Taste Makers 2026
INSIDER TIPS FROM MARIN CHEFS & RESTAURANTEURS
THE LATEST
Wellness Spots
NOVEMBER 2026
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NOVEMBER 2026
CONTENTS
FEATURES 24
Marin Tastemakers
We’re turning the tables and asking local chefs and restaurateurs where their favorite places to eat in the county are.
32
Alcohol History in Marin
The new Sausalito Whiskey Trail app connects Marin County to its spirited past.
California Winter
Marinite Jack Bober shares his love for photography and the coastline, showcasing the sleeper season at the beach.
24 4 NOV EM B ER 2026
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COURTESY OF HOG ISLAND OYSTER CO.
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MARIN
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Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman at OUTRIGGER Reef Waikiki Beach Resort
Kani Ka Pila Grille at the OUTRIGGER Reef Waikiki Resort
Maui Brewing Co. at the OUTRIGGER Ka’anapali Beach Resort
Must-see beach bars. Must-hear music.
OUTRIGGER.com
From the iconic sands of Waikīkī to the shores of Kā‘anapali, discover live music that moves with the rhythm of the islands.
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NOVEMBER 2026
CONTENTS
53 IN MARIN
OUT & ABOUT
17 Currents
60 Calendar
20 New in Town
World Wrapps, Lima Nikkei, Spencer Mason Designs, Songbird Sudios and more.
53 Travel
75
Treat yourself destinations: Annual round-up of wellness adventures in California and Hawaii.
COLUMNS 12 EDITOR’S NOTE
82 LOOKING BACK
6 NOV EM B ER 2026
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A roundup of what to do in Marin and beyond.
64 Dine
An insider’s guide to dining and food in the Bay Area.
HOME 75 Backstory
A Belvedere couple trades square footage for intimate spaces designed for their next phase in life.
MARIO SERAFIN; COURTESTY OF MAUNA KEA HOTEL
The new RIZE Marin, Entertaining Guide, Generational Slang and more.
MARIN
10/14/26 8:18 AM
EXPERIENCE CUISINE THAT NOURISHES BODY AND SOUL. In Santa Fe, every meal comes with a sense of place. Locally owned restaurants, neighborhood favorites, and the people behind them are all part of what makes the city feel so distinct, giving every getaway a little more flavor and a lot more character. It’s just one of the things that makes The City Different, but there’s still so much more waiting to be uncovered. Uncover your different at VisitSANTAFE.COM
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A Brilliant
Holiday
PRESIDENT Nikki N. Wood nwood@marinmagazine.com
Editorial EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Mimi Towle DIGITAL EDITOR Jessica Gliddon MANAGING EDITOR Emma Robertson DEPARTMENT EDITOR Lotus Abrams CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lynda Balslev, Jack Bober, Jeanne Cooper, Christina Mueller, Jim Wood, Ann Wycoff EDITORIAL AND DESIGN ASSISTANT Layla Bakhshandeh
Art ART DIRECTOR Liz Marken Fiorentino PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Alex French CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jack Bober, Mario Serafin, Matt Spinetta | Prismic Photography COVER Matt Spinetta | Prismic Photography
Administration CONTROLLER Maeve Walsh
Co-Founders Jim Wood, Nikki N. Wood
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Volume 22, Issue 11. Marin Magazine is published in Marin County by 270 Media LLC. All rights reserved. Copyright ©2026. Reproduction of Marin Magazine content is prohibited without the expressed, written consent of 270 Media 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 Count y. Marin (USPS 024-898) is published monthly by 270 Media LLC, 2330 Marinship, Suite 300, Sausalito, CA 94965. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sausalito, CA, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 270 Media LLC, PO Box 50, Lincolnshire, IL 60069.
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E D I TO R ' S L E T T E R
Peter whi sk you were s here
What do you get when you put too many chefs in one kitchen?
In most restaurants, chaos. In this issue, a veritable feast of Marin’s best tips on where to eat your next meal. With a nod to the “2026 Is the New 2016” trend that went viral on the socials, reminding people of a simpler, more carefree life (pre-algorithms), we brought back the popular Tastemakers feature, featuring 27 of Marin’s top tastemakers. Chef Tim Grable of Cavallo Point’s cooking school graciously opened up his kitchen for our photoshoot, and photographer Matt Spinetta of Prismic Photography, showed up to capture the feature image on page 24. To ensure you can get to the meat more quickly, Managing Editor Emma Robertson and Art Director Liz Fiorentino took the liberty of reformatting how we display their responses, to make them — excuse the pun — more easily digestible. Since I’ve known most of the people that were involved with the photoshoot for years, it felt like a party. Many of them were at either the 2016 shoot at the then new Henry Built in Mill Valley, or in 2015, at the shoot that took place in my dining room when I lived in Strawberry. This year, the talented, good-looking crowd did their best at “reenacting” “too many cooks in the kitchen.” Selecting a photo
where everyone looks good was a challenge — we’ll share the outtakes online to show off their true acting skills. Also in this issue is our annual Winter Wellness article. I reached out to longtime friends and contributors Jeanne Cooper and Ann Wycoff, to get their top destinations with new wellness offerings. However, I knew which property we would highlight as far back as last June, when I attended the 60th anniversary of the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. It’s kismet that my favorite property and I share a birthday, (I celebrated my 50th there too and still have the “50th” hats and robe with the famous orange plumeria). Because we lived on the Big Island, this was our go-to beach and tennis club. It’s where I invented “swogging” (swim-jogging, for the uninitiated) with my grandmother in world-famous Kaunaʻoa Bay. This year’s celebration included familiar faces from Marin, including our friend Jackson Butler, one of the architects for the gorgeous wellness center. You’ll find the full story on page 53, along with Jeanne’s and Ann’s picks. Also in this issue, enjoy a Q&A with Felecia Gaston about her 40-year journey to forming RIZE MARIN, Jack Bober’s gorgeous photo essay (he was first published here in 2017), and a fun look at the history of alcohol in Marin County, with a nod to Sausalito’s new Whiskey Trail. We hope you are inspired to explore a different part of the county; let us know if you find something new!
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MATT SPINETTA | PRISMIC PHOTOGRAPHY
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LETTERS To the Editor
What’s in a Name? “I’d like to comment about the recent article with a description of the history of the name of Kent School. It’s not very accurate??
GU M U CH I A N D ecember 5t h, 11 - 5pm
SET H I CO U T U RE D ecember 12t h, 11 - 5pm
That school was founded in 1914 as Adaline E. Kent Elementary School and taught students of classes K–8. Adaline was the wife of Albert Emmett Kent. They did come to Marin County in 1871. A few years later they purchased the property that is now Kent Woodlands from the Murray family. The village that became Kentfield had been established earlier and had been known as Ross Landing from 1857 to the early 1900s when the name Kentfield came in to use. The Kentfield School District changed the name [to] A.E. Kent Middle School and is now grades 5–8. Bacich Elementary is K–4.” – Richard Torney A Marin Star is Born “[Meels is] an incredible songwriter and beautiful inside and out. I’ve known her since she was three and she has one deep soul … and yes, witchy … kind and funny.” @amybonettiprice on Instagram
“This is the first time I’ve heard her music and LOVE it — amazing.” @staceycarder Corrections In last month’s issue, Meels’ last name should have been spelled as Amelia Einhorn. In our Sonoma Escape article, the photographer credit should have been Adam Potts. Have something to say?
Email us at editorial@marinmagazine.com and be sure to include the town you live in. Letters to the editor may be edited for clarity and space.
@marinmagazine
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CURRENTS
PEOPLE PLACES CAUSES
Entertaining 101
MELANIE RICCARDI FOR STOCKSY
What to know when hosting for the holidays.
November marks the start of a busy holiday season. But this can be stressful — there’s catering, venue selection, decorating and more to be considered. Luckily, we put together the ultimate entertaining guide last year. Scan the QR code for the full guide, or flip to page 19 for a quick look. BY EMMA ROBERTSON
MARIN
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For more information, scan above.
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C U R R E N T S A R O U N D T H E TA B L E
SCAN FOR MORE PHRASES & SUGGESTED REPLIES.
As families gather for the holidays, we’re here to help you understand the generational slang. BY EMMA ROBERTSON
Gen Alpha
Gen-Z
Gen-X
Translation: It’s undesirable in some way.
Translation: Don’t expect a steaming cup
Translation: You’re doing them a favor.
THIS VIDEO IS SO OHIO.
THAT’S TEA.
THAT WASN’T VERY SKIBIDI OF YOU.
Translation: “Skibidi” can mean cool, bad or dumb, depending on how it’s used.
of chamomile — this actually means gossip.
YOU REALLY NEED TO TOUCH SOME GRASS.
Translation: It’s not necessarily literal; it just
YOU’RE DELULU TO THINK YOU WON’T BE CAUGHT.
means reconnecting with the real world.
Translation: Short for “delusional,” generally in the context of someone not properly understanding a situation.
Millennial
I MOG ALL OF MY FRIENDS.
good couple.
Translation: You think they make a
Translation: Don’t worry, nothing’s actually
6-7. Translation: Essentially nothing.
on fire; this just means it’s great.
I WAS SO COOKED WHEN MY TEACHER CAUGHT ME ON MY PHONE.
Translation: Generally used in the context of a public figure and means something bad came out about that person, so they are ignored or publicly rejected.
GEN ALPHA 2010 –2024
DID YOU HEAR THEY GOT CANCELLED?
GEN-Z 1997–2010
MILLENNIAL 1981–1996
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Translation: You’re their best friend. HOW DARE YOU HARSH MY MELLOW.
Translation: You’re spoiling their
good mood.
MY FRIEND WAS BEING SO AGGRO TO ME YESTERDAY.
Translation: Short for “aggressive.’”
THAT’S FIRE.
Translation: Being doomed or in trouble.
YOU’RE MY HOMESLICE.
Boomer
I SHIP THEM.
Translation: They think they’re the bestlooking of the group.
DO ME A SOLID.
I NEARLY WIGGED OUT WHEN I HEARD THE NEWS.
Translation: They almost lost their composure (or if they did wig out, they did lose their composure). I’M REALLY JONESING FOR A CUP OF COFFEE RIGHT NOW.
Translation: They’re really craving it. GEN-X 1965 –1980
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BOOMER 1946 –1964
MARIN
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Entertaining 101, cont.
What to Ask Yourself Setting the Tone Will it be formal or casual? Themes & Inspiration What will your color scheme be? Creating the Mood What kind of lighting? Will you have floral arrangements? Invitations that Impress Will you go digital or paper? Food & Drink Will you hire a caterer or a bartender? Will it be potluck-style? FR O M
Private Venues in Marin Poggio Trattoria Sausalito Buckeye Roadhouse Mill Valley Perry’s on Magnolia Larkspur
BISCUITS TO BEVERAGES VINTAGE OAKS HAS IT
Ristorante La Toscana San Rafael Nick’s Cove Marshall Piazza D’Angelo Mill Valley
Piazza D'Angelo's outdoor private dining space.
COURTESY OF PIAZZA D’ANGELO
DINE, SHOP, STROLL & ENJOY WHIMSICAL ART INSTALLATIONS
Petco, BevMo, Starbucks, Jamba Juice and over 55 other stores, restaurants and services Scan for more private dining venues in Marin.
Rowland Blvd Exit, Highway 101
ShopVintageOaks.com
MARIN
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CURRENTS NOW OPEN
New In Town BY E M M A RO B E RTS O N
CO M M U N IT Y
B E AUT Y & WE LLN E SS
Molly B. Boutique owners Diana Garcia and Saniya Talhouk have expanded beyond their Berkeley location with one on San Rafael’s Fourth Street. Find a curated selection of clothing, accessories and more here. 1233 4th St, San Rafael, mollybfourthstreet.com
BY C H R I S T I N A M U E L L E R
WORK & PL AY
Looking for a new coffee table? Check out Spencer Mason Designs, started by Marin local Curtis Underhill when he realized he had a passion — and a knack — for creating one-ofa-kind furniture from natural materials. 1121 East Francisco Blvd, Unit C, San Rafael, spencermasondesigns.com
Sea Trek Duffy rentals
Corte Madera’s World Wrapps recently expanded its menu with three new Rice Paper Wrapps: Bangkok Basil, Umami and Satay. As with the other wraps, you can add your choice of protein including chicken, salmon, shrimp and even tofu. 208 Corte Madera Town Center, Corte Madera, worldwrapps.com/locations/ corte-madera
World Wrapps
Molly B. Boutique
Lima Nikkei has taken over the charming space that used to be occupied by El Paseo and has captured attention for its fusion of Peruvian flavors and Japanese technique. On its menu you will find vibrant options like sushi, ceviche, robata and craft cocktails. 17 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley, limanikkei.com
Songbird Studios now also has a Novato-based studio offering private vocal lessons, group classes, songwriting opportunities, workshops and performance experience for all ages and levels. 208 Vintage Way, Ste K-25, Novato, songbirdsf.com Songbird Studios
020 NIT_1126.indd 20
on a century-old wooden boat in Sausalito harbor was there to talk. Organizer Brian Barth set up “The Depolarization Dialogues” earlier this year, in an effort to turn down the volume on political rhetoric and move towards national unity. The free meetups are for those “who may be struggling with the weight of toxic politics,” Barth says, “or have had it disrupt their lives.” The group is generally an even mix — men and women, Republicans and Democrats, from all over the Bay Area. Look for additional details at brianjbarth.com.
› Three other groups you
can consider participating in: Come to the Table Marin Marin Women’s Political Action Committee Marin Coalition
Scan for more about these groups.
For more of what's new in town:
20 N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 6
› The small group that met
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: CURTIS UNDERHILL; BRIAN BARTH; NIALL DAVID PHOTOGRAPHY; CAMERON EICHENBAUM; COURTESY OF WORLD WRAPPS
Spencer Mason Designs
E AT & DRI N K
When Opposites Attract
MARIN
10/14/26 8:26 AM
CONNECT WITH US 270 MEDIA LATEST HAPPENINGS
Here’s a snapshot of the latest happenings on our socials, for more Marin right at your fingertips.
Around Town Things to Do Don’t miss our new weekly and monthly reviews of what’s happening in Marin. Hello Marin Marin Magazine staffers share the latest in what to do, plus new business happenings. Off the Menu Learn about iconic Marin restaurants, right from the chefs themselves.
The Gift Of Wellness EVERY $100 GIFT CARD COMES WITH A $20 BONUS, ON US. Treat someone else, or treat yourself! Valid 11/1–12/31.
KATIE HAWKINS (BELOW)
Beyond the Page Intrigued by the new Whiskey Trail? We introduce you to the three locals who created this challenge, and learn why certain restaurants offer particular options.
CORTE MADERA 113 Corte Madera Town Center, Corte Madera, CA 94925 cortemadera@facefoundrie.com
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C U R R E N T S C O N V E R S AT I O N
F
On the Rize Q&A
BY JULIE MIROCHA
MM: How long have you been part of the
Marin community?
FG: Since 1986. Before I came to Marin City, I
was living in San Francisco and attending college. Someone told me about a small community across the Golden Gate Bridge called Marin City, where a local nonprofit was looking for an administrative assistant. I applied, not knowing much about [it]. I will never forget my first day. There was a warmth and closeness that immediately reminded me of where I grew up in Marietta, Georgia. People knew one another. Families were connected. There was a real sense of community. What began as a job became something much greater. Little did I know that crossing the Golden Gate Bridge would change the entire direction of my life.
Marin City? FG: As I began to understand the Marin County landscape, I realized there were tremendous resources and opportunities here, but many were not reaching Marin City, particularly our
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ANNA HAMILTON
MM: What inspired you to want to do more for
MARIN
10/14/26 8:34 AM
FELIX URIBE PHOTOGRAPHY
Performing Stars
elecia Gaston has made it her mission to connect Marin City residents with opportunities ranging from youth development to criminal justice initiatives. Now, Gaston has brought those efforts together under RIZE MARIN, an umbrella organization encompassing Performing Stars, the Phoenix Project, Beacon Solutions and the Marin City Historical & Preservation Society. We sat down with her to learn more about how she found her purpose and what she hopes will come of this change.
children. Outside organizations often had resources and genuinely wanted to reach Marin City, while families in Marin City wanted access to those opportunities. What was missing was the connection. We became that connector. We started with Performing Stars, providing scholarships so Marin City children could receive professional training in dance, music, theater and other performing arts. MM: Today, Performing Stars has expanded
beyond just the arts to also provide cultural and civic programs. How did that happen? FG: Around 2000, we began expanding beyond arts programming as enrichment organizations opened opportunities for our young people. We wanted our kids in those rooms too. We began introducing them to activities including surfing, rowing and sailing, some of which continue today. Our civic education and social justice work grew in a similar way. One of our funding partners invited a group of teens and young adults to Alabama, where they visited civil rights
organizations. Most importantly, we asked the young men what they needed. The goal was straightforward: reduce the revolving door into the criminal justice system by addressing the circumstances putting young men at risk while building greater communication, trust and accountability. MM: What’s a success story that comes to
mind from this program? FG: One of the most important success stories isn’t about one individual. It is about what happened across the community. Marin County Probation Department statistics document a dramatic decline over time in the number of Marin City adults and juveniles under supervised probation. Those numbers matter because behind every statistic is a person, a family and a life that did not continue through the revolving door of the criminal justice system. MM: Tell us about Beacon Solutions and what
people can expect from it.
FG: Beacon Solutions is the community out-
reach, advocacy and civic-engagement arm
ittle did I know that crossing the Golden Gate Bridge L would change the entire direction of my life. sites, traveled the Selma-to-Montgomery route and learned firsthand about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., voting rights and the Civil Rights Movement. Our people came home changed. Those experiences deepened our involvement in voter registration, civic education and community engagement. MM: Tell us about the Phoenix Project.
FELIX URIBE PHOTOGRAPHY
FG: It began in 2009 as a community
response to crime, repeated involvement in the justice system and strained relationships between young Black men in Marin City and law enforcement. Rather than treating the situation solely as a law-enforcement problem, we brought people together — including community members, the Marin County Sheriff’s Office, Probation Department, Public Defender, District Attorney, Marin Housing Authority and community
of RIZE MARIN. Our community events have ranged from honoring original Bay Area Tuskegee Airmen, to the Marin City Jazz & Blues Party in the Park, Professional Blacks in Aviation at Lucasfilm, and a community conversation with actors Danny Glover and Felix Justice. MM: Tell us more about your efforts to pre-
serve history.
FG: When I came to Marin City in the
late 1980s, I had the privilege of getting to know many elders and longtime residents, including members of families who came during World War II from Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi and other parts of the South and Midwest to work at Marinship. When they talked about coming to California for opportunity, I understood that they weren’t simply telling me Marin
MARIN
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Culture Keepers Celebration
City history: They were telling me American history. Then, as Marin City approached its 80th anniversary in 2022, I looked at the documents and artifacts I had collected for approximately 30 years and realized we had another responsibility: preserving our history. That led to formally establishing the Marin City Historical & Preservation Society. I want young people to understand that Black history isn’t something that happened only in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia or somewhere far away. Black history happened right here in Marin County. MM: What inspired you to integrate all your
efforts and create RIZE MARIN? FG: For years, all of this existed under Performing Stars. Eventually, the name no longer reflected the full scope of what we had become. As we celebrated our 35th anniversary, we knew it was time for an identity and structure that reflected the work. Rather than creating four separate nonprofits, we brought Performing Stars, the Phoenix Project, Beacon Solutions and the Marin City Historical & Preservation Society together under one umbrella: RIZE MARIN. RIZE MARIN may be a new name, but it’s not a new organization. It represents 36 years of opening doors, building relationships, connecting people to opportunities, responding to unmet needs and producing results. We are rooted in our legacy and rising into our future.
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F E AT U R E TA S T E M A K E R S
TASTE MARIN’S
PHOTO CREDIT
MAKERS 24 F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 5 M A R I N
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Readers, you had your chance to vote for your favorite food and drink destinations with Best of the County. Now we turn the tables and ask the chefs about their favorites. This photo, taken at Cavallo Point’s Cooking School, captures a moment of communal energy with a pinch of competition.
PHOTO CREDIT
BY CHRISTINA MUELLER | OPENING PHOTO BY MATT SPINETTA
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MICHAEL MINDEL | COPITA Sausalito Top Seller Fresh fish, because we are on the waterfront and our Chef often catches it himself! Sold Weekly? Hundreds. DAVID HAYDON | IL DAVIDE San Rafael Top Seller Branzino Chilean sea bass. Sold Weekly? 100.
Michael Siegel, Playa
SOL HERNANDEZ | SOL FOOD Mill Valley and San Rafael Top Seller Pollo al Horno. Sold Weekly? 3,000.
JACKIE SUTHON | THE BAAN THAI CUISINE San Anselmo Top Seller Pad See Ew because we cook it the authentic Thai way — fresh in a hot wok with perfect temperature control, creating that light smoky wok aroma. Sold Weekly? Over 250. PAT TOWNSLEY | CREEKSIDE PIZZA & TAPROOM San Anselmo Top Seller The Perfect Storm, Creekside’s combination pizza. Named for our loving Siberian Husky, a movie and the flurry of flavors in every slice. Sold Weekly? A couple hundred. HELEN RUSSELL | EQUATOR COFFEES Sausalito, Larkspur and Mill Valley Top Seller Classic espresso drinks remain our highest-volume sellers, but our signature Habibi Latte has become synonymous with Equator. Sold Weekly? Over 700 units across our four Marin cafes.
EMILY AND FEDRIC DCOSTA | MOG ASU WINE BAR Belvedere Tiburon Top Seller Creamy goat cheese dip topped with roasted olives and honey. Sold Weekly? 80. MAX PERRY | SILVER PESO BAR Larkspur Top Seller Draft beers! Sold Weekly? Too many to count. EDMONDO SARTI | SUPER DUPER BURGER CORTE MADERA Corte Madera Top Seller Our Mini Burger because it’s simple, but every ingredient matters from our daily ground Brandt Farms beef to our daily baked buns. Sold Weekly? About 2,000. TAYLOR CARNES | INSALATA’S San Anselmo Top Seller Eggplant fries; people love how different and delicious they are. Sold Weekly? 150. TREVOR MARTENS | POND FARM BREWING CO. San Rafael Top Seller Smash burgers and pretzels. Sold Weekly? 190 burgers, 130 pretzels.
KEVIN FONG | UCHIWA RAMEN San Rafael Top Seller Tonkotsu ramen. Sold Weekly? 125.
RICK EDGE | PIATTI MILL VALLEY Mill Valley Top Seller Rigatoni Bolognese. Sold Weekly? 250–300.
JOLE BRAUN | MICHAEL’S SOURDOUGH SANDWICHES San Rafael and Novato Top Seller Roasted turkey sandwich. Sold Weekly? Over 500.
DONNA SEYMOUR | CUCINA SA San Anselmo Top Seller Kale and Brussels sprout salad. Sold Weekly? 150.
BRUNO DENIS | LE GARAGE Sausalito Top Seller Mussels. Sold Weekly? 200.
BENJAMIN BALESTERI | POGGIO TRATTORIA Sausalito Top Seller Tagliatelle prawn pasta. Sold Weekly? 160.
KENNY BELOV | FISH. Sausalito Top Seller Fish and chips. Sold Weekly? 1,000. MICHAEL GARCIA | CAVALLO POINT LODGE Sausalito Top Seller Our fresh fish selections. Sold Weekly? 200. ERIN MIWA | COMFORTS San Anselmo Top Seller Our signature Chinese chicken salad. Sold Weekly? 3,500–4,000. MICHAEL REYES | PICCO RESTAURANT & PIZZERIA Larkspur Top Seller Tuna tartare. Sold Weekly? Too many to count! NORMAN LOUIE | HARMONY RESTAURANT Mill Valley Top Seller Harmony signature beef. Sold Weekly? Lots!
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MICHAEL SIEGEL | PLAYA Mill Valley Top Seller Besides guacamole, chips and salsa trio being on every table, our chicken enchiladas with mole negro deep toasted chile flavor with a hint of chocolate. Sold Weekly? 100. JASON SIMS | CORNER BAR Mill Valley Top Seller A burger and a Manhattan. Sold Weekly? Over 100. ROBERT PRICE | BUCKEYE ROADHOUSE Mill Valley Top Seller Marinated Skirt Steak with Pecorino Truffle Fries. Sold Weekly? 250.
Emily and Fedric Dcosta, Mog Asu Wine Bar
YOSHI TOME | SUSHI RAN Sausalito Top Seller Sushi, tuna, hamachi, black cod. Sold Weekly? 1,000.
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PETER SCHUMACHER | BUNGALOW 44 Mill Valley Top Seller Oysters bingo. Sold Weekly? 395.
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DIETRICH KROUS WITH THE ATRIUM COLLECTIVE; MOG ASU WINE BAR
Tastemakers
Here are a few of Marin’s top chefs and their best-selling dishes, so you know what to order.
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WHERE MARIN’S TASTEMAKERS START THE DAY
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Fred’s Place
Shoreline Coffee
M.H. Bread & Butter
SAUSALITO
MILL VALLE Y
Garden Café
1917 Bridgeway 415.332.4575 Picked By: Michael Mindel, Max Perry, Bruno Denis, Michael Siegel, Jason Sims
221 Shoreline Hwy shorelinecoffeeshop.com 415.388.9085 Picked By: Helen Russell, Benjamin Balesteri
SAN R AFAEL
SAN ANSELMO
718 B St gardencaffemarin.com 415.295.7285 Picked By: Emily and Fedric Dcosta, Trevor Martens
101 San Anselmo Ave mhbreadandbutter.com 415.755.4575 Picked By: Donna Seymour, Peter Schumacher
Other Breakfast Picks NORMAN LOUIE: Bacon, Novato
RICK EDGE: Lighthouse Café, Corte Madera
JOLE BRAUN: Beso Bistro, Novato
KEVIN FONG: Lundy’s Home Cooking, San Rafael
JACKIE SUTHON: Blue Barn, Corte Madera
ERIN MIWA: Miracle Mile Cafe, San Rafael
ROBERT PRICE: Buckeye Joe’s, Sausalito
YOSHI TOME: Suzette, Sausalito
KENNY BELOV: Flour Craft Bakery, San Anselmo and Mill Valley
MICHAEL REYES: Thursday Marin Farmers’ Market, San Rafael
TAYLOR CARNES: Good Earth, Fairfax or Mill Valley
Our ‘go-to’ is Miracle Mile Cafe. The staff are great, and my son loves the cinnamon roll pancakes. ERIN MIWA , COMFORTS
SOL HERNANDEZ: Le Croissant, San Rafael
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Breakfast
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F E AT U R E TA S T E M A K E R S
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Hog Island Oyster Co.
Farmshop Marin
Michael’s Sourdough Farley Bar, Sandwiches Cavallo Point
L ARK SPUR
2233 Larkspur Landing Cir farmshopca.com 415.755.6700 Picked by: Helen Russell, Edmondo Sarti
2401 Larkspur Landing Cir hogislandoysters.com 628.253.5905 Picked by: Taylor Carnes, Yoshi Tome, Michael Garcia, Donna Seymour
L ARK SPUR
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SAN R AFAEL AND NOVATO
SAUSALITO
999 Andersen Dr, Ste 165, San Rafael; 42 Digital Dr, Novato michaelssourdough.com 415.485.0964; 415.883.5110 Picked by: Max Perry, Michael Siegel
602 Murray Cir cavallopoint.com/dine/farley 415.339.4751 Picked by: Emily and Fedric Dcosta
Other Lunch Picks MICHAEL REYES: Comforts, San Anselmo
RICK EDGE: Joinery, Sausalito
PAT TOWNSLEY: Sabor A México, San Rafael
NORMAN LOUIE: Café del Soul, Mill Valley and San Rafael
KENNY BELOV: Masa Sushi, Novato
KEVIN FONG: Sushi Holic, Novato
TREVOR MARTENS: M.H. Bread & Butter, San Anselmo
JACKIE SUTHON: Sol Food, Mill Valley and San Rafael
JASON SIMS: Playa, Mill Valley
SOL HERNANDEZ: Vn Noodle Grill, San Rafael
BENJAMIN BALESTERI: Fish., Sausalito ROBERT PRICE: Flour Craft Bakery, San Anselmo and Mill Valley PETER SCHUMACHER: Hook Fish Co., Mill Valley
DAVID HAYDON: Poggio Trattoria, Sausalito JOLE BRAUN: RH Rooftop Restaurant, Corte Madera
ERIN MIWA: Insalata’s, San Anselmo
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MICHAEL MINDEL: World Wrapps, Corte Madera
REMY ANTHES; STEVE KEPPLE; COURTESY OF MICHAEL’S SOURDOUGH SANDWICHES; AUBRIE PICK
Lunch
WHERE MARIN’S TASTEMAKERS FIND MIDDAY FUEL
MARIN
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WHERE MARIN’S TASTEMAKERS LIKE TO END THEIR DAY
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Madcap
Village Sake
Burmatown
SAN ANSELMO
FAIRFA X
Buckeye Roadhouse MILL VALLE Y
18 Tamalpais Dr burmatown.com 415.985.5060 Picked by: Jole Braun, Jason Sims
198 Sir Francis Drake Blvd madcapmarin.com 415.453.9898 Picked by: Yoshi Tome, Bruno Denis, Michael Garcia, Robert Price
19 Bolinas Rd villagesake.com 415.521.5790 Picked by: Taylor Carnes, Kenny Belov, Michael Siegel, Donna Seymour
15 Shoreline Hwy buckeyeroadhouse.com 415.331.2600 Picked by: David Haydon, Michael Reyes, Rick Edge
Other Dinner Picks PETER SCHUMACHER: Angelino’s, Sausalito
MAX PERRY: Restaurant Picco, Larkspur
HELEN RUSSELL: Bungalow 44, Mill Valley
MICHAEL MINDEL: RH Marin, Corte Madera
ERIN MIWA: Cucina sa, San Anselmo
PAT TOWNSLEY: Sorella Caffe, Fairfax
KEVIN FONG: Il Davide, San Rafael
BENJAMIN BALESTERI: Sushi Ran, Sausalito
JACKIE SUTHON: Kuro Nami, San Anselmo
EMILY AND FEDRIC DCOSTA: Insalata’s, San Anselmo
SOL HERNANDEZ: La Ginestra, Mill Valley NORMAN LOUIE: Mamita Cocina Mexicana, Novato
TREVOR MARTENS: Insalata’s, San Anselmo
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It’s tied between Sushi Ran, La Toscana, Buckeye and La Ginestra.
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LEELA LINDNER; COURTESY OF VILLAGE SAKE; MATT SPINETTA | PRISMIC PHOTOGRAPHY; JENNIFER FUJITANI
Dinner
SOL HERNANDE Z , SOL FOOD
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F E AT U R E TA S T E M A K E R S
Sweets
SAN R AFAEL 196 Northgate Dr One silbermanns.com 415.479.1657 Picked by: Pat Townsley, Max Perry, Michael Garcia
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Bob’s Donuts
RH Rooftop Restaurant
Lappert’s Ice Cream
MILL VALLE Y 252 Almonte Blvd bobsdonutssf.com 415.322.6278 Picked by: Kenny Belov, Michael Reyes
SAUSALITO
CORTE MADER A 1750 Redwood Hwy rh.com/us/en/marin/restaurant 628.266.2040 Picked by: Michael Mindel, Norman Louie
689 Bridgeway lapperts.com/lapperts-sausalito-ca 415.331.3035 Picked by: Bruno Denis, Robert Price
Other Sweet Picks JASON SIMS: Angela’s Ice Cream, Mill Valley
BENJAMIN BALESTERI: Jane / Marin, Belvedere Tiburon
ERIN MIWA: Buvette du Marais, Larkspur
PETER SCHUMACHER: La Ginestra, Mill Valley
KEVIN FONG: Creekside Bakery, Novato SOL HERNANDEZ: Double Rainbow @ Autistry Studios, San Rafael DAVID HAYDON: Emporio Rulli, Larkspur TREVOR MARTENS: Fairfax Scoop, Fairfax
TAYLOR CARNES: Restaurant Picco, Larkspur RICK EDGE: Station House Café, Point Reyes Station HELEN RUSSELL: Tamalpie, Mill Valley
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JACKIE SUTHON: Teaspoon, Corte Madera EMILY AND FEDRIC DCOSTA: Woodbine Bakery, San Rafael DONNA SEYMOUR: Buckeye Roadhouse, Mill Valley
DEBRA TARRANT; COURTESY OF BOB’S DONUTS; COURTESY OF RH MARIN; COURTESY OF LAPPERT’S ICE CREAM
Silbermann’s Ice Cream
WHERE MARIN’S TASTEMAKERS GO FOR A TREAT
MARIN
10/14/26 10:18 AM
WHERE MARIN’S TASTEMAKERS QUENCH THEIR THIRST
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California Gold
Bar Voyage
Silver Peso
Corner Bar
SAN R AFAEL
SAN ANSELMO
LARKSPUR
MILL VALLE Y
848 B St californiagoldbar.com Picked by: David Haydon, Emily and Fedric Dcosta, Edmondo Sarti, Trevor Martens, Kevin Fong, Michael Siegel
500 San Anselmo Ave voyagebar.com 415.295.7252 Picked by: Jackie Suthon, Taylor Carnes, Erin Miwa
450 Magnolia Ave silverpesomarin.com 415.886.8095 Picked by: Michael Reyes, Norman Louie
106 Throckmorton Ave cornerbarmv.com 415.888.8001 Picked by: Helen Russell, Bruno Denis
Other Cocktail Picks JOLE BRAUN: Ayawaska, Novato
PAT TOWNSLEY: Tu Tap, San Anselmo
MICHAEL MINDEL: The Caprice Seafood & Steakhouse, Tiburon
DONNA SEYMOUR: Stillwater, Fairfax RICK EDGE: Buckeye Roadhouse, Mill Valley
BENJAMIN BALESTERI: Copita, Sausalito PETER SCHUMACHER: Guesthouse, Kentfield
So many to choose. California Gold, Farm Shop, Flores, to name a few. EDMONDO SARTI, SUPER DUPER BURGER CORTE MADERA
YOSHI TOME: Ristorante La Toscana, San Rafael KENNY BELOV: No Name Bar, Sausalito MICHAEL GARCIA Presidio Yacht Club, Sausalito
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COURTESY OF CALIFORNIA GOLD; CASS CLEAVE; MATT SPINETTA | PRISMIC PHOTOGRAPHY
Cocktails
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THE STORIED HISTORY OF
LIQUOR IN MARIN NEW SAUSALITO WHISKEY TRAIL APP CONNECTS MARIN TO ITS SPIRITED PAST.
COURTESY OF SAUSALITO HISTORICAL SOCIETY
BY MARIN MAGAZINE STAFF
Confiscated alcohol is poured into the Bay during Prohibition.
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COURTESY OF SAUSALITO HISTORICAL SOCIETY
orldwide human culture often goes hand in hand with alcohol production. An article a few years back in Smithsonian Magazine posited that “true” civilization began with the production of beer, arguing that simple farmers can produce more than enough food for themselves on a single acre of land, but in order to produce beer you needed a much larger operation. And that operation needs protection and organization, eventually culminating in large human settlements, and inevitably, government. For better, or for worse. Marin County’s human history goes back thousands of years. The so-called “grandfather midden,” a burial site in Larkspur that was paved over in 2014, dated back 4,500 years — about the same age as the Great Pyramids of Egypt. But in a strange aberration, native tribes in California don’t really have a pre-contact history of alcohol consumption. “The native Coast Miwok who lived here for millennia, did not produce, or ferment or use alcohol at all,” says Rip Hunter, a board member of the Sausalito Historical Society. “That had to do with the fact that they didn’t have much of anything that would ferment. As a result, they have no real tradition of intoxicants outside of tobacco.” Hunter worked with the Sausalito Historical Society, the Sausalito Liquor Co. and well-known bartender/columnist Jeff Burkhart to launch the Sausalito Whiskey Trail, an app that guides visitors to restaurants with curated history, branded cocktails (and mocktails) along with a featured international whiskey. The app was even designed and coded by Hunter’s son, Austin. “The Whiskey Trail is a nod towards both the history of what evolved here in the 250 years since the first Spanish contact,” says Hunter. “Then many other emigrant cultures arrived, bringing various international spirits with them, thereby making this city what it is today. The Whiskey Trail illuminates that, it honors the history, and then it makes history a little tastable.”
ENTER THE SPANISH The Spanish first arrived in Marin County on August 5, 1775, at what is now called Old Town Sausalito. “They anchored here to gather wood for repairs, secure food and get fresh water from the streams,” says Hunter. “Ironically, the Spanish had stopped in Sausalito because there was water — very fresh water — which as it turns out was ideal for making spirits.” And there they first met the indigenous Coast Miwok. “The Miwok were a very peaceful, generous people,” continues Hunter. “I don’t know if there was any alcohol that was exchanged on that trip, but generally speaking it was a positive first encounter.” Subsequent exchanges would be less positive as the Spanish soon settled the entire area. They started with the Presidio and Mission Dolores in San Francisco in 1776, and then later in 1817, founded the Mission San Rafael Archangel. According to Hunter, these are places where they began to use wine for religious purposes and some social events. “The Spanish had plenty of their own wine that they imported
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either from Mexico, Spain or from one of their other South American colonies,” says Hunter. “They didn’t really make wine here in Northern California, or at least not successfully, for a long, long time.”
par ticipants:
A few of Cocktail Boothby’s “10 Commandments” Excerpted from his 1891 book American Bartender. Always appear pleasant and obliging under all circumstances. Avoid conversation of a religious or political nature. Sell all the liquor you can, but use as little as possible yourself. Discretion in speech is more than eloquence. Keep your fingernails clean, your face shaved, your hair neatly arranged and your linen immaculate. Punctuality is a jewel. So, get to business on time and when you are off watch, skidoo.
PROHIBITION PUTS THE BRAKES ON At the turn of the last century the alcohol business in Marin was booming, and then along came the Volstead Act. In 1919, the passage of the 18th Amendment started Prohibition. “Apparently small-town Fairfax wasn’t a place where the Volstead Act was enforced with much enthusiasm,” says Marcie Miller, a local Marin historian with Save Marin’s History, who leads her own “Prohibition Talks” as well as history walks throughout West Marin. “Residents made their own moonshine, and liquor was readily available. As one Northwest Pacific Railroad conductor reportedly observed aboard the celebrated Fairfax Picnic Train, ‘You could get a drink anywhere in Fairfax except the Post Office.’” Miller also says that Fairfax was part of a larger West Marin bootlegging network. Illegal liquor arrived by sea from Canada, with federal agents watching the waters off Tomales and Bolinas for delivery ships. On foggy nights, smaller boats would bring the cargo ashore, where wagons hauled it to local ranches for safekeeping. Miller claims that ranchers were sometimes paid in liquor, and the contraband later continued east over White’s Hill to Fairfax or south over Mount Tamalpais to Sausalito. “Fairfax even had its own early warning system,” she says. “A lookout atop White’s Hill watched for the black Model A Fords of federal agents. When the ‘revenuers’ appeared, a fast rider could race down the valley to spread the word.” Fairfax wasn’t alone. Sausalito also came to play. “Here in Sausalito, because we were so isolated, it was almost like Prohibition didn’t exist,” says Hunter. “There was the great Mason Distillery that had been here for about 30 years, which had just pivoted and started making medicinal spirits, and they kept operating. But a lot of the restaurants and liquor bars that were here just pivoted to selling ‘soft
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THIS PAGE: COURTESY OF JEFF BURKHART; NEXT PAGE: COURTESY OF SAUSALITO HISTORICAL SOCIETY; MIMI TOWLE
Sausalito whiskey trail
AN INTERNATIONAL SMORGASBORD After the arrival of the Spanish, other international cultures soon followed: Mexican, Russian, British, Portuguese, German, French, Chinese and of course, the Americans. “Each of those foreign groups had their own types of spirits that they brought to the area and those got shared around pretty thoroughly,” says Hunter. The Gold Rush brought the Americans to the area in force. If arriving by sea they brought the rum endemic to the shipping industry, and if by land they carried with them the old rye whiskeys of the North and the newer bourbons of the South. And eventually, finding good sources of fresh water, they began making spirits here instead of importing them. “When I started working on the Sausalito Liquor Company in 2021,” says founder Scott Jampol, “I learned about Mason’s Distillery in Sausalito making whiskey which dated back to 1892. And then the American Distilling Company continued that tradition until 1963. At one point, it was the largest distillery west of the Mississippi and employed over 200 people.” American Distilling burned down in 1963 (its former location is now the site of the Whiskey Springs residential development), but other distillers are also connected to Marin County. The Hotaling family, late 19th Century and early 20th Century distilling giants in San Francisco, had a mansion in Sleepy Hollow, the remains of which can still be seen. Cocktail Boothby, the most famous bartender of this so-called “Golden Era” of bartending published his famous treatise American Bartender in 1891 while working at the Rafael Hotel in San Rafael.
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Sausalito Whiskey Trail
A local pharmacy was shut down for violating Prohibition.
Sausalito Whiskey Trail Participants Angelino’s Restaurant Cocktail: The Saucy Sally
drinks.’ Little old Sausalito was really a hub for a lot of rum-running activities because of its location.” Legendary gangster George “Baby Face” Nelson (real name Lester Joseph Gillis) even worked at the Valhalla restaurant in Sausalito during Prohibition, reportedly as a bartender.
DISTILLATION NATION Ironically, while Mason Distillery survived Prohibition, it didn’t survive postProhibition, becoming American Distilling on the day Prohibition ended and operating in Sausalito right up until the fire in 1963. After American Distilling decided not to rebuild, the Marin spirits industry pivoted mainly to bars and restaurants. Valhalla survived all of it until it closed in 2009. In 1966 the Trident (owned by the Kingston Trio) opened in Sausalito and became a mecca for music and culture (as well as the birthplace of the Tequila Sunrise) before closing first in 1980, only to reopen in 2012, “ You could get a drink anywhere before closing again in 2025. Smiin Fairfax except the Post Office.” ley’s Saloon in Bolinas is widely Northwest Pacific Railroad conductor regarded as the oldest continuously operating bar in California, operating since 1851, and The William Tell House in Tomales isn’t far behind, opening in 1877. The 2 A.M. Club in Mill Valley is approaching 100 years in business, as is the Buckeye Roadhouse. “Spirits, whether made or sold here in Marin, have always been a big part of our colorful history,” says Hunter. “I wanted to contribute to a part of that story’s future, and I truly believe that the Sausalito Whiskey Trail is shining a positive light on its rich past.” And if there’s Scan to download the Sausalito Whiskey one way to make history more interestTrail App. ing, alcohol might be it.
Barrel House Tavern Cocktail: The Unsinkable Copita Tequileria y Comida Cocktail: El Californio Cultivar Cocktail: Neruda a la Antigua Farley Bar Cocktail: The Old 91st Lighthouse Bar and Grill Cocktail: The Willie Yee Napa Valley Burger Company Cocktail: Das Prost No Name Bar Cocktail: The 757 Notte Divino Cocktail: La Patrona Poggio Trattoria Cocktail: La Madrona Salito’s Crab House and Prime Rib Cocktail: The Highlander Scoma’s of Sausalito Cocktail: The Midnight Run Smitty’s Bar Cocktail: The Orion The Spinnaker Restaurant Cocktail: The Bolinar Sushi Ran Cocktail: Ume Manhattan Suzette Café and Bistro Cocktail: A la Mer
MAARRIIN N || N NO OV VEEM MBBEERR 22002263 35 M 35
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A beautiful mix of large swell, good wind, and perfect light combined for this image. A lot of the time it is all about “being in the right place, at the right time.” Ocean Beach, 2020 36 N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 6
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CALIFORNIA WINTER Seeing our coast through the lens of a camera. PHOTOS AND TEXT BY JACK BOBER
My journey in photography started when I was 13 years old and my mom bought me a GoPro. My family is from Oahu; because of this, the ocean has always been ingrained in my life. What started as swimming in onefoot shorebreak waves in Hawaii quickly turned into a full-blown obsession with the Northern California coast.
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Above: An iconic wave in San Francisco, 2020. Left: The North Shore of Hawaii, 2022, where Bober’s photography journey started. Below: Surf captured at Ocean Beach, 2021.
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A CALIFORNIA WINTER STARTED AS A CHALLENGE TO SHOWCASE THE BEAUTIFUL WINTERS.
I was born and raised in Marin County, and I have always had a large fascination with my surrounding area. Through photography, I am able to show how I see our beautiful region that we are so lucky to call our home. Shortly into my photography career (roughly two years), I had the honor of having one of my photos selected as the Marin Magazine “photo of the month” on Instagram. At the time, that was the biggest deal in the world to me. I grew up with a Marin Magazine on my coffee table year-round, so to be recognized by the staff
Chasing swells with my camera has allowed me to travel to some beautiful places. Taken on the island of Madeira off the coast of Portugal, 2024.
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was incredible to me. I can honestly say it was one of the first moments when I felt “accomplished” as an artist. That was a major motivator for me to continue with my photography career. The project A California Winter originally started as a challenge to showcase the beautiful winters of surf we get here in the Bay Area. It quickly turned into a five-book project that sold out each year. It is incredibly humbling and still a shock to me how much people appreciated this project and I am so grateful for everyone that supported it. Each year I would get so much positive feedback that it pushed me to create more and more. One of the hardest decisions each year when making the book was choosing the cover. To me, it was not about being the best photo I took that year, but rather a photo that encapsulated the winter. I hope for more book projects in the future, including a hard copy “best of the best” from the five editions of A California Winter, so keep an eye out for that.
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FROM THE ARCHIVES
Jack Bober’s Marin Magazine debut, 2017.
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Tasty Delicious Full Page Ad Marin Magazine 2612.pdf
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Marin Magazine’s
Sula at Cavallo Point
Perry’s on Magnolia Perry Butler/Owner
Perry’s on Magnolia opened in Larkspur in 2015, in the historic Lark Creek Inn building originally built in 1888. Perry’s brings its hallmarks to Marin County: the classic American menu, a bustling bar, and the warmth and personality for which Perry’s has always been known. Nestled among the Redwood trees, Perry’s on Magnolia features a variety of dining spaces. Outdoor options include the heated Patio, the Redwood Grove, Upper Terrace and the front Garden. The interior features unique dining spaces, a lively bar area and the substantial energetic bar itself. Perry’s is open for Dinner seven days a week starting at 3pm, for Lunch Thursday and Friday at 11am, Brunch Saturday at 11am and Sunday at 10am. We hope to see you soon! 234 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur 415.927.1877, perryssf.com MARIN
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R E STAU R A N T P RO FI L E S
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Cucina s|a
Donna Seymour, Owner Cucina s|a is a friendly neighborhood spot that has been satisfying diners for over 27 celebrated years. Owner Donna Seymour added a parklet and expanded the space to include a full bar with a selection of spirits and craft cocktails. These offerings complement award-winning dishes cooked in a wood-fired oven and the seasonal, organic-focused menu showcasing Southern and Central Italian cuisine. Chef Roberto Avila brings fresh spins on classic dishes like goat cheese and fig salad and brined and braised pork chop with red cabbage and smoked pineapple chutney. 510 San Anselmo Ave, San Anselmo 415.454.2942, cucina-sa.com
The Baan Thai Cuisine Celebrated Thai Flavors, Right Here in San Anselmo
As crisp autumn air settles over Marin County this November, gather with us for comforting, authentic Thai cuisine. We are proud to share that Baan Thai Cuisine has officially received the prestigious Thai SELECT One Star certification from the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand. A recognition of our dedication to traditional culinary heritage, fresh ingredients, and warm hospitality. Whether you are dropping in for a quick midday lunch break or gathering with family and friends for a cozy dinner, our dining room is ready for you. Experience our award-winning menu featuring aromatic curries, wok-tossed classics, and regional Thai specialties right here in San Anselmo. Join us for lunch or dinner this season! 726 San Anselmo Ave, San Anselmo 415.457.9470, thebaanthaicuisine.com 42 N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 6
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Farley at Cavallo Point Meet Me at Farley Farley at Cavallo Point makes it easy to be a regular. Offering a relaxing, gastropub-style setting, Farley pours cocktails made with local botanicals, alcohol-free beverages, Northern California microbrews and smallproduction wines, alongside a casual menu of seasonal bites. Grab a stool at the bar, a table in the comfortable dining room or a spot out on the terrace, where the Golden Gate Bridge and the city skyline fill the view. Farley’s open daily from weekday lunch or weekend brunch through late in the evening, with no reservations required. MARIN
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So a quick drink or a full dinner rarely takes much planning. Now Wednesdays add another reason to stop by. The new Wednesday Wind Down offers food and drink specials and runs from 4-7pm. Plus, old Farley favorite, John Vicino, is back with a weekly acoustic guitar set that runs through 8pm. One visit is usually all it takes for Farley to become your usual! 601 Murray Circle, Sausalito, 415.339.4751, cavallopoint.com/dine/farley
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Creekside Pizza & Taproom Pat Townsley, Founder and Owner
Open seven days a week with lunch starting at 12 noon, Creekside Pizza & Taproom is home to Marin’s #1 award-winning hand-crafted artisan pizzas, deli-inspired sandwiches, fresh salads, hearty pastas, shareable appetizers, plus gluten-free and vegan options. Enjoy the finest craft beer selection on tap and California fine wines. Join us for your next great dining experience in the heart of Marin. We look forward to serving you. 638 San Anselmo Ave, San Anselmo 415.785.4450, www.CreeksideSA.com
Comforts Consistently voted “Best of the County,” Comforts has been serving elevated comfort food since 1986, featuring seasonal, local and organic ingredients. We are a family-run enterprise (second generation now), and recently underwent a massive renovation of both our sit-down restaurant and marketplace. Enjoy breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch in our inviting dining room, or head into the marketplace where you can choose from a wide selection of seasonal salads, soups, sandwiches and family dinners for take out. Our retail shop features artisan food and gift items, as well as a great selection of wines. The holidays are fast approaching, and Comforts has delicious offerings for an easy and stress-free holiday! Please visit our website for our special holiday menus. Open 7 days. 335 San Anselmo Ave, San Anselmo 415.454.9840, comfortscafe.com 44 N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 6
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Lukas Sibrian Manager Lima Nikkei, a modern expression of Japanese Nikkei cuisine with a touch of Peru, is brought to life in the heart of Mill Valley. Founded by Edwin Sandoval, Lima Nikkei reflects Edwin’s passion for food, hospitality, and bringing people together. After transforming an existing restaurant into Lima Nikkei, Edwin entrusted his grandson, Lukas, and his family with carrying his vision forward while honoring the family’s legacy.
Lima Nikkei brings together the precision and artistry of Japanese cuisine with the vibrant flavors of Peru. The menu features fresh ceviches, tiraditos, sushi, robata, and fried rice, celebrating the meeting of these two culinary traditions. Come experience the flavors of Japan and Peru, right here in Marin. 17 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley, 415.384.8197, limanikkei.com
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Troya Mediterranean
Betül Akdag Kinalilar, Owner A Mediterranean Table, Rooted in Turkish Hospitality Step inside Troya Tiburon and discover a warm, sophisticated escape inspired by the Mediterranean. Rooted in Turkish hospitality, Troya pairs gracious service and an inviting atmosphere with vibrant Turkish and Mediterranean flavors. From colorful mezes and seasonal dishes to fresh seafood and grilled meats, the menu is designed for sharing and complemented by a curated wine selection. Troya also offers catering and private events, bringing its signature hospitality to every celebration. 1 Blackfield Drive, Suite 12, Tiburon 415.888.9281, troyatiburon.com
Siren Sisters Kitchen Holiday Hosting, Handled.
Siren Sisters Kitchen is a women-owned and operated business bringing bold, seasonal Mediterranean-inspired flavors and beautiful presentation to everyday meals and special celebrations. Visit our Fairfax storefront for freshly prepared soups, entrées, salads, dips, frozen meals and other delicious things to take home. Hosting? Our abundant grazing platters, party trays and carry-out catering make entertaining easy, without sacrificing style or flavor. Beyond the storefront, we offer full-service catering for weddings, corporate events, private parties and celebrations of all kinds. From intimate gatherings to grand affairs, we bring creativity, warmth and a little unexpected flair to every table. With the holidays approaching, let us handle the food while you enjoy the company. Stop by or get in touch to plan your next gathering. 1605 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Fairfax 415.234.3462, sirensisterskitchen.com 46 N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 6
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877 Grant Ave, Novato 415.899.1516 finnegansmarin.com
320 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur 415.924.0300, restaurantpicco.com
FINNEGAN’S MARIN Twenty Years, Fresh Spirit
RESTAURANT PICCO Executive Chef Michael Reyes
In the heart of charming downtown Novato, Finnegan’s Marin celebrates 20 years of bringing families, friends, and neighbors together. Owner Patrick Odenthal brings over two decades of restaurant and hospitality experience, infusing this Marin County staple with fresh energy. From family dinners to a lively bar scene, it’s a place to gather, raise a Guinness, and feel right at home.
Celebrating over 20 years as a Marin dining favorite, Restaurant Picco delights guests with inventive, market-driven cuisine and warm hospitality. Executive Chef Michael Reyes (The French Laundry, Commis, Mourad) showcases Northern California’s seasonal bounty with creative, ever-evolving dishes. Signature favorites include Picco’s beloved risotto, wood-fired pizzas, Ahi Tuna Tartare, and Avocado Bruschetta, keeping guests coming back for more.
Kuro Nami Japanese Kitchen
Gather, Share, Celebrate Some of the best moments happen around a table. At Kuro Nami, we love being part of those moments, whether you’re getting together with family, catching up with friends, or celebrating something special. In the heart of San Anselmo, we bring together fresh sushi and sashimi, Japaneseinspired dishes, and a warm, welcoming space made for gathering. Our menu combines traditional Japanese influences with a modern approach, giving guests something familiar while leaving room to discover something new. Come share good food, good conversation, and time together with the people who matter. Whatever the occasion, we’d be happy to have you at our table. 69 Center Blvd, San Anselmo, CA 415.459.6969, kuronamimarin.com MARIN
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Via Piccola Trattoria
800 Redwood Hwy, #401, Mill Valley 415.381.5300 harmonyrestaurantgroup.com
1 Blackfield Dr, Tiburon 415.388.9100 viapiccola.com
AUTHENTIC ITALIAN, HEART OF TIBURON Family Owned, Family Run.
HARMONY RESTAURANT Handmade Dim Sum Daily
Founded by Pedro and Maria Ulloa in 2020, Via Piccola Trattoria is the culmination of his 30+ year journey in the restaurant industry — from dishwasher to chef, manager, and partner. After decades at Café Arrivederci, Pedro launched this new chapter with his family. They invite you to enjoy authentic Italian cuisine and become part of their warm, welcoming tradition. Buon appetito!
A delicate balance between tradition and innovation. A coming together of exceptional Chinese cuisine with extraordinary service in a relaxed, modern setting. Established over 20 years ago, award winning Harmony Restaurant is rooted in traditional ingredients and established cooking techniques creating a unique blend of Asian flavors. We welcome you to join us in celebrating the holidays. We are honored to continue serving the community.
333 Biscayne Drive, San Rafael, 415.453.4940 peacockgapgolfclub.com/restaurant
3751 Redwood Hwy, San Rafael 415.492.9100 ristorantelatoscana.com
LA TOSCANA RISTORANTE & BAR A Marin Tradition
RANGECAFE AT PEACOCK GAP Fresh Flavors, Crafted Cocktails
For more than 41 years, La Toscana has welcomed Marin with authentic Italian cooking, warm hospitality and a lively neighborhood spirit. Family-owned since 1985, the San Rafael favorite pairs timeless recipes with fresh seasonal dishes, a full bar and an inviting dining room made for everything from date night to family celebrations. Reservations recommended.
Discover RangeCafe at Peacock Gap, where great food, handcrafted cocktails, and scenic views come together. Enjoy seasonal dishes made with fresh ingredients, sip on creative new cocktails, and relax in a welcoming atmosphere overlooking the golf course. Whether it’s happy hour, date night, or dinner with friends, RangeCafe delivers a memorable experience.
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The Marin Dish Your Concierge for Food and Fun in Marin The Marin Dish is your go-to guide for food and fun in Marin. From buzzworthy restaurant openings and hidden wine bars to mouthwatering happy hours, can’t-miss foodie events, and live music, we uncover the places that make Marin such a vibrant place to live, dine, and explore. Founded by lifelong Marin County resident Kevin Blum, The Marin Dish celebrates the people and businesses that give the county its unique flavor. More than just a local guide, it’s a community where restaurants, bars, and
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small businesses share their stories, promote seasonal specials and events, and connect with an engaged audience of food lovers and local explorers. Whether you’re on the hunt for your next favorite burger, planning an unforgettable date night, or looking for the hottest event in town, The Marin Dish is here to help you make the most of Marin.
Mill Valley, 415.290.2767, themarindish.com
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909 Lincoln Ave, San Rafael, 628.285.8630 hotitalian.net
916 Kearny Street, San Francisco 415.291.1700 cafezeotrope.com
HOT ITALIAN PIZZA & PANINI BAR A Slice of Italy, Served with Style in Marin
ROMAN TRATTORIA STYLE CAFÉ AND WINE BAR Each dish has a story!
This holiday season, gather over Italian wines, artisanal pizza, and gelato at HOT ITALIAN. The holidays are about connection, and HOT ITALIAN brings people together around food, wine, and community. In Marin, this modern Italian restaurant blends tradition and design into a dining experience that feels festive yet timeless. The experience is complemented by a curated Italian wine list, imported Italian beers, and a lively Happy Hour from 4–6 pm.
Café Zoetrope is located in the majestic Sentinel Building, a San Francisco historic landmark in the heart of North Beach, and the home to Francis Ford Coppola’s American Zoetrope Studio (film production company where the origin of the Café name comes from).
85 Liberty Ship Way, Suite 109, Sausalito 415.332.5625 legaragesausalito.com
621 Bridgeway, Sausalito 415.331.5225 angelinorestaurant.com
LE GARAGE SAUSALITO Waterfront French Bistro
ANGELINO RESTAURANT Book Your Holiday Party Now!
Tucked along the Sausalito waterfront, Le Garage is a relaxed French bistro serving honest, seasonal food without the pretense. Join us for brunch, lunch, dinner, or our special events to enjoy traditional French cooking, good wine, and marina views in a vibrant, welcoming setting. Come as you are, settle in, and make yourself at home right by the water.
Since 1983, the Ancona family has brought the flavors of Campagna, Italy, to Sausalito with Chef Alfredo Ancona’s farmer’s market-inspired Italian cuisine. Angelino Restaurant would be honored to host your next celebration, be it a birthday, wedding, or graduation, and is happy to create a custom menu for any special event, large reservation, or private party. Let us make it unforgettable.
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Beloved destinations just became good for you too.
COURTESY OF THE MAUNA KEA HOTEL
BY J E A N N E C O O P E R , A N N W YC O F F A N D M I M I TO W L E
The new wellness center at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel fits in seamlessly with the original design.
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T
here was a time when “wellness travel” meant sparse accommodations, daily “lessons” from woo-woo experts predicting your future with crystals or the rhythm of your pulse, all topped off with a week of green juice and a scale at checkout. Thankfully, we’ve moved on. In 2026, the getaways that restore us look a lot more like a reset, with the latest fitness and med-spa technologies showing up at our favorite destinations. In this issue, we bring back our annual roundup of add-to-your-bucket-list wellness adventures: four familiar destinations, two in Hawaii and two in Southern California, with noteworthy renovations and new offerings designed to send you home revived and restored.
Big Island
Healing Begins Within: The Spa at Mauna Kea THe biggest news for West Coast wellness is likely the multimillion-dollar “refresh” of the iconic Hawaii Island resort Mauna Kea Beach Hotel famously created by Laurance S. Rockefeller and a dream team of architects and golf course developers in the sixties. “Refresh” is a modest word for changes that include an adults-only infinity pool area filled with filtered salt water and measuring 50 by 20 yards, plus a 2,500-square-foot fitness center with sweeping ocean views and the latest equipment. The crown jewel is the new spa, featuring eleven al fresco treatment rooms, including couples suites, plus outdoor showers, soaking tubs and a co-ed wellness deck with its own spa menu (skinny burger and spring rolls, anyone?), all centered around a vitality pool and hot tub. That’s all in addition to the resort’s longtime draws: a 54 N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 6
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world-renowned white-sand beach and crystal-clear waters ideal for snorkeling; pro-level tennis and pickleball courts; and, of course, the world-famous 18-hole golf course. In 2020, architect Jackson Butler, then based in Mill Valley, was brought on early in the project, which took him to the mountains of Kohala to source the best koa wood for the spa reception (no prefab planks here; they would ruin the vibe). They also sourced cedar and the tree in the lobby is a reclaimed cedar tree from the original Parker Ranch, just up the road where Rockefeller would stay. Butler was careful to respect his original vision, as was the entire renovation team. “It was a huge collaborative effort with amazing architects and designers from around the world,” recalls Butler. “The spa experience is intended to be a return to the essence of self — where land, spirit and design converge. As the team, led by spa director Psalm Quinn,
COURTESY OF MAUNA KEA BEACH HOTEL
Luxurious lounging at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel’s new spa.
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Bring Home the Aloha 5 HAWAIIAN HEALING INGREDIENTS For centuries, Native Hawaiians practiced lāʻau lapaʻau, a healing tradition built on plants, salt and the sea. Many of those ingredients are still used today in island spas and locally made beauty products. Here’s what to look for. Left: Mauna Kea Beach Hotel’s
guestrooms have been refreshed as well. Below: Couples treatment room at the Mauna Kea
COURTESY OF MAUNA KEA BEACH HOTEL; HARYS KRISTANTO ON ISTOCK
Beach Hotel.
arrived and began engaging with the spaces and programs, it became evident that we had all the ingredients for success.” Quinn spoke with Marin Magazine earlier this year. “For me, being a Native Hawaiian and growing up and living here my entire life, I really wanted to focus on Hawaiian traditions and include our culture in everything we do,” says Quinn. “I feel like we were able to do that, and have everything done with purpose and intention.” Traditional healing plants such as ti leaf, which are associated with the lomilomi massages offered, appear throughout the spaces. “I wanted to do Hawaiian traditions in the right way,” Quinn explains. “Seeing how many spas say they do traditional lomilomi massage and traditional lāʻau lapaʻau — it’s easy to say you’re doing those things, but the proper way to do it is to start your lomilomi massage with an oli,” or chant. Here, each treatment begins with a recording of the “Oli Aloha” chant by the resort’s cultural advisor, Healani Kimitete-Ah Mow, played while clients lie on a custom-made Oakworks SoVi vibroacoustic table. Clients also receive another sensory experience based on Hawaiian tradition: a paʻakai (sea salt) foot rub. “When you go to someone’s home and there’s a kahu (spiritual leader) there to bless the house, he’ll walk to the four corners and sprinkle Hawaiian salt water with a ti leaf,” Quinn says. “I wanted an homage to this blessing, so we start with a beautiful, fine Hawaiian salt sprinkled on the feet.”
Kukui Nut Oil
This light oil is pressed from the nuts of Hawaiʻi’s state tree. The nuts were once burned for light, which is how the tree got its other name, candlenut. Today the oil is prized for massage and for soothing sun-worn skin, and it sinks in without feeling greasy. ʻAlaea Sea Salt
Hawaiian sea salt, or paʻakai, gets its brickred color from ʻalaea, a volcanic clay. It was traditionally used to bless and purify, and now it shows up in body scrubs. Also look for Kona sea salt, made from deep ocean water off the Big Island. Noni
Early Polynesian voyagers brought this “canoe plant” to the islands, and its lumpy fruit was used in traditional poultices. Today you’ll find it in juices and skincare. Fair warning: The fruit smells strong enough to earn the nickname “cheese fruit.” ʻAwapuhi
Squeeze the red cones of this wild ginger and out comes a fragrant, slippery sap that Hawaiians used to wash and soften their hair. It has inspired many island shampoos and lotions. Māmaki Tea
Māmaki is a native shrub found nowhere else on earth, and its leaves have long been brewed as a gentle tonic. Small farms on Hawaiʻi Island now grow it. Look for looseleaf tea at farmers markets.
Kukui nut tree
If You Go
THe spa is open daily, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The seasonal ‘Ōlena Brightening Ritual — turmeric body polish, lomilomi massage and a scalp treatment — runs 90 minutes for $395. Through a limited-time Art of Renewal package, three-night stays come with a $200 daily spa credit, and unused credit rolls through your stay, so you can save it all for one long, blissful afternoon. M.T.
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Maui
Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort What’s New: The sun has set on the Greco-Roman look and bustling vibe of Maui’s largest spa, now replaced by the tranquil Kilolani Spa, inspired by the Hawaiian moon calendar. Enter through the midnight-dark portal and spend an hour in the Hydrotherapy Gardens’ waterfall and “experience” showers, pools, hammam, steam rooms and saunas before a Moon Juice HydraFacial or lomilomi massage. Create your own retreat by booking one of the new wellness rooms, which include access to the Hydrotherapy Gardens, Therabody compression and massage tools, and sound-sleep enhancers, plus a convenient location close to the sprawling fitness center and adults-only Hibiscus Serenity Pool. Don’t Miss: The E Ala E Sunrise Ceremony on the
beach will help you start the day with intentions and a grounding in Hawaiian culture. Indoor cycling classes take place five times a week, but do nab one of the free beach cruisers for a fresh-air spin. Refuel at the Grand Wailea’s new Loulu Cafe with an Erewhon vegan soft serve or a Moon Juice elixir. If You Go: To immerse yourself further in relaxation, book a two-hour Hydrotherapy Gardens pass and add a guided meditation in the balmy Meditation Lounge. J.C.
Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa What’s New: Rancho Valencia offers a lovely selection of wellness-centric spa treatments, highlighted by the 90-minute Restore. The healing begins as you melt into luscious linens for a full-body dry-brushing session to stimulate lymphatic drainage. While you’re cocooned in a HigherDOSE Infrared Sauna Blanket, your therapist performs a refreshing cryo facial massage using cooling wands, followed by an invigorating scalp massage. Next, step onto your private patio for an outdoor, sun-kissed shower surrounded by lush greenery and a trickling fountain. Rejuvenated and refreshed, you’ll finish with a deeply soothing full-body massage. How It Helps: According to the brand, the HigherDOSE Infrared Sauna Blanket features
interior layers of amethyst and tourmaline crystals to generate negative ions, clay to balance heat, charcoal for detoxification, and a magnetic strip to boost circulation. Paired with lymphatic exfoliation and therapeutic massage, it makes for an indulgent combination of heat, touch and total relaxation.
Top: Enjoy the Grand Wailea’s Hibiscus Serenity Pool. Below: Rancho Valencia’s tranquil indoor-outdoor treatment rooms.
Don’t Miss: Turn your visit into a full-day wellness retreat with a morning yoga class in the open-air pavilion, followed by a complimentary green juice. Afterward, head to the pool for a swim and a healthy Niçoise salad. Explore the hacienda-style gardens or unwind by the fireplace in the spa lounge before your treatment while enjoying fresh banana bread, protein bites, and organic teas. If You Go: Plan ahead — this spa favorite often books out weeks in advance. A.W.
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TOP: COURTESY OF GRAND WAILEA; BOTTOM: COURTESY OF RANCHO VALENCIA RESORT & SPA
Southern California
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Spa Montage Laguna Beach What’s New: Spa Montage Laguna Beach offers a series of transformative wellness experiences for guests looking to reset on a deeper level. The newest offering, The Ocean Within, is a 50-minute sound bath and guided meditation held in the oceanfront movement studio. Combining breathwork, meditation, and hypnotherapy techniques, the session uses acoustic instruments — like rain sticks and ocean drums — that mirror the rhythm of breaking waves to induce profound mental and physical relaxation. Guests can also experience the Pacific Glow Method, a gentle yoga class practiced on infrared mats that concludes with a healing savasana under a soothing red-light therapy blanket, or Aroma Restore, which integrates aromatherapy with breathwork and yoga using artisanal blends from Lola Apothecary (choose between Sweet Lullaby, a mix of lavender and ylang-ylang, or Orange Blossom, a citrus blend with wafts of euphoric vanilla). How It Helps: These immersive classes serve as powerful antidotes to daily stressors, creating
a clear pathway to mindfulness and renewal. Healing movement, intentional breathwork, and sensory aromatherapy work in harmony to help lower cortisol levels, activate the parasympathetic nervous system (the body’s “rest and digest” mode), and deepen respiration.
Don’t Miss: Take part in the new Coastal Naturalist Walk. Explore the scenic outlooks of Laguna Beach alongside an expert guide who will regale you with insights on local flora and fauna — from butterflies and endemic birds to the whales and dolphins frolicking just off the coast. A.W.
Early Self-Care for Teens Navigating school, sports, hormones and social media subjects, today’s teens experience unprecedented levels of pressure. Introducing mindful wellness routines early equips teens with essential lifelong tools for stress management and physical self-care. Designed for guests ages 14–17, the Family & Teen Experiences at Spa Montage invite teens into the spa alongside a parent for custom treatments. The Teen Balancing Facial refreshes and balances youthful skin, while the classic Swedish-style Ocean Wave Teen Massage offers gentle relaxation and muscle relief. montage.com/lagunabeach/spa
COURTESY OF MONTAGE LAGUNA BEACH
Left: Spa Montage Laguna Beach’s dipping pool at the spa. Above: Couples massage tables at the Montage Laguna Beach.
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B AY A R E A | L I V I N G W E L L B Y D E S I G N
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T HE B AY AREA D ESI G N MARKET I S T H RI VI N G. M A KE YOUR B RAN D I MPOSSI B LE TO MI SS. SPACES continues its momentum in 2027 with our signature Annual edition and a new Summer issue — celebrating the people, places, and ideas shaping exceptional design across the Bay Area. Each issue features inspiring homes, compelling editorial, curated product galleries, and an extensive Design & Building Resource Guide that readers return to long after publication. Partnering with SPACES puts your brand in front of a highly engaged audience of affluent homeowners, architects, interior and landscape designers, builders, high-end real estate brokers, and design enthusiasts throughout Marin, San Francisco, the Peninsula, the East Bay, and Wine Country.
For SPACES marketing opportunities contact: advertising@marinmagazine.com
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C A L E N DA R ON THE SCENE DINE
AND
OUT ABOUT Community Ongoings
ARTHUR ALVAREZ COURTESY OFHEADLANDS CENTER FOR THE ARTS.
Fairs, fests, performances and other excellent events.
Headlands' Supper Series
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CALENDAR
Crisp mornings, cozy layers and fall leaves set the scene for November. From holiday fairs to art extravaganzas, we’ve rounded up the best happenings to fill your calendar this season. E D I T E D BY L AY L A B A K H S H A N D E H
Top November Events NOVEMBER 4–JANUARY 18 Holiday Ice Rink Union Square SAN FRANCISCO
Lace up and glide beneath the city lights at San Francisco’s outdoor ice rink, which returns to Union Square for another winter season. The rink offers an array of public skating sessions, along with special on-ice events throughout the season. 333 Post Street. unionsquareicerink.com NOVEMBER 14–15 The Big Open
Nearly 100 artists open their doors across three floors of the historic WWII-era ICB Building for the neighborhood’s biggest open studios event, with painters, sculptors, photographers and designers all showing work in the spaces where they make their art. 480 Gate 5 Road. icbart.com NOVEMBER 26 Marin Turkey Trot NOVATO
Get your legs moving before the turkey comes out of the oven. This Thanksgiving Day tradition brings together runners, walkers and families of all ages for a festive morning before the big meal. Serious runners can take on the 10K, casual joggers and walkers can go for the 5K, and kids get a onemile course of their own. 1800 Ignacio Boulevard. marinturkeytrot.com Marin Turkey Trot
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MARIN TURKEY TROT, COURTESY OF BANK OF MARIN TURKEY TROT’S WEBSITE.
SAUSALITO
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ARTS, THEATRE & LECTURES THRU JANUARY 7 When Simon Met Ralph: A Retrospective
NOVEMBER 14–15 San Francisco International Hip Hop DanceFest
Fall Colors Are Here
Fall Sale through the month of October and see our new jewelry collections featuring the work of designer Jorge Revilla from Spain and new handcrafted jewelry from our workshop in Marin. We also have curated collections of designer jewelry from Europe. Begin your own history with the collections at Stephan-Hill or create your very own custom design.
SAN FRANCISCO
Now in its 28th year, this nonprofit-run festival brings eight professional hip hop dance companies from as far as Montreal, Mexico City and Tokyo to the stage, with works ranging from breaking to contemporary fusion, all taking place at the historic Palace of Fine Arts Theatre. 3301 Lyon Street. sfhiphopdancefest.com
1226 Fourth Street • Downtown San Rafael • 415-459-5808 • stephanhill.com
14K Yellow gold and diamond “Waterfall Collection” weddeing bands & bracelet.
SAN RAFAEL
Marin designers Simon Ungless and Jody Niederkohr take over two floors of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Civic Center with two decades of work from their brand When Simon Met Ralph, known for reworking luxury fabric into one-of-a-kind pieces. The show also debuts a fashion collaboration with ceramicist Susan McKinney. 3501 Civic Center Drive, 1st and 3rd Floor Galleries. marincounty.gov
NOVEMBER 15 Headlands’ November Supper SAUSALITO
Headlands Center for the Arts turns a former Army post in the Marin Headlands into a communal dining room, part of its monthly supper series pairing the resident artist program with a public dinner. This month features artwork from Yameng Lee Thorp and Scott Snibbe. The Mess Hall, 944 Simmonds Road. headlands.org NOVEMBER 19–DECEMBER 20 It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play ROSS
Back by popular demand, Joe Landry’s stage adaptation restages Frank Capra’s holiday classic as a live 1940s radio broadcast. Directed by Adrian Elfenbaum, this play transports audiences into the holiday season. 30 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. rossvalleyplayers.com
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FAIRS AND FESTIVALS NOVEMBER 6–8 Marin Arts and Crafts Show SAN RAFAEL
For holiday gifts or your next favorite knick-knacks, browse textiles, glasswork and artisan crafts of all kinds at this fair at the Marin Center Exhibit Hall. 20 Avenue of the Flags. artsandcraftsshow.com
The Sea
SAN RAFAEL
FILM
MUSIC
NOVEMBER 8 The Sea
NOVEMBER 6 Grant-Lee Phillips
SAN FRANCISCO
NOVATO
San Anselmo–raised Douglas Rosenberg’s black-and-white film, shot on the Baltic Sea and choreographed by Rosenberg, David Dorfman and Benno Voorham, follows a group of older men and the marks life leaves on them; part of the San Francisco Dance Film Festival, 11 a.m. Brava Theater, 2781 24th Street. sfdancefilmfest.org
The former Grant Lee Buffalo frontman, known for the ’90s alt-rock hit Mockingbirds and now focused on folk and Americana, returns to HopMonk Tavern for a new tour date. 224 Vintage Way. hopmonk.com/novato
NOVEMBER 12–22 San Francisco Transgender Film Festival SAN FRANCISCO
The country’s longest-running trans film festival hits its 29th year with shorts, documentaries and features by and about transgender and gender-nonconforming filmmakers. In-person screenings run November 12–14 at the Roxie Theater, followed by an online program through the 22nd. 3117 16th Street. sftff.org NOVEMBER 22 Italian Wannabe SAN RAFAEL
A celebrated Los Angeles chef trades the kitchen for a fresh start in a small Italian village in this Steve Dabal documentary exploring renewal, passion and human connection. The screening is followed by a conversation with director Steve Dabal and film subject Bill Disselhorst, presented with the Italian Film Festival of Marin County. 1118 Fourth Street. cinema.cafilm.org
NOVEMBER 14 Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers LARKSPUR
Sensuous jazz rumbles at the Lark this month as the Marin Jazz Series continues with vocalist Lavay Smith and her band, known for their high-energy blend of swing, blues and vintage jump jazz. 549 Magnolia Avenue. marinjazz.com NOVEMBER 21 Mike Hellman and the Banned Books
NOVEMBER 14–15 Renegade Craft Fair SAN FRANCISCO
Small businesses, creativity and community all pack into Fort Mason Center Festival Pavilion for this weekend of crafts, with over 250 vendors selling handmade goods and holiday gifts. 2 Marina Boulevard. renegadecraft.com NOVEMBER 21–DECEMBER 20 The Great Dickens Christmas Fair DALY CITY
Five weekends of costume, performances and family fun, all set in four acres of festive streets straight out of Victorian
BOLINAS
Mike Hellman plays roots rock with a Texas drawl, ping-ponging between quiet ballads and fullthrottle rock ‘n’ roll. Catch him at Smiley’s, one of the oldest saloons in California, where the drinks have been flowing since the mid 1800s. 41 Wharf Road. smileyssaloon.com Marin Arts and Crafts Show
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A free community celebration at Pickleweed Park, the 37th annual San Rafael Day of the Dead event brings ofrendas (altars), live music, art workshops and cultural performances. Boro Community Center, 50 Canal Street. dayofthedeadsr.org
TOP LEFT: THE SEA, DIRECTED BY DOUGLAS ROSENBERG; BOTTOM RIGHT: COURTESY OF MARIN ARTS AND CRAFTS SHOW
NOVEMBER 7 Día de los Muertos
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England. The Cow Palace hosts this Dickensian delight for another season. 2600 Geneva Avenue. dickensfair.com
NEW OFFERINGS FROM MARIN MAGAZINE
MUSEUMS THRU NOVEMBER 7, 2027 New Work: Raven Chacon
Ready to fill the room?
TOP LEFT: THE SEA, DIRECTED BY DOUGLAS ROSENBERG; BOTTOM RIGHT: COURTESY OF MARIN ARTS AND CRAFTS SHOW
SAN FRANCISCO
Diné artist Raven Chacon, who won the Pulitzer for music composition, gets his first solo show on the West Coast. The centerpiece is a seven-channel video piece, which weaves Ray Bradbury’s science fiction with found footage shot by travelers in the 1950s and ’60s, set to Chacon’s own field recordings and electronic music. Opens October 24. Floor 6, 151 Third Street. sfmoma.org THRU JANUARY 3 Paul Harris: The Boy Sews Like An Angel BOLINAS
Paul Harris made his sculptures a few steps from where they now hang. This retrospective features nearly 40 pieces spanning the 1950s through the 2000s, most made in his Bolinas studio, alongside his old tools, sketches and photos of him at work. It’s the biggest look at his career in 25 years. 48 Wharf Road. Opens October 31. bolinasmuseum.org
EVENTS NOVEMBER 6–7 Gary Gulman: Grandiloquent SAN RAFAEL
This Boston comedian and actor heads to Marin for two evenings of laughs. Gulman has spent more than 30 years honing his meticulous stand-up style, with five TV specials, a role in Joker and a recent sold-out Off-Broadway run of Grandiloquent. 10 Avenue of the Flags. marincenter.org
Let us help. Instagram Stories, Carousels and Reels, crafted by our editors to put your event or business in front of Marin’s most engaged audience.
NOVEMBER 28 Small Business Saturday NOVATO
One day after Black Friday, communities nationwide rally around local shops for Small Business Saturday. Commercial districts around Marin are expected to participate again, including downtown Novato. Grant Avenue. downtownnovato.com
2 5 K+ F O L L OW E R S · 4 0 0 K M O N T H LY R E A C H
Contact your representative advertising@marinmagazine.com
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EAT & DRINK
PEOPLE PLACES CAUSES
EATS FOR ALL DIETS
A Feast for All BY LY N DA B A L S L E V
Let us help you plot your Thanksgiving feast — we’ve got a few triedand-true dishes that support a variety of diets from gluten-free and keto, to vegetarian and vegan. Scan the QR code for full recipes.
Roast Turkey
Cauliflower Purée
GLUTEN-FREE, KETO
GLUTEN-FREE, VEGAN, VEGETARIAN, KETO
Roasted Acorn Squash
Balsalmic-Glazed Brussels Sprouts
GLUTEN-FREE, VEGAN, VEGETARIAN
GLUTEN-FREE, VEGAN, VEGETARIAN, KETO
Almond and Cranberry Salad
Cranberry Fruit Crisp
GLUTEN-FREE, VEGAN, VEGETARIAN, KETO
GLUTEN-FREE, VEGAN, VEGETARIAN
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DINE CORTE MADERA Burmatown Asian Though the menu remains largely the same (that tea leaf salad! Those bao!) at this location down the street from the original, the addition of a grill boosts the menu with dishes like kalbi ribs or smoked salmon collars. A long bar on one side of the room serves wine and beer and the front windows slide open for easy access to a large patio. 18 Tamalpais Ave, 415.985.5060; burmatown.com $
Flores Mexican With an emphasis on regional Mexican dishes and flavors sourced from family recipes, the menu is based on California seasonality and revolves around gluten-free masa. The daily-made tortillas are a highlight. 301 Corte Madera Town Center, 415.500.5145; floressf.com BB
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RH Marin American Ride up the goldenhued elevator to the top floor restaurant bedecked in RH style and linger over
a shaved vegetable salad, a truffled grilled cheese sandwich on Panorama Bakery sourdough or a namesake RH Burger. This rooftop sunroom and outdoor lounge boasts glass ceilings and walls for an epic view of Mount Tam and a feeling of floating above it all. 1750 Redwood Highway at The Village, 628.266.2040; rh.com
Senehi’s all-day cafe is known for California-inspired dishes made from local, organic ingredients. Pear almond pancakes and eggs Benedict (ask for “the Brady” to get lox) are popular at breakfast, while a BBQ pulled pork sandwich is a hot seller at lunch. 1900 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, 415.460.2160; barefootcafe.com BB
best known for its authentic cuisine, fresh ingredients and warm atmosphere. Originally from a coastal town in Italy, owners Elena and her husband Gustavo curate a taste of the Italian coast in the California sun. 123 Bolinas Rd, Fairfax, 415.419.5465; lagastronomiadi porchetta.com BB
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FAIRFAX Barefoot Cafe American Chef Tony
La Gastronomia Italian Like the town it’s situated in, La Gastronomia is a lively and cozy restaurant
Sorella Caffe Italian Run by sisters Sonia and Soyara, Sorella serves fresh Italian with a northern
influence. Favorites include the cioppino, butternut squash ravioli, pollo alla Sorella and the garlic bread. 107 Bolinas Rd, 415.258.4520; sorellacaffe.com $
GREENBRAE / KENTFIELD Gott’s Roadside American At its only Marin outpost, Gott’s features the signature California-inspired dishes the restaurant is known for (burgers — regular, ahi and Impossible — shakes, salads and fries) as
Grateful for Good Food FAIRFAX MILL VALLEY
GENATURAL.COM
Celebrate the season with organic ingredients from Good Earth
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OUT AND ABOUT DINE heated outdoor patio is a town hot spot. 44 E Blithedale Ave, 415.381.2500; bungalow44.com
are perfect for sipping on the large. 41 Throckmorton Ave, 415.384.8871; playamv.com BB
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Playa, Mill Valley
Pizzeria Picco Pizza This family-friendly parlor next door to Picco offers Californiainfluenced Neapolitan pizzas cooked in a wood-burning oven. Fresh mozzarella is pulled in-house and the menu also features organic salads, antipasti and Straus Dairy soft-serve ice cream. Heated outdoor seating is available. 316 Magnolia Ave, 415.945.8900; pizzeriapicco.com $
well as a 30-foot-long pine table for community-style eating and an expansive patio out front. 302 Bon Air Center, Greenbrae, 415.785.4233; gotts.com $
Guesthouse Californian Jared Rogers, the former executive chef of Picco, heads up the kitchen, partnering with restaurateur Dustin Sullivan on this 110-seat space. Look for well-executed California cuisine with weekly specials like Prime Rib on Mondays and fried chicken on Sundays, plus killer cocktails — the Sunburn and Easy Money are local favorites. 850 College Ave, Kentfield, 415.419.5101; guesthousemarin.com HH
Half Day Cafe American Tucked away in a setting of intertwining ivy and large open windows, this cafe is the quintessential breakfast nook and is also open for brunch and lunch, including coffee drinks, pastries and much more. Enjoy a casual daytime meal inside or out on the patio. 848 College Ave, Kentfield, 415.459.0291; halfdaycafe.net BB
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Rio Rock Açai Café Smoothies Açai bowls, like the Carmen Miranda with cacao nibs and peanut butter, and smoothies (don’t miss the Popeye with almond butter and spinach) are at the heart of an all-day café that serves up sandwiches (chicken pesto panini, lox bagel) and pastas, too. Boba and espresso drinks are coming soon. 860 College Ave, Kentfield;
415.747.8668; riorock acaicafe.com $
Squared Pizza Italian/American This pizza place specializes in serving Detroit-style pies with crispy, caramelized cheesy edges and tender, airy crust, all thanks to the namesake shape. In addition to some classic flavors such as cheese or veggie, there’s also a “build-your-own” option. 140 Bon Air Ctr; 415.300.0353; squared-pizza.com
LARKSPUR Perry’s on Magnolia American Perry’s on Magnolia has the same classic American cuisine, bustling bar and warm service and personality the San Francisco original has always been famous for. Plentiful outdoor
Buckeye Roadhouse American Oysters Bingo, baby back ribs, and chili-lime “brick” chicken are a few of the comfort-food menu items that have made this classic roadhouse a favorite since the ’30s. Heated patio seating offers a moment’s respite with a fresh espresso and breakfast burrito from the weekday Buckeye Joe Coffee Kiosk. 15 Shoreline Hwy, 415.331.2600; buck eyeroadhouse.com HH
Bungalow 44 American The bustling bar is ideal for savoring a seasonal cocktail or an order of the house’s famous kickin’ fried chicken. The one-dollar happy hour oyster program still operates from 5–6 p.m., Monday– Thursday and the
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Corner Bar Mediterranean Corner Bar is downtown Mill Valley’s first cocktail lounge… ever! Bring a date or simply come to unwind in the sleek interior, which features two bars plus plenty of window space overlooking the town square. A menu of Mediterranean bites complement Corner Bar’s artfully crafted cocktails.106 Throckmorton Ave, 415.888.8001; cornerbarmv.com
Piatti Ristorante and Bar Italian A fireplace lounge and open format concept invites lingering over refreshed menu items such as house made ravioli with lemon cream and citrus gremolata, and roasted mushroom pizza with taleggio fonduta and black truffle oil. 625 Redwood Hwy, 415.380.2525; piatti.com
Sweetwater Music Hall’s Rock & Rye American The menu features South American and New Orleans-inspired dishes with a seasonal focus at Sweetwater Music Hall’s refreshed restaurant. An extensive collection of whiskeys and craft cocktails pays tribute to independent music venues and the 50-seat outdoor patio was redone. 19 Corte Madera Ave, 415.388.3850; sweet watermusichall.com BB
Tam Tavern American Previously known as Floodwater, this local favorite has been reinvented to deliver homely bites and a variety of beers on tap. There will even be some beer-infused cocktails for a unique twist on some classic drinks. 152 Shoreline Hwy, 415.843.4545; tamtavernmv.com HH
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NOVATO Playa Mexican Playa offers traditional dishes with modern flavors. A Little Gem salad sparkles with tomatillo dressing and enchiladas shine from a glossy coating of house made black mole and micro greens. The bar highlights tequilas and mezcals but the el Slushie and house margarita have legions of fans and
Perry’s Novato American Epic burgers and cocktails, excellent service, signature blue-and-white gingham tablecloths — expect all of those and more here at Perry’s northernmost location. 224 Alameda Del Prado, 415.506.4212; perryssf.com BB
PRISMIC PHOTOGRAPHY | MATT SPINETTA.
dining options. It’s bar is a perennial best of the county winner. 234 Magnolia Ave, 415.927.1877; perryssf.com
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The Speakeasy American In addition to the 10 beers on tap, cocktails range from the 1920s to the 2020s. A shareable, tapas-style menu includes grilled maitake mushrooms, escargot and mini street tacos. 504 Alameda del Prado, 415.883.7793; thespeakeasy novato.com HH
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The Village Italian Restaurant Italian A Novato staple for any occasion, the Village captures hearts with comforting Italian fare served in its spacious downtown locale. They’ve got something for everybody, with ample options for pasta, pizza, salad and entrees like chicken parm or piccata. The carbonara? Che buono. Don’t miss the puffy, pillowy “pasta bread” — best eaten dripping in garlic butter. 1200 Grant Ave, 415.898.2234; the villageitalian restaurant.com BB
Trailhead American Order breakfast, shareable snacks, paninis, salads, and Equator coffee drinks at the counter before grabbing a seat on the all-day café’s shaded patio. The baked goat cheese is a standout and pairs with the 10 local beers and two wines available on tap or from the craft can program. 127 San Marin Dr, 415.493.6902; trailheadnovato.com
SAN ANSELMO / ROSS Comforts Cafe American Established in 1986, Comforts has a cozy sit-down cafe, serving breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch. Besides the famous Chinese chicken salad, other winners are the stuffed pecan-crusted French toast, chicken Okasan (nicknamed “Crack Chicken” by fans), Korean BBQ flank steak and Wor Won Ton soup. 335 San Anselmo Ave, 415.454.9840; comfortscafe.com BB
Kuro Nami Japanese Kitchen Japanese Kuro Nami, which means “black wave,” is a new restaurant from the team behind The Baan Thai Cuisine. There, you’ll find inventive sushi rolls, premium sake and a menu of signature dishes that explore the depth of Japanese cuisine. It’s not just sushi — you can try picks like kani miso (grilled miso paste with crab), or their creamy pasta with tempura softshell crab. 69 Center Blvd, San Anselmo, 415.459.6969; kuro namimarin.com
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Creekside Pizza & Tap Room American A perennial Best of the County winner known for their artisan pizzas, flavorful pastas and fresh salads, Creekside offers plentiful gluten-free and vegan options too. Their copper bar with a 40-handle selection of craft beer (including gluten-free beer), plus wine and kombucha on tap. 638 San Anselmo Ave, 415.785.4450; creeksidesa.com
Cucina sa Italian Come by for homemade pastas, seasonal salads, and woodfired pizzas that strike a balance between southern Italy and Northern California. Don’t skip the happy hour from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. from Tuesday to Friday, either! 510 San Anselmo Ave, 415.454.2942; cucina-sa.com
Marché Californian Into the former Marche aux Fleurs space, Marché’s owners Darren and Alicia Banks focus on seasonal ingredients in plates of avocado toast with Urfa chile, shishito peppers with togarashi, and house made gnocchi with shiitakes is Californian all the way. 23 Ross Common, Ross; 415.925.9200;
The Baan Thai Cuisine Thai Known for its mango sticky rice, crispy corn cakes and The Baan Thai salad, new menu items like fresh spring rolls and steamed dumplings and old favorites such as the tom kha soup entice with fresh flavors and just the right amount of sweet heat. 726 San Anselmo Ave, 415.457.9470; thebaanthai cuisine.com
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Tam Tavern, Mill Valley
Valenti & Co. Italian The bright yet cozy indoor space and warmly lit back patio are ideal environments for authentic Italian dishes made with local ingredients. The menu changes daily but look for the carpaccio of beef, the pan-seared Pekin duck and chef Valenti’s famous tower of triple chocolate love at dessert. 337 San Anselmo Ave, 415.454.7800; valentico.com
SAN RAFAEL Chonmage Ramen Japanese The focus at Chonmage Ramen iss on balancing rich flavor with a clean lighter finish. The broth is slow simmered then carefully refined, resulting in a depth of flavor that is rich yet not heavy. They use fresh ingredients and
simple seasonings, creating ramen that is satisfying without feeling heavy and made to be enjoyed anytime. Authentic Japanese flavor crafted for everyday comfort. 1020 Court St, 415.450-8889; thechonmage.com
Humbowl Californian With exciting flavor profiles ranging from Thai curry to breakfast fare, Humbowl’s offerings are hearty, healthy and made with fresh ingredients. Many of their menu items are even easy to turn vegan. 1016 Court St; 415.795.8922; humbowleats.com BB
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La Toscana Ristorante & Bar Italian La Toscana completed an extensive interior and
exterior renovation, transforming an already popular San Rafael gathering spot into a place for any occasion. The menu features daily specials and classics like gnocchi and carbonara. 3751 Redwood Hwy, 415.492.9100; ristorantelas toscana.com
SAUSALITO Angelino Restaurant Italian Multiple generations of the Ancona family create an authentic Italian eatery with handmade pastas and seasonal antipasti that has showcased the cuisine of the Campania regionfor more than 20 years. 621 Bridgeway, 415.331.5225; angelino restaurant.com
Copita Mexican Co-owner Joanne Weir, along with Chef Aaron Sabido, presents fresh Mexican fare in the heart of Bridgeway. The everchanging menu is 100 percent gluten-free, masa is prepared and pressed in house for each and every tortilla, and the in-house tequila bar serves over 100 varieties, ideal for crafting your own margarita. Dine at the bar or on the outdoor patio for great people-watching. 739 Bridgeway, 415.331.7400; copitarestaurant.com BB
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Poggio Italian Vitello sliced excruciatingly thin and topped with lemon and tonnato sauce is a singular dish in the hands of executive chef Benjamin Balesteri who creates Northern Italian fare using local and Italian ingrdients. 777 Bridgeway, 415.332.7771; poggiotrattoria.com BB
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Scoma’s of Sausalito Italian San Fransisco’s oldest seafood house has its own boat, berthed at Pier 47, that fishes seasonally and is approved for catching salmon and Dungeness crab, resulting in fresh seafood yearround. The menu at both the Sausalito and Fisherman’s Wharf locations were revamped in accordance with the environmentally responsible Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program and regularly features whole crab, chowder and grilled fish. 588 Bridgeway, 415.332.9551; scomassausalito.com
Sushi Ran Japanese Sample innovative small plates just big enough to share before enjoying some of the best sushi the Bay Area has to offer; the prices don’t deter the herd of enthusiasts who line up nightly to partake. Just stopping by? The wine, cocktail and sake lists keep even the pickiest barfly satisfied. Reservations are a must in the main room. 107 Caledonia St, 415.332.3620; sushiran.com
TIBURON Caffe Acri Italian The well-lit corner cafe in downtown Tiburon is a go-to for bikers, city commuters, and locals. Diners will find Italian roast espresso drinks, freshly baked pastries, and eggs for breakfast and a
selection of soups, salads and paninis for lunch. A market stacked with pantry items and coffee operates inside the café and outdoor dining is available. 1 Main St, 415.435.8515; caffeeacri.com BB
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Luna Blu Italian Executive chef Renzo Azzarello serves Sicilian seafood and homemade pastas with a Californian touch. The seasonal menu incorporates fresh and organic produce, local naturally grown meat and poultry from small farms. The restaurant complies with Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, so all the seafood is sustainable. A recent expansion tripled the size of the patio to accommodate more diners. In 2014, diners voted Luna Blu one of the Top 100 Neighborhood Gem restaurants in America. 35 Main St, 415.789.5844; luna blurestaurant.com BB
Malibu Farm Californian The latest SoCal-toNorCal culinary import features a homegrown and sustainable ethos in dishes like fennel-rubbed boneless half chicken and soy-ginger hanger steak. Look for yuzu butternut squash linguine with za’atar coconut cream, pizza with a zucchini crust, plus a lobster roll on a hot dog bun. 9 Main St, malibu-farm.com BB
PRISMIC PHOTOGRAPHY | MATT SPINETTA
Barrel House Tavern Californian Stop by Barrel House for a feeling of rising above it all where the soaring ceiling work reflects the restaurant’s name. The barrel-aged cocktails are worth a visit (try the Negroni) but dishes like maitake mushroom flatbread and tartare tacos reflect a locallyfocused ethos that is enhanced by the cool setting and fantastic bay and city views. 660 Bridgeway, 415.729.9593; barrelhousetavern.com
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Best Ice Cream / Frozen Yogurt
FAIRFAX SCOOP Fairfax Scoop is proud to be voted Best of Marin Magazine for 2026! For 25 years we’ve served homemade organic small-batch ice cream in the heart of Fairfax, made with fresh ingredients sourced mostly locally. Thanks to your support and loyalty, we will keep serving the best ice cream in the county! 63 Broadway Blvd, Fairfax, CA IG: @fairfaxscoop
NOW ACCEPTING WINTER AND HOLIDAY
• Gucci • Theory • Prada • Vince • Chanel 401 Fourth St, San Rafael EncoreConsignment.com Open Mon–Sat 10–4 415.456.7309
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OUT AND ABOUT DINE Salt & Pepper American A locals favorite for classic American fare. From morning’s Bloody Mary and eggs Benedict through lunch’s clams bouillabaisse and hamburger to dinner’s crab cakes with jalapeño dipping sauce and skirt steak tacos. 38 Main St, 415.435.3594; saltandpepper tiburon.com BB
Sam’s Anchor Cafe American Sam’s boathouse feel and boat tie-ups with boatside service are part of its charm but most come for the spiffy white umbrellas and deck chairs on the expansive waterfront patio. All-day cocktails remain a fixture as
does the signature cioppino, while offerings like crab toast, a roaming oyster cart, and a raw bar reflect the menu’s enduring seafood focus. 27 Main St, 415.435.4527; samscafe.com BB
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Servino Ristorante Italian Chef and owner Angelo Servino highlights organic ingredients in an array of rustic Italian dishes, including house-made pastas, wood-oven pizzas, and seasonal specialties. Located on Ark Row, Servino also prides itself on its extensive sustainable seafood program and deep Italian wine list. 9 Main St, 415.435.2676; servino.com BB
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The Caprice Californian Expansive bay views from every seat are just one of many charms after an extensive remodel. The revamped menu of well-crafted comfort food from land (bone-in filet mignon, Colorado lamb chops) and sea (gnocchi with crab, abalone dore), also features classic cocktails and a wine list that leans towards American, Italian and French offerings. Complimentary evening valet provided. 2000 Paradise Drive, 415.435.3400; the caprice.com BB
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Tiburon Tavern Californian Food service at the Lodge at Tiburon is in the hands
of Luna Blu’s Renzo and Crystal Azzarello who run the Tiburon Tavern bar, restaurant and other on-site eating opportunities. Executive chef Selvin Vicente is on board to handle the flow from breakfast and brunch through dinner. 1651 Tiburon Blvd, 415.435.3133; lodgeattiburon.com BB
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Troya Restaurant Mediterranean Born out of SF, Tiburon’s Troya serves the same beloved TurkishMediterranean cuisine with brunch, lunch and dinner menus. The dainty yet modern Mediterranean interior design contributes to the ambience that teleports you right across the world. 1
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Via Piccola Trattoria Italian Pedro and Maria Ulloa serve dishes like veal saltimbocca and handmade pappardelle alla Abruzzese (gluten-free pasta is available) at lunch and dinner with tiramisu or key lime pie for dessert. Their petite restaurant at The Cove Shopping Center has a heated patio, shaded from the lights in the adjoining parking lot. 1 Blackfield Dr. #11 at The Cove, 415.388.9100; viapiccola.com
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Meal under $20 Outdoor Seating Private Party Room Round Tables Watch the Game Worth the Hype
Marin Magazine Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation, PS Form 3526-R. 1. Publication Title: Marin Magazine. 2. Publication Number: 024-898. 3. Filing Date: September 30, 2026. 4. Issue Frequency: Monthly except January. 5. Number of Issues Published Annually: Eleven (11). 6. Annual Subscription Price: none. 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: 2330 Marinship Way, Suite 300, Sausalito, CA 94965. Contact Person: Alex French; Telephone: (415) 332-4800. 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: Marin Magazine, 2330 Marinship Way, Suite 300, Sausalito, CA 94965. 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor: Nikki Wood, Publisher, 2330 Marinship Way, Suite 300, Sausalito, CA 94965; Mimi Towle, Editorial Director, 2330 Marinship Way, Suite 300, Sausalito, CA 94965; Maeve Walsh, Controller, 2330 Marinship Way, Suite 300, Sausalito, CA 94965. 10. Owner: 270 Media LLC, 2330 Marinship Way, Suite 300, Sausalito, CA 94965; Wood Family Trust, 1465 Vistazo St W, Tiburon, CA 94920; Mimi Towle, 5 Gate 6 1/2, Sausalito, CA 94965; Nicolle Wood, 20 Harbor Oak Drive #22, Tiburon, CA 94920; Charan and Sylvia Singh, 3300 Paradise Dr., Tiburon, CA 94920; Katarzyna Pawlowska, 1783 33rd Ave., San Francisco, CA 94122; The Prize Trust, 3020 Bridgeway #118, Sausalito, CA 94965. 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None. 12. (Does not apply.) 13. Publication Title: Marin Magazine. 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data: October 2026. 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation: Average Number of Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months; Number of Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: A. Total Number of Copies: Average: 25,000; Actual: 25,000. B. Legitimate Paid and/ or Requested Distribution: 1: Outside County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541: Average: 1,777; Actual 1,790. 2. In-County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541: Average: 13,059; Actual: 12,897. 3. Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid or Requested Distribution Outside USPS: Average: 67; Actual: 75. 4. Requested Copies Distributed by Other Mail Classes Through the USPS: Average: 0; Actual: 0. C. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation: Average: 14,903; Actual: 14,762. D. Nonrequested Distribution: 1. Outside County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541: Average: 7,202; Actual: 7,288. 2. In-County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541: Average: 0; Actual: 0. 3. Nonrequested Copies Distributed Through the USPS by Other Classes of Mail: Average: 0; Actual: 0. 4) Nonrequested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail: Average: 2,657; Actual: 2,750. E. Total Nonrequested Distribution: Average: 9,859; Actual: 10,038. F. Total Distribution: Average: 24,762; Actual: 24,800. G. Copies not Distributed: Average: 238; Actual: 200. H. Total: Average: 25,000; Actual: 25,000. I. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation: Average: 60%; Actual: 60%. 16. Electronic Copy Circulation. A. Requested and Paid Electronic Copies: Average: 0; Actual: 0. B. Total Requested and Paid Print Copies + Requested/Paid Electronic Copies: Average: 14.903; Actual: 14,762. C. Total Requested Copy Distribution + Requested Paid Electronic Copies: Average: 24,762; Actual: 24,800. D. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation (Both Print & Electronic Copies): Average: 60%; Actual: 60%. I certify that 50% of all my distributed copies (electronic and print) are legitimate requests or paid copies. 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership for a Requester Publication is required and will be printed in the November 2026 issue of this publication. 18. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager or Owner: Nikki Wood, Co-Founder/Operations. Date: September 30, 2026.
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10/12/26 2:47 PM
OUT AND ABOUT ON THE SCENE
THE
ON SCENE BY E M M A RO B E RTS O N
HOT TICKET
Music with a View Who: Roots & Branches Conservancy What: Sound Summit When: September 12 Where: Mountain Theater, Mt. Tamalpais Why: To raise money for Mount Tamalpais State Park projects and bring the community together in celebration of arts and culture.
2 1 Angeline Saris 2 Ryan Miller of Guster
Photos: Sean Reiter 1
HOT TICKET
Turning Houses into Homes Who: Make it Home What: Salvage & Style When: September 26
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Where: The Club at Peacock Gap, San Rafael Why: To fundraise for Make it Home’s work of furnishing the homes of those leaving homelessness, domestic violence and foster care.
3 1 Eugenia and Emma of EJ Interior Design 2 Chloe Rebuffel and Liam Mayclem 3 Gordon Wright bidding on hat
Photos: Sean T Smith
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HOT TICKET
A Night in Tuscany Who: North Bay Children’s Center What: A Night in Tuscany annual fundraiser When: September 19 Where: Gambonini Family Ranch, Petaluma Why: To support NBCC’s ability to continue providing essential services, such as early education and nutritious food access.
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Photos: Stuart Lirette
1 Senator Mike McGuire Auctioneering during Live Auction 2 2026 Champion for Children Dustin Valette with his daughters 3 Guests with NBCC President and CEO Susan Gilmore
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HOT TICKET
Art in the Redwoods Who: Friends of Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival What: Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival
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When: September 19–20 Where: Old Mill Park, Mill Valley Why: To recognize and celebrate the vibrant local art scene by bringing artists and the community together with art displays, live music, activities and more. Photos: Candace Swimmer (1) and Bob Dell (2–3)
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1 Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival booths 2 Daniel Oliver 3 Darci Bogdan
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MARIN
10/14/26 8:36 AM
HOME TEAM ADVANTAGE For true real estate expertise, ask a local. etter yet, ask two. ith deep ari roots a d over 40 years o co i ed ay rea experie ce, raci a d eth k ow the arket a d how to ake it work or you TRACI THIERCOF
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16 Calle del Onda, Stinson Beach *featured photo 3 Bed | 2 Bath | Detached Garage 16CalleDelOnda.com $3,895,000 11 Puente Del Mar, Stinson Beach 3 Bed | 2 Bath | 3/4 Acre Lot 11PuenteDelMar.com $4,595,000
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Barbara Sherfey Mitchell Cell | 415.203.2648
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10/12/26 8:38 PM AM 10/7/26 2:27
MARIN HOME
M A K E OV E R S R E A LTO R I N S I G H T S D E TA I L S
A custom firepit is among the improvements in the backyard.
A House for Two BY LOTUS ABRAMS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARIO SERAFIN
In Belvedere, a couple trades square footage for bespoke, intimate spaces designed for their next phase in life.
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HOM E BACKS TO RY
HOM E BACKS TO RY
The large, abstract oil painting by John DiPaolo in the living room guided the color palette for the design.
D
ownsizing doesn’t have to mean downgrading. When a couple of longtime Belvedere residents decided to move from their 5,000-square-foot residence into a 1,700-square-foot home down the hill, originally purchased as a rental, they enlisted mother-daughter team EJ Interior Design to help them transform it into a cozy retreat for the next chapter of their lives. What their new home lacks in size is made up for in luxurious intimacy. “It sits on such a nice property, and we really tricked it out with artisanal and custom pieces,” says Eugenia Jesberg, principal at EJ Interior Design. Built in the late 1950s, the two-bedroom, two-bath home wasn’t in poor condition
when Eugenia and her daughter, Emma Jesberg, embarked on the project — their sixth with the same clients — but the interiors were lackluster, having undergone various remodels over the years. “We wanted to take it back to its roots,” Eugenia says. “We changed every surface you can see. Even the windows are new.” One of Eugenia and Emma’s early art finds for the home — a large, abstract oil painting by John DiPaolo that now hangs in the living room — guided the color palette, which features many blue accents. The painting is complemented by numerous smaller artworks in the living room displayed in the new custom bookcase. “It’s like a mini gallery, with pieces from artists like Jaq Chartier and Louise LeBourgeois,”
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Emma says. Additional highlights in the living room include the new honed marble fireplace surround and hearth, a trio of custom coffee tables with resin “droplet” surfaces, and an A. Rudin sectional upholstered with both leather and a soft woven fabric. “The clients are nappers, so we had to make sure they would be comfortable napping in all locations,” Eugenia chuckles. Open to the living room, the dining area features a handcrafted maple Tod Von Mertens table and custom-upholstered chairs from the Bright Group illuminated by a hand-blown glass light fixture from John Pomp Studios. Custom cabinetry in the space includes a refrigerated beverage center, and the shelving above is backed by a mirror, which makes the room feel larger.
MARIN
10/14/26 8:28 AM
Details WHAT: A 1,700-square-foot, 1950s-era remodel WHERE: Belvedere CONSTRUCTION: Hadley General Contractors INTERIOR DESIGN: EJ Interior Design CONSTRUCTION: Hadley General Contractors LANDSCAPE DESIGN: Site Works Landscape
Clockwise from top: The handcrafted dining table is by Tod Von Mertens; a wall-to-wall headboard with integrated nightstands saves space in the guest room; a luxurious soaking tub is the focal point of the primary bathroom.
The adjacent kitchen was reconfigured to better utilize the space, including relocating a door to the terraced exterior patio, which was completely redesigned and outfitted with a dining area and custom firepit. All new cabinetry improved the storage functionality in the kitchen, while quartzite surfaces, pendant lights from Alison Berger Glassworks and reed-textured detailing on the island and hood enhanced the aesthetic appeal. Across the hall, a cozy office and TV room features metallic Zinc grasscloth wallcoverings, custom chaises, artworks from Bay Area artists Jenifer Kent and Markus Linnen-
brink, and a quartz crystal chandelier from Christopher Boots that the homeowners saved from their previous house. In the modest-sized bedrooms and bathrooms, Eugenia and Emma found creative solutions that enabled them to deliver what the clients wanted most, despite the square footage limitations. For example, in the primary suite, the homeowners requested a large, luxurious soaking tub in the bathroom, so Eugenia and Emma put the shower in the nearby second bathroom. They also borrowed square footage from the primary bedroom to create a larger, more usable closet, and the Quintus bed was chosen
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specifically to fit the dimensions of the space. “We would normally do a California king, but instead we did a standard king because it’s wider and shorter,” Eugenia says. “Those inches were critical!” Likewise, in the guest bedroom, the duo designed a space-saving wall-to-wall headboard with integrated nightstands to ensure everything fit. “The biggest challenge of this project was getting all the furniture to fit, but we designed a careful furniture plan that flows so that you can easily get from one space to the next,” Eugenia says. “As a result, there’s not a lot of furniture, but it all really works.”
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You find the home, and I’ll open the door. Sean Maley
Mortgage Loan Consultant / Fixer CA BRE #:1057229 | NMLS #: 237207
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LOOKING BACK Olompali’s Best is in the Past From a trading village to a hippie commune. BY JIM WOOD
Olompali’s Burdell mansion, circa 1950.
Here’s a brief chronology of Olompali: Over 250 years ago Aurelio Ynitia used adobe bricks to create one of two adobes at the village. And in 1843, Aurelio’s
“ Rumors, true or not, have tenants including Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead and Courtney Love.” son Camillo was the first native-born to receive Mexican-era land grant to the surrounding 8,877 acres; talk about action. Then on June 24, 1846, during the Bear Flag Revolt, the Battle of Olompali resulted in the death of one Mexican officer. Six years later, Camillo sold most of his land to one James Black, making Black Marin’s largest
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Chosen Family’) rented the property. Things settled slightly, but not for long. On the night of February 2, 1969, a disastrous electrical fire destroyed it all and in 1977, the State of California bought the beleaguered property with intent to turn it into a state park. Author’s note: When planning a trip to Olompali State Historical Park rest assured there will be ample parking.
NOVATO HISTORY MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES
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earby California State Historical Parks include Jack London and Fort Ross in Sonoma County and the beautiful Filoli House and Gardens in San Mateo County. And in Marin County? We have Olompali State Historic Park. It’s two and a half miles north of Novato — take the Atherton Avenue/San Marin Drive exit, then follow the road signs. It’s worth the trip, even though currently, there’s not much there. Dating as far back as 500 A.D. according to archeologists, it was a bustling Miwok trading village named Olompali, which likely translates to “southern village” or “southern people.” Quite possibly it was Marin’s first community.
landowner. In 1863, things got familiar when Black’s daughter Mary inherited the property after marrying a wealthy dentist named Galen Burdell — as in Novato’s Mount Burdell. And in 1900, Burdell’s son James built the blockylooking 26-room mansion depicted in the 1950’s-era photo at left. The word depicted applies because in the years that followed its completion, someone — no one knows who or why — saw fit to encase the entire oncewooden structure in . . . plaster. Go figure. And that’s mostly what you’ll see today at Olompali State Park. But wait, there’s more. After the Burdells sold the property in 1943, several parties including the University of San Francisco held ownership. Then, during San Francisco’s “Summer of Love,” a businessman-turned-hippie named Don McCoy signed a lease for the plastered up five-bedroom house with plans to make it into a commune. Rumors, true or not, have periodic tenants being Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead and a girl named Courtney Michelle Harrison, now known as Courtney Love. But life at Olompali settled down slightly when a commune consisting of five families (aka ‘The
MARIN
10/14/26 8:27 AM
THE WERNER GROUP YOU R R E A L ESTAT E A DV ISO RS IN MARIN COUN TY
5 Years of Gratitude
As we celebrate Thanksgiving, we find ourselves reflecting with immense gratitude on what has been an extraordinary year. This year marks the 5th anniversary of The Werner Group, a milestone we are incredibly proud to celebrate. We would not be where we are today without the trust, loyalty, and support of our family, friends, clients, and valued vendors. Your confidence in us and the relationships we have built along the way mean more to us than we can express. At the heart of it all, we are reminded that the greatest blessings in life are the people we are fortunate enough to surround ourselves with. We are truly grateful for each and every one of you who has been part of our journey. Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful, meaningful, and memorable Thanksgiving filled with warmth, happiness, and gratitude.
SOLD
FOR SALE
630 W. BLITHEDALE AVENUE, MILL VALLEY SOLD FOR $7,400,000 SOLD | REPRESENTED BUYER
274 PRINCETON AVENUE, MILL VALLEY SOLD FOR $2,470,000
333 RIVIERA CIRCLE, LARKSPUR OFFERED AT $3,500,000 PENDING
116 MAYWOOD WAY, SAN RAFAEL OFFERED AT $1,583,000
Lei Ann Werner
Crystal Fink
415.710.0117 l.werner@ggsir.com Lic.# 00994572
626.807.1234 c.fink@ggsir.com Lic.# 02120101
BROKER ASSOCIATE
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REALTOR®
10/12/26 8:38 PM AM 10/7/26 2:30
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