if that weren’t enough, Suire

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also offers personal shopping. 415.309.2867, luxurytravelconsultant.com

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MARIN DECEMBER 2006

F Y I B O O KS

BOOKS FOR THE HOLIDAYS Make your list—and check it twice—with our helpful gift guide BY OLIVIA BOLER urkeys roasting, pumpkin pies baking,

Hawaii: A Sense of Place by Mary Philpotts

sence of island culture to what is recognized

cans of cranberries stocked on super-

McGrath with Kaui Philpotts ($45, Mutual

today as a cogent contemporary style. She

market shelves. December is that time

Publishing). For some in the Bay Area, au-

also instructs readers on ways to create an

of year for family gatherings and shortening

tumn inspires a wistful yearning for tropical

aloha feel in their own homes.

days, when a chill infuses the air along with

climes. If it’s too cold here for sunbathing in

the perfume of wood smoke. It also marks

our favorite plumeria-print swim trunks or sa-

Big Small Plates by Cindy Pawlcyn with Pablo

the beginning of the winter holiday shopping

rong, we can at least get a taste of the trop-

Jacinto and Erasto Jacinto ($35, Ten Speed

frenzy—unless you’re one of the few with the

ics with this gorgeous new coffee-table book.

Press). Planning a party is often one of the

foresight to start making your gift purchases

Hawaii: A Sense of Place showcases the interi-

most gratifying and at the same time stressful

in June. Whether you celebrate Christmas,

or design of some of the islands’ most beauti-

undertakings out there. With Pawlcyn’s new

Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or winter solstice, here’s

ful homes. Philpotts McGrath, one of Hawaii’s

book, hosts and hostesses can serve flavorful

a roundup of gift books sure to please even the

foremost interior designers, traces the evolu-

dishes that inspire much oohing and aahing

most persnickety recipient on your list.

tion of the Hawaiian aesthetic from the es-

but don’t require a lot of fuss. Favorite recipes

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

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from the woman who gave foodies the wildly popular Napa destination restaurant Mustards

Napa Valley’s Premier Spa and Fitness Club

Grill include Bubbly Baked Brie and Asparagus with Toasted Hazelnuts, Tuna Tostada with Watermelon Salsa and Tomatillo Salsa, and the ever so cutely named Teeny Weeny Bikini Banana Split. The Holiday Yule Log ($12.95, Cider Mill Press). “The stockings were hung by the chimney with care”—but wait! What if there’s no chimney? Sadly, not every home has a fireplace for Saint Nick’s clandestine entrance, a predicament that’s sent many a parent back to the Christmas mythology drawing board. With The Holiday Yule Log gift book, families can at least enjoy a crackling fire—all they need is a DVD player hooked up to a TV or computer monitor. This kit includes a sound track of holiday favorites for willing wassailers, with accompanying sing-along books. And just maybe your kids will buy it if you tell them Santa Claus will pop out of the virtual fireplace. Will Shortz Presents the Giant Gift Book of Sudoku: 300 Wordless Crossword Puzzles by Will Shortz and Peter Ritmeester ($9.95, St. Martin’s Griffin). For the puzzle addict in your life, this paperback is just the stocking stuffer to please. New York Times crossword puzzle editor Shortz is also NPR’s Weekend Edition

holiday gift giving made simple

Sunday puzzle master and focus of last summer’s documentary Wordplay. If you’re unfamiliar with Sudoku, the concept is simple: nine boxes within nine boxes filled with the

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numerals one through nine, whose completion relies on logic. Puzzles start out easy and get increasingly more difficult—ballpoint pen users beware. Viva Colores: A Salute to the Indomitable People of Guatemala by Paola Gianturco and David Hill ($39.95, powerHouse Books). Mill Valley photographer Gianturco with her coauthor/husband Hill have put forth a spectacular collection of images spanning ten years. Having lost over a million individuals and endured

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a three-decade-long civil war, Guatemalans

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MARIN DECEMBER 2006

Firm thighs. Lifted seats. Flat abs.

manage to carry on, and they do so without losing hope for happiness. Their unconquerable spirit is obvious in what the authors rightly describe as a “cacophony of color that assaults you.” Written in Spanish and English, the 41 profiles in this book will both move and inspire. The authors are donating their royalties to a nongovernmental organization doing work in the Guatemala Highlands—truly, a gift book that keeps on giving.

MORE HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS The California Directory of Fine Wineries, 3rd edition, by Marty Olmstead with photographs by Mill Valley’s Robert Holmes ($19.95, Ten Speed Press) Marin Farm Families: Stories and Recipes, ($12, Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) and Marin County Community Development Agency) Lines: The Snowboard Photography of Sean Sullivan, by Sean Sullivan ($19.95, MBI) First a Dream: A Community Builds a Library, by Jo Ann Ridley ($35, Vision Books International) California 24/7, by Rick Smolan

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and David Elliot Cohen ($24.95, DK

STRENGTH = greater performance.

Knapp ($45, Mountain Vision Press)

FLEXIBILITY = less muscle soreness.

Don’t Fear the Shark, by Jonathan

STAMINA = more exhilarating runs! Childcare Available 208 Bon Air Center, Greenbrae (behind Mollie Stone’s) 66

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

Publishing) Point Reyes 20 Years, by Marty

Kathrein ($17.99, BookSurge) Moments: The Pulitzer Prize– Winning Photographs, by Hal Buell

(415) 461-4461 www.barmethod.com

($29.95, Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers)

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LOCAL TYPE NEW BOOKS BY BAY AREA AUTHORS

The Tiburon Peninsula, by Branwell Fanning ($19.99, Arcadia Publishing) Did you know Tiburon was once considered a “rough-and-tumble party town”? From the popular Images of America series comes

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an installment chronicling the remarkable history of what people know today as a serene suburban enclave. Fanning, a former mayor of Tiburon as well as its historian, presents over 200 fascinating photos portraying the town from the mid-1800s through the present. Nicole Kidman, by David Thomson ($24.95, Knopf) From San Francisco film historian and author of The New Biographical Dictionary of Film comes a biography of one of today’s most intriguing actors. More than just a movie star, Kidman has earned the respect of her peers and fans through her work ethic and talent. Thomson, through his portrayal, explores the meaning of celebrity. Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the American Navy, by Ian W. Toll ($27.95, Norton) Before the ink had dried on the U.S. Constitution, establishment of a permanent military became the most divisive issue facing the new government. Would a standing army be akin to a dictatorship? Would a navy installed to give protection

Cdl DeZc We are reinventing the neighborhood pharmacy — prescriptions, natural medicine and a professional staff all under one roof.

from pirates be worth the financial cost? San Francisco author Toll, who has worked as an analyst on Wall Street and for the Federal Reserve, recounts a grand tale in his first book.

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F Y I T R AV E L

Holiday Escape HEAD TO THE CITY FOR SOME R & R BY MIMI TOWLE FFICE PARTIES, school plays, gift shopping—none of these

annual events are mandatory, but they all contribute to the crescendo of the season. This year, escape the bustle

and treat yourself to an overnight in San Francisco. Explore the new Westfield center: three stories of high-end international boutiques including the new Bloomingdale’s. Does it live up to the hype? You can decide over fresh poh pia rolls, roti prata bread and a glass of wine at the new Straits Café on the top floor. With over 32,000 hotel rooms to choose from, there is something for every budget and preference. Here are three venues that are sure to please.

Hotel Vitale

HOTEL VITALE Marin County never looked as good as it does from the penthouse suite of this boutique hotel. Regardless of the view—ranging from stunning water to cityscape vistas—all the guest rooms feature limestone bathrooms, 440-thread-count sheets and a soft and subtle color scheme. It’s located right along the Embarcadero across from the Ferry Plaza; jaunts along the historic waterfront, or through the weekend farmer’s market are a step away. Head downstairs to the hopping Americano Bar and Restaurant for delicious treats, a thriving scene and an occasional celebrity sighting. Rooms start at $189, 8 Mission Street, 415.278.3700.

ST. REGIS Step into the pages of Metropolitan Home at this swanky 40-story hotel integrated around the historic Williams building at Third and Mission. While the amenities vary slightly with leather-stitched walls, Mozambique wood doors and motorized window coverings, all accommodations prove worthy of the St. Regis reputation, featuring

St. Regis

luxe beds covered by Pratesi linens, fainting sofas, wireless Internet access and deep soaking tubs. Situated next to SFMOMA, Yerba Buena Center and Westfield shopping center; you’ll never need a cab or a car. Rates start at $399, 125 3rd Street, 415.284.4000.

LE MERIDIEN Formerly the Park Hyatt. Starwood properties has taken over this convenient downtown location and added its stamp of stellar customer service. Rooms are comfortably appointed, with cozy beds, Comcast On Demand, granite bathrooms and remarkable views of San Francisco and the bay. Use your room key for admission to the Yerba Buena Center to experience cultural events held throughout the year. Ask for the local deal, through the end of December, which is $199 a night with breakfast for two, 333 Battery Street, 415.296.2900.

Le Meridien

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

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CALL AHEAD Reservations at these hot spots are required At last count, there were 4,375 restaurants in the city of San Francisco. Here are a few that have been getting high marks. Ame Situated on the ground floor of the St. Regis hotel, Ame Restaurant was designated Best New Restaurant in 2007, by the Zagat guide. The husband-wife team of Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani showcase seasonal, local New American cuisine featuring raw treatments such as sashimi, crudo, tartare and carpaccio. 689 Mission St., 415.284.4040 Bong Su Enjoy tasty Vietnamese dishes like shrimp cupcakes, delectable salt and pepper calamari and shaking beef, as well as crab and garlic glass noodles, at the elegant new Bong Su, brainchild of Tammy Huynh, executive chef and co-owner of the popular Tamarine in Palo Alto. Adding to the allure is the heady mix of modern and traditional in the interior: silk, wood and steel elements. One of Esquire Magazine’s top 20 in 2006. 311 Third St., 415.536.5800

garden home decor tabletop candles gifts

415.927.1266 121 Corte Madera Town Center Mon-Fri: 10am-8pm Sat-Sun: 10am-6pm

Canteen It’s not easy to get a seat in this nationally noted California-French restaurant—partly because of its reputation and partly because there aren’t many. Ever since the former Rubicon chef Dennis Leary turned a run-down coffee shop, into one of the best spots in the city, people have been lining up to sample the goods. 817 Sutter St., 415.928.8870 Myth Innovative French/California cuisine by chef Sean O’Brian, formerly of Gary Danko, has made this formerly jinxed location one of the most popular spots in town. Myth, 470 Pacific Ave. (near Montgomery), 415.6778986 Scott Howard The former chef/owner of Fork in San Anselmo, Scott Howard packed his talent and moved it to the big city, in the former location of the Cypress Club on Jackson Street. In 2006, SF Chronicle’s Michael Bauer put it on the “must visit list” and people have obeyed in droves. 500 Jackson St., 415.956.7040

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412 Corte Madera Town Center Corte Madera, CA 94925 (415) 924-2210

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

FYI BUSINESS

Cavallo Point Re-emerges HISTORIC ARMY FORT BAKER WILL SOON BECOME A DESTINATION RETREAT CENTER BY JIM WOOD

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

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ort Baker, the onetime Army garrison in Sausalito at the foot of the G olden

G ate Bridge, dates back more than 10 0

years. Historically, however,

the name of Cavallo P oint ( which is located on the F ort Baker property) came first—by about 50 years. “Cavallo P oint appeared on the charts of San F rancisco Bay of the early 18 50 s,” reads Erwin G . G udde’s respected California Place Names. “That name arose because horses ( caballo is Spanish for horse; the b and v are often interchanged) were kept here for travel in what is now Marin County.” F ort Baker, as a landmark, transitions back to its roots this year as construction begins on a new retreat to be named Cavallo P oint – The Lodge at the G olden G ate. The proj ect will not impact the Bay Area Discovery Museum, the U .S. Coast G uard Station, the fishing pier or the yacht club. It will, however, involve restoration of the 2 8 red-roofed turn-of-the-century buildings, the ten-acre grassy parade grounds, and all surrounding native landscaping and trees. Initial estimates for the proj ect, including restoration ( but not including land costs; the land is leased from the National P ark Service for 6 0 years) , are j ust under $ 10 0 million. Michael F reed, managing director of P assport R esorts—the firm that manages Big Sur’s P ost R anch Inn, the Jean-Michel Cousteau F ij i Islands R esort and Hawaii’s Hotel HanaMaui—says all parties involved with Cavallo P oint are respected for their environmentally

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Casa Madrona

Hotel & Spa

Re la x…Bre a th e …E n joy … I n d u l g e 415.354.8308 spa • 415.332.0502 hotel • www.casamadrona.com • 801 Bridgeway, Sausalito

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

conscious, socially responsible approaches to restoration projects and resort management. Passport Resorts has won numerous hospitality industry awards, including two from the readers of Conde Nast Traveler. In 2002, Post Ranch Inn was named the number one hotel 1020 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur, 415.464.1808 Mon-Sat 10:30am - 5:30pm, Sun 12pm - 5pm 1428 Main St., St. Helena, 707.963.3236 Mon-Sat 10:30am - 5:30pm, Sun 11am - 5pm www.pearlwonderfulclothing.com

in North America and the Fiji Islands Resort was placed on the magazine’s 2005 Green List for being an outstanding example of ecotourism. Partnering with Passport Resorts in Cavallo Point are Equity Community Builders LLC, which developed the Thoreau Center for Sustainability in the Presidio, and Ajax Capital LLC of New York City, which developed Aviator Sports and Recreation complex in partnership with the National Park Service in Brooklyn, New York. When completed in spring 2008, Cavallo Point will have 142 rooms, 72 of them in the Colonial Revival barracks. “The costs of restoring the many turn-of-the-century structures is going to be immense,” says Freed. For example, the existing tin ceilings are in 52 different patterns, and each tile must be individually removed during reconstruction. Then each tile must be numbered, stored, insulated, and reinstalled exactly as before, all in accordance

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stored turn-of-the-century structures will be

Call for Reservations 415.383.3223

70 rooms in new units scattered through-

Monday – Saturday 9am – 9pm • Sunday 10am – 7pm

out the complex. “However, there will be no new building sites,” says Freed. Construction

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

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“

Frankly, it will be a model

of hospitality that currently doesn’t exist. Think of it. How many places in the world, this close to the attractions

ppiness a h u o y y u b t ’ n ca y if you think monepping in the right store you’re not sho

of a world-class city, are blessed with this amount

”

of natural beauty?

— MICHAEL FREED

is only occurring on the footprint of former non-historic buildings. When completed, Cavallo Point – The Lodge at the Golden Gate will also feature 15,000 square feet of meeting space, a heal-

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ing arts center and spa, a 100-seat restaurant and bar, and a demonstration kitchen that will include a wine and olive oil institute. “A unique aspect of Cavallo Point will be the inclusion of ‘soft’ learning experiences,” says Kristin Coates, the retreat’s programming consultant. “We plan to have guest lectures and seminars in the culinary arts, visual arts, human wellness and, at the Institute at Fort Baker, programs relating to environmental awareness and attaining sustainability.” Other possible activities include yoga, wine tastings, art instruction and organized hikes in the nearby Marin Headlands. Cavallo Point events and classes will be open to the public as well as retreat guests, similar in many ways to the approach of the internationally known Aspen Institute. “We think at least 50 percent of Cavallo Point’s guests will originate in the Bay Area,” says Freed. “Frankly, it will be a model of hospitality that currently doesn’t exist. Think of it. How many places in the world, this close to the attractions of a world-class city, are blessed with this amount of natural beauty?”

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MARIN DECEMBER 2006

C O N V E R S AT I O N

MICHAEL KRASNY The topic can be abortion, string theory, nuclear proliferation or transgender identity—regardless, four mornings a week, Greenbrae’s Michael Krasny is live and heard around the world on KQED’s awardwinning program Forum. BY JIM WOOD

“You’ll never retire,” the late Richard Avedon once told Michael Krasny. When Krasny inquired how the famed photographer could make such a statement, the answer was, “It’s your face. I see many faces and in yours I see a reflection of mine, my own sense of being driven.” To that, Krasny, who hosts two hours of live interviews four days a week on KQED-FM and teaches two classes (Contemporary American Fiction and American Contemporary Literature) at San Francisco State University, pleads guilty. “I’ve always been driven,” he says, “driven by the pursuit of knowledge.” And though he recently turned 60, that quest for learning shows no signs of abating. In addition to hosting Forum and teaching, Krasny donates up to 15 hours a month moderating community forums and mediating not-for-profit seminars. His wife, Leslie, whom he met while he specializes in food and drug law. Their two daughters are now out of the house, one working in San Francisco after graduating from the University of Michigan, the other studying as a junior at the University of Oregon. So, what will Krasny do with his newfound “spare” time? “I’ve a book about to be published,” he replies, as a smile creases his face and his eyes sparkle. “It should be out in early 2007, but there’s work to be done on it.”

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

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P H OTOS : TIM PORTER

was a graduate student at University of Wisconsin, is a partner in a San Francisco law firm and

What is your book about? You could say it’s a twofer. It’s about my public life and, in some ways, it’s about my failure. I passionately wanted to be a novelist, but just

Van Craeynest San Francisco

didn’t have the gifts and I wasn’t hearing the voices. Therefore, I became a teacher of literature, a scholar, and then a broadcast journalist. The book isn’t a memoir or an autobiography. I like to think it’s its own genre. In a way, it’s about writers and writing—I took a head count and realized I’ve had the privilege to interview more major writers than possibly anyone, living or dead. So I talk about writing and then I write about talking. What are today’s must-read novels? A writer who I think is the real deal is Edward T. Jones. His recent book All Aunt Hagar’s Children is a collection of 14 short stories, mostly centered around inner city Washington, D.C. In 2003, he won a Pulitzer for the novel The Known World. Then there’s Jennifer Egan,

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a talented writer who grew up in San Francisco

www.vancraeynest.com • (415) 362-1025

and now lives in New York. Her latest book is The Keep, a Gothic-inspired mystery that’s literate and keeps you turning pages. And I re-

Decoration

cently reread Ravelstein, which holds up very

Design

Construction

well. Saul Bellow—an early hero of mine, who still is—wrote it about his friend, the philosopher Allan Bloom. In it, you get such graceful and eloquent writing and deep philosophical perspectives. Some nonfiction choices? Another hero of mine, E. O. Wilson, has a wonderful new book titled The Creation. Essentially, it’s a letter to a fictionalized Southern Baptist preacher urging him to set aside their differences in order to save the planet. It’s an optimistic work by a brilliant naturalist. A book for anyone interested in the Iraq war is Fiasco by Washington Post reporter Thomas Ricks. It talks about failures committed by everyone involved, but it’s not a political screed. I also like Making Globalization Work by the Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz and The World Is Flat by Thomas Friedman, the New York Times Pulitzer Prize–winning columnist. Both give excellent insights into today’s global economy.

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2006 “Living Room” Marin Designers Showcase Park Hill Interiors Michael Souza 415.255.9556 parkhillinteriors@sbcglobal.net www. parkhillinteriors.com

Marin County

•

San Francisco

Michael Souza CID, ASID

•

Sonoma

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Palm Springs

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

“

The more you learn about life—and I say this with some certainty—the more you realize how ignorant you are.

”

— MICHAEL KRASNY In today’s world, why should one care about acquiring knowledge? Knowledge can bring intellectual excitement. Many seek knowledge for the pure enjoyment of it. The more you learn about life—and I say this with some certainty—the more you realize how ignorant you are. Years ago, when I first met Saul Bellow, he posed the question, “How should a good person live?” In other words, what is virtue? How does one contribute to the next generation, to the planet and to a sense of continuity? All people have to explore these questions for themselves. And ignorance is not how you find the answers. It’s knowledge that leads one onto brighter and more illuminated pathways—even though the answers may be in constant flux, and they may not always be satisfying. You’ve taught at the university level for more than 35 years. Are students different now than when you started? Today’s students are bright, but they’re bright in different ways; they have much more visual imagination. However, they’re not as hungry for the literate kind of knowledge that was typical of my generation, probably the last one of its sort. And I’m not of the era of my heroes— Bellow, Eric Fromm, C. Wright Mills, Susan Sontag, John Kenneth Galbraith—they were my mentors, my cultural icons. Technology has made a vast difference in the way young people think. Cultural values have changed. Doesn’t that apply to adults as well? Isn’t it called the dumbing down of America? I suppose so, yes. There has been a vast change in the way people think, an erosion of culture.

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

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I’m not trying to be elitist or snobbish here, but there has been a tabloidization or a “People Magazine-ing” of America. That’s just an empirical, practical observation. And it’s ubiquitous; it’s something that affects all of us. Still, there are great technical minds; great entrepreneurial minds, there are extraordinary thinkers in terms of space, computers, aviation, and science. However, we’re not seeing the Bellows, Sontags, Fromms, Mills, and Galbraiths that came out of what Tom Brokaw called the “Greatest Generation,” when there was this hunger for intellectual knowledge. I’m not in mourning about it. It’s just how things have changed. Let’s talk about today’s political leaders. Sure, but I wish we had more of them. At one time Ralph Nader was one, but now he’s fallen by the wayside. I admire John McCain, not just because of what he’s gone through, but because he’s a maverick and a straight shooter, although sometimes his policies are an anathema. What I know about Barack Obama I like very much; there’s an immense amount to admire there. Everyone says he needs more seasoning and experience and that may be true. However, years from now, will he still have the lofty reputation and admiration? It’s something to think about. Politicians often fizzle out. Bill Clinton is a brilliant man, and that’s a word I use sparingly. The novelists Carlos Fuentes and Gabriel Garcia Marquez once had dinner with Clinton and Fuentes told me Clinton held forth on the novelist William Faulkner. Fuentes found him so solid and knowledgeable he was blown away. That’s an intellect Clinton had to hide in order to avoid comparisons to Adlai Stevenson. However, I think Clinton disappointed a lot of people with his frat-boy libido that he couldn’t keep under control. He could have been a great president. Regarding George W. Bush, he’s kind of the anti-intellect. Yet he’s much smarter than many think. In an interview I had with Newt Gingrich, he said of Bush, “He’s not smart like you or me. He would rather chop wood or play a video game than read a book. But he’s canny, savvy; he knows how to pick people.” Look, he

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MARIN DECEMBER 2006

beat Ann Richards, and then he prevailed over McCain and Gore. You can say Karl Rove is the Zen master, but W is no dummy. In addition, I think he has more decency than some give him credit for. However, his stewardship has been one of gross failures and great incompetence. He may have too much of a relationship with God; sometimes he seems to think he has a conduit to God. I Diplomate: American Board of Plastic Surgery American Board of Surgery

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think both Bill Clinton and George Bush con-

American College of Surgeons, Fellow

sider themselves good Christians—it just has

Harvard College, A.B., 1961, cum laude

manifested in different ways. Clinton’s demon

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was sex. W’s was booze.

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A local person to watch is Nancy Pelosi, especially since Democrats now have control of Congress and she’s likely to become Speaker of the House. She might surprise her detractors, namely Republicans on the right who’ve painted her with such a broad diabolical brush. She not only epitomizes San Francisco’s leftist politics, but describes herself as an Italian grandmother. Her family name is D’Alessandro; she’s a Catholic girl from Baltimore who loves to bake pies and cook big pasta dinners. Nancy is a warm and good person who has a lot to offer. Speaking of that, many say Marin has a lot to offer. How do you see it? I love it here; this is just a beautiful place to live. You go to so many places where there’s unhappiness, unpleasantness, but the people here are generally nice. Many want to make a difference; they care about the environment and about social issues. In addition, we’ve got the mountains, the ocean, the weather, and all the natural beauty. One would be hard-pressed to find comparable communities. Marin is about as good as it gets. In your opinion, what would make Marin

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a better place? It would be nice to have a major university here, even a state school. It would be nice if we had BART-type transportation here. It’s amazing people can go by public transit to the South Bay or the East Bay, but they can’t come out here. Also, it would be nice if some of the

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manifested in different ways. Clinton’s demon

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was sex. W’s was booze.

A local person to watch is Nancy Pelosi, especially if the Democrats take control of Congress and she becomes Speaker of the House. She might surprise her detractors, namely Republicans on the right who’ve painted her with such a broad diabolical brush. She not only epitomizes San Francisco’s leftist politics, but describes herself as an Italian grandmother. Her family name is D’Alessandro; she’s a Catholic girl from Baltimore who loves to bake pies and cook big pasta dinners. Nancy is a warm and good person who has a lot to offer. Speaking of that, many say Marin has a lot to offer. How do you see it? I love it here; this is just a beautiful place to live. You go to so many places where there’s unhappiness, unpleasantness, but the people here are generally nice. Many want to make a difference; they care about the environment and about social issues. In addition, we’ve got the mountains, the ocean, the weather, and all the natural beauty. One would be hard-pressed to find comparable communities. Marin is about as good as it gets. In your opinion, what would make Marin

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

“

However, as much as some try to deny it, the proof of global warming is pretty incontrovertible.

”

— MICHAEL KRASNY

Marin people who are very wealthy would be more philanthropic. Some are extraordinarily generous, but others, who perhaps really have the means, don’t cotton to the concept of giving. Maybe there needs to be more of a culture that would bring the community together philanthropically. I do a lot of pro bono work for nonprofits, and there doesn’t seem to be the kind of glue that brings the community together that there is in San Francisco and the South Bay. In addition, I’d like to see more things for

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young people, not just in Marin City or the Canal area. I mean for kids who have a sense of emptiness. There are real problems of that sort in this county. There need to be more challenges, more things to do. And I don’t know how we’ll do it, but we also need more youth in this county, and frankly, we need more diversity. Finally, as a thinker and an intellect—and considering all that’s going on in today’s world—do you feel we are heading into a dark age? Or into a golden age? That’s a very heavy question, one that bears a lot of ruminating. I don’t like to think about it, but yes, I think we’re headed into [a dark age]. When Jim Lovelock of the Royal Academy was on my program, and he’s a physicist and environmentalist of the first rank, he talked about the specter of global warming and the credibility of Gore’s film An Inconvenient Truth. He even joked about buying real estate in Greenland or Antarctica. However, as much as some try to deny it, proof of global warming is pretty incontrovertible.

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

“

I’d think the North Vietnamese would hate us more than bin Laden, but that’s not the reality.

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— MICHAEL KRASNY

Then there is the specter of terrorism. It sobers me that there are cells that are actually seeking the destruction of the West. At first, after 9 / 11, I thought people got it, but now, five years later, as a society we’re back into fame and all that sort of shallow stuff. Now that North K orea has set off a nuclear test, are those materials going to get into the hands of al Q aeda– type operatives? We had [ Abdul Q adeer] K han, the [ nuclear] salesman from P akistan, distributing this stuff; it got into the hands of the Libyans, the Iranians, and the

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North K oreans, and who else’s hands we don’t know. And remember, these terrorist groups aren’t sovereign; it’s scary stuff. At the same time, there are wonderful things out there, things that we should be grateful for and cherish, things that give us hope. However, I read history and, to paraphrase James Joyce, “History is a nightmare from which you try to awake.”

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I think there’s so much enmity now in the world. P eople talk about the polarization in the U .S. Congress, but it’s nothing compared to the religious hatreds that ex ist now. I don’t q uite understand them all. I’d think the North V ietnamese would hate us more than bin Laden, but that’s not the reality. I would love to be more hopeful, but when you read history it’s very sobering because you see the same things reoccurring. And technological advances have only made things more complicated. When we talk about golden ages we tend to wax idealistic, more so than is warranted. Many of the golden ages had their wars, enmities and seri-

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MARIN DECEMBER 2006

ous divisions. Can we enter into a better era? P erhaps. Can we enter into an era where suffering is ameliorated? I sure hope so.

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

H A V E

C A N C E R.

An energetic mother of three boys, Corazon’s life was turned upside down when her doctor diagnosed her with cancer. Corazon was quickly referred to UCSF to see one of the few surgical specialists in the country who uses surgeon-guided ultrasound, one of many advanced imaging techniques used at UCSF, to more accurately diagnose and treat difficult head and neck cancers. Corazon received her lifesaving treatment at the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center — the first center in Northern California to be designated comprehensive by the National Cancer Institute. Here she received the very finest in patient-centered care delivered by world-renowned doctors. She also had access to the innovative treatments and techniques that result from breakthrough research and are available nowhere else. How is she doing today? Well, she says it best in four little words — “I’m a cancer survivor.” We are UCSF Medical Center — a hospital supported by research and surrounded by a university. This is where we are transforming medicine into everyday miracles.

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H OM E D E S I G N

HOME FOR THE

HOLIDAYS THE MAGIC OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS IS CREATED IN ROSS STORY P. J. BREMIER PHOTOS BARBARA RIES

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

“O

f all the holidays, Christmas is my favorite because of all the memories of growing up,” says Ross resident Mary Poland. “I remember lots of laughter and relatives at our house. My dad always picked the

tallest Christmas tree and Mother had wonderful pink ornaments and would painstakingly place the tinsel on the tree.” Because Mary and her husband, Bill Poland, keep a busy social calendar—she’s a board member for the Marin Art & Garden Center and the San Francisco Opera Guild, among others, and he’s co-owner of the San Francisco and Seattle Design Centers and partner in San Francisco’s Gift Center and Concourse—they needed a house that would keep up with them. “Knowing my husband and how much he likes to entertain, the house had to lend itself to entertaining both inside and outside, and it does,” she says. “It went beyond whatever we envisioned for it when designing the property.” Their 8,000-square-foot, two-story French Mediterranean house on two flat and sunny acres has a master suite and three bedrooms upstairs with his-and-her studies, a kitchen, solarium, dining room, wetbar alcove, and living room downstairs. A wine cellar and tasting area and separate recreation room make up a subterranean third level. The main floor of the house is divided by the foyer into two distinct wings: a family retreat with the kitchen, solarium and his study on one side and entertaining rooms on the other. This clever arrangement allows adults to gather in the formal entertainment space while 15-year old son Stratton, a sophomore at the Branson School, can relax casually with friends in the kitchen/family room area. Mary Poland relied on the talents of Suzanne Tucker of Tucker & Marks in San Francisco to achieve the home’s sense of timeless European formality, even though no meeting between them ever took longer than 15 minutes. “I had done my homework,” Poland says. “Usually, Suzanne would show me tear sheets and within 60 seconds, I could make a decision.” As a result, “Suzanne helped create a wonderful backdrop for Christmas decorations no matter what themes I came up with.”

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

Photo this page: Mary Poland’s study; opposite page, above: Mary Poland in her study; below: Omar, the newest addition to the Poland family.

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

These themes can range from a natural woodland look with lots of plump, fresh greenery to a lavish Marie Antoinette all-pink theme she did two years ago. Helping her implement the themes for the past nine years has been Helen Gregory of Bloomworks in San Anselmo, recently joined by her daughter, Lauren Gregory. “Bill and Mary are really generous in hosting parties and fundraisers, but Mary always wants her home to look the most beautiful at Christmas,” Helen Gregory says. That’s when the family holds its annual open house. “We started about ten years ago by inviting neighbors in the afternoon on Christmas Eve day for some hot spiced wine and holiday cheer,” recalls Poland. “There may have been six people. It’s snowballed now. We never know how many people will come. Friends bring their family with them and we see adult kids back from college. It’s wonderful.” This year, Poland and Gregory decided to capture the feeling of a wintry St. Petersburg

“This is a wonderful room, especially in the wintertime with the fire going...It’s generous in size but feels cozy.” Christmas. “I saw it as the summer palace scene from Doctor Zhivago,” says Poland. Two snow-flocked evergreen wreaths on the front entry doors welcome guests and hint at the drama beyond. In the foyer with its limestone flooring and silk draperies, nine-foot-tall winter-whitened birch twigs boldly encircle the 17th-century marble-topped Italian table to suggest a Russian forest. The flickering light of large pillar candles and small votives adds movement to the scene. The grand balustrade is traditionally wrapped in garlands and coordinated with the theme; this year it was snow dusted and embellished with miniature white lights and giant crystal snowflakes. And there are always two trees to decorate by early December, one for just the family and one for the living room. Poland chooses the largest and best noble fir tree she can find for the living room and wraps the lights around it herself, but she and Stratton enjoy watching as the Gregorys hang the ornaments. Stratton likes to decorate the family’s Christmas tree, in the solarium, with ornaments reflecting the family’s travels and personal interests. He also helps his father light the driveway’s central oak tree, the boxwood

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

Above: back yard is often used for entertaining; below: Poland family enjoys family tradition of stringing lights at entry of home.

hedges and the front windows. The tree gets colored lights everywhere else, a nod to the Christmas trees of Bill Poland’s past. He is also responsible for producing the family’s humorous Christmas cards. “I always thought I’d send out Currier & Ives cards, but he’s been doing his own cards since before we met,” says his wife, “and I was just folded into the tradition.” With their home decorated, the cards sent, and the open house concluded, the family hosts an intimate dinner for visiting relatives in the dining room. Here a French hand-painted wallpaper and walnut floor set the stage for a beautiful 18th-century French Directoire table, antique French chairs and a handblown glass chandelier. Using the family’s personal collections, Gregory sets the white damask-covered table for six with gold chargers, antique Limoges china, sterling and crystal. Pinecones are tucked into a flocked evergreen tabletop garland studded with two floral arrangements of white hydrangeas and snowberries and cream-colored roses. After-dinner drinks are often served from the Chinese-red lacquered

skin on the walnut parquet floor. “This is a wonderful room, especially

wet bar where the ceiling is finished in gold leaf, the counter is topped

in the wintertime with the fire going,” says Poland. “It’s generous in

by marble and a hand-painted French garden scene papers the walls.

size but feels cozy.”

Poland’s own serenely composed study is across the hallway. There

The Christmas tree sparkles with its miniature white lights and crys-

silk draperies and silk-covered furnishings, a Louis XIV–style black-and-

tal ornaments, and a snow-misted garland of pine and magnolia lies

boulle desk, antique French wall sconces and an antique pier mirror

across the mantel decorated with giant pinecones, faux icicles and can-

over the fireplace evoke the feel of courtly Paris.

dlesticks.

Guests often gather in the stylish living room appointed with 19th-

As the scent of greenery fills the air and the fire crackles, Poland has

century antique furnishings, 18th-century Chinese porcelain, chande-

time to reflect. “Even if it’s not snowing outside, it feels like Christmas,”

liers, striped silk taffeta draperies, and two Oushak rugs and a zebra

she says. “It’s my own Currier & Ives.”

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

LI F E

Gourmet Spirits Creative bartenders redeﬁne their roles with exotic ingredients

One morning this past summer, I was picking

a golden age of the cocktail, or at least the most

through a San Francisco farmers’ market with

gilded period since before Prohibition. In these

Duggan McDonnell, who at the time worked

new kinds of bars, the wall between the kitch-

at the local restaurant Frisson. McDonnell ea-

en and the bar is being torn down. Cocktails are

gerly bounced from stand to stand, inquiring

treated with the same attention to detail as the

as to the provenance of a certain peach, ask-

food in a multistarred restaurant. Everything is

ing about the flavors of a certain melon. “I’ve

fresh, made from scratch.

never heard of orange limes,” he told the pur-

One of the great innovators of advanced

veyor as he bagged up a half dozen. In 30 min-

mixology works in Healdsburg, at the restaurant

utes, we were leaving with bags full of fruits,

Cyrus. Scott Beattie has garnered national rec-

peppers, and herbs. It would have surprised no

ognition for a cocktail menu as complex as any

one if McDonnell was a chef, shopping for the

chef’s tasting menu. His offerings are seasonal,

evening shift. But McDonnell is not a chef. He

and thus, this past summer the thirsty visitor

BY JORDAN MACKAY

is a bartender, one of several around the Bay

could find representations of the region’s agri-

PHOTOS TIM PORTER

Area who is redefining the term.

cultural bounty. One option gracing the menu

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

The notion of a bartender shopping for fresh

was the entrancing Olallie Golightly, a pinkish-

and exotic local produce has little in common

purple mix of Hangar One Fraser River rasp-

with what we traditionally expect from our bars.

berry vodka, olallieberries, anise hyssop, lemon

In the typical bar, the only fruits on hand would

juice, borage flowers and seltzer. Another was

be sliced lemons and limes for garnish. Juices

the clean and cool Thai Boxer, which combined

would come from cans or concentrates. That, of

Charbay Tahitian vanilla-bean rum with Thai

course, is still the kind of bar you find on most

basil, spearmint, cilantro, lime juice, ginger beer

street corners, but alternatives are emerging. In

and coconut milk. Served in a tall glass with

fact, it could easily be said that we are entering

its slightly cloudy, greenish complexion, curl of

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

a martini glass rimmed with sugar. Combining Charbay blood orange and Meyer lemon vodkas with a homemade clove-nutmeg-cinnamon syrup, peach bitters and Meyer lemon and blood orange juice, the drink is as refreshing and clean as a glass of OJ with the spicy wintry complexity of mulled wine. In San Francisco, you can find drinks that bubble from the fertile minds of young bartenders at such places as Frisson, where Duggan McDonnell was the opening bar manager, and Absinthe, where McDonnell now works a couple of shifts while pursuing a plan to open his own bar. But the biggest news in cocktails was the late-summer opening of Bourbon and Branch, a speakeasy-cum-cocktail-laboratory hidden deep in the Tenderloin. A partnership between Todd Smith, one of the city’s most creative and innovative bartenders, and the owners of the popu-

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

green leaves snaking through the ice and bright

lar pub Swig, B&B has gotten a lot of press in

shock of robust basil leaves shooting out the top,

a short time. This is not only because of its un-

this drink looks as great as it tastes—which is

usual policy requiring reservations, but because

Beattie’s goal. “I’m really into making things

of its stunning drinks.

look good,” Beattie says, “but every element that

Smith’s approach has much the same tone as

looks good also must also contribute to flavor.”

Beattie’s, but some things he takes even further.

Beattie shops for his ingredients with an ob-

While B&B pays homage to its roaring twenties

sessive drive for seasonal purity. As the weather

forebears with such classic drinks as the Blood

moves into fall and winter, he’s excited about the

and Sand and the Aviation and brings in as many

Sonoma citrus he’ll be able to get his hands on.

fresh fruits and herbs as a Jamba Juice outlet,

“I have six varieties of citrus in my yard, my fa-

the soul of the place is invested in its experimen-

ther grows four kinds, my little brother has some

tal cocktails, which are created in a basement

trees, and I get a bunch from this guy who owns

testing area the staff calls Hell’s Kitchen. Here

a Chevy dealership,” he says. Beattie trades the

you can find the Tropicana, a drink that features

car dealer restaurant credit in exchange for all

hand-cracked coconut and pineapple ice, which,

manner of exotic fruits, such as Rangpur limes

as Smith says, “makes your drink stronger rather

and satsuma mandarins. This winter, look for

than weaker as it melts.” Even more technical

the return of the Bleeding Orange, rendered in

is the Deconstructed Negroni, which comes as

a serving of cold gin with sweet vermouth and

bar. One late summer day, he treated me to an

a side of Campari “caviar” made by mixing the

off-the-menu drink. The cucumber margarita

spirit with sodium alginate and eyedropping it

involved quartering and muddling half a cu-

into a dish of calcium chloride that causes the

cumber with a dash of simple syrup and then

drops to remain distinct.

shaking it with Patron tequila, Cointreau and

While Marin County lacks the population density of San Francisco and the tourist flow of

fresh lime juice. The result was both soft and tangy and tasted almost healthy.

an acclaimed restaurant like Cyrus, some bars

Schuster, who works with bar manager Matt

are finding an audience that’s ready for more

Brown on the drinks and takes an obvious plea-

audacious libations.“We have found that cock-

sure in his craft, is back behind the bar after an

tails are really growing in popularity here, es-

absence. “I bartended for a long time,” he says,

pecially in the last year and a half,” says Peter

“and then started managing restaurants in a

Schumacher, managing partner of the Buckeye

higher capacity. But it finally dawned on me that

Roadhouse. “People seem to understand that

I could make the same amount of money behind

making good drinks is really an art, and they

the bar and have a lot more fun.”

are willing to wait a little longer than usual.

When fun tastes as good as this, in the

They clearly want to get away from the stan-

form of remarkable cocktails all over the Bay

dard old drinks.” To that end Schumacher,

Area, who could disagree?

along with bartenders Gabe Bryant (pictured at right) and Brian Kelley, have drinks like the Mauna Loa Martini, which features vodka that Bryant infuses with pineapple. Another summer drink featured a homemade fresh strawberry syrup, muddled mint and Hangar One Fraser River raspberry vodka and a drop of Chambord. Schumacher promises some innovations for the coming season as well, with more herbal flavors and seasonal ingredients like butternut squash. It’s worth going to the Buckeye’s sister restaurant in downtown Mill Valley, Bungalow 44, on a night when Philip Schuster is behind the

MARIN DECEMBER 2006

I N T ER IORS

SHOWCASE IN MARIN BAY AREA DESIGNERS SHARE THEIR CREATIVE VISION

Each autumn, for 37 years, thousands of visitors have converged upon one local home chosen for the Marin Designers Showcase. It is a pilgrimage born of beauty, innovation and inspirational design. This year, the backdrop was Villa Florene, a new 6,500-square-foot Tuscan-style home in the hills of San Rafael. A glittering poolside preview party, attended by sponsors, designers and supporters, heralded the opening of the three-week event, during which guests enjoyed house tours, catered luncheons, informal modeling, wine tasting and meet-thedesigner receptions. In all, more than 30 spaces received designer treatment. Three are highlighted in the following pages.

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

BY P. J. BREMIER PHOTOS BARBARA RIES

DECADENT DINING Nancy Van Natta, Nancy Van Natta Associates, San Rafael Nancy Van Natta’s philosophy on Marin design was the guiding principle behind her sumptuous dining room for this year’s showcase. “Marin design is not as formal as San Francisco and not as rustic as the wine country,” she says. “It’s a combination of the two that also pays homage to the gorgeous nature that surrounds us.” Van Natta infused the small space with shimmering shades of aquamarine and copper and decorated it with casual antique pieces, a delicate custom chandelier and luxurious fabrics. The effect is elegant and intimate. The walls, done in a five-pass treatment by artist Levinia Simmonds, incorporated those colors with a touch of silver. A formal silk window treatment with a structured cornice and gathered Roman shade picks up on the wall colors, framing a lush swath of front lawn and sparkling bay waters beyond. The designer centered a rustic dining table in the room and placed a curved antique cut-velvet settee and a pair of contemporary chairs on either side. The nearby fireplace, with a hammered copper-and-stone surround and a single repoussé fleur-de-lis for decoration, anchors an interior wall. Above its slender mantel hangs a Ted Waddell painting, on loan from a San Francisco collector. For the opposite wall, Van Natta chose an original painting, Gust, by Sausalito artist Jeff Faust. A third wall holds an ornate vintage mirror above a narrow table draped in a full aquamarine velveteen skirt. A Jessica Bodner custom chandelier, encrusted with both Swarovski crystals and tinted natural rock crystal points, floats lightly above the table. “I love chandeliers,” Van Natta says; her New Orleans relatives once made them in their French Quarter shop. “I wanted this one to be a branch and I wanted it to be very sparkly. I think it’s very winsome and delicate. It says nature and yet there’s a glamorous side to it.”

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DECEMBER 2006

LUXE LIVING ROOM Michael Souza, Park Hill Interiors, San Francisco When Michael Souza chose the living room as his design space for the

selected a combination of pistachio and cream for the color palette,

Marin Designer Showcase, he knew he would do a lighter take on the

which can be seen in the upholstered pieces, the wall treatment, the

Tuscan style.

silk draperies and the Nepalese rug.

“Since the house isn’t an old structure and doesn’t have elements like

“We picked up the nuances of Tuscany with a modern interpreta-

original old floorboards or deep-set windows, but is a cleaner representa-

tion of the wooden pieces,” he says. The coffee table, a fresh twist on

tion of an authentic Tuscany home, we decided to go for a more modern

an older Tuscany design, is one of Souza’s favorite pieces in the room.

interpretation,” he says. “Everything is lightened up and scaled back.”

Bench-made by Emanuel Morez, “it’s an amazing piece of wood with

That meant a paler color scheme, simpler lines in the sofas and

incredible details at the corners,” he says. “The wood is laid in two dif-

chairs and smoother fabrics for the upholstery and draperies. Souza

ferent directions, which gives it more interest than a plank table.” A scalloped chest also by Morez is remarkable for its intricate construction, Souza points out, and the sense of movement in the curvaceous front—a dynamic feeling echoed in the high-backed silk-covered sofa with scallop scrolling in the arms and base. Touches of mirror in a three-panel screen, an antique candlestick lamp, a bar set, and a grouping of obelisks give the room “a little sex appeal,” Souza adds. “It has a different flavor from the other rooms in the house. I think it evolved into a space intended for adults, one where finer fabrics and more expensive pieces of furniture can be enjoyed.”

100

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101

COZY COURTYARD Elizabeth Blackstone, Blackstone Landscape Designs, Novato Elizabeth Blackstone saw the central courtyard in the Marin Designer Showcase home as a space that took advantage of the views from both fl oors and was pleasing from all perspectives. “When I saw the courtyard for the first time, I fell in love with it,” she says. “It’s the q uintessential indoor/ outdoor space because it has walls and a ceiling—the sky. It’s protected and has the ambience and coziness of a living room; it even has a fireplace.” Blackstone wanted to create a space for q uiet dining and relax ing, so she devised a living area in front of the large outdoor fireplace and a dining area on the opposite side of the space. Along the walls, she planted sage, rosemary and thyme, a small orchard of espaliered apple and pear trees, and an 8 5-year-old olive tree. A mural depiction of Mount Tamalpais by artist Tricia Sheridan was recessed into a niche. Blackstone gave it a three-dimensional air by placing an arrangement of urns that spill out soothing water in front, adding an array of small insect sculptures for a whimsical splash. The rustic, harvest-style dining table holds another fountain, this one by Blacktone. She used an oversize copper wine bucket for a base, drilling a hole through the bottom of a large wine bottle and concealing a small water pump under a cover of tumbled glass designed to mimic ice cubes. Blackstone continued the garden theme into the living area with a terrarium coffee table made from an antiq ue iron vat topped with glass and planted with mosses and a trio of tiny orchids. To surround it, she chose a comfortable set of sofa and chairs, covered in a rust-colored Sunbrella fabric, a simple sisal rug and potted leucondrenron shrubs that repeat the leaf pattern of the pillows. “Landscape designers are like interior designers,” she points out. “Interior designers work with fabrics, tex tures, color and scale, and that’s ex actly what we do in landscape. We paint the picture with color and tex ture.”

102

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103

J O U R NEY

SKIING

ON THE CHIC High-style schussing in St. Moritz and St. Anton STORY & PHOTOS BEN DAVIDSON

Quirky Quarters The little narrow-gauge train was a charming beginning to a remarkable ski trip: It chugged our group of American friends high up into the snow-draped mountains of the Swiss Alps, the last leg of an amazingly smooth journey from California. We had started the previous day in Los Angeles with a ten-hour flight to Zurich aboard Swiss International Airlines. After overnighting in Zurich and riding the morning train from the city’s main station, we arrived in the village of Celerina, neighbor to the ritzy, bustling resort of St. Moritz, both set in the heart of the Engadine Valley. From Celerina’s tiny rail station, we walked a few blocks past tidy homes with elegant scrifati ornamentation and views of the massive Alps to our home for the next three days, Hotel Misani.

104

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Opposite page: The colorful Hotel Misani is set in the heart of Switzerland’s Engadine Valley. The mid-mountain Alpetta restaurant, on St. Moritz’s Corvatsch Mountain, features classic Swiss mountain cuisine; this page: swooshing the slopes of Corvatsch Mountain above the picture-perfect Engadine Valley.

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105

Gondola transports skiers into the white wonderland of St. Moritz’s Corviglia Mountain; opposite page: cold champagne and snowy scenes in St. Moritz.

This q uirky boutiq ue hotel was an unpre-

named F leurina that guests with kids can bor-

of the fancy fur crowd, the place in the Alps to

tentious introduction to the region and a won-

row for the night.) Once settled in our rooms,

be seen. But we were here simply for the skiing,

derful alternative to the pricey hotels of St.

we headed off to rent ski gear at nearby Testa

to enj oy the local culture, and to ex perience the

Moritz. With easy slope access, a friendly, mul-

Sports before gathering to enj oy a tradition-

Engadine valley’s legendary dry “champagne”

tilingual staff and three restaurants ( Spanish,

al Engadine meal at the Misani’s cozy wood-

climate ( the local tourist office claims that in

traditional Engadine and fusion) , the Misani

paneled U staria restaurant.

St. Moritz the sun shines more than 3 0 0 days

also offered an array of whimsical rooms that

a year) . Situated on the two main mountains,

inspired a lot of chuckles during our three-

Viva!

St. Moritz’s ski slopes are mostly intermediate—

day stay. One room was painted a crimson red

Celerina and St. Moritz are both located along

ideal for the start of an overseas ski vacation.

and decorated in Oriental motifs; another was

the lowest of a long chain of lakes at the foot

( An array of diversions for nonskiers includes

deep blue with ocean themes. My room, bright

of the 4 ,0 0 0 -meter P iz Bernina. It’s a wide and

polo, golf and cricket on a frozen lake, gourmet

yellow with plaster figurines on the wall, was

glorious mountain landscape and boasts the

food and music festivals, and shopping, shop-

dubbed the “torso room” by my ski chums. Of

classic winter wonderland feeling one would ex -

ping and more shopping.)

course, my unsolicited moniker for the week

pect in the Swiss Alps. One of Europe’s oldest

Eager to get in some turns, we spent the

was “torso man.” ( In keeping with its irrever-

and most famous winter ski resorts, St. Moritz is

nex t morning cruising the hard-pack, wide-

ent spirit, the Misani even offers a pet hamster

chic, pricey, elegant, grand and, if you are part

open runs on Corviglia Mountain with a

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DECEMBER 2006

local guide, Sonja Negrini, a stylish telemark

of my favorite Romansch words: allegro, the

skier. At midday, we met up at Mathis Food

Swiss version of aloha.)

Affairs, a midmountain complex of three res-

To kick-start our second day, we tried the

taurants run by chef Reto Mathis, president of

Misani’s breakfast special: Schwabing, a tra-

the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival. We feasted on

ditional German plate of white sausage, pret-

Mathis’s exceptional cuisine at La Marmite res-

zel and a half-liter of frothy Hefeweizen wheat

taurant, whose specialties include goose liver

beer. Power food for power skiing.

terrine with dry ham and mushrooms, red port

Hitting the slopes of Corvatsch Mountain

wine jelly with mustard fig marmalade con-

across the valley from St. Moritz, we met

fit, and venison with chanterelles. For dessert:

up with ski guide Gabi Naur, a Swiss beau-

chocolate sorbet with chocolate cake, with an

ty who spends the off-season windsurfing in

optional trip to a chocolate fountain oozing

Maui. Corvatsch was a challenging mountain,

fine Swiss milk chocolate. Viva! as they say in

made more so by a blindingly dense morning

Romansch, the local language and one of the

fog. Instead of fumbling our way through the

four national tongues of Switzerland along

murk, we opted for a long lunch at the charm-

with German, Italian and French. (Another

ing Alpetta restaurant, housed in a 75-year-old

GETTING THERE Why spend a day driving to Tahoe in trafﬁc when you can ﬂy overnight to the Alps? Skiing in Europe is an unforgettable cultural, culinary and recreational experience—and the Sierra will never look the same. For information about ski vacations in the Swiss and Austrian Alps, visit: myswitzerland.com or austria.info For Europe air-hotel-ski package vacations and information, visit: ski-europe.com

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

107

Crammed elbow to elbow into an upstairs room, surrounded by stuffed animals and antique cooking utensils . . . summer hut. Crammed elbow to elbow into

The year-round population of the Arlberg,

St. Christoph region, with a sunny alfresco

an upstairs room, surrounded by stuffed ani-

Austria’s highest ski region, is only 2 ,58 0 , but

lunch stop at the Hotel P ost in the tiny berg

mals and antiq ue cooking utensils, we enj oyed

skiers from more than 4 0 nations visit each

of Stuben. That evening we took tax is from St.

cannoli al forno, chamois shank with polenta

winter and transform the area into a bustling

Christoph over the F lex en P ass to the hamlet of

( a house specialty) , venison carpaccio, pasta

skiers’ paradise. St. Anton, the largest town, is

Oberlech, perched above the hideaway village

with fresh black truffl es and pasta al pesto. We

the focus of nonstop on- and off-slope action

of Lech. A small funicular railroad brought us

washed it all down with copious amounts of

and offers a pretty village base at the foot of

to the hillside hotel for an unforgettable eve-

crisp Swiss white wine. V iva! V iva!

the road up to the Arlberg pass. We settled in

ning of Austrian wine tasting and traditional

after our long bus ride in the fantastically situ-

Tyrolean dining at the Hotel G oldener Berg.

Into the Arlberg: Birthplace of Alpine Skiing

ated ( slopeside) , spacious and supremely com-

We spent the final day of our Alpine ski

fortable suites at the Hospiz Alm G arni, one of

odyssey with our guides ex ploring the so-

After three days of champagne skiing and rub-

only a handful of hotels in tiny St. Christoph,

called “white ring route” from Lech to Z ü rs am

bing elbows with the glitterati, it was time to

j ust up the valley from St. Anton. Near our

Arlberg, a challenging course that took most

move on to Switzerland’s Alpine neighbor—the

hotel, at the lively Hospizalm, we celebrated

of the day. We stopped for a light lunch at the

Arlberg region of Austria, birthplace of modern

our arrival in the Tyrol with drinks, dinner and

Hotel Edelweiss in Z ü rs, followed by a long ski

Alpine skiing techniq ue. We gathered our gear

a tour of the restaurant’s wine cellar, which

back to St. Christoph. Our trip ended in style

and bid farewell to St. Moritz and the Hotel

houses one of the largest collections of large

at a celebratory dinner at the Hotel K ristiania,

Misani. A chartered Swiss postal coach, bright

Burgundy and Bordeaux bottles in the world.

a member of the Small Lux ury Hotels of the

yellow with somewhat spartan seats, spirited

Nex t morning, we rented skis at nearby

World group, a fitting end to a week of world-

us over the Alps to Austria, a four-hour ride

Intersport Arlberg and j oined two guides for

class skiing, sightseeing and dining in the time-

via the historic Swiss town of Chur.

a day of challenging skiing in the St. Anton–

less European Alps.

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Opposite page: Cozy Alpetta restaurant is a traditional skiers’ lunch stop on St. Moritz’s Corvatsch Mountain; this page: steep slopes and dramatic views of the Tyrolean Alps welcome skiers atop the Valluga in St. Anton.

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DECEMBER 2006

109

The Call of McCall Central Idaho can be less than two hours from Marin

ntil recently, McCall, Idaho, has been a quiet, littleknown community that

drew primarily second-home buyers from Boise. But with the development of nearby Tamarack—North America’s ﬁrst new ski mountain to be developed in 25 years—this best-kept secret is a secret no more. Imagine the outline of Idaho as an old house—one with a tall, crooked chimney. McCall is located where a second-story window would be. It’s 98 miles north of Boise and northwest of Sun Valley. And nowadays McCall—population 2,084—is the epicenter of a growing recognition that central Idaho is a prime all-season recreation destination. Whitetail Club and Resort golf course clubhouse

BY JIM & NIKKI WOOD

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MARINMAGAZINE.COM

River Ranch homesites and the Payette River

Whitetail lakefront dock and beach

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DECEMBER 2006

111

“

It’s a small town with an airport able to accomodate long-haul private aircraft.

”

— LAURA SCOTT “For an old mill town, surrounded by 2.3 million acres of national forest, there’s always plenty to do,” says Laura Scott, a member of the McCall city council. “You can snow-ski, water-ski, Jet Ski, golf, or snowboard; go snowmobiling, hiking or mountain biking—or you can just do nothing.” And the town is one of those modern-day anomalies: “It’s a small town with an airport able to accommodate long-haul private aircraft.” The nearby destination resort and sec-

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ond-home developments of River Ranch and Whitetail Club and Resort are also part of the Idaho mountain lifestyle appeal.

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estate-size parcels. “We’ve been discovered by the outside world partly because of all the buzz and marketing Tamarack has created,” says Whitetail Resort president John Sabala. “Real estate values have surged in the last couple years,” he says, pointing toward the shore of Payette Lake, lined with high-end estates and venerable cottages. “Lakefront property is now being sold for $25,000 a linear foot.” With the increase in values, amenities are

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in demand. Most prominent is the 1,300-acre Whitetail Club itself, with its 77-room, all-suite lodge on the lake. The nearly 60-year-old lodge recently underwent a $25 million restoration; it now has a pool, two outdoor spas, a 45-seat

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Lake Payette. Whitetail is a Conde Nast Traveler– recommended resort and received top honors in 2005 from Smart Meetings and Resorts and Great Hotels magazines.

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Whitetail’s championship-level golf course, serves as the centerpiece for the adjacent 130 estate-size homesites ranging from 1.5 to 8 acres. Many lots have golf course views; others also look out on the nearby valleys and Payette

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Lake. Prices start at $450,000, according to resort sales director Michael Smith, and of the 119 lots offered to date, 75 have sold, at an average price of $500,000.

River Ranch—A Marin Connection A few miles south of Whitetail near the airport is River Ranch, a 458-acre private community with 64 homesites along two and a half miles of the Payette River. The ranch grew from a purchase made more than 20 years ago by two Marin families, the DeBoers and the Harts, neighbors in Peacock Gap. Mike Hart of Novato

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spends eight days a month as River Ranch’s general manager. To some it may seem an impossible commute, but “from Gnoss Field (in

1/3 SQUARE

Novato) to McCall Airport,” he says, “it takes an hour and ten minutes in a Citation jet; a turboprop makes it in under two hours.” Homesites at River Ranch range from four to more than 10 acres, priced from $500,000 to $800,000. Of 17 sites released to date, seven have been sold. “We don’t allow buying for resale or speculative building,” says Hart; “we want people who’ll enjoy what the area

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has to offer.” River Ranch includes 30 acres of lakes and ponds, eight miles of bike and hiking trails, a 5,500-square-foot clubhouse, a pool and spa area, and five luxury cabins for homeowners to use while building their own homes. Surrounding amenities include a 30-mile trail system, two ski resorts, six Nordic ski trail systems and five golf courses.

Tamarack Twenty miles south on Highway 55, Tamarack—a new all-seasons resort on the scale of Aspen or Sun Valley—is most respon-

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DECEMBER 2006

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ADVERTISER

“

Tamarack Resort’s long saga toward development is marked by numerous twists and turns.

”

sible for the raft of recent attention that’s been directed at central Idaho. As with all ambitious wilderness undertakings, Tamarack Resort’s long saga toward development is marked by numerous twists and turns. It’s a quest that began in the early 1970s and concluded with Tamarack’s inaugural ski season in the winter of 2004-05. Eventually, nine chairlifts and five surface lifts will transport skiers on Tamarack’s 7,700foot mountain, which has a vertical drop of 2,800 feet. The resort has more than 600 acres of groomed trails and 1,100 acres of skiable terrain. In summer, golfers can enjoy the Osprey Meadows course, designed by Robert

1/3 SQUARE

Trent Jones Jr., and a Jack Nicklaus Academy of Golf; non-golfers can explore 70 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. Lake Cascade offers waterskiing, fishing, kayaking and sailing. More than 2,000 privately owned residential accommodations have been approved for the resort, and the Fairmont Tamarack (now under construction) will have 225 condomin-

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ium hotel units plus 60 penthouses. In addition, tennis stars Andre Agassi and Steffi Graff are co-venturing a mid-mountain luxury hotel with 60 residential units.

Access Flights depart San Francisco and Oakland airports for Boise; from there it’s a two-hour drive up State Highway 55 to Whitetail, River Ranch and Tamarack. And charter flights from Marin to the McCall Airport can be arranged through Novato-based Sunset Aviation (in partnership with River Ranch); address inquiries to Jo Conn, River Ranch director of sales, at 208.634.4686 or jo@riverranchmccall.com.

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WHITETAIL CLUB 1/3 SQUARE

Exactly halfway between the North Pole and the equator, the forces of nature sculpted a foundation for what has become a mountain paradise surrounding Whitetail Club & Resort. Two-time U.S. Open champ, Andy North, masterfully designed 280 acres of this land into an 18-hole championship golf course chiseled through dense forest and wide-

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open meadows with Rocky Mountain peaks as a backdrop. Reminiscent of Nor th’s game,

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Whitetail Club, opened in 2002, might be regarded as a shot-maker’s course requiring golfers to shape their shots around the 7,149 yards of immaculate fairways. Put to the test right off the starting blocks, the first two holes, lined with towering ponderosa pines, include a 390yard, par 4, dogleg right followed by a 510-yard, par 5, dogleg left. Continuing the loop around the

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layout, you’ll be confronted with an assortment of bending fairways to challenge course strategy and club selection. But regardless of your ability, the four sets of tees on this expansive layout offer a variety of holes for every skill level and forgiveness to ensure a comfortable playing experience. —ROBERT KAUFMAN

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

We appreciate our most valued asset, our customers. We would like to thank you for another great year. Have a safe and joyous holiday season. Sincerely, The Team of Martin • Noack Real Estate

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

115

PLAY

Winter Passion

MARIN FAMILIES HEAD FOR THE HILLS BY SAMANTHA BRONSON

hen the Marin weather turns cold and rain threatens to become a near-constant companion, 15-year-old James Clifford smiles with anticipation. During the fall, he checks

the weather online at least once a day to find out whether those raindrops are freezing in the Sierra Nevada. “When it rains here, everybody else is sad,” he says, “but I don’t mind—as long as it’s snowing there.” Clifford is a dedicated—and accomplished—skier. He races on the Sugar Bowl Ski Team and last year was in the Junior Olympics. And his winter behavior mirrors that of many other residents in Marin—he eagerly awaits the first big snow, heads east every winter weekend, and bonds with his family on the slopes. Indeed, Marin boasts a thriving ski culture. Local families form friendships on the Tahoe-area slopes that carry over into their lives back home, and residents routinely discuss their favorite mountains to ski. This is the county, after all, where Olympic champion skier Jonny Moseley grew up. Even the public schools acknowledge Marin’s passion for skiing with their

William Clifford

annual “Ski Week” vacation.

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117

“Sixty percent of my friends in Tiburon, for Christmas week or ski week, go skiing,” says

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Catherine Clifford, James’s mother, What accounts for this popularity? Marin’s proximity to the Sierra certainly helps. Although in bad weather or on crowded weekends the drive to Tahoe can easily stretch well beyond the typical three to four hours, often it’s doable as a day trip: You can leave Marin around 5 a.m., reach the slopes by 8:30, ski

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for several hours, and leave by 3 to be back in time for dinner—all for the price of a day pass (and gasoline). And given the abundance of active, outdoor-oriented, nature-loving people in Marin, the stunningly scenic Sierra is a great destination in itself. Skiing is also an inherently family-friendly pursuit. A trip to the slopes provides the perfect catching-up time: there’s the drive to get there, the chance to ride the lifts together, and the opportunity for all members to ski at their own levels, then regroup at the base of the mountain after their runs. “I think over the years, people have realized this is a good thing for the kids to do in terms of becoming good at a sport and building

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character,” says Tricia Hellman Gibbs of Mill Valley. “And the parents get to ski as well; they get to continue participating in their sport.” Hellman Gibbs grew up skiing, initially

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learning from her grandmother and eventually

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racing for the U.S. Ski Team for two years after high school. She also raced for four years during college. As she got older, however, she took a break from skiing and had no plans to introduce her children to the sport. Her parents had

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other ideas—they took her eldest daughter skiing and discovered she had a natural aptitude for it. And so Hellman Gibbs rediscovered the joy of skiing, this time with family. All four of her children have competed on a ski team at some point, although 14-yearold Frank is the most involved. He made it to ski season at Sugar Bowl attending the resort’s rates training and academics. The rest of the

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Sugar Bowl is popular with many local families: almost 10 percent of the resort’s team members come from the county, says Hellman

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Gibbs, who’s on the team’s board of directors. Squaw Valley’s team is also popular with Marin residents, as are the teams at Northstar and Alpine Meadows. Mak and Mary Kariotis of Mill Valley have a special place in their hearts for Squaw—it’s where they met. They have held season pass-

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es for at least two decades and have passed

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on their love of skiing to their children. Ali, 11, and Jack, 9, compete on Squaw Valley’s freestyle ski team, and Ali was in the Junior Olympics last year. The kids train on the weekends, which means the Kariotis family drives to Squaw Valley every weekend from Thanksgiving to May, getting in about 75 to 95 days of skiing each year. “We have four kids and all but the two-year-old have been on skis,” says Mary

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Given the number of Marin residents of all ages taking to the powder, she’s sure to be in good company.

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119

LO O K I NG BACK

‘Twas the week before Christmas, when all over Angel Island Not a creature was stirring, but one lonely electrician.

Angel Island Holiday Lights BY JIM WOOD

ne lonely electrician? “That’s cor-

cent. But by 1998, she says, the pole and trans-

rect,” says Surrey Blackburn, who as

story in a minute, but first come other threats

former were just about worn out. So with the

much as anyone knows the history

to the Angel Lights tradition.

holidays approaching, Blackburn dashed off

We’ll get to the George Lucas-as-Santa Claus

of the “Angel Lights” that shine from atop Mount

“Once in the early-1960s,” Blackburn says,

a pleading letter to a man whom she thought

Livermore on Angel Island every holiday sea-

“in a move to save money and energy, the state

knew a thing or two about lighting: George

son. “The year was 1958,” continues Blackburn,

park decided not to turn the lights on as they

Lucas, president of Industrial Light and Magic,

“and Angel Island was transitioning from a mili-

had been in previous years.” However, Blackburn

which at the time was based in San Rafael.

tary base to state park. A Marin electrician—

recalls, after several nights of darkness and just

“I imagined he got hundreds of letters

who happened to be a bachelor—was hired to

a few days before Christmas, a Pacific Heights

like mine and I wasn’t too hopeful,” was

repair the jerry-rigged electrical systems in the

political mover and shaker who had enjoyed

Blackburn’s thinking at the time. “But people

old barracks. By late December, he was pretty

the lights from afar became incensed and called

had seen Mr. Lucas hiking with his children on

much done. So, with nothing better to do and

then-Gov. Pat Brown and insisted that things be

the island; so there was a sliver of hope.” And

no phones to call out, he wandered to the top

changed. The next night, the Angel Lights were

sure enough, within days she received a call

of the hill, found an old Nike Missile transform-

turned on.

indicating a crew would be on Angel Island to

er and strung some lights from a tall pole so it looked like a Christmas tree.”

For more than two decades, thanks to Angel Island park rangers, the lights were erected and

assess the situation and that an entire new system was a definite possibility.

Thus was born a Marin holiday tradition.

continued to shine throughout the month of

“I have no idea how much was spent,” says

However, without the enduring support of a

December. “They used a rather flimsy 20-foot

Blackburn, who now lives in Pacifica. “But

25-year Marin resident named George Lucas

pole, a few strands of lights, and that old Nike

they, including W. Bradley Electric of Novato,

(yes, that George Lucas), the Angel Island holi-

Missile transformer,” says Blackburn, who in the

installed a huge new transformer, provided

day legacy might have died several years ago.

1980s began giving tours as an Angel Island do-

a sturdy, 30-foot metal pole, and gave us six

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PHOTO: SURREY BLAC KBU RN PHOTOG RA PHY

YES, THERE IS A SANTA CLAUS—AND HIS NAME IS GEORGE

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strands of lights along with hundreds of allweather 100-watt bulbs.” There was only one condition: That any publicity of the new installation make no mention of Lucas or Industrial Light and Magic. As Blackburn puts it: “They

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vetoed every effort we made to give credit where credit belonged.” In 2001, the Angel Lights tradition faced another threat, albeit a minor one. In an effort to restore Mount Livermore’s original contour, 15 feet of fill was graded to its summit to replace land scraped away for the ‘50s-era Nike Missile installation. “In the process, all the cement footings for the lights were buried,” says Blackburn. “But this time, all I had to do was call and Mr. Lucas’ crews were out there making things right.” This year, thanks to the efforts of many, Angel Lights will again shine throughout

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December. And, as has been the practice in recent years, lights may be “adopted” by any person or organization that wants to support them. According to Suzanne Badenhoop of Mill Valley, who is co-president of the Angel Island Association, all monies raised go towards “preserving and restoring the island’s natural and historical resources.” The term “adopted” means the gift of an

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ter place to be. “That way,” says Badenhoop, “every time you see the lights atop Angel Island you’ll think of that someone special.” A photo of the Angel Lights along with a commemorative certificate will be sent to whomever the donor designates. In addition, and in keeping with the times, the story of each adopted light will be placed on the Internet at angelisland.org for sharing with others. Angel Lights start at $35 and go to $500. For information, go to angelisland.org or phone 415.435.3972. The Angel Lights will be lit at 7 p.m. on Friday, December 1

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and remain so through New Year’s day.

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OTHER MARIN HOLIDAY TRADITIONS San Anselmo’s Tree Lighting “This year, the Cubs Scouts will light “A Lucky Magazine Favorite Boutique”

the trees in Creek Park,” reports

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Connie Rodgers, of the San Anselmo anniversary of this ceremony will start at 5 p.m. on Saturday, December 2, in Creek Park off Sir Frances Drake Boulevard. According to Rodgers, Santa is scheduled to arrive at 5:15 and chorale groups and a jazz band will perform throughout the evening. Free cookies, hot chocolate and cider will be served—and the Cubs will

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do their tree-lighting as soon as it is dark. “The chamber has provided all new lighting and decorations,” adds

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Rodgers, “so it should be really exciting for everyone.”

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Valley, organizers of Winterfest, a holiday tradition of some 13 years. Festivities will start well before noon when tons of snow are trucked into

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Lytton Square. Then, according to Cardamoni, chorale groups and a marching band take over until 2 p.m. when Santa arrives on Mill Valley’s historic ﬁre truck. “All the while,” says D’Angelo coowner Domenico Petrone, “kids are sliding down the mountain of snow that’s out in front of our restaurant.” Following Santa’s appearance, food will be served from Piazza D’Angelo’s

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kitchen. There’ll be Italian sausages, pizzas, pastas, hot chocolate, cook-

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

ies, even roasted chestnuts. “And at dusk,” according to Paola Petrone, the restaurant’s other owner, “we throw a switch and lights go on in all the pine trees in Lytton Square.” This

• • •

year, Mill Valley’s Winterfest takes place on Sunday, December 3rd.

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Club (judging station), Spinnaker Scoma’s, Horizons Restaurant, and Gaylord’s Restaurant. The parade, estimated to include 30 entrants, then reverses course and heads north back to its starting point.

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DECEMBER 2006

123

W INE COU NTRY

WINEMAKER FOR A DAY Give that would-be vintner a blending experience for the holidays BY LUCAS DAVIDSON

he time has come and gone when

get to go along. If so, ask to be treated to

etals from Napa and Sonoma counties, like a

the average successful airline

lunch at highly rated Redd in Yountville

professional wine master does.

pilot, doctor or retired fireman

(707.944.2222; reddnapavalley.com) or

Berthoud, formerly with Arrowood,

could buy 40 acres in Sonoma or Napa and

dinner at Carneros Bistro and Wine Bar

chooses at least two different Cabernet

fulfill his dream of making wine. Now it

(707.935.6600; thelodgeatsonoma.com)

Sauvignons and two complementary Merlots

takes the average high-tech entrepreneur,

in Sonoma town.

plus other base wines made from premium

steak house chain founder or ambassador to

The latest hands-on blending opportunity

grapes that have already matured at least a

Austria. Still, it doesn’t mean that one can’t

is from the Blending Cellar (707.849.4041;

year in French oak. A winemaker-for-the-

dream, nor does it mean that one can’t at

blendingcellar.com) in Sonoma County’s

the-day tastes each component wine, then

least assist in making a wine to take home

Glen Ellen, where visitors can make appoint-

makes a trial blend—choosing, say, 10 mil-

and share with friends. In fact, more win-

ments to custom-blend wines to their own

liliters of Sonoma Merlot to soften 40 mil-

eries than ever before have created blend-

taste preferences and take at least six bot-

liliters of Napa Cab, and topping it off with

your-own and even make-your-own wine

tles home. Through a partnership with Mayo

15 milliliters of Cab Franc to add drama to

programs, which can serve as great anchors

Family Cellars, a wine enthusiast can spend

the aroma. Once the proportions are de-

for weekend excursions to wine country.

a few hours with Mayo winemaker Mike

cided, the Blending Cellar bottles the mix

Give one of these experiences as a holiday

Berthoud creating an assemblage of a unique

in your preferred quantity and applies per-

gift to your significant other and you may

red wine out of choice lots of Bordeaux vari-

sonalized labels. The price of entry is $40

1/2 HORIZONAL

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San Francisco Sacramento

124

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

northbay@hansonbridgett.com www.hansonbridgett.com

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

per bottle, and a minimum of six bottles is

in Napa Valley (all require reservations):

com) and viewing the Napa Valley Lighted

required. The company also offers at-home

Franciscan Winery (707.967.3830; fran-

Tractor Parade (707.942.6333).

wine-blending kits for $100.

ciscan.com) takes visitors through a tast-

On the Sonoma County calendar for

Judd’s Hill MicroCrush in Napa can get

ing of the components of Magnificat, the

December 2 is a Wild Mushroom Foraging

the weekend winemaker even deeper into the

winery’s top-end red Meritage wine, and al-

and Cooking seminar at Relish Culinary

mix. Here Judd Finkelstein, his wife, Holly,

lows them to second-guess the winemaker

School (877.759.1004; relishculinary.

and parents, Art and Bunny Finkelstein, take

and assemble their own blends. St. Supéry

com) in Healdsburg. Reserve your $75 tick-

would-be winemasters by the hand, based

(707.963.4507; stsupery.com) offers a

et in advance and get an education along

on their experience as founders of Whitehall

unique mix of custom tastings, sometimes

with a complete lunch paired with wine. St.

Lane Winery and Judd’s Hill Winery. Their

including blending. Rutherford Hill Winery

Francis Winery (800.543.7713, ext. 255;

MicroCrush business (866.GET.JUDD;

(707.963.1871; rutherfordhill.com) hosts

stfrancis.com) offers a more luxurious din-

napamicrocrush.com) can teach you how

Merlot-blending seminars for groups of ten

ing experience that evening with a Holiday

to blend in a day, or at the other extreme

or more—a good office or book club outing.

Traditions Dinner in a candlelit atmosphere

can set up amateurs as full-fledged vintners

Public wine and food events in wine

at $125 per person. On the menu are such

with hundreds of cases of commercial wine

country this month seem to cluster around

dishes as smoked salmon, caviar, Dungeness

to sell, handling everything from sourcing

the first weekend to leave the rest of the

crab, roast beef and persimmon pudding.

grapes to crushing, fermenting, aging and

month for holiday activities. For a taste of

This time of year in wine country the

bottling, with as little or as much involve-

something you won’t get in Marin, plan to

pace is slower. If you can clear your sched-

ment as the client likes.

spend Saturday evening, December 2, in

ule for a day, especially early in the month,

Three other wineries are notable for cus-

Calistoga, maybe dining at the cozy Wappo

it’s a wonderful time to enjoy food and wine

tomized tasting and/or blending seminars

Bar & Bistro (707.942.4712; wappobar.

while learning something, too.

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MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

125

Steve Emery & Kathleen Lipinski

Open Studio

Barefoot Art Gallery Roy Gover

A Modern Master 1927-2003

Claudia C. Designs The Regal Line New Vintage Exquisite

Saturday & Sunday, December 2 & 3 • 10 am-5 pm Art also shown by appointment

38 San Francisco Blvd, San Anselmo • (415) 453-3648 • emerylipinski.com

126

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

20 Sunnyside Avenue, Mill Valley, CA 94941 www.barefootartgallery.com • 415-384-0104

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

GA L L E RI E S

Wonderful and Amazing Area galleries celebrate life’s little pleasures BY ANNE CRUMP RAY

menting Lang’s artist’s book with an array of

indulgent proportions. Seizing the

To help Seager Gallery–goers savor every

uments to discreet shops and cafes—in exact-

spirit of the season, Donna Seager Gallery

element of its December offerings, Donna

ing detail, bathing her subjects in a phospho-

in San Rafael presents an exhibition entitled

Seager hosts a reading and reception for the

rescent light. Her style is often described as

Delicious, which celebrates the delectable

exhibition on December 9. Lang reads from

“romantic realism” for its gently glamorized

overlap of gastronomy and artistry.

The Restaurant Stories at 5 p.m.; the recep-

interpretations of everyday sights.

or many, December heralds a monthlong movable feast of delightfully

creative takes on edibles.

Kondakova lovingly depicts Parisian streetscapes—from the city’s best-known mon-

On view from December 1 through 30,

tion follows from 6 to 8 p.m. To RSVP for the

“To me, these streets, with their worn cob-

Delicious aggregates a selection of food-fo-

reading, call the gallery at 415.454.4229 or

blestones and aged buildings, evoke a sense

cused works by approximately a dozen Bay

e-mail art@donnaseagergallery.com. The re-

of nostalgia and romance with a touch of

Area artists, the centerpiece of which is a new

ception is open to the public, and no RSVP

melancholy,” the artist has said. “It is the ideal

artist’s book by Richard Lang. A collaboration

is necessary.

kind of space in which I would like to live.” The

between the gallery and Lang’s renowned

Donna Seager Gallery, 851 Fourth St.,

works on view at Martin Lawrence include

Trillium Press in Brisbane, the limited-edition

San Rafael, 415.454.4229, donnaseagergal-

a new suite of handmade stone lithographs

book was six months in the making. Titled The

lery.com; 11–6 Tues–Thur and Sat, 11–8:30 Fri;

from Art Estampe in Paris executed in minia-

Restaurant Stories, the handmade volume, cre-

closed Sun–Mon.

ture—some only two inches tall.

ated in a print run of 30 editions, is a bona ﬁde work of art that showcases Lang’s talents as an artist, printmaker and writer. It contains half a dozen short stories united by the theme of food; each story is printed on artistically rein-

an Francisco’s Martin Lawrence Gallery honors the work of Liudmila Kondakova in December with a spe-

cial one-night celebration of new paintings

terpreted menu designs from the 1950s and

and miniature lithographs by the Russian-

’60s and housed in a menu holder.

born artist. The gallery, one of ten sister out-

Paintings and sculptures by John

posts across the country, boasts the largest

Arbuckle, Ann Bernauer, Sylvia Gonzalez,

domestic collection of Kondakova’s prolific

Larry Morace, Nanda Palmieri, Dickson

output of serigraphs, paintings and sketch-

Schneider, Helen Stanley, Jane Swinerton,

es—works that have won an international au-

Claudia Tarantino, Wayne Thiebaud and

dience for their magical hyperrealism and

others complete the presentation, comple-

veneration of place.

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

127

The gallery fêtes the artist and showcases

Previous page, upper: Claudia Tarantino, Brown

the new work at a special event from 7 to 9

Figs Waiting, 2006, porcelain teapot, 4.5” x 10” x 5.5”, at Donna Seager Gallery; lower:

p.m. on December 9 that is open to the pub-

Liudmila Kondakova, Eiffel Tower at Midnight,

lic; Kondakova will be in attendance. For more

2006, gouache on paper; Martin Lawrence

information or to RSVP, call the gallery at

Gallery; this page: detail of a mixed media piece

415.956.0345.

by Cork Marcheschi, 2006, Braunstein/ Quay Gallery

Martin Lawrence Gallery, 366 Geary St., San Francisco, 800.510.2450, martinlawrence.com; 10–7 Sun–Mon, 9–8 Tues–Wed, 9–9

ed an installation at the BART station at 16th

Thur–Sat.

and Mission streets in San Francisco. Part of a large-scale, multifaceted commission designed

an Francisco stalwart Braunstein/Quay

to beautify a corner better known for grit

Gallery decks its halls with new works

and grime, the piece, titled Home, features a

by Bay Area artist Cork Marcheschi

and ability to engage viewers outside the con-

sculpture in the shape of a traditional house

from November 22 through December 23. A

text of fine art are key reasons it appeals to

that is lit from within to project light and color

multitalented sculptor and installation artist,

him as a medium; he has observed that light’s

through its windows—a warm, inviting beacon

Marcheschi excels in the realm of light, incor-

innate beauty and energy imbue it with natu-

in a historically troubled part of town.

porating neon, halogen, incandescent and

rally arresting power. His newest works feature

Braunstein/Quay hosts a reception for

even a variety of natural lights to effect stun-

the juxtaposition of light and everyday objects

the artist on December 2 from 3 to 5 p.m.

ning mixed-media compositions.

in fanciful abstract arrangements whose im-

The event is open to the public.

Throughout his 40-year career, Marcheschi

pact exceeds that of their parts alone.

has experimented with novel ways of using

Marcheschi, also known for his public art

light as a component in his art. Its universality

projects around the world, recently complet-

Braunstein/Quay Gallery, 430 Clementina, San Francisco, 415.278.9850, bquayartgallery. com; 11–5:30 Tues–Sat; closed Sun–Mon.

1/2 HORIZONAL

ADVERTISER

128

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

Stroud & Schelling

fine art photography 415 927 4642 / 415 388 8137

Linda Saytes

oil on canvas

‘Together’

www.saytesart.com MARINMAGAZINE.COM

MARIN

18” x 24”

415.824.5756 DECEMBER 2006

129

CA LE N DAR

DECEMBER 2006 adorable Tiny Tim bring you a music-infused celebration of goodwill; say goodbye to the bah humbugs. The American Conservatory of Theater (SF). 415.749.2228, act-sf.org

December 13–January 1 Circus Center’s Holiday Show Stunning acrobatics combined with hip-hop create this contemporary circus experience. Palace of Fine Arts Theatre (SF). 415.392.4400, 7ﬁngers.com

December 21–December 24 A Christmas Carol: A Solo Performance Mill Valley local Ron Severdia will perform more than 40 characters in a new performance of this classic. Barn Theater (Ross). 415.226.1316, humbugtheatre.com

COMEDY Thursdays thru December Comedy Slam Join host Debbie Campo of the San Francisco Comedy College along with other comedians for an evening of stand-up. Sam’s Cafe (Tiburon). 415.435.4527, sfcomedycollege.com Edward Scissorhands at the Orpheum Theatre, thru December 10

THEATER Thru December 3 Flora the Red Menace Romantic daydreams become complicated when Flora Mezsaros ﬁnds her boyfriend is torn between her and a Communist party leader. 42nd Street Moon (SF). 415.255.8207, 42ndstmoon.org

Thru December 10 Edward Scissorhands A Gothic fairytale of a boy created by an eccentric inventor. Edward must ﬁnd his place in a strange new suburban world where the community struggles to see past his appearance. Orpheum Theater (SF). 415.551.2000, shnsf.com 130

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

Thru December 10 Tartuffe The Dell’ Arte Company—known for its physical comedy—will interpret this classic play. Marin Theatre Company (Mill Valley). 415.388.5208, marintheatre.org

December 5–December 26 Mark Pitta & Friends You’ll have to see the show to ﬁnd out who’s performing but it’s worth getting a chance to watch big-name headliners and up-and-coming comics work on new material. 142 Throckmorton Theatre (Mill Valley). 415.383.9600, 142throckmortontheatre.com

Thru December 17 I Hate Hamlet An actor bounces back after the cancellation of his television show by taking the most challenging role he can ﬁnd, playing Hamlet in Shakespeare in the Park. The Barn Theatre (Ross). 415.456.9555, rossvalleyplayers.org

December 5–December 24 A Christmas Carol Nasty old Scrooge and

December 6 Harry Shearer One of the creators and stars of This Is Spinal Tap, as well as, the voice of numerous characters on The Simpsons, Shearer is on hand to sign his newest book, Not Enough Indians, and answer any questions you may have regarding his career. Osher Marin JCC (San Rafael). 415.444.8000, marinjcc.org MARINMAGAZINE.COM

December 31

December 2–December 9

December 14–December 16

New Year’s Eve Comedy Join alumni from the San Francisco Comedy competition as they make you laugh until it hurts. Marin Center (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

Carmen Corporal Don José deserts his ﬁancée and his regiment to run off with Carmen. However, Carmen shifts her affections to the toreador Escamillo, which ultimately seals her deadly fate. San Francisco Opera (SF). 415.864.3330, sfopera.com

San Francisco Symphony Boléro, Ravel’s magniﬁcent Spanish dance, is paired with Henri Dutilleux’s Shadows of Time. Davies Symphony Hall (SF). 415.864.6000, sfsymphony.org

MUSIC December 3 December 1

December 15–December 17 Contemporary Opera Marin Gian Carlo Menotti’s holiday favorite Amahl and the Night Visitors onstage. Various locations (Marin). 415.485.9460, contemporaryoperamarin.org

Ana Vidovic This Croatian-born performer started playing the guitar at ﬁve years old. Now in her early 20s, the virtuoso has already recorded numerous albums. Herbst Theatre (SF). 415.392.2545, performances.org

Charity and the JAMband Family Concert Bluegrass, funk, rock, surf and soul collide with dance moves that have created a following of young and old. Throckmorton Theatre (Mill Valley). 415.383.9600, 142throckmortontheatre.com

December 1 & 2

December 6–December 8

San Francisco Symphony Ashkenazy conducts Tchaikovsky’s Symphony Number 3, Polish, with Simon Trpceski on the piano. Davies Symphony Hall (SF). 415.864.6000, sfsymphony.org

San Francisco Symphony Korngold’s Violin Concerto is brought to life by conductor David Zinman and violinist Hilary Hahn. Davies Symphony Hall (SF). 415.864.6000, sfsymphony.org

December 1 & 2

December 8

Two Evenings of Chamber Music The concerts will include the string quintet in C by Franz Schubert, two quartets by Mozart, works by Johann Joachim Quantz, John Gay, Joseph Horowitz and more. Lefort Recital Hall (Kentﬁeld). 415.485.9460, marin.cc.ca.us

The Angela Strehli Band She’s held her own with music greats like Muddy Waters and Buddy Guy; don’t miss her in Marin. Rancho Nicasio, on the town square (Nicasio). 415.662.2219, ranchonicasio.com

MarinSingers Join Jan Pederson Schiff and over 100 singers as they celebrate the season with holiday favorites in ‘Tis the Season…in the Spirit. Marin Center Veterans Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

December 9

December 17

College of Marin Community Chorus Under new direction the chorus performs Heavenly Counterpoint, the music of Josquin Desprez and the modern Estonian composer Arvo Part. College of Marin Kentﬁeld Campus (Kentﬁeld). 415.485.9460

Starduster Orchestra Vocalist Chuck Campagnet and hosts Jan Wahl and Cynthia Glinka provide an unforgettable evening of music. 142 Throckmorton Theatre (Mill Valley). 415.383.9600, 142throckmortontheatre.com

December 16 The Klezmatics and Woody Guthrie’s Happy Joyous Hanukkah Tour Marrying Jewish roots with mesmerizing lyrics, this program highlights the bands two most recent releases. Throckmorton Theatre (Mill Valley). 415.383.9600, 142throckmortontheatre.com

December 17

December 1–December 10 Manon Lescaut Chevalier des Grieux runs away with his lover Manon; however, Manon soon leaves him to become the mistress of the wealthy roué Geronte. She resolves to return but not before appropriating all the jewelry that Geronte has given her. Caught in the act, she is convicted of theft and deported to Louisiana, where she dies in the arms of her ﬁrst love. San Francisco Opera (SF). 415.864.3330, sfopera.com

December 2 Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys This Texas band combines rockabilly, western swing and boogie rhythms. Rancho Nicasio, on the town square (Nicasio). 415.662.2219, ranchonicasio.com

December 2 & 3 The Marin Symphony Chamber Chorus and Orchestra Stephen McKersie conducts these festive choral concerts featuring music of the season, candlelight and audience sing-alongs. Church of Saint Raphael (San Rafael). 415.479.8100, marinsymphony.org MARINMAGAZINE.COM

The Starduster Orchestra at 142 Throckmorton Theatre, December 17 MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

131

December 14–31 Nutcracker The holiday performance that includes over 300 costumes, a 30-foot tree and a tutu that took over 80 hours to create. San Francisco Ballet (SF). 415.865.2000, sfballet.org

December 16 The Tapcracker This hilarious original take on the old standard features rapping mice and tapping toy soldiers. Marin Center (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

GALLERIES MARIN

Art Abloom La Pureza, oil on canvas by Lorenzo Moya, thru December at Gallery Bergelli

December 18–20 Colors of Christmas Peabo Bryson, James Ingram, Stephanie Mills, and Deniece Williams star in this pop hits event. Davies Symphony Hall (SF). 415.864.6000, sfsymphony.org

December 19 Musae in Concert An 18-member female vocal ensemble stretches the traditions of repertoire for women’s voices. Old St. Hilary’s Landmark (Tiburon). 415.435.1853, landmarks-society.org

to Marin for one night only. Larkspur Café Theatre (Larkspur). 415.924.6107, larkspurcafetheatre.com

Artisans Art Gallery December 29 Marcia Ball The Grammy-nominated singer is touring to support her ﬁrst-ever live album. Catch her signature brand of Texas blues and Louisiana R&B. Rancho Nicasio, on the town square (Nicasio). 415.662.2219, ranchonicasio.com

DANCE

December 20 Young Performers International This nonproﬁt children’s performing arts company performs songs of the season from around the world. San Francisco City Hall (SF). 415.420.2960, youngperformersintl.org

December 22 Woody Allen & His New Orleans Jazz Band Don’t miss this ﬁlm legend playing the clarinet in the band’s ﬁrst major U.S. tour. 142 Throckmorton Theatre (Mill Valley). 415.383.9600, 142throckmortontheatre.com

December 28 Daisy Dern and Dave Gibson This husband-and-wife team bring country music 132

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

Salon Show Take a look at this regional juried show, December 5–30. 853 Fourth St, San Rafael. 415.460.5208, artisansartgallery.org

Art Works Downtown The Square Foot Show Featuring works smaller than 12 inches, thru December. Art Works Downtown Art Walk, December 15. 1337 Fourth St, San Rafael. 415.451.8119, artworksdowntown.org

December 2

California Closets

Just Dance Academy Nutcracker An abbreviated version of the classic. Marin Center (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

Cathy Locke This ﬁne artist will be showing her latest pastel paintings. The work is a rich depiction of summer ﬂowers, fruits and vegetables from her ranch in Marin, thru December. California Closets (San Rafael). 415.893.9292, cathylocke.com

December 21 Meshugga Beach Party It’s traditional Jewish music with a surf spin, just in time for Hanukkah. Larkspur Café Theatre (Larkspur). 415.924.6107, larkspurcafetheatre.com

Local Scenes Views of San Anselmo on canvas and handmade surfaces, thru December 18. 735 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, San Anselmo. 415.256.1112, artabloom.com

December 2 & 3 Stapleton Ballet’s Nutcracker The timeless tale of Clara and her adventures with the prince, complete with the lavish Victorian party scene and the battle of mice and soldiers. Marin Center (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

Claudia Chapline Gallery Light at Heart Neon sculptures by Roy Forest and Jen Pearson and other artists, thru December 24. 3445 Shoreline Hwy, Stinson Beach. 415.868.2308, cchapline.com

Donna Seager Gallery December 9 & 10 Marin Ballet’s Nutcracker This production features sets and costumes created at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Marin Center (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

Delicious A group show surrounding the release of The Restaurant Stories, a limitededition artist book of short stories about dining experiences, thru December. 851 Fourth St, San Rafael. 415.454.4229, donnaseagergallery.com MARINMAGAZINE.COM

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Edith Caldwell Gallery Contemporary Tapestries Work by Alan Magee, Guy Diehl and Donald Era Farnsworth, along with Minimal Furniture by Brent Comber, thru February 14. 819 Bridgeway, Sausalito. 415.331.5003, edithcaldwell.com

Falkirk Galleries Mixed Company: Collage and Assemblage This exhibit explores the many ways artists take objects and materials and translate them into art, thru January 6. 1408 Mission Ave at E St, San Rafael. 415.485.3328, falkirkculturalcenter.org

Gallery Bergelli New work by Chilean artist Lorenzo Moya, thru December. 483 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur. 415.945.9454, gallerybergelli.com

Gallery Route One Body Work Paintings based on a fascination with the human body by artist Suzanne Parker, thru December 3. As Above, So Below Mixed media by Joyce Majiski and Diana Marto, thru December 3. 11101 Hwy One, Point Reyes Station. 415.663.1347, galleryrouteone.org

Marin Society of Artists Selected Artists Show Work by Laura Culver, Ben Farnham, Karen Gann, Nancy Grosso, Bob Justice and Ursula Petersen, December 3–17. 30 Sir Francis Drake, Ross. 415.454.9561, marinsocietyofartists.org

O’Hanlon Center for the Arts Puppetry As Sculpture and Spirit Explore modern puppet making at this juried show. On display December 5–29. 616 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley. 415.388.4331, ohanloncenter.org

The Painters Place An Exhibit of Art Find the perfect holiday gift or check out ﬁne work by gallery artists, thru January. 1139 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur. 415.461.0351, thepaintersplace.com

Robert Beck Gallery California Plein Air Paintings 1900-1960 Works by various artists, thru December. 222 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, San Anselmo. 415.456.7898

Robert Green Fine Arts Ray Jackson and James Shay A two-person 134

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Caldwell Snyder Gallery Recent Sculptures Work by Boaz Vaadia, Luis Montoya and Leslie Ortiz, thru December. 341 Sutter St, 415.296.7896, caldwellsnyder.com

Elins Eagles Smith Gallery

I only look like a brain surgeon.

John McCormick New Paintings, thru December 15. 49 Geary St, Ste 520, 415.981.1080, eesgallery.com

Fraenkel Gallery Nothing and Everything Drawing, painting, photography and sculpture from 1896 to 2006, thru January 27. 3049 Geary St, 415.981.2661, fraenkelgallery.com

Frey Norris Gallery Blue Sky, oil on linen, approximately 55” by 42” Grisha Bruskin at Meyerovich Gallery

Ongoing exhibits. 456 Geary St, 415.346.7812, freynorris.com

Don’t let the nice tie and long white exhibit with new paintings, thru December. 154 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley. 415.381.8776, rgﬁnearts.com

Sam the Butcher Georgette L. Osserman is the featured artist at this new gallery, thru December. 19 Ross Common, Ross. 415.902.1019

Sue Averell’s Studio Gallery Holiday Show New work by the artist, December 2–3. 480 Gate Five Rd, Sausalito. 415.706.5051, sueaverell.com

Gallery Paule Anglim Gay Outlaw: Sculpture and Photo Collage New works from research and play with form and materials. Dean Smith New works on paper, both thru December 16. 14 Geary St, 415.433.2710, gallerypauleanglim.com

George Krevsky Gallery Lawrence Ferlinghetti: Word Play Mixed media that convey literary references, thru December 9. 77 Geary St, 415.397.9748, georgekrevskygallery.com

Gregory Lind Gallery Studio 333 Ongoing exhibits. 333A Caledonia St, Sausalito. 415.331.8272, studio333.info

Wind Swell Paintings by artist Aaron Parazette, thru December 9. 49 Geary St, 415.296.9661, gregorylindgallery.com

Toby’s Gallery

Hackett-Freedman Gallery

Igor Sazevich and Marna Clarke An exhibition of original paintings and photographs by these two West Marin artists, thru December. 11250 Hwy One, Point Reyes Station. 415.663.1223

David Park: the 1930s and ‘40s An exhibition of early period paintings and drawings by the San Francisco artist, thru December 23. 250 Sutter St, 415.362.7152, hackettfreedman.com

William Lester Gallery

Hang Art and Hang Art Annex

Jeanette LeGru Plein air oil landscapes by LeGru, thru January 1. 11101 Shoreline Hwy, Point Reyes Station. 415.663.9365, williamlestergallery.com

Jeff Loehmann, Edge Crafting his art by carefully burning forms into paper and forging steel into neuron-like shapes, Loehmann considers the boundary between fragility and strength, thru December at Hang Art. Wish A group show reﬂecting on the past year, thru December at Hang Art Annex. 556 & 567 Sutter St, 415.434.4264, hangart.com

lab coat fool you. I am not a brain surgeon. I do, however, know what will make your eye twitch — one word: Greek Moussaka. Yes, our friends the Greek people have given us many gifts over the years – Greek tragedies, Greek ruins, Greek salad, Greco/Roman wrestling and Grecian Formula. But none measure up to my Greek Moussaka. Multiple layers of freshly minced lamb and eggplant, diced tomato, yams, yellow onion and baked - wow, is it good. So take it from me, Bryan (a nonmedical professional). Nothing will get your eye dancing quite like Zorba the way my Greek Moussaka does.

SAN FRANCISCO

ArtHaus 1996–2006 A retrospective exhibition of memories and works in various media by gallery and guest artists, thru December. 411 Brannan St, 415.977.0223, arthaus-sf.com MARINMAGAZINE.COM

Come buy everything.

Bryan’s Fine Foods Corte Madera Town Center

Jack Hanley Gallery Ongoing exhibits. 395/389 Valencia St, 415.522.1623, jackhanley.com

927.4488 www.bryansﬁnefoods.com

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John Pence Gallery

works of art America has ever produced.” The exhibit includes 60 quilts made by 42 African American women in Alabama between 1930 and 2000; on display thru December (SF). 415.863.3330, thinker.org/deyoung

Recent Oil Paintings Work by Kate Lehman and Sarah Lamb, thru December 16. 750 Post St, 415.441.1138, johnpence.com

Linda Saytes di Rosa Preserve

Ongoing work. Hunters Point Shipyard Bldg 101 Studio 2120, 415.824.5756, saytesart.com

Recent Acquisitions An exhibition of artworks recently purchased by Rene di Rosa, thru January 6 (Napa). 707.226.5991, ext. 26, dirosapreserve.org

Meyerovich Gallery 20th Anniversary Celebration Part II–Contemporary Art Grisha Bruskin: Metamorph-osis & Mysticism An exhibition of new paintings, sculptures and works on paper, thru January 10. 251 Post St, 415.421.7171, meyerovich.com

Newmark Gallery San Francisco San Francisco Cityscapes Go beneath the glossy tourist images of the city, a show for people who love San Francisco, thru December. 251 Post St, Ste 412, 415.392.3692, newmarkgallery.com

Paul Thiebaud Giorgio Morandi Active from the early 1900s until his death in 1964, Morandi primarily created still life compositions throughout his proliﬁc career, earning him the label of “painter of the everyday.” This exhibition includes selected examples of Morandi’s still life paintings and drawings, thru December 16. 718 Columbus Ave, 415.434.3055, paulthiebaudgallery.com

Rena Bransten Gallery Dennis Gallagher Sculptures, thru January 13. 77 Geary St, 415.982.3292, renabranstengallery.com

Exploratorium Ginny 2006 by artist Marna Clarke at Toby’s Gallery, thru December.

Marin History Museum A Life Surrounding a Cabin: Dorothea Lange at Steep Ravine This never-before-exhibited series of intimate family portraits and landscapes by Lange—who is best known for her WPA images documenting the Great Depression—explores the last years of her life. Marin Community Foundation Ofﬁces (Novato). 415.464.2500

MARIN

Bolinas Museum The Miniature Show Over 85 local artists show works that are no larger than six inches, thru January 7. John Kouns, in the photography gallery, thru January 7. Rick Little, prints in the Coastal Marin Artists Gallery, thru December 10, To Wear An exhibition of wearable art, December 16–January 7. Schooners, Skips, Lighters, Launches, Barges and Rowboats: the Birth of Bolinas, in the history gallery, thru December. 48 Wharf Road (Bolinas). 415.868.0330, bolinasmuseum.org 136

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Legion of Honor Transparent Reﬂections: Richard PousetteDart Works on Paper from 1940 to 1992, thru January 14. (SF). 415.863.3330, legionofhonor.org

Museum of Craft & Folk Art

BAY AREA Asian Art Museum Hidden Meanings: Symbolism in Chinese Imperial Arts By surrounding themselves with symbols, many Chinese believed that wishes would be fulﬁlled. This exhibit unlocks the mysteries of the hidden meanings, thru December (SF). 415.581.3500, asianart.org

Asian Art Museum

MUSEUMS

Listen: Making Sense of Sound This 5,000square-foot exhibit features over 55 interactive opportunities. Listen like a deer does when you try on alternative ears, or act like a snake and listen with your teeth and jawbone, thru December (SF). 415.397.5673, exploratorium.edu

Pioneers of Philippine Art: Luna, Amorsolo, Zobel The exhibit chronicles 100 years of Philippine painting, in 38 artworks from three groundbreaking artists, thru January 7 (SF). 415.581.3500, asianart.org

The Art of Gaman This exhibition demonstrates the human urge to still create beautiful objects while in dire situations, thru January 21 (SF). 415.227.4888, mocfa.org

SFMOMA Alexander Girard: Vibrant Modern A selection of lively, bold designs including textiles designed for Herman Miller and works created for La Fonda del Sol Restaurant in New York, thru February 25 (SF). 415.357.4000, sfmoma.org

YBCA Sensacional! Mexican Street Graphics Explore the vernacular design of comic books, ﬂyers, posters and signs common in Mexico, thru March 4 (SF). 415.978.2787, ybca.org

COPIA Crush, Shoot and Savor: The Wine Photography of Sara Matthews An intimate interpretation of the winemaking process, December 6–11. (Napa). 888.512.6742, copia.org

FAMILIES/KIDS MARIN

December 2 de Young The Quilts of Gee’s Bend Don’t miss your ﬁnal chance to see an exhibition the New York Times calls “some of the most miraculous

Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony Get in the holiday spirit; Santa Claus will be on hand for pictures. Creek Park (San Anselmo). 415.456.5989, doodlebugmarin.com MARINMAGAZINE.COM

December 3 ASHEBA Join this musical storyteller as he brings Trinidad’s folkloric oral tradition of calypso to his audiences. Larkspur Café Theatre (Larkspur). 415.924.6107. larkspurcafetheatre.com

December 9 Holiday Sing-Along Miss Kitty will perform a magical, interactive musical adventure for the whole family. The Dance Palace (Point Reyes Station), 415.663.1075, dancepalace.org

December 22 Pajama Night Drop off the kids for a night of games, pizza and crafts and head out for a date night on San Anselmo Ave. Doodlebug (San Anselmo). 415.456.5989, doodlebugmarin.com

Thru January 7 Your House, My House Check out homes from around the world including a Mongolian herder’s ger, an m’bure from the tropics of Fiji, and a stilt house from a Malaysian ﬁshing village. Bay Area Discovery Museum (Sausalito). 415.339.3900, baykidsmuseum.org

December 2–December 22 Gingerbread Architecture Extravaganza Create the most delightful (and tasty) gingerbread house on the block, complete with gumdrops, frosting and candy canes. Bay Area Discovery Museum (Sausalito). 415.339.3900, baykidsmuseum.org

December 16 & 17 The SnowCat Back by popular demand, jazz composer Dmitri Matheny and his band weave a magical and musical tale of adventure and friendship set in San Francisco. Bay Area Discovery Museum (Sausalito). 415.339.3900, baykidsmuseum.org

B AY A R E A

Thru February 4 Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils New Discoveries Journey back in time as you explore lifesize models of dinosaurs, reptiles and birds. California Academy of Sciences (SF). 415.321.8000, calacademy.org

“California’s Very Own”

FINGERHUT GALLERIES CALIFORNIA

SAUSALITO

Featuring works by: Picasso, Miro, Smirnov, Montesinos, Vanderveen, Matisse, Jiang, Picart, Snowden, Chagall, Rembrandt & Dr. Seuss™ Victoria Montesinos, Royal Lilies

December 3 Deck the Hall Treat the kids to this holiday party. Davies Symphony Hall (SF). 415.864.6000, sfsymphony.org MARINMAGAZINE.COM

Call: 800-700-1842

www.fingerhutart.com/gallery/sausalito.html

690 BRIDGEWAY

E-mail: sausalito@fingerhutart.com

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December 16

ing colorful greens and cuttings from the San Francisco Botanical Garden (SF). 415.661.1316, sfbotanicalgarden.org

The Physics of Toys: Museum Melody Create noisemakers to usher in the New Year. Exploratorium (SF). 415.561.0360, exploratorium.edu

December 9 & 10 The KPFA Crafts and Music Fair Don’t miss out on purchasing original work made by over 220 artists. Proceeds beneﬁt the KPFA radio station. Concourse Exhibition Center (SF). 510.848.6767, kpfa.org

December 26–December 30 Annual Holiday Animation Film Festival This program celebrates the art of animation both old and new, as well as short documentaries. Exploratorium (SF). 415.397.5673, exploratorium.edu

EVENTS

December 15 Children’s musical storyteller Asheba at the Larkspur Café Theatre, December 3

Thru December 13 Ritter Center Welcomes Donations Sign up for the center’s annual Family-to-Family program, which matches donors with needy families, seniors and disabled persons. Ritter Center (San Rafael). 415.457.8182, rittercenter.org

December 1–January 1 Artists Needed for Pins of Marin Big Brothers Big Sisters of Marin and Napa Counties are calling all artists to participate in Pins of Marin. Adopt a bowling pin to transform into a work of art. The pins will be auctioned off at the Bowl for Kids’ Sake Kick Off Party. Big Brothers Big Sisters (Marin, Napa). 415.453.3800, ext. 229

December 1, 2, 3 Holiday Craft Fair Handcrafted gifts and delicious food will be featured at this 36th annual event. More than 40 craftspeople from all over the Bay Area will present their wares. The Dance Palace (Point Reyes Station), 415.663.1075, dancepalace.org

December 2 Black, White and Diamonds Party The Raccoon Branch of Marin General Hospital’s fundraising tree will be hosting its annual holiday gala to beneﬁt the hospital’s community and educational programs. The Marin Country Club (Novato). 415.789.0758

December 2 & 3 Deco the Halls An art deco and modernism sale featuring 200 dealers selling arts and crafts, art nouveau, streamline modern, a vintage fashion show and more. Concourse Exhibition Center (SF). 650.599.3326, artdecosale.com 138

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December 3 The Every Day Counts Harvey Frank Fundraiser The Mill Valley community center will be transformed into a winter wonderland with all proceeds going to the Harvey Frank Fund to help people living with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). (Mill Valley). 415.706.9731, everydaycounts.net

December 8 MALT Holiday Party The Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) will host its annual open house. The Dance Palace (Point Reyes Station), 415.663.1075, dancepalace.org

December 9 Holiday Art and Craft Sale Paintings, jewelry, ﬁne food and more. Cottage at the Art and Garden Center (Tiburon). 415.435.1853, landmarks-society.org

December 9 Sausalito Lighted Yacht Parade This 19th annual event will include Grand Marshal Jim Gabbert on his 85-foot motor yacht Deﬁance. If you don’t have a boat, gather at Gabrielson Park, just north of the ferry landing, for great views (Sausalito).

Art Beneﬁt Silent Auction Support pediatric cancer research by bidding on artwork by C. Ribet. Dr. Michael Link, chief of pediatric hematology/oncology at Stanford will be on hand to speak on treatment and research in the ﬁeld. Marin Flooring Company Showroom (San Rafael). 415.453.3310

December 26 Annual Kwanzaa Celebration Celebrate the rich traditions of Kwanzaa and African-American culture through handson activities, performances and food. Bay Area Discovery Museum (Sausalito). 415.339.3900, baykidsmuseum.org

December 31 Gaylord’s New Year’s Eve Party Enjoy an elegant dinner on the Sausalito bay at Gaylord Indian Restaurant, followed by a night of music and dancing. Gaylord Indian Restaurant (Sausalito). 415.339.0172, gaylords.com

December 31 New Year’s Eve Gala Enjoy party favors and complimentary champagne, savories, and desserts following the San Francisco Symphony concert. Dance the night away on stage and in the lobby. When the clock strikes midnight, 2007 balloons will cascade from above. SF Symphony (SF). 415.864.6000, sfsymphony.org

December 31 December 9 Tour de Noel Christmas Home Tour The annual event that features a private viewing of four beautiful homes decorated for the holidays. After the tour, browse the holiday boutique. St. John’s Episcopal Church (Ross). 415.456.1102, tourdenoel.org

December 9 Wreath Workshop Make your own unique wreath just in time for the holidays by us-

New Year’s Eve Party A night full of live music, dancing, champagne and desserts, right in West Marin. The Dance Palace (Point Reyes Station), 415.663.8198, dancepalace.org

December 31 Zydeco Flames Dance to a jambalaya of Louisiana-style zydeco. The show includes party favors and a champagne toast. Rancho Nicasio, on the town square (Nicasio). 415.662.2219, ranchonicasio.com MARINMAGAZINE.COM

LECTURES/WORKSHOPS

RE TAIL TH E RAPY

Ongoing Writing Mamas Salon A warm, encouraging and supportive place for members to talk about motherhood and writing. Well-known authors make special guest appearances, check website for schedules. Book Passage (Corte Madera). 415.927.0960, writingmamas.com

December 2 Global Warming Demo with Paul Doherty Learn about the issues surrounding climate change in this live webcast. Exploratorium (SF). 415.561.0360, exploratorium.edu

December 6 Grandparents’ Coffee Hour Join Book Passage president (and grandmother) Elaine Petrocelli and children’s book buyer Susan Kunhardt to talk about the best new and classic children’s books. Book Passage (Corte Madera). 415.927.0960, bookpassage.com

December 9 Opening the Mountain: Circumambulating Mount Tamalpais: A Ritual Walk In 1965, Allen Ginsberg, Gary Snyder and Philip Whalen gathered at the base of Mount Tam to begin a 40-year ritual. Matthew Davis talks about his book, which documents this ritual and offers guidance to others. Book Passage (Corte Madera). 415.927.0960, bookpassage.com

NATURE WALKS/TALKS

Thursdays thru December Trunk Show Thursdays at Blanc Check out must-have pieces by jewelry designers Ashley Morgan on the 7th, Branch on the 14th and Lulu Designs on the 21st. Blanc (San Anselmo). 415.485.0104

December 8 & 9 Thursdays thru December Late Night Shopping Fun Enjoy music, beverages, appetizers and specials as you ﬁnd that perfect outﬁt. Bread and Jam (San Anselmo). 415.454.7300

Thursdays thru December Kismet Boutique Celebrate the holiday season; the store stays open late every Thursday night. Enjoy refreshments and shop for must-haves. Kismet (San Anselmo). 415.454.2629

December 1 Jewelry Trunk Show Shop for yourself or others at this exciting event. Ruth Livingston Studio (Tiburon). 415.435. 5264, ruthlivingston.com

Ongoing Sonoma History Local actor George Webber morphs into Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain, as he retells the history of Sonoma through Twain’s eyes; speciﬁc dates on website (Sonoma). 707.694.5097, georgewebber.com

December 9 Oh No, Not Gulls! Join Lisa Hug and learn simple strategies that can take some of the intimidation and frustration out of gull identiﬁcation. You’ll start in the classroom with slides and discussion, then head out to the ﬁeld to practice identifying gulls in their natural surroundings. (Point Reyes). 415.663.1200, ptreyes.org MARINMAGAZINE.COM

Children will receive 15 percent of sales from this exclusive shopping event featuring TEA Collection. Mill Valley Baby & Kids (Mill Valley). 415.389.1312, babyandkidscompany.com

December 2 Simon Pearce Meet the designer as he presents his latest collection. Gump’s (SF). 415.982.1616, gumps.com

December 5 Bread and Jam A portion of sales will go to Hayden’s Hope, a nonproﬁt helping to ﬁnd a cure for the rare genetic disorder FOP. Bread and Jam (San Anselmo). 415.454.7300

December 7

Faberge Watch Event The North American premiere of this rare watch. Dr. Marcus Mohr of Faberge will be on hand to answer questions about this unique timepiece. Amir H. Mozaffarian, near Gump’s (SF). 415.391.9995, mozzafarian.com

December 9 Lunaria Grand Opening Shop for home furnishings and get a special one-day lighting discount; live music and light fare will be on hand. Lunaria (Larkspur). 415.461.0588, lunaria.us

December 9 Folio Trunk Show Get all your holiday shopping done with monogramming on site, jewelry by Martha England, jewels by Mala and handbags and jewelry by Sobella. Folio (Larkspur). 415461.0120

December 12 & 13 Green Apples Holiday Party For two days it’s 25 percent off everything. Green Apples (Sausalito). 415.331.8227

December 19—December 23 Apartment A All candles and holders will be 25 percent off. Apartment A (Mill Valley). 415.388.0140

Mill Valley Baby & Kids Company Shop for a cause. The Global Fund for

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Flavor, Friends and Fine Authentic Italian Dining 931 Fourth Street, San Rafael, CA 94901 456-2425

Spectacular views of the San Francisco skyline, Angel Island and Tiburon. Since 1976, Gaylord has been rated among the top ten Indian restaurants worldwide. Zagat Restaurant of Excellence.

india

on the

bay

Make plans now to join us for a fabulous New Year’s Eve Dinner & After Hours Party.

201 Bridgeway, Sausalito, California 94965 (Parking Lot at 2nd & Main Street) (415) 339-0172 • www.gaylords.com

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FL AVOR

PAN-ASIAN FANTASY Ora in Mill Valley is unique culinary experience miso-sake-glazed black cod

BY ERIKA LENKERT PHOTOS SASHA GULISH

hahram Bij an is a persistent man. After

ly luminescent patchwork of color. With large

His pedigree is evident in the foie gras tor-

opening two unsuccessful restaurants,

windows overlooking the street, two narrow

chon, served with star anise– infused q uince

F irst Crush and Mi Casa, in a converted

front dining areas have chic patio appeal—mi-

puré e, and deep-fried slices of some addictive

Mill V alley home, he stepped up to the prover-

nus the wind chill factor. Wood-slatted walls,

fl ash-fried Asian sweetbread bites that arrive

bial dinner plate again this past F ebruary. Only

bamboo-mat ceilings, and sleek cherry-stained

before you order. The dish is good, but it can’t

this time, when he swung open the doors of

tables and chairs tie everything together.

compete with the more elevated rusticity of

his nearby pan-Asian fantasy restaurant and

Because all the areas are visible regardless of

bar called Ora, he scored.

where you sit, there’s an element of intrigue

Ora has sex appeal. Contemporary but not fl ashy or cold, the buzzing restaurant has

that inspires the eye to wander to see what you might be missing.

j ust the right amount of Asian-inspired design

Another element that draws the eye is

drama within its series of compact microen-

the menu. Crafted by 2 7 -year-old John V an

vironments. The cozy lounge sports a ruby

Nguyen, it spotlights the ex otic flavors of

red couch, small stools and tables fronting a

Chinese, Thai and Japanese cuisine with tasty

blazing fire, and a TV playing silent movies.

results. Not that I’m surprised. Before start-

Dividing the snuggly spot from a dining area

ing here V an Nguyen worked at Masa’s under

with a gas-burning fireplace is a small, chic

G regory Short, who is q uietly whipping up

wine, beer and sake bar backed by a beautiful-

some of San F rancisco’s best food.

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

John Van Nguyen

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kung pao calamari, a gorgeous starter of calamari steak chunks, sweet onions, red bell peppers, roasted peanuts, and a light sauce with a kiss of sweet and heat. Bite into the sq uid and its initial rubbery snap gives way to melt-inyour-mouth tenderness. Divine. P ork ravioli is another dish that looks as good as it tastes. Most of the fish is fl own in every other day from Japan and New Z ealand. I’ve had great and so-so luck with the nigiri sushi and seafood tartares, but regardless, the offerings are still better than most you’ll find in Marin, making this a better than average spot to satisfy a sushi craving. And I’ll happily forgo raw options for the miso-sake-glazed black cod, which arrives atop

Seafood Tartar

a grand brushstroke of spinach coulis and a mound of forbidden black rice. It’s a classic done to perfection. Elegantly composed duck

and generous sake fl ights or a selection from

room for dessert and conclude that given the

confit is another gourmet standard superbly

the wine list of lesser-known boutiq ue offer-

hip atmosphere and creative cooking, we’re

ex ecuted here.

ings. They also wisely pointed me to two des-

likely to return soon.

During my visits the staff has been charm-

serts, panna cotta with rosewater gelé e and

Ora, 24 Sunnyside Ave., Mill Valley,

ing and very helpful in determining, among

chocolate pot de crè me, both of which made

415.381.7500, www.oramv.com. Dinner night-

other things, whether to order one of the fun

an already overly satisfied table suddenly find

ly, sushi $4.50–$8, entrées $15–$19

HORIZONAL T h i s C H1/2R ISTMAS DISCOVER M ARIN’S MOST EXTRAORDINARY MARKET

ADVERTISER

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VALUE, Like No Other...On Top Of The Hill

Villa Marin

Villa Marin is designed for comfort, security, and the enjoyment of leisure • Own your own condominium with 100% equity • Physicians, around the clock nurses and rehab services on site • Activities, Excursions, Lectures and Entertainment • Exercise classes, indoor swimming pool and spa, paddle tennis

Contact Bobbie O. Heldt for a personal tour: (415)492-2408 • villa-marin.com Cal. Lic. # 210108102

Join us Seven Days a Week for Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner Tiburon’s Brand New Full Service Restaurant and Bar Featuring the Cuisine of Chef Patricia Windisch

1651 Tiburon Blvd. The Lodge at Tiburon threedegreesrestaurant.com • 415.435.5996

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

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Marin’s Flooring Boutique

Showroom Virtual Tour on Website Serving Marin since 1978 • www.marinﬂoorcompany.com 777 Grand Ave. @ Second Street, San Rafael • 415.453.3310

UPCOMING EVENT 2nd Annual Art Beneﬁt & Silent Auction for Children’s Cancer Research: Dec. 15, 2006, 5-10pm, at 6:30pm Dr. Michael Link, Chief Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Stanford will speak. RSVP/Info: 453-3310. Auction of childhood survivor & Dr. Link’s patient C Ribet’s artwork.

Protect Your Investment Cleaning, Sealing and Restoration of Natural Stone Honing & Polishing MARBLE • GRANITE • LIMESTONE • SLATE TRAVERTINE • CONCRETE • GROUT

415.924.5005 www.marin-wood.com/stonecare BONDEDED & INSURED LIC.# 830339

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polished to perfection sealed for protection MARINMAGAZINE.COM

Experience Sustainable Living

• Antique Beams • Rustic Wide Plank Flooring • Exquisite TimeCrafted Timbers and Flooring

EcoSmart® Fire

Marin’s Original Reclaimed Wood Company

www.blacksfarmwood.com San Rafael Showroom By Appointment 415.454.8312

Fueled by Renewable Energy

Swim Spas • Umbrellas Outdoor Furniture • Hot Tubs

2100 Redwood Highway, Greenbrae (Off Hwy 101, Lucky Drive exit, next to Golf Mart) (415) 924-8811 • www.marinoutdoorliving.com

Call for a Free Estimate • Interior/Exterior (415) 459-3271 • Bonded & Insured • Lic. No. 642695

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

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2006 Angel Lights

Health. It’s the greatest gift of all, for yourself or for someone you love.

Adopt an Angel Light!

MOMentum Fitness offers in-home personal training for groups and individuals. Ask about our HOLIDAY SPECIAL – 11 training sessions for the price of 10!

Celebrate a friend or loved one and tell us your story! "Angel Lights" shine throughout December from the top of Angel Island. Adopt a light as a gift for someone special and tell us the story of your light! Watch for your stories on Angel Island Association's website. Call 415-435-3972 or visit www.angelisland.org We thank our sponsors

MOMentum fitness Where Moms Come First

Adoptions support AIA’s work to preserve, restore, and interpret Angel Island State Park. AIA is a 501(c) (3) organization. Contributions are tax deductible.

Tighter Skin Without Surgery!

Jeanie Sawaya 415.302.9859 www.MomFit.net

What do you have to lose by getting older?

. . . Your Eyelashes

Free IPL Photo-Facial withTitanTreatment

Longer, fuller, thicker, darker and noticeably lusher looking lashes can be yours in time for the holidays with Jan Marini Age Intervention Eyelash. Amazing lashes with extraordinary skin care available at Skintique.

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• Titan® for Skin Laxity • IPL Photo Rejuvenation • Laser Hair Removal • • TCA Peels • Dermosonic® Cellulite Reduction • • ClearLight® Acne Therapy • Restylane® Wrinkle Filler • • Spider Vein Treatments • BOTOX® Cosmetic •

Designer Facials • Clinical Peels • Microdermabrasion Dermaplaning • Endermologie Body Contouring Facial Waxing • Acne Management

Susan Martling, M.D. 770 Tamalpais Drive • Suite 301 • Corte Madera Town Center

415.945.9314 • www.marinlaser.com Monday - Saturday 8:30 - 6:30 pm

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www.skintique.com • (415) 924-0865 Pamela Farrell, Licensed Clinical Esthetician, Corte Madera, CA

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

Come Experience the Flavors of Italy

Visit Ciao Bella Italy for a beautiful assortment of Hand-Made and Hand-Painted Italian Ceramics and Majolica as well as Gourmet Italian Food Products. We bring Italy to you!!

Ciao Bella Italy Italian Ceramics 467 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley www.ciaobellaitaly.com

(415) 384-0222 Tuesday - Saturday 11am-6pm

Bath & Body Products Fine, Fabulous & Fun

We speciali z e in High Quality Ar t Materials Buddha Soap Direct: 866.962.4426 Available at Summer House 21 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

475 Miller Ave.•Mill Valley (415) 388-5642 www.millvalleyart.com

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One item. All the attention. Apparel • Shoes Accessories • Jewelry

Trunk Show Thursdays during December: 4-8pm See Retail Therapy p.139 for Details!

featuring Branch jewelry as seen in InStyle Magazine

1102 MAGNOLIA AVE. / LARKSPUR / 415.925.0109 www.item-shoes.com / MON. - SAT. / 10:30 - 5:30

item shoes & accessories

Fine Women’s Clothing & Accessories

M O N DAY - S AT U R DAY 1 1 - 6 • S U N DAY S 1 1 - 5 5 1 4 S A N A N S E L M O AV E • S A N A N S E L M O • 4 8 5 . 0 1 0 4

Encore Marin’s Finest Consignment Shop Manolo Blanik Jimmy Choo Prada Chanel Gucci Hermes St. John …and more Open Mon - Sat 10am - 5pm Consignments Taken Tues - Sat 10am - 3pm (415) 456-7309 • 11 Mary St., San Rafael (next to Peets)

869 Grant Ave Novato (415) 892-2255 bettyann869@aol.com

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MARIN ADVERTISERS SPEAK UP

Dr. Susan Martling The Laser Center of Marin, Corte Madera Town Center “It’s important to note,” says Medical Director Dr. Susan Martling, “that The Laser Center offers a total approach to clinical skin care. We have a large array of technologies to address numerous skin care issues as opposed to the smaller clinic that may have one or two lasers.”

Leslie Mortensson and Kim Jensen Ram Print and Communications, custom printing, Strawberry Village Ram Print and Communications has been providing award-winning printing services in Marin County for over 36 years. Ram’s owners, Dick and Sonja Jensen, are currently serving in a humanitarian mission in Albania. In their absence, their daughter Kim is serving as acting owner and

Describe your business philosophy: Our goal is to have patients leave the practice feeling more knowledgeable about skin rejuvenation—and the many benefits it provides to an individual’s quality of life.

I have to say my favorite is the Restylane wrinkle filler treatment. Its results are not only immediate, but often very dramatic.

That we are not a franchise. Instead, we are locally owned and operated. This means we can provide patients with the best technology available, rather than be bound to a particular manufacturer as are the franchise operators.

What makes your work worthwhile? It’s extremely rewarding to see the impact our

PHOTOS: SHERI MONTGOMERY

work has on our patient’s lives. Having someone come in with a skin problem they’ve lived with for years and then leave with a confident smile on his or her face is—well, it’s priceless. Dr. Susan Martling, The Laser Center of Marin, 770 Tamalpais Drive, Suite 301, Corte Madera, CA

“Once you walk in our door, it’s hard to leave,” says Lunaria owner Alia Meyer. “We specialize in lighting, drapery and floor coverings, and also carry antique and fine reproduction furniture.” Sharing Lunaria’s space is Jessica Hall Associates, an interior design firm whose projects range from finishing touches to complete home designs.

Describe your business philosophy: What is your competitive edge? Our team has been working together now for 10, 15, 20, even 25 years. We know what we have to want. Sometimes, even when the clients them-

Lunaria is a small home fittings store where, as we like to say, “materials meet witty reinvention.” We focus on amazing lighting, but are always on the lookout for what is new and wonderful. The classics redefined.

selves doesn’t know what they want.

Describe your dream client/customer: Your thoughts regarding working with family? Kim: My parents fell in love at Ram. Dick (Dad) interviewed Sonja (Mom) and a year later they

What is your competitive advantage?

Lunaria, furniture, home lighting, drapery and floor coverings, Larkspur

Leslie Mortensson is Ram’s general manager.

do to guarantee our clients the final product they

Which product or service that you offer is your favorite?

Alia Meyer

were married. My first trip to work was in an infant carrier. I’ve been working at Ram, on and off, all my life. Actually, when you’re working for a

You are young-at-heart with a flair for the outrageous and luxurious. Your home is a blank slate waiting for the right direction in everything from lighting to floor covering to draperies. You are drawn to us because we are unique in our aesthetics.

family business, everyone is considered family— even if you weren’t born into it.

What makes you excel at what you do?

What were you going to be when you grew up?

and beautification. We approach every situation

Leslie: When I finally grow up, I’ll let you know. But working at Ram allows me to laugh and find joy every day. It doesn’t get better than that. Come on down and join the party. Leslie Mortensson and Kim Jensen, Ram Print and Communications, 601 Strawberry Village, Mill Valley, CA 94941, 415.383.4177, ramprint.com

94925, 415.945.9314, marinlaser.com

ADVE RT IS IN G P R OMOT ION

Everyone at Lunaria and Jessica Hall loves design from a creative place and often find solutions that are above and beyond what had been expected. How could one not excel when working in our dynamic and creative environment? Alia Meyer, Lunaria, 1108 Magnolia Avenue, Larkspur, CA 94939, 415.461.0588, lunaria.us

Great Gift Ideas

ADVE RT IS IN G P R OMOT ION

M Clothing A Lucky Magazine favorite boutique offering a

Safronya™ Retreat Give a gift as precious as saffron itself -

huge selection of today’s top designers. Jewelry, accessories and GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE.

health, beauty and harmony at Safronya, spa certiﬁcates available. Massage • Holistic Skin Care • Detox Programs • Spa Packages.

381 Healdsburg Avenue Healdsburg, CA 707.431.8738

523 D Street, San Rafael 415.259.0433

8 Tamalpais Drive Corte Madera, CA 415.924.8891

Tiller Digs is a unique home and garden shop for people who love the outdoors and nature inspired items for the home. Plants • Wreaths • Home Decor • Tabletop • Candles • Gifts

121 Corte Madera Town Center Corte Madera, CA

415.927.1266 Mon-Fri: 10am - 8pm Sat-Sun: 10am-6pm

Item Shoes and Accessories: One of the many “items” on her wish list. A unique woman’s boutique with wonderful shoes and accessories for the holidays. Gift certiﬁcates availible, one size ﬁts all!

1102 Magnolia Avenue Larkspur, CA

415.925.0109

a wide range of unique gift items, accessories and art on display. Many of our artists and designers are local and will do custom orders.

The Bar Method Revitalize your spirit and stay fit this holiday season with our challenging one-hour class that will strengthen and stretch your body and refresh your soul. Clothing, DVDs, and childcare also available.

47 C Tamal Vista Blvd. Corte Madera, CA

208 Bon Air Center Greenbrae (behind Mollie Stone’s)

The Place in Marin for Art, Gifts & Accessories We have

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415.945.8863 Mon - Sat 10:30am - 6pm

415.461.4461 barmethod.com

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

Great Gift Ideas

ADVE RT IS IN G P R OMOT ION

Blanc - Looking for the perfect gift? We offer the ﬁnest in women’s apparel, shoes, accessories, and jewelry. Gift cards also available. Join us for Trunk Show Thursdays, 4-8pm in December. See page 139 for details.

514 San Anselmo Avenue San Anselmo, CA

415.485.0104 Mon - Sat: 11am-6pm, Sun: 11am-5pm

Rims & Goggles Featuring the largest selection of exclusive eyewear in Marin, proudly presents “LaLoop” necklace/eyeglass holders! Other great holiday gifts; French handmade eyeglass cases, fashionable readers and gift certificates! 606 Strawberry Village Monday-Saturday 10-6 Thurs. 10-8

415.383.9480 info@RimsandGoggles.com

Translucent Glass Cover Sleeves Enhance the beauty of your Candelabra electric light ﬁxtures with these Hand Made Art Glass Candle Sleeves. $95 each. Shorebirds © 415.435.0888 2003 Anne Thull Fine Art Designs®, LLC 1550 Tiburon Blvd., Tiburon Patent Pending

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

Stellar Spa is Marin County’s premier day spa, offering many innovative, relaxing and luxurious products and services. Gift certificates and spa packages are available for the holidays and any occasion! 26 Tamalpais Drive Corte Madera, CA

415.924.7300 stellarspa.com

Union Street Goldsmith - The Client + The Design Team + The Craftsman. It all happens here. This collaboration facilitates the creative atmosphere. The result is evident in our work. Glenda Queen Terry Brumbaugh

1909 Union Street San Francisco, CA

415.776.8048 unionstreetgoldsmith.com

Gene Hiller Menswear - Proud to present Van Peters’ unique sterling silver belt buckles with exotic skin straps. Also featuring the ﬁnest imported clothing designers: Brioni, Canali, Zegna, Pal Zileri and Zanella.

729 Bridgeway Sausalito, CA

415.332.3636 genehiller.com

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Great Gift Ideas

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doodlebug The Gift of Imagination • toys & games • pottery painting • classes • parties • art & craft supplies • ideas, inspiration & encouragement. 641 San Anselmo Avenue San Anselmo, CA Sunday - Wednesday 10 - 7pm

doodlebugmarin.com 415.456.5989 Thursday - Saturday 10 - 9pm

WA X I N G • A C U P U N C T U R E • D E T O X / W E L L N E S S FAR-INFRARED SAUNA • THERMOGRAPHY • AIRBRUSH TAN SPA BOUTIQUE • GIFT CARDS 216 Strawberry Village Mill Valley, CA

415.383.3223 evo-spa.com

Mill Valley Art & Paper: We specialize in high quality art materials. Mill Valley Art & Paper is a cultural center where everyone will have a place to communicate in the universal language of the ARTS.

Sweet Things has all the trimmings. From a wide variety of

475 Miller Avenue Mill Valley, CA

Cove Shopping Center Tiburon, CA

415.388.5642 millvalleyart.com

The Sanctuary Spa - The perfect gift for chilly winter days. Luxurious Kashwere robes, blankets and footwear for adults and children are some of the gift giving ideas at the Sanctuary Spa. The Sanctuary Spa at Bay Club Marin 415.945.3030 220 Corte Madera Town Center bayclubmarin.com Corte Madera, CA sanctuary@bayclubmarin.com

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Evo Spa FACIALS • MASSAGE • BODY TREATMENTS

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DECEMBER 2006

cookies, cupcakes, and pies to the traditional Büche de Noel.

415.388.8583 sweets@sweetthings.com

Lang Antiques. One-of-a-kind Antique and Estate Heirloom Jewels are always the right gift. In our store, or online, expert advice is part of the Lang shopping experience. 323 Sutter Street San Francisco, CA

415-982-2213 langantiques.com

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

Great Gift Ideas

ADVE RT IS IN G P R OMOT ION

HEALTH - The greatest gift of all. For yourself, for someone you love. Personal training, group fitness training, lifestyle consultation. Holiday Special ~ 11 sessions for the price of 10!

The Spa at the Casa Madrona Relax…Breathe…Enjoy…Indulge Massage • Body Treatments • Skincare • Waxing • Nail Therapy Specialty Prenatal Services • Acupuncture • CUSTOMIZED PACKAGES • GIFT CERTIFICATES • RETAIL SPA GIFTS.

Jeanie Sawaya Mill Valley, CA

801 Bridgeway Sausalito, CA

415.302.9859 MomFit.net

Mill Valley Baby & Kids Company brings a fresh and

415.354.8308 casamadrona.com

sophisticated line of baby and children’s furniture, clothing, linens, toys, and gifts targeted to babies, children and expectant mothers.

Meadowlark Gallery - An extensive collection of ﬁne American crafts featuring jewelry, furniture, art glass, and handblown ornaments. Extravagant custom gift-wrapping available.

12 Miller Avenue Mill Valley, CA

412 Corte Madera Town Center Corte Madera, CA 415.924.2210

888.709.BABY babyandkidscompany.com

865 Market Street, 1st Flr San Francisco, CA 415.896.5646

Ciao Bella Italy Betty Ann - Fine Women’s Fashion and Accessories - unique selection, top designers - Theory, Essendi, Trina Turk, Mandalay, Nanette Lepore. Experienced staff can help you choose for yourself or for a gift. 869 Grant Avenue Novato, CA

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

415.892.2255 bettyann869@aol.com

Visit Ciao Bella Italy for a beautiful assortment of Hand Made and Hand Painted Italian Ceramics and Maiolica as well as Gourmet Italian Food Products. We bring Italy to you!

467 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley, CA Tues - Sat, 11am - 6pm

MARIN

415.384.0222 ciaobellaitaly.com

DECEMBER 2006

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Great Gift Ideas

ADVE RT IS IN G P R OMOT ION

green apples Ruth Livingston Studio - Located in Tiburon’s Ark Row. On dis-

Don’t forget your ladies this Holiday Season! Shopping

play are items from our award winning luxury furniture collection, unique decorative objects, gifts, and jewelry by international and Bay Area artists.

is easy at The Apple. We’ll have your gifts wrapped and delivered. A Green Apples present is a sure way to keep your women smiling.

74 Main Street Tiburon, CA

110 Caledonia Street Sausalito, CA

415.435.5264 RuthLivingston.com

Why give an empty iPod? When you can give one pre-loaded

Old Gold Featuring classic hand fabricated and die struck jewelry,

with their entire music collection. Visit www.riptopia.com and use coupon code: MARINREADERS to receive $30 off your order this holiday season.

as well as the work of contemporary masters in jewelry design and technique......two romantic locations, Tiburon and Mendocino.

900 Battery Street, Suite 102 San Francisco, CA

800.874.4921 riptopia.com

Give the gift of a Marin getaway. Gift certiﬁcates for Marin’s ﬁnest boutique hotel collection: Waters Edge Hotel, Mill Valley Inn and Acqua Hotel are available. Call or visit any of the hotels for details. Acqua Hotel, Mill Valley Mill Valley Inn, Mill Valley Waters Edge Hotel, Tiburon

154

415.331.8227 shopgreenapples.com

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DECEMBER 2006

415.380.0400 415.389.6608 415.789.5999

17 Main Street Tiburon, CA 415.789.9583

6 Albion Street Mendocino, CA 707.937.5005

At Home at Sweet Things. A Luxurious cashmere collection of sweaters, gloves, and scarves from Armand Diradourian’s Fall 2006 Cashmere Collection. Cove Shopping Center Tiburon, CA

415.388.8566 sweets@sweetthings.com

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

M ICROCL I M ATE

NO PLACE LIKE NICASIO Few people, fewer homes—but a famous roadhouse, an excellent school, and a lifestyle residents love. BY JIM WOOD

PH OTO: JIM WOOD

THERE ARE NO WATER OR SEWER SYSTEMS; cable TV and cell phone service are non-existent; the nearest full-service market is seven miles away—and yet, according to a 2004 Forbes Magazine survey, Nicasio, in West Marin, has the 23rd most expensive zip code (94946) in the U.S. Apparently, people love the place. “My dad used to say if there was such a thing as, ‘Oh,

Nicasio, from a hillside vantage point east of town. Red roofed buildings are St. Mary’s Church in the foreground and the popular roadhouse, Rancho Nicasio, at right.

about five acres with an old house on it,’ he could sell two a week, regardless of price.” So says Marc Edwards, the 41-year-old owner of Nicasio Land Company.

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It’s hard to find anyone in Nicasio who’ll dispute that claim. “My husband and I live in a glorified Quonset hut on 150 acres with our five horses and one big dog,” says Elaine Doss, who teaches at Nicasio Elementary School and is president of the Nicasio Historical Society. “There’s nothing like Nicasio,” claims the spirited mother of two grown sons who moved to the rather remote community almost 30 years ago. Best estimates peg the unincorporated area as comprising 36 square miles (“Basically, it’s all the land that drains into Nicasio Reservoir,” says Edwards), and as having about 250 homes with 600 to 650 permanent residents. Many are quick to point out it’s as close as any community comes to occupying the very center of Marin County. And in the mid-1860s, that reality caused early residents to enthusiastically envision Nicasio—and not San Rafael— as the logical and eventual

Above: The old Nicasio School is now privately owned; right: a whetstone

county seat of Marin County. According to historian Doss, Henry “Old Brains” Halleck was

sits next to an old building referred to as the Butcher Shop (now an antique store) on Nicasio Square; below: pianist and composer Seth Montfort organizes occaisional concerts at the old Nicasio School.

an early Nicasio grant holder who, because of his military genius, went east in the early 1860s to become President Lincoln’s chief of staff during the U.S. Civil War. She also boasts that the community has several families—the Lafranchis (two branches), the McNeils, and the Irvings, among them—whose Nicasio roots go back over 120 years. The town’s first significant structures appeared in 1867, when William J. Miller had a hand in building the 22-room, threestory, Nicasio Hotel; the nearby St Mary’s Church; and two homes (the Dinsmore House and the Wood House) all of which border Nicasio Square, which Miller felt would someday be occupied by Marin County’s civic center. While Nicasio Square never became the county seat (it’s now a Little League ball field), all the 1867 buildings bordering it, save for the hotel, are still standing. “And the hotel site is where Rancho Nicasio is now located,” Doss points out. Rancho Nicasio—for the rare Marinite who’s never ventured west further than Fairfax—is the destination roadhouse/restaurant that’s Flying Squirrels, San Francisco’s Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers and Marin’s original Huey Lewis and the News. “Of course Bob Brown, Lewis’ manager, has owned Rancho Nicasio for several years now,” interjects Doss, “and he’s featured all kinds of outstanding music—swing, country, even a cappella.”

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P H OTOS : TIM PORTER

featured such musical talents as Canada’s Fred Eaglesmith and the

• SOLD 105 Windwalker Way, Novato

SOLD 374 Wilson Way, Larkspur

SOLD 313 Playa Del Sur, La Jolla SOLD 6 Garaventa Court, Novato

SOLD 1080 Meadowsweet Drive, Corte Madera

SOLD 2 Legend, San Anselmo

Happy Holidays! As the Holiday season approaches Jimmy and his team would like to wish you and yours a “Happy Holiday Season”, and thank you for a fantastic year. While the featured properties above are sold, there are many more that we will represent in 2007. If you are thinking about buying or selling in the next year please give Jimmy and his team the opportunity to represent you in your transaction. Jimmy’s marketing, networking and, of course, 24/7 energy level are just what it takes to get ahead in an ever-competitive real estate market. Please note our current listings at www.JimmyMarin.com.

REAL ESTATE KNOWLEDGE YOU CAN TRUST

Jimmy Wanninger 415.990.8990 24/7 Check out the Mt. Tam Cam at www.JimmyMarin.com

Other attractions include MALT’s (Marin Agricultural Land Trust) springtime plein air art show and sale, which every spring draws hundreds of art lovers to Nicasio’s Druid’s Hall, and fall’s Harvest Day, this year held at Nicasio Farm’s Pumpkin Patch. “There were at least 5,000 people at October’s Harvest Day,” reports MALT’s Associate Director Elisabeth Ptak, “and over 3,000 strollers.” As for children beyond stroller age, Nicasio School (K-8), half a football field north of Nicasio Square and adjacent to the original orangered, built-in-1871, one-room Nicasio Schoolhouse on Nicasio Valley Road, has an enrollment of 68. The aforementioned Elaine Doss, who teaches 14 fourth graders—making it by far the school’s dominant population group—proudly points out: “The school, save for two sturdy 1950’s classrooms, was rebuilt from the ground up in 2002 and now includes five classrooms, a library and a multipurpose room Above: Silvia Lange (left), Grace Farley, Kathy Drady and

featuring a basketball court, stage and kitchen.” Doss adds that Nicasio’s students are con-

Mary Lafranchi, members of the Nicasio Historical Society, dressed in period costume for the Town Square Tour; right: St. Mary’s Church on Nicasio Square; below: a member of the Nicasio Volunteer Fire Department, polishes the truck

sistently in top tier of California’s Academic Performance Index and were regular winners at the annual Marin County Academic Pentathlons. “As far as real estate values go,” reports Nicasio Land Company’s Marc Edwards, “we’re all over the map.” Although the proverbial, “Oh, maybe five acres with an old house on it,” rarely appears on the market, according to Edwards, properties close to the description are listed from time to time. “Right now, one 3.7-acre parcel that’s mostly flat and will allow a single family residence is on the market for $625,000.” On nearby Lucas Valley Road, Edwards has a 4,300-square-foot home on a 6.4-acre lot listed for $1.775 million. In Nicasio Valley Ranch, the area’s only—heaven forbid the phrase—subdivision, there are 17 parcels, varying in size from three to 40 acres. Occasionally, one comes on the market,” says Edwards, “for between one and two million dollars and up, depending on the size of the home and lot.” estate market, Edwards recently sold a 4,000-square-foot ranchstyle home, with a swimming pool and a panoramic view of Nicasio Reservoir, on a 30-acre spread for $2.85 million. “The buyers were a family my dad sold a home to over 25 years ago,” he says. “That’s the way things go out here.”

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As evidence of the idiosyncratic nature of Nicasio’s limited real

05-ARIN-AG! 4AUBMAN $EC V PDF

L E AV I N G

SERENITY IN SLEEPY HOLLOW

Offered at

SAN ANSELMO

$1,650,000

N O

S TO N E

U N T U R N E D SM

GATED, STATELY MEDITERRANEAN Offered at OLD TOWN TIBURON $4,398,000

Spacious (3282 sq ft*) 5 bedroom, 3.5 bath custom home is situated on over an Acre* with gardens, decks & terraces with views in all directions including a spot on view of Mt. Tam. The stately curb appeal, contemporary & traditional architecture makes this ‘18 year new’ home a rare find. Quiet cul-de-sac close to schools.

Over 1/2 Acre* of estate grounds (lawns, vineyards, spa & pool) surround this 4527 sq ft* 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath, newer home. The long, private drive leads to this architecturally impressive Mediterranean custom home in a premier location – location – location. Privacy & sweeping VIEWS of the Bay, Tam & the SF skyline create an unduplicatable opportunity.

CONTEMPORARY HIDEAWAY

Offered at

SAN RAFAEL

$1,449,000

UNIQUE GOLF COURSE SETTING Offered at PEACOCK GAP $1,495,000

VACATION AT HOME...this remodeled modern retreat feels like you are away from it all, yet minutes from everything. 4 BR/2.5 BA/ 3 car garage. Light, airy & tremendous views – a very special spot. The contemporary architecture openly connects the public areas & ties to a wall of windows that features the stellar vistas.

Set back on a long drive, on a level 1/3 Acre*, this setting feels like a park. 4 BR/2.5 BA 1 level home has newer roof, paint, carpets & granite counters. Move right in. The great floorplan features family & dining rooms right off the kitchen and opening to the deck & lush lawns.

JEFF STERLEY • 415.464.3760 jsterley@pacunion.com • www.homesofmarin.com *Source: tax records – not verified by agent

Time and Again... In spite of an adjusting real estate market, Tracy McLaughlin has been consistently ranked as Marin County’s number one luxury agent, with sales this year in excess of 60 million dollars. Tracy’s extensive marketing campaign, coupled with her intimate knowledge of every community in Marin, has made her the top performer in Marin since 2002. If you are contemplating a move to Marin, please feel free to visit Tracy on the web at www.marinfinehomes.com

Sold in 2006 424 Golden Gate Ave., Belvedere

135 Bayview, Belvedere

80 Mt. Tiburon, Tiburon

18 College Court, Larkspur

15 Fernhill, Ross

41 Baywood Ave., Ross

16 Turnagain, Kentfield

149 Scenic, San Anselmo

87 Laurel Grove Ave., Ross

151 Leland, Tiburon

11 Pine Ct., Kentfield

2 McCart Court, Tiburon

4 Malvino, Tiburon

11 Crest, Ross

177 Upper Toyon, Kentfield

4 Willow, Corte Madera

43 Geldert, Tiburon

67 Sir Francis Drake, Ross

452 Bret Harte, San Rafael

14 Prince Royal, Corte Madera

130 S. Ridgewood Rd., Kentfield

8 Tara View, Tiburon

18 Canyon Road, Ross

2 Fallen Leaf, Ross

Currently Listed Bellisimo Vineyard, Calistoga $15,995,000 11 Toyon Belvedere $1,850,000 105 Crescent, Sausalito $1,050,000 7 Allen, Ross $3,995,000 11 Sir Francis Drake, Ross $1,599,000 13 Roseville Court $3,995,000 4795 Paradise, Tiburon $3,395,000 95 Bolinas, Ross $979,000 36 Cove Road, Belvedere $2,895,000

For additional information, please call:

Tracy McLaughlin LUXURY PROPERTY SPECIALIST

Direct Line 415/464-8686 www.marinfinehomes.com

VILLA DELLA PACE ~ Kent Woodlands BEAUTIFULLY SITED ON A HILLSIDE overlooking Phoenix Lake and on over two and a quarter acres, Villa Della Pace beckons to be admired and enjoyed. Situated beyond two gates and down a gracious driveway, this property features stunning panoramic views of Mt. Tamalpais and hundreds of acres of coastal hills and parklands. Stone terraces, fountains, lawns, gardens, outdoor fireplace, BBQ and a spectacular swimming pool surround the home. Enormous imported Teak doors form a retractable wall of windows in the family room. This grand 6,000 square foot, four bedroom, four and one half bath, European-style home is truly majestic. Upon entering the grand scale, domed-ceiling entry, the masterful design, meticulous construction and amazing finishes are amply evident. Exceptional school system, and proximity to hiking and biking trails.

Offered at $8,995,000

For a virtual tour and additional photographs, visit: www.MarilynRich.com. Marilyn Rich

415.464.3741 www.MarilynRich.com

Judy LeMarr 415-380-4642 jlemarr@fhallen.com www.marindreamhome.com

48 Fern Avenue Mill Valley

• Newly constructed 4 bedroom/2.5 bath home in Tamalpais Park • Gourmet kitchen • Family room with ofﬁce nook • Brazilian cherry wood ﬂoors • Cat-5 wiring and built-in speaker system • Fenced, level lawn

Service

Experience

Results

Offered at $1,895,000

OPES/opés/ • n./latin for wealth

Melanie Victor-Smith Jeffrey T. Smith Kim Locklin 101 Larkspur Landing Circle Larkspur, CA 94939 (415) 464-9500

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What happens when the fixed rate period on your mortgage ends? We can help. Mortgages

•

Investments

•

Advice MARINMAGAZINE.COM

Ross Jewelbox This recently-built 4 bedroom, 3 bath Craftsman-style home has it all: location, sun, level yard and it’s done, done, done! The home features a massive Kenisaw stone masonry fireplace dramatically framed by soaring ceilings and Douglas Fir trusses. Bluestone floors lead from the main living area through French doors to an outdoor patio adjacent to the level lawn and gardens. Ideally located in the most sought-out area in Ross—just two blocks to the highly acclaimed K-8 Ross School and the trails to Phoenix Lake.

Donna Goldman 415.458.3500 dgoldman@pacunion.com www.LifeStyleMarin.com

*UST A FEW MINUTES NORTH OF THE 'OLDEN 'ATE YET A MILLION MILES AWAY IS 3EADRIFT AT 3TINSON "EACH &OR OVER YEARS 3EADRIFT #OMPANY HAS BEEN THE EXPERT IN 2EAL %STATE SALES AND PREMIUM VACATION RENTALS IN 3TINSON "EACH AND THE PRIVATE GATED COMMUNITY OF 3EADRIFT #ALL US TODAY TO RESERVE YOUR BEACH HOUSE FOR A WEEK A SUMMER OR A LIFETIME

Ask about our Special Winter Rates! 6)%7 /52 02/0%24)%3 /.,).% !4 777 3%!$2)&42%!,49 #/- !.$ #!,, 53 !4

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6SHQFHU $YHQXH 6DXVDOLWR *UST TWO MINUTES FROM THE 'OLDEN 'ATE "RIDGE IS A RARE FOREST RETREAT WITH STUNNING BAY VIEWS FROM EVERY ROOM $ESCEND VIA INCLINE ELEVATOR OR WALK DOWN THE STEPS TO THIS YEAR OLD CONTEMPORARY HOME AND DISCOVER ARCHITECTURE IN HARMONY WITH NATURE FLOOR TO CEILING VIEWS BEDROOMS BATHS MASTER SUITE WITH ROMANTIC BALCONY VAULTED CEILINGS MAPLE AND CHERRY FLOORS FORMAL DINING AREA GOURMET KITCHEN WITH GRANITE COUNTERS AND A 6IKING SIX BURNER RANGE LARGE HOME OFFICE WITH SEPARATE ENTRANCE ZONED HEATING BUILT IN SPEAKER SYSTEM INSIDE AND OUT WITH MASTER PLAY AND VOLUME CONTROL !BUNDANT STORAGE /UTSIDE "EAUTIFULLY LANDSCAPED GARDEN WITH WATERFALL LEVEL GRASSY PLAY AREA TWO CAR GARAGE 4ECHNOLOGY CLOSED CIRCUIT 46 SURVEILLANCE #AT WIRING AND LARGE SCREEN 46 ARE INCLUDED

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Dear Mike

& Tory,

ful home your beauti Staying in treat...here was such a in McCall r our we took ove s to o h p e are som the invite! Thanks for vacation. , All the best John

Adirondack Home on 3 Wooded Acres

MIKE SMITH

Complete privacy in a lodge-style Adirondack home just 1 mile from town and Payette Lake. Built in 2000, a main house, 3-car garage with gym and art studio, and gamehouse sit on 3 lush acres. This home is without equal in the city of McCall, Idaho. All furnishings, MasterCraft waterski boat, Yamaha 4X4 ATV and much more included. Please call for details! $2,500,000

208-634-6623

D I A LO GUE

C. David Robinson

BY MIMI TOWLE

You could live anywhere. Why Marin? I grew up in Virginia, and after ﬁnishing my stint in the Marines, I headed west and fell in love with California, and a girl named Mary. We returned to the East Coast, where I got my master’s in architecture, but knew we belonged back in the Bay Area, so after graduating we bought a place in Cow Hollow in San Francisco. On weekends we’d drive through Sausalito and pass by our home and dream of buying it and ﬁxing it up. Eventually, our dream came true and we’ve been here ever since. What makes you happy in Marin? Sitting on my deck in the sunshine. Marin is a wonderful place to raise a family and I appreciate the long-standing relationships I’ve had with my neighbors here in Sausalito. What gets on your nerves here? Not much.

tep into David Robinson’s 1880s Sausalito home and you’ll start to understand how this celebrated architect thinks. He’s a naturalist, or rather a motivated ornithologist, who built three giant aviaries above his driveway. His whimsical taste is demonstrated by a life-size paint-

ed deer by contemporary artist Robert Hudson positioned to greet

What’s your personal idea of luxury? An afternoon in my garden playing a game of Scrabble with my wife. What person has inﬂuenced you the most? The architect Louis I. Kahn. What do you value every day? Having recently been diagnosed with ALS, I value every day.

visitors in the foyer. He’s innovative: instead of a common attic, glasspartitioned walls were installed to illuminate his extensive art collection, including a wall-size drawing by artist Sol LeWitt. Robinson’s ability to seamlessly incorporate modern design while maintaining the integrity of his own home’s original architecture was applauded in 1983 by Architectural Digest. In the past four decades he has imple-

What’s been the most fulfilling moment in your work? I’ve worked on some great projects with many talented architects, so selecting a defining moment is difficult. The Charles Shulz museum stands out. I also enjoyed the Cliff House renovation project and recent work I’ve done with the Temple Emanu-El; both buildings have cultural and historical significance in San Francisco.

mented these qualities as an award-wining architect and cofounder of one of Northern California’s largest architecture ﬁrms, Robinson, Mills and Williams. This month SPUR (San Francisco Planning and Urban Research) honored him with a lifetime achievement award. “David is an architect’s architect. His work surpasses mere style or fashion,” says Jim Chappell, president of SPUR. “In his timeless designs, he has created elegant containers for human activity that will stand on their own a hundred years from now.” When he is not designing buildings, he is the consummate Marin

Do you have a favorite Marin view? The view from my bedroom window early in the morning, late at night, in fog or bright sunshine—it is always my favorite spot. What’s your favorite journey? I love the drive to and around the Headlands. We often walk the dogs there in the morning. In general, I enjoy any journey that includes family or close friends and an opportunity to explore. Some that come to mind are a family safari in Kenya; a scuba trip with the McCoskers and the California Academy of Sciences in Micronesia; and recent reunion of my Princeton roommates in Stinson Beach.

resident: a member or trustee of most of the cultural institutions in the Bay Area, including the Friends of Photography, California College of the Arts, SF Art Institute and SFMOMA. He has walked, run and rowed all over Marin county, raised three children and is now the proud grandfather of Zeke and Ella. 170

MARIN

DECEMBER 2006

What’s your desert island book or album? I enjoy books on art and artists. I also enjoy historical nonﬁction. Currently I am reading Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the US Navy by Ian Toll—it would be a good book to read on a desert island. MARINMAGAZINE.COM

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