Marin Magazine February 2006 by 270 Media

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

L I V I N G

FEBRUARY 2006

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San Rafael Showroom 530 W. Francisco Blvd. San Rafael, CA 94901 Tel: 415-453-6070 Fax: 415-453-8234

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Rohnert Park Showroom 476 Rohnert Park Expwy. Rohnert Park, CA 94928 Tel: 707-588-3200 Fax: 707-586-0499

Concord Showroom 2260 Commerce Ave., Ste. B Concord, CA 94520 Tel: 925-459-5300 Fax: 925-459-5320

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Congratulations to Belvedere Hawthorne Nursery School on their 28th Annual Valentine Kitchen Tour Inspired by the kitchens you see on this tour? Standards of Excellence sales associates welcome you to our state-of-the-art showrooms for more creative ideas and free culinary programs.

www.standardsofexcellence.com Standards

Of Excellence Appliances and Decorative Plumbing

Reno Showroom 7525 Colbert Drive, #108 Reno, NV 89511 Tel: 775-852-5600 Fax: 775-852-5650

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Sacramento Showroom 1200 Del Paso Road Sacramento, CA 95834 Tel: 916-515-0525 Fax: 916-515-2450

San Jose Showroom 1720 Ringwood Ave. San Jose, CA 95131 Tel: 408-907-3800 Fax: 408-907-3801

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California Closets California Closets, the founder and innovative leader of the custom home storage industry, has brought simplicity and harmony to millions of homes worldwide. Their unique solutions speak directly to you—to your cherished belongings, to your home, to your timing, to your budget. They offer a wide variety of surface finishes, colors, and accent details that will integrate perfectly with your existing interiors. Superior engineering and the use of the finest materials are California Closets’ standards. California Closets’ designers are space planning experts. Whether it is a bedroom, home office, pantry, garage, or entertainment unit, they will maximize your existing space with a unique design that allows you to live and work efficiently and simply, with the flexibility to adapt as your needs change. California Closets brings harmony and simplicity to people’s lives with pride and passion. They would love an opportunity to bring them to you. A complimentary, in-home consultation is just a tele-

610 DuBois Street, San Rafael www.calclosets.com 1-800-274-6754

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B O D Y

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oyster perpetual datejust and lady-datejust

OFFICIAL ROLEX JEWELER ROLEX

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CONTENTS

Features 76 life

Say Spahhh

PH OTO: C OURTESY OF G OL D EN D OOR

Five ultimate spa experiences in the West. story kate chynoweth, samantha schoech, mimi towle

82 journey

Search for the Sun

Discover a hot new resort in Mexico and reconnect with an old favorite in Waikiki. story barbarba ries & m.l. lathan photos barbara ries

88 think

Giving Back, Marin-Style

Behind the scenes with the Marin Community Foundation. story jeff miller photos barbara ries

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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CONTENTS

Departments 36

letters

at-a-glance

snap

fashion

Readers respond to Marin Magazine.

Hot tips day by day in the Bay Area.

Out and about, in and around Marin. by mimi towle

White Out by samantha schoech Life Style Mill Valley’s Annie Rosenthal Parr shares ideas on fashion.

fyi Home Kitchen tour rafﬂe winner in Tiburon by p.j. bremier Health Exploring day spas in Marin County and San Francisco Books Jane Ganahl’s Single Woman of a Certain Age

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wine country

play

looking back

Life beyond wine and food in Napa and Sonoma. by katherine martin

Dawn patrol: tackling the waves in Marin County. by dean latourrette

Following Falkirk: history of San Rafael’s cultural center. by jim wood

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Winter Sale

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CONTENTS

122 118 115

Departments 67

go Weekend renewal: hotel spas near and far. edited by samantha schoech & mimi towle

galleries

calendar

107

flavor

Barbara Ries captures the

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

Three San Francisco chefs choose Marin. by rachel & david michael cane

115

microclimate

122

dialogue

Mill Valley—everybody loves the place. by jim wood photos tim porter

Catching up with Chronicle Editor Phil Bronstein. by samantha schoech

Columns

The Cover San Rafael photographer

Classic style and cutting-edge contemporary. by anne crump ray

view from mount tam

pov

110

family

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

essence of winter in Marin. Her work can be seen at www.barbararies.com.

Iraq: Barbara Boxer and John Murtha agree on approach. by jim wood

Excessive alcohol and parenting do not mix. by dr. denver coleman

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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STYLE • NEW DESIGN • INTIMATE • CAPTIVATING • PANORAMIC VIEWS • UNPARALLELED

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

executive editor Jim Wood ext 106 jwood@marinmagazine.com

associate editors Mimi Towle ext 101 mtowle@marinmagazine.com Samantha Schoech ext 116 sams@marinmagazine.com

editor-at-large Tim Porter tim@timporter.com

There are hundreds of hotels around the bay, but only one directly on it.

editorial assistant Michal Lev-Ram editorial@marinmagazine.com

copy editor/proofreader Cynthia Rubin

editorial contributors Marnie Binder, P.J. Bremier, Kate Chynoweth, Rachel & David Michael Cane, Denver Coleman, Ph.D., Dean LaTourrette, Katherine Martin, Anne Crump Ray, Barbara Ries

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

production manager Karyn Kraft ext 111 production@marinmagazine.com

production artist Marc Moore ext 111 production@marinmagazine.com

contributing photographers

30 El Portal Sausalito, California 94965 Ph: 415.332.9535 Fax 415.332.6714 www.innabovetide.com

Ben Davidson, Sasha Gulish, Sheri Montgomery, Scotty Morris, Tim Porter, 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: www.marinmagazine.com

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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I believe that knowledge is as vast as the ocean. I believe in thinking for myself. I believe in the power of knowing.

R E A L

E S T A T E

E STA B L I S H E D 1919

Introducing The McGuire AskLine. Real Estate Questions. Unconditional Answers. Knowledge should be accessible to all. With no strings attached. Questions deserve answers, not more questions. Like, how hot is my neighborhood, really? What’s the average return on a kitchen remodel? Or where is the new Bay Area hot spot? So we’ve assembled a team of experts whose only job is to answer your real estate questions. The freedom of information is now yours, unconditionally. The McGuire AskLine. INTRODUCING Call 1-800-4-RESULTS or visit mcguire.com

THE MCGUIRE ASKLINE TM

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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 Lisa Wolford 415.332.4800 ext 110 lwolford@marinmagazine.com

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

regional sales offices california media marin associates Lora Dinga 415.898.6400

hawaii media matters

DELEUSE JEWELERS

Kay Hampton 808.395.0088

midwest/detroit murphy media group Daniel P. Murphy/David Tapia 312.857.1200

advertising art director Karyn Kraft ext 111 production@marinmagazine.com

Administration controller Jill Harmston ext 104 jharmston@marinmagazine.com

Exclusive Bridal Jewelry Janet Deleuse 1771 Tiburon Blvd., Tiburon 415-435-2484 16

Volume 2, Issue 2. 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 www. marinmagazine.com.

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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february bedroom sale

sleep

well.

P H OTO: COU RTES Y OF COPELA N D

Sleep well. Solid comfort and style for your bedroom, and you found it all on sale! Enjoy savings on our entire selection of bedroom furnishings during this special event, February 15th – 28th. Contact any of our stores for more information.

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

Winter in Marin in Marin. Many of our trees are still without leaves and the days are starting to get slightly longer. This month can also be the season of verdant hillsides, fresh air, and clear vistas. You just never know! We were betting on the bleak winter days when we chose to highlight spas and sun-filled resorts in this issue. In planning our editorial calendar, we thought readers would enjoy a break from winter while reading about favorite spas in the West. Our editorial staff has covered everything from day spas in Marin (page 41), San Francisco, and Wine Country to hotel spas mainly in the West (page 67) to five favorite destination spas where you can rest, rejuvenate, and even lose weight (page 76). If spas are not your idea of a good use of time, check out “Search for the Sun” on page 82 where we explore Costa Careyes, a new resort in Mexico and revisit the Halekulani Hotel, an

Regarding altruism, Marin has proven to be

old classic in Waikiki. Traveling is not for every

fair share of rainfall. Many of our Marin

an extremely generous community. According

one and for those who prefer staying close to

businesses and merchants, especially in

to a December 2005 article in the Orange

home—read about Marin’s thriving surf culture

San Anselmo, Mill Valley, Fairfax, and Pt. Reyes

County Register, our county ranks second in the

as reported by contributor Dean LaTourrette on

Station have suffered major consequences of

state when it comes to charitable contributions.

page 60. As always, our wish is for your good

operating near a flood zone. These enterprises

This theme is echoed in our feature written

reading. Enjoy Marin Magazine—as we contin-

have been seriously affected. Just by their ex-

by contributor Jeff Miller on page 88, “Giving

ue to celebrate this extraordinary place!

istence, they make our lives better on a daily

Back—Marin-Style” that highlights the good

basis and now is the time for all of us to show

work of the Marin Community Foundation

our appreciation by shopping locally and supporting them in this time of recovery.

Even without the extreme rainfall, February is typically the month of cold bleak winter days

Lisa Shanower, Publisher Nikki Wood, Editorial Director Jim Wood, Executive Editor

PHOTO: BARBARA RIES

HIS YEAR, we have had more than our

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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Patrick London Director of Wealth Management Services Bank of Marin

He’ll look after your assets like a good neighbor would look out for you. Meet Patrick London. He’s been a part of the local community his entire life. So what does that mean to you? It means you get more than just a wealth management consultant. You get a neighbor who’ll take time to learn about your financial goals and then help you find unique ways to achieve them. Sound refreshing? For more information, call Patrick at our Wealth Management Services Department at (415) 927-8900. For more information visit www.bankofmarin.com

Not FDIC insured. May lose value. No bank guarantee.

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LETTERS Readers Respond Thank you so much for featuring the wedding of Margi Hibschman and Kevin Trilli in your

The Carlisle Collection

January issue. What

Your exclusive style source. Create the perfect wardrobe by personal appointment with our fashion consultants:

a fabulous wedding

Nancee Rubinstein 415-461-0725, and Susan Malott 415-435-3706.

valuable resource for my clients. Keep up the

this was and both Margi and I enjoyed pulling all the details together. Great issue and the Wedding Guide is a

good work! Marie Rios, Creative Occasions

Thank you for writing about the joys of getaway trips in West Marin—for Marinites. I have lived in Marin for 18 years, but this year was the first time in all these years I vacationed in West Marin. It was so wonderful that my husband and I did it a second time. Aside from the beauty, nature, outdoor activities available, and the peace, there is an abundance of wonderful food, much of it grown locally and organic. We Junella’s and RJ Sax, come back home refreshed, having missed the CARLISLE-AD.indd 1 12/29/05 10:44:58 AM The First and Only All-Inclusive Tommy Bahama Retailer. horrible traffic on the major highways and the many hours spent driving. You are right that this is a win-win situation—we leave a smaller energy footprint and support our local farmers and businesses. Thank you for showing us the value of staying local. Barbara Comnes, San Anselmo

Corrections: In “Make Room,” January 2006, page 52, the Closet Factory phone number is incorrect for this region. The correct number is 415.258.4500.

In “Echoes of Eichler,” December 2005, page 98, the stainless steel sculpture in the entry patio was created by artist Brandon d’Leo—not by Edo Rosenberg as captioned.

Letters to the editor may be edited for clarity

Junella’s Tommy Bahama Furniture, RJ Sax Fine Apparel

and brevity. Send letters to Marin Magazine, One

30 & 32 Main St. Tiburon, CA • Home 415-435-4752 Apparel 415-435-7093

Harbor Drive, Suite 208, Sausalito, CA 94965, or email to jwood@marinmagazine.com.

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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AT A GLANC E

F E BRUARY THRU FEBRUARY Reconsidered Materials

Listen to country, bluegrass, and folk music by Corinne West and the Posse (Larkspur). 415.924.6107, larkspurcafetheatre.com

Explore the interaction between object and substance at this ongoing exhibit. Opening night attractions include a jiggly scale model of San Francisco, made entirely from Jell-O (SF). 415.563.7337, exploratorium.edu

▼

FEBRUARY 4 Get Down in Larkspur

FEBRUARY 6–9 Asian Art

It’s that time of year again: the Pearl Bowl, showcasing the newest in pearl fashion and design at Spirits in Stone Gallery (Sausalito). 888.874.6628, spiritsinstone.com

Make space for something new…Bonhams & Butterfields is hosting its Fine Asian Works of Art–Auction Appraisal Event (SF). 415.503.3358, bonhams.com/us ▼

▼

FEBRUARY 4–5 Football or Pearls?

FEBRUARY 8–9 Laugh Out Loud

FEBRUARY 11 Chinese New Year Parade

John Cleese of Monty Python fame performs his characteristically eccentric comedy at Zellerbach Hall (Berkeley). 510.642.9988, calperfs.berkeley.edu ▼

▼

Welcome in the Year of the Dog with a parade tradition that has been happening since the 1860s (SF). 415.391.9680, chineseparade.com

Seasonal Foods

FEBRUARY 16–19 Orchidmania View or buy thousands of exotic orchids on display at the annual Pacific Orchid Exposition, Fort Mason Center (SF). 415.665.2468, orchidsanfrancisco.org

FEBRUARY 17–19 Soaring Scores

FEBRUARY 20 President’s Day

FEBRUARY 26 Irish Dance

Experience the Philip Glass Ensemble as it performs live film scores of Godfrey Reggio’s three films: Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi, and Naqoyqatsi (SF). 415.392.2545, performances.org

Honor Washington’s and Lincoln’s birthdays, and enjoy a day off.

Witness the dynamic art of Irish step-dance at Marin Center (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

▼

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

Celebrate St. Valentine’s Day—purportedly named after a martyred saint from ancient Rome—with your sweetie.

Cook up root vegetables, dried beans, citrus fruits, and other late winter ingredients all month. For more information on locally grown, seasonal produce, check out foodshed.wisefoodways.com

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FEBRUARY 14 Be Mine

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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Andy Kristen Direct: 415-342-5118 Email: andy.kristen@ncmc.com

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POV

A Way Out of the Iraq Mess

“

John Murtha is the perfect person to be saying these things.

”

BY JIM WOOD

last year, he believes American troops in Iraq

of this themselves.” Murtha cites polls show-

are increasingly becoming the problem—not

ing “80 percent of Iraqis strongly oppose the

the solution. And he wants to get them out of

presence of coalition troops” and that “45

there. After citing that Saddam’s regime had

percent believe attacks against U.S. troops

been toppled and democratic institutions put

are justified.”

in place, Murtha concludes, “The presence of

The leaders of U.S. forces in Iraq seem to

U.S. troops in Iraq is now impeding progress.”

agree with Murtha, at least on that point. “The

“John Murtha is the perfect person to be

perception of an occupation is driving the in-

saying these things,” said Senator Barbara

surgency,” Gen. George Casey, the top U.S. mili-

Boxer (D-Calif.) to a full house at Mill Valley’s

tary commander in Iraq, told the Senate Armed

142 Throckmorton Theatre in mid-December.

Services Committee in September. At the same

“He’s the antithesis of me.” Murtha, 73, is a

hearing, Gen. John Abizaid, commander of U.S.

decorated Marine Corps Vietnam veteran who,

Army Central Command, said “reducing the size

unlike Boxer, voted for the invasion of Iraq

and visibility of coalition forces is part of our

and, according to Boxer, over his 37 years in

counterinsurgency strategy.”

Congress has remained close to generals and

Murtha and the president also disagree

Pentagon officials. “In the truest sense of the

about the makeup of the insurgency. President

term,” said Boxer, with a touch of laughter in

Bush has said it is fueled by “terrorists” and

her voice, “he’s a military hawk.”

“dominated by outsiders.” Murtha maintains

Murtha, who is the ranking member of the

they are not “terrorists” but “insurgents,” and

House Defense Appropriations Committee,

“less than 7 percent” of the fighters involved in

and President Bush agree that the ideal result

the insurgency are foreigners and only “a small

resident Bush’s strategy isn’t the way

percentage of them are al Qaeda.”

to succeed in Iraq. In his end-of-year

Iraq. But they differ over how to achieve that

When he first called for a redeployment

—Senator Barbara Boxer

of the war would be the democratization of

pleas beseeching the American people

goal. Bush believes an ongoing U.S. military

of U.S. troops from Iraq in November, Murtha

to have patience while his costly—and deadly—

presence is essential. Congressman Murtha

said, “It is time for a change in direction. Our

stay-the-course policy bears fruit, the president

wants to immediately redeploy U.S. forc-

military is suffering; the future of our country

offered little insight into two critical issues:

es outside Iraq and create a rapid response

is at risk. We cannot continue on the present

1. When, if ever, will the 140,000 American

force of 50,000 Marines based in Kuwait or

course.” On Face the Nation, he summarized

soldiers bring peace to Iraq—or is their pres-

Afghanistan to protect U.S. interests in the re-

the choices our country faces: “There are only

ence, in fact, inciting the insurgency?

gion. Among other missions, this contingent

two plans [for success in Iraq]. That’s my plan

2. Who constitutes the insurgency? Is it al

would insure that Iraq does not become a

and the president’s plan.”

Qaeda fighters from Syria, Jordan, Pakistan,

breeding ground for international terrorism.

If those are the alternatives, I, along with

and other nations plus a few Iraqi nationalists?

U.S. troops are inflaming the insurgency,

Senator Boxer, favor John Murtha’s approach.

Or is it the reverse—mostly Iraqi nationalists

Murtha argues. “Every day we’re there, we in-

He’s a career military officer and a longtime

supplemented by a few outsiders?

advertently kill people (and) that makes ene-

congressman with close ties to the Pentagon. That’s my point of view; what’s yours?

Congressman John Murtha (D-Pa.) believes

mies,” he said on Face the Nation in December.

he has answers to these two important ques-

“I’m convinced once we’re out of there, we’re

tions. As widely reported by the media late

no longer the enemy. The Iraqis will take care

Email jwood@marinmagazine.com

PHOTO: BARBARA RIES

A Democratic hawk’s proposal appeals to Marin’s Barbara Boxer

MARIN JANUARY 2006

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“We have very tight deadlines here. First Republic treats our needs as a priority.”

BARBARA RIES

BILL HAMBRECHT FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE, WR HAMBRECHT + CO

P R I VAT E

B A N K I N G

SAN FRANCISCO

•

LOS ANGELES

L E N D I N G S A N TA B A R B A R A

•

I N V E S T M E N T, N E W P O RT B E A C H

B R O K E R A G E

SAN DIEGO

LAS VEGAS

T R U S T NEW YORK

1-800-392-1400 • www.firstrepublic.com • N E W Y O R K S TO C K E XC H A N G E S Y M B O L : F RC • M E M B E R F D I C • E Q U A L H O U S I N G L E N D E R

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"#-?2ELAX 2ENEW!D PDF

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SNAP HAPPENINGS

Holiday Giving Charitable Fashion Natty Marin men and women turned out in force for the annual Christmas affair at Gene Hiller Menswear in Sausalito. The event featured a cappella performances by the San Francisco Opera, Stonestreet Chardonnay, appetizers, and a fashion show highlighting the Gene Hiller and St. John Boutique collections. In true holiday spirit, a percentage of purchases that evening were contributed to the Marin Humane Society’s Katrina Relief Fund. All purchases over ﬁvehundred dollars were accompanied by a bottle of Stonestreet Merlot.

Dave and Lynn Olson, Tom Price

PHOTOS: SHERI M ONTG OME RY

Travis Stanley, Derrick Stith

Peter Domenici, Jane Goodin

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Franco Aulicino, Wayne Kaleck, Tom Gangitano, Gene Hiller

Chanterria McGilbra, Bryan Philon

Nicole Grey, Mik Flynn

Tove Hiller

Lucy Shelton, Renee Rivera

Gisela Lake

Valerie Lewis, John Burris, Charles Bonner

Miriam and Robert Mills

Jeffery Batt

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

1/3/06 11:14:50 AM

S N A P HAPPENINGS

Ready for Business

Katie and George Lucas

Katherine Hyman, Mimi Kingsley

Jack Burns, Nicole Schmitt, Gayle Burns

Lauren Townsend

Stephen Revetria

Jean Luis Van Den Bosch

The Village at Corte Madera kicked off its reopening weekend with a “double” soiree: a celebration of its $10 million dollar renovation and a fundraiser for the “Search for the Cause” campaign, beneﬁting cancer research. Musicians and other performers entertained guests such as George Lucas and his daughter Katie. Despite rainy weather, attendees were also able to enjoy treats by Piatti’s Restaurant and other feaWalter Terry, tured caterers from within Serena McCullam the comfort of the food court.

P H OTOS : S H E R I M O N TG O ME RY

It Takes a Village

ANICHINI LUXURY LINENS • SANTA MARIA NOUVELLA BATH & BODY Home Accessories • Table top • Lamps & Lighting • Jewelry  main street • tiburon, ca • tel .. 30

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SNAP COM MU NI T Y

Working Together Walking for Dollars

Getting Dirty Under a robin’s-egg-blue sky in early December, Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) volunteers and other outdoor enthusiasts worked with rancher Sally Gale to restore 1,000 feet of riparian area along a tributary of Chileno Creek on the Gale Ranch in Chileno Valley. As the plants mature, they will hold soil and prevent erosion, while creating habitat for birds and wildlife. “It doesn’t take much more than enthusiasm and proper tools,” says Gale. “Assuming the plants survive, in 10 years, they will The crew

More than 600 people participated in the two-mile “Walk to Cure Diabetes” fundraiser this fall at St. Supéry Winery and Vineyards in Napa to benBack row: Mavie Mendelson, Thea Desrochers, Kelly Craft. Front row: Heather Haynes, Taryn Jones, Vicki Weiland

e f i t t h e Ju ve n i l e Diabetes Research Foundation.

Walkers raised over $150,000 while enjoying the scenery and fresh air. JDRF walks are held in more than 200 cities worldwide. Nationally, nearly 500,000 people walked to cure diabetes last year and raised over $80 million.

be 25 feet tall.”

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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S N A P BUSINESS

Shop’til You Drop Holiday Stroll

Dee Minor, Wayne Serrano, Warisa Waid Monteblanc

Aja Lathan Anne Fontaine

Ken Moore, Catherine Farnham Hermès

Amber Marie and Chris Bentley Kamala Spa

Bob King, Craig Steen Glass Pheasant

Gregory Costanza, Katie Sieu Diptyque

Elaine Lozono, Ellen Schumer YSL

Diane Dorrans Sacks Gump’s

Ballet & Burberry Fashionistas recently enjoyed cocktails and shopping to benefit the San Francisco Ballet at the Burberry store in San Francisco. Cathy Post acted as dinner chairperson, and the event was well attended by Marin men and women donning their finest signature Burberry plaid.

Jean Larette, Kathryn Keller

Suzanne Thorton, Cathy and David Post

Trish Loucks, Rosemary Baker

H OLI DAY STRO LL PHOTOS: SH ER I MONTG OMERY / BUR BER RY PHOTOS : S COTT Y MORRI S

Cheryl Fong, Mathew Espiroza Frette

Leigh Sogi, David Martin Gucci

The retailers of Union Square kicked off the 2005 shopping season with the third Annual Holiday Stroll in early December. Despite inhospitable weather, many shoppers turned out to get a head start on their holiday shopping at the more than 50 boutiques, department stores, and specialty shops— including Gump’s, Hermès, and Glass Pheasant—that participated in the event.

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S N A P HAPPENINGS

Places to Shop Holiday Trunk Show

Terri Liss, Alex Antonini, Judy Sobel

Brooke Sobel, Hilary Goodman, Katie Stolowitz

Judy Domenici, Judi Pelz, Carla Himy

Maxanne, and Kelly Herzog

Holiday shoppers flocked to Folio’s annual trunk show to buy and give: 10 percent of all purchasing proceeds were donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Items on display included jewelry, stationery, home accessories, and other gifts.

Ariana, Sabrina, and Olivia Denebeim

Karen Davis

Heidi Greenberg

New Girl in Town

Mmm Clothing

Friends and shoppers gathered to congratulate Danielle Bourhis and Kristen Joyce on the recent opening of two Brown Eyed Girl stores in Marin, one for kids and tweens and the oth-

Andi Barrett, Marty Murphy

er for women, both loLaurie Beahm, Danielle Bourhis

cated at Ross Common.

A Five Star Opening Joy Goldberg, Cosima Crane, Stephanie Ramirez

Staci Hyatt, Marty Murphy

Following the success of her shop in Healdsburg, Marty Murphy recently opened her second women’s clothing boutique in Corte Madera. Fashionconscious locals gathered to welcome the new M Clothing, which offers a selection of designer casual and dressy wear.

Many came to experience Sausalito’s Five Star Station, a new gallery/store owned by Edith Caldwell, Durwood Zedd, and Gibson Thomas. The recently opened space, which f eatures clothing, artwork, and more, bears little resemblance to its m o re h u m bl e ro o t s — a n a b a n d o n e d ga s s t a t i o n .

Durwood Zedd, Edith Caldwell, Gibson Thomas

HOLIDAY TRUNK SHOW PHOTOS: SHERI MONTGOMERY

Nuria and Norm Weintraub

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FASHION

A PEEK AT THIS SPRING’S WHITE-HOT TREND From Queen Elizabeth to Marilyn Monroe to Kate Moss, the white dress has withstood the test of time. This spring it is experiencing yet another resurgence. Long or short, formal or casual, lace, chiffon, cotton, or silk—bright white is the color of the season. Opposite page: Dress by Milly, $347 at Saks Fifth Ave. (San Francisco) 415.986.4300. Clockwise on this page: Dress by Bill Blass, $2,400 at Neiman Marcus (San Francisco) 415.362.3900. Military shirt and button front skirt by Banana Republic, $58 and $68 at Banana Republic (Corte Madera) 415.924.3330. Nadja gown by Diane Von Furstenberg, $925 by request at DVF the Shop, 646.486.4800. Cashmere silk pineapple motif sweater by Carolina Herrera, $1,990 at Neiman Marcus. Cross-back sundress by Donna Karan, $1,995 at Macy’s (San Francisco) 415.296.4859. Cotton and silk gauze dress by Nina Ricci, $4,290, special order only. Lace butterﬂy dress by TIBI, $550 at net-a-porter.com. Tiered dress by Tadashi, $368 at tadashicollection.com.

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FA S H I O N

life style Name Annie Rosenthal Parr Home Mill Valley Occupation Owner of RoCo Dance & Fitness, Modern Dancer

What are you wearing? Free People dress and jacket from my store at RoCo, XOX boots from Bulo in San Francisco. The earrings are from a little shop in Bend, Oregon. When would you wear this outfit? Any evening out. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? Five minutes. My everyday outﬁt is one I can teach/sweat in. I don’t wear standard workout/dance clothes but it’s a limited wardrobe. Describe your personal style. Eclectic/bohemian. I throw together a mishmash of styles (like this sparkly dress paired with a rugged boot). Matchy outﬁts that are too put together make me feel icky. Who are your fashion influences? My friend Sarah because she’s not afraid. Favorite designers? designer. He started Swobo Clothing Co. Where do you love to shop in Marin? Troop 80 in Mill Valley. They’ve got a unique selection of sportswear and small 38

P H OTO: BARBA RA R IE S

My husband, Tim, is an outdoor-wear

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boutiques are always a more interesting

Starting Fresh. Starting Spring

shopping experience. Are you an impulse shopper or are you

Your Favorite Designers...

governed by self-restraint? I really like shopping. I can get excit-

Gennera

ed about going to the hardware store. However, as much as I like to shop, I hate excess. For me a ridiculous amount of thought

Alice & Olivia

goes into “Do I need this...?”

Theory What is always in your bag? Garbage, pennies, bobby pins . . . you know, stuff you need. What is the single most essential piece in

Rebecca Taylor Wendy Hil

your wardrobe? Flip-ﬂops.

Kerry Cassill

What would you never be caught dead in? Anything from Talbots.

True Religion

What do you splurge on?

Vince

Lately, dirt bikes. My husband really wanted a motocross bike so I bought him one for the holidays. I was like a hero in the moto

Hudson

store. They almost picked me up in a chair and paraded me around.

What is your best cheapo secret? I heart Ikea.

Calypso

What’s your fashion pet peeve?

Trina Turk

Insecurity. What’s the most expensive thing you’ve ever bought? Clothes I’ve never worn. We all have clothes in our closets that still have the tags on. I don’t care how much it was—waste just

green apples

bums me out. If your life were a movie, what would be your theme song? The SpongeBob SquarePants theme song. My two kids, Tim, and myself are big SpongeBob fans. We harmonize the theme song whenever it’s on—which is a lot.

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006 GreenApple_0206_v3.indd 1

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Welcome to your dream home without changing your address

Luxury Renovation Quality • Cost Control • Punctuality 415-925-8585

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•

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12/28/05 1:47:36 PM

FYI HOME

Switchin’ Your Kitchen

BY P. J. BREMIER

Tiburon’s Robin Bloch wins 2004 kitchen tour rafﬂe prize

hen Robin Bloch bought $60 worth of Switchin’ Your Kitchen raffle tickets from her friend Michelle Hershy last year, she did it simply as a favor. The tickets were part of a fundraiser for the Valentine Kitchen Tour,

benefiting Belvedere-Hawthorne Nursery Schools, which Hershy’s child attends. Not only did Bloch not expect to win, she wasn’t even planning to take the tour,

something she had enjoyed the year before. “I went with a few girlfriends,” she says. “It was fun to drink a little champagne, be driven around, and see the latest and

PHOTO: BARBARA RIES

greatest kitchens.” Five days later, though, tour organizers called to tell Bloch that her $60 investment had paid off with the grand prize—a $13,300 remodel package. “I totally flipped out,” she says with a laugh. “I thought I was being punked. I called up Michelle and we were both screaming.”

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Here’s the catch: The Tiburon resident was happy with her own kitchen and wasn’t interested in remodeling. When her home was built about 10 years ago, she personally chose the components—high-end stainless steel appliances, warm maple cabinetry, whitened oak flooring, and a beautiful swirled black-and-white marble countertop—and she still loved them. That’s not unusual, admits the tour’s publicity chair, Gigi Dixon. “A lot of people don’t think of buying a raffle ticket because they already have a great kitchen, but they still might be able to use it for something else,” she says. “It inspired Robin to come up with a different home improvement project.” Bloch and her husband, Andrew, replaced their original Dacor cooktop and double oven with the new ones they won, but decided to apply the rest of their prize to build a pavilion for the backyard. A photograph of a gracious lathe-topped wooden pergola she had saved from a July 2003 issue of House & Garden “gave us the impetus to go for it,” she says. “Planning the outdoor pavilion has been the most fun—fantasizing about what it’s going to be like and dreaming about how we’re going to incorporate it into our plan of building something outside.” They’ll use an array of gift certificates— from Sutton-Suzuki Architects, Caletti Construction, Soundvision, Light Express, and Linda Applewhite & Associates—to design, build, wire, light, and dress up the pavilion. “The appliances are the most exciting,” Bloch says. “That I got all those free appliances is pretty amazing.” Even after all this, the Blochs still have prizes to install: a gift certificate for custom cabinetry, a Dacor warming drawer, and a dishwasher, coffeemaker, and microwave. “You could put the warming drawer in the pavilion,” suggests Dixon. “Do you have a room downstairs? You could set up a minikitchen there or you could buy more tickets. We have a wine cooler package this year and an outdoor kitchen one, too.” “You do?” says Bloch. “Hmmm … I want that outdoor kitchen package to finish up the one we’re building. Can I buy tickets from you?”

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IF YOU GO The Valentine’s Kitchen Tour will be held on Tuesday, February 7, and features six beautifully designed kitchens in Tiburon and Belvedere.

Lynn Amon SWAG DESIGNS

Shuttles leave the San Francisco Yacht Club in Belvedere from 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. A Valentine Boutique offers a variety of gifts, and a waterfront luncheon is served. The price is $35 in advance and $40 on the day of the tour. Luncheon tickets are $25; reservations are recommended. This year’s raffle includes three seven-day cruises for two with Holland America and three prize packages. Raffle tickets cost $5 each or six for $25. The grand prize, “Your Dream

Interior Design & Decoration SwagDesigns.com 415.887.9024

Kitchen,” consists of an Epicure 36inch range or cooktop and wall oven, warming oven, coffee system, microwave, and cookware collection, all from Dacor and donated by

2005 Marin Designers Showcase

Standards of Excellence in San Rafael; a Water Inc. Everclear water purification system; and gift certificates from Linda Applewhite & Associates Interior Design, Caletti Construction, Sutton Suzuki Architects, Restoration Hardware, Williams-Sonoma, Knight’s Hardware, Teri Vereb Decorative Painting, Boardwalk Market, and Hotel Sausalito. “The Ultimate Outdoor Kitchen” prize package includes an Epicure 36-inch Outdoor Grill, Side Burner & Cart, Outdoor Warming Oven, and barbecue tools, all from Dacor and donated by Standards of Excellence; a backyard barbecue party for 20; and gift cards from Bayside Nursery and Sloat Garden Center. “Sommelier’s Special Selections” includes a Dacor wine steward, a collection of fine wines, dinner for six at the San Francisco restaurant Hawthorne Lane, and a set of Nambé champagne flutes. Fo r m o re i n f o r m a t i o n , c a l l 415.905.4140 or visit bhns.us.

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Experience Ayurveda at

Safronya retreat Ancient Healing for Modern Times

Ayurvedic Consultations

Ayurvedic Facials

Detoxification Programs

Customized Day Packages

Customized Yoga, Pre-natal Yoga

Ayurvedic Body Therapies Hand and Foot Care

Ayurvedic Cooking Demonstrations

By appointment only 523 D Street, San Rafael, CA 94901 (415) 259 0433

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mail.retreat@safronya.com www.safronya.com

12/28/05 1:49:12 PM

F Y I S PA S

Day Glow A day spa for every body, face, and soul

WHETHER YOU HAVE the whole day or only a stolen couple of hours between dropping the kids off at a playdate and picking up dinner, a trip to a day spa is the perfect antidote to your hectic modern pace. You may feel like sipping champagne while getting a pedicure or escaping to an Indian-inspired dream world for an Ayurvedic massage. Whatever your whims, there is a nearby spa that will cater to them.

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wrap or soothing La Stone Therapy massage, the Fitness/Deep Tissue sets Sanctuary apart. This therapeutic massage is great for specific sports-related issues or pre- or post-event. Not a serious athlete? The spa menu includes plenty of pampering choices too.

Stellar Spa (Corte Madera) 415.924.7300, stellarspa.com

Vibe Think Cape Cod beach retreat. Enter, and leave your stress and age spots at the door. The entire 4,500-square-foot facility is dedicated to pampering and primping, including a separate locker room and a waiting lounge. Go early to enjoy the teas, healthy snacks, and magazines.

Signature Treatments “The Works” facial is 90 minutes of relaxation, total stress relief, and of course radiant skin, with four indulgent extras, including a phyto-lymphatic eye treatment, hydrating pumpkin hand treatment, and coconut-and-lemongrass or pineapple–shea butter back scrub.

Soul Water and Barefoot & Pregnant

MARIN Eden Day Spa

philosophy here. Pass through the imposing

(Sausalito) 415.332.6912,soulwaterdayspa.com,

18th-century doors from India and experience

barefootandpregnant.com

high-tech laser light, tried-and-true acupunc-

Vibe With yoga and Pilates classes as well as

ture, or a therapeutic massage.

a full-service hair salon, it’s a one-stop beauty and wellness shop. Soul Water recently joined

(San Anselmo) 415.464.9111, edendayspa.com

Vibe Here, on bustling San Anselmo Avenue,

Signature Treatments An all-service wellness

forces with Barefoot & Pregnant, a spa dedi-

world-renowned skin care expert Katayoun

shop, Evo offers services from airbrush bronzing

cated to the pampering of pregnant women

Amjadi and her daughter, Lailee, have cre-

to metabolic typing and everything in between.

and postnatal moms.

ated an intimate Mediterranean-style retreat

The new Lumilift Natural Face lift uses LED light

featuring the latest in skin and body care

microcurrents to lift, tone, and rejuvenate.

Signature Treatments Soul Water offers private Pilates and yoga classes as well as a

treatments.

Sanctuary

full menu of spa and salon services. Barefoot &

Signature Treatment Treatments range

(Corte Madera) 415.945.3030,

Pregnant has specialized treatments designed

from basic beauty rituals to three-hour adven-

bayclubmarin.com

for the comfort and safety of pregnant women—

tures like the Ultimate Eden Experience, which

Vibe True to its name, this Asian-inspired day

everything from acupuncture to belly casts.

includes an aromatherapy steam bath, Turkish

and beauty spa is a sanctuary for those in need

body peel, 60-minute massage, and an organic

of a therapeutic massage or rejuvenating fa-

Tea Garden Springs

botanical facial and footbath treatment.

cial. In keeping with the Bay Club’s high stan-

(Mill Valley) 415.389.7123,

dards, the massage therapists and estheticians

teagardensprings.com

are experienced and professional.

Vibe It’s hard to believe this tranquil Asian-

EVO

inspired spa is located above a mail and pack-

(Mill Valley) 415.383.3223, evo-spa.com

Vibe Evo (sounds like evolution) translates as

Signature Treatments While it offers many

age center in a Mill Valley mini-mall. Pass

ancient and modern, which aptly describes the

types of treatments like a detoxifying seaweed

through the doors and enter a world of flower-

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The Only Luxury Resort on Monterey Bay

Schooners Bistro by the Bay

The Duck Club Grill

enowned for its elegance, hospitality and fine food, the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa continues to earn critical acclaim. The prestigious “5 Star Diamond Award,” Conde Nast’s “Gold List,” and Travel and Leisure’s “500 Best Hotels in the World” confirm the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa as the only world-class luxury resort on Monterey Bay.

Our luxurious Penthouse Spa offers over 40 unique skin and body treatments, including signature massages, specialty facials, body wraps, manicures and pedicures. Enjoy a full day in the Spa with breathtaking views of Monterey Bay, use of the fitness center, steam room, dry saunas and two large whirlpool tubs on the sun deck. Except for the natural wonder of our scenic ocean views, nothing else in Monterey even comes close.

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Presidential Suite

Penthouse Spa

MONTEREY PLAZA HOTEL & SPA 400 CANNERY ROW, MONTEREY, CA 93940 TEL 800.554.5056 WWW.MONTEREYPLAZAHOTEL.COM

12/28/05 2:04:15 PM

strewn streams and golden Buddhas. Sip a cup of hot tea to ease your way into Zenlike calm.

Signature Treatments There is a full menu of Eastern and Western treatments including massages, facials, wraps, and scrubs. Specialized treatments such as holistic health evaluations and Endermologie cellulite treatment are also available.

WINE COUNTRY Indian Springs Resort & Spa (Calistoga) 707.942.4913, indianspringscalistoga.com

Vibe Indian Springs has been a mecca for spagoing families for more than 100 years. It’s been recently renovated by the new owners, but it still has a 19th-century feel—it’s about as close as we come on the West Coast to a Catskills resort.

Signature Treatments The volcanic ash mud bath has been a staple at this spa forever and it’s hard to beat the sense of relaxation that comes from being buried in a tub of heavy, warm mud. There is also a full menu of facials, massages, and body polishes.

Health Spa Napa Valley (St. Helena) 707.467.8800, napavalleyspa.com

Vibe Situated within walking distance of downtown St. Helena, Health Spa Napa Valley

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is a 10,000-square-foot ultramodern fitness center and spa. Like many Napa restaurants,

“ONE OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA’S TOP SPAS” – VOGUE MAGAZINE

the spa allows you to combine two or three of

den

your favorite treatments to create your own personal nirvana.

DAY SPA

Signature Treatments Ready for pure spa immersion? Opt for the Outrageous Indulgence, five and a half hours of pampering

Experience Ancient Tranquility at a True Mediterranean Spa

including a detoxifying seaweed wrap, healing stone massage, Abyanga (two specially trained therapists perform a lymphatic massage), deluxe facial, and a delicious Tra Vigne lunch, either at the restaurant or served poolside.

TURKISH BATH

SKINCARE World reknown skin care specialist, Katayoun has been a European medical esthetician for 30 years. We offer advanced anti-aging treatments which result in revolutionary skin transformation.

CITY SPAS Bliss The W Hotel (San Francisco) 415.281.0990, blissworld.com/spa/location/sf

Vibe Stepping into Bliss is like being welcomed into a futuristic clinic designed by Carrie Bradshaw. It’s clever (pedicure uten-

THREADING

sils rotate by the technicians on a conveyor

An ancient method of hair removal which is an alternative to waxing, even for sensitive skin.

belt), smart (hallways are padded so you don’t hear clomping during your massage), and fun (brownies by Citizen Cake and champagne in the lounge, personal flat-screen TVs at each mani-pedi station).

Signature Treatments The triple oxygen facial, hangover herbie, betweeny wax, and the rosy toes pedicure.

415 464-9111

www.edendayspa.com • 541 San Anselmo Ave. San Anselmo B R I N G T H I S A D F O R 1 0 % O F F T R E AT M E N T S MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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Kamala Spa

Salon One…Day Spa

(San Francisco) 415.217.7700, kamalaspa.com

Vibe Indian luxury the Maharaja would feel comfortable in. The walls and ceilings are draped in fabric, the doors were hand-carved in India, and the vibe is very downtown mellow.

Massage • Facials/Skin Care • Micro Dermabrasion Eyelash/Brow Tinting • All Waxing Services • Make-up Artistry

Signature Treatments Ayurvedic treatments incorporating the three doshas are the specialty here, but there are lots of Indianinspired scrubs, facials, and hand and foot treatments as well. There is also a full-service salon offering everything you would expect plus mehndi art and the Maharaja Royal Shave.

International Orange (San Francisco) 415.563.5000, internationalorange.com

Vibe Maybe it’s the fact that it’s both a day spa and a yoga studio, but International Orange

Hours: Mon 10-6 • Tue-Sat 9-6 • Gift Certiﬁcates Available 415-380-9111 Cove Shopping Center • One Blackﬁeld Drive • Tiburon

definitely feels very earthy. There’s a wooden deck and hot tub in the back yard and spare Asian-influenced decor. Best part: no cloying New Age music, just mellow world beats to lull you into nirvana.

SalonOne_0106_v1.indd 1

Signature Treatments The organic rejuve-

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nation facial, acupuncture treatments, and yoga classes as well as a full menu of spa treatments.

Nob Hill Spa The Huntington Hotel (San Francisco) 415.345.2888, nobhillspa.com

Vibe European luxury meets old San Francisco elegance meets state-of-the-art pampering.

Signature Treatments The Express Yourself combines a simultaneous pedicure, manicure, and European facial, all performed in 50 minutes. While you bask in spa heaven, they steam your clothes and shine your shoes.

re:fresh (San Francisco) 415.563.2316, refreshdayspa.com

Vibe Urban industrial with Asian accents. This cavernous space with poured cement floors and exposed vents is loft-like and stylish, but somehow cozy too. Moroccan pillows, Tibetan

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rugs, and blue tile mosaics give it a touch of the exotic.

Signature Treatments The ultra-cleanse ultrasonic facial, mani-pedis that last forever.

Spa Radiance (San Francisco) 415.346.6281, sparadiance.com

Vibe Whether you enter through the front door or hidden back door (for those who don’t want to be recognized), you are treated like a star. Just off Fillmore Street, this gem of a spa has serviced the A-listers of San Francisco for decades. In a rush? Ask for your manicure or pedicure during your décolleté peel, facial, or massage.

Signature Treatments While you could indulge in the fabulous three-hour Grand Luxe facial including an exfoliating diamond peel, lymphatic massage, and LED light therapy, among other treats, most clients get a facial treatment custom-designed for their specific needs.

Spa Vitale Hotel Vitale (San Francisco) 415.278.3788 SweetThings_0206_v1.indd 1

12/29/05 11:56:25 AM

Vibe Hip, cool, and healing, located on the penthouse level of this Joie de Vivre Hotel, intimate Spa Vitale is a destination in itself. Enjoy an outdoor massage in the middle of the city—or a deep soaking tub alfresco; it’s your choice.

Signature Treatment The Spa Vitale uses local organic Juice Beauty skin-care products in every treatment. The Stress Buster Deluxe includes an extensive neck and shoulder massage combined with an exfoliating facial.

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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Photography by Caroline Schiff

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO GET TAGGED? No. 0956

I wear this tag for my friend Chris Michie. Not only was he an incredible musician, but an even braver human being. After a six year battle with melanoma, he passed away peacefully at his home. We all miss you, Chris. :: George Lucas, Filmmaker

The Search For The Cause Tag symbolizes the battle against our communities’ high cancer rates. Tag proceeds support investigating exposures in our daily lives that increase the risk of cancer. Our motivation is to reduce harmful environmental conditions and educate communities on healthy lifestyle choices. Cancer has no boundaries. Our work will beneﬁt everyone, everywhere.

BUY A TAG, WEAR A TAG, GIVE A TAG searchforthecause.org Search For The Cause is a campaign of The Marin Cancer Project

MarinCancerPro_0206.indd 1

1/5/06 9:32:03 AM

W INE COU NTRY

All You Need Is Love

And some good food and wine BY KATHERINE MARTIN

Let’s face it—February would be borderline mundane if it weren’t for one small PHOTO: TERRA RESTAURANT BY FAITH ECHTERMEYER

holiday that puts a pitter-patter in the hearts of chocolate lovers, romantics, and greeting card companies alike: Valentine’s Day. Whether you’re a die-hard Cupid groupie or a seasoned cynic, there’s no getting around the fact that wine country is perhaps one of the most romantic destinations in the world. Over 1,000 weddings a year take place that weekend in Napa alone, and that’s not counting the secluded walks at Buena Vista or the clandestine trysts over glasses of cabernet at Phelps. Have a hankering to head north for the event? Wine country knows it’s got major mojo; the list of Valentines-themed events ranges from casual chocolate and wine tastings to a gala ball in honor of the event. MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

053-055_WineCountry_.indd 53

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Get into the swing of things with the First

a DJ until midnight follow, so you’ll have plen-

Whether you’re celebrating on or near the

Annual Sweetheart Ball on February 1 at the

ty of time to make not-so-subtle references to

actual day, before the swooning and wooing,

tony Silverado Country Club (707.257.4044;

lions on the hunt, uncontrolled animal instinct,

head to one of wine country’s famously sexy

silveradocountryclub.com). The organiz-

and whatever else floats your boat before the

restaurants and get your calorie buzz on in

ers claim it will be a night of “unparalled el-

night is through.

style. The classic triumvirate of wining, din-

egance,” and judging from the venue—by all means a magnet for the rich, famous, and those who would like to be—they are likely right. Nibble your gourmet nosh, take a few spins on the dance floor with your sweetie, and then profess your undying love to each other

ing, and romance reigns at eateries like Terra

“

Nibble your gourmet nosh, take a few spins on the dance ﬂoor . . .

”

in St. Helena (707.963.8931; terrarestaurant.com), Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford (707.963.1211; aubergedusoleil.com), the girl & the fig in Sonoma (707.938.3634; thegirlandthefig.com), and Dry Creek

while bidding like maniacs on a pricey bottle

For drama that’s not quite so down

Kitchen (707.431.0330; charliepalmer.com)

of Napa cab during the live or silent auction.

and dirty, the Napa Valley Symphony

in Healdsburg. All have that certain je ne sais

Lifelong unions have been built on much less.

(707.226.8742) will perform orchestral selec-

quoi (okay, it’s the cuisine and atmosphere,

Want something a little racier? The popu-

tions honoring the star-crossed lovers Romeo

dummy) that spells L-O-V-E, and fantastic

lar Wild Jungle Love Tour at the Safari West

and Juliet on February 12 and 14. The Lincoln

wine lists ensure you can choose the perfect

Exotic Animal Park (707.579.2551) in Santa

Theater was recently refurbished and is a very

Clicquot or Roederer to quaff with that dec-

Rosa, an adults-only annual event on February

stately setting for romance, so you can make

adent plate of dark chocolate mousse. Other

11 and 12, takes you on a tour of the park,

not-so-subtle references to codpieces and

alluring foodie events: a wine and chocolate

teaching you everything you did and did not

lusty wenches and feel rather elegant doing

tasting at Rodney Strong in Healdsburg on

want to know about the mating habits of

it. (Unlike those ever-so-raunchy individuals

February 11 (800.678.4763; rodneystrong.

African mammals and birds as well as domes-

getting the lowdown on animal encounters

com) and a cooking class for a do-ahead

tic animals and insects. Dinner and dancing to

above—but actually, how do insects mate?)

Valentine’s dinner for two at Ramekins in

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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Sonoma on February 4 (707.933.0450;

are also on the calendar. Culinary events show-

ings continue. You can be part of the process

ramekins.com).

casing (naturally) mustard and olives abound

at Merryvale Vineyards (800.326.6069, ext.

Don’t want to break the mood by motor-

during these stellar festivals—and you’ll find

439; merryvalevineyards.com) in St. Helena

ing all the way back to Marin? Guess what?

fine art, rare wine, and music thrown into the

on February 11. You’ll taste from the barrels

Wine country is also a pretty coveted place to

mix. Mustard fiends and food lovers alike should

and learn about the process of wine evolu-

hang your hat for the night. I adore the ex-

hit Savor St. Helena, an event showcasing Napa

tion. Sound too clinical? You’d be surprised at

otic and elegant digs at the Kenwood Inn

food and wine and mustard on February 11,

how much fun this actually is—and will like-

& Spa (707.833.1293; kenwoodinn.com).

and the Grand Dîner à Auberge du Soleil on

ly impress yourself with your ability to taste

A bathhouse Jacuzzi with waterfall, rooms

February 17 (707.944.1133; mustardfestival.

the nuances they mention. More in the way of

decked out in lavish but cozy Italianate decor,

org), an auction and seven-course food orgy

good-time wine education: blending seminars.

and grounds evoking a Mediterranean palace

prepared by famed Napa chefs. Olive aficiona-

They’re informative, creative, and give you a

mean that if you can’t find the love here, you

dos will find plenty of inspiration at Signature

unique chance to express your inner vintner.

may actually be a robot. Pair it with a cou-

Sonoma (a salon featuring rare wines and gour-

Rutherford Hill in Rutherford (707.963.1871;

ple’s massage and you’ll be good to go. Other

met local cuisine on February 18), olive cooking

rutherfordhill.com) offers a merlot-blending

sweet spots: Madrona Manor in Healdsburg

classes at Ramekins in Sonoma on February 15,

seminar by appointment that will have you

(707.433.4321; madronamanor.com), the

and Viansa’s olive festival luncheon in Sonoma

and nine of your friends facing off like the diva

Gaige House Inn in Glen Ellen (800.935.0237;

on February 26 (866.966.1090; sonomavalley.

winemakers you want to be.

gaige.com), and the Churchill Manor B&B in

com). I’ve attended events associated with both

Charles Baudelaire once said that “a sweet-

Napa (707.253.7733; churchillmanor.com).

of these festivals and not only ate, drank, and

heart is a bottle of wine.” Whether you’re af-

Curmudgeons never fear—February in wine

socialized my way to blissful oblivion, but also

ter a romantic Valentine’s getaway or heading

learned a lot about local industry and cuisine.

north to satiate your love of all things gour-

country isn’t just about cooing couples. Two high-profile festivals, the Napa Valley Mustard

The vines are still dormant and life in the

Festival and the Sonoma Valley Olive Festival,

vineyard quiet, but in the cellar, barrel tast-

met, February is a great time to savor wine country before the tourist season hits.

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MARIN FEBRUARY 2006 55 7/6/05 4:10:05 PM

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32?AD?MARINMAG?$EC ? PDF

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FYI BOOKS

A Singular Success An anthology about single women of a certain age banishes the myth of the spinster once and for all BY SAMANTHA SCHOECH

OURNALIST JANE GANAHL gets asked out a lot. It’s one of the dicier side effects of writing her column, “Single Minded,” for the San Francisco Chronicle. She began the column the year she turned 50, and in addition to garnering her some anonymous admirers, it has provoked

marriage proposals, death threats, and a few worried exes. Something about a confident, intelligent, single woman speaking her mind and telling the truth about her life just riles people up. Which is probably why her new anthology of essays Single Woman of a Certain Age ($22, Inner Ocean) is striking a nerve. The book’s subtitle, “29 women on the unmarried midlife—romantic escapades, heavy petting, empty nests, shifting shapes, and serene independence,” almost covers it all. What it doesn’t quite capture is the courage, humor, and insight contained in these pages. As Ganahl writes in her introduction, “These are women who have been around the block—many times—and it shows in each wise word. Even as these intimate tales will make you laugh—and possibly cry—there is much to be learned here.” Ganahl had no problem attracting contributors. As a longtime Bay Area journalist and the codirector of the hugely successful San Francisco literary festival Lit Quake, she knows almost everyone from Mendocino to Monterey who has ever put pen to paper. The problem was, she didn’t necessarily know about their personal lives. “I had to call people up and say, ‘I love your work and I’m doing this book and by the way, how old are you and are you married?’” The criteria— that women be at least 40 and unmarried—left out a few writers she liked but it also opened the

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creative doors. “I left the assignment open:

Marin’s Finest Boutique Hotel Collection Gives You Reason to Celebrate

‘Write about what gives you joy or pain whether it’s pets, kids, love, travel,’” she says. One fact that jumped out once the essays began to roll in was that most single women “of a certain age” are doing really well. “Some re-

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the attitudes are upbeat, with a lot of clarity about their situations. There was no bitterness.” This attitude is reflected in the two essays by Marin writers. In “Chai with Woodstock,” Mill Valley author Joyce Maynard writes without acrimony about her Jdate.com encounter with a lyric-spouting man stuck in the golden age of rock ’n’ roll. What is interesting about the piece, aside from the fact that it’s quite funny, is the confidence with which Maynard de-

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“Most of us have been married before and we know ourselves well enough that we aren’t going to take any crap.” Maynard herself quotes a close girlfriend of hers who, upon meeting a

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midlife romance and dating in her third novel, I Left My Back Door Open, writes about realizing her Andy Griffith Show fantasies by moving from Oakland to Woodacre in her essay “Straight Outta Marin.” It was not the loneliness of being single that struck Sinclair, but the isolation of being one of only four African Americans in town. Sinclair is patient as residents try to figure out her motives for moving and gym buddies try to solve the problem of whom she will date. “Part of me could understand why people would wonder why a black

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cent interview with Marin Magazine Sinclair, who now lives in Berkeley, looked back on her five-year stint in Marin. “I loved Fairfax and Woodacre but I kept in mind that I would prob-

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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ably have to leave to date,” she said. “Marin is generally a hard place to be single, harder if you’re black, overweight, or over 40.” Not that the writers represented here are trying desperately to attach themselves. On the contrary, many have discovered that they prefer being single. “At this age most of these women feel like, ‘Okay, I’ve sort of mastered my life,’” says Ganahl. Asked if she herself would consider getting married again, she is circumspect. “I don’t know. I never say never, but it would take a lot. I’ve kind of set up my life the way I like it now.”

BOOKSELLERS RECOMMEND

Favorite Anthologies: The Paris Review Book for Planes, Trains, Elevators, and Waiting Rooms introduced by Richard Powers (Picador Press, $15) “For those of you for who’ve ever acquired a large welt on the forehead by walking into a telephone pole because your nose was stuck in a book, this is the collection for you! Featuring poetry, ﬁction, and essays arranged by length, this anthology provides you with the perfect reading material no matter how long your journey.” –SAGE VAN WING, POINT REYES BOOKS

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Good Poems selected and introduced by Garrison Keillor (Penguin Books, $16) “Whether you’re a serious or occasional fan of poetry, this truly wonderful collection would be a welcome addition to your library. Ranging from the greats to the lesserknowns to the never-heard-ofs, the variety of poets is astounding and the scope of poems is impressive. Selected with a keen sensibility, these are—quite simply—good poems.” –BRENDEN SALMON, A CLEAN WELL-LIGHTED PLACE FOR BOOKS (SAN FRANCISCO)

Women’s Letters: America from the Revolutionary War to the Present edited by Lisa Grunwald and Stephen J. Adler

Villa Marin is designed for comfort, security, and the enjoyment of leisure

(The Dial Press, $35) “Women throughout U.S. history reach out to us through these letters, bringing us a unique portrait of American history. Some of the letters deal with momentous historical events, others with family, friendship, and the challenges and joys of life. Each of the women gives us a personal view of her life and her time.”

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PLAY

Dawn Patrol The dedicated and adventurous tackle the waves of Marin BY DEAN LATOURRETTE

very day at 7 a.m. Nate McCarthy performs his daily surf check ritual from the parking lot at Fort Cronkhite, his weather radio blaring buoy reports from the dash of his truck. On this particular October day the air outside is cold, forcing him to don the requisite Northern California surf uniform, hooded sweatshirt and beanie, as he peers through his fogged windshield. There’s a late-season southwest

swell running, and Cronkhite is showcasing some decent head-high peaks and glassy conditions. McCarthy jumps out of his truck and quickly slides into a full wetsuit, booties, and hood. He jogs down to the water’s edge and within minutes is sharing the wave lineup with a few other earlybird surfers, a couple of playful sea lions, and one aristocratic otter.

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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PL AY

Surfing in Marin defies the clichés sur-

Surfing’s popularity has swelled dramati-

rounding the culture of wave riding. It’s not

cally over the past five years. While this trend

about bikini-clad beach scenes, shredding up

is reflected worldwide, Northern California

the waves, or competitions to see who’s top

has seen its own particular surf boom. In ad-

dog. More often than not, it’s an individual

dition to the sport’s widespread exposure in

pursuit, reserved for a small but growing com-

mainstream media, two other major factors

munity of impassioned souls who are willing

have fueled local growth: dramatic advances

to brave some less than ideal conditions to

in wetsuit technology that make surfing the

ride waves. The water is cold, the waves fick-

chilly waters of Northern California more com-

le, and winter swells can slam into the coast

fortable, and the advent of the modern-day

here with astonishing ferocity. Malibu Beach,

surf school, which demystifies the often puz-

it ain’t.

zling and sometimes intimidating subculture

“The best thing about surfing in Marin is

and sport.

that it’s always an adventure,” says an optimis-

The result is a mixed blessing for aspiring

tic McCarthy, who is co-owner of ProofLab surf

wave riders. There is more support for learning

shop in Mill Valley. “There’s always some un-

than ever before. The downside is that finding

known around the corner.”

room to move in today’s bulging lineups is in-

Not that it’s all white-knuckle wave riding

creasingly difficult. And space for floundering

reserved for 20-year veterans. Bolinas, for ex-

around is exactly what new surfers need, both

ample, offers up gentle rollers that are begging

for their own peace of mind and for the safety

for beginners. Because of this, it has become

of those around them.

extremely popular with the novice-to-interme-

“I think the surf population in Marin is

diate crowd, and on any given weekend you’ll

growing across the board,” says McCarthy.

find dozens of awkwardly paddling newbies

“There are younger kids now, and there are

scrambling around in the water attempting to

older people who are staying in it. And there’s

get their first taste of surf-stoke.

definitely a new market of women who are

ABOVE PHOTO: BARBARA RIES / BE LOW: JAC K WOLF ORD

coming in to play.”

060-062_Play.indd 61

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Here’s a little inside tip from me, Bryan. No Valentine’s Day gift has ever elicited a wider-eyed surprise than the ﬁrst time my wife opened the box and pulled out that big, juicy chop. I’ll never forget it, nor has she.

“

”

Missie Hudlin, a die-hard surfer living in

on the conditions, Stinson serves up waves for

Mill Valley, says she feels at home in Marin wa-

skill levels ranging from beginner through ex-

ters. “As in any place, you need to understand

pert. The bonus here is that it’s a long beach

the etiquette and earn respect, but being a

with room to spread out. The drawback for

woman coming into a pack of guys here, you’re

novices is the waves can be “dumpy”—mean-

definitely welcomed,” she says. “In a lot of oth-

ing they can break fast and steep and some-

er regions, I don’t think you get that. I think it’s

times all at once—making it difficult for

pretty unique.” Hudlin also revels in the feeling

learning. Fort Cronkhite has a fast, hard-break-

of community she finds in Marin. “Everyone

ing wave that is definitely geared for experts.

has this kind of soulfulness to them. They’re

“It’s called Rodeo Beach because it’s such a

not aggressive. Most people are into getting to

bucking bronco,” McCarthy jokes.

know their fellow surfers. It’s pretty amazing. Every time I go, there’s this sense of family.”

known locally as the “men in gray suits.” Ask

to share is the desire to keep a low profile.

Marin surfers whether they’ve ever seen a shark

Calling attention to themselves or the locations where they surf is generally frowned upon. As if to reinforce this point, John, a longtime surf-

So take it from me, cupid with a cleaver – love means never having to say you forgot the pork chops.

ers themselves need to do the research and fig-

name revealed. “When I think about the ideal of Marin County surfing, it’s the ability to get somewhere where there aren’t a lot of people, buildings, and ambient sounds,” he says. “You can get immersed in nature, and there’s an absence of urban intrusion.” McCarthy agrees. “I don’t want to get blamed for bringing more surfers to particular spots,” he admits. “We’re here [at the surf shop] to provide equipment and to hopefully help enhance the surfing community. The surf-

ure out where and when to go. You have to

then go from there.” That said, the three primary areas for surfing

cale. It’s always helpful to have someone who

www.bryansﬁnefoods.com

Surfline, surfline.com. Subscriptionbased worldwide surf forecasting service, also with information on travel, news, and more. Bolinas Surf Report, 415.868.2412. Recorded surf report for Bolinas provided by 2 Mile surf shop.

in Marin are Bolinas, Stinson Beach, and Fort

surfers and tread lightly when surfing a new lo-

927.4488

Pacific Waverider, pacificwaverider.com. Free surf reports for spots throughout California.

look at the swell and look at the tides, and

comers should be mindful of experienced local

Corte Madera Town Center

USEFUL WEBSITES AND SURF REPORTS

er from Mill Valley, asked not to have his real

Cronkhite. While this is hardly a secret, new-

Bryan’s Fine Foods

Marin without bringing up great white sharks,

One trait the family of Marin surfers seems

And you won’t either. Trust me, he’ll love it. She’ll love it. Heck, I’ll love it. Perfectly cut and trimmed from the meaty center of the pork loin, these 11/2˝ thick and moist bone-in chops are drop-dead delectable when baked or broiled – and in my humble opinion, even tastier under ﬁre. But that could just be the love poodle in me talking.

Come buy some.

It’s almost impossible to discuss surfing in

knows the ropes as an escort, to get a better feel for the place without getting in anyone’s way. In Bolinas, the favored spot for flat-out beginners, there’s a surf school, Bolinas Surf Lessons, run by 2 Mile surf shop. Depending

Shark Research Committee, sharkresearchcommittee.com. The most comprehensive and accurate website regarding great white shark activity along the Pacific Coast. Surfrider Foundation, Marin County chapter, surfrider.org/marin. Get involved and make a difference in the local surf community.

P H OTO: JAC K WOLF ORD

Say it with a Pork Chop.

I don’t want to get blamed for bringing more surfers to particular spots. The surfers themselves need to do the research and ﬁgure out where and when to go. —NATE MCCARTHY

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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and you might be surprised by the number who have. Many will downplay the issue, either out of common sense (statistically, surfers have a greater chance of being struck by lightning than of being attacked by a shark) or perhaps simply out of denial. Stinson Beach has seen the most shark activity, with several attacks in the past two decades (none of them fatal) and numerous sightings, particularly during the high season months of August to October. The idea of sharks is enough to keep some people out of the water, but the fact is, attacks have been extremely rare: only 127 along the entire Pacific Coast of North America since 1900. In fact, sharks aren’t usually on the list when surfers are asked about the drawbacks of surf-

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060-062_Play.indd 63

12/29/05 12:20:22 PM

12/29/05 3:37:30 PM

Following Falkirk “FALKIRK IS A WELL-KEPT SECRET,” says

a small fortune. The newly widowed Park made

often credited with starting the Merchant

Cory Bytof, volunteer program manager for

her way back to San Rafael and, on an 11-acre

Marines—lived out his life in San Rafael, do-

the City of San Rafael. “Sometimes, it’s too

site on Mission Avenue, built the mansion now

nating funds and property for civic purposes.

much of a secret.”

known as the Falkirk Cultural Center.

When he died in 1932 at age 88, 3,000 people

Well-kept secret? The phrase “civic trea-

So why isn’t it called the Nichols Park

attended his funeral at San Rafael’s Presbyterian

sure” also springs to mind. Falkirk Cultural

Cultural Center? And where did the name

Church and a U.S. Navy dirigible dropped flow-

Center is a 116-year-old sunlit mansion that

Falkirk originate? Therein lies another intrigu-

ers from above. In 1988, San Rafael and Falkirk,

houses a small contemporary art gallery and a

ing story.

Scotland, became sister cities.

massive amount of Victorian history.

In 1906, following Ella Park’s death, Robert

The saga of the Falkirk Cultural Center

In 1888, the showy new residence of Mrs.

Dollar purchased the property. Dollar, 62 at the

doesn’t end there. In 1972, a developer tried

Ella Nichols Park was big news in San Rafael.

time, was an 18-year resident of San Rafael

to buy the parcel, intending to raze the build-

The Marin Journal of Tuesday, August 23,

and a lumber baron who owned the Dollar

ings and build apartments. The residents of

of that year described it as “a Queen Anne–

Steamship Company, the Pacific Coast’s largest

San Rafael rose up, passed a tax measure,

Eastlake conglomerate.” Park probably didn’t

fleet of steam-powered schooners (later to be-

bought the property in 1974, and placed Falkirk

welcome the publicity. She was a wealthy

come the American President Line).

on the National Register of Historic Places.

young widow with a reclusive personality, but hers was a fascinating story to tell.

Dollar began the shipping company to trans-

Unfortunately, the passage of Proposition 13 in

port lumber along the Northern California coast

1978 overruled the taxation and the city now

In 1850, when Ella Nichols was only three

and up to the Klondike. Later, his ships carried

maintains the mansion through its general oper-

years old, she and her family left by boat from

passengers, first along the West Coast and later

ating funds. Falkirk helps offset costs by renting

Vermont, made the difficult trek across the

to China. In the 1920s, the Dollar Steamship

office space (Marin Agricultural Land Trust and

Isthmus of Panama, then sailed up the Pacific

Company began a round-the-world cargo and

the Whole Earth Catalog once rented there) and

to San Francisco. Her childhood summers were

passenger service. Collier’s magazine dubbed

hosting private parties, weddings, and recep-

spent in San Rafael at a home near Gerstle Park,

Dollar “the Dean of American Shipping.” In

tions—more than 200 events a year.

where she became best of friends with another

1928, Time put Dollar’s stern, handsome face

Nearly 20,000 people visit the mansion an-

girl, Eliza Park. Eventually, the Park family re-

on its cover (President Herbert Hoover followed

nually—meandering the 118-year-old oak-lined

turned east and Ella went with them. She and

the next week), and the Saturday Evening Post

halls once strolled by the likes of Ella Nichols

Eliza attended finishing school in Connecticut.

profiled him in a five-part series.

Park and Robert Dollar. If only the walls of the

When Ella was 27, unmarried and becom-

Prominent in the series’ first installment was

ing increasingly private, she moved in with

a passage stating that the steamship magnate

Eliza’s rather prosperous family to care for her

was born in 1844 in Falkirk, Scotland. But ac-

friend’s ailing mother. In 1881, after the moth-

cording to his great granddaughter, the modest

er’s death, Ella, 33, and Eliza’s 58-year-old fa-

Dollar never attached the name of his birthplace

Falkirk Cultural Center, 1408 Mission

ther were married. Within a year, Ella’s new

to the property in San Rafael. That was done in

Ave. (at E St.), San Rafael; 415.485.3328;

husband died as well, and his will granted Ella

the 1950s, possibly by a descendant. Dollar—

falkirkculturalcenter.org.

Falkirk Cultural Center could talk. Falkirk Director Jane Lange contributed to this story.

P H OTO: FALKIRK CU LTURAL CE NTER ARC H IVES

The San Rafael cultural center’s fascinating history BY JIM WOOD

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

064-065_LookBack.indd 64

12/29/05 3:54:16 PM

LO OK I NG BAC K

A turn-of-the-century photo of the home Ella Nichols Park built on Mission Avenue in the late 1880s. The home was expanded in the 1920s and is now the Falkirk Cultural Center.

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

064-065_LookBack.indd 65

12/29/05 3:55:33 PM

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Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby

Jan. 29 2:00-3:00 PM

Jan. 18 10:30 AM-12 PM

Jan. 12, 19 & 26 10:30-11:30 AM

Tea Tasting with the Herbal Pharmacy

Jan. 13, 20 & 27 2:30-3:30 PM

Conscious Bookkeeping

Jan. 28 4:00-5:30 PM

See www.elephantpharmacy.com for complete class schedules. SAN RAFAEL STORE 909 Grand Ave. @ 3rd St. San Rafael, CA 94901

The Drug Store That Prescribes Yoga

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Phone: (415) 462-6000 Fax: (415) 462-6002

BERKELEY STORE 1607 Shattuck Ave. @ Cedar St. Berkeley, CA 94709 Phone: (510) 549-9200 Fax: (510) 549-9202

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Weekend Renewal

PHOTO: COURTESY OF MONTAGE RESORT AND SPA

BY KATE CHYNOWETH, HOLLY HIRSHFIELD, SAMANTHA SCHOECH, MIMI TOWLE, & NIKKI WOOD

These hotels emphasize the spa lifestyle, and they do it really, really, well MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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Auberge du Soleil (Napa) 800.348.5406. aubergedusoleil.com Vibe Auberge is the king, queen, and high

Spa pool area at Auberge du Soleil in Napa Valley

priestess of understated California elegance. It’s not slick, but everything—the service, the sheets, the amenities, the landscape dotted with olive trees—is perfect.

Signature Treatments Treatments are divided into four categories: the vineyard, the valley, the grove, and the garden. The head-totoe is a 90-minute treatment combining a fullbody massage, a scalp treatment, and a foot massage. Many of the aromatic oils are infused with plants and extracts grown in the spa’s own organic garden.

Amenities Room service is available 24 hours a day. There is a gym, a pool, tennis courts, a 10-acre sculpture garden, and a terrace with every one of the huge rooms and suites.

Basics Rooms range from $500 to $3,500 a night. A 60-minute massage is $140. The headto-toe spa treatments are $225. —S.S.

The Carneros Inn (Napa) 707.299.4900, thecarnerosinn.com Vibe Inspired by the surrounding rustic barns,

Claremont Resort & Spa

views of the city skyline. There is live music at

silos, and vineyards, this 27-acre property is

(Berkeley) 510.843.3000,

the hopping Paragon four nights a week, and

an ideal wine country getaway for two or 20.

claremontresort.com

Jordan’s, the resort’s fine dining restaurant, is

Corrugated steel fences, porches with rocking

Vibe Stunning Golden Gate views from the

open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

chairs, and lavender-lined gravel paths set the

colossal spa tub are worth the trip alone.

Basics Rooms start at $285, $380 for a bay

tone. Chic private cottages with stylish modern

Mother-of-pearl tiles, bamboo, and Asian-

view. The South Pacific Ginger Sugar Polish

interiors and private gardens are available for

inspired prints suggest the area’s Pacific Rim

lasts 25 minutes for $65, while Journeys cost

the day with the purchase of $300 or more in

heritage. Water therapy features don’t get

around $350. —H.H.

spa treatments.

much more dramatic than the deluge shower

Signature Treatments Red Flower has cre-

(think Flashdance or better yet, reenact it).

ated custom lotions and potions for the rooms

Come for one treatment and you can easily

Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa

as well as the spa. The signature treatment,

lose yourself here for the day.

(Sonoma) 707.938.9000,

Red Flower Hammam Body Ritual, uses a se-

Signature Treatments The Journey treat-

Fairmont.com/sonoma

ries of seven specially blended oils and scrubs

ments integrate regional wellness practices.

Vibe This popular weekend and corporate re-

to relax and detoxify.

These last over two hours and are designed

treat was a favorite spa destination decades

Amenities Two award-winning restaurants

around a bath, scrub, and massage. The

before Vichy showers and watsu pools popped

with adjoining bars are within walking distance

Ayurvedic Journey includes a warm oil drip,

up all over the valley. In fact, it is one of the

of everything. Cabins open up to private gardens

while the Spa Claremont Rose Journey finishes

few luxury spas in the country with its own

and patio. Bathrooms include limestone finishes,

up with a manicure.

source of thermal mineral water. And after a

soaking tubs, and indoor/outdoor showers.

Amenities Although filled with modern con-

$62 million major renovation, this pink-hued

Basics Accommodations range from a cottage

veniences like high-speed Internet access, the

landmark has become an international spa

for $360 to a suite for $1,200. A 60-minute mas-

historic Claremont still possesses old-world

destination.

sage is $120; a 75-minute facial is $160. The 90-

charm and character. No two guests rooms

Signature Treatments The 45,000-square-

minute Red Flower Hammam is $200. —M.T.

are exactly alike, and many offer spectacular

foot facility offers a bevy of options ranging

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Fireside massage at Ojai Valley Inn & Spa

from kurs to treatments incorporating miner-

Hotel Healdsburg

Basics Rooms range from $260 to $790, a

al water to flotation treatments to exfoliation

(Healdsburg) 707.433.4747,

50-minute massage starts at $105 and facials,

scrubs. However, the customized Fairmont

hotelhealdsburg.com

$115. —M.T.

Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa massage, a full-

Vibe Walk into the ultramodern spa and you’ll

body therapeutic massage, is a great place

feel like you’re in a photo shoot for Dwell mag-

Kenwood Inn and Spa

to start.

azine. The calming effects of the clean lines

(Sonoma) 707.833.1293, kenwoodinn.com

Amenities With 226 guest suites, there are

and muted colors are tweaked to perfection

Vibe Tuscan mellow yellow. Your blood

accommodations to fit most budgets. Most

with six treatment rooms, including a couple’s

pressure is sure to drop as you enter this

rooms have fireplaces and terraces. All guests

suite and outdoor patio.

Mediterranean villa-inspired property in

have access to the hot artesian mineral pools

Signature Treatments In keeping with

Sonoma’s Valley of the Moon. With only 30

and other spa facilities including poolside

the simplicity of the philosophy, the classic

guest suites aptly named after Umbria and

wi-fi access.

Swedish-style massage with specially formu-

Amalfi, it never feels crowded or rushed. The

Basics Rooms range from $250 per night,

lated warmed aromatic oils is the most popu-

spa leads to a central courtyard with a pool,

but check the website for packages. Spa use is

lar and requested treatment.

cafe, wine bar, and private lounge areas.

$35 per day for hotel guests and $85 for non-

Amenities Stay overnight and you’ll enjoy the

Signature Treatments As one of three

guests; the fee is waived if you have two or

high thread count and luxury appointments, such

Claudalie spas in the world, Kenwood incor-

more treatments. A 50-minute massage starts

as Frette bathrobes and six-foot soaking tubs, that

porates the Vinotherapeutic (using vine and

at $129. —M.T.

have earned this gem its loyal following.

grape seed extracts) products into treatments

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such as the merlot wrap, cabernet scrub, and

and mud massage, a 20-minute encapsulated

Montage Resort & Spa

sauvignon oil.

steam bath (incredibly relaxing but not for

(Laguna Beach) 949-715-6000,

Amenities Spacious floor plans, feather beds,

the claustrophobic!), followed by a 50-minute

montagelagunabeach.com

fireplaces, and fine linens are de rigueur. Some

Swedish massage. The spa has a full menu of

Vibe The ultimate oceanfront resort situated on

suites offer sweeping views of the valley while

facials, massages, and mani-pedis as well as

a bluff in artsy Laguna Beach. Newly construct-

others have private garden patios.

an emphasis on mind/body/spirit treatments

ed in 2002, the Craftsman-style building is beau-

Basics Rooms range from $350 to $700 de-

like the “Gemstone Journey” to realign your

tifully appointed, yet understated. Its 262 guest

pending on the season. Fifty-minute massages

chakras. Packages available.

rooms all have views to the Pacific. Winding

start at $150, and facials cost between $125

Amenities All rooms have a balcony or pa-

paths throughout the lush landscape lead past

and $225. —M.T.

tio and a fireplace. There is a pool, a gym,

the spa to a pristine white-sand beach.

and a tasting room. The Carneros Bistro may

Signature Treatments For the Surrender,

The Lodge at Sonoma

look like a hotel restaurant but the food, made

guests discuss their state of mind and body with

(Sonoma) 707.931.2034, raindancespa.com.

mostly with local, seasonal ingredients, is fan-

a therapist who then designs the ideal program

Vibe The beige walls, New Age music, white

tastic. If you don’t have to drive home, ask for

to meet individual needs. The Montage mas-

robes, and lavender-scented products at

a wine pairing. The full room service menu is

sage combines classical music, aroma-balanc-

Raindance spa may have you thinking “I’ve

available at the spa.

ing therapy, and a warm ocean mud treatment,

been here before,” but the outside garden, a

Basics Room prices vary from $170 to $229

and is not to be missed. Also inquire about the

tiny tropical paradise where guests can lounge

a night. Spa prices range from $45 for a

“Secret Spa” packages, which include an After

all day among several different hot tubs sur-

25-minute hydrotherapy bath to $295 for a

Hours spa experience and ceremonial rituals

rounded by a lush garden of palms, roses and

Kur Treatment (a wrap or scrub of choice fol-

designed for the bride-to-be.

birds of paradise, is a true oasis.

lowed by a bath and a full body massage).

Amenities The 20,000-square-foot indoor/

Signature Treatments The Encapsulated

Day use of the spa facilities without a treat-

outdoor oceanfront spa includes 21 treat-

Wrapsody includes a grape seed body scrub

ment is $25. —S.S.

ment rooms, a lap pool, fitness room, and yoga

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OUT-OF-STATE HOTEL DESTINATIONS Four Seasons Hualalai (Big Island of Hawaii) 808.325.8000, fourseasons.com/hualalai Vibe The aloha spirit meets the Four Seasons’ standards of excellence at this sports club and spa. Yoga, pilates, tai chi, and aqua fit classes happen all day long just in case your deﬁnition of vacation includes feeling the burn. Signature Treatments Beyond therapeutic massages and facials, the spa menu offers alternative treatments like Myofascial Release. However, the Polynesian Niu (coconut) scrub is the signature treatment. Spa manager Toni Howard created a custom blend of coconut milk and moisturizing lotion to hydrate sun-drenched skin. Amenities Each room includes luxurious linens, oversize terry towels, down pillows, and duvets as well as high-speed Internet access and expansive outdoor patios. Basics Rooms start at $560 for ocean view rooms. Daily spa use is included in stay. Spa use is included with treatments; a 50-minute massage starts at $125 and a 60-minute facial starts at $150. —M.T.

Pool at Sanctuary in Arizona

Basics Rooms $395 to $950 a night depending on location. Have a big family? The three-bedroom villas start at $1,095. Spa use is included with treatments, a 50minute massage starts at $125, and 60minute facials start at $150. —M.T.

Mauna Lani

Pacifica Holistic Retreat & Spa

(Big Island of Hawaii) 808.881.7922, maunalani.com Vibe Fire and ice—the spa logo honors its unique environs: the volcanic cauldron of Kilauea and snowcapped peaks of Mauna Kea. The outdoor treatment rooms truly set this spa apart. The specially designed watsu pool could very well be an ancient lava tube; however, the perfectly heated water proves it is indeed manmade. Massage huts are private yet open to the caressing tropical breeze. Signature Treatments Looking for a religious experience? Try watsu or craniosacral therapy. Tummy troubles? Ask for the traditional lomi lomi. As for the signature treatment, the Fire and Ice Pa’aki therapy uses hot basalt stones and coconut oils. Amenities All guest rooms have recently been remodeled and wired for Internet access. And for a view of the beautiful Kohala Coast each room features a spacious outdoor lanai.

(Cabo San Lucas, Baja, Mexico) 800.990.8250, Pueblobonito.com Vibe L.A. lounge meets Mexican desert tranquility. This new resort on the wild Paciﬁc shores of Cabo’s west side is a design dream—all elegant earth tones, stark cacti, and stunning ocean views. Signature Treatments Temescal, the Aztec version of the sweat lodge, is a ceremonial sauna experience led by a “shaman” in board shorts. It’s not an easy 120 minutes sitting cross-legged on banana leaves in temperatures as high as 155 degrees, but you leave feeling reborn. Armonia Spa has a complete menu of less intensive treatments including facials, massages, and wraps. Amenities Every room has a balcony and an ocean view. The Siempre Restaurant features gourmet cuisine with a healthy spin—sea bass in a pumpkin seed crust, octopus salad, guava soup—as well as many “splurge” items. There are two pools, a wine bar, a gym, a watsu pool, morning yoga classes facing the ocean, and tennis courts.

Basics Rooms start at $200. Massages start at $100, facials at $70. The Temescal is $130. —S.S.

Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa (Scottsdale, Arizona) 480.948.2100, sanctuaryaz.com Vibe Boutique desert resort does Zen. Set against the backdrop of gorgeous Camelback Mountain, this stylish retreat rewards with Asian-inspired spa treatments and cuisine. Signature Treatment Asian-style treatments are the specialty at the 12,000square-foot spa, where the 14 stylish treatment rooms open onto a serene meditation garden. The 90-minute Thai Table Massage, during which you wear loose-ﬁtting clothing as the therapist gently kneads your muscles, is the signature treatment. Delicious bento box lunches can be delivered to the spa lounge. Amenities Choose from spa casitas with soothing minimalist interiors or the Southwest-inspired mountain casitas. The resort’s chic restaurant, Elements, as well as tennis courts, a ﬁtness center, a movement studio, and a 25-yard lap pool make this a perfect retreat. Basics Spa casitas start at $450; mountain casitas start at $350. Sixty-minute treatments start at $130. —K.C.

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studio. The two award-winning restaurants, Studio and Loft, are favorites with guests and locals. Rooms all have luscious beds, linens, lavish bath amenities, and oversize soaking tubs.

Basics Rooms start at $495, suites at $1,200. The Surrender is $400 for 120 minutes. The Montage massage is $200 for 60 minutes.—N.W. “Best Wine Country retreat in all

Ojai Valley Inn & Spa

of California...10 best of the World.”

(Ojai) 805-640-2080, ojairesort.com

– Food and Wine Magazine

Vibe Shangri-la—California Spanish style. The recently remodeled hotel and casitas are

10400 Sonoma Highway

nestled in the beautiful Ojai Valley and are sur-

Kenwood, CA 95452

rounded by a top-rated golf course with views

800.353.6966

of the majestic Topa Topa Mountain Range.

707.833.1293

Signature Treatments The Kuyam, a combi-

kenwoodinn.com

nation of mud therapy, wet and dry heat therapy, inhalation therapy, and guided meditation for groups of up to eight, is reminiscent of Chumash tradition. The award-winning spa also offers numerous massages and other unusual treatments (Elderberry and Ginger Detoxification Wrap), steam and sauna rooms, sunbathing loggias for men and women, and art classes.

Amenities The 308 rooms and suites, most of which enjoy golf course and mountain views, recently underwent a $70 million renoKenwoodSpa_0206.indd 1

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vation. Guests can enjoy complimentary mind/ body classes, the art studio, horseback riding, a championship golf course, tennis, Camp Ojai for children, and five restaurants including the elegant signature restaurant, Maravilla.

Basics Rooms start at $400. Suites start at $550. Spa treatments, green fees, tennis, and horseback riding are extra. Massages start at $115, facials at $120. The Kuyam is $50 per person. —N.W.

Pebble Beach Resorts The Lodge at Pebble Beach, The Inn at Spanish Bay, Casa Palmero (Pebble Beach) 800.654.9300, pebblebeach.com Vibe Three luxury resorts—the colonial-style Lodge at Pebble Beach, the Spanish-influenced Casa Palmero, and the more modern Inn at Spanish Bay—are situated in the Del Monte Forest on the famous 17-Mile Drive surrounded by three golf courses, cypress trees, and the most majestic ocean views on the planet.

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Signature Treatment The Pebble Massage

Look Better Feel Your Best

is a massage connoisseur’s massage. Warm smooth stones are strategically placed on your body and used to open and balance energy,

We are pleased to announce that we offer:

Botox®, Collagen, Restylane®, Microdermabrasion, Personalized Skin Care, Laser and more.

loosen stiff muscles, and create an overall feeling of well-being.

Amenities All three resorts have well-appointed, elegant rooms with ocean, forest, or garden views. There are three world-class golf courses within shuttle range, tennis, swimming, shopping in nearby Carmel, and the fa-

Wednesday evening and Saturday appointments available with aesthetic nurse Bonnie Edwards, R.N.

mous 17-Mile Drive.

Basics Room rates start at $505 at the Inn at Spanish Bay and $580 at the Lodge at Pebble Beach. Casa Palmero starts at $705. Signature

Dr. Winﬁeld treats the full range of skin problems, from acne to skin cancer to rare dermatological conditions. Dr. Winﬁeld, a Tiburon resident, is a family dermatologist specializing in adolescent acne and cosmetic dermatology.

Pebble Massage is $180 for a 70-minute treatment. Golf rates start at about $200. —N.W.

Post Ranch Inn (Big Sur) 831.667.2200, postranchinn.com

Julie Anne Winfield, M D

Vibe The most beautiful landscape in

(415) 388-0660 • 239 Miller Avenue, Suite 8, Mill Valley

all ocean views and angular skylights and glit-

California meets low-key luxury perfected. It’s

tering oak trees. Wooded paths lead to a meadow pool; an infinity soaking tub allows you to gaze from the steam into the endless Pacific.

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The Best of Ever ything Knitting

Signature Treatments The Big Sur jade 12/29/05 12:24:31 PM

stone therapy is a thermo-therapy massage using native jade collected from nearby beaches. The spa has a full menu of classic treatments but specializes in the mind/body connection. There are Native American shamanic sessions as well as craniosacral therapy, guided meditation, and flower essence consultation. Many guests opt to have their treatments in their rooms.

Amenities All rooms have deep soaking tubs, fireplaces, private decks, and king beds as well as all the touches you would expect from a hotel consistently voted one of the best in

T 415 • 389 • 9994 F 415 • 389 • 1219

the world. The Sierra Mar restaurant serves a

Please check out our new web site! www.studio-knit.com

lunch (including gourmet picnics to go), and

store hours tuesday – 10-5 • wednesday – 10-8 thursday – saturday 10-5 • sunday – 12-5

son) or à la carte dinner.

320 miller avenue • mill valley, ca 94941

complimentary buffet breakfast each morning,

a seasonally inspired fixed price ($85 per per-

Basics This kind of luxury does not come cheap. Rooms start at $525. The Ocean house • a local yarn store in Mill Valley •

is $1,285 a night. Massages start at $125. A 90minute session with the shaman is $200. —S.S.

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Ventana Inn and Spa (Big Sur) 831.667.2331, ventanainn.com Vibe Luxury lodge, California style. The 60

Facials • Massage • Body Polishes & Wraps • Waxing • Natural Face-Lifting Airbrush Tanning • Acupuncture • New Personalized Detox/Wellness Programs

rooms and suites wind their way up the mountain and are designed for maximum privacy. It’s a hushed, kid-free zone where couples are encouraged to get in touch with nature and each other.

Signature Treatments Signature aromatherapy Swedish massage done in your room, in an outdoor cabana by the pool, or in an indoor treatment room. There is a full menu of treatments such as facials and wraps as well as some more New Age treatments like reflexology, color readings, and craniosacral therapy.

Amenities Sixty gorgeous rooms and spectacular suites with flat-screen TVs, spa tubs, and private balconies. There are daily tai chi and yoga classes, two pools (one is clothing optional), Japanese hot baths, miles of private hiking trails, a boutique and fine art gallery, and the

216 Strawberry Village, Mill Valley, CA 94941 • www.evo-spa.com/marin

very delicious Cielo restaurant. Ventana also

Call for Reservations 415.383.3223

has some of the most imaginative packages

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

around; check the website for details.

Basics Rooms from $340 to $1,450 per night. A 50-minute massage is $120. A lavender body polish is $135. —S.S.

susanadler

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photography

The Village at Squaw Valley (Tahoe) 530.584.6125, trilogyspa.com

people

celebrations

life

Vibe Hawaiian après-ski. It may seem a little strange to have a tropical-inspired spa in the High Sierra, but once you enter the tranquil, plumeria-scented Trilogy Spa, it will all make sense.

Signature Treatments Tropical-themed body treatments like the lehua honey steam wrap and the ginger body butter massage and scrub. At the Barefoot Bar Lava Lounge guests can sip syrah while getting a mini mani-pedi.

Amenities The Village at Squaw offers skiing, shopping, restaurants, and a luxury hotel with condo-like rooms including kitchens and balconies. There’s really no reason to leave.

Basics Rooms at the Village start at $279 in high season (www.thevillageatsquaw.com). At Trilogy, massages start at $105, facials at $110.

415.302.4970 | susanadler.com

Hawaiian signature treatments are $140. —S.S.

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LI F E

Say Spahhh... Five destination spas sprinkled throughout the West offer something for the mind, body, and spirit. STORY KATE CHYNOWETH, SAMANTHA SCHOECH & MIMI TOWLE

THERE IS MUCH TO BE SAID FOR A SPA VACATION. Not only are you attending to your health and well-being, but you get to do it with a minimum of planning. One reservation and—voilà—your room, meals and activities are taken care of. But it’s more than just ease that makes a spa vacation special; it’s the possibility for renewal, refreshment, and—and this is not hyperbole—rebirth. You may or may not come back a few pounds lighter but with opportunities for art classes, spiritual journeys, life planning, and friendship, you will surely come back enriched. There are many wonderful destination spas around the country and Cal-a-Vie’s hydrotherapy suite

around the world, each with its own personality and emphasis. We have chosen these five because we love them and we are pretty sure you will too.

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Cal-a-Vie Vista, CA, 866.772.4283, cal-a-vie.com Vibe French-inspired elegance. Nestled in the hills of Vista, California, where the average daily temperature is 70 degrees. This 200-acre property with a recent multimillion-dollar renovation is inspiring: a 17,000-squarefoot fitness center, luxurious new spa, an aquatic center, and a meditation building constructed from an imported 400-year-old stone church.

A day-in-the-life Wake up before dawn, huddle in the morning room, and drink coffee. Meet at the fitness center for a 15-minute stretch followed by a leisurely walk or an intense hill hike, depending on your mood. The daily agendas are given out at breakfast. Basic package includes four vigorous fitness classes in the morning followed by four indulgent treatments in the afternoon. Lunch is typically eaten outside on the patio and dinner is in the main dinning room. The evening ends with a talk given by health experts like the Bay Area’s Dr. Nancy Snyderman.

What you’ll eat Oprah discovered Rosie, her famous personal chef, at Cal-a-Vie. Since Oprah snatched her away, Steve Pernetti has filled her shoes and then some. Each gourmet organic meal is prepared to meet individual tastes and calorie and dietary needs. Dairy-free, low cal, low carb, vegan—whatever your requests, your meal will be delicious.

Where you’ll sleep Private Mediterranean-style villas with views of the surrounding desert and mountains. Each room has either a sundeck or balcony for excellent nighttime stargazing—if you have the energy. Well-appointed bathrooms, with deep soaking tubs and towel warmers; and daily laundry service will keep you in fresh fluffy robes.

Signature treatments Sure, they have a fabulous suite dedicated to their Vichy shower, heavenly reflexology, hydrotherapy, as well as every other treatment du jour, but the crown jewel is Thalassotherapy—105 minutes of ecstasy starting with a mud scrub to cleanse and purify, followed by a seawater and seaweed wrap to eliminate toxins.

Powder puff or powerhouse Power puff: It’s a little of both—since everything is optional, you can either hang out in your room, or book a few extra treatments. However, if you follow the routine, you’ll feel honed and toned by the end of your stay.

Basics A seven-day stay starts at $6,095. Don’t have time for a week? Le Petite four-day is $4,195 and three-day, $3,195. Package rates include meals, treatments, classes, and transportation from the airport. —M.T.

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Canyon Ranch Tucson, AZ, 800.742.9000 or 520.749.9000, canyonranch.com Vibe A luxury boot camp for wellness, beauty, and lifestyle change. You can doze by the pool all day if you like—but if you want company, hit a cardio circuit class or head for the yoga dome.

A day-in-the-life Spa treatments, aquatic therapies, behavioral consultations, and other appointments are booked in advance, and each day you’ll have at least one to enjoy. Then join the rest of the guests in their efforts to fit in as many of the daily fitness classes and activities as humanly possible. Besides the spa complex, campus destinations include the golf performance center, aquatic center with seven pools, and the health and healing center.

What you’ll eat The gourmet menu offers items like beef tenderloin with truffle demiglace and roasted portobello mushroom with bulgur wheat salad—but it’s a nutritionist’s dream. Calories, fat, and fiber grams are listed for every menu item, salt is not on the table (you must ask), and portions are tightly controlled. Specialty diets can be catered to, but cravings are not (if you want sourdough, you’ll get flaxseed bread; ’nuf said).

Where you’ll sleep Accommodations designed in tasteful Southwestern style are set within single-story, adobe cottages that blend naturally into the cactus-dominated desert landscape; all have patios. The larger executive rooms have sitting areas, and luxury one-, two-, and three-bedroom master suites come with every comfort including kitchens.

Signature treatments More than 15 types of therapeutic massage, Ayurvedic treatments, balancing treatments, body scrubs, wraps, specialty facials, and much more are offered. The signature “Euphoria” (it’s aptly named) unfolds with a fragrant rose-geranium-oil scalp massage, and follows with a warm botanical body mask, immersion in a soaking tub scented with essential oils, and a light, relaxing massage.

Powder puff or powerhouse Powerhouse. From weight control to pain management to stress relief to help in navigating major life transitions, this resort practically invented the idea of pampering plus lifestyle change. Yes, it’s “no pain, no gain,” but it doesn’t feel punitive thanks to the focus on rejuvenation and well-being.

Basics A typical four-night package for two people in a standard deluxe room starts at $2,990 per person and includes $400 worth of spa services and $110 worth of health and healing services. —K.C.

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COSTA CAREYES Mexico’s best-kept secret STORY & PHOTOS BARBARA RIES

COSTA CAREYES, SECLUDED, verdant, and

Restaurants such as La Lantana, La

chic, is a quiet alternative to Mexico’s many

Higuera, and Playa Rosa present plates of lob-

prays to Mother Earth in the ancient tradition.

tourist-packed, tequila-fueled coastal resorts.

ster with mango and truffle essence, octopus

El Careyes and El Tamarindo resorts are the

Tucked into a bay on a stretch of pristine Pacific

with garlic, and roasted rack of lamb with bal-

life’s dream and work of architect and artist

coast 45 minutes north of Manzanillo airport (a

samic jus, served alfresco if you like, accom-

Gian Franco Brignone, who nearly 40 years

three-hour flight from Los Angeles), Careyes is

panied by the sounds of the surf and the taste

ago spotted the Costa Careyes from the air

an area remarkable for its lack of high-rise de-

of Mexico’s finest margaritas. After dinner and

and envisioned a tranquil resort similar in

velopments, and tour buses.

between sports, visitors to the Costa Careyes—

style to Costa Esmeralda in his native Italy.

an attendant, a temescalero, sings, chants, and

The coastal road runs through quaint

the “turtle coast”—can, at certain times of the

Brignone built a collection of large villas and

Mexican beach towns such as Barra de Navidad,

year, arrange to watch baby turtles hatch in a

smaller accommodations into the seaside

where travelers on a modest budget can shop,

nesting sanctuary amid a 30,000-acre ecologi-

cliffs. The architecture is curved and multi-

spend the night, and sample the local food.

cal reserve.

layered, each terrace covered with tradition-

But Costa Careyes is best known for the more

For a more personal but equally native expe-

al palapa roofs yet open to panoramic ocean

elegant—and pricier—villas and resorts hidden

rience, guests at El Tamarindo can book a two-

views. One of the more romantic villas, the

among its private coves, enclaves where Pacific

and-a-half-hour Mayan/Aztec sweat-lodge ritual

three-bedroom, four-bath Casa Nido de Amor

Rim cuisine and European-type spas specializ-

called the temescal (from the Aztec teme, to

(“the love nest”), has a cascading infinity pool

ing in Mayan body wraps are more common

bathe, and calli, house), conducted in a seclud-

and a whirlpool spa overlooking the cliffs.

than taco stands. El Careyes Beach Resort sits

ed mud hut facing the ocean. These brave souls

The villas, at rates from $1,200 to $5,000 a

on a cove with 51 rooms, suites, and casitas

apply a clay mud made of coconut, cucumber,

night depending on size and season, come

surrounding a free-form pool facing the ocean.

and papaya to their bodies, then plunge into the

staffed with cook, maid, and driver.

Neighboring El Tamarindo Resort consists

surf to cleanse the mud from their skin and the

Brignone, now in his seventies, oversees his

of 28 villas with open, thatched-roof living

ailments from their soul. A conch shell is blown

beloved coastline like a protective parent, hop-

areas and private pool and offers a panopoly

in salute to the four winds, a shaman offers a

ing to preserve the regional savoir vivre, sensu-

of sporting activities ranging from golf to polo

cleansing ritual, and the sweatees enter the tem-

ality, and charm. “Careyes is a guarded secret,”

to the requisite snorkeling and scuba.

escal hut, where coals heat up the moist air and

he says, “only known by special people.”

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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WAIKIKI, WHY NOT? Family fun on Oahu? Absolutely! STORY M .L. LATHAN

THERE IS SOMETHING about the warm moist

and gentle waves. I recognized several lan-

ing, with stores like Cartier, Chanel, Prada,

air scented with a combination of jet fuel and

guages while frolicking in the water—Chinese,

and Versace packed with international tourists

plumeria at the Honolulu airport that brings

Japanese, German, French, and Russian—and

bolstering the local economy. For our daugh-

back childhood memories. For me, as a child

enjoyed being out of our comfort zone of

ters (ages 4 and 7), the prolific ABC stores’ ar-

growing up in Hawaii, this musty aroma meant

Quicksilver-clad Californians. Since languages

ray of toys, T-shirts, and beach-themed snow

picking up visitors with my grandmother, her

were varied, smiles, nods, and an occasional

globes were retail heaven enough.

arms filled with leis. Now, to me as a tourist

“watch out!” sufficed for communication as the

with my family in tow, it means our vacation

gentle waves tossed us about.

has begun.

With everyone else happily into vacation mode, it was my turn. To jump-start my accli-

With a prime location in Waikiki, excellent

matization to the tropics, I chose the tradition-

Ever since I was a child, I wanted to stay

restaurants, and a newly renovated spa, the

al lomi lomi massage at the hotel spa. A recent

in Waikiki, but like most locals back then, my

Halekulani has stood the test of time. It’s been

renovation earned the Spahalekulani a four-

family avoided this beehive of activity just

there for over a hundred years, well before time

star rating from the Mobil Travel Guide. The

as San Franciscans avoid Fisherman’s Wharf.

shares or thong bikinis. The classic Hawaiian ar-

heavenly treatment starts off with an exclusive

When making our travel plans this year, I de-

chitecture and understated elegance make this

method of foot pounding, to relax and prepare

cided to satisfy my curiosity and planned a

hotel a first choice for visitors from around the

you for a therapeutic massage using Hawaiian

stopover at the landmark Halekulani Hotel in

globe, and Conde Nast Traveler named it one of

oils, including the signature scent of maile, his-

Waikiki en route to the Big Island of Hawaii.

the “World’s Best 700 Places to Stay” in 2005.

torically used by royalty.

“We’re in Hawaii! Let’s go swimming!” my

Best yet, it’s an easy walk to such local at-

After three full days of beach time, shop-

four-year-old squealed as we arrived in the

tractions as the International Marketplace, the

ping, and exploring, we stood waiting for our

open-air lobby. With three hours to kill before

Waikiki Aquarium, and the Honolulu Zoo. We

ride to the airport. “Can’t we stay longer?” my

check-in, we stored our bags and heeded the

toured the latter, and after a full morning of ad-

seven-year-old asked. She had made some

call of the crystal-clear warm Pacific. Gray’s

miring colorful fish, spindly sea stars, and long-

friends on the beach and was sad to say good-

Beach, known as a healing center for native

limbed giraffes, we still had plenty of time for

bye. “Next time,” we promised. All in all, I’d

Hawaiians, fronts the hotel and is just big

shopping and the beach. Shopping is as much

made just one mistake in planning our Waikiki

enough for a select few to enjoy the white sand

of an attraction here as surfing and sightsee-

stay: it wasn’t long enough.

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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PH OTOS : C OU RTESY OF H ALEKUL ANI HOTEL

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12/29/05 2:51:40 PM

GIVING BACK, MARIN-STYLE

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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T H I NK

The largest community foundation in California makes a difference STORY JEFF MILLER PHOTOS BARBARA RIES

Marin Community Foundation CEO Thomas Peters, Hamilton Field ofﬁces in Novato.

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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Guest poetry teacher Karen Benke visits Park School thirdgrade students.

You are like a sundae on Sunday.

and Beryl H. Buck, has distributed more than

York City, Cleveland, Chicago, and Tulsa can

You are like a warm ball of yarn.

$725 million to nonprofit groups. Most of

top the Marin Community Foundation’s $1.1

You are like a lava tree about to erupt.

these millions have been spent in a county of

billion in assets.

You are a Frankenstein in the ocean.

250,000 residents with the highest per-capita income in the state.

Yet perhaps because Marin County is so affluent, the foundation’s sense of responsibility

It’s poetry time for third-graders in Mill

To some that seems a curious and ironic in-

Valley’s Park School and their “Odes to the

dulgence. To Tom Peters, chief executive of the

Moon” offer a glimpse into the sweet clarity

Novato-based foundation, it is respecting the

Imagine being one of the 9 percent of resi-

of childhood.

looms large. If that seems contradictory, look at the county statistics from the downside.

will of the Bucks. Plus, he says, “a man with

dents without a high school degree, the 35,000

Children learning about juxtaposition from

his head in the freezer and his feet on a stove

with a disability, the thousands who receive a

a guest poet, Marine Mammal Center staff por-

has an average temperature. Averages can be

government assistance check instead of divi-

ing over plans for the new education center, an

very misleading and Marin County is no ex-

dend income, or the thousands, largely non-

organic farmer boxing up a crop of lemons, the

ception.”

white, who lack health insurance.

children of a Canal District laborer studying in

Imagine the corrosive frustration of trying

an after-school program. Such small moments

Giving a Good Impression

to fix a serious community problem and watch-

go largely unnoticed amid the gilded rusticity

Peters laughs when asked if he ever tires of

ing it grow worse because public funds—and

that passes for daily life in Marin County. Yet

defending the foundation’s good fortune in

attention spans—are short. Or consider the so-

it is precisely these moments that distinguish a

a land of relative plenty. “Plenty? Oh, yes,

cial cost when middle-income earners flee the

privileged place from an oblivious one.

there is plenty of envy. And I understand why.

county’s high housing prices, taking its future

When you look at market value, the Marin

with them.

And for that, the Marin Community

Community Foundation is now the fifth largest

“We are facilitators of philanthropy,” says

The foundation, started in 1986 with the

in the country.” Indeed, of the nation’s more

Peters of the 40-employee organization. And

assets of longtime Marin residents Leonard

than 600 community foundations, only New

when strategically spent for the public welfare,

Foundation can take a bow.

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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Marin Organic Director Helge Hellberg is grateful for the $25,000 a year grant from Marin Community Foundation for the last four years.

he believes, philanthropic funds can balance

mercial equation costs money, and in Hellberg’s

Marsha Bonner, vice president of programs.

inequity, promote achievement, stoke aspira-

mind, that’s where the Marin Community

That translates into grants for technical assis-

tion, and fuel opportunity.

Foundation has made the difference.

tance and for consultants in fundraising, strate-

By its own standards, then, does the Marin

“Marin Organic existed only as an idea

gic planning, and mergers. Most of the funding

among a few growers back in 1999,” he says.

addresses “human needs,” Bonner says. It’s a

After filling out the foundation’s simple, one-

familiar list, even for the lotusland of Marin:

On the Fund Lines

page application, the growers received $5,000

subsidized housing, health care, child care,

Seed money is an almost literally appropriate

to conduct a marketing study. “Without a pro-

disability, family issues, violence, AIDS.

term for the more than $100,000 provided to

fessional to help us set up a board and show

In fact, five years ago a foundation-spon-

Marin Organic by the foundation in the last

us what’s possible, we might have lagged,”

sored needs assessment revealed that 1,300

Community Foundation measure up?

four years. The 30-member food growers’ group is on a mission to create the nation’s first all-organic

“

Marin children were

Without a professional to help us set up a board and show us what’s possible, we might have lagged. —HELGE HELLBERG

”

without health care coverage. “That was not considered acceptable,” says

farming county, says director Helge Hellberg:

Hellberg says. Today, an average annual grant

Michael Koch of the CaliforniaKids Healthcare

“That not only means encouraging the accep-

of $25,000 from the foundation helps fund

Foundation. After four years and $1.1 million

tance and distribution of organic foods, but in-

Marin Organic’s office operations in Point

in grants, nearly all 1,300 children are treat-

troducing an organic school lunch and hospital

Reyes Station and fundraising efforts.

ed in a low-copayment plan based on service

food program too.”

Several hundred annual discretionary

agreements engineered by CaliforniaKids with

Whatever one’s perspective on the virtues of

grants, many in the $50,000 to $100,000

growing organic food, it takes a business plan

range, typify the spread-the-wealth attitude

“For these kids, just being able to get their

and a compelling story to convince someone to

that prevails at the foundation. “We like to

teeth cleaned, get glasses, and have their

buy a product. Expert advice to solve that com-

help organizations help themselves,” says

own health plan ID card has provided a huge

health providers in Marin.

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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Sausalito’s Marine Mammal Center beneﬁted from a Marin Community Foundation grant of $1 million to expand its facility.

boost in dignity and self-respect,” says Koch.

Foundation. “That money was critical,” says

“Our unique feature,” says executive direc-

“Marin Community Foundation deserves a lot

Tom Wilson, director of the Canal Alliance,

tor B.J. Griffin, “is being a research and teach-

of credit.”

particularly since it enabled the organiza-

ing center in addition to a rescue site.” But

Children are also central to the Canal

tion to craft new fundraising strategies, no

success—11,000 mammals have been treated

Alliance, a San Rafael community group formed

small matter when cobbling together grants

in its 30-year history—has brought not only

by the merger of two long-established orga-

from different organizations to raise nearly

recognition and tens of thousands of annual

nizations, the Canal Community Alliance and

$800,000 per year.

visitors (including thousands of students) but

the San Rafael Canal Ministry. From a childcare center and elementary school tutoring to

“

We have now become an international resource of disease expertise regarding marine mammal populations. We are exporting that information to help animals around the world. —B.J. GRIFFIN

team-building leadership

”

also tight quarters and a research vision that could not be met by the current facility. Enter the Marin

groups for the area’s largely Latino population,

For Marin’s Marine Mammal Center, the

the 50-employee organization prides itself on a

needs were even greater. A longtime benefi-

that will double the size of the center’s teaching

comprehensive all-stages-of-life approach.

ciary of the foundation, the center has grown

space, setting the stage for an expansion of its

Community Foundation with a $1 million grant

Yet the merger might not have happened

from a handful of volunteers rescuing strand-

marine science discovery program that already

as quickly or at all had the two organizations

ed sea lions to a well-respected marine mam-

includes outreach to a dozen California coun-

not been able to draw upon the talents of a

mal “MASH unit” and public education center

ties. While the total rebuilding program now

merger consultant, paid for with $50,000

with a $4 million budget, 45 employees, and

under way will cost $18 million, Griffin appreci-

in grant money from the Marin Community

more than 800 volunteers.

ates the targeted giving philosophy of the foun-

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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dation. “A decade ago, the foundation gave us

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS OF THE MARIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

seed money to begin a marine mammal research program with UC Davis,” she says. The success of those studies enabled the center to qualify for a half-million-dollar federal grant of its own: “We have now become an international resource of disease expertise regarding marine mammal populations. We are exporting that information to help animals around the world.”

Going the Distance The world. That term often figures in Marin Community Foundation literature, despite the

Beryl H. Buck

Dr. Leonard Buck

Marin-only mandate of the Buck legacy. It’s not an exaggeration. Indeed, a new group of

How did it start? The Marin Community

tune. At Mrs. Buck’s death, it was approxi-

donors, eager to meld tax advantages or es-

Foundation (MCF) was created in 1987.

mately $7 million; ten years later, it was

tate planning with their favorite cause, have

It resulted from a legal challenge claim-

$14 million. “Over time, through sales and

teamed up with the foundation to direct their

ing the proceeds of the Leonard and

acquisitions, it grew to $600 million and

generosity around the globe. “For these 300 do-

Beryl H. Buck Trust—at the time held

now it’s over $800 million. It’s an aston-

nors—and the number is growing—we merely

elsewhere—were too vast to be distribut-

ishing story,” remarks MCF President and

execute their wishes,” says Peters. Yet while

ed solely in an area as afﬂuent as Marin

CEO Thomas Peters, Ph.D.

these new donor funds can go global, most

County. However, such was the intent

of the foundation’s $52.5 million in grants to

expressed in Beryl Buck’s will. The set-

Is MCF more than the Buck Trust? Yes,

nearly 900 charitable organizations and causes

tlement also created the Buck Institute

deﬁnitely. Hundreds of individuals, fami-

in 2004 went to local organizations.

for Age Research, the Buck Institute

lies, businesses, and community groups—

One of the first organizations to earn

for Education, and the Marin Institute,

mostly Marin-based—have established

foundation grant support 20 years ago was

which studies alcohol-related problems.

funds at MCF. In turn, they award grants

California Poets in the Schools. In some school

Research at these Marin-based entities

to a wide range of nonprofit groups

districts, struggling to save the last shreds of

beneﬁt a national, even global, constitu-

and schools. At present, these funds

their arts programs, having a poet teach in a

ency. Each year they receive 20 percent

total $150 million. Examples, among

classroom for up to 10 sessions might seem

of the distributions of the Buck Trust (in

nearly 300 such funds that range from

an incredible luxury. In Marin, thanks in part

2005: $8 million), while Marin-specific

$50,000 to $15 million, include Frank

to annual foundation support of $24,500, the

endeavors are awarded 80 percent (in

Howard Allen Realtors, Crawford and

program has become a valued academic com-

2005: $27 million). Currently, the Buck

Jessie Cooley, Living History Centre, and

ponent in more than 30 schools.

Trust amounts to $850 million.

the Blair and Hillary Peterson Family. In 2005, approximately $21 million was

Now, poetry is not a housing development you can point to, a research institute you can

Who are the Bucks and how did they

distributed as grants from these ac-

admire, or even a newspaper you can read—

make their money? In the 1930s, Leonard

counts. The recipients were worldwide—

worthy foundation projects all. But when eager

and Beryl Buck met at the scene of an au-

an island off Chile, a landmined field in

third-graders warm to the challenge of creat-

tomobile accident in Oakland. She was a

Eastern Europe, a school in India—as well

ing their first poem, the Tom Peters standard

nurse tending to victims; he was a pathol-

as local: MALT, the Marin Symphony, and

comes vividly to life. “We want to fund pro-

ogist impressed by her skills and compas-

Ritter Center. MCF considers the family

grams with deep and lasting impact,” he says.

sion. They courted, married, and moved

and community funds to be the fastest-

And while preserving open space and nurtur-

to Ross, where they lived for many years.

growing aspect of its endeavors. “We’re

ing families clearly fit that bill, it’s words from

Dr Buck died in 1957; Beryl Buck passed

highly focused on helping our donors ex-

a grammar-school tablet that truly show how

away in 1975. Over that time, an invest-

press their passions, whatever and wher-

dollars on the ground can make spirits soar,

ment they made in an obscure Bakersﬁeld

ever they are, in effective and thoughtful

one hopes for a lifetime. You are a kangaroo

oil company burgeoned into a small for-

grants,” adds Peters.

hopping on the grass on Friday.

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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GAL L E RI E S

Beauty Through the Ages Classic style, modern masters, cutting-edge contemporary BY ANNE CRUMP RAY

nparalleled natural beauty and

venue that Fahey-Cameron bought seven

William Lester Gallery, 11101 Shoreline

temperate weather make Marin

years ago to showcase both the talent of lo-

Hwy., Point Reyes Station, 415.663.9365,

County one of the world’s most al-

cal artists and the beauty of the Bay Area.

williamlestergallery.com; 11–5:30 Fri–Mon;

luring locations for landscape painting exe-

Situated at the portal to the Point Reyes

closed Tues–Thurs

cuted on site, or en plein air. Literally “full air”

National Seashore, the gallery has an ideal

in French, plein air designates those artists

vantage point for appreciating Marin’s visu-

who favor fresh air and natural light over the

al splendor.

regory Lind Gallery, in downtown San Francisco, specializes in works by emerging and mid-

conveniences of a studio. In addition to cre-

While the artists the gallery represents

ating a more challenging and invigorating

share a mobile approach to painting and

career artists from the Bay Area and be-

working environment, this approach enables

an affinity for Northern California, Fahey-

yond. From January 25 to February 25, the

artists to capture on canvas some of the in-

Cameron notes that the diversity of their

gallery presents the exhibition Variegated

tangible nuances of their outdoor settings.

output is considerable. In fact, she recent-

Radiant Dream Plot, featuring drawing,

“There has been a renaissance in land-

ly shifted her programming away from solo

painting, sculpture, and installations by three

scape painting in recent years,” says Robin

exhibitions toward rotating group presenta-

notable contemporary artists.

Fahey-Cameron, a local plein air painter

tions in order to better highlight the breadth

and gallerist, “and some of the top painters

of styles and subjects.

now are here.”

New Jersey–born, Oakland-based artist Chris Duncan composes colorful installa-

A changing selection of works by gallery

tions that incorporate drawing, painting, and

Nearly 40 of these artists are featured

artists is on view throughout the month, of-

long, taut strands of string. Geometry runs

on an ongoing basis at William Lester

fering beautiful glimpses of the Marin coun-

rampant in his work, suggesting the rigors of

Gallery in Point Reyes Station, a 15-year-old

tryside even on the rainiest winter days.

science in carefully executed lines, triangles, MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

094-097_Galleries.indd 95

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Previous page: Christin Coy, Afternoon Fog, Lucas Valley, 2005 (oil on panel, 12”x24”), William Lester Gallery; at left: Chris Duncan, New Science, 2005 (print), Gregory Lind Gallery; below: Joan Miro, Bronzes (lithograph on Arches vellum, 35”x22”), Meyerovich Gallery

point with large, boldly colored creations, on view through March 15. “The Frank Stella works are very exciting,” Meyerovich notes. “They are very colorful and complex, and we have never had any of his work here before.” A survey of Rauschenberg’s rich career displays lithographs, screen prints, and handand cones, but Duncan softens the edges with fanciful arrangements and ephemeral string constructions that urge viewers to enjoy the ﬂeeting experience of here and now.

rt lovers looking to secure a blue-chip

painted pieces, spanning the 1960s through

masterpiece, or just to peruse works

the 1990s. A special exhibition assembled

by some of the best-known names

last fall to commemorate the artist’s 80th

in modern art, have been coming to Alex

birthday, the presentation has been extended through the end of February.

Jovi Schnell creates murals, drawings,

Meyerovich’s Union Square gallery since 1985.

and collages that captivate viewers with

Meyerovich actually consists of two gal-

Finally, adding a note of up-to-the-minute

candylike colors, Pop-inspired graphics, and

leries: one devoted to modern art, the oth-

currency are new abstract sculptures by Guy

playful imagery. Her magical constructions

er to contemporary. The setup gives owner

Dill, which permeate the space. “There’s a lot

invoke often-competing elements—nature

Alex Meyerovich the ability to exhibit several

of activity around him right now,” Meyerovich

and technology, tradition and innovation—

concentrations of works at one time—and to

says. The works will remain on view through

and seduce viewers with a visual sweetness

showcase his holdings of both modern and

February 25.

that hints at a more bitter reality.

contemporary art.

Meyerovich Gallery, 251 Post St., 4th ﬂoor,

David Dupuis is a New York–based artist

From January 15 through March 15,

San Francisco, 415.421.7171, meyerovich.com;

whose paintings are slick amalgamations of

Meyerovich Modern Gallery presents an as-

10–6:30 Mon–Fri, 10:30–5:30 Sat and by ap-

abstract designs and representational imag-

sortment of recently acquired works on pa-

pointment; closed Sun

ery. Marrying the sinister with the whimsical,

per by Joan Miró. The selection includes

Dupuis uses lollipop stripes, swoops, and spi-

aquatints, Carborundum etchings, and litho-

rals to lure his audience into worlds that har-

graphs from European collections.

bor lightly camouﬂaged horrors.

Across the hall at Meyerovich Contemp-

Gallerist Gregory Lind favors this Febru-

orary Gallery, several artists share the spot-

ary grouping for the complementary dream-

light this winter as the gallery hosts group-

like environments the artists construct. Each

ings by Guy Dill, Helen Frankenthaler, Robert

artist fashions a world that dazzles on the sur-

Rauschenberg, and Frank Stella.

face but hints at darker story lines beneath.

New acquisitions make up part of

The gallery hosts a reception to intro-

the presentation: five works on paper by

duce the exhibition on Thursday, February 2,

Frankenthaler and eight to 10 large mixed-

from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

media pieces by Stella. The Frankenthaler

Gregory Lind Gallery, 49 Geary St.,

selection, on view through February 25, high-

5th floor, San Francisco, 415.296.9661,

lights small, intimate pieces created during

gregorylindgallery.com; 10:30–5:30 Tues–Sat

the 1980s and ’90s; hailing from the same

and by appointment; closed Sun–Mon

period, the Stellas offer an aesthetic counter-

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

094-097_Galleries.indd 96

12/29/05 3:08:38 PM

William DeBilzan “Alright, OK You Win” 47”x48” Mixed Media

jimmy lee sudduth A 96th birthday celebration f o r o n e o f t h e m o s t p ro m i n e n t and accomplished outsider artists of the 20th century reception 2 March 6:30-8:30 exhibition 2-31 March

7 Mark Drive • San Rafael CA 94903 w w w . s p i n g a l l e r y . n e t • 4 1 5 .4 9 9 . 7 6 4 0

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Marin Images

Framed photographic prints of the natural beauty of Marin

Images of Mt. Tam , Point Reyes, the Headlands and more

Photographs by Steve Lefkovits

View and purchase online at

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MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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1/3/06 10:44:13 AM

CAL E NDA R

FEBRUARY 2006 COMEDY February 8–9 Seven Ways to Skin an Ocelot Funnyman John Cleese presents two evenings of unpredictable comedy. Presented by Cal Performances at Zellerbach Hall (Berkeley). 510.642.9988, calperfs.berkeley.edu

MUSIC February 4 Corinne West and the Posse Enjoy an evening of original songs—a fusion of country, bluegrass, folk, and Americana. Larkspur The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre performs in Berkeley February 28 to March 5.

Café Theatre (Larkspur). 415.924.6107, larkspurcafetheatre.com

THEATER

February 18

February 10

Immortal Heart An award-winning, full-

Kitty Margolis Innovative jazz vocals at

Thru March 12

length show based on a short story by Amy

142 Throckmorton Theatre (Mill Valley).

Gem of the Ocean Tony award nominee for

Tan. Performed by Word for Word at the

415.383.9600, 142throckmortontheatre.com

best play in 2005 showing Feb 10–March 12.

Dance Palace (Point Reyes). 415.663.1075,

Performed by A.C.T. at Geary Theater (SF).

dancepalace.org

February 11 Joshua Bell in Recital The Grammy Award–

415.749.2228, act-sf.org

Thru February 19

winning violinist plays a mixture of adven-

Thru February 5

Sly Fox Larry Gelbart adapts Ben Jonson’s

turous and traditional music. SF Symphony

South Paciﬁc An island romance threat-

early 17th-century play Volpone to 1890s

(SF). 415.864.6000, sfsymphony.org

ened by prejudice and war, set during World

San Francisco with hilarious results. Directed

War II. San Anselmo Town Players at the

by Phoebe Moyer. The Barn Theatre (Ross).

February 11

Playhouse (San Anselmo). 415.258.4640,

415.456.9555, rossvalleyplayers.org

Pollyanna Bush and Co. The local songwriter performs music about love, loss, and

thetownplayers.org

Thru February 20

longing. Larkspur Café Theatre (Larkspur).

Thru February 12

The Sweetest Swing in Baseball Dana,

415.924.6107, larkspurcafetheatre.com

Killer Joe A greedy family hires a cop to

an artist whose career and personal life

do away with their mother in hopes of col-

have taken a nosedive, seeks inspiration

February 11

lecting her insurance money. Intended for

from the unlikeliest of sources—the bad

Chick Corea & Touchstone Grammy Award–

mature audiences only. Marin Theatre

boy of baseball. Directed by Amy Glazer.

winning pianist Corea presented by Cal

Company (Mill Valley). 415.388.5208,

Magic Theatre at Fort Mason Center (SF).

Performances at Zellerbach Hall (Berkeley).

marintheatre.org

415.441.8001, magictheatre.org

510.642.9988, calperfs.berkeley.edu MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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February 12

February 25

February 3

The Natural Gas Jazz Band Expect to hear

Pianovoce An ensemble of pianists, singers,

Bellydance Superstars and the Desert

blues, stomps, rags, marches, and spiritu-

and a narrator, specializing in seldom-heard,

Roses Discover the exotic art of belly dance

als from this 35-year-old Bay Area main-

intimate music for piano and voice. Dance

with this traveling troupe of performers.

stay. Larkspur Café Theatre (Larkspur).

Palace (Point Reyes). 415.663.1075,

Marin Center (San Rafael). 415.499.6800,

415.924.6107, larkspurcafetheatre.com

dancepalace.org

marincenter.org

February 12

February 26

February 10–11

Robben Ford and the Ford Blues Brothers

Yiddish Songs with Sharon Bernstein

Kunst-Stoff The San Francisco–based

All three Ford Brothers—Robben, Patrick, and

New and traditional tunes sung by Sharon

dance/theater company presents two pro-

Mark—perform an evening of California-style

Bernstein from the rich repertoire of

grams that invite audiences to “see” with

blues. 142 Throckmorton Theatre (Mill Valley).

Yiddish music. Dance Palace (Point Reyes).

other senses, As We Close Their Eyes and In-

415.383.9600, 142throckmortontheatre.com

415.663.1075, dancepalace.org

Sight. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (SF). 415.978.2787, ybca.org

February 17–19

February 26

The Quatsi Film Trilogy Philip Glass Ensemble

New Century Chamber Orchestra Robin

February 11

performs scores of Godfrey Reggio’s three

Bonnell preforms the world premiere of a

American Indian Dance Theatre Traditional

ﬁlms; Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi and

cello concerto by Shanghai-born composer

and contemporary Native American dance

Naqoyqatsi at Davies Symphony Hall (SF).

Gang Situ along with pieces by Mozart,

from various tribes. Marin Center (San

415.392.2545, performances.org

Dvorak. Osher Marin JCC (San Rafael).

Rafael). 415.499.6800,

415.444.8000, marinjcc.org

marincenter.org

February 19 February 18

Piano Concert Series Thomas Schultz.

DANCE

Works by Webern, Rzewski, and Liszt, as

dance and music, brought to you by the

interpreted by Schultz. Dance Palace (Point Reyes). 415.663.1075, dancepalace.org

Tour of Light 2006 Enjoy East African

Thru February 4

Children of Uganda, a project of the

SF Ballet’s Swan Lake Enjoy the beauty and

Uganda Children’s Charity Foundation.

February 24

precision of one of classical ballet’s most

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (SF).

Sweet Honey in the Rock The all-female a

beloved stories, set to Tchaikovsky. Back for

415.978.2787, ybca.org

cappella ensemble sings blues, spirit-

the ﬁrst time in eight years with breathtak-

uals, reggae, and more. Presented by Cal

ing scenery and costumes by Jens-Jacob

February 18

Performances at Zellerbach Hall (Berkeley).

Worsaae. War Memorial Opera House (SF).

Russian National Ballet A staged perfor-

510.642.9988, calperfs.berkeley.edu

415.865.2000, sfballet.org

mance of La Bayadere comes to Marin via Moscow. Marin Center (San Rafael).

SPOTLIGHT ON CHILDREN OF UGANDA The music and dance of Uganda are known for their vibrancy, but recent conditions in the East African nation are less cheerful: an estimated 1.7 million Ugandan children have lost one or both parents to AIDS. A troupe of twenty such orphans, ages 8 to 18, will perform traditional songs and dances at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts this February. Since 1994, the Children of Uganda have traveled throughout the U.S. in an effort to share the culture of their country, increase awareness of AIDS, and raise money for their orphan-

age. This year’s tour, dubbed Tour of Light, will present Bay Area audiences with an opportunity to immerse themselves in East African music and dance—including songs in Swahili and Luganda—and to support the most helpless victims of the AIDS epidemic: the children. —Michal Lev Ram The Children of Uganda perform February 18 at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. For more informa-

415.499.6800, marincenter.org

February 18–19 Noche Flamenca Enjoy two evenings of ﬂamenco, the passionate and ﬁery dance from Spain. Presented by Cal Performances at Zellerbach Hall (Berkeley). 510.642.9988, calperfs.berkeley.edu

February 26 Trinity Irish Dance Company The Chicagobased troupe brings traditional Irish cho-

tion call 415.978.2787 or log on the web-

reography, live music, and Celtic pride to

site: ybca.org

Marin Center (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

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MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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February 28–March 5

Contemporary Fine Arts (CFA)

Garzoli

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre More

Ongoing exhibits. 20 Greenﬁeld Ave, San

Works by Edwin Deakin, Grace Hudson, and

than 45 years after its ﬁrst performance,

Anselmo. 415.457.8847, cfagallery.com

more. 930 B St, San Rafael. 415.459.4321,

this modern dance company returns for yet

garzoligallery.com

another season of classics and new produc-

Edith Caldwell Gallery

tions. Presented by Cal Performances at

Still-life paintings, contemporary tapes-

Hanson Gallery

Zellerbach Hall (Berkeley). 510.642.9988,

tries, and objets d’art by artists such as

Ongoing exhibits. 669 Bridgeway, Sausalito.

calperfs.berkeley.edu

Alan Magee, Philip Michelson, Guy Diehl,

415.332.1815, hansongallerysa.com

Donald and Era Farnsworth, Steven Graber,

GALLERIES

Gus Heinze Kay Bradner, and more. 819

Marin Society of Artists

Bridgeway, Sausalito. 415.331.5003,

The World Today, on display Feb 5–25.

edithcaldwell.com

Marin Art and Garden Center, Ross.

MARIN

415.454.9561, marinsocietyofartists.org

Gallery Bergelli Art Works Downtown

William DeBilzan New ﬁgurative paint-

O’Hanlon Center for the Arts

Transforming Art An interactive installation,

ings, thru Feb. 483 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur.

Drawings from the Drawing Circus Works

on display thru Feb 24. 1337 Fourth St, San

415.945.9454, gallerybergelli.com

by Edward Stanton’s Life Drawing Class,

Rafael. 415.451.8119, artworksdowntown.org

Feb 7–25. 616 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley.

Gallery Route One

415.388.4331, ohanloncenter.org

Claudia Chapline Gallery

The Follies of Old Age Clay and glass by

About the Human Figure Selected paintings

Mimi Abers plus artwork by Betty Woofolk,

The Painters Place

and sculptures, thru Feb 12. 3445 Shoreline

both on display Feb 17–March 26. 11101 Hwy

More Than Just Picture Framers A variety of

Hwy, Stinson Beach. 415.868.2308,

One, Point Reyes Station. 415.663.1347,

art by employees, on display Feb 1–March 18.

cchapline.com

galleryrouteone.org

1139 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur. 415.461.0351

Go2Marin.com For all your Real Estate Needs… TOP PRODUCER 2005 NO. 1 MARIN COUNTY REALTOR 2004 FOR 70 CLOSED TRANSACTIONS

Shana Rohde-Lynch 415.925.3225 ShanaMarin@aol.com

FHA_Shana_0206_v1.indd 1

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Robert Green Fine Arts

Hackett-Freedman

77 Geary St, 415.982.3292,

Ongoing exhibits. 154 Throckmorton Ave,

The Seven Laughters of God and other

renabranstengallery.com

Mill Valley. 415.381.8776,

Paintings by Los Angeles–based painter

rgﬁnearts.com

F. Scott Hess, thru Feb 25. 250 Sutter St,

MUSEUMS

415.362.7152, hackettfreedman.com

Sausalito Art Collection Beautiful Marin Featuring works by

Hang Art and Hang Art Annex

California landscape artists such as Gail

Marks and Gestures Abstract paintings by

Morris and Teresa Dong. Jan 28–29. 589

Paul Lorenz, Feb 1–28 at Hang Art. Horizon

Bolinas Museum

Bridgeway, Sausalito. 415.339.9250

A group show of paintings, Feb 1–28 at

New acquisitions and other favorites from

Hang Art Annex. 556 & 567 Sutter St,

the permanent collection, plus photo-

415.434.4264, hangart.com

graphs by Steve Brock, thru Feb. (Bolinas).

Spin Gallery White Work An installation of art and objects

MARIN

415.868.0330, bolinasmuseum.org

by Jeannie Pettigrew, thru Feb 17. 7 Mark Dr,

John Pence Gallery

San Rafael. 415.499.7640, spingallery.net

Interior Show, thru Feb 24. 750 Post St,

Falkirk Cultural Center

415.441.1138, johnpence.com

Back to Basics: The California Society of

William Lester Gallery

Printmakers thru Feb 25. (San Rafael).

California Landscapes, impressionist and

415.485.3328, falkirkculturalcenter.org

plein-air paintings, an ongoing exhibit.

Marin Museum of the American Indian

11101 Shoreline Hwy, Point Reyes Station. 415.663.9365, williamlestergallery.com

On the Red Road, a pictorial essay of Plains

SAN FRANCISCO

Indians, thru March 31. Miwok Park (Novato). 415.897.4064, marinindian.com

Caldwell Snyder Gallery B AY A R E A

Ongoing exhibits. 341 Sutter St, 415.296.7896, caldwellsnyder.com

California Academy of Sciences Fraenkel Gallery

HOTSPOT California on the Edge. Meet live

Works by Katy Grannan, on display thru Feb

frogs, salamanders, and insects and discov-

25. 49 Geary St, 415.981.2661,

er the amazing biodiversity that exists within

fraenkelgallery.com

California, thru Aug. (SF). 415.321.8000, calacademy.org

Gallery Paule Anglim de Young

John Roloff and Ala Ebtekar Artwork on display thru Feb 25. 14 Geary St, 415.433.2710,

Under the Overpass, by Maury Lapp, George Krevsky

Jasper Johns: 45 Years of Master Prints; thru Feb 12. John Bankston Drawings and paint-

gallerypauleanglim.com

Meyerovich Gallery

ings using museum objects as

George Krevsky Gallery

Modern European masters including

iconography, Feb 25–June 25. (SF).

Evolution of a Painter The art of Maury

Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, 251 Post St,

415.863.3330, thinker.org/deyoung

Lapp, among other works of American art

415.421.7171, meyerovich.com

Legion of Honor

in the 20th century. Feb 9–March 24. 77 Geary St, 415.397.9748,

Paul Thiebaud

After the Ruins, 1906 and 2006:

georgekrevskygallery.com

Ongoing exhibits. 718 Columbus Ave,

Rephotographing the San Francisco

415.434.3055, paulthiebaudgallery.com

Earthquake and Fire. Powerful images of the

Gregory Lind Gallery

city, then and now; thru June 4.

Variegated Radiant Dream Plot Works, thru

Rena Bransten Gallery

The museum is free to the public every

Feb 25. 49 Geary St, 415.296.9661,

Photographs by Matthias Hoch and Ari

Tuesday. (SF). 415.863.3330,

gregorylindgallery.com

Marcopoulos, both on display thru Feb 25.

legionofhonor.org

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MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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YOU WILL NEVER SEE THE WORLD THE SAME WAY AGAIN “The audience erupted into uninhibited cheering…the score for KOYAANISQATSI is invigorating, often tremulously beautiful…Mr. Reggio’s images haunt the viewer, accompanied by one of the most startling and original soundtracks ever written.” —The New York Times

Three groundbreaking ﬁlms, with LIVE performances of the award-winning scores

The

QATSI Trilogy

Directed by GODFREY REGGIO

Music by PHILIP GLASS

Performed LIVE by PHILIP GLASS and the PHILIP GLASS ENSEMBLE, conducted by Michael Riesman Presented by San Francisco Performances at Davies Symphony Hall

KOYAANISQATSI: Life Out of Balance

POWAQQATSI:

Life in Transformation

NAQOYQATSI:

Friday, February 17, 8 p.m.

Saturday, February 18, 8 p.m.

Sunday, February 19, 7 p.m

Life as War

with featured cello solo by MAYA BEISER

Tickets and Information 415.392.2545 www.performances.org NOTHING BUT THE MARVELOUS

SFPerformances_0206.indd 1

Ask about the GLASS PASS— see all three concert screenings and save!

12/28/05 3:01:07 PM

SFMOMA

Thru February

February 16

New Work: Wangechi Mutu, three collaged

Bonhams & Butterﬁelds Auction Schedule

Tiburon International Film Festival

works on Mylar, sculptures, and a site-

Fine Asian Works of Art, Feb 6–9. Fine

Independent ﬁlm from around the world.

speciﬁc wall installation, thru April 2. (SF).

books and manuscripts, auction Feb 19, pre-

Peace One Day plays Feb 16. Bay Club

415.357.4000, sfmoma.org

view Feb 10–12. SoMa Estates, auction Feb

Marin (Corte Madera). 415.945.3000,

26, preview Feb 24–26. Monthly appraisal

tiburonﬁlmfestival.com

Feb 27. (SF). 415.861.7500, bonhams.com

FAMILIES/KIDS February 1 MARIN

LECTURES/WORKSHOPS

Chinese New Year Celebration Feast on an imperial dinner, then enjoy a performance

February 3

February 12

of music from the East and West. Davies

An Afternoon with Walter Hood Landscape

Valentine’s Sock Hop Valentine’s Day Music,

Symphony Hall (SF). 415.864.6000,

designer. SF Botanical Garden (SF).

carnival-style games, face painting, and

sfsymphony.org

415.661.1316, sfbotanicalgarden.org

more. Fun for the whole family. Corte Madera Recreation Center (Corte Madera).

February 3–4

415.924.3033, kidsonthehillpreschool.org

Touching the Earth Lecture Series David Whyte, author of ﬁve volumes of poetry and

February 20

two best-selling books, speaks at the Zen

Chinese New Year Celebration Kids can

Center (SF). 415.863.3136, sfzc.com

try their hand at calligraphy, make their own traditional sweet pastry, or cre-

February 13 & 16

ate paper lanterns at this annual event.

Marin Speaker Series Bill Moyers draws

Bay Area Discovery Museum (Sausalito).

on over 40 years of experience as a pub-

415.339.3900, baykidsmuseum.org

lic television journalist. Marin Center (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

Thru February 26 February 20

World on Stage Ethnic dance for all ages. Bay Area Discovery Museum (Sausalito).

Celebrate Chinese New Year with the SF Symphony

415.339.3900, baykidsmuseum.org

B AY A R E A

Tiffany Shlain The multifaceted founder and chairperson of the Webby Awards—also a

February 4–5

screenwriter and director—speaks at the

The Pearl Bowl at Spirits in Stone Prefer

Unitarian Universalist Church (San Rafael).

jewelry to football and beer? Enjoy two

415.453.6221

February 18

days of pearl fashion and design on dis-

The Physics of Toys: Mathemagical Marvels

play. Spirits in Stone Gallery (Sausalito).

An afternoon of hands-on explorations

888.874.6628, spiritsinstone.com

NATURE WALKS/TALKS

in math: learn to make binary bracelets, ﬂexagons, and more. Exploratorium at the

February 8

February 24

Palace of Fine Arts (SF). 415.563.7337,

Celebrations, Commitments, Ceremonies

Late Winter Skies Join Bing Quock of

exploratorium.edu

Getting married at Gump’s. Check out table-

the Morrison Planetarium for an evening

top ideas, ﬂorists, a runway show of wedding

stroll under the winter constellations. SF

gowns by Marina Morrison with Grace, and

Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum

more. 415.984.9250, gumps.com

(SF). 415.661.1316, sfbotanicalgarden.org

January 22

February 11

February 25

Marin Bridal and Party Showcase At the

Chinese New Year Parade Welcome in the

Mosses, Ferns and Lichen Explore the world

Embassy Suites Hotel in San Rafael, 11 am to

Year of the Dog in a parade tradition that has

of lower plants with Glenn Keator. (Point

4 pm. (San Rafael) 415.897.9939,

been happening since the 1860s, Chinatown

Reyes National Seashore). 415.663.1200,

marinweddings.com.

(SF). 415.391.9680, chineseparade.com

ptreyes.org

EVENTS

104

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

098-105_Calendar.indd 104

1/4/06 11:51:44 AM

SFMOMA

Thru February

February 16

New Work: Wangechi Mutu, three collaged

Bonhams & Butterﬁelds Auction Schedule

Tiburon International Film Festival

works on Mylar, sculptures, and a site-

Fine Asian Works of Art, Feb 6–9. Fine

Independent ﬁlm from around the world.

speciﬁc wall installation, thru April 2. (SF).

books and manuscripts, auction Feb 19, pre-

Peace One Day plays Feb 16. Bay Club

415.357.4000, sfmoma.org

view Feb 10–12. SoMa Estates, auction Feb

Marin (Corte Madera). 415.945.3000,

26, preview Feb 24–26. Monthly appraisal

tiburonﬁlmfestival.com

Feb 27. (SF). 415.861.7500, bonhams.com

FAMILIES/KIDS February 1 MARIN

LECTURES/WORKSHOPS

Chinese New Year Celebration Feast on an imperial dinner, then enjoy a performance

February 3

February 12

of music from the East and West. Davies

An Afternoon with Walter Hood Landscape

Valentine’s Sock Hop Valentine’s Day Music,

Symphony Hall (SF). 415.864.6000,

designer. SF Botanical Garden (SF).

carnival-style games, face painting, and

sfsymphony.org

415.661.1316, sfbotanicalgarden.org

more. Fun for the whole family. Corte Madera Recreation Center (Corte Madera).

February 3–4

415.924.3033, kidsonthehillpreschool.org

Touching the Earth Lecture Series David Whyte, author of ﬁve volumes of poetry and

February 20

two best-selling books, speaks at the Zen

Chinese New Year Celebration Kids can

Center (SF). 415.863.3136, sfzc.com

try their hand at calligraphy, make their own traditional sweet pastry, or cre-

February 13 & 16

ate paper lanterns at this annual event.

Marin Speaker Series Bill Moyers draws

Bay Area Discovery Museum (Sausalito).

on over 40 years of experience as a pub-

415.339.3900, baykidsmuseum.org

lic television journalist. Marin Center (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

Thru February 26 February 20

World on Stage Ethnic dance for all ages. Bay Area Discovery Museum (Sausalito).

Celebrate Chinese New Year with the SF Symphony

415.339.3900, baykidsmuseum.org

B AY A R E A

Tiffany Shlain The multifaceted founder and chairperson of the Webby Awards—also a

February 4–5

screenwriter and director—speaks at the

The Pearl Bowl at Spirits in Stone Prefer

Unitarian Universalist Church (San Rafael).

jewelry to football and beer? Enjoy two

415.453.6221

February 18

days of pearl fashion and design on dis-

The Physics of Toys: Mathemagical Marvels

play. Spirits in Stone Gallery (Sausalito).

An afternoon of hands-on explorations

888.874.6628, spiritsinstone.com

NATURE WALKS/TALKS

in math: learn to make binary bracelets, ﬂexagons, and more. Exploratorium at the

February 8

February 24

Palace of Fine Arts (SF). 415.563.7337,

Celebrations, Commitments, Ceremonies

Late Winter Skies Join Bing Quock of

exploratorium.edu

Getting married at Gump’s? Check out table-

the Morrison Planetarium for an evening

top ideas, ﬂorists, a runway show of wedding

stroll under the winter constellations. SF

gowns by Marina Morrison with Grace, and

Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum

more. 415.984.9250, gumps.com

(SF). 415.661.1316, sfbotanicalgarden.org

January 22

February 11

February 25

Marin Bridal and Party Showcase At the

Chinese New Year Parade Welcome in the

Mosses, Ferns and Lichen Explore the world

Embassy Suites Hotel in San Rafael, 11 am to

Year of the Dog in a parade tradition that has

of lower plants with Glenn Keator. (Point

4 pm. (San Rafael) 415.897.9939,

been happening since the 1860s, Chinatown

Reyes National Seashore). 415.663.1200,

marinweddings.com.

(SF). 415.391.9680, chineseparade.com

ptreyes.org

EVENTS

104

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

098-105_Calendar.indd 104

1/3/06 11:19:01 AM

KRON_0206.indd 1

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Pizza • Pasta • Wine • Full Bar Rustico Complete Dinner Menu

106

Banquet Room Available

39 Caledonia Street Sausalito, CA 94965 415.332.4500 www.windowsofitaly.com

931 Fourth Street San Rafael, CA 94901 456-2425

mention this ad for a complimentary dessert with dinner

Open daily for lunch and dinner

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006 Rustico_0206_v1.indd 1 11/27/05 11:37:07 AM

SR_Joes_0106_v1.indd 1

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FL AVOR

MARIN LURES CITY CHEFS

Laurent Manrique with a bottle of Arrels wine that is sold through his restaurants.

BY RACHEL & DAVID MICHAEL CANE

n 1999, Laurent Manrique moved to

Small Shed Flatbreads for crispy pizza. As to

Northern California from New York’s re-

opening an eatery in Marin, Manrique isn’t say-

nowned Peacock Alley at the Waldorf-

ing, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed.

Campton Place. After a few months of San

Astoria to be executive chef at San Francisco’s

Francisco hotel living, the Marin countryside

PH OTO: RAC HEL A ND DAVID MIC HA EL CANE

beckoned as a place reminiscent of his home in

ew York–born Ron Siegel calls San Anselmo his home. His California cooking career started at the

Gascony. He was looking for trees, the ocean,

California Culinary Academy and he quickly

proximity to wine country, and warmer weath-

became one of the Bay Area’s rising stars as ex-

er than in the city, and thus found his way to

ecutive chef at Masa’s. Siegel had also gained

Mill Valley. Nowadays, the morning commute

notoriety by winning the challenge issued by

is Manrique’s time to handle business calls; the

one of the original Japanese Iron Chefs on TV’s

night drive is a chance to decompress after a

Food network (it was his mastery of the “secret

day of responsibilities. He’s involved in sever-

ingredient,” Maine lobster, that brought him

al San Francisco restaurants, including Aqua,

victory). Now it’s his interpretation of modern

Pisces, C & L Steakhouse, and his newest ven-

French cuisine that is garnering raves, at the

mosphere” and attend public schools. You can

ture, Café de la Presse. On the weekends, in

Ritz-Carlton’s Dining Room, where he still fea-

find him at the Marin County Civic Center’s

Marin with his family, he can be found enjoying

tures lobster as a key ingredient. As for why

Thursday farmers’ market shopping for pro-

coffee and a croissant at the Depot Bookstore

he lives in San Anselmo, Siegel says he wants

duce for the restaurant. “I get a more consis-

and Café and frequently taking the kids to

his children to grow up in a “community at-

tent product dealing directly with farmers,”

Ron Siegel enjoys shopping at Thursday farmers’ market in San Rafael.

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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12/29/05 3:12:46 PM

he says. “Supermarkets have asparagus 24/7,

only available when it’s in season.” When dining in Marin, Siegel prefers Manka’s Inverness

honored techniques. On weekends, Hirigoyen Gerald Hirigoyen, proprietor of Piperade and Bocadillos

plays soccer with his kids and mostly cooks at home for the family. When dining out, he prefers the Buckeye Roadhouse for its fresh oys-

Lodge. “They have killer food,” he says, and

ters and great steaks. Hirigoyen lives by an old

a creative menu clearly conceived with the

Basque saying: “To know how to eat is to know

chef’s full attention.

enough.” We couldn’t agree more.

erald Hirigoyen, proprietor of

Rachel and David Michael Cane—winners

Piperade and Bocadillos in San

of the coveted James Beard Foundation Award

Francisco, has Basque roots. He

for Excellence—host A Matter of Taste, Sundays

grew up in the French seaside town of Biarritz.

from 11 am to 1 pm on Talk 910 KNEW–AM,

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San Francisco; www.amatteroftaste.com.

and he arrived in the Bay Area with a suitcase, a surfboard, and his knives. After working in several kitchens, he opened Fringale to rave reviews. Hirigoyen settled in Mill Valley to be near the city yet close enough to wine country to pursue his passion and love of wine. With his wife, Cameron, he coauthored The Basque Kitchen, Tempting Food from the Pyrenees; his restaurant’s sumptuous, Basque-inspired cuisine

Morsels It’s not uncommon these days to ﬁnd chefs involved in creating their own products. Laurent Manrique has a small Sonoma wine label called Acus, available exclusively at his restaurants. In addition, Manrique and his good friend Gerald Hirigoyen have formed a partnership with sommelier Emmanuel Kemiji and chef Sylvan Portay in a culinary products venture called Arrels. The name is a Catalan word meaning “roots of a vine, to settle, or to put down roots,” reﬂecting their desire to stay connected to where they came from. Arrels wine and olive oil are available for sale at their restaurants.

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FA MI LY

Drinking and Parenting Don’t Mix ith the best of intentions, parents

the outside—but everybody was dying in-

she recalls. “I knew how she treated me, and

nurture and sometimes nag as

side.” Confronted years later, her mom was

how the world treated her. She died at age 54

they help their children face life’s

quick with denial: “You are from a nice fam-

from cirrhosis of the liver. And I swore never

ily; that didn’t happen.” But it did.

to be like her.”

many challenges. But what if a parent has a challenge he or she is unable to acknowledge?

Abandonment was a perpetual theme for

Fortunately, there are counseling programs

A brain disease—called alcoholism? “First they

Jane (also a pseudonym), now 59, who grew

for such children that help them feel less isolat-

lose their friends, then they lose their work,

up with an alcoholic mother. “When I was

ed and confused. Eventually, they learn they’re

and eventually they lose their family,” reflects

eight, my six-year-old brother and I were left

not the cause of their parents’ drinking—and

Steve McIntire, M.D., Ph.D., of the Ernest Gallo

on a curb to watch a parade, ”she recalls. “My

that they can’t fix their parents’ problems.

Clinic & Research Center in the Neurology

mother never returned. Practically speaking, I

Is there hope for the alcoholic? Dr. McIntire

Department at UCSF.

was ‘orphaned’ in the middle of the city. So I

notes two effective drugs, naltrexone and

just wandered around until I heard the sound

acamprosate. Either, when combined with

of her voice, and of course she was in a bar.”

proper therapy, will often result in a small but

One example is Megan (not her real name), now 61, who reflects on growing up in an alcoholic family: “Dad always made a

According to reputable studies, there’s an

lot of money, everything looked great from

alcoholic in one out of every eight households;

DR. DENVER SUGGESTS If you fear you are an alcoholic, get your children help before your disease becomes their disease. For available resources, Google the following: Children of Alcoholics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the National Association of Children of Alcoholics.

significant reduction of the recidivism rate. So yes, there is hope.

alcohol is a contributing factor in 55 percent

Denver Coleman, Ph.D., is a clinical psy-

of family violence episodes and in 90 percent

chologist based in Mill Valley. Email drdenver1

of child-abuse cases. And unfortunately, incest

@comcast.net with questions or comments.

is twice as likely to occur in alcoholic households, according to research by University Health Services at Penn State. What’s it like to grow up in an alcoholic

A special thanks to “Jane” and “Megan” for sharing their experiences with Marin Magazine’s readers.

family? Children of alcoholics are burdened by an overarching sense of responsibility too early in life. At 12, Megan tried to intervene be-

Be truthful about alcoholism. If you need help, go to the website of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), at niaaa.nih.gov, to find a clinician’s guide that offers concise screening questions.

Consider viewing the 30-minute award-winning video Lost Children: Growing Up in an Alcoholic World, written and produced by Emerald Yeh, which documents children’s feelings and their recovery process. It’s available at www. lostchildhood.org/broad.htm.

tween her parents: “I was afraid my father was going to hurt my mother, so I got in the middle. I was pushed down two flights of stairs.” And as Jane now recounts, “I was my mother’s mother. I was also my mother’s punching bag. She was always very critical.” Not only do children suffer emotional damage, but children of alcoholics are four times more likely to become alcoholics themselves. “I had five siblings, three brothers and two sisters, and currently they’re all alcoholics,” Megan, sober 18 years now, reveals. “Every

And remember, alcoholism is a brain disease; it is a medical problem. If you’re suffering from it, you need to contact a specialist at the earliest opportunity.

one of them. With a lot of work, I was the only one to break the cycle.” For others, Jane among them, it was different. “I saw what alcohol did to my mother,”

110

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M IC ROCL I M ATE

MILL VALLEY: COMMUNITY SPIRIT IS ALIVE

“There’s a here here,”says longtime resident Suki Hillt BY JIM WOOD PHOTOS TIM PORTER

LAST JULY, MONEY MAGAZINE and CNN named Marin’s Mill Valley the nation’s 10th best place to live. It was the only California city on the list’s top 20 places (chosen from 40,000 nominated cities).

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“We were robbed,” seemed to be the town’s collective response. Longtime resident Denise Meehan told the Marin IJ at the time, “It should have been number one.” As expected, the CEO of the city’s Chamber of Commerce says, “Mill Valley just gets better and better.” Kathy Severson backs her claim with a counting of the ways. “One,” she says, “The Mill Valley Film Festival was a huge success. Two, Marin Theatre Company is having another great season. Three, the Miller Avenue Precise Plan will turn a ‘drivethrough’ area into a ‘walking neighborhood.’ Four, Lucy Mercer’s 142 Throckmorton Theatre has energized downtown. And five, the Mill Valley Community Center is an outstanding venue Photo previous page: Cyclist rides past 142 Throckmorton Theatre. Above: John Goddard of Village Music; at right, the Depot Bookstore and Cafe; below, Mill Valley Community Center pool; following page from left: Suki Hill in her home; Redwoods seniors march for peace; and CineArts @ Sequoia Theatre.

for events.” Severson pauses for a breath and resumes: “Plus, we have a Europeanlike village square, a downtown movie theater, great restaurants, a phenomenal library, wonderful schools, The Redwoods for seniors, a mountain theater that’s 90 years old, the Dipsea footrace, which is over 100, and, as a town, Mill Valley has a history going back nearly 175 years. Whew, that’s a lot.” Photographer Suki Hill, who’s lived in Mill Valley since 1963—and has chronicled the town’s last 40 years with museum-quality black-andwhite images—takes a more subdued but equally heartfelt approach. “I’m an old bag. I’ve been in Mill Valley forever,” says Hill, “and I still love the place.” While not denying things have changed in four decades (“boutiques replaced dime stores, that sort of thing”), Hill calls on her erstwhile philosophy-grad-student days to articulate her civic affection. “Sure, it’s a town that attracts tourists, but Mill Valley has history; it has integrity,” she says. “There’s a ‘fabric’ that’s woven into this community. Businesses support schools. Schools enrich families. Families benefit each other. Mill Valley works; it’s integrated.” Then, borrowing from Gertrude Stein, Hill declares, “There’s a here here.” Hill’s sense of place centers on Mill Valley’s people. Typical would be Jim Canepa, owner, with his brother Bob, of Mill Valley Market, where Hill has shopped for years. “I’ve lived here all my life,” says 74-year-old Jim Canepa. “Dad started this market in 1929, the year the fire almost destroyed Mill Valley.” Since the 1980s, Mill Valley Market has permitted customers to designate 3 percent of each grocery bill for a local cause or charity. “It can be local schools, our library, or the Marin Rowing Club,” says Canepa. “After a while it adds up, but we enjoy doing it.”

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Belvedere Exquisite Belvedere estate offering sweeping bay views and grand scale living. The home is approximately 7500 square feet on a street-to-street lot, with eight bedrooms, seven and one half baths and views of both sides of the bay from the top floors. It includes: a superb cook’s kitchen, sensational master suite with sitting area and adjoining sunroom, pool, gorgeous gardens, and a guest/au pair apartment.

Offered at $6,995,000

For more information and photographs, please visit my website: www.MarilynRich.com.

Marilyn Rich

415.464.3741 www.MarilynRich.com

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Whitney Rich

415.464.3729 wrich@pacunion.com

12/28/05 3:06:59 PM

Mill Valley Market’s downtown neighbors include shops such as

for $2.2 million. It was close in, a Craftsman style with three levels, and

Capricorn Cookware, Mill Valley Hat Box, Troop 80 Mountain Shop, and

reflected the heritage of Mill Valley.” Then there’s a Frank Lloyd Wright–

Robert Green Fine Arts. All have a niche, but the village iconoclast is John

inspired one-level home of redwood and glass listed at $1.3 million: “It’s a

Goddard of Village Music on East Blithedale Avenue. “Oh, let’s see,” says

gem, hidden in the hills on a tree-covered acre of land.”

Goddard when asked about his inventory, “I probably have 100,000 vinyl

In a town where the median home last fall cost $1,062,500 (ninth

LPs, 15,000 CDs, and 250,000 of the old 45s.” How does he keep track

highest in the state), and prices can rise to $4.15 million for a five-bed-

of this massive record collection? Goddard taps a finger against his skull.

room Strawberry estate with what Matthew Pouliot of First Marin Realty

Asked if he has the 1957 LP of the Norman Lubof Choir featuring “The

calls a “dead on” view of San Francisco, bargains are rare. Moving closer

Old Chisolm Trail,” Goddard doesn’t answer. Instead, he leads a custom-

to Mill Valley’s median price, Pouliot mentions a cedar-shingled four-

er past bin after bin of aging records, then plucks out the platter for an

bedroom near Old Mill Park for $2.19 million. “It has a style I call ‘Mill

amazed buyer. “I’ve worked in here since the ’50s,” he says, smiling, “and I

Valley meets New York City,’” he says. As for the town’s lowest-priced

bought the place in ’68. I darn well better know where things are.”

property, Pouliot points to one that can be had for $589,000—and a

As elsewhere in Marin County, Mill Valley is a costly place to live, with housing prices routinely reaching into the millions. Stephanie Wickham

strong pair of legs. It’s a 620-square-foot “hunting lodge” near the end of Edgewood Avenue, reachable only by a climb up 90 steps.

Witt of Pacific Union Realty, whose great-grandparents moved to the town

For young people of all ages, eclectic Mill Valley (pop. 13,600) may

in 1910, cites a couple of examples. “Recently,” she says, “the former home

be the ideal Marin County place to live. Providing, that is, you have a fat

of S. I. Hayakawa, California’s Republican senator in the early ’80s, sold

wallet—or sturdy pins.

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Promenade Above the Golden Gate Lot 8: +/- .6 acre offered at $1,100,000 Lot 5: +/- .9 acre offered at $2,600,000 Estate Site: +/- 2.3 acres offered at $5,500,000 Maryann Diluzio Real Estate • 415-332-8555 Co-listed with Danielle Chavanon, Sotheby’s International Realty 415-296-2224

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Peaceful Palm Hill

400 Elm Avenue, Larkspur 400 Elm Avenue is located atop the prestigious ﬂats of Palm Hill. The charming fenced in front yard includes a covered porch, Southern Views of Mt. Tamalpais, rose gardens and lawn. The style and elegance of this home speak of comfort, warmth and contemporary living. This home affords all the tranquility and desirability Larkspur has to offer. Additional photos at jimmymarin.com

• Master Suite with sunlit bathroom, skylight, sunken tub, stall shower, dual sinks, walk-in closet, and balcony • Four additional bedrooms; two with en-suite baths, one au pair unit w/ separate entrance • Eat-in kitchen with breakfast nook, marble counters, professional appliances, balcony & water views

• Great room with ﬁreplace, media center and speakers throughout home • Family Room with theater and surround sound opening to back yard • Stone Waterfall • Ofﬁce space • Two car garage

Price available upon request

Jimmy Wanninger 415.990.8990 24/7

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D I A LO GUE

Maybe it was his gig playing slide guitar at Sweetwater that did it. After 35 years as a die-hard San Franciscan, San Francisco Chronicle Executive Vice President and Editor Phil Bronstein has crossed over. He and his ﬁveyear-old son, Roan, moved to Mill Valley last summer. When he is not running the eleventh largest newspaper in the country, a job he describes as “crisis management from the moment I arrive until I leave,” he is living a pretty normal-sounding life. He laments not getting enough time to explore Marin County, but when he’s off, he’s hanging out with Roan. So far, they are pretty familiar with Mill Valley. The rest of Marin is just waiting to be discovered. He still heads into the city every day for work and he likes to spend the occasional evening hanging out in the Mission District, where nightlife and diversity thrive. Still, he seems happy to return to Marin for a little R&R. “I’m a huge fan of open air and blue sky,” he says. We met up with him at the Book Depot in Mill Valley, where he showed up in his trademark cowboy boots. Over orange juice and a poppy seed muffin, this new arrival took on the Marin Questionnaire. 122

BY SAMANTHA SCHOECH

Why Marin? I’ve lived my whole adult life in San Francisco. My son is now ﬁve. I wanted a neighborhood with more kids around. What gets on your nerves here? I’m a journalist; it’s hard to get on my nerves. What’s your personal idea of luxury? A day off. What do you value every day? I value in other people any sense of personal courage. What person has influenced you the most? I am, it’s sad to say, a self-creation. I don’t think it would be kind to hold anyone else responsible. What’s been the most fulfilling moment in your work? They happen fairly frequently. Last year we did a series on an Iraqi boy named Saleh who came to the East Bay for treatment after being badly wounded by an explosive device in Iraq. The paper helped reunite him with his family and the story won a Pulitzer for the photos and a number of other awards, but it was more gratifying to be a part of someone’s life—to make a difference. What’s a Marin stereotype that fits? It’s very white. Also, bicycles. I don’t have one but I’m thinking I might get by just buying the shorts. What stereotype doesn’t fit? That it’s boring. What makes your skin crawl? Sanctimony. What’s your desert island book or album? If I couldn’t bring an iPod, I’d bring an album by Casper Reardon, a phenomenal jazz musician from the ’30s who played very bluesy and gospely harp. I wouldn’t bring it because it is my favorite album but because it reminds me of the possibilities of music. What’s your favorite place to unwind? Outdoors with my son. Do you have a favorite Marin view? Out a window in my house. It looks out at some portion of Mill Valley that makes it look like an old mining town deep in gold country. What do you like about yourself? I’m still working on that. How do you want to be remembered? Other than the way I will be remembered. There are probably some things that will end up at the top of my obituary that I’d prefer to have replaced with other things.

PHOTO: BARBARA RIES

Phil Bronstein

MARIN FEBRUARY 2006

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