Issuu

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

L I V I N G

FEBRUARY 2008

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For more information contact Royal Lahaina Realty at 808.270.9777 or visit royallahainavillas.com. This is not intended to be an offer to sell nor a solicitation of offers to buy real estate in the Villas at Royal Lahaina and shall not be used in any state where prohibited by law or where registration requirements have not been met. Developer reserves the right to change any information contained herein without any prior notice and disclaim any duty to update the information. Features subject to change without notice.

F I N E T I B E TA N C A R P E T S

S p e c i a l i z i n g i n C u s t o m C o l o r, D e s i g n a n d S i z e

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CONTENTS

Features 56

think The Giving Gap How Marin’s nonproﬁts cope in the land of plenty. story & photos tim porter

life To Health! Eight life-changing spas from Stinson to Thailand. story julie keller

home Here and There

68 76 journey

Designer creates warm environments in Belvedere and Santa Fe. story p. j. bremier photos barbara ries

Colonial Mexico

San Miguel de Allende attracts expats in large numbers. story & photos klaus larsen

Marin (Volume 4, Issue 2) is published monthly by Marin Magazine, LLC, One Harbor Drive, Suite 208, Sausalito, CA 94965. Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Rates is Pending at Sausalito, CA and at additional mailing ofﬁces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Marin Magazine, One Harbor Drive, Suite 208 Sausalito, CA 94965.

MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

CONTENTS

Departments 20

letters

at a glance

snap

trends

life style

fyi

Readers respond to Marin Magazine.

Hot tips day by day for the Bay Area.

Out and about, in and around Marin.

Rainwear for dark clouds on the horizon. by somer ﬂaherty

Novato’s Jeannie Jarnot shares fashion thoughts.

Business: Sausalito’s Spaulding Wooden Boat Center. People: Julia Flynn Siler and the house of Mondavi. Causes: Marin Abused Women’s Services.

42 10

MARIN

Home: Way beyond the range. Health: Steeped in tradition. FEBRUARY 2008

REDEFINING

INDOORS & OUT HOME FURNISHINGS

CONTENTS

146

Departments 82 go

Arizona: Going east to ﬁnd the West. by cori brett

86 play

The new high ﬂyers on the trapeze. by michal lev-ram

90 books

Philip L. Fradkin’s Wallace Stegner biography. by samantha berry

94 performing arts

Film magic in Novato with Marco and Terri d’Ambrosio. by somer ﬂaherty

96 calendar

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

106 flavor

Loving local oysters. by somer ﬂaherty Dine Out: An insiders guide to Bay Area restaurants

119 microclimate

Sycamore and Tamalpais Parks are in demand. by jim wood

143 neighboring ’hoods

Bodega Bay, on the Sonoma Coast. by jim wood

146 dialogue

Jim and Nancy Lange of The Dating Game fame. by mimi towle

Columns The Cover The Golden Gate, by Marin

view from mount tam

pov

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

photographer Tim Porter. His work can be seen at timporter.com or purchased at marinmagazine.com/coverart 12

MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

Marin Up Close. by jim wood

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

executive editor Jim Wood ext 106 jwood@marinmagazine.com

senior editor Mimi Towle ext 101 mtowle@marinmagazine.com

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

departments editor Somer Flaherty ext 103 sflaherty@marinmagazine.com

copy editor/proofreader Cynthia Rubin

editorial contributors Samantha Berry, P. J. Bremier, Samantha Bronson, Klaus Larsen, Michal Lev-Ram, Anne Crump Ray

Art art director Anne Walzer anne_walzer@comcast.net

production manager Alex French ext 111 production@marinmagazine.com

production artist Stephen Spoja

contributing photographers Drew Altizer, Klaus Larsen, Sheri Montgomery, Barbara Ries

web master Nancy Williams

Administration controller Maeve Walsh ext 104 mwalsh@marinmagazine.com Marin Magazine, One Harbor Dr, Ste 208, Sausalito, CA 94965, phone: 415.332.4800, fax: 415.332.3048, web: marinmagazine.com, e-mail: editorial@marinmagazine.com

MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

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The information provided herein is not intended to be and does not constitute an offer or solicitation to sell and shall not be used in any state where prohibited by law or where registration requirements have not been met. We reserve the right to change any information contained herein without any prior notice and disclaim any duty to update the information. If you wish to register with us we will, to the extent legally permissible, provide you with the public report and other pertinent information concerning the project. Upgraded features are offered. Information available upon request. Features subject to change without notice. Total square footage is approximate and represents the aggregate living space, lanai(s), garage, entry, and, if applicable, courtyard area.

My favorite part about Hawai‘i is living my dreams.

the grand tower mexico

Advertising

Live in the spotlight of the Grand Tower

publisher Lisa Shanower 415.332.4800 ext 107 lshanower@marinmagazine.com

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

account manager Michele Johnson ext 110 mjohnson@marinmagazine.com

account manager Genevieve Luckel ext 109 gluckel@marinmagazine.com

regional sales offices california media marin associates Lora Dinga 415.898.6400

new york couture marketing Karen Couture 917.821.4429

southeast tlc media Cindy Taylor 404.459.6578

hawaii destination marketing Debbie Joseph Shana Wong 808.739.2200 Artist’s Conceptual Rendering

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www.iconvallarta.com The materials contained in this advertising should not be considered an offer and are solely of an informational nature. The references, advertising or declarations made herein are informational only and are not to be interpreted in any other manner. The developer (Desarollos Inmobiliarios Herradura SRL de CV) and or its affiliates and/or its subsidiaries) reserve the right to make any modification to the materials, specifications, plans, designs, programs and delivery of the residences here advertised without providing any prior notice. All of the specifications contained herein, including technical, promotional, related to images or of any other nature, are the property of Desarollos Inmobiliarios Herradura SRL de CV and/or its affiliates and/or its subsidiaries, and such specifications may not be used by any person, including any individual or legal entity, without the prior written consent of Desarrollos Inmobiliarios Herradura and/or its affiliates and/ or its subsidiaries. WARNING: THIS OFFER SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL WHERE PRIOR REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.

Alex French ext 111 production@marinmagazine.com Volume 4, Issue 2. Marin Magazine is published in Marin County by Marin Magazine LLC. All rights reserved. Copyright©2008. 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 $12 per year. Marin Magazine, One Harbor Drive, Sausalito, CA 94965. Phone 415.332.4800, fax 415.332.3048, e-mail editorial@marinmagazine.com, website marinmagazine.com.

marin magazine is printed on 30% post-consumer waste paper member of the bpa worldwide: fsc-certified products originate from well-managed forests.

MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

Simplicity. Elegance. Style. The soul of Italian Design.

Studio Snaidero Bay Area 835 Fifth Avenue, Suite B, San Rafael 415.258.8222 Hours by Appointment

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

WITH 2008 WELL UNDER WAY and our resolve to

capita than any other community in California, and one

keep those New Year’s resolutions already backsliding,

of the largest private foundations in the country, is Marin

February is the ideal time to renew mind, body and spir-

giving enough?

it. Julie Keller tells us how with a guide to eight wonder-

In this issue we also meet Julia Flynn Siler of Ross,

ful spas. They exist right at our doorstep (Stinson) as

author of The House of Mondavi; Marco and Terri

well as the other side of the world (Thailand).

d’Ambrosio, who put the music in the movies from their

For people who prefer to be here and there at the same time, take a lesson from designer Linda Applewhite

MARIN

Jim Lange and his wife, Nancy, of Mill Valley.

and her husband, Marshall Miller. They’ve managed

In Play, we’re off to Sonoma, where we find daring

to add a cozy casita in Santa Fe to their local life in

young (and not so young) women and men at a tra-

Belvedere, giving them diverse options in climate and

peze arts school. Microclimate visits Sycamore Park and

culture. P. J. Bremier has the whole story.

Tamalpais Park in Mill Valley. And Neighboring ’Hoods

From New Mexico, we head farther south and cross

studio in Novato; and, in Dialogue, former broadcaster

ventures up the coast to Bodega Bay.

the border into very old Mexico, where photographer

As always, our wish is for your good reading.

and writer Klaus Larsen takes us on a visual journey

Enjoy Marin Magazine, as we continue to celebrate this

through the cobblestoned callecitos of the colonial cities

extraordinary place!

of San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato. Bienvenidos!

Lisa Shanower, Publisher

Here in Marin, editor-at-large Tim Porter examines

Nikki Wood, Editorial Director

the state of local philanthropy. With more nonprofits per

Jim Wood, Executive Editor

FEBRUARY 2008

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

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LE TTE R S

Readers respond

Regarding Jim Wood’s recent POV column on the shaky health of downtown businesses in

After enjoying the words, great photography,

Marin: I have been a Mill Valley resident since

and stunning advertisments on more than

1982. When I moved here our “downtown” had

150 pages of the December issue of Marin

a number of retail stores, which met many of

Magazine, what a delightful surprise to see

the needs of us residents. But for the past sev-

the smiling face of one of our favorite people,

eral years most of the downtown stores have

Jan Wahl, opposite the back cover. How in-

been very pricey and simply don’t sell the kinds

teresting! How delightful! We do have some

of everyday products residents need. Where is

remarkable people in Marin County, and a

the hardware store? Where is the variety store?

stunning magazine to go along with it!

Where is the barber shop? Where in downtown

Wes Starratt, San Rafael

Mill Valley can one go to buy a lightbulb or a can opener or a pair of jeans for under $100?

Enjoyed Tim Porter’s “Marin, Step by Step”

Why indeed would I venture north to Vintage

piece in the December issue enormously.

Oaks? The fact is, the downtown Mill Valley

Coincidentally, I’m just now finishing Dorothy

retail scene is dominated by overpriced bou-

Gibson’s [Exploring Sausalito’s Paths and

tiques selling a lot of stuff nobody needs. Give

Walkways] seven-week tour of Sausalito,

us stores that carry products we need!

week by week. She is a genuine local trea-

Mary Campbell, Mill Valley

sure. I must, however, take exception to Tim’s perspective that “Marin’s stairways take you

About buying local. I live in Mill Valley and I

places—but slowly.” Once you’re committed

would love to buy local. I have two small chil-

to walking, they can be the royal shortcuts.

dren and it would make life so much easier if I

Through Dorothy’s pathfinder-like guidance,

could just go down to the square and do all my

I have cut substantial (one-third) travel time

shopping, but it’s just impossible. Like many

off from the Wolfback Ridge area to say, the

people in Marin, I care about what we eat. I

post office, by finding those elusive, but so

am all about slow foods—organic and local.

pertinent, hypotenuses of the triangles down.

There is no place (except Whole Foods) where

Having more and faster ways by foot—escape

I can find this. So why don’t we have a bak-

routes, if you will—compliments of Get Ready

ery, a butcher, a fish store and a “local product”

Marin. Please do continue articles about this

grocery store downtown? I am ready to pay a

facet of Marin life.

premium if I can find it all within walking disBill Hale, Sausalito

tance. When it comes to a record shop and a dive bar, it’s sad to see them go, but it’s part of

I just ran across the “Yes” subcription continu-

evolution and right now families dominate life

ation request card from an earlier magazine.

in Mill Valley. Perhaps we could transform the

Of course I marked “yes.” I just needed to

former Sweet Water into a kid-friendly place

tell you that I look forward to each month’s

during the day. I bet it would be profitable.

Marin Magazine. I love it! I am always quoting

Claudine Descheemaecker, Mill Valley

or sharing information from an article that I have read. Your format and imaging are beau-

Letters to the editor may be edited for clarity

tiful. Keep up the good work—it is truly ap-

and brevity. Send letters to Marin Magazine, One

preciated. What a gift. Thank you, thank you.

Harbor Drive, Suite 208, Sausalito, CA 94965.

Gerrie Young, via e-mail

MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

Or e-mail jwood@marinmagazine.com.

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

POV

Marin Up Close More community involvement needed to face future challenges BY JIM WOOD

vision of Marin into open space, agriculture,

involved in local affairs (aside from their chil-

and city-centered corridors. Also intriguing:

dren’s schooling), whether civic, environmental,

such established Marin entities as Kentfield,

or humanitarian issues are at stake.

Point Reyes Station and Marin City are not cit-

The outside world may see us Marinites

ies at all. They are unincorporated areas and

as politically active and aware, but when I’ve

effectually governed by our county’s Board of

shared my observations with numerous local

Supervisors. Marin has 11 incorporated cities

leaders—all who’ve been around Marin much

(Tiburon and Corte Madera insist on being la-

longer than I have—I’ve never been contradict-

beled towns), the two largest being San Rafael

ed. Most nod in agreement, adding, “I wish I

(56,100) and Novato (47,600); the smallest

knew why that is,” or, “I’d sure like to change

(also possibly the wealthiest) are Ross (2,300)

that; we need more involvement.” As for the es-

and Belvedere (2,200).

timated 5,000 actively participating, I’d say half

Of Marin’s total population of somewhere

are environmentalists who want absolutely no

around 250,000, about 20 percent, or 50,000,

more growth and no more traffic, and half are

LET’S SEE IF I CAN TELL you something about

are younger than 18, according to the U.S.

progressives who realize without some growth,

Marin County you didn’t already know.

Census Bureau. That leaves 200,000 adults,

economic and social stagnation soon set in.

Our county was founded in 1850, one of

of whom 140,991 are registered to vote. The

In effect, this leaves 195,000 voting-age

California’s original 27 counties (there are now

county’s Registrar of Voters says our current

Marin residents watching a political ping-pong

58). Some say the name Marin comes from

political pie slices up like this: Democrats,

game, often relying on a catchy slogan, cocktail

that of a Miwok chieftain who fought off both

73,905 (52%); Republicans, 30,767 (22%);

party conversation or activist friend or neighbor

Mexican and U.S. military influences in the area.

Independents or Decline to State, 29,149

to help form their viewpoint. Can you offer in-

Others maintain it’s an abbreviation of Isla de

(20%); and Green, Peace and Freedom, and

sight as to why this condition exists? If you dis-

Nuestra de Marinera, the name given a cove on

Libertarian, the balance.

agree with my analysis, what is yours?

San Pablo Bay in 1757. Many, myself included,

Interesting here is that for reasons unknown,

Such tranquility would be acceptable,

assume “Marin” derives from marine, mariner or

Marin’s registered voters have declined by al-

even ideal, if no critical issues were at hand.

marina—an acknowledgment of our being sur-

most 6,000 over the past seven years. Also, the

However that’s not the case in Marin. At

rounded on three sides by water. The reality is

fastest-growing voter category is Independent or

present, we face the potential loss of Marin

no one knows for sure.

Decline to State. Further, that while the county’s

General Hospital due to political infighting,

Marin’s landmass is 520 square miles. Area-

voter turnout for the presidential race of 2004

the diminishment of College of Marin due to

wise, we’re the third smallest of California’s

was an impressive 89.5 percent, we slid to 74

a seeming inability to change, and intractable

58 counties. As of July 1, 2007, the state

percent for the 2006 gubernatorial contest, and

debates over workforce housing, affordable se-

Department of Finance pegged Marin’s popu-

then to a paltry (and telling) 35 percent for last

nior housing, and commuter traffic gridlock.

lation at 256,324. Meanwhile, the U.S. Census

November’s local elections.

And that list could easily be expanded. With a

Bureau estimates us (only a year earlier) at 248,742 souls. You choose.

Surely, something above caught you a bit

more engaged and concerned populace, Marin

by surprise. If not, try this: of Marin’s 200,000

County would be far better equipped to deal

You might find it interesting that approxi-

adults, based on countywide observing and re-

with these oncoming challenges. That’s my

mately 80 percent of our population lives on 20

porting, I maintain only two and a half percent,

point of view. What’s yours?

percent of our land, the result of the 1973 di-

or at best 5,000 residents, get even reasonably

MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

E-mail jwood@marinmagazine.com

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

Merrill Magowan, Chairman, Board of Directors The Marine Mammal Center

Tulip Rescued 4/3/07

AS IT TURNS OUT, WE’RE HELPING MORE THAN A NON-PROFIT THRIVE. There are animal lovers. And there are those who devote their time to rescue, rehabilitate and release injured and orphaned marine mammals. At Bank of Marin, we’re proud to handle The Marine Mammal Center’s day-to-day banking activities and help support their fundraising campaign for their new facility. After all, we know that to truly be a business community bank, you first have to build a successful community.

San Francisco

Sausalito

Mill Valley Corte Madera www.bankofmarin.com

San Rafael

Novato

Petaluma

AT A GLAN C E

EVE NT S I N MAR IN & B EYO ND

F EBRUARY

FEBRUARY 3 Super Bowl XLII

FEBRUARY 5 Mardi Gras

During the big game the University of Phoenix Stadium is projected to seat 73,000 people. The NFL estimates that another 50,000 nongame ticket holders will visit Arizona just to be a part of the festivities!

Grab your beads and book a flight to New Orleans to take in the festivities of Fat Tuesday (or Mardi Gras), which marks the final day of Carnival.

FEBRUARY 2 Groundhog Day

FEBRUARY 9 Mushroom Mania

Hopefully the groundhog will fail to see his shadow and predict warm weather ahead.

See, touch and taste all things mushroom at this annual event, which includes lectures, slide shows and cooking demonstrations. Marin Art and Garden Center (Ross). 415.455.5263, maagc.org

FEBRUARY 14 Valentine’s Day

FEBRUARY 18 Presidents Day

The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that almost one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making it the second biggest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas.

Also known as Washington’s Birthday, the federal holiday is a time to honor presidents and, recently, a time for big sales.

THRU FEBRUARY 17 The Cocktail Hour

FEBRUARY 22 The Chieftains

THRU APRIL 20 Masks of the Americas

This play portrays the life of a writer who gets flak from his family after his new play draws an unflattering portrait of them. Ross Valley Players Barn Theatre (Ross). 415.456.9555, rossvalleyplayers.com

The six-time Grammy winners bring Celtic music to Marin with pipes, fiddles, flutes and vocals. Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6800

An exhibit of Native American and Southwest masks by Becky Olvera Schultz and traditional masks from the collection of the Marin Museum of the American Indian. 415.897.4064, marinindian.com

FEBRUARY 24 Oscar Night

THRU MAY 6 One Book One Marin

The California Film Institute’s annual event presents the 80th Academy Awards show via a live broadcast. Smith Rafael Film Center (San Rafael). 415.383.5256, cafilm.org

Marin’s libraries invite the public to read Amy Tan’s Saving Fish From Drowning. Upcoming events include discussion groups and conversations with Tam. 510.839.3100, onebookonemarin.com

MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

JUICY COUTURE TRUE RELIGION ABERCROMBIE & FITCH ANTHROPOLOGIE GAP LULULEMON ATHLETICA BANANA REPUBLIC BEBE TALBOTS J.JILL CHICO’S + MORE

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MACY’S, NORDSTROM, AND MORE THAN 65 SPECIALTY STORES AND RESTAURANTS. LOCATED ON HIGHWAY 101 AT PARADISE DRIVE IN CORTE MADERA. 415.924.8557 | WWW.VILLAGEATCORTEMADERA.COM

M A R I N ALBUM

A Not So Distant Shore BY TIM PORTER “I realized that if I had to choose, I would rather

THE DARWINIANS AMONG US say that eons ago our primordial ancestors wriggled out of

the oceans’ oozing fecundity and ﬂopped onto the nascent land, toppling a line of biological dominoes that, by luck and by pluck, somehow resulted in — us! Perhaps those ancient marine roots explain the attraction we Homo sapiens have for

have birds than airplanes.”

the sea. Lacking even any vestigial tools for living on, in or under the water, we nonethe-

— CH A R LE S LIN DBERGH

less do all those things. To compensate for the absence of biological accessories like gills, webbed feet or wings, we devise watercraft of all sorts, strap tanks of air to our backs and construct buildings on stilts balanced above the waves. And that works — except when it doesn’t. Inattention, a mistake, a surging sea can exact a precious toll. A foggy winter’s morning on Swede’s Beach in Sausalito provides evidence enough about the fragility of man’s aquatic inclinations. There, just offshore, a latticework of pilings punctuates a world of gray. The posts, rotare no longer creatures of the sea, a realm we abandoned long ago for these shores on which we now stand.

MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTO: TIM PORTER

ting remains of someone’s vision and toil, provide respite for terns and remind us that we

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SUSANNA

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Oonagh Kavanagh, Julie Thomas-Goggin, Saeed Shahabi, Linda Campbell, Mike Kelly, Lili Shahabi, Bianca Velishek, Lynn Walters

LILI S SALON

Local Business Bashes Caledonia Street in Sausalito was busy this winter with guests checking out parties at Bettina, Green Apples and Lili S Salon. At Bettina owner Doretta Boehm—fresh from her trip to Southern Thailand—held a holiday bash with a presentation of jewelry by Amy Nordstrom and a preview of the new Bettina Jersey Collection. Down the street at Green Apples, guests celebrated with cocktails, nibbles and a holiday discount, hosted by owners Jill Carrade and Cassia O’Black; and at Lili S Salon Lili Shahabi hosted a fundraiser for the American Cancer

Cathy Mastroianni

Society with special guest mayor Mike Kelly. Farther north, guests ﬂocked to Larkspur for home design boutique Susanna’s winter won-

Darren Van Dyke

EMBODIES

Molly de Vries, Kenlynn Wilson

derland party. On Magnolia Avenue, owner Kenlynn Wilson threw a green holiday trunk show at Embodies. The event featured eco-fashion, accessories and local designers. In Fairfax Anakela Carmassi celebrated the one-year anniversary of her organic boutique Tela D.

Karen Davis

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTO CREDIT: LILI S SALON/DAVID ENGLISH

TELA D

Rosie Fairbanks, Anakela Carmassi, Denny and Lori Carmassi

MARIN FEBRUARY 2008

SNAP GENE HILLER

Velda and James Demmert

Wayne Kaleck, Tom Gangitano Nancy Conrad, Ed Stolman

David and Martha Irmer

Dan Stephan

Winter Soirees Inclement weather did not stop locals from heading to their favorite shopping destinations for unforgettable fashion shows. In Sausalito, it was a Christmas affair for Marinites at the annual Gene Hiller holiday party, which featured hors d’oeuvres from Poggio and a fashion show with jewelry by Sausalito Jewelers. In San Francisco, Neiman Marcus was the place to see two of the top labels, Chanel and Nina Ricci, preview their

Dave and Lynn Olson

upcoming collections. Vice President and at both events, and guests at the Nina Ricci show were treated to a rare appearance by the designer Olivier Theyskens. And at Frisson restaurant in San Francisco, Diana Britt, Gina Pell, Amy Parker and photojournalist Alissa Everett (who visited Darfur in 2006) held the ﬁrst fundraiser for their new nonproﬁt Care Through Action, which raised over $20,000 Tom and Gwen Price

NINA RICCI

John Capizzi, Olivier Theyskens, Ken Downing

MARIN FEBRUARY 2008

Jason Jobson

for the refugees of Darfur.

CARE THROUGH ACTION

Alissa Everett, Diana Britt, Gina Pell, Amy Parker

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PHOTO CREDIT: GENE HILLER/SHERI MONTGOMERY; CHANEL AND NINA RICCI/DREW ALTIZER; CARE THROUGH ACTION/LAURI LEVENFELD

General Manager John Capizzi was on hand

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Paul Thiebaud, Wayne Thiebaud

Mickey Hart, Nion McEvoy, Carol Hart

Gerald Gass, Patrick Brennan

Pamela Westfall Botche, Kate Kelly, Gretchen Kimball

Around Town

Colin and Lynn Claxon, Kristin Claxon-Stinnett and Scott Claxon

Over 300 guests attended the annual McEvoy Ranch harvest party, which has become a not-to-be-missed event of the year. Nion McEvoy was on hand to meet with guests, who were treated to a limited-edition sample of McEvoy’s 2008 supply. In San Francisco, more than 600 people attended the Stars Agency’s annual holiday celebration at Ruby Skye to beneﬁt the Make- A-Wish Martin Scott, Alonzo Jones

Foundation. Guests danced to the music of Pride & Joy and mingled with agency owners Lynn Claxon, Scott Claxon and

John Coghlan, Alison Diboll, Kristine Ashe, Karen Johnson McKewan

Kristin Claxon-Stinnett. At San Francisco City Hall, the Marine Mammal Center raised over $200,000 at its 11th annual gala. Executive director Martha Whetstone spoke about the important work the center does and the pending

John and Kristy Campbell, Nora Clifford

completion of new state-of-the-art facilities. Guests enjoyed a ﬁve-course meal catered by McCall Associates and entertainment by guitarist Jeff Massanari.

MARINE MAMMAL CENTER Dan Rheiner, Felicia Nutter

Michele Mchall, Dario Campanile, Melinda Darlington-Bach Mark Fishkin, Kathryn Keats, Richard Conti

Merill Magowan, Martha Whetstone

MARIN FEBRUARY 2008

Joyce and Jodi Linker

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PHOTO CREDIT: MCEVOY RANCH/MONA T. BROOKS; STARS AGENCY/ANDREA AND RYAN LAUREYNS; MARINE MAMMAL/RON MANN

STARS AGENCY

“The Fine Art of Fine Property” Tracy McLaughlin Named Marin’s top producing agent for 2007 with 100 million sold. Specializing in Marin County Properties since 1997.

Tracy McLaughlin 415/464-8686 www.marinfinehomes.com tracy@marinfinehomes.com

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Rufus and Hilary Jeffris

Mira Kanter, Cindy Lang

Katrina and Tim Harmon Jon Swanson, Heidi Darling, Chris Fernandez

Openings After months of extensive remodeling Piatti Ristorante & Bar unveiled its new look at a grand reopening party, with proceeds going to Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT). Guests entered the rafﬂe for a chance to win Rita Cummings

a Vespa, dined on Piatti creations and sipped signature cocktails. In Sausalito, Jeremy John and his wife, Jill, held an opening party for

Jill and Jeremy John

Wellingtons Wine Bar, with views and a custom bar made out of wine barrels. Guests played board games and sampled the vino. In Corte Madera Jimi Hendrix biographer Steven Roby recenty held a tribute and book signing for the rocker’s 65th birthday at Book Passage. In Tiburon, guests ﬂocked to the Art Bar to celebrate the opening with owner Deborah Molinar. The Art Bar provides con-

WELLINGTONS Erin Fleming, Jolie Cash

cial events space.

ART BAR Steven Roby

JIMI HENDRIX

MARIN FEBRUARY 2008

Tracy Cunningham, Trisha Mayer, Deborah Molinar, Sarah Conway, Alan Pergam, Tim Cunningham

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PHOTO CREDIT: PIATTI RISTORANTE/SHERI MONTGOMERY; ART BAR/DIANE SMITH

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1. Nor Easter jacket by Billabong, $149 at Proof Lab (Mill Valley). 415.380.8900, prooﬂab.com 2. Aerin patent leather clutch by Cole Haan, $225 at Cole Haan (SF). 415.391.1760, colehaan.com 3. Byron trench by Loro Piana, $1,925 at Loro Piana (SF). 415.593.3303, loropiana.com 4. Bay quilted bowling bag by Chloé, price available upon request at Saks Fifth Avenue (SF). 415.986.4300, saksincorporated.com 5. Snow boot by Christian Dior, price available upon request at Christian Dior (SF). 415.544.0394, dior.com

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FEBRUARY 2008

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FA S H I ON TRENDS 3

looks to carry you through the wet season 2 3

5 5

Whether it be a luxury designer umbrella or a more affordable version from a national retailer, staying dry this season is all about shedding the frumpy poncho and embracing the

new fashion-forward pieces to stave off the rain. 1. Purse by Chinese Laundry, $84 at Nordstrom (SF). 415.243.8500, nordstrom.com 2. Swellies rain boots by Lily Pulitzer, price available upon request at M Clothing (Corte Madera). 415.924.8891, martymclothing.com 3. Umbrella by Paul Smith, $135 at Paul Smith. 866.900.8460, paulsmith.co.uk 4. Stripe bubble umbrella by Target, $15 at Target (Novato). 415.892.3313, target.com 5. Monogrammed umbrella, $28 at Neiman Marcus (SF). 415.362.3900, neimanmarcus.com

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lifestyle Name: Jeannie Jarnot Home: Novato, California Occupation: Director of spa and retail operations, the Carneros Inn, Napa Describe your personal style. Relaxed, eclectic, exotic at times, conservative at others. I play into my surroundings and my mood. I definitely feel like a whimsical chameleon. What are you wearing? A very comfortable wine-colored dress that I bought at Bella in San Rafael for an event celebrating our new Carneros Wine Blossom candle. Also, my favorite BCBG boots and jewelry by Coryn Madley, an L.A. designer. Who are your fashion influences? My mother. She was a very eccentric, vibrant and exotic Bulgarian woman. I grew up in Hawaii, where color and flair were very natural and acceptable. I love the free-spirited style of the islands, but when I lived on the East Coast for seven years I learned to tame that a lot. I like the natural beauty of Drew Barrymore, Keira Knightley and Eva Mendes. Favorite designers? I love a lot of clothes that are not necessarily designer names. But I also love Betsey Johnson, Kenneth Cole and BCBG. Where do you love to shop in Marin? I love a little boutique in Mill Valley called Le Melange. I tell the owners that going to Le Melange is like my spa; I can relax there. Also,

What is your best cheapo secret? I dye my own hair black. I am a natural blonde. But my mother had black hair and I always wanted to look like her. 40

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FEBRUARY 2008

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P H OTO: BARBA RA R IE S

I love Bella on Fourth Street in San Rafael.

Where do you love to eat in Marin? I loooove Café Gratitude. I also love to eat at Small

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Shed Flatbreads in Mill Valley and Punjabi Burritos next door. Maya Palenque in Novato is where I go for good margaritas and nachos. Oh, and I’m excited about Balboa Cafe opening in Mill Valley. How do you spend your weekends? I love to spend Sundays in Golden Gate Park roller skating with my partner, Carlos. He is the best roller skater ever—we met in the park so it is very special. It’s like church, and as with church I don’t go as often as I like, but I am always really glad when I do. Where do you go to pamper yourself? Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary near Occidental. It is hands down my favorite place to relax. The cedar baths are so special and I have never had a disappointing massage. I pay a little extra for the Pagoda Massage in a beautiful room surrounded by nature—the best. What was the last book you read and why? I am reading Sister of My Heart by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni because my best friend calls me the “sister of her heart” after reading that book. What was the last movie you saw? Charlotte’s Web, the new one with Dakota Fanning. Great movie! My favorite part is when Charlotte weaves the words “radiant” and “pig” into her web. I don’t know why I love that so much…but I think it is fantastic! If your life were a movie, what would be

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CONTINUING THE CRAFT Tradition lives on at Spaulding Wooden Boat Center BY JIM WOOD

Change comes slowly along the Sausalito waterfront. Take Myron Spaulding’s namesake boat-

works, for example. In the 56 years since the legendary sailboat designer and builder and concert violinist found-

ed the yard at the foot of Gate Five Road, nothing much has been altered but the name. After Spaulding died

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FEBRUARY 2008

in 2000, the business became the Spaulding Wooden Boat Center. Other than that, it’s pretty much the same as it was in Spaulding’s day. Sunlight still streams in through skylights in the 50-foot-high ceiling. The same tools, patterns and presses and even some of the same lumber pieces line the redwood-paneled walls. The black and orange stiff-leg derrick Spaulding operated for 50 years (originally it was used to build a dam in North Dakota) still enables the yard to repair craft weighing up to 12 tons. Old documents hang from the walls. One, a frayed and faded 44-year-old Fair Labor Standards Act poster, makes sure everyone realizes “the minimum wage is now $1.25 an hour.” Indeed, the Spaulding Wooden Boat Center oozes so much history that San Francisco Chronicle reporter Carl Nolte once dubbed it “a cathedral of wooden boats.” More prosaically, the voluminous center might be described as a clinic for wooden boats. The best-known (and biggest) current “patient” under the watchful eye of students from the Arques School of Traditional Boatbuilding (which recently relocated to the center) is the Freda, a craft widely considered to be the oldest active sailing yacht on San Francisco Bay. “Some refer to Freda as ‘the common man’s yacht,’” says Mark Welther, the center’s executive director. “Others say she’s the ‘matriarch of San Francisco Bay.’” Whatever it is called, the Freda, a 32-foot gaff sloop built in Belvedere in 1885 for a commodore of the Corinthian Yacht Club, is in for a bottom-to-top overhaul that will take two more years to complete. “By the time this full keel-off restoration of Freda is finished,” says Welther, “we’ll have $250,000 in it and hundreds if not thousands of professional and volunteer work-hours.” Boatyard general manager Michael Wiener, 60, still lives in the Sausalito home where he

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was born. “However, I did spend four years of wooden boatbuilding apprenticeship at Waldsted in Denmark,” he adds. In 1978, with his apprenticeship complete, Wiener stopped by New York’s famed Sparkman & Stephens yacht design firm to find out where he might best apply his newly acquired woodworking skills. “Without knowing where I was from,” Wiener

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FEBRUARY 2008

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The Spaulding Wooden Boat Center is a clinic for wooden boats. The bestknown current “patient”

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is the Freda, a craft considered by many to be the oldest active sailing yacht on San Francisco Bay.

says, “they urged I get in touch with Spaulding Boatworks in Sausalito—which was my hometown.” He’s been working there ever since. Wiener agreed to manage the yard following Spaulding’s death. In 2004, after the death of Spaulding’s widow, Gladys, the Spaulding Wooden Boat Center became a nonprofit trust dedicated to “preserving the working boatyard, restoring classic wooden sailboats, and educating the public about the boatbuilding tradition,” Welther adds. The boatyard’s paying customers help sustain the center’s existence. “We have a crew of five,” Wiener says, “and that’s fine for now.” The center services fiberglass as well as wooden sailboats. “Our niche is quality of work, attention to detail and always trying to do the best possible job,” he adds. “We’re probably the longest continually functioning remnant of

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the old Sausalito waterfront.”

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F Y I PEO P LE

The story behind the story of the house of Mondavi as told by Julia Flynn Siler BY JIM WOOD

VINO VERITAS BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THERE WAS A TIME when “I’ll have a white wine” was a request rarely heard. Back in the 1970s, it was more likely that partygoers and bar patrons would ask for a martini, a highball or “Scotch rocks, please.” Enter Robert Mondavi. Born in 1913 in Minnesota, the son of Italian immigrants moved with his family in 1923 to the Central Valley grape-growing locale of Lodi. Casual observers will note that Mondavi grew up with the wine industry. Business insiders maintain he grew America’s wine industry. That’s definitely the take of Julia Flynn Siler, a Wall Street Journal business reporter, Ross mother of two, and author of The House of Mondavi: The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty, published by Gotham Books last June. “I tried to write it like a novel,” says Siler, looking relaxed with a ready smile while sitting on the back patio of Cafe Marmalade in Ross. “For sure the genre is narrative nonfiction.” Yet the 450-page book, the result of three years of reporting and writing, has all the ingredients of a Danielle Steel read: a brother-vs.-brother fistfight over a $5,200 fur coat leading to the breakup of the family business; a rock-and-rollsinging young lawyer who outmaneuvered the feared litigator and future San Francisco mayor and food-filled trips to Italy and Chile and back to the Napa Valley with the Baron and Baroness de Rothschild. “In all, I spent over 500 hours interviewing over 250 people,” says Siler, “and

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FEBRUARY 2008

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P H OTO: TIM P ORTER

Joseph Alioto; and numerous glamorous wine-

traveled to Italy, Chile and New York’s Wall Street to get the accurate story.” She also spent, in her words, “too many” nights in an Oakville B and B in order to be near her sources, who included the adult children of Robert Mondavi (Michael, Timothy and Marcy) as well as Margrit, the winemaker’s second wife and the only Mondavi still working at the Robert Mondavi Winery, with whom she spent considerable time. “Of course I talked with Mr. Mondavi two or three times,” Siler adds, “but at the time he was in his early 90s and would lapse in and out of clear thought.” A Brown University grad with an MBA from Northwestern and a master’s in journalism from Columbia, Siler still writes for the Journal: she’s interviewed Sir Richard Branson at 30,000 feet over the Caribbean in one of his Virgin Airways jumbo jets, and she journeyed to Scotland for a story on Dolly the sheep, the first mammal to be cloned from an adult so-

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matic cell. (Her husband, Charlie, is an editor with Bloomberg News in San Francisco.) Meanwhile, The House of Mondavi is in its

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fifth printing and has had a run of more than 100,000 copies. The story itself begins on Ellis Island in 1906 with the arrival of immigrants

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Cesare and Rosa Mondavi and concludes in a paneled boardroom in 2004 where control of the $1.3 billion dynasty is wrestled away in a corporate coup. As to why Mondavi family members, as well as other players integral to the empire’s rise and fall, were willing to talk to her, Siler is anything but coy. “At first they were all reluctant because of a critical article on the saga I’d written for the Wall Street Journal,” she says. Yet in time, her persistence paid off. “Once stockholder lawsuits were settled, one of the so-called ‘raiders’ agreed to talk; then the Mondavis, in order to get their version known, consented to interviews.” If there’s a conclusion to be drawn from the story, Siler believes it was Robert Mondavi’s altruistic exuberance—helping to reopen the Napa Valley Opera House; creating Copia, the American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts; and establishing the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts Center at UC Davis—that in

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large part led to the family dynasty’s demise.

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FEBRUARY 2008

F Y I CAUS E S

Marin Abused Women’s Services

BY SAMANTHA BRONSON

MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

arin’s response to domestic vio-

domestic violence is no longer a problem in

lence was once the response found

Marin; it is — 12,000 local women (more than

elsewhere in the country—silence.

one out of every 10) will be beaten in their

Abused women had nowhere to turn. Law en-

homes this year, and 30 percent of the wom-

forcement agencies were loath to get involved

en who seek treatment in Marin’s emergency

in what they perceived as a household matter.

rooms are battered.

Prosecution was almost nonexistent.

Regardless of the statistics, says LeeAnn

Today, the situation has improved great-

Bartolini, chair of the nonprofit’s board of di-

ly, thanks in large part to the efforts of Marin

rectors, the stereotype persists that domes-

Abused Women’s Services. The 30-year-old

tic violence doesn’t happen in affluent Marin.

San Rafael organization has helped thousands

“We still hear that, 30 years later: ‘It’s not

of women rebuild their lives. That’s not to say

a problem in Marin County,’” she says. Or

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P H OTO: TIM P ORTER

Executive Director Donna Garske’s organization has been helping domestic violence victims for over 30 years

people think “‘it only happens in the Canal area; it only happens with poor people,’” executive director Donna Garske says. But domestic abuse plays no socioeconomic or racial favorites. In fact, wealthy women can be particularly vulnerable, Garske notes. The stakes are high for them: report an abusive husband and risk losing your social and financial standing. If they do report the abuse and seek divorce, their husbands have enough money to prolong legal proceedings for years. Marin Abused Women’s Services offers two 24-hour hotlines, a 16-bed emergency shelter, transitional housing for women and their chil-

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Domestic abuse plays no socioeconomic or racial favorites. In fact, wealthy women can be particularly vulnerable: report an abusive husband and risk losing your social and ﬁnancial standing.

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bilingual support for Spanish speakers. In its

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three decades of operation, the group has aided

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more than 130,000 women and 28,000 men.

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The men’s program, ManKind, focuses on

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ending violent behavior. More than 75 per-

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for domestic violence do not get re-arrested

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four years after graduation, one of the best such statistics in the country. A parallel effort, WomanKind, exists for abusive women. With an annual budget of $3.1 million (three quarters from the government, the rest from donations and grants), the organization has come a long way from its beginnings in 1977 when several local members of the

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National Organization of Women noticed that Marin lacked a way to help victims of domestic abuse and their families. They set up the

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FEBRUARY 2008

talked with abused women and regularly ar-

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ranged to remove them from danger by picking them up in the middle of the night. At first, lacking a shelter, the group relied on the generosity of family and friends to temporarily house these domestic refugees. “We would say, ‘We just need your basement for a couple of days,’” says board member Pat Assimakis, one of the founders. Within two years, the group had purchased a shelter but still had to persuade authorities—and the community at large—that domestic abuse was

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an issue worth paying attention to. Over the years, the organization and its allies helped change both public perception and the law, until domestic violence became recognized as a crime. Now the group works with law enforcement, the district attorney’s office and other authorities to help abused women. Yet clearly its biggest impact is personal—a fact evident in the success stories of those who were helped. Consider Tara. She was an accomplished mechanic when she met her husband. Once they married, though, he took over her life, refusing to let her work, isolating her from friends and family and controlling her finances. He beat her every day. Finally, seven months pregnant, she left, fleeing with her three-year-old daughter and finding her way to the Marin Abused Women’s Services emergency shelter. The organization helped her navigate the court system, arranged to have her accompanied to the doctor, and gave her transportation money so she could move in with a relative. A letter from another woman summarizes how the organization helps people begin life anew. “We were saved by the women’s shelter,” it reads. “We had a chance to heal our men-

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tal and physical damages with all sources of help.… We were empowered again to see our strength and rebuild our positive minds and confidence. We were gently guided to overcome our difficulties, to find educational programs and to get job training. The program rebuilt our fragile family after we left our domestic violence home. Now we try to stand up again as a new family.” For more information go to maws.org.

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FEBRUARY 2008

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C A L L for E N T R I E S

Get Covered! ATTENTION ARTISTS: Enter the Second Annual MARIN MAGAZINE Cover Art Contest. WINNERS: A winner for each of the following categories: painting, photography and illustration, will be featured in the May 2008 MARIN MAGAZINE. EXPOSURE: Each winner will be featured on the May 2008 impact cover unit and will display their work to the public at the opening of the MARIN ART SALON May 8, 2008. ENTER NOW AT: MARINMAGAZINE.COM/GETCOVERED

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WAY BEYOND THE

RANGE

This year is the 30th anniversary of the Belvedere-

Hawthorne Nursery Schools’ Kitchen Tour. It highlights six diverse kitchens, some of which feature the newest designs from Sub-Zero, Wolf and Dacor. Preview them here. −S.F.

1. Dacor Epicure 30-inch warming drawer, $1,240, available at Standards of Excellence (San Rafael). 415.453.6070, standardsofexcellence.com 2. Sub-Zero Pro 48 refrigerator with glass door, $13,000, available at Standards of Excellence (San Rafael). 415.453.6070, standardsofexcellence.com 3. Wolf indoor grill, $1,124, available at Bay Area Built-Ins (San Rafael). 415.457.2226, bayareabuiltins.com 4. Wolf dual fuel range, starting at $7,363, available at Tresch Galleria (Novato). 415.897.4608, treschgalleria.com 4

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FEBRUARY 2008

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BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE KITCHEN TOUR

t was three decades ago when

Specialists in the Art of Travel

board members of the BelvedereHawthorne Nursery Schools

created their annual kitchen tour fundraiser. In the beginning approximately 300 people attended the event and in recent years it has grown to 1,100 attendees. The 30th-anniversary tour on February 5th showcases six diverse kitchens in Belvedere and Tiburon and includes chef demonstrations and a much-talked-about raffle where the winner of a $5 ticket can recieve prizes like a Dacor kitchen, a seven-day cruise or trip to Hawaii (with airfare!), a Napa Valley wine adventure with dinner at

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or a Tiburon getaway with a seaplane tour and two nights at the Waters Edge Hotel. Committee member Delia Peterson says proceeds from the tour are used for upkeep of the schools and financial support for teachers. “Last year we raised $100,000 and we hope to do the same this year,” she adds. Shuttles leave from the San Francisco Yacht Club in Belvedere on February 5

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F Y I H EA LT H

Steeped in Tradition

BY MIMI TOWLE

LOCAL

FIX Tea-lovers Jaimie Plog and Chris Nguyen are just about to open the doors of their unique

CULTURALLY SPEAKING…

spot on San Anselmo Avenue. “We’re a quick-service organic

ill Valley photographer and writer Jennifer Sauer is a veritable fountain of informa-

alyst for the American Revolution.

tion on the topic of tea. A chance photo as-

Fueled by curiosity and tea’s abundant caffeine,

made from the world’s

Her Majesty’s East India Company was the notorious cat-

signment in San Francisco’s Chinatown in the summer

Sauer visited, photographed and documented the many

ﬁnest 100 percent

of 2006 introduced her to the brewed beverage’s time-

teahouses in San Francisco for her book The Way to Tea,

organic loose teas,

less mystique. “At first I was attracted to the visual al-

published in 2007. She discovered tea traditions from

puriﬁed water and

lure of tea,” she says. “I was attracted to the bright colors

around the world, from the authentic Japanese tea cere-

organic ingredients,”

and textures of teas as well as the exotic names like Iron

mony practiced at the Urasenke Foundation to afternoon

Nguyen says. Besides

Goddess of Mercy and Bitter Dragon Ball—and in the

tea and scones at the Ritz-Carlton. Yet for all the diversi-

traditional teas hot or

shops the teas were all arranged in glass jars as a back-

ty, she also found common threads in the act of brewing,

over ice, their menu

drop to a tea bar, with eager customers waiting for bulbs

savoring and sharing a warm cup. “These would include

offers tea lattes,

of tea to be plopped into steaming cups of water.”

community, intimacy, sanctuary, ritual and vitality,” she

steeped teas and modern tea infusions

boba tapioca pearl

Soon Sauer became fascinated with the history of

shakes and a special

tea, a subject meticulously covered in 780 A.D. by Taoist

Himalayan goji berry

scholar Lu Yu in The Classic of Tea, now considered the

No matter where or how you take your leaves, she

elixir.

first Chinese book on the ritual and etiquette of drink-

concludes, you know “it’s a good tea experience when

For more details,

ing tea. Over the next few thousand years societies in

you feel as if you’ve been transported—like you’re in a

visit teapod.biz

Japan, India and Europe created ceremonial tea-drinking

surreal environment and suspended outside of normal

customs of their own. Closer to home, tariff-free tea from

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MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

explains, “and all of these are qualities that we so desperately need in our own culture.”

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

P H OTO: JENNIF ER SAUER

tea bar serving fresh

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tation for healing, researchers around the world have taken their curiosity to the cellular level. They’ve discovered that tea contains naturally occurring antioxidant compounds called flavonoids. Antioxidants are believed to neutralize free radicals, which over time can damage cells and lead to disease. H ere’s a roundup of research culled by the Tea Association of the U nited States of America ( teausa.org) . Immune System: According to findings at Brigham and W omen’s H ospital and H arvard U niversity, tea contains L-theanine, a substance that primes the immune system in fighting bacteria, viruses and fungi. Translation: drinking tea can strengthen the immune system and hence help the body ward off infection and disease.

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Cardiovascular Disease: Two consecutive studies, one in Saudi Arabia and the other in the N etherlands, found people who regularly consume three or more cups of black tea per day have a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke. R esearchers attribute this to lowered cholesterol levels, improved blood vessel function and reduced oxidative damage. Bone Density: W hile caffeine has long been dubbed a no-no for those concerned about bone mineral density ( BMD ) , a recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found older women who drank tea had higher BMD

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MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

THINK

ANNE ROGERS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MARIN COMMUNITY FOOD BANK

MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

STO RY A N D P H OTO S BY TI M P O RTER

the

GIVING

GAP Bifurcation. Now there’s a word most people don’t toss about in everyday conversation. Tom Peters, though, head of the Marin Community Foundation, uses it a lot when he talks about issues such as: * Health care: “The gap that exists in access to health care is a really serious, serious issue, a bifurcation.” * The environment: “Another bifurcation is the gap between rhetoric and practice on environmental issues. We have a giant footprint.”

HOW MARIN’S NONPROFITS COPE IN THE LAND OF PLENTY

* Economic disparity: “By and large Marin is a pretty segregated community (and) when you live cheek by jowl with people whose lives are way more comfortable, way more cared for than yours, then the struggles of your life are in sharper contrast. What would it be like to see somebody else take their child to a pediatrician at first sniffle and you have to struggle to get your own child with a serious health problem to a doctor? That contrast is rough. The bifurcation and layering of Marin is one of our real ethical challenges.”

MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

“The bifurcation and layering of Marin is one of our real ethical challenges.”

TOM PETERS PRESIDENT AND CEO MARIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

These divisions, these fault lines

per capita than anywhere else in California, one for every

between the comfort of Marin’s

136 people, or one for every eight poor people. (What’s

many haves and the discomfort of

poor? Eight percent of Marin lives under the poverty line

its (surprisingly) many have nots,

of $20,444 for a family of four; 20 percent of local fami-

form a gash that slashes through

lies make less than $50,000.) Of course, not all nonprofits

all aspects of the community—from

are charities. The Belvedere Tennis Club, for example, is

housing to health, from education to

a nonprofit.

environment. Bridging this gap are

Marin also has money, much more than most places.

local charities, nonprofit organiza-

Households that make more than $200,000 are six times

tions that feed the poor, nurture the

as common here (20 percent) as in the nation as a whole.

old and protect the abused. In the

Per-capita income ($49,000) is twice the national level.

broadest sense, they plug holes in an

Million-and-up starter homes in the right neighborhood

increasingly tattered social safety net

are considered bargains.

that government cannot (or chooses not to) maintain on its own. “Even though this is Marin County, there is incredible need

Marin is also generous. A new Marin Community Foundation study concluded that “giving and volunteerism is thriving” here. Some examples: • 92 percent of Marin residents either volunteered or donat-

here,” says Linda Davis, head of the

ed money in the last year, up from 87 percent in 2000.

Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit

• 86 percent of households made charitable contributions,

Leadership in San Rafael. “Just be-

up from 80 percent in 2000 and beyond the national av-

cause it’s so wealthy doesn’t mean it’s

erage of 70 percent.

not there. Nonprofits fill that need.”

• Marin households gave an average of 2.3 percent of income to charity, a touch more than the national average

Marin’s charitable resources

MARIN

All that giving adds up. That clank of coins you tossed in the bell-ringer’s bucket just before Christmas or that $40

Building a bridge across the giving

check for a MALT membership, plus the heftier sums chari-

CRIS CHATER EXECUTIVE

gap requires three ongoing com-

ties seek from the government and deep-pocketed, private

DIRECTOR SENIOR ACCESS

ponents: effective charitable or-

foundations, equals enough money to run several good-

“The lesson here is we all have to have a diversified portfolio.”

of 2.2 percent.

FEBRUARY 2008

ganizations, money to pay those

size cities—20 of them in fact. In 2007, Marin nonprofits

organizations’ bills and willingness

took in at least $1.8 billion, 20 times the city budget of

by haves to write a check (or do-

San Rafael, according to a review of 1,236 nonprofit tax

nate their time) for the have nots.

returns by the National Center for Charitable Statistics.

Marin has plenty of all three.

Where does all that money go? The Marin Community

It has almost as many non-prof-

Foundation study found that most inividual Marin donors

its as Porsches and Priuses. In fact,

(58 percent) give to human service organizations (the

a study by Davis’s group found

Family Services Agency or Canal Alliance, for example)

that Marin has more nonprofits

and education groups (Kiddo!, e.g.), environmental orga-

nizations (48 percent) and religious groups (46 percent).

Indeed, the food bank has already

Other categories included politics (39 percent), arts (35

lost more than half the $250,000 it

percent) and the aged (28 percent).

had become accustomed to getting

As always, the numbers tell an incomplete story. They

annually from the Marin Community

don’t show the faces of the Marin children whose next

Foundation and it could lose more.

meal is coming from a government-issued can of peanut

And that’s what worries Rogers,

butter. They don’t speak of the local women who seek

even though nearly 60 percent of the

refuge from the fists of their abusive husbands in a non-

group’s income comes from individu-

profit shelter. They don’t take us inside the shuttered

al donations.

homes of the old and infirm forced to choose between a doctor’s visit and decent housing. Tom Wilson, executive director of Canal Alliance, which serves San Rafael’s Latino immigrant community, puts it succinctly: “We see

The Marin Community Foundation

people every day who go without health care. We see

Discussions about charitable giving in

people every day who go without food. We see people

Marin County inevitably turn to (or of-

every day who can’t afford housing. And we’re talking

ten begin with) the Marin Community

about working people here.”

Foundation. To call the foundation the 800-pound gorilla in the local philan-

Feeding a need

thropic jungle does not do justice to its size and influence. It’s fair to say

Food is the most basic of human needs, so perhaps no-

that nearly every Marin nonprofit is

where are Marin’s economic fault lines more visible than

affected by the foundation one way

inside the cavernous Novato warehouse of the Marin

or another. The seed of the foundation

Community Food Bank. Some 2 million pounds of fresh,

was the $9.1 million that Ross matron

prepared and frozen food come into and out of this non-

Beryl Buck left in a trust in 1975 to be

descript building every year, a flow of life-enhancing char-

used for the benefit of local residents.

ity to emergency pantries, the elderly and other nonprofits

After a fortuitous turn in the stock

that is sustained by more than $1.2 million in private and

market and a litigious interlude over

public donations, the hands-on largesse of 600 local vol-

control of the money, the trust metas-

unteers and the energetic savvy of Anne Rogers.

tasized into hundreds of millions, and

A South Carolina transplant whose soft native accent belies the formidable sense of urgency with which she speaks, Rogers is not one to dwell on yesterday when tomorrow is another day with more hungry people in it.

“We’re a very clearly focused organization, not a service. It actually results in the preservation of particular pieces of property.”

the Marin Community Foundation was formed to manage it in 1986. Today, the foundation oversees about $900 million in Buck money

In the world of nonprofits, where other people’s mon-

and another $300 million in donor-

ey is as necessary as air, financial uncertainty is a given.

advised funds, the trusts of wealthy

But for Rogers and managers of other Marin charities, a

families or business groups who have

change of strategy by the county’s single largest source of

a say in how that money is distrib-

funding—the Marin Community Foundation—has elevat-

uted. Altogether, the foundation is

ed everyday uncertainty to nerve-rattling anxiety.

the nation’s sixth-largest community

“We’re really very nervous,” says Rogers. “I’m going to

foundation and 51st largest overall.

be 70 years old in May and this is my 26th year. The foun-

The foundation created a stir in

dation has given us a great deal of money through the

Marin’s nonprofit community two

years and I would no way minimize that, but if we get our

years ago when it announced plans

funding cut to the quick, I don’t know how we’re going

to reslice the $60 million (or so)

BOB BERNER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

to provide the quality of service we’re proud of. You don’t

pie it gives away each year. More

MARIN AGRICULTURAL LAND TRUST

want to feel that any child goes to bed hungry.”

than half that money flows from the

MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

“There are people coming to us all the time and we need funds to meet those needs. People come, they improve and they leave. They don’t stay forever. But these services aren’t conducive to one-time funding.”

MARGARET HALLET EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FAMILY SERVICES AGENCY OF MARIN

donor-advised funds. The founda-

in the Canal neighborhood of San Rafael ($1 million) and

tion can advise but not dictate how

a firehouse/health clinic in Bolinas ($1 million).

that money is spent (although 50 per-

To be fair, the foundation is also thinking big. Last year

cent does stay in Marin). Another big

it announced two large countywide initiatives—to develop

chunk—$7.6 million last year—is al-

better services for the elderly and to create more local af-

located to the three Buck Trust–fund-

fordable housing.

ed institutes: the Buck Institute for

“This is not about esoteric interchanges,” says Peters.

Age Research, the Buck Institute for

“This is about demonstrating that what you do matches

Education and the Marin Institute.

your intention. Younger, more involved donors say, ‘I am

The roughly $25 million that’s left is

ready and able to give and to give substantially, but I want

divvied up among local nonprofits. That

to know that this is really making a positive difference.’ ”

amount is not changing. What is differ-

Phrases such as “positive difference” are, of course,

ent is who gets the money. Previously,

open to wide interpretation. Social service nonprofits,

the foundation allocated 70 percent of

those that confront society’s chronic ills, have a more of a

its discretionary giving to sustaining

challenge demonstrating immediate benefit than someone

grants that paid for ongoing operations,

building a new gym.

and 30 percent to initiating grants that

“The concern I have with shifting a proportion of the

started something new or paid for a one-

funds to bigger initiatives,” says Margaret Hallet, executive

time cost such as construction of a new

director of the Family Services Agency of Marin, whose

building. Under the funding shift, the

services include suicide prevention and child abuse protec-

split will be 50-50. In simplistic terms, the

tion, “is that day in, day out, year after year we are help-

result is a $5 million reduction in grants

ing hundreds of individuals and having positive outcomes.

to the foundation’s traditional recipients.

It may not be sexy, but it’s having an impact.”

Peters, the foundation’s president, said the change was

Hallet has lost about 10 percent of her Marin

intended to answer “one basic question: Can we be sure

Community Foundation funding in each of the last three

we can tell a story of impact?” In other words, says Peters,

years, causing the agency to rely more heavily on govern-

donors, especially younger donors, increasingly want vis-

ment grants, which come with “lots of strings attached.”

ible results for their money, what fundraisers call social return on investment. And results bring in more money.

“They want short-term funding,” Hallet says of the foundation, “but there are going to be people coming to us

“That theme is so strong,” says Peters. “We feel it and

all the time and we need funds to meet those needs. People

see it. When people sense their giving is changing some-

come, they improve and they leave. They don’t stay forever.

body else’s life for the better, they absolutely dig deeper.”

But these services aren’t conducive to one-time funding.”

The foundation’s study also found that more than half of local residents (and 83 percent of people ages 18 to 35) would give more to charity if they “knew that charities used the money effectively” or were “making a difference.”

MARIN

Coping with change Three quarters of the nonprofits the Marin Community

In that quest for impact, the foundation is exhibiting an

Foundation has funded never received more than 10 per-

if-you-build-it-they-will-donate approach to grant-making.

cent of their budgets from the foundation, but money is so

In the last couple of years, it has funded a gym in the San

tight for some of them that any squeeze in revenue could

Geronimo Valley ($925,000 in grants), a community clinic

be devastating.

FEBRUARY 2008

Senior Access, which aids elderly people and their care-

ers and ranchers, is a good example. Although

givers, “was faced with closure last year” when it lost nearly

no director of a nonprofit would say his or her

$200,000 in foundation funding, says Cris Chater, executive

organization has mastered the art of fundraising,

director. Only a last-minute gift of $1.2 million from a now

MALT comes close.

-defunct local endowment kept it going, she says. “The les-

First, it benefits from the priority Marin resi-

son here is that we all have to have a diversified portfolio.”

dents place on environmental issues, donating to

Ironically, the Marin Community Foundation’s $1.2 bil-

related nonprofits at much higher levels than the

lion reputation can make it harder for local nonprofits to

rest of the country. More important, it has used

find money elsewhere.

that environmental affinity to extract 80 percent

“I go to the Cal Endowment, the Robert Wood Johnson

of its $1.2 million operating budget from a base

Foundation and they just send us right back home, say-

of more than 5,000 annual donors, making it

ing, ‘You have the sixth-largest (foundation) right in your

able to stay in business without relying on large

TOM WILSON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

own backyard,’ ” Chater says. “The Marin Community

foundation grants.

CANAL ALLIANCE

Foundation is a blessing, but it can also be problematic.”

“We’re a very clearly focused organization,”

Gary Giacomini, a former Marin supervisor and a

says Bob Berner, executive director. “It’s pretty

member of the Marin Community Foundation’s board, has

easy to understand. It’s not a service. It actually

been a vocal proponent of the new grant strategy, citing as

results in the preservation of particular pieces of

one reason the proliferation of local nonprofits.

property. It has the quality of being very specific

“Years ago, when I was a supervisor, there were 72 non-

and very tangible.”

profits; now there are 2,700,” he said in a Marin Magazine

MALT did receive money from the Marin

interview in September 2006, overestimating the actual

Community Foundation for many years, says

number by about 1,000. “They’re all doing good things,

Berner. But, because “foundation grants were

but in many cases what we were really doing is paying for

inherently unpredictable in the late 1990s, we

everyone’s administrative staff. If funding is scarce, groups

worked hard to wean ourselves from our de-

with similar goals should merge, says Giacomini.

pendence on foundations.”

“There’s some truth that there’s some potential for groups to join forces,” says Tom Wilson of Canal Alliance, itself a merger of two longtime advocacy groups. “We are

Looking ahead

operating in a marketplace and we don’t like to think of

Keeping Holsteins on the hillsides of West Marin

it that way. We think of ourselves as a cause. We try not

certainly fits under the rubric of the high impact,

to compete with each other, but in reality there is a fixed

visible change. And even though MALT will al-

number of funding sources and the pie is only so big.”

ways need more money to keep pace with the

Although Canal Alliance still receives 30 percent of its operating budget from the Marin Community Foundation,

rising cost of farmland, it’s fair to say Marin has responded to its mission and its message.

it also is funded by about 30 other foundations and takes

What of the county’s other nonprofits, those

in about a quarter of its $2.5 million budget in individual

trying to bridge “the grievous gap in educational

donations. Wilson’s pitch to donors is that Canal Alliance

performance” and the other “bifurcations” cited

makes “meaningful change in the community,” and that

by Tom Peters? Is the 2.3 percent we’re giving

his organization is uniquely positioned to do so.

from our weekly paycheck enough? No, says Wilson from Canal Alliance.

Land, not services

“I really believe in Marin County we could solve those problems,” he says, referring to dis-

Being unique and being able to show donors the impact

parities in health care, education and transpor-

of their money—that “positive difference” thing again —

tation. “There’s enough wealth in Marin County

greatly increases a nonprofit’s chances of thriving.

to solve those problems. There’s room to give

The Marin Agricultural Land Trust, which keeps land in agricultural use by buying development rights from farm-

more. There’s room for me to give more. There’s room for all of us—not just the wealthy.”

“There’s enough wealth in Marin County to solve these problems. There’s room to give more. There’s room for me to give more. There’s room for all of us – not just the wealthy.”

L IF E

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MARINMAGAZINE.COM

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MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

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of COMO Shambhala at Parrot Cay in Turks

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LA COSTA RESORT, CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA

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SENSPA

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THE CHOPRA CENTER FOR WELL-BEING yra Banks, Goldie Hawn, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher are among the luminaries

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feel and see results while they are here, and

MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Meditation time at Maya Spa in Tulum, Mexico; room to relax at SenSpa before, after or between treatments; entrance to Miraval Spa

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FEBRUARY 2008

CLOCKWISE FROM UPPER LEFT : Guests practice yoga outside at Miraval Spa in Tucson, Arizona; Steam room at Chiva-Som in Thailand; Ayurvedic massage is a therapeutic and popular treatment at the Chopra Center for Well-Being in Carlsbad, California. OPPOSITE : Stinson Beach is the location for Evo Spa retreat.

with the lifestyle changes we teach to balance

A Lifelong Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual

your doshas, it is easy to imagine the deeper

Well-Being. O ther options include eq uine thera-

and long-term benefits of meditation, yoga and

py, wherein guests work with horses to help de-

conscious communication and all the things we

velop stronger coping skills; “ Ageless R adiance,”

teach,” cofounder Simon observes.

an intensive four-day empowerment program

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meant to promote radiant internal health; and “ P artners, P leasure and P assion,” a four-day

MIRAVAL

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TUCSON, ARIZONA

PRITIKIN.COM

ong-term weight loss is the goal of a stint

at this spa and wellness retreat at the

Turnberry Isle Y acht Club. G uests follow the

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vegetables, whole grains, pasta, seafood and

alance through self-awareness and self-

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MIRAVALRESORT.COM

way to look at a behavior that you want to

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desert destination spa. Along with therapeutic

rate into your life, or having the opportunity

home. P ersonal training and other fitness op-

spa offerings and fl avorful healthy cuisine, par-

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tions, spa pampering sessions and mind-body

ticipants will find an array of fitness activities,

that mean the most that we often overlook,”

lessons help participants learn to take charge of

wellness instruction and nutritional advice.

general manager Michael Tompkins says.

their thoughts and feelings, manage stress and

Acclaimed integrative medicine practitioner

“ Sometimes the simplicity of being able to

improve relationships. P eople who come here

Andrew W eil, Miraval’s director of integrative

stop and reexamine where we are in life and

are looking for a whole new lease on life—and

health and healing, designed a three-day work-

just do nothing makes for a life-changing spa

they’ll find it, according to center president

shop here based on his book Healthy Aging:

experience.”

P aul Tager Lehr. “ They’re sick and tired of feel-

MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

ing tired,” he says, “and they know they’re get-

land in Turks and Caicos. The property hosts

As Perillo points out, “Most people know

ting older, but they don’t want to feel old.”

multiple yoga and Pilates retreat weeks for prac-

what they need to do to stay healthy, but

Research does show the Pritikin program may

titioners of all levels, led by such esteemed in-

knowing and actually doing are frequently

markedly reduce key risk factors for heart disease

structors as Bay Area yoga guru Rodney Yee. A

miles apart.” For some, today’s well-rounded

and help lower blood pressure, control diabetes,

big draw here for participants, retreat manag-

spa programs might be just what are needed

promote healthy long-term weight loss and de-

er Allison says, is “COMO Shambhala’s Visiting

to close the gap.

crease the odds of developing breast, colon and

Masters—leading yoga teachers from all over

prostate cancer. “We’ve helped more than 90,000

the world with different specialties ranging from

people make meaningful changes over the past

Ashtanga to Iyengar as well as individual styles.”

32 years, so we’ve had plenty of time to figure

Amenities at the posh resort include a pic-

out what works,” says Lehr. “We stand out from

turesque infinity-edge pool, a yoga pavilion, a

the pack because we are science-based and have

Pilates studio, plush spa treatment rooms and

a very strong medical presence.”

an outdoor Jacuzzi garden, as well as healthy organic meals. An Ayurvedic program addresses imbalances in the doshas, and the skin treat-

MAYA SPA

ments in the “Dr. Perricone package” make use

TULUM, MEXICO

of the New York City dermatologist’s products

MAYA-SPA.COM

and techniques.

EVO SPA RETREAT

or a true indigenous experience, treat-

STINSON BEACH, CALIFORNIA

ments at this holistic Enchanting Group

EVO-SPA.COM

wellness center are rooted in Mayan culture. A

CHIVA-SOM

healing highlight is the traditional temazcal, a

HUA HIN, THAILAND

ritual group sweat bath incorporating power-

CHIVASOM.COM

n the other side of the world, this holis-

o circle back to Marin, Evo Spa in Mill

Valley now offers a four-day, three-night

rejuvenation and detoxification retreat in

tic destination spa caters to those look-

ple who want to relax, eat healthy and do

Mayan crystal therapy, Mayan astrology, and

Stinson Beach. “These getaways are for peo-

ing to bring about true changes in their lives.

something beneficial for their inner and out-

corn reading sessions, which numerologically

“At Chiva-Som, we orchestrate situations that

er well-being,” explains Evo owner Gail Ann.

relate Mayan astrological signs to the sacred

set the stage for wonderful and meaningful ex-

She chose the Stinson location for its proxim-

calendar known as tzolkin. The spa is also the

periences to happen,” says director of health

ity, beauty, serenity and abundance of mood-el-

site for the annual Forum of Healers, an au-

and wellness Anthony Perillo. “Many guests are

evating negative ions. The activities and mostly

tumn gathering of internationally recognized

looking to write a new chapter in their lives.

raw, all-vegan organic meals are intended to

healers and shamans that celebrates the pow-

They want to, in a sense, wipe the slate clean,

balance body pH, cleanse the blood, lymph, liv-

er of the moon. “Our most important principle

if only briefly, and start down a new path.

er, kidneys and colon and purge away heavy

is to provide spiritual and physical harmo-

Chiva-Som can facilitate this process because

metals and toxins.

ny, bringing it to a universal level,” says Lucy

we provide a safe and healthy environment

Up to 10 guests can stay in the private

Leguizamón, marketing and media assistant

whereby you can explore what being healthy

4,400-square-foot six-bedroom home. The dai-

for the Enchanting Group. “We believe in tradi-

means to you.”

ly schedule includes two sessions of yoga and

ful native herbs intended to promote a closer connection to nature. Other options include

tions, in roots, in our predecessors and in beau-

That can entail anything from weight loss

meditation, walks on the beach, a detox foot

ty, but also in wellness and health; therefore,

to stress management to detoxification to pure

bath and time in the far-infrared sauna, with

we infuse our treatments with local herbs [and

and simple pampering. The experience begins

the added option of a daily massage.

include] body wraps and natural products.”

with a health and wellness adviser, who di-

“It is our passion to support people in their

rects guests to the appropriate fitness classes,

well-being and transformation of mind, body

lectures and spa treatments. Most offerings

and spirit,” says acupuncturist and retreat di-

COMO SHAMBHALA

incorporate elements of traditional Chinese

rector Neka Pasquale. “We love to see people

PARROT CAY

medicine, including acupuncture and a vig-

shine from the inside out, where true beauty

COMOSHAMBHALA.BZ

orous fitness series called Taoist Boot Camp.

begins.” Retreats, held monthly, are preceded

ficionados of yoga, Pilates and beautiful

Some guests follow cleansing diets designed to

by a weeklong preparation cleanse.

beaches will want to jet to this secluded

unburden the digestive system and lessen the

Caribbean hideaway on a 1,000-acre private is-

feeling of excess in their lives.

Julie Keller is editor-in-chief of America Spa. She wrote this article for Marin Magazine.

MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

STORY P. J. BREMIER PHOTOS BARBARA RIES

THE

WARM

GLOW OF

HOME 68

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FEBRUARY 2008

Marin designer puts her colorful stamp on Belvedere and Santa Fe homes

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FEBRUARY 2008

n the historic east side of Santa Fe, where the old Pecos and Santa Fe trails converge, designer Linda Applewhite found the adobe home she’s always wanted. With it also came a lifestyle distinctly different from her thriving busy life here in Marin.

Applewhite and her husband, Marshall Miller, a San Francisco bank-

er, purchased Casita Alegria (Happy Little Home) more than a year ago and have since given it Applewhite’s signature touches—an abundance of color, a warm glow, architectural salvage pieces, whimsical accents and a strong connection to the outdoors. “I love her work,” Miller says. “It creates a place of harmony and beauty for us.” Miller may be the most direct beneficiary of Applewhite’s aesthetic, but her design approach has fans across the country, the result of her exposure on HGTV’s Sensible Chic and Curb Appeal, on the Food Network’s Ultimate Kitchens, in numerous national and international shelter magazines and through her book. (She also sells her own branded pillows and candles and conducts design seminars in Marin.) The part-time move to Santa Fe raised Applewhite’s profile even higher. She held her first “Design in the Desert” seminar last fall, and Su Casa, a New Mexico magazine devoted to Southwestern homes,

plans a photo spread on Casita Alegria in the spring, when Applewhite will begin writing a column for the magazine. “In addition to creating homes for my clients, my other goal for the past 17 years has been to write books and teach seminars to help more people live in beauty,” she explains. Here in Marin, that mindful approach is embodied in her cozy 2,800-square-foot, 1930s Spanish revival–style home set just above sea level on one of the most desirable streets in Belvedere. Graced with direct views of Sausalito, San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge, the house has arched leaded windows, great stucco details, private decks off each bedroom and a terrace that overlooks an established garden of hydrangeas and fragrant roses, rosemary and lavender. A lower wild garden is home to a variety of critters and an 80-yearold Monterey cypress. The day Applewhite and Miller bought the house 10 years ago, they found twin fawns hidden in the lower thicket. They rushed the little creatures to WildCare, the San Rafael animal rehabili-

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FEBRUARY 2008

tation center, only to discover the fawns were newborns and needed to be reunited with their mother. “We considered them to be a good omen,” Applewhite says, and since then any plans to expand the garden have been shelved. “I wanted to leave room for the deer and raccoons and to keep the cypress as it is.” Inside, she covered the house’s white walls with glazes of apricot over pale yellow and played up the perimeters of archways and niches with a rich persimmon. She chose an engaging palette of pinks, terracotta, salmon, golds, blues and yellow-green and used lavishly detailed lampshades in warm colors to splash a diffuse glow onto the walls. The house has an unusual brick turret that forms an archway between the family and dining rooms. Five fireplaces are embedded within it, warming several common rooms, two bedrooms and the terrace. From the terrace, Applewhite can see the ferry that Miller takes to the office. She spends her weekdays working with clients in San Francisco and the North Bay. On weekends, the couple takes Biff, a 17-year-old Peke-a-poo, to brunch at Morningside Cafe or Servino in Tiburon; sails with friends from the Corinthian Yacht Club; or explores West Marin and the wine country. Once a month, they go to Santa Fe. As a painter who’s studied in Taos for more than a decade, Applewhite remains fascinated by the high desert landscape. “It’s breathtakingly beautiful. In Marin we have the ocean, but there we have the blue-blue-blue sky, the extraordinary

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FEBRUARY 2008

OPPOSITE : Linda Applewhite in

her home ofﬁce. OPPOSITE LOWER : Early 1900s photo of home compared with today. THIS PAGE : Family room adjacent to kitchen provides comfortable space for reading and TV viewing.

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FEBRUARY 2008

PHOTOS: JANE PH ILL IPS

Photos on this spread are all of Casita Alegria in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where Applewhite and Miller spend their days hiking in summer, skiing or snowshoeing in winter and shopping at Hispanic and Indian outdoor markets.

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FEBRUARY 2008

light and magnificent sunsets. Even when it snows,

ing. A spiral staircase, unusual in Santa Fe, connects the fl oors. The

it melts so q uickly there’s

house also has a basement.

never any sludge.”

O h, and until recently, the house had one more thing—a ghost.

Miller also feels drawn

A neighbor mentioned the spirit shortly after Applewhite and Miller

to the region. “ The people

moved in, and it was Miller who saw signs of it first. H e had set the

are more approachable,”

hands of a broken clock to 12 , but later found them moved to 1: 2 0 .

he says. “ The place has lots

There were other incidents: a stray flower pulled from a bouq uet

of history and art; there is

resting on a kitchen counter, small pieces of furniture moved. O nce,

great natural beauty and

when two painters both poured themselves a cup of coffee, one cup

great energy.”

was mysteriously drained. “ The ghost is gone now, but it was a trip,”

Applewhite is a native

Applewhite says.

Texan, so breaking out the

The adobe’s interior was “ very much like a V ictorian,” she says, “ with

western wear for a more ca-

small, dark rooms, so I did the same thing I do with V ictorians: knock

sual mode of living comes

out walls, open up the fl oor plans and add more doors and windows.”

easily. She wears jeans and

She kept the old-fashioned hot-water radiators, the original doors and

boots or sandals, forgoes

windows, the vigas ( ceiling beams) and the supporting lintels.

make-up, pulls her hair

The deep-set adobe walls, stuffed with wads of newspaper from the

into a ponytail and tucks

19 3 0 s, were channeled to bring the lighting up to code. Inappropriate

it under a cowboy hat that

contemporary doors and windows upstairs were replaced. H istorically

shades her from the intense

inspired scalloped and dentil tiles, designed by Applewhite and made

sun. “ It’s so different from

by Tile &

California, where I have to fix my hair and makeup every day,” she notes.

Stone Concepts in San R afael, were installed in the three

bathrooms. Custom cabinetry went into the enlarged kitchen.

“ It’s very understated there, very authentic.” The N ew Mexican cuisine is

The home’s architecture may be authentic N ew Mexican, but the

likewise authentic, with“ incredible” fl avor—dishes laced with green and

interior is spirited eclecticism. Contemporary fabrics mix with tradi-

red chiles, breakfasts of eggs and tomatillo sauce at local cafes.

tional ones and modern art happily coexists with a global collection of

Applewhite and Miller spend their Santa Fe days hiking mountain

antiq ue furnishings. The living room is a world tour of furniture—an

trails in summer, skiing or snowshoeing in winter, visiting old churches

old Mexican trunk, a Swedish art deco piano, a French armoire, tables

and q uaint nearby towns, and shopping at H ispanic and Indian outdoor

from England and Brazil. G old and apricot glazes warm the walls and a

markets. Most evenings they walk to town for dinner; afterward they

a good dose of black and white grounds a palette of lime-green, blues,

listen to live music or stroll fashionable Canyon R oad, maybe stopping

oranges, reds, yellows and golds.

in at one of its many galleries. Some nights they take in performances at Santa Fe’s famous opera house or at the Lynsic Theater. “ There are so many fabulous museums here and it’s so easy to see

PHOTOS: JANE PH ILLI PS

master and guest bedrooms, two bathrooms and a library on the land-

The garden, accessed through French doors in the dining room, provides an outdoor venue for late morning coffee or evening parties. The patio was created from two-inch freezeproof concrete and pavers

a performance or hear music every night, and all within walking dis-

Applewhite commissioned from Tile &

tance,” Applewhite says. The vibrant arts scene stems from Santa Fe’s

the arbor with period corbels that frame a new outdoor fireplace and

extensive population of “ amazingly creative people—writers, artists,

two scalloped wall fountains. The weather-resistant wicker furniture is

musicians, actors and scientists.”

from J anus et Cie. H er colorful all-weather pillows are scattered along

Casita Alegria was once part of a H ispanic family compound that

Stone Concepts. She designed

built-in bancos, or benches.

included a main building, guesthouse and three outbuildings surround-

The patio’s dining table, made from the face of a French train sta-

ing a large swath of lawn rimmed by evergreen trees and a stucco wall.

tion clock, is a suitable symbol for the difference between the couple’s

Y ears ago, the main house was divided; Casita Alegria is the remaining

California and N ew Mexico worlds. “ In Santa Fe, there’s a much differ-

two-story, 2 ,3 0 0 -sq uare-foot back half. Its main fl oor consists of living,

ent pace than in Marin, where we lead such busy lives,” she says. “ O ne

dining and family rooms, the kitchen and a bathroom; upstairs are the

of the great things about going to Santa Fe is that life slows down.”

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FEBRUARY 2008

COLONIAL

MEXICO

STORY & PHOTOS BY KLAUS LARSEN

This year, instead

of spending our Mexico vacation at the beach with fruity drinks, we adventured inland to explore the country’s ancient colonial towns. We found a rich history, kind-hearted people who welcomed us as friends and an authentic character that has been preserved for centuries.

San Miguel de Allende captures the hearts of expats

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J OU RNE Y

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PAGE 76: Guanajuato

at dusk. CLOCKWISE FROM UPPER LEFT :

Golden churros and hot chocolate, a local treat; detail overlooking the Jardin with the Parroquia in the background, San Miguel; one of many local musicians; narrow streets of San Miguel de Allende at night.

AN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE WAS FOUNDED IN 1542

Since then, the American and Canadian expat population

and sits at 6 ,0 0 0 feet in the mountains about 10 0 miles

has grown to about 10 ,0 0 0 residents ( in a population of

north of Mexico City. W ith a pending U N ESCO

8 0 ,0 0 0 ) , who have decided that the mild mountain climate,

W orld

H eritage status, the town appears mostly as it did a century

MARIN

art scene and laid-back atmosphere suit them well.

ago: narrow cobblestone streets that wind through neigh-

W e spent our first week in a rented apartment a few min-

borhoods full of homes brightly painted in the Spanish co-

utes’ walk from the middle of town, commonly known as El

lonial style of its wealthy silver mining past.

J ardin, or the garden. The J ardin is San Miguel’s literal and

San Miguel received an infl ux of expatriates after W orld

psychological center; it is here that the heart of the place

W ar II, when many former G Is discovered their educa-

beats. Every day residents find time to sit on the wrought-iron

tion grants stretched further at the town’s 57 -year-old art

benches under the lush trees in the shadow of La P arroq uia,

school, Instituto Allende, than at home in the U nited States.

Church of St. Michael the Archangel ( constructed in 16 8 3 ) ,

FEBRUARY 2008

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GETTING THERE United ﬂies from San Francisco to Mexico City daily. From Mexico City, take a car service or bus to San Miguel (four hour drive). Or ﬂy from Oakland to Leon (BJX) via Mexicana or Continental Airlines. Again, take a shuttle or car service to San Miguel (one and onehalf hour drive).

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listening to mariachi bands and snacking on churros, sugary

Today, D olores H idalgo is known for its ice cream and

fried pastry dough. W hile clowns entertain the children, fl ower

beautiful handmade pottery. Ice cream vendors perch at

sellers and food vendors offer their wares.

all four corners of the central sq uare, and the fl avors are

O ne of San Miguel’s attractions is its thermal hot springs,

legendary—from shrimp to teq uila to avocado. D olores

located near the outskirts. Since San Miguel is a walking

H idalgo is one of the premier places in Mexico to buy

town ( serpentine cobblestone calles do not allow for much

Talavera pottery at a fraction of the prices in the U nited

parking) , a pampering trip to the hot springs after a long

States or even nearby San Miguel. The streets are lined

day of strolling and shopping is a must. A 10 -minute cab

with shops where you can see the artists at work, painting

ride will take you to La G ruta, a natural mineral spring with

with intricate glazes.

a man-made cave complete with waterfall. Its varying-temperature pools will melt your cares away.

Another interesting excursion is literally a trip through the underground past of San Miguel. Its silver mining his-

San Miguel is also an ideal starting point for day trips

tory has left behind historic mines that are open to the pub-

into nearby towns. O ne popular destination is D olores

lic. The La V alenciana Mine, started by the Spanish in 1558 ,

H idalgo, where in 18 10

the cry rang out that began

has played a major role in Mexican silver production and

Mexico’s war seeking independence from Spain and argu-

has a shop where you can find beautiful artisanal silver jew-

ably changed the course of history in N orth America.

elry at reasonable prices.

FEBRUARY 2008

After a week of exploring the streets of San Miguel,

see the mummified remains of residents whose relatives

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT

we checked into an apartment at our second destination,

were unable to pay rent on their tombs. It’s a bit gruesome,

ON OPPOSITE PAGE :

Guanajuato. Founded by the Spanish in the early 16th centu-

but nonetheless part of the colorful history of this place.

ry and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988, Guanajuato

Luckily for today’s locals, the practice of disinterring the

is the capital of the Mexican state of the same name. This is

impoverished dead ended in 1958.

more of a workers’ town than San Miguel, lacking that town’s

One of the common pleasures of walking through San

influx of foreigners but no less rich in culture or romance.

Miguel and Guanajuato is the enticing array of smells

The muralist Diego Rivera was born here in 1886; his home

around every corner. Fresh-baked pastries, homemade tor-

has been converted into a museum, a modest building now

tillas, fresh-cut flowers and slow-cooking carnitas beckon;

housing dozens of his original works, along with galleries

sidewalk taco stands and tamale vendors tempt. Yet more

with pieces by guest artists on rotating display.

ineffable attractions also permeate. Colonial Mexico has

No trip to Guanajuato is complete without a stroll down

much to offer those who venture beyond the beach: a deep

Calle de Besos (the Street of Kisses), a passageway so nar-

feeling of tradition and history bound with honor; respect

row that legend has it two lovers kept apart were able to

for family; a disarming friendliness that will entrance you;

kiss across the gap. Guanajuato is also home to Museo de

and a sense of magic and mystery that will bring you back

las Momias, or the Museum of Mummies, where you can

again and again.

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Local police dress in traditional garb; cast iron bench detail, San Miguel; multicolored homes light up at dusk, Guanajuato; dried ﬂowers for sale, San Miguel; father and son share a moment waiting for the local bus.

FEBRUARY 2008

GOING

EAST TO FIND THE WEST Arizona’s Valley of the Sun BY CORI BRETT

FOR ONE ACCUSTOMED TO THE DEEP TONES OF FOGHORNS

on the bay, the howls of coyotes were unnerving at first. My friends thought I was crazy to leave San Francisco for the wilds of Arizona—although Scottsdale isn’t exactly wilderness— but after 15 years of city life I was ready for a casual lifestyle, coyotes and all. Sunny Arizona looks pretty good in the dreary days of winter, so I’ve had my share of visitors. Two San Francisco friends who are passionate baseball fans invited me to tag along—in exchange for the use of my guest room—on their annual junket to Cactus League spring training. Baseball comes alive in the intimacy of a small ballpark. Eager little boys fall all over themselves, and everyone else, chasing foul balls—that is, when they’re not devouring man-size grilled bratwurst with mustard,

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FEBRUARY 2008

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

If You Go Cactus League spring training cactusleague.com Pinnacle Peak Patio pppatio.com 480.585.1599 Kazimierz World

Excellent weather and beautiful surroundings make the Phoenician golf course a favorite destination.

Wine Bar

peppers and onions spilling over the bun. We settled into

a relationship with Marrakech, which sent a delegation

the balmy afternoon, checked out the new players, and

to check us out. We took them to Pinnacle Peak Patio,

ganged up for autographs with all the other groupies.

a 50-year-old cowboy steak house in north Scottsdale.

kazbar.net 480.946.3004 Scottsdale

Another memorable weekend, my husband and I in-

Outdoor seating at a wooden picnic table with red-check-

Waterfront

troduced a group of Moroccan diplomats to Southwest

ered tablecloth, live country music, massive slabs of beef

scottsdalewater-

hospitality. He’s involved with the Scottsdale Sister Cities

grilling over fragrant mesquite—the setting was about

front.com

cultural exchange program and is working on forming

as authentic as you can get. Then the meal came and

480.421.2000

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FEBRUARY 2008

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

FIVE-STAR SAMPLINGS Locals have been known to check into one of the valley’s luxurious ﬁve-star resorts and make like tourists. My favorites at the moment are the Phoenician, for its elegance and glamour, the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch, for its fabulous water playground and 10 pools, and the legendary Arizona Biltmore, a part of Arizona history. The Biltmore was constructed in 1929 under the careful eye of consulting archi-

One of my best golf experiences was the day I was paired in a charity tournament with Alice Cooper, the musician.

tect Frank Lloyd Wright. I love to peruse the hallway featuring memorabilia from visiting stars of that era, like Marilyn Monroe

several of the Moroccans were served a plateful of charred cow-

and Clark Gable. Every U.S. president since Herbert Hoover has

boy boot. Their eyebrows rose, mouths dropped open, and then

stayed at the Biltmore. To learn more about Wright’s “organic ar-

laughter. They’d ordered their steaks well done. Not a good idea.

chitecture,” visit his Scottsdale winter home, Taliesin West, now a

We took the delegation to Old Town Scottsdale to hunt for sou-

working architectural school and open for tours. Arizona Biltmore

venirs. Small family shops here carry authentic western art, colorful woven rugs, Southwestern baskets, leather belts and, of course, silver and turquoise Native American jewelry and distinctive multicolored Zuni pieces. The Moroccans all bought cowboy hats. Lately, Old Town Scottsdale is becoming trendier. Cool nightspots like Kazimierz World Wine Bar on Stetson Street attract a hip crowd. Dimly lit, with live music Mondays and Thursdays, the bar is identified only by a heavy wooden door with a sign that reads “The Truth Is Inside.”

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FEBRUARY 2008

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

Go Tribal! While there are over 200 golf courses in the Valley of the Sun (Greater Phoenix), some of the best daily-fee courses are tribal-owned casino courses—designed by top golf Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West, in Scottsdale

architects, expertly managed and free of any encroaching real estate, and

Gently terraced grassy plazas with

experiences was the day I was paired in a

hence blessed with views of mountains

cascading fountains lead from Stetson to

charity tournament with Alice Cooper, the

and desert and wide-open spaces.

a wide pedestrian bridge that crosses the

musician. I had recently seen him in concert

Here are three local favorites.

Arizona Canal into the Waterfront area, with

with the Rolling Stones and it was hard

its new stores, restaurants and high-rise

to believe this down-to-earth serious golfer

luxury residences—developments that lend

was the same person who had rocked out

credence to Scottsdale’s nickname “Beverly

on the stage. We complimented him on the

Hills of the West.” Just across the street

unique silver coin he was using as a ball

We-Ko-Pa, owned by the Fort

is Scottsdale Fashion Square, the largest

marker. “Oh, this,” he said. “I just picked it

McDowell Yavapai Nation, wekopa.com

shopping destination in the Southwest.

up on my Australian tour last month. The

One reason I moved to Scottsdale is its

next one who gets a birdie can have it.”

reputation as a premier golf and resort

Lucky me, I got the birdie and the shiny

destination. And one of my best golf

silver coin!

click and be served.

Talking Stick Golf Club, owned by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, talkingstickgolfclub.com

Whirlwind Golf Club, owned by the Gila River Indian Reservation at Wild Horse Pass, whirlwindgolf.com

www.jessieetlaurent.com

We deliver fresh, savory entrées from our kitchen to your door. Visit our web site or call Jessie et Laurent for all of the details.

800-632-5869 San Francisco Peninsula Marin East Bay San Jose Sonoma

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

PLAY

The New High Flyers TRAPEZE IS ON THE UPSWING FOR BAY AREA FOLKS by michal lev-ram photos tim porter

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FEBRUARY 2008

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

izette Bumbesti has a busy schedule as a full-time hairstylist and mother of three. But at least four times a week, the 4 7 -year-old makes time to fl y through the air with the greatest of ease. The trapeze arts—various forms of aerial dance performed on a swinglike apparatus suspended anywhere from seven to 2 5 feet off the ground—are “ not your typical yoga or P ilates class,” the Corte Madera resident concedes. “ But it’s just something that grabs you and makes you want to keep coming back so you can get better and better at it.”

It may seem exotic, but Bumbesti’s not the only newcomer who’s hooked ( so to speak) . In fact, the part-acrobatics, part-

dance techniq ue has gained q uite a following in the Bay Area. Five gymnastic-oriented schools now offer classes: in San Francisco the popular Circus Center has been teaching aerial skills, as well as a number of other circus arts like juggling and acrobatics, since it opened in the mid-19 8 0 s. Canadian-born Luc Martin leads daily trapeze classes for students of all skill levels in his O akland-based school P angym, and instructor Marek K aszuba teaches enthusiasts on a private ranch in Sonoma every Saturday afternoon ( for more on local classes, see the box on page 8 9 ) .

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

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FEBRUARY 2008

Martin has been “flying” for over two decades and says his class enrollments have shot up significantly in recent years. Trapeze is “getting so trendy now,” he says. “I think Cirque du Soleil had a lot to do with popularizing it.” In fact, trapeze artistry has been around since the late 19th century, when it was created in France by Jules Léotard, a gymnastics teacher’s son who also invented the eponymous one-piece garb that’s become today’s de rigueur dancewear. The trapeze act soon became a mainstay of circuses worldwide. Nowadays, it’s usually performed by two or more people who use metal bars attached

Trapeze learners don’t all come from athletic backgrounds. Students range from Silicon Valley engineers to eight-year-olds to retirees seeking a new, exciting way to get their workout in. to cables to swing back and forth and catch each other midair. Martin says no special skills or equipment are needed to start learning the technique. “I actually specialize in beginners,” he adds, “taking normal people and preparing them for the trapeze.” Usually he starts by teaching a few basic maneuvers on the ground. Classes tend to be small—no more than 10 people—so each person receives lots of personal guidance. It takes on average one month before a student is ready to actually get up on the trapeze—attached to a safety line, at first. Flying with no strings attached can take a number of years to master. Trapeze learners don’t all come from athletic backgrounds, Martin points out; his students range from Silicon Valley engineers to eight-year-olds to retirees seeking a new, exciting way to get their workout in.

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FEBRUARY 2008

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

Bumbesti got turned on to trapeze by a friend who’d discovered it on a Club Med vacation. She quickly fell in love with the art and started practicing regularly. “Anyone can do it, no matter [what] age, body type and size,” says Bumbesti, who recently began performing professionally on the trapeze. She was 43 when she started learning with Martin and other teachers, and “I’m just going to keep doing it as long as I can.” Of course, if you’re scared of heights— safety line or no—you might opt for a seat on the bleachers. Luckily, more and more local venues are starting to showcase flying trapeze performances. Check out San Francisco’s Teatro ZinZanni, where you might catch Bumbesti and partner Darrel Morrow gracefully swinging back and forth above your head.

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MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

B OO K S

A WESTERN MAN In his new biography of Wallace Stegner, author Philip L. Fradkin continues his exploration of the history and mythic appeal of the West by samantha berry

nvironmental writer Philip L. Fradkin tells a good story about how he met Wallace

Stegner. Fradkin had just published A River No More: The Colorado River and

PIECE DE RESISTANCE

the West, what he calls his “first real book,” when he received a handwritten note from the famous author, who was then teaching at Stanford. The note informed him that Stegner was about to write a review of Fradkin’s “splendid book” for the New Republic. “It was my first real validation as a writer,” says Fradkin from his home in West Marin. “And here’s the master of the subject calling it a splendid book.

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FEBRUARY 2008

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Although they met in person only once, the two men sustained an intermittent correspondence until Stegner’s death in a car accident in 1993. It was later, while looking up Stegner’s file in the University of Utah archives, that Fradkin discovered Stegner had once nominat-

Diplomate: American Board of Plastic Surgery American Board of Surgery

ed him for a MacArthur “genius” fellowship. “I

American College of Surgeons, Fellow

didn’t receive that grant or any of the others

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

for which he wrote recommendations on my

Harvard Medical School, 1965, cum laude

behalf, but that certainly was not his fault,” he writes in the introduction to his new biography Wallace Stegner and the American West. It is no surprise that after 10 books on the

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West, Fradkin would take on Stegner as his

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subject. “He captured the West in the 20th cen-

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tury; he came to symbolize it,” Fradkin says. Although most people know Stegner as a prolific fiction writer and winner of the Pulitzer for his novel Angle of Repose, he should be remembered equally as a teacher and conservationist, Pradkin believes. “He was an incredible teacher of writers; he basically invented the idea that you could teach writing. He also became active in the conservationist movement. He got off his ass and did, and that is something few writers do [or] have done.” That the book came to be at all is, like many good ideas, a bit of a fluke. Fradkin hadn’t planned on writing a biography, much less one on Stegner. He had just finished his

“I wanted to do two things: write the story of a life, and explore how landscape shapes character, something I’ve always wri en about.” best-selling book The Great Earthquake and Firestorms of 1906: How San Francisco Nearly Destroyed Itself when he got a letter from Page Stegner, Wallace’s son, who was compiling his father’s correspondence into a book and wanted to know if Fradkin had any letters.

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MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

Unfortunately, Fradkin’s letters from Stegner had been lost in a house fire, but the conversation sparked an idea. “I called Page back and asked if he would help, if we could help each other.” Page Stegner agreed to the biography, but he didn’t want an academic or a puff-piece approach. Fradkin assured him that neither was his intent. “I wanted to do two things: write the story of a life, and explore how landscape shapes character, something I’ve always written about.” The result, published just in time for what would have been Stegner’s 99th birthday, is a book about a complex person whose life’s work is woven into the history, culture and future of the West. When asked what he thinks Stegner’s most important legacy is, Fradkin pauses. “People who read the book will come to their own conclusions. The grand total is unclassifiable. I can’t put him in a niche.”

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THE LOCAL TYPE Small Plates, Perfect Wines by Lori Lyn Narlock (Andrews McMeel, $17) Napa food writer Lori Lyn Narlock presents 50 small plate recipes from around the world, including grilled pork with plum sauce, lamb-filled roasted onions, and crab salad with remoulade. Each recipe is paired with a wine. A ward-winning Fairfax designer J ennifer Barry designed the book, which abounds with lush images and vivid colors. Gardening at the Dragon’s Gate by Wendy Johnson (Bantam, $25) For more than 30 years, Wendy J ohnson has been meditating and gardening at the G reen G ulch Farm Z en Center. Gardening at the Dragon’s Gate is part memoir by a passionate gardener, part master class in organic gardening, part meditation on the natural world. Illustrated throughout with beautiful line drawings by Davis TeSelle, it’ s a rich and uniq ue book in the tradition of Thoreau’ s Walden.

MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

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SPECIAL EVENT

GEOGRAPHY OF HOPE A Conference Celebrating Wallace Stegner

SANDRA BIRD DESIGNS

March 7–9, 2008 Point Reyes Station We simply need that wild country available to us, even if we never do more than drive to its edge and look in. For it can be a means of reassuring ourselves of our sanity as creatures, a part of the geography of hope. —from The Sound of Mountain Water by Wallace Stegner

A DESIGN BUILD FIRM

WHEN PHILIP L. FRADKIN told his friend

Steve Costa, owner of Point Reyes Books, about the publication of his new book on Stegner, Costa asked what he could do to help get the word out. What could have been another wineand-cheese book reading morphed into an entire weekend celebrating Stegner’s life and legacy as a chronicler, lover and protector of the West. The “Geography of Hope” conference was born. Literary luminaries such as Robert Hass, James D. Houston, William Kittredge and other writers, agents and thinkers will be on hand for lively talks, discussions, and readings. In addition to literary events, MALT, the Point Reyes National Seashore and other local movers and shakers will be leading field trips to explore the beautiful natural and agricultural riches of West Marin. Visit Straus Family Creamery, Tomales Bay Oyster Company, Black Mountain, Chimney Rock and other spectacular sites to discover why there is hope for Marin’s wildlands, wetlands, farms and ranches. For a complete schedule of events and to buy tickets, contact Point Reyes Books at ptreyesbooks.com or 415.663.1542. Proceeds from the conference will help fund the West Marin Writer-in-theSchools Program.

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MARIN

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PER F O RMING ARTS

Film Magic in Novato COUPLE TO LEAD DISCUSSION AT MARIN SYMPHONY EVENT BY SOMER FLAHERTY

MARCO AND TERRI D’AMBROSIO’S LIVES seem to affirm the

marketing director at the Marin Symphony, led to the cou-

notion of destiny, the belief that there’s some sort of fixed

ple being enlisted as guest speakers for the symphony’s

natural order to the universe. Take the night they first met,

“ Screen G ems” performances at Marin Center in San R afael.

by chance, back in 19 8 9 .

O n two nights in February, maestro Alasdair N eale will con-

“ W e met at a bar on the St. Mary’s college campus [ in

duct compositions that have become well-known theme mu-

Moraga] ” , Marco recalls. “ W e were both doing two things

sic for movies including Platoon, Trading Places, Chocolat,

we never do—go to a bar and [ watch] a sporting event.”

Schindler’s List, Fantasia and Stanley K ubrick’s 2001: A

MARIN

Space Odyssey ( one of Terri’s favorite soundtracks) . In their N ovato studio, Marco is an independent film

game) . They married in 19 9 1 and the next year started

composer, which given his classical background he com-

MarcoCo, a studio that provides music composition, sound

pares to “ having a suit made for you versus a suit bought

design, digital editing and more on the premises of a former

off the rack—my dad was a tailor.” O riginally from Italy,

cheese factory in N ovato.

he grew up attending festivals in Florence and playing the

Last spring another chance encounter, between Leslie

trumpet. Later, it was the music in movies that captivated

Ann J ones, the director of music and scoring at Skywalker

him. “ The film that got me hooked [ on movie scores] was

Sound ( where Marco has recorded) , and Suzanne N oe,

Blade Runner; it is a fascinating blend of synthesizers with

FEBRUARY 2008

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

P H OTO: TIM P ORTER

It was lucky for the film world that they were acting out of character that day ( Marco still has the ticket to the

orchestral instruments.” In 2000, Marco’s work on the anime film Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust garnered him an Anime Academy Award nomination for best score. Terri, who grew up in Santa Rosa, acts as studio manager and music supervisor, overseeing production and general business activities and handling all music licensing, from song placement to contract negotiation and administration. “She’s the boss,” says Marco. Terri reflects a moment and then agrees. “OK, I’m the boss,” she says with a laugh. Procuring a song for a film isn’t as easy as one might think. When director Josh Kornbluth desperately wanted the San Francisco Symphony’s version of Stravinsky’s Firebird for his new film Haiku Tunnel, Terri knew the independent film’s budget wouldn’t be able to cover it. She tried to persuade the director to choose a cheaper Eastern European orchestra’s rendition, but he wouldn’t budge. “He was attached to the San Francisco Symphony version and just couldn’t get past it,” says Terri. It didn’t help that the symphony

272 Bon Air Center, Greenbrae

(415) 461-1866

had just won a Grammy for its rendition and Michael Tilson Thomas wasn’t interested in giving the rights over to a film—for any price. The day before the movie was to be screened at Sundance, the music department had two different versions of the film ready, one using the Eastern European orchestra’s rendition and one using San Francisco’s. Hours before screening time, the department still didn’t give up. “We tracked down MTT at his mom’s house in Florida over the holidays and we got approval,” Terri recalls with a smile. Recently the d’Ambrosios worked on the score for a comedy starring Gary Cole and a documentary about the National GroceryBagging Competition. Marco also wrote the score for The Rape of Europa, the 2007 film about the Nazis’ widespread destruction of artworks, which was on the short list for an Oscar nomination for best documentary (and by press time may have been nominated). Their success has made them optimistic

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about the Bay Area’s future role in the entertain-

Call for Reservations 415.383.3223

ment industry. “It’s a place for creative indepen-

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

dence,” says Marco. “The arts matter here.”

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MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

CAL E N DA R

FEBRUARY ARTS & EVENTS GUIDE

Adaawe at Osher Marin JCC, February 23

THEATER

life, love and sex. Post Street Theatre (SF). 415.771.6900

Thru 3 Speed the Plow In David Mamet’s showbiz satire everything is on the line for Hollywood producer Bobby Gould, who has to choose between his friend and his stunning new secretary. American Conservatory Theater (SF). 415.749.2228, act-sf.org

Thru 17 The Cocktail Hour A playwright returns to his family with his newest play with an unflattering view of them, the martinis flow, sparks fly. Ross Valley Players Barn Theatre (Marin Art and Garden Center). 415.456.9555, rossvalleyplayers.com

Thru 24 She Saïd Playwright Kenneth Lin’s political thriller play jumps between time periods as two combatants seek to reveal the truth about the mysterious and indecipherable writing that lined Andre Saïd’s prison cell. Marin Theatre Company (Mill Valley). 415.388.5208, marintheatre.org

8—16 The Music Man The SFArtsEd Players, whose performers are ages 9 through 14, star in this story of Harold Hill, a con man whose scam is to convince parents he can teach their children to play musical instruments. Eureka Theatre (SF). 415.392.4400, sfartsed.org

COMEDY Tuesdays Mark Pitta and Friends The comic hosts an evening for up-and-comers and established headliners with new material. 142 Throckmorton Theatre (Mill Valley). 415.383.9600, 142throckmortontheatre.com

Shepherd stars in Bobby Goldman’s new comedy that follows the exploits of a widow whose modern adventures in Internet dating reveal unexpected truths about 96

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FEBRUARY 2008

Conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy and violinist James Ehnes perform. Join them for Off the Podium, an informal question-and-answer session immediately following the concert on February 2. Davies Symphony Hall (SF). 415.864.6000, sfsymphony.org

2 Spirit of Uganda Award-winning young performers of Uganda deliver a performance of traditional East African dances and hypnotic drumming to Marin audiences in this one-night-only event. Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

7—9 Ingo Metzmacher and Hélène Grimaud French pianist Hélène Grimaud performs Bartók’s last piano concerto. Davies Symphony Hall (SF). 415.864.6000, sfsymphony.org

MUSIC 1 Leahy This nine-member brother-and-sis-

Thru March 9 Curvy Window Cybill

1 & 2 Respighi’s Fountains of Rome

ter act from Canada is a triple-threat of ﬁddle-driven music, dance and song supported by keyboards and percussion. Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

9 Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano One of New York’s most popular cabaret duos, this husband-and-wife team performs songs by such other renowned pairs as Rodgers and Hart, Kern and Fields, Coleman and Leigh and others. Osher Marin JCC (San Rafael). 415.444.8000, marinjcc.org MARINMAGAZINE.COM

9 The Ten Tenors This Australian group delivers a mix of vocal power ranging from high-tone opera to jazz to modern and classic pop. Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6800 22 The Chieftains One of Ireland’s premier musical ambassadors and a force behind the worldwide appeal of Celtic music, the group features pipes, whistles, bodhrans, ﬁddles, ﬂutes and vocals. Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

The Season of the Silver Screen

23 Adaawe Seven diverse women sing, dance and play traditional African music. Osher Marin JCC (San Rafael). 415.444.8000, marinjcc.org

24 & 26 Screen Gems Maestro Neale conducts classical music compositions that became well-known themes from unforgettable ﬁlms. Marin Symphony (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marinsyphony.org

DANCE Thru 9 San Francisco Ballet The 75th anniversary season kicks off by paying homage to the legacy of Lew Christensen. Filling Station is a slice of Americana, brimming with humor, eccentric characters and exuberant dance. War Memorial Opera House (SF). 415.553.4658, sfballet.org

ScreenGems

Alasdair Neale conducts classical music themes from unforgettable films Sunday, February 24 and Tuesday, February 26, 2008, 7:30pm Strauss “Sunrise” from Also sprach Zarathustra (2001: A Space Odyssey) Mozart Overture to The Marriage of Figaro (Trading Places) Barber Adagio for Strings (Platoon) Beethoven First Movement from Symphony No. 5 (Immortal Beloved) Satie Deux Preludes posthumes et une Gnossienne (Chocolat) Williams Theme from “Schindler’s List” (Schindler’s List) Dukas The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (Fantasia) Holst Mars, Venus, Mercury and Jupiter from The Planets (The Right Stuff) Sponsored by Montecito Plaza Shopping Center, Peter Levi Plumbing and Wells Fargo

MARIN CENTER, SAN RAFAEL Tickets $27/$50/$65 (students half price) at 415.499.6800

miss this production of Romeo and Juliet in three acts, with music by Sergei Prokoﬁev and choreography by Serge Vikulov. Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

GALLERIES MARIN

Join us pre-concert for these informative and luscious events Sunday, February 24 and Tuesday February 26 (6:30pm), hear film score composer and music supervisor team Marco & Terri d’Ambrosio talk with the Maestro about the process that directors and producers go through when choosing music for their films.

PHOTO BY TIM PORTER

16 St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre Don’t

Tuesday, February 26 (5pm in the Green Room), join Marin Independent Journal Cuisine Scene columnist Leslie Harlib for a gourmet chocolate tasting featuring exclusive and unusual chocolate bars from Valrhona and fine port by ® Prager Winery and Port Works. ($25 per person; concert tickets sold separately.) Then hear music from the movie Chocolat. Call 415.479.8100 for tasting tickets.

Aperture f64 Gallery Fine art photography depicting black-and-white landscapes. 635 San Anselmo Ave, San Anselmo. 415.482.0480 Art Abloom Open juried show, Word for Word, thru February. 735 Sir Francis MARINMAGAZINE.COM

W W W . M A R I N S Y M P H O N Y. O R G

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FEBRUARY 2008

GALLERIES

Close Calls at Headlands Center for the Arts FROM JANUARY 13 THROUGH FEBRUARY 28, Headlands Center

for the Arts hosts its sixth annual Close Calls exhibition, a presentation honoring some of the talented applicants considered, but not selected, for its prestigious 2008 Artist in Residence program. Each year, Headlands ﬁelds scores of applications for artist residencies at its historic Fort Barry facilities nestled in the Marin Headlands. Just over two dozen participants are selected to receive on-site studios, but the caliber of ﬁnalists’ work is so high that Headlands inaugurated Close Calls as a showcase for those who narrowly missed the cut. Close Calls: 2008 features pieces by roughly 30 California artists working across a broad range of media, including painting, sculpture, new media and installation. In addition to presenting Artist in Residence finalists, the exhibition features finalists for Headlands’ Tournesol Award in Painting, which honors an emerging Bay Area painter with studio space for a year and a $10,000 stipend. Close Calls consistently offers a gratifying peek inside California’s emerging art scene, making it one of Headlands’ most popular annual events. Headlands will host a public reception for the exhibiting artists on February 3; contact the organization for details. Headlands Center for the Arts, 944 Fort Barry, Sausalito, 415.331.2787, headlands.org; 12–5 Tue–Fri and Sun, closed Mon and Sat

Glen Baxter at Modernism A DEFT BLEND OF HUMOR, INTELLIGENCE and eminently ap-

pealing aesthetics is the force that gives life to Glen Baxter’s artwork and maintains his standing among the top artists of his generation. Since the 1970s the British painter and draftsman has built a steady following that encompasses both art-world heavyweights—his work is in the collections of Tate Britain, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Centre Pompidou—and laypeople, with a penchant for wry wit. From January 17 through March 8 locals can get an eyeful of Baxter’s recent work at San Francisco’s Modernism gallery in a presentation titled Glen Baxter: The Obsidian Aspect. The exhibition includes a suite of paintings and drawings in Baxter’s trademark format: captioned panels that mimic old-fashioned comics. As in earlier work, Baxter invokes a cast of characters who frequently hail from mythic Americana and the British middle class, and he injects his depictions with a tongue-in-cheek, surrealist flourish—few other places would find cowboys discussing art theory or threatening gunfights over the mishandling of fine art. The playful marriage of intellectualism and accessibility lends Baxter’s work a popular appeal. It also renders the artist to be quite a likable bloke. The gallery hosts a public opening reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on January 17. Modernism, 685 Market St, Suite 290, San Francisco, 415.541.0461, modernisminc.com; 10–5:30 Tue–Sat, closed Sun–Mon

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FEBRUARY 2008

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Drake Blvd, San Anselmo. 415.256.1112, artabloom.com

Our covers. Your walls.

Artisan Art Gallery Ongoing work. 853 Fourth St, San Rafael. 415.460.5208, artisansartgallery.org

Now you can buy Marin Magazine covers for your home or ofﬁce. Available in various sizes, framed or unframed, with or without the Marin Magazine logo, these professional quality prints are a beautiful addition to any wall. Visit marinmagazine.com/coverart today.

Art League of Northern California It’s Photography III Digital and mixed media work on display and juried by Will Mosgrove, the director of graduate photography at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, thru March 2. 781 Hamilton Pkwy, Novato. 415.246.2541, artleagueofnortherncalifornia.org

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

Art Works Downtown New West Coast Design: The State-of-the-Art Quilt New pieces by artists who use quilting techniques in their work, thru February 28. 1337 Fourth St, San Rafael. 415.451.8119, artworksdowntown.org Claudia Chapline Gallery West Marin Color and Light Paintings Work by Judy Molyneux, February 2—24. 3445 Shoreline Hwy, Stinson Beach. 415.868.2308, cchapline.com

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FEBRUARY 2007 JUNE 2007

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APRIL 2007

Gallery Bergelli Ongoing work. 483 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur. 415.945.9454, gallerybergelli.com Marin Arts Council Over 800 pieces from the Curley Art Collection on exhibit and on sale at California Closets. Proceeds will create the Charles Curley Community Arts Grant Fund, thru March 20. 610 A Dubois St, San Rafael. 415.663.1347, galleryrouteone.org Marin Society of Artists Red Is This juried show features member artists, February 10— March 2. 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Ross. 415.454.9561, marinsocietyofartists.org O’Hanlon Center for the Arts For the Love of Fiber A juried show by Annie Styron Leonard, February 5—February 28. 616 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley. 415.388.4331, ohanloncenter.org Robert Green Fine Arts Ongoing work by contemporary modern masters. 154 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley. 415.381.8776, rgﬁnearts.com MARINMAGAZINE.COM

MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

Sam the Butcher Ongoing work. 19 Ross Common, Ross. 415.902.1019 Studio 333 Ongoing work. 333A Caledonia St, Sausalito. 415.331.8272, studio333.info The Art Bar Ongoing art exhibitions featuring wine pairings. Paintings by Kathleen Dunne feature scenes of Tuscany, Greece and Ireland. February wine proﬁts will be donated to the Milo Foundation. 34 Main St, Tiburon. 415.435.3999, theartbar.us The Painters Place More than Just Picture Framers Various work done by employees, thru February. 1139 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur. 415.461.0351, thepaintersplace.com

SAN FRANCISCO Berggruen Gallery Work by Iranian artist Y. Z. Kami, thru February 5. 228 Grant Ave, 415.781.4629, berggruen.com Caldwell Snyder Gallery Abstract work by Jason Rohls, February 7 thru February 28. 341 Sutter St, 415.296.7896, caldwellsnyder.com

Hang Art and Hang Art Annex Ongoing work. 556 & 567 Sutter St, 415.434.4264, hangart.com

Elins Eagles Smith Gallery Theophilus Brown, A Painter’s Life Painting, drawings and collages from 1956 to the present on display, February 2 thru February 29. 49 Geary St, 415.981.1080, eesgallery.com Gallery Paule Anglim Work by Paul Kos, thru February 2. 14 Geary St, 415.433.2710, gallerypauleanglim.com

Linda Saytes A new San Francisco Golden Gate fog series, thru February. Hunters Point Shipyard, Bldg 101, Studio 2120, 415.824.5756, saytesart.com Meyerovich Gallery Contemporary Masters Work by Hockney, Frankenthaler, Lichtenstein, Rauschenberg and Ruscha. Modern Masters Work by Picasso, Matisse and others. Russian Artists Work by Bruskin, Chemiakin and others, thru February. Work by Sam Francis also on display. 251 Post St, 415.421.7171, meyerovich.com

George Krevsky Gallery Originally from Chicago, artist Maurice Lapp moved to Northern California, where he continued to paint and teach at a local art school. Don’t miss this exhibit of paintings by the artist, February 7—March 15. 77 Geary St, 415.397.9748, georgekrevskygallery.com Gregory Lind Gallery Work by Englandborn Seth Cohen, thru March 1. 49 Geary St, 415.296.9661, gregorylindgallery.com Hackett-Freedman Gallery Drawing Space in Colour A solo exhibition of paintings by British modernist Patrick Heron, thru March 1. 250 Sutter St, 415.362.7152, hackettfreedman.com

Newmark Gallery Contemporary American and European Art Works on paper, etchings, aquatints, pastels and prints by Toru Sugita, Marianne Mitchell, Larry Morace, Ilan Laks, Pierre Merkl and Anna Mir. Abstract works by West Coast and Western European artists, thru March 1. 251 Post St, Ste 412, 415.392.3692, newmarkgallery.com

483 Magnolia Avenue / Larkspur 415.945.9454 www.bergelli.com Andreas AndreasNottebohm NottebohmKN-1689 KN-168942” 42”x x60” 60”Oil Oilon onAluminum Aluminum

100

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Rena Bransten Gallery Works on paper by award-winning Bay Area artist and teacherRebeca Bollinger, thru January 12. 77 Geary St, 415.982.3292, renabranstengallery.com

MUSEUMS MARIN Bolinas Museum Sculpting the Land Works by Dan McCormick, by Jack Welpott and by Elia Haworth, thru February (Bolinas). 415.868.0330, bolinasmuseum.org Falkirk Cultural Center The Art of Glass Works by artists Enrique Goldenberg, Duncan House, Michael Sosin and Penelope Comfort Starr reveal the beauty of glass. The four artists explore the capabilities of glass through sandblasting, cutting, laminating and fusing, thru March 15 (San Rafael). 415.485.3328, falkirkculturalcenter.org Marin History Museum Riding the Rails Discover the fascinating story of trains in Marin County as this exhibition celebrates the railroad boom from the ﬁrst tracks laid

by the North Paciﬁc Coast Railroad to the bustling days of the Northwester Paciﬁc passenger and freight service, thru April 12 (San Rafael). 415.454.8538, marinhistory.org Marin Museum of the American Indian Masks of the Americas A combined exhibit of contemporary and traditional Native American and Southwest masks by the museum and California artist Becky Olvera Schultz, thru April 20 (Novato). 415.897.4064, marinindian.com

BAY AREA Asian Art Museum Later Chinese Jades: Ming Dynasty to Early 20th Century View 73 examples of later Chinese jades, presented in a special installation to coincide with the publication of a major catalog documenting the museum’s collection (SF). 415.581.3500, asianart.org de Young Chim: The Photography of David Seymour Included in this exhibition are compelling portraits of Pablo Picasso, Peggy Guggenheim, Bernard Berenson, Arturo Toscanini, Ingrid Bergman, Kirk Douglas and

Audrey Hepburn, thru February 24 (SF). 415.863.3330, thinker.org di Rosa Preserve MFA Selections: A Salute to Bay Area Emerging Artists Continuing the tradition set by preserve founder Rene di Rosa of discovering and supporting new talent, the MFA exhibition showcases the work of eight artists who recently earned their MFA degrees at Bay Area schools, thru March 15 (Napa). 707.226.5991, dirosapreserve.org Exploratorium The Search for Universals in Human Emotion Ekman is one of the most inﬂuential psychologists of the 20th century; this Exploratorium-only exhibition focuses on his photographic study of human facial expressions, which has had a powerful impact on the understanding of both our emotions and our evolutionary history, thru April 27, Exploratorium (SF). 415.561.0377, exploratorium.edu Legion of Honor Marie Antoinette and the Petit Trianon at Versailles Upon her accession, the Austrian-born queen was given the Petit Trianon, a small château at

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1-877-457-7423 (801) 489-6852 38 WEST 200 SOUTH SPRINGVILLE, UT 84663

At last the wait is over! Introducing the

Puffed Up Princess P The perfect companion for yourPrince! Much of my work is characterized by figures of children enraptured in the joys of childhood. Every once in a while it’s a fun challenge to ‘break the mold’, so to speak, on traditional figure sculpture and create a piece of pure whimsy. A few years ago I created such a piece titled Puffed Up Prince; a spherical frog, boasting a royal crown, to delight you and your guests. He always seemed to be a bit lonely, so I decided to create for him a companion to share his love and life with and to bring happiness and joy to your life as well. My Puffed Up Princess is adorned with a royal crown, lavish rings, bracelets, and earrings, and boasts the most beautiful set of ‘frog lips’ you will ever see. Alone, or with her Prince, she brings a touch of royal opulence to her surroundings. I offer to you my enchantress, the Puffed Up Princess, for your home and garden and for your absolute enjoyment.

Please visit our website at

www.garyleeprice.com or at New Masters Gallery in Carmel MARINMAGAZINE.COM

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Versailles. The exhibition features 88 items from the residence, thru February 17 (SF). 415.863.3330, legionofhonor.org

EVENTS Sundays Boomercize Classes This low-impact fitness program features dance steps and music from The American Bandstand hit parade. Marci Judelson leads the onehour workout. Presidio Dance Theater (SF). 415.608.4503, boomercize.com January 31 Snow Leopard Benefit Attend this fundraiser and first-ever showing of the BBC/Planet Earth snow leopard movie by Felidae Conservation Fund. Lark Theater (Larkspur). 415.315.9625, felidaefund.org

Thru 28 Faces of India Follow one man’s photographic journey through three trips to this exotic country and the haunting pictures of the people he befriended throughout his travels. Marin JCC (SF). 415.444.8000, marinjcc.org

Thru April 30 Kids With Cameras The organization behind the documentary Born into Brothels has given 24 Jewish and Palestinian children cameras and photography lessons and then sent them out to photograph Jerusalem’s Old City. Katz Snyder Gallery, JCCSF (SF). 415.292.1200, jccsf.org 1 WildCare Gala Join the nonproﬁt for a night in the wild with wine and hors d’oeuvres, a gourmet dinner catered by Dan McCall and dancing to the band Swing Fever. 415.453.1000, wildcaremarin.org 8—10 Tribal and Textile Show Sculptures, accessories and antiques from more than 100 international dealers are on display. Fort Mason Center (SF). 310.455.2886, caskeylees.com

9 Mushroom Mania See, touch and taste all things mushroom at this annual event, which includes lectures, slide shows and cooking demonstrations. Marin Art & Garden Center (Ross). 415.455.5263, maagc.org

16 Wine Competition The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition features tastings of some of the country’s best wine. Also 102

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including artisan food purveyors, including meats, exotic oils, handcrafted cheeses, desserts, ﬂoral jams and more. Fort Mason Center (SF). 415.345.7575, winejudging.com

20 Hiking Slide Show Well-known hiking authority Peter Potterﬁeld hosts a slide show tour of some of the best hiking in New Zealand. The event also includes a book signing, a rafﬂe and a chance to win a trip to New Zealand. REI (Corte Madera). 415.927.1938, classichikes.com

MARIN BEAUTIFUL Dr. David W. Kim and the Division of Facial Plastic Surgery at UCSF are pleased to announce the opening of our Marin office beginning January, 2008. We hope to bring the quality for which UCSF is known to your backyard in Marin. Please call for a consultation or visit online at www.dkimmd.com.

20 Operation Smile Join Complexion Clinics’ Dr. Steve Ronan as he presents his project review from his trip to Guatemala with Operation Kids charity. Complexion Clinics (Sausalito). 415.331.5060

Announcing Our New Office 1300 South Eliseo Drive, Suite 204 Greenbrae, CA 94904 (415) 885-7700

22 Marin Moonshiners Join the group for their monthly three-mile hike to experience the sunset, moonrise, a campﬁre and socializing. Bring a picnic and ﬂashlight. The Pelican Inn (Muir Beach). 415.331.0100, whatshappeningcalendar.com

DavidKIMMD F a c i a l

24 Oscar Night America Attendees will see the 80th Academy Awards show via a live broadcast and enjoy hors d’oeuvres, a gourmet boxed dinner and cocktails. The event will also feature a silent auction and preview of selected Academy Award–nominated short ﬁlms. Smith Rafael Film Center (San Rafael). 415.383.5256, caﬁlm.org

A e s t h e t i c s

27 Noonan’s Bar and Grill Join fellow wine lovers for an evening of tasting from Heitz Cellars and a specially paired menu created by Noonan’s chef. 415.464.8711, noonansbarandgrill.com

INT

WINE COUNTRY 2—3 Orchid Show and Sale The Sonoma County Orchid Society sponsors this annual show. Santa Rosa Veterans Building (Santa Rosa). 707.887.2412

7 International Guitar Night Known as one of the longest-running mobile guitar festivals in North America, the event features three well-regarded acoustic guitarists: Clive Carroll, D’Gary and Miguel de la Bastide. Sebastopol Community Center (Sebastopol). 707.823.1511 MARINMAGAZINE.COM

UCSF Facial Plastic Surgery Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery 2330 Post Street, 5th Floor San Francisco, CA 94115 (415) 885-7700 www.dkimmd.com David W. Kim, MD

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travel buzz

local spa deals

Calistoga Ranch During February and March, the resort is offering overnight accommodations, a four-course dinner for two and a leather-bound wine journal. Prices begin at $845 (Calistoga). 707.254.2800, calistogaranch.com

Acacia Salon and Day Spa Enjoy the Detox Aromatherapy Wrap, which includes a Vichy shower and soothing massage, $150 (San Rafael). 415.453.8899

Dr. Wilkinson’s Hot Springs Resort Indulge in the Muddy Love Platinum package, which includes overnight lodging, a mud bath for two, a bottle of sparkling wine and chocolates, two plush robes to take home and a $100 gift certiﬁcate for Brannan’s Grill. $650, Sunday thru Thursday, February 3—28 (Calistoga). 707.942.4102, drwilkinson.com Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa Celebrate wine and olives with an overnight accommodation, two spa treatments, two olive martinis and a holiday s’mores kit. Rates start at $479 per night, thru February (Sonoma). Contact reservations at 707.938.9000, fairmont.com/sonoma MacArthur Place The Ultimate Red Valentine’s Day special includes a garden spa suite, a welcome bottle of wine presented with a pair of Reidel glasses, a four-course dinner for two, a grape seed bath and massage and breakfast in bed. $1,500—$2,200 (Sonoma). 707.938.2929, macarthurplace.com Nick’s Cove This month try the Winter Romance package, which features deluxe accommodations, a welcome basket, a $100 dining credit, breakfast in bed and a picnic lunch. $495 (Tomales Bay). 415.663.1033, nickscove.com Sonoma Valley Inn & Spa Enjoy the Olive You Couples package, which includes onenight in a Mission Jacuzzi suite, a one-hour massage for two, olive oil spa gift and olive festival souvenir. $383—$416 (Sonoma). 707.938.9200, sonomavalleyinn.com The Lodge at Sonoma Try the Olive Festival package, which includes one night in a lodge room, a $50 dinner credit for Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar and a 50-minute rejuvenating olive oil salt scrub. $349 per night (Sonoma). 866.263.0758, thelodgeatsonoma.com 104

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Acqua Med Spa Buy a laser hair removal package and receive the second package at 50 percent off. The spa also offers $100 off ﬁve Acqua Med Spa facials (San Rafael). 415.460.1204 Bliss SF In February, the internationally known spa and signature skincare company launches The Youth As We Know It line in their Bay Area location. Based off their bestselling moisture cream, the line features a concentrate, cleanser, eye cream and toner (SF). 415.281.0990, blissworld.com Champagne Day Spa In the former Salon One Day Spa space, new owner Maggie Champagne offers a complimentary glass of what else—champagne—with your treatment (Tiburon). 415.380.9111 Evo Spa Add on a three-part eye treament from organic skin care line Eminence to any facial for $30 (Mill Valley). 415.383.3223, evo-spa.com Garden Spa at MacArthur Place Through February, head to the Garden Spa, reserve any 50-minute massage and receive a 50minute Sonoma olive oil body polish at 50 percent off (Sonoma). 707.938.2929, macarthurplace.com International Orange Save 15 percent when you book two 60-minute massages for the same day. Offer valid Monday thru Friday, thru February (SF). 800.839.3856, internationalorange.com Raindance Spa at the Lodge at Sonoma Thru February, treat yourself to silky skin with an olive oil body ritual, which includes a made-in-Sonoma olive oil and salt scrub and a full-body aromatherapy olive oil Swedish-style massage, 100 minutes, $240 (Sonoma). 707.931.2034, raindancespa.com Remède Spa at the St. Regis In February, enjoy the shared indulgence couples’ package, which includes a Remède customized

couples’ massage and facial with a warm foot wrap, foot and scalp massages and eye and lip treatments for two, $540 (SF). 415.284.4060, remede.com SenSpa Pamper your valentine with the Whole Body Dip. After a soak in the hydrotherapy tub, guests are treated to an 80minute massage with chocolate and grape seed oil, $265. The Facial Foreplay package includes a rose-vanilla footbath, a diamond peel micro-dermabrasion, a back and shoulder massage and a lip treatment, 90 minutes for $275 (SF). 415.441.1777, senspa.com Stellar Spa Try the organic phytoestrogen firming facial, which uses clover, flaxseed, hops and yucca to help women over 35 combat premature signs of aging and minimize menopausal skin conditions. The deep-cleansing facial includes a steam treatment, a neck, shoulder and scalp massage and an organic plant-based mask, thru March; 60 minutes, $150 (Corte Madera). 415.924.7300, stellarspa.com The Carneros Inn The day spa package includes a choice of a Huichica Creek Bath or a pedicure, a warm goat butter massage, a spa lunch at the Hilltop Dining Room, a facial, and use of a guest cottage, pools, gym and fitness classes for the day $445 (Napa). 707.299.4900, thecarnerosinn.com The Sanctuary Spa at Bay Club Marin Indulge in the Hollywood Facial from Sonya Dakar, which utilizes botanical-based products to help clear acne, refine the skin’s texture and smooth fine lines and wrinkles, $95 to $115; or try the toxin eliminating Ayurvedic massage, $100 to $110. Thru February, receive 15 percent off either treatment or book both on the same day for 25 percent off. (Corte Madera). 415.945.3030, bayclubmarin.com/spa The Spa at Hotel Healdsburg Sunday through Friday enjoy a spa retreat complete with one night’s accommodation and two spa treatments, $425. Or opt for the romance package, which includes two nights in a suite, a massage and herbal soak, champagne and chocolate truffles and a chef’s tasting menu at Dry Creek Kitchen, $1,172—$1,402 (Healdsburg). 800.889.7188, hotelhealdsburg.com MARINMAGAZINE.COM

INSIDER’S GUIDE

DINE OUT CORTE MADERA BENISSIMO Italian Benissimo…means “really really good” in Italian. From margherita pizza to veal parmagiana to mocha mud pie, Benissimo serves a taste of Italy in a casual neighborhood venue. 18 Tamalpais Dr, 415.927.2316 benissimos.com CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN Cal/Eclectic Be prepared for chaos. Easy place to meet with kids; Mom/Dad can enjoy a tasty Thai crunch salad and decent glass of wine while the little ones feast on basic kid-size portions of pasta and pizza. 347 Corte Madera Town Center, 415.945.0401 IL FORNAIO Italian Sausalito’s Larry Mindel hit a home run with this upscale Italian 23-restaurant franchise. Besides the award-winning breads, pizzas and pastas, the menu boasts a variety of salads and noncarb entrées. 223 Corte Madera Town Center, 415.927.4400, ilfornaio.com IZZY’S STEAKS & CHOP HOUSE American The legendary San Francisco steak house has moved north. Known for great steaks and seafood as well as its ﬁne wine selection, this is a great spot for a group or intimate dinner for two. 55 Tamal Vista, 415.924.3366, izzyssteaksandchops.com LA MAISON DE LA REINE Vietnamese A refreshing change amid the plethora of Italian, Mexican and Chinese options. The crunchy cabbage chicken salad with peanuts, fresh spring rolls, and combinations of pho are delicious. 346 Corte Madera Town Center, 415.927.0288 MARIN JOE’S Italian Pasta and other Italian dishes have been served up here for over 50 years. Pick from soup, salad, seafood mesquitegrilled or sautéed meats and over 10 pasta options guaranteed to satisfy. Have a drink and hear local musicians at the well-known piano bar. 1585 Casa Buena Dr, 415.924.2081, marinjoesrestaurant.com MAX’S CAFE American Located across from Town Center, Max’s is renowned for casual ambience and large portions. The menu changes with the season but features year-round favorites like matzo ball soup and BLTs. Besides decadent portions or comfort food and desserts, the menu also offers seasonable local produce and healthy items too. 60 Madera Blvd, 415.924.6297, maxsworld.com

Would you spend 30 minutes to turn back the clock 5 years? Remember baby oil and zero SPF? Help reduce the toll the sun and aging has taken on your skin. Introducing ActiveFXFractional Skin Resurfacing from Lumenis Experience dramatic improvement in skin tone, texture and tightening1 in a single treatment with a short 4-7 day downtime. Please contact our ofﬁce to ﬁnd out how this latest advancement in laser technology can work for you.

Complexion Clinics Medical Spa Stephen J Ronan MD, FACS Board Certiﬁed Plastic Surgeon 302 Caledonia St., Ste 4 Sausalito, CA 415-331-5060 complexionclinics.com

PACIFIC CATCH Pan-Asian This well-priced fresh grill eatery offers a bounty of Paciﬁc Rim—inspired small or main plates, like the generously portioned wasabi bowls filled with rice (white or brown), veggies and your choice of fresh or raw fish, chicken or beef. 223 Corte Madera Town Center, 415.927.3474, paciﬁccatch.com MARINMAGAZINE.COM

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F LAVO R

BRIAN BEACH Yankee Pier, Larkspur “The allure of raw oysters is unmistakable and the best advice I could

LOVING LOCAL OYSTERS

WHITNEY GAUNT Fish, Sausalito “The ideal oyster preparation

offer regarding their preparation is to be very picky about the quality of your oysters — you should always take interest in where your oysters are originating from to assure that they are not coming from polluted or unsafe areas. Although

dozen raw, smoked, baked, boiled, fried,

a clean, fresh oyster is hard

lemons, a corkscrew, a

MARK FRANZ

bottle of Muscadet on ice

Nick’s Cove and Cottages,

and head to the shore. The

Tomales Bay

pickled or barbecued locally harvested

best oysters are right out of

“When buying oysters, there is

oysters? And the aphrodisiac rep? One

trements with their oys-

the water, right out of the

only one rule: buy the fresh-

possibility is oysters’ high zinc content — a

ters (such as mignonette

shell—all else borders on

est you can find. No amount

travesty. Not to say there

of culinary expertise can help

necessary mineral to stimulate testoster-

aren’t a few good dishes out

a bad oyster, so shop well.

one production. Raw oysters are like fine

there (those of New Orleans,

Barbecued are great, and fried

wines, each with complex flavors that

say) but the key is to keep

tempting, but if you’ve gone to

it simple and not overpower

the trouble of buying beautiful

the delicacy of ‘the prince

fresh oysters, shuck ’em and

of bivalves.’”

slurp ’em down.”

vary among the regions. Take these tips from area chefs to get the perfect one. —SOMER FLAHERTY

to improve upon, some people do like to use accou-

or Tabasco sauce), but it is best to use only a few drops of these types of sauces so as not to overwhelm the oyster’s naturally delicate flavor. Of course, a glass of crisp white wine or champagne doesn’t hurt either!”

“He was a bold man that ﬁrst ate an oyster.” 106

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—JONATHAN SWIFT

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

PH OTO CRED IT: GAUNT AND BEACH / SHERI M ONTG OMERY

is to pack an oyster knife,

T H I S VA L E N T I N E ’ S DAY, why not share a

FAIRFAX CAFE AMSTERDAM American-European The former Broadway Video store is now a cozy spot to enjoy live music, a weekend brunch, dining on the heated patio and a large selection of local beers on tap. 23 Broadway, 415.256.8020, cafeamsterdamlive.com DEER PARK VILLA Italian This “best place for a party” (Paciﬁc Sun) sits on four garden acres; the Ghiringhelli family has been turning out Italian favorites here since 1937. Come for the famous veal parmesan—or your next big celebration. 367 Bolinas Rd, 415.456.8084, deerparkvilla.com

Enjoy casual dining in our new Sausalito location. We have the old favorites you expect and new dishes you’ll want to try. Visit us today!

Private Room Happy Hour Live Music Catering

IRON SPRINGS PUB & BREWERY American Grab a beer and a grilled portobello mushroom sandwich—which one Chronicle reviewer calls “the best mushroom dish I have ever tasted”—at the former Ross Valley Brewing Company. 765-A Center Blvd, 415.485.1005, ironspringspub.com SORELLA CAFÉ Italian Not only is the food satisfying and tasty; the service is friendly and the ambience is warm and inviting. 107 Bolinas Rd, 415.258.4520

KENTFIELD HALF DAY CAFE American A tucked-away setting of intertwining ivy and great white windows makes the perfect breakfast nook. The setting is casual but elegant; the menu includes lattes, exceptional pastries and much more. Dine on the outdoor patio or inside where the view is just as divine. 848 College Ave, 415.459.0291

www.SaylorsRestaurantandBar.com ~ (415) 332-1512 ~ 2009 Bridgeway, Sausalito

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WILLIE’S CAFE American Stop here for down-toearth atmosphere and reasonable prices. This cozy spot offers breakfast, lunch and dinner; favorites include corn pancakes and veggie frittata. 799 College Ave, 415.455.9455

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LARKSPUR CAFE Z American A pleasant surprise in the Bon Air shopping mall. Dishes like grilled chicken pesto pianni and savory crepes have quickly made this intimate spot a local favorite, and inventive meals keep people coming back for more (Greenbrae). 282 Bon Air Center, 415.461-9444, cafez.com E & 0 TRADING COMPANY Southeast Asian Chef Edwin Cabriloa-Torres is keeping the restaurant’s innovative plates like Indonesian corn fritters and Thai seafood clay pot as tasty as ever. Without reservations, try a spot at the large communal table. 2231 Larkspur Landing Circle, 415.925.0303, eotrading.com EMPORIO RULLI Italian Pastry chef Gary Rulli is renowned for his Northern Italian specialties and treats. The Larkspur location (there are three others) is a popular spot for lunch as well as coffee and a sweet. 464 Magnolia Ave, 415.924.7478, rulli.com MARINMAGAZINE.COM

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LARK CREEK INN American This flagship eatery for the Lark Creek Restaurant Group opened back in 1989 and was hailed by the New York Times as having “the best home cooking you can imagine.” It remains a perennial special occasion spot and is still known for inventive country cooking—as well as a cozy bar scene. 234 Magnolia Ave, 415.924.7766, larkcreek.com LEFT BANK RESTAURANT French Known for award-winning French cuisine and its lively brasserie ambience, this corner spot has rated high with local for well over a decade. Those with a petite appetite/budget can opt for happy hour (4–6 M–F) and enjoy appetizers, all priced under three dollars. 507 Magnolia Ave, 415.927.3331, leftbank.com MARIN BREWING CO American Grab a cold beer made right on site and pair it with fish and chips—fresh cod dipped in Mt. Tam pale ale batter, served with steak fries and homemade tartar sauce. 1809 Larkspur Landing Circle, 415.461.4677, marinbrewing.com PICCO California Chef and celebrated restaurateur Bruce Hill deserves the accolades he has received for this eclectic shared-plate heaven. Dishes like mini-burgers and seasonally driven menu items, along with risotto made every half hour, keep people coming back. The Picco Pizzeria and Wine Bar next door is cozy (not many seats) but already famous for its wood-fired pizzas, great wine selection and soft-serve Straus Family Creamery ice cream. 320 Magnolia Ave, 415.924.0300, restaurantpicco.com RUSTIC BAKERY California Organic mouthwatering pastries, breads, and sandwiches are on the menu here. The Meyer lemon mascarpone danish and the bacon, avocado and heirloom tomato sandwich with mesclun are perennial temptations. 1139 Magnolia Ave, 415.925.1556, rusticbakery.com TABLE CAFÉ Indian/American Indian-inspired cafe offers a unique menu featuring entirely organic ingredients. Dishes include seasonal salads, incredible soups and fresh juices. The specialty of the house is dosia, filled with a variety of ingredients and served with savory homemade chutneys. You can also take home a choice of three or four gourmet dinners freshly packed daily. 1167 Magnolia Ave 415.461.6787 RUSTIC BAKERY California Organic mouthwatering pastries, breads, and sandwiches are on the menu here. The Meyer lemon mascarpone danish and the bacon, avocado and heirloom tomato sandwich with mesclun are perennial temptations. 1139 Magnolia Ave, 415.925.1556, rusticbakery.com THE MELTING POT French Just across the street from the Larkspur Ferry terminal is a round red-brick haven for fondue fans. Share the “Big Night Out” feast featuring chef’s specialties, or design your own spread with cheese fondue, salad, choice of meat entrée and chocolate fondue dessert. 125 E. Sir Francis Drake Blvd, 415.461.6358, themeltingpot.com 108

MARIN FEBRUARY 2008

YANKEE PIER American This family-friendly casual clam shack is harbored in a quaint house built in 1924 as a private residence. Though known for beer-battered ﬁsh’n’ chips, clam chowder and tasty salads, Yankee Pier serves fresh seafood delivered daily from both coasts with special dishes by renowned chef Anthony Bowman. 286 Magnolia Ave, 415.924.7676, yankeepier.com

MILL VALLEY BUCKEYE ROADHOUSE American Oysters Bingo, baby back ribs and chili-lime “brick” chicken are a few of the satisfying, comfort-food-type menu items that have made this classic roadhouse a favorite since the ’30s. The warm dark-wooded bar with red leather booths is a popular spot for cocktails, conversations or a light meal. 15 Shoreline Hwy, 415.331.2600, buckeyeroadhouse.com BUNGALOW 44 American Much like sister restaurant Buckeye Roadhouse, Bungalow 44 offers a mean dose of homey carbo- and lipidladen dishes, such as the burger, fried chicken and truffle fries, as well as a few lighter items. The bar is a neighborhood favorite, serving up tasty spirits and eye candy. 44 E. Blithedale Ave, 415.381.2500, bungalow44.com CACTUS CAFE AND TAQUERIA Mexican Recently under new management; the food is better than ever. They still offer the lunchtime bargain burrito, as well as fish tacos and Caesar salads with grilled chicken or shrimp. Be sure to opt for the diablo sauce on enchiladas and burritos. 393 Miller Ave, 415.388-8226 CAFE DEL SOUL California Beware of addiction. Once you stop in for the deliciously fresh Hummus Yummus wrap, you’ll have to come back to sample the chipotle Sunrise Rice Bowl; then it will be the Thai It Up wrap with peanut sauce washed down with ginger limeade that brings you back, and so on. Casual lunch spot, great for takeout. 247 Shoreline Hwy, 415.388.1852, cafedelsoul.net DIPSEA CAFE Comfort One word: biscuits. This longtime breakfast spot has been serving up tasty pancakes and egg dishes with homemade biscuits since 1986. Try a biscuit with a poached egg, a biscuit with sausage –or just plain butter. Lunch specialties include BLTs and tuna melts and generous Cobb salads. Now serving dinner. 200 Shoreline Hway. 415.381.0298, dipseacafe.com EL PASEO French Keiko Takahashi, a prominent Tokyo chef known for her modern French cuisine, transports her flair to Mill Valley. With a cottagelike feeling, this fine dining restaurant serves meals that are nothing less than exquisite. Reservations recommended. 17 Throckmorton Ave, 415.388.0741, elpaseorestaurant.com FRANTOIO RISTORANTE ITALIANO Italian Known for its in-house olive press, superior olive oil and excellent Italian cuisine, this is a great location for large groups. Ask to sit in the press room for private parties. 152 Shoreline Hwy, 415.289.5777, frantoio.com

INDIA PALACE Indian Known as “that great restaurant in the Travelodge,” India Palace is a favorite among the takeout crowd; however, eating on site is a treat too. 707 Redwood Hwy, 415.388.3350 LA GINESTRA Italian A favorite family spot for over 30 years; getting a table or booth can take a while. While this old-school Italian eatery is known for traditional pastas, veal dishes, pizzas and dry martinis, the familiar wait staff is also part of the attraction. 127 Throckmorton Ave, 415.388.0224 ORA Pan-Asian An inventive small and large plate menu mixed with an impressive wine list and original bar menu, including sake flights. It’s an easy place to pop in for a drink and bite to eat, but call ahead for large groups. 24 Sunnyside Ave, 415.381.7500. oramv.com PIAZZA D’ANGELO Italian It’s always a party at this long-standing hot spot. A great place to meet up with friends for a fresh plate of pasta, zuppa di pesce or pollo novello, or make some new friends at the bar. 22 Miller Ave, 415.388.2000, piazzadangelo.com PIATTI RISTORANTE AND BAR Italian Reopened, after an extensive remodel, with chef Chris Fernandez onboard leading the kitchen with a menu coinciding with seasonal food from local producers. The crudo and pizza is not to be missed. 625 Redwood Hwy, 415.380.2525, piatti.com RAIN TREE CAFÉ American/Homestyle In the newly remodeled Strawberry Village shopping center wonderful American fare: soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches and gourmet crepes. Savor the Mill Valley Crepe: smoked salmon, capers, spinach, and Dijon in a fresh warm wrap. Breakfast is served all day. 610 Strawberry Village, 415.380.8886, caferaintree.com SMALL SHED FLATBREADS California As a slow food chef, Ged Robertson uses only local, mostly organic ingredients. Crowd favorites include the Mt. Tamal-Pie, a delicious fresh salad atop a flatbread. 17 Madrona St, 415.383.4200, smallshed.com THEP LELA Thai This jewel is tucked away in the back of the new Strawberry Village. Diners come for the tasty kee mao noodles, pad thai, fresh rolls and extensive bar menu. It’s also a great place for lunch. 615 Strawberry Village, 415.383.3444 VASCO Italian Whether you’re at a table, the bar or the back counter, you can expect an intimate and tasty dining experience at this one-room trattoria. 106 Throckmorton Ave, 415.381.3343

NOVATO BOCA STEAK & SEAFOOD South American Serving up an Argentinean-inspired menu in Novato with much ado, House specialties include provolenta, gambas al ajillo, and empanadas, as well as hand-cut (grass- and grain-fed) steaks. 340 Ignacio Blvd, 415.883.0901, bocasteak.com

CACTI GRILL Southwestern A former bell tower church, the family-friendly restaurant now boasts a covered patio and serves a 21-day dry-aged steak and filet mignon enchiladas. 1200 Grant Ave, 415.898.2234, cactigrill.com CHRISTOPHER’S Italian/American A hidden place worth the effort to ﬁnd in Bel Marin Keys. Christopher, the owner, offers a casual menu of innovative “Italian”-type fare. 8 Commercial Blvd, 415.382.8488 KITCHEN American Restaurateur Henry Hautau has succeeded in creating an intimate 45-seat restaurant in downtown Novato. The menu offers items like orange-and-spice-scented house-brined pork chop and star-anise-braised short ribs. 868 Grant Ave, 415.892.6100, kitchen868.com WILDFOX American Perched on the hillside off Highway 101, this rustic mesquite grill offers a menu full of comfort food and drinks, like the smooth cosmos, and seafood risotto, with bits of butternut squash. 225 Alameda del Prado, 415.883.9125, wildfoxrestaurant.com

ROSS CAFE MARMALADE French This quaint oneroom coffeehouse is centrally situated near Ross Common. Get there early for the full selection of pastries to enjoy with fresh-squeezed orange juice. 22 Ross Common, 415.461.2205

SIP

DECEMBER 2OO7 – FEBRUARY 2OO8

S O N O M A VA L L E Y S AV O R

FEBRUARY Olive + Wine Month Please join us for special olive seasoned events and romantic lodging and spa packages!

C E L E B R AT E

Olivepalooza Cline Cellars Celebration VinOlivo ~ The Lodge at Sonoma Master Seminar ~ The Olive Press Rock Hill Estate Market Open House Eric Symons Concert ~ Gloria Ferrer Olive You ~ VJB Vineyards & Cellars Cooking Class ~ Landmark Vineyards Olive Odyssey ~ Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Olive Curing Workshop ~ B.R. Cohn Winery Olive that Jazz at Saddles ~MacArthur Place Olive Oil & Food Pairing ~ Figone Olive Oil Co

phone 866-996-1090

info@sonomavalley.com

www.olivefestival.com Information and Tickets

The Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau, 453 First Street East, Sonoma

MARCHÉ AUX FLEURS French This gem of a restaurant serves up locally farmed produce, wild and fresh seafood and free-range meats prepared with an artisan’s touch. 23 Ross Common, 415.925.9200, marcheauxﬂeursrestaurant.com TRATTORIA FRESCO Italian Every neighborhood deserves a one-room trattoria like this one. The service is friendly and the farmers’-market-fresh food is fabulous—especially the gnocchi. 13 Ross Common, 415.464.0915

SAUSALITO ANGELINO RESTAURANT Italian Father-andson chefs Pasquale and Alfredo Ancona offer handmade pastas and seasonal antipasti at this authentic Italian restaurant, which has been serving food from the Campania region for the past 24 years. 621 Bridgeway, 415.331.5225, angelinorestaurant.com ARAWAN THAI RESTAURANT Thai Known for its consistently tasty Thai food and efﬁcient, gracious service. For light fare try the imperial or Siamese rolls (vegetarian), or dig into the delicious pad thai noodles or garlic and pepper prawns. Arawan Thai has been a local favorite for over nine years. 47 Caledonia St, 415.332.0882 arawan.com

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CAFFÉ DIVINO Tuscan Locals come for the tasty pastas and salads, as well as coffee drinks in a funky one-room setting. Free delivery in Sausalito. 37 Caledonia St, 415.331.9355, caffedivinosausalito.com MARINMAGAZINE.COM

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FRED’S Coffee Shop A local hot spot for over 40 years. Don’t miss the famous deep-fried French toast or the traditional Swedish breakfast. Not a breakfast person? The bacon bleu cheeseburger on a sourdough roll with fries is delicious too. Open daily 7 to 3. Breakfast served until 2. 1917 Bridgeway, 415.332.4575, fredscoffeeshop.com GAYLORD INDIA Indian Rated a “Restaurant of Excellence” by Zagat, Gaylord’s new location in Sausalito also features million-dollar views of San Francisco and the bay. All the dishes including samosas, curries and tandoori are made with fresh local produce, seafood and artisan meats. 201 Bridgeway, 415.339.0172, gaylord.com KITTI’S PLACE Pan-Asian Watch out Comforts (aka the best chicken salad in town), Kitty’s serves up a delicious crunchy fresh chicken salad, as well as light tasty spring rolls too. Popular with the lunch and take-out dinner crowd. 3001 Bridgeway, 415.331.0390 POGGIO Italian A great place to celebrate a special occasion or simply enjoy a night out. Executive chef Peter McNee cooks up delicious Northern Italian cuisine using fresh and local ingredients, including produce from the nearby Poggio chef garden. 777 Bridgeway, 415.332.7771, poggiotratoria.com

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SAYLOR’S RESTAURANT AND BAR California/ Mexican Owner and chef Sean Saylor has created a new menu, keeping some traditional favorites and has moved the restaurant to a new location. The large menu is impressive but the bar’s selection of over 100 tequilas is hard to beat. 2009 Bridgeway, 415.332.1512, saylorsrestaurantandbar.com SCOMA’S Seafood Whether it’s for the view of San Francisco or the historical background, visitors flock to this location for a romantic setting. The array of fresh seafood and meat dishes are appetizing as the Italian pasta dishes. 588 Bridgeway, 415.332.9551, scomassausalito.com SUSHI RAN Japanese Fresh, innovative small plates are just big enough to share, the traditional sushi is melt-in-your-mouth good and the wine, cocktail and sake lists keep the pickiest barfly well satisfied. Even the prices don’t deter the herd of sushi enthusiasts, who line up nightly to partake; reservations required in main room. 107 Caledonia St, 415.332.3620, sushiran.com

Villa Marin is designed for comfort, security and the enjoyment of leisure. • Purchase your condominium with 100% equity, from $260K to $1.5M. Governed 100% by homeowners’ association.

• Physician and rehab services in our clinic. Skilled nursing and personal care onsite.

• Activities, excursions, lectures and entertainment. • Exercise classes, indoor pool, hot tub and more!

• A perfect place for active seniors to have fun, share intellectual pursuits and make new friends.

Contact Bobbie O. Heldt for a personal tour at (415) 492-2408 www.villa-marin.com Cal. Lic. # 210108102 CCRC Lic. # 158 110

MARIN FEBRUARY 2008

SAN ANSELMO AVA California Chef Dan Baker, of Marché aux Fleurs in Ross, has another winner with AVA, which features a California-only wine list and a menu where nearly all the ingredients come from within 100 miles—if not the Marin County Farmers’ Market. The small menu includes seasonal flatbreads, pasta and six seasonal main dishes. 636 San Anselmo Ave, 415.453.3407 CUCINA RESTAURANT AND WINE BAR Italian Proprietor Jack Krietzman (of Pacific Heights’ Jackson Fillmore) has brought Milan to Marin with his 42-seat family restaurant. Relax with a glass

of wine and have a slice from the to-die-for thin pizzas, topped with items like truffle oil and fontina cheese. 510 San Anselmo Ave, 415.454.2942 DEBBIE DOES DESSERT Bakery Besides sweets, the menu offers tapas on weekends and savory dishes such as grilled duck aux pêches with lavender honey sauce on galette de mais. Lunch and brunch are served daily. 556 San Anselmo Ave, 415.721.2901, debbiedoesdessert.com FORK California This intimate spot was awarded “Top Food in the Bay Area” by Zagat for 2007. Opt for the five-course tasting menu or seasonal à la carte options. The three-course special for $20 is available during the first seating. 198 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, 415.453.9898, marinfork.com

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INSALATA’S Mediterranean Award-winning chef Heidi Insalata Krahling offers Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes prepared with local organic produce and artisan meats. 120 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, 415.457.7700, insalatas.com LOCOCO’S PIZZERIA Italian Worth driving to from all over Marin, and it’s an easy place to meet with friends and family. The pizza crust is divine as is the house salad. Easy spot to come with the entire family.Closed Mondays. 638 San Anselmo Ave, 415.453.1238, lococossananselmo.com TACO JANE’S Mexican Named after the owner’s mother, this casual but colorful place welcomes the whole family. Don’t miss out on Jane’s handmade agave margarita or griddled plantains with Jane’s crema. 21 Tamalpais Ave, 415.454.6562, tacojanes.com

SAN RAFAEL BOMBAY GARDEN Indian Family-owned restaurant offering a large menu of richly ﬂavored Northern and Southern Indian Cuisine. The fourcourse dinner for two is a good way to sample the array. There are often Bollywood movies or videos playing on a flat-screen TV to add a little entertainment to the meal. 909 Fourth St, 415.459.9555 dinebombaygarden.com CAFE GRATITUDE Raw The waiters might push the affirmations theme a bit too much, but the tasty (and healthy) food is worth it. Besides the knowledge you’re supporting local farmers and sustainable agriculture, the raw food and vegan samosas are hard to resist. Best to bring a group and sample lots of items on the menu. 2200 Fourth St, 415.824.4652, withthecurrent.com

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CREPEVINE American Bistro/Creperie Offering casual dining, outdoor seating and a diverse menu of savory crepes (such as the Italian crepe ﬁlled with roasted peppers, eggplant, onions, artichoke hearts, tomato sauce and mozzarella). Sweet and savory crepes are available all day long, as is breakfast. 908 Fourth St, 415.257.8822

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How o well d ow n you k in? Mar

CALL THE SHOT! Call the Shot has a simple premise: Tell us where this picture is and win a $100 gift certiﬁcate for Three Degrees restaurant in Tiburon. To win, your answer must be speciﬁc. You have to do better than just name the place. Give us an exact location and tell us what this is. Here’s a clue: You have a great view of San Francisco from this spot. Here’s how to play: Go to marinmagazine.com, agree to the rules and submit your answer. Simple. We’ll choose the winner randomly from all the correct answers. Good luck! And the winner is: Candace Killman of Larkspur won December’s Call the Shot by identifying the Blue Rock Inn sign hanging above the Left Bank restaurant on Magnolia Avenue in Larkspur.

garlic sauce atop a fresh pizza crust. Located across from the Smith Ranch Road movie theaters, it’s a great place to grab dinner and a movie. 101 Smith Ranch Rd, 415.472.7272, mulberry-streetpizzeria.com SABOR OF SPAIN Spanish Named Best Tapas/ Small Dishes restaurant in Marin by the Pacific Sun in 2006, this Spanish-wine bar is a great place for a date or a big party. 1301 Fourth St, 415.457.8466, saborofspain.com SAN RAFAEL JOE’S Italian Guido and Theresa Farina are now running this Marin institution, which has been famous for serving up sophisticated yet casual Italian fare since 1947. 931 Fourth St, 415.456.2425, srjoes.com SEAFOOD PEDDLER Seafood A great place to seek out fresh seafood in a warm and inviting environment. Varieties of East and West Coast fish flown in daily. Dine indoors or out, or better yet, rent out the banquet room for a party. 100 Yacht Club Dr, 415.460.6669, seafoodpeddler.com

TIBURON GINZA Japanese The old Tiburon Tommie’s space on Main Street has been buffed and polished and reopened as a sleek, upscale sushi spot with the famous waterfront San Francisco views. This intimate setting offers menu items like sliced yellowtail, avocado, radish sprout, tobiko and spicy Ponzu sauce as well as a variety of tempura and terriyaki dishes. The double hamachi roll is not to be missed. 41 Main St, 415.789.5123, ginzasushi-tiburon.com GUAYMAS Mexican Situated right next to the Tiburon ferry terminal on the waterfront. The touch-it-you’re-so-close city views and outdoor seating makes it a great place to bring visitors on a warm summer night. Happy hour is 5 to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Menu includes specialties like puerco macho—pork loin chop with grilled plantain, topped with an ancho chile, garlic and onion sauce. 5 Main St, 415.435.6300, guaymasrestaurant.com

SOL FOOD Puerto Rican With south-of-theborder treats like yellow rice, beans, plantains and authentic Puerto Rican dishes, this tiny one-room eatery on Fourth Street just off Highway 101 can be hard to get into, but worth the wait. 732 Fourth St, and 901 Lincoln Ave, 415.451.4765

ROONEY’S CAFÉ & GRILL American If you’re old enough to remember Cheers on prime time, this is your dinner spot. There’s not a long bar, nor a bartender named Sam (he’s across the street); however, there is an undeniable neighborhood feeling in this one-room cottage dining room. 38 Main St, 415.435.1911

SUSHI TO DAI FOR Japanese Snagging a seat in this popular sushi spot can be a challenge, but patience will be rewarded with tasty and fresh sashimi, unique sushi rolls and great prices. 869 Fourth St, 415.721.0392

SAM’S ANCHOR CAFE American Everyone knows Sam’s deck is the prime spot for brunch on a lazy sunny Sunday, and its bar is the town’s historic watering hole, but Sam’s is also a great place for lunch or dinner. Enjoy trans-fat-free calamari,

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fresh ﬁsh, seasonal salads and pastas. 27 Main St, 415.435.4527, samscafe.com SERVINO RISTORANTE Italian With people like Warren Buffett and Bill Gates raving about his pizza, Angelo Servino is doing something right. Some people come for the spacious and popular bar; some people come for the great food and friendly service; the titans of industry, it seems, opt for the pepperoni. Spacious bar, and weekend music is also a big draw. 9 Main St, 415.435.2676, servino.com THREE DEGREES California Opt for the outside patio, white tablecloths in the dining room, or the swank modern setting of the bar, and enjoy the local, seasonal menu options like grilled Niman Ranch New York “cowboy” strip steak or seasonal risotto. 1651 Tiburon Blvd, 415.435.5996, threedegreesrestaurant.com

WEST MARIN DRAKES BEACH CAFE Local If you’re OK with the long drive, you can’t beat the view and the fresh local ingredients used to make the burgers, salads and soups at this casual spot (Inverness). Walk on the beach after lunch. 1 Drakes Beach Rd, 415.669.1297, drakesbeachcafe.com OLEMA INN California One of the most charming settings around, this inn and restaurant is a great destination lunch spot for a Sunday drive, or dinner Wednesday through Sunday. The menu includes tasty and imaginative combinations using regional and organic greens and artisan meats (Olema). 10000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, 415.663.9559, theolemainn.com PARKSIDE CAFE American Most people know it as the ultimate breakfast spot (think Guatemalan scramble or wafﬂe with blood orange-strawberry compote and whipped cream, alfresco) but lunch and dinners are great here too. Choose from an array of organic locally grown produce and artisan meats and wild seafood (Stinson). 43 Arenal Ave, 415.868.1272, parksidecafe.com PINE CONE DINER American Just off the main road, Joannie Kwit has re-created the ultimate neighborhood diner. Vintage china and homemade curtains complement the eclectic but homey menu featuring local fare (Point Reyes Station). 60 Fourth St, 415.663.1536, pineconediner.com SAND DOLLAR American Originally built from three barges in Tiburon in 1921, the Sand Dollar Restaurant was ﬂoated to Stinson that same year and still exists today. Enjoy live music along with local barbecued oysters and New England clam chowder. Sunny deck for afternoon enjoyment (Stinson). 3458 Shoreline Hwy, 415.868.0434, stinsonbeachrestaurant.com SURFER’S GRILL American The view doesn’t get better than this—nor does the surf salad. Built right out on Stinson Beach, this casual lunch spot offers up tasty fresh organic salads alongside corn dogs, burgers and fries (Stinson). Stinson Beach Park, Hwy 1, 415.868.1777, surfersgrill.com

SAN FRANCISCO MAMACITA Mexican Located in the former Cafe Marimba space, chef Sam Josi has made Mamacita a dining destination, drawing in locals with authentic Mexican cuisine and 100 percent pure agave tequila margaritas. The menu features a large number of small plates but save room for the churro dessert, served with a cup of Mexican hot chocolate. 2317 Chestnut St, 415.376.1629, mamacitasf.com

AME Pan-Asian On the ground floor of the St. Regis Hotel, Ame Restaurant was designated “Best New Restaurant in 2007” by the Zagat guide. Known for raw treatments such as sashimi, crudo, tartare and carpaccio. Dinner only, reservations recommended. 689 Mission St, 415.284.4040, amerestaurant.com BOBOQUIVARI’S THE STEAK Steak/Seafood In the mood for surf and turf? Head out to Bobo’s and be sure to order the iron skillet-roasted mussels, Dungeness crab, and of course, the steak dry-aged for four to six weeks. The proprietors (also of the Stinking Rose) claim it’s the only one of its kind on the West Coast. 1450 Lombard St, 415.441.8880, boboquivaris.com

Beef. The other pork.

MYTH Cali/French Innovative cuisine by chef Sean O’Brien, formerly of Gary Danko, has made this one of the most popular spots in town. Located in Jackson Square, the space was home to failed restaurant MC2 before Myth owner Tom Duffy scored a hit. 470 Paciﬁc Ave, 415.677.8986, mythsf.com

BONG SU Vietnamese Brainchild of Tammy Huynh, executive chef and co-owner of the popular Tamarine in Palo Alto. The interior is a mix of the modern and traditional; silk, wood and steel elements such as a giant bong su (plumeria), and floating orchids in towering glass vases. Recently voted one of Esquire magazine’s top 20 in 2006. 311 Third St, 415.536.5800, bongsu.com

PERBACCO Italian The seasonal Italian menu focuses on the northern Piemontese region, featuring handcrafted charcuterie, homemade pastas and regional dishes such as quail with persimmon and apple salad. 230 California St, 415.955.0663, perbaccosf.com PRES À VI International/Small plates Known for a wine list that’s sure to please any oenophile, including a large selection of ﬂights and by-theglass choices to pair with chef Kelly Degala’s shared small plates menu. One Letterman Dr, Building D, Ste 150, 415.409.3000, presavi.com

CANTEEN Cali/French It’s not easy to get a seat in this nationally noted California-French restaurant, partly because of its reputation and partly because there aren’t many. Ever since the former Rubicon chef Dennis Leary turned a run-down downtown coffee shop into one of the best spots in the city, people have been lining up to sample the goods. 817 Sutter St, 415.928.8870

PRESIDIO SOCIAL CLUB California Originally the barracks for enlisted men; menu features steaks, pork chops and fresh oysters. Throwing a party? Try the private room, which can accommodate 30 people. 563 Ruger St, 415.885.1888, presidosocialclub.com

HARRIS’ RESTAURANT Steak house A San Francisco institution for nearly a century. Wine Spectator ranked Harris’ as one of the nation’s top ten steak houses. 2100 Van Ness Ave, 415.673.1888, harrisrestaurant.com

QUINCE California Book a reservation at least a month in advance to get a seat at one of the 15 tables in this tiny restaurant. The farmers’ market creations by chef Michael Tusk, formerly of Chez Panisse and Oliveto, are sure to please. 1701 Octavia St, 415.775.8500, quincerestaurant.com

JONES RESTAURANT Comfort If you’re thinking of crossing the bridge, check out the brand new Jones Restaurant in the spot formerly occupied by the Marina Sports Bar. The bar manager, Tony Devencenzi, has created a menu featuring fresh ingredients and inventive takes on the classics. Don’t miss the muddled Cucumber-Basil Gimlet or the freshly squeezed 2400 Greyhound. 2400 Lombard, 415.440.2000, jones-sf.com

SCOTT HOWARD American The former chef/ owner of Fork in San Anselmo, Scott Howard packed up his talent and moved it to the big city, in the former location of the Cypress Club on Jackson Street. 500 Jackson St, 415.956.7040, scotthowardsf.com

Beef, as you know, is made with cow. Pork, on the other hand, is not made with cow. All similarities between the two, however, end there.

(Chicken and ﬁsh, in case you’re wondering, don’t count here because as everyone knows, both are made with either a chicken or a ﬁsh). My point? I am not sure. But that’s okay. I am sure whichever you choose, you will enjoy it very much. Whether it’s a dozen or more lovely Pepper Sauce Filet Mignons, or a dozen or more double thick bone-in loin end pork chops, I promise we will both be as happy as two pigs in swill when you leave here with them. And take it from me, Bryan. Happy is good. Come buy everything.

CRAVING ITALIAN? ASIAN? FRENCH? VEGETARIAN? AMERICAN? ✦ GO ONLINE—OVER 300 RESTAURANTS LISTED IN DINE MARIN • NAPA • SONOMA MARINMAGAZINE.COM

Bryan’s Fine Foods Corte Madera Town Center

927.4488 www.bryansﬁnefoods.com

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ADVE RT IS IN G P R OMOT ION

adl i b

MARIN ADVERTISERS SPEAK UP

Larry Feinman

Christa Quagliaroli

Bill Stewart

Fitness Together, Mill Valley

Christa Q. Design, Sausalito

SolarCraft, Novato

“The unique aspect of Fitness Together is that we

For the past eight years Christa Quagliaroli devel-

Since 1984 Novato-based SolarCraft has pro-

provide one-on-one personal fitness training in

oped her interior design expertise working in both

vided solar thermal and solar electric consulting,

a totally private environment,” says owner Larry

Chicago and San Francisco. “I decided to start a

design, installation and maintenance services. A

Feinman. “This is important to the clients as it al-

small residential interior design company that of-

certified green business, SolarCraft has installed

lows all of the focus to be on them during each

fers personalized service ranging from renewing

nearly 4,000 solar energy systems in California.

training session. There are never any crowds and

and reenergizing a room to designing an entire

“Our systems save customers over $8 million in

there is no waiting for equipment.” Fitness Togeth-

house.”

energy costs and eliminate more than 24,000 tons

er customizes each training program to meet the specific needs and goals of each individual client.

of greenhouse gasses annually,” says owner Bill

Describe your design philosophy.

Stewart.

My goal is to create a balance between beauty and

What is your competitive edge?

function based on a client’s lifestyle, vision and ex-

What part of your business drives you crazy?

There is nothing like us in all of Marin County.

pectations. I work closely with clients to ensure a

The part that keeps me away from our core func-

Our studio features two separate fully equipped

collaborative design process. With the creative use

tion, which is designing and building really good

private training suites plus an additional separate

of color, blending of rich textures, materials and

solar energy systems. The hardest thing for me

cardio area. We also have the ability to let the

meticulous attention to detail, I work to transform

about managing a growing business has been get-

clients choose what type of music they prefer to

a space into a livable retreat that will enhance a

ting away from my desk.

listen to while training, and we pipe that directly

client’s sense of well-being whether he or she is

into their particular training suite. In addition, we

relaxing or entertaining.

Five years from now, what changes will your business experience?

How would you describe your aesthetic?

The solar industry and our business will continue

Very eclectic, which attracts a broad based clien-

to grow. I hope our business won’t experience too

tele. I love mixing different styles.

many major changes other than controlled, sus-

include nutritional consulting, fitness assessments

What makes you excel at what you do?

tained growth.

I have always been athletic, health conscious and extremely passionate about fitness. Plus, I love

What inspires your design work?

helping others improve their health and quality

Going to flea markets and antique shops to hunt

Describe your dream client/customer.

of life. I have over 10 years’ experience practicing

for unusual treasures and vibrant colors in flowers

We have several clients with multiple properties

chiropractic and have extensive knowledge of the

and architecture.

who install solar on one project, see how well it

human body.

Describe your dream client/customer. My ideal client is someone who has made the comPHOTOS: SHERI MONTGOMERY

mitment to improve his or her fitness level, lose weight or simply achieve a better quality of life. We are in the business to help, coach and inspire these people to reach and surpass their goals.

works, and come back again and again.

What is your mantra? Variety, spontaneity and only allowing those items

What is your competitive edge?

you absolutely love into your home.

The best products, 23 years in business, and excellent employees. The solar business is booming,

Are there any staple items that you love to use when designing interiors?

and lots of companies have sprung up recently, but

Sea grass, wall coverings, antique accessories and

in the field.

alpaca fur.

Larry Feinman, Fitness Together, 765 E. Blithedale

Christa Quagliaroli, Christa Q. Design, Sausalito,

Ave, Mill Valley, 415.383.2234, ftmillvalley.com

415.309.6938, christaqdesign.com

no one comes close to our history and experience Bill Stewart, SolarCraft, 285 D Bel Marin Keys Blvd, Novato, 415.382.7717, solarcraft.com

PHOTOS: SHERI MONTGOMERY

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MARIN FEBRUARY 2008

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M IC ROCL I M ATE

SYCAMORE AND TAMALPAIS PARKS The demarcation may be unclear, but residents’ affection knows no bounds BY JIM WOOD PHOTOS TIM PORTER “I LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD KNOWN AS SYCAMORE PARK ” says Elaine Cramer, with a high degree of

certainty in her voice. “I know I do.” Yet because of its defining physical characteristic, she concedes, her tight-knit Mill Valley community is also called “the flats.” Many of Cramer’s neighbors say “Sycamore Park” is the sobriquet loosely (and, some insist, incorrectly) applied to the entire triangle of homes situated between East Blithedale, Miller Avenue and Camino Alto. “Actually, two distinct neighborhoods exist between Miller and East Blithedale,” says realtor Judy LeMarr of Frank Howard Allen in Mill Valley. “Sycamore Park, which is mostly smaller tract homes built on level land just after World War II, and Tamalpais Park, going back to the early 1900s, when individually built homes were constructed on curving streets and gently rolling terrain.” For most residents, the neighborhoods’ line of demarcation is along Locust and LaGoma avenues. Whichever name they use for it, inhabitants unconditionally love this part of town. “We’ve lived in Sycamore Park for over 20 years,” says Elaine Cramer’s husband, Matt, “and I like the place more every day.” In fact, except for a few years in San Francisco, he’s lived in the vicinity all his life—”I grew up here”—and nine of his neighbors,

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all in their 40s and 50s, are Marin natives too. “My folks bought over on

Yet a little added crosstown traffic hasn’t really put a crimp in

Oxford Avenue in ’52; they paid $11,500 for the place; Mom still lives

real state prices. “Whenever a house comes on the market in either

there,” is how he sums it up.

Tamalpais or Sycamore Park, it’s a usually feeding frenzy,” says Jane

Homes in Sycamore and Tamalpais Park now sell for 200 times that

Richmond of Pacific Union in nearby Strawberry Village. A family with

amount. Why? Let resident Kirk Citron, a retired advertising exec who’s

two children should expect to pay in “the $2 million range,” she says,

currently writing a novel, spell it out. “Three words. Walk—to—every-

for a four-bedroom home of around 2,000 square feet that’s on a level

thing.” He’s not exaggerating. From the down-home 2 AM Club and Joe’s

lot and not in need of considerable work. Tamalpais Park houses, being

Taco Lounge to the upscale Whole Foods; from Sycamore Park Preschool

larger and often Craftsman or Victorian in style, tend to sell for more

to Park Elementary to Mill Valley Middle School to Mount Tamalpais High;

than the homes in postwar Sycamore Park.

from the 225-seat Marin Theatre Company to the two-mile Mill Valley–

The area’s lowest-priced homes either are two-bedroom one-

Sausalito bike and running path—for these destinations and more, the

bath or need considerable work, says Frank Howard Allen’s LeMarr.

almighty auto is not the required (nor preferred) mode of access. And it’s

“Currently, four such properties are on the market. They’re priced

only a 15-minute stroll to the cafes, boutiques and entertainment venues

from the high $700,000s to just over a million, depending on loca-

of downtown Mill Valley or a 10-minute jaunt to the recently completed

tion.” From there, prices go up to $2,495,000 for what listings call “a

Mill Valley Community Center. Then there are the two public parks with-

classic Craftsman with four bedrooms and three baths that was totally

in the neighborhoods’ bounds: Sycamore Park, which had a volunteer-in-

rebuilt in 2001” and to $3,250,000 for the “Jewel of Tamalpais Park,”

spired renovation in 2006, and Freeman Park on Ryan Avenue.

a brown-shingled four-bedroom with library and formal dining room

But life here isn’t pure bliss. “This time, one word says it all,” says au-

on a half-acre level lot.

thor Citron. “Traffic.” Outsiders often use neighborhood streets as short-

As with many in-demand Marin communities, one of the fundamental

cuts to get across Mill Valley. Hence Friends of Mill Valley—a slow-growth,

attractions is family-friendly neighbors. “Oh my gosh, talk about friend-

some say no-growth organization—was formed, ostensibly to oppose any

ly,” Elaine Cramer says. “This Halloween we had over 450 trick-or-treat-

further development along Miller Avenue, but “most of the group’s leader-

ers.” LeMarr seconds that when pitching the area to potential buyers: “I

ship comes from Sycamore and Tamalpais Park,” Citron points out.

often refer to them both as ‘trick-or-treat neighborhoods,’” she says.

BUILDING WEALTH THROUGH MORTGAGE PLANNING.

Jesse Caveney 415.454.7378 jesse@premier-equity.com

Are you effectively managing your real estate equity? Mortgages are a large part of your investment portfolio; ﬁnancial instruments that can help you create and augment your wealth. At Premier Equity Resource Corporation, we work together as a team drawing on each other’s experience and knowledge to help manage your mortgage and provide you the greatest opportunity to increase your net worth. Become part of our family of clients who with our help, have created their own arbitrage, taking the next step toward their ﬁnancial freedom.

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Jake Bordessa 415.454.7376 jake@premier-equity.com

Premier Equity Resource Corporation 10 F Street, Downtown San Rafael 877.454.PERC (7372)

www.premier-equity.com Real Estate Broker - CA Dept. of Real Estate Lic #01811655

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FEBRUARY 2008

Robert Bradford 415.454.7375 robert@premier-equity.com

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

We are proud to acknowledge our involvement in the sale or purchase of these extraordinary homes during 2007, all of which transferred ownership at prices greater than $3 million. We continue our 17-year tradition of representing the finest homes in Marin. PROPERTY ADDRESS

LIST PRICE

110 Gilmartin, Tiburon 445 Belvedere, Belvedere 3650 Paradise, Tiburon 1805 Lagoon View, Tiburon 229 Upper Toyon, Ross 1580 Castle Road, Sonoma 2 Bellevue, Belvedere 1 Acela, Tiburon 57 West Shore, Belvedere 424 Golden Gate, Belvedere 21 Tara Hill, Tiburon 10 Vendao, Tiburon 3564 Paradise, Tiburon 3 Nina Court, Mill Valley 12 Windward, Belvedere 130 Belvedere Ave, Belvedere 103 Via Los Altos, Tiburon 611 Goodhill, Kentfield 210 Seadrift, Stinson Beach 24 Hillcrest, Tiburon 75 Hacienda, Tiburon

$ 21,000,000 $ 18,000,000 $ 9,950,000 $ 7,295,000 $ 6,800,000 $ 6,495,000 $ 6,000,000 $ 5,750,000 $ 5,600,000 $ 5,495,000 $ 5,100,000 $ 4,495,000 $ 3,995,000 $ 3,995,000 $ 3,995,000 $ 3,995,000 $ 3,995,000 $ 3,900,000 $ 3,895,000 $ 3,650,000 $ 3,495,000

100 TIBURON BOULEVARD, MILL VALLEY, CA 94941 • (415) 381-7300 • www.deckerbullocksir.com © MMVI Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Les Bords de l’Epte a Giverny, used with permission. Sotheby’s International Realty® is a licensed trademark to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Company . Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated, Except Offices Owned And Operated By NRT Incorporated.

We not only represent extraordinary homes, we are also associated with extraordinary individuals... Decker Bullock Sotheby’s International Realty is proud to announce its association with five of Ross Valley’s most productive agents. For the best advice and assistance available in the Ross Valley, we encourage you to contact Elizabeth Nicholson, Tim Hill, Cheryl Wheeler, Hugh Macmillan or Tammy Kornfeld at (415) 461-2500. Decker Bullock Sotheby’s International Realty at your service.

McGuire Marin Spanning the Bay Local Service McGuire Real Estate has been an integral part of the Bay Area real estate market since 1919. Our local focus, our extraordinary service, and our deep commitment to the communities we serve distinguish us from our competitors.

Sales -

Over $1 billion in sales in 2007

Success -

#1 Independent broker for luxury home sales*

Stability - A leading luxury brand for nearly 90 years Support - Personalized, cutting-edge technology for the marketing and sale of your property

Regional Referral Network San Francisco is the largest source of buyers for Marin real estate outside of Marin. McGuire has more luxury residential sales than any other independent broker in San Francisco, the top agent in the city, and some of the most productive agents in the Bay Area. Marin agents benefit by networking with the nearly 200 agents in the five regional offices in seven Bay Area counties, providing an excellent source of client referrals and potential buyers for your property. If you would like to be affiliated with McGuire and feel your clients will benefit from our local service, our regional referral network and our global exposure, call Heidi Pay for a confidential interview. 415.389.5601.

*San Francisco 2007, per SFAR MLS

McGuire Real Estate Spanning the World

Global Reach

McGuire’s listings* are marketed worldwide on LuxuryPortfolio.com, where they are translated into eight languages, converted into 22 currencies and receive global exposure. In addition to the industry leading websites, Luxury Portfolio reaches the highest echelon of clientele through luxury print advertising, putting your Marin property in front of international buyers.

*Listings over $1 million

Where is your broker showcasing your property?

More $1 Million-Plus Listings Luxury Portfolio Christie’s Sotheby’s

*As reported by The Wall Street Journal 11.11.06 and REAL Trends’ “The Real Estate Top 200” using online membership rosters.

If you would like to be affiliated with McGuire and feel your clients will benefit from our local service, our regional referral network and our global exposure, call Heidi Pay for a conﬁdential interview.

Heidi Pay, MBA VP Sales McGuire Marin

415.389.5601 hpay@mcguire.com

GRAND, NEW RETREAT 9AcreNewMarinEstate .com

Offered at $3,795,000 • 4 Bedrooms/4.5 Baths on entry level alone • Circular driveway, fountain & gated courtyard • Spacious, gourmet kitchen with custom finishes & Butler’s Pantry • Dramatic coffered ceilings, crown molding, custom doors & hardware • Expansive rear terrace overlooks large, Grecian pool • Pool Deck Level provides options – customizable for the buyer • Large library/home office with fireplace

Spectacular Mediterranean retreat on 9 acres*. Brand new – 5300 sq ft* on main entry level overlooking Grecian-style pool. Partially finished 2700 sq ft* on Pool Deck Level ready for seller to customize per buyer’s specifications: Pool house, 20-seat theater, wine cellar, fitness center, additional bathrooms & au pair apartment (room for all & 9’ ceilings!). Highest quality design & finishes. Located at the end of a private road and bordered by permanent open space on three sides, this dramatic property offers privacy & seclusion. The sweeping 300º views are simply breathtaking! Please view the website for additional details & photos OR call for a private viewing. Visit: www.9AcreNewMarinEstate.com *Source owner – not verified by agent

JEFF STERLEY I 415.464 .3760 jsterley@pacunion.com • www.homesofmarin.com

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www.MorganLaneMarin.com

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Thank you for a successful year! 18 O l iv e A v enu e, R oss 455 V ista G rand e, G reenb rae 2 0 7 E v erg reen D riv e, K ent W ood l and s 7 C ircl e D riv e, R oss 10 5 L au rel G rov e, K entfiel d 1 W ood sid e W ay, R oss 2 16-2 18 C orte M ad era A v enu e, M il l V al l ey 142 H aciend a D riv e, T ib u ron 2 12 N . A l menar, G reenb rae 65 R ed wood D riv e, K entfiel d 40 S ir F rancis D rak e, R oss 16 W ol f e C anyon, K entfiel d 7 R id g ecrest R oad , K ent W ood l and s 15 V ia H ermosa, G reenb rae 2 1 U p p er R oad W est, R oss 4 C anyon R oad , R oss 4 R ock R oad , K ent W ood l and s

With approximately $40 million in sales for 2007, we are very grateful for the confidence and trust given us. F ind ou t what’ s g oing on in you r commu nity! V isit: www.k entfiel d and rossonl ine.com

Susan Bowman Team 901 S

The Fine Art of Fine Property

Mo rgan Lan e Mar in, I nc. ir Fr ancis D rake Bl v d., K entfiel d, CA 415/448-1111 sbo wman@morgan l ane.com www.morgan l anemarin.com

94904

Lindy Made Dreams Come True in

2007

More Dreams to Come in

2008

My thanks to my assistant, my family, friends, clients & fellow agents for your help & support in making 2007 my best year ever! May your 2008 be Magical & Bring you Joy! To see more homes Lindy sold in 2007 and get a glimpse of what’s coming in 2008, please go to her website at www.LindyEmrich.com.

Lindy Emrich (415) 464-3744 lemrich@pacunion.com

Focusing on Marin The beauty of its landscape, the charm of its towns, the value of its neighborhoods, the commitment of its people, the reputation of its schools. We know Marin and the market. Go to www.visionrealtors.com and register at the home page for The Marin Report ®.

VISION REAL ESTATE

Ron Parks

MARIN FEBRUARY 2008

Founder, Broker and CPA 415.297.9000 rparks@visionrealtors.com MARINMAGAZINE.COM

visionrealtors.com Our website has the latest Marin County real estate facts and resources including: t sales statistics t demographic information t school rankings t personalized home search Go to www.visionrealtors.com and register at the home page for The Marin Report ®.

Mill Valley

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

Corte Madera

San Francisco

Santa Rosa

Rohnert Park

MARIN FEBRUARY 2008

N EI G H B ORING ’HOODS

BODEGA BAY The “anchor” of the scenic Sonoma Coast BY JIM WOOD

AT MOST THERE ARE A THOUSAND PEOPLE

not included is what draws many Bay Area res-

The preferred locale for home ownership,

living in what’s loosely referred to as Bodega

idents here in the first place: the four-diamond

according to Yvonne Lee of the local Coldwell

Bay. “It’s just a small unincorporated Sonoma

Bodega Bay Lodge and Spa and its famous res-

Banker office, is the Links at Bodega Harbour.

County community,” says Brad Evans, direc-

taurant, the Duck Club. “We have 84 rooms,

“Some homes are brand new, others were built

tor of the Sonoma Coast Visitors Center. “But

all with ocean views and most with woodburn-

over the past five years, and many go back to

it is the biggest fishing harbor between San

ing fireplaces,” says assistant manager Amanda

the late 1970s,” she says. This community is

Francisco and Fort Bragg.”

Owens. “We’ve just completed a major remod-

divided by Highway 1 into North Harbour and

eling, so everything feels fresh and new.”

South Harbour, where the 7,233-yard 18-hole

Outdoor pursuits here include not only sportfishing (“you can set and pull in your own

Bodega Bay, which straddles California’s

Dungeness crab pot,” Evans says) but birding

State Highway 1, is 10 miles north of the Marin

Prices in this region range from a low of

(“probably the hottest birding spot in Sonoma

County border and about equally far south of

$800,000 to a current listing for $1,695,000,

County,” the Madrone Audubon Society’s news-

the hamlet of Jenner, where the Russian River

says Lee. “Last summer, we had two sales just

letter claims), horseback riding ($70 for 90

meets the Pacific. In the 1960s Bodega Bay’s

over $2 million,” she adds.

minutes on the beach, according to a brochure

harbor entrance known as Bodega Head was to

If your tastes run to the more eclectic,

for Chanslor Ranch in nearby Salmon Creek)

be the site of a nuclear power plant. Grading

she’s got you covered as well: “In Salmon

and golfing (“fantastic course, will definitely

was under way before local and statewide pro-

Creek, about a mile north of town, there’s a

play it again,” declares one online reviewer of

tests, fueled by knowledge that a fault line ran

former stagecoach stop that’s very charming,

the Links at Bodega Harbour). That’s an im-

nearby, brought development to a halt. The

very different and still very livable.” Priced

pressive things-to-do list for a small coastal

scar the earthmovers left, long referred to as

in the $1.4 million range, “it’s surrounded

community mostly known as the setting for

the “Hole-in-the-Head” pond, is now a favorite

by vintage cottages and Sonoma Coast State

Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 thriller The Birds. And

spot for birding.

Park—definitely a unique setting.”

142

MARIN

FEBRUARY 2008

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MARINMAGAZINE.COM

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PARADISE PROPERTIES

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“Service to our client is our first priority.” 144

MARIN FEBRUARY 2008

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

What risks come with my returns?

President, Marin Women’s Council of Realtors

91 Dipsea Road Stinson Beach

Judy LeMarr FRANK HOWARD ALLEN REALTORS 415-793-5030 jlemarr@fhallen.com www.marindreamhome.com • 3 Bedrooms/3 Baths • Two Decks and Patio • Attached 2-car Garage w/ Workshop • Serene Lagoon Setting with Private Dock • Gated Community 45 Minutes from SF www.91Dipsea.com

Experience

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Offered at $2,250,000 MARINMAGAZINE.COM

MARIN FEBRUARY 2008

145

D I A LO GUE

Jim & Nancy Lange

BY MIMI TOWLE

What do you value every day?

What’s a Marin stereotype

NL: My family. This year brought

that fits? NL: Tree-hugger—a pop-

the arrival of my first grandchild,

ulation that values and strives to

Heath Larson Carbone, who is the

protect the natural beauty of the

light of my life. JL: Two things. The

environment. JL: It’s expensive.

priceless view from our home and my wife, Nancy, to share it.

What stereotype doesn’t fit? NL: It is no longer true that Marin

What person has influenced you

is a haven for artists, musicians

the most? NL: My husband, Jim

and other creative folk, as it has

Lange. After more than 30 years,

become too expensive for all but

he still makes me laugh harder

the hugely successful among them.

than anybody else and he contin-

JL: Is that hot-tub hippie wife-

ues to teach me to “just get over

swapping stereotype still around?

it” when I take life too seriously. JL:

It just doesn’t fit.

Two people. Careerwise, it was

ith a nod toward Valentine’s Day, we couldn’t resist asking the former host of The Dating Game, Jim Lange,

and his wife, former Miss America Nancy Fleming Lange, married since October 14, 1978, about their life in Marin.

Tennessee Ernie Ford. He gave

What’s your desert-island

me my first opportunity at net-

favorite book or album? NL:

work television. But more impor-

Novelle per un Anno (short novels

tant and personally, it was and

for a year) by Luigi Pirandello.

is my wife, Nancy. She keeps me

JL: A very fat family album. I

grounded by pointing out that I

would never tire of seeing all of

am no “big deal” and makes sure

our children and grandchildren

You could live anywhere. Why

war. JL: Just driving across the

that I eat properly to ensure my

grow up once again, adventures

Marin? JL: A no-brainer! Best

Golden Gate Bridge and through

health. Without her, I’m not sure I

we have shared.

country in the world to live in?

the rainbow tunnel.

would be alive.

USA. Best part of the U.S. to reside? Of course, California. And

What gets on your nerves here?

What’s been the most fulfilling

yourself? NL: The same thing

which part of California? The Bay

NL: Drivers who talk on the

moment in your work? NL: It was

that I hate: I will finish any task I

Area. And finally, which county in

phone and drink coffee, with

rewarding and a lot of fun to host

take on or die trying. JL: That I

the Bay Area has the best weath-

their kids at risk in the backseat.

AM San Francisco (with husband

am pretty much nonjudgmental

er and the most beautiful natural

JL: Too many large, gas-guzzling

Jim) during the Carter administra-

(except for those SUV drivers and

surroundings? Marin. I moved here

SUVs with only one phone-oper-

tion and meet not only Jimmy

the current administration) and

in 1958 and have never been sorry.

ating inattentive driver.

and Rosalynn, but his extraordi-

that I am very, very lucky. Also that

nary mother, Lillian, and various

I am still healthy.

What makes you happy in Marin?

What’s your personal idea

siblings, including the infamous

NL: The generally liberal mind-

of luxury? NL: Sleeping on clean

Billy. JL: The moment that I real-

How do you want to be remem-

set of Marin neighbors, which is

sheets dried in the sunshine and

ized I could make a lot of peo-

bered? NL: That will be decided

personified for me when I see the

eating vine-ripe tomatoes from

ple feel better and smile a little

by those who remember me. JL:

residents of the Redwoods retire-

our garden. JL: Enough money to

by what I did on the radio. The

As a gentleman who did his best

ment community out on the streets

pay the bills. Oh, and a comfort-

feedback from listeners made it

as a husband, father and perform-

every Friday protesting the Iraq

able pair of shoes.

feel worthwhile.

er, and enjoyed life all the way.

146

MARIN FEBRUARY 2008

MARINMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTO: BARBA RA RIES

What do you like about

McGuire Marin Spanning the Bay 33 Rose Avenue

aving Problems Selling Your Home?

With my personal network and sphere of influence I was able to find the buyers for a $7.25 million property before it even came on the market. Give me a call to see if I can help you sell your property in this market. I specialize in finding exclusive properties that are not available to the public. Call me for a private showing of luxury homes throughout Marin.

23 Leona

Your Source For Luxury Estates From 90 Taylor Road $2 Million Up For up-to-date market information and new listings for luxury properties in your area visit my website:

w w w.worldclassproperties.com

Anna K. Pennington-Boucher Luxury Home Specialist

415.860.1399

anna@worldclassproperties.com www.worldclassproperties.com

PHOTOGRAPHED BY SKREBNESKI