Marin Magazine October 2009

M A R I N

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Departments

letters

Readers respond to Marin Magazine.

at a glance

Hot tips day by day for the Bay Area.

currents

Local people, events and happenings. by somer flaherty and austin geidt

travel buzz

Roaming for sojourn deals and tips. by mimi towle

fashion trends

Wearable fall footwear. by somer flaherty

life style

Marin vintners Jonathan and Susan Pey. by somer flaherty

fyi

Green: The electric wheels revolution. by daniel jewett

Food: Say cheese. by tim porter

Decor: Styles to light up a room. by somer flaherty

Fright: Ghost flustered. by mimi towle

The Cover

Under Cloudy Skies, by artist Paul Balmer, represented by Caldwell Snyder Gallery in San Francisco. To see more of his work visit caldwellsnyder.com or call 415.392.2299.

72 81 82 100 114

Departments

conversation

State Senator Mark Leno discusses Marin issues. by jim wood

go

Six degrees of relaxation in the wine country. by mimi towle and somer flaherty

calendar

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

snapshots

Out and about, in and around Marin.

dine

Dine Out, an insider’s guide to Bay Area eateries.

microclimate

Tomales: a proudly authentic corner of Marin. by jim wood

dialogue

L. Martin Griffin, conservationist, doctor, winery owner. by mimi towle 44 64

Columns

16 20 112

view from mount tam

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

pov

Marin’s issues. by jim wood

real estate update

It’s what your agent knows that counts. by ian charles

INSPIRED BY WHERE WE LIVE

Featured slab: Sequoia

EDITORIAL

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

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

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

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

DEPARTMENTS EDITOR Somer Flaherty ext 103 | sflaherty@marinmagazine.com

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

COPY EDITOR/PROOFREADER Cynthia Rubin

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

P. J. Bremier, Blair Campbell, Ian Charles, Bob Cooper, Austin Geidt

ART

ART DIRECTOR Anne Walzer

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

PRODUCTION ARTIST Stephen Spoja

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Drew Altizer, Sheri Montgomery, Barbara Ries

ADMINISTRATION

CONTROLLER Maeve Walsh ext 104 | mwalsh@marinmagazine.com

OFFICE MANAGER Linda Reid ext 100 | lreid@marinmagazine.com

WEB

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

Volume 5, Issue 10. Marin Magazine is published in Marin County by Marin Magazine LLC. All rights reserved. Copyright©2009. Reproduction of Marin Magazine content is prohibited without the expressed, written consent of Marin Magazine LLC. Unsolicited materials cannot be returned. Marin Magazine reserves the right to refuse to publish any advertisement deemed detrimental to the best interests of the community or that is in questionable taste. Marin Magazine is mailed monthly to homes and businesses in Marin County. Subscription rates are $12 per year. Marin Magazine, One Harbor Drive, Sausalito, CA 94965. Phone 415.332.4800, fax 415.332.3048, e-mail editorial@ marinmagazine.com, website marinmagazine.com.

SHOP BRILLIANTLY. AMERICAN APPAREL, ANN TAYLOR FACTORY STORE, BCBGMAXAZRIA, COLE HAAN, CONVERSE, CROCS. FOUR AREA LOCATIONS. GAP OUTLET, GUESS, J.CREW, KENNETH COLE, LUCKY BRAND, NIKE, NINE WEST, POLO RALPH LAUREN FACTORY STORE, PUMA, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE OFF 5TH AND MORE. * SAVINGSOF25% TO65% EVERY DAY.

LEGENDARY BRANDS. ABUNDANT SELECTION. REAL SAVINGS.

ADVERTISING

PUBLISHER Lisa Shanower ext 107 | lshanower@marinmagazine.com

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Michele Geoffrion Johnson ext 110 | mjohnson@marinmagazine.com

ACCOUNT MANAGER Leah Bronson ext 109 | lbronson@marinmagazine.com

ACCOUNT MANAGER Stephanie Ericson ext 108 | sericson@marinmagazine.com

ADVERTISING ART DIRECTOR Alex French ext 111 | production@marinmagazine.com

REGIONAL SALES OFFICES

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA carolyn ware & associates | Carolyn Ware 415.601.0192

WINE COUNTRY tognetti & associates | Wendy Tognetti 707.544.3643

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SJL Media, LLC. | Shana Wong 808-386-0872 NEW YORK couture marketing | Karen Couture 917.821.4429

THE MARIN STORE

CONTACT: ADVERTISING MANAGER Lora Dinga 510.213.5403 | ldinga@themarinstore.com

MARIN CUSTOM MEDIA

CONTACT: PUBLISHER Lisa Shanower ext 107 | lshanower@marinmagazine.com

POOR, POOR ZINFANDEL—CAN’T GET NO RESPECT.

First, mouthwash-flavored white Zin ruins the family reputation. Then the movie Sideways canonizes Pinot Noir.

But this Rodney Dangerfield of grapes is on the rise, and in “Original Zin,” wine writer Blair Campbell takes us on a statewide tour of its tastiest incarnations—from Monterey to Mendocino.

Now that you’ve got your Zin on, in “Six Degrees of Relaxation,” Mimi Towle and Somer Flaherty tell you where to enjoy it with a half dozen fall wine country getaways, from the therapeutic mud of Calistoga to the gastronomic indulgence of Yountville. Wine without cheese? Never! In “Say Cheese,” Tim Porter highlights the artisan cheese makers of Marin and Sonoma who are doing their triple-cream best to keep Velveeta out of your house. And Lifestyle profiles Jonathan and Susan Pey of Pey-Marin wines.

If you must leave Northern California but still want wine to be part of your vacation, then join Bob Cooper in Journey for a “Mosey on the Mosel,” where he bikes and boats his way through Germany’s picturesque Riesling country.

For a window on one Marin couple’s working getaway, follow P . J. Bremier in Home as Bob and Sharon Kahn of Belvedere open their 15-acre Sonoma farm to us, just in time for lavender harvest.

Also in the issue, FYI Unknown finds a Marin family with a ghoulish houseguest; FYI Green looks at electric vehicles; FYI Home Décor shows lamps that will light up a room; Conversation talks with state Senator Mark Leno; Dialogue quizzes Belvedere environmental pioneer and doctor Marty Griffin; Microclimate travels to the proudly authentic town of Tomales; and Real Estate Update offers advice on getting the most out of your agent.

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

Lisa Shanower, Publisher

Nikki Wood, Editorial Director Jim Wood, Executive Editor

LETTERS

Readers respond

❯❯ Another POV

In Jim Wood’s POV (“California’s Crisis,” September) he ignored the cost of supporting a huge population of illegal immigrants. This burden is draining our health care system, our schools, our prisons. What is the point of releasing criminals if we do nothing about these known lawbreakers? We not only tolerate them, we positively encourage them (as in San Francisco with its sanctuary city policy). My point of view is it’s disingenuous to write about California’s financial ruin—“the waste, fraud and abuse we all know is there”—without mentioning one of the main problems —and then ask our politicians to “speak honestly to the voters.” Can Mr. Wood take his own words to heart?

J. Lopez, via e-mail

❯❯ Editors’ Choice

Thank you for honoring Spirit Matters in Inverness Park with an Editors’ Choice award. Wow! How great you are for highlighting the small business wonders of Marin. I love our business, our wonderful suppliers, our lovely clients, and the magic we create together. I also love Marin Magazine which gets more beautiful and interesting with every issue. May we all grow and shine in this incredible place called Marin. Thank you for representing it so well and thanks for including us.

Nonnie Welch, Inverness Park

❯❯ Educating Jackie

Tim Porter’s article “Educating Jackie” (September) captured the challenge faced by the county’s 75 public schools in California’s budget crisis. Thanks for raising awareness that the excellent public school system enjoyed by Marin residents is not fully funded by the state. As a longtime board member of the Corte Madera Larkspur Schools Foundation—

recently rebranded as SPARK—I have never seen our system so threatened. Structural change at the state level isn’t likely in the near term, so the responsibility falls on the community to come to the schools’ aid. What can ensure that our children get a quality education, which of course positively impacts real estate values? On November 3, Corte Madera and Larkspur residents can help by voting YES to update our parcel tax policy. If it succeeds by a two-thirds majority, the Larkspur school system will receive an additional $500,000 annually for eight years for education. That support plus the tremendous support received from parents, our school foundation SPARK, our wonderful PTA, and local businesses will help deliver a great education to students like Jackie in your article.

Scott Key, co-president, SPARK

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

Mill Valley Middle School’s Jackie Flax

Marin’s Issues

Water and power top the list

WITHIN A YEAR, TWO DECISIONS WILL BE made affecting hundreds of thousands of Marin residents for years to come. They involve electrical power to our homes and businesses, and meeting our water needs in case of drought. Voters will not have a direct say on either matter. Instead, several dozen elected leaders will decide these issues. As objectively as possible, I want to clarify both concepts.

In 2002, the state Legislature allowed cities, counties and regions to decide what kind of power—fossil fuel, renewable, or a combination of both—they wished to use. In 2004, Marin, led by Supervisor Charles McGlashan, began pursuing “greener” energy—and Marin Clean Energy was born.

Marin’s electrical power, as supplied now by PG&E, a private utility company, comes from natural gas power plants, the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant and dams in the High Sierra.

In addition, about 12 percent of PG&E’s power comes from solar arrays and wind farms. The state has mandated that PG&E increase that proportion to 20 percent by 2010,

but many, including PG&E, acknowledge the challenge of reaching that target.

Marin Clean Energy maintains that a local public power entity can provide 25 to 50 or even 100 percent green power in the nottoo-distant future. PG&E and local critics say that forecast is unrealistic, arguing also that power generation and allocation is a complex business requiring a network of suppliers and years of experience and expertise.

Regardless, in November 2008 the county (representing unincorporated communities) and eight of Marin’s 11 cities (Novato, Corte Madera and Larkspur excluded) created the Marin Energy Authority, a joint powers agency to compete with PG&E. MEA recently received acceptable bids from a dozen energy providers and hopes to sign off on a formal agreement later this year. (Cities in the MEA can still decide not to sign; the three cities not included, could join at a later date.) What happens next?

If your local government approves the power contract, you have three options: 1) “Opt out” and stay with PG&E. 2) Go “Light Green” and receive 25 to 50 percent renewable energy at a rate, according to MEA, equal to PG&E’s. 3) Go “Dark Green” and receive 100 percent green energy at a rate, according to MEA, 10 percent more than PG&E’s. Whatever your choice, power will still be delivered by, and billed by, PG&E.

In 2001, the Marin Municipal Water District, which serves southern and central Marin, proposed a water desalination plant. The motivation comes from Marin being 98 percent dependent on rainfall for water because the county has no aquifers or spring-fed lakes.

The water district has seven reservoirs that store nearly 80,000 acre-feet of water. In turn,

the district’s requirements—including San Quentin State Prison, which is near the proposed desalination plant’s location—equate to more than 40,000 acre-feet a year. Do the math: back-to-back winters of less than half of normal rainfall (52 inches at Lake Lagunitas) puts Marin in dire economic and quality-of-life circumstances. (In 1977, the county had to beg money to rig a pipe over the Richmond–San Rafael Bridge to bring in water.)

Few deny the problem; the debate is over a solution. The desalination plant would generate 5 million gallons a day (about 11 acrefeet) and cost $110 million to build; it could be expanded to 10 million gallons for an additional $61 million. It would be at full power only in times of limited rainfall.

Those opposing desalination say it’s too costly; its power needs generate excessive greenhouse gases; and it creates brine that will damage the bay’s ecology. They also say rates, taxes, and development will increase with such a plant and that greater conservation is a better course. Regardless, the water district’s directors approved the plant in August. Yet a year of hearings and environmental approvals remain before construction starts.

Both issues—Marin Clean Energy and a desalination plant—are being decided by several dozen elected officials despite calls for a popular vote. These leaders need your input. Both Marin Clean Energy and the Marin Municipal Water District maintain active websites—and local council members are in the phone book.

Personally, I favor both concepts, but current economic uncertainties have me following the debate closely. That is my point of view. What’s yours?

E-mail jwood@marinmagazine.com.

Love where we live.

Those of us who live here know just how special it is.

At Bank of Marin you’ll bank with people who care about the same things you do. Just like you, we’re thankful to live, work, play, and volunteer right here in our own community.

OCTOBER EVENTS

OCTOBER 4–6

Marin Symphony

The Marin Symphony begins its season with an all-Gershwin program conducted by Alasdair Neale and featuring pianist Keisuke Nakagoshi. Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6400, marincenter.org

OCTOBER 23–25

Hansel and Gretel

The Golden Gate Opera presents Engelbert Humperdinck’s classic composition. Edna Garabedian stage directs. Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6400, marincenter.org

OCTOBER 1

Walt Disney Museum

Learn the story of Walt Disney in his own words as well as those of his friends, family and co-workers. This new museum opens October 1 in 77,000 square feet of space and contains more than 1,600 items. The Presidio (SF). 415.345.6800, disney.go.com

OCTOBER 8–18

Mill Valley Film Festival

The filmmakers’ festival returns for the 32nd year, featuring the best in independent and world cinema, including documentaries, features, shorts and children’s films from more than 200 artists. 415.383.5256, cafilm.org

OCTOBER 17

Sophie Milman

The Russian-born, IsraeliCanadian vocalist channels Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald to create her own, inventive brand of award-winning jazz. JCCSF (SF). 415.292.1200, jccsf.org

OCTOBER 2–4

Pacific Pinball Exhibition

Hundreds of rare machines will be on display at this event focusing on the history of pinball. Marin Center Exhibit Hall (San Rafael). 415.499.6400, pacificpinball.org

OCTOBER 2–4

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

The ninth edition of this free event features Steve Martin, Lyle Lovett, Marianne Faithfull, Aimee Mann, Robyn Hitchcock and more. Speedway Meadow (SF). strictlybluegrass.com

OCTOBER 17–18

Treasure Island Music Festival

OCTOBER 2–4

Oktoberfest by the Bay

This Munich-style beer and community festival, now in its 10th year, is bigger than ever, featuring German cuisine, beer and music by the 21-piece Chico Bavarian Band. Pier 48 (SF). 888.746.7522, oktoberfestbythebay.com

OCTOBER 10–NOVEMBER 21

S.F. Jazz Festival

The 27th annual event brings artists such as Ravi Shankar, Béla Fleck, Ornette Coleman, Jake Shimabukuro, Keb’ Mo’, John Abercrombie, Savion Glover and more to the city by the bay. 415.398.5655, sfjazz.org

The Flaming Lips, the Decemberists, MSTRKRFT and MGMT headline this twoday outdoor music festival. Treasure Island (SF). treasureislandfestival.com

OCTOBER 25

Art on the Farm

This art exhibit and sale is a great chance to pick up some art and benefit Marin Organic at the same time. Point Reyes Vineyards (Point Reyes Station). 415.898.7730, artonthefarm.org

OCTOBER 22

Heart

Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson bring their brand of hard and melodic rock to San Francisco. The group has sold more than 30 million albums since forming in the early 1970s. The Warfield (SF). 800.745.3000, thewarfieldtheatre.com

Got

an app for that?

Td cangition, veryentifiations, m your service.

wo Marinites have added to the library of applications for the iPhone. Mill Valley resident Mitch Waite has engineered an Apple iPhone application, iBird Explorer, equipped with everything from expert bird info and identifi cation help to hand-drawn illustrations, and bird songs to play aloud from your phone. Just make sure you get service. ibirdexplorer.com

Ross resident and Ross Valley Players board member Ron Severdia, who is behind playshakespeare.com, has created Shakespeare, an app that is downloaded up to 8,000 times per day and is on almost 600,000 iPhones (half of which are in the U.S.). This month a performance will be held at the S.F. Apple store, using iPhones and iPods as script guides for the actors. playshakespeare.com

all aboard…

Just northeast of Hawaii floats a pile of garbage, twice the size of Texas, known as the “Plastic Vortex.” Marin local Mary Crowley, along with Doug Woodring and Redwood High School alumnus George Orbelian, is on a simple mission: to sail to this North Pacific gyre, study marine debris and determine how to capture, detoxify and recycle the waste into diesel fuels (okay, not that simple). Follow the crew’s trek online with interactive video messages and updates. projectkaisei.org

OCTOBER HONOR ROLL! CONGRATS TO Peggy Knight Solutions

A LEADING PROVIDER OF HAIR PROSTHESES FOR MEDICAL HAIR LOSS (PHOTO AT LEFT) FOR BEING SELECTED FOR THE 2009 BEST OF SAUSALITO AWARD IN THE WIGS, TOUPEES & WIGLETS

CATEGORY BY THE U.S. COMMERCE ASSOCIATION Audubon Canyon Ranch HAS JUST BEEN AWARDED A GRANT FROM THE MARIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR HABITAT RESTORATION AT ITS BOLINAS LAGOON PRESERVE. CONGRATS Mill Valley Philharmonic ON ITS 10TH SEASON!

Fashion Rx Belvedere resident and ophthalmologist Lillie Mosaddegh has bought the U.S. rights and brought French apparel label Cop-Copine to Union Square in San Francisco. This season’s line comes in a palette of grey, black and purple and transitions from workwear to out on the town. 343 Powell St (SF). 415.989.9035

Roses are red…

Would you like a poem with that massage? Yup, you heard right. Fairfax’s Frogs Hot Tubs now offers the service of being serenaded with poetry by local bard Trevor Wedge while you indulge in a relaxing massage or hot tub soak. frogshottubs.com

Accidental Learning

The enrichment

possibilities abound in downtown Sacramento

FPUMPKIN SEASON!

The 39th annual Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival happens October 17-18, size up the giant gourds, great pumpkin parade, haunted house, pie-eating contest and more. miramarevents.com

rom the civic gems of the Capitol to the bounty of historical nuggets in Old Town Sacramento, a weekend here will provide a lifetime of memories. Tour the Capitol and see Governor George Pardee’s office as it was in 1906, including the gas light fixtures kept there just in case electricity didn’t pan out as a power source. A life-size bronze bear statue the governor bought in an Aspen art galley guards his office, and if your timing is right, watch democracy in action via the state senate and assembly. Beyond the Capitol, Old Sacramento — as it was at the turn of the century, including the Railroad Museum — is to California history what gummy vitamins are to supplements, as in so good you don’t realize their intrinsic value. Where to stay? Two blocks from the capitol at 926 J Street, a 1926 defunct law office has transformed (à la Joie de Vivre’s magic wand) into the Citizen Hotel. The 198 rooms and suites (some with balconies) are compact yet elegant and shared spaces are decorated with political artifacts, bookshelves and warm, serious colors. Play chess in the working law library/lobby, or enjoy an artisan cocktail in the dimly lit bar above the reception area. If you’re lucky you’ll run into bartender Juan Vasquez, who loves to serve up his special “Juan-and-only” artisan cocktail. For dinner join the political elite at Grange Restaurant, Sacramento’s latest hot spot, with a menu and decor that could rival anything in San Francisco. Executive chef Michael Tuohy culls the best from local farms, ranches and vineyards to create inventive dishes and a colorcoded (by region) wine menu. Best time to visit: anytime, expect the hottest days of summer. citizenhotel.com

Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel’s “Front Row Seat to the Ocean” promotion offers room upgrades for only $15. For super savings, combine this with the Aston’s year-round “Kids Stay, Play & Eat Free” program, which means children 17 years and younger stay free when using existing beds and children 12 years and younger receive free admission at island attractions and free meals at popular family-friendly restaurants. Rooms range from $129 to $159; offer is good through December. astonhotels.com

n

During a $50 million renovation (which is almost over), Kaua‘i Marriott Resort is offering a special “Discover Kaua‘i” room rate starting at $199 per night for a garden view room and $249 per night for a pool view room. “We’re excited about all the improvements we have in store for our guests,” says general manager Elliot Mills. “While we undergo this transformation, we are still open and ready to serve guests with the service and hospitality they expect from a Marriott Resort in Hawai‘i.” These rates are good until December 23, 2009. kauaimarriott.com

TASTE THE ADVENTURE WITH GARY DANKO

World-renowned chef and restaurateur, Gary Danko, leads this unforgettable Culinary Cruise to Canada and creates an experience unlike any other. You’ll discover the East Coast charm by land and by sea as you bid ‘bon voyage’ in New York City and set sail aboard the ms Eurodam for Quebec. Onboard, tempt your tastebuds with the delicious art of Gary Danko’s cooking as he hosts live demonstrations and hands-on cooking classes. And we invite you to further enhance the palate and indulge in wine tastings and pairings with a wine expert. Book your vacation today and taste the good life with Gary Danko. Trip sets sail September 26, 2010.

Ports include: Newport, Rhode Island; Gloucester, Massachusetts; Bar Harbor, Maine; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Sydney, Nova Scotia; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Saguenay, Quebec; Quebec City, Quebec.

1. Neely flat by Kate Spade, $295 at Kate Spade (Corte Madera). 415.927.7398, katespade.com

2. The Hayden by Anyi Lu, $425 at Nordstrom (Corte Madera). 415.927.1690, nordstrom.com

3. Strappy Sandal by Yves Saint Laurent, $795 at Yves Saint Laurent (SF). 415.837.1211, ysl.com

4. The Titan by Rupert Sanderson, available at Foot Candy (St. Helena). 877.517.4606, footcandyshoes.com

5. Frazer pump by Loro Piana, available at Loro Piana (SF). 415.593.3303, loropiana.com

6. Coquette open-toe pump by Luis Vuitton, $925 at Louis Vuitton (SF). 415.391.6200, louisvuitton.com

Ease your mind. Open your heart.

Spirit Rock offers a tranquil setting in the rolling hills of west Marin where you can calm your mind and rediscover your natural compassion and good will. We offer retreats, classes, one-day and evening programs rooted in the Buddhist Insight Meditation tradition. We actively celebrate diversity and welcome people from all backgrounds.

U PCOMING P ROGRAMS

Every Monday Night at Spirit Rock

A popular evening of meditation, inspiring words and friends

Sunday, October 11

Your Money –from Fear to Sufficiency with Anna Douglas and Mayuri Onerheim

Examine your relationship with money and move from fear to satisfaction.

Saturday, October 17

Spirituality in Relationships with David Richo

Learn to love others with less ego and greater appreciation.

Saturday, October 31

The Secular Buddha with Stephen and Martine Batchelor

Explore the non-mystical core of the Buddha’s teachings and how we respond to suff ering.

lifestyle

Along with other local winemakers, Jonathan and Susan Pey have proven Marin has viticultural potential all its own. The husbandand-wife team moved here in the early ’90s, bringing wine training and experience from Europe, and now craft six wines under five labels, including PeyMarin Vineyards Pinot Noir, which is organically farmed in West Marin.

Wine making certainly isn’t new in Marin; Jonathan says vineyards were planted here in 1817, 20 years before those in Napa Valley. The Peys’ newest addition is contributing to the gustatory scene in West Marin with a new tasting room at the Olema Inn. Stop by for a flight from noon to 4 p.m. daily. — S.F.

Describe your personal style. We like to think globally but act locally.

What advice do you have for young future winemakers? Make the best wine you can—or don’t make it at all. Never, ever compromise. Taste as many wines as you can, besides your own, in order to give you better perspective on differing wine styles, types and qualities.

What are you hoping to accomplish in the next five years? We hope we can convince more people about the importance of buying locally produced “earth-friendly” products. Our fragile planet shouldn’t have to ship mineral water, cheese or wine from Europe for people to enjoy in California.

What’s it like working with a spouse?

Easy if your spouse’s name is Susan Pey—but considerably more challenging if your spouse’s name is Jonathan Pey. We’ve known each other for 25 years and know which buttons to push and which to avoid, so it actually works very well.

How do you spend your weekends?

Coaching and playing soccer, hiking Mount Tam with our dog, swimming, reading, cooking, and relaxing with our three daughters—and never, ever talking about wine.

Who are your mentors in the field?

Jack Davies, founder of Schramsberg Vineyards. He was a great believer in understanding the “big picture” and literally saved Napa Valley from overdevelopment via his pioneering work at the Napa Land Trust. MALT is doing much the same work here in Marin County.

What’s it like being a Marin winemaker?

Initially we felt a bit like Rodney Dangerfield (“I can’t get no respect!”), but the last decade has proven that world-class wines can be grown in Marin County and our Pey-Marin wines are now featured in top restaurants and fine wine shops.

“ ”

P rior to hiring Main Street Research, we often disagreed about investment decisions, risk and fees...

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Clean Fuel Vehicles. Leading the way on the road to renewable energy.

PG&E’s commitment to clean energy continues by adding more natural gas and electric vehicles to our fleet as well as a smart charging infrastructure to keep them ready to serve our customers.

To learn more about our environmental efforts, visit:

FO R Y OU R INF O RMATI O N

The Electric Revolution

Green transportation takes root in the Bay Area

BY DANIEL JEWETT

ALTHOUGH THEIR ENGINES MAKE VERY LITTLE NOISE a roar of activity and excitement is building around electric vehicles, and if you follow the charging cord, you’ll see that it connects to the tech-savvy, envelope-pushing Bay Area.

“We are about to hit the tipping point of public acceptance and vehicle accessibility,” says San Rafael resident Dale Miller, president of the San Francisco Electric Vehicle Association and curator of the Electric Wheels car show at the Marin County Fair earlier

GREEN

Rob Fruechtenicht carves some tight turns on his electric Diggler.

this year. “It will be like seeing a Prius used to be—you’ll be parking next to them soon.”

And while extended-range vehicles like the Chevy Volt, which promises an estimated 230 miles per gallon, are exciting, Miller says new all-electric vehicles like the Nissan Leaf, which Nissan announced at an SFEVA meeting hours before the world heard about it, are the real future. They have zero emissions, they’re low-maintenance and quiet in operation, they use no foreign oil, and they facilitate load balancing on the power grid.

New all-electric vehicles are the real future. They have zero emissions, they’re low-maintenance and quiet in operation, they use no foreign oil, and they facilitate load balancing on the power grid.

ceive $1 million in federal funds to build more than 100 of these stations.

Both agree that full-function, affordable and highway-ready vehicles will make the difference when they hit the streets next year. Indeed, the number-one question asked at the fair auto show this year was “How do I get one?” A few Marin residents already have some ideas.

The Raptor

One of the vehicles that really stole the show at the county fair this year was the all-electric Raptor, a replica of a 1965 Daytona Coupe, built in San Rafael in 2006.

“Gas prices were going up and Detroit was refusing to make anything economically or aesthetically appealing. This doesn’t have to be,” says San Anselmo resident Raul Atkinson. So he and his wife, Pamela, started their own electric car company, Electric Marin Wheels.

It is this last part that excites Richard Schorske, Climate Action Director at the Marin Climate and Energy Partnership, a collaboration between Marin’s cities, agencies and authorities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in alignment with California’s AB32. “E.V.s can

store excess power and wind energy,” he says, referring to a new smart grid technology that would move energy to and from electric vehicles. “It is extremely cost-effective to store energy in electric vehicle batteries at night when wind production is at its greatest. We are desperate for more storage capacity.”

Both Schorske and Miller think we’ll begin to see these new cars starting in 2010 when the Volt and the Leaf join the Bay Area–made Tesla on the road. Schorske is also hopeful that we’ll begin to see charging stations shortly after that, as Marin County is under consideration to re-

The prototype car took a little over a year to build at a cost of about $65,000 and can reach 100 miles an hour, go from zero to 60 mph in eight seconds and travel between 40 and 100 miles on a charge. “It can go vertical in first gear,” Atkinson says with a smile.

The Atkinsons are looking for financing and grants to build and sell electric passenger cars and trucks in Marin that look good, are practical, have a range greater than 100 miles and seat at least four. electricmarinwheels.com

The Diggler

In 1999, Fairfax resident Rob Fruechtenicht took aspects and components of skateboarding, surfing and BMX and mountain biking and created something unique: the Diggler scooter.

Raul and Pamela Atkinson stand next to their all-electric 1965 Daytona Coupe replica.

Since then his non-electric children’s scooters have won awards from Parenting magazine and are slated to be in this year’s Discovery Channel Christmas catalog, and his electric version has gone into service with the Fairfax Police Department.

“My scooters run circles around the Segway,” Fruechtenicht says of the very capable mountain bike–inspired electric scooters built with large knobby tires and a skateboard as a standing platform. “If you can ride a bike, you can ride an electric Diggler.”

Diggler scooters, made in Petaluma, have a range of about 20 miles, can be charged with a wall outlet, use parts you can replace at any bike or automotive store, can be customized with special attachments and paint and don’t require a license or registration. One customer uses his GPS-equipped scooter to commute from Corte Madera to downtown San Francisco using just the bike lanes.

“It is also great for just going to the store without using gas,” Fruechtenicht says. “Never look or pay for parking again.” digglerstore.com

The Green Thing

The College of Marin is unveiling a remodeled Transportation Technology Building in 2010 that promises some real innovations, including a new “Electrical Vehicle Conversion” course and a new solar charging station at the Indian Valley Campus.

But at the heart of this program, launching in the spring, is a green 1973 Volkswagen Thing, affectionately called the Green Thing, that students will convert to electric and then back to gasoline so the next round of students can give it a try.

“We picked the Volkswagen because it is very visual and you can see how it (electric conversion) is done,” says instructor Ron Palmer. “Everybody is excited about this no matter where you go.

“Electric vehicles were popular in the 1970s and then died out,” Palmer adds. “But technology is catching up. Electric vehicles will come of age—that is my prediction.” marin.edu

VOICES OF DOMINICAN CHOICES

LEADERSHIP LECTURE SERIES

VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE Our Choice

Angelico Hall, Dominican Campus

Tickets are $40 per person (general admission seating) and include a copy of Our Choice. To purchase tickets, call Book Passage at 415-927-0960 or visit www.bookpassage.com. Tickets are also available in person at Book Passage in Corte Madera and San Francisco.

DAVID PLOUFFE

The

Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama’s Historic Victory

Angelico Hall, Dominican Campus Free lecture and book signing

Preferred seating available with purchase of book.

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MEDIA SPONSOR

say Cheese

LOCAL ARTISANS MILK THE LAND FOR QUALITY, TASTE AND VARIETY STORY AND PHOTOS TIM PORTER

Cheez-i-pedia

“The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese.”

— g.k. chesterton

True, cheese has not gotten its poetic due, especially compared to its frequent gustatory companion, wine. The popularity of the distilled grape as subject of sonnet and stanza is due no doubt to its power to inspire—and, yes, loosen—both tongue and pen. After all, there are no odes to “cheese, women and song.”

Ask any cheese maker worth his or her bloomy rind, though, and all would say they prefer a bevy of buyers for their brie over a couple of couplets about their camembert.

The cheese makers of Marin and Sonoma counties have, in some ways, the best of both. Their products, from the melt-in-your-mouth mounds of Cowgirl Creamery’s Mt. Tam to the earthy flavors of Redwood Hill Farm’s California Crottin, have gained national renown as well as an enthusiastic local following that enables these ranchers and artisans to survive in what quite literally is a their-hand-to-your-mouth business.

“The proximity to a major urban area with many restaurants and sophisticated, well-traveled consumers has been key” to the success of local cheese makers, says Janet Fletcher, the Napa author of The Cheese Course and numerous other cookbooks.

Marin and Sonoma cheese makers also benefit from a “hospitable landscape,” says Fletcher. “Many areas of Europe become known for a particular type of cheese, like the Alps, which is suited for cattle. We don’t have that sort of rigorous landscape, so what we’re seeing in the region is diversity. They’re not coalescing around a particular style or particular type of milk. They’re reserving their right to make different types of cheeses.”

The cool, coastal grasslands that roll north from Bolinas to Mendocino have always been dairy country—and that means cheese country. These

California cow’s milk is used for more than 160 types of cheese. Charles de Gaulle said, “How can anyone govern a nation that has 246 different kinds of cheese?” Caravane, a brie-like Mauritanian cheese, is made from camel’s milk.

MANCHEGO

Bodega Artisan

pastures don’t follow county lines. Stand on a hilltop in Sonoma’s Bellwether Farms, and you can see Marin just south. Look down a two-lane road from Andante Dairy in Marin, and there is the Petaluma city limit. That’s why any discussion of “Marin” cheese must include “Sonoma” cheese. The cows, sheep and goats that graze this land just aren’t into political boundaries.

What matters is the cheese. And, as Fletcher points out, the region produces a varied bounty—creamy camemberts, even creamier triple creams, biting blues, sharp chèvres, and more (see accompanying list)—that is more than enough to tantalize any turophile and concern any cardiologist.

As you might expect, local cheese makers are as diverse as their wares.

The Marin French Cheese Co. dates to 1865; Cindy Callahan, a former nurse, started Bellwether Farms in her 50s; Soyoung Scanlan

The region produces a varied bounty that is more than enough to tantalize any turophile and concern any cardiologist.

of Andante Dairy was a biochemist. For some, cheese (and other dairy products) are economic tools that enable family farms to survive at a time when rock-bottom milk prices are forcing many dairy ranchers out of business— Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company (Giacomini family) and Achadinha Cheese Company (Pacheco family) are good examples.

Indeed, says Fletcher, “everyone’s story is different, which is what makes cheese so delightful. Behind every cheese is a story.”

Guide to Local Cheese

Marin

ANDANTE DAIRY Goat, cow, sheep and blended-milk cheeses, from soft triple creams to hard aged rounds, all with musical names such as Nocturne, Pianoforte and Acapella. andantedairy.com

COWGIRL CREAMERY Cheese from Straus Family Creamery organic cow milk, including triple-cream Mt. Tam and Red Hawk, clabbered cottage cheese and fromage blanc. Creamery tours. Stores in Point Reyes, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. cowgirlcreamery.com

MARIN FRENCH CHEESE CO. Classic brie, camembert and breakfast cheeses, some flavored, as well as artisan cheeses. Landmark building, picnic grounds and pond on Red Hill Road west of Novato. marinfrenchcheese.com

POINT REYES FARMSTEAD CHEESE CO. Raw-milk blue cheese made on the 60-year-old Giacomini family dairy farm. pointreyescheese.com

Coastal Sonoma

ACHADINHA CHEESE COMPANY Outgrowth of the Pacheco Family Dairy on Chileno Valley Road in Petaluma. Several types of goat milk cheese, including washed, semi-hard Capricious and Broncha, said to come from a family recipe. achadinha.com

BELLWETHER FARMS Cow and sheep milk cheeses, from buttery Carmody (named after the road that abuts the farm in Valley Ford) to peppercorn-studded Pepato, as well as crème fraîche, ricotta and goat’s milk yogurt. bellwetherfarms.com

BODEGA ARTISAN CHEESE Goat milk cheese from fresco (the “goat cheese of the Andes”) to aged charolais to ricotta. Sold at farmers’ markets. Tours available. bodegaartisancheese.com

REDWOOD HILL FARM Goat milk cheese, including chèvre, feta and cheddar, as well as yogurt and kefir. Sebastopol. redwoodhill.com

Number of varieties of cheese in the world: 1,400-plus. Pizza Hut uses 300 million pounds of cheese a year.

NOCTURNE Andante Dairy

BREAKFAST

Marin French Cheese Co.

ST. PAT Cowgirl Creamery

ORIGINAL BLUE

Point Reyes Farmstead

PEPATO Bellwether Farms

BY SOMER FLAHERTY | A great table lamp fulfills a dual purpose, an aesthetically pleasing addition to a room and a functional light source. Nineteenth-century designer William Morris said, “Have nothing in your home that you don’t know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” With that in mind, we’ve found this season’s top choices — usable, luminous works of art.

1. Capri teardrop lamp, $275 at Jonathan Adler (SF). 415.563.9500, jonathanadler.com

2. Sarah Bird Lamp by Serena & Lily, $398 at Serena & Lily (Sausalito). 415.331.4364, serenaandlily.com

3. Ella Table Lamp by Currey & Company, $250 at Lunaria (Larkspur). 415.461.0588, lunaria.us

4. Anastacha clear table lamp by Terzani, available at Lunaria (Larkspur). 415.461.0588, lunaria.us

5. Rock Table Lamp by West Elm, $149 at West Elm (Corte Madera). 415.927.0202, westelm.com

Celebrate with us and enjoy pink champagne, hors d'oeuvres and the rst 50 guests will receive a swag bag.

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Ghost Flustered

If your home seems haunted, who you gonna call? A paranormal expert’s unblinking advice.

BY MIMI TOWLE

Nine years ago when Valeria Bernstein and her husband moved into their Tam Valley hillside home, they were not alone. “The first night we slept in the house, we both felt like there was someone else here,” she recalls. Apparently, they had moved their first few pieces of furniture, including their bed, right into a vortex of paranormal activity.

Right away the couple had strange feelings and heard footsteps. They chalked it up to the unfamiliar creaks and squeaks of a new home. But when a former tenant of the house came over to pick up leftover mail, she was surprised to see that Valeria’s baskets were on a particular shelf. “I could never keep anything on those shelves,” she remarked.

The pets sensed something too. “Our first dog could not stay still in the living room,” says Bernstein. “He was fine in other areas of the house but was restless in the living room. The dog we have now

Valeria finally decided to try and make peace with the situation. “I stood on my couch, faced the bookshelf and said, ‘This is my house, you can stay if you want to, but do not harm my family, and don’t cause trouble.’”

often hides in our bedroom to avoid the living room, and when he is in the room, he will sometimes stare at one particular corner.” She recalls a particular spooky afternoon when her two cats were chasing after something she couldn’t see. One

of the cats has since disappeared; the other avoids coming into the house.

Then there were the sightings. A few weeks after settling in, Valeria woke to find a gentlelooking Asian man, dressed in white, standing over her bed. She screamed. He looked surprised and vanished. A few days later came her first visual hint of a different kind of spirit or “thing” that now comes and goes. She describes its presence as dark and gloomy. “Sometimes we hear footsteps and sometimes I’ll just catch a glimpse of a dark shadow.” Its preferred path is between the stairs to the lower level of the home and the kitchen, which happens to be just past her bedroom door.

Bernstein has searched county and city records pertaining to the property and surrounding area (above Tamalpais Elementary School) to search for clues. She even looked into buying an infrared camera, but decided it was too expensive. She welcomes any ghost-busting television crew to camp out in her living room, but for now she’s grudgingly accepted the presence as part of the household.

As she explained to local parapsychologist Lloyd Auerbach, she finally decided to try and make peace with the situation. “I stood on my couch, faced the bookshelf and said, ‘This is my house, you can stay if you want to, but do not harm my family, and don’t cause trouble.’”

“Unfortunately,” said Auerbach, director of the Office of Paranormal Investigations in the East Bay, “you might have made a friend.” He wasn’t making light of the situation; he’d listened to Bernstein’s story and agreed she’d done the right thing. However, he now notes, “you can always go back to him/her and say you’ve changed your mind — and ask how you

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might be able to help him/her move on.” Even if the unseen presence doesn’t pose actual harm, he says, living in a home with negative energy can’t be healthy.

Auerbach has been studying such unexplained events for over three decades. He’s written numerous books on the topic; he chaired the now-defunct parapsychology department of JFK University; and as one might expect of someone with this kind of vocation, he has had his share of air time, appearing on A&E, the History Channel, the Learning Channel, Oprah and the Today show; he even tried to get a few words in as a guest on The View.

Not all his work centers around ghosts. “As a parapsychologist, I work with the full range of psychic phenomena,” he says. “My work is about consciousness and the power of the mind beyond what we can see, touch or feel. This encompasses abilities such as clairvoyance, psychokinesis and telepathy — which have been studied in laboratory settings.” A small part of that, the aspect that’s of interest to most people, is “the survival of the mind” beyond the physical body — i.e., ghosts. “It’s fine for people to be skeptical or say they don’t believe in what I do,” he says, “but to claim that there is no scientific evidence (for it) is just plain wrong.”

To help Bernstein find out who or what was sharing her home, Auerbach asked a series of questions. “We need to figure out what is going on,” he explained; “in other words, ‘Is it live or is it Memorex?’ ” Translation: are the Bernsteins dealing with a spirit (an emotional entity caught between two worlds) or an imprint (residual emotional energy of some kind)?

Since Valeria caught only glimpses of this dark shadow and it didn’t appear as an entire form (unlike the Asian apparition, whom Auerbach believes she frightened off with her scream), he’s leaning toward the idea of a residual imprint. This is a psychic phenomenon that holds information from the past, including emotional energy. In some cases it’s detected

More Local Ghosts

Valeria Bernstein’s home isn’t the only one in the county with unexplained visitations—in fact, a few local spooks have attained legend status. Those who bubble to the top of a Google search seem to be brokenhearted (or -headed) women. For instance, the ghost of Rosie Verrall, mistress of John Reed, has greeted and/or spooked more than one overnight visitor to her bequeathed yellow Victorian, the Lyford House at Tiburon’s Audubon Center. A few miles north, actors and volunteers with the Ross Valley Players have reported sightings and eerie happenings over the past few decades in their playhouse, a converted 1860s barn. Rumor has it the spirit is a young woman who was kicked in the head by a horse and hence separated from her lover by death. And then there’s widow Ella Nichols Park at the Falkirk Mansion in San Rafael. Not only has she been seen in the window, but during weddings she’s been heard wailing and moaning just as the officiant says “till death do you part.”

as a magnetic field, such as static on a TV. If that’s the situation, Auerbach says, the invisible houseguest might be removed in one of three ways. The family can try placing magnets in strategic places, or — and “this may sound hokey,” he warns — they can “have a party and bring people together to think happy thoughts, with the purpose of erasing the depressed energy and replacing it with happy energy.” Finally, he added, “some psychics are very capable of clearing such imprints from buildings.”

The Bernsteins haven’t decided how to proceed. “Everyone (we know) knows we have a ghost, and it’s not a big deal,” Valeria says. “And to be honest, I think we should be more wary of the living than the dead.”

SOON AFTER BEING ELECTED TO OFFICE, state

Senator Mark Leno received a call from talk show host Jay Leno. “He congratulated me and asked if we had any family in common.” He laughed when I suggested that I was from the Russian Jewish side of his Italian family. The entertainer asked the politician to call when he came to L. A. “You mean to be on your show?” Mark Leno eagerly inquired.

“Of course not,” replied the talk show host. “ Just to have another chat… off camera.”

“Somehow my ego recovered,” says Leno the politician, who represents more than 900,000 constituents in a portion of San Francisco, all of Marin and southern Sonoma County.

MARK LENO

STATE SENATOR

REPRESENTS 900,000 RESIDENCES IN SAN FRANCISCO, ALL OF MARIN, AND SOUTHERN SONOMA COUNTY

BY JIM WOOD

PHOTO TIM PORTER

Actually, when all is said and done, Senator Leno might have the last laugh. Someday, not far away, Jay Leno could be begging Mark Leno to be on the show. The swarthy 3rd District senator with the 100-watt smile is the first openly gay man to serve in the California Senate; he’s leading the charge for single-payer, universal health care in California; he’s an articulate advocate for the decriminalization of marijuana; and he’s frequently mentioned as a possible contender to be San Francisco’s next mayor.

“It’s too soon to speculate,” Leno says of running for mayor. “That election is two and a half years away and I’ve got a lot to do between now and then.”

Indeed. In addition to advocating single-payer health care for Californians and liberalizing the marijuana laws, Leno is working to expand rights for same-sex couples married elsewhere but now living in California and to restrict the use of toxic flame-retarding chemicals being applied to nonflammable children’s strollers, cribs and high chairs.

Moreover, as the owner of a San Francisco sign shop, he still is a small businessperson. Regarding his personal life: “I’m a single man living in Noe Valley,” he answers with that megawatt smile.

The grandson of Jewish Russian immigrants, Leno, 58, entered elective politics in 1998, when then-Mayor Willie Brown appointed him to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. After two terms, he ran for a seat in the California state Assembly, where he was reelected twice before making a bid for the state Senate in 2008. There, in a hard-fought Democratic primary, he emerged victorious with 43 percent of the vote against incumbent Carole Migden (29 percent) and former assemblyman Joe Nation (28 percent). In the general election, Leno overwhelmed his Republican opponent, garnering 80 percent of the vote with more votes than any other Senate candidate in California.

For starters, where do you stand on Marin’s two current hot-button issues, collectively purchasing power through Marin Clean Energy and construction of a $110 million desalination plant? Regarding Marin Clean Energy, I’m 100 percent in support of making more renewable energy sources available to Marin residents than what PG&E is currently providing. In addition, I applaud the leadership county Supervisor Charles McGlashan has shown on this issue; we are both longtime proponents of public power and California’s new Community Choice Aggregation concept. I have no doubt Charles and the group behind Marin Clean Energy have crunched every number and we’ll not see surprises once the program gets under way. As for a desalination plant, I have concerns about its environmental impact on San Francisco Bay’s marine life and the amount of power it will consume. At the same time, we cannot know the severity of future droughts other than (the fact) that with global warming they are quite likely to occur. One thing we do know, however, is that large green lawns are a 20th-century concept that cannot go on. I am following both issues closely.

What fuels your passion about universal health care? It’s simple: the World Health Organization, based in Geneva, Switzerland,

recently rated the United States as being 37th in the world for quality of health care. Think about that: 37th, just above Slovenia—and our costs are twice that of most nations ahead of us, including France, which was ranked number one. This survey was based on access, quality, costs, resulting life expectancy and infant mortality. Much of America’s problem stems from the fact we have a “middleman” standing between doctors and patients. Our middleman is the insurance industry, which stands to make more money when health care is denied to those who need it. I have heard stories of children being denied asthma medication because they once had a cold and that cold was considered a preexisting condition. And that’s just one reason why I’m passionate about universal health care.

“We cannot know the severity of future droughts [but] one thing we do know is that large green lawns are a 20th-century concept that cannot go on.”

In the public arena, who are your heroes, your role models? Mahatma Gandhi, for one. He was a human being who through his spiritual leadership—and without killing or even injuring another human being—reached seemingly superhuman powers. He brought down the most powerful empire on earth without ever fi ring a single shot— that, to me, is impressive. In the same vein, I have great respect for Martin Luther King Jr., who was a follower of Gandhi’s principles of nonviolence and who has inspired generations in our struggle for civil rights and human dignity.

ZINORIGINAL

ON THE TRAIL OF A SIGNATURE

CALIFORNIA GRAPE

BY BLAIR CAMPBELL

As pressing issues go, a humble grape called zinfandel does not have the social import of gay marriage, high-speed rail service or public school funding, but there it was in the eye of a political storm just the same.

In February 2006, Carole Migden, then a state senator representing Marin and parts of Sonoma County and San Francisco, proposed designating zinfandel as California’s official state grape. Supporters wrote elaborate odes to old vines dating back to Gold Rush days; naysayers clamored for the rights of cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay. When the Senate passed a slightly watered-down version of Migden’s bill, making zinfandel California’s official “historic grape,” zin fans lobbied the assembly with a party in the Capitol— where the wine, predictably, flowed freely.

The assembly approved the measure, but when the matter landed on Governor Schwarzenegger’s desk he vetoed it—preferring not to give one grape variety such an esteemed honor in a state where so many thrive.

At first glance this setback seems like par for the course for zinfandel, which has suffered years as a “can’t get no respect” wine due in part to the poor rep-

utation of its denuded sister, white zinfandel. But as those who appreciate it well know, zinfandel is actually a versatile black grape that produces robust reds never lacking in potency.

True to the underlying message of Migden’s proposal, zinfandel has indeed been grown more abundantly in California than anywhere else by a long stretch, but as DNA testing proved in the 1990s, its true origins are Croatian. No matter, because it’s been in the soil and climate of California, and in the hands of California winemakers, that the grape has come into its own. Today it’s the second most planted grape in the state, and it boasts the most old vines of any varietal. Many of the earliest zinfandel vines survived both Prohibition and infestations of the potentially ruinous pest known as phylloxera.

Zin ranks among the biggest of big red wines, and more often than not it tastes powerfully of berries, with a clear presence of tannins (the same compounds you’d encounter when sipping a strong cup of black tea) and a high alcohol content, often above 15 per-

To take the zinfandel tour from south to north through five California wine regions, as well as their American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) and sub-appellations, is to follow the path of Junipero Serra and the Franciscans who brought the wine making craft to Alta California in the late 18th century.

The Central Coast & Monterey

IN 2006, CAROLE MIGDEN PROPOSED

DESIGNATING ZINFANDEL AS CALIFORNIA’S

OFFICIAL STATE GRAPE. SUPPORTERS WROTE

ELABORATE ODES TO OLD VINES DATING

If you’re aware of the Central Coast as a wine region, you probably think of pinot noir, thanks to the 2004 movie Sideways. But despite the prevalence of pinot, this area encompassing the Paso Robles area and San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties is littered with wineries producing zinfandel—often at competitive prices. In particular, the Arroyo Grande Valley AVA in the hills sloping toward Pismo Beach is home to luscious zinfandels made from 100-year-old vines planted behind Lake Lopez. With its proximity to the ocean, this is mainly a cool growing region, but hillside vineyard placement affords the warmth zinfandel grapes crave, while the area’s old vines yield fewer grapes, giving the wines added depth and sophistication.

BACK TO GOLD RUSH DAYS; NAYSAYERS

CLAMORED FOR THE RIGHTS OF CABERNET

SAUVIGNON AND CHARDONNAY.

cent. But its versatility—it can be made dry or sweet—makes it incredibly food-friendly. And how quintessentially Californian is a wine that goes equally well with artisan comfort food and haute cuisine?

Unlike the rest of the Central Coast, Paso Robles has very high daytime temperatures, and its zinfandels reflect that with their high alcohol content and abundant tannins. At their best, Paso Robles zinfandels taste powerfully of very ripe, but never overripe, fruit.

A bit farther north, Monterey County is not an area known as zinfandel country, but it does produce some zin winners, with the best tend-

ing toward spiciness and mild tannins. The region to look for on a label is Carmel Valley, Monterey County’s only oceanside AVA. It’s here that at least one inventive winery proprietor has sourced plantings from Sonoma, Napa and Amador county vines. Good examples of Monterey zinfandels can have an aroma of raspberries, black fruit and caramel with mellow, plum flavors on the palate.

WHAT ELSE TO TRY: Chardonnay really shines in this region, especially in and around the Santa Maria Valley north of Santa Barbara, where farmers grow the grape in hillside vineyards that produce fruit-forward, high-acid examples of the varietal. The Arroyo Grande and Edna Valley AVAs, which benefit from ocean breezes off Pismo Beach and Morro Bay, produce lush, minerally chardonnays. To the north, Arroyo Seco chardonnays have lots of oomph in the aroma and a crisp but mellow taste. Toward Salinas and Monterey, you’ll find exceptionally high-quality wines made from grapes grown in the Santa Lucia Highlands.

The Sierra Foothills

If the Sierra Foothills region east of the Central Valley still evokes a Gold Rush rugged cowboy aesthetic, so do its earthy zinfandels. Thanks to the thirsty pioneers who settled the area, the Sierra Foothills and adjacent appellations are home to California’s greatest concentration of old-vine zinfandel. This is especially true in the Fiddletown AVA of Amador County, an area hotter than its surrounding regions; here zinfandel accounts for three quarters of all grapes grown.

The California Shenandoah Valley AVA, so called to distinguish it from Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, also mainly produces zinfandels—big, robust ones. This region put the

entire Sierra Foothills region back on the map, enologically speaking, after the shame that descended following Sutter Home’s lucrative but now much-maligned white zinfandel experiment of the 1970s. That was the period when the Napa winery known for making fine wines from Amador County fruit began to use zinfandel with ample residual sugar to produce a rosé. Redemption came when wine industry sage Darrell Corti, owner of the historic Corti Brothers gourmet grocery and wine store in Sacramento, began to sing the praises of Amador County grapes to other Napa wineries. Prominent producers listened, with highly successful results. Sierra Foothills zinfandels may occasionally get a bad rap for a lack of finesse—blame the alcohol that results from the region’s blazing heat. But the best examples can actually boast deep, exhilarating aromas, clean flavors and plenty of fruit.

WHAT ELSE TO TRY: It’s somehow fitting that Italian varietals like barbera and sangiovese thrive in this region whose hills can visually transport you to Tuscany. Brought to California from Italy’s Piedmont region during the Gold Rush, barbera—a grape with high natural acidity that translates as fresh and even a bit tartly fruit-forward on the palate—fares well in this hot climate, which can render other varietals too low in acid and therefore a bit flat. The heat is also a friend to sangiovese, whose late harvest produces high-alcohol wines that age beautifully. Likely planted in the foothills in the late 1800s by Italian immigrants, today sangioveses from the region are sometimes blended with grapes native to France, like cabernet sauvignon, to create a relatively new and highly sought-after category of wines known as Super Tuscans. The blending grapes in Super Tuscans add a fullness and intensity to a varietal that is typically lighter in body and often has strong notes of cherry.

Napa Valley

Although the Napa Valley’s celebrity and outsize popularity have brought traffic and tourist crowds, the region inarguably produces truly sublime wines. There are few varietals Napa vintners don’t make well, and zinfandel is no exception. Napa’s zins are rarely overripe or too alcoholic, and they typically boast lots of berry and plum. Zinfandel vineyards in Calistoga and the Mount Veeder and Spring Mountain AVAs benefit especially from warm temperatures and volcanic soil, the latter of which is thought to produce wines with strongly spicy notes.

The Napa Valley is also home to a living museum devoted to the grape. The Zinfandel Heritage Vineyard in Oakville features vine cuttings from 14 California counties. The project was created 10 years ago by a team of viticulturists and farming experts from UC Davis in conjunction with the Zinfandel Advocates and Producers association. Each year, a rotating roster of renowned winemakers produces a limited amount of wine from the vineyard.

WHAT ELSE TO TRY:

No trip to Napa is complete without enjoying the region’s worldfamous cabernet sauvignon. While Napa’s zinfandels don’t vary dramatically from appellation to appellation, its cabernets express terroir far more profoundly, with the land in between the cool of Carneros and the heat of Calistoga practically begging the grape to thrive.

Sonoma

Just as Sonoma County is generally viewed as a somewhat mellower wine mecca than its eastern neighbor, Sonoma’s zinfandels are a bit tamer as well. But make no mistake, tame does not mean underwhelming. In fact, the wines made from zinfandel grown above the fog line

in Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley are generally considered the best examples of the varietal you can find in California, if not the world. In an irony that speaks to zinfandel’s status as a truly populist grape, much of that Dry Creek zinfandel acreage was originally planted with the intent to cultivate it for bulk wine. Hot days, cool nights and fine crafting have allowed the wine those grapes produced to escape that humble fate. The stiffest competition to Dry Creek’s spicy, berry-filled zin isn’t far away—it’s in the Russian River Valley, where Italians settling in the hills also had the foresight to plant vineyards above the fog line.

That fog line—and growing grapes above it—seems to be the key to zinfandel’s success throughout Sonoma, and the strategy has quite literally borne fruit in southern Sonoma, particularly on Sonoma Mountain. If it’s old-vine zin you’re after, look to the Alexander Valley, an area known for rich, voluptuous wines in a range of varietals. The Rockpile AVA adjacent to Dry Creek is also making a name for itself with interesting zins that are lush and intense.

WHAT ELSE TO TRY:

Santa Barbara’s pinot noir may have landed that starring role in Sideways, but even if you love a good SoCal pinot, Sonoma’s version is an altogether different example well worth trying. Mother Nature does pinot many favors here, especially near the mouth of the Russian River, where the cooling ocean fog helps keep acid high, and in Carneros, where bay winds have much the same effect, resulting in delicate, nuanced wine.

The Fort Ross sub-appellation north of the Russian River is close enough to the ocean to create expectations that fog would here too boost acidity of pinot noir. A strong interest in Fort Ross wines arose that consequently drove up prices, but once again the fog line wound up playing a crucial role. With most of Fort Ross’s vineyards planted above it, the fruit produced there is actually big, bold and early to ripen.

Mendocino

Farther up the coast in Mendocino County, producers are known for careful and often ecofriendly crafting of wines. When it comes to the region’s zinfandel, that artistry comes across in manifold ways—a reflection of the county’s diverse geography.

As in the Russian River Valley, Mendocino’s Anderson Valley AVA was long ago settled by Italians who recognized the hills above the fog line as a good place to grow zinfandel. Winemakers have had particular success with fruit from the western hills of Anderson Valley, which produces highly praised zinfandels that can possess strong notes of oak and coffee. The

adjacent Mendocino Ridge has the distinction of being the state’s only noncontiguous AVA, because the vineyards it includes must be situated above 1,200 feet. Zinfandel is the primary grape grown on these “Islands in the Sky,” as the appellation has come to be known—a place where the intensity of the fruit is said to match the climatic extremes and beautiful vistas of its peaks.

Given Mendocino’s status as the region with the highest percentage of certified organically grown grapes in the country, it’s no surprise that many of its zinfandels bear the organic stamp. The scenic town of Ukiah is a center of sorts for this commitment to green growing practices, and the vineyards in its orbit are known for producing full-bodied, soft and spicy zins.

WHAT ELSE TO TRY:

This is the place to sample two light-bodied varietals most strongly identified with Alsace—gewürztraminer and riesling. The cool stretch of the county that hugs the coast and includes the Anderson Valley AVA creates an ideal terroir for both grapes. Another great source for riesling is Potter Valley, a growing region devoid of wineries that’s situated inland and to the north of Ukiah. Mendocino’s gewürztraminers are all about that powerful lychee perfume for which the varietal is famous, but they tend to be dry on the palate, making them food-friendly. Its rieslings can range from bone-dry to dessertsweet, often with stronger flavors than one might expect from this usually subtle wine.

A Sonoma farm helps a Marin couple re-cultivate their roots

BY P. J. BREMIER

PHOTOS BARBARA RIES

LAV from cattle to

ENDER

Bob and Sharon Kahn know what it’s like to run a ranch. For 20 years, after he retired from the insurance business and she from raising money for arts programs, they owned a stunning 3,000-acre cattle ranch along Middle Fork Crazy Woman Creek near Buffalo, Wyoming. Naturally, his friends called him Buffalo Bob.

From the front porch of their log home, the Kahns could throw a stone into a trout stream or begin a hike into a conifer canyon. But the ranch was remote—45 minutes from the closest town—and two days by car from their Belvedere home. And operating it took a lot of hard work.

The Kahns wanted to get away from city life—but not so far. So they sold the ranch a year ago and found a new getaway in the serene Lovall Valley in Sonoma, less than an hour from Belvedere and only 15 minutes from the restaurants and shopping of Sonoma’s plaza.

“We weren’t looking for another ranch or even a farm,” Sharon says of their new second home, 15-acre Cypress Hill Farm. “All I wanted were chickens and a burro; that was the original plan.”

They’re both enthralled with their land. “It’s so quiet here,” Kahn says. “All you hear are great country sounds. Someone has chickens and cows across the valley and our neighbor has goats. I think of them as mine; I’ve named several of them. And at night, we hear the coyotes howl on the ridge.”

From their hilltop, the Kahns glimpse five counties, three sets of fireworks on the Fourth of July, the twinkling lights of the East Bay at dusk and the blue water of San Francisco Bay on clear days. Instead of cattle, they now tend a vineyard of petite sirah, seven varieties of olive trees (that all needed pruning) and fields of French lavender—all of it organic.

But if Bob Kahn figured he was downsizing, he soon learned otherwise. “I thought, ‘hmmm, 15 acres, this will be a piece of cake,’ but cattle ranching was so much easier,” he says. “Everybody was on the same page in Wyoming when it came to ranching advice, but with organic farming, you can ask five people and get 12 different opinions.” To do things right, he kept the existing crew and sought the wisdom of local experts. (And got a new nickname: now he’s Lavender Bob.)

The Kahns also cultivate an extensive orchard and an exuberant vegetable garden that provides an abundance of fresh produce for their kitchens in Sonoma and Marin. “There are so many tomatoes I can’t give them away,” Sharon says, so she cans them and makes jam with the plums.

The tile-roofed house at the farm is Tuscan style with thick walls and travertine floors to keep the interior cool on hot days. Small windows frame valley views. A glass conservatory that opens onto the garden has daybeds for overnight guests and an adjacent kitchen space allows easy alfresco entertaining. A three-car garage on the ground floor houses a 1949 Chevrolet halfton pickup truck (named Henry) that Bob drives when he takes Sharon to town for dinner or when he make small deliveries.

If Bob Kahn figured he was downsizing, he soon learned otherwise. “I thought, ‘hmmm, 15 acres, this will be a piece of cake,’ but cattle ranching was so much easier,” he says.

Upstairs, from their living room they can see, across the graveled driveway, the distillery where Bob extracts the lavender essential oil and hydrosol that he supplies to companies like St. Helena Olive Oil Company for their products. Fragrant lavender bouquets are also hand-delivered to select stores, including Paradise Market in Corte Madera.

The Kahns sell their grapes to a local vintner and send the handpicked olives to the Sonoma-based Olive Press, which features the oil in its quarterly olive club. The oil is sold at Oakville Grocery in Napa and At Home At Sweet Things in Tiburon. Cypress Hill Farm products, marketed through the farm’s website at cypresshillorganicfarm.com, are also lavished on lucky lunch or dinner guests back in Belvedere.

“We’re attached to the BelvedereTiburon community,” Sharon says. “I didn’t want to live full time in Sonoma.”

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT : The pool area is popular entertaining center; the property resembles a Tuscan farmhouse from afar, surrounded by rows of lavender; Bob Kahn spends time inspecting his crop.

CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW : The farmhouse living room and adjacent dining area; Sharon Kahn creates alfresco spread for guests to enjoy; sunflower basket; Bob Kahn's favorite ranch vehicle is a classic 1949 Chevrolet pickup truck he calls Henry.

A few years ago she started the book club program at Book Passage in Corte Madera and is very active in her own local reading group. Bob, a former commodore of the San Francisco Yacht Club, raised his family in Belvedere, and his son-in-law, Stan Urban, built the Kahns’ home on one of Belvedere’s last remaining lots 10 years ago.

“We didn’t want a large house, but we did want enough space to entertain, so the whole main floor is an open plan,” says Sharon. “We can cook in the kitchen and look at the fireplace in the living room and, because the stove is in the island, we can talk to friends without turning our backs to them.”

The interior is finished in a palette of harmonious earth tones with a limited use of pattern to avoid competition with the artwork. Accents are natural: large pinecones, baskets and stones and a fireplace surround of limestone, inset with hammered steel, that reveals ancient fossils. There’s also a hint of pan-Asian influence carried from the entry garden into the lines of the living room’s cocktail table and hearth box.

“We were both married for 30 years to other people before we got married 14 years ago, so it was a challenge to blend households, but my favorite homes are always eclectic,” Sharon says. “It also means you’re always editing.”

A pair of naturally shed antlers, found on the Wyoming ranch, decorates the fireplace mantle in Bob’s cozy upstairs office; 300 more antlers are stored at the Sonoma ranch. “This is the only room (where) Sharon will let me have them,” he says, chuckling.

She markets the farm products and writes short stories in her downstairs office near a guest room set up for visiting grandchildren. In the hallway hangs a gallery of family photos and black-and-white stills of celebrities taken with her famous father, Chet Huntley, who pioneered TV evening news broadcasting with The Huntley-Brinkley Report.

A Montana native and founder of Big Sky Resort near Bozeman, Montana, Huntley was a quintessential Westerner, and it’s from him that Sharon acquired her love of ranch life. A bronze sculptural image of her father that once overlooked “Chet’s pond” at the Wyoming ranch graces their Belvedere home. “I didn’t get to see it often there,” Sharon says. “So, it’s nice. I can see it every day now.”

And with the farm so close, she can now enjoy the ranch lifestyle more often, too. “My life centers around Belvedere, but Bob and I will always need ‘country’ in our lives.”

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE : Sharon Kahn in her Belvedere kitchen canning tomatoes from the Sonoma farm garden; a bronze sculpture of Sharon's father, Chet Huntley, sits in the front entrance of the Belvedere home; tomatoes from the Sonoma garden.

The interior is finished in a palette of harmonious earth tones with a limited use of pattern to avoid competition with the artwork.

CLOCKWISE FROM UPPER LEFT : The front entry to Belvedere home; interior furnishings in warm tones create a cozy environment; decorative pieces are featured throughout the home; the fireplace mantel in the den is where Bob Kahn displays the naturally shed antlers found on his Wyoming ranch.

M OSE Y

O N THE MOSEL

Germany’s wine country pairs history with its Rieslings

BY BOB COOPER

Cyclists can cruise for many miles along the Mosel River bike path, with vineyards spilling off the hills on both sides—and sometimes located right along the path. OPPOSITE: Eltz Castle, built in 1157, is the most stunning medieval castle along the Mosel.

A quiet Mosel River vineyard rises steeply above the village of Zell, local vineyards produce some of the world’s finest Riesling grapes. OP -

POSITE : Tasty breads and cheeses produced in the region go well with the wine; canoeing is just one of many ways to follow the river.

ON

A CAFE PATIO FRAMED BY ROSEBUSHES , I am savoring a lunch of smoked trout, mixed greens and goat cheese en croute. Between bites I sip a dry Riesling squeezed from grapes grown in the vineyard a few steps away. The owner, whose historic home doubles as a small inn, refills my glass. Four friends and I are rewarding ourselves for a morning spent on bikes. Groups of hikers crowd the other tables.

The bells of a nearby 15th-century church remind us that we aren’t in Healdsburg or Calistoga, but in the German village of Ediger-Eller, one stop during a week on bikes and boats along the Mosel and Rhine rivers. Germany was never on my travel bucket list, partly because I’d never shaken my doubts about Germans. First, there’s their reputation for aloofness—and weren’t they the bad guys in two world wars? Second, how could a non-pork-eater from Marin survive in the Land of Ham and Sausages? The second question was answered the moment I opened the café menu. I needed a few more days to answer the first one. Our plan was to follow a hook-shaped route on the Rhine and Mosel, which slither south toward France through the heart of Germany’s western wine country. We bused from Frankfurt to Boppard, a typical Rhine village with its Roman fortress walls, medieval church and hilltop castle. Exhilarating, indeed. But even more astonishing—and rewarding—was what Boppard doesn’t have. As with other Rhine and Mosel villages I would visit, cars are verboten in the center of town. Instead of revving engines on the cobblestone lanes extending out from the village square, our Riesling samplings at the outdoor tables of local weinstubes (wine bars) were accompanied only by church bells. And unlike on the wine country highways in Sonoma and Napa, traffic is light even on the main roads here, because the villages are small and most tourists follow the rivers by other means. We traveled by riverboat, bike and bus; others hike, take trains or paddle canoes or kayaks.

We began our trek at Koblenz, a city of gardens and bridges where the Rhine and Mosel converge, for a boat ride down the Mosel. Our boat, like so many others on the water, had a

long, narrow deck, table service and bar. We also saw “hotel boats” with staterooms and stationary bikes. But why pedal nowhere over the river when you can pedal somewhere along the banks? That was our next mode of transport.

Rising on slopes on both sides of the river are countless vineyards crowned by evergreen forests; the steepest hilltops are speckled decoratively with castles, monasteries or villas. Those elevated edifices indicated approaching villages, which appeared every few miles along the 125-mile stretch of water we followed.

Villages were also signaled by the sight of swans on the riverbank. Each town had its own flock, it seemed, and they added to the fairy-tale atmosphere of the countryside. That otherworldly spell was deepened by our tour of Eltz Castle. The 1157 citadel is 10 enchanting stories of towers, gables, oriels and, on the inside, rooms chock-full of Renaissance art and assorted armored knight-wear.

The next day on our bike ride we asked Stefan, one of a group of middle-aged cyclists from Berlin who exchanged gut morgens with us along the path, whether they were just as spellbound.

“We look forward to this trip every year,” he said, his English perfect. “We go slow, 50 kilometers [31 miles] a day, and if we get tired or want to spend the afternoon wine tasting we take a boat to the next inn.”

theater carved into the hillside after we’d taken a ride in the “monorack”—little more than an oversize wheelbarrow that chugs up the hillside on a single rail. “This is my gym,” he quipped, gesturing to the vineyards.

Berg is typical of the older men who keep centuriesold family wineries alive along the Mosel. I saw them all week, inspecting grapes on the terraced slopes, their bulging calf muscles roped with veins and usually a zigarette perched between parched lips. Their labor has made the Mosel, with its 5,000 wineries, the biggest Riesling-producing region in the world.

A family in the town of Cochem enjoys the serenity of a riverside park, one of many along the Mosel. OPPOSITE : So many riverboats prowl the Mosel that sometimes it looks like they’re racing; it doesn’t get any more romantic than a glass of wine at a courtyard table.

They were staying at “Bett & Bike” inns, which provide cyclists with discounts and bike storage, and their casual approach to moseying down the Mosel sounded ideal. What’s the rush? The bike path mostly hugs the river, occasionally crossing a bridge. When a thunderstorm briefly interrupted our ride, we laughed it off under a tractor, the closest shelter, with the tang of fresh rain filling our nostrils and the bike path puddling with shiny mirrors.

We stopped near Bremm (population 849) to hike above the steepest vineyards in Europe, which cling to the slope at a 68-degree pitch. The vineyards and trails attract 1,000 hikers on summer weekends and are maintained by the Bremm mayor, Heinz Berg, and three buddies. Berg shared his wine with us and a few fellow hikers at a small amphi-

The Middle Rhine is their close rival, akin to the Napa-Sonoma rivalry. The mild climate and slate soils of the two river gorges give the well-regarded Rieslings here a uniquely mineral-rich taste.

Our Mosel mosey ended in Trier, Germany’s oldest city, with its teeming pedestrian plaza providing a perfect starting place for walks to four Roman-era UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We took in the view atop Porta Nigra, the Roman city gate, and marveled at the grandeur of Constantine Basilica, older than St. Peter’s. We peered inside an 18,000-seat Roman amphitheater built in 100 A.D. that’s now used for rock concerts. We tasted wines in fourth-century monastery caves that Napoleon converted to a wine cellar. We listened to the squeals of schoolchildren carom off the tunnel walls of the Imperial Baths.

With the trip nearly over, I mentally rewound the highlights: a ride on a 40-passenger replica of a Roman wine ship, the luscious pastries of Bernkastel-Kues, the Karl Marx museum in Trier and the lovingly crafted half-timber houses in every village. Then I drafted a mental checklist of places we’d skipped (saved for next time): museums, spas, chairlift-accessible hiking trails, and innumerable castle ruins and wineries. Then it was time to reflect not on the places, but the people.

The trip answered my question about the Germans. These former “bad guys” are good guys now, with a love of bicycles, wine and progressive ideas that remind me of home. Like the thunderstorm that pinned us under a tractor, Germany’s dark past is indeed long gone, reduced to puddles on the path of history.

IF YOU GO

Late April to late October is the best time to visit the Mosel and Rhine; wine festivals and fireworks over the rivers occur throughout those months. travel in germany cometogermany.com

mosel and rhine river travel romantic-germany.info

mosel river travel mosellandtouristik.de

bike/boat tour packages biketoursdirect.com mosel-radweg.de

bike-friendly accommodations be undbike.de

city of trier trier.de

town of boppard boppard-tourismus.de

6 Degrees of RELAXATION

Half a dozen fall wine country getaways

BY MIMI TOWLE AND SOMER FLAHERTY

Gain incredible views of Napa’s vineyards with a hot air balloon ride.

Fall is undoubtedly the best time to visit the wine country; the optimal weather, excitement of crush and fewer tourists make it an easy choice for a quick getaway. If that’s not enough incentive, consider that a day (and a night) away could be just what your mind, body and soul need before the rush of the holidays. According to the Mayo Clinic, “relaxation is a process that decreases the wear and tear on your mind and body from the challenges and hassles of daily life.” As we wind down 2009, which for many has indeed been a year of wear and tear, it’s time to take care of ourselves with a little Wine Country 101. What follows are six different scenarios for a Napa or Sonoma visit, including options for getting the most from your recession-recovering dollar.

1

Calistoga: Health

For centuries the Wappo Indians enjoyed the healing properties of the area’s hot springs. But it was California pioneer and entrepreneur Sam Brannan who founded this town as we know it, with the intention of creating a West Coast health mecca. Thanks to the natural geothermal springs and thousands of pounds of the famous therapeutic mud, Calistoga remains a top destination for the health-minded traveler.

BEDS

Centrally located on the town’s main street (Lincoln Avenue), the Mount View Hotel has a motto: the Art of Relaxation. Guests can choose among perks like breakfast in bed, an easel and paints to take to the vineyards, and an afternoon at the on-site spa or just lounge with a book by the tranquil swimming pool. Rates: $189–$369.

EATS

Morning: Café Sarifornia is a popular diner where you can fuel up on a classic breakfast. Its name is a nod to the naming of the town itself: according to legend, after a few too many cocktails, town founder Brannan made a toast to “the Calistoga of Sarifornia” when he had intended to say “the Saratoga of California,” referring to the New York spa town of Saratoga Springs.

Midday: Enjoy a luxe lunch at Solage Calistoga Resort’s Solbar. Opt for indoor (fireplace) or outdoor (patio) seating overlooking the pool. The menu features bounty from local organic farms.

Evening: Join the Main Street menu crawl as the sun goes down. Dozens of would-be diners size up the offerings and their appetites to find the perfect match. Choices include Checkers or Boskos Trattoria for pizza or pasta, JoLe at the Mount View Hotel for the latest in farm-to-table cuisine or Flatiron Grill for a great iceberg wedge salad.

EXERCISE

Start early in the morning to summit Mount St. Helena, and bring a hat, water and sunscreen. In the words of the Chronicle’s venerable outdoorsman Tom Stienstra, it’s a “butt-kicking” workout. Start at Robert Louis Stevenson State Park and follow the signs to the trailhead. It starts slow and is a five-mile grind to the summit.

DON’T MISS

The Petrified Forest walk is a half-mile trail that passes by stony remains of ancient trees, a frozen-in-time record of a catastrophic explosion of Mount St. Helena. Meander and ponder life’s fragility, or stroll through in 10 minutes. Plaques with names for the trees offer interesting tidbits of information. Ten minutes north by car is Calistoga’s Old Faithful geyser. Don’t let the underwhelming setting fool you: this is a sight worth seeing. There are only three geysers on the planet worthy of the “old faithful” moniker, which means the geyser performs (spews) at regular intervals. Both these experiences each cost less than $10 and will provide hours of dinner party fodder.

2

Healdsburg: Romance

A former mid-1800s stopping point on the route from San Francisco to the gold mines, downtown Healdsburg is the center of it all, and it’s only a short drive from here to the Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River valleys. Spend the day people-watching from a bench in the Spanish-style town square and shopping at upscale boutiques like Corte Madera’s M Clothing sister store.

BEDS

Romance meets luxury at the Relais & Château–designated and adults-only Les Mars hotel. Think Louis XV armoires, draped fourposter beds, deep soaking bathtubs and marble-appointed bathrooms, all housed in a fresh limestone facade. With only 16 rooms, the staff provides top-notch personalized service and guests can mingle comfortably at the nightly wine and cheese reception in the carved-walnut-paneled library. Rates: $475–$1,050.

EATS

Morning: Grab coffee and a flaky croissant at Costeaux on the north end of the town square; then head to the Saturday morning farmers’ market, in the parking lot at North and Vine streets just behind Hotel Healdsburg, to browse a bounty of chili jams, white peaches and locally made chocolates.

Midday: The lobster roll is a must-try at Willi’s Seafood and Raw Bar, as is the hamachi

ceviche with chili and lime juice. If you’re carbloading for an afternoon of wine tasting, indulge in Willi’s French Fries with a Laura Chenel goat cheese ranch dipping sauce.

Evening: Go alfresco for dinner at Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen in the Hotel Healdsburg. Chef Dustin Valette’s passion is refreshing in what can be a stuffy gustatory scene (ask about his grandfather’s plums). Drop by the bar at Cyrus for artisanal creative cocktails made with the likes of sunflower petal, thyme and cucumber mix.

EXERCISE

Put on a pair of solid walking shoes; downtown Healdsburg is home to more than two dozen tasting rooms, including Artiste Winery, La Crema and Topel. Don’t miss a stop in the new Ferrari-Carano and Lazy Creek tasting room, which features exposed brick walls and an original 1833 tin ceiling and where you can sip pinot grigio at the 20-foot bar while perusing a well-edited array of home decor items.

DON’T MISS

Get in touch with the town’s local history with an afternoon of antiquing. Tour a maze of rooms filled with vintage cameras, typewriters, clothing, tchotchkes and more at local shops like Mill Street Antiques, Moonshadows Antiques and Healdsburg Classic Antiques. And don’t miss Halloran & Sons on West North Street, a newcomer to this quaint town with over 20 years experience in antique merchan-

LEFT : Calistoga’s Old Faithful geyser is a sight worth seeing. RIGHT : Cozy digs at the Harvest Inn in St. Helena; large rooms, and pets are welcome.

dising. Who knows, you may even find a treasure that pays for the trip—or at least gets you on an episode of Antiques Roadshow.

3 Glen Ellen:

Outdoors

Nestled between Sonoma’s plaza and the stretch of Highway 12 known as Kenwood, don’t-blink-or-you’ll-miss-it Glen Ellen has been home to an impressive list of literary types, including Jack London, M.F.K. Fisher and Hunter S. Thompson. Visitors come for the quiet surroundings, looking to get in touch with as well as sample the bounty of the land.

BEDS

Originally built for the town butcher in 1890, the Gaige House isn’t your typical wine country bed-and-breakfast. The 23-room luxe property has Asian-style decor and a 40-footlong swimming pool; all guest rooms have private baths and several have fireplaces. A spa garden suite includes an oversize granite tub. Rates: $239–$699.

EATS

Morning: Grab breakfast at the Glen Ellen Village Market, where you’ll find three-egg dishes, bacon, maple sausage, breakfast burritos, croissant sandwiches and 30 different doughnuts and pastries each morning.

Midday: It’s not quite in Glen Ellen, but Kenwood Restaurant isn’t too far down the road. Sit on the patio with its great views of the vineyards and indulge in a hamburger and Sonoma vino—served by the half- or full glass, half- or full bottle.

Evening: Visit the cheesemonger at Raymond and Co. for a one-hour tasting; owner John Raymond has been known to let a guest sample every cheese there. Appetite piqued, head over to Fig Café and Wine Bar (take advantage of the no-corkage fee) for a plate of steamed mussels and fries.

EXERCISE

From the upper parking lot at Jack London State Park, take a 1.5-mile round-trip hike past farm buildings up to the lake where London

TOP : A luxurious room at Les Mars Hotel in Healdsburg. MIDDLE : An antique bike marks the entrance to Bistro Jeanty in Yountville. BELOW : Views from Cornerstone Gardens in Sonoma and the entrance to the Gaige House Inn in Glen Ellen.

spent his summers with famous friends. A short trail from the lower parking lot leads to London’s grave and to the spectacular ruins of the Wolf House. At Jack London’s Beauty Ranch, tour the House of Happy Walls, a home and museum built by London’s wife after his death.

DON’T MISS

The Glen Ellen tasting room at B. R. Cohn Winery was founder (and Doobie Brothers manager) Bruce Cohn’s former home. After your tasting, take a self-guided tour of Quarryhill Botanical Garden, home to rare plants and one of the largest collections of temperate Asian plants in North America.

4

Sonoma: History

While Sonoma is synonymous with sunshine and a delectable harvest, it is also situated around the northernmost California mission, making the Sonoma plaza a great destination for history buffs. Just up the

hill in a well-established cemetery is the grave of William Smith, the only Revolutionary War soldier known to be buried in California. The Mission San Francisco Solano de Sonoma was founded on July 4, 1823, and down the street, the Blue Wing Inn at 125 East Spain Street, built by General M. G. Vallejo in 1840, is the oldest adobe structure north of San Francisco.

BEDS

The El Dorado Hotel and Kitchen, on the northwest corner of the plaza in a historical adobe building, is running a weekday special through the end of the year. For $249 you get an overnight stay, a complimentary tasting at the biodynamic Benziger winery, and a threecourse meal for two (not including alcohol or gratuity) at the hotel’s celebrated restaurant. Cocktail-hour beverages range from $5 to $7.

EATS

Morning: Grab a cup of coffee and a treat at California’s historic landmark No. 501,

Salvador Vallejo’s Home, aka the Sunflower Caffé. Most patrons are lured by the shaded patio and tempting victuals and don’t realize that it is the oldest adobe building in the area open to the public.

Midday: The patio of the Swiss Hotel, built in 1909 on the northern edge of the plaza, has been a favorite lunch spot for decades. Not too hungry? Grab a snack at the Sonoma Cheese Factory next door for a picnic elsewhere.

Evening: El Dorado Kitchen executive chef Justin Everret’s “farm-driven” menu is a favorite for locals and visitors alike. Enjoy his celebrated cuisine at an intimate table for two on the patio, under the century-old fig tree, or with a large party on the 21-foot dining room table of reclaimed single-plank wood from a Vermont bridge.

EXERCISE

Connect with the bike path a block north of the square. Head east a mile or so to Bartholomew Park, a historic and organically

farmed estate winery. Besides the on-site museum, which presents unique wine-making artifacts and vintage photographs, the property has three miles of hiking trails. The original estate included neighboring Buena Vista, California’s first winery, and once belonged to viticulture maverick Agoston Haraszthy.

DON’T MISS

On the way home along Highway 121, stop at Cornerstone Gardens to browse the nine acres of inspiring garden installations and/or partake in some wine tasting at Artesa, Roshambo, Grange Sonoma, Larson Family or Ridgeline winery. Enjoy a fresh salad, soup or sandwich alfresco at Sage Fine Foods. With all the money saved on your Sonoma experience, splurge on a unique piece of garden art.

5St. Helena: Family

This charming town could be the backdrop for a classic black-and-

white ’50s sitcom, complete with happy families strolling Main Street, kids clutching melting ice cream cones and American flags hung proudly on each corner.

BEDS

If the Hansel and Gretel–like grounds at the Harvest Inn don’t win over the kids, the two outdoor swimming pools and family-friendly breakfast will. Chilly wine country nights are no problem; snuggle by the in-room fireplace or soak in the Jacuzzi while the teens watch an in-room movie on the flat-screen TV. No need to leave Fido at home; dogs are welcome, too. For a private experience, choose the Napa Confidential package, which includes a personalized tour with driver, monogrammed bathrobes, a picnic lunch and more. Rates: $299–$799.

EATS

Morning: There aren’t any familiar commercial coffee stations near the hustle and bustle of Main Street (though Dean & DeLuca is

just down the road), but Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company is the place to meet the locals, enjoy the free Wi-Fi and nurse a headache from last night’s libations.

Midday: Head to V. Sattui Winery for a tasting, then choose from 200 cheeses, meats, sandwiches and salads at the on-site market and deli for lunch with the family out in the large shaded picnic area. Traveling sans children? Head to the Revana Family Vineyard, where winemaker Heidi Peterson Barrett of Screaming Eagle fame has a cab surely destined for cult status.

Evening: You can’t leave St. Helena without trying “Ken’s roll,” a perfectly executed mix of shrimp tempura, avocado, spicy tuna and pine nuts at Cindy Pawlcyn’s Go Fish restaurant. Don’t pass up a seat at sushi master Ken Tominaga’s sushi and sake bar, or ask for a table by the fireplace on the patio out back. For a limited time, a special wine list features 26 bottles priced under $26 to celebrate the restaurant’s 26th anniversary. Get the kids involved by signing them up for sushi-rolling classes.

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EXERCISE

Drive or bike to the Redwood Trail at Bothe State Park entrance on Highway 29, a few miles north of St. Helena’s Main Street. Walk among redwoods and ferns along Ritchey Creek, which runs all year long. The first loop extends two miles; other well-marked trails can be accessed for longer hikes, with a trail past the summer home of San Francisco’s Hitchcock family, who came up from in the 1870s to host lively social gatherings for the city’s moneyed crowd.

DON’T MISS

Stroll down Main Street, especially between Pope and Pine streets, and stop by Martin Showroom for unique and unusual finds from interior designer Erin Martin. A little farther off the main drag is the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, a replicated Tuscan mansion where visitors can watch demonstrations and stock up on kitchen gadgets in the boutique, as well as the 17-room Beringer Vineyards–owned Victorian Rhine House, a National Register of Historic Places–listed building, offering tours/tastings by appointment.

6

Yountville: Gastronomy

Yountville, the first stop for most on Napa Valley’s famed Highway 29, is consistently producing more “have-you-been-to” restaurants and experiences. From Cindy Pawlcyn’s Mustards Grill and Thomas Keller’s French Laundry to more recent culinary must-try’s like Richard Reddington’s REDD and Michael Chiarello’s Bottega, these eateries are nationally recognized and locally admired. The hardest decision you will make during your stay is where to have your next meal.

BEDS

Villagio Inn & Spa and Vintage Inn are offering great midweek packages through the end of the year, as is the brand-new swanky Bardessono. Here’s a way to get the most value from your experience: head to the Villagio or Vintage on a Tuesday for the midweek $295 a night Romance Package, which in-

cludes a bottle of chilled champagne on arrival and a complimentary bottle of wine as well as champagne breakfast buffet. Take advantage of the Spa Villagio’s Tuesday Twofer: book a facial, body treatment or massage and receive a second treatment free. On Wednesday, head across the street to Bardessono Hotel, where $299 includes overnight accommodations in a spa suite, two complimentary drinks at the pool bar and a three-course prix fixe dinner for two in the restaurant.

EATS

Morning: For those staying at the Villagio Inn & Spa or the Vintage Inn, the weekend buffet breakfast is complimentary and will convert the most strident “breakfast-is-not-mything” person into a blubbering carbo-devouring fool. Staying elsewhere? Pop into Bouchon Bakery for a sweet treat and a latte.

Midday: Linger on the patio at Hurley’s and watch the world pass by as you enjoy seasonal dishes like squash blossom fritters.

Evening: Sample Thomas Keller’s famed cuisine without financial stress at his familystyle, casual ad hoc restaurant. Call ahead to find out what will be on the menu, since each night one meal is served to all diners.

EXERCISE

Bike it. This relatively flat area of the valley abounds with scenic, winery-filled routes. Many hotels have bikes available for free or a nominal fee. From downtown Yountville, head out about 2.5 miles to Cliff Lede Winery, and stop in for a tasting and a look in the on-site art gallery. Continue south on Silverado Trail for more of the famed Stags Leap District’s offerings. Sound too intimidating? Sign up with Napa Valley Bike Tours for a planned, and pampering, tour—i.e., guides and sag wagons.

DON’T MISS

Balloon ride! That 5 a.m. wake-up alarm can be brutal, but the sunrise over the vineyards makes up for it as you float above the vineyards. On a clear day the San Francisco skyline is visible; any day brings a bird’s-eye view of the entire valley. Do it at least once.

HALLORAN & SONS

ANTIQUES

OCTOBER ARTS & EVENTS GUIDE

Rent opens at the Curran Theatre October 6

THEATER

Thru 4 My Name Is Asher Lev The Marin Theatre Company opens its 43rd season with Aaron Posner’s adaptation of the classic novel about artistic freedom and faith by Chaim Potok. The play is directed by Hal Brooks. Marin Theatre Company (Mill Valley). 415.388.5208, marintheatre.org

Thru 11 Premiere! The Ross Valley Players are back for their 80th year with the fictional story of a playwright who discovers an unknown play by William Shakespeare. Barn Theatre (Ross). 415.456.9555, rossvalleyplayers.com

Thru 25 South Pacific Lincoln Center Theater presents a reinvention of the story of love in the tropics threatened by the realities of war. Golden Gate Theatre (SF). 415.512.7770, shnsf.com

Thru January 3 Wicked The cultural phenomenon that got its start in San Francisco is back for an extended stay. Orpheum Theatre (SF). 415.512.7770, shnsf.com

6–18 Rent The seventh-longest-running show in Broadway history comes to San Francisco, featuring original Broadway cast members Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp. Curran Theatre (SF). 415.512.7770, shnsf.com

COMEDY

Tuesdays Mark Pitta and Friends The comic hosts an evening for up-and-comers and established headliners to work on new material. You never know who might show up to jump onstage and grab the microphone. 142 Throckmorton Theatre (Mill Valley). 415.383.9600, 142throckmortontheatre.com

DANCE

2 Tap Dogs Straight from an Australia steel town, the Tap Dogs put an industrial and heavy metal spin on tap dance. Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6400, marincenter.org

MUSIC

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

1-3 SF Symphony Michael Tilson Thomas conducts Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 The symphony is one of Mahler’s best known and was written in 1901 and 1902. Davies Symphony Hall (SF). 415.503.5500, sfsymphony.org

2–4 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass The ninth edition of this free event features Steve Martin, Lyle Lovett, Marianne Faithfull, Aimee Mann, Neko Case, Robyn Hitchcock, Billy Bragg and more. Speedway Meadow (SF). strictlybluegrass.com

4–6 Marin Symphony The Marin Symphony begins its 57th season with Rhapsody in Blue, an all-Gershwin program conducted by Alasdair Neale and featuring pianist Keisuke Nakagoshi. Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6400, marincenter.org

5 Motörhead/Reverend Horton Heat The British rock band is back on tour with their high-energy brand of music. The Warfield (SF). 800.745.3000, thewarfieldtheatre.com

5-6 Billy Bragg The rock/protest singer has played with almost everybody in his morethan-30-year career—for two nights he plays the Great American. Great American Music Hall (SF). 888.233.0449, gamh.com

9 Benefit Concert Tandamanzi Rhythm Ensemble, Gary Malkin and Baba Ken and the Nigerian Brothers perform at this concert benefiting the Kitojo Hospital Fund. Mt. Tam Methodist Church (Mill Valley). 415.891.8276, friendsofruwenzori.org

9–11 Yoshi’s San Francisco Philadelphiaborn bassist Stanley Clarke takes the stage with his trio. Yoshi’s (SF). 415.655.5600, yoshis.com

9–11 Beatles Fest West Local faves the Sun Kings and Drew Harrison join other Beatles tribute artists for a weekend of fab fun. Scottish Rite Center (SF). beatlesfestwest.com

10 Kenny Rogers “The Gambler” comes to San Francisco, bringing a few of his more than 70 hit singles. The Warfield (SF). 800.745.3000, thewarfieldtheatre.com

10–November 21 San Francisco Jazz Festival The 27th annual event brings artists such as Ravi Shankar, Béla Fleck, Ornette Coleman, Jake Shimabukuro, Keb Mo and more to the city by the bay. 415.398.5655, sfjazz.org

Alasdair Neale Music Director The Season of the Scribe 2009-10

MSMarin Symphony

Playing the Grooves off Gershwin Chapter 1 09| 10 Personal up close and Students half

Sunday, October 4 and Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at 7:30pm

Alasdair Neale , conductor Keisuke Nakagoshi , piano

GERSHWIN Cuban Overture

GERSHWIN Catfish Row Suite

GERSHWIN Rhapsody in Blue

GERSHWIN An American in Paris “. . . On a very American note, I love Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.” —Tobias Wolff

Alasdair Neale welcomes Tobias Wolff in a discussion of the Gershwin concert program performed in Wolff’s honor.

Tobias Wolff is the author of the books This Boy’s Life, In Pharaoh’s Army, The Barracks Thief and Old School, among others. He is the Ward W. and Priscilla B. Woods Professor of English at Stanford University.

Pre-concert talk is free with purchase of concert ticket.

soloist sponsored by Frank and Lois Noonan

BRYN CRAIG’S MARIN

Gallery Bergelli Although Bryn Craig’s work is representational, he is quick to point out that he is not a photorealist. Craig’s goal is to move beyond the surface image and fi nd scenes that stir emotions in himself as well as the viewer.

Once Graig decides on a location he photographs it from different angles at different times of day and uses that information to create his own unique interpretation. 415.945.9454, gallerybergelli.com

11 In the Mood A theatrical big band swing revue featuring orchestra, singers and dancers. Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6400, marincenter.org

11 Sexy Sunday A musicians’ showcase featuring female artists who rock. Peri’s Silver Dollar (Fairfax). 415.459.9910, krickie.com

15 Moby DJ, singer/songwriter and musician Richard Melville Hall plays the Warfield. The Warfield (SF). 800.745.3000, thewarfieldtheatre.com

17 Sophie Milman The Russian-born, IsraeliCanadian vocalist channels Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald to create her own, inventive brand of jazz. Last year Milman won a Juno Award (Canadian Music Awards) for vocal jazz album of the year. JCCSF (SF). 415.292.1200, jccsf.org

17–18 Treasure Island Music Festival The Flaming Lips, the Decemberists and MGMT headline this two-day festival on the island. Also playing are Bob Mould, Yo La Tengo, the Walkmen, Beirut and Dan Deacon. Treasure Island (SF). treasureislandfestival.com

22 Heart Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson bring their brand of hard and melodic rock to San Francisco. The group has sold more than 30 million albums since forming in the early 1970s. The Warfield (SF). 800.745.3000, thewarfieldtheatre.com

23–25 Hansel and Gretel The Golden Gate Opera presents Engelbert Humperdinck’s classic composition. International opera star Edna Garabedian stage-directs while children from SingersMarin’s Starlights program and the Shan-Yee Poon Ballet School portray gingerbread cookies and guardian angels. Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6400, marincenter.org

30 Songs of Kurt Weill Singer Anne Kerry Ford and pianist John Boswell perform songs from the composer’s German and American songbooks. 142 Throckmorton (Mill Valley). 415.383.9600, 142throckmortontheatre.org

GALLERIES

MARIN

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

Art on the Farm Plein air paintings will be on display at the Point Reyes Library. 11431 Rte One, Point Reyes Station. 415.898.7730, artonthefarm.org

Art Works Downtown Day of the Dead art show, thru November 21. 1337 Fourth St, San Rafael. 415.451.8119, artworksdowntown.org

Bay Model Exhibition Gallery Mount Diablo: As We See It More than 100 paintings by the BayWood artists are on view at this benefit event, October 24–November 21. 2100 Bridgeway (Sausalito). 415.302.1320, baywoodartists.com

Claudia Chapline Gallery Totems and Monotypes from Adele Seltzer. 3445 Shoreline Hwy, Stinson Beach. 415.868.2308, cchapline.com

College of Marin Art Gallery Faculty exhibition, thru October 15. 835 College Ave, Kentfield. 415.485.9493, marin.cc.ca.us

Donna Seager Gallery Figurative show with Dennis Hare, Sharon Paster, Jylian Gustlin and Waldemar Mitrowski. 851 Fourth St, San Rafael. 415.454.4229, donnaseagergallery.com

Gallery Bergelli Paintings by Bryn Craig, thru October. 483 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur. 415.945.9454, gallerybergelli.com

Gallery Route One Work from Mimi Abers, Suzanne Parker, Lucien Kubo and Geraldine LiaBraaten, thru October 25 11101 Hwy One, Point Reyes Station. 415.663.1347, galleryrouteone.org

Marin Society of Artists 82nd annual members’ show, thru November 8 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Ross. 415.454.9561, marinsocietyofartists.org

Milk and Honey Art Gallery Paintings by Georgia June Goldberg. 384 Miller Ave, Mill Valley. 415.383.7580, milkandhoneyartgallery.com

Mona Lease Gallery Upwelling Work by Toni Littlejohn. 39 Greenbrae Boardwalk, Greenbrae. 415.461.3718, monalease.net

Northbay ArtWorks Rotating exhibits and classes. 7049 Redwood Blvd, Ste 208, Novato. 415.892.8188, northbayartworks.com

O’Hanlon Center for the Arts Big Black Paintings and American Heirographyx

New works by Gregory Edwards, thru October. 616 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley. 415.388.4331, ohanloncenter.org

Robert Allen Fine Art Clusters New mixedmedia works from Kerry Vander Meer, thru October 23. 301 Caledonia St, Sausalito. 415.331.2800, robertallenfineart.com

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

Robert Green Fine Arts Seven Decades

Work by painter John Grillo, thru November 29. 154 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley. 415.381.8776, rgfinearts.com

Sam the Butcher The Vast Remainder Work by Jeffrey Palladini, thru December 11. 19 Ross Common, Ross. 415.902.1019, samthebutcherart.org

Smith Andersen North Photographs by Ira H. Latour. 2240 A Fourth St, San Rafael. 415.455.9733, smithandersennorth.com

Studio 333 Josef and friends every Wednesday. 333A Caledonia St, Sausalito. 415.331.8272, studio333.info

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

The Painters Place Oils and watercolors from gallery artists. 1139 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur. 415.461.0351, thepaintersplace.com

Tomales Fine Art Attend a workshop by award-winning artist Jeanette Le Grue, a specialist in painting with oils, October 16–18. 27050 Maine St, Tomales. 707.878.2525, tomalesfineart.com

SAN FRANCISCO

ArtHaus Think Before You Pink A project of Breast Cancer Action, thru October. 411 Brannan St, 415.977.0223, arthaus-sf.com

Berggruen Gallery Work from Michael Greggory, thru October 31. 228 Grant Ave, 415.781.4629, berggruen.com

Cain Schulte Gallery The Conceit of Counting New work by Owen Schuh, thru October 17. 714 Guerrero St, 415.543.1550, cainschulte.com

Caldwell Snyder Gallery Artwork from French artist Gilles Marrey, thru October 31. 341 Sutter St, 415.296.7896, caldwellsnyder.com

Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery Paintings by Gustavo Riviera. 49 Geary St, 415.981.1080, eesgallery.com.

George Krevsky Gallery Highlights from the gallery collection: William Gropper, Louis Siegriest and Andy Warhol. 77 Geary St, 415.397.9748, georgekrevskygallery.com

Gregory Lind Gallery Almost Nothing Work by Anders Ruhwald. 49 Geary St, 415.296.9661, gregorylindgallery.com

Meyerovich Gallery John Baldessari: Works on Paper from 1976-2008 Selection of early lithographs, thru October 31. 251 Post St, 415.421.7171, meyerovich.com

Rena Bransten Gallery Forms and Shapes Dennis Gallagher, thru October 10. 77 Geary St, 415.982.3292, renabranstengallery.com

Weinstein Gallery Robert Kipniss exhibition. 301 Geary St, 415.362.8151, weinstein.com

MUSEUMS

MARIN

Bay Area Discovery Museum Time to get bangin’, twangin’ and shakin’ with Miss

Dominican University features two speakers in November with different but strong connections to the United States presidency and much to say on the state of the world and America’s place in it.

Vice President Al Gore takes the stage to discuss his new book

Our Choice and the continuing battle against global warming. Gore’s new book picks up where the New York Times best seller An Inconvenient Truth left off.

David Plouffe spent two years working side by side with President Obama as campaign manager during Obama’s primary and general election victories in 2008. His book The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama’s Historic Victory tells the tale of this unique period in American history.

Kitty as she returns in October. (Sausalito). 415.339.3958, baykidsmuseum.org

Bolinas Museum Experience the Japanese art of paper folding with The Universe of Origami, thru November 15 (Bolinas). 415.868.0330, bolinasmuseum.org

Falkirk Cultural Center Home: A Concept, a Place See and purchase artwork from more than 30 local artists, thru October 3 (San Rafael). 415.485.3438, falkirkculturalcenter.org

Marin History Museum The new exhibit, Growing the Future: Farming Families of Marin, tells the history of farming in Marin and runs all year (San Rafael Council Chambers). 415.454.8538, marinhistory.org

Marin Museum of Contemporary Art Legends of the Bay Area II Work by Stanley Mouse, the artist responsible for album covers from acts including the Beatles, Eric Clapton, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Journey, the Steve Miller Band and the Grateful Dead (Novato). 415.506.0137, marinmoca.com

BAY AREA

Asian Art Museum Emerald Cities: Arts of Siam and Burma View decorative and religious art from the neighboring countries of Burma and Thailand, historic rivals that share a common aesthetic, October 23–January 2010 (SF). 415.581.3500, asianart.org

California Academy of Sciences Journey to the Stars, the new Morrison Planetarium show, is narrated by Whoopi Goldberg (SF). 415.379.8000, calacademy.org

Contemporary Jewish Museum There’s a Mystery There: Sendak on Sendak The JCM presents a major retrospective of more than 100 works by famed children’s author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, author of Where the Wild Things Are, thru January 19, 2010 (SF). 415.655.7800, thecjm.org

de Young Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs After 30 years the boy king is back in San Francisco. The exhibit features more than 130 works from the tomb of Tutankhamun, as well as those of his royal

predecessors, his family and court officials, thru March 28, 2010 (SF). 415.750.3600, thinker.org

di Rosa Preserve Art: It’s Alive The eighth annual benefit art auction raises funds to support cultural and education programs at di Rosa, October 17, 5200 Carneros Hwy (Napa). 707.226.5991, ext. 34, dirosapreserve.org

Exploratorium Exploratorium After Dark Enjoy cocktails, conversation and adultoriented programming every first Thursday, October 1, or come in costume for a special Halloween extravaganza, October 31 Ft. Mason (SF). 415.397.5673, exploratorium.edu

Legion of Honor John Baldessari: A Print Retrospective More than 100 prints representing four decades of work are on display, thru November 8 (SF). 415.750.3600, legionofhonor.org

SFMOMA Photographs 1946-2004 See more than 200 images from the iconic photographer Richard Avedon in the only U.S. showing of this exhibition, thru November 29 (SF). 415.357.4000, sfmoma.org

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Wallworks YBCA’s new Director of Visual Arts, BettiSue Hertz, curates this unique exhibit featuring the large-scale works of commissioned artists, who have covered the building and gallery walls with art, thru October 25 (SF). 415.978.2787, ybca.org

EVENTS

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

Mondays Disco Dancing This dance party will bring you back to the ’70s and early ’80s when disco was king. Jason’s Restaurant (Greenbrae). 415.945.3206

1 Walt Disney Museum Learn the story of Walt Disney in his own words as well as

those of his friends, family and co-workers. This new museum opens October 1 in 77,000 square feet of space and contains more than 1,600 items. The Presidio (SF). 415.345.6800, disney.go.com

1–3 Live at the Lark Live via satellite is the National Theatre of London’s version of William Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well. Lark Theater (Larkspur). 415.924.5111, larktheater.net

2 First Friday Lectures Marin History Museum executive director Merry Alberigi presents an illustrated lecture about Sir Winston Churchill and his paintings. Marin Art and Garden Center (Ross). 415.258.9595, www.moya-rhs.org

2–4 Tennis Classic Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf headline the tennis classic event featuring some of the world’s top male and female stars. Funds raised benefit cancer foundations and youth tennis programs. Harbor Point Tennis Club (Mill Valley). 415.383.6114, tennisclassic.org

2–4 Pacific Pinball Exhibition Hundreds of rare pinball machines will be on display at this family-friendly event focusing on the history of pinball. Marin Center Exhibit Hall (San Rafael). 415.499.6400, pacificpinball.org

2–4 Oktoberfest by the Bay This Munichstyle beer and community festival, now in its 10th year, is bigger than ever, featuring German cuisine, beer and music, including the 21-piece Chico Bavarian Band. Pier 48 (SF). 888.746.7522, oktoberfestbythebay.com

3 Film Night in the Park Bring your blankets, chairs and family for film night in the park. Slumdog Millionaire is the last film of the season. Washington Square Park (SF). 415.453.4333, filmnight.org

3–November 14 Italian Film Festival For the 33rd year, see the best of Italian filmmaking. Showcase Theater (San Rafael). 415.499.6400, marincenter.org

4 Rhapsody in Blue The Marin Symphony kicks off its 57th season in fine style with a black-tie event featuring gourmet food, specialty cocktails and a post-concert dessert.

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

4 Food for Thought Enjoy a cooking workshop and author talk by Edward Espe Brown, author of Tassajara Cooking. Dance Palace (Point Reyes Station). 415.663.1542, ptreyesbooks.com

4 Mill Valley Creative Achievement Awards

The citizens of Mill Valley celebrate creativity in their community and honor Jean Shinoda Bolen, Dan Hicks, Gretchen Jane Mentzer, Naomi Newman and Steve Bajor. Mill Valley Community Center (Mill Valley). 415.721.1906, milleyawards.org

5 Celebrity Pool Toss Local celebrities get wet at this 17th annual event benefiting the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation. Emcees include Cindy Williams, Cheryl Jennings and Jan Wahl. Phoenix Hotel (SF). 415.358.3944, tndc.org

8–18 Mill Valley Film Festival The filmmakers’ festival returns for the 32nd year, featuring the best in independent and world cinema including documentaries, features, shorts and children’s films. This festival usually more than 40,000 tickets and represents more than 200 artists. Actor Clive Owen will be given a special honor on October 9. 415.383.5256, cafilm.org

8–13 Fleet Week Enjoy a weekend featuring the navy Blue Angels, navy ships and demonstrations. 650.599.5057, military.com/fleetweek

10 Bay Area Pet Fair and Adoptathon This fourth annual event is a great chance to show what your adopted or rescued pet can do in friendly competition. The fair is also the largest multi-agency pet adoption event in California. Marin Center Exhibit Hall and Fairgrounds (San Rafael). 415.499.6400, marincenter.org

10–18 Challenger Tennis Tournament

Experience tennis action at this United States Tennis Association pro circuit event. Tiburon Peninsula Club (Tiburon). 415.789.7900, tiburonpc.org

11 Italian Heritage Parade Celebrate Italian heritage at the 141st annual parade, one of San Francisco’s oldest civic events.

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Fisherman’s Wharf (SF). 415.703.9888, sfcolumbusday.org

16 Families of the Year Gala Outstanding Marin families are recognized. The Next Key Center (Novato). 415.492.1022, familyworks.org

16–18 Bioneers Conference This forum invites you to see tomorrow today with talks and workshops given by social and scientific innovators such as Michael Pollan and Andrew Weil. Marin Center (San Rafael). 415.499.6400, bioneers.org

18 Free Family Event Explore the SFMOMA, the Contemporary Jewish Museum, MoAD, Zeum and the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival for free. 415.614.3216, onlyinsanfrancisco.com

21 Tam Valley Speaker Series Director Jyll Johnstone discusses her feature-length documentary Hats Off about 93-year-old actress Mimi Weddell. Tam Valley Community Center (Mill Valley). 415.388.6393

23 Barbara Ehrenreich The Dominican University Leadership event features the author of Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America. Angelico Hall (San Rafael). 415.485.3202, dominican.edu

24 Edgewood Hope Ball U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein is the guest of honor at an event benefiting the Edgewood Center for Children and Families. Fairmont Hotel (SF). 415.682.3201, edgewood.org

25 Art on the Farm This art exhibit and sale is a great chance to pick up some art and benefit Marin Organic at the same time. Art on the Farm was started almost 10 years ago by Alan Mart as a way to bring artists and organic farms together. Point Reyes Vineyards (Point Reyes Station). 415.898.7730, artonthefarm.org

25 Marin Organic Benefit Enjoy a celebration of local, food, art and wine featuring author Douglas Gayeton and showman Dario Cecchini. Cavallo Point (Sausalito). 415.663.9667, marinorganic.org

26 Kid Lit Salon Beginning and established children’s book authors and illustrators are

invited to the monthly salon. Book Passage (Corte Madera). 415.927.0960, bookpassage.com

26-27 Career ReBoot Camp Attend a workshop to help you get the skills to land that perfect job. Keynote speaker is What Color Is Your Parachute? author Richard Bolles. Embassy Suites (San Rafael). 415.516.9343, careerrebootcamp.com

28 Autumn Floral Fête The San Francisco Garden Club celebrates 83 years and holds a benefit luncheon. Four Seasons Hotel (SF). 415.771.0282, sanfranciscogardenclub.org

29 David Sedaris An evening with the humorist behind books such as Naked and When You Are Engulfed in Flames. Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.499.6400, marincenter.org

30 Friday Forums The monthly luncheon offers discussions of Marin issues. Jason’s Restaurant (Greenbrae). friday.forums@gmail.com

31 Marin Kids Triathlon and Family Relay Swim, bike and run at this family-style race event. McNear’s Beach Park (San Rafael). marintriathlon.com

NATURE WALKS/TALKS

Ongoing Sonoma History Local actor George Webber morphs into Mark Twain, as he retells the history of Sonoma (Sonoma). 707.694.5097, georgewebber.com

3 Orchard Tour Explore the horticulture of growing olive trees, taste some delicious samples and learn about olive harvesting techniques on this special tour. McEvoy Ranch (Petaluma). 707.778.2307, mcevoyranch.com

3 Marin Sierra Club Enjoy a hike on Mount Tamalpais to celebrate the Moon Festival. Meet at the Fairfax parking lot by the theater at 9 a.m. 415.461.9255, sanfranciscobay.sierraclub.org

3 Moonlight Hike Join the Marin Moonshiners for a monthly three-mile hike to experience the sunset, moonrise and a picnic. Reservations required. Pelican Inn Pub

(Muir Beach). 415.331.0100, whatshappeningcalendars.com

4 Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies Take a free behindthe-scenes look at the marine science center during discovery day. RTC (Tiburon). 415.338.3757, rtc.sfsu.edu

10 Marin Art and Garden Center Learn how to plant to attract birds, butterflies and beneficial insects. Marin Art & Garden Center (Ross). 415.455.5261, magc.org

10, 24 Sunset Hike and Dine Join this local club for a monthly two-hour hike on moderate to steep trails on Mount Tamalpais with a mid-hike wine and cheese break. Reservations required. Mountain Home Inn (Mill Valley). 415.331.0100

28 Marin Scuba Club Meet other divers at the monthly meeting. The Flatiron Saloon (San Rafael). 415.453.9556, marinscuba.org

31 WildCare Bring the family to this outdoor event to learn more about owls. China Camp (San Rafael). 415.453.1000, wildcarebayarea.org

RETAIL THERAPY

Michael Stars Kick off breast cancer awareness month in style at Michael Stars and Marin Magazine’s pink party. Celebrate and enjoy pink champagne, hors d’oeuvres and the first 50 guests will also take home a swag bag, October 1 from 6 p.m.–8 p.m. RSVP to pinkparty@michaelstars.com. The Village at Corte Madera (Corte Madera). 415.496.2020, michaelstars.com

Sam’s Anchor Cafe Enjoy more than 20 champagne and sparkling wine choices on the waterfront benefiting the Marin Academic Center. The event also includes a silent auction, fresh oyster bar and hors d’oeuvres, October 2. 27 Main St (Tiburon). 415.435.4527, samscafe.com

Gump’s San Francisco’s top designers, including Orlando Diaz-Azcuy, Martha Angus, Ken Fulk and Claudia Juestel, present fantasy table decor and vignettes at a special “Art of the Table” event, October 22. 135 Post St (SF). 415.984.9250, gumps.com

FALL READING

BY JIM WOOD

Sunnyside by Glen David Gold, Alfred A. Knopf, 2009, $26.95. This sprawling, 640-page novel set in the early days of World War I focuses on Charlie Chaplin with Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, even Rin Tin Tin in supporting roles. San Francisco’s Gold is being compared to E. L. Doctorow and Caleb Carr. A must read for fall evenings.

September 25-October 30

Reception: September 25, 5-7pm

West Marin Review: Prose, Poetry, and Art Tomales Bay Library Association, 2009, $18. The works of over 50 West Marin writers, poets, photographers, and painters—both professional and unpublished— are featured. The theme for Volume 2 is “Who We Are, Where We Come From.” A mostly volunteer effort that is highy professional.

Conservation Refugees: The Hundred –Year Conflict between Global Conservation and Native Peoples by Mark Dowie, The MIT Press, 2009, $27.95. More than 108,000 conservation areas have displaced millions of indigenous people. “Unlike a fine wine, Mark Dowie has not mellowed with age. This book proves it,” writes one reviewer. Dowie lives in Inverness.

Hollywood Buzz, Starring Pucci Lewis by Margit Liesche, Poison Pen Press, 2009, $24.95. Marin’s Liesche is a devotee of the screen’s golden age—and intrigued by WWII. Both are featured in this imaginative novel about the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs. Sabatoge, homicide, Nazi operatives and Bella Lugosi are all involved.

Around Town

Novato residents Michael and Diane Mina celebrated Bastille Day with a French-themed party at Mina’s newest restaurant RN74, which is named after the road that travels through the Cote D’Or and the Burgundy wine region. Right, Michael and Diane Mina.

The Marine Humane Society hosted a private party along with personal tours, thanking over 175 supporters for the success of their new Cat Adoption Center. Thanks to the generosity of donors, adoption cats are now relaxing in spacious kitty condos with cat beds perched on shelves and furniture. Left, Grace Bransford, Irv and Catherine Gubman; right, Suzy Golt, Felipe Santiago; below right, Julie Kaye.

Nearly 1,400 volunteers and staff as well as 500 guide dog puppies in-training participated in the Hawaii FI’DO event hosted by Guide Dogs for the Blind. The annual celebration recognizes the hundreds of dedicated puppy raising volunteers who help raise good canine citizens and prepare them for their formal guide work training. At left, Nancy Gardner and friend.

In Corte Madera board members from SPARK, the Larkspur Schools Foundation that supports both Neil Cummins Elementary and Hall Middle School, dined on gourmet burgers at the Counter opening and fundraiser to raise money for the foundation. From left, Julie Muller and William Muller, Peter Katz, Alicia Kepler, Dan Reidy and Hannah and Caroline Reidy.

DINE OUT

CORTE MADERA

BENISSIMO Italian Benissimo means “really really good” in Italian. From margherita pizza to veal parmigiana to mocha mud pie, Benissimo serves a taste of Italy in a casual neighborhood venue. 18 Tamalpais Dr, 415.927.2316, benissimos.com

CHAMPAGNE BAKERY French This casual bakery displays fresh-made pastries, croissants, tarts, cookies and cakes, to be enjoyed indoors or out on the patio. Brioche French toast and the French dip sandwich with Swiss cheese are among the many menu options. Catering is also available. 103 Corte Madera Town Ctr, 415.927.5470, champagnebakery.com

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

IZZY’S STEAKS & CHOP HOUSE American The legendary San Francisco steak house has moved north. Known for great steaks and seafood as well as its fine wine selection, this is a great spot for a group or intimate dinner for two. 55 Tamal Vista, 415.924.3366, izzysrestaurant.com

LA MAISON DE LA REINE Vietnamese A refreshing change amid the plethora of Italian, Mexican and Chinese options. The crunchy cabbage chicken salad with peanuts, fresh spring rolls, and combinations of pho are delicious. 346 Corte Madera Town Center, 415.927.0288, lmvietnamese-cuisine.com

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

MAX’S CAFE American Located across from Town Center, Max’s is known for casual ambience and large portions. The menu changes with the season but features year-round favorites like matzo ball soup and BLTs. Besides decadent portions or comfort food and desserts, the menu also offers seasonable local produce and healthy items too. 60 Madera Blvd, 415.924.6297, maxsworld.com

PACIFIC CATCH Pan-Asian This well-priced fresh grill eatery offers a bounty of Pacific Rim —inspired small or main plates, like the generously portioned wasabi bowls filled with rice (white or brown), veggies and your choice of cooked or raw

fish, chicken or beef. Modeled after the Paia Fish House on Maui down to the chalk board menu and Hawaiian music. 223 Corte Madera Town Center, 415.927.3474, pacificcatch.com

P.F. CHANG’S CHINA BISTRO Chinese The combination of an attentive staff, lively atmosphere and consistently delicious meals makes for a solid dining experience. Items like the lettuce wraps and Mongolian beef keep the customers loyal. 301 Corte Madera Town Center, 415.413.9890, pfchangs.com

RICK’S WINE CELLAR California This one-room bar and wine shop is located in the same spot where Marin’s first wine bar opened back in 1988. Now it’s owned and operated by Marin natives Rick and Candy Mendell, whose customers call it the “Cheers of Corte Madera.” Offerings include a glass, a flight or a bottle, all of which pair nicely with the cheeses, salami and hot paninis. 207 Corte Madera Ave, 415.927.9466, rickswinecellar.com

FAIRFAX

CHAD’S GARDEN & GRILL CAFE Italian Pop in for a fennel-apple-and-walnut salad on the deck or one of the savory paninis or wraps. Menu includes lots of healthy vegetarian selections. 85 Bolinas Rd, 415.454.7864, chadscafe.com

DEER PARK VILLA Italian This “best place for a party” (Pacific Sun) sits on four garden acres; the Ghiringhelli family has been turning out Italian favorites here since 1937. Come for the famous veal parmesan—or your next big celebration. 367 Bolinas Rd, 415.456.8084, deerparkvilla.com

FRADELIZIO’S Italian Home-style comfort food, fresh fish, and good wine add up to an excellent place for a family night out. 35 Broadway Blvd, 415.459.1618, fradelizios.com

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

SORELLA CAFFÉ Italian Not only is the food satisfying and tasty; the service is friendly. Easy place to bring the kids. 107 Bolinas Rd, 415.258.4520, sorellacaffe.com

GREENBRAE

CAFE Z American A pleasant surprise in the Bon Air shopping mall. Dishes like grilled chicken pesto panini and savory crepes have quickly made this intimate spot a local favorite, and inventive meals keep people coming back for more. 282 Bon Air Center, 415.461.9444, cafez.com

JASON’S Italian The restaurant’s Greenbrae location (it was formerly on Andersen Drive in San Rafael) fills the space that was formerly Giorgio’s. A crowd of regulars enjoys creative seafood dishes

with Italian flair. Enjoy the ceviche, crab cakes or blackened salmon on the large outdoor covered patio. 300 Drakes Landing Rd, 415.925.0808, jasonsrestaurant.com

WIPEOUT BAR & GRILL American Who says you can’t go back to being a carefree teenager for a night? This family-friendly hot spot has surfboards hanging from the ceiling, fun-in-the-sun music, a full bar and large televisions displaying surfers riding waves. The only thing missing is the sand at this surf-style, upbeat eatery. 302 Bon Air Center, 415.461.7400, wipeoutbarandgrill.com

KENTFIELD

HALF DAY CAFE American A tucked-away setting of intertwining ivy and large open windows makes the perfect breakfast nook. Serving breakfast, brunch and lunch, the setting is casual and can get crowded on the weekends. The menu includes lattes, exceptional pastries and much more. Dine on the outdoor patio or inside. 848 College Ave, 415.459.0291, halfdaycafe.com

LARKSPUR

E & 0 TRADING COMPANY Southeast Asian New chef Arnold Eric Wong is keeping the restaurant’s innovative plates as tasty as ever. Without reservations, try a spot at the large communal table. 2231 Larkspur Landing Circle, 415.925.0303, eotrading.com

EMPORIO RULLI Italian Pastry chef Gary Rulli is renowned for his Northern Italian specialties and treats. The Larkspur location (there are three others) is a popular spot for lunch as well as coffee and a sweet. 464 Magnolia Ave, 415.924.7478, rulli.com

LEFT BANK RESTAURANT French Known for award-winning French cuisine and its lively brasserie ambience, this corner spot has rated high with locals for well over a decade. Those with a petite appetite/budget can opt for happy hour (4–6:30 M–F) and enjoy appetizers, all priced under three dollars. 507 Magnolia Ave, 415.927.3331, leftbank.com

PICCO California Chef and celebrated restaurateur Bruce Hill deserves the accolades he has received for this eclectic shared-plate heaven. Dishes like mini-burgers and seasonally driven menu items, along with risotto made every half hour, keep people coming back. The Picco Pizzeria and Wine Bar next door is cozy (not many seats) but already famous for its wood-fired pizzas, great wine selection and soft-serve Straus Family Creamery ice cream. 320 Magnolia Ave, 415.924.0300, restaurantpicco.com

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

TABLE CAFÉ Indian/American Indian-inspired cafe offers a unique menu featuring entirely organic ingredients. Dishes include seasonal salads, incredible soups and fresh juices. The specialty of the house is dosa, filled with a variety of ingredients and served with savory homemade chutneys. You can also take home a choice of three or four gourmet dinners freshly packed daily. 1167 Magnolia Ave, 415.461.6787

TAM CELLARS Wine bar This wine shop includes an elegant bar with seating for up to 36 people, 30 wines by the glass and tasting flights. Tam Cellars specializes in hard-to-find wines and smallproduction wineries. Enjoy a glass or bottle to pair with the selection of appetizers. Live music on Thursdays. 1803 Larkspur Landing, 415.461.9463, tamcellars.com

TAVERN AT LARK CREEK American The next chapter in the 1888 Victorian Murphy House is being written by chef Randy Lewis and culinary director Adrian Hoffman. New menu reflects today’s economy while keeping to the farm-totable sensibilites of Marin. 234 Magnolia Ave, 415.924.7766, tavernatlarkcreek.com

THE MELTING POT French Just across the street from the Larkspur Ferry terminal is a round red-brick haven for fondue fans. Share the “Big Night Out” feast featuring chef’s specialties, or design your own spread with cheese fondue, salad, choice of meat entrée and chocolate fondue dessert. 125 E. Sir Francis Drake Blvd, 415.461.6358, themeltingpot.com

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

MILL VALLEY

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

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

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

Something Different Mon. - Sat. 10:30 am - 6:00 pm www.fancythatgiftshop.com

Art, Gifts & Accessories

47 C Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera (415) 945-8863 • Next to DMV

Sonya Paz ~ Pop Art on Prints, Pottery and Watches Pop Art on Prints, Potter y

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

CACTUS CAFE AND TAQUERIA Mexican Tucked in a little nook across from Whole Foods, this is the perfect spot to sit down with the family or grab burritos to go. The burritos themselves are enormous and the tacos are out of this world. Their signature creamy Diablo sauce has a spicy kick to it and is favored by the locals. 393 Miller Ave, 415.388.8226

CAFE DEL SOUL California Beware of addiction. Once you stop in for the deliciously fresh Hummus Yummus wrap, you’ll have to come back to sample the chipotle Sunrise Rice Bowl; then it will be the Thai It Up wrap with peanut sauce washed down with ginger limeade that brings you back, and so on. Casual lunch spot, great for takeout. 247 Shoreline Hwy, 415.388.1852, cafedelsoul.net

CHAMPAGNE French Enjoy a croque monsieur alfresco, linger over a flaky, buttery croissant with a cappuccino, or pick up chocolate-dipped strawberries for your next dinner party. All that and more at this French bakery cafe. 41 Throckmorton Avenue, 415.380.0410, millvalley.champagnebakery.com

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

EL PASEO French Keiko Takahashi, a prominent Tokyo chef known for her modern French cuisine, transports her flair to Mill Valley. With a cottagelike feeling, this fine dining restaurant serves meals that are nothing less than exquisite. Reservations recommended. 17 Throckmorton Ave, 415.388.0741, elpaseorestaurant.com

FRANTOIO RISTORANTE ITALIANO Italian

Known for its in-house olive press, superior olive oil and excellent Italian cuisine, this is a great location for an intimate dinner, large groups and anything in between. Happy hour starts at 4:30 in the sizable, comfortable bar area, where you can snack on antipasti or order your whole meal. Owned by Roberto Zecca and Chef Duilio Valenti, both from Milano; the kitchen uses local and organic ingredients—it’s the Italian way. For special occasions and private parties, reserve the olive-press room. 152 Shoreline Hwy, 415.289.5777, frantoio.com

INDIA PALACE Indian Known as “that great restaurant in the Travelodge,” India Palace is a favorite among the takeout crowd; however, eating on site is a treat too. Classics like lamb korma, saag paneer, aloo ghobi and bindi special (okra) will not dissapoint. 707 Redwood Hwy, 415.388.3350

GIRA POLLI Italian Not in the mood to cook? Pick up a wood-fired rotisserie chicken or family dinner from this hot spot, or stick around for the specialty pasta and a glass of wine. 590 East Blithedale Ave, 415.383.6040

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

JOE’S TACO LOUNGE Mexican A longtime local favorite, Joe’s serves up regular fare such as tasty fish tacos, burritos and enchiladas as well as more unusual items like Mexican pizza, tofu salad, and crab tostados. Colorful interior and (usually) quick service makes this a fun, easy stop. And if there are too many unsupervised kids for a peaceful meal, takeout is easy too. Alone? Grab a magazine and seat at the counter and enjoy the action. 382 Miller, 415.383.8164

LA BOULANGE BAKERY Take your pastries and coffee in a bowl and lounge on the patio for a relaxing morning as you’re practically transported to Paris at this adorable bakery. The staff is professional and friendly. Be sure to try their outstanding breads, as they’ll put your standard sandwich bread to shame. 800 Redwood Hwy, 415.381.1260, baybread.com

LA GINESTRA Italian A favorite family spot for over 30 years; getting a table or booth can take a while. While this old-school Italian eatery is known for traditional pastas, veal dishes, pizzas and dry martinis, the familiar wait staff is also part of the attraction. 127 Throckmorton Ave, 415.388.0224

LUCINDA’S MEXICAN FOOD Mexican This closet-sized eatery off the highway is treasured by regulars for its friendly service and authentic Mexican food. Ingredients are fresh and burritos are highly recommended. Dining space itself is tiny, so call ahead to bypass the line. 930 Redwood Hwy, 415.3880754

MAMA’S ROYAL CAFE American Old-timers love this fabulous kitsch-decorated breakfast spot. The menu offers crepes, brioche French toast and other a.m. specialties served all day; stay awhile and try the sandwiches for lunch. 387 Miller Ave, 415.388.3261

MARIA MARIA Mexican The menu at Maria Maria draws from diverse regional cuisines of Mexico, including slow-braised duck tacos, guacamole prepared tableside and Guajillo marinated red snapper filet. 651 E. Blithedale, 415.381.1070. mariamariarestaurants.com

PIAZZA D’ANGELO Italian It’s always a party at this long-standing hot spot. A great place to meet up with friends for a fresh plate of pasta, zuppa di pesce or pollo novello, or make some new friends at the bar. 22 Miller Ave, 415.388.2000, piazzadangelo.com

PIATTI RISTORANTE AND BAR Italian The staff prides itself on capturing the warm and welcoming

atmosphere of a traditional Italian trattoria. Try for a table at the window for a truly exceptional view right on the water. Take a peek at the impressive collection of Italian wines to go with your rustic seasonal Italian meal. 625 Redwood Hwy, 415.380.2525, piatti.com

RAIN TREE CAFÉ American/Homestyle In the Strawberry Village shopping center, casual American fare: soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches and gourmet crepes. Savor the Mill Valley crepe: smoked salmon, capers, spinach, and Dijon in a fresh warm wrap. Breakfast is served all day. 610 Strawberry Village, 415.380.8886, caferaintree. com

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

SMALL SHED FLATBREADS California As a slow food chef, Ged Robertson uses only local, mostly organic ingredients. Crowd favorites include the mt. tamal-pie, a delicious fresh salad atop a flatbread. 17 Madrona St, 415.383.4200, smallshed.com

THEP LELA Thai This jewel is tucked away in the back of the new Strawberry Village. Diners come for the tasty kee mao noodles, pad thai, fresh rolls

and extensive bar menu. It’s also a great place for lunch. 615 Strawberry Village, 415.383.3444, theplela.com

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

TONY TUTTO PIZZA Italian Tony has been pouring his passion for pizza into his cooking for two decades and is now sharing his family recipes: “It’s all about excellence in pizza, sprinkled with musical flavors and kissed with colorful passion. We feature creative artisan-style pizza using the best imported, natural and local organic ingredients.” Mostly outdoor seating, so dress accordingly. Stop by or take out. 246 E. Blithedale Ave, 415.383.8646, tonytuttopizza.com

VASCO Italian Whether you’re at a table, the bar or the back counter, you can expect an intimate and tasty dining experience at this oneroom trattoria. Try one of the restaurant’s pasta dishes or thin-crust pizzas. 106 Throckmorton Ave, 415.381.3343

NOVATO

BOCA STEAK & SEAFOOD South American Bring a date or celebrate a special event at this classic steakhouse, which celebrates chef George Morrone’s (Aqua, Fifth Floor) Argentinean heritage.

The grass- and grain- fed steaks are cooked over oak and almond. Head to the restaurant early for a three-course prix-fixe dinner. 340 Ignacio Blvd, 415.883.0901, bocasteak.com

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

CHEZ PIERRE French No need to book a flight to Paris. Owners Peter and Isabelle Awad serve up traditional French fare in this oversized Novato restaurant. Try the baked brie, escargots en coquille or a simple cheese plate. 7330 Redwood Blvd, 415.898.4233, chezpierremarin.com

EN CANTO Mexican Barbed wire orbs, lights, festive music, and an addictive bean dip sets this family-friendly restaurant apart from the plethora of others in Marin. The sting of waiting for a table can be relieved by the En Canto House Margarita on the patio. 940 Seventh St, 415.892.1471, encantorestaurant.com

FINNEGAN’S MARIN American This pub-style restaurant features tasty appetizers, grilled flatbread pizzas and entrées, including New York steak, garlic herb chicken and a braised beef and pork ragu that will really stick to your ribs. Wine, beer and cocktails are available. 877 Grant Ave, 415.899.1516, finnegansmarin.com

DISCOVER THE BEAUTY AND ELEGANCE OF NATURE.

TRAVERTINE - MARBLE - LIMESTONE PAVERS - SLATE - GRANITE - GLASS

GRAZIE Italian Locals love this family-owned and -run Grant Avenue restaurant for delicious paninis, salads and the unbeatable homemade cookies. Enjoy good weather on the outside patio or people watch in this always-bustling restaurant. 823 Grant Ave, Ste E, 415.878.0202

PORTELLI ROSSI Italian This casual cafe offers huge portions (most priced under $20), a garden patio and a family-friendly environment. Stop in on Saturday and Sunday nights for the live jazz band on the patio. The early-bird special includes a three-course meal for only $12 every night if you’re seated before 6 p.m. Closed Mondays. 868 Grant Ave, 415.892.6100, portellirossi.com

SONOMA LATINA GRILL Mexican As if Novato didn’t already have some great taquerias, the owners of La Tortilla Factory in Sonoma have brought us Sonoma Latina Grill. The menu includes standbys like tacos, burritos and enchiladas made with fresh, local and organic ingredients, plus a list of favorites from the Sonoma location. In keeping with the fresh/non-processed theme, the tortillas are made by hand with natural and organic whole grains. 5800 Nave Dr, Ste D, 415.883.2662, sonomalatinagrill.com

TOAST American Sister to the popular Mill Valley location, Toast Novato features outdoor dining and architecture by Stanley Saitowitz and still has the great dishes by executive chef Michael Garcia that have made the southern Marin spot a not-to-

be-missed destination. 5800 Nave, 415.382.1144, toastnovato.com

TUSCANY COUNTRY GRILL Italian The Chicken Pesto Panini and Eggplant Parmagina are among many of the favorites at this charming and spacious Italian eatery. The menu is eclectic, prices are fair and the portions are enormous, so be prepared for leftovers throughout the week. It brings in a bit of traffic during lunchtime so make reservations or arrive early. 1516 Grant Ave, 998.2800

WILDFOX American Perched on the hillside off Highway 101, this rustic mesquite grill offers a menu full of comfort food and drinks, like the smooth cosmos, and seafood risotto, with bits of butternut squash. In the mood for a cigar? The restaurant has an extensive list. 225 Alameda del Prado, 415.883.9125, wildfoxrestaurant.com

ROSS

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

MARCHÉ AUX FLEURS French This gem of a restaurant serves up locally farmed produce, wild and fresh seafood and free-range meats prepared with an artisan’s touch. The wine and beer list

is extensive. 23 Ross Common, 415.925.9200, marcheauxfleursrestaurant.com

TRATTORIA FRESCO Italian Every neighborhood deserves a one-room trattoria like this one. The service is friendly and the farmers’-market-fresh food is fabulous—especially the gnocchi. 13 Ross Common, 415.464.0915, frescotrattoria.com

SAN ANSELMO

AVA California Chef Dan Baker, of Marché aux Fleurs in Ross, has another winner with AVA, which features a California-only wine list and a menu where nearly all the ingredients come from within 100 miles—if not the Marin County Farmers’ Market. The small menu includes seasonal flatbreads, pasta and six seasonal main dishes. 636 San Anselmo Ave, 415.453.3407, avamarin.com

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

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

CUCINA RESTAURANT AND WINE BAR Italian Proprietor Jack Krietzman (of Pacific Heights’ Jackson Fillmore) has brought Milan to Marin with his 42-seat family restaurant. Relax with a glass of wine and have a slice from the to-die-for thin pizzas, topped with items like truffle oil and fontina cheese. 510 San Anselmo Ave, 415.454.2942, cucinarestaurantandwinebar.com

Bumble and bumble.

DEBBIE DOES DESSERT Bakery Besides sweets, the menu offers tapas on weekends and savory dishes such as grilled duck aux pêche with lavender honey sauce on galette de mais. 556 San Anselmo Ave, 415.721.2901, debbiedoesdessert.com

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

INSALATA’S Mediterranean Award-winning chef Heidi Insalata Krahling offers Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes prepared with local organic produce and artisan meats. 120 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, 415.457.7700, insalatas.com

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

MARINITAS Mexican The sister restaurant of Insalata’s, Marinitas continues to flourish as it brings Latin flair home to Marin. It may not be as cheap as most Mexican restaurants in the area, but this is not your typical south-of-the-border spot. The festive atmosphere and funky decor complement the excellent food for a classy, lively experience. Finish strong with the rich Tres Leches Cake. This place gets packed, so make reservations. 218 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, 415.454.8900, marinitas.net

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

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

SAN GERONIMO

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

TWO BIRD CAFÉ California This roadside cafe has it all, including fresh fish and goodies from the garden. These guys were doing local and sustainable even before it was so popular. 625 San Geronimo Valley Dr, 415.488.0105, twobirdcafe.com

SAN RAFAEL

BOMBAY GARDEN Indian The restaurant offers a large menu of richly flavored Northern and Southern Indian Cuisine. There are often Bollywood movies or videos playing on a flat-screen TV to add a little entertainment to the meal. 909 Fourth St, 415.459.9555, dinebombaygarden.com

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

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

LOTUS RESTAURANT American Bistro/Creperie

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

MULBERRY STREET PIZZERIA Italian Chef

Ted Rowe won first place in the Food Network Television Pizza Challenge with his Mushroom Lover’s Pizza—sautéed mushrooms in a creamy garlic sauce atop a fresh pizza crust. Located across from the Smith Ranch Road movie theaters, it’s a great place to grab dinner and a movie. 101 Smith Ranch Rd, 415.472.7272, mulberry-streetpizzeria.com

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

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

SEAFOOD PEDDLER Seafood A great place to seek out fresh seafood in a warm and inviting environment. Varieties of East and West Coast fish flown in daily. Dine indoors or out, or better

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

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

THERESA & JOHNNY’S COMFORT FOOD

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

WEST END CAFE AND DELICATESSEN

American Drop by for an all-American breakfast or lunch in a homey environment, or take out one of the premade sandwiches for later. 1131 Fourth St, 415.454.1424

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

wellHow do youknow Marin?

Call the Shot has a simple premise: Tell us what this is a picture of and win a $50 gift certificate for E & O Trading Company in Larkspur.

walnut prawn. Free delivery. 2650 Bridgeway, 415.331.5300, fengnian.com

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

To win, you must be specific. Sure, its a building with a French name but we want to know where it is located? Hint: A nearby restaurant can satisfy your French craving.

its a downtown area but we want to know where it is located? Hint: You might by this colorful scene on your way out of Marin.

Here’s how to play: Go to marinmagazine.com/shot, agree to the rules and submit your answer. Simple. We’ll choose the winner randomly from all the correct answers. Good luck!

HORIZONS Seafood/American There isn’t a better place for waterfront deck dining with stunning views of Angel Island, Alcatraz and the San Francisco skyline. Horizons is a favorite with locals and visitors. Enjoy lunch, dinner and brunch daily, featuring fresh seafood, salads, sandwiches, pasta and steak. Deck dining, valet parking and docking facilities available. A full bar serves draft beers and specialty cocktails and has an extensive wine selection. 558 Bridgeway, 415.331.3232, horizonssausalito.com

And the winner is: Richard Lindenberg of Novato, who won July’s Call the Shot by identifying the main gate at Hamilton Field.

Lorraine Heitchue of San Rafael, who won August’s Call the Shot by identifying Lagunitas Road in Ross.

SAUSALITO

ANGELINO RESTAURANT Italian Father-andson chefs Pasquale and Alfredo Ancona offer handmade pastas and seasonal antipasti at this authentic Italian restaurant, which has been serving food from the Campania region for the past 24 years. 621 Bridgeway, 415.331.5225, angelinorestaurant.com

ARAWAN THAI RESTAURANT Thai Known for its consistently tasty Thai food and efficient, gracious service. For light fare try the imperial or Siamese rolls (vegetarian), or dig into the delicious pad thai noodles or garlic and pepper prawns. Arawan Thai has been a local favorite for over nine years. 47 Caledonia St, 415.332.0882, arawan.com

AVATAR’S Indian Looking for “the best meal of your life”? Let owner Ashok Kumar order for you. One-room casual dining for lunch and dinner. 2656 Bridgeway, 415.332.8083, eatavatar.com

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

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

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

LIGHTHOUSE American Blueberry pancakes, omelets and Danish-influenced dishes are the draw here. It’s a small space, so be prepared to wait. 1311 Bridgeway, 415.331.3034

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

PARADISE BAY American Enjoy the sun or dine under the stars at this waterfront restaurant. Patrons’ favorites are the organic beef sandwiches and fresh Maine lobster clubs. 1200 Bridgeway, 415.331.3226, paradisebaysausalito.com

PICCOLO TEATRO Italian Translating into “Little Theater” in Italian, Piccolo Teatro used to be a theater before it became the exquisite restaurant it is today. Executive Chef Travis Flood spends weeks mastering each dish. Customers seem unanimous in finding the food quality, service, and ambience phenomenal. 739 Bridgeway Blvd. 415.332.0739, piccoloteatrodisausalito.com

POGGIO Italian A great place to celebrate a special occasion or simply enjoy a night out. Executive chef Peter McNee cooks up delicious Northern Italian cuisine using fresh and local ingredients, including produce from the nearby Poggio chef garden. 777 Bridgeway, 415.332.7771, poggiotratoria.com

SAYLOR’S RESTAURANT AND BAR California/ Mexican Marin’s first tequila bar offers over 100 tequila options. Nightly meal specials include chicken pot pie, roasted salmon, baby back ribs, and traditional meatloaf. If you’re in for a wild

night of entertainment there are frequent events like margarita night and flight night tequilatasting parties. The private dining room is perfect for large parties. 2009 Bridgeway, 415.332.1512, saylorsrestaurantandbar.com

SCOMA’S Seafood Whether it’s for the view of San Francisco or the historical background, visitors flock to this location and its romantic setting. The array of fresh seafood and meat dishes are as appetizing as the Italian pasta dishes. 588 Bridgeway, 415.332.9551, scomassausalito.com

STEPS OF ROME Italian This local landmark has evolved from a cafe into a full-service restaurant offering pasta, pizza, sandwiches and salad in an authentic Italian ambience. Find the green, white and red awning and you’re there. 1000 Bridgeway, 415.332.7660, caffetrieste.com

SPINNAKER Seafood Chef Phil Collins excels at preparing seafood, and it shows in the beautiful plate presentations. Set right on the water, this romantic spot is great for an evening occasion.

100 Spinnaker Dr, 415.332.1500, thespinnaker.com

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

TOMMY’S WOK Chinese S crupuously fresh ingredients and free-range chicken make the yellow coconut milk curry here divine. Nice atmosphere and good takeout. 3001 Bridgeway, 415.332.5818, tommyswok.com

WINSHIPS RESTAURANT American The morethan-four-decades-old nautical-themed restaurant is luring locals and tourists with hearty breakfasts and lunch options like tender fried calamari, clam strips, mussels and a giant prawn cocktail. 670 Bridgeway, 415.332.1454, winships.com

TIBURON

COTTAGE EATERY California Foodies rejoice. Executive chef Edward Carew doesn’t disappoint with his creative and thoughtful menu full of locally sourced foods. The restaurant itself is family-friendly and has a homey, bed-and-breakfast feel. The baby octopus and the meatballs are consistently raved about. Closed Mondays. 114 Main St, 415.789.5636, thecottageeatery.com

DYNASTY CHINESE Eat there or take out, classics like Mu shu pork, chow fun, chow mein, beef and brocolli and pot stickers are among the menu choices; located near the point of Tiburon. 1801 Tiburon Blvd, 415.435.6766, tiburondynasty.com

GINZA Japanese Whether you simply go for the volcano roll or indulge in the eight-course Omakase meal, the fresh ingredients coupled with the tremendous view of San Francisco keep this place busy, so make reservations

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or get there early. 41 Main St, 415.789.5123, ginzasushi-tiburon.com

GUAYMAS Mexican Situated right next to the Tiburon ferry terminal on the waterfront. The touch-it-you’re-so-close city views and outdoor seating make it a great place to bring visitors on a warm summer night. Happy hour is 5 to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday. 5 Main St, 415.435.6300, guaymasrestaurant.com

MILANO Italian Located in the Cove Shopping Center, this family-owned neighborhood spot is known for its pasta and friendly service. A good place to take the kids—or catering option for your next birthday party. 1 Blackfield Dr, 415.388.9100

MING’S Chinese Hospitable service and large portions are just two of the reasons this familyrun business is a favorite. Try the sautéed mango chicken with rice and don’t miss the lunch specials. 1550 Tiburon Blvd, 415.435.4312

NEW MORNING CAFE American Sit outside or indoors at this casual cafe. On a sunny morning, tables will be filled with locals enjoying the sun and extensive breakfast menu; lunch served as well. 1696 Tiburon Blvd, 415.435.4315

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

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

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

TIBURON GRILL California The atmosphere here is truly enchanting with two outdoor patios, two indoor fireplaces, and candlelit tables during the evening. No item is more than $20, including the steak, with entrées falling in the $14 to $18 range. Happy hour is Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. 1651 Tiburon Blvd, 415.435.5996, thelodgeattiburon.com

WEST MARIN

BLUE HERON INN Local A daily changing chalkboard menu features the fresh seasonal bounty of nearby organic farms. An outstanding

staff creates a friendly and comfortable atmosphere, right by the wharf. 11 Wharf Rd, 415.868.1102

DRAKES BEACH CAFE American If you’re OK with the long drive, you can’t beat the view and the fresh local ingredients used to make the burgers, salads and soups at this casual spot (Inverness). Walk on the beach after lunch. 1 Drakes Beach Rd, 415.669.1297, drakesbeachcafe.com

NICK’S COVE American This collaboration of famed restaurateurs Pat Kuleto and Mark Franz has attracted visitors (and accolades) nationwide. Large windows open to the picturesque Tomales Bay and Hog Island. Menu consists of the freshest local seafood from nearby West Marin farms including Bodega Bay Dungeness crab cake and Tomales Bay clam chowder (Marshall). 23240 Hwy 1, 415.663.1033, nickscove.com

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

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

PARKSIDE CAFE American Most people know it as the ultimate breakfast spot but lunch and dinners are great here too. Choose from an array of organic locally grown produce and artisan meats and wild seafood. (Stinson). 43 Arenal Ave, 415.868.1272, parksidecafe.com

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

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

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

Our passion and love is to create and design the nest world cuisine and bring a unique avor and are to food - creating a delightful and beautiful catering experience for you and your guests.

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CELEBRITY CHEF EVENT

Benefitting Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco. A celebration of 20 years ... 150+ families ... and the next 100 homes!

Special thanks to these participating chefs:

• Dan Baker, Marche aux Fleurs and AVA

• Alessandro Cartumini, Quattro Restaurant and Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel

• Adam Mali, Nick's Cove

• Isaac Miller, 231 Ellsworth

• Charles Phan, The Slanted Door

• Gregory Short, Masa's

• Mark Sullivan, The Village Pub and Spruce

Many thanks to David Family Wines, Rhys Vineyards, St. Supéry Vineyards & Winery, Terra Firma Wine Company

www.habitatgsf.org

BenefitingEnterpriseforHighSchoolStudents

October 29 - November 1, 2009

FestivalPavilion,FortMasonCenter,SanFrancisco

Thursday - Saturday, 11 am - 7 pm Sunday, 12 noon - 6 pm

Admission $15, includes catalogue

PREVIEWPARTY

Wednesday, October 28 7 - 9 pm

Sponsor:1stdibs

EXHIBITION

EXHIBITORS

BELGIUM Conru

Axel Vervoordt LLC

ENGLAND

The Antique Enamel Company

Robert Bowman Gallery

Jessie Davis Antiques

Peter Finer Antique Arms and Armour N & I Franklin Nicholas Grindley Keshishian Carpets

Susan Ollemans Oriental Art

Robert Young Antiques

FRANCE

Bernard Steinitz

HOLLAND

Aardewerk Brothers Antiques Pieter Hoogendijk

ITALY

Il Segno del Tempo

SPAIN

Damian Garrido Orfebres

Miguel Young Gallery Ibiza

UNITED STATES

Addison Fine Arts

The Ames Gallery

Arader Galleries

Argentum

EGYPTOMANIA:

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Sponsors:ChubbPersonalInsuranceLaneMcVickerInsuranceServices,LLC LawrenceFineArtsPaigeGlassCompany

LECTURESERIES

from tut to today

Sponsor:Sotheby's

AdditionalSponsors:BlackbirdVineyardsBlueAngelVodka Bonhams&ButterfieldsBurns&AssociatesCartierGaribaldis InteriorPlantDesignLGSDigitalMandarinOriental ShirleyRobinsonPaintedFinishesRyanAssociatesSotheby'sInternationalRealty

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MediaSponsors:artnetCaliforniaHomesTheMagazineAntiques SanFranciscoMagazineQuintessentiallyVeranda

TOMALES

A proudly “authentic” corner of Marin

BY JIM WOOD PHOTOS

TIM PORTER

Next time you have a “what-should-we-do-this-weekend” moment, consider Tomales. Okay, it’s a drive, but as Pogo (or was it Yogi Berra?) said, if it’s easy, everyone does it.

Recommended route: Highway 101 to the Petaluma/East Washington exit; west eight miles to the Tomales/Petaluma Road; west another eight miles, then right on Highway 1 and you’re there.

What to do when you’re there? If you’re a gardener, visit the respected Mostly Natives Nursery. Fascinated by history? Peruse the headstones at one of the town’s two cemeteries that date back to the 1700s. If a twomile walk in the surf excites you, drive out to Dillon Beach. Want freshfrom-the-oven pastries? Check in with Cameron at the Tomales Bakery. Partial to plein air painting? Visit Jeanette at Tomales Fine Art. And if dinner and spending the night fits your mood, talk to Jen at the William Tell House, Marin’s oldest saloon (opened in 1877, spaghetti and meatballs $10.95) and let Penny at the Continental Inn (10 rooms, built new in 1989) find you a cozy room.

If you like authentic towns—ones that are pretension-challenged— you’ll love Tomales. And if you want to hear one of the town’s many male voices, say hi to Ed at Deikmann’s General Store (opened in 1869). Everything in Tomales, Marin’s northernmost village, is within walking distance.

According to 20year resident Blair Fuller, a newcomer by local standards, Tomales was founded by Irishman John Keys in 1850. “Keys’s small schooner, the Spray , could sail north from San Francisco,” Fuller writes in Tomales Bank Robbery, 1996, “and within two days turn south into Tomales Bay and, with luck, into the estuary just hours later.”

That estuary, according to Fuller, was just below the present junction of Highway 1 and the Tomales/Petaluma Road.

Blessed with this snug harbor, Keys envisioned Tomales someday rivaling the then Gold Rush–booming city of San Francisco. And by the mid1870s it was on its way. Tomales’s town hall stood proudly downtown (it’s still standing, one of the oldest in California), population exceeded 1,000 souls, the Northwest Pacific Railroad rumbled through town, and lumber, potatoes and grain were shipped off to southern locales.

But in 1877, 1891 and 1898, fires took their toll on Tomales, and what the 1906 earthquake didn’t finish off, a 1920 downtown inferno did. Then came the Great Depression and World War II. Needless to say, this town doesn’t lack for character.

However, one of its more intriguing personalities—soon-to-be-90-year-old Lois Parks—isn’t quite what she used to be. “I had a bit of a bad spell last year,” she revealed in a telephone interview. “Now I don’t get around so much and had to resign from the history center.”

For years Parks, who moved to Tomales 65 years ago, was curator at the Tomales Regional History Center (Ginny Magan now fills the spot). One outing Parks doesn’t like to miss, however, is the annual Tomales Swap Meet held on the third Sunday in September and featuring music, barbecued oysters and vendors who sell, in her words, “oh, fresh vegetables, fruits and lots of used stuff that’s pretty interesting.”

Diekmanns’ General Store

707.878.2384

Continental Inn

707.878.2396

Mostly Natives Nursery

707.878.2009

Pacific Union Real Estate, Karen Karlow

707.283.2814

Tomales Bakery, Cameron Ryan

707.878.2429

Tomales Fine Art

707.878.2525

Should anyone be interesting in making a more major purchase in Tomales, like a home or a lot, a person to see is Karen Karlow at Pacific Union Real Estate’s office across Highway 1 from Diekmanns’ General Store. “Tomales hasn’t changed much lately and it probably won’t change much,” she offers. “That’s because the Williamson Act zoning and Marin Agricultural Land Trust easements pretty much surround town and restrict development.” As for in town? “That’s a different story,” she says. “A few homes and several lots are available.”

One potential change on the Tomales horizon is the 2005 purchase of the 502-acre Cerini Ranch, immediately adjacent to downtown, by John Williams, owner of the Napa Valley’s Frog’s Leap Winery. “We plan to restore the ranch’s existing houses and barns, even the tilting silo,” Williams says, “then have a dairy and cattle operation producing organic cheeses and grass-fed beef.” Assuming all goes well, Williams hopes to soon employ half a dozen farmhands, open a small retail outlet and have up to 65 head of milking shorthorn cattle on his ranch.

Meanwhile, realtor Karlow is hoping to sell the “adorable cottage” that’s listed in town for $439,000. “People love it the minute they walk in,” she says; “I just have to find the right buyer.” At the rear of the property are a seasonal creek and a small studio, and (for the green of thumb) Mostly Natives Nursery is barely a block away. One possible drawback: the one-bedroom, one-bath home is less than 750 square feet and sits on a lot that’s not quite 5,500 square feet. In comparison, a nearby two-bedroom, one-bath property on the Tomales/Petaluma Road sold a year ago for $600,000. “However, that was a 7,500-square-foot piece of property,” Karlow points out.

So if you’re facing a weekend with nothing special to do, Tomales might be the ticket. It’s a trip to the past with ample up-to-date touches and, who knows, maybe even an “adorable cottage” to get you thinking of returning for a longer stay.

Full Service Mortgage and Investment Management

Marin Opes Team 415.464.9500

Melanie Victor-Smith x 201 - DRE #01490862

Jeffrey T. Smith x 200 - DRE #00957141

Karen Burrous x 206 - DRE #01009554

Marian Jung x 202 - DRE #01352808

“Maybe now is a good time to move up to a bigger home in the neighborhood where I want to live…I can take advantage of the low interest rates and home prices…But I won’t get what I want for my current home if I sell now…So, maybe I should hold out for a price I think I could get some day.”

• You stay in your current home for the foreseeable future? Your net worth at retirement would be $5.7M.

• You sell now for $1,000,000 and buy a new house for $1,300,000, and reduce your lifestyle expenses* by $400/ month? Your net worth at retirement would remain at $5.7M AND you would live in the home you prefer. *Excludes housing expenses, taxes and savings

• You decide to hold out for 5 years when you think you can sell your home for $1,200,000 (vs. $1,000,000 today) and buy a new house then for $1,550,000? Your net worth at retirement would decline to $4.7M, a difference of $1.0M.

This is the power of working with planning-centric advisors who can integrate both the asset side and the debt side of your balance sheet.

To view assumptions, other situations and related “what ifs” go to opesadvisors/whatifs.com.

From the beginning, Opes Advisors has been comprised of two interactive divisions: Integrated Wealth Management and Residential Mortgage Services. Our integrated analysis process allows us to forecast our clients’ financial futures by addressing their various “what ifs” in life.

Living as we do in an increasingly global marketplace, it is critical that homes be marketed to buyers wherever in the world they may be. The Internet provides the best opportunity of doing so. While many real estate companies claim to be international in scope, their websites are mono-lingual. In contrast, Alain Pinel Realtors’ listings on apr.com are actually offered in 43 different languages: Albanian, Arabic, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Farsi, Filipino, Finnish, French, Galician, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian and Vietnamese.

In a multi-lingual world, Alain Pinel Realtors makes certain that your home is marketed internationally in a language offshore buyers will understand.

apr.com – Translated into 43 Languages

10 Glenside Way, Los Ranchitos

Located on almost 1.5 private acres, this exquisite Mediterranean estate offers year round resort living. The magnificent remodeled, over 5,000sf home opens to expansive patios overlooking the pool, spa and tennis court. There is a separate guest house, 3-car garage plus state-of-the-art sound and media equipment throughout the property.

Offered at $3,395,000

Gated, 5200+/-sf, 5bd/4.5ba estate in desirable Country Club on over one level acre offering superlative quality craftsmanship and design. Sprawling one-level floor plan with lower level extra room - great for teens, guests, in-law and more. Fabulous great room feel

and expansive family room with gleaming pecan and hickory floors. Formal dining room. Elegant

Exquisitely

Beautifully remodeled, 4bd/3ba home plus office. Gourmet kitchen, great room with fireplace and French doors to wraparound decks. Enjoy outdoor living with privacy, level yard areas, gardens and pool. Kentfield schools. www.11FernWay.com Offered at $1,995,000

1893 Centro West, Tiburon

World Class location and a world class opportunity. Approved, permit ready plans for a 5bd/4.5ba 3700+sf house with views of San Francisco Bay, the city and the Golden Gate Bridge. Seller willing to consider a joint venture. www.1893CentroWest.com

Offered at $1,750,000

67 South Knoll Road, Mill Valley Elegant, Tuscan-style, new, luxury home. 5bd/4.5ba, 3411+/-sf of living space on a .25+/-acre lot with a level, fenced, sunny backyard. San Francisco, SF Bay, and Mt. Tamalpais views. Award-winning schools. www.67SouthKnoll.com

Offered at $2,395,000

Cloudview, Sausalito

Beautiful, warm and spacious, contemporary Sausalito house with views of SF and Mt. Tam. Four bedrooms, four baths, office, two living rooms, 4400+/-sf. In-ground spa tub above organic gardens

Offered at $4,295,000

85 Spring Lane, Tiburon │ $10,995,000

One of Tiburon’s finest luxury estates, this home is situated on a private one acre site in a prestigious neighborhood with unobstructed views of San Francisco, the Bay and the Belvedere Lagoon. The house has almost 8,000 square feet of grand rooms including five bedrooms, six bathrooms, two family rooms, a 1,000-square-foot master suite, a screening room, a wine cellar and three fireplaces. The manicured acre includes a pool and spa, almost 9,000 square feet of park-like lawns, an olive orchard, a citrus orchard, a rose garden and a beach volleyball court.

View more photos at 85SpringLane.com

321 Summit Ave, Mill Valley │ $5,700,000

Completed in 2001, this beautiful gated estate combines quality craftsmanship with a comfortable, well-designed 5 bedroom, 4.5 bath floor plan. 321SummitAvenue.com

2 Tamalpais Ave, Mill Valley │ $3,125,000

This dramatic 4 bedroom, 4 bath home on Middle Ridge was rebuilt in 2007 to the latest standards and technology and exudes style and elegance. 2Tamalpais.com

657 Lovell Ave, Mill Valley │ Price Upon Request

Private, serene, architect-designed home in park-like one acre setting. Open floor plan, 4BR/2BA, spacious decks, and just steps to park and trails. 657Lovell.com

Patricia Montag & Pacific Union/Christie’s Great Estates Present

MIGHT BE IN

10 HILLCREST, TIBURON, MAGNIFICENT VIEW ESTATE

Gated setting on nearly an acre with sweeping, intimate views of the Bay. 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths. Family room off gourmet kitchen leads to outside for easy entertaining. Renovated with exquisite high-end finishes. Traditional floor plan with views from every room. Only with a private tour can this home be appreciated. www.TiburonViews.com Offered at $4,700,000

Patricia Montag

DRE: 01035372

415.519.4818

pmontag@pacunion.com

NEW LISTING!

3 GREENWOOD COURT, TIBURON

Classically renovated with sweeping San Francisco skyline and bay views, this 4BD/4.5BA. Brazilian hardwood cherry floors, an open floor plan & indoor-outdoor living. Sunny, level yard, gourmet chef’s kitchen and luxurious Master Suite w/fireplace and views. A lower level family/ media room leads to a landscaped backyard and stone

www.3Greenwood.com Offered at $2,575,000, Co-Listed with Patricia Montag “YOUR

BUT YOUR NEW HOME IS IN TIBURON!”

Set on a private knoll with world class south and western facing views, this incomparable estate property offers the kind of indoor-outdoor living only available in Marin County. Every window features a more spectacular view than the last: San Francisco and its Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito, and Mt. Tamalpais stand just beyond the glass. Sunsets have never been more dramatic. The home’s approximately 8,000 square feet encompasses three levels of carefully planned living space. Rebuilt in 1998 with no expense spared, the craftsmanship of this oneof-a kind home is evident in every detail.

www.sugarloarview.com Offered at $12,850,000

356 Seadrift Road: Fabulous Cape Cod on the Ocean in Exclusive Seadrift. Unparalleled views...beach, ocean, San Francisco! Offered at $5,895,000 p

Charming 3 bedroom + 2 bath Strawberry home! Enter into this cozy home and you will nd a welcoming living room with a wood burning corner replace and a window looking out to a tastefully landscaped front yard. The spacious kitchen has been remodeled with granite counters and stylish appliances. Off the kitchen, the dining room opens to a level grassy lawn and deck area. A path leads from the lawn up to an additional deck area perfect for entertaining or enjoying your morning coffee. The bathrooms have been updated with tile, marble, granite and attractive xtures. The one-car garage is connected to the kitchen and has an additional space currently being used as an art studio. This delightful, conveniently located home is perfect for indoor + outdoor California living. Close proximity to the Strawberry Recreation Center, shops, restaurants, public transit, and an easy commute to San Francisco. Don’t miss this gem!

3 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms

Updated Kitchen + Bathrooms

1-Car Garage Level Lawn + Deck Area

Offered at $899,000 www.9BayviewTerrace.com

It’s What Your Agent Knows That Counts BY

IAN CHARLES

Once a deal is in hand, an agent who is a seasoned negotiator helps mitigate the risk of leaving money on the table.

Instead of a statistical analysis of our local real estate market, I’m going to give the numbers a rest this month and look at what is often the most important element in any real estate transaction—the agent.

Although numbers are the basic ingredients in any transaction, having the right partner in your home purchase or sale is often what determines success. Real estate is like any other business: it’s about who’s on your team and what they know. Your agent is the cornerstone to past, present and future transactions, so it pays to evaluate one’s agent, even if he or she happen to be more friend than service provider. While there’s some comfort in working with someone you’ve dealt with previously, buying or selling a home is typically the largest financial transaction we make, so mistakes or unexpected consequences should never be part of the closing statement.

The top professionals in real estate—those who create value in real estate transactions—have three common characteristics. They’re knowledgeable, they’re connected communicators and they’re skilled negotiators.

Let’s look at those traits one by one.

The most important attribute for any agent— listing or selling—is knowledge. Your agent should be a source of reliable information about the neighborhood, construction, weather, schools, trends and risks. The best agents also know the local market in minute detail. They know which properties are on and off the market—and they understand the power of pricing. Knowing how to price a listing correctly in today’s market is especially critical. A transaction can go wrong from the start if your agent misprices the house to avoid insulting you or because a larger commission matters more than selling the property in a timely manner. It’s your job to ask questions, but it’s your agent’s responsibility to understand and articulate the data surrounding the transaction.

Remember, it’s what you didn’t know that comes around to haunt you after the deal is done.

Being able to communicate with your agent is key. In today’s era of e-mail, PDAs and smart phones, your agent should always be a click away. Today’s top producers are in constant touch with their clients multiple times a day (and night) during a purchase or sale. They are not just managing their clients; they are connected to colleagues, inspectors, banks and appraisers.

Once a deal is in hand, an agent who is a seasoned negotiator helps mitigate the risk of leaving money on the table. Carefully review all the reports and inspections of the property, then have your agent negotiate specific items on your behalf. Needed repairs and problems found on inspections aren’t items to overlook when calculating the true cost of ownership. Equally important, knowing when to push and when to back away can save you from cutting off your nose to spite your face. A good agent serves as a guide at those moments.

Also, make sure your agent has detailed knowledge of current contracts. Real estate purchase agreements change frequently and the related documents are full of complicated terms and clauses that can greatly affect your transaction and your future in your new home. Most local brokers have ongoing, mandatory contract training for all their agents. The last thing you want to have to do is worry about the legality of the transaction during the purchase.

It’s always good to return to the basics and evaluate who will serve you best in the important transaction of buying or selling a home. Friends will always be friends, but the business of buying or selling a home is more than whom you know—it’s what you know that counts.

MARTY GRIFFIN

BY MIMI TOWLE |

While many know how Dr. L. Martin Griffin’s wilderness preservation efforts played a vital role in preserving our county, the development scenarios may have been forgotten. To imagine two hundred miles of freeways, housing developments on Bolinas Lagoon and Tomales Bay that would more than double the population and require a dam on the Russian and Eel Rivers, a nuclear plant in Bodega Bay seems even more ludicrous as time goes by.

While Griffin and his small band of conservationists didn’t win every battle, they slowly and effectively won the important ones. Using the American Egret as their banner, the group purchased over forty parcels for the Aububon Canyon Ranch, which saved West Marin from development and preserved the wilderness gateways to the Point Reyes National Seashore.

Griffin recognized the value of preserving land for the next (and the next) generation at an early age—in the 1940s, when the Boy Scouts sold 50-acres in the East Bay hills to help pay organizational salaries. That experience taught him a real estate lesson he carried into adulthood. “I always insist that (any) property deed has a revert clause. In case it is sold for any reason, it reverts back to the county Open Space District. Times change, ideas change, but the land is there forever.”

Born in 1920, Griffin has had a range of experience and achievements few could hope to match: educator, MMWD director, conservationist and winery owner (Hop Kiln), a long career as a Marin physician and a director of public health and author of the book Saving the Marin-Sonoma Coast. “It’s been a busy life,” he acknowledges with a smile.

What makes you happy in Marin? The knowledge that our hard-won Countywide Master Plan (“Can the Last Place Last?”) has made Marin a model for the nation. We are one of the slowest-growing and best-planned counties in California, with threefourths of the county as permanent open space and preserved farmlands. Nearly all of our coast, bays, estuaries, creeks, ridgelines and critical watersheds are preserved.

What gets on your nerves? The unawareness of newcomers and young people as to why Marin has protected open space. They seem to take it for granted and are not aware that it was to prevent Los Angelization of Marin’s landscapes. It takes continuous vigilance by everyone to prevent the degradation and privatization of our protected natural treasures.

Who influenced you the most? My parents, Frances and Loyal, introduced my brother, Bob and me to the wonders of nature. We camped; (we) fished for steelhead on the great rivers before they were dammed.

What’s been the most fulfilling moment in your work? When I received the UC School of Public Health Hero Award in 1998 for work as chair of the (state hospitals’) Task Force on Hepatitis B and later AIDS. We eliminated hepatitis B as a threat in the 11 state hospitals.

What is a Marin stereotype that fits? Marin is a county of unmatched environmental activism. Its politically savvy citizen planners are trained by the Environmental Forum of Marin, the Marin Conservation League, Audubon Canyon Ranch, the Sierra Club and a host of other groups.

What do you like about yourself? Recognition that intelligent, ecological land use planning is the basis for human health and prosperity in any California county.

How do you want to be remembered? As a good husband, father, physician, viticulturist and defender of paradise.