CA Regional Media Highlights

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Marin Wine Country Discover Northern California’s Bounty

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MVFF GUIDE Celebrating 37 Years of Iconic Filmmaking UP IN SMOKE The State of Legal Pot in Marin

SECOND IS BEST

Opening spread, clockwise from left: Wine Country log cabin; oceanfront at Honua Kai; Martis Camp modern.

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PHOTO CREDIT

BY ANN WYCOFF

PHOTO CREDIT

Some Northern California residents have found their alternate version of paradise tucked into the forest above Lake Tahoe, on a hilltop in wine country or along the western shores of Maui.

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Martis Camp Modern OWNERS Randy and Cynthia Bigony LOCATION Martis Camp in Truckee, California SETTING A 2,177-acre private luxury community located in the Martis Valley on the backside of Northstar California Resort, 15 minutes from the shores of Lake Tahoe DISTANCE FROM MARIN 3 hours with no traffic LAYOUT 3,800 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, office and loft on 2 acres

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WHY HERE After 20 years of renting vacation homes in beach towns and ski resorts, the Bigonys got tired of airplanes, packing up and leaving the dogs at home. “With the kids grown up and our weekends free of soccer, swim team and volleyball, we were ready for a second home, so we scouted Lake Tahoe and fell in love with Martis Camp,” says Randy.

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DESIGN The Bigonys were involved in planning every inch of their custom mountain home, working with architect Claire Walton and designer Sara Jones. Eschewing traditional mountain home design, they favored a contemporary modern style. “We wanted to build a house that would bring the outdoors in, so when we opened our eyes in the morning, it felt like we were waking up in the forest.” The house is a marvel of stone, steel beams and glass. “We started with one point of view of the mountains through the trees and built the house around it. The whole house is centered around a great room where everybody congregates.”

DETAILS Crema Marfil granite from Spain’s Monte Coto quarry, a light interior palette with splashes of black granite, leather and mahogany; five custom fireplaces; a fire pit; and the home’s exterior was finished with clear cedar, hot-rolled steel and Montana granite to blend naturally with the surrounding pine forests of the Sierra Nevada.

FAVORITE ELEMENT “My wife had fallen in love with a smaller lot on a creek, as she loved the sound of the babbling brook. And while at a spa on Kauai we discovered a fantastic infinity-wall fountain, so we decided to re-create it on this lot. Now we have a mountain home with a beautiful fountain that mimics the sound of the stream and provides a nice visual from the great room.”

MARTIS CAMP PERKS In addition to the tennis pavilion, private ski lodge, Camp Lodge with restaurants, workout facilities, a spa and a Family Barn that hosts concerts, wine dinners, bowling and movies, Martis Camp also has its own Beach Shack on the shores of Lake Tahoe for kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and casual dining. Families can navigate Emerald Bay on the camp’s 35-foot Formula Cruiser.

PERFECT DAY “During summer it’s an 8 a.m. tee time on the Tom Fazio golf course, lunch at the Camp Lodge and then an afternoon of singletrack mountain biking on the trails behind our house. In winter, we head to the private ski lodge at the backside of Northstar and hop on the lift, or we go cross-country skiing, as there are tons of groomed trails that head back into the pristine forests of the Sawtooths. Everything is right out the door — it’s just spectacular.”

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Travel

DESTINATION

Kick Back in Kauai With a new non-stop flight and ultra-luxe resorts, now is the perfect time to leave the stress of the mainland behind.

By Kimberly Cunningham

STAY

Head to the South Shore, which is sunnier than the North and closer to the airport. Near Po‘ipu Beach and the town of Koloa lies a stunning property called 1 Kukui‘ula (pronounced kookoo-EE-oo-la). It’s Kauai’s first and only private club, built on the site of a former sugar plantation. The clubhouse overlooks

Spouting Horn, one of the South Shore’s most famous landmarks (kukuiula.com).

Food at the club is grown on the property’s organic farm 2 or sourced locally under the guidance of chef Ben Takahashi.

Kukui‘ula’s amenities are reserved for members only, but the property

recently opened its Club Cottages for overnight rentals.

The three-bedroom, plantation-style villas are great for families or small groups (parrish

TASTE

Most of the restaurants in the area cater to tourists and are located in strip malls or hotels. But fear not, the food is still delicious. For a casual and quick

snack, stop by Brennecke’s, a twostory beach shack right across the street from Po‘ipu Beach. Try the fish tacos. Another great spot is Keoki’s

Paradise, which serves the coldest beer on the island— at a chilly 29 degrees.

Don’t be fooled by its touristy, totally-tiki décor: This place makes one of the

THIS MONTH IN KAUAI

83°/75°

June 7: Alaska Airlines begins offering non-stop flights from SAN to LIH (Lihue, Kauai)

June 21: A Taste of Old Kauai

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JUNE 2013

kauai.com). For a more traditional hotel, try the Koa Kea Hotel and Resort at Po‘ipu Beach.

This 121-room boutique hotel opened in 2009, and feels newer than other hotels on the South Shore. The décor is swank, and its lobby restaurant, Red Salt, is a popular draw for both tourists and locals.

breakfast, try Living Foods Market & Café at the Shops at Kukui‘ula.

This Whole Foodslike market has a walk-up counter with salads by the pound (sample the beet and goat cheese combo), delicious pastries, and madeto-order items from its oven (try the ranchero wrap). For lunch or a beach-day

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