Marin Magazine March 2011

MAGAZINE MARIN

Get scarfed! You’ve got to put your twist on the new silk phenomenon…and all the new spring trends we love now. so put Scan here for a video about scarf style guaranteed to make you smile. Download Scanlife free at getscanlife.com, text scarf1 to 91919 or go to bloomingdales.com/scarfed.

The Apian Way Marin beekeepers find more than honey in their hives.

story austin murphy photos tim porter

40

Reinventing the Romberg Past, present and future lives of a research campus by the bay

story mimi towle photos tim porter 46

FASHION

Rainbow After the Storm

These clothes remind us: spring is coming

editor somer flaherty

photos frank gaglione

50 PLACE

“I plan to hide all my BASE-jumping videos from my kids, if I have any. Of course, with YouTube that will be impossible.”

CHRIS McNAMARA

72 PLAY

School of Rock: life lessons learned through music by Daniel Jewett

The Cover

Splash Girl by photographer Frank Gaglione. To inquire about his work call 415.710.2793 or visit frankgaglione.com. And to purchase a print of the cover, go to marinmagazine.com/coverart.

36 60 88 102 108

CONVERSATION

West Marin’s Steve Costa by Jim Wood GO Hawaii: Picks in Paradise by Mimi Towle

CALENDAR

A roundup of what to do in Marin and beyond

SNAPSHOTS

Out and about in Marin and San Francisco

FLAVOR

Bay Area blogger

Tom Hudgen’s new cookbook. by Mimi Towle

110

DINE OUT

An insider’s guide to Bay Area eateries

124 146 14 18

MICROCLIMATE Loch Lomond by Jim Wood

LOOKING BACK

Building a bigger bridge by Jim Wood

POV Marin’s public bus system. by Jim Wood COLUMNS

VIEW FROM MOUNT TAM

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

EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Nikki Wood ext 105 | nwood@marinmagazine.com

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Jim Wood ext 106 | jwood@marinmagazine.com

SENIOR EDITOR Mimi Towle ext 101 | mtowle@marinmagazine.com

EDITOR-AT-LARGE Tim Porter tporter@marinmagazine.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Daniel Jewett ext 116 | djewett@marinmagazine.com

STYLE EDITOR-AT-LARGE Somer Flaherty sflaherty@marinmagazine.com

COPY EDITOR/PROOFREADER Cynthia Rubin

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Austin Murphy, Eve Pell

EDITORIAL INTERNS Monica Grant, Logan Link

ART

ART DIRECTOR Anne Walzer

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

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Drew Altizer, Frank Gaglione, Nike van der Molen

ADMINISTRATION

CONTROLLER Maeve Walsh ext 104 | mwalsh@marinmagazine.com

OFFICE MANAGER Danielle Grant ext 100 | dgrant@marinmagazine.com

WEB

WEB EDITOR Daniel Jewett ext 116 | djewett@marinmagazine.com

Volume 7, Issue 3. Marin Magazine is published in Marin County by Marin Magazine LLC. All rights reserved. Copyright©2011. Reproduction of Marin Magazine content is prohibited without the expressed, written consent of Marin Magazine LLC. Unsolicited materials cannot be returned. Marin Magazine reserves the right to refuse to publish any advertisement deemed detrimental to the best interests of the community or that is in questionable taste. Marin Magazine is mailed monthly to homes and businesses in Marin County. Subscription rates are $12 per year. Marin Magazine, One Harbor Drive, Sausalito, CA 94965. Phone 415.332.4800, fax 415.332.3048, e-mail editorial@ marinmagazine.com, website marinmagazine.com.

ADVERTISING

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of

Strong. Local. Growing.

Meet branch manager Mary Kassis and Priority Banking manager Brett Rocine. They’re committed to helping individuals and businesses here in Mill Valley meet their financial goals. And they’re backed by a bank with nearly 150 years of proven financial expertise. Come meet Mary and Brett at the new Union Bank® branch at 329 Strawberry Village. With a full range of banking services all under one roof, we’re in a great place to help you succeed.

Visit us at our new Strawberry Village branch, or call 415-380-3780.

Mary Kassis, Branch Manager

Brett Rocine, Priority Banking Manager

unionbank.com

AS WE WERE PUTTING TOGETHER THIS ISSUE , spring arrived early, announcing itself emphatically in Marin with a couple of 80-degree days. With wildflowers bursting into sudden bloom and tank tops making an early appearance on Tam’s trails, we congratulated ourselves on being prepared with a fashion pictorial of colorful clothes designed to banish the blahs of winter. On the day of the fashion shoot at the Romberg Tiburon Center, the temperature was a wet, windy 40 degrees. There were moments when photographing swimwear seemed like a crazy idea to us (not to mention our beautiful shivering model), but looking at the spread of Frank Gaglione’s bright photographs in “Rainbow After the Storm,” we’re glad we did it—and hope you are, too.

The Romberg Tiburon Center, you’re asking, what’s that? Mimi Towle provides the answer, looking at the 200-acre compound in east Tiburon as it transitions from a staging ground for the steel cables that now hang from the Golden Gate Bridge to its present use as San Francisco State University’s marine research facility and to a future based on ambitious ideas.

We promised ourselves we would not resort to corny puns in touting San Anselmo writer Austin Murphy’s feature on local beekeepers, “The Apian Way,” so we’re not going to say it’s a honey of a story or that it’s bound to create a buzz. That would be such a drone. Just read it and enjoy.

A bit more on the utilitarian (but still fun) side, is “Picks in Paradise,” which collects ideas on the best activities, restaurants and hotels in Hawaii from veteran visitors and our growing coterie of Facebook friends.

Also in this issue, Conversation talks with Steve Costa, owner of Point Reyes Books; Marinterview questions daring young man Chris McNamara; and Microclimate visits Loch Lomond.

As always, our wish is for your good reading. Enjoy Marin Magazine , as we continue to celebrate this extraordinary place!

Lisa Shanower, Publisher

Nikki Wood, Editorial Director Jim Wood, Executive Editor

LETTERS

Readers respond

❯❯ Life lesson

Thank you for Jim Wood’s February Point of View editorial. It reminded me of how my single mom of us four baby boomers would always make us leave every park we visited cleaner than we found it. That simple act of being responsible for my surroundings led to always getting my rental deposit back, a degree in environmental studies, 30-plus years of volunteering and activism, and an overall sense of life purpose. The “entitlement” attitude I see now in people of all ages is truly alarming. I have no answer. I’ll just keep setting an example every day—and hope others will follow.

Dawna Gallagher-Stroeh, Novato P. S. Cloth shopping bags are always in our cars; that way we can’t say we forgot them.

Your POV (February 2011) was impressive. I happen to be one of the few citizens in San Anselmo who actually goes out of my way to keep my downtown clean. I walk downtown every day to pick up trash, coffee cups, cigarette butts, etc. I even sweep the corner of Pine and San Anselmo avenues every day. I just wish everyone else would do more to chip in and keep our town clean. Thank you.

Frank Ortiz, San Anselmo

Thank you for slapping the wrists of our wonderful, yet often selfish community. The fact that we would need government funds to help us clean our own sidewalks, parks and beautiful paths is “litter”ally pathetic. The government is not leaving garbage in our pathways, we are. We need to make personal and committed efforts to clean up and train our children and fellow neighbors to clean up and sustain the healthy, beautiful neighborhoods that we are so blessed with. Let’s do what we can to bring the “A” back in MErin. What happened to the values that our community was based on long

ago—a truly green, respectful, caring community, where you smiled at your neighbor and lived with a priority being to “maintain the quality of life in our towns”? It saddens me when I often feel the attitudes in the parking lots, school pickup lines, grocery stores— everyone in such a hurry, only worried about themselves. I chose this town, over a decade ago, because I believed we were above that. Perhaps we could slow down a moment, cherish our surroundings with genuine compassion; and while we are at it, bend over and pick up a piece of garbage or two ...

Alison Regenold, Sausalito

❯❯ More smart talk

PG&E’s SmartMeters (“Smart Meters, Dumb Idea?” January, 2011) use a frequency far below what is necessary to dislodge electrons from atoms or molecules. Consequently, they are unable to create the free radicals that can damage human cells. Also, electromagnetic radiation strength declines by the square of the distance from the source. Thus, at 30 feet, a person would be subjected to about .001 watts of energy. That’s about 1/1,000th the amount of energy released from a cell phone pressed to one’s ear. People receive far more electromagnetic radiation from microwave ovens, televisions and computers. Finally, SmartMeters transmit for a total of about 45 seconds every 24 hours; thus, the cumulative energy to which people are subjected is de minimis. If people still are concerned about the radiation emitted from SmartMeters, they can attach sheets of aluminum foil to the wall behind the SmartMeter and attach a wire from the foil to a cold water pipe or other grounded source. This setup will absorb the electromagnetic energy from the SmartMeter and route it into the ground.

Michael Erickson, Corte Madera

❯❯ Doodlemania

My son and I had been trying to talk my husband into getting our next generation of family dogs after losing our beloved Alaskan malamutes to cancer over two years ago. Then we received the November 2010 Marin Magazine with the article “Oodles of Doodles,” and he became convinced that it was time for Doodles. We called the breeder listed in the article, Santa Rosa’s For God's Glory Standard Poodles and Goldendoodles, and we are now the proud owner of two black-haired Golden Doodles, Riffraff and Bici. Thank you for bringing the loving presence of dogs back into our lives.

Sandra Otter, via marinmagazine.com

❯❯ Reinvention stories

Regarding the Reinvention story in the February 2011 issue, Cokie is my swim coach and after three decades out of the water, I returned last year and it feels wonderful to have returned. I know without a doubt that it was Cokie’s spirit that kept me coming back, even when I doubted myself in the beginning, and for her, I am truly grateful. Our Pirates masters team is a great group of people. Everyone is there for his/her own unique reason. And the bottom line is that it’s healthy—for the body and the spirit. It’s a splash!

Erica Sutherland, via marinmagazine.com

❯❯ Tajikistan

Your last Journey story on Tajikistan was impressive! Scott Weller’s descriptions are so vivid that after reading it, I feel like I’ve earned new memories of my own. Keep going, keep shooting and writing!

Ian Tuttle, via marinmagazine.com

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

Catch Spring Fever

Marin’s Public Bus System

On a $28 million annual budget, it does a lot—but not everything

ON ANY GIVEN WEEKDAY, nearly 200 public buses crisscross Marin County. Have you ever ridden in one? If you are like me, your answer will be, “No, buses intimidate me.” Or, “I never know where they’re going.” Or, “How do you pay the fare?”

Lately, I’ve been riding the bus in Marin. That first time can be awkward. However, given time, you will work out the kinks.

Last Friday, I took a #19 from Tiburon to our office in Sausalito. It was a one-transfer, 35-minute commute (by car, it’s 20 minutes; by bike, 45 minutes). The bus was on time, the driver friendly and the ride smooth. At most, eight people were aboard the 48passenger bus.

An hour later, I caught a #22 on Bridgeway heading for an interview in San Rafael. This time there were no transfers and again the bus was on time. We turned off the freeway at Corte Madera’s Town Center and passed through downtown Larkspur, Ross, San Anselmo and San Rafael before reaching the Transit Center alongside 101. This journey took an hour (by car, including parking,

this would take 25 minutes) and at its most crowded 18 people were on board, most of them College of Marin students.

After my interview (more on that later), and feeling bus-savvy, I took a #23 to visit an artist in Fairfax, then a #29 to San Anselmo to buy a camera. I was back at the Transit Center by 4 p.m. and one of those big articulated buses—the kind with the accordion hinge in its middle—was about to leave. I jumped aboard. “This is a number 36 bus,” the driver announced as we entered the freeway. “It’s an express.” Only eight of us were on board and, after a 12-minute ride (we hit 65 mph on the freeway), I got off at the Marin City transfer point. This time, for the first time, there was a 20-minute wait before a #10 arrived. Within minutes, I was back in Sausalito.

Suburban buses are a complicated proposition. Everyone wants to go from exactly where they are to exactly where they want to be—and that’s impossible. Marin Transit’s (marintransit. org) bus schedule, listing 47 routes both within Marin and to San Francisco, Santa Rosa and the Richmond BART station, is more than 80 pages of fine print, and still it does not list every stop. Here’s the good news: because I’m a senior and I bought a one-day pass, my 30 miles of traveling throughout Marin cost only $2.50. Single fares within Marin are $2 for adults; $1 for seniors and students. The not-so-good news: except for routes going into and out of the Canal community and a few lines in the county’s midsection, Marin’s buses are mostly an under-utilized asset. Rarely on my travels was a bus even half full.

My San Rafael interview was with David Rzepinski (pronounced Ra-pin-ski), Marin

BY JIM WOOD

Transit’s congenial general manager. He said about 12,500 passengers ride Marin Transit's buses every weekday. The district operates on a $28 million budget, meaning each ride figuratively costs about $9. Rzepinski recognizes his core market is one of low-income riders, seniors and students.

“Marin’s buses are mostly supported by sales and property taxes,” he said. “Approximately 20 percent of our costs are covered by fares.” Marin Transit does not own most of the buses it uses (depending on size and type, a bus costs between $450,000 and $700,000, paid mostly through state and federal grants). “Almost all our service is contracted out to the Golden Gate Transit District,” Rzepinski said.

Also operating under a contract is Whistlestop Wheels (thewhistlestop.org/ transportation), a 55-mini bus operation that annually transports 105,000 seniors and disabled persons at normal fares from their curb to medical appointments, stores and visits with friends. Another mini bus contracted service is the West Marin Stagecoach (marintransit.org/stage). “It takes you to Bolinas, Inverness or Point Reyes Station and back— with hiker-friendly stops en route—in about the time it takes to personally make the drive,” Rzepinski said.

Marin Transit, soon to be 50 years old, can inexpensively get you from (near) where you are to (near) where you want to be—virtually anywhere in the Bay Area. As with life, it is all a matter of timing. Try it once and you’ll be a believer. That’s my point of view. What’s yours?

E-mail jwood@marinmagazine.com

[local read]

Seamstress and local blogger Erin McKean has turned her daily musings on vintage fashion on her A Dress a Day blog into the new tome The Secret Lives of Dresses, which tells the story of a young college student who comes home to take care of her ailing grandmother and her vintage dress store. dressaday.com

New local businesses

Strawberry Village’s newest edible edition is Chocolatier Blue. The artisan chocolate shop uses organic ingredients and no artificial flavors, with sweets crafted by Chris Blue, who formerly worked with Healdsburg’s Charlie Trotter. The selections change with the season but espresso, chili and apple cider have been recent popular options, 415.380.5000, chocolatierblue.com. ■ U.S. Open, Olympic gold medal and Wimbledon title winner Ken Flach is now living in Mill Valley. The doubles specialist is coaching future Olympic hopefuls at the recently opened Ken Flach Academy at Rolling Hills Tennis Club, rollinghillsclubmarin.com. ■ Marin’s Tinsley Hutson-Wiley has opened a new home store in downtown Ross called Tinsley Home. The interior designer offers lines such as Dayna Decker candles, Sarah Paloma Pottery, Yosh fragrance and jewelry from Mill Valley’s Sally Baker, 415.464.1300. ■ In San Francisco the Gucci Kids collection was launched with a $1 million donation to UNICEF.

[congrats] Nancy McKenney, the former CEO of the Humane Society for Seattle and King County, is now the new chief executive officer for the Marin Humane Society. McKenney, who has over 25 years of experience in animal welfare, is joining the society as it celebrates its 104th year.

Gone Green

This year’s spring antiques show at the Marin Center Exhibit Hall, March 12 and 13, focuses on all things green, including recycled furniture, jewelry and fashion. For vintage finds stop by Katherine Manzini’s Trappings of Time booth, which is often stocked with clothing from period shows like Mad Men goldengateshows.com

GLORY DAYS

Do you happen to remember contemplating the lyrics to, “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” by Poison, or popping that Styx cassette in your brand new Sony Walkman to listen to “Renegade” before hitting the par course? If these memories conjure a smile, head over the bridge to catch the five-time Tony-nominated musical Rock of Ages, playing through April 8 at the Curran Theatre. Former Marin resident (now Tennessee transplant), Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain wonders if this show might have been the pre-Glee (and post-Sopranos) bump for the huge resurgence in popularity of the song “Don’t Stop Believin’.” “I wouldn’t be surprised if the producers of Sopranos or Glee happened to be in the L.A. audience for Rock of Ages and got the idea to use it for their show,” says Cain. “This song belongs to young people; we were all thrilled it was included in the musical.” What he likes best about the production is of course, the music. “It’s great to see such a great compilation of songs from this era saluted—they ‘rock’ the stage.”

Crystal Cruises returns to the Bay Area

With Nine 12-day cruises sailing from San Francisco to Alaska in 2011, May through August. Several cruises will have Napa Valley wineries onboard doing wine tasting seminars.

Complimentary limo service from home to pier.*

Call Fine Wine Voyages/Frosch Travel for details. (415) 456-2000

POUR WITH PASSION

Ellie Price of Belvedere, owner of Durrell Vineyards has always loved horses. “As a girl, I wished for a horse at every birthday, I drew pictures of horses, dreamed of horses, and now I finally have too many—careful what you wish for!” Price, who has long been an avid horseback rider, is now actively involved in protecting America’s wild horses. She also owns Dunstan Wines produced from Durrell grapes, named after her first rescued mustang.

Why Dunstan? According to Price, “Dunstan was a 10th-century blacksmith who had a reputation for being good at dealing with the devil. The devil came to Dunstan to have his shoes reset and Dunstan ‘quicked’ him. The devil cried out in pain and implored Dunstan to remove the nail. Dunstan agreed to remove the shoe, if the devil would never enter a doorway with a horseshoe hanging above it.”

It’s that time of year again:

Oenphiles and anyone looking for an excuse to head to the Claremont can now enjoy both wine and the resort at the second annual Berkeley Wine Festival. Featured wine regions include AVAs in California, Oregon, Italy and France. The kickoff event Friday, March 11, will feature 45 wines and food cooked up by Claremont executive chef Josh Thomsen, among a handful of other acclaimed Berkeley chefs. Check the website for wine dinners on the subsequent Wednesdays. berkeleywinefestival.com

COFFEE CUPPING

For some in the Bay Area, tasting coffee is as much fun as tasting wines. As Peet’s Coffee & Tea celebrates its 45th anniversary with a special Anniversary Blend, it will also be

conducting tastings throughout its stores. How does one taste coffee?

First of all, the process is called “cupping” and for the rest we’ve gone to the experts at Peet’s. Their advice:

“First off all, sniff the coffee when it is freshly ground, and then smell the brewed coffee to compare the two aromas. To get the fullest flavor, slurp it by taking the liquid into the mouth so that it spreads evenly over the entire tongue surface and reaches the taste buds at once.If it’s possible, it’s best to taste several different coffees side by side to identify the differences in each of the coffees.”

COFFEE TALK

Vocabulary to help describe the tasting experience.

Acidity Acidity is the liveliness in coffee. “Acidity” may sound unappealing, but in coffee terms it’s actually a highly desirable quality. Not to be confused with the pH level, “palate acidity” is the brightness of flavor—without it, coffee tastes flat and dull. All good coffees have some acidity, but to varying degrees.

Berry/Citrus A sweet berry or citrus flavor.

Bitter A certain degree of bitterness adds to the fullness of coffee’s flavor; also, it is a prominent aspect of very dark-roasted coffee.

Body Body can be described as “mouthfeel,” quite literally, how a coffee feels in your mouth. The best way to determine the degree of body in a coffee is to take a small sip and let it rest a moment on the tongue. Is it medium?

Full? Very full? “Body” in Peet’s coffees varies from medium to very full.

Buttery Full-bodied; oily, rich mouthfeel.

Caramelly A sweet note reminiscent of candy or syrup produced by caramelizing sugar without burning it.

Clean A coffee with a clear and refined texture in the mouth; opposite of dry.

Dry A coffee with a parching or drying finish. It can also be called astringent.

Earthy Aromatic fresh soil or wet earth.

Flat A lifeless coffee lacking in any acidity.

Floral Reminiscent of flowers.

Fruity A sweet berry or citrus flavor.

Full A prefix to good characteristics such as acidity, body, or range of flavors, to indicate a strong character.

Herbal An aroma reminiscent of grass, dried herbs or grains, or fresh foliage.

Lively A coffee with high palate acidity.

Nutty Reminiscent of freshly roasted peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts, etc.

Peet’s offers guided tastings on a regular basis. Schedules are posted in Peet’s stores and online at peets.com

THE BOWERY HOTEL

Give yourself a new experience next time you visit the Big Apple. In a neighborhood once known for outcasts and soup kitchens, the Bowery Hotel is proof that a vision and cool architecture can transform a neighborhood. Designed to look old, the interiors and building are recently created and include very comfortable guest rooms with windows that actually open. Comfy public spaces are crowded with guests from all over the globe. The hotel is easy walking distance to SoHo, where restaurants, museums, galleries and shopping abound. theboweryhotel.com

TRAVEL WITH PURPOSE

YEAR ABROAD

In 2006, the Wright-Williams family of Mill Valley sold their house and took off for an adventure. “I loved our home and was very attached to it, but once it sold, that gave us so much freedom,” Diana recalls. They had 10 weeks to plan the trip, pack up, pull the kids out of school, get vaccinated and move things into storage. With two duffel bags in tow, they left with their two children (ages 4 and 8) and started in China, traveling though Tibet, Nepal, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Bali and finally resting for three months in New Zealand before coming home a year after they’d begun. During that time, they taught English to students in Vietnam, raised $20,000 for heart surgery for Vietnamese children, volunteered with monks in Laos, and bought school supplies and clothing to Laotian villages, orphanages and schools. “Volunteering turned out to be easier in concept than in reality in many cases,” says Diana, “but in the end it was transformative for each of us as individuals, as well as for our family, and hopefully, we left the places we visited better off than when we arrived. And equally important, the children quickly learned about simplicity, and I hope they learned that each of us can do something, even if it is just a little thing, that can help make someone else’s day a bit better.” To learn more about their journey and volunteerism, go to marinmagazine.com/travel

BLUE HAWAIIAN

Perched at the western edge of Waikiki Beach, with 3,500 rooms (making it the largest Hilton in the world), the Hilton Hawaiian Village boasts 50plus years of unique, star-studded hospitality. This is where the Blue Hawaii cocktail was invented, in 1957. In 1961, legendary hotelier Conrad N. Hilton purchased Henry J. Kaiser’s share of the resort for $21.5 million—one of the biggest transactions of that time—followed by a variety of other headline grabbers, including opening of the Rainbow Tower in 1968, with the world’s largest ceramic-tile mosaic (286 feet high by 26 feet wide), and the debut of Don Ho at the Hilton Dome in 1981 … have we piqued your interest? Go to our staff blogs and enter “HHV” for the full historical time line. better.” To learn more about their ar inmagazine.com/travel

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WE KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING

BEST DEALS!

We’re not sure if Wednesday at midnight is really the best time to buy a cheap airline ticket, but we do know that the following websites do offer super deals on travel.

Uber-travel writer Matthew Poole of Mill Valley, a Frommers author and syndicated columnist, has a weekly newsletter offering deep discounts on dozens of hotels, from Big Sur to Tahoe. Best of all, most deals don’t have a date restriction. localgetaways.com

Jetsetter.com (owned by Gilt Groupe) offers exclusive deals on luxury travel around the world, including accommodations in sought-after spots like Bardessono in Yountville. Members can customize their accounts to be notified specifically of offers for places like Tahoe, Hawaii or Mexico. jetsetter.com

In the weekly newsletter “Chip’s Picks,” Joie de Vivre founder Chip Conley announces discounts of up to 50 percent on stays at three different JDV properties; the rates are available for 48 hours. jdvhotels.com

And Marin Magazine’s own monthly travel newsletter, Go, is full of tips for saving on trips to Hawaii, Tahoe and more. Sign up today at marinmagazine.com/enews

Alpine Chalet Experience You and your friends can enjoy a snowcat ride to our secluded mid-mountain chalet where you’ll indulge in gourmet dining and breathtaking views. For more details, or to book your Alpine Chalet Experience, visit SkiAlpine.com.

Alpine Adventure Camps Take your skills to the next level with specialized instruction for advanced skiers and snowboarders. Choose from ForWomen.ByWomen.,SteepCamp,ManCamp or reserve your own Private Adventure Guide. For dates and pricing, visit SkiAlpine.com.

jet-setterjewels

Designers are gaining inspiration from as far away as Jaipur and Tangiers for bold, statement-making pieces that don’t skimp on color.

—SOMER FLAHERTY

1. Josephine tourmaline earrings with colored diamonds in platinum, $30,000 at kathleen dughi (Mill Valley). 415.383.0462, kathleendughi.com; 2. Paloma’s Zellige rings, price available upon request at tiffany & Co. (SF). 415.781.7000, tiffany.com 3. High Jewelry Necklace with pink sapphires, blue sapphires, emeralds and diamonds, price available upon request at bulgari (SF). 415.399.9141, bulgari.com; 4. Gold and pavé diamond earrings, $4,860 at socheec 646.692.9731, socheec.com

5. Burmese peridot pendant with 15 pink sapphires desinged by Paul Klecka, available at lehrer designs (Larkspur). 415.461.2212; 6. White gold pendant/pin highlighted with enamel work and accented by white diamonds, pink sapphires and a pink drop tourmaline, $7,995 at johann paul jewelers (Greenbrae). 415.461.1866, johanpauljeweler.com; 7. Peridot cabochon necklace with diamonds and yellow sapphires, $19,000 at julianna’s fine jewelry (Corte Madera). 415.924.9711, juliannasfinejewelry. com; 8. Ancient coins set in gold designed by Gurhan, bracelet, $6,150, and earrings, $2,400 at union street goldsmith (SF). 415.776.8048, unionstreetgoldsmith.com; 9. Gold ring with pearl, available at alix and company (Mill Valley). 415.380.0880, alixandcompany.com

COMING SOON TO THE SMITH RAFAEL FILM CENTER

Absent

James Hetfield & Filmmaker Justin Hunt in Person Thursday, March 3, 7:00

F OR MORE I N F ORMATION AN D SHOWTIME S: WWW. CA F IL M.ORG

Presented by Craig Barron & Ben Burtt New 35mm prints Tarzan and His Mate Sunday, March 6, 7:00

Tarzan Finds a Son! Sunday, March 13, 3:00

17th Annual

The Storm That Swept Mexico

Filmmakers Ray Telles & Kenn Rabin in Person Thursday, March 31, 7:00

PRESENTED BY THE CALIFORNIA FILM INSTITUTE

Celebrate the magic of the 83rd annual Academy Awards® with your friends, family and fellow film aficionados!

Only official Bay Area Oscar® night event sanctioned by the Academy Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center • Sunday, February 27, 2011

• Live HD telecast in the Rafael’s state-of-art theaters

• Official Academy Awards® program for each guest – the same one given out at the actual awards ceremony!

• Stellar silent auction and raffle items

• Delicious food and wine

Chris McNamara

As far as Chris McNamara knows, he has not sustained any injury to his amygdala, the portion of the brain thought to process fear. Never mind that as a pioneering BASE jumper (the acronym stands for buildings, antennae, span, earth) he has literally stepped off the edge of a 3,000-foot cliff, wearing nothing more than a nylon “squirrel suit” secured with duct tape. In his 32 years, McNamara has climbed El Capitan over 70 times and did the first girdle traverse of that cliff at age 20 in 1998; he also holds nine big wall speed-climbing records. Encouraged by his wordsmith father Steve, former publisher of the Pacific Sun, McNamara has chronicled his adventures on the website chrismcnamara.com and published 15 climbing guidebooks. Engaged to be married to his longtime sweetheart, McNamara has retired the jumpsuit and turned to the ocean, shredding his stand-up paddleboard through waves around the world. “I might even try big wave surfing,” he says. “At least it has a much better survival rate.”

Favorite Marin adventure as a kid? As a freshman in high school I climbed the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge with friends. We took photos and passed them around school. My parents found out when another parent asked them, “How could you let your son climb the Golden Gate Bridge!?”

When did you start rock climbing, and where? In eighth grade, a friend had a birthday party at the old Class 5 Fitness in San Rafael. Six months

later I met Mark Melvin, a longtime Marin resident, who was starting Touchstone climbing gyms. I took all my snack bar/ umpire/grounds-keeping money from Mill Valley Little League work and invested in Touchstone (I was 15). Mark then decided to take me up El Capitan and after that I pretty much dedicated my life to climbing El Capitan for a decade.

As the founder of the Safe Climbing Association, what would you say are the top three safety rules for BASE jumping?

The main rule for BASE jumping is don’t jump if it doesn’t feel right. It’s a sport that kills a lot of people, so if it doesn’t really feel worth it, go back and jump another day. Or not at all. When I found myself standing at the exit point wondering if it was worth it, then I sensed it was time to quit. I had this rule: “If you face a big question and the answer is not “Yes!!!!” then the answer is no.

What would you eat before a jump?

I usually ate candy bars. I did most of my big walls on Butterfingers but for BASE jumping I switched to Snickers. They seem a little healthier.

What would you do to prepare for a jump?

When evaluating a jump, fear is your friend. It knocks some sense into you. However, once you have committed to jump, fear just makes you tense and you become only half yourself. I’ve stood at an exit where I’d decided to jump but my head was not straight. Sometimes in those cases I said, “Ah, f’ it.” Not because I really meant it. But it cleared my head and let me relax.

When did you start BASE jumping? 2005. I didn’t set out to jump. But my girlfriend did, and one night I went along and climbed a 500-foot power tower in the Central Valley. Back then it was just too easy not to. I didn’t even have skydives (under my belt), which is of course how you should start. Standing at the exit point I half hoped we

could both just back off—it was pitch black and the entire tower was buzzing with electricity. When it was my turn I thought everything is worth doing once. And it was. While physical time is finite, mental time is quite elastic. Those two seconds before my canopy opened went on forever.

What made you consider retiring?

BASE takes you way past ordinary life to one of endless unknown and possibility. It’s no surprise that something that good comes at a cost. Of the roughly 150 or so jumpers I’ve met, 15–plus are dead now. There is no escaping the brutal fact that if you meet a lot of BASE jumpers, in a few years a shocking number will no longer be around. Eventually the combination of friends dying and the fact the sport was no longer that exciting made me realize it was time to quit. I had one big last jump…it was quite “grand” and the perfect jump to end on.

What will you do with your flying suit? My first one I’ll keep forever. It has so many stories. So many people thought I wouldn’t make it and somehow that thing kept me alive. All the rest of my gear I sold on eBay. I have one skydiving parachute. Anyone out there who is interested can e-mail me.

What did your parents say when they saw your first BASE-jumping video? They were terrified. They spent so much time being concerned about my climbing El Capitan and going on climbing trips to Baffin Island or Alaska. When I slowed down on climbing they thought, “Made it through that. Phew!” Then I choose to take up a sport that makes climbing look harmless. So they were not happy about BASE jumping.

What is your favorite drink and where do you like to drink it? A beer at Mill Valley Beerworks is pretty great. But the best place to have a beer is right after a big day of climbing, jumping or surfing, usually in a really remote spot with good friends, like the summit of El Capitan or the coast of Baja.

but only one directly on it.

RIGHT : A Mission blue butterfly, the highlighted species for 2011 Big Year’s challenge. BELOW : Steve Price of San Rafael was one of the two winners for the 2010 Big Year. OPPOSITE

PAGE : Brent Plater captured this pair of snuggling northern spotted owls in Muir Woods; the snowy plover’s habitat is often disturbed by off-leash dogs who chase them.

TREASURE HUNT

A 365-day contest with a big reward

BY EVE PELL

t Brooklyn’s Coney Island, there’s a contest to see who can eat the most hot dogs in the least time. In Gloucestershire, England, there’s cheese-rolling, and in Finland, there’s wife-carrying over an obstacle course. In our Bay Area, there’s a contest to see who can find the largest number of endangered species and help them survive.

F the sp

Our contest takes place in even-numbered years in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, home to more endangered animals and plants than any other national park in North America. Thirty-six species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, invertebrates, fish and plants that live within GGNRA’s borders are threatened with extinction. The 75,000-acre park, which stretches from Tomales Bay in the north to Woodside in the south, includes such attractions as Alcatraz, Muir Woods and Point Reyes National Seashore

in Marin, Ocean Beach in San Francisco, and Mori Point in Pacifica.

When Brent Plater heard about GGNRA’s dubious distinction, he decided to do something about it. A 36-year-old attorney who lives in San Francisco and teaches environmental law at San Francisco State, Plater directs the Wild Equity Institute (WEI). He had a brainstorm: aware that birding groups hold competitions to see who can find and identify the most bird species, he borrowed that format but tacked on an additional element—remediation. Naming the contest Endangered Species Big Year, Plater obtained the cooperation and support of GGNRA officials. More than 200 contestants signed up for Big Year 2010 through the organization’s website, wildequity. org, which provided information, ideas and in-

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structions. Whoever found the largest number of the 36 endangered species and completed the largest number of specified conservation tasks in the yearlong competition would win $1,000. If you saw the humpback whale, for example, your task was to ask public officials to impose speed limits in marine sanctuaries so that fewer whales would be struck by ships. For the coho salmon, contestants helped park personnel net fish trapped in drying pools and transfer them to flowing streams. “I actually rescued salmon who were going to die!” one enthusiastic participant exclaimed.

Contestants went out at night to find northern spotted owls and submerged wearing wetsuits in Lagunitas Creek to find California freshwater shrimp. Finding the western snowy

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Contestants encountered storied creatures like the California red-legged frog, the northern spotted owl and the tiny salt marsh harvest mouse, which hides in pickleweed near the seashore and weighs about as much as a nickel.

plover, a sparrow-size shorebird, was not so difficult, since it lives near Ocean Beach and Crissy Field, areas that attract hikers and dogwalkers, but the associated task could be daunting. According to park officials, unleashed dogs threaten these little birds because of the havoc created when the dogs chase them.

To help the species, Big Year contestants were instructed to approach dog owners whose pets were running free, explain about the plover and ask them to leash the dog. While some owners were willing to comply, others reacted angrily and stalked away, says Matt Zlatunich, a San Francisco firefighter and Big Year volunteer who has been especially active in patrolling the beaches.

One contestant and his family commuted all the way from Union City to take part in Big Year. Matthew Latimer explains that on the way to

finding the San Mateo sunflower in the Crystal Springs watershed, “the leaders had special permits for us to go in parts of the park that are usually off limits, and along the way this expert was pointing out different butterflies, what they are doing, how they are patrolling the path we’re on. With Big Year, you get a lot more out of the park experience, and you meet these great people.”

Contestants also encountered storied creatures like the California red-legged frog, which lives near Mori Point in Pacifica, the northern spotted owl, which lives in Muir Woods, and the tiny salt marsh harvest mouse, which hides in pickleweed near the seashore and weighs about as much as a nickel. Some endangered plants, like the Presidio manzanita and the showy Indian clover, are so rare and fragile that they were not eligible to be searched for.

This year’s contest ended in a dead heat between San Francisco butterfly expert Liam O’Brien and San Rafael brand consultant Steve Price. Both spotted 18 of the species and completed all 36 related actions. “You gain an awareness of the enormous diversity of species in GGNRA alone,” says Price. “And the need to protect them.”

The WEI website has a page for each species explaining where to find it, describing its life cycle and listing opportunities to help out. Anyone, not just Big Year contestants, can go exploring to find these threatened plants and animals and is welcome to take part in a wide assortment of volunteer activities aimed at safeguarding their habitats.

Perhaps in response to Big Year, park officials recently decided to highlight one species each year for special attention. For 2011, it’s the Mission blue butterfly, which can be found in Marin’s Fort Baker and on Milagra Ridge in San Mateo. The size of a quarter, the Mission blue only lives for six to 10 days between late March and mid-June. As winter rains turn to April showers and May flowers, you might want to take a hike to find one of these butterflies perching on a lupine and feasting on its leaves. Visit wildequity.org/species/26 to learn more; you may be surprised at the oddities of the Mission blue’s life cycle, and you’ll learn what you can do to help this tiny, exquisite creature.

Robert H. Byers, MD

Lisa M. Elvin, NP

Jon R. Goff, MD

David H. Goltz, MD

John C. Keohane, MD

Michael J. Oechsel, MD

Ernest H. Sponzilli, MD

Michael S. Stock, MD

Charles A. Stuart, MD

Brian W. Su, MD

sometimes it’s funny how things turn out in life. Take Steve Costa, a burly 63-year-old who spent 40 of his prime working years as an inner-city community organizer. He aided a nonprofit in the South Bronx, served on the staff of a California congressman and helped the Trust for Public Land develop communal gardens in downtown Oakland.

Costa’s role was to bring people together, to create a constituency or sense of community. Until recently, it was always an urban community.

“Then in the 1990s,” he recalls, “as we began spending time in Point Reyes Station, I realized I could apply my knowledge, experience and love of community in a small town every bit as well as I could in a big city.” A small town, after all, was in some respects like a city neighborhood. So what did he do? In 1998, Costa and his wife, Kate Levinson, moved to Point Reyes Station, and within three years, they’d bought the town’s only bookstore.

“We had never owned a business; we had no retail experience,” says a smiling Costa. “Absolutely none.” But they thought a bookstore could be an excellent community-building mechanism. “Bookstores, like nonprofits, bring people together, and we had plenty of experience running nonprofits,” Costa says, still smiling. “And bookstores rarely make a profit—so it was perfect.”

Actually, nearly nine years later, Point Reyes Books is turning a tidy profit. Last year it sponsored 42 book signings, 14 of which raised over $45,000 for local nonprofits, often featuring nationally recognized authors like Colm Toibin, Jane Smiley, T. C. Boyle and Robert Reich.

In 2008, Costa and a handful of West Marin residents, including former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass, poet and peace activist Brenda Hillman, and environmental historian Philip Fradkin,

STEVE COSTA

A community organizer transplants his talents to rural West Marin

BY JIM WOOD

took the organizing up a notch by holding the first Geography of Hope Literary Conference. “Books serve as a catalyst for bringing people together,” Costa says, “and the Geography of Hope conference takes this to the next level. It’s an opportunity for people to come to the special place of West Marin and spend a weekend interacting with creative minds.”

This year’s Geography of Hope is more than a weekend—it includes not just a literary conference but a film festival and 10 public art installations (see sidebar). “So 40 years later and I’m still a community organizer,” Costa says a bit sheepishly. “Only now it’s in a rural, not an urban, setting.”

What has surprised you about working in a rural environment? Working in Point Reyes, surprisingly, we see a greater emotional payback for what we are doing. In the city, you are lucky if you get half a dozen expressions of thanks in a year for the work you did. Here, hardly an hour goes by without someone thanking us for opening a bookstore and having programs like author appearances and Geography of Hope.

When you say Point Reyes Books is sponsoring Geography of Hope, does that mean the bookstore is paying for it? No. Actually, Tomales Bay Library Association is also sponsoring Geography

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Sing You Home

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

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TED DANSON

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Monday, March 21, 2011

7:00 p.m.

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The Money Class

Thursday, March 24, 2011

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These lectures are free and no RSVP is necessary. Limited seating. Preferred seating available with purchase of a book from Book Passage. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. for each event.

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of Hope, but neither entity is financially backing the event—we’re just putting a ton of energy into it.

So where does the money come from? The overall Geography of Hope budget is around $80,000 and 70 percent of that comes from registration fees, which this year are $250 a person for the literary weekend. In addition, several individuals contributed from $500 to $2,500, and a local foundation very generously granted us $15,000.

At $250 per person, what does one get?

This year, the theme is “Reflections on Water,” and all the authors have written water-related books. William Least Heat-Moon, who wrote the best seller Blue Highways, will discuss River Horse, his retracing of Lewis and Clark’s expedition along waterways of the Northwest. Another is Eddy L. Harris, coming from Paris to talk about Mississippi Solo, his account of canoeing the entire Mississippi River. Others are Philip Fradkin, author of River No More; Malcolm Margolin, founder of Heyday Books and publisher of News from Native California and Bay Nature magazine; Tim Palmer, whose recent book is California Rivers; and Dr. Peter Gleick, author of Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water. Most panel discussions will be moderated by local poets Dr. Robert Hass or Brenda Hillman.

Can you describe the literary weekend’s other events? The $250 also includes Friday and Saturday dinners at Toby’s Feed Barn featuring local wines and locally grown produce along with Marin-raised oysters, beef and lamb. At the Saturday and Sunday lunches, each table will be joined by two of the authors. In addition, on Friday there will be guided field trips to nearby bays, wetlands and lagoons. Then Saturday morning there is the famous West Marin all-organic Farmers’ Market, and there are 10 public art installations that will be situated throughout Point Reyes Station. We are expecting to sell 150 weekend passes and another 150 to attend at least one or two of the individual presentations. A complete schedule is posted at ptreyesbooks.com/goh.

Finally, as if Geography of Hope isn’t enough, what else is going on in your life? The

“Reflections On Water”

THE GEOGRAPHY OF HOPE CALENDAR

Public Art Installations | February 25 to May 31: Throughout Point Reyes Station, 10 outdoor art exhibits will be displayed, including works by Burning Man sculptor David Best, Why is the Ocean Blue? by Inverness’s Denise Rocco-Zilber, A Monologue by Lagunitas’s Eric Jackson, and The Rainmaker by Sonoma’s Martin Munson. Exhibits are open to the public, free of charge.

Film Festival | February 25 to 27: This inaugural event showcases films with water-related themes. The opening-night feature is The River Why, starring Zach Gilford, Amber Heard, Kathleen Quinlan and William Hurt, based on the novel of the same name. Over the weekend, all films are followed by discussions with the work’s writers, directors and producers.

Literary Conference | March 18 to 20: Held in the West Marin School gymnasium, this conference features William Least-Heat Moon (Blue Highways, River Horses), Eddy L. Harris (Solo Mississippi, Native Stranger) and Peter Gleick, director of the Pacific Institute. The weekend also includes author lunches and field trips to Limantour Beach, Drakes Estero and Bolinas Lagoon.

Lodging: Weekend reduced rates are available at most nearby lodges and B&Bs.

For more information and ticket prices, go to ptreyesbooks/goh.org

added excitement for us is that Kate is about to become a published author. In April, Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Random House, will publish her book Emotional Currency: A Woman’s Guide to Building a Healthy Relationship with Money. It’s garnered a number of very impressive endorsements. For me, several of us have worked together to establish the West Marin Fund, a community foundation to serve the needs of local causes and interests. We have a goal of funding in excess of a million dollars. For a lonely old bookseller, that’s exciting.

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TheMarin’s beekeepers

find more than honey in their hives

Apian Way

BY AUSTIN MURPHY | PHOTOS BY TIM PORTER

Beekeepers share more in common than veiled suits and a predilection for raw honey. They tend to be passionate and have a strong sense of priorities. And so they gathered, 40-or-so souls, in the American Legion Log Cabin in San Anselmo on the evening of Oct. 7, 2010. Given the choice between watching Giants ace Tim Lincecum take the mound against Atlanta in the first game of the National League Division Series, or hearing a talk by renowned bee expert Diane Sammataro, Ph.D., they opted for apiculture.

The Freak struck out 14 in a two-hit shutout, and the bee people were OK with that. Because some of them taped the game. And because Sammataro, coauthor of the The Beekeeper’s Handbook, spent the evening holding forth on a subject that was really important to them. The beekeepers, you see, are doing more than sharing their mutual interest in pollination, bee breeding and harvesting honey. They’re saving the world.

Their quest may not be as overtly dramatic as, say, Wolverine and Rogue vs. the Brotherhood of Mutant Ninjas in X-Men, but to hear some tell it the stakes are just as high. Since 2006, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, beekeepers have reported the losses of 30 to 90 percent of their hives—a mysterious global phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder. While such losses are upsetting for small-scale beekeepers like those in the Log Cabin, they are catastrophic for commercial beekeepers, who own up to 50,000 colonies and truck them around the country on flatbeds carrying as many as 500 hives

LEFT : Marin Academy beekeeper Paul Poutiatine extracts a rack of honey bees from one of the two active hives in the San Rafael school’s apiary. BELOW : A close-up of some of the estimated 25,000 bees in the hive.

apiece. Farmers rely on these itinerant bees to pollinate almonds, apples, avocados, cantaloupes, kiwis, cucumbers and many more flowering crops. If bees don’t pollinate, we don’t eat. Pretty simple. A Cornell University study estimated that bees annually pollinate more than $14 billion worth of seeds and crops in the United States—every third bite of food we put in our mouths. When those industrious little laborers start disappearing, Big Ag takes notice.

So, too, do Marin’s beekeepers, whose number has been expanding logarithmically. Membership in the Marin County Beekeepers has gone from roughly a dozen a few years ago, says Mea McNeil-Draper, a longstanding member of the club, to in the neighborhood of 200 today.

The couple lives on a small, organic farm at the foot of Sorich Park in San Anselmo. They’ve kept bees for three decades. Mea, author of numerous articles for the venerable American Bee Journal, describes the avocation as resting “on the synapse between human life and the natural world. When you keep bees, you become much more aware—aware of the cycle of the seasons, of what’s in bloom, of the kinds of flowers on which bees can forage.”

Beekeeping Basics

ing curve. In complete agreement is Charles Gompertz, a Nicasio rancher and Episcopal priest whose bees deserted him for an entire year before he and his wife enrolled in a class, after which he recalls saying, “Oh my God, we’ve been doing everything wrong!”

Maria Bennett of San Anselmo is a talented, passionate gardener. Her husband, Patrick, is … less so. Several years ago, on the advice of his friend, the late Bill Patterson, and in order to “play alongside Maria” in the backyard, he took up beekeeping, which delighted him in unexpected ways. “You walk out of your house on a sunny day, and there’s all this … activity. The foragers are foraging, the guard bees are watching the entrance— everyone’s doing their thing. You get a sense that they’re happy, which makes me happy.”

Less happy-making was his first attempt to harvest honey, which devolved into a “Lucille Ball debacle,” Bennett says. “There was honey on every surface of the kitchen—plus all this wax on the floor that turned black. It was like a honey-bomb exploded. To this day, if Maria feels something on the counter and she’s not sure what it is, she’ll say, ‘I think that’s your honey.’”

Bennett urges beginning beekeepers to take a class on the subject to avoid duplicating his prolonged learn-

Gompertz still winces at the memory of the time he was unable to dislodge some 50 bees from a plastic cassette containing honeycomb. He had the bright idea to put the cassette in the freezer for three days. Upon taking it outside and giving it several robust whacks, he was dismayed to learn that the bees were not dead, merely … very lethargic. But they awakened quickly. “Man, were they pissed,” he says. “They were not happy, and they knew it was my fault.” He was stung all over his face and hands.

Trying to Smite the Mite

Bee life in North America collapsed in the mid-80s, following the introduction of an Asian mite since dubbed the Varroa Destructor that swept across the continent. “Losses were as high as 90 percent,” says McNeil-Draper, who recalls that large-scale beekeepers found themselves at “a fork in the road.” They could ride out the storm by breeding a strain of honeybee resistant to the mite. Or they could treat their surviving bees—and fight the mite —with chemicals.

order to prevent his

keeps it

from disturbing it.

MEA MCNEIL-DRAPER

DESCRIBES THE AVOCATION “as resting on the synapse between human life and the natural world. When you keep bees, you become much more aware … of the cycle of the seasons, of what’s in bloom; of the kinds of flowers on which bees can forage.”

OPPOSITE : Nicasio rancher Chuck Gompertz stands in front of one of his three hives. He

fenced in

horses

LEFT : Mea McNeil-Draper, a longstanding member of Marin County Beekeepers, with a hive outside her San Anselmo home. BELOW : Accoutrements of beekeeping at Draper’s home.

LEFT TO RIGHT : The tools of beekeeping include a smoker to calm the bees, a metal tool to extract the racks of bees from a hive, and thick gloves that prevent stings. BELOW : Marin Academy beekeeper Paul Poutiatine and a group of students, clad in full protective wear, work at one of the school’s hives.

Chemicals won. Since then, beekeepers have battled the V. Destructor with a series of increasingly stronger miticides. “The industry has gotten onto a chemical treadmill,” says McNeilDraper. In so doing, it has succeeded only in “breeding a supermite” that wreaks havoc on the broods of both large-scale and backyard beekeepers.

The Asian mite, it turns out, is but one of the para-

The Buzz on Campus

“This used to be a maintenance yard,” says Paul Poutiatine, guiding a visitor down a path behind Marin Academy. To the right is a fair-size compost pile, abutting an elaborate, fenced garden featuring fruit trees and winter greens. To the left, cordoned off with rope, is the school’s modest apiary: two hives bookending a wooden bench that, until recently, was the home of a third hive. That colony succumbed to a malady called American Foulbrood Disease.

“The big thing about beekeeping,” says Poutiatine, “is getting them through the winter.” In addition to teaching English, he is the school’s outings director and the leader of its beekeeping club. The first of the school’s two surviving hives is thronged with bees and clearly thriving. Poutiatine estimates its population at 25,000, and growing.

The second hive has far less traffic. It is home to five or six thousand bees — “just on the edge of viability,” says Poutiatine, who isn’t sure why one hive prospered during a winter while its neighbor struggled. “It was hit harder by the stresses” to which all colonies are subjected: mites, viruses, cold and lack of food, or “nectar flow,” as bee people call it.

STUDENTS JOIN THE CLUB FOR VARIOUS REASONS. THE HONEY IS A LURE. “There’s something mysterious, esoteric about it,” says Poutiatine. “If you can keep bees, you’re somehow a little bit magical. Not everyone falls in love with the compost pile, but the bees have a broader appeal.”

sites, viruses and chemicals stressing the bees. Another culprit: commercial beekeeping itself. Not surprisingly, trucking bees all over the country isn’t good for the bees. Nor is their “monoculture” diet — the food they eat while pollinating vast acreages of one crop. “It would be like you and I could eat only French fries,” says McNeil-Draper.

How to reverse the decline? The EPA could help by revisiting its decision to allow farmers to use the pesticide clothianidin—described in a recently leaked agency report as carrying “a major risk … to nontarget insects (that is, honeybees).” (Manufactured by German agrochemical giant Bayer, clothianidin use is banned in that country.)

More encouraging is a grass-roots movement toward organic practices. Some keepers, instead of treating their hives with chemicals, are breeding bees resistant to natural enemies. The downside: until they find the right strain of so-called “survivor stock,” they lose a lot of bees. When a colony collapses or disappears, it’s roughly $100 to start over. “Compared to, say, ripping a sail, or replacing the wheels on your road bike, that’s not a huge hit,” says Bennett. But it tests a beekeeper’s allegiance to organic practices. Even so, the movement toward survivor stock is going strong in “small pockets” of the country, according to McNeil-Draper, and nowhere more so than in Marin.

In making the case that this is the best way forward, McNeil-Draper is persuasive, but not strident. “You put out what you learn, you explain what you know, and people have to come to their own decisions,” she says. She quoted a bee researcher who was also an aikido black belt, and who put it this way: “The mountain has to move itself.”

Students join the club for various reasons. The honey is a lure. “There’s something mysterious, esoteric about it,” says Poutiatine. “If you can keep bees, you’re somehow a little bit magical. Not everyone falls in love with the compost pile, but the bees have a broader appeal.”

What seep in, almost by osmosis, are lessons in sustainability. When students see a hive struggling, he says, “they start asking questions: Should we switch brood chambers? Should we use plastic comb or natural comb?”

As Poutiatine led a group of new, bee-suited club members out to the smaller of the two hives, he cautioned, “Be on guard, but don’t act as if you’re on guard, because you’ll make the bees nervous.”

There weren’t many signs of life in the hive’s top compartment, the so-called “honey super.” But as the students pulled frames from the “upper brood box,” one story below, Poutiatine could not hide his excitement. “Does that feel heavy? It’s full of honey. Wow. That’s probably eight pounds. One frame! That’s what capped honey looks like.”

The news only got better. The next frame that came out was covered with bees, some of them brand new. “This is capped brood,” explained the teacher. “It’s a small patch, but it’s a great pattern, it’s a dense pattern. That’s good. That bee with the white fur is brand new. These bees will all live about six weeks.”

“Look — eggs!” exclaimed Poutiatine, inspecting another frame. “Cool! So there is a queen in here and she’s laying eggs.”

The excitement in his voice, the periodic questions of the students, and the low but discernible hum of the hive, all added up to a hopeful sound — the sound of the mountain moving itself.

Reinventing the

Romberg

PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE LIVES OF A RESEARCH CAMPUS BY THE BAY

BY MIMI TOWLE | PHOTOS TIM PORTER

Stepping onto the campus of the Romberg Tiburon Center, San Francisco State’s marine research facility on the eastern tip of the Tiburon peninsula, one might recall the final scene in the ’70s film Planet of the Apes when Charlton Heston stumbles on the artifacts of a once-thriving America. The vast two-acre parking lot seems to swallow the three cars parked near the main white building. Sitting on the pavement are a few dozen open fish tanks with tubes gurgling. But much of the rest of the property—the remains of an 18-foot concrete trestle, a rusted water tower, the exposed rusted pilings from a wharf built by the navy at the turn of the last century—hint that something big happened here a long time ago.

Actually, many things did. Low tide reveals 200-year-old bricks from a kiln possibly used by early early settlers, as well as tangled steel cables from when the Roebling’s Sons Company wound reels of cable in the 1930s and barged them out for construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. On dry land, empty barracks line one edge of the property, and an intriguing two-story brick blacksmith’s building hides in plain sight. Today the cavernous white main building, a 1942 structure the size of an airplane hangar, is used by a dozen or so San Francisco State scientists and students. As the university undertakes to renovate the campus to better serve users and the wider community, it’s also determined to celebrate the property’s multifaceted history and the occupants who came before.

The property first came into modern use as a cattle ranch, and then in 1877 it became a fish processing plant; the deep water just offshore allowed large vessels from as far north as Alaska to get close enough to offload their day’s catch of cod. In 1904, the federal government shelled out $80,000 to the Lynde and Hough company to build a coaling station. In 1931, the navy loaned part of the acreage to the state of California, which established the California Maritime Academy, the state’s first nautical training school. CMA was relocated to its present location in Vallejo during World War II when the Navy Net Depot was brought in to build huge steel anti-submarine nets—one seven-mile, 7,000-ton version of which was laid across the entrance of San Francisco Bay.

“Places like RTC carry a sense of purpose, a reminder of a time when our work was more basic: fishing, building a bridge, fighting a war.” —STEVENS WILLIAMS

In 1958, the property was transferred to the Department of Commerce; in the 1960s it became the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) Southwest Fisheries Center, which consolidated its operations to a portion of the acreage in 1973. In 1977, San Francisco State submitted a proposal to develop a field station and marine laboratory on 25 leased acres. The Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies, named for Paul F. Romberg, the university president who negotiated the lease, was born.

THE PRESENT

Today’s Romberg Tiburon Center is a 35-acre year-round research and teaching campus for studying the natural ecosystems of the bay and beyond. “Currently we have about 15 faculty members, 13 research technicians and 26 graduate students, plus educational and administrative staff working on various projects,” says RTC director Newell “Toby” Garfi eld, who has been with the center for 12 years. Many other organizations besides the university use the property, including the San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Smithsonian Institution Invasive Species Program, Taxon Biosciences, and two salmon restoration groups, the Tyee Club and Tiburon Salmon Institute.

“Researchers and students actively investigate factors vital to the health of the bay and delta, which include the collapse of delta smelt and the nutrient ‘loading’ coming into the delta,” Garfield says. “For example, scientists estimate that the huge sediment input of the 1850s to the 1870s (from hydraulic gold and silver mining) has worked through the system, and this reduction in sediment supply and rising sea level will impact the wetlands and sea grass beds throughout the bay.”

Meanwhile, other students are studying phytoplankton—its spontaneous blooms (some deadly for marine animals) as well as its potential as alternative fuel source. Still another RTC group is monitoring the long-term effects of the Cosco Busan oil spill on the bay’s sea grass beds. One timely project soon to hit your smart phone app store is a program tracking the micro-fluctuations in bay currents. Besides aiding Bay Area sailors and America’s Cup entrants seeking to steer themselves into a favorable drift, that information will provide valuable insight into future pollution spills up and down the coast. “There are over 60 monitoring systems from the Oregon border to San Diego, and we have four antennas in the bay that are measuring hourly variations of the surface currents,” Garfield says.

Beyond its own studies, RTC also offers the public a weekly seminar series and an informational open house in October.

“This really is a special place,”

Garfield reflects. “Besides having a half-mile of bayfront access and being the only marine institute on the San Francisco Bay (by contrast, Monterey Bay has seven; Chesapeake Bay has 12), the RTC serves the community in many ways. The focus on the bay and delta is directly

ing a war. The rough-and-ready remaining structures (at RTC) are well suited to scientific fieldwork—moving large, wet and dirty objects. Our intent is to preserve as much as possible.”

Garfield agrees with that approach: “The buildings of historical value need to be renovated and repurposed, and we have to determine which buildings can be removed without losing historical context.” The real challenge, he adds, is cost. Carrying out the site plan will require an estimated $25 million—which won’t come from the state budget. Initial work would include infrastructure efforts like constructing a modern greenhouse for wetlands projects, rebuilding the wharf into a research facility, and a staged renovation of four other navy buildings for later conversion into first-rate research facilities.

Meanwhile, the same factors that have served RTC for research make it suited to a community purpose: emergency response. “When a large

RESEARCH AT RTC The mission: to advance understanding of the world’s complex marine and estuarine environments through research, education and outreach, with a focus on San Francisco Bay.

related to the socioeconomic issues facing the state, and we are actively engaged in training the next generation of informed citizens, teachers and government employees.”

THE FUTURE

Last year RTC hired Flad Architects of San Francisco to develop a site plan for retooling its campus. Flad design director Stevens Williams’s own interest in American industrial heritage and commitment to the environment are right in line with RTC’s goals. Williams, a Mill Valley resident, designed the first LEED Platinum–certified campus in North America and is also working on sustainable building designs for the California Maritime Academy and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.

“Places like RTC carry a sense of purpose,” he says, “a reminder of a time when our work was more basic: fishing, building a bridge, fight-

earthquake strikes the area,” Garfield says, “most planners assume that the road network will be significantly compromised. After the initial 72 hours, there will be a need to move supplies. The deep water adjacent to the rebuilt wharf would allow large supply ships to dock at the site and transfer material to smaller boats for distribution throughout Marin and Sonoma counties.” Likewise, the expansive flat terrain would allow supplies storage and helicopter landing space, and the site has sufficient backup power generators for sheltering a large number of people.

“I’m always amazed by how many people I talk to in Marin who have no idea that the center exists,” Williams says. “RTC researchers contribute so much to our knowledge of ocean systems and to the health of the San Francisco Bay estuary.” Even so, he wryly adds, “I can’t believe I never considered a fashion shoot as a way of boosting public awareness!”

PHOTOS FRANK GAGLIONE

EDITOR/STYLIST SOMER FLAHERTY

ASSISTANT STYLIST LEAH MARIE

HAIR & MAKEUP MAURICIO LEMUS/MAURICIOLEMUS.COM

MODEL ADAIR/LOOK MODEL AGENCY

ASSISTANT LOGAN LINK

SHOT AT THE ROMBERG TIBURON CENTER

Dress by Calypso, $210 at Pearl (Larkspur) 415.464.1808. Floral bracelet, $165 at Item Shoes (Larkspur) 415.925.0109. Kneehigh tights, $12 at American Apparel (SF) 415.440.3220. Boots by Hunter, $125 at Item Shoes. Flower arrangement by Kate’s Blossoms (Novato) 415.408.3862. Tote by Timbuk2, $30 at timbuk2.com.

At left: Dress by Diane von Furstenberg, available at Saks Fifth Avenue (SF) 415.986.4300. Necklace, $26 at Item Shoes. Right: Dress by Entrevu, $245 at Mili (Mill Valley) 415.388.9222. Tank by Tammy Mars, $50 at Mili. San Benito Collar Necklace, $228 at Mili. Footless tights, $14 at American Apparel. Poppy shoe by Anyi Lu, $365 at Arthur Beren shoes (SF) 415.365.9300.

Left: Dress by Trina Turk, $208 at Sandbox (Greenbrae) 415.461.2133. Shoes by Thierry Rabotin, $395 at Solemates Shoes (Corte Madera) 415.924.0131. Above: Top by Hermes, $750 and skirt by Hermes, $1,275 at Hermes (SF) 415.391.7200. Starfish necklace by Gabriele Frantzen, $278 at Pearl. Shoes by Hermes, $1,600 at Hermes.

Dress by Prabal Gurung, available at Neiman Marcus (SF) 415.362.3900. Bianca

sling shoes by Christian Louboutin, $775 at Saks Fifth Avenue. Tangerine Hamilton

tote by Michael Kors, $348 at Michael Kors (SF) 415.227.0800.

Above: Basket Weave coat by Tibi, $572 at M Clothing (Corte Madera) 415.924.8891. Crewneck sweater by Michael Kors, $100 at Michael Kors. Dress by Tart Collection, available at Kismet (San Anselmo) 415.454.2629. At right: Jacket by Milly, $625 at Green Apples (Sausalito) 415.331.8227. Cap-sleeve dress by Tibi, $368 at M Clothing. Knot necklace by Lisa Freede, $56 at Pearl.

PICKS

IN PARADISE

FREQUENT VISITORS

REVEAL THEIR FAVORITE

ISLAND SPOTS

HEADED FOR HAWAI‘I, NOT SURE WHERE TO GO? We asked veteran visitors and Facebook friends to tell us their favorite spots and why they go back. Our website takes it even further, with complete descriptions and many photos of the islands’ most popular attractions, activities, restaurants and hotels. Visit marinmagazine.com/hawaii, and let us know if we’ve missed your favorite spot. BY MIMI TOWLE

O‘AHU: WAIKIKI OR NORTH SHORE?

Waikiki

The name Waikiki translates as “spouting fresh water,” referring to the days when freshwater springs and streams dominated the landscape. Hawaiians chose this white sand beach early on as a playground for the rich and royal. The first hotels for visitors were built in the late 1800s, including the Sans Souci, followed by the stately white Moana Surfrider, in 1901. In the late 1920s came the famous pink Royal Hawaiian, coinciding with construction of the Ala Wai Canal and subsequent draining of the wetlands, opening this one and a half square mile swath of land for development. Visitors to Waikiki come from all over the world; it’s not uncommon to hear five different languages spoken within earshot. And while you are not likely to run into your neighbor or coworker, San Francisco Bay Area is the second largest visitor market for this international destination.

MIMI TOWLE, senior editor of Marin Magazine, still calls Hawai‘i home even though she’s lived on the mainland all her adult life. Waikiki has always been a favorite destination:

“My favorite part of the day in Waikiki is dawn. Except for a few tourists wrestling with their own wacky time change, I usually have the beach to myself, and the calming rhythmic lapping of the waves prepares me for the day ahead. As a child on the windward side of O‘ahu, I saw Waikiki, on the leeward side, as “the bomb”: the shiniest, loudest, happiest place on earth, at least as glimpsed through the car window when our family cruised Kalakaua Avenue en route to the Outrigger Canoe Club. As an adult living on the mainland, I’ve returned every chance I get—often with my girls in tow. We’ve taken surf lessons with Hans Hedemann Surf School, returning home with photos of us tandem surfing (somehow we look a lot goofier with our hands in the air, giving the world our best hang-loose shakas and biggest smiles, than we felt at the time). We’ve rented paddleboards to look for dolphins. And it’s no surprise that my girls love the International Marketplace—heaven for a nine-year-old with $20 to spend—with over 100 shops and carts selling rhinestone geckos, puka shell necklaces and a chance to find a real pearl in an

oyster. And then there are my food fixes: Chef Mavro for the big night, Alan Wong’s any night, and I can’t be within two miles of the Diamond Head Cove without stopping for one of the acai bowls. Like to shop? Ala Moana is the world's largest outdoor mall, and the retail offerings of Waikiki always include something new: on the last visit my daughter was thrilled to find a Sanuk sandal store right next to our hotel. Waikiki is not a tranquil tropical escape—you can find that on the other side of the island, or any of the other neighbor islands. Waikiki is big, bold, busy and one of my favorite spots on the planet.”

ROOMS:

Hilton Hawaiian Village, 3,500 rooms, $199–$4,900

Outrigger Reef, 639 rooms, $209–$1,299

Halekulani, 453 rooms, $435–$7,000

The Royal Hawaiian, 529 rooms, $295–$1,360 Sheraton Waikiki, 1,636 rooms, $205–$4,100 Moana Surfrider, 793 rooms, $250–$3,520

Outrigger Waikiki, 524 rooms, $199–$1,299

Waikiki Edition, 353 rooms, $195–$9,995

Trump Towers, 462 rooms, $329–$13,999

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IslandExperiences LikeNoOther

North Shore O‘ahu

In 1898, long before the monster waves of Waimea Bay enticed throngs of dudes and chicks to seek their own endless summer, businessman Benjamin Dillingham opened a hotel on a strip of land between the beach and the Anahulu River. He named his hotel Hale‘iwa—hale means “house of,” and iwa is a local graceful frigate bird. Dillingham wanted to create a destination that would encourage an extension of the railroad to reach his sugar plantations. His plan worked: people visited, and eventually the town adopted the name Hale‘iwa. There are a few small lodging options in town, but the main resort is Turtle Bay, with five miles of its own wild beach, three great restaurants, a public golf course and miles of backcountry for horseback riding. Visitors to the North Shore are loyal to their favorite food haunts, from legendary burger joints to shave ice stands to the prolific shrimp trucks.

MALIA YOSHIOKA is resident Hawai‘i expert at WhyGoHawaii.com and loves to explore the islands every chance she gets:

“One of my favorite drives on the island is a trip up to the North Shore. I always head up through the windward side, stopping

at the Pali lookout to soak in the views of Chinaman’s Hat and Kaneohe Bay. For lunch, an absolute must-try is the shrimp scampi plate from Giovanni’s Original White Shrimp Truck. A dozen or so huge shrimp, sautéed up with copious amounts of garlic, a squeeze of fresh lemon, and hot sauce on the side. Delicious! The beaches on the North Shore are great, but it all depends on what time of year you visit. In the summer, the water is usually pretty flat and good for snorkeling or checking out the turtles at Laniakea. In the winter, stay out of the water and leave the big waves to the pros—all the bigwave surf tournaments are held here during the winter and you can watch right from the shore. When I’ve got a sweet craving, I have to visit Ted’s Bakery for the chocolate haupia pie and Matsumoto’s for shave ice. Turtle Bay is a wonderful and romantic stop for a weekend in the North Shore and a good home base for exploring the world outside Waikiki.”

ROOMS

Turtle Bay Resort, 375 rooms, $309–$1,670 Ke Iki Beach Bungalows, 11 bungalows, $135–$230

Camp Mokule‘ia, 18 rooms, 6 cabins, $100–$1800

KAUA‘I: POIPU OR NORTH SHORE?

Poipu

The name Poipu translates as “crashing waves” in Hawaiian, and if you’ve been to its namesake beach on the “sunnyside of the island,” you’ll agree the moniker is accurate. The Poipu Beach Hotel was the first resort to open in 1962, followed by the Sheraton in 1968. The area's agrarian past is also celebrated at the Plantation Gardens restaurant, with photos and memorabilia of the Hector Moir family. Famously in the path of

MAI TAI BAR , ROYAL HAWAIIAN

destruction of Hurricane Iniki in 1992, Poipu has been rebuilt and is back stronger (and luxer) than ever. Poipu is also popular for having accommodations to fit all budgets, and for superb golfing and water activities like bodysurfing; the scenic drive west to stunning Waimea Canyon is considered a must.

NANCY WILLIAMS, founder of honeymoon registry website HoneyLuna, has been to almost every romantic part of the islands and to her favorite island, Kaua‘i, at least 10 times:

“One of the first things I love about Poipu is getting there. Driving through the ‘tree tunnel’ on Highway 520/Maluhia Road, followed by charming Koloa town before heading down to Poipu, strips away all the stress from the mainland that I might have brought with me! The climate is sunnier and drier than the rest of the island’s, and most of the beaches are swimmable. It’s also a great central location, situated between the north shore and

Waimea Canyon. When I get there, I love to body-surf at Kiahuna Beach or at the beach in front of the Sheraton, have lunch and a beer down the road at Brennecke’s and later dinner and champagne at the Beach House. My favorite spot to watch the sunset (glass of wine in

A student chops garlic at the Philo Apple Farm.

hand, standing in the water) is at the protected cove called Baby Beach. And truly a stunning walk is out through the lithified cliffs to Haula Beach. I usually rent a home at Turtle Cove, but for clients who want a resort-type condo, I recommend Kiahuna Plantation. I love

the grounds and the old plantation feel of the property—plus, it’s on Poipu Beach. If they want something more luxurious, the Hyatt.”

ROOMS

Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i, 602 rooms, $440–$5,200 Koa Kea Hotel & Resort, 121 rooms, $329–$2,572

Sheraton Kaua‘i Resort, 394 rooms, $239–$3,600

Outrigger Kiahuna Plantation, 200 condos. $179–$545

Princeville On the north side of the island, Princeville is renowned for its dramatic vistas (as well as its golf offerings). Hawaiians grew taro plants in the fertile Hanalei Valley. When Westerners fi rst arrived they brought livestock and grew potatoes and fruit (which was exported to feed the California gold miners during the Gold Rush). Plantation owner Robert Crichton Wyllie named the area in honor of an 1860 visit by the young Prince

Albert Kamehameha, Hawai‘i’s crown prince. The first major hotel, the Princeville Resort, built in 1985, is now The St. Regis Princeville Resort. Activities include swimming at Hanalei Bay and Kee Beach; horseback riding, zip-lining, snorkeling, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and surfing; hiking the Hanakapiai and the Kalalau trails; browsing the shops in Hanalei town; and sightseeing jaunts to Hanalei lookout, the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge and Lighthouse, and (by boat) the fabled cliffs of the Na Pali Coast.

STEPHANIE ZIEGLER,

owner of Tiburon Pilates, has been going to Hawai‘i for nearly 20 years and has been to every island except for Lana‘i:

“Hands down we love the Hanalei/ Princeville (north shore) area of Kaua‘i. The weather may vary, but the local feel can’t be beat and there are many possibilities for extreme adventures—great surfing, kayaking, climbing, golfing, zip-lining. We stay at the

Westin Princeville Ocean Villas; the all-inclusive nature of the resort is great for families. It’s also fun to rent a house on Hanalei Bay. Some mustdos on the north shore: golf at Princeville (best golf in the world), the ahi burrito at Kilauea Fish Market, and hanging on Hanalei Bay beach, watching the sunset with a mai tai.”

ROOMS

The St. Regis Princeville Resort, 252 rooms, $375–$6,500

The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas, 358 rooms, $259–$1,535 Castle at Princeville, 34 rooms, $230–$555

MAUI: WAILEA OR

Wailea is named for a Hawaiian legend about a goddess named Lea who was transformed into a beautiful bird often seen flying over the wai (water) at five crescent-shaped

golden-sand beaches. In 1957, the Matson Navigation Company purchased 1,500 acres of scrubland on the sunny southwest part of the island to expand its hotel operations. The

first hotel, the Maui Intercontinental (now the Marriott), didn’t appear until 1973; today, quite an array of lodging options line the 1.5mile coastal trail. Each resort offers its own unique experience, from the huge waterslides of the Grand Wailea to the super-luxe Four Seasons. Activity offerings include three championship golf courses at the Wailea Golf Club, with a David Leadbetter golf academy; 11 tennis courts at the Wailea Tennis Club; five spas plus fitness centers at the resort hotels; and shopping or dining at the Shops at Wailea. One of the most popular events here is the Maui Film Festival, which each June attracts celebrities and film buffs from around the world.

MARY CONSTANT and her husband, Freddy, split their time between Maui and Napa, where they own the Constant Diamond Mountain Winery:

“We started visiting Maui together about 15 years ago and eventually purchased a home in Makena, right next to Wailea on Ahihi

A student chops garlic at the Philo Apple Farm.

Bay, which Jacques Cousteau dubbed one of his 10 favorite snorkeling spots. We chose the leeward side of the island because of the dry climate. It will be sunny here when it is raining everywhere else. Also, we love the views of Kahoolawee, Molokini and Lana‘i. Our firstnight ritual is to dine at Joe’s Bar and Grill; we love Joe’s barbecue ribs and Sharon, the manager, is very knowledgeable about wine.”

ROOMS

Fairmont Kea Lani Maui, 413 rooms, $479–$2,400

Destination Resorts Hawai‘i, 260 condos, $250–$2,800

Makena Beach and Golf Resort, 305 rooms, $289–$1,800

Four Seasons Resort Maui, 380 rooms, $465–$14,500

Grand Wailea Resort Hotel and Spa/Ho’olei, 780 rooms, $389–$1,294

Wailea Beach Marriott Resort and Spa, 544 rooms, $525–$3,250

STAY & PLAY at hawaii’s only inclusive resort stay & play includes up to $2,000 in activities, 3 meals per day, a private bungalow, select ocean activities and unlimited tennis.

at

Ka‘anapali Located just north of the historic whaling village of Lahaina, Ka‘anapali means “the rolling cliffs,” a reference to the wide, open ridges behind the beach that sweep upward to Puu Kukui, the highest mountain peak on West Maui. Legend has it this threemile stretch of white sand was not only a favorite resting spot for Hawaiian kings and queens, but a training spot for warriors. Today these sands are home to weekend warriors visiting from around the world, looking for a slice of paradise. Development didn’t start happening here until the 1960s, with the Royal Lahaina, built in 1962, followed by a Hilton in 1963 and Ka‘anapali Beach Resort in 1964. The ’80s saw a second wave, with the Hyatt Regency in 1980, the Maui Marriot in 1982 and the renovation of the Maui Surf into a Westin in 1987. At the north end of the three-mile paved path is Black Rock, or Pu‘u Keka‘a, where ancient Hawaiians believed the souls of the dead leapt from this earth to join their ancestors in the spirit world.

When former Maui resident and travel writer MATTHEW POOLE of Mill Valley planned his first out-of-pocket trip to Maui, he remembered how much he enjoyed a press trip to the Ka‘anapali Beach Hotel. When he saw it included in the offerings of Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays, he booked a true vacation, leaving his laptop at home:

“It’s all about the beach. Ka‘anapali Beach Hotel was developed in the 1960s along the mile-long Ka‘anapali Beach, a gorgeous stretch of golden sand on the leeward side of the island (less rain, more sun).

Ka‘anapali is an all-inclusive, park-it-andleave-it resort with a bewildering number of lodging choices in every price range, as well as golf, tennis, diving, etc. It’s not the fanciest (the Kapalua Resort up the road is far nicer), but it offers the best bang for your buck without being cheesy and cheap. It’s also familyfriendly with tons of children’s activities that allow the parents some … personal time.

Even the locals like to hang out at Leilani’s on the Beach at Whaler’s Village. It’s by far the most popular place to drink and dine at Ka‘anapali. If you’re a fan of TS Restaurants— Sunnyside in Tahoe, Duke’s, Jakes in Del Mar— you know the vibe. Other highlights include the nightly sunset cliff-diver ritual at the Sheraton Maui, a sunset sail on one of the catamarans that dock right on the beach, and the nightly hula show at the Ka‘anapali Beach Hotel. Above all, make a plan to watch every sunset, every night. Nobody on their deathbed said ‘I saw too many beautiful sunsets.’”

ROOMS

Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa, 806 rooms, $270–$7,000 Ka‘anapali Beach Hotel, 430 rooms, $143–$327

Sheraton Maui Resort and Spa, 508 rooms, $279–$5,00

Westin Maui Resort, 759 rooms, $299–$1,100

O‘ahu | Maui | Kaua‘i | The Big Island

BIG ISLAND: KONA OR KOHALA?

Kona In the Hawaiian language kona means leeward, referring to the dry side of the island, as opposed to ko‘olau, which means the windward or wet side of the island. In ancient Hawai‘i, Kona was the name of the leeward district on each major island. The Kona on the Big Island was named Kailua-Kona for clarity. This popular retirement town is just south of the airport and was the original capital of King Kamehameha’s unified Kingdom of Hawai‘i. When the capital moved to Lahaina on Maui and eventually to Honolulu on O‘ahu, Kona remained a retreat for the royal family. The Kona Coast Hotel, Kona Surf and the King Kamehameha were the first major hotels in the area and have all been recently renovated; the Kona Surf is now the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort and Spa. Known for its nearby black sand beaches, this town is also host to the Ironman World Championship

triathlon, the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival and the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament. Perhaps best of all, for travelers on a budget, Kona features great restaurants, abundant activities and newly renovated rooms for a fraction of the cost of most resorts just up the coast in Kohala.

BARBARAK SASAKI, a handbag designer, moved to Kona in 1994 after visiting only once before. “I fell in love with the culture and the people, and the weather wasn’t bad either!”

“I still remember my first visit here. I had left Idaho while it was still quite gray and arrived in Kona where everything was in Technicolor. I felt like I had landed in Oz! People who wouldn’t want to move here say, ‘I would miss the seasons.’ I say, ‘We have seasons! They are just different than on the

Imagine...

Being

The only luxury condominium on Kaanapali Beach.

SUNNY POIPU, KAUA`I

mainland. We have whale season (December to April), when the humpbacks come to warm water to give birth. We have jacaranda season (February to June), when the hills are filled with lavender-tinted trees. We have nightblooming cereus season (June to October), when the gnarled cactus along the rock walls blossoms until the morning light brightens, and of course we have Ironman season (October)!” There are many beautiful places, but I am so blessed to call Kona my home.”

ROOMS

Sheraton Keauhou, 521 rooms, $189–$2,550

King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel, 452 rooms, $149–$499

Royal Kona Resort, 436 rooms, $115–$550

Kohala

For regulars to the Kohala Coast the fact that this 20-mile stretch only gets seven inches of rain a year is not a surprise. Named after the oldest of the five volcanoes on the Big Island and estimated to be over a million years old, Kohala the mountain is just north of the hotels. The Kohala Coast boasts some of the iconic Hawaiian destination properties, including the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, completed in 1965, and the Kona Village, completed shortly thereafter. Besides luxurious hotels and top-of-the-line spas, this area boasts seven golf courses and excellent restaurants.

Belvedere residents KIM AND JOE

ROOT recently returned from a threeyear stint of living on the Big Island, where their son, Brody, was able to enjoy his barefoot toddler years playing in the sand. Joe was the director of golf for five years at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and is now working on a new golf/residential project called Kohanaiki on the Kona Coast. Kim recalls their sunny sojourn: “We would go to the short game area at Hapuna Golf Course when Brody was two. He would go through a bucket, practice putting, and then enjoy a grilled cheese sandwich in the clubhouse; this was so much fun. Then we would head to the Mauna Kea to swim and

he would catch waves on his boogie board. We also loved going to the Mauna Lani to see the turtles. When people came to visit, we would suggest they catch the sunset and get dinner at the Canoe House at the Mauna Lani, or enjoy island-style farm-to-table cuisine at Merriman’s in Waimea. If they were traveling with kids, Cafe Pesto at Kawaihae Harbor. One of our favorite things to share about the Big Island is the Onizuka Center observatory at about 9,000 feet on Mauna Kea—amazing clarity of sky and volume of stars.”

ROOMS

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, 258 rooms, $500–3,500

Hapuna Beach Hotel, 350 rooms, $415–$1,000

The Mauna Lani Bay, 343 rooms, $395–4,655 Fairmont Orchid, 538 rooms, $292–$3,900 Hilton Waikoloa, 1,242 roomss, $219–$1,199

Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort and Spa, 555 rooms, $385–$2,00

Kona Village Resort, 125 hales, $349–$1,280

Four Seasons Hualalai, 243 rooms, $625–$12,595

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School of ROCK

LIFE LESSONS LEARNED THROUGH MUSIC

BY DANIEL JEWETT PHOTOS TIM PORTER

The crowd quiets as the band takes the stage. The silence is broken by the sounds of guitars being plugged in and tuned. The anticipation is palpable in the audience as lights come on around the stage. Fans rush forward as the singer grabs the microphone and says, “Hi mom.”

This is not your ordinary rock group. Backstage is stocked with sodas, microphone stands are at their lowest setting and most of the band members arrived in their parents’ minivan. But this show will rock nonetheless and the group will come away with a taste of what it is like to perform live and, more often than not, a passion to try it again soon.

“It’s a lovefest,” says Marin Youth Accelerated Music Program (MY AMP) owner and instructor Chris Detrick. “Parents are partying and yelling. It’s not like a recital, it’s like a rock concert.”

OPENING PAGE : Nikita Daron of Brutus and Otter. THIS PAGE : Alexa Zener and Chris Detrick work on vocals.

“As you get older it is hard to remember how you got obsessed with music in the first place,” Detrick says. “Working with 10- to 12-year-olds reminds me and awakens that passion. It keeps me young.”

“The live shows are awesome,” confirms Susan Hauser, whose nine-year-old son West plays drums in several bands including a MY AMP band. “The kids get so fired up and gravitate toward each other’s energy. The shows sound really good.”

Detrick, 27, started the San Rafael–based MY AMP in 2007 after years of being an instructor at the Oakland branch of the rock school BandWorks and many of his students followed right along.

“Chris is great and West learned much more rapidly in a band setting with other instruments in the mix,” says Hauser, a self-confessed rock ’n’ roll soccer mom. “It’s amazing what they can pull together in eight weeks.”

Detrick himself caught the rock ’n’ roll bug in sixth grade and by the time he was at

Redwood High School he was “always scheming to be in a band.” He took music classes but it wasn’t until he majored in music at UC Berkeley that he learned theory and to read music, in what he calls a “trial by fire.”

And now Detrick strives to pass that knowledge along to his students, who practice once a week after school in two-hour band sessions for two months, all building up to live shows at places like Ashkenaz in Berkeley or the Woods in Mill Valley.

“I am trying to preserve the harmonic language for this generation of kids,” he says. “So they understand things like Neapolitan sixth chords or the applied dominant.”

But don’t tell that to the students at MY AMP, who might not realize how much they are learning.

“Our band likes to do the classics like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin or the Pixies,” says guitarist, bassist, drummer and longtime MY AMP participant Nora Birch of Mill Valley. “It’s really helpful to be in a band; you can practice rhythm and soloing all in one session.” The 12-year-old plans to try organizing the band on her own next year. “I’ve practiced with this band a long time,” she says of the group that recently changed its name from Taco Truck to Brutus and Otter. “MY AMP helped me see that you can get onstage.”

In the end, Detrick hopes his students, who range in age from 7 to 70, find their own path in music, but he feels the lessons learned in a group can be taken beyond the practice studio.

“In order to make music you have to be a part of the whole and contribute responsi-

To learn more about MY AMP or other local music programs check out these links.

MY AMP: detrickmusicinstruction.com

BandWorks: bandworks.com

Crossroads: crozzroadzmuzic.com

TamJams: tamjams.com

Blue Star Music Camps: bluestarmusiccamps.com

Blue Bear School of Music: bluebearmusic.org

bly,” says the musician, who also plays guitar in the Eyewitness Blues Band, made up of well-known newscasters from CBS and KCBS. “People are relying on you; you have a job. These are skills you can absolutely use outside of the band.”

Sometimes, as with 12-year-old Paddy O’Brien, the lessons go even deeper. “Playing guitar really kept my spirits up,” O’Brien says about taking lessons while battling bone cancer. But now O’Brien is doing much better and decided to join a MY AMP band to play music like his hero Jimi Hendrix. “Playing with a full band sounds a lot cooler,” he says.

But Detrick’s students—he teaches anywhere from six to nine bands in quarterly sessions—aren’t the only ones who benefit from the musical interaction. “As you get older it is hard to remember how you saw things and how you got obsessed with music in the first place,” he says. “Working with 10- to 12-yearolds reminds me and awakens that passion. It keeps me young.”

Detrick says he feels lucky to be able to do music full time, but there is one aspect of his occupation that is particularly enjoyable. “Buying office equipment kicks ass,” he says.

Nora Birch of Brutus and Otter.

MARIN MAGAZINE’S FIRST ANNUAL SUMMER CAMPS GUIDE

WHETHER YOU’RE A WORKING PARENT OR NOT, planning for, paying for and getting into the best camps is crucial for summer-time sanity. With so many camps to choose from in Marin and beyond, parents seem to have endless opportunities, however, Murphy’s Law will inevitably come into play as the one camp your child really wants to attend will be full. Hence as winter wanes, we suggest you take some time to read through these many options ranging from academics and recreations to good ‘ole fun and reserve a spot. The good news is once summer arrives your family plans will be made and paid for allowing the flexibility for a few truly ‘lazy days of summer.’ For those who want meet and greet some of the camp representatives, David Hughes, of Camp Doodles has put together a Marin Fair on March 31, at Dominican University, marincampfair.com

Day Camps

BAY AREA

Academy Deturk Performing Arts Workshops, Ross Theatre, ages 8–14

415.456.4297 academy-deturk.com

Andrews Camps

Mill Valley

Traveling Adventure, ages 5–12 415.446.5580 andewscamp.com

Angel Island Camp Tiburon

General, ages 5–12 415.435.4355 btsummercamps.com

Art ‘N Sport Camp, Larkspur Sports, Art, ages 5-10 415.927.6746

Arts In Action, San Rafael Art, Theater, ages 6-9 415.472.8000 x2071 saintmarksschool.org

Audubon Summer Adventure Camp, Tiburon Nature, ages 4-11 415.388.2524 x112 tiburonaudubon.org

Azzi Basketball Camp Mill Valley Sports, ages 8-14 415.948.1263 azzicamp.com

Belvedere Tennis Camp, Tiburon Sports, ages 4-18 415.435.4792 belvederetennisclub.com

Belvedere-Tiburon Parks & Rec Department

Tiburon General, ages 3.5-15 415.435.4355 btsummercamps.com

Blue Bear School of Music

San Rafael Music, ages 9-16 415.673.3600 bluebearmusic.org

Blue Star Music Camps

San Anselmo Music, ages 13-18 415.897.1937 bluestarmusiccamps.com

Bolinas Surf Camp Sports, all ages 415.868.0264 surfbolinas.com

Camp Create Belvedere Art, ages 6-11 415.435.4501 x14

Camp Doodles, San Rafael, Mill Valley, Larkspur General, ages 4-12 415.388.4386 campdoodles.com

Camp EdTech

Corte Madera

Technology, ages 4-15 415.731.6673 campedtech.org

Camp Edventure More

Corte Madera Science, ages 4-15 415.731.6673 campedmo.org

Camp Erin, Oakland Grief Counseling, ages 6-17 415.230.6310 hbtb.org

Camp Krazy Daze, Novato

Art, ages 8+ 415.898.3100 glazydaze.com, krazykreations.com

Camp of Champions, Kentfield Sports, ages 8-16 415.464.3822 campchampions.net

Canon Kids Sports Camp, Fairfax Sports, ages 5-13 415.455.5952 maaquatics.com

Caren Horstmeyer Girls Basketball Camp Larkspur Sports, ages 7-18 415.794.4311 horstmeyerhoops.com

ROCK BAND SUMMER CAMP

June 20 – Aug 19, Mon – Fri 9am-4pm Ages 8-18 All abilities and instruments

Learn an instrument

Join a band Record a CD (415) 462-5557 • www.detrickmusicinstruction.com

Join the fun at Peekadoodle Kidsclub with cooking, crafting and bouncing around based on weekly themes designed for 3-5 year olds.

From Fairies to Superheroes, Mad Scientists to Safari Leaders, sign up for multiple weeks and keep your little one busy all Summer!

June 13-Sept 2 • Monday-Friday • 9am-1pm Mention this ad for $25 off one week.

(415) 440-7335 peekadoodlekidsclub.com

Champions Soccer Camp, Mill Valley Sports, ages 5-14 415.482.8813 championsoccercamp.com

Children’s Cottage Co-Op, Larkspur Young Child, ages 2-5 415.461.0822 cccmarin.com

Clay Camp,, San Rafael Art, ages 7+ 415.482.7612 artworksdowntown.org

Coastal Camp

Marin Headlands Environment, ages 6–15 415.332.5771 naturebridge.org

CreaTech Summer Camp San Anselmo, Larkspur General, ages 8-14 415.300.0286 create-tech.com

Dance Camp, San Rafael Dance, ages 5+ 415.499.1986 dancewithsherrystudio.com

Dance Palace Camp Point Reyes Station Dance, ages 6-14 415.663.1075 dancepalace.org

Dave Fromer’s Marin Soccer Camps Corte Madera, San Anselmo, Mill Valley, Marinwood, San Rafael Sports, ages 5-14 415.383.0320 davefromersoccer.com

Davidson Clubhouse Program, San Rafael General, ages 6-12 415.485.3790 petaluma-marinbgc.org

DG Educational Services Nicasio Nature, Ages 6-13 415.662.1099 dges.org

Dominican University

Summer Sports Camps San Rafael Sports, ages 7-12 415.482.3543 dominicanathletics.com

Doodlebug Marin

San Rafael Art, ages 4-12 415.456.5989 doodlebugmarin.com

Dynamite Baseball Camp, Larkspur Sports, ages 7-12.5 415.435.3947 dynamitebaseballcamps. sportslink.ws

Engineering and Robotics Camp, San Anselmo Science/Technology, ages 10-14 415.460.5210 play-well.org

Fast Forward Adventure Reporters Camp, San Rafael Writing 415.272.3569 fastforwardweb.com

Fiona’s Soccer Camp, Fairfax Sports, ages 5-12 415.497.8164 fionasoccercamps.com

Flying Trapeze Camp Woodacre Sports, 7-17 415.488.0708, 415.497.8459

Free Children’s Grief Support Camp Sonoma County Grief Counseling, ages 6-17 415.526.5558

Friendly Trails Equine Assisted Learning Summer Camps, Nicasio Horse, ages 6-14 415.203.6600 friendlytrails.com

Future Filmmakers Workshop, Mill Valley Film, ages 4-16 415.336.8823 futurefilmmaker.com

Green Play Sustainable Summer Camp Nature, ages 5-10 415.264.2828 maringreenplay.com

Habitat Garden Camp, Ross Nature, ages 3-11 415.455.5260 maagc.org

Higgins Summer Tennis Camps, Marin Sports, ages 3.5-18 415.963.2549 higginstennis.com

Homestead Valley Community Center Mill Valley General, ages 5-9 415.388.0128 homesteadvalley.org

Horse & Creative Activity Camp, Woodacre Horse 415.488.0454

Horsemanship Summer Camp, Novato Horse, ages 6-16 415.897.8212 willowtreestables.com

Live Oakes Theatre Camp Vallejo Theatre, ages 6-18 707.643.7819 liveoakes.com

Magical Garden Preschool Corte Madera Young Child, ages 3-7 415.945.9409 magicalgardenpreschool.com

Marin Ballet, San Rafael Dance, ages 3+ 415.453.6705 marinballet.org

Marin Christian Academy Summer Day Camp Novato General, ages 6-11 415.892.5713 summercamp.visitmca.org

Marin County 4-H, Angwin General, ages 9-14 707.996.0354 cemarin.ucdavis.edu

Marin Horizon Camp

Mill Valley General, ages 3-8 415.388.8408 x224 marinhorizon.org

Marin Primary & Middle School Summer Day Camp Larkspur Young Child, ages 2.5-4.5 415.924.2608 mpmscamps.org

Marin Shakespeare Company San Rafael, Ross, Novato, Sausalito Theatre, ages 5-19 415.499.4487 marinshakespeare.org

Marin Theatre Company

Mill Valley Theatre, ages 7–14 415.388.5200 x 3310 marintheatre.org

Marin Treks Science Camp Novato Science/Nature 415.892.3001 marintreks.com

Marin YMCA Summer Camp, San Rafael General 415.492.YMCA ymcasf.org

MasterWork Kids Art Camps & Children’s Art Studio, Corte Madera Art, ages 4-14 415.945.7945 masterworkskidsart.com

Mega Gymnastics

San Rafael Sports, Ages 5+ 415.257.6342 megagymnastics.com

Miwok Livery Summer Camps

Mill Valley Horse, ages 6-18 415.383-8048 miwokstables.com

Morning Star Farm Horse Camps, Novato Horse, ages 4.5-14 415.897.1633 morningstarfarm.info

What will your child learn this summer?

Essential Skills Workshops in: organization study skills

writing math reading foreign language

Workshops for elementary, middle, and high school students. {Ask about one-on-one tutoring, too!}

w: p: e: a:

SageEducators.com

415.388.7243 info@SageEducators.com 333 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley

Mt. Tam Bikes

Summer Camp, Mill Valley Sports, ages 8-14 415.377.9075 mttambikescamp.com

MTC Conservatory Mill Valley Theatre, ages 7+ 415.388.5200 marintheatre.org

Multi Sport Kids Camp Larkspur Sports, ages 6-12 415.924.6226 mttamrc.com

Musical-Theatre Camp San Anselmo Theatre, ages 8-18 415.453.0199 marilynizdebskiproductions.com

Musical-Theatre Camp San Anselmo Theatre, ages 8-18 415.453.0199 marilynizdebskiproductions.com

MY AMP Rock Band Summer Camp

San Rafael Music, ages 8-18 415.462.5557 detrickmusicinstruction.com

Novato Parks and Recreation Camps, Novato Sports 415.899.8200 cityofnovato.org

Operation C.H.E.F. Cooking Day Camp

San Rafael Cooking, ages 10-15 415.459.6884 x102 themyc.org

Osher Marin JCC Camp Kehilah

San Rafael General, ages 3-15 415.444.8055 marinjcc.org

Parks & Recreation Camps, Novato Sports 415.899.8200 cityofnovato.org

Parks & Recreation Programs, Mill Valley General, 4+ 415.383.1370 cityofmillvalley.org

Peekadoodle Kids Club Kids Camp

San Francisco Young kids, ages 3-5 415.440.7335 peekadoodlekidsclub.com/ pkc_kidscamp

Pine Point Cooking School, Sausalito Cooking, ages 9-15 415.332.4352 pinepointcooking.com

Planet Energy Summer Camp Marinwood, Novato Science, ages 5-14 415.899.8219, 415.507.2187 seiinc.org

Practical Martial Arts Camp Corte Madera Sports, ages 4-16 415.927.0899 practicalmartialarts.net

Pyramid Gymnastics Corte Madera Sports, ages 5+ 415.927.1240 thepyramidgym.com

Redwood High Tennis and Swim Camp, Larkspur Sports, Ages 7-14 415.453.8729 tennisinmarin.com

Robin Fryday School of Photography, Novato Art/Photography, ages 11-16 415.225.6911 robinfryday.com

Rock the Mic, Mill Valley Music, 8-18 415.218.7688 ownthemic.org

Ross Academy Montessori School Mill Valley General, ages 2-6 415.383.5777 rossacademy montessorischool.com

Morning

Mosaics

Ross Recreation Kentfield General, ages 3-14 415.453.6020 rossrecreation.org

Ross Valley Summer School, Larkspur General, ages 4+ 415.927.6746 ci.larkspur.ca.us

Sage Academy Mill Valley General/Academic, ages 11-18 415.388.7243 sageeducators.com

Sail Camp San Rafael Sports, ages 8-16 415.775.8779 sailsea.org

San Anselmo Recreation Department Camps San Anselmo General, ages 3+ 415.258.4600 townofsananselmo.org

San Anselmo Tennis Camp San Anselmo Sports, ages 7-14 415.258.4640 tennismarin.com

San Domenico Summer Day Camps

San Anselmo General, ages 5-18 415.258.1944 sandomenico.org

San Geronimo Valley Community Center Summer Day Camp

San Geronimo General, ages 5-10 415.488.8888 x210 sgvcc.org

San Rafael Young Performers Theatre, San Rafael Theatre, ages 6-16 415.485.3333 eplay.livelifelocally.com

Science Adventures Mill Valley, San Rafael, Greenbrae Science, ages 5-12 888.458.1812 discoverchampions.com

Scuba Camp, Novato Sports, ages 8-16 415.897.9962 pinnaclesdive.com

Sea Trek Kayak Camp Sausalito Sports, ages 9-11 415.488.1000 seatrek.com

Slide Ranch Summer Day Camps, Muir Beach Nature, ages 5-18 415.381.6155 slideranch.org

Stage Dor, Sausalito Dance, ages 12-18 415.339.1390 stagedor.com

Stapleton School of Performing Arts

San Anselmo Theatre/Dance, ages 3-18 415.454.5759 stapletonschool.org

Steve and Kate’s Camp San Anselmo, Kentfield, Mill Valley General, ages 4+ 415.389.5437 steveandkatescamp.com

Studio 4 Art Novato Art, ages 4-14 415.596.5546 studio4art.net

Summer Odyssey San Rafael Academic, ages 6-15 415.458.3712 dominican.edu

Summer Playground (Town Park Location) Corte Madera General, ages 5-12 415.927.5072 ci.corte-madera.ca.us

Summer Sailing Program Sausalito

Sports, ages 9-17 415.332.7400 x114 sausalitoyachtclub.org

Ross Academy MONTESSORI SCHOOL

R

Summer Mini-Camp 2011

June 20-August 12

Toddler Program 2-3 years ● Primary Program 3-6 years

Summer Swim Lessons and Camps

San Rafael Sports, ages 3+ 415.456.1153 rafaelracquetclub.com

Summer Tennis Camps

Kentfield Sports, ages 6-16 415.461.5431

Total Golf Adventures of Marin Novato Sports, ages 5-13 415.599.9478 northbay.golftga.com

Totally Tennis San Rafael Sports, ages 4-15 415.456.1837 rafaelracquetclub.com

PHihlih

Program Highlights

● 8, 6 & 4 week programs available ● Individual weeks okay

● 3-day programs (Toddlers only) ● Full and half-day programs

● Day care available 7 am— 6:15 pm

● Hourly rates available on an “as needed” basis

● “Guest Appearances” and “Special Events”

● Continuing Montessori environment

● Regular staff the entire summer & lots of outdoor fun!

7 Thomas Drive ● Mill Valley ● (415) 383-5777

Email: RossAcadmy@aol.com ● RossAcademyMontessoriSchool.com

SuperTech 2011

San Rafael Science/Technology, ages 9-13 415.472.8000 x2071 saintmarksschool.org

Susan’s Art Camp

San Rafael Art, ages 7-12 415.479.5277 tickenart.com

Sustainable Summer Camp Mill Valley General, ages 6-11 415.264.2828 maringreenplay.com

Tutu Camp Larkspur Ballet, ages 4-8 415.734.8840 tutuschool.com/camp

We Did It! Luis Quezada’s Soccer Camp San Anselmo, Fairfax Sports, ages 5-18 415.368.7353 web.me.com/luisquezada/ Marin_USA_Soccer_Camp/Marin_ USA_Soccer_Camp!.html

JCC SUMMER CAMP

Tennis/Basketball Camp Woodacre Sports, ages 6+ 415.488.4408

Tennis/Golf Camp

Wildcare Camps San Rafael Nature, ages 3-12 415.453.1000 x12 wildcarebayarea.org

TAHOE

American Dance Training Camp’s Ultimate Sierra Mountain Dance Camp

San Rafael Sports, ages 4+ 415.456.2700 marinyachtclub.com

The Marin School Summer Enrichment Program Sausalito General, ages 9-13 415.339.9336 x102 themarinschool.org

Olympic Valley, CA Sports, ages 8-17 415.666.2312 americandancetraining camp.com

The Performing Arts Academy of Marin Mill Valley Theatre, ages 5-12 415.380.0887 paamarin.com

Birkholm’s Water Ski School Lake Tahoe, CA Sports, all ages 530.573.1928

Camp Skylandia Tahoe City, CA General, ages 5-10 530.583.3796 x11 tahoekidsguide.com

Tim Bowens’s Play-Well Technologies Woodacre Technology, ages 6-10 415.488.0708 play-well.org

Dave Fromer’s Soccer Camp (Tahoe Location) North Lake Tahoe, CA Sports, ages 5-14 415.383.0320 davefromersoccer.com

Embassy Suites Lake Tahoe

Hotel & Ski Resort

South Lake Tahoe, CA

Daycare, all ages 530.544.5400 embassytahoe.com

Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe

Incline Village, NV

Daycare, ages 3-12 775.832.1234 laketahoe.hyatt.com

Lake Tahoe Kids’ Camp

South Lake Tahoe, CA General 775.782.4GYM tahoekidscamp.com

Lake Tahoe Nike Tennis Camps Tahoe City, CA

Sports, ages 9-18 415.479.6060 ussportscamps.com

Lake Tahoe Sitters Lake Tahoe, CA

Babysitting, ages up to 14 530.545.1217 laketahoesitters.com

Northstar Resort at Lake Tahoe Truckee, CA

Daycare, ages 2-6

530.562.2278 northstarattahoe.com

Pro Ambitions Hockey CampsLake Tahpro Camp

South Lake Tahoe, CA

Sports, ages 9-17

508.497.1089 proambitions.com

The Resort at Squaw Creek Olympic Valley, CA

Daycare, ages 4-12 530.583.6300 squawcreek.com

Squaw Valley High Altitude Basketball Camp Olympic Valley, CA

Sports, ages 8-18 highaltitudebball.com

Overnight Camps

American Dance Training Camps’ ULTIMATE Sierra Mountain Adventure

Olympic Valley, CA

Dance, ages 8-17 (girls only) 416.666.2312

Call of the Sea

San Francisco, CA

Sports, ages 13-16 415.331.3214 callofthesea.org

Camp Concord

South Lake Tahoe, CA

General/Family, ages 8-17+ 530.541.1203 campconcord.org

Camp Lotsafun Reno, NV

Developmental Disabilities, ages 7+ 775.827.3866 camplotsafun.com

Camp Noel Porter Tahoe City, CA

General/Religious Affiliation, ages 6-18 530.583.3014 campnoelporter.org

Camp Ocean Pines Cambria, CA

General, ages 8-15 805.927.0254 campoceanpines.org

Camp Sacramento

Twin Bridges, CA

Family, all ages 916.808.6169 cityofsacramento.org/ parksandrecreation/ campsac/contact.htm

Camp Wasiu II

Sierra City, CA

General, ages 6-17 775.332.0231 gssn.org

Camp Winnaribbun for My Dog & Me

Lake Tahoe, CA

Family/Pet, all ages 775.348.8412 campw.com

Catalina Island Camp Avalon, CA

General, ages 7-17 800.696.2267 catalinaislandcamps.com

DELICIOUS! SUMMER ART CAMPS! www.masterworkskidsart.com ~ 415.945.7945

Coastal Camp at the Headlands Institute Sausalito, CA Nature, ages 6-15 415.331.1548 naturebridge.org

Echo Lake Youth Camp Echo Lake, CA General, ages 8-13 510.981.5140

Golf Arrow Camp Lakeshore, CA General, ages 6-14 800.554.2267

Golden State Lacrosse Academy Squaw Valley, CA Sports, ages 10-18 (boys only) gs-lax.com

Kennolyn Camps Soquel, CA General, ages 6-15 831.479.6714 kennolyncamps.com

Lake Tahoe Kids’ Camp Minden, NV General, ages 6-16 775.782.4GYM tahoekidscamp.com

Lake Tahoe Music Camp Reno, NV Music, ages 10-18 775.784.4046 unr.edu/ltmc

Lake Tahoe Nike Tennis Camps Tahoe City, CA Sports, ages 9-18 415.479.6060 ussportscamps.com

Plantation Farm Camp Cazadero, CA General/Family, ages 8-17+ 707.847.3494 plantationcamp.com

Point Reyes Summer Camp Point Reyes Station, CA Adventure, ages 7-16 415.663.1200 x306 ptreyes.org

Pro Ambitions Hockey CampLake Tahpro Camp

South Lake Tahoe, CA Sports, ages 8-17 508.497.1089 proambitions.com

River Way Ranch Camp Sanger, CA General, ages 7-16 800.821.2801 riverwayranchcamp.com

Shaffer’s High Sierra Camp Sattley, CA General, ages 8-17 415.897.0316 highsierracamp.com

Squaw Valley High Altitude Basketball Camp Olympic Valley, CA Sports, ages 8-18 highaltitudebball.com

Tahoe Rim Trail Association (TRTA) Youth Backcountry Camp (& Camp Squared) Incline Village, NV Backpacking, ages 14-18 (high school) 775.298.0012 tahoerimtrail.org

Walton’s Grizzly Lodge Summer Camps Portola, CA General, ages 7-14 530.832.4834 grizzlylodge.com

Wonder Valley Family Camp Sanger, CA

General/Family, ages up to 18+ 800.821.2801 wondervalleyfamilycamp.com

YMCA Camp Jones Gulch La Honda, CA General, ages 5-19 650.747.1200 ymcasf.org/campjonesgulch

YMCA Camp Gualala Gualala, CA General, ages 5-19 510.848.9622 baymca.org

MARCH ARTS & EVENTS GUIDE

Devo at the Warfield, March 18

THEATER

Thru March 13 Angel Street A modern psychological thriller set in Victorian London, directed by Ron Nash. Company Playhouse (Novato). 415.883.4498, novatotheatercompany.org

3–27 The Homecoming Harold Pinter’s most provocative play changed the face of 20th-century drama as a power struggle ensues between father and son. American Conservatory Theater (SF). 415.749.2228, act-sf.org

5-6 Pinocchio A lively and fun tale as told by Masque Unit Jr. Theater of Marin. Showcase Theater (San Rafael). 415.499.6400, masqueunit.org

7–28 The Virgin Play Series Hear readings of scripts in progress and learn what it takes to make an idea into a play. JCCSF (SF). 415.292.1233, jccsf.org

8–April 9 Rock of Ages An arena rock love story told through some of the greatest songs of the ’80s. Curran Theatre (SF). 888.746.1799, shnsf.com

18–April 17 Quilters This family-style musical tells the story of women’s roles on the American frontier. Barn Theatre (Ross). 415.456.9555, rossvalleyplayers.com

19–27 Tall Tales A new play by Steve Yockey designed for children. This play tours local schools in March but can also be seen at the Marin Theatre Company. Lieberman Theatre (Mill Valley). 415.388.5208, marintheatre.org

26 Mark Twain Tonight Hal Holbrook is back as Mark Twain in a show that

has been a hit since it debuted in 1959. Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6400, marincenter.org

31–April 24 Fuddy Meers Playwright

David Lindsay-Abaire presents a comedy about a woman who wakes every day with no memory. Boyer Theatre (Mill Valley). 415.388.5208, marintheatre.org

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, 142throckmortontheatre.com

19 Jay and Silent Bob Get Old Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes, the stars of such films as Clerks, Mallrats and Chasing Amy, take the stage. The Warfield (SF). 415.345.0900, thewarfieldtheatre.com

DANCE

Saturdays Boomercize Classes This low-impact fitness program features dance steps and music from the American Bandstand hit parade. Marcie Judelson leads the one-hour workout. Presidio Dance Theater (SF). 415.608.4503, boomercize.com

19–26 S.F. Ballet The premiere of George Balanchine’s classic Coppélia. War Memorial Opera House (SF). 415.865.2000, sfballet.org

MUSIC

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

Thru June 25 SF Jazz Spring Season

Jake Shimabukuro, Randy Newman, Rickie Lee Jones, Tony Bennett and Buddy Guy are just a few of the many acts scheduled to play during the five-month-long concert series. 415.398.5655, sfjazz.org

ART, RITUAL, PERFORMANCE

THRU SEPTEMBER 11

Find out why the Indonesian island of Bali is widely known as one of the most vibrant centers of both visual and performing arts in the world.

Asian Art Museum (SF). 415.581.3500, asianart.org

3–6 S.F. Symphony Michael Tilson Thomas conducts music by Paul Hindemith and Johannes Brahms while soprano Anne Sofie von Otter offers a selection of Scandinavian songs. Davies Symphony Hall (SF). 415.864.6000, sfsymphony.org

5 The 5 Browns This all-American group of brothers and sisters are each virtuoso concert pianists. Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6400, the5browns.com

5, 19 Ali Akbar College of Music Hear the music of North India at this winter concert series. AACM (San Rafael). 415.454.6264, aacm.org

11 Hot Tuna Blues Former Jefferson Airplane members Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady are joined by Charlie Musselwhite and Jim Lauderdale. A postshow party benefits Friends of the Marin

Center. Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6400, friendsofmarincenter.org

11–13 Mill Valley Philharmonic The Philharmonic plays Schubert with Dr. Craig Singleton and the Winifred Baker Chorale. Also on the bill is a special performance from concerto competition winners. Various locations in Marin. millvalleyphilharmonic.org

12 Clay Aiken The former American Idol star performs songs from his new album. The Warfield (SF). 415.345.0900, thewarfieldtheatre.com

13 Ives Quartet Chamber music focusing on established masterworks as well as underappreciated pieces. The group takes its name from its inspiration, American composer Charles Ives. United Methodist Church (Mill Valley). 415.381.4453, chambermusicmillvalley.org

13, 15 Marin Symphony This mixed program features symphonic dances from West Side Story, a new piece from local composer Nathaniel Stookey and music from the Marin Symphony Chorus. Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6400, marinsymphony.org

18 Devo The Ohio-based art rock band is through being cool. The Warfield (SF). 415.345.0900, thewarfieldtheatre.com

18 Turtle Island Quartet The two-time Grammy-winning quartet takes on the Jimi Hendrix catalog. Showcase Theater (San Rafael). 415.499.6400, turtleislandquartet.com

20 Cavalcade of Stars Support music in school and enjoy the sounds of the San Francisco Opera and Opera Orchestra. Showcase Theater (San Rafael). 415.499.6400, marincenter.org

27 Guest Concert Series The series continues with Philharmonia Baroque Musicians Lisa Weiss and Joseph Edelberg. Dominican University of California (San Rafael). 415.257.0128, dominican.edu

GALLERIES

MARIN

Acacia Gallery Work from California artists such as Kathleen Lipinski, Steve Emery, Laura Culver and Birgitta Kappe. 4162 Redwood Hwy, San Rafael. 415.479.3238, acaciagallery.net

Art Abloom Studio and Gallery Artwork on display and classes. 1527 San Anselmo Ave, San Anselmo. 415.256.1112, artabloom.com

Art Bar Molinar Works by emerging and established artists. 34 Main St, Tiburon. 415.435.5999, theartbar.us

Art Works Downtown San Rafael art walk, March 11. 1337 Fourth St, San Rafael. 415.451.8119, artworksdowntown.org

Barefoot Art Gallery RHAG, film by Roy Gover plus the ceramic art and sculpture of Christopher Dworin. 20 Sunnyside Ave, Mill Valley. 415.384.0104, barefootartgallery.com

Claudia Chapline Gallery Contemporary art from Northern California. 3445 Shoreline Hwy, Stinson Beach. 415.868.2308, cchapline.com

Donna Seager Gallery Mixed media and paintings from Michael Cutlip, thru March 16. 851 Fourth St, San Rafael. 415.454.4229, donnaseagergallery.com

Falkirk Cultural Center Can Do Art inspired by the can, including cowboy boots crafted from flattened red, white and blue Budweiser cans, thru March 12. 1408 Mission Ave, San Rafael. 415.485.3438, falkirkculturalcenter.org

Gallery Bergelli Chilean Artists Group Show Work by various artists. 483 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur. 415.945.9454, bergelli.com

Gallery Route One Reflections on Water Artists reflect on contemporary issues of

global warming, acid rain, water consumption and tides, thru April 3. 11101 Hwy One, Point Reyes Station. 415.663.1347, galleryrouteone.org

Marin Society of Artists Dance, Music and Flowers An exhibit chaired by Yvonne Brown and Lisa Guthrie. 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Ross. 415.454.9561, marinsocietyofartists.org

Mona Lease Gallery Group show of gallery artists, thru March. 39 Greenbrae Boardwalk, Greenbrae. 415.461.3718, monalease.net

Northbay ArtWorks Studios and materials for artists. 7049 Redwood Blvd, Ste 208, Novato. 415.892.8188, northbayartworks. com

O’Hanlon Center for the Arts Social Networks and Alternate Realities A juried show. 616 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley. 415.388.4331, ohanloncenter.org

Robert Allen Fine Art Works on Paper A group exhibition featuring seven artists and limited-edition prints, thru March 31. 301 Caledonia St, Sausalito. 415.331.2800, robertallenfineart.com

Robert Beck Gallery Early California and contemporary plein air paintings on display. 222 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, San Anselmo. 415.456.7898, beckgallery.org

Robert Green Fine Arts Ongoing work. 154 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley. 415.381.8776, rgfinearts.com

Rock Hill Gallery Oils on canvas by Christopher Olsen, thru April 28. 145 Rock Hill Drive, Tiburon. 415.935.9108, ccctiburon.org

Sam the Butcher Paintings from Deborah Bertola. 19 Ross Common, Ross. 415.902.1019, samthebutcherart.org

Smith Andersen North An exhibit of color photography, thru March 31. 20 Greenfield Ave, San Anselmo. 415.455.9733, smithandersennorth.com

Studio 333 “Why There Are Words,” literary series on the second Thursday of the month; “Sunset Poetry by the Bay” every third

Wednesday. 333A Caledonia St, Sausalito. 415.331.8272, studio333.info

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

Sujaro: Gallery of African Art A large collection of antique and ancient artifacts. 11 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley. 415.362.6601, sujaro.com

The Image Flow Work by local photographers. 401 Miller Ave, Ste F, Mill Valley. 415.388.3569, theimageflow.com

Tomales Fine Art Contemporary art including landscapes, classic still lifes and figurative work. 27050 Maine St, Tomales. 707.878.2525, tomalesfineart.com

SAN FRANCISCO

ArtHaus World Piece Monoprints with chine colle by Fulbright Scholar and world traveller Suzanne Benton. 411 Brannan St, 415.977.0223, arthaus-sf.com

Berggruen Gallery The Art of Giving Paintings by various artists. 228 Grant Ave, 415.781.4629, berggruen.com

Cain Schulte Gallery West Coast debut of video and performance art by Eva and Franco Mattes. 251 Post St, 415.543.1550, cainschulte.com

Caldwell Snyder Gallery Work by Josep Cisquella, thru March 11. 341 Sutter St, 415.296.7896, caldwellsnyder.com

Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery Fresh Paint Paintings by various artists; works on paper and canvas by Sam Francis. 49 Geary St, 415.981.1080, eesgallery.com

Gallery 291 Work from photographer Ferit Kuyas, who was born in Istanbul, Turkey in 1955. 291 Geary St, 415.291.9001, gallery291.net

George Krevsky Gallery Important Artworks Work from various artists in mixed media including painting, drawing and sculpture. 77 Geary St, 415.397.9748, georgekrevskygallery.com

Gregory Lind Gallery Drawings and paintings by Richard Baker and Tom Burckhardt, thru March 12. 49 Geary St, 415.296.9661, gregorylindgallery.com

Josh Hardy Galleries Early California and American fine art on display. 3350 Sacramento St, 415.345.1832, hardygalleries.com

Meyerovich Gallery Works on paper by Frank Stella. Stella is painter and printmaker born in Malden, Massachusetts in 1936. 251 Post St, 415.421.7171, meyerovich.com

Paul Mahder Gallery Identity: In Formation Photographs by Renee Billingslea. 3378 Sacramento St, 415.474.7707, paulmahdergallery.com

Rena Bransten Gallery Pure Paper, thru March 12. 77 Geary St, 415.982.3292, renabranstengallery.com

Weinstein Gallery Rolph Scarlett Retrospective Work from a member of the American non-objective school of art. 301 Geary St, 415.362.8151, weinstein.com

Gyorgy Pataki, MD INTERNAL MEDICINE

Christine Jacobson, MD DERMATOLOGY

Inessa Gofman, MD PEDIATRICS

MUSEUMS

MARIN

Bay Area Discovery Museum Tim Cain performs a sing-along concert where children as well as parents can participate, March 12 (Sausalito). 415.339.3958, baykidsmuseum.org

Bolinas Museum Mithila Women Painters of India New work, thru April 17 (Bolinas). 415.868.0330, bolinasmuseum.org

Marin History Museum Come see examples of local history from the museum’s 75 years of collecting community artifacts (Boyd Gate House). 415.454.8538, marinhistory.org

Marin Museum of Contemporary Art Work from emerging artists of the Bay Area, March 5–April 10 (Novato). 415.506.0137, marinmoca.com

Marin Museum of the American Indian Situated on an actual site of a Miwok village, the museum is devoted to displaying

local Native American culture (Novato). 415.897.4064, marinindian.com

BAY AREA

Asian Art Museum Bali: Art, Ritual, Performance Find out why the Indonesian island is widely known as one of the most vibrant centers of both visual and performing arts in the world, thru September 11 (SF). 415.581.3500, asianart.org

California Academy of Sciences Toddler Tuesdays Bring your young one every Tuesday for a special story time or craft activity designed for toddlers ages 1–3. (SF). 415.379.8000, calacademy.org

Conservatory of Flowers The annual Garden Railway Exhibition is back, thru March 13 (SF). 415.831.2090, conservatoryofflowers.org

Contemporary Jewish Museum Curious George Saves the Day: The Art of Margret and H. A. Rey The exhibition features nearly 80 original drawings of the famous monkey and other characters as well as a look at the

Reys’ escape from Nazi Europe, thru March 13 (SF). 415.655.7800, thecjm.org

de Young Olmec: Colossal Masterworks of Ancient Mexico The Olmec, America’s oldest civilization, developed an iconic and sophisticated artistic style that included the creation of colossal heads carved from giant boulders. See more than 100 examples of this unique artistic style, thru May 8 (SF). 415.750.3600, thinker.org

di Rosa Preserve Surviving Paradise/ Sobreviviendo el Paraíso Curator Robert Wuilfe brings together new and recent works by Bay Area artist Enrique Chagoya, thru April 16 (Napa). 707.226.5991, dirosapreserve.org

Exploratorium Learn about science and how the world works with hands-on exhibits and demonstrations (SF). 415.397.5673, exploratorium.edu

Legion of Honor Pulp Fashion: The Art of Isabelle de Borchgrave Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave works with leading costume historians and young fashion designers to

LINK WORKS

- Clothing for Life -

create pieces using only paper, thru June 5 (SF). 415.750.3600, legionofhonor.org

Museum of the African Diaspora Textural Rhythms: Constructing the Jazz Tradition, Contemporary African American Quilts The work of quilt makers from across the country is on display, thru April 24 (SF). 415.358.7200, moadsf.org

San Francisco Museum of Craft and Folk Art CreateRelate Workshops and exhibits from Oakland’s Creative Growth Art Center, thru June 5 (SF). 415.227.4888, mocfa.org

SFMOMA New Work: Anna Parkina The artist’s new work draws on mass-culture imagery to reflect on the changes in Moscow since the collapse of the Soviet Union, thru May 22 (SF). 415.357.4000, sfmoma.org

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Atlacualo (The Ceasing of Water) The role water plays in the mythology and culture of ancient peoples is examined in this multimedia performance, March 10–12 (SF). 415.978.2787, ybca.org

EVENTS

3 Novato Housing Coalition Enjoy music from Dr. Elmo and Wild Blue at this special fundraising concert. Next Key Center (Novato). 415.898.7730, novatohousingcoalition.org

3–6 Pacific Orchid Exposition More than 150,000 orchids are on display at this 59th annual event. Fort Mason Center (SF). 415.665.2468, orchidsanfrancisco.org

4–26 Repo Art Show The Arts Guild of Sonoma presents a show featuring works made from reclaimed or reused materials. All donated works are for sale. Arts Guild Gallery (Sonoma). 707.996.3115, artsguildreposhow.org

5 Sample Sale Stop by the Marin Store sample sale for deals on hundreds of products from local producers at this oneday-only event. Bon Air Shopping Center (Greenbrae). 415.332.4800, themarinstore.com

5 Day at the Movies Enjoy a day at the movies with your family, see Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and help benefit Marin Charitable. Lark Theater (Larkspur). 415.924.5111, larktheater.net

7, 10 Arianna Huffington The founder of the Huffington Post shares her thoughts on the new media and the role technology plays in how the public accesses news. Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, speakerseries.net

8 Speak to Me Enjoy food and wine tastings while listening to conversation from successful Bay Area women. Community Center (Mill Valley). 415.888.2329, speaktomeevents.com

12 Run for the Seals Help sick, injured and orphaned marine mammals. This four-mile run or two-mile walk benefits the Marine Mammal Center. Rodeo Beach (Sausalito). 415.289.7325, runfortheseals.org

15 Distinguished Citizen Award Dinner

This dinner and award ceremony features leaders in the arts, academia, business, philanthropy and more and helps raise funds for the Commonwealth Club of California. Palace Hotel (SF). 415.869.5909, commonwealthclub.org

17, 25 NT Live See Frankenstein live from the National Theater in London. Lark Theater (Larkspur). 415.924.5111, larktheater.net

18–20 Geography of Hope Enjoy literary conversations, public art installations and field trips to farms, wetlands and wilderness areas in the surrounding countryside as part of this unique conference. Point Reyes Books (Point Reyes Station). 415.663.1542, ptreyesbooks.com

19 Fairfax Brewfest Enjoy beer from a variety of local breweries at this 16th annual event. Fairfax Pavilion (Fairfax). fairfaxbrewfest.com

19 Annual Fashion Show The Marin Catholic High School’s annual fashion show features a 1960s look as well unique gift items, live and silent auctions and dancing. Exhibit Hall (San Rafael). 415.464.3800, marincatholic.org

Time to do It. Call the bay area’s premier cosmetic medical clinic to clear, firm & lift:

Crows feet

Crepey cheeks

Acne scars

Expression lines

Neck bands & loose skin

Facial spots and Rosacea Lines and wrinkles

Lines above the lips

Thinning lips

Chin skin irregularity “Smile” lines (parentheses)

Leg veins

Hand spots & veins

Unwanted hair (anywhere)

All treatments by MD

MARCH READING

BY JIM WOOD

The Art of Thomas Quinn by Thomas Quinn, Cameron Publications, $70. “More than a beautiful coffee table book,” writes a reviewer, “it is insight into the aesthetic of a fully functioning nature artist.” Audubon-like paintings of plants and animals of the Northern California coast by a Point Reyes Station artist.

The Worry Solution: Using Breakthrough Brain Science to Turn Stress and Anxiety Into Confidence and Happiness by Martin Rossman, M.D., Random House, $23.99. Is worry bad for you? Do women worry more than men? How can I relax my mind? These and similar questions are answered by this Greenbrae physician.

Donald by Eric Martin and Stephen Elliott, McSweeney’s, $12 (paperback). Call it a “companion” book to Donald Rumsfeld’s long-awaited memoir, Known and Unknown. Donald is fiction based on the former defense secretary’s many disasters. Clue to content: cover art has Rumsfeld in an orange prison jumpsuit.

Navigating the Course: A Man’s Place in His Time by David Fenshel, $25. Memoir by 87-year-old Redwoods resident, a respected academic, could be the last of its kind. Born to Eastern European emigrants, he lived in the Bronx during the Depression, then was an air force navigator aboard a World War II bomber.

19-20, 30 Live from the Met Experience works from the Metropolitan Opera House live in high definition. This month, Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti. Lark Theater (Larkspur). 415.924.5111, larktheater.net

21 Marin Women’s Hall of Fame The 23nd annual gala and celebration honors nine women leaders and features dinner, a silent auction and reception. Embassy Suites (San Rafael). 415.455.4900, marinwomenshalloffame.org

24 Marin Farm Day More than 1,000 school-age children get hands-on educational experiences from local ranchers, growers, producers and educators at this 25th annual event. Children can also participate in essay, art and classroom mural contests Exhibit Hall (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, marincenter.org

24 An Evening With Michael Pollan Pollan discusses the cost that has come by replacing the energy of the sun with energy from fossil fuels in modern agriculture and how shifting back to solar energy

can solve many of society’s problems. Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6800, michaelpollan.com

31 Summer Camp Fair Learn about the best summer camps in Marin including day camps as well as overnight camps. Dominican University (San Rafael). 415.215.4760, marincampfair.com

NATURE WALKS/TALKS

5, 26 Sunset Hike and Dine Join this local club for a monthly two-hour hike on moderate to steep trails on Mount Tamalpais with a mid-hike wine and cheese break. Mountain Home Inn (Mill Valley). 415.331.0100, meetup.com/sunsethike

16 Marin Scuba Club Nathan Colbert discusses diving in Australia and Tasmania. The Flatiron Saloon (San Rafael). 415.456.5628, marinscuba.org

19 Moonlight Hike Join the Marin Moonshiners for a monthly three-mile hike to experience the sunset, moonrise and a

picnic. Reservations required. Meet other people interested in the great outdoors. Pelican Inn Pub (Muir Beach). 415.331.0100, meetup.com/moonshinershike

26 WildCare Family Adventures Meet creatures that live in trees, such as banana slugs and woodpeckers. WildCare provides care for ill, orphaned or injured wild animals. Muir Woods Monument (Mill Valley). 415.453.1000, wildcarebayarea.org

26 Sunset Hike and Dine Join this local club for a monthly two-hour hike on moderate to steep trails on Mount Tamalpais. Reservations required. Meet other people interested in the great outdoors.. Mountain Home Inn (Mill Valley). 415.331.0100, meetup.com/sunsethike

RETAIL THERAPY

10 SkinSpirit Learn how to care for your skin and correct signs of sun damage and aging at this special event. 800 Redwood Hwy (Mill Valley). 866.323.0039, skinspirit.com

MARIN ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Child Abuse Prevention Council (CAPC)

INVITES YOU

to help us celebrate all the Heroes for Children in Marin at a gala evening of dinner, auctions and awards with Master of Ceremonies Michael Pritchard.

SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 2011

6:00 pm Stone Tree Golf Club, Novato Tickets: $150

Tickets are going quickly. Visit www.marinadvocates.org for more information or call Mollie at (415) 507-9016 or email mollie@marinadvocates.org

PARTIAL SPONSOR LIST

Autodesk, Johnson & Daly Moving and Storage, Bank of Marin, Circle Bank, Cyndy Doherty, All California Mortgage, John Kikuchi and Carolyn Jones, Mollie Stone’s Markets, Mollie Squires and David Spaulding, Artesa Winery, Bay Club, Cline Cellars, Design Build Specialists, Inc., Discovery Museum, DJ Chinese Cuisine, Frantoio Ristorante, ITK Culinary, Laughlin Designs, Marin Theatre Company, Mill Valley Body Kinetics, Mill Valley Car Wash, Mill Valley Fire Department, Mill Valley Inn, Milvali Salon, Novato Fire Department, Claude and Kathy Perasso, Polly Ann Bakery, Starry Night Winery, Sweet Things, The Pelican Inn, Wellington’s Wine Bar, Yet Wah

All Proceeds to benefit Marin Advocates for Children and its programs serving the abused and neglected children in Marin County through CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and CAPC (The Child Abuse Prevention Council)

Find us on

Marine Layer

Bay Area

coastal living has never been more au courant. Not only is spring fashion and decor rich with maritime hues of aquatic blues, sandy beiges, seaweed greens and pearly creams, but

we’re also returning to the elements of salt and sea with simple pleasures enjoyed at home, like spirulina-rich soaks in the tub and brunch al fresco.

silk femme fingerless mitts

Long fingerless mitts keep the wearer warm while allowing fingers to be free. Made of a lovely wild silk, these cabled mittens are shown in Natural (more colors available online).

12” L • 1748 $124

tessa necklace

A statement piece with everyday wear potential, Gold & Citrus’ Tessa Necklace features layered antiqued copper curb and figure eight chains and freshwater pearls, finished with a 14K gold fill clasp. 16”-18” L • 1700 $86

circle pillow in grey

With its cool bluegrey print, Out-NIn’s Circle Pillow is perfect for updating interiors with a subtle nautical look. Made of Out-N-In’s signature outdoor-ready polyester, this pillow is 100% machine washable. 24” SQ • 1750 $100

fan coral earrings

A lace-like sea fan is translated into a bold yet delicate earring. This lightweight sterling silver pair from Sarah Swell will transition effortlessly from turtleneck weather to balmy summer days.

1 ½” L X 1 ¼” W • 475 $170

melissa

A seriously stylish sandal, ANYI LU’s Melissa features bands of navy suede and silver nappa leather, a buckled python printed sling back and a 3” wrapped heel. The Melissa offers Anyi Lu’s signature couture comfort, handmade in Italy using old world Sacchetto construction. • 1752 $395

MIMI THE SARDINE | SAN RAFAEL

blue herring tablecloth

Perfect for an al fresco brunch, Mimi the Sardine’s Blue Herring Tablecloth makes mealtimes stylish and stress-free. These easy to wipe off, machine washable linen/cotton blend tablecloths are finished with an ecologically sound acrylic coating. More sizes available online. 56” X 56” • 1751 $79

MENK | SAN FRANCISCO

herringbone wool military sportcoat

An urban jacket with a distinct vintage flair, MENK’s Wool Military Sportcoat features a slim fit, button front and epaulets at the shoulders. Available in a camel wool blend. US SIZES S-XL • 1749 $250

ANYI LU | TIBURON

blade hoop earrings

Classic hoops infused with a delicate organic shape, Kris Nations’ lightweight and versatile Blade Earrings go easily from day to night. Available in recycled sterling silver or recycled 14k gold filled (shown). 2 ¼” DIA • 1755 $89

floral pin in mint

Vintage glamour gets a modern update with Liz Palacios’ Floral Pin in Mint. This brooch features a Swarovski mint alabaster stone encircled by clear Swarovski crystals, antiqued filigreed brass and a dozen creamy green hand painted enamel petals. 2 ⅞” DIA • 1758 $79

acacia teal set

Relax in style with Mette Vangso’s Acacia Teal Set. This set includes Mette’s Monroe Eye Catcher, filled with organic flax seed and natural lavender and chamomile flowers, and the Classic, a neck/body pillow filled with organic buckwheat and natural lavender flowers. Both items can be heated or cooled for a relaxing spa day at home; more colors and a la carte items available online. • 1754 $76

tsunami bath fizzer

Wave goodbye to stress and strain with sumbody’s Tsunami Bath Fizzer. A soft cascade of champagne-like bubbles emerges as the fizzer dissolves, infusing your bath with a wave of healing ingredients like pure Kaolin clay to purify and draw toxins out of the body, and nutrient-rich green tea and spirulina. More bath fizzers available online. • 1757 $5.95

cluster druzy earrings

Make a statement for spring with Isharya’s stunning Cluster Druzy Earrings. These 18k gold plated beauties feature a very now palette of green turquoise, coral and amethyst gems. Handcrafted using unique stones, no two pairs are identical. 2” L

• 1753 $263

fresh rosemary & sage salt

Intense rosemary and sage aromas combine with fresh garlic and hints of black pepper to create a versatile accompaniment to your favorite savory dishes. Full of fresh herbs, this salt blend from Woody’s Gourmet bursts with a complexity that may surprise you. 3.2 OZ

• 1756 $9.99

rodeo beach

Tim Porter’s landscapes of Marin County embrace its natural beauty, geographic diversity and convergence of city, sea and sky. Rodeo Beach is available as an exhibition quality, 12-color Giclee print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag paper. Prints are unframed. • 621

11” X 16” $150 16” X 24” $225

20” X 30” $300 24” X 36” $400

TIM PORTER

PHOTOGRAPHY

Around Town

Recently, 20 Bank of Marin employees volunteered at the Marin Food Bank, packing hundreds of food boxes. Bank of Marin also presented a $5,000 check to the nonprofit.

Karen Garbarino.

Over 350 guests enjoyed the 5th annual San Francisco Social, which raised money to benefit KIPP Bay Area Schools, a network of private college preparatory schools for underprivileged children. Left, Molly, Kelly, Kaitlyn and John Landers.

PHOTO: KIPP/DREW

Left,

The Marin Brain Injury Network celebrated its 25th anniversary with an event to support the Karen G. Schurig Scholarship Fund, which will help those living with brain injuries and their families. Above, Keith Rosenthal, Patricia Cahill, Joyce Kleiner, Patricia Gill; right, Gary Ragghianti and Joan Ryan.

Recently, Sausalito’s Gene Hiller boutique held its annual party benefiting the American Cancer Society. Guests were treated to a fashion show, fabulous food and drinks and music from Italian tenor Pasquale Esposito. Right, Wayne Kaleck, Tom Gangitano, Gene Hiller, Franco Aulicino, Jaime Acuna, Derrick Stith, Peter Domenici, Mitch Gee.

Tutu School gathered its dancers and their families for an annual celebration at its Marin Country Mart location. The party included delicious treats catered by Sweet Peony, arts and crafts and a special appearance by the Sugar Plum Fairy. Left, Kristin Chotai, Ava Chotai, Genevieve Custer Weeks, Sullivan Weeks.

Global Green USA celebrated its sixth annual Gorgeous and Green benefit party at the LEEDcertified W Hotel. Co-chaired by Marin’s Zem Joaquin and Nadine Weil, the event raised nearly $300,000 to benefit Global Green’s initiatives, including its groundbreaking work to create green affordable housing and schools for low-income families. Far left, Zem Joaquin, Anna Getty, Nadine Weil; left, Karen Caldwell, Heidi Pettit.

In keeping with the holiday spirit of giving, Private Ocean provided tickets and transportation for residents of AlmaVia San Rafael’s assisted senior living community to attend the San Francisco Nutcracker Suite. Above, Dick and Pat Hall, Donene Blair, Regina and Joe Devine, Lucy Miller, Lane Sorrelle.

Deals on Meals

Enjoy local restaurants and save 30 percent on meals. Check out the participating restaurants in our “Deals on Meals” section and experience big savings. Spend only $35 for a dining certificate worth $50. Simply go to marinmagazine.com/dineout to purchase a dining certificate from a restaurant in this section and we will mail it to you. Try a new restaurant or purchase a certificate for an old favorite. A perfect gift for any occasion. Limited supply each month. Dine local — save big time!

Sausalito,CA cibosausalito.com spend only $35 for a $50 dining certificate from participating restaurants

Fresh things are happening in Greenbrae* with bistro vis à vis and its up-and-coming new chef Mike Fredsall. Come in and enjoy his seasonal and innovative menu and appetizer specials

by the glass until 6! *Anne Haight, Marin IJ

Cibo = Food We are open breakfast and lunch serving seasonally inspired food sourced locally from farmers and purveyors whom dedicate themselves to their products’ quality. Cibo serves Blue Bottle Coffee, House Made Panini, Savories, Pastries and Desserts in a contemporary dining

Frantoio tantalizes your taste buds with it’s authentic Italian cuisine. Serving locally produced fruit, vegetables, seafoods and meats the restaurant supports the local economy wherever possible whilst remaining loyal to its Tuscan roots. Enjoy fantastic salads, pasta, pizza and entrees in an elegant yet relaxed setting.

Frantoio Ristorante

152ShorelineHighway

Hilltop 1892 is a comfortable historic estate with sweeping 10 mile views. Dine where traditional favorites meet refreshing California style. Enjoy our specialty cocktails in a fireplace lounge with flat screen TVs. The Hilltop is the perfect location for your next business lunch, romantic dinner or Sunday Brunch.

Hilltop 1892

415.289.5777

MillValley,CA frantoio.com

Il Fornaio offers an authentic Italian dining experience Specialties include artisan cocktails, an award-winning wine list, housemade pastas, fresh salads and soups, a wide variety of desserts, and fresh baked bread. Each month, a special regional dinner menu is featured. Groups of all sizes are welcome!

Il Fornaio

223CorteMaderaTownCtr

850LamontAvenue

415.893.1892 Novato,CA hilltop1892.com

Acknowledge your craving for P.F. Chang’s! Our menu features a variety of dishes you won’t find anywhere else like Chang’s Lettuce Wraps and Mongolian Beef. View our menu, reserve a table or order online at pfchangs.com. Join us for Happy Hour from 3pm-6pm everyday!

®

P.F. Chang’s

415.927.4400

CorteMadera,CA ilfornaio.com

In Japanese, Robata means “by the fireside” and refers to the grill-style cooking of northern

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

591RedwoodHwy.

415.381.8400 MillValley,CA robatagrill.com

301CorteMaderaTownCenter

415.413.9890 CorteMadera,CA pfchangs.com

Peddler

100YachtClubDrive

415.460.6669 SanRafael,CA seafoodpeddler.com

Japanese

Peddler

Marin

SEA Thai Bistro in Corte Madera. Flavors of Thai and neighboring countries infused in each dish using organic and local sustainable products. Chef Tony Ounpamornchai creates each plate with pride of his native Thai at heart.

SantaRosa,CA

Petaluma,CA

CorteMadera,CA

707.528.8333

707.766.6633

415.927.8333 seathaibistrosr.com

The Counter offers a mouth-watering list of ingredients giving you 312,120+ combinations to build your own unique 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 2010.

The Counter 201TownCenter

415.924.7000 CorteMadera,CA thecounterburger.com

Perched on the Sausalito waterfront , Horizons offers diners spectacular views and a classic Northern California menu featuring fresh seafood, steaks, pasta and seasonal specialties. Deck dining, a full bar and an extensive wine list also make Horizons a favorite destination for bayside cocktails and aperitifs.

Horizons 558Bridgeway

415.331.3232

Sausalito,CA horizonssausalito.com

Located on Tiburon’s charming waterfront, Servino Ristorante has delighted locals and visitors for over 30 years. Come enjoy wonderful views of the San Francisco Bay and experience “la dolce vita”! Visit us online for the weekly live music schedule and information about our Banquet Room.

Servino Ristorante 9MainStreet

415.435.2676 Tiburon,CA servino.com

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Irish Soda Bread

One of (only) 500 tested recipes BY

MIMI TOWLE

To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year, we’re turning to Tom Hudgens’s new cookbook, The Commensense Kitchen, 500 Recipes and Lessons for a Hand-crafted Life, published last fall by Chronicle Books. A former professional chef, Hudgens now teaches cooking at College of Marin as well as keeps up with his blog, The Whole Hog, a foodie’s food blog. We caught up with him to learn a bit more about his passion for cooking and this Irish Soda bread recipe in particular.

Have you always loved cooking? When I was growing up in Texas and New Mexico, food was always a big part of every holiday. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love cooking. My mom has always been a wonderful cook, and my grandmother and aunts were, too. Although I was a professional chef for many years, home cooks have always been my chief source of inspiration. Many recipes in the cookbook are named after people: Joan’s Irish Soda Bread; Reatha’s Macaroni & Cheese; My Mother’s Enchiladas; Mama Nell’s Kentucky Bourbon Balls; Jack’s Buttermilk Pancakes, etc.

How long have you been at College of Marin? Three and a half years. I work in the instructional support office where we compile schedules and catalogs, etc. I began teaching cooking classes

through College of Marin’s Adult Community Education division last summer.

How did you narrow it down to 500 recipes? Well, there are many ways to count recipes…! When I was writing the book, I tried to include my entire “repertoire,” with a special emphasis on what I cooked at Deep Springs, an all-male liberal arts college, where I was both a student and chef. I wanted the book to have a good mix of “everyday” and “special-occasion” recipes.

How did you find your Irish Bread Recipe? My friend and College of Marin co-worker Joan Rinaldi brings in this bread every St. Patrick’s Day as a treat for the whole office. I thought it would round out the array of recipes in the breakfast baking chapter, so I asked her if I could put it in the book!

What do you like to serve with this bread? When it’s warm out of the oven, this soda bread is great with just a cup of tea! But it would be delicious for breakfast with butter and marmalade, alongside soft-boiled eggs, Irish bacon, steel-cut oatmeal, I really like it toasted and buttered the next day. It makes excellent creamcheese sandwiches, too.

Did it really take you 12 years to write the book? I worked on early (self-published) versions of the book during the three years I cooked at Deep Springs (beginning in 1998)—it was a gift to the graduates at Deep Springs each year — a cookbook to start them out on their adult lives! After I left Deep Springs in 2001, I set the project aside for several years, then resumed work on it in 2006. Chronicle Books accepted it for publication in early 2009, and it came out in fall of 2010. So, yes, the book took shape over a 12year period, but it was about seven years of active work.

JOAN’S IRISH SODA BREAD

MAKES ONE LARGE LOAF

If you’ve never tasted caraway seeds in anything but rye bread, you’ll be surprised at their entirely different character, with raisins, in this lightly sweetened soda bread. For the most tender texture, don’t overmix the batter—combine the dry and wet ingredients just until there is no dry flour left. Joan, who makes many loaves of this soda bread every St. Patrick’s Day, mixes for only as long as it takes to say an “Our Father,” a “Hail Mary,” and a “Glory Be.”

3 cups all-purpose flour C/d cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs

2 tablespoons caraway seeds

2 tablespoons canola oil or other vegetable oil

1 B/c cups raisins

Heat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour two medium (four-cup) loaf pans. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk the buttermilk, eggs, caraway seeds, and oil together in a medium bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients, and sprinkle the raisins over. Sweeping your whisk thoroughly over the bottom of the bowl, mix the batter only until uniform; do not over mix. Scrape into the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the soda bread rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

S ANDRA B IRD D ESIGNS

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DINE OUT

CORTE MADERA

BENISSIMO Italian Benissimo means “really really good” in Italian. Besides their daily 4–7 happy hour where drinks range from $3–$5 and small plates $5–$7 this popular family style (and family run) eatery has something happening every night of the week. Monday: happy hour all day, Tuesday: free corkage, Wednesday: Martini night and Thursday: live jazz. From margherita pizza to veal parmigiana to mocha mud pie, Benissimo serves a taste of Italy in a casual neighborhood venue. 18 Tamalpais Dr, 415.927.2316, benissimos.com

BRICK & BOTTLE California Sourcing local and artisan ingredients, executive chef Scott Howard brings simple California cuisine to Corte Madera’s Brick & Bottle, opened May 2010. With a cheerful vibe that resonates in the restaurant’s comfortable design, Brick & Bottle features a large bar area, beautiful outdoor patio and family-friendly dining. 55 Tamal Vista Blvd, 415.924.3366, brickandbottle.com

IL FORNAIO Italian Sausalito’s Larry Mindel hit a home run with this upscale Italian 23-restaurant franchise. Besides the award-winning breads, pizzas and pastas, the menu boasts a variety of salads and noncarb entrées. 223 Corte Madera Town Ctr, 415.927.4400, ilfornaio.com

MARIN JOE’S Italian Pasta and other Italian dishes have been served here for over 50 years. Pick from soup, salad, seafood mesquite-grilled or sautéed meats and over 10 pasta options guaranteed to satisfy. Have a drink and hear local musicians at the well-known piano bar. 1585 Casa Buena Dr, 415.924.2081, marinjoesrestaurant.com

PACIFIC CATCH Pan-Asian This well-priced fresh grill eatery offers a bounty of Pacific Rim –inspired small or main plates, like the generously portioned wasabi bowls filled with rice (white or brown), veggies and your choice of cooked or raw fish, chicken or beef. 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 an attentive staff, lively atmosphere and consistently delicious meals makes for a solid dining experience. Items like the lettuce wraps and Mongolian beef keep the customers loyal. 301 Corte Madera Town Ctr, 415.413.9890, pfchangs.com

RICK’S WINE CELLAR California This one-room bar and wine shop is located in the same spot where Marin’s first wine bar opened back in 1988.

Now it’s owned and operated by Marin natives Rick and Candy Mendell, whose customers call it the “Cheers of Corte Madera.” Offerings include a glass, a flight or a 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 works to infuse Thai and other Asian flavors with American tastes to create innovate dishes. The eatery, which uses sustainable and local ingredients when possible, also offers an extensive wine list. 60 Corte Madera, 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 known for all-natural Angus beef (humanely raised and handled, of course) turkey, chicken or veggie burgers, the menu offers options like a bowl (all the ingredients without the bun) or salads. Cheeses range from herb goat cheese spread, gruyère or plain ol’ cheddar; toppings and sauces are equally varied. And if you wanted a martini with your burger, no problem they have a full bar. 201 Corte Madera Town Center 415.924.700, thecounterburger.com

FAIRFAX

IRON SPRINGS PUB & BREWERY American Grab a beer and a grilled portobello mushroom sandwich—which one Chronicle reviewer calls “the best mushroom dish I have ever tasted” —at the former Ross Valley Brewing Company. 765-A Center Blvd, 415.485.1005, ironspringspub.com

PANCHO VILLA’S Mexican A Fairfax favorite for over 30 years. Since 1976, head chef Francisco has been turning out treats like chile relleno stuffed with jack cheese, cilantro and onion and crab enchiladas topped with a mild tomatillo sauce and sour cream. 1625 Sir Frances Drake Blvd, 415.456.4331, panchosfairfax.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 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 A VIS California Bon Air Shopping Center welcomes Bistro Vis à Vis with chef Mike Fredsall, who was with the Campton Place when it earned a four-star rating from the Chronicle, with Aqua when it earned its second Michelin star and Madera—yep, a Michelin star appeared

here too during his time. Menu items include seared sea scallops and celery root “ravioli” with gala apple salad and celery root puree, and Creekstone Farms New York steak with portobello-shiitake bread pudding, broccoli rabe and natural jus and truffled risotto cakes. 282 Bon air Ctr,, 415.925.4370 bistrovisavis.com

WIPEOUT BAR & GRILL American Who says you can’t go back to being a carefree teenager for a night? This 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. The only thing missing is the sand at this surf-style, upbeat eatery. 302 Bon Air Ctr, 415.461.7400, wipeoutbarandgrill.com

KENTFIELD

HALF DAY CAFE American A tucked-away setting of intertwining ivy and large open windows makes the perfect breakfast nook. Serving breakfast, brunch and lunch; the setting is casual and can get crowded on the weekends. The menu includes lattes, exceptional pastries and much more. 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 popular 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 its lively brasserie ambience, this corner spot has rated high with locals for well over a decade. Those with a petite appetite/budget can opt for happy hour (4–6:30 M–F) and enjoy appetizers, all priced under three dollars. 507 Magnolia Ave, 415.927.3331, leftbank.com

PICCO California Dishes like mini-burgers and seasonally driven menu items, along with risotto made every half hour, keep people coming back. The Picco Pizzeria and Wine Bar next door is cozy (not many seats) but already famous for its wood-fired pizzas, great wine selection and soft-serve Straus Family Creamery ice cream. 320 Magnolia Ave, 415.924.0300, restaurantpicco.com

RUSTIC BAKERY California Organic pastries, breads, and sandwiches are on the menu here, including Meyer lemon mascarpone danishes and bacon, avocado and heirloom tomato sandwich with mesclun. 1139 Magnolia Ave, 415.925.1556, rusticbakery.com

TABLE CAFÉ Indian/American Indian-inspired cafe offers a unique menu featuring entirely organic ingredients. Dishes include seasonal

salads, incredible soups and fresh juices. The specialty of the house is dosa, filled with a variety of ingredients and served with savory homemade chutneys. 1167 Magnolia Ave, 415.461.6787

TAVERN AT LARK CREEK American The next chapter in the 1888 Victorian Murphy House is being written by chef Aaron Wright and culinary director Adrian Hoffman. 234 Magnolia Ave, 415.924.7766, tavernatlarkcreek.com

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

MILL VALLEY

BALBOA CAFE MILL VALLEY California The San Francisco institution has already become a place to see and be seen in Mill Valley, especially after the 142 Throckmorton Comedy nights. Come for the pan-roasted Alaskan halibut or risotto but stay for the amazing burgers. 38 Miller Ave, 415.381.7321, balboacafe.com

BEERWORKS BREWERY AND BEER CAFE

American With a beverage menu of handcrafted beers made on site, imported and local microbrews and housemade 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-foodtype menu items that have made this classic roadhouse a favorite since the ’30s. 15 Shoreline Hwy, 415.331.2600, buckeyeroadhouse.com

BUNGALOW 44 American Much like sister restaurant Buckeye Roadhouse, Bungalow 44 offers a mean dose of homey carbo- and lipidladen dishes, such as the burger, fried chicken and truffle fries, as well as a few lighter items. The bar is a neighborhood favorite, known for tasty spirits and eye candy. 44 E. Blithedale Ave, 415.381.2500, bungalow44.com

CHARLIE HONG KONG Asian Finally Mill Valley has an Asian street food restaurant and best of all, dishes are $10 and less. Charlie Hong Kong is in downtown Mill Valley in the spot formerly occupied by Ino Sushi (near Baskin Robbins) and offers something for every type of eater; vegan, wheat-free, vegetarian and carnivore. Menu items include chicken pho, vegan vegetable medley or vegan summer rolls, pad thai, chow mein and gado gado—all made with organic, locally produced veggies and all-natural, vegetarianfed, sustainably raised proteins. 25 Miller Ave, Mill Valley, 415.888.8303, charliehongkong.com

CAFE DEL SOUL California Beware of addiction. Once you stop in for the deliciously fresh Hummus Yummus wrap, you’ll have to come back to sample more. Casual lunch spot, great for takeout. 247 Shoreline Hwy, 415.388.1852, cafedelsoul.net

DIPSEA CAFE Comfort One word: biscuits. This longtime breakfast spot has been serving up tasty pancakes and egg dishes with homemade biscuits since 1986. Try a biscuit with a poached egg, a biscuit with sausage—or just plain butter. Lunch specialties include BLTs and tuna melts and generous Cobb salads. Now serving dinner. 200 Shoreline Hwy, 415.381.0298, dipseacafe.com

DISH California Sit inside or out at this hip casual eatery on Miller Avenue. The result of a vision of Mill Valley locals including Peter Schumacher and Mike House, DISH was created as an all-day gathering spot serving healthy, organic food and drinks. Start the morning with a cappuccino, or stop in after midday yoga for a salad or sandwich and end the day with a glass of wine (free corkage) on the outdoor patio watching the sun set behind Mount Tamalpais. 507 Miller, 415.388.3013, dishmillvalley.com

FRANTOIO RISTORANTE ITALIANO Italian

Known for its in-house olive press, superior olive oil and excellent Italian cuisine, this spot is a great location for an intimate dinner, large groups and anything in between. Happy hour starts at 4:30 in the sizable, comfortable bar area, where you can snack on antipasti or order

your whole meal. Owned by Roberto Zecca and Chef Duilio Valenti, both from Milano; the kitchen uses local and organic ingredients—it’s the Italian way. For special occasions and private parties, reserve the olive-press room. 152 Shoreline Hwy, 415.289.5777, frantoio.com

HARMONY Chinese Dishes here are an infusion of many flavors. The barbecue pork bun is filled with house-made roasted meat in a savory sauce; fresh mussels are accented with red chili and Thai basil. Pair your pick with wine, beer or tea. Strawberry Village, 415.381.5300, harmonyrestaurantgroup.com

JOE’S TACO LOUNGE Mexican Colorful interior and (usually) quick service makes this a fun, easy stop. And if there are too many unsupervised kids for a peaceful meal, takeout is easy too. Alone?

Grab a magazine and a seat at the counter and enjoy the action. 382 Miller, 415.383.8164

LA GINESTRA Italian A favorite family spot for over 30 years; this old-school Italian eatery is known for traditional pastas, pizzas and dry martinis. 127 Throckmorton Ave, 415.388.0224

PEARL’S PHAT BURGERS American Deemed by the New York Times, as a silver-spoon alternative to a greasy spoon diner, Pearl’s offers big juicy all-natural patties (vegetarian, turkey, beef, buffalo or grilled chicken). 8 East Blithedale Ave, 415.381.6010

PIAZZA D’ANGELO Italian It’s always a party at this long-standing hot spot. A great place to

meet up with friends for a fresh plate of pasta, zuppa di pesce or pollo novello, or make some new friends at the bar. 22 Miller Ave, 415.388.2000, piazzadangelo.com

PIATTI RISTORANTE AND BAR Italian 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

PIZZA ANTICA Italian Although a recent Yelp reviewer called its pizzas, “by far the best thin crust pizzas in Marin,” this Mill Valley spot also serves up antipasti selections and hearty salads. 800 Redwood Hwy, 415.383.0600, pizzaantica.com

ROBATA GRILL AND SUSHI Japanese Robata translates as “by the fireside”; fittingly, food here can be cooked on an open fire and served in appetizer-size portions to pass around the table. Or simply order your own sushi or entrée from the menu. 591 Redwood Hwy, 415.381.8400, robatagrill. com

TOAST American Take the kids for an omelet or pancake breakfast at this cozy venue; lunch and dinner, too. 31 Sunnyside Ave, 415.388.2500, toastmillvalley.com

TSUKIJI SUSHI Japanese Named for the largest fish 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.

NOVATO

CACTI GRILL American A former bell tower church, the family-friendly restaurant now boasts a covered patio and serves a 21-day dry-aged steak and filet mignon enchiladas. 1200 Grant Ave, 415.898.2234, cactigrill.com

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

GOLDEN EGG OMELET HOUSE American Open for breakfast and lunch, the Golden Egg Omelet house offers an assortment of organic and locally grown foods, and 101 different types of omelets. 807 Grant Ave, 415.897.7707, goldeneggnovato.com

HILLTOP 1892 California Situated in a historic estate in Novato, with sweeping views, Hilltop 1892 offers traditional favorites with a California flare. Open from breakfast through dinner, including Sunday Brunch. 850 Lamont Ave, 415.893.1892, hilltop1892.com

PORTELLI ROSSI Italian This casual cafe offers huge portions (most priced under $20), a garden patio and a family-friendly environment. Stop in

Lifestyle in Balance

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on Saturday and Sunday nights for the live jazz band on the patio. The early-bird special includes a three-course meal for only $12 every night if you’re seated before 6 p.m. Closed Mondays. 868 Grant Ave, 415.892.6100, portellirossi.com

TOAST American Sister to the popular Mill Valley location, Toast Novato features outdoor dining and architecture by Stanley Saitowitz and still has the great dishes by executive chef Michael Garcia that have made the southern Marin spot a not-to-be-missed destination. 5800 Nave Dr, 415.382.1144, toastnovato.com

ROSS

CAFE ON THE COMMON French A quaint oneroom 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 serves up locally farmed produce, wild and fresh seafood and free-range meats prepared with an artisan’s touch. The wine and beer list is extensive. 23 Ross Common, 415.925.9200, marcheauxfleursrestaurant.com

SAN ANSELMO

COMFORTS Cafe 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, cucinarestaurantandwinebar.com

DREAM FARM California As the website claims, a taste of rural Marin in downtown San Anselmo, showcasing the bounty of our area’s awardwinning farms, dairies, and fisheries. Best yet is the price point: dishes range from under $6 to nothing over $20. 198 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, 415.453.9898, dreamfarmmarin.com

TACO JANE’S Mexican Named after the owner’s mother, this casual but colorful place welcomes the whole family. Don’t miss out on Jane’s handmade agave margarita or grilled plantains with crema. 21 Tamalpais Ave, 415.454.6562, tacojanes.com

SAN RAFAEL

CALGANG KITCHEN Thai Owned and operated by the family that used to run Jhan Thong of Northgate food court fame, Calgang Kitchen recently made its debut in the new Northgate shopping center in Terra Linda, much to the joy of its devoted regulars. Now a sit-down restaurant that includes a bar serving organic beers and wines, it’s a place where you can stay

and enjoy the stylish decor or step right up to the steam table for delicious takeout in eco-friendly containers. 194 Northgate One, 415.499.3501

CAFE GRATITUDE Raw The waiters might push the affirmations theme a bit too much, but the tasty (and healthy) food is worth it. Besides the knowledge you’re supporting local farmers and sustainable agriculture, the raw food and vegan samosas are hard to resist. Best to bring a group and sample lots of items on the menu. 2200 Fourth St, 415.824.4652, withthecurrent.com

IL DAVIDE Italian A large selection of both Italian and Californian 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 American Bistro/Creperie

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

MCINNIS PARK GOLF CLUB RESTAURANT

American Chef Tim Harmon has created an eclectic menu for brunch, lunch and dinner. Outdoor seating is popular, as well as the full bar with a selection of premium Scotches, small-batch bourbons and over 50 wines from California’s finest vineyards as well as other popular AVAs. McInnis Park, 415.491.5990, mcinnisparkgolfcenter.com/restaurant.html

MIKEY’S Spanish New chef Freddy Caamel has added a Cuban menu to the mix in this casual restaurant. Try “Mikey’s special” for breakfast, nachos for lunch, the ropa vieja from their new Cuban menu for dinner. 783 Anderson Dr, 415.454.6453, eatatmikeys.com

MULBERRY STREET PIZZERIA Italian Chef

Ted Rowe won first 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, mulberrystreet-pizzeria.com

NAPOLI Italian Napoli Italian is a family owned and run restaurant with a unique craft-beer program. About 45 wines and 25 beers (including some from Marin) are on the list at any given time. The food (Pizza and Pasta) is the result of taking East Coast style Italian fare and merging it with Marin and the bay area. 869 4th St, 415.459.3315

PANAMA HOTEL RESTAURANT American The tropical garden is a must-dine-at location for people-watching and for 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

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SABOR OF SPAIN Spanish Named Best Tapas/ Small Dishes restaurant in Marin by the Pacific Sun in 2006, this Spanish wine bar is a great place for a date or a big party. The gazpacho is world class here and a must-try. 1301 Fourth St, 415.457.8466, saborofspain.com

SAN RAFAEL JOE’S Italian Guido and Theresa Farina are now running this Marin institution, which has been famous for serving up sophisticated yet casual Italian fare since 1947. Great for large parties, the dining room holds 240. The Pacific red snapper meunière and roast sirloin of beef are standouts. 931 Fourth St, 415.456.2425, srjoes.com

SEAFOOD PEDDLER Seafood A great place to seek out fresh seafood in a warm and inviting environment. Varieties of East and West Coast fish flown in daily. Dine indoors or out, or better yet, rent out the banquet room for a party. 100 Yacht Club Dr, 415.460.6669, seafoodpeddler.com

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

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

THERESA & JOHNNY’S COMFORT FOOD

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

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 California Owner and chef Bill Higgins serves reasonably priced and delicious tapas. Save room for delicious fish tacos and yummy chocolate bread pudding. On Sundays they offer $3 glasses of sangria. 1613 Fourth St, 415.256.1818, whipsnap.biz

YET WAH Chinese Named after the founder’s wife (Yet refers to the moon, Wah to brightness), this beloved mainstay offers dim sum daily along with the traditional Chinese menu. Groove to live music in the Kung Fu Lounge 1238 Fourth St, 415.460.9883, yetwahsanrafael.com

SAUSALITO

ANGELINO RESTAURANT Italian Father-andson chefs Pasquale and Alfredo Ancona offer handmade pastas and seasonal antipasti at this authentic Italian restaurant, which has been serving food from the Campania region for

the past 24 years. 621 Bridgeway, 415.331.5225, angelinorestaurant.com

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

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

CIBO Cafe Husband-and-wife team Alfredo and Tera Ancona offer a menu filled with 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. Or opt for homemade organic dark hot chocolate. Located in the historic brick building at 1201 Bridgeway, 415.331.CIBO, cibosausalito.com

FENG NIAN Chinese Busy at lunch and dinner, this spacious hangout has been a popular spot for wonton soup, potstickers and daily specials for nearly two decades. For an indulgent treat order the Szechwan crispy calamari or honey-glazed walnut prawn. Free delivery. 2650 Bridgeway, 415.331.5300, fengnian.com

FISH Seafood It is all about the fresh fish here. You can dine at one of the picnic tables or purchase fresh fish to cook at home. Casual and bring cash (and lots of it!). 350 Harbor Dr, 415.331.3474, 331fish.com

HORIZONS Seafood/American There isn’t a better 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. Deck dining, valet parking and docking facilities available. A full bar serves draft beers and specialty cocktails and has an extensive wine selection. 558 Bridgeway, 415.331.3232, horizonssausalito.com

LE GARAGE French Escape the touristy Sausalito spots and grab brunch right on the water at this cherished site. The atmosphere is animated with light French music playing in the background (think Amélie). The Kobe Burger, though not as Parisian as the other menu items, is to die for. Also consider the much-adored croque-monsieur for under $10. Opt for indoor or outdoor seating. 85 Liberty Ship Way, 415.332.5625, legaragebistrosausalito.com

MURRAY CIRCLE American Enjoy the sun on the deck of this Cavallo Point restaurant. Locals say they come back for the fresh seasonal ingredients like wild sturgeon and Wolfe Ranch quail that chef Joseph Humphrey cooks up. 601 Murray Circle, 415.339.4750, cavallopoint.com

POGGIO Italian A great place to celebrate a special occasion or simply enjoy a night out. Executive chef Peter McNee cooks up delicious Northern Italian cuisine using fresh and local ingredients, including produce from the nearby

Poggio chef garden. 777 Bridgeway, 415.332.7771, poggiotratoria.com

SUSHI RAN Japanese Fresh, innovative small plates are just big enough to share, the traditional sushi is melt-in-your-mouth good and the wine, cocktail and sake lists keep the pickiest barfly well satisfied. Even the prices don’t deter the herd of sushi enthusiasts, who line up nightly to partake; reservations required in main room. 107 Caledonia St, 415.332.3620, sushiran.com

WINSHIPS RESTAURANT 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 well-priced three-course dinners for less than $25. 2000 Paradise Dr, 415.435.3400, thecaprice.com

SAM’S ANCHOR CAFE American Everyone knows Sam’s deck is the prime spot for brunch on a lazy sunny Sunday, and its bar is the town’s historic watering hole, but Sam’s is also a great place for lunch or dinner. Enjoy trans-fat-free calamari, fresh fish, seasonal salads and pastas. 27 Main St, 415.435.4527, samscafe.com

SERVINO RISTORANTE Italian With people like Warren Buffett and Bill Gates raving about his pizza, Angelo Servino is doing something right. Some people come for the spacious and popular bar; some people come for the great food and friendly service; the titans of industry, it seems, opt for the pepperoni. Spacious bar, and weekend music is also a big draw. 9 Main St, 415.435.2676, servino.com

TIBURON GRILL California The atmosphere here is truly enchanting with two outdoor patios, two indoor fireplaces, and candlelit tables during the evening. 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

BLUE HERON INN Local A daily changing chalkboard menu features the fresh seasonal bounty of nearby organic farms. An outstanding staff creates a friendly and comfortable atmosphere, right by the wharf. 11 Wharf Rd, 415.868.1102

NICK’S COVE American This collaboration of famed restaurateurs Pat Kuleto and Mark Franz has attracted visitors (and accolades) nationwide. Large windows open the 130-seat eatery to the picturesque Tomales Bay and Hog Island. Menu

consists of the freshest available local seafood, oysters and bounty from nearby West Marin farms including Bodega Bay Dungeness crab cake and Tomales Bay clam chowder (Marshall). 23240 Hwy 1, 415.663.1033, nickscove.com

OLEMA INN California One of the most charming settings around, this inn and restaurant is a great destination lunch spot for a Sunday drive, or dinner every night. The menu includes imaginative combinations using regional and organic greens while the bar features a full wine list (Olema). 10000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, 415.663.9559, theolemainn.com

OSTERIO STELLINA California Whether strolling in from a day of hiking or celebrating a romantic anniversary, Osterio Stellina accommodates any occasion. The menu is Italian-inspired using organic, local ingredients. If you’re looking for something unusual try the goat shoulder, a favorite of locals and tourists alike. Don’t leave without indulging in the standout lemon ice cream sandwich (Point Reyes). 11285 Hwy 1, 415.663.9988, osteriastellina.com

PARKSIDE CAFE American Most people know it as the ultimate breakfast spot (think Guatemalan scramble or waffle with blood orange–strawberry compote and whipped cream, alfresco) but lunch and dinners are great here too. Choose from an array of organic locally grown produce and artisan meats and wild seafood. The grilled quail, the Hawaiian butterfish and the rib-eye steak are standouts (Stinson). 43 Arenal Ave, 415.868.1272, parksidecafe.com

PINE CONE DINER American Just off the main road, Joannie Kwit has recreated the ultimate neighborhood diner. Vintage china and homemade curtains complement the eclectic but homey menu featuring local fare. A favorite for locals as well as tourists, bicyclists and motorcyclists (Point Reyes Station). 60 Fourth St, 415.663.1536, thepineconediner.com

SAND DOLLAR American Originally built from three barges in Tiburon in 1921, the Sand Dollar Restaurant was floated to Stinson that same year and still exists today. Enjoy live music along with local barbecued oysters and New England clam chowder. Sunny deck is great in the afternoon (Stinson). 3458 Shoreline Hwy, 415.868.0434, stinsonbeachrestaurant.com

STATION HOUSE CAFE American Fresh local homegrown foods, served as available, are showcased on the chef’s menu. Stop in on weekends for the live music and enticing wine and beer lists. 11180 State Route One, 415.663.1515, stationhousecafe.com

SURFERS GRILL American The view doesn’t get better than this—nor does the surf salad. Built right out on Stinson Beach, this casual lunch spot offers up tasty fresh organic salads alongside corn dogs, burgers and fries. Local favorites include the surfer salad, with fresh crunchy lettuce, seasonal veggies, including avocado topped with a scoop of tuna salad and the deep fried fish taco. Stinson Beach Park, Hwy 1, 415.868.1777, surfersgrill.com

MARIN ADVERTISERS SPEAK UP

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Genevieve Custer Weeks Tutu School, Larkspur

Tutu School is a boutique ballet school that specifically caters to children 8 years old and younger. “Through classes, camps, and ballet birthday parties we expose toddlers and children to creativity, movement, and classical music, and we firmly believe that twirling should be a fundamental part of any childhood,” says owner and school director Genevieve Custer Weeks.

Erik Flatt

What is your competitive edge?

Our school works exclusively with a specific age group and I believe that having a very precise area of focus allows us to meet the special needs of such young dancers.

Describe your dream client/customer.

A child who hears music and simply has to move to it.

What (or who) were you going to be when you grew up?

A ballerina. It’s worked out for me pretty well so far!

What makes you excel at what you do?

Probably the fact that at my core I am still very much in love with the magic of ballet. Staying in touch with that part of me keeps me connected to the children who dance with us—I’m as wide-eyed about it all as they are!

What makes your work worthwhile?

Without question, the children I work with.

From a business standpoint, who’s your inspiration?

My parents are entrepreneurs, and I have definitely drawn a lot of inspiration from watching them run their own business, a financial planning firm in the Midwest. I think they gave me the entrepreneurial gene!

1/2 HORIZONAL

GENEVIEVE CUSTER WEEKS, TUTU SCHOOL, 2201 LARKSPUR LANDING CIRCLE, LARKSPUR, 415.734.8840, TUTUSCHOOL.COM

Drake Terrace, Kisco Senior Living Community

“Tucked in the hills of Marin County, Drake Terrace offers a tasteful lifestyle for seniors in independent and assisted living, with studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments set among beautifully landscaped grounds, walking paths and a central courtyard,” says executive director Erik Flatt. Drake Terrace also offers wellness programs, “which enhance the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of our residents,” says Flatt.

ADVERTISER

Do you ever have an opportunity to hear how your residents feel about your community?

Yes. We recently conducted a company-wide contest called Kisco’s Everyday Difference Contest. Residents were asked to submit a photo and letter about a Kisco associate who makes a difference in their life.

And how did your residents respond?

Quite favorably! As it turns out a number of our residents submitted entries and of all 18 active Kisco communities, one of our residents at Drake Terrace won the grand prize!

That’s pretty impressive. What made his entry the big winner?

Stan Winston put his heart onto paper when he wrote, “I could have subsided into aging, but Liza Fronczak helped make a difference!”

What’s Stan’s background?

Stan came to Drake Terrace after a severe stroke and he says Liza persuaded him to

rediscover his passion for music. “Liza encouraged me to give a weekly class in music. Her openness to new ideas makes a difference in my life here,” he said.

ERIK FLATT, DRAKE TERRACE, KISCO SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY, 275 LOS RANCHITOS RD., SAN RAFAEL, 415.491.1935, KISCOSENIORLIVING.COM

Stage Dor presents...

Saturday, April 16, 7–10 pm

Mill Valley Community Center

This year’s theme...

Join more than 250 guests for our 5th annual More that Puppy Love benefit for the Marin Humane Society

Song and dance performance by Stage Dor Dance Studio Fashion show featuring designs from Gene Hiller and Lindisima Catwalk ready adoption dogs Silent auction Hors d’oeuvres, wine bar & vodka martinis

Dressy casual. Better yet, come as the star you are!

Tickets are $75 per person or $1000 per table (seats 10). For tickets, visit MarinHumaneSociety.org or call 415.506.6208.

Skylar Ulrich, MD, MPH Medical Director

• One FREE 20-minute Jump Session with this ad during Drop-in Playtime. Limit one ad per child during promotion period. May not be combined with any other offers. Copies will NOT be honored. Ad expires April 30, 2011 • For children ages 2-10. • Please call ahead for Drop-In Playtime hours. We are closed on Mondays and Thursdays. Also, 20-Minute Jump Sessions are not offered during Private Parties. • ALL JUMPERS AND PARENTS/CAREGIVERS MUST HAVE SOCKS ON AT ALL TIMES. NO EXCEPTIONS. • Parents or Caregivers must be present at ALL times. • Arrive early to sign a waiver and receive a Safety Presentation.

The answer to a breathable vacuum type hairpiece, worn by our client pictured below. Designed by Charlē to look as natural as a vacuum wig with the benefit of being cooler and more comfortable. Sensitive solutions for hair loss due to: Alopecia Areata/female hereditary thinning/ Chemotherapy/radiation treatments/Trichotillomania Offering human hairpieces for women, men and children

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LOCH LOMOND

Life near the marina has its own backyard barbecue feel

BY JIM WOOD PHOTOS TIM PORTER

“It’s really old Marin,” says Andy Bachich (above), owner of Andy’s Local Market, a boyish grin cracking up his 49-year-old face. “Man, it is like the good old days.”

Andy—everyone calls him “Andy,” most customers don’t know his last name—is talking about his Friday evening “Dine-In Meals.” Starting at four in the afternoon and going strong for the next three hours, Andy’s Market is party central in Loch Lomond. “In summer, we fire up the barbecues, and most of the area’s kids, couples, seniors and families show up for dinner. We usually have around 200 people here.”

Two hundred neighbors at a $9.99 supper may not seem much of a crowd, but that’s almost a third of the population of Loch Lomond, an unincorporated San Rafael community that straddles Point San Pedro Road two miles due east of Highway 101. And if Andy’s is the heart and soul of this neighborhood, its arms and legs are across Point San Pedro Road, bearing names like Dunfries Terrace, Locksly Lane, Inverness Drive and Bonnie Banks Way. In the early ’60s, the legendary McCarthy family, known for political as well as construction involvement, developed Loch Lomond and gave the area its name.

Local historian John Maple estimates Loch Lomond has over 200 homes and is specific about the community’s boundaries. “It only includes the Scottish-sounding street names,” he avows. But if Mill Valley–based real estate developer Thompson/Dorfman Partners has its way, those 200 residences will be increased by 81 homes in the not-so-distant future. The Village at Loch Lomond—including a new home for Andy’s Market as well as the beloved Bobby’s Fo’C’Sle Cafe, destroyed in a 2007 fire—has been in planning for nearly a decade and is now reportedly back-burnered until the economy recovers.

The Village at Loch Lomond will sit on the bay side of Point San Pedro

heard about Nasty, the Great Blue Heron?” one of his favorites begins. “Nasty was with us for over 18 years.” About 10 years ago Nasty Junior appeared and over time likewise endeared himself to Fraser and his bait shack buddies. “Then one Christmas Day, Nasty Junior appeared weak and sickly and with a leader hanging from his bill,” Fraser recalls. “Obviously a baited hook or two were lodged in the poor fella’s tummy.”

But Nasty Junior, resisting help, flew away, not to be seen again for nearly two weeks. “When Junior returned,” Fraser laments, “he was still dangling the darn leader and was one starving bird.” This time, using live bait, Fraser lured Nasty Junior into his shop and put him in a large box. Then a crew from San Rafael’s WildCare rushed him to an animal shelter in Solano County, where he survived two and a half hours of surgery. “Now,” Fraser is proud to report, “Nasty Junior flies in almost daily to express his gratitude and enjoy a few live shrimp.”

Two years ago, Nasty Senior was not so fortunate in a similar misadventure. “Some nitwit left a leader with a baited hooks on the deck,” Fraser says, “and sure enough, Nasty gobbled it up and came flying to us with a foot of leader trailing from his beak.” Like his offspring, the origi-

Road, adjacent to Loch Lomond Marina and its 517 slips, private yacht club, two-lane public launching site and half-mile breakwater. “We have the best sturgeon and striper fishing in San Francisco Bay,” says Pat Lopez, the marina’s manager, “and because we’re in the far eastern part of Marin, our weather is warmer and sunnier” than elsewhere in the county. The marina is also home to the “World’s Greatest Bait Shop.”

And if you really like local color, Loch Lomond Live Bait and Tackle is where you want to be. In 1970, Keith Fraser and Art Donati bought, in Fraser’s words, “this dilapidated bait hut for $6,700—it looked like an abandoned Oklahoma outhouse.” Forty years later, the hut, now a bright blue shop, boasts nine live bait tanks (“almost every possible kind of shrimp, shiner, mudsucker and bullhead,” Fraser boasts) and purveys top-of-the-line rods, reels and tackle. Fraser, a recognized sturgeon fishing expert, is a veritable font of stories involving life both above and below the blue water shimmering around his bait shack. “Have you

nal Nasty was captured, transported and tended to by WildCare. “Only this time, after a four-hour operation I got a call saying Nasty Senior didn’t make it,” Fraser says.

These days, he considers himself blessed to have had not just Nasty Senior and Junior hanging around but also Ahab, the one-legged Heermann’s gull who would perch on Fraser’s head (“no, he never pooped on me,” Fraser replies to the obvious question); Pee-Wee, the tiny snowy egret who paces nearby railings until a live shiner (or three or four) is offered up; and Emma, the friendly great egret, who waits for a rookie angler to leave a bait bucket unguarded before emptying it and flying out over the bay, squawking in mad delight.

All the birds pay almost daily visits to Loch Lomond Live Bait and Tackle. “They are very smart, very territorial,” Fraser says, “and they know what’s going on.” So the ebb and flow continues at the World’s Greatest Bait Shop, much as it does in the rest of this aquatic pocket of Marin.

McGuire Marin Welcomes!

Vicki Buckle-Clark

Among our 3 families, Vicki has sold us 7 homes - all of them wonderful! Her friendship has become as valuable as her advice and we feel extremely lucky to have met her!

-The Harbands, Tiburon

For me, the intimacy of McGuire’s boutique-size company, with their far-reaching SF Bay Area connections creates the perfect fit for my business. With over 20 years of real estate experience and the knowledge of a Licensed Broker, I look forward to serving you from my new home.

For all 5 houses we bought, sold and rented in Marin, Eva has always been our agent and we would never imagine using anyone else. Her knowledge of the area, patience and personal attention go above and beyond what we have experienced anywhere else. Eva is just one of Marin’s treasures.

-Richard Gerstein

1751 TIBURON B OULEVARD

Neighbors make the neighborhood - We are proud to be your new neighbor. We are proud to announce that Alain Pinel Realtors has arrived in Tiburon. Located in Point Tiburon Plaza, this is the fifth APR office to open in Marin County since January of 2009, and our second in Southern Marin. This state-of-the-art location reflects APR’s core belief that real estate is about people, and thus, local. The new office is a friendly, high-tech facility with an abundance of free parking for our clients. It is home to some of the county’s top real estate professionals, many of whom you already know. If you’re not already familiar with us, we look forward to meeting you in the near future. For a list of all Marin properties, including Tiburon: call 415.755.1111 or visit open.apr.com

Mill Valley • $4,995,000

321SummitAvenue.com

This beautiful, gated estate combines quality craftsmanship with a comfortable, well-designed 5 bed/4.5 bath floor plan. Situated on a south-facing lot with spectacular views, the home features a formal living room, dining room, family room, TV room, office and solarium. Dramatic features throughout.

Judy LeMarr 415.793.5030 jlemarr@fhallen.com MarinDreamHome.com

Greenbrae • Coming Soon!

355VistaGrande.com

Coming Soon! Beautifully remodeled 3 bed/3 bath home with large master suite, chef’s kitchen with family room opening to expansive deck plus an extra office/bonus room. Spectacular sunrise to sunset views surround you from inside the home.

Mill Valley • $1,695,000 1StrawberryLanding.com

Beautiful contemporary 3 bed/2 bath waterfront home on Richardson Bay with 42ft boat dock on a deep water channel. Special features include sauna, hot tub, temperature controlled wine cellar and putting green. Savor life on the water with views of the Tiburon Peninsula and San Francisco.

San Rafael • $749,000

26LaurelGlen.com

Sophisticated living in this stylish home that feels like new. This 4 bed/2.5 bath contemporary single family home with master retreat has been beautifully updated. Perfect urban living with no yard work.

Just Listed on the Belvedere Lagoon • $3,650,000

www.spencerandcromwell.com “Grande Dame” of the Belvedere Lagoon. This lovingly maintained home offers a gracious floor plan rarely found in lagoon homes. There are 5 generous bedrooms and 3 full baths, a home office with lagoon views, and a wonderful kitchen/family room with fireplace. The elegant living room and formal dining open fully to the private courtyard, surrounding lawns and patios. The convenient location coupled with the opportunity to enjoy the lagoon lifestyle and expansive dock, make this an opportunity not to be missed. Call Sally Spencer or Jean Cromwell at 415.789.7744.

Tammy Wilks Kornfeld

Providing Skilled, Discreet and Diligent Representation 415.279.9362

t.kornfeld@deckerbullocksir.com www.MarinGreatHomes.com

Kent fi eld Listed at $2,195,000

California Contemporary, great lifestyle in coveted fl ats, private, large pool, dramatic interiors, 4BD/2.5BA

BUYER REPRESENTATION

SOLD

80 D Street • San Rafael Listed at $1,095,000 SOLD

11 Deer Park Avenue • San Rafael Listed at $1,619,000

Ross Listed at $1,250,000

Classic Craftsman, sunny, spacious, artfully renovated to preserve classic details, 4BD/2.5BA

Kent Woodlands Listed at $2,325,000 Resort living, 1.26 acres, exceptionally private, gated, gorgeous, recently renovated, 5BD/2BA

MID-CENTURY ESHERICK DESIGNED HOME – BELVEDERE ISLAND

Situated on two lots (8/10 acre) near the top of Belvedere Island on a private road among more than 30 mature oaks on the sheltered side overlooking S.F. Bay, designed by the distinguished award winning architect Joseph Esherick. Known for its well balanced light which changes throughout the day as a result of its many tall windows and seven skylights which capture its many views and contribute to ever-changing shadow patterns. Five view decks enhance numerous living spaces including 4+ bedrooms, 3 baths, a high-end professional kitchen, and an office. 11Crest.com

With more than 30 years of real estate experience, Mark provides his clients with in-depth market analyses and exceptional marketing and results. To view and receive his Residential Real Estate Reports, go to www.marinpremierhomes.com.

$3,995,000

STUNNING VIEWS

This spectacular property offers nearly one-half acre located on one of Belvedere’s best west side locations. Original condition home provides the occasion to renovate, expand, or build a new dream estate. World class location, views and privacy. 6 Eucalyptus Price Upon Request

California Contemporaries

SAN RAFAEL. This dramatic new contemporary with commanding views of the hills, Frank Lloyd Wright Civic Center & San Pablo Bay is at the end of a private gated enclave; 5000+ sf symphony of concrete, steel, glass and wood on 1+ acre adjoining miles of open space and hiking trails; open fl oor plan with soaring 18’ ceilings & walls of glass; Nana walls open to a patio, yard and pool; large master suite, craft room, library/of fi ce/4th bedroom, exercise/family room, 2 more ensuite bedrooms; hydronic heated fl oors; 4-car attached garage; guest parking for 6. This amazing home is ideal for entertaining. Priced under building costs.

200OakViewDrive.com Offered at $2,695,000

MILL VALLEY. Stunning contemporary, 5 bedroom, 3.5 bath residence on nearly 8 acres on the fl ank of Mount Tamalpais, Panoramic mountain and canyon views yet only a 12-minute drive to highway 101, Stinson Beach, Muir Woods or downtown Mill Valley. Access to some of the finest hiking and mountain biking trails in Northern California. Award winning schools, 18 foot ceilings, bright and light interiors, large scale room sizes, folding glass doors that open to merge the indoors with the outdoors, a spacious enclosed courtyard designed for entertaining large groups, deck, pool and spa areas facing the grandeur of the mountain are just some of the features that make this over 4000 square foot home uniquely desirable. 840Edgewood.com Offered at $3,997,000

Building is Offered for the First Time in 37 Years

SAUSALITO. Prime Bridgeway Commercial: Located in the heart of downtown on the sunny side of the street with some of the highest foot traf fic in the Bay Area, around the corner from the ferry and public parking lot, this Historic Trophy Restaurant-Of fice-Retail Building (approximately 6300 sq. ft.) is ideal for an owner-user. Street level: Owner currently operates Winship Restaurant which seats 100 and occupies 2300 sq. ft., plus an additional 1900 sq. ft. of basement storage. Also zoned for retail use. Second level (added in 1982): consists of approximately 1700 sq. ft. of of fice space with vaulted ceilings, and includes 2 rest rooms, conference room, lunch room, & 2 outside decks. 670Bridgeway.com

Offered at $2,795,000

Mill Valley’s Premier Trophy Property

Located minutes from downtown, this private 3+ acre estate features panoramic views including the spectacular San Francisco skyline. Offering the ultimate in lifestyle, it is all about communing with nature and celebrating life on a grand scale. What do you like to do? Step out the front door to hiking and biking forever. How about planting a vineyard or city farm? Build that barn to keep your horse on site. Need a guest house? Possibilities abound. Mill Valley golf course is just down the street. This gorgeous “Ralph Lauren” type lodge evokes the Hampton’s lifestyle of small town charm with world-class sophistication. A destination for the discerning buyer… $6,500,000

Think Scarlett O’Hara’s Tara

Stately manor home on 2+ acres of natural splendor. Uninhibited bay views capture Tiburon's Gold Coast & East Bay's Mt. Diablo. Designed after a grand Jamaican Colonial, this imposing mansion has almost 7,000 sq. ft. of living space. Generous public rooms including formal living and dining, study, family room, eat in kitchen and patio circulate around the grand central staircase. Upstairs, the romantic master has a large, private sitting room with fireplace. 3 additional bedrooms on this fl oor also open to decks and views. Study/of fi ce, studio, au pair, huge storage rooms, fl at yard & 3 car side-by-side.

$2,995,000

131 Esperanza Street, Tiburon

Located close to downtown, the ferry, TPC and bike path, this Hamptons style home is freshly remodeled and gorgeous. Smashing San Francisco & Bay views from grand living room and entry. Romantic master suite has these views along with fireplace and private deck. Sophisticated kitchen with sitting area. 3 en suite bedrooms including legal 1 bedroom rental with kitchen. Could be fabulous family room opening to private back yard with fl at lawn. Of fi ce with separate entrance. 4 car side-by-side garage.

4 Ensuite BD + Office & Family Room –OR– 3 BD + Office & Sep 1 BD Legal Rental

$3,175,000

VIEWS, VIEWS, VIEWS

This elegant and contemporary townhome has unobstructed views of San Francisco and the Bay. Just minutes to San Francisco, the lifestyle here is both private and luxurious. A grand and elegant entry with a beautiful, curved staircase and vaulted ceilings make this 2,034 sq. ft. home feel much larger. A lavish master suite, private deck, walk-in closet and spacious master bath are luxurious. Two additional bedrooms (or bedroom and of fi ce) with one bath and a separate laundry room make up the entirety of the upstairs. The association offers incredible amenities including a pool, spa & clubhouse. This particular unit offers waterfront location & the best views in De Silva, has been meticulously decorated & maintained, and has a 2-car attached garage.

$1,495,000

Recently and beautifully remodeled, with tropicallike gardens, three-boat dock (with water and power) and beautiful views of Corinthian Island and the Belvedere Cove, this wonderfully restored and improved property provides the essential Belvedere. Large, sunny kitchen with adjacent patio, large living room with fireplace and waterside family room with up-close water views. Top floor master suite with fireplace and waterside balcony, children’s level with two bedrooms, full bath, central media area, study with built-ins and separate entrance, and wonderful guest suite with separate entrance and waterside patio. Gated and private, enclosed garage and two-car port, easy stroll to the Yacht Club and beyond, four bedrooms and four and one-half baths…

$4,250,000

LISTED

Impeccably well maintained and beautifully appointed, expansive views to the south and east, from Belvedere Cove to San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. Formal living and dining rooms, modern kitchen with large pantry, built-in desk, wine storage, with large doors to a sunny, private brick patio with mature topiary. Beautiful master suite with fireplace, large bay-window seating area, his and her closets and gorgeous bath. Wonderful family area/study with fireplace, built-ins, limeston e workstation, wet bar and 7.1 sound system, and elegant bath with original art accents. Large amount of finished storage, greenhouse and stunning terraced gardens to the street below. Entry level comprises the living and dining rooms, kitchen, garage and master bedroom suite, ensuring easy, singlelevel living. Three bedrooms, three and one-half baths… $6,750,000

Mill Valley $4,999,000 Represented Buyers

*Landscape with Woman and Dog used with permission

Tiburon

$12,950,000

Tiburon

$5,950,000

This premiere estate is located in one of Tiburon’s most exclusive neighborhoods and boasts lavish interiors, spectacular gardens, and awe-inspiring 360- degree views of the entire Bay Area. 6 BD, 7.5 BA Kent fi eld

Extraordinary residence atop Tiburon’s exclusive Ring Mountain. Park-like open space surrounds this 8,000 sf custom home providing unparalleled serenity & privacy a short distance from downtown Tiburon. 6 BD, 6 full & 2 half BA

open space & offers incredible privacy & serenity. 90Evelyn.com

$5,500,000 Represented Buyers. This gracious old world home was rebuilt 4 years ago. Now a smart house with pool, steam room, & gourmet kitchen. The attention to detail is superior to anything in this price point by far. 4 BD/2.5 BA

[CIRCA 1956]

BUILDING A BIGGER BRIDGE

Opening the Golden Gate Bridge brought traffic

BY JIM WOOD

IN 1931, HIGHWAY 101 BECAME A STRAIGHT SHOT from northern Sausalito to the Tiburon–Mill Valley turnoff. That’s because a bridge, built of redwood timbers (shown above, at left), was completed across an arm of Richardson Bay—thus negating 101’s circuitous route that skirted the bay to the west. Then on May 27, 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge opened and traffic began steadily increasing. Therefore, in 1956, according to Barry Spitz’s Marin, A History, “a wider, steel and concrete structure was built just to the east and the redwood bridge was torn down.” Spitz cites the original crossing as the longest ever constructed of redwood; it cost $326,000, including a drawbridge that was only raised six times; and the redwood timbers were recycled into several Marin County homes.

KNITOPEN-WEAVE

For spring’s most all-natural trend from VINCE