Marin Magazine February 2012

Marin

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Find your Sutter Health network doctor today at the doctor for you . com

Congratulations to our doctors in Marin and San Francisco selected by their peers as [415] Top Doctors 2012

Michael Abel, MD

James Adams, MD

Everett Ai, MD

Eileen Aicardi, MD

Amy Akers, MD

Kenneth Akizuki, MD

Gail Altschuler, MD

Jeffrey Amen, MD

Shilpi Anand, MD

Peter Anastassiou, MD

William Andereck, MD

James Anthony, MD

Diana Antoniucci, MD

Gary Apter, MD

Jeffrey Aron, MD

Paul Aronowitz, MD

Margaret Baer, MD

Susan Bailey, MD

Nobl Barazangi, MD

Sophie Barbant, MD

Ari Baron, MD

Secily Bason-Mitchell, MD

Stephen Bearg, MD

John Belzer, MD

Barbara Bennett, MD

Patrick Bennett, MD

Kenneth Bermudez, MD

Joshua Bernstein, MD

Suruchi Bhatia, MD

Emily Binkley, MD

Kenneth Binmoeller, MD

Sally Boero, MD

Lawrence Bohannon, MD

Maurizio Bonacini, MD

Raymond Bonneau, MD

Michael Borah, MD

Amy Bossen, MD

Nelson Branco, MD

Bruce Brent, MD

Andrew Brill, MD

William Bry, MD

Gregory Buncke, MD

Natalie Bzowej, MD

Izumi Cabrera, MD

Peter Callander, MD

Karen Callen, MD

Joan Campagna, MD

John Campbell, MD

Carolyn Chang, MD

David Chang, MD

Michael Chase, MD

Randolph Chase, MD

Yanek Chiu, MD

Ilkcan Cokgor, MD

Katherine Crosby, MD

Timothy Crowley, MD

Susan Dab, MD

Keith Denkler, MD

Sujoya Dey, MD

Robert Dobrow, MD

Keith Donatto, MD

Mark Drucker, MD

Fiona Dulbecco, MD

Max Duncan, DO

David Duong, MD

Karen Earle, MD

Glenn Egrie, MD

Peter Eisenberg, MD

Ahmed El-Ghoneimy, MD

Tareq Elqousy, MD

Martin Ernster, MD

Genevieve Estilo, MD

Jane Fang, MD

Benjamin Fong, MD

Mei-Ling Fong, MD

Richard Francoz, MD

Lorry Frankel, MD

Todd Frederick, MD

Kim Frederickson, MD

Steven Fugaro, MD

Yasuko Fukuda, MD

Richard Gerber, MD

Bart Gershbein, MD

Kent Gershengorn, MD

Gary Gin, MD

James Goldberg, MD

William Gonda, MD

William Good, MD

Cynthia Goodman, MD

Daniel Goodman, MD

Kathleen Grant, MD

Joseph Greenberg, MD

Nima Grissom, MD

Merik Gross, MD

Gary Grossfeld, MD

Joseph Habis, MD

Ernest Haeusslein, MD

Winthrop Hall, MD

Steven Hao, MD

Kevin Hiler, MD

Holly Holter, MD

Joanne Hom, MD

Richard Hongo, MD

Jordan Horowitz, MD

Katherine Hsiao, MD

Jennie Huang, MD

Peter Hui, MD

Yngvar Hvistendahl, MD

Ilyas Iliya, MD

Lester Jacobson, MD

Alan Johnson, MD

Jacob Johnson, MD

John Jolley, MD

Gregg Jossart, MD

Madelyn Kahn, MD

Robert Kahn, MD

Leslie Kardos, MD

Mark Kasselik, MD

Jonathan Katz, MD

Steven Katznelson, MD

Brian Keeffe, MD

Holly Kelly, MD

Edward Kersh, MD

George Kimmerling, MD

Gabriel Kind, MD

David King-Stephens, MD

Donald Kitt, MD

Kevin Knopf, MD

Keith Korver, MD

Alan Kramer, MD

Marilyn Kutzscher, MD

Lizellen La Follette, MD

Mark Lawler, MD

Kenneth Laxer, MD

Charles Lee, MD

Crystine Lee, MD

Russell Leong, MD

Lawrence Levy, MD

Michelle Li, MD

Martin Liberman, MD

Guy Livnat, MD

Meenal Lohtia, MD

Jennifer Lucas, MD

Corey Maas, MD

David Macgregor, MD

Catherine Madison, MD

Denise Main, MD

Elliott Main, MD

Michael Maioriello, MD

Michelle Tisi Malcolmson, MD

Kevin Man, MD

Aditi Mandpe, MD

Katherine Margolin, MD

H. Richard McDonald, MD

Aristotle Mendiola, MD

Richard Mendius, MD

Alex Metzger, MD

Gary Milechman, MD

Marilyn Milkman, MD

Robert Miller, MD

Khashayar Mohebali, MD

Charles Morris, MD

James Murphy, MD

Tim Murphy, MD

Kathryn Najafi-Tagol, MD

Andrea Natale, MD

Barry Nemrow, MD

Harry Neuwirth, MD

Horace Newhard, MD

Merrill Nisam, MD

Jonathan Nordlicht, MD

Barbara Nylund, MD

Dean Ornish, MD

Robert Osorio, MD

Carol Otto, MD

Laura Pak, MD

John Panagotacos, MD

William Parmer, MD

Brian Parrett, MD

Gyorgy Pataki, MD

Mary Piel, MD

Cynthia Point, MD

Ricki Pollycove, MD

Allan Pont, MD

Robert Popper, MD

Donald Psykaty, MD

Carlos Quintana, MD

Justin Quock, MD

John Rabkin, MD

Arun Raghupathy, MD

James Reed, MD

Kara Reinke, MD

Peter Richards, MD

John Riordan, MD

Marilyn Robertson, MD

Curtis Roebken, MD

Rodman Rogers, MD

Jack Rose, MD

Adam Rosenblatt, MD

Andrew Rosenblatt, MD

Daniel Roth, MD

Gary Rust, MD

Kevin Saitowitz, MD

Hima Satyavolu, MD

Eric Scher, MD

David Schindler, MD

Cathleen Schmitt, MD

Diana Schott, MD

Eldon Schriock, MD

Erik Schten, MD

Diva Seddick, MD

John Selle, MD

Ira Sharlip, MD

Lawrence Shore, MD

Joel Sklar, MD

Taylor Smith, MD

Maggie So, MD

David Sperling, MD

Robert Sperling, MD

Schuman Tam, MD

Nikola Tede, MD

Irene Teper, MD

Gregg Tolliver, MD

David Tong, MD

Edmund Tsoi, MD

Lucia Tuffanelli, MD

Paul Turek, MD

Robert Vazquez, MD

Ann Vercoutere, MD

Michael Verhille, MD

Kirsten Voss, MD

Smriti Wagle, DO

Adil Ed Wakil, MD

Paul Wasserstein, MD

Peter Weber, MD

Melissa Weinberg, MD

Stephen Welter, MD

Mark Wexman, MD

Donna Wiggins, MD

Laurence Yee, MD

Pearl Yee, MD

Andrea Yeung, MD

Jerald Young, MD

California Pacific Medical Center

Novato Community Hospital

Sutter Medical Center Santa Rosa

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

Features

42 6 Sweet Indulgences We asked what your favorite chocolate Valentine’s desserts are in Marin, and these made the top of your list.

50 The Rhythm of Love (Marin-Style) What’s the status of love in Marin? It all depends if you’re in it, looking for it or falling out of it.

Special Section

56 [415] Top Doctors 2012 More than 13,000 votes were cast in our proprietary peer-to-peer survey, and the results — 606 physicians, all in the 415 area code — are in.

In Marin

21 Currents Electric bikes, the new pedal pushers in the county, wanderings through San Rafael’s Fourth Street and more.

32 FYI Marin’s Fainaru brothers, Mark and Steve, earn national distinction for their individual contributions to journalism.

36 Conversation Brendan Moylan is owner, employer, brewer, bottler, barkeep, counselor and head paper pusher of the Marin Brewing Company — and there is no other job he’d rather have.

Destinations

87 Go The annual migration of Marin’s baseball fans to spring training in Arizona starts soon.

90 Travel Buzz Special deals for Valentine’s Day, agritourism in Mendocino County, a wine festival in Paso Robles and more.

92 Journey A seasoned traveler who visits Iran is met with a friendly, hospitable welcome everywhere he goes.

Out & About

99 Calendar A roundup of what to do in Marin and beyond.

108 Dine An insider’s guide to restaurants and food in the Bay Area.

120 On the Scene Snapshots from special events in Marin and San Francisco.

Marin Home

131 Backstory A Marin native and his family settle into Corte Madera, his childhood town.

COLUMNS 14 View From Marin 16 POV 162 Looking Back

Amy Bossen, MD, Internal Medicine

David Chang, MD, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

Peter Curran, MD, Cardiology

David Duong, MD, Urology

Gordon Fung, MD, Cardiology

Albert Lee, MD, Cardiology

Kevin Man, MD, Gastroenterology

Carlos Quintana, MD, Neurology

Justin Quock, MD Medical Oncology

James Reed, MD, Gastroenterology

Marilyn Robertson, MD, Neurology

Rodman Rogers, MD, Urology

Rodolfo Soto, MD, Cardiology

Joseph Spaulding, MD, Urology

Edmond Tsoi, MD General Surgery

Richard Ward, MD, Internal Medicine

Peter Weber, MD, Neurosurgery

World-Class Experiences

Down the Road

Editorial

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Nikki Wood

EXECUTIVE EDITORS

Julie Sinclair, Mimi Towle

SENIOR EDITOR Daniel Jewett

SENIOR WRITER Jim Wood

EDITOR-AT-LARGE Tim Porter

COPY EDITOR Cynthia Rubin

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Logan Link

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

PJ Bremier, Vassi Koutsaftis, Dawn Margolis Denberg, Megan Pickett, Gordon Wright

CONTACT editorial@marinmagazine.com

Art

ART DIRECTOR Veronica Sooley

PRODUCTION MANAGER Alex French ext 111 | production@marinmagazine.com

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Drew Altizer, Mo DeLong, Jennifer Martiné, Nike Van Der Molen

Administration

CONTROLLER Maeve Walsh ext 104 | mwalsh@marinmagazine.com

OFFICE MANAGER Danielle Detrick ext 100 | ddetrick@marinmagazine.com

Web

WEB EDITOR Daniel Jewett

Volume 8, Issue 2. Marin Magazine is published in Marin County by Open Sky Media. All rights reserved. Copyright©2012. Reproduction of Marin Magazine content is prohibited without the expressed, written consent of Open Sky Media. 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. phone 415.332.4800, fax 415.332.3048, email editorial@marinmagazine.com, website marinmagazine.com.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR DOCS WHO’VE MADE IT TO THE TOP

WE SALUTE THE PHYSICIANS FROM MARIN GENERAL HOSPITAL HONORED BY MARIN MAGAZINE

As the only full-service, acute care hospital in Marin County, we strive to provide comprehensive, top-quality care to our community. And as much as we appreciate our excellent physicians, it’s nice to be recognized by others as well.

This issue of Marin Magazine lists the top doctors in the area in a wide variety of specialties. And we’re proud that so many of our physicians made the cut. Congratulations to all the top docs in this special issue from everyone at Marin General Hospital.

For a referral to a Marin General Hospital physician, please call 1-888-99-MY-MGH (1-888-996-9644).

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Sonia and Aydin Senkut at CPMC California Campus

Meet the Helping Hands of CPMC

Sonia and Aydin Senkut help keep our infants warm and healthy

Because of generous people like Sonia and Aydin Senkut, we now have new infant bed warmers at the newest additions to our community comfy and cozy. Learn more at CPMC.org/helpinghands

THIS MONTH , it’s all about love: The love of delicious desserts, of Giants spring training, of beer (and beer-making), of great journalism, of health and of travel. And let’s not forget the state of romance itself in Marin. So where do we start?

Did you plan to get healthy as a New Year’s resolution? In our In Marin section, we introduce you to Dr. Elson Haas, who shares advice on being and staying healthy. Also in the section, brewmaster and entrepreneur Brendan Moylan offers readers a peek inside his two Marin operations as well as insight on how he comes up with Marin-themed beer names.

You can also learn about the brothers Fainaru, both best-selling authors and

award-winning journalists who went to Redwood High School. One broke the BALCO scandal, while the other earned a Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of mercenaries in Iraq.

In Destinations, follow the spring migration of Marin baseball fans and learn why they look forward to going to Scottsdale Stadium each year for Giants spring training. In Travel Buzz, we offer deals on romantic travel, and Journey recounts Marin resident Vassi Koutsaftis’ experience last June, when he traveled to Iran — the homeland of Hafiz, the famous 14th century Sufi love poet. Would the heightened travel warnings and recent military posturing of the Iranian government keep Koutsaftis from returning there? “Categorically not,” he says. “Very few people I have met in the world are as friendly and hospitable as the Iranians.” With the limited exposure to Iran we get, we appreciate Koutsaftis’ insight on what the average Iranian (versus the country’s government) thinks of Americans.

A month ago we asked via Facebook and Twitter for your all-time favorite chocolate desserts from Marin restaurants. The result: “6 Sweet Indulgences,” which include suggested wine pairings. Did we miss your favorite? Please let us know via editorial@marinmagazine.com.

Finally, we explored the state of love in Marin. To fi nd out what we uncovered, turn to “The Rhythm of Love, Marin-Style.” Couples share their stories, from courting and staying together all the way to (yes, it’s possible) — amicable separations.

Wherever, however or whomever you will celebrate love with this month, we hope you fi nd inspiration in these pages, showcasing the beauty and treats of our county. What’s not to love?

What is the state of love in Marin? Couples share their stories, from courting and staying together all the way to (yes, it’s possible) amicable separations.

ON THE COVER Cherry on Top, by San Rafael artist Carole Bigot. Bigot has painted at Mark Drive Studios since 2005. Her cupcake series began in 2006 with an exhibition entitled Indulgences. Bigot continues to paint confections, inspired by the unique relationship they have with the luscious feel of oil paint itself and the subtle sense of humor they lend to her work. To see more of Bigot’s work, visit carolebigot.com.

BARBARA RIES (TOP)

Marin Magazine Staff Editors

Above, from left: Mimi Towle, Dan Jewett, Nikki Wood, Julie Sinclair

World Class Care. Closer to Home.

Ranked among the top 10 hospitals in the nation by U.S.News and World Report, UCSF Medical Center is known for innovative patient care, advanced technology and pioneering research.

Through expanded services at our Marin Clinic in Greenbrae, UCSF offers even greater access to exceptional specialty care, right in your own back yard. This means that physicians like Dr. Cheryl Ewing, Marin County’s most experienced breast cancer surgeon, are now more accessible than ever.

For more information on our outreach clinics, visit our website at www.ucsfhealth.org/outreachclinics

Breast Care Center (415) 353-7070

Cheryl Ewing, MD*

Cardiology

Michael S. Blum, MD (415) 353-2873

Jeffrey E. Olgin, MD* (415) 353-2554

Nelson B. Schiller, MD, FACC* (415) 353-2873

Neurosurgery (415) 353-7500

Tarun Arora, MD*

Orthopaedic Surgery – Spine (415) 353-2739

Shane Burch, MD

Sports Medicine (415) 353-2808

Carlin Senter, MD

Vascular Surgery (415) 353-2357

Michael S. Conte, MD

Charles M. Eichler, MD*

* (415) Top Doctors list – 2011-2012

1300 S. ELISEO DR., SUITE 204, GREENBRAE

Marin’s 2012 Issues

A summary of where we are … and where we’re going. BY

Capital punishment is California’s greatest scourge and an insufferable waste of taxpayer money.

JIM WOOD

AS WE HEAD further into 2012, I believe Marin County has several issues worth tracking. Here’s my short list.

E SMART: Petitions are circulating to repeal the Sonoma-to-Marin commuter rail line. If enough signatures are gathered, the issue could be on the November 2012 ballot. The fact is, more than $200 million has already been spent on SMART (rail cars, engineering, administration, etc.). This has to be paid, no matter what. Repealing SMART now means the quarter-cent sales tax hike, approved in 2008, would continue for another nine years — with nothing to show for it. “Construction began in early 2012,” says Farhad Mansourian, SMART’s general manager. Trains will be running between Santa Rosa and San Rafael by late 2015 or early 2016.” My POV: Do not sign the petition.

E Board of Supervisors: In 2011, Governor Jerry Brown named Kate Sears to replace the late Charles McGlashan as Southern Marin’s county supervisor. Months later, recovering cancer victim Hal Brown resigned as Ross Valley’s supervisor, and the governor appointed Katie Rice. Recently, Sears and Rice declared they want to retain their jobs — thus both will be on November 2012 ballot, each with just more than a year’s experience on the board. At press time, only David Weinsoff, a Fairfax town councilperson, has stepped forward to challenge Rice. The job pays $124,000 a year, plus benefits. Filing opens February 13 and closes March 9. My POV: Come November, Sears and Rice might well have performed exceptionally — but here’s a chance to hear differing viewpoints as to how Marin should be governed.

E Marin Energy Authority (MEA): In 2010, MEA was formed to provide cleaner energy than that provided by PG&E. At fi rst, there were doubters. Only the unincorporated county area and seven of Marin’s 11 cities wanted their residents to be able to choose MEA’s greener power. Then, in 2011, Ross, Novato, Larkspur and Corte Madera city councils signed on. So MEA — the state’s fi rst community-based clean energy provider — is now increasing its staff to 11, purchasing power from a photovoltaic facility in Rocklin and planning to grow its customer base from 14,000 to more than 90,000. My POV: When given the chance to be greener — go for it!

E Marin General Hospital (MGH): Last year was MGH’s fi rst without being a Sutter Health affi liate. Many doubted the hospital could make it. Yet now, under CEO Lee Domanico, MGH has signed management agreements with two Sonoma hospitals, gained accreditation with commendations for its Marin Cancer Institute and received more than $5 million in community donations. In 2013, MGH will ask voters to pass a $400 million bond issue in order to rebuild according to state seismic standards. My POV: MGH is creating a state-of-the-art, 21st-century hospital that will merit a favorable vote when it comes time to rebuild.

E San Quentin State Prison: Since 2006, not one execution has taken place at San Quentin. Furthermore, due in part to a ruling by Marin Superior Court Judge Faye D’Opal, there will be none in 2012. California’s threedrug execution procedure is the problem. The solution is SB 490, calling for California’s death penalty to be replaced by life without possibility of parole, which is likely to be on the November 2012 ballot. My POV: If SB 490 is on the November ballot (and I hope it is), vote “yes.” Capital punishment is California’s greatest scourge and an insufferable waste of taxpayer money.

Those are my points of view. What are yours? Email pov@marinmagazine.com.

Marin·Sonoma IPA is a healthcare network representing our local physician members. It is the network providing health care and administering benefits for HMO members in Marin and Sonoma Counties. Marin·Sonoma IPA is made up of expert medical and administrative staff dedicated to ensuring that you receive the highest quality health care available.

For exceptional local care, call (415) 884-1840, or visit www.MarinSonomaIPA.com.

Your Letters

Designers Showcase Contributor

I would like to thank Marin Magazine for the comprehensive article about the 41st Marin Designer Showcase (“The Making of a Showcase House,” January 2012). The showcase tours will take place at the world-class Villa Belvedere, currently listed for sale at $45 million. This is a major fundraising event produced by and benefiting one of the best charity organizations in Marin, the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership. The listing agent, Olivia Hsu Decker, co-owner of Decker Bullock Sotheby’s International Realty, should have been mentioned in the “Who Made It Happen” credits in the story. Decker convinced the owner to offer his property as the showcase home and then personally donated $50,000 to the center for this important community event and connected top Bay Area designers Suzanne Tucker, David Kensington, Candace Barnes, Cecilie Starin and Stephen Suzman with the Showcase organization. The home is scheduled to be open February 1–26. HEIDI PAY, CEO & GENERAL MANAGER, DECKER BULLOCK SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY

Mass-Retail Bookstores

I’m writing to thank Jim Wood for his insights about independent bookstores (POV, January 2012). While I do not disagree with his perspectives, there are a few things Marin Magazine readers should consider about the trend in publishing and the practices of large retail booksellers like Barnes and Noble.

Increasingly, e-books and electronic readers are changing how people acquire and read books. Gradually, the major publishers are making arrangements with public libraries and bookstores to increase their sales of e-books. This trend need not threaten independent bookstores. Steve Costa at Point Reyes Books will order print and electronic formats for his clients. He is not alone in doing this. The owner of Kepler’s Books in Menlo Park, a highly successful independent bookstore, is doing the same. For many independent bookstores, hardbound copies continue to be featured and promoted, even though readers are gradually opting for paperbacks and e-books. Rather than paint big-box retailers as “predators,” it’s important to realize the diversity that Americans want as they purchase books, magazines, newspapers and music.

Obviously, convenience and price are key factors. But there are also other matters that motivate buyers to visit Barnes and Noble in Corte Madera. It’s worth a visit to this store, particularly on a Saturday or Sunday morning when dads take their children to listen to storytelling, talk with specialists on children’s literature and even hear visiting children’s writers.

For writers, the manager of Barnes & Noble at Corte Madera does several things to help. The store has a section that highlights local writers and even provides advice and assistance on how to get published. We need to realize that there is a place in Marin for independent bookstores and a store like Barnes and Noble.

ROBERTO HARO, LARKSPUR

SUPing and Marine Water Life

Regarding the article “Getting On Board” (December 2011), I have seen countless standup paddleboarders invade the resting places of harbor seals and even frighten pelicans from pilings and seawalls. The Marine Mammal Center says to keep 300 feet from seals that have hauled out to rest. I have seen SUPers (and kayakers) come right up to seals, perhaps thinking Richardson Bay is a petting zoo. The seals immediately retreat into the water.

There are very few places for seals to come out of the water, as most shoreline is now given over to public walkways, with lots of children and dogs — wonderful for people, but not for sea life. The limited places in the water where animals can rest, often only available at low tide, are now overrun with people who rent equipment and leave common sense behind with their deposit.

A simple fact: 50 percent of harbor seal pups die in their fi rst year. The reasons are disease, starvation and exhaustion. The third factor comes into play when there is no place for the pups to rest. Because I have a boat very near one of the few seal resting areas, I have begun taking pictures of people deliberately disturbing the animals. (Perhaps a future Facebook page?) LEN SELLERS, PH.D., SAUSALITO

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Your comments may be edited for clarity and brevity. Send them to letters@marinmagazine com . Please include your town and a daytime phone number.

CENTER SPORTS MEDICINE

In Marin

CELEBRATING THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND CAUSES OF THIS UNIQUE COUNTY

THE NEW PEDAL PUSHERS

Electric bicycles are catching on in Marin.

BY JIM WOOD • PHOTOS BY BARBARA RIES

Karla Jacobs, owner of Electric Wheels West in Novato, rides one of her electric-assisted bikes through Marin.

ON NEW YEAR’S EVE in 1895, Ogden Bolton Jr. was granted U.S. Patent #552,271 for a battery-powered bicycle. No, that’s not a typo; electric bikes first appeared more than 100 years ago. But before long, gas-propelled cars, planes, trucks, buses and, yes, motorcycles became the dominant mode of American transportation. Now — especially in Marin, with its flat terrain interspersed with steep hills — electric bicycles, or E-bikes, are charging back as a means of transportation — one that’s green, economical and also a great source of exercise.

“It’s like a motorbike,” says 57-year-old Bryn Deamer. “Only it doesn’t spew gas, and I get a workout going to work.” Deamer’s round-trip commute is six miles — from San Rafael’s Gerstle Park over Wolfe Grade to Marin General Hospital, where he is a medical records supervisor. “Some stretches get slow,” he adds, “but the downhills are a blast.” Deamer rides a Quest step-through E-bike that cost him $912, tax included.

What should you consider when choosing an E-bike? In addition to cost, which in Marin ranges from $800 to almost $9,000 (one European deluxe model reportedly sells for $35,000), you should also factor in what level of power you’ll need. E-bikes can move without pedaling (power on demand) or with pedal-assist; many combine both options.

The motor’s power, or wattage, should also be a consideration. Street-legal E-bike motors range from 220 to 750 watts, and off-road E-bikes go up to 1,600 watts. In comparison, experts say Lance Armstrong pedals the

equivalent of 500 watts. Finally, there’s the distance and speed an E-bike can travel on one charge. Distances range from 18 to 45 miles; speeds go from 18 to 35 mph. E-bikes currently being sold each have a lithium battery you can easily recharge in less than four hours by plugging it into a standard wall outlet.

For many owners of E-bikes, there’s no going back. Motivated by a love of cycling and two bad knees, Novato’s Karla Jacobs — who founded Electric Wheels West (electricwheelswest.com) — believes in electric bicycles so strongly she became an E-bike dealer. “I left my car in San Francisco,” she says with a grin, parodying the Tony Bennett song. “Now when I go for a bike ride I really fly. I’m working just as hard but going faster and farther.”

For a well-rounded E-bike less than $2,000, Jacobs favors the Hebb Electro-Glide, which features a 350-watt motor and, according to her, is great on most hills. For an E-bike under $1,000, Jacobs recommends the E-Tour Glide. “But it only has a 220-watt motor, so it’s best for flat

I left my car in San Francisco. Now when I go for a bike ride I really fly. I’m working just as hard but going faster and farther.

terrain,” she says. Still, according to its specs, an E-Tour Glide can go 28 miles on a single charge and reach 18 mph.

San Francisco’s Blazing Saddles (blazingsaddles.com), a bike rental concession at Fisherman’s Wharf, also sells electric bicycles. “We have 60 E-bikes, representing three

Above right: An electric bike from Electric Wheels West. Below: Marcus Hays, president and CEO of Pi Mobility, works on one of his PiCycles — engineered and manufactured in Sausalito.

different makes, in our rental pool,” reports general manager Bruno Wanderly, “and any one of them will easily make it over the Golden Gate Bridge into Sausalito or Tiburon — no problem.” According to Wanderly, a favorite of

It’s like a motorbike. Only it doesn’t spew gas, and I get a workout going to work.

both buyers and renters is the Swiss-designed Legacy Stromer, which comes in both standard and step-through, or “girl’s bike,” models.

With its 600-watt motor, the Legacy Stromer can handle almost any grade in Marin, and it can be pedaled, pedal-assisted or fully powered by the motor. With a range extending to 30 miles and speeds up to 35 mph, a well-equipped model costs less than $3,000. “Or we’ll rent you one for $89 a day, which is almost three times what a regular bike costs [to rent],” Wanderly says with a laugh. “But guaranteed, an E-bike is three times more enjoyable.”

If there’s one top-of-the-line, uniquely designed E-bike that truly stands out in the Marin marketplace, it’s the PiCycle (picycle.com), which is manufactured off Marinship Way in the Sausalito shipyards. Why the term “pi”? “Pi, or approximately 3.14, is the mathematical ratio of a circle’s diameter to its circumference,” says Marcus Hays, founder and CEO of Pi Mobility, “and our bike’s aluminum frame is part of a perfect circle.”

Hays says that his customers range from “pedal-for-pleasure to pure speed junkies,” so PiCycles can be configured “as teddy bears or 100 percent electric beasts.” A PiCycle sells for between $5,995 and $8,995, depending on what a buyer wants. Unlike other E-bikes, a PiCycle’s electric motor can be charged by pedaling, thereby extending the range to 40 miles. Off-road speeds reach as high as 40 mph. PiCycle motors range from 750 (streetlegal) to 1,600 watts (off-road only) and feature a belt drive rather than a chain.

As to what separates a PiCycle — which weighs 68 pounds — from a lightweight gas- or electric-powered motorcycle, Hays is succinct: “A PiCycle isn’t required to be registered, nor does it call for a special driver’s license.” m

Your Wealth is Well cared for...

James E. Demmert, Managing Partner

Reading List

Bless the Bride: A Molly Murphy Mystery by Rhys Bowen, Minotaur Books, $24.99. This San Rafael author won the 2011 Reader’s Choice Award for a mystery series. Her latest historical novel, centered in New York City’s Chinatown in 1903, involves a powerful businessman; his imported bride; brothels and opium dens; and, of course, a murder. Ends with an unexpected twist.

Red Sunshine: A Story of Strength and Inspiration From a Doctor Who Survived Stage 3 Breast Cancer by Kimberly Allison, M.D., Hatherleigh Press, $15.95 (paperback). This 192-page book by a 33-yearold pathologist, wife and mother who grew up in Belvedere and attended Branson takes a different slant on the cancer patient/doctor relationship: She is both. Told with humor and insight.

Chain Reaction by Ross E. Goldstein, Ph.D., CreateSpace, $16 (paperback).

A novel about cycling by a committed Mill Valley cyclist (and Harvard psychologist). Travels from Marin’s rolling terrain to the steep challenges of Europe and deals with friendships, sponsorships, steroids, glories and downfalls. Gaining great reviews, even from non-cyclers. JIM WOOD

Getting the Nod

equally stellar Marinites. MIMI TOWLE

1 What’s Cooking?

A Marin-based vegan cooking show, Miyoko’s Kitchen, won a 2011 WAVE Award, which celebrates video excellence in local cable programming. The winning episode, “It’s Nacho Business,” was selected from a pool of several hundred entries submitted from six western states. miyoko.com

2 The Man With a Plan

Novato’s Greg Friedman, cofounder of Private Ocean financial planning group, was a recent recipient of Financial Planning magazine’s Influencer Award. private ocean.com

3 Harr Cares

Not only did athlete and überfundraiser Eric Harr of Fairfax finish his first Ironman in Kona last fall (his time was 9:01:34, which put him 40th overall in the final rankings of 1,900 competitors), but his efforts also earned nearly $100,000 for CARE, a humanitarian organization fighting global poverty, of which he is a global ambassador. ericharr.com

4 Super Style

Congrats are in order to Lily Samii of Ross for receiving the 2011 Women’s Initiative Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award for her San Francisco couture business. lilysamii.com

5 A First!

Veronica Salazar just opened El Huarache Loco in the Marin Country Mart, making it the first stand-alone restaurant from the La Cocina program, a San Francisco–based nonprofit that cultivates lowincome food entrepreneurs. elhuaracheloco.com

Congrats to these very different but

Clockwise from far left: Eric Harr, Greg Friedman and Lily Samii.

RAW FORM As we celebrate various varieties of the venerable cacao (pronounced cah COW) bean this month, it’s important to appreciate it in its purest form — raw chocolate — said by some to be the healthiest food on the planet.

Navitas Naturals (navitasnaturals. com), based in Novato, is among the leading national suppliers of this superfood and sells it as raw certified organic whole beans, nibs, butter, paste and powder. “Not roasting the cacao preserves the fullest range of its antioxidants,” says Zack Adelman, CEO and founder. “Our lab results indicate an ORAC [oxygen radical absorption capacity] score of more than 95,000 units per 100 grams. Blueberries are at about 6,000 for comparison.”

Navitas Naturals isn’t the only Marin-based fan of the bean. Sacred Chocolate (sacredchocolate.com), of San Rafael, offers love and gratitude in bars and truffles sweetened with maple sugar, insulin from Jerusalem artichokes, erythritol, and stevia; and Mill Valley superfood chef, author and yoga instructor Christian Bates uses it in his WildBars (wildbar.info), which are packed with nuts and seeds. Need more inspiration to indulge? Check out Bates’ educational and catchy rap song on cacao’s benefits at christianbates.com. M.T.

Bird Nerds

Artist and self-described “bird nerd” David Tomb has partnered with fellow Marinites Peter Barto and Howard Flax (the three all went to San Rafael High School together) to create the Jeepney Projects Worldwide (jeepneyprojects.org), a nonprofit that aims to raise awareness and ensure the survival of endangered birds. Each month a new species will be featured, and Tomb will create limited-edition artwork inspired by that bird. The work will then be sold, and the profits will support a regional conservation group that works to protect the species. This month, look for exhibits in Berkeley and at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. LOGAN LINK

She’s Got You Covered

When 17-year-old Katie Murphy was being treated for Stage 3 Hodgkin’s lymphoma at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, she had an idea. “While I was receiving chemotherapy, I had a catheter in my arm,” she explains, “so I created my own little fashion accessory to help protect and cover it up so I didn’t look strange to others. It made me feel more like ‘myself’ and not a cancer victim.” There’s a good chance Murphy’s innovative thinking was inspired by her mother, Allison, who has owned and run Welcome Home in San Anselmo for many years. With the encouragement of doctors and nurses at Stanford, Alison created the Piccolina Foundation, which provides free custom-made arm covers for children getting treated at Stanford’s Children’s Hospital. You can find out more at thepiccolinafoundation.org. M.T.

America’s Cup

2013 : COUNTDOWN

San Rafael’s John Craig, the principal race officer for the upcoming 34th America’s Cup, said recently, “This will be one of the fastest America’s Cups, sailed on the smallest body of water in history.” Why so fast? Besides the legendary San Francisco Bay gusts, the boats will be speed machines. According to Mill Valley–based Latitude 38 , the AC72s (the models used for the race) are 72-footlong catamarans that are 45 feet wide with a 130-foot-tall wing. And to keep things true to a contest of countries, the hulls and beams are required to be made in the challenging boats’ countries of origin. M.T.

SPARK IT UP According to recent props from Good Housekeeping magazine, CleanFlame Campfire logs (cleanflame.com) are the right choice when it comes to lighting up your hearth. Not only are the artificial logs made with 100 percent recycled products, which create a spark-free flame and are healthy enough to cook over, but they also generate 86 percent less creosote, 80 percent less carbon monoxide and 30 percent less particulate matter than natural wood. However, what we like most is that a portion of the proceeds from every log sold goes to benefit California state parks. M.T.

9 QUESTIONS FOR

Dr. Elson Haas

Director

If you’ve ever gone to the health section of a bookstore, chances are you’ve browsed through at least one of Dr. Elson Haas’s eight best-selling books on nutrition. The 64-year-old started his medical career as a “country doctor” in Bolinas in 1974 and a decade later took over an established holistic medical center in San Rafael, which then became the Preventive Medical Center of Marin. In addition to offering words of wisdom to adults in search of better health, Haas teaches awareness of anatomy and nutrition to kids through music, comic books, super-stylish anatomical T-shirts and socks, and his website, seasonsstudios.com.

MIMI TOWLE

1 Why Marin? We have the perfect blend of nature, culture and open-minded people. Here, it feels like anything is possible.

2

If you were stuck on a desert island with only three things to eat, what would they be? For me, the top three would be salmon, apples and a green, such as broccoli, kale or chard. Can I have a fire pit and a cooking pan?

3

What’s your guilty pleasure (foodwise)? Wow! That’s a tough question for a foodie like me. I would have to say chips, salsa and guacamole.

4

Did you make any New Year’s resolutions last month? I always have goals and plans that I write out extensively at my birthday time in August and at the New Year. It covers all aspects of my life, including health, work and relationships.

5 What’s your favorite drink, and where do you like to drink it? My favorite drink is my morning cocktail of water, some juice, Power Pak nutrients, trace mineral drops and some greens. I like to drink it in my kitchen.

6

Favorite restaurant in Marin? I have several. I love Guyamas in Tiburon, The Garden Restaurant in Novato and Cal Gang Thai at Northgate.

7

Biggest health pitfall you see with your patients? The challenge for all of us is making change — from stressful, unhealthy lifestyles to better habits, which creates better health results. First, we need to acknowledge what is needed to improve our health and then put that plan together. I love that aspect of my work, as well as teaching and reaching teens and young children about healthy living and what it takes now to be healthy adults. Remember, your health starts with you.

8 Is there a cheat sheet for health? Personally, these are the keys for me: chew food well; eat mostly vegetables; exercise regularly; eat light at night; and, when I’m hungry, I first drink water. For others, it could be stress reduction and improving their personal environment; attitude shifts; taking their trace minerals and other nutrients; enjoying their friends and family; feeling gratitude; and laughing more.

9 What is the single most important thing when it comes to staying healthy? While there are many keys — such as diet, exercise, good sleep and managing stress — the most important, I would say, is keeping a positive attitude and loving yourself.

“The most wonderful vacation you can take into the land of relaxation and rejuvenation...Evo’s facials and massages are the best anywhere, the highest level of professionals and surroundings to make you forget the world and feed your soul. Evo will give you a beautiful, relaxing, and cleansing experience! A Big hats off to Evo, my favorite Spa in Marin! ”

- JAN WAHL, Emmy-winning producer, entertainment reporter, and film critic

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Fourth Street, West End, San Rafael

WANDERINGS

West of E Street on Fourth Street in San Rafael is a small town in the middle of downtown — the west end, where there are shops with decades of history, new businesses that reflect modern Marin, and a welcoming combination of affable storeowners and plenty of parking. TIM PORTER

S Red Dragon Yoga

This is the new kid on the west end, an offshoot of the popular Bikram and Power Yoga spot in Mill Valley. Opened in November, it’s warming up the neighborhood with its 105-degree studio. 1701 Fourth St, reddragonyoga.com

N Jack Hunt Automotive

The Hunt family has been selling new cars, fixing older ones and connecting collectors with four-wheeled classics (like a 1937 Ford delivery van) since 1927. Jack Hunt is the third generation to have his name on the window. Stop by for a tune-up and drool over the ’55 Bel Air in the front showroom. 1714 Fourth St, jackhuntauto.com

The Wooden Duck

You’ll find pre-made and custom home-andgarden furnishings that emphasize the use of recycled wood, from reclaimed Indonesian teak to pre-1920 lumber salvaged from demolitions. Also: be sure to look for a bright array of Fermob French garden furniture. 1848 Fourth St, thewoodenduck.com

N Dharma Trading Company

First opened in Berkeley in 1969 and expanded over to 4th Street in 1975, this large, airy vendor of yarn, dye and other textile products draws knitters, crocheters and weavers from around the Bay Area. 1604 Fourth St, dharmatrading.com

Bananas At Large

Think music in Marin, and you think of this store. This jam-packed toy box of guitars, keyboards and sound systems has it all, from a $199 Fender rock starter kit to a 1942 Martin D-45 for $47,999, with plenty in between. 1504 Fourth St, bananasmusic.com

S Starbase Arcade

This spot has been offering old-school video gaming since 1982. Loud and dark, it has two walls of classics like Tekken 5 and newer games like San Francisco Rush — most for only a quarter. Ask owner “Video Bob” Albritton about all-you-can-play kids’ parties. 1545 Fourth St, starbasearcade.com

Rebound Bookstore

Billing itself as “the Biggest Little Bookstore in the Universe,” Rebound is stacked wall-to-wall, floor-toceiling with used books, as well as something you can’t get at Amazon: conversation, community and a cup of tea on the house. 1611 Fourth St, reboundbookstore.com

S Clogs Unlimited

A store specializing in clogs — who knew? With more than enough people to keep this unique shoe store in business, it’s been going strong for 36 years. Dansko, Birkenstock, Sanita and more. And boots and sandals, too. 1707 Fourth St, clogs-unlimited.com m

Rebound Bookstore

The Brothers Write

Marin’s Fainaru brothers earn national distinction for their individual contributions to journalism.

BY GORDON WRIGHT

PHOTOS BY TIM PORTER

IN THE SPRING of 2006, Steve Fainaru — then a war correspondent for the Washington Post — went for a long, contemplative hike near Phoenix Lake with his editor, Phil Bennett. The two Marin natives found themselves visiting the area at the same time and set off on the hike to discuss Fainaru’s impending return to Iraq. The tranquility of Marin’s trails were a stark contrast to the confl ict then raging in Iraq, but by the end of the hike (and a round of beers at Sam’s Cafe in Tiburon), the two journalists had resolved that Fainaru’s next area of coverage should focus on the role of American independent contractors in Iraq.

That fateful walk set Fainaru on the path to a 14-month investigation that spawned a series of articles in the Washington Post — and eventually led not only to the bestselling book Big Boy Rules — America’s Mercenaries fighting in Iraq but also, in 2008, to a Pulitzer Prize.

Extraordinary accomplishments for a journalist — unless you happen to be named Fainaru. Steve’s younger brother Mark, who lives in Petaluma, may be even more

well-known. Working at the San Francisco Chronicle, Mark Fainaru-Wada broke open what came to be known as the BALCO scandal, implicating some of the top athletes in America, including Barry Bonds and Marion Jones, in the widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs. That effort led to the 46-year-old’s best-selling book (co-authored by Lance Williams) Game of Shadows — as well as a George Polk Award for journalism. Two top investigative journalists from Marin? Perhaps not that surprising. But brothers?

“We were always a ‘news’ family,” explains Fainaru-Wada.

“Some of my earliest memories are of the Los Angeles Times spread around the breakfast table,” agrees Fainaru, now 49. “There was always a paper around.”

The family facility for words has deep roots. The brothers’ maternal grandfather (who penned the timeless song “Green Eyes”) was a Tin Pan Alley lyricist, and their paternal grandfather was the editor of a Romanian daily newspaper in Detroit.

“Their dad’s dad was a flaming Communist who was eventually blacklisted,” says the Fainaru brothers’ mom,

Above: Steve Fainaru (left) and his brother, Mark Fainaru-Wada.

Their dad’s dad was a flaming Communist who was eventually blacklisted. Politics were central in our family. We talked about everything, and everyone had a lot of strong opinions, to say the least.

Ellen Gilbert, who now works in Sausalito as a speech and language pathologist. “Politics were central in our family. We talked about everything, and everyone had a lot of strong opinions, to say the least.”

The pair’s love of journalism was further stoked by their time spent writing for the Bark, Redwood High School’s esteemed student newspaper. “My two advisers at Redwood were Sylvia Jones and Donald Brown,” says Mark. “They were critical in every way to me becoming a journalist and having passion and respect for it. Redwood was an incredible training ground. They knew what they were doing and took it seriously.” It’s no surprise that both writers got their starts in sports journalism. Steve played football and baseball at Redwood, and Mark was a varsity baseball player at Redwood as well.

Another factor in Marin’s double-header in journalistic accomplishment was simple sibling dynamics. “I watched Steve’s track, and it was appealing,” says Mark, though older brother Steve notes, “I wasn’t aware that Mark was really following me. He was writing for the Marin Independent Journal as a sophomore, covering games. He could have skipped college, honestly, because as a teenager, he was already a working journalist. I never really encouraged it — it just happened.”

In 2010, Steve left the Post to take a position as managing editor for The Bay Citizen, a nonprofit organization dedicated to independent reporting of San Francisco Bay Area news. “I was working out here for the Post, but I was really traveling too much,” he says. “I wanted to try my hand at editing, and after being a foreign correspondent for so long, The Bay Citizen was a real opportunity to create an organization that can do innovative and quality journalism, to grow journalism and to start something new from scratch.” After years of living abroad and on the East Coast, he’s happy to be back

In

in the Bay Area, where he lives in El Cerrito with his girlfriend, Maureen Fan — herself a Washington Post writer, a former Beijing bureau chief and a Marin native.

Mark continues to cover sports with an investigative twist, having left the Chronicle in 2007 for ESPN, where he is a regular contributor to the network’s Outside the Lines program. Mark’s work on camera for ESPN has been similarly rewarding, though a bit strange for the newsprint veteran. “I never saw myself as a TV guy, and I still don’t. But it’s such a different medium, and I’m learning a ton about how to tell stories there. It’s a new challenge that I’m mostly enjoying.”

Fainaru-Wada says that after all the tumult of his BALCO experience — from grand jury subpoenas to appearances on Letterman — the most nerve-wracking experience turned out to be his graduation speech to the Redwood High class of 2007. “I’ve never been more nervous in my life,” he says. “It was a complete honor — especially with Sylvia Jones in the audience — and it turned out to be the highlight of my time involving BALCO.”

Their mother is, as expected, vastly proud of both siblings. “Oh my God, I’m so fortunate, so grateful and proud of them for not only their successes, but who they are,” she says. And after threats to Mark for his BALCO coverage and the inherent dangers of Steve covering the war in Iraq, she’s glad they’re now all together in the Bay Area: “They’ve given me amazing grandchildren. That we’re all living in same area now is just so great. We celebrate everything together, and really, I just feel fortunate.” m

CALL for ENTRIES

ATTENTION ARTISTS:

Enter the Sixth Annual Cover Art Contest.

WINNERS:

A winner from one of the following categories: painting, photography and illustration.

EXPOSURE:

The winner will be featured on the cover of the May 2012 issue.

ENTER NOW AT:

Brendan Moylan

The man behind the Marin Brewing Company is owner, employer, brewer, bottler, barkeep, counselor and head paper pusher — and there is no other job he’d rather have.

BY DANIEL JEWETT

PHOTOS BY TIM PORTER

Brendan Moylan bellies up to the bar at Moylan’s in Novato. Below: Customers enjoy beer and conversation at Marin Brewing Company.

LIFE CHANGED FOR this son of Irish immigrants — born in San Francisco’s Sunset District — the day that he, as a young man, walked into a place called Buffalo Bill’s in Hayward and fi rst discovered the brewpub concept. It was a revelation. The idea that he could do something like that himself was light-years beyond his humble beginnings as a Liquor Barn clerk and a lot less risky than the importing business, where he had just seen his boss lose everything after a change in exchange rates. It wasn’t long before Moylan started home brewing and taking brewing classes at UC Extension, always with the idea of one day opening his own place. Now, many years later, Moylan fi nds himself the owner of two successful Marin-based restaurant/brewpubs — Marin Brewing Company in Larkspur and Moylan’s in Novato — that employ 170 people and ship products all over the world.

How did you decide on running a brewpub as a career? I walked into Buffalo Bill’s, and I shifted away from importing and toward, Oh my god, you’ve got to make it yourself. A brewpub: What a concept — brew it, serve it, you know, the whole nine yards. Seems like a complete business model. You are able to combine a number of businesses into one. We’re a brewery, a pub, a restaurant, a distributor and a wholesaler, so we can do all those kinds of

In the old days we would have three to four beers on tap. Right now we usually have seven to eight on tap at Marin Brewing Company — people want more variety these days.

things and combine them and make the one business work. The bottled beer markets the pub, and the pub markets the bottled beer; it all balances out.

Was opening day a little scary for you? We opened Marin Brewing Company in 1989, April Fool’s Day; we were on the Narsai David show with a live radio broadcast. It wasn’t scary to open. Moylan’s [opened 6 years later] was scarier, the second one. I was a million dollars over budget on that one, thank you architect. The next one down, Noonan’s [a high-end bar and restaurant, now closed], was even scarier. With each business you open it’s like rolling the dice.

Do you brew at both locations, and how much can you brew and serve on tap? We brew at both locations. Moylan’s was a building that we built from the ground up, so we were able to plan it a little better as far as the use factor. The brewery we built there has a capacity of around 4,000 barrels, whereas at Marin Brewing Company we can make around 2,700.

In the old days we would have three to four beers on tap. Right now we usually have seven to eight on tap at Marin Brewing Company — people want more variety these days. We’ve been able to expand a little bit there and add on to some storage space, which allows us to have more beers available. Although I would like to have a lot more space.

At Moylan’s we traditionally have 18 to 20 on tap, so in that newer pub we were able to put in a little more room and have a little more beer there. I’m a big variety person. I love making lots of good beers, lots of different beers and making a beer for everybody.

Below: A storage tank for the beer at Moylan’s.

Bottom: Brewer Tim Sciascia at work at the Marin Brewing Company.

Friend us to share RSVP Hot Ticket photos at facebook.com/marinmagazine.

[UPCOMING EVENTS]

JON KABAT-ZINN LECTURE

February 17; reception: 6 p.m.; speaking engagement: 7:30 p.m.

Zellerbach Auditorium, UC Berkeley Campus, Berkeley

Jon Kabat-Zinn speaks about “Mindfulness in Education.”

Preceding the event will be a wine-and-cheese reception. This is a Benefit for Mindful Schools — a nonprofit organization that offers inclass instruction, professional training and other resources.

$250: includes reception, VIP parking, a signed copy of one of Dr. Kabat-Zinn’s books; $15–$65: tickets to event only.

Sponsorships also available:

Please call Randy Fernando at 510.535.6746. For tickets and additional information, go to mindfulschools.org/jkz.

MARIN MASTERS FINE ART SHOW AND SALE

WHEN WHERE WHY YOU SHOULD GO COST FIND OUT MORE

February 10–11; 3–8 p.m.; Gala receptions both days at 5 p.m., with complimentary hors d’oeuvres

The Outdoor Art Club, One West Blithedale Ave, Mill Valley

The Outdoor Art Club will showcase the works of nationally acclaimed Marin artists. All works are for sale, so art lovers can share in the Outdoor Art Club’s 110year support of the arts in Marin. (Dish Rack oil painting shown above by Randy Sexton, courtesy of The Outdoor Art Club.)

Open to the public; free admission and no-host bar; valet parking available outdoorartclub.org

Want to see all the images from our RSVP Hot Ticket events? Visit marinmagazine.com/hotticket for the latest.

Tell us about the beer and the differences between your two brewing locations. Beerwise, what is nice at Marin Brewing Company is that we use a London ale yeast for all our standard ales, and then, when we want to make something special, we use a Belgiumstyle yeast and we make a number of different Belgium-style beers.

At Moylan’s, we use a Chico ale yeast for all our regular beers, and when we want to make something special we do German lagers. So between the two breweries we are making

There’s a lot of poetic freedom in a business like this, and the stuff you can put on a beer label — we have a lot of fun with it.

50 to 60 beers in a given year, and they are all truly different. We might have a pale ale at Moylan’s and a pale ale at Marin Brewing Company, but they are different beers made with different yeasts, and they have different ingredients at a different brewery from a different facility, so they will taste a little different. I get people who say, “I love the Marin beers,” and others who say, “Oh, I love the Moylan beers,” and that’s great.

You can see by our display case out front that we’ve been lucky enough to win a lot of awards over the years. A lot of that has to do with the fact that we were willing to be one step ahead of a lot of people.

How does your beer fit into the culture of Marin? At Marin Brewing Company, we do lunch, dinner and late-night dining, a full menu ’til midnight every night. It really attracts a lot of people who have odd schedules, and nowadays I think more and more people have odd schedules. We get people coming from the hospital shift that is over at 11 p.m. They are in their hospital garb, they’re getting off work, they are hungry, they want a beer, they want to relax, you know, that’s their 5 o’clock. But it’s always been a meeting place where people can come. You can be sitting next to a guy with a three-piece suit and a guy with a tie-dye shirt, and the next thing you know they’ll look at each other and say, “Hey

Bob, how’s it going?” It’s a great meeting place and a great place for social interaction.

How do you come up with the Marin-centric names for your beer? The first name I came up with was San Quentin’s Breakout Stout, and I got that from a guy who worked at Liquor Barn. He says, “San Quentin Breakout Stout,” and I say, “Great name for a beer.” Another one I can remember naming is the Old Dipsea Barley Wine, because, traditionally, barley wines are “old” something. I was looking at the chalkboard with a space where the name should be, and someone yelled from the bar, “Dipsea,” and I thought, Dipsea… like tipsy, like drinking. Dipsea, Marin County, perfect

We also have Cuvee Roge, Roge being one of our managers. Her name is perfect. Arne [the brewmaster] came up with it, and it was like, “That’ll work.” Roge is one of our girls; now she has a beer named after her. Some of the other people are a little jealous. If you’re smart, you submit a suggestion with your name in it. I of course do the St. Brendan’s, because we all know how saintly Brendan is.

“I feel so welcome and comfortable in my new setting. The Tamalpais is home to me in every way and I cannot imagine being anywhere else. I am carefree, enjoy many activities and friends, and look at this beautiful mountain from my window. I can’t stop smiling.”

Resident Tamiko Flannery, Retired Japanese Doll-Making Instructor

At The Tamalpais in Marin, everything you need today –and may need tomorrow – is close at hand. Enjoy a wealth of inspiring choices while managing your future health care costs. To learn more about the peace of mind shared by Tamiko Flannery and all our Life Care residents, call Nancy Martin at 415-464-1754 and ask about our new contract options.

A fresh batch of the popular Mt. Tam Pale Ale.

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There’s a lot of poetic freedom in a business like this, and the stuff you can put on a beer label — we have a lot of fun with it.

How soon after opening the brewpub did you get into bottling and distribution? We bottled pretty quickly into the business. About two years in, we started bottling the Mt. Tam Pale Ale. After that we bottled the Albion Amber, the Marin Weiss and the Old Dipsea Barley Wine. Barley wines are supposed to come out in a little seven-ounce nip, but we did a 22-ounce barley wine. Traditional brewer types would give us an evil look. But my bottling machine could only fit one size of bottle, so tough luck, that’s what you get.

We ship the Marin Brewing Company beers to Oregon and Arizona and throughout California. The Moylan’s beers ship to about 30 states and several countries, including England, Denmark, Guam, Puerto Rico, New Zealand, Australia and Japan — the Japanese go crazy for the microbrewed beers; they love them.

Just a few of the awards the brewing company has earned, on display at Moylan’s.

Who is your brewmaster? Grant Johnston was our first brewer. Now Arne Johnson has been here the last 15 or 16 years. He originally apprenticed here through a UC Davis Extension class, and he was good. When Grant was going to leave, Arne stepped right in and filled his shoes, and he has been going full steam ever since. He does his job really well and is very respected within the brewers’ community, and the customers really like his beer. It is a big responsibility to be the man. My job is to hire the right guy and give him everything I can to make him successful. He’s kind of got the job I want. But I’m doing pretty good; I can’t complain — it’s a fun business.

Describe your ideal Northern California beer tour. The Highway 101 tour of breweries is fantastic. If I’m doing the 101 tour, I’m doing Marin Brewing Company, Moylan’s, Lagunitas, Third Street, Russian River, Bear Republic, Mendocino, Hopland and Boonville;

You can see by our display case out front that we’ve been lucky enough to win a lot of awards over the years. A lot of that has to do with the fact that we were willing to be one step ahead of a lot of people.

that’s a hell of a ride. Then skip over the coast to hit North Coast Brewing Company. It will take more than one day: maybe two breweries a day is a good pace — a lunch one and a dinner one and leave it at that.

What are your future plans? I have a business I am running with my father; it’s a distillery up in Petaluma, where we are making whiskeys. The Moylan’s Distilling Company whiskeys will be out hopefully in the next couple of months. It’s a fun business. After you become a mad-scientist brewer, the next thing is distilling. If you can ferment it, you can distill it. I’m really enjoying it and looking forward to it; whiskey is something you have to wait around for. It takes a long time. m

around once

an arts & crafts store

6 Sweet Indulgences

BY MIMI TOWLE

MARTINÉ

We asked you what your favorite chocolate Valentine’s desserts are in Marin, and these made the top of your list (in no particular order).

PHOTOS BY JENNIFER

S’MORE PIE FROM BUCKEYE ROADHOUSE IN MILL VALLEY (see page 46)

Pigs in Mud at Insalata’s, San Anselmo

When Heidi Krahling opened Insalata’s back in 1996, she wanted to feature a fun dessert for kids.

Pigs in Mud, which consists of a rich chocolate pudding topped with a pigshaped shortbread cookie in a dollup of whipped cream, had been a menu item at one of her previous restaurants.

“Nobody remembers how it came together,” Krahling says. “We’ve never touched the recipe; ain’t messin’ with a good thing.” She suspects the dessert’s popularity is due to the fact that parents can’t resist fi nishing their kids’ leftovers. For Valentine’s Day, Krahling is contemplating adding two heart-shaped cookies to the pudding and calling it “Love Mud.” $7, Insalata’s, 120 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, 415.457.7700

Recommended wine pairing: zinfandel or ruby port

2

Black Tie Cake at Sweet Things, Tiburon

Sharon Leach and Marsha Lasky have been making the Black Tie cake at their Tiburon bakery, Sweet Things, for 25 years. “It started out as our Black Magic wedding cake with white frosting to replace the chocolate,” explains Leach. “Customers eventually started ordering them as sheet cakes; these days we sell about 2,500 a year.” What makes them special, says Leach, is white chocolate mousse fi lling between the three cake layers. The newest versions are cupcakes (regular and bite-size) with chocolate shavings on top. From $42 for a cake, $1.20 for a bite-size cupcake, Sweet Things, 1 Blackfield Dr, 415.388.8583

Recommended wine pairing: A slightly sweet champagne or Graham’s Six Grapes Port

S’more Pie at Buckeye Roadhouse, Mill Valley

Rumor has it this famous and much-loved dessert was created by then chef Cindy Pawlcyn in the early ’90s when, instead of bringing all of the supplies for making s’mores on a family camping trip, she turned them into a pie. The result was so good it ended up on the restaurant’s menu and has stayed there for more than two decades. Today’s version has been tweaked slightly by executive chef Robert Price, who added a bit of honey to the crust recipe and uses a higher grade of Belgium chocolate. It must be working, as they sell more than 10,000 slices a year. $8.95, Buckeye Roadhouse, 15 Shoreline Hwy, 415.331.2600

Recommended wine pairing: 20-year-old Graham Tawny

Chocolate Tasting at Murray Circle, Sausalito

For the ultimate in chocolate, Murray Circle’s pastry chef, Ethan Howard, came up with the Chocolate Tasting, consisting of roasted white chocolate pot de crème with a persimmon salad, candied almond and a white chocolate meringue; a chocolate pecan torte with Douglas fi r sabayon and cranberry-orange ice cream; a gingerbread mousse with a toasted chocolate marshmallow and chocolate pilsner tuile; and a warm spiced hot chocolate (not shown). But don’t get too attached; Howard changes everything (but the chocolate) according to the season. Despite the fact that it’s the relative new kid in town dessert-wise, Murray Circle sells more than 1,000 of these tasty treats a year. $19, 601 Murray Circle, Fort Baker, 415.339.4700

Recommended wine pairing: Madeira or port with the darker chocolates and a riesling or other dessert wine with the lighter chocolates

No butter, no cream … but lots of chocolate is the secret behind this delightful confection. Seventeen years ago, when executive chef Duilio Valenti set out to make a dessert incorporating the restaurant’s famous artisan extra-virgin Frantoio Olive Oil, he created the Torre Di Cioccolate and hasn’t touched the recipe since. Valenti knew people would love it simply because it’s chocolate. “The fact that it’s made with an olive oil base makes it much more healthy and lighter, and it leaves people happier than the standard butter-based, over-the-top, exceedingly rich chocolate cake does,” he says. “It’s contemporary healthy Italian food, which leaves you feeling happy and satisfied.”

Recommended wine pairing:

Brachetto D’Aqui Rosa Regale, Banfi, Piemonte

The Best Bread Pudding at Whipper Snapper, San Rafael

Owners Bill and Debra Higgins tasted a variety of fruit-based Latin/Caribbean-inspired bread puddings while living in Florida before moving back to the West Coast and opening Whipper Snapper in November of 2008. Once here, Bill (former chef and co-owner of Cha Cha Cha in San Francisco) and his kitchen staff worked to create their own version using chocolate, asking family members and friends for their opinions until it came out right. Aptly named, the dessert features a traditional bread base with a side of berries and mint drizzled in a chocolate-caramel sauce. It was an immediate hit with customers — to the tune of about 5,000 servings a year, and always peaking in February. “We’ve been known to have people waiting out front for us to open, just to get the warm bread pudding,” says Bill. “We think it’s popular because it’s a homey comfort food.” $8, Whipper Snapper, 1613 Fourth St, 415.256.1818

Recommended wine pairing: Saddleback

Pinto Collector Porto Reserva { }

Cellars cabernet sauvignon or Ramos

The Rhythm ofLove

If music be the food of love, then what’s on the menu in Marin? It all depends if you’re in love, looking for it or falling out of it.

BY MEGAN PICKETT

IT CAN BE all of these: blind, a bed of roses, a battlefield. And with Valentine’s Day approaching, love is on our minds and in our hearts. In a county that many would consider one of the most bucolic in the country — with locales like Point Bonita Lighthouse, Mount Tam, Bolinas Ridge and Cataract Falls, just to name a few — you’d think romance would be blossoming. Taking the pulse of a few hearts, we got a closer look at just what the state of love is in Marin.

More Than a Feeling

WHEN ADAM CHASSIN , senior director of strategic business development for Yahoo (who then lived in New York City), proposed to Alison, a communications manager at Shell and now his wife of six years (who grew up in Marin), he chose the top of Mount Tam to pop the question. “I married Alison because of Mill Valley — it was the perfect antidote to Manhattan,” Adam jokes.

During the year they courted long-distance, Adam frequently flew from New York to spend time with her in her hometown and “proposed on Mount Tam to mark those early visits at the beginning of our relationship,” recalls Alison.

While the Chassins have become a nice statistic with three children under five years old and two incomes, touting Marin as “a great place to be in a relationship” for singles looking for love, the county doesn’t have the appeal, much less the reputation, of a hopping dating scene. Almost 60 percent of Marin’s adult population is married, and of those 111,525 wedded residents, 42 percent have children under 18. “So even as a married couple, you feel like you need a dog at the very least to be here,” quips San Anselmo mother of two and writer Ariana Amini. “No one moves to Marin for the purpose of fi nding a mate.”

So for the remaining 40 percent who are single (54 percent of whom are female) living in a county where a typical “date” involves two toddlers in the sandbox, where can one find love these days? Sure, Piazza D’Angelo in Mill Valley is teeming with chatty cougars on any given Thursday or Friday night, and Sunday brunch at Sam’s in Tiburon seats more than its share of confi rmed bachelors wrapping up a one-night stand, but those looking for deeper, more meaningful connections may be hard-pressed to fi nd them here.

I Want to Know What Love Is

WITH TECHNOLOGY IN the last decade replacing the need to frequent bars to get a date, resources such as eHarmony and Match.com seem ideal for meeting “the one.” But just how many Marinites are looking online for his or her soul mate is anyone’s guess. While both companies were tight-lipped about statistics relative to Marin, they offered clues to the online scene nationally: Among an even split of male and female registered users, the majority range between ages 25 and 55 (although eHarmony is seeing a growing number of baby boomers, an indication that perhaps empty-nesters are back on the market for another stab at love); on average, out of 20 million registered users, 542 people a year who met on eHarmony got married, and, notes Match.com’s home page, “one in five relationships start online.” Hardly compelling statistics.

Those who seek traditional matchmaking companies such as Sausalito-based Kelleher International may fare better given the 25-year-old company’s high success rate of about 85 percent for long-term relationships leading toward marriage. But isn’t going to a matchmaker a little, well, desperate? Not so, judging from Kelleher’s Rolodex of 25,000 eligible singles around the country and the hundreds of weddings in Marin alone that resulted from Kelleher’s services. “People are strategic in their business life, so why not bring that same sensibility to your love life?” says co-CEO and cofounder Amber Kelleher-Andrews, who chalks up a good match to a combination of shared values and morals, interests, education, lifestyle and, of course, chemistry. “If the couple closes down a restaurant or stops calling us after a few dates,” adds cofounder and co-CEO Jill Kelleher, “they’re off to a good start and we’ve made a good match.”

Tiburon-based matchmaker Marsha Winer, founder of Introductions by Marsha, a 28-yearold dating service, adds that a good match also relies on comparable intellect, senses of humor and levels of patience. Case in point: One client who had been used to a high standard of living from her first marriage came to Winer fed up with a relationship where she had to foot most of the bills. While wealth topped her list of criteria for a suitable suitor, Winer’s client surprised

herself by falling for — and eventually marrying — a Petaluma gentleman who, though not wealthy, won her over with his killer sense of humor. “They are both incredibly smart, and it just took putting them together to make the chemistry happen,” says Winer. “As a matchmaker, sometimes it’s that ‘hunch’ that they will have a good time together.”

Sometimes chemistry is right around the corner: After a high-profi le CEO living in the county joined Kelleher International, he met a woman who “was exactly as described: attractive, warm, engaging,” notes the client, who wants to remain anonymous. “She has a rich, full life, yet she is emotionally available and, most of all, I can tell that she is truly authentic and looking to share her life with someone.”

Not only did this woman fit all the client’s criteria, but she also just happened to live two blocks away from him. “When these two fi rst sit down to talk, they’re not going to be introducing themselves,” says Kelleher-Andrews ahead of the couple’s first date. “They will be talking about how she loves horseback riding and he has a ranch in Texas, how she loves to ski and he was on the U.S. Ski Team, and oh, by the way, how come they’ve never met until now?”

attributes much of their marriage’s success to Ed’s patience and selflessness. (Husbands, take note: Ed keeps passion alive by penning a love poem to his wife every year for her birthday.) While the couple enjoys developing their shared appreciation for art, independence is paramount for the Zinmans, which carries over to their relationship at work: “I don’t tell her how to do the books, and she doesn’t tell me how be a lawyer,” laughs Ed. “And we never have lunch together,” adds Millie. Similar rules apply to keeping office matters out of their home: Millie sets very defi ned limits on when and where they can talk shop. “Halfway over the Golden Gate Bridge going home we stop, and half way in each morning we can resume.”

The Wind Beneath My Wings

AS OBVIOUS AS it sounds, commonalities remain integral to long-term happiness. If you can turn a blind eye to those recent reports of spouseswapping parties hosted by some clearly bored married folk (which, for the record, is so 1970s — just pick up a copy of The Serial for a good chuckle), those who are still married have stayed strong through child-rearing and sleepless nights, deaths of parents, and worse — working together.

For Millie and Ed Zinman, a Sausalito couple who have worked side-by-side in his law practice for 31 of the 34 years they’ve been married, a little romance keeps boredom at bay. “Never lose sight of that with each other,” advises Millie, who also

The night Kentfield residents John and Maureen Landers locked eyes across a room at a party their senior year of college, John knew he had found the woman he was going to marry. Two proposal attempts and three engagement cancellations later, the couple left the East Coast and moved to the Bay Area, an adventure they agree brought them closer. “We grew up together because we didn’t know anyone, it was just us,” recalls Maureen. Now with four kids and two highpowered careers under their belts, the Landers still enjoy each other’s company, conversing several times a day, regularly playing golf and tennis, and traveling extensively together. “You have to look beyond the short-term stresses that accompany any marriage and focus on the long-term commitment,” says John, who admits that neither he nor Maureen ever imagined their 32-year union would be anything short of permanent.

Stresses like, say, a crying newborn? Absolutely, agrees Amini, whose near-12-year marriage to Alight Planning Marketing and Sales Vice President Ben Lamorte began 25 years ago while the two still attended Branson in Ross. As if lifted from the script of When Harry Met Sally, the friends became close on a high school trip to Paris, conveniently got lost and wound up exploring the romantic city’s nooks. That fi rst promenade evolved into a ritual during college when the pair frequently met for long walks and counseled each other through relationship woes with other people. “Eventually, we realized that what we really wanted was to be with each other,” recalls Amini, debunking Billy Crystal’s character’s theory that men and women cannot be friends.

Heartbreak Hotel

WHILE SUCH LOVE stories offer hope that marriage endures the test of time, statistically more than 57 percent of Marin couples will file for the Big D at some point in their lives. Between 2006 and 2011 alone, an average of 875 divorces were fi led annually here —more than half the average of 1,537 marriage licenses issued in Marin. National averages aren’t any better: About 41 percent of fi rst marriages, 60 percent of second marriages and 73 percent of third marriages end. But before you lay a buzz saw to her Biedermeier dresser or entertain thoughts about shredding his prized Hermès tie collection, consider a more peaceful end to a life you had built together.

According to Marin-based pioneer in collaborative divorce Pauline H. Tesler of Tesler, Sandmann & Fishman, an amicable end is attainable and increasingly popular, considering the hundreds of clients she’s counseled and thousands of professionals she’s taught internationally since setting up the first group of collaborative lawyers in San Francisco in 1993. “Divorces handled in court or ‘on the courthouse steps’ proceed on the unstated assumption that for every issue there is always a winner and a loser,” says Tesler. “Traditional divorce lawyers measure their success by how much their client gets,” from property to time with the kids. “It takes a while for lawyers to realize that their client is equally miserable whether you won, lost or settled.”

Through the collaborative divorce process, both parties must agree to work in good faith with an integrated team of lawyers; therapists (called “coaches”); neutral certified divorce financial planners; and child specialists, who advocate the children’s perspective — which may be a big step if one side isn’t willing to call it quits peacefully. “The clients who come to me want to be able to say that whatever happened, they behaved with integrity and did the best they could for everyone in their family,” says Tesler.

All information relating to the divorce is shared with the team, who provide equal support

services to both parties, facilitating communication to keep emotions in check. “We listen to the whole narrative, and when people are listened to deeply and they’ve got skillful mental health coaches at their side, people can come to terms with why the marriage is ending,” explains Tesler, adding that the insight gleaned from financial planners and child specialists is incredibly gamechanging: “Custody battles disappear; we stop fighting about basic fi nancial facts — arguments that would otherwise waste huge sums of money, time and emotions in court.”

Unlike many drawn-out settlements and revised custody plans, collaborative divorce provides closure. At the end of one client’s painful divorce, she requested that Tesler hold a final meeting with her ex-husband and both lawyers. Over a small ceremony, the client apologized for cheating on him and forgave him for the resentment she harbored for his lack of attention over the years. He in turn apologized and forgave her. “You’d never get that in court,” says Tesler. “Here we can make room for that fi nal face-to-face conversation in a way that is meaningful.” So even if you never want to lay eyes on your ex again, at least you’ll both walk away knowing you ended it as best you could for everyone involved.

Unchained Melody

DESPITE THE FACT that the divorce rate in Marin is on par with the rest of the country and statistics prove that if you’re single here you are in the minority, couples like the Chassins and Lamortes prove that fi nding love is possible, and the Zinmans and Landers that it can be sustainable — and romantic and fun — for the long haul. But one thing’s for sure, none of that can happen before a fi rst date, so if you are single you needn’t join the Lonely Hearts Club Band. Dust off those dancing shoes and get out there — you never know whom you might fi nd. m

Despite the fact that the divorce rate in Marin is on par with the rest of the country and statistics prove that if you’re single here you are in the minority, fi nding love is possible ... and sustainable.

We asked doctors, “Whom would you send your family members to, or whom would you go to, if faced with a medical problem?” More than 13,000 votes were cast, and the results — 606 physicians, all in the 415 area code — are listed on the following pages.

To search by speciality online, visit marinmagazine. com/415topdoctors.

Methodology: Marin Magazine conducted a survey that has resulted in this [415] Top Doctors list — top physicians practicing in San Francisco and Marin counties who received multiple independent recommendations from their peers. The survey process started with a list of more than 4,000 licensed doctors across all specialties in both counties. All doctors on this list were both candidates and eligible voters in the peer-to-peer voting poll. Doctors were allowed to cast an unlimited number of votes across all specialties — they could vote for as many doctors as they wanted regardless of medical specialty — but they could only vote for the same doctor once. Response rate was maximized by the following procedures: (a) a long field period of 12 weeks that was further extended to allow all doctors ample time to log in and vote for their peers; (b) multiple channels of solicitations including individual invitations as well as organizational outreach to maximize contact with all eligible voters; (c) repeated invitations and reminders to doctors who did not respond to initial rounds of solicitations. At the close of the voting period, approximately 600 doctors with the highest vote counts were short-listed for the database. Each one of these doctors attained a statistically significant number of votes from their peers based on established principles of sampling probabilities and power analysis. —LinChiat Chang, Ph.D., Research Consultant

[415] Top Doctors 2012

ADOLESCENT MEDICINE

CHARLES IRWIN

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

MARY ANN SHAFER

UCSF Medical Center

3333 California St, Ste 245 San Francisco • 415.476.2184

ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY

SHILPI ANAND

Asthma & Allergy Clinic of Marin and San Francisco

6850 Geary Blvd San Francisco • 415.751.6800

DONALD GERMAN

Asthma & Allergy Clinic of Marin and San Francisco

1000 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 101 Greenbrae • 415.751.6800

KATHERINE GUNDLING

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

RUSSELL LEONG

Northern California Foot & Ankle Center

3838 California St, Rm 108 San Francisco • 415.431.3668

SCHUMAN TAM

Asthma & Allergy Clinic of Marin and San Francisco

6850 Geary Blvd San Francisco • 415.461.8909

DIANE WARA

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

BREAST SURGERY

NIMA GRISSOM

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

3801 Sacramento St, Ste 100 San Francisco • 415.600.1817

CARDIAC ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY

STEVEN HAO

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2100 Webster St, Ste 110 San Francisco • 415.923.6500

RICHARD HONGO

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2100 Webster St, Ste 110 San Francisco • 415.923.6500

ANDREA NATALE

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2100 Webster St, Ste 110 San Francisco • 415.923.6500

CARDIOLOGY

JAMES R ADAMS

Cardiovascular Associates of Marin and San Francisco

2 Bon Air Rd, Ste 100 Larkspur • 415.927.0666

165 Rowland Way, Ste 201 Novato • 415.878.2910 camsf.com

MARGARET L BAER

Cardiovascular Associates of Marin and San Francisco 2 Bon Air Rd, Ste 100 Larkspur • 415.927.0666

165 Rowland Way, Ste 201 Novato • 415.878.2910 camsf.com

SOPHIE BARBANT

California Pacific Cardiovascular 2100 Webster St, Ste 516 San Francisco • 415.345.0940

ELIAS BOTVINICK

UCSF Medical Center Cardiology

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

BRUCE BRENT

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2100 Webster St, Ste 516 San Francisco • 415.345.0940

WILLIAM BUDGE

Cardiology Associates 165 Rowland Way, Ste 201 Novato • 415.897.3174

MELVIN CHEITLIN

UCSF Medical Center 1001 Potrero Ave San Francisco • 415.206.3502

MICHAEL CRAWFORD

UCSF Medical Center Cardiology 505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

PETER CURRAN

Obrien Soto Lee Chung & Breall 2250 Hayes St, Ste 204 San Francisco • 415.933.9100

SUJOYA DEY

Cardiovascular Associates of Marin and San Francisco 2 Bon Air Rd, Ste 100 Larkspur • 415.927.0666

165 Rowland Way, Ste 201 Novato •415.878.2910 camsf.com

FIONA DULBECCO

Quantum Group 2340 Clay St San Francisco • 415.600.1099

GLENN EGRIE

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2340 Clay St, 2nd Floor San Francisco • 415.600.1386

KIRSTEN FLEISCHMANN

UCSF Medical Center Cardiology

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

ELYSE FOSTER

UCSF Medical Center Cardiology

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

RICHARD FRANCOZ

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2100 Webster St, Ste 516 San Francisco • 415.345.0940

GORDON FUNG

UCSF Medical Center Cardiology

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

KENT N GERSHENGORN

Cardiovascular Associates of Marin and San Francisco

2 Bon Air Rd, Ste 100 Larkspur • 415.927.0666

165 Rowland Way, Ste 201 Novato • 415.878.2910 camsf.com

GABRIEL GREGORATOS

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.353.9156

WILLIAM GROSSMAN

UCSF Medical Center Cardiology

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

ERNEST HAEUSSLEIN

California Pacific Medical Center 2340 Clay St, Ste 110-A San Francisco • 415.600.1051

IAN HARRIS

UCSF Medical Center Cardiology

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

PETER HUI

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2100 Webster St, Ste 516 San Francisco • 415.345.0940

LESTER JACOBSON

California Pacific Medical Center

2340 Clay St San Francisco • 415.600.1020

ANN K KAO

Cardiovascular Associates of Marin and San Francisco

2 Bon Air Rd, Ste 100 Larkspur • 415.927.0666

165 Rowland Way, Ste 201 Novato • 415.878.2910 camsf.com

BRIAN G KEEFFE

Cardiovascular Associates of Marin and San Francisco

2 Bon Air Rd, Ste 100 Larkspur • 415.927.0666

165 Rowland Way, Ste 201 Novato • 415.878.2910

camsf.com

EDWARD KERSH

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation 1580 Valencia St, Ste 412 San Francisco • 415.345.0940

ALBERT LEE

Obrien Soto Lee Chung & Breall 2250 Hayes St, Ste 204 San Francisco • 415.933.9100

BYRON LEE

UCSF Medical Center Cardiology 505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

DANA MCGLOTHLIN

UCSF Medical Center Cardiology 505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

GARY MILECHMAN

Golden Gate Cardiology 2340 Clay St, Ste 525 San Francisco • 415.331.8390

REMO MORELLI

Cardiovascular Medical Group 1 Shrader St San Francisco • 415.379.6766

CHARLES MORRIS

California Pacific Cardiovascular 2100 Webster St, Ste 516 San Francisco • 415.345.0940

PAUL OGDEN

Marin Medical Group 1341 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 200 Greenbrae • 415.925.3590

JEFFREY OLGIN

UCSF Medical Center Cardiology 505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

DEAN ORNISH

Preventive Medical Research Institute

900 Bridgeway Rd, Ste 1 Sausalito • 415.332.2525

RICHARD PODOLIN

Cardiovascular Medical Group 1 Shrader St San Francisco • 415.379.6766

THOMAS PORTS

UCSF

ARUN K RAGHUPATHY

Cardiovascular Associates of Marin and San Francisco 2 Bon Air Rd, Ste 100 Larkspur • 415.927.0666

165 Rowland Way, Ste 201 Novato •

RAJNI RAO UCSF

ANDREW ROSENBLATT

California Pacific

NELSON SCHILLER

KENDRICK SHUNK

UCSF Medical Center 4150 Clement St San Francisco • 415.750.2076

JOEL SKLAR

Cardiovascular Associates of Marin and San Francisco 2 Bon Air Rd, Ste 100 Larkspur • 415.927.0666

165 Rowland Way, Ste 201 Novato • 415.878.2910 camsf.com

RODOLFO SOTO

Obrien Soto Lee Chung & Breall 2250 Hayes St, Ste 204 San Francisco • 415.933.9100

ROBERT T SPERLING

Cardiovascular Associates of Marin and San Francisco 2 Bon Air Rd, Ste 100 Larkspur • 415.927.0666

165 Rowland Way, Ste 201 Novato • 415.878.2910 camsf.com

DAVID SPERLING

Cardiovascular Associates of Marin and San Francisco 2 Bon Air Rd, Ste 100 Larkspur • 415.927.0666

165 Rowland Way, Ste 201 Novato • 415.878.2910 camsf.com

ANNE THORSON

UCSF Medical Center Cardiology

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

ETHAN WEISS

UCSF Medical Center Cardiology

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

MARK P WEXMAN

Cardiovascular Associates of Marin and San Francisco

2 Bon Air Rd, Ste 100 Larkspur • 415.927.0666

165 Rowland Way, Ste 201 Novato • 415.878.2910

camsf.com

RUPSA YEE

California Pacific Cardiovascular 2100 Webster St, Ste 516 San Francisco • 415.345.0940

YEREM YEGHIAZARIANS

UCSF Medical Center Cardiology

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

JERALD A YOUNG

Cardiovascular Associates of Marin and San Francisco

2 Bon Air Rd, Ste 100 Larkspur • 415.927.0666

165 Rowland Way, Ste 201 Novato • 415.878.2910 camsf.com

COLORECTAL SPECIALISTS

MICHAEL ABEL

San Francisco Surgical Medical Group

599 Sir Francis Drake Blvd Ste 302 Greenbrae • 415.925.1047

3838 California St, Ste 616 San Francisco • 415.668.0411

2100 Webster Street, Ste 616 San Francisco • 415.668.0411 sfsurgery.com

MARK BAZALGETTE

Prima Medical Group

5 Bon Air Rd, Ste 101 Larkspur • 415.924.2515

YANEK CHIU

San Francisco Surgical Medical Group

599 Sir Francis Drake Blvd Ste 302 Greenbrae • 415.925.1047

3838 California St, Ste 616 San Francisco • 415.668.0411

2100 Webster Street, Ste 616 San Francisco • 415.668.0411 sfsurgery.com

LAURENCE YEE

San Francisco Surgical Medical Group

599 Sir Francis Drake Blvd Ste 302 Greenbrae • 415.925.1047

3838 California St, Ste 616 San Francisco • 415.668.0411

2100 Webster Street, Ste 616 San Francisco • 415.668.0411 sfsurgery.com

CRITICAL CARE – PULMONARY

GUY LIVNAT

Prima Medical Group

100-A Drakes Landing Rd Ste 225 Greenbrae • 415.924.1214

MERRILL NISAM

Prima Medical Group

100-A Drakes Landing Rd Ste 225 Greenbrae • 415.924.1214

DERMATOLOGY

TINA BHUTANI

UCSF Psoriasis Skin Treatment Center 515 Spruce St San Francisco • 415.476.4701

KARI CONNOLLY

UCSF Medical Center 1701 Divisadero St, 3rd Floor San Francisco • 415.476.9350

LINDY PETA FOX

1701 Divisadero St San Francisco • 415.353.4333

KIM FREDERICKSON

Novato Dermatology Associates

400 Professional Center Dr Ste 414 Novato • 415.892.0754

ILONA FRIEDEN

UCSF Dermatopathology Services 1701 Divisadero St, Ste 350 San Francisco • 415.353.7800

JOSEPH H GREENBERG

Sutter Health Care

750 Las Gallinas Ave, Ste 205 San Rafael • 415.472.3903

ROY CHARLES GREKIN

1701 Divisadero St San Francisco • 415.353.7878

JODI GROSSFELD

Dermatology Consultants of Marin

5000 Civic Center Dr San Rafael • 415.499.0100

RENEE HOWARD

Dermatology Consultants of Marin

5000 Civic Center Dr San Rafael • 415.499.0100

AMY KOBALTER

Dermatology Consultants of Marin 5000 Civic Center Dr San Rafael • 415.499.0100

JOHN KOO

UCSF Psoriasis Skin Treatment Center 515 Spruce St San Francisco • 415.476.4701

DAVID A LAUB

Laub Dermatology & Aesthetics 591 Redwood Hwy, Ste 2210 Mill Valley • 415.381.6661 laubdermatology.com

DAVID JAMES MACGREGOR

450 Sutter St, Rm 1432 San Francisco • 415.989.9400

VERA PRICE

UCSF Medical Center 513 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.9000

KARA REINKE

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation 1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 220 Greenbrae • 415.464.0411

KANADE SHINKAI

UCSF Medical Center

1701 Divisadero St, 4th Floor San Francisco • 415.353.7800

CHERYL TANSOVICH

Marin General Hospital

250 Bon Air Rd Greenbrae • 415.925.7000

LUCIA TUFFANELLI

Epstein & Tuffanelli, MDs Inc

450 Sutter St, Rm 1306 San Francisco • 415.781.4083

SIEGRID YU

Siegrid S Yu, MD 1701 Divisadero St, 3rd Floor San Francisco • 415.353.7878

DIABETES SPECIALISTS

INGRID BLOCK-KURBISCH

Sister Mary Phillippa Health Center

2235 Hayes St San Francisco • 415.750.5500

UMESH MASHARANI

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave, Ste A-550 San Francisco • 415.353.2350

ROBERT RUSHAKOFF

UCSF Mount Zion Medical Center 2200 Post St, Ste C-430 San Francisco • 415.885.3868

ENDOCRINOLOGY

DIANA ANTONIUCCI

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

1375 Sutter St, Ste 208 San Francisco • 415.600.0110

NATHAN BECKER

Becker & Buxton, MDs

350 Parnassus Ave, Ste 707 San Francisco • 415.681.7707

LEWIS BLEVINS JR

California Center for Pituitary Disorders at UCSF

400 Parnassus Ave, Ste A-808 San Francisco • 866.559.5543 ccpd.ucsf.edu

ERIC BUXTON

Becker & Buxton, MDs

350 Parnassus Ave, Ste 707 San Francisco • 415.681.7707

PAUL FITZGERALD

UCSF Medical Center

350 Parnassus Ave, Ste 710 San Francisco • 415.665.1136

FRANCIS GREENSPAN

UCSF Medical Center Endocrinology

400 Parnassus Ave, Ste A-550 San Francisco • 415.353.2350

ELSIE MYERS

Golden Gate Endocrine Spec 2250 Hayes St, Ste 505 San Francisco • 415.668.6767

ALLAN PONT

California Pacific Medical Center 2340 Clay St San Francisco • 415.600.1020

CHENG-YANG TUAN

Cheng-Yang Christian Tuan, MD 1580 Valencia St, Ste 102 San Francisco • 415.695.7661

MELISSA WEINBERG

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation 1375 Sutter St, Ste 208 San Francisco • 415.600.0110

KENNETH WOEBER

UCSF Mount Zion Medical Center 1600 Divisadero St San Francisco • 415.353.7300

ENDOCRINOLOGY / DIABETES SPECIALISTS

RICHARD BERNSTEIN

Marin Endocrine Care Research

900 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 201 Greenbrae • 415.461.1780

KAREN EARLE

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation 1375 Sutter St, Ste 208 San Francisco • 415.600.0110

LINDA GAUDIANI

Marin Endocrine Care Research

900 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 201 Greenbrae • 415.461.1780

FAMILY MEDICINE

GAIL ALTSCHULER

400 Professional Center Dr Novato • 415.897.9800

JOHN DAVID ANDREW 599 Sir Francis Drake Blvd Ste 208 Greenbrae • 415.925.1523

JANICE BARRY

Marin Hills Medical Group Inc 711 D St, Ste 102 San Rafael• 415.457.7414

ROBERT BARTZ Prima Medical Group 3 Harbor Dr, Ste 111 Sausalito • 415.683.2988

ROBERT ELLSWORTH BELKNAP 655 Redwood Hwy, Ste 375 Mill Valley • 415.384.0506

MARGARET BOURNE

CHARLES

ELIZABETH ETEMAD

CPR: Saving a Life

EACH YEAR, HUNDREDS of thousands of Americans keel over, felled by cardiac arrest. Most die before help can arrive. However, with proper intervention by good Samaritans like Jennifer Ani of San Rafael and Miki Goralsky of San Anselmo, many more would live to tell their tale. Several months ago, these brave women saved the life of a man they’d never met.

As it happened, both were attending a birthday celebration for a classmate of their child. As the kids lined up for their chance to smack the piñata, Mike Ryan— the father of one of the six-year-old party guests — dropped to the ground. “I didn’t see him go down, but I heard someone scream ‘call 911,’ ” recalls Goralsky.

Without speaking, the two moms (who barely knew one another), jumped into action. “Miki sort of swooped in and started chest compressions,” recalls Ani, who then pushed her way through the crowd, knelt beside Goralsky and began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

The women kept at it until first responders arrived and shocked the man’s heart back to life with a defibrillator. Once the patient stabilized, a paramedic came over to the women and said, “Congratulations, you just saved that man’s life.”

According to the American Heart Association, effective bystander CPR, performed immediately after sudden cardiac arrest, can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival.

According to the American Heart Association, effective bystander CPR, performed immediately after sudden cardiac arrest, can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival.

benefit greatly by CPR. Sadly, most Americans don’t believe they’re up to the challenge, fearing their inexperience could make the situation worse. But Jeff rey Olgin, professor of medicine and chief of cardiology at UCSF Medical Center, says that’s flawed thinking. “You can’t make the person any more dead, that’s for sure,” he explains. Could you crack their ribs? Absolutely. “It can happen even if you do everything right,” he says, “but in the scheme of things a cracked rib is nothing worth worrying about.”

To be clear, cardiac arrest differs from a heart attack in that the symptoms usually come on more rapidly and the window of opportunity to be helped is much shorter. Both can

Ideally, a person should be recertified in CPR training every two years. Goralsky and Ani, who drew from decades-old CPR training for their rescue, have organized a CPR class for all the fi rst-grade families at their school to take together. If you’d like to organize your own CPR class, there are numerous organizations including SOS CPR (707.795.4444), CPR ETC (415.884.2720) and Safety Training Seminars (415.437.1600 ) that will come to your home or business to teach these lifesaving skills. Or, to join one of the American Red Cross’s regularly scheduled classes, go to redcross.org, click on “take a class” and enter your zip code to fi nd out where and when classes are being offered. DAWN MARGOLIS DENBERG

Sharpen Your Memory

WE’VE ALL BEEN there: A familiar person’s name is on the tip of your tongue, but you just can’t recall it. Or you pick up the phone to dial a number and suddenly have no idea whom you intended to call. While you might be wondering if these so called “senior moments” are a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease, fear not. In most cases, memory lapses are a normal, albeit frustrating, part of the aging process. And although we can’t turn back the clock, we can slow it down. A number of studies suggest that there are specific steps we can take to improve our cognitive skills. What follows are a list of the best ways to keep your memory bank reliable.

THINK HARD When it comes to brainpower, the term “use it or lose it” defi nitely applies. When the brain is stimulated, nerve cells sprout extra branches. And that means challenging yourself mentally will keep your mind limber. “Take up a new hobby, learn a new language or read a new book,” suggests Mark Kubik, a geriatrician, a family physician and medical director of the Tamalpais Clinic in Greenbrae.

PLAY GAMES A round of the computer games Fruit Ninja or Tiny Wings won’t help you grow brain cells, but games geared to brain development can help you improve recall, processing speed and your ability to multitask. Two well-studied programs are BrainFitness by Dakim (dakim. com) and InSight by PositScience (positscience.com). “I’ve seen good results with these programs,” says Kubik. “Any activity that challenges your brain — be it Sudoku or a crossword — can be helpful, but with these software programs there’s clear research to support effectiveness.”

GET MOVING It’s no secret that regular workouts can keep you physically fit. What you might not know is that exercise can also keep you mentally fit. Numerous studies suggest that moderate exercise can increase the delivery of oxygenated blood to the brain. This influx of oxygen means

brains cells that might have otherwise died continue to thrive. In fact, at least one study out of Columbia University suggests that vigorous aerobic exercise can actually help a person grow new brain cells.

FEED YOUR BRAIN Extensive research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture has found that a diet rich in antioxidants — nutrients that protect cells from destruction — can reduce and even reverse age-related memory problems. There are hundreds of different antioxidants in fruits and vegetables, but the most potent sources include strawberries, blueberries, spinach, kale, Brussels sprouts and garlic. And, generally speaking, maintaining a healthy diet may ward off dementia. A diet rich in vegetables, fruits and lean protein is part of the prescription for reducing the odds of getting Alzheimer’s, according to the UCLA Center on Aging.

Extensive research from the USDA has found that a diet rich in antioxidants — nutrients that protect cells from destruction — can reduce and even reverse age-related memory problems.

STAY CALM Stress wreaks havoc on the body, and it can exact a mental toll as well. “It can be equated to bathing your brain in battery acid,” says Kubik. “It results in elevated cortisol and reduced hippocampal neurons, which play a vital role in memory.” Of course, avoiding stress is easier said than done, but practicing yoga and learning the art of meditation are two great ways to mitigate its effects. Likewise, carving out a little downtime each day can also be quite helpful, as it limits your exposure to stressors.

D.M.D.

DARREN LIPSHITZ

Marin Healthcare District Clinic 111 2nd St Sausalito • 415.332.2600

MEENAL LOHTIA

Prima Medical Group

4000 Civic Center Dr, Ste 200 San Rafael • 415.492.3333

J TIMOTHY MURPHY

165 Rowland Way, Ste 215 Novato • 415.897.5171

CHAITHRA NAGAR

Prima Medical Group

3 Harbor Dr, Ste 111 Sausalito • 415.683.2988

OLIVER OSBORN

Prima Medical Group

100 A Drakes Landing Rd Ste 225 Greenbrae • 415.924.1214

LAWRENCE POSNER

Prima Medical Group

3 Harbor Dr, Ste 111 Sausalito • 415.683.2988

CURTIS ROBINSON

619 E Blithedale Ave Ste A Mill Valley • 415.388.2801

DANIEL ROTH

Pacific Family Practice

1 Shrader St, Ste 578 San Francisco • 415.876.5762

CATHLEEN ELIZABETH SCHMITT

165 Rowland Way, Ste 105 Novato • 415.897.2773

DIANA SCHOTT

Prima Medical Group

75 Rowland Way, Ste 100 Novato • 415.897.9664

LAWRENCE GLEASON SHORE

3838 California St, Rm 806 San Francisco • 415.386.5388

DAVID TULLY-SMITH

Mill Valley Medical 711 D St, Ste 111 San Rafael • 415.453.3030

ROBERT VAZQUEZ

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

350 Rhode Island, Ste 200 San Francisco • 415.826.7575

ARNOLD G WERSCHKY

279 Miller Ave

Mill Valley • 415.388.2657

MICHAEL WHITT

11150 Hwy 1 Pt. Reyes Station • 415.663.1082

E REGINA WIDMAN

Marin General Hospital

250 Bon Air Rd Greenbrae • 415.925.7000

ALICE YEE

Prima Medical Group

100-A Drakes Landing Rd A-225 Greenbrae • 415.924.1214

GASTROENTEROLOGY

JEFFREY ARON

Pacific Heights Medical Group 2340 Clay St San Francisco • 415.600.3700

JOHN R BETTINGER

Marin Gastroenterology

1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 130 Greenbrae • 415.925.6900 maringastro.com

KENNETH BINMOELLER

Interventional Endoscopy Services

2351 Clay St, 6th Floor San Francisco • 415.600.1151

JOSEPH CHEN

UCSF Medical Center 513 Parnassus Ave, Ste 320 San Francisco • 415.476.1000

DANIEL RICHARD CONLIN

2100 Webster St, Ste 315 San Francisco • 415.923.3320

THOMAS HADDAD

San Francisco • Medical Group 909 Hyde St, Ste 125 San Francisco • 415.771.4366

JOHN JOLLEY

711 D St, Ste 108 San Rafael • 415.257.3030

DANNY D KAO

Marin Gastroenterology

1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 130 Greenbrae • 415.925.6900 maringastro.com

NATALIE C LEE

Marin Gastroenterology

1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 130 Greenbrae • 415.258.6900 maringastro.com

MARTIN LIBERMAN

Physician Access Center 26 California St San Francisco • 415.397.2881

KEVIN MAN

San Francisco Digestive Disease

450 Sutter St, Ste 1203 San Francisco • 415.362.3336

RICHARD C MCAULIFFE

Marin Gastroenterology

1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 130 Greenbrae • 415.925.6900 maringastro.com

KENNETH MCQUAID

SF Veterans Medical Center

4150 Clement St, Ste 111B San Francisco • 415.221.4810

ARISTOTLE MENDIOLA

Mendiola Sundberg Verhille 3801 Sacramento St, 3rd Floor San Francisco • 415.600.2402

BARBARA NYLUND

165 Rowland Way, Ste 310 Novato • 415.892.7537

JAMES OSTROFF

UCSF Gastroenterology & Liver 505 Parnassus Ave, Moffitt San Francisco • 415.353.1888

JAMES REED

San Francisco Digestive Disease

450 Sutter St, Ste 1203 San Francisco • 415.362.3336

LYLE SHLAGER

Kaiser Permanente

2238 Geary St, 2nd Floor San Francisco • 415.833.3514

MARVIN SLEISENGER

UCSF Medical Center

4150 Clement St San Francisco • 415.750.6923

TIMOTHY SOWERBY

Marin Gastroenterology

1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 130 Greenbrae • 415.925.6900 maringastro.com

ANDREW SPEARS

Kaiser Permanente Medical Center 99 Montecillo Rd San Rafael • 415.444.2929

JONATHAN TERDIMAN

Mount Zion Gastroenterology

2330 Post St, Ste 610 San Francisco • 415.502.4444

ALBERT A VARNER

Marin Gastroenterology

1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 130 Greenbrae • 415.925.6900 maringastro.com

MICHAEL S VERHILLE

Sutter Health Care

3838 California St, Ste 416 San Francisco • 415.387.8800

GERIATRICS

MARK KUBIK

Tamalpais Clinic

501 Via Casitas Greenbrae • 415.464.1770

HAND SURGERY

GREGORY BUNCKE

The Buncke Clinic 45 Castro St, Ste 121 San Francisco • 415.342.8989

HEMATOLOGY & ONCOLOGY

TIMOTHY ROBERT HAMILL

185 Berry St, Ste 290 San Francisco • 415.353.1723

ANDREA HARZSTARK

UCSF Mount Zion Medical Center 1600 Divisadero St San Francisco • 415.353.7300

ANDREW HSIEH

UCSF Medical Center 505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

KEVIN KNOPF

California Pacific Medical Center 3838 California St, Ste 707 San Francisco • 415.923.3012

ALEX METZGER

Marin General Hospital 250 Bon Air Rd Greenbrae • 415.925.7000

HEPATOLOGY

MAURIZIO BONACINI

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation 2340 Clay St, 3rd Floor San Francisco • 415.600.1001

NATALIE BZOWEJ

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation 2340 Clay St, 3rd Floor San Francisco • 415.600.1020

TODD FREDERICK

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2340 Clay St, 3rd Floor San Francisco • 415.600.1020

ADIL WAKIL

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation 2340 Clay St, 3rd Floor San Francisco • 415.600.1020

INFECTIOUS DISEASE

GREGG TOLLIVER

Prima Medical Group

100-A Drakes Landing Rd Ste 225 Greenbrae • 415.924.1214

INTERNAL MEDICINE

JOSHUA ADLER

UCSF Medical Center 1701 Divisdero St San Francisco • 415.353.7900

WILLIAM ANDERECK

2100 Webster St, Ste 418 San Francisco • 415.923.3110

GARY NEIL APTER

450 Sutter St, Ste 2001 San Francisco • 415.392.0500

PAUL ARONOWITZ

California Pacific Medical Center 2340 Clay St San Francisco • 415.600.1020

ANN MARY BELEK

UCSF Medical Center 505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1528

DAVID BERMAN

Villa Marin Health Center

100 Thorndale Dr San Rafael • 415.492.2410

PETER BERMAN

South of Market Health Center

229 7th Street San Francisco • 415.503.6000

NIRAV BHAKTA

UCSF Medical Center

3490 California St, Ste 200 San Francisco • 415.514.6200

AMY BOSSEN

Sirisat Khalsa, MD Inc 909 Hyde St, Ste 317 San Francisco •

CARL

RAY BRINDLEY

AIDA

RANDOLPH HUGH CHASE

CATHARINE CLARK-SAYLES

DOUGLAS COHEN

SUSAN CUMMING

[415] Top Doctors 2012

ANNE M CUMMINGS

1300 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 201 Greenbrae • 415.461.5552

KERRY DAVIDSON

Marin Hospitalist Medical Group

250 Bon Air Rd Greenbrae • 415.925.7086 maringeneral.org

TERESA DE MARCO

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.3117

AHMED EL-GHONEIMY

Sutter Health Care

5555 Paradise Dr, 2nd Floor Corte Madera • 415.302.1985

MILTON NORMAN ESTES

655 Redwood Dr Mill Valley • 415.383.6623

MEI-LING FONG

Dellon Institute for Peripheral Nerve Surgery

700 25Th Ave San Francisco • 415.751.0583

STEVEN HUGH FUGARO

2001 Union St, Ste 570 San Francisco • 415.476.2752

RICHARD GERBER

Salugen Medical Group

2250 Hayes St, Ste 206 San Francisco • 415.379.6100

JASON GREEN

Marin Hospitalist Medical Group

250 Bon Air Rd Greenbrae • 415.925.7086 maringeneral.org

SAJOT GREWAL

Marin General Hospital

250 Bon Air Rd Greenbrae • 415.925.7000

MERIK GROSS

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

1375 Sutter St, Ste 208 San Francisco • 415.600.0140

JOSEPH HABIS

Prima Medical Group

4000 Civic Center Dr, Ste 200 San Rafael • 415.492.3333

MARILYN KUTZSCHER

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

1375 Sutter St, Ste 308 San Francisco • 415.600.0140

MICHAEL KWOK

Cardiology Associates

165 Rowland Way, Ste 201 Novato • 415.924.1214

NA (REBECCA) LI

Sutter Health Care

1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 220 Greenbrae • 415.464.0411

MICHELLE TISI

MALCOLMSON

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

1375 Sutter St, Ste 308 San Francisco • 415.600.1040

ALAN MARGOLIN

Hospice By The Bay 17 East Sir Francis Drake Blvd Larkspur • 415.927.2273

KATHERINE L MARGOLIN

980 Magnolia Ave, Ste 6A Larkspur • 415.925.0884

WILLIAM JOSEPH

MCALLISTER JR 2 Bon Air Rd, Ste 150 Larkspur • 415.924.5010

DON NG

UCSF Medical Center

1545 Divisidero St, 1st & 2nd Floor San Francisco • 415.353.2583

JONATHAN NORDLICHT

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

1375 Sutter St, Ste 308 San Francisco • 415.600.0140

DANIEL NULL

UCSF Mount Zion

General Medicine

1545 Divisidero St, 1st & 2nd Floor San Francisco • 415.353.7900

DAVID OGDEN

Marin Medical Group

1341 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 200 Greenbrae • 415.464.8169

PHILIP O’KEEFE

Sutter Health Care

45 Castro St, Ste 138 San Francisco • 415.558.8200

ALFRED OPPENHEIM

Marin General Hospital

250 Bon Air Rd Greenbrae • 415.925.7000

WILLIAM PARMER

Fletcher & Parmer, MDs 3838 California St, Ste 305 San Francisco • 415.387.8805

GYORGY PATAKI

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation 1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 220 Greenbrae • 415.464.0411

CYNTHIA A POINT

2250 Hayes St San Francisco • 415.751.3553

C KIP ROEBKEN

Kentfield Rehab & Specialty Hospital

1125 Sir Francis Drake Blvd Kentfield • 415.456.9680

ADAM ROSENBLATT

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2100 Webster St, Ste 516 San Francisco • 415.345.0940

MICHAEL ROWE

Marin Hospitalist Medical Group

250 Bon Air Rd Greenbrae • 415.925.7000 maringeneral.org

RUTH RUBIN

21 Tamal Vista Blvd Corte Madera • 415.927.0101

KEVIN SAITOWITZ

Caplin Saitowitz and Coopersmith 2186 Geary Blvd, Ste 311 San Francisco • 415.673.9511

HIMA SATYAVOLU

Marin Hospitalist Medical Group

250 Bon Air Rd Greenbrae • 415.925.7086 maringeneral.org

ERIK P SCHTEN

Marin Community Clinics 6100 Redwood Blvd Novato • 415.448.1500

ELIZABETH SEAMAN

599 Sir Francis Drake Blvd Ste 204 Greenbrae • 415.461.3363

JOHN SELLE

Salugen Medical Group 2250 Hayes St, Ste 206 San Francisco • 415.379.6100

PRADEEPA SELVAKUMAR

Marin Hospitalist Medical Group

250 Bon Air Rd Greenbrae • 415.925.7086 maringeneral.org

MAGGIE J SO 2351 Clay St, Ste 360 San Francisco • 914.629.7624

TERESA TANG

Prima Medical Group

4000 Civic Center Dr, Ste 200 San Rafael • 415.492.3333

JAMES DENNIS TAYLOR 155 Anderson Dr, Ste 1108 San Rafael • 415.455.0914

IRENE TEPER

Cardiology Associates 165 Rowland Way, Ste 201 Novato • 415.924.1214

JOHN I UMEKUBO 1674 Post St San Francisco • 415.931.5182

DANIELLE WALKER

Prima Medical Group 3 Harbor Dr, Ste 111 Sausalito • 415.683.2988

JOHN WARD

Marin Medical Group

1341 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 200 Greenbrae • 415.464.8169

RICHARD WARD

909 Hyde St, Ste 317 San Francisco • 415.440.4800

STEPHEN WELTER

Cardiology Associates

165 Rowland Way, Ste 201 Novato • 415.924.1214

MEDICAL ONCOLOGY

DONALD ABRAMS

UCSF Positive Health Program 995 Potrero Ave San Francisco • 415.476.4082

ARI BARON

Pacific Hematology & Oncology

2100 Webster St, Ste 225 San Francisco • 415.923.3012

EMILY BERGSLAND

UCSF Mount Zion Medical Center 1600 Divisadero St San Francisco • 415.353.7300

TIMOTHY CROWLEY

Marin Specialty Care

1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 200 Greenbrae • 415.925.5000

LLOYD DAMON

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

PETER EISENBERG

Marin Specialty Care

1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 200 Greenbrae • 415.925.5000

KATHLEEN GRANT

Pacific Hematology & Oncology

2100 Webster St, Ste 225 San Francisco • 415.923.3012

DAVID GUILLION

Marin Specialty Care

1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 200 Greenbrae • 415.925.5000

THIERRY JAHAN

UCSF Mount Zion Medical Center 1600 Divisadero St San Francisco • 415.353.7300

LAWRENCE KAPLAN

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave, Ste A-502 San Francisco • 415.353.2421

LEAH KELLEY

Prima Medical Group

1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 210 Greenbrae • 415.925.5035

ANDREW KO

UCSF Mount Zion Medical Center

1600 Divisadero St San Francisco • 415.353.7300

ALAN KRAMER

San Francisco Oncology Associates 2100 Webster St, Ste 326 San Francisco • 415.885.8600

JENNIFER LUCAS

Marin Specialty Care

1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 200 Greenbrae • 415.925.5000

MICHELLE MELISKO

UCSF Medical Center 1600 Divisidero St, 2nd Floor San Francisco • 415.353.7070

JUSTIN POY QUOCK

909 Hyde St, Ste 501 San Francisco • 415.398.5100

HOPE RUGO

UCSF

ERIC SMALL

UCSF Urologic

ALAN VENOOK

UCSF

JEFFREY

JOSHUA BERNSTEIN

GENEVIEVE

ILYAS

STEVEN

MYTHS TRUTHS Vs. Medical

STEP ON A crack, and you’ll break your mama’s back. Hold your breath when passing a graveyard or risk premature death. Certain old wives’ tales fi zzle out as we outgrow childhood; others are so ingrained in our culture that they can even dupe physicians. Why do so many myths exist? “Myths are stories we tell ourselves to make the world make sense,” says Dr. Aaron Carroll, co-author of Don’t Cross Your Eyes or They’ll Get Stuck that Way: And 75 Other Health Myths Debunked (St. Martin’s Press). “Plus, we often hear them from people we trust, like parents, teachers or even doctors.” Below are some of the most perpetuated medical myths and why the science just doesn’t add up. D.M.D.

MYTH: We utilize only 10 percent of our brains.

TRUTH: No part of our brain ever lies dormant. This claim has circulated for decades. Some claim it was Albert Einstein who fi rst made this declaration, though there’s no evidence that he ever said anything of the sort. Fortunately, we now possess the technology to view the brain in action, and one thing is certain: This claim is bogus. According to a paper published by the British Medical Journal, MRI scans, PET scans and other imaging studies indicate that no area of our brain ever lies dormant. What’s more, even when individual neurons are viewed, inactive areas are never seen.

MYTH: Drink at least eight glasses of water a day for optimal health.

TRUTH: For most people, thirst is your best guide. Chugging eight glasses of water per day, as many health fanatics preach, is purported to yield a host of benefits, from improving skin tone to promoting weight loss. But it’s just not so. A 2008 study published in The Lancet concluded there’s no scientific evidence that for most people there is any benefit to drinking this much water. There are, of course, occasional exceptions. For example, eight glasses may be warranted for people working in extreme heat, or prone to conditions such as kidney stones or diarrhea. But, for the most part, those levels may even be

harmful, resulting in a condition called hyponatremia, an electrolyte disturbance in which the sodium concentration in the blood serum is lower than normal. It’s hard to say how the eight-glass myth took root. However, in a 2001 Dartmouth Medical School study that also refutes the recommendation, the paper’s author suggests that perhaps the misconception began after a Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council recommended approximately 1 milliliter of water for each calorie of food, which would amount to roughly two to two-and-a-half quarts per day. In the next sentence the board’s report goes on to say that most of that quantity is contained in prepared foods. Perhaps a few important people missed that line. Either way, since then, an organization called Hydration for Health has done much to promote the eight-glass-a-day agenda. Is it just a coincidence that this research organization is funded by the makers of Evian and Volvic bottled water?

[415] Top Doctors 2012

LAWRENCE LEVY

Marin General Hospital

250 Bon Air Rd Greenbrae • 415.925.7000

JOHN RIORDAN

Renal Medical Associates

2100 Webster St, Ste 412 San Francisco • 415.923.3815

NEUROLOGY

AMY AKERS

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2100 Webster St, Ste 115 San Francisco • 415.600.7880

MICHAEL AMINOFF

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

NOBL BARAZANGI

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2100 Webster St, Ste 404 San Francisco • 415.600.5760

ILKCAN COKGOR

Neurology Clinic of Marin

50 Red Hill Ave San Anselmo • 415.456.8180 neurologymarin.com

RICHARD CUNEO

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

VANJA DOUGLAS

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave, 8th Floor San Francisco • 415.476.1000

MAX DUNCAN

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 220 Novato • 415.464.0411

PAUL GARCIA

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave, 8th Floor San Francisco • 415.476.1000

STEPHEN HAUSER

UCSF Multiple Sclerosis Research Center

400 Parnassus Ave, Floor 8 San Francisco • 415.514.1684

CHERYL JAY

UCSF Medical Center 513 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.206.3215

S ANDREW JOSEPHSON

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

JONATHAN KATZ

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2324 Sacramento St, Ste 111 San Francisco • 415.600.3604

DAVID KING-STEPHENS

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2100 Webster St, Ste 115 San Francisco • 415.600.7880

DONALD KITT

3838 California St, Rm 114 San Francisco • 415.751.7753

KENNETH LAXER

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2100 Webster St, Ste 115 San Francisco • 415.600.7880

DANIEL LOWENSTEIN

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

CATHERINE MADISON

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2100 Webster St, Ste 115 San Francisco • 415.600.3880

J RICHARD MENDIUS

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 200 Greenbrae • 415.464.0411

BRUCE MILLER

UCSF Memory & Aging Center

350 Parnassus Ave, Ste 706 San Francisco • 415.476.6242

ROBERT MILLER

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2324 Sacramento St, Ste 111 San Francisco • 415.600.3604

TRACY NEWKIRK

1000 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 204 Greenbrae • 415.461.2262

JOHN J PANAGOTACOS

599 Sir Francis Drake Blvd Ste 206 Greenbrae • 415.578.3110

ANN PONCELET

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

CARLOS QUINTANA

Belaga & Kitt, MDs

3838 California St, Rm 114 San Francisco • 415.751.7753

NEIL RASKIN

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave, 8th Floor San Francisco • 415.353.9166

MARILYN ROBERTSON

California Pacific Medical Center

45 Castro St, Ste 338 San Francisco • 415.561.1714

JACK ROSE

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2100 Webster St, Ste 404 San Francisco • 415.600.5760

SANDRA LYNNE SHEFRIN

279 Miller Ave

Mill Valley • 415.380.1950

DAVID TONG

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2100 Webster St, Ste 404 San Francisco • 415.600.5760

SMRITI WAGLE

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 220 Greenbrae • 415.464.0411

NEUROSURGERY

MANISH AGHI

California Center for Pituitary Disorders

400 Parnassus Ave, 8th Floor San Francisco • 415.353.2966 ccpd.ucsf.edu

BRIAN ANDREWS

UCSF Medical Center

45 Castro St, Ste 421 San Francisco • 415.600.7760

TARUN ARORA

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave, Rm M779 San Francisco • 415.514.6868

NICHOLAS BARBARO

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave, 8th Floor San Francisco • 415.353.7500

WILLIAM ROBERT CORN

1001 Potrero Ave San Francisco • 415.353.1845

MICHEAL CEN HUANG

1001 Potrero Ave, Rm 101 San Francisco • 415.206.8300

MICHAEL LAWTON

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

MICHAEL MCDERMOTT

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

PRAVEEN MUMMANENI

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave, 8th Floor San Francisco • 415.353.7500

ANDREW PARSA

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave, 8th Floor San Francisco • 415.353.2966

PETER WEBER

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2100 Webster St, Ste 115 San Francisco • 415.885.8628

PHILIP WEINSTEIN

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY

SECILY BASON-MITCHELL

Pacific Womens Ob/Gyn

Medical Group

3838 California St, Rm 316 San Francisco • 415.379.9600

STEPHEN BEARG

Marin General Hospital

1260 S Eliseo Dr, 2nd Floor Greenbrae • 415.461.7800

EMILY BINKLEY

Lizellen La Follette, MD 599 Sir Francis Drake Blvd Ste 301 Greenbrae • 415.461.1949

SALLY BOERO

Marin General Hospital 1260 S Eliseo Dr, Floor 2 Greenbrae • 415.461.7800

CHARLES BOOKOFF

Prima Medical Group

100-A Drakes Landing Rd Ste 225 Greenbrae • 415.924.1214

MICHELLE BOURGAULT

Saint Lukes Womens Center

3555 Cesar Chavez St San Francisco • 415.600.6000

ANDREW BRILL

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation 3700 California St, Ste G330 San Francisco • 415.600.1941

IZUMI CABRERA

California Pacific Medical Center 3625 California St San Francisco • 415.668.1010

KAREN CALLEN

Golden Gate Ob/Gyn 1725 Montgomery St San Francisco • 415.666.1250

ALEXIS CARDELLINI

Marin General Hospital 1260 S Eliseo Dr, 2nd Floor Greenbrae • 415.461.7800

NONA CUNNINGHAM

Marin General Hospital 1260 S Eliseo Dr, 2nd Floor Greenbrae • 415.461.7800

BRIAN DEMUTH

Prima Medical Group 5 Bon Air Rd, Ste 117 Larkspur • 415.924.9770

LISA EVERSON

Saint Lukes Womens Center 3555 Cesar Chavez St San Francisco • 415.600.6000

JANE FANG

Golden Gate Ob/Gyn 3838 California St San Francisco • 415.666.1250

SYLVIA FLORES

Marin General Hospital 1260 S Eliseo Dr, Floor 2 Greenbrae • 415.461.7800

DAVID GALLAND

Prima Medical Group 5 Bon Air Rd, Ste 117 Larkspur • 415.924.4870

ELENA GATES UCSF Medical Center Ob/Gyn 2356 Sutter St, 1St Floor San Francisco • 415.885.7788

MINDY GOLDMAN UCSF Medical Center Ob/Gyn 2356

LAURIE

HOLLY HOLTER San Francisco Physicians for

JOANNE

LESLIE

LIZELLEN

RUSSELL

MONICA LOPEZ

Marin General Hospital

1260 S Eliseo Dr, 2nd Floor Greenbrae • 415.461.7800

DENISE MAIN

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

3700 California St, Ste G330 San Francisco • 415.600.6400

ELLIOTT MAIN

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

3700 California St, Ste 1320 San Francisco • 415.600.6388

MICHAEL J MAIORIELLO

600 Professional Center Dr Ste 611 Novato • 415.897.6089

MARILYN MILKMAN

Bay Spring Medical Group 1199 Bush St, Ste 500 San Francisco • 415.885.8135

MALINI NIJAGAL

Marin Community Clinics

3260 Kerner Blvd, Ste A San Rafael • 415.448.1500

LAURA NORRELL

Saint Lukes Womens Center

3555 Cesar Chavez St San Francisco • 415.600.6000

CARL OTTO

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

3700 California St

4th Floor, Rm4360 San Francisco • 415.600.6400

RICKI POLLYCOVE

2100 Webster St, Ste 320 San Francisco • 415.923.3390

RICHARD HENRY PRINTZ

599 Sir Francis Drake Blvd Ste 20 Greenbrae • 415.461.8636

GEORGE SAWAYA

UCSF Medical Center 1600 Divisidero St, 4th Floor San Francisco • 415.353.7100

KIRSTEN VOSS

Marin General Hospital 1260 S Eliseo Dr, 2nd Floor Greenbrae • 415.461.7800

DONNA WIGGINS

Golden Gate Ob/Gyn 1725 Montgomery St San Francisco • 415.666.1250

GERALD WILNER

Prima Medical Group

5 Bon Air Rd, Ste 117 Larkspur • 415.924.9770

PEARL YEE

2661 Ocean Ave 1447 P Stowell San Francisco • 415.666.1250

OPHTHALMOLOGY

RICHARD ABBOTT

Koret Vision Center 10 Koret Way, Rm K-301 San Francisco • 415.476.1921

EVERETT AI

Pacific Eye Associates

2100 Webster St, Ste 115 San Francisco • 415.600.7880

ROBERT ANDERSON

900 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 102 Greenbrae • 415.461.8200

ROBERT BHISITKUL

Koret Vision Center

10 Koret Way, Rm K-301 San Francisco • 415.476.1921

MICHELE BLOOMER

UCSF Beckman Vision Center 8 Koret Way, U545 San Francisco • 415.514.8200

JOHN R CAMPBELL

Marin Eyes 901 E St, Ste 285 San Rafael • 415.454.5565

165 Rowland Way, Ste 207 Novato • 415.892.0111 marineyes.com

CYNTHIA CHIU

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.353.2608

ALEJANDRA DE ALBA CAMPOMANES

Koret Vision Center

10 Koret Way, Rm K-301 San Francisco • 415.476.1921

JACQUE DUNCAN

UCSF Medical Center 400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.353.2402

ELLA FAKTOROVICH

Pacific Vision Institute

1 Daniel Burnham Ct, Ste 170C San Francisco • 415.922.9500

WILLIAM GOOD

100 Tamal Plaza Corte Madera • 415.924.4313

DANIEL GOODMAN Eye Surgery Center of San Francisco 2211 Bush St San Francisco • 415.474.3333

CREIG HOYT

UCSF Medical Center 8 Koret Way San Francisco • 415.353.2560

DAVID HWANG

Koret Vision Center 10 Koret Way, Rm K-301 San Francisco • 415.476.1921

BENNIE JENG

UCSF Medical Center

8 Koret Way

San Francisco • 415.514.8200

STEPHEN MCLEOD

UCSF Medical Center

8 Koret Way San Francisco • 415.514.8200

KATHRYN NAJAFI-TAGOL

Eye Institute of Marin

4000 Civic Center Dr, Ste 200A San Rafael • 415.444.0300 eyeinstituteofmarin.com

AYMAN NASERI

UCSF Medical Center

8 Koret Way San Francisco • 415.514.8200

DANIEL SCHWARTZ

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.353.2402

GAYLE SHIMOKAJI

Shapiro & Shimokaji, MDs

1000 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 203 Greenbrae • 415.925.2020

JOHN C SHIN

Marin Eyes

901 E St, Ste 285 San Rafael • 415.454.5565

165 Rowland Way, Ste 207 Novato • 415.892.0111 marineyes.com

ROBERT STAMPER

Koret Vision Center

10 Koret Way, Rm K-301 San Francisco • 415.476.1921

JAY STEWART

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.353.2402

A ALAN WEBER

Prima Medical Group

5 Bon Air Rd Larkspur • 415.945.9065

OPHTHALMOLOGY/ RETINA

JAMES JUMPER

West Coast Retina Medical Group

185 Berry St, Ste 130 San Francisco • 415.972.4600

H MCDONALD

West Coast Retina Medical Group

185 Berry St, Ste 130 San Francisco • 415.972.4600

ORTHOPEDIC SPINE SURGERY

SIGURD BERVEN

UCSF Spine Center

400 Parnassus Ave, Acc 3rd Floor San Francisco • 866-81-SPINE

KEN HSU

St Mary’s Medical Center

1 Shrader St, Ste 450 San Francisco • 415.750.5849 stmarysmedicalcenter.org

SERENA HU

UCSF Spine Center

400 Parnassus Ave, Acc 3rd Floor San Francisco • 866-81-SPINE

DIMITRIY KONDRASHOV

St Mary’s Medical Center

1 Shrader St, Ste 450 San Francisco • 415.750.5849 stmarysmedicalcenter.org

KENNETH IAN LIGHT

1700 California St, Ste 340 San Francisco • 415.673.4500

BOBBY TAY

UCSF Spine Center

400 Parnassus Ave, Acc 3rd Floor San Francisco • 866-81-SPINE

JAMES ZUCHERMAN

St Mary’s Medical Center

1 Shrader St, Ste 450 San Francisco • 415.750.5849 stmarysmedicalcenter.org

ORTHOPEDICS

KENNETH HIDEO AKIZUKI 1375 Sutter St, Ste 105 San Francisco • 415.387.4900

JOHN BELZER

California Pacific Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine

1240 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 101 Greenbrae • 415.461.1600

3838 California Street, Ste 715 San Francisco • 415.668.8010 cposm.com

RAYMOND MICHAEL BONNEAU

165 Rowland Way, Ste 100 Novato • 415.898.4211

KEVIN BOZIC

UCSF Orthopaedic Institute 1500 Owens St San Francisco • 415.353.2808

PETER CALLANDER

California Pacific Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine 1240 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 101 Greenbrae • 415.461.1600

3838 California Street, Ste 715 San Francisco • 415.668.8010 cposm.com

MOHAMMAD DIAB

UCSF Medical Center

1300 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 204 Greenbrae • 415.353.2967 orthosurg.ucsf.edu

KEITH DONATTO

California Pacific Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine

1240 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 101 Greenbrae • 415.461.1600

3838 California Street, Ste 715 San Francisco • 415.668.8010 cposm.com

ANDREW

JONATHAN R

DAVID H GOLTZ

JOHN

KEOHANE

MICHAEL

KEVIN STONE

[415] Top Doctors 2012

ROBERT TEASDALE

California Pacific Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine

1240 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 101 Greenbrae • 415.461.1600

THOMAS VAIL

UCSF Orthopaedic Institute

1500 Owens St San Francisco • 415.353.2808

OTOLARYNGOLOGY

ROMEO AGBAYANI

1000 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 103 Greenbrae • 415.461.9770

JEFFREY CHIEN

Kaiser Permanente Medical Center

99 Montecillo Rd San Rafael • 415.444.2929

MARK COUREY

Mt Zion Gastroenterology

2330 Post St, Ste 610 San Francisco • 415.502.4444

DAVID EISELE

UCSF Medical Center

2380 Sutter St, 2nd Floor San Francisco • 415.885.7528

IVAN EL-SAYED

UCSF Medical Center

2380 Sutter St, 3rd Floor San Francisco • 415.353.2757

THOMAS ENGEL

San Francisco Ear Nose & Throat

3838 California St, Ste 505 San Francisco • 415.751.4914

ANDREW N GOLDBERG

2380 Sutter St, 3rd Floor San Francisco • 415.476.4952

WINTHROP H HALL JR

165 Rowland Way, Ste 202 Novato • 415.897.3070

KAMBRIDGE HRIBAR

1000 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 103 Greenbrae • 415.461.9770

JACOB JOHNSON

San Francisco Otolaryngology

450 Sutter St, Ste 933 San Francisco • 415.362.5443

LAWRENCE LUSTIG

UCSF Medical Center

2380 Sutter St, 3rd Floor San Francisco • 415.353.2757

COREY MAAS

The Maas Clinic

2400 Clay St San Francisco • 415.567.7000

ADITI MANDPE

San Francisco Ear Nose & Throat

3838 California St, Ste 505 San Francisco • 415.751.4914

LISA ORLOFF

UCSF Otolaryngology Head &

Neck Surgery

2380 Sutter St, 2nd Floor

San Francisco • 415.885.7528

STEVEN PLETCHER

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave

San Francisco • 415.476.1000

GARY RUST

Sutter Health Care

45 Castrol St, Ste 210 San Francisco • 415.626.4900

DAVID SCHINDLER

San Francisco Otolaryngology

450 Sutter St, Ste 933

San Francisco • 415.362.5443

STEVEN WANG

UCSF Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery

2380 Sutter St, 2nd Floor

San Francisco • 415.885.7528

ANDREA YEUNG

San Francisco Otolaryngology

450 Sutter St, Ste 933

San Francisco • 415.362.5443

PAIN AND ADDICTION

TIMOTHY C DAWSON

1050 Northgate Dr, Ste 460 San Rafael • 415.461.7246

MICHAEL MOSKOWITZ

Bay Area Pain Medical Associates

3 Harbor Dr, Ste 303 Sausalito • 415.380.0480

RUSSELL SANDBERG

Marin Treatment Center

1466 Lincoln Ave San Rafael • 415.457.3755

ERNEST H SPONZILLI

Mt Tam Orthopedics 18 Bon Air Rd

Larkspur • 415.927.5300 mttamorthopedics.com

CHARLES SAMUEL SZABO 5 Compton Cir Mill Valley • 415.380.9777

PATHOLOGY

PAUL WASSERSTEIN 1615 Hill Rd, Ste C Novato • 415.898.7649

PEDIATRIC BIOFEEDBACK

RUBY NG

California Pacific Medical Center

3700 California St, Level B San Francisco • 415.600.0750

PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY

SCOTT SOIFER

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave, Moffitt San Francisco • 415.476.5153

PAUL STANGER

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

NIKOLA TEDE

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

3700 California St, B555 San Francisco • 415.600.0750

DAVID TEITEL

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

PEDIATRIC CRITICAL CARE

Jeffery Fineman

UCSF Medical Center

513 Parnassus Ave, Hse San Francisco • 415.502.6390

LORRY FRANKEL

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

3700 California St San Francisco • 415.600.0749

SANDRIJN VAN SCHAIK

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave, Moffitt San Francisco • 415.476.3731

PEDIATRIC DEVELOPMENTAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

BARBARA BENNETT

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

Kalmanovitz Child Development Center 1625 Van Ness, 3rd Floor San Francisco • 415.600.6200

PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY

SURUCHI BHATIA

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation 3700 California St, Ste B555 San Francisco • 415.600.0750

STEPHEN GITELMAN

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave, 2nd Floor San Francisco • 415.353.7337

STEVE ROSENTHAL

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave, 2nd Floor San Francisco • 415.353.7337

PEDIATRIC GASTROENTEROLOGY

MELVIN HEYMAN

UCSF Medical Center

500 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

SUE RHEE

UCSF Medical Center

500 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGY/ ONCOLOGY

ARTHUR ABLIN

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

MICHELLE HERMISTON

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

PEDIATRIC HOSPITALIST

DIVA SEDDICK

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation 3555 Cesar Chavez St San Francisco • 415.641.6650

PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASE

PEGGY WEINTRUB

UCSF Medical Center

500 Parnassus Ave, MU San Francisco • 415.476.8016

PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGY

NALIN GUPTA

UCSF Medical Center 400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

PEDIATRIC OTOLARYNGOLOGY

ANNA MEYER

UCSF Pediatric Otolaryngology 2330 Post St, 3rd Floor San Francisco • 415.353.2757

KRISTINA ROSBE

UCSF Pediatric Otolaryngology 2330 Post St, 3rd Floor San Francisco • 415.353.9385

PEDIATRIC RHEUMATOLOGY

EMILY VON SCHEVEN

UCSF Medical Center 533 Parnassus Ave, UC Hall San Francisco • 415.476.2491

PEDIATRIC SURGERY

DIANA FARMER

UCSF Medical Center 513 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.2538

PEDIATRICS

EILEEN AICARDI

Golden Gate Pediatrics 3641 California St San Francisco • 415.668.0888

ANJULI BASU

Prima Medical Group 100-A Drakes Landing Rd, Ste 225 Greenbrae • 415.924.1214

RACHEL BAUER

Prima Medical Group 655 Redwood Hwy, Ste 216 Mill Valley • 415.383.3500

JULIE BOKSER

NELSON BRANCO Tamalpais

CAMILLE

SUZANNE

PEDIATRICS

SCOTT COHEN

KATHERINE

SUSAN

TAREA ELQOUSY Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

MARTIN ERNSTER Golden Gate Pediatrics 3641 California St San Francisco • 415.668.0888

DARREN FIORE

UCSF Medical Center 505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

YASUKO FUKUDA 3905 Sacramento St San Francisco • 415.752.8038

GARY GIN

SF

Natural Remedies for the Common Cold

WE CAN RESTORE 20/20 vision to the nearsighted, replace diseased joints with prosthetics and even transplant organs. A cure for the common cold, however, remains elusive. “Unfortunately, there are just too many strains to come up with a workable vaccine,” says Dr. Catherine Clark-Sayles, an internist with Marin Medical Group and Marin Internal Medicine, part of the Marin Healthcare District. “Researchers are working on it, but we’re just not there yet.” Until then, the best practice is to treat the symptoms and let the virus run its course. This protocol can include a variety of over-the-counter medicines such as nasal decongestants, Tylenol and cough syrup. However, if you prefer a natural approach, the following five home remedies (and a box of soft tissues) will help you muddle through the nastiest of symptoms.

1 NASAL IRRIGATION Flushing your nasal cavities to expel excess mucus is an effective way to relieve congestion and stuffi ness. You can purchase a ready-made saline spray or make your own by fi lling a squeeze bottle with a solution made from one cup of distilled warm water mixed with ⅛ teaspoon baking soda and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Squeeze the saline solution one to three times into each nostril, inhaling through the nose as you squeeze in the fluid. For a more aggressive approach, consider a neti pot — a spouted vessel that allows for a greater volume of liquid to flow into the nasal cavity and thus provides a more thorough lavage. “It’s messier and clunkier than a saline spray, but when I can convince my patients to try it, they’re usually happy with the results,” says Clark-Sayles.

2 HUMIDITY Cold viruses thrive in dry conditions. What’s more, dry air will further irritate your mucous membranes, leading to additional stuffi ness and throat discomfort. You can alleviate this by using a humidifier to moisten the air. A long, steamy shower will also bring relief.

3 ZINC SUPPLEMENTS For years, the efficacy of this supplement to treat the common cold has been hotly debated. And there are still plenty of naysayers. However, according to Clark-Sayles, a recent review of the research suggests that perhaps zinc can reduce the duration of a cold — particularly if it is taken within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms. One caveat: “Too much zinc can interfere with your absorption of iron and cause anemia,” says

Clark-Sayles. So don’t overdo it. According to the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements, 40 mg daily is the maximum safe dose.

4 SALT WATER It may not taste good, but a quick gargle with a little salt water — a ½ teaspoon dissolved in an 8-ounce glass of water — can bring temporary relief to a scratchy throat.

5 CHICKEN SOUP No, we’re not kidding. Scientists have confirmed what grandmothers have known for years: Chicken soup can soothe a cold. Researchers at the University of Nebraska performed laboratory tests with this tried-and-true remedy and found that indeed the soup’s combination of ingredients (including chicken, onions and parsnips) does have an anti-inflammatory effect. D.M.D.

Chicken soup can soothe a cold. Researchers performed laboratory tests with this tried-and-true remedy and found that indeed the soup’s combination of ingredients does have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Bedbugs 101

FUnlike some insects, they don’t carry disease. They’re a nuisance but not a health hazard.

OR DECADES, THE bedtime salutation “Don’t let the bedbugs bite” conjured up feelings of warmth and security. But now that these tiny bloodsuckers have returned with a vengeance, this lighthearted way of saying good night is likely to give pause. And while it’s true that bedbug infestations are most defi nitely on the rise, here’s something you may not know: According to a new report from the Center sfor Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), exposure to insecticides used to control bedbugs led to one death and more than 100 illnesses between 2003 and 2010. The reason: Improper use of insecticides. Ironically, bedbugs are harmless. “Unlike some insects, they don’t carry disease,” says Dr. David Laub, a dermatologist in Mill Valley. “They’re a nuisance but not a health hazard.”

Of course, paranoia has led many folks to assume the worst when a mysterious rash erupts. (The bites can resemble a number of other conditions.) So how do you know if bedbugs are the culprit? Check for tiny bloodstains on your sheets as well as dark or rusty spots, which

may be bedbug excrement. Also, pull off your sheets, and with the aid of a flashlight, check the mattresses seams and ticking, box spring and headboard. “Look for small, reddish bugs about 5 millimeters in length,” says Laub.

If you fi nd them, you’ll need to thoroughly wash down the affected space. This means that all bedding, curtains and clothing need to be washed in hot water. (Your washing machine is OK.) Items that cannot be washed, such as stuffed animals or shoes, should go in the dryer on your highest setting for 30 minutes. The mattress should then be brushed and vacuumed, along with the floors. Cleaning can minimize the infestation. However, to be sure you’re rid of the problem, it might be best to let the professionals, which includes most pest exterminators, handle the job.

D.M.D.

ALBERT GOLDBERG

Sutter Health Care

750 Las Gallinas Ave, Ste 210 San Rafael • 415.479.7244

WILLIAM GONDA

Golden Gate Pediatrics

3641 California St San Francisco • 415.668.0888

CINDY GREENBERG

Sutter Health Care

750 Las Gallinas Ave, Ste 210 San Rafael • 415.479.7244

MICHAEL HARRIS

Kaiser Permanente

97 San Marin Dr Novato • 415.899.7412

SAMUEL HAWGOOD

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

ERIN HEATH

Tamalpais Pediatrics

599 Sir Francis Drake Blvd Ste 102 Greenbrae • 415.461.0440

SARAH HEMMER

Bayview Child Health Center

1335 Evans Ave San Francisco • 415.600.1990

THU HO

UCSF Medical Center

513 Parnassus Ave, PO Box 0434 San Francisco • 415.476.8216

SAREENA JASPAL

Prima Pediatrics

655 Redwood Hwy, Ste 216 Mill Valley • 415.383.3500

MARTIN JOFFE

1000 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 1A Greenbrae • 415.461.5436

ALAN JOHNSON

SF Bay Pediatrics

525 Spruce St San Francisco • 415.668.8900

UTA KERL

Prima Medical Group

655 Redwood Hwy, Ste 216 Mill Valley • 415.383.3500

ELIZABETH LOWE

Marin General Hospital

250 Bon Air Rd Greenbrae • 415.925.7000

JAN MAISEL

Tamalpais Pediatrics

599 Sir Francis Drake Blvd Ste 102 Greenbrae • 415.461.0440

KATHRYN MEIER

Marin Pediatric Associates

1000 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 106 Greenbrae • 415.461.8828

JANE MEILL

Marin Pediatric Associates

1000 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 106 Greenbrae • 415.461.8828

CAROL MILLER

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave, 2nd Floor San Francisco • 415.353.2000

KARA ORNSTEIN

Marin Pediatric Associates

1000 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 106 Greenbrae • 415.461.8828

MARY PIEL

Golden Gate Pediatrics 3641 California St San Francisco • 415.668.0888

JENNIFER PUCK

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave, 2nd Floor San Francisco • 415.353.7337

DONALD PYSKATY

Marin General Hospital

250 Bon Air Rd Greenbrae • 415.925.7000

GLENN ROSENBLUTH

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave, 2nd Floor San Francisco • 415.353.7337

DAVID ROWITCH

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave, 15th Floor San Francisco • 415.353.1565

AMIT SABNIS

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

ERIC SCHER

Sutter Health Care

4 Hamilton Landing, Ste 210 Novato • 415.884.1840

SALLY SEHRING

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave, 15th Floor San Francisco • 415.353.1565

SARABENET SEQUEIRA

Pediatric Alternatives 10 Thomas Dr Mill Valley • 415.380.8448

KATHRYN SEXTON

Sexton Joffe & Urbach

1000 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 1A Greenbrae • 415.461.5436

THOMAS SHIMOTAKE

UCSF Medical Center

533 Parnassus Ave, Ste U-503 San Francisco • 415.476.1888

ALAN UBA

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave, UC Clinics San Francisco • 415.353.2790

KATRINA URBACH

Sexton Joffe & Urbach

1000 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 1A Greenbrae • 415.461.5436

MICHAEL YAMAGUCHI

Terra Linda Pediatrics

4000 Civic Center Dr, Ste 201 San Rafael • 415.479.8642

JAMES GOLDBERG

San Francisco Perinatal Associates

1 Daniel Burnham Ct, Ste 230C San Francisco • 415.202.1200

PHYSIATRY

ALEX BARCHUK

Kentfield Rehab & Specialty Hospital

1125 Sir Francis Drake Blvd

Kentfield • 415.456.9680

DEBORAH DOHERTY

Kentfield Rehab & Specialty Hospital

1125 Sir Francis Drake Blvd

Kentfield • 415.485.3524

HOLLY KELLY

Marin Orthopedics And Sports Medicine

7100 Redwood Blvd, Ste 200 Novato • 415.492.1600

PLASTIC SURGERY

JAMES PETER ANTHONY

450 Sutter St, Ste 2630 San Francisco • 415.395.7323

KENNETH BERMUDEZ

525 Spruce St San Francisco • 415.668.2122 plasticsurgery-sf.com

DAVID S CHANG

California Pacific Medical Center

45 Castro St

Medical Office Building, Ste 410 San Francisco • 415.565.6884

CAROLYN CHIENG LIN CHANG

2100 Webster St San Francisco • 415.923.3070

TANCREDI D’AMORE

Marin General Hospital

250 Bon Air Rd Greenbrae • 415.925.7000

KEITH DENKLER

275 Magnolia Ave Larkspur • 415.924.6010

ISSA ESHIMA

1199 Bush St, Ste 490 San Francisco • 415.567.7076

CYNTHIA MARIE HOM

GOODMAN 1240 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 201 Greenbrae • 415.925.8555

TERRY LEE HAND

900 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 103 Greenbrae • 415.461.6742

WILLIAM HOFFMAN

UCSF Plastic Surgery

400 Parnassus Ave, Ste A-655 San Francisco • 415.353.4285

YNGVAR HVISTENDAHL

Plastic Surgery Specialists

350 Bon Air Rd, Ste 300 Greenbrae • 415.925.2880 psspecialists.com

GABRIEL M KIND

California Pacific Medical Center 45 Castro St Medical Office Building, Ste 410 San Francisco • 415.565.6884 drkind.com

CHARLES LEE

Lee Plastic Surgery 2250 Hayes St, Ste 508 San Francisco • 415.933.8330

ROLAND TAKASHI MINAMI 1240 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 102 Greenbrae • 415.461.1240

KHASHAYAR MOHEBALI

Plastic Surgery Specialists

350 Bon Air Rd, Ste 300 Greenbrae • 415.925.2880 psspecialists.com

BRIAN PARRETT

California Pacific Medical Center 45 Castro St, Ste 121 San Francisco • 415.565.6136

STANLEY G POULOS

Plastic Surgery Specialists

350 Bon Air Rd, Ste 300 Greenbrae • 415.925.2880 psspecialists.com

DAVID YOUNG

UCSF Plastic Surgery 400 Parnassus Ave, Ste A-655 San Francisco • 415.353.4201

PODIATRY

JEFFREY AMEN

Sutter Health Care 1615 Hill Rd, Ste E Novato • 415.898.4828

RUSSELL DAVIS

Sutter Health Care 2 Bon Air Rd, Ste 150 Larkspur • 415.927.3338

DAVID DENG

San Francisco Medical Center 450 6th Ave, 5th Floor San Francisco • 415.833.3898

JAMES DIETZ

Mill Valley Pod Group 203 East Blithedale Ave, Ste B Mill Valley • 415.381.0330

MARK DRUCKER

750 Las Gallinas Ave, Ste 115 San Rafael • 415.472.5575

PSYCHIATRY

JOSEPH

PHILIP

[415] Top Doctors 2012

ELDON SCHRIOCK

Pacific Fertility Center

55 Francisco St, Ste 500 San Francisco • 415.834.3000

RHEUMATOLOGY

JOAN CAMPAGNA

750 Las Gallinas Ave, Ste 219 San Rafael • 415.491.0713

NANCY CARTERON

California Pacific Medical Center

2100 Webster St, Ste 200 San Francisco • 415.923.6534

ROBERT L DOBROW

Sutter Health Care

3801 Sacramento St, 3rd Floor San Francisco • 415.600.2402

PETER STEIN

Sutter Health Care

599 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Ste 20 Greenbrae • 415.464.9604

SURGERY – BARIATRIC, GI AND ENDOCRINE

GREGG JOSSART

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

1375 Sutter St, Ste 208 San Francisco • 415.923.3200

SURGERY – GENERAL

EDWARD ALFREY

Prima Medical Group

5 Bon Air Rd, Ste 101 Larkspur • 415.924.2515

MICHAEL BOZUK

Sutter Health Care

3835 Cypress Dr, Ste 202 Petaluma • 707.763.3967

WILLIAM BRY

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

2340 Clay St, 4th Floor San Francisco • 415.600.1020

QUAN-YANG DUH

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

LAURA JEAN ESSERMAN

1600 Divisadero St San Francisco • 415.353.7070

CHERYL EWING

UCSF Mount Zion Medical Center

1600 Divisadero St San Francisco • 415.353.7300

HOBART HARRIS

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

KIMBERLY KIRKWOOD

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

CRYSTINE LEE

Prima Medical Group

5 Bon Air Rd, Ste 101 Larkspur • 415.924.2515

MICHELLE LI

599 Sir Francis Drake Blvd Ste 302 Greenbrae • 415.925.1047

3838 California St, Ste 616 San Francisco • 415.668.0411

2100 Webster Street, Ste 616 San Francisco • 415.668.0411 sfsurgery.com

JOHN MAA

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

ERIC NAKAKURA

UCSF Mount Zion Medical Center 1600 Divisadero St San Francisco • 415.353.7300

ROBERT OSORIO

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation 2340 Clay St, 4th Floor San Francisco • 415.600.1000

MARK PETERSON

1300 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 202 Greenbrae • 415.461.7955

JOHN RABKIN

Pacific Laparoscopy

2250 Hayes St San Francisco • 415.668.3200

PETER RICHARDS

Vascular Specialists of SF 3838 California St, Rm 612 San Francisco • 415.221.7056

EDMUND TSOI

North East Medical Service 1520 Stockton St San Francisco • 415.391.9686

ANN VERCOUTERE

Zakhireh Inc

1363 S Eliseo Dr, Ste A-808 Greenbrae • 415.461.2426

JENNIFER ZAKHIREH

UCSF Medical Center 1600 Divisadero St San Francisco • 415.885.7691

MOHAMMED ZAKHIREH

1363 S Eliseo Dr, Ste A-809 Greenbrae • 415.207.0053

SURGERY/TRANSPLANT

NANCY ASCHER

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.353.1551

DAMANPREET BEDI

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

SANDY FENG

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave

San Francisco • 415.353.1551

PETER STOCK

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.353.1551

PARSIA VAGEFI

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave, Moffitt San Francisco • 415.279.4982

THORACIC SURGERY

NORA BURGESS

Kaiser Permanente Medical Center

2200 Ofarrell St San Francisco • 415.833.2000

KEVIN HILER

Hiler & Grissom

1700 California St, Ste 550 San Francisco • 415.292.8999

KEITH KORVER

Northern CA Medical Assoc 3536 Mendocino Ave, Ste 200 Santa Rosa • 707.573.6166

ROBERT MURRAY

San Francisco Surgical Group

1 Shrader St, Ste 550 San Francisco • 415.387.8031

PETER ANASTASSIOU

Sutter Health Care

101 Rowland Way, Ste 200 Novato • 415.600.7860

UROLOGY

LAURENCE BASKIN

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave, Ste A-610 San Francisco • 415.353.2200

PATRICK BENNETT

Marin Specialty Care

1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 200 Greenbrae • 415.461.5000

PETER BRETAN

Marin Sonoma Urology

165 Rowland Way Novato • 415.892.0904

PETER CARROLL

UCSF Medical Center 505 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

DONNA DENG

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave, Ste A-610 San Francisco • 415.353.2200

DAVID T DUONG

909 Hyde St, Ste 222 San Francisco • 415.441.3155

BART GERSHBEIN

1000 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 102 Greenbrae • 415.464.9988

GARY GROSSFELD

Marin Specialty Care

1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 200 Greenbrae • 415.461.5000

ROBERT KAHN

Golden Gate Urology

2100 Webster St, Ste 222 San Francisco • 415.202.0250

HARRY NEUWIRTH

Marin Specialty Care

1350 S Eliseo Dr, Ste 200 Greenbrae • 415.461.5000

RODMAN ROGERS

San Francisco Urology

3838 California St, Ste 803 San Francisco • 415.668.3600

IRA SHARLIP

Golden Gate Urology

2100 Webster St, Ste 222 San Francisco • 415.202.0250

JOSEPH SPAULDING

Stephen M Schatz Medical Corp 909 Hyde St, Ste 222 San Francisco • 415.441.3155

MARSHALL STOLLER

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave, Ste A-610 San Francisco • 415.353.2200

PAUL TUREK

The Turek Clinic 55 Francisco St, Ste 300 San Francisco • 415.392.3200

VASCULAR SURGERY

SUSAN BAILEY

California Pacific Cardiovascular 2100 Webster St, Ste 516 San Francisco • 415.345.0940

TIMOTHY CHUTER

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

CHARLES EICHLER

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

JADE HIRAMOTO

UCSF Medical Center

400 Parnassus Ave San Francisco • 415.476.1000

LAURA K PAK

Cardiovascular Associates of Marin and San Francisco 2 Bon Air Rd, Ste 100 Larkspur • 415.927.0666

165 Rowland Way, Ste 201 Novato • 415.878.2910 camsf.com m

Are your doctors on our list? Look for the [415] Top Doctors plaque next time you visit.

CARDIOVASCULAR

ASSOCIATES

OF MARIN AND SAN FRANCISCO MEDICAL GROUP, INC.

SINCE 1962, CAMSF HAS OFFERED EXCELLENT cardiovascular medicine in Marin County.

Our organization is the proud home to 13 of the [415] Top Doctors 2012, nominated by their peers for clinical expertise and optimal patient care. In collaboration with their cardiovascular partners, these cardiologists advocate for quality health care. As extraordinary leaders for the advancement of cardiovascular medicine at both Marin General and Novato Community hospitals, CAMSF physicians focus on saving lives; they make a difference. With the development of the Catheterization and Electrophysiology Lab at MGH, CAMSF continues to bring first-class cardiovascular care to the community.

Our services include:

Computed Tomography (CT) Imaging:

Calcium Scores, CT Coronary Angiography Testing Center:

Stress Echocardiography, Myocardial Perfusion Stress Imaging, Echocardiography, Treadmill Testing Heart Rhythm Assessment: Electrophysiology, Event and Holter Monitors, Heart Cards, King of Hearts

Vascular:

Ultrasound, Endovascular and Open Surgery for Arterial Disease, Minimally Invasive Treatments For Varicose And Spider Veins

Wellness Program:

Cardiac Rehabilitation, EECP, Chronic Angina Therapy, Nutrition, Risk Factor Assessment, Stress Management, TAM (Total Atherosclerosis Management)

2 Bon Air Road, Suite 100 Larkspur, CA 94939

415.927.0666

165 Rowland Way, Suite 201 Novato, CA 94945 415.878.2910

Vascular 415.927.8591 CT Suite 415.945.6283 camsf.com

Staff Doctors:

Kent N. Gershengorn, M.D., FACC*

Joel Sklar, M.D., FACC*

David C. Sperling, M.D., FACC*

Brian L. Strunk, M.D., FACC

Mark P. Wexman, M.D., FACC*

Jerald A. Young, M.D., FACC*

James R. Adams, M.D., FACC*

Margaret L. Baer, M.D., FACC*

Ann K. Kao, M.D., FACC*

Brian G. Keeffe, M.D., FACC*

Laura K. Pak, M.D., FACS*

Arun K. Raghupathy, M.D., FACC*

Robert T. Sperling, M.D., FACC*

Sujoya Dey, M.D., FACC*

Adam J. Baumgarten, M.D.

Not pictured:

Jerald Young, M.D.*

Laura Pak, M.D.*

* Recognized on the [415] Top Doctors 2012 list.

CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR PITUITARY DISORDERS AT UCSF

EXPERT CARE FOR PITUITARY DISORDERS IN THE BAY AREA

THE CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR PITUITARY DISORDERS at UCSF, established in 2007, provides comprehensive care for patients with all pituitary disorders including those resulting from a tumor of the pituitary gland, as well as nonfunctional pituitary tumors and hypopituitarism. We believe ours are the very best surgical and nonsurgical approaches for the management of pituitary tumors.

We offer timely, efficient and coordinated multispecialty expertise and care as well as access to leading-edge technology. The center, one of the busiest of its kind in the United States, is comprised of a group of internationally recognized physicians, including Dr. Lewis S. Blevins Jr. and Dr. Manish Aghi, who were selected as two [415] Top Doctors.

Pictured (left to right):

Sandeep Kunwar M.D.

Lewis Blevins Jr. M.D.* Manish Aghi M.D., PhD*

* Recognized on the [415] Top Doctors 2012 list.

J. TIMOTHY MURPHY, M.D.

WE BELIEVE THE BEST PRIMARY CARE for you means not only the highest-quality care available but also personalized attention and convenient, same day access to a provider when you need one. Our office is a friendly and caring environment where every practitioner and staff member is committed to responding to your personal health needs. We use a future-oriented, team approach to individualized care, utilizing highly trained nurse practitioners and physicians’ assistants and a robust electronic health record. We are dedicated to optimizing your good health and wellness.

Dr. Murphy, a graduate of Stanford University and University of Washington School of Medicine, completed his Family Medicine residency at UCLA Center for the Health Sciences. Before moving to Novato in 1992, he taught full-time at UCLA School of Medicine and directed its Family Medicine curriculum for 13 years. He has privileges at Novato Community Hospital and speaks both Spanish and English. Our office is open weekdays 9 to 5. We look forward to meeting you!

Pictured (left to right):

Maria Dai, PA-C

Tim Murphy, M.D.*

Kate Donnelly, PA-C

Michele Jodoin, PA

Not pictured: Elizabeth Rabada, FNP

* Recognized on the [415] Top Doctors 2012 list.

165 Rowland Way, Suite 215 Novato, CA 94945

415.897.5171

SERVING MARIN COUNTY AND SAN FRANCISCO FOR OVER 40 YEARS

CALIFORNIA PACIFIC ORTHOPAEDICS AND SPORTS MEDICINE (CPOSM) has been providing comprehensive orthopaedic and sports medicine care to Marin County and the greater San Francisco Bay Area for over 40 years.

We offer the latest in minimally invasive and surgical techniques, among them Birmingham hip resurfacing, hip, knee and shoulder replacement and reconstruction, foot and ankle reconstruction, and hand and wrist surgery including endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery, along with sports medicine, arthritis care, nonsurgical treatments and many other services.

CPOSM for many years has been Team Physician for the Oakland A’s and the San Francisco Ballet and was previously Team Physician for the Golden State Warriors. We are committed to providing this same level of elite medical care to each of our patients.

We have three offices to serve you, including our Marin office in Greenbrae. Our other two offices are in San Francisco’s Presidio Heights and Pacific Heights. For your convenience we offer in-house MRI and X-ray and have office hours five days a week. We accept most major insurance plans and are Brown and Toland providers.

We look forward to serving you!

1240 South Eliseo Drive, Suite 101 Greenbrae, CA 94941

415.461.1600

3838 California Street, Suite 715 San Francisco, CA 94118 415.668.8010 cposm.com

Pictured (seated from left):

William Green, M.D.

Peter Callander, M.D.*

Jon Dickinson, M.D.

Taylor Smith, M.D.*

Christopher Cox, M.D. (standing from left):

W. Scott Green, M.D.

John Belzer, M.D.*

Keith Donatto, M.D.*

Rowan Paul, M.D.

Adrian Rawlinson, M.D.

Robert Gilbert, M.D.

* Recognized on the [415] Top Doctors 2012 list.

PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGEON

KENNETH BERMUDEZ, M.D.

ANY SUCCESSFUL AESTHETIC SURGERY is a blend of science and art. Dr. Kenneth Bermudez, a highly experienced board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, works to not just meet but exceed patients’ goals. His exceptional skill in an array of procedures, including body contouring and facelift, let him deliver the best state-of-the-art care available. Trust, compassion and communication are key to the process, and this doctor truly listens, advising honestly on which treatments fit your needs. Always the aim is a balanced result that reduces signs of age and accentuates natural beauty to help people look and feel their best. He provides personalized care and is there with you every step, from fi rst consultation to recovery, supported by a knowledgeable, friendly staff

A Bay Area physician since 1992, Dr. Bermudez did his medical studies and surgical residencies at UCSF. He sees patients in an ideally located office and surgery center and has hospital privileges with California Pacific and Catholic Healthcare West.

525 Spruce Street

San Francisco, CA 94118

415.668.2122

plasticsurgery-sf.com

Recognized on the [415] Top Doctors 2012 list.

LESLIE KARDOS, M.D., FACOG HEIDI WITTENBERG, M.D., FACOG

COMPREHENSIVE GYNECOLOGICAL CARE and surgical expertise are hallmarks of our approach at Pacific Gynecology Surgical Group. We empower patients to make informed decisions. Tailored treatment plans are offered for issues like menopause, endometriosis and continence problems. If surgery is needed, we favor minimally invasive procedures, which are safe and effective and have a faster recovery. We have performed more than 350 da Vinci surgeries, offering outpatient treatment for complex conditions.

Dr. Leslie Kardos is the Bay Area’s most experienced surgeon in robotic procedures for benign gynecologic disease. She specializes in robotic myomectomy (fibroid removal) and has followed over 20 patients in their subsequent pregnancies.

Dr. Heidi Wittenberg specializes in urogynecology and did the first da Vinci sacrocolpopexy for pelvic organ prolapse in San Francisco. She also developed our on-site Comprehensive Pelvic Continence Center.

Whether for checkups or detailed surgery, we give each patient the same individualized treatment. Our goal is to keep you healthy and active!

Pacific Gynecology Surgical Group

2100 Webster Street #319 San Francisco, CA 94115

415.923.3123

* Recognized on the [415] Top Doctors 2012 list.

pacificgynsurgicalgroup.com

Pictured (left to right):

Leslie Kardos, M.D.*

Heidi Wittenberg, M.D.

A 60-YEAR HISTORY OF EXCELLENCE IN MARIN

MARIN EYES IS A COMPREHENSIVE EYE CARE CLINIC with a long tradition of excellence and a commitment to using proven technologies that improve patients’ vision and quality of life. While specializing in cataract, laser vision correction (LASIK) and glaucoma treatment, we also provide preventive care and exams and treat a variety of eye conditions. Our team approach includes board-certified ophthalmologists and optometrists along with registered nurses, anesthesiologists, and ophthalmic and surgical technicians. On-site optical dispensaries produce custom prescription eyewear, ensuring full continuity of care.

With two Marin locations, MarinEyes has grown remarkably since 1979 when Dr. Ernest W. Denicke—the county’s first ophthalmologist, and a native of Ross—invited Dr. John R. Campbell, a Stanford graduate who interned and trained at California Pacific Medical Center, to practice with him in San Rafael. 1998 Dr. John C. Shin, experienced in corneal and external eye disease came on board; Having practiced in Sonoma for 10 years, Dr. Christian Kim, refractive corneal specialist, joined the team in 2008. Recently, MarinEyes digitized patient medical records and linked them electronically to our surgery centers and clinic—dramatically enhancing the ability to provide precise, efficient, cost-effective care.

“We love the challenge of evaluating and implementing technological advances to benefit our patients and to contain costs in the process,” Dr. Campbell says. “This has been my life’s work. Thank you, Marin, for more than 30 years of loyalty.”

901 E. Street, Suite 285 San Rafael, CA 94901 415.454.5565

165 Rowland Way, Suite 207 Novato, CA 94945 415.892.0111

marineyes.com

Pictured (left to right):

John R. Campbell, M.D.*

John C. Shin, M.D.*

Christian K. Kim, M.D.

* Recognized on the [415] Top Doctors 2012

ONE-TO-ONE, PATIENT FOCUSED

ANNE M. CUMMINGS, M.D., F.A.C.P.

DR. CUMMINGS IS A BOARD CERTIFIED INTERNIST and served on the clinical faculty of the University of California at San Francisco until 2002. She is a fellow with the American College of Physicians. This year marks her tenth anniversary in private practice in Marin. A few years ago she transitioned into a full model concierge office, which streamlined her practice and enabled her to offer a more personalized, one-to-one, patient focused office.

She is active with Marin General Hospital, in both elected and volunteer capacity on several committees. This is her second year on the board of the Marin Medical Society. She also maintains a positive work life balance with her support of the community and family time. She just resigned after four years as medical director for the Marin Services for Women, a drug and alcohol treatment program for women and children founded in 1978. She is married with three children.

Recognized on the [415] Top Doctors 2012 list.

KATHRYN NAJAFI-TAGOL, M.D.

EYE PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON, GLAUCOMA AND CATARACT SPECIALIST

AS MARIN’S ONLY FELLOWSHIP-TRAINED, full-time glaucoma specialist, Kathryn Najafi-Tagol is unique among area eye physicians. A board-certified ophthalmologist, she launched her independent, state-of-the-art practice in 2004. From eye exams to treatment, she provides comprehensive care, with a staff of experienced optometrists, opticians and technicians and the latest equipment for diagnosing cataract, macular degeneration and more. An on-site optical boutique assures quality control so patients get the highestquality lenses and fashion frames available.

Specializing in laser and microsurgery, Dr. Najafi-Tagol is also a clinical instructor at California Pacific Medical Center, a longtime volunteer physician with EyeCare America, and a scientist involved in research on new drugs for currently untreatable conditions. While gratified to be performing sophisticated multifocal lens implant surgery that enables patients to see without glasses — “far and up close, often for the fi rst time” — she’s a big believer in prevention. “Studies show half of people with glaucoma are unaware of this potentially blinding condition. Annual screening and early detection are key to keeping one’s eyesight bright.”

4000 Civic Center Drive, Suite 200A San Rafael, CA 94903

415.444.0300

eyeinstituteofmarin.com

Recognized on the [415] Top Doctors 2012 list.

PATIENT-FRIENDLY ORTHOPEDICS AND SPINE CARE IN THE NORTH BAY

MT. TAM ORTHOPEDICS OFFERS COMPREHENSIVE orthopedics and spine care from physicians with unparalleled experience in sports medicine, joint replacement, arthroscopy, and arthritis management. We treat issues ranging from rotator cuff problems and ligament injuries to fractures and spinal disorders.

For most orthopedic problems, the first and preferred approach is nonsurgical, but if surgery is required, the specialists at Mt. Tam use the latest state-of-theart technologies. Even the most complex injuries, along with many common problems, can be repaired by today’s new minimally invasive methods and arthroscopy. Our surgeons are leaders in this pioneering approach, which results in accelerated recoveries and shorter hospital stays.

Our services include sports medicine care (we are the official providers for the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding Team), minimally invasive hip and knee replacement, joint resurfacing procedures, cartilage salvage and restoration for complex knee conditions, and spine care.

Our patients receive the same level of care we would want our own family to receive. Seamless integration of expert testing, award-winning physical therapy and superb surgical care have distinguished our practice as the leader in patient-friendly orthopedics in Marin and the North Bay.

18 Bon Air Road Larkspur, CA 94939

415.927.5300

mttamorthopedics.com

Pictured:

Jonathan R. Goff, M.D.*

David H. Goltz, M.D.*

John C. Keohane, M.D.*

Ernest H. Sponzilli, M.D.*

Michael J. Oechsel, M.D.*

Charles A. Stuart, M.D.

Not pictured:

Brian W. Su, M.D.

Robert H. Byers, M.D.

* Recognized on the [415] Top Doctors 2012 list.

LEADERS IN BREAST RECONSTRUCTION

GABRIEL M. KIND, M.D. AND DAVID S. CHANG, M.D.

DRS. GABRIEL M. KIND AND DAVID S. CHANG believe excellent plastic surgery and compassionate patient care go hand in hand. Board certified in all aspects of plastic surgery, they are leaders in breast reconstruction, notably the deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap procedure, which uses the patient’s own tissues to rebuild the breast without muscle loss. They also specialize in aesthetic surgery of the face and body, including facelifts, rhinoplasty, breast augmentation and tummy tucks. Dr. Kind, a graduate of Northwestern University Medical School, and Dr. Chang, a graduate of NYU School of Medicine, are both clinical faculty at UCSF.

Both surgeons perform each procedure with a keen eye for beauty, attention to detail and a personalized approach, convinced that a great result starts with listening to the patient to find the optimal way to restore function and form. After an in-depth consultation, a free cost quote and financing information are provided if desired.

Pictured (left to right):

David S. Chang, M.D.*

Gabriel M. Kind, M.D.*

* Recognized on the [415] Top Doctors 2012 list.

45 Castro Street Medical Office Building, Suite 410 Davies Campus of California Pacific Medical Center San Francisco, CA 94114

415.565.6884

drkind.com, drdavidchang.com

PLASTIC SURGERY SPECIALISTS

BOARD-CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEONS with more than 40 years of combined surgical practice experience, Drs. Stanley Poulos, Yngvar Hvistendahl and Khashayar Mohebali have the expertise to achieve extraordinary results in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery. At Plastic Surgery Specialists, a professional and friendly staff of 10 is devoted to helping surgeons provide the optimum patient experience.

The PSS facility includes a certified surgery center and will soon open an on-site medical spa featuring the full range of skin and body care treatments, as well as medically supervised programs for weight loss, nutrition and hormone balancing. We offer our patients the complete menu of aesthetic services in a safe and beautiful environment. We are honored by our selection as Top Doctors and look forward to serving the residents of Marin and the North Bay in 2012!

Pictured (left to right):

Yngvar Hvistendahl, M.D.*

Khashayar Mohebali, M.D.*

Stanley G. Poulos, M.D.*

Plastic Surgery Specialists 350 Bon Air Road, Suite 300 Greenbrae, CA 94904

415.925.2880

psspecialists.com

* Recognized on the [415] Top Doctors 2012 list.

UCSF ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY – MARIN

FOR OUR UCSF PATIENTS IN THE NORTH BAY, we are pleased to continue to offer and expand our services and clinics, now operating at 1300 South Eliseo Drive in Greenbrae. In this convenient Marin County location, we offer treatment in pediatric orthopaedics, sports medicine primary care, and spinal disorders.

Our orthopaedic clinics in Marin continue the pioneering tradition of UCSF’s multidisciplinary approach to clinical care, research, education and outreach. Uniting many of our world-class orthopaedic physicians, resources and talent under one roof, we’re able to spur our collaborations to even greater heights. UCSF physicians, internationally recognized as leaders in orthopaedics, work together with our patients to assess and improve their function and quality of life. Treatment plans are created to fit the needs of each individual and designed by highly skilled specialists. We’re committed to providing the very best in musculoskeletal care.

Doctors Mohammad Diab, Anthony Luke, Carlin Senter, and Shane Burch all serve on the faculty of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at UCSF—Dr. Diab as professor and chief of pediatric orthopaedics, Dr. Burch as assistant professor in residence; Dr. Luke as associate professor of clinical orthopaedic surgery; and Dr. Senter as assistant clinical professor.

Whether you live down Lucas Valley Road or down Petaluma Valley Road, we’re bringing our expertise to your backyard so you can get back to your life!

orthosurg.ucsf.edu

Pictured (left to right):

Mohammad Diab, M.D.*

Pediatric Orthopaedic Service

Anthony Luke, M.D.

Sports Medicine Primary Care

Carlin Senter, M.D.

Sports Medicine Primary Care

Shane Burch, M.D.

Spinal Disorders Service

LAUB DERMATOLOGY & AESTHETICS

DAVID A. LAUB, M.D., F.A.A.D.

FOR TWO DECADES, DR. LAUB has provided excellence in medical and cosmetic dermatology care to all ages in Marin. A Harvard-trained, nationally recognized leader in his field, he is expert in pigmentation, rosacea, psoriasis, skin cancer, and noninvasive techniques to reverse signs of sun damage and aging. He offers Thermage™, IPL, fillers, Botox®, multiple lasers including Fraxel, and the new CoolSculpting™ to remove fat bulges. He has chaired the free skin cancer screening in Marin for the past 20 years.

Dr. Laub’s expertise is based on extensive training, experience, artistry and attention to detail. He chose dermatology after suffering his own skin problems in youth — and compassion is what drives his practice today: “We want everyone who comes to our office to feel comfortable and cared for. I feel very fortunate to be a dermatologist and love what I do. Seeing medical patients get better and the happy expression on cosmetic patients’ faces after a treatment brings satisfaction and joy.”

591 Redwood Hwy, Suite 2210 Mill Valley, CA 94941

415.381.6661 laubdermatology.com

Recognized on the [415] Top Doctors 2012 list.

MARIN GASTROENTEROLOGY

AT MARIN GASTROENTEROLOGY, we specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of digestive diseases. Each year we perform over 4,000 endoscopic and other procedures, including colonoscopy, upper G.I. endoscopy, capsule endoscopy and hemorrhoid banding treatments. Established over 30 years ago, Marin Gastroenterology is among the largest private gastroenterology practices in the Bay Area. Our physicians, respected experts and leaders in the Marin County medical community, are affiliated with the Endoscopy Center of Marin and are active members of the medical staff of Marin General Hospital. With a warm, professional and attentive staff and an advanced electronic medical record with online services, we offer the highest level of patient care available. We are members of the Marin Sonoma IPA and we are network providers for all major insurance plans.

Visit our website for more information about our physicians and the services we provide.

Pictured (left to right):

Danny D. Kao, M.D.*

Albert A. Varner, M.D.*

Natalie C. Lee M.D.*

Richard C. McAuliffe, M.D.*

Timothy M. Sowerby, M.D.*

John R. Bettinger, M.D.*

* Recognized on the [415] Top Doctors 2012 list.

1350 South Eliseo Drive, Suite 130 Greenbrae, CA 94904

415.925.6900

www.maringastro.com

SAN FRANCISCO SURGICAL MEDICAL GROUP

SAN FRANCISCO SURGICAL MEDICAL GROUP (SFSMG) is San Francisco’s premier surgical group specializing in colorectal, general and laparoscopic surgery. Our primary focus is on diseases of the abdomen. Though based primarily in two San Francisco locations, we have long appreciated the opportunity to care for North Bay patients and are excited to have recently opened an office in Greenbrae to better serve Marin.

We provide comprehensive care ranging from the management of complex abdominal and gastrointestinal conditions to colorectal cancer screening. The scope of our practice includes treatment of abdominal cancers, inflammatory bowel disease, gallbladder disorders, gastroesophageal reflux, hernias, endocrine disease and anorectal problems. Our surgeons are pioneers in laparoscopic abdominal surgery and in the use of new techniques for treating hemorrhoids, anorectal fistulas and pilonidal disease.

Our practice was established in 1939, and we take pride in our history of surgical excellence and leadership. We strive to maintain those standards set by our founders and past associates. We are proud of our heritage, our specialty training and our dedication to patient care. Members of our staff speak Mandarin, Cantonese, Russian, Tagalog and Spanish.

599 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Suite 302 Greenbrae, CA 94904

415.925.1047

3838 California Street, Suite 616 San Francisco, CA 94118 415.668.0411

2100 Webster Street, Suite 520 San Francisco, CA 94115

415.923.3020

sfsurgery.com

Doctors pictured:

Yanek Chiu, M.D., FACS, FASCRS*

Michael Abel, M.D., FACS, FASCRS*

Laurence Yee, M.D., FACS, FASCRS*

Jeffrey Sternberg, M.D., FACS, FASCRS

Michelle Li, M.D., FACS*

T. Philip Chung, M.D., FACS, FASCRS

Former Partners:

Peter Volpe M.D., FACS, FASCRS

Thomas Russell, M.D., FACS, FASCRS

* Recognized on the [415] Top Doctors 2012 list.

RUTH RUBIN, M.D., M.P.H.

DR. RUTH RUBIN, a Board Certified Internist, has served residents of Marin County for nearly 20 years. She studied medicine at U.C. Davis and received her Masters in Public Health from U.C. Berkeley. In addition to her private practice, Dr. Rubin serves on the clinical faculty of U.C. San Francisco and also as a staff member of Marin General.

Due to the various needs of her population, Dr. Rubin maintains a hybrid concierge practice, which allows her to see traditional patients and allocate time during the practice day for concierge patients who may request additional support.

415.927.0101, 877.888.5590

Recognized on the [415] Top Doctors 2012 list.

BARRY S. LANDFIELD, M.D.

OUR OFFICE IS DEDICATED TO QUALITY PRIMARY CARE. Simply put, that means promoting health and reducing risk factors that lead to disease. We provide the full spectrum of care — preventative and curative — and coordinate any treatment you need. If you’re our patient, we’re with you over the long haul. Together we work to define your health goals and cultivate good habits; along the way, we evaluate how you’re doing and treat any illnesses that come up. Our goal is your enhanced well-being and quality of life.

In this information age, we welcome and respect the knowledge patients bring to the table. We were the first primary care office in Marin to adopt electronic health records and continue to practice at the cutting edge. Our staff works as an efficient team to make sure you receive the highest-quality treatment in a courteous, caring, timely manner. We want all patients to reach their 100th birthday and beyond!

Pictured (left to right):

Judy Pritchett, Office Manager

Barry S. Landfield, M.D.*

Deborah Weber, M.S.N., Nurse Practitioner

Elizabeth Navarrete, Medical Assistant

* Recognized on the [415] Top Doctors 2012 list.

900 S. Eliseo Drive, Suite 202 Greenbrae, CA 94904

415.461.3500

landfieldmd.com

DEDICATED TO EXCELLENT AND COMPREHENSIVE NEUROLOGICAL CARE IN MARIN

NEUROLOGIST AND NEURO-ONCOLOGIST ILKCAN COKGOR, M.D., sees every type of brain- and nerve-related problem in her San Anselmo clinic: headache, dementia, spine disorders, fibromyalgia and chronic pain, stroke, seizure, multiple sclerosis, brain tumors, Parkinson’s disease, thoracic outlet syndrome and more. Studies like EMG and neuropyschological testing and treatments like Botox for migraines and movement disorders are offered on site, so there’s no need for outside referral; all incorporate the latest cutting-edge research.

Born in Izmir, Turkey, Dr. Cokgor attended American medical school in Ankara and did her neurology residency at Duke University, where she was a neuro-oncology fellow and faculty member before moving to Marin in 2000. Besides daily clinic appointments from 8 to 5, she works closely with UCSF and area hospitals and covers her patients when they are admitted.

A solo practitioner, Dr. Cokgor takes pride in being fully available. “We are open during lunch and after hours. I am on call for my patients 24 hours a day, including weekends. I see any urgent case in my clinic within 24 hours. I check messages and answer questions even when I am on vacation.” Four staff members handle all administrative tasks and patient phone calls the same business day. “I love my job and my patients,” she adds. “My staff knows every patient and we are personally attached to all of them.”

Neurology Clinic of Marin

Ilkcan Cokgor, M.D.

50 Red Hill Avenue

San Anselmo, CA 94960

415.456.8180 neurologymarin.com

Pictured (left to right):

Natalie Orozco

Christina Oneto

Anita Dixon

Ilkcan Cokgor, M.D.*

Leslie Acre

*

MARIN HOSPITALIST MEDICAL GROUP

AS SPECIALISTS IN ADULT HOSPITAL MEDICINE, we’re the doctors chosen by primary care providers to take care of their patients who are admitted to Marin General Hospital. Our experienced, board-certified physicians manage inpatients’ medical needs 24/7 throughout their stay at Marin General. We’re dedicated entirely to our patients’ speedy recovery, and, we are expert in treating acute illness. Being hospital based, we’re immediately available if patients have a change in condition, and we collaborate with other MGH specialists to coordinate the highest level of care. As Marin physicians, we have strong community ties and communicate regularly with primary care providers, making sure our patients have a comprehensive plan for follow-up once they go home.

For over 13 years, we’ve provided exceptional hospital treatment, and we look forward to many more years of caring for patients at Marin General Hospital!

Pictured (seated from left):

Jason Green, M.D.*

Kerry Davidson, M.D.*

Douglas Cohen, M.D.*

Ray Brindley, M.D.*

Azita Taghavy, M.D.

(standing from left):

Son Nguyen, M.D.

Susan Sun, M.D.

Pradeepa Selvakumar, M.D.*

Hima Satyavolu, M.D.*

* Recognized on the [415] Top Doctors 2012 list.

Not pictured:

Sam Adams, M.D.

Arash Babaki, M.D.

Andrea Ngo, M.D.

Michael Vaughan, M.D.

250 Bon Air Road

Greenbrae, CA 94904

415.925.7086 maringeneral.org

BASED IN TWO OFFICES, our practice provides the full spectrum of dermatological care. We offer medical, surgical and cosmetic treatment, for issues ranging from acne, psoriasis and skin cancers to wrinkles and age spots. Dr. Joseph Greenberg has been in his Marin practice over 38 years, still going strong with no plans to retire. A longtime honoree on the “Best Doctors in America” list, he is proud to be among this year’s [415] Top Doctors. Dr. Albert Peng, in practice over 10 years, is a certified Mohs micrographic surgeon in addition to seeing dermatology patients. Dr. Erik Schten, also listed on [415] Top Doctors, is an internal medicine physician specializing in skin disorders and geriatric dermatology and has been seeing dermatology patients for 11 years.

Our cosmetic procedures include laser hair removal, Botox, Restylane, Juvederm, and facial rejuvenation with our new topof-the-line Palomar Artisan IPL. All procedures are performed by our physicians. We are open Monday through Friday, with evening appointments on Tuesday. We look forward to serving you!

Pictured (left to right):

Erik P. Schten, M.D.*

Joseph H. Greenberg, M.D.*

Albert Peng, M.D.

750 Las Gallinas Avenue, Suite 205 San Rafael, CA 94903

415.472.3903

500 Professional Center Drive, Suite 511 Novato, CA 94947

415.897.9624 josephgreenbergmd.com

*

WHOLE PERSON SPINE CARE

WE HAVE PROVIDED THE HIGHEST-QUALITY integrated spine care since 1982 and take pride in our experience as the longest continuously operating multidisciplinary spine center in the western United States.

Our nonsurgical treatment includes, but is not limited to, osteopathic manipulative medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and interventional pain management. We incorporate exercise, diet, and functional integration into customized individual treatment for each person, in every stage of his or her rehabilitation.

If surgery is required, we employ the latest methods, including vertebroplasty/Kyphoplasty and other minimally invasive approaches, to dramatically reduce recovery time. Surgeons at the Spine Center invented many innovative procedures, including the X-Stop implant for treatment of spinal stenosis and Staflex to avoid fusion (now available in Europe). We are experts in disc replacement surgery in the neck and back as well as leaders in cutting-edge technology, serving as FDA investigators in the development of artificial discs.

Our team of physicians work closely together to provide continuity of care on each patient’s path to recovery.

1 Shrader Street, Suite 450 San Francisco, CA 94117 415.750.5849

stmarysmedicalcenter.org

Pictured (left to right):

Jerel Glassman, M.D.

Masami Hattori, M.D.

Quoc Vo, M.D.

Judy Silverman, M.D.

James Zucherman, M.D.*

Ken Hsu, M.D.*

Not pictured: Dimitriy Kondrashov, M.D.*

today at canyon ranch a nonstop mom relished the serenity, took a wild dance class and let herself get pampered silly.

This Is Your Moment.

Share the Ranch and Save

When two guests who have never been to a Canyon Ranch health resort share accommodations at Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona, or Lenox, Massachusetts, each saves 15% on the all-inclusive vacation of a lifetime. Simply mention “Two New, Too Terrific” when you reserve your stay. 800-226-6831

Valid through June 30, 2012. Some restrictions and blackout dates apply.

Destinations

THE LATEST LOCAL TRAVEL DEALS AND GETAWAYS PLUS JOURNEYS AROUND THE GLOBE

HAVING

A BALL IN SCOTTSDALE

The annual migration of Marin’s baseball fans to spring training in Arizona starts soon.

BY MIMI TOWLE

AS DEPENDABLE AS the ruddy duck’s annual habitation of Richardson Bay in the fall, early spring marks the migration of hundreds of heatseeking Marin residents to Scottsdale, Ariz. Their destination: Scottsdale Stadium, home to the Giants spring training. Known as the “Cactus League,” spring training consists of 10 teams playing in 12 stadiums throughout the state mostly during the month of March. Luckily for Giants fans, the Arizona stadium the team plays in is considered one of the state’s best, and the shopping, restaurants and warm-weather activities, such as golf, make Scottsdale an ideal venue.

Giants fan and Ross resident John Battelle would agree; he has taken his son Ian there for the past 10 years. From December 21, the shortest day of the year, Battelle counts the days until spring training begins, when he can head east to bask in baseball glory. “Scottsdale Stadium is like a shrine to baseball,” he says. “If you are a lukewarm fan of the sport, the beauty and intimacy of the stadium will turn you into a devoted fan for life.”

This season — the Giants’ 56th in Scottsdale for spring training and the 29th at Scottsdale Stadium —the six-time World Series champions take the field and begin Cactus League spring training on March 3. Last year, more than 160,570 people ventured out to the desert to see 17 Giants “home” games there — that’s nearly 9,500 people per game.

What’s the Draw?

The fans’ annual trips often start on a whim. It’s a case in point for Tiburon native Kris Werner, who back in 1999 took advantage of a Southwest round-trip fare for less than $100. “For several years, my bar bill was more than the plane fare,” she says. While accessibility to low fares inspired her first trips, she’s continued going even as airfares increased because of the fun atmosphere in town and the closeness to the players she wouldn’t get at larger ballparks.

A few years ago Werner witnessed a young Buster Posey fresh out of Florida State deflect insults from a fan accusing him of being “the worst draft pick” the Giants ever made. After hitting a ball over the center field wall for a

If you are a lukewarm fan of the sport, the beauty and intimacy of the stadium will turn you into a devoted fan for life.

home run, Posey crossed home plate and just looked toward the direction of the comments and walked into the dugout. “I realized at that point Posey had a lot of class for such a young man,” she says.

Battelle remembers the buzz around Posey that same year, but more importantly he recalls a chance encounter with Larry Baer, the team’s owner. “Everyone just buys general admission tickets and seat-surfs throughout the game,” he says. “I happened to sit right next to Larry Baer and ended up casually chatting with him for a few innings; it was defi nitely a highlight.”

Tips for a Smooth Visit

Werner, who’s been going to spring training for 14 years, suggests buying your tickets the day they go on sale. “It used to be that you could walk up to the ticket booth the day of the game,”

Clockwise from far left: A Giant signs autographs; Jackie Scibetta of Tiburon sports Giants-themed face paint; a young Ian Battelle of Ross gets ready to fly to Scottsdale. Opposite: The historic adobe mission in Old Town Scottsdale is a popular tourist destination.

she notes, “but those days are gone. Go during the week and go early before the game.” Also, because stadium food can be expensive and not that nutritional, eat lunch before going to the game. She also suggests taking an umbrella with you, dressing in layers. “We’ve had snow, rain and near 100-degree heat!” she says, “so bring towels to sit on — the plastic seats can get hot or cold — and pack your wallet with lots of money; beer is not cheap inside the stadium.”

The Battelles usually stay at The Saguaro (formerly the Mondrian), so they can just walk to the park. “The games don’t start until 1 o’clock, but we like to hang out on the grassy slope and watch them practice,” he says. “Ian has collected many game balls this way, including one a then-rookie nicknamed Panda tossed right to him.”

Mike Shumann, a veteran Bay Area ABC News sports reporter who has been covering Giants spring training for 20 years, also recommends heading to the field before the game. “If you want to avoid huge crowds,” says the Mill Valley resident, “go before the games start. The players have more time for the fans and are more relaxed.”

Shumann says he has almost as much fun off the field. A favorite spot of his for dining is Don & Charlie’s restaurant, because it is fi lled with baseball memorabilia. He also raves about the corn bread at Banderas, a steak house also in Old Town. Another Old Town favorite of his is Los Olivos, which Shumann says has “real Mexican food as well as a great tequila bar.” The place to be seen these days, he says, is Ra, a sushi spot in Old Town.

Werner enjoys checking out the other area stadiums during her weeklong stay. “The Brewers’ stadium in Maryvale has the nicest fans and people working there,” she says. And although she’s always decked out in Giants gear, Werner doesn’t get heckled. “I think the Milwaukee Brewers fans are just happy to be in the warm weather of Phoenix, because they always hoot and holler when they announce it is 40 degrees back home in Wisconsin.”

Spring training lasts about six weeks starting in February, and the Cactus League (which takes place entirely in Arizona) features the Giants and nine other teams. Other professioal teams go to sunny Florida, where players lace up for the Grapefruit League.

This season — the Giants’ 56th in Scottsdale for spring training and the 29th at Scottsdale Stadium — the six-time World Series champions take the field and begin Cactus League spring training on March 3.

Where to Stay

The Phoenix/Scottsdale area has a plethora of hotels and resorts at varying price points. Here are our picks with spring training in mind.

E The pet-friendly Chaparral Suites in Scottsdale offers an airport shuttle from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and a cooked-to-order breakfast. From $249, chaparralsuites.com

E For those who want the party to continue after the game ends, Hotel Valley Ho offers a signature guest room, VIP access to the property’s nightclub and breakfast at the in-hotel restaurant ZuZu. From $249, hotelvalleyho.com

E Radisson Fort McDowell Resort ’s “Hit One Out of the Park” package includes vouchers for two in-stadium beef hot dogs and two beverages, a souvenir bag with baseball goodies and deluxe accommodations. From $249, radissonfortmcdowellresort.com

E To celebrate the opening of The Saguaro and Arizona’s centennial year, the property is offering a price of $100 per room for the first 100 reservations each week until March 1. From $239, jdvhotels.com/hotels/saguaro

E The “Truly Boulders” package at The Boulders includes a daily $15 per adult breakfast credit to be utilized on site, complimentary valet parking and access to the resort’s Golden Door Spa fitness facilities with unlimited fitness classes. From $339 (other packages are available), theboulders.com

E The “Spring Training” package at W Scottsdale includes a W Scottsdale–branded baseball cap, a box of Cracker Jacks, a bag of peanuts, two-for-one spring training tickets, and complimentary transportation to and from Scottsdale Stadium. From $339, wscottsdalehotel.com m

AGRITOURISM UP

NORTH Want to try farming? The Madrones, a working farm in Mendocino’s Anderson Valley, has recently created monthly workshops that allow guests to get their hands dirty. On the roster are Kit Lee of Old Chatham Ranch Olive Oil, who will give property tours and teach the art of brining olives and tasting olive oil; Deb Schnaltzen of Bink Wines, who will lead wine sensory evaluations; and representatives from Mendocino Botanical Gardens, who will offer gardening classes. Overnight accommodations are available. From $35 for basic workshop; $95 includes lunch; rooms start at $195; themadrones.com

Valentine’s Day Getaways

For around $200, book the “Celebrate Valentine’s Day” package at the Hotel Palomar (hotelpalomar.com) in San Francisco, which includes a split of champagne and a pastry from Fifth Floor, or plan an escape with your loved one and head to SFO for one of these romantic adventures.

1

J’adore Paris

Where better to say je t’aime than under the Eiffel Tower in the city known for romance? Add to that breakfast in bed, champagne and fine chocolates at the Hilton Arc de Triomphe Paris — just a 10-minute walk from the ChampsÉlysées — and your partner is sure to swoon. From $420 per night; hilton.com

2

Beyond Decadence

Spare no expense with the customizable “One in a Million” Valentine’s Day package at London’s Athenaeum Hotel

After a helicopter flight over famous landmarks, you will enjoy a bottle of champagne in the rooftop suite with treats from Fortnum & Mason. A preordered couture dress and men’s suit will be hanging in the wardrobe with a jeweler from DeBeers scheduled to arrive with a selection of jewels available for purchase. Dine in or out? Your choice, and your private butler will make the arrangements. From $10,000; athenaeumhotel.com

3

Big Apple Romance

After watching the sun set from the Empire State building, walk to the Gansevoort Park Avenue NYC and let the party-fortwo continue (on a more intimate scale) with the property’s “Mr. & Mrs. G” package, which includes two one-hour massages at the hotel’s Exhale Spa, breakfast, two rooftop poolside cocktails or smoothies, a dozen roses, a bottle of champagne upon arrival and more. From $983 per night; gansevoortpark.com

JULIE SINCLAIR AND MIMI TOWLE

LOVE ZIN? Then head to Paso Robles to celebrate 20 years of the county’s winemaking — and the zin wine grape — at the Zin Fest March 16–18. It’s one of the fastestgrowing vineyard and winery regions in the state; fi nd out why. pasowine.com

The Doors Are Open

Looking for new ski digs? Tallus, a luxury home development at Mammoth Mountain, just opened up its nine luxury residences to rent. Each home can sleep up to 14. Amenities include pre-arrival shopping and in-house spa treatments. Complimentary shuttles will pick you up from the airport and take you wherever you need to go. Direct flights from SFO to Mammoth make it that much easier to escape the daily stresses and find some time to unwind. From $1,000 per night, tallus.com M.T.

A seasoned traveler who visits the country’s modern cities and rural mountain towns is met with a friendly, hospitable welcome everywhere he goes.

STORY

AND PHOTOS BY VASSI

KOUTSAFTIS

“PLEASE WALK INTO the fi ngerprinting room,” the immigration officer says, smiling. I am with a group of five Americans, and we are the only ones who need to be fingerprinted for some reason — even though there are other foreigners coming into the country. But I have traveled enough, so I do not ask questions. The officials are very polite, friendly and smiling — almost as amused about the experience as we are. The process takes about 45 minutes, and we walk out of the Imam Khomeini International Airport to fi nd our smiling guide, Mohammed, waiting.

The drive to Tehran takes about an hour-and-a-half, and the only significant monument we pass on the way to town is the new Mausoleum for the Ayatollah Khomeini, a huge, sprawling mosque with a golden roof, a shopping center and an amusement park that looks almost like a small city. So much for a simple mullah who was there for the people, my cynical mind tells me.

Along the route, I think about the fl ight from Frankfurt. The 747 was packed, and as we got closer and closer to our destination, all the women on the plane started to pull out scarves and cover their heads. When we landed, the fl ight looked like a totally different mix: The women were now covered in black or gray, but underneath they were wearing designer clothes and plenty of bright-red lipstick, Hermès scarves and designer bags.

An elderly woman tenderly touches the tombstone of the Iranian poet Hafiz in Shiraz, a popular destination for locals.

TEHRAN IS JUST LIKE every other metropolis, with traffic and pollution; it has nearly 12 million people. I take a walk through the park next to the hotel and do not get too far inside before people start asking me, “Where are you from?”

When I respond, “USA,” their eyes light up, and they tell me how much they love America and want to know more about where I come from. This happens over and over, so my desire to walk for an hour provides a chance for pleasant interactions with the local people. Surprisingly, women are walking alone in the park and stop for a chat as well.

Wait a minute, I am thinking. I thought Iran would be like Northern Pakistan and certain areas of Afghanistan, where women turn their backs and walk away from foreigners. But here they want to chat; here they want to ask questions; here they are not afraid to talk about their government; and yes, here they wear the scarf, but the scarf is way back, and designer sunglasses, makeup and smiles abound. Some people even tell me how much they love Obama, Clinton, Reagan and even George Bush (in that order). This repeats in every city in Iran, even in the remote mountain villages. Learning to cross the street in the city is an acquired skill, and it takes nerves of steel because there is no rightof-way for pedestrians. What you need to do is start walking slowly and the cars will drive around you. I am used to this, because crossing the street in Vietnam — where I’ve visited several times — is the exactly the same.

I see plenty from all over the world here; Tehran is a “jumping-off point” for tourists. There are a number of museums and other sites to visit, but the one that is most impressive is the National Jewelry Museum, which houses the 182-carat, pink-colored diamond of Darya-ye-Noor and the bejeweled Peacock Throne, or Takhte Tavous, which was built during the reign of Fathali (1797–1834).

Based on the limited exposure to Iran that we have as Americans, it’s easy to think that its society is repressed. But with the exception of women wearing scarves (including the women in our group and other tourists), there seems to be no feeling of being in a fundamentalist Islamic country like there is in Afghanistan. There are plenty of mullahs (educated Muslims trained in religious law and doctrine) around, but no one seems to really care much. While the mullahs dress mostly in dark blue or black suits, the younger men wear blue jeans and T-shirts bearing Western logos, such as the Chicago Bulls basketball team. The thing that surprises me, though, is seeing couples holding hands and kissing in public.

The only place in the city that seems to me to be in the twilight zone is the old U.S. embassy. Here is where all the anti-American graffiti is located, and once in a while there is an arranged anti-American demonstration. Most people I talk to are actually embarrassed about this and do not want to dwell on the topic. I take a taxi to the embassy and the driver tells me, “These are crazy people; do not listen to them. We love America.”

FROM TEHRAN WE FLY to Ahvaz, a small city 100 miles from the western border of Iraq. Then, an all-day drive takes us to Shiraz — a beautiful city with flowers everywhere; the air has an exotic perfume aroma that reminds me of the Shalimar gardens in Kashmir, India. I’m on the fi fth day of my 15-day journey in the country. Shiraz, a city of 1.4 million located in the southeastern part of the country, was once the capital of Persia and is known as the “city of gardens” and as the birthplace of the poet Hafi z. The city smells of roses because it seems that every street and sidewalk is lined with flowers. Here is where the famous mystic poets Saadi and Hafi z lived and wrote their poetry. Hafi z’s tomb is in a wonderful garden. In the afternoon we visit, and as usual the area is packed with people of all ages visiting the tomb and asking the poet to help them fi nd true love.

I see three beautiful Iranian girls (dressed to kill) at the tomb reading books, and I start joking with them. They are not shy at all and speak excellent English. They tell me they are students here in Shiraz and visit the tomb often because they are looking to meet the loves of their lives and hopefully fi nd husbands. As I leave they jokingly shout at me, “Do you want to marry all three of us?”

Above: Fields of poppies carpet the sides of the highway on the way to Khurag.

Opposite, from top:

The faces of fallen martyrs line the streets of Shiraz and its surrounding areas; a painting of Ayatollah Khomeini looks down upon the people in almost every square throughout the country.

In stark contrast to Shiraz’s history of beauty and poetry, I see large posters lined up along the main thoroughfare, Nader Road, with the solemn faces of dead soldiers, and it is difficult not to look into the dark eyes staring out from the photos. In a number of sun-faded photos the eyes are the only thing visible, and looking carefully I realize that the person in one of them is a very young man without any facial hair — a boy maybe only 14 or 16 years old who walked in front of Iraqi bullets and died for the fatherland. I imagine the promises of eternal heaven made by some imam or ayatollah that compelled this boy to take up arms in the first place.

I ask some people on the street about these posters, and their reaction is sadness, frustration and resentment toward the people who send these men to their deaths but also anger toward Saddam Hussein, who started the war against Iran.

As we drive along, the stern face of the Ayatollah Khomeini comes into view. It is painted on a huge wall, and, as usual, he is looking down at the people. Every city has these oversize portraits in key locations. He never smiles, never shows a sign of compassion; all you see is a harsh expression and anger in his eyes, which is completely the opposite of what I am experiencing with the local people.

WE DEPART FROM SHIRAZ, and after an hour of driving I see the giant columns of Persepolis rising out of the desert, and they look like a mirage. As we get closer I realize how large Persepolis must have been. Being Greek, I try to imagine Alexander the Great arriving here almost 2,500 years ago with a huge army and cutting the Gordian knot as told in legend. The art and stone carvings make this a very popular place for Iranians to visit, and many school kids are here today on a field trip. A number of times we are surrounded by kids smiling and asking questions in English. They are joyous, curious and very polite. I’m amazed at how clean and well taken care of everything is.

Despite my expectations, the highways in Iran are in beautiful condition. We continue on and cover a lot of territory, fortunate to be able to visit some of the nomads in the country’s central Zagros Mountains. While the tribes for hundreds of years walked across the mountains’ different pastures in the spring and fall, now they just load everything on a truck — including their sheep — then drive to their summer home. Most of these friendly and hospitable people are tribal-nomadic Bakhtiyaris.

It’s day 10, and after an eight-hour drive from Yasuj, we arrive at the remote mountain village of Kuhrang, where many of the Bakhtiyari nomads gather for the summer. Khurag is a small mountain village. The hotel we stay at for the next two nights reminds me of a small Swiss chalet from the 1960s — simple but clean and with good food. It’s June, and the weather is cold and snowy. We are the only

Westerners here because this village is “off the grid” for most Western tourists. Iranians come to the town for skiing. My group connects with a large nomadic family on the outskirts of the town where an elderly lady dressed in black insists that we go into their tent for tea and some “drinks,” never asking for anything in return. The nomads are a very hardy people, and the conditions they endure make me appreciate the easy life we have here in Marin.

ON DAY 11, WE ARRIVE in Isfahan, which is the center of the greatest concentration of Islamic monuments in Iran. “Hey, there is Starbucks coffee,” one of my co-adventurers, Andrea Eddy from Colorado, says to me with an excitement in her voice that only a true coffee lover has. We are in the Armenian quarter of the city and there is a great coffee shop, where they do serve Starbucks coffee, cappuccinos and lattes. We go inside and hear the latest rock music from

Europe and the U.S. playing. I ask the shopkeeper how they get the coffee here, and she says they get anything they want, apparently either from Europe or Dubai, and that’s true — they have everything. So much for the sanctions.

Isfahan is one of the most interesting cities I have ever visited. The history and charm is difficult to describe in words. The main square, called Naqsh-e Jahan, or Imam Square, is among the largest in the world; it looks to me like something out of a Disney movie. The famous Blue Mosque and Ali Qapu Palace are imposing and gorgeous. Around the perimeter of the square is the bazaar, which to me it is one of the most unique I have ever been to — an absolutely wonderful mixture of old and new. The aroma of spices and foods scents the air, and I visit shops — which look like they have been here since the beginning of time — fi lled with antiques, souvenirs and tea. The square is also

interesting in that it is apparently where the game of polo was invented during the Safavid era (1502–1736).

At one point I begin to hear loud music from the end of the square, and it sounds like people are crying. I, and a lot of others, go to look. It is a gathering to commemorate the death of a saint. About 30 men and a few women dressed in black are actually forcing themselves to cry, and the men are hitting their chests with their fists while walking around the square. Eventually, the sounds fade in the distance and everyone goes back to work after touching their hearts with their right hands as a sign of respect. There are so many shrines, mosques and decorative arches with beautiful tile work; I could have stayed a week in this city.

OUR DRIVE BACK TO TEHRAN is along a new highway that puts to shame some of the best roads in California. It is well built and clean, and the scenery beautiful to view while driving across the desert. The road is busy, with buses and cars going back and forth. There are a number of roadblocks with police checking drivers’ permits and licenses. At the police stops I walk around the buses, and many people — especially young children — lean out the bus windows and ask, “Where are you from?” When I tell them the U.S., they immediately give us the thumbs-up and say how much they love America.

We drive all day with a brief stop at Qom, the second holiest city of Iran (and a focal center of Shi’a around the globe), but unfortunately we are not allowed to enter the mosque; we are only allowed to see it from outside. Qom is also home to the largest madrasa, or theological college, in Iran (it has 45,000 clerics), and many of the country’s famed religious scholars have studied here, including the Ayatollah Khomeini.

The whole time in the country I never experienced a moment of hostility, not an ounce of resentment, never felt unsafe. This is a wonderful place, and I would not hesitate to return for a visit anytime.

Finally, we arrive at the airport. Our fl ight out of Iran to Europe leaves at 4 a.m., and even at that hour as soon as the aircraft leaves the ground the scarves start to fly off the heads of the women, and the fancy French makeup re-emerges from the carry-on bags.

As I settle in to the five-and-a-half-hour fl ight, I begin to reflect on my visit. Although the U.S. State Department has issued a warning for Americans not to travel to Iran, the whole time in the country I never encountered a moment of hostility, not an ounce of resentment; I never felt unsafe. Iran is a wonderful place, and I would not hesitate to return for a visit anytime. m

Below, from top:

Patrons relax in a coffee shop in an Isfahan bazaar; a nomad in Khurag is taking care of a newborn sheep.

Clockwise from left: The Imam Mosque in Isfahan is regarded as a masterpiece of Persian architecture; young women in Iran wear the hijab but also often wear designer glasses and makeup; the interior of the Sheikh Loftallah Mosque, in Isfahan’s Naqshe Jahan Square.

Out & About

CALENDAR / ON THE SCENE / DINE

GALLERIES

Marin Society of Artists

LISTING ON PAGE 102

Catherine Moreno's Green Beach

Calendar

THEATER / COMEDY / MUSIC / GALLERIES / MUSEUMS / EVENTS / FILM EDITED BY

DANIEL JEWETT

MUSIC

FEB 10 Tao: The Art of the Drum

The performers — who are composers, gymnasts and rock musicians — honed their skills at a compound in the mountains of Japan. Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

E THEATER

THROUGH FEB 5

Humor Abuse Lorenzo Pisoni — the youngest member of the Pickle Family Circus and son of cofounder Larry Pisoni — tells the story of growing up on the road in this oneman show. ACT (SF). 415.749.2228, act-sf.org

THROUGH FEB 19 She

Stoops to Conquer This comedy, set during the American Revolution, is full of period costumes and witty characters. Barn Theatre (Ross). 415.456.9555, rossvalleyplayers.com

THROUGH FEB 19

Cabaret Hector Correa directs this classic musical produced by Independent Cabaret Productions and Shakespeare at Stinson. Fort Mason Center (SF). 415.381.1638, cabaretsf.com

FEB 1–19 Higher Two architects discover that they are in love and competing for the same project. Zeum Theater (SF). 415.749.2228, act-sf.org

FEB 2–26 A Steady Rain

Chicago's fi nest confess to the misdeeds that have brought their lives so much chaos. Marin Theater Company (Mill Valley). 415.388.5208, marintheatre.org

FEB 4, 11

Rumpelstiltskin The Children’s Theatre Association of San Francisco presents this tale of the rescue of a baby Prince Charming.

Legion of Honor (SF). 415.248.2677, ctasf.org

FEB 16–MAR 11 A Case of Libel This story was inspired by a real-life courtroom battle between journalists Quentin Reynolds and Westbrook Pegler. Novato Theater Company Playhouse (Novato). 415.883.4498, novatotheater company.org

FEB 16–MAR 11

Scorched Twins Janine and Simon fi nd themselves on a trip to the Middle East in an attempt to honor their mother’s last wish and unravel a family mystery. ACT (SF). 415.749.2228, act-sf.org

FEB 17–MAR 11

Tontlawald An ancient Estonian tale is brought to life with harmony and movement. Exit Theatre (SF). 415.525.1205, cuttingball.com

FEB 21–MAR 4 Mamma Mia! This tale of love and friendship is set to the music of ABBA. Orpheum (SF). 888.746.1799, shnsf.com

COMEDY

TUESDAYS Mark Pitta and Friends The comic hosts an evening for up-and-comers and established headliners to work on new material. 142 Throckmorton Theatre (Mill Valley). 415.383.9600, 142throckmorton theatre.com

Tao at Veterans' Memorial Auditorium

DANCE

FEB 11 Swan Lake A troupe of dancers from all over Russia come together to present the Moscow Festival Ballet’s production of this classic ballet. Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

FEB 14–25 S.F. Ballet

Program Two features Wayne McGregor’s Chroma as well as a world premiere work by choreographer Mark Morris. War Memorial Opera House (SF). 415.865.2000, sfballet.org

W MUSIC

TUESDAYS Swing

Fever The band pays tribute to jazz artists and composers, playing selections from its roster of over 1,000 tunes every fi rst and third Tuesday. Panama Hotel (San Rafael). 415.457.3993, panamahotel.com

TUESDAYS Kortuzdays

Jonathan Korty and Danny Uzilevsky host a weekly invitational jam that often attracts some big-name players and always produces great music. 19 Broadway (Fairfax). 415.459.1091, 19broadway.com

FEB 3 B-52s The “world’s greatest party band” roams on over to Mill Valley. 142 Throckmorton (Mill Valley). 415.383.9600, 142throckmorton theatre.com

FEB 4 Wonderbread 5

An evening of hit music from the ’70s through the ’90s. George’s (San Rafael). 415.226.0262, georgesnightclub.com

FEB 16 Ms. Lauryn Hill

The singer/songwriter and rapper plays music from her hit album. Warfield (SF). 415.345.0900, thewar fieldtheatre.com

Celebrate Spring & Maestro Neale’s 10th Anniversary

Ingenious Interplay

Maestro Alasdair Neale and our concertmaster, Jeremy Constant, present Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 5, plus two Arvo Pärt compositions. Separated by more than 250 years, J.S. Bach and Arvo Pärt might seem to be strange bedfellows. You’ll discover that they share a surprising amount of DNA when you experience this intriguing program of juxtapositions.

Sunday, March 4, 2012 at 3pm Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at 7:30pm

Get your tickets now to our fourth concert of the season. To buy, call 415.499.6800. Or, purchase tickets in person at the Marin Center Box Office, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael, Mon – Fri, 11am – 5pm and Sat, 11am – 3pm.

MSMarin Symphony

Alasdair Neale, Music Director

Save the date and your seats — May 6 or 8 — Beethoven and the Bridge! Our season finale is a part of the Golden Gate Bridge 75th Anniversary celebration. Don’t miss the world premiere of our original Golden Gate Opus commission by Rob Kapilow — and the iconic Beethoven Ninth Symphony. This concert will likely sell out. Early reservations are highly recommended.

Lauryn Hill at the Warfield

FEB 16–19 S.F. Symphony Edo de Waart returns to San Francisco for the fi rst time since 1997 to conduct Saint-Saëns’s Organ Symphony. Davies Symphony Hall (SF). 415.864.6000, sfsymphony.org

FEB 19 Neil Berg’s 102 Years of Broadway Hear some of the most popular music from productions like Les Miserables, Evita, Fiddler on the Roof, Wicked, Rock of Ages, Tommy, Miss Saigon, The Phantom of the Opera and more. Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

E GALLERIES

MARIN

Acacia Gallery Collages by Andrea, plein air painting by Birgitta Kappe and ongoing works by Kathleen Lipinski and Steve Emery. 4162

Redwood Hwy, San Rafael. 415.479.3238, acaciagallery.net

Art Abloom Studio and Gallery Studios and classes for artists. 751 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, San Anselmo. 415.256.1112, artabloom.com

Art Works Downtown Lightscape/Darkscape New works. 337 Fourth St, San Rafael. 415.451.8119, artworksdowntown.org

Claudia Chapline Gallery Ongoing work. 3445 Shoreline Hwy, Stinson Beach. 415.868.2308, cchapline.com

Falkirk Cultural Center H20: Fragility and Strength Works from the California Society of Printmakers juried by Don Soker, through March 9. 1408 Mission Ave, San Rafael. 415.485.3328, falkirk culturalcenter.org

Gallery Bergelli John McNamara: A Survey of Paintings See 15 new works, through March 7. 483 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur. 415.945.9454, bergelli.com

Gallery Route One Duration Annual show juried by Andrea Schwartz, through February 19. 11101 Hwy One, Point Reyes Station. 415.663.1347, galleryrouteone.org

Marin Arts Ongoing work. 906 Fourth St, San Rafael. 415.666.2442, marinarts.org

Marin Society of Artists Spring Rental Art for rent. Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Ross. 415.454.9561, marin societyofartists. org

Mona Lease Gallery Painting by Luce. 39 Greenbrae Boardwalk, Greenbrae. 415.461.3718, monalease.net

Robert Allen Fine Art

Group Exhibition Largescale works on canvas and panel from Suzie Buchholtz, Shelley Hall, Carol Lefkowitz, Jeff Long, Michael Moon, Richard Saba, Aida Schneider and Geoff rey Williams, through March 30. 301 Caledonia St, Sausalito. 415.331.2800, robertallenfi neart.com

Robert Beck Gallery

Featuring early California impressionist paintings from the Northern California group, Society of Six. 222 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, San Anselmo. 415.456.7898, beckgallery.org

Northbay ArtWorks Ongoing works. 7049 Redwood Blvd, Ste 208, Novato. 415.892.8188, northbayartworks.com

O’Hanlon Center for the Arts Red A juried show in the O'Hanlon Gallery. 616 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley. 415.388.4331, ohanloncenter.org

Robert Green Fine Arts New paintings by Charlotte Bernstrom, through March. 154 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley. 415.381.8776, rgfi nearts.com

Rock Hill Gallery Fine art photography by Tom Jacobs. 145 Rockhill Dr, Tiburon. 415.435.9108, ccctiburon.net

Seager Gray Gallery

New paintings by Jane Hambleton. 23 Sunnyside Ave, Mill Valley. 415.384.8288, seagergray.com

Smith Andersen

North Black Panther Photographs Images from Pirkle Jones and Ruth-Marion Baruch. 20 Greenfield Ave, San Anselmo. 415.455.9733, smithandersen north.com

Studio 333 Ongoing exhibition featuring more than 40 Bay Area artists working in different mediums. 333A Caledonia St, Sausalito. 415.331.8272, studio333.info

Studio 4 Art Work by local artists and workshops offering materials and classes. 1133 Grant Ave, Novato. 415.596.5546, studio4art.net

The Image Flow Group show featuring a variety of photographs. 401 Miller Ave, Ste F, Mill Valley. 415.388.3569, theimageflow.com

A Mary Vitelli Berti painting at George Krevsky Gallery

A Jim Wood photograph in Marin and the City at Tiburon Town Hall

The Painters Place

Work from plein air painters. 1139 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur. 415.461.0351, thepaintersplace.com

Tiburon Town Hall

Marin and The City

Jim Wood's photographs, taken from the same location, capturing Tiburon, Angel Island and San Francisco. Reception February 8, continues through March. 1501 Tiburon Blvd, Tiburon. 415.435.7373, ci.tiburon.ca.us

Tomales Fine Art

Fine art oil paintings by Timothy Horn. 27050 Maine St, Tomales. 707.878.2525, tomalesfi neart.com

SAN FRANCISCO

ArtHaus The Space of In Between New work by Maxine Solomon, through March 31. 411 Brannan St, 415.977.0223, arthaus-sf.com

Berggruen Gallery

Selected acquisitions. 228 Grant Ave, 415.781.4629, berggruen.com

Cain Schulte Gallery

Ongoing works. 251 Post St, 415.543.1550, cainschulte.com

Caldwell Snyder Gallery

New paintings by James Wolanin. 341 Sutter St, 415.392.2299, caldwellsnyder.com

Elins Eagles-Smith

Gallery

Paintings and works on paper by Gustavo Rivera. 49 Geary St, 415.981.1080, eesgallery.com

George Krevsky Gallery

Paintings and pastels by Mary Vitelli Berti, through March 17. 77 Geary St, 415.397.9748, georgekrevsky gallery.com

Gregory Lind Gallery

Paintings by Sarah Walker. 49 Geary St, 415.296.9661, gregorylindgallery.com

Meyerovich Gallery

Works on Paper from Private Collection

Includes art by Chagall, Matisse, Picasso, Frankenthaler and Lichtenstein, through March 10. 251 Post St, 415.421.7171, meyerovich.com

Thank You to our 2011 Nutcracker Sponsors...

Marin Ballet Board of Trustees

Catch Restaurant

Wells Fargo Foundation Nonie Greene & Todd Werby

Bank of Marin Bank of the West Bellam Self Storage & Boxes

Carol & Kevin Louie Charles Pankow Builders, Ltd. Nutcracker Act I Party Scene Parents

Artifex Software, Inc.

Sue Ellen Scheppke & Nicholas Barbaro

Bartlett Tree Experts

Jack & Gail Bernstein

CDK Builders, Inc.

Julie Cane & Richard Clements

The Dance Shop

Farallone Pacific Insurance Services

Paula & John Gambs

Gorton & Schmohl Orthodontics

Maia L. McGehee & Paul H. Gusciora

Huang Iboshi Architecture, Inc.

Il Fornaio

Mar-Chet Jewelers

Meyenberg Goat Milk Products

OnlyHealthInsurance

OSIsoft, LLC

Janet & Clyde Ostler

R.A.B. Motors

Vanguard Cleaning Systems of the North Bay

Westamerica Bank

photo by: Shorty Greene

Hair ornaments in The Cult of Beauty at the Legion of Honor

Out & About / CALENDAR

E FEB 25 Scott Hamilton

Tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton plays some classic jazz in Sausalito with Harold Jones and the Bossmen. Ondine (Sausalito). 415.389.5072, murphyproductions.com

Paul Mahder Gallery

Paintings by Omar D’Leon, through March. 3378 Sacramento St, 415.474.7707, paulmahdergallery.com

Rena Bransten Gallery

Mixed-media from Fred Wilson. 77 Geary St, 415.982.3292, rena branstengallery.com

Weinstein Gallery

Ongoing work. 301 Geary St, 415.362.8151, weinstein.com

MUSEUMS

MARIN

Bay Area Discovery Museum Celebrate Chinese New Year with the Chinese Performing Arts of America youth group, February 20 (Sausalito). 415.339.3958, baykidsmuseum.org

Bolinas Museum

Etchings by contemporary women artists, through March 11 (Bolinas). 415.868.0330, bolinasmuseum.org

Marin History Museum

The Golden Gate Bridge: An Icon that Changed Marin Learn more about how this large iconic bridge built in 1937 changed Marin’s destiny. (San Rafael).

415.454.8538, marinhistory.org

Marin Museum of Contemporary Art Fresh: New Work by the Artists of MarinMOCA

A new exhibit juried by Robert Vo, through February 26 (Novato). 415.506.0137, marinmoca.org

Marin Museum of the American Indian Explore the history, languages, art and traditions of Native Americans (Novato). 415.897.4064, marinindian.com

BAY AREA

Asian Art Museum Maharaja: The Splendor of India’s Royal Courts See paintings, photography, textiles and

dress, jewelry, jeweled objects, metalwork and furniture from princely India, through April 8 (SF). 415.581.3500, asianart.org

California Academy of Sciences NightLife Enjoy music, creatures and cocktails for adults only and take some time to explore the exhibits and aquarium displays every Thursday night (SF). 415.379.8000, calacademy.org

Conservatory of Flowers This unique living museum features rare and exotic plants and flowers (SF). 415.831.2090, conserv atoryofflowers.org

Contemporary Jewish Museum Do Not Destroy: Trees, Art, and Jewish Thought Explore the role of the tree in Jewish tradition

through the lens of contemporary artists, fi lms and photographs, February 16–May 28 (SF). 415.655.7800, thecjm.org

de Young Masters of Venice: Renaissance Painters of Passion and Power from the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

A Cymbidium Hybrid in the Pacific Orchid Exposition at the de Young

See 50 paintings by 16-century Venetian painters Titian, Giorgione, Veronese, Tintoretto, Mantegna and more, through February 12 (SF). 415.750.3600, thinker.org

di Rosa Preserve Looking At You Looking At Me Photography, video, sculpture, painting, and electronic constructions that

examine the way we look at each other, through February 18 (Napa). 707.226.5991, dirosapreserve.org

Exploratorium A handson museum dedicated to the exploration of science, art and human perception (SF). 415.397.5673, exploratorium.edu

Legion of Honor The Cult of Beauty: The Victorian Avant-Garde, 1860–1900 An exploration of the British Aesthetic Movement with a focus on its beginning with a small circle of progressive artists and poets and ending with its arrival in the middle-class

home, February 18–June 17 (SF). 415.750.3600, legionofhonor.org

Museum of the African Diaspora Exhibitions that blend art and innovative technology with the African tradition of storytelling are the focus at this unique museum (SF). 415.358.7200, moadsf.org

San Francisco Museum of Craft and Folk Art Fiat Lux: Randy Colosky New Works Colosky uses a wide range of materials including aluminum, concrete, engineered ceramic honeycomb, brick and reclaimed wood as well as wall drawing, video and photography to alter the look

of the gallery, facade and outdoor space of the museum, through February 25 (SF). 415.227.4888, mocfa.org

SFMOMA Less and More: The Design Ethos of Dieter Rams See work by one of the most influential industrial designers of our time whose “less but better” ethos was built into products made by the German household appliance company Braun and served as inspiration for products like Apple computers, through February 20 (SF). 415.357.4000, sfmoma.org

A Christin Coy painting at the Painters Place

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts The Great Gatsby Fitzgerald's portrait of the Jazz Age comes to life as an opera by composer John Harbison, February 10–12 (SF). 415.978.2787, ybca.org

EVENTS

FEB 1–26 Marin Designers Showcase

The showcase, featuring a newly constructed 15,000-square-foot home overlooking the Bay that has been decked out by 24 top Bay Area designers, is open daily, with special wine and hors d'oeuvres events on Thursdays evenings. Villa Belvedere (Belvedere). 415.479.5710, marinshowcase.org

FEB 3 Human Race Kickoff Learn more about this annual fundraising event for charity. Homeward Bound (Novato). 415.479.5710, cvnl.org

FEB 10–11 Marin Masters Fine Art Show and Sale The Outdoor Club showcases Marin artists in its historic clubhouse gallery. Outdoor Art Club (Mill Valley). outdoor artclub.org

FEB 11 Marin Valentine’s Ball Supervisor Hal Brown presides over this 16th annual ball benefiting charitable organizations in Marin. Exhibit Hall (San Rafael). 415.883.6222, marinvalentinesball.org

FEB 14 The Eternity Ball Celebrate Valentine’s Day and help benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Fort Mason Center (SF). eternityball.com

FEB 16 Marin Poetry Center Santa Cruz poets Joseph Stroud and Robert Sward share their wit and wisdom. Falkirk Center (San Rafael). marinpoetrycenter.org

FEB 23–26 Pacific

Orchid Exposition See more than 150,000 orchids as well as a replica Golden Gate Bridge made entirely out of orchids in salute to the bridge’s 75th anniversary. Fort Mason Center (SF). orchidsanfrancisco.org

FEB 24–26 The Marin Show: Art of the Americas For the 28th year this show brings attendees indigenous arts from across North, Central and South America. Exhibit Hall (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

FEB 25 The Redwoods Annual CrabFest Enjoy a silent auction, a raffle and of course lots of crab all benefiting The Redwoods, which provides senior services and housing in Marin. The Redwoods (Mill Valley). 415.383.2741, theredwoods.org

FILM

FEB 5 Lark Theater See Super Bowl XLV on the big screen with friends and family. The Lark Theater (Larkspur). 415.924.5111, larktheater.net

FEB 26 Rafael Film Center Experience the only Bay Area Academy Awards party officially sanctioned by the Academy. Rafael Film Center (San Rafael). 415.454.1222, cafi lm.org

FEB 26 Lark Theater Walk on the red carpet and dress like your favorite Hollywood star at this Academy Awards live broadcast. The Lark Theater (Larkspur). 415.924.5111, larktheater.net

NATURE WALKS & TALKS

WEEKENDS Martin Griffin Preserve The public is invited to see one of the most studied great egret nesting sites on the West Coast. Visitors can witness various stages of the nesting cycle including fi rst fl ights. Audubon Canyon Ranch (Stinson Beach). 415.868.9244 , egret.org

FEB 15 Marin Scuba Club Images of Catalina from club members. The Flatiron Saloon (San Rafael). 415.456.5628, marinscuba.org m

Experience Marin Country Club

Our mission is to provide a high quality golf experience, varied recreational activities and a social and family environment that fosters camaraderie for Members and guests.

Call for details on our new membership programs! (415) 382-6712

Amenities: Par 72 John Harbottle Golf Course Driving Range & Chipping Area

5,700 Sq Ft Putting Green

4 lit Tennis Courts & Fitness Center

4 pool Aquatic Facility

Formal & casual dining plus social events Department devoted to MCC Youth

500 COUNTRY CLUB DRIVE, NOVATO MARINCOUNTRYCLUB COM

Dine

N LEFT BANK RESTAURANT French Known for award-winning French cuisine and a lively brasserie ambience, this corner spot on Magnolia Avenue has rated high with locals for well over a decade. Great happy hour. 507 Magnolia Ave, 415.927.3331, leftbank.com

CORTE MADERA

CHAMPAGNE BAKERY

French This casual bakery displays freshly made pastries, croissants, tarts, cookies and cakes, to be enjoyed indoors or out on the patio. Brioche French toast and French dip sandwich with Swiss cheese are among the

many menu options. Catering is also available. 103 Corte Madera Town Ctr, 415.927.5470, champagnebakery.com

IL FORNAIO Italian

Sausalito’s Larry Mindel hit a home run with this upscale Italian restaurant franchise. Besides the award-winning breads, pizzas and pastas, the menu offers a variety of salads and noncarb entrées. 223 Corte Madera Town Ctr, 415.927.4400, ilfornaio.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 popular menu items.

346 Corte Madera Town Ctr, 415.927.0288

PACIFIC CATCH Pan-

Asian The well-priced menu here offers a bounty of fresh-grilled items and Pacific Rim— inspired small or main plates, including generously portioned wasabi bowls fi lled with rice (white or brown), veggies and your choice of chicken, beef, or cooked or raw fi sh. It’s modeled after the Paia Fish House on Maui, down to the chalkboard menu and Hawaiian music. 223 Corte Madera Town Ctr, 415.927.3474, pacificcatch.com

P.F. CHANG’S CHINA

BISTRO Chinese

The combination of attentive staff, lively atmosphere and consistently delicious meals makes for a reliably nice dining experience. Favorites like the lettuce wraps, Mongolian beef, and gluten-free choices keep the customers loyal. 301 Corte Madera Town Ctr, 415.413.9890, pfchangs.com

RICK’S

WINE CELLAR

California

This oneroom bar and wine shop is owned and operated by Marin natives Rick and Candy Mendell. You can order by the glass, fl ight or bottle, all of which pair nicely with the cheeses, salami and hot paninis. 207 Corte Madera Ave, 415.927.9466, rickswinecellar.com

SEA THAI BISTRO

Asian SEA stands for Southeast Asian, and co-owner and executive chef Tony Ounpamornchai infuses his cooking with Thai and other Asian fl avors to create innovative dishes. The menu features sustainable and local ingredients when possible and includes an extensive wine list. 60 Corte Madera Ave, 415.927.8333, seathaibistro.com

THE COUNTER

California/American

The folks at the Counter have taken the “have it your way” motto to a new level. Mostly

Salad Nicoise at Left Bank Restaurant in Larskpur

known for all-natural Angus beef, turkey, chicken or veggie burgers, the restaurant also offers options like a bowl (all the ingredients without the bun) or salads. And if you want a martini with your burger, no problem; there’s a full bar. 201 Corte Madera Town Center 415.924.700, thecounterburger.com

FAIRFAX

123 BOLINAS California

Known for farm-fresh, organic cuisine, 123 Bolinas was created by four friends who aimed to showcase seasonal fare in a relaxing, intimate environment. Enjoy locally brewed beer and smallproduction wines as you take in the view of Bolinas Park through the floor-to-ceiling

windows. 123 Bolinas St, 415.488.5123, 123bolinas.com

FRADELIZIO’S Italian Blending Northern Italian and seasonal California cuisine, Fradelizio’s uses the freshest ingredients possible. Popular menu items include homemade gnocchi. Having a party? Reserve the rooftop garden, which seats up to 20 people. 35 Broadway Blvd, 415.459.1618, fradelizios.com

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.” 765-A Center Blvd, 415.485.1005, ironspringspub.com

SORELLA CAFFE Italian

Open for over six years and run by sisters Sonia and Soyara, Sorella, which means “sisters,” serves up fresh Italian food with a northern influence. Customer favorites include cioppino, butternut squash ravioli and eggplant parmesan. Another highlight is the giant wheel of Grana Padana cheese, which is passed around the tables. Easy place to bring the kids. 107 Bolinas Rd, 415.258.4520, sorellacaffe.com

GREENBRAE

BISTRO VIS À VIS

California This Bon

Air Shopping Center eatery features the cooking of Michelinstar-rated chef Mike Fredsall. 282 Bon air Ctr, 415.925.4370, bistrovisavis.com $$$

WIPEOUT BAR &

GRILL American The family-friendly hot spot has surfboards hanging from the ceiling, fun-in-the-sun music, a full bar and large televisions displaying surfers riding waves. Menu includes fi sh tacos, salads and burgers.The only thing missing is the sand at this surf-style, upbeat eatery. Kids eat free on Tuesdays with each purchase of an adult entrée. 302 Bon Air Ctr, 415.461.7400, wipeoutbarandgrill.com

KENTFIELD

HALF DAY CAFE

American A tuckedaway setting of intertwining ivy and large open windows makes a perfect breakfast nook that’s

also open for brunch and lunch. The menu includes lattes, exceptional pastries and much more. The place is casual and can get crowded on the weekends. Dine on the outdoor patio or inside. 848 College Ave, 415.459.0291, halfdaycafe.com

LARKSPUR

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 favored spot for lunch as well as coffee and a sweet. 464 Magnolia Ave, 415.924.7478, rulli.com

LEFT BANK

RESTAURANT French

Known for award-winning French cuisine and a lively brasserie ambience, this corner spot on Magnolia Avenue has rated high with locals for well over a decade. Those with a petite appetite or budget can opt for happy hour (4–6:30 p.m., M–F) for appetizers, most of which are priced under $6. 507 Magnolia Ave, 415.927.3331, leftbank.com

MARIN BREWING CO

American Grab a cold beer made right on site and pair it with fi sh 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

RUSTIC BAKERY

California Organic mouthwatering pastries, breads and sandwiches are on the menu here,

Fish tacos at Mi Pueblo in San Rafael

DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA

Leadership Lecture Series Spring 2012

Eve Ensler in conversation with Isabel Allende

I Am An Emotional Creature

Friday, February 24, 2012 7:00 p.m.

Angelico Hall, Dominican Campus

Tickets are $35 per person and include a copy of Ensler’s book I Am An Emotional Creature.

To purchase tickets: call Book Passage at 415-927-0960, visit the Corte Madera or San Francisco stores, or go to www.bookpassage.com.

SERIES SPONSORED BY PRESENTED BY:

Luxury Retirement Living in Marin County

In the natural splendor of Marin County there is a 30-acre community for people of independent minds who require homes reflecting their own expressed wishes and active lifestyles. Where distinctive quality, attention to detail, access to health care providers and the abundance of services provide a truly remarkable value.

Smith Ranch Marketing Associates. On-site brokers for 20+ years. Call for your private preview 415-491-4918 • www.smithranchhomes.com

Duck confit served with white emergo beans, chorizo, frisée and poached quince with a pippin apple gastrique at Le Garage in Sausalito

including Meyer lemon mascarpone danishes and a bacon, avocado and heirloom tomato sandwich with mesclun. 1139 Magnolia Ave, 415.925.1556, rusticbakery.com

THE TAVERN AT LARK CREEK American The next chapter in the 1888 Victorian Murphy House, formerly known as Lark Creek Inn, is being written by chef Aaron Wright and culinary director Adrian Hoff man. 234 Magnolia Ave, 415.924.7766, tavernatlarkcreek.com

MILL VALLEY

AVATAR’S PUNJABI BURRITOS Indian A small and friendly place with only a few tables but myriad Indianinspired burrito dishes to choose from. Try the curry chicken or Jamaican jerk wrapped in warm naan. Cash only, but worth the trip to the ATM. 15 Madrona St, 415.381.8293, enjoyavatars.com

BEERWORKS BREWERY AND BEER CAFE American With a beverage menu of handcrafted beers made on site, imported and local microbrews and house-made kombucha and root beer, this Mill Valley brewery is set to keep the local palate pleased. Don’t miss the small beer hall selection of pretzels, salumis and cheeses. 173 Throckmorton Ave, 415.336.3596, millvalleybeerworks.com

BUCKEYE ROADHOUSE American Oysters Bingo, baby back ribs and chili-lime “brick” chicken are a few of the satisfying, comfort-food menu items that have made this classic roadhouse a favorite since the ’30s. The warm dark-wood bar with red leather booths is a popular spot for cocktails, conversations or a light meal. 15 Shoreline Hwy, 415.331.2600, buckeyeroadhouse.com

W LE GARAGE French

Escape the touristy Sausalito spots and grab brunch right on the water. The atmosphere is animated with light French music (think Amélie). The Kobe Burger, though not as Parisian as the other menu items, is to die for. And the much-adored croquemonsieur is under $10. Opt for indoor or outdoor seating. 85 Liberty Ship Way, 415.332.5625, legaragebistro sausalito.com

CHAMPAGNE

French Enjoy a croque-monsieur alfresco, linger over a fl aky, buttery croissant with a cappuccino, or pick up chocolatedipped strawberries for your dinner party. 41 Throckmorton Ave, 415.380.0410, millvalley.champagne bakery.com

EL PASEO HOUSE OF

CHOPS American The award-winning dining destination has been purchased and revamped (with House of Chops added to its name) by Mill Valley musician/restaurateur

Sammy Hagar and celebrity chef Tyler Florence. Defi nitely making a splash in the local restaurant scene; word is both service and prices are over the top. 17 Throckmorton Ave, 415.388.0741, elpaseomillvalley.com

FRANTOIO

RISTORANTE

ITALIANO Italian

Known for its in-house olive press, superior

fresh mussels are accented with red chili and Thai basil. Pair your pick with wine, beer or tea. Strawberry Village, 415.381.5300, harmonyrestaurant group.com

JOE’S TACO LOUNGE

Mexican Joe’s serves up regular fare such as tasty fi sh tacos, burritos and enchiladas as well as more unusual items like Mexican pizza, tofu salad and crab tostadas. Colorful interior and (usually) quick service make this a fun, easy stop. And if there are too many unsupervised kids for a peaceful meal, takeout is easy too. 382 Miller, 415.383.8164

PIAZZA D’ANGELO

olive oil and excellent Italian cuisine, this spot is a great location for an intimate dinner, large groups and anything in between. Owned by Roberto Zecca and chef Duilio Valenti, both from Milano; the kitchen uses local and organic ingredients. For special occasions and private parties, reserve the olive-press room. The popular happy hour starts at 4:30. 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, india palacemillvalley.com

HARMONY Chinese

Dishes here are an infusion of many fl avors. The barbecue pork bun is fi lled with house-made roasted meat in a savory sauce;

the table. Or simply order your own sushi or entrée from the menu. 591 Redwood Hwy, 415.381.8400, robatagrill.com

THEP LELA Thai This jewel is tucked away in the back of 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, theplela.com

TSUKIJI SUSHI

Italian It’s always a party at this longstanding 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 The staff prides itself on capturing the warm and welcoming atmosphere of a traditional Italian trattoria. Try for a table at the window for a truly exceptional view right on the water. Take a peek at the impressive collection of Italian wines to go with your rustic seasonal Italian meal. 625 Redwood Hwy, 415.380.2525, piatti.com

ROBATA GRILL AND SUSHI Japanese Robata translates as “by the fi reside”; fittingly, food here can be cooked on an open fi re and served in appetizer-size portions to pass around

Japanese Named for the largest fi sh market in world, Tsukiji is owned by Roy and Chanel Liu. The couple earned their sushi stripes operating Morpho in San Francisco and Akira in San Rafael. Helping them behind the sushi bar is former Sushi Ran head sushi chef Haruo Komatsu. 24 Sunnyside Ave, 415.383.1382, tsukijisushimv.com

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. Try one of the restaurant’s pasta dishes or thin-crust pizzas. 106 Throckmorton Ave, 415.381.3343

NOVATO

BOCA STEAK & SEAFOOD South American Bring a date or celebrate a special event at this classic steak house, which features chef George Morrone’s (Aqua, Fifth Floor) Argentinean heritage. The grass- and grain-fed steaks are cooked over oak and almond. 340 Ignacio Blvd, 415.883.0901, bocasteak.com

CHIANTI CUCINA

Italian This cozy eatery features an array of Italian and American choices, including a penne pesto described by one Yelp contributor as a “hot creamy bowl of heaven.” Another standout menu item is the house-made ravioli cooked up by Chris Harman, former owner and chef of Capra. 7416 Redwood Hwy, 415.878.0314, chiantinovato.com

EXTREME PIZZA

American Pizza by the slice or pie. Come up with your own creation or choose one of the restaurant’s favorites like the Mr. Pestato Head: homemade pesto sauce, potatoes, red onions, feta, fresh basil and mozzarella. 104 Vintage Way, 415.898.6575, extremepizza.com

FINNEGAN’S MARIN

American This pub-style restaurant features tasty appetizers, grilled

fl atbread pizzas and entrées such as New

York steak, garlic herb chicken and a braised beef and pork ragu. Wine, beer and cocktails are available. 877 Grant Ave, 415.899.1516, finnegansmarin.com

TOAST American

Sister to the popular Mill Valley location, Toast Novato features outdoor dining and architecture by Stanley Saitowitz as well as great dishes by executive chef Michael Garcia. 5800 Nave Dr, 415.382.1144, toastnovato.com

TUSCANY COUNTRY

GRILL Italian The chicken pesto panini and eggplant parmigiano are among the favorites at this spacious Italian eatery. The menu is eclectic, prices are fair and the portions are enormous, so be prepared for leftovers throughout the week. There’s a bit of a rush at lunch, so make reservations or arrive early. 1516 Grant Ave, 415.998.2800

WILDFOX American

Perched on the hillside off Highway 101, this rustic mesquite grill features smooth cosmos and other beverages and a menu full of comfort dishes like seafood risotto with bits of butternut squash. In the mood for a cigar? The restaurant has a lengthy list of options. 225 Alameda del Prado, 415.883.9125, wildfoxrestaurant.com

ROSS

CAFE ON THE COMMON French A quaint one-room coffeehouse 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

MARCHÉ AUX

FLEURS French This gem of a restaurant is known for cuisine showcasing locally farmed produce, wild and fresh seafood and free-range meats

W CALIFORNIA PIZZA

KITCHEN California/ Eclectic Be prepared for chaos. Easy place to bring the kids: Mom and Dad can enjoy a tasty Thai crunch salad and decent glass of wine while the little ones feast on basic child-size portions of pasta and pizza. 347 Corte Madera Town Ctr, 415.945.0401, cpk.com

prepared with an artisan’s touch. The wine and beer list is extensive. 23 Ross Common, 415.925.9200, marcheauxfleurs restaurant.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, frescotrattoria.com

SAN ANSELMO

BUBBA’S DINER

American Kids will be begging for seconds and so will adults at this hopping local hangout. Burgers, shakes and fries, and homemade apple pie. 566 San Anselmo Ave, 415.459.6862, bubbas-diner.net

COMFORTS CAFE

American This cozy spot features local ingredients and serves breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch. Be sure to try the Philly cheesesteak and Chinese chicken salad, both classics. 335 San Anselmo Ave, 415.454.9840, comfortscafe.com

CUCINA RESTAURANT AND WINE BAR Italian

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, cucina restaurantand winebar.com

INSALATA’S

Mediterranean Awardwinning 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

L’APPART RESTO

French It’s the second Marin restaurant for the team behind Le Garage Bistro in Sausalito. Owners Bruno Denis and Olivier Souvestre are offering a menu most Francophiles would be proud of, complete with items like smoked herring, bone marrow and cassoulet de legumes. 636 San Anselmo Ave, 415.256.9884, lappartresto.com

LOCOCO’S PIZZERIA Italian Worth driving to from all over Marin, and it’s an easy place to meet up with friends. The pizza crust is divine, as is the house salad. Good spot to come with the entire family. Closed Mondays 638 San Anselmo Ave, 415.453.1238, lococossananselmo.com

ORCHID THAI Thai

Owners Peggy and Tom Thongnopneua create an inviting atmosphere with their warm smiles and helpful menu suggestions. The fare here has won “Best of Marin” awards many times over. 726 San Anselmo Ave, 415.457.9470, orchidthai restaurant.com

SAN GERONIMO

RED TAIL BAR & GRILL

California The beautiful views overlooking the San Geronimo Valley redwoods and wildlife will captivate you while you indulge in the new menu featuring West Marin meats, cheeses and produce. 5800 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, 415.488.4030

Habanero Carnitas pizza at California Pizza Kitchen in Corte Madera

IL DAVIDE Italian A large selection of both Italian and California wines by the glass along with the dolci menu’s tiramisu have kept locals coming back for years. Don’t leave without sampling the limoncello. 901 A St, 415.454.8080, ildavide.net

LOTUS RESTAURANT

Indian Lotus Restaurant has earned Hall of Fame kudos from Pacific Sun readers for nearly a decade. Family owned and operated, it serves up North Indian cuisine with vegan and vegetarian options in a casual pink-tablecloth setting. 704 Fourth St, 415.456.5808, lotusrestaurant.com

MIKADO SUSHI

Japanese This beautifully decorated, family-owned sushi spot has been open for

about two years in its Terra Linda location. The menu includes both raw and cooked dishes and 20 different choices of sake. Dine in or stay home and get it delivered. 248 Northgate One, 415.446.5543

MI PUEBLO Latin Opened in 1991, Mi Pueblo offers not only tasty party trays and an authentic, affordable place for food-shoppers to buy unusual ingredients such as epazote, fresh tomatillos and cactus, but also a lunch (to take out or eat there) that has reached county cult status. Can’t beat the prices either: two veggie tacos for under $2, a two-enchilada plate with rice and beans for only $5.95. 330 Bellam Blvd, 415.578.3971, mipueblofoods.com

menu are a merge of East Coast Italian with Marin and Bay Area accents. 869 4th St, 415.459.3315

PANAMA HOTEL RESTAURANT

American The tropical garden is a prime dining spot for people-watching and taking advantage of San Rafael’s warm weather. The Sunday brunch menu is a hit with kids, who can’t get enough of the Panama Waffle served with bananas, warm chocolate sauce and whipped cream. 4 Bayview St, 415.457.3993, panamahotel.com

SABOR OF SPAIN

will be rewarded with tasty and fresh sashimi, unique sushi rolls and great prices. 869 Fourth St, 415.721.0392

TAJ OF MARIN Indian

Delicious North and South Indian cuisine, from the $8.95 lunch special to dinners that include goat curry, spinach, lentils and tandoori. Gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options available. 909 4th Street, 415.459.9555, tajofmarin.com

THERESA & JOHNNY’S COMFORT FOOD

TOMATINA Italian Inspired by the “La Tomatina” festival in Bunol, Spain, Tomatina offers fresh pizza, pastas, and more. For a classic Italian dish, try the five-cheese pizza, or think outside the box with eggplant parmigiana. 5800 Northgate Mall, 52, 415.479.3200, tomatina.com

WHIPPER SNAPPER RESTAURANT

MULBERRY STREET

PIZZERIA Italian

Chef Ted Rowe won fi rst place in the Food Network Television Pizza Challenge with his Mushroom Lover’s Pizza — sautéed mushrooms in a creamy 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

NAPOLI Italian This is a family-owned and -run restaurant with a unique craft beer program; they keep the prices down and the libations flowing. About 45 wines and 25 beers (including some from Marin) are on the list at any given time. The pizza and pasta on the extensive dinner

Spanish Opened in 2003, this tapas and wine bar is a great place for a romantic date or a big party (catering available). Old-world values and a healthy olive oil–based Mediterranean diet have preserved the authentic flavors found throughout Spain’s history. Enjoy wine tasting, eating and shopping for fi ne wines all under one roof. 1301 Fourth St, 415.457.8466, saborofspain.com

SOL FOOD Puerto

Rican With south-ofthe-border treats like yellow rice, beans and plantains and authentic Puerto Rican specialties, this one-room eatery on Fourth Street just off Highway 101 can be hard to get into, but it’s worth the wait. No alcohol served. 903 Lincoln Ave, 415.451.4765, solfoodrestaurant.com

SUSHI TO DAI FOR Japanese Snagging a seat in this popular sushi spot can be a challenge, but patience

American Cooking like Mom used to make. Drop by for eggs Benedict, tuna melts, coffee and some of the best milk shakes around. 817 Fourth St, 415.259.0182, theresa-and-johnnys.com

California/Caribbean Owner and chef Bill Higgins serves reasonably priced and delicious tapas. Save room for delicious fi sh tacos and yummy chocolate bread pudding. On Sundays, try the $3 glasses of sangria. 1613 Fourth St, 415.256.1818, whipsnap.biz

A Blue Horizon at Horizons in Sausalito

Gorgonzola toasted walnut pizza at Arizmendi Bakery in San Rafael

SAUSALITO

ANGELINO

RESTAURANT Italian

Father-and-son

chefs Pasquale and Alfredo Ancona offer handmade pastas and seasonal antipasti at this authentic Italian restaurant, which has been featuring cuisine of 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

AURORA RISTORANTE & PIZZERIA Italian The three-year-old Aurora Ristorante in Novato fi nally has a counterpart in southern Marin. Aurora offers traditional Italian food, a full bar and friendly service. Great for families, groups, dates and sports enthusiasts, who can keep up to date on the game via large fl atscreen TV. 300 Valley St, 415.339.8930

AVATAR’S Indian

Looking for “the best meal of your life”?

Let owner Ashok Kumar order for you. One-room casual dining for lunch and dinner. 2656 Bridgeway, 415.332.8083, eatavatar.com

BAR BOCCE American Food tastes better, your company becomes funnier and issues of the day seem trivial when you’re dining on a bayside patio with fi re pits and a bocce ball court. Throw in sourdough bread pizzas and a glass of wine and you’ll see why this casual eatery, whose co-owner and executive chef is Robert Price of Buckeye and Bungalow 44, has become a local favorite. 1250 Bridgeway, 415.331.0555, barbocce.com

CAFFÉ DIVINO Tuscan

Locals come for the tasty pastas and salads as well as coffee drinks, served in a funky one-room setting. 37 Caledonia St, 415.331.9355, caffedivinosausalito.com

CIBO Cafe Husbandand-wife team Alfredo and Tera Ancona offer a menu of tarts, croissants, cookies, paninis and soups. Every dish is made from scratch with local and seasonal products. And now Marinites no longer have to drive over the bridge to get famous Blue Bottle coffee. Located in the historic brick building at 1201 Bridgeway. 415.331.2426, cibosausalito.com

HORIZONS Seafood/

American A great place for waterfront deck dining with stunning views of Angel Island, Alcatraz and the San Francisco skyline. Horizons is a favorite with locals and visitors. Enjoy lunch, dinner and brunch daily, featuring fresh seafood, salads, sandwiches, pasta and steak. A full bar offers draft beers, specialty cocktails,

COMING SOON

Tea Time

Desta, founded by San Anselmo’s Emebet Bellingham, is aiming to make the world a better place — one cup of tea at a time. Using organic and biodynamic ingredients from around the world, Desta offers a “rich and robust” Black Tea, a “fruity and sweet” Rooibos Tea and everything in between.

and an extensive wine selection. Valet parking and docking facilities available. 558 Bridgeway, 415.331.3232, horizonssausalito.com

KITTI’S PLACE Thai/ California Known for the tasty Chinese chicken salad and spring rolls. Owner Kitti Suthipipiat was the cook at Comforts in San Anselmo for many years. Try weekly specials like the Thai Toast: crispy sliced baguette topped with shrimp and chicken. 3001 Bridgeway #D, 415.331.0390, kittisplace.com

LA HACIENDA BAR & GRILL Mexican Get your Mexican food fi x any time of day: This festive 23-table new location with a well-stocked

SAYLOR’S RESTAURANT AND BAR California/ Mexican Marin’s fi rst tequila bar offers over 100 tequila options. Nightly meal specials include chicken potpie, roasted salmon, baby back ribs, and traditional meat loaf. If you’re up for wilder entertainment there are frequent events like margarita night and fl ight night tequilatasting parties. The private dining room is perfect for large parties. 2009 Bridgeway, 415.332.1512, saylorsrestaurantand bar.com

The company, which donates a portion of their earnings to the World Family nonprofit (worldfamily.org), also offers organic-certified and Fair Trade coffee from Ethiopia. We’ll drink to that. 15 Ross Avenue, San Anselmo, desta.com

bar is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Owner Jose Sahagun recently decided to set up in Sausalito after years in the business (he also owns La Hacienda Taqueria in San Rafael). Check out the $7.99 lunch special, complete with a soft drink. 2633 Bridgeway, 415.332.1677

MURRAY CIRCLE

American Enjoy the sun on the deck of this Cavallo Point restaurant. Locals say they come back for the fresh seasonal specials like wild sturgeon and Wolfe Ranch quail. 601 Murray Circle, 415.339.4750, cavallopoint.com

PLATE SHOP California

If the seasonal menu and 14 large vegetable beds outside the kitchen door aren’t telltale signs, the menu is — the Plate Shop is all about fresh, local and all-organic cuisine. Choose from an extensive wine list and an assortment of cocktails. 39 Caledonia St, 415.887.9047, plateshop.net

POGGIO Italian A great place to celebrate a special occasion or simply enjoy a night out. Northern Italian cuisine with fresh and local ingredients, including produce from the nearby Poggio chef garden. 777 Bridgeway, 415.332.7771, poggiotratoria.com

barfly well satisfied. Even the prices don’t deter the herd of sushi enthusiasts who line up nightly to partake; reservations are required in the main room. 107 Caledonia St, 415.332.3620, sushiran.com

SWEET GINGER

WINSHIPS RESTAURANT

SEAHORSE Italian

The spacious dining area, stage and dance floor make Seahorse perfect for both small and large celebrations. Enjoy a modern twist on classic Tuscan coastal cuisine while shaking your booty to the nightly live music and entertainment. 305 Harbor Dr, 415.331.2899, sausalitoseahorse.com

SPINNAKER Seafood

Chef Phil Collins excels at preparing seafood, and it shows in the beautiful plate presentations. Set right on the water, this romantic spot is great for an evening occasion. 100 Spinnaker Dr, 415.332.1500, thespinnaker.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

Japanese Owner and chef Edna and Wayne Chiang know their way around good sushi. Try fresh sashimi, the classic Dragon Roll, 49er’s Roll or Rock ’N Roll, or be adventurous and have Wayne whip you up something off the menu. Good sake and a comfortable setting round out the reasonably priced meal. 400 Caledonia St, 415.332.1683, sweet gingersausalito.com

TASTE OF THE HIMALAYAS Himalayan

Born in the foothills of the Himalayas, siblings Pemba, Dawa and Pasang serve up favorites from Nepal, Tibet and India. The restaurant focuses on blending different cultures and cuisines: spices from India, spirituality from Tibet, hospitality from Nepal and the freshness of ingredients from California. 2633 Bridgeway, 415.331.1335, himalayaca.com

WELLINGTON’S

California British transport Jeremy John and his wife, Jill, have created an expansive (2,400-square-foot) wine bar with a homey feel, board games, views of the bay and a worldly cellar featuring affordable bottles and special reserves. 300 Turney St, 415.331.9463, wellingtonswine.com

American The morethan-four-decades-old nautical-themed restaurant is luring locals and tourists with hearty breakfasts and lunch options like tender fried calamari, clam strips, mussels and a giant prawn cocktail. 670 Bridgeway, 415.332.1454, winships.com

TIBURON

CAPRICE California

Book the private party room for large groups or just relax in what one Yelp reviewer called “the perfect romantic dinner spot.” Midweek take advantage of the restaurant’s wellpriced three-course dinners for less than $25. 2000 Paradise Dr, 415.435.3400, thecaprice.com

DON ANTONIO

TRATTORIA Italian

Located in Tiburon’s historic Ark Row, this trattoria offers authentic Italian cuisine in a quaint setting. The menu includes traditional courses with selections such as chicken piccata, organic roasted rack of lamb, and housemade pesto. 111 Main St, 415.435.0400, donantoniotrattoria.com

GINZA Japanese

Whether you simply go for the volcano roll or indulge in the eight-course Omakase meal, the fresh ingredients coupled with the tremendous view of San Francisco keep this place busy, so make reservations or get there early. 41 Main St, 415.789.5123, ginzasushi-tiburon.com

Tea with a purpose. by LOGAN LINK

MILANO Italian

Located in the Cove Shopping Center, this family-owned neighborhood spot is known for its pasta and friendly service. A good place to take the kids — or catering option for your next birthday party. 1 Blackfield Dr, 415.388.9100, tiburonmilano.com

SALT & PEPPER

American This sun-fi lled, hardwoodfloored one room restaurant with bluecheckered tablecloths is a local favorite. Popular items on chef Abraham Monterroso’s menu include scallops, ribeye steak, a beef burger and traditional crab cakes with jalapeno dipping sauce. 38 Main St, 415.435.3594

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 transfat-free calamari, fresh fi sh, seasonal salads and pastas. 27 Main St, 415.435.4527, samscafe.com

SERVINO RISTORANTE

Italian Executive Chef

Wesley Shaw cooks up an array of rustic Italian dishes, including house-made pastas, wood oven pizzas and seasonal specialties. A member of Marin Organic and one of Marin’s fi rst eateries to become certified as a green business, Servino uses fresh, local and organic ingredients whenever possible. Check the website for the live music schedule. 9 Main St, 415.435.2676, servino.com

TIBURON GRILL

California The atmosphere here is truly enchanting, with two outdoor patios, two indoor fi replaces, and candlelit tables at dinner. No item is more than $20, including the steak, with entrées falling in the $14 to $18 range. Happy hour is Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. 1651 Tiburon Blvd, 415.435.5996, thelodgeattiburon.com

WEST MARIN

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 every night. (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 — served alfresco) but lunch and dinners are popular here too. (Stinson). 43 Arenal Ave, 415.868.1272, parksidecafe.com

RANCHO NICASIO

American Known for live music and an extensive menu featuring everything from dungeness crab burgers to walnut-crusted goat cheese, Rancho Nicasio is open seven days a week. Be sure to stop by for happy hour from 4-6 p.m. 1 Old Rancheria (Nicasio) Rd, 415.662.2219, ranchonicasio.com m

Our new coffees and rich espresso are sourced and roasted by Martin Diedrich, one of California’s pioneering roasters of specialty coffee. Come try a silky cappuccino with a warm chocolate croissant, or our favorite brioche French toast. Bon Appetite!

Chianti Cucina, a family friendly Italian restaurant in Novato, welcomes you to our family, where great food, service and atmosphere await you. We invite you to our table, offering a casual and memorable experience. At Chianti Cucina, you’ll feel like a neighborhood regular. OpenTable.com Diner’s Choice Winner 2011.

Champagne Bakery champagnebakery.com

Mill Valley

Corte Madera

415.380.0410

415.927.5470

The historic Cliff House offers awesome views from every angle and one of nature’s best shows every day. Dine in the casual Bistro Restaurant or the elegant Sutro’s at the Cliff House. Sunday Brunch in the Terrace Room is a Bay Area tradition with free-flowing champagne and a delicious buffet.

Cliff House

1090 Point Lobos

Chianti Cucina 7416 Redwood Blvd.

415.878.0314 Novato, CA chiantinovato.com

tantalizes your taste buds with contemporary Italian cuisine. Family owned since 1995, the restaurant emphasizes fresh, sustainable and organic ingredients serving locally produced fruit, vegetables, seafood, and meats. Enjoy fantastic salads, housemade pasta, wood fired pizza, grilled entrees, and decadent desserts in an elegant yet relaxed setting.

415.386.3330

San Francisco, CA cliffhouse.com

Specialties include mesquite-grilled steaks and fish , house-made pastas, fresh salads and soups, a wide variety of desserts, and fresh baked bread along with artisan cocktails and a Wine Spectator award-winning wine list. Each month, a special regional dinner menu is featured. Groups of all sizes are welcome!

Il Fornaio

223 Corte Madera Town Ctr

Frantoio Ristorante 152 Shoreline Highway

415.289.5777 Mill Valley, CA frantoio.com

French

restaurant of Le

in the

offers simple and delicious French fare. We are open for lunch/brunch on Friday, Saturday & Sunday and dinner Wednesday through Monday. Join us for a special Valentine’s Day Dinner Menu. Bon Appétit!

415.927.4400

Corte Madera, CA ilfornaio.com

L’appart Resto 636 San Anselmo

415.256.9884 San Anselmo, CA lappartresto.com

Casual

bistro

heart of San Anselmo. The sister

Garage Bistro in Sausalito

Frantoio

LoCoco’s Pizzeria has been a favorite in Marin for over 40 years. Our antique family recipe is the secret to our success, and our authentic pasta sauces reflect the traditional Sicilian style. Dishes such as cannelloni, seafood, and salads complete a picture-perfect comforting meal.

LoCoco’s Pizzeria

638 San Anselmo Ave.

In Italy, every meal is a journey...the same is true at Milano. Start with appetizers featuring a selection of bruschetta and pizza straight from our wood-burning oven; then move on to a traditional menu. Discover the Italian art of lingering over dinner with family and friends, making conversation and enjoying wine, in a setting that is both urban and relaxing.

415.453.1238 San Anselmo, CA lococossananselmo.com

Milano Restaurant 1 Blackfield Drive, #1

415.388.9100 Tiburon, CA tiburonmilano.com

Dining in? Try one of the great recipes in Organic Marin. Produced by Marin Magazine, this seasonal cookbook celebrates the organic farmers of Marin County and over 40 delicious recipes from local restaurants. 35% off with the code DINEIN. Go to themarinstore.com/organicmarin

Servino Ristorante, located on Tiburon’s charming waterfront, is proud to welcome Wesley Shaw as our executive chef. Enjoy locally farmed produce and seafood prepared with Italian passion. Find information online about our Upstairs Banquet Room.

Servino Ristorante

9 Main Street

In Japanese, Robata means “by the fireside” and refers to the grill-style cooking of northern Japanese fishermen. Our menu offers traditional as well as contemporary fare. Over 25 premium sakes. Come see why we’ve been Mill Valley’s favorite Japanese restaurant for over 27 years.

Robata Grill & Sushi 591 Redwood Hwy.

415.381.8400 Mill Valley, CA robatagrill.com

The Counter offers all-natural, humanely-raised beef and 312,120+ combinations to build your own burger. The Counter is a great place for family, friends, great music and a full bar. Voted best burger in Bay Area by SFGate.com readers on Baylist 2011. ‘LIKE’ us on www.facebook.com/ TheCounterCorteMadera !

415.435.2676 Tiburon, CA servino.com

The Counter 201 Town Center

415.924.7000 Corte Madera, CA thecounterburger.com

On the Scene

SNAPSHOTS FROM SPECIAL EVENTS IN MARIN AND SAN FRANCISCO EDITED BY JULIE SINCLAIR

N SEAGER GRAY OPENING Attendees celebrated the opening of the Seager Gray Gallery in Mill Valley with wine and hors d’oeuvres. The new Mill Valley gallery is a partnership between Donna Seager and Suzanne Gray McSweeney.

E

OSKA’S OPENING Locals got a first look at OSKA’s new Mill Valley location while enjoying drinks and snacks. The international clothing line, established in 1997, now has locations in more than 20 countries.

W ANGEL LIGHTS Guests enjoyed the sixth annual Angel Lights Benefit and Countdown at the Corinthian Yacht Club to raise funds for improvements on Angel Island and to provide dozens of children with the ability to visit the island. The evening was hosted by Doug McConnell, of KRON’s Bay Area Backroads and KQED’s Open Road

Donna Seager, Claudia Marseille and Suzanne Gray

Elizabeth Gorek and Michelle Zabit

Gail Dolton, Amy Brees and Doug McConnell

The event space

Donna Burk and Mary Beth Culler

Taylor and Michela O’Connor Abrams

N HAWK’S TAVERN Tyler Florence’s latest restaurant, Hawk’s Tavern, opened in Mill Valley with a preopening holiday party for friends of owners Mike and Kristen House, Rick and Anne Ronald, and Peter and Liz Schumacher. Executive chef Michael Thiemann prepared an assortment of passed appetizers, allowing guests to sample the pub-inspired menu.

W ICB OPEN STUDIOS Art fans got a chance to “walk in an artist’s shoes” at the 43rd ICB open studio event this winter. More than 80 local artists opened their studios to the public during this annual tour and sale.

S GHIRARDELLI TREE LIGHTING Revelers celebrated in Ghirardelli Square with free live music by the Yuletide Carolers throughout the day. The event culminated with a visit from Santa Claus — as well as the 47th annual lighting of the Ghirardelli Square tree. CBS 5 weather anchor Roberta Gonzalez was master of ceremonies.

Front row, from left: Anne Harper, Tyler Florence, Kristen House and Peter Schumacher. Back row: Rick Ronald, Mike Thiemann, Mike House, Tolan Florence, Briana Hodges and Rob Lind

Larry Thomas, Cyndie Wooley, Dana King and Clay Williams

Santa and Roberta Gonzales

The exhibit

Katy Kuhn and Kenna Kuhn

E HOSPICE BY THE BAY

The Honoring Our Veterans Hospice By The Bay Annual Ball in San Rafael raised more than $225,000 to support programs that meet the needs of veterans at the end of life. Veterans attending the event were given white carnations in honor of their service. m

W MOUNTAIN PLAY FUNDRAISER

Nearly 300 attendees enjoyed dinner, a silent auction and a two-act Broadway revue at the San Rafael JCC. The event raised $65,000, which will kick off support for the 99th season of the Mountain Play.

Teveia Rose Barnes and Alan Sankin

Tora Isi and Sandra Lew

Emcee Doug McConnell, violinist Dick Bright, and the Novato High School ROTC Color Guard

Patti, Sara and Julie Wilder

Jessica Powell

James Dunn

Feel Great in 2012

This is your year! More yoga, more exercise, eating better — it is all within your reach. But where to start? Visit our new {415} Revive section for yoga studios, spas in the area and more. marinmagazine.com/415revive

(4 REASONS TO LOG ON NOW)

You Looked Mahvelous!

See photos from the hottest Marin County events just 48 hours after they happen. Then check our Facebook site to tag yourself and your friends. marinmagazine.com/ hotticket

We’ve Got You Covered

Have you fantasized about seeing your painting, photograph or illustration on the cover of Marin Magazine?

One lucky local artist will have that dream come true as part of the sixth annual 2012 Get Covered contest. marinmagazine.com/getcovered

Last year’s winner

Win This Getaway

Upload a photo of someone or something you love (such as you golfing, your dog or your grandma) to marinmagazine.com/ lovecontest, and then tell your friends and family to vote. The photo with the highest votes wins. Voting ends February 29; the winner will be announced March 5. What you’ll win: a two-night stay at Carmel Valley’s Bernardus Lodge and Winery in a luxury 625-square-foot guest room, with breakfast daily for two. You’ll complete your stay with VIP tasting passes for two to the property’s tasting room and a 100-minute Vineyard Couples Massage, during which you and your guest will receive a cabernet grape seed body exfoliation before adjourning to the privacy of an alfresco lavender grape seed bath. The experience is completed by a full-body warm grape seed oil massage and a tea service for two featuring a delicious grape seed (read: antioxidant-filled) herbal tea. Retail value: $2,300

Lauriann Delay, CFA, Senior VP, Financial Advisor, The Covington Delay Group

MARIN ADVERTISERS SPEAK UP

ad lib

The Covington Delay Group understands the importance of shaping relationships that reflect clients’ financial needs, preferences and aspirations. Dedicated to high-net-worth families and companies as well as nonprofits, the company helps preserve and grow its clients’ wealth. The advisers are committed to excellence in client service and have adopted an independent, fee-based consultative approach.

What do clients want?

Advisory clients want unemotional, pragmatic and proactive customized service and investment strategies. With wealth comes responsibility, and our clients want us to help them manage that responsibility. Given today’s volatility, every portfolio deserves a second opinion.

Rick Borden, CEO, On Keel Capital

On Keel Capital is a wealth management firm focused on successful families in San Francisco and Marin County. We help our clients achieve the financial future they envision for themselves and to spend their free time doing the things they want to do, with the comfort of knowing that the rest is covered.

Briefly describe your business philosophy. I put my clients’ interests first and strive to deliver value far in excess of what I charge for it.

What is your competitive edge?

I spent 20 years working on trading desks on Wall Street. I have a clear understanding of how markets work and a healthy cynicism about the strategies conventionally provided by Wall Street for retirement investing.

What makes you excel at what you do?

Attention to detail and a total commitment to being dependable.

What makes your work worthwhile?

I believe completely in the strategies I recommend to my clients, so I am confident that I am genuinely helping them. That’s a great feeling.

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

People will realize that the traditional model for the provision of financial

What type of clients do you serve?

We have worked with so many fascinating people over the decades, of all ages and in many different places along their life’s continuum: entrepreneurs, foundations and families with multigenerational wealth — many with complex estate-planning and philanthropic issues.

What differentiates your practice?

I have been advising clients for more than 25 years — from the crash of 1987 through the emerging market turbulence in the late ’90s, through the tech boom and bust, and now with the banking crisis and aftermath of 2008. Knowledge is key. In fact, we are currently hosting a Cavallo Point luncheon series on such topics as active versus passive investing, and how to invest in a historically low interest rate environment.

What makes your work worthwhile?

Helping our clients build/protect their legacy. We cannot control the markets, but we can manage the risk in our clients’ portfolios. It is also very satisfying to help nonprofits survive these challenging times and fulfill their community’s mission.

THE COVINGTON DELAY GROUP, 101 CALIFORNIA STREET, THIRD FLOOR, SAN FRANCISCO, 415.693.6925, MORGANSTANLEYINDIVIDUAL.COM/ THECOVINGTONDELAYGROUP

advice is wrought with conflicts of interest and burdened with excessive costs. There will be a massive shift away from traditional brokers to fee-only, fiduciary advisers.

Why did you choose the name On Keel Capital for your firm?

I rowed at Cal and began rowing again when my son joined the team at Marin Rowing. “On keel” is a term used in competitive rowing to describe a shell that is perfectly balanced and moving with a minimum of drag through the water. My investment philosophy is to be very diversified (balanced), to control risk and to avoid the drag created by trading costs, taxes and fees.

ON KEEL CAPITAL, LLC, 220 BERYL STREET, MILL VALLEY, 415.383.2025, RICK@ONKEELCAPITAL.COM

•

•

JON KABAT-ZINN

With Opes Advantage software, we show you a complete view of your financial life — liquid assets, real estate and lifestyle expenses — all in one place. You’ll see the impact that different decisions will have on your financial well-being now and well into the future.

For our Mortgage Clients, we’ve redesigned the loan origination process to include not only what you ‘qualify’ for but also how your mortgage fits into your entire financial life. We’ll consider your retirement goals, funding children’s education, supporting aging parents and maintaining lifestyle expenses within the context of your home and mortgage.

For our Wealth Management Clients, rather than separate your stock and bond investments from your personal and investment real estate, we offer an innovative alternative that pulls together every aspect of your financial life in a way that no other company does.

From left to right, back row: Melanie Victor-Smith, Jeffrey Smith (Branch Manager). Front row: Marian Jung, Judy Stern, Karen Burrous.

Marin Home

FROM TOURS AND MAKEOVERS TO DECORATIVE DETAILS AND REALTOR INSIGHTS

THE CALL OF CORTE MADERA

A Marin native settles into his childhood town.

BY PJ BREMIER • PHOTOS BY TIM PORTER

A view toward the backyard from the Meyers’ living room.

THE DETAILS

The best part is that we’re setting down deeper roots in a community we love.

WHERE THEY PURCHASED Mariner Cove

WHAT THEY BOUGHT A three-bedroom, twobathroom ranch-style home

LISTING AGENT Greg Pope, Greg Pope Real Estate

SELLING AGENT Lynnette Kling, Coldwell Banker

STATS Average cost per square foot for homes in the neighborhood: $470.77

Above, clockwise from top left: The granite surfaces (and a view to the garden) make up the kitchen’s appeal; framed hearts hold the family’s special messages; the Meyers’ daughter plays with Scooby, the family dog, in the living room; toys flank a framed book cover in a bedroom. Opposite, from top: The Meyer family in front of their new home; favorite books on a living room shelf; good traffic flow between rooms was a high priority for the couple.

TED AND JANELLE Meyer’s roots go deep in Marin County. Ted grew up in Corte Madera just over the hill from Janelle, who lived in Tiburon, they both went to Redwood High School together and each has a grandparent who attended Tamalpais High School.

For the past four years the couple has rented Ted’s family home in Mariner Cove from his parents, who now live in Sonoma County. This summer, however, with the lower housing prices and interest rates, the couple began talking about fi nding “a place of our own” explains Ted, an engineer with Herrero Contractors who also serves on Corte Madera’s Accessiblity Advisory Commission and volunteers with Twin Cities Little League and Redwood Baseball.

The two didn’t expect their new home to be the fi rst place they saw or one located just three houses away from where Ted grew up, but one week later, while walking their dog down the street, they spotted it: a “for sale” sign posted on a three-bedroom, two-bathroom ranchstyle house with a nice long driveway.

With the assistance of realtor Lynnette Kling, who helped them navigate the short-sale process, the couple made an offer on the house in July and owned it by September. “She was patient with us as fi rst-time home buyers,” says Janelle, who works at the Make-A-Wish Foundation and is active in the Corte Madera/Larkspur Mothers Club.

The house had a few home improvement projects for Ted but not so many that it wasn’t move-in ready, the open floor plan suggested easy entertaining and there was a nice backyard where their two-year-old daughter and dog could play. And, Janelle says, “the neighborhood is family-friendly and within walking distance of the park, a new school campus, Ring Mountain, the marsh and bike path, and Paradise Foods.”

“The best part,” adds her husband, “is that we’re setting down deeper roots in a community we love.” m

The open floor plan suggested easy entertaining and there was a nice backyard where their two-yearold daughter and dog could play.

We are Proud to be the Presenting Sponsor for the 41st Marin Designers Showcase.

We invite you to join with us in supporting the Center Leadership. Each year the center hosts events that raise funds to go toward empowering the efforts of more than 10,000 volunteers, and provides training and ser-

100 Thorndale #461, San Rafael

Luxurious Villa Marin

Call for Details

One of the largest units in the development, this Villa Marin condominium offers 2046± sq. ft., two bedrooms plus den (or third bedroom), and two full bathrooms. Villa Marin is a premier retirement community offering 100% ownership, comprehensive medical care, security, transportation, on-site and off-site entertainment and excursions, and located near shopping & restaurants.

11 Crown Point, San Rafael Sophisticated San Rafael Home Offered at $1,199,000

This traditional style 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom home offers a sought after single

views from nearly every room! Formal living/dining room features vaulted

2 Mint Plaza #1002, San Francisco

Chic Mint Plaza Penthouse

Call for Details

Mint Plaza penthouse residence featuring chic urban design, exceptional modern amenities, and historic details throughout. The 1,379 ± sq. ft.

plaster walls, and large double hung windows. This exquisite property offers

MARIN COUNTY MARKET TRENDS AT A

(Single-family Homes)

period December 2010. For the year 2010 versus 2011 home sales increased from 1,844 to 1,915, a 3.8% increase. Median prices on the other hand decreased from $790,000 to $753,000, a 4.6% decrease.

AND 152 for the years ended 2010 and 2011.

Median Prices from 2010 to 2011 increased 4% from $ 2,550,000 in 2010 to $2,657,500 in 2011. This is one of the best times to buy a home in Marin. Interest rates are low and the demand for housing has increased but prices have not moved much higher. If you are in the market for a home now go out and look as the inventory is low and should be picking up in the next few months. Looking for the latest news on real estate trends in Marin County? Be sure to

16 Crest Road, Belvedere

Seldom does a home become available that truly provides the experience of a lifetime. Located at the highest point on Belvedere Island along a private street, this stunning architectural home features world class views spanning San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge and Mt. Tamalpais. Designed by renowned architect John Marsh Davis, creator of such San Francisco Bay Area landmarks as Chateau Souverain, Joseph Phelps Winery, and Rutherford Hill Winery.

$4,995,000 16Crest.com

Corinthian Island

7 Bellevue Avenue, Belvedere

Located at the entrance of Corinthian Island, this 3 bedroom, 3 bath home features 2,569 square feet. Just remodeled, the home is light and bright with great picture views of the water, yacht club, and north. Large living room features high ceilings and stunning sitting area showcasing view. Literally steps to town.

$1,995,000 7Bellevue.com

Tower Unit, SF $2,350,000 Represented

$12,950,000 This premiere estate is located in one of Tiburon’s most exclusive neighborhoods and boasts lavish interiors and spectacular gardens with awe-inspiring 360- degree views of the entire Bay Area. 6 BD, 7.5 BA. 1PlaceMoulin.com

Sonoma

$1,695,000 or lease for $6,300/mo. Two homes on nearly 11 acres ideally located off coveted Lovall Valley Road. Offers 4 BD/2.5 BA, a sparkling pool, hot tub, and a and a large deck. LovallValleyEstate.com

Tiburon

$3,900,000 First time on market. This lovely Mediterranean-style home, custom built in 1997, offers beautiful Bay views from the deck, master, and much of the first level. Adjoins Ring Mountain Preserve. 4 BD, 5.5 BA. 4MiddenLane.com

Tiburon

$1,995,000

Panoramic views spanning the Golden Gate Bridge to downtown SF from this 33,000+ sf lot. In one of Tiburon’s most exclusive neighborhoods. Rare opportunity to build your 5000+ sf dream home. 24Venado.com

Sausalito

Sausalito

$2,695,000 or lease for $13K/mo. The ultimate retail bldg in an premium location! 1,468 sq. ft. of prime retail showroom on ground level plus mezzanine level Golden Gate Bridge/San Francisco. 675Bridgeway.com.

$1,688,000

into this prestigious Mt Tiburon neighborhood at a great price! Fix up or completely remodel this home with Bay & city homes in this neighborhood and the excellent school system.

$1,499,000

This lovely home is perched high atop Wolfback Ridge on a lot with ample flat space and over 1/3 of an acre of land. Mere minutes from San Francisco for a quick & easy commute! A quick walk to Golden Gate National hiking trails. 5Cloudview.com

Victoria Love Extraordinary Forbes Estate

27 Eye Street, San Rafael

This 5BR/4BA turn of the century masterpiece will take your breath away. 27 Eye has been extensively remodeled inside and out in an authentic East Coast style. It is perfectly proportioned and exudes quality and understated elegance. The property has been featured in several exclusive catalogues and commercials. This trophy property is close to Marin Academy and blocks from downtown. 27EyeSt.com | Offered at $2,995,000

4 Orchard Way

Kentfield Sold Off Market. Buyer Representation. Listed at $5,999,000

60 Corte Del Bayo Larkspur Multiple Offers. Seller Representation. Listed at $1,499,000.

20 Eliseo Drive Greenbrae Multiple Offers. Buyer Representation. Listed at $1,350,000

14 Patricia Lane Mill Valley 8 Offers. Sold Over Asking. Seller Representation. Listed at $1,175,000

Jasmine Ln, San Rafael

South Knoll, Mill Valley Sophisticated, 4bd/3.5ba, two-year new home. Formal entry hall, flowing open floor plan, gourmet kitchen, private master suite on main level, two fireplaces, exceptional finishes throughout, great commute location.

59SouthKnoll.com

Corte Las Casas, Tiburon 4bd/2.5ba home on a quiet cul-de-sac in the Reedlands neighborhood. Spacious, remodeled kitchen, vaulted ceilings, large patio, lawn, hot tub and built-in grill area. Reed School District.

4CorteLasCasas.com

Emlin Place, Kentfield 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths on a cul-de-sac and very desirable private lane. Upgraded kitchen and baths, new living room fireplace, master on main level and three decks.

8Emlin.com

$1,595,000 Carol Olrich 415.971.0332

Reed Ranch Road, Tiburon Reduced! Contemporary, 3b/3ba, Reedlands home with stunning, South-facing, Bay, SF skyline and Bay Bridge views, an abundance of outside entertaining areas and pool set among gardens.

7ReedRanch.com

Tulane Drive, Larkspur

Frank Howard Allen Tops Sales In Marin

The results are in. Once again Frank Howard Allen has maintained its position as the market share leader in Marin for dollar volume and units sold in 2011.

Source: BAREIS MLS 1/1/2011-12/31/2011; residential properties; all price points

Simply put, we sell more homes. In fact, in 2011 we sold more homes in these areas than any other broker.

Belvedere-Tiburon Corte Madera Greenbrae Fairfax Muir Beach Novato San Anselmo San Rafael Sausalito

Considering selling? Try the view from the top.

Fabulous Sycamore Park • Offered at $1,099,000

226Amicita.com Charm awaits you in this updated Sycamore Park home! Remodeled in 2004, this home is located on a sunny, level lot and has three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and a kitchen/dining area/living room with great flow. The stylish kitchen has a breakfast bar and looks onto the dining area adjacent to the cozy living room where you will want to curl up by the fireplace or entertain with friends. The master suite features high ceilings, ample closet space, and a sliding glass door leading to a deck, hot tub, and level lawn area. The two additional spacious bedrooms have large closets with built-ins and share a well-appointed full bathroom. One of the bedrooms also has access to the deck and yard area. There is a detached one-car garage with room for storage and off-street parking for several cars. Sit on the porch and enjoy the sunset over Mt. Tamalpais! Located in coveted Sycamore Park, this fantastic property is in close proximity to all that Mill Valley has to offer. Don’t miss it!

∙ Is now a good time to sell a home?

∙ Are we back to a time when a home buyer can begin to build value after the purchase?

The answers start with the knowledge that in most Marin communities (1) prices have stabilized and (2) there are fewer homes on the market compared to closed sales than there have been since May 2007.

Bottom line: Buyers and Sellers each have something to gain from the market today. Let’s discuss your particular situation.

21 SUNSHINE AVENUE, SAUSALITO

This exquisite Spanish Mission style home has been painstakingly restored from the ground up. The owner’s attention to details is prevalent throughout the house. In the kitchen, there is a one of a kind hand hewn & hammered copper hood over a Jade stove. Walls between the living and dining areas have been opened up to create a more harmonious space. The fireplace is the center piece of the living room. The deck was rebuilt and is accessible from all upstairs rooms creating a fantastic view of San Francisco, Bay Bridge and Alcatraz. This has created an excellent inside out living space right off the level garden.

McGuire Real Estate Congratulates its 2011 Marin Top Producers

For over 90 years, McGuire Real Estate has been recognized as a premier real estate brokerage throughout the Bay Area. How are we able to consistently live up to such high expectations? We do it through the abilities of our salespeople — the Bay Area's Best!

Liz McCarthy

Marin Agent -2011 Top Producer and New McGuire Partner

and McGuire Partner

#1

Lotte Moore #1 Marin Team Top Producer

Sarah Kowalczyk #1 Marin Team Top Producer and McGuire Partner

Jim Clopton #1 Sonoma Agent Rookie of the Year

Anne Kennedy John Zeiter

Lee Weldon

Chris DeNike

MARIN PRESIDENT’S CLUB WINNERS

Ken Dara

Greenbrae’s Genesis

Homes preceded the Bon Air Center.

BY JIM WOOD

MICHAEL ANDERSON, THE little guy on the left in the photo above, was four years old when he and his family moved to Greenbrae. “I remember it very well; it changed my life,” he says. “It was like in the movie The Wizard of Oz . I went from the black-and-white of foggy San Francisco to the brilliant colors of sunny Greenbrae.” The year was 1947, and Anderson, now a documentary filmmaker who lives in

Mill Valley, claims his was the third family to occupy a home in Greenbrae. “That’s Tracy, my sister, in the middle,” he adds. “She’s in Capitola now.” On the right is the Andersons’ cousin Tom Leroux, now deceased.

Nadina Way and its homes now occupy the hill where the three are standing; the street on the right side of the photo is Bretano Way; and running diagonally (but barely visible behind a row of houses) is Sir Francis Drake Boulevard.

As for the close-in trees in the upper right corner, that’s where La Cuesta Drive and the west entrance to Bon Air Center is now.

“The center’s first tenant, Kilpatrick’s Market, which later became Bon Air Super Market, was completed in 1953,” says Andrea Schultz, president of Greenbrae Management and a member of the family who developed the area. “Then came Petrini’s, which is now Mollie Stone’s, in 1964.”

According to Schultz, the Bon Air Center opened with its current configuration in 1985. m

It was like in the movie The Wizard of Oz I went from the black-andwhite of foggy San Francisco to the brilliant colors of sunny Greenbrae.

CIRCA 1947

When growth happens.

THE MARKET GROWS IN SHORT, INTENSE BURSTS. THE GOAL IS TO BE THERE WHEN IT HAPPENS.

Most people know that historically the stock market grows dramatically over time. What fewer people understand is the nature of that growth. It’s not a smooth curve. It’s a series of intermittent sharp spikes, virtually impossible to predict or correlate to political or economic events.

Here’s a vivid illustration of this phenomenon. Between January 1990 and June 2010, there were 5,168 trading days. If you missed the 10 trading days with the highest upside during that period, you would have lost out on nearly half of the market’s gains* . One simple lesson: market timing is a high-stakes gamble, not a disciplined investment strategy.

There are more practical lessons to derive. We’ve included them in an “executive brief” that describes the historic nature of market growth and how to increase your chances of being there when it happens. You’ll find it at www.privateocean.com/growth

*Source: Morningstar, Inc. Market: Standard & Poor’s 500 Index

years.

Theo Gallier, MBA, is the chief investment officer at Private Ocean. He’s helped affluent investors successfully navigate the markets for 25

How many channels of entertainment do you want on your flight? Over 1,200 on demand. None, please. I bought a book at the gift shop.

Over 1,200 channels of entertainment at every seat. Soar above the ordinary. With over 200 movies, over 10,000 songs, multi-player video games, hundreds of TV shows and more, every seat on Emirates feels like the best seat in the house. Non-stop daily to Dubai and beyond. Discover more at emirates.com/usa or contact your travel professional. Fly Emirates. Keep discovering.