Mill Valley Living ::: May 2022

LEIGH CLAXTON REDEFINING EVERYTHING!

Photo by Cameron Cressman

Joshua Deitch is an extremely passionate and competitive real estate agent equipped with the experience to achieve your Southern Marin Real Estate Goals. Additionally, he has extensive knowledge in residential construction, planning municipalities, and evaluating property. With 15+ years of real estate experience and dozens of successful and profitable personal real estate transactions in Southern Marin, Joshua has developed a well rounded

sensibility of the Southern Marin market, especially when it comes to finding the pre-market and off-market properties.

Joshua has an energetic work ethic, natural intuition for transaction timing, and has the ability to stay on the pulse.

He treats his clients like family achieving dreams versus just making another deal. Allow him the opportunity to serve you Exceptional Representation!

©2020 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated.

Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.

LUXURY PROPERTY SPECIALIST

JOSHUA DEITCH

PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY & Nutrition at the Cutting Edge

by Elena Zorn

DOES STRESS CAUSE FOOD INTOLERANCE?

Inflammation is the common link among the leading causes of several illnesses. Mechanistic studies have shown how various dietary components can modulate key pathways to inflammation, including sympathetic activity, oxidative stress, and proinflammatory cytokine production. Stress influences food choices; stress can enhance maladaptive metabolic responses to unhealthy meals, and diet can impact mood and proinflammatory responses to stressors.

A new study shows that even slight stress and anxiety can substantially worsen a person's allergic reaction to some routine allergens. Moreover, the added impact of stress and anxiety seems to linger, causing the second day of a stressed person's allergy attack to worsen.

In the early 1900s, medicine discovered allergies. Food intolerances have since followed, but thanks to many new technologies, scientists were able to explore the idea of nutritional intolerances: a new form of food intolerance that is much more detailed than simple food allergies or intolerances, and thus much more responsive to the needs of a modern diet.

WHAT IS FOOD INTOLERANCE?

When you have a food allergy, your immune system causes the reaction. If you have a food sensitivity or intolerance, the digestive system triggers the response. Symptoms of food intolerance include gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, cramping, and nausea.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR FOOD INTOLERANCE SYMPTOMS TO GO AWAY?

When you have a food intolerance, symptoms usually begin within a few hours of eating the food that you are intolerant to. Yet, symptoms can be delayed by up to 48 hours and last for hours or even days, making the offending food especially difficult to pinpoint. Anything that puts stress on your body and eventually affects your ability to fight off invading infections is your immune system.

RESULT: We get sick. And we get sick OVER AND OVER. As soon as you get over one bug - another comes along!

If you are never 'well' - and always coming down with infections like these - you probably react badly to food toxins. However, the medical journal evidence bears it out. Food intolerance can give you inflammatory conditions.

Food intolerance is the inability to digest certain proteins fully. However - the good news is - that by simply switching a few foods, you can stop the disease's progress and, in many cases – and help heal it. All you need is a simple journal and some food substitution guides.

There are several tests to find what's causing your symptoms. More often, your healthcare practitioner will recommend an elimination diet. You stop eating one or more potential problem foods for several weeks and gradually reintroduce them one at a time.

NUTRITIONAL INTOLERANCES

provoke a biophysical reaction which consequently slows the metabolic system. Continuing to eat foods to which one is intolerant can lead to weight gain, headaches, bloating, edema, circulation problems, etc.

In the BioMetaTestTM, clients’ hair sample is analyzed against over 1,100 foods to assess the personalized tolerance level for each food item.

Daphne Lab’s® testing process evaluates nutritional differences within varieties of the same food. For example, test results may indicate a lower tolerance level for a Granny Smith Apple than a McIntosh Apple, making it easier for the client to find a tolerant apple option. The results in ThemaTM 01 provide the client with itemized recommended maximum consumption frequencies for tolerant foods and recommendations for which foods to eliminate for 60-90 days in the case of intolerances. Fresh Start’sTM goal in testing over 1,100 foods is to present the client with a greater possibility of having a significant number of tolerant foods to choose from, facilitating the creation of a personalized “substitution diet” rather than a broader, more traditional elimination diet.

Elena Zorn, MS MA CNP FMPHC FS Testing and Daphne Point™ | essemewellness.com

Publication Team

Publisher: Tami Larson

Designer: Risa Auger

Contributing Photographer: Cameron Cressman Photography

Contributors: Alexandra Fee, Dennis Strazulo and Stefanie Schwartz

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Contact: Tami Larson, publisher Email: tamilarson@bestversionmedia.com Phone: 415-322-3379

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IMPORTANT MILL VALLEY PHONE NUMBERS

City Manager, Planning, Public Works: 415.388.4033 Police Department: 415.389.4100 Fire Department: 415.389.4130 Library: 415.389.4292 Recreation: 415.383.1370

CITYOFMILLVALLEY.ORG

Tami Larson, Publisher

Hello again, Mill Valley residents!

While it’s sometimes difficult to feel pure happiness when observing what’s happening around the world, especially in Ukraine, there are many stories around us that continue to bring us hope and inspiration. The Hawthorn flower signifies hope, while the Lily-Of-The-Valley symbolizes sweetness or the return of happiness. Both are the birth flowers of one of my favorite months, May, and can be observed in our midst. Also in our midst is one of the most inspirational subjects to have graced the cover of Mill Valley Living magazine, Leigh Claxton. Her personal journey full of challenges, hope, inspiration, perseverance, and ultimately happiness, could not have been presented to us at a better time because Leigh’s story is also a Mother’s Day story you won’t soon forget.

TamiHappy Mother’s Day to all the mothers and those who may have just played the role of mother in other’s lives but certainly fall within the framework of its definition. We look forward to seeing you all out at the Memorial Day Parade. Mill Valley Living will be leading the way with “The Dog Parade”. If you haven’t signed your furry friends up yet, you can do so at mviloveaparade.com!

Expert Contributors

DENNIS STRAZULO, EMPLOYMENT LAW OHAGAN MEYER, SAUSALITO dstrazulo@ohaganmeyer.com 415.710.7671 | ohaganmeyer.com

JOHN CHRISTMAN, CHIROPRACTOR UPPER CERVICAL OF MARIN john@uppercervicalmarin.com 415.383.0904 | uppercervicalmarin.com

STEPHANI CANNEL, BROKER INSURANCE AGENT FARMERS INSURANCE GROUP stephanie@cannellinsurancegroup.com 415.388.7979 | paamarts.com

DENISE FORBES, JEWELRY DESIGNER

CALIFORNIA GIRL JEWELRY denise@cagirljewelry.com 650.504.0646 | californiagirljewelry.com

HAL ROSENBERG, SPORT + SPINE

MT TAM SPORT & SPINE solutions@mttamsportspine.com 415.755.1255 | mttamsportspine.com

ELENA ZORN, WELLNESS EXPERT

ESSEME WELLNESS info@essemewellness.com 415.843.1109 | essemewellness.com

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To learn more about becoming an expert contributor, contact BVM at tamilarson@bestversionmedia.com or 415-322-3379.

May MusicAT SWEETWATER

MAY 16-LE VENT DU NORD-

The award-winning and highly acclaimed band Le Vent du Nord is a leading force in Quebec's progressive francophone folk movement. The group's vast repertoire draws from both traditional sources and original compositions while enhancing its hard-driving soulful music (rooted in the Celtic diaspora) with a broad range of global influences. This is the modern sound of tradition.

MAY 27-GEESE-

The young Brooklyn band's effortlessly cool brand is underpinned with a sharp ear for individuality and although comparisons to fellow New Yorkers, The Strokes, Television, and The Feelies are deserving, it's clear Geese aren't a band who are going to be easily pigeonholed. Their love of music beyond the walls of those which many might assume they are built varies, the five friends share a fondness for Radiohead, Pink Floyd, and Black Midi.

"Believe the hype" -Rough Trade

JUNE 3 - THE YAWPERSSome might recall edges of the mid-1900s Delta Blues, but only if those lived-in riffs were played by the MC5, broadcast through booming stadium speakers and drenched with pounds of fuzzy distortion and fullthrottled punk rock energy. For what it's worth, a friend at their aforementioned SXSW show called them "a bluesy Melvins." They conduct parallel frequencies with the ferocious and raw proletarian roots of Uncle Tupelo, the burning-hot thrashings and cavernous sonic space of Hot Snakes, and mix in derisive scrutiny that brings to mind Ween or the Minutemen

-NPR Music

FOR THE FULL SCHEDULE AND TO BUY TICKETS, VISIT SWEETWATERMUSICHALL.COM

BELOVED Mill Valley Events ARE BACK!

MILL VALLEY MEMORIAL DAY PARADE WE NEED DOGS!

by Larry Lautzker aka, Larry the Hat

Back in 1992 when the I Love a Parade committee was formed, we revamped the very tired parade process. One of the many changes was the addition of the Dog Divisions. We had five groups; Big dogs, Little dogs, a separate group for Labs and Goldens, Best Dressed dogs, you get the picture. There were 200 dogs marching that first year. The Best Dressed winner was an old overweight English Bulldog riding in a (too old and fat to walk the parade route) red wagon wearing a Pink Tutu… he was gorgeous. Jerry Garcia, Mimi Farina were some of the judges, It was wonderful!

So, we’re very excited to announce, Tami Larson, Publisher of Mill Valley Living magazine and Mount Tam Media,

mttammedia.com has joined the I Love a Parade committee in charge of the Dog Division. If your dog wants to march and honor those who gave their lives for our freedoms, go to mviloveaparade.com to get your application, and information and be a part of this year's parade.

You’ll be registered (read the rules) at the staging area and receive a number for judging, bring your leashes, poop bags, tricks, and style. A trophy will be awarded for the Best Dog.

We also need new folks to help organize and invite our wonderful Mill Valley dogs.

If you’re interested, PLEASE contact me at famous4@comcast.net to be a part of a great tradition that needs reviving, and a little loving care to bring that special energy back to the Memorial Day Parade, Mill Valley’s biggest yearly event.

MILL VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S “WALK INTO HISTORY”

by Nancy Emerson

The Mill Valley Historical Society is restarting their annual “Walk Into History” which has been running for 40 years until Covid caused its cancellation during 2020 and 2021. It has been traditionally held on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, and provides guided tours of a specific Mill Valley neighborhood or area of interest to residents and visitors. This year’s Walk is titled “Meet the Mountain Train” and leads the tours from the downtown plaza along the route of the Scenic Railway through Blithedale Canyon, noting people, homes or places of interest on Sunday, May 29.

More information and tickets are at mvhistory.org.

GO AHEAD,

HER

Ring

California Girl Jewelry, Fine Jewelry Boutique Strawberry Village Shopping Center, Mill Valley CALIFORNIAGIRLJEWELRY.COM

JEWELRY MADE BY WOMEN FOR WOMEN

LEIGH CLAXTON REDEFINING EVERYTHING!

by Tami Larson

THERE ARE DEFINING MOMENTS WE CAN ALL REFLECT UPON, AND MOST LIKELY, MORE OFTEN AS WE EITHER EVOLVE FROM BEING SONS AND DAUGHTERS TO PARENTS OURSELVES, OR, MAYBE CHOOSE NOT TO BE, AND DEDICATE OUR TIME AND LIVES TO OTHER PEOPLE AND CAUSES. EITHER WAY, THOSE DEFINING MOMENTS LEAVE AN ETERNAL IMPRINT ON OUR LIVES AND SHAPE WHATEVER PATH WE TAKE IN THE FUTURE.

With May being the month it was determined back in1905 that we would forever celebrate mothers, and as often occurs during the interviews and writing of our feature stories, serendipity has once again paid us a visit.

It was a perfect Mill Valley day. We were sitting at a picnic table surrounded by a spectacular garden and breathtaking views of Mount Tamalpais with our feature resident, Leigh Claxton. A gentle breeze filled the air, making the foliage around us sway as though it were dancing, providing just enough distraction to keep Tulah, Leigh’s 3-year-old Queensland Heeler, occupied, so I could interview her “mama.”

Most know Leigh for her tireless dedication to health, fitness, and the community. This was certainly the story Mill Valley Living Initially intended to learn more about and share. However, as the interview evolved, we discovered, cradled beautifully within the main message, another story; one of an incredibly humble soul who has exhibited a level of sacrifice and strength that stretches well beyond which most have come to identify her. First and foremost, Leigh is a dedicated and loving mother, who throughout some of the most trying circumstances life can pose, still found a way to inspire her children with unwavering passion, imprinting on them the sort of marks that have earned the worthiness of their fond reflections, every single day.

Reflecting on our conversation after the interview, I found myself circling back to the story Leigh told of climbing Mt. Rainier in 2005. It would be only one of many treks she’d make to raise money for the Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, but that climb was different. There were 217 summit permits issued that day, yet due to an electrical storm and many other unforeseen obstacles, only three reached the top. Leigh, despite the strenuous,

Leigh at Sunrise on the Jhomolhari pass which straddles the border between Tibet and Bhutan.

dangerous, and difficult climb, and a painful hamstring injury …was one of those three. It finally dawned on me that the Rainier story is a perfect analogy of her entire life up to the point her youngest child left the nest.

Beyond the $14,411 Leigh raised to match the elevation of the mountain, to summit Rainer that day took much more. Leigh’s proper training, physical strength, and tremendous courage would prove invaluable. While others were giving up at a blistering rate around her, it took an extraordinary amount of will and mental strength to not just keep going, but also ignore a level of pain most would not climb out of bed with, let alone a 14,411-foot mountain. And then after summiting, when most would say “mission accomplished” and call it a day, Leigh spent the downhill descent planning her next climb.

Staying with the mountain climbing analogy to tell her story, let’s start from the beginning; Training Camp: Leigh, being the oldest of two girls, and three years older than her sister, grew up loving projects.

“I wasn’t really into girly things. I loved to help my engineer father with all kinds of building, fixing cars, and gardening. I was never much into organized sports. I played beach volleyball, sailed, surfed, and would go with family friends to Mammoth for winter vacations, which is where I first learned and grew to love snow skiing.”

While finishing her degree in Exercise Physiology at Cal Poly, an opportunity to work for an organization building Health Clubs arose. So it seemed the perfect opportunity to apply all of her preparation to date and depart for Base Camp

The first stage of her climb, some refer to as the Excitement stage, was for Leigh, a sprint; she started doing triathlons in 1980, while working for Nautilus/Aerobics Plus in Southern California and quickly moved into management, assisting with the design and building phase of 13 clubs in Southern California, 2 in San Francisco and 2 in the Sacramento area. Once moving to the Bay Area, The “Excitement stage” carried on as she continued the first leg of her climb working in San Francisco throughout the 80s and ’90s at The Bay Club, Telegraph Hill Club, A Sante, and the Olympic Club, teaching classes.

Self-Doubt is a phase of climbing mountains that often kicks in, and more intensely after a strong start begins to taper down and the real uphill battle kicks in. For Leigh, I surmise this phase came at some point during the pregnancy of her third and youngest child when an unforeseen obstacle forced her to completely switch routes that would require navigating a series of unpredictable storms. Her thenhusband and father of their children took a wrong turn in life never to be seen again. This unfortunate event left Leigh alone, supporting all three children with virtually no financial or physical support.

The Exhaustion stage of climbing, in Leigh’s case, would be inevitable and fierce. Left with no other choice but to leave any future equity on the table, Leigh was forced to sell the home the couple

had recently purchased one year prior. Ironically, the couple she contacted and ended up selling their home to just happened to be the same people they had outbid to obtain it.

With three young children to feed and care for, she knew that she would need to take on extra work but was determined to find a way to do it while remaining their primary caretaker. “I bought a red VW van and would take them everywhere with me so I could work. I’d take them to Tahoe and teach Step classes in the early mornings in trade for a place to stay the weekend so that the kids could ski. I would windsurf at Chrissy Field, Larkspur, and in the Delta. The kids would come along, sail, play, and were part of the community of sailors. Folks still stop me and ask if I used to own a red VW van.” Recognizing how much time she spent on Mt. Tam with her children, the director of Ross Recreation, where Leigh had been teaching

children’s art and ceramics since 1984 when she first moved to Mill Valley, asked her if she would teach hiking classes. It was then that she decided to make Ross the place she and the kids would plant their roots that would render stability, incredible relationships, and an amazing community to lean on. She started leading hiking classes, then moved into teaching yoga, Pilates, trail running, mountain biking classes, and adventures. She also trained groups of women to run the Dipsea race for 17 years. They were known as the “physicleigh” running group! Note that this was all in addition to teaching classes at Nautilus of Marin in San Rafael and Sausalito, Mt. Tam Racquet Club, and Bay Club Marin. Not quite sure how, but Leigh somehow managed to fit personal training and designing home gyms into her schedule as well.

Regardless of their level and expertise, most climbers would consider Leigh’s load an impossible weight to bear, at least in terms of reaching the summit. But for Leigh, there was no time or space available for considering much of anything. Instead, she just carried on, entering the Perseverance stage of climbing with the same level of determination. It’s worth mentioning here that she still made it a point to never miss an opportunity to cook and spend dinner with all the kids, regardless of the differing and chaotic schedules. “All my kids now love to cook, and it remains one of the favorite things we do when together. We always had dinner, some days at 5 pm and some days at 10 pm, but we sat down and ate together.”

If Leigh had known what was about to happen shortly after reaching the next phase, Realizing One’s Strength, she may have turned back, leaving the world of “summiting” to others. It all started in 2003 while

LEIGH IS A DEDICATED AND LOVING MOTHER, WHO FOUND A WAY TO INSPIRE HER CHILDREN WITH UNWAVERING PASSION... EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Leigh’s children Hunter, Taylour, and Gray

Tahoe fun!

training for a triathlon; she started to experience a weird pull while swimming and subsequently found a lump on the side of her right breast that didn’t feel normal. “I knew something wasn’t right but had no idea at the time how much I would need to be an advocate for myself,” she said.

The Persistence phase that followed would be her greatest challenge. Despite what the mammograms, exams, ultrasounds, and doctors were telling her, (that everything looked fine), her persistence came in the form of demanding they take it out. And after a entire week of no calls back and being reassured everything was fine, it turned out she did have invasive cancer. - Listen to your feelings.

Continuing the upward climb, the muchanticipated next stage, Finding Unexpected Beauty, came during her radiation treatment. “It was hard, I was being burned 5 days a week, and sick the whole time. I have always found respite in the mountains, especially Tahoe, and that is where I wanted to be. I was too tired and weak to mountain bike, ski, or run, so I started snowshoeing.” A neighbor coaxed and inspired her to enter a snowshoeing competition in Kirkwood, California for The Breast Cancer Prevention Partners. She eventually conceded, raised money from friends and clients, entered

the competition, (her first-ever snowshoeing event btw), and yes, you guessed it, ended up winning it. She didn’t need any more inspiration than that moment and turned her dedication to their cause: “to identify and eliminate the toxins in our environment that cause cancer.” Leigh has since climbed Mt Rainer, raised money on many Mt. Tam Peak hikes, and crossed the Mount Jhomolhari pass which straddles the border between Tibet and Bhutan all as fundraising for BCPP. In 2006, the whole cancer nightmare repeated itself, setting her back, but failing to take her down.

As Leigh watched the last of her three children leave for college, she could finally get a glimpse of the path ahead which was starting to clear and widen as it often does when you reach the Summit. After taking a moment to enjoy the view and a quick breath, she began her Descent Downhill. This is when basically everyone spends a good amount of time in the next stage, Recognizing What Was Accomplished, but Leigh isn’t like everyone or anyone for that matter, and instead just skipped that phase altogether setting her sight on the next challenge. I had to ask her at this point, “so why did you decide to just keep going at the same pace after your kids were gone and self-sufficient?” She took a long, thoughtful moment, clearly searching for an answer we

The Mission of the Harbor Point Charitable Foundation is to fund and facilitate the most promising organizations aimed at improving the quality of life for Bay Area adults and children in need.

OUR FOCUS IS TWO-FOLD:

To support innovative organizations dedicated to serving those adults and children experiencing a current health crisis.

To support educational, arts, athletic and nutritional programs at Bay Area institutions demonstrating a steadfast commitment to our children’s future.

Harbor Point Charitable Foundation 475 E. Strawberry Drive Mill Valley, CA 94941 (415) 383-6114 | info@hpcfgiving.org

PROUD SUPPORTERS OF:

Leigh Claxton in Richardson Bay before an OnBoardSUP Yoga class. Photo by Cameron Cressman

would both accept, then looked at me straight on, shrugged, and said, “That’s a good question. I don’t know, I’ve just been on the treadmill and on autopilot for so long, I don’t know how to get off.” (Shifting away from the analogy now) Leigh moved to Mill Valley shortly after Taylour, her youngest, graduated from High School. Getting to travel and watch her children compete in college was a highlight. Hunter was a triathlete (winning a world title in his age group) and a Big Mountain competitive skier; Gray played water polo in college, and Taylour played soccer in college and on US regional teams.

FROM MIA BENEDICT: ONE OF LEIGH’S OLDEST AND DEAREST FRIENDS: Leigh defines what it means to be the best of a single working mother. uniqueness. She worked tirelessly to always be there for her kids but at the same time letting them be accountable for their mistakes. As a result she has three resilient, hard working and responsible young adults while also building an admirable business she developed by herself. She remains my kids second mother and my dear friend.

In 2008, while working with clients who suffered from head injuries, Leigh was using stand-up paddle boards to help with regaining balance. While waiting for a client to arrive, she came up with the idea to practice yoga on Paddle Boards. She owns OnBoardSUP Yoga and began teaching the first Stand Up Paddle Yoga classes, right here in Sausalito. She ran the very first Teacher Training and Certifications

for Stand Up Paddle Board Yoga teachers and continues to do so. She teaches at Stand Up Paddle Boot camps and Interval training at Sea Trek Sausalito, as well as her own classes at OnBoardSup Yoga. She leads bi-annual OnBoardSUP Yoga retreats with Sea Trek in the National Biological Marine preserve in the Sea of Cortez, Baja Sur, Mexico. The sport she started has since taken off all over the world.

Taking more time now to maybe not slow down but at least take time to reflect on all she’s been through and accomplished, many things she never understood are starting to make sense, “ I realized that the level

of joy it gives me to walk into a class, hear the music and see a room full of students I have the privilege to teach, is probably what got me through my cancer battles, doing something to help others. I’ve also realized that being outside on the mountain was subconsciously, and certainly now, a more conscious decision, to get as far away as possible from all the toxins we’ve created that are polluting our planet and bodies. I truly believe that’s how I got cancer, coupled with the enormous stress and responsibility of raising three children, the right way, and on my own.”

In addition to OnBoardSUP and Sea Trek,

At MT TAM SPORT & SPINE we know our patients and athletes individually. Your goals are our goals and we work with you to help you do the things you love.

WE ARE CONVENIENTLY LOCATED IN THE HEART OF MILL VALLEY AT: 600 Miller Avenue (415) 755-1255 | MtTamSportSpine.com

The amazing group of friends that followed Leigh on many adventures and were her support when she needed it the most.

Leigh teaches and has been the Fitness Director at the Club at Harbor Point since 2010. Her longtime employer there, Patrick Kalinski told us “Leigh is the hardest working and most disciplined Fitness Director I have ever worked with. Her attention to the members’ needs and her overall instructor vetting is exceptional. Leigh is also one of the best instructors in the North Bay with years of hands-on classroom experience.” She is also now overseeing the group exercise program and teaching at Club Evexia in Mill Valley.

Ok, If you aren’t feeling lazy yet, hang on, there’s more. Leigh also trained as a guide and trainer of guides, backpacking, and snow skills for Bay Area Wilderness Training (BAWT), a nonprofit organization with a large gear library to help bring inner-city children outdoors. She designed the Women of Winter programs for Atlas Snowshoes, Gortex, and REI, including running their West Coast Through Alaska presentations 2003-2008.

FROM MELISSA NICHOLAS: BABYSITTER AND VERY CLOSE FRIEND met Leigh when was 11, selling peaches in my driveway. She was walking down the street with Hunter, Gray and Taylour.. She asked me if baby sat, said yes. She is one of the most influential people in my life. She is one of the strongest, unselfish, most thoughtful people have ever met. She works so hard for her family and always has. To watch her raise three children as a single mother and still provide them with so many wonderful memories and experiences was so amazing. I remember her continuing to teach aerobic classes back in the day with a cast on her foot because she needed to support her family. She has managed to push through so many difficult things in her life while always putting her kids first. She is a two-time breast cancer survivor who has overcome complications because of it, and you would never know it. Leigh always brings her best self to all situations, and she is loved dearly by many. She is always there to listen, or offer advice. I often confide in her about my own kids and she is always a grounded, positive support, don’t think would be who am today without her in my life. I feel so lucky that was selling peaches that day 34 years ago.

As our time with this amazing heroine in our midst started to wind down, the Mill Valley team was feeling like happy slugs but equally incredibly inspired to get our booties in a much higher gear going forward. Before we let her go, I had to ask, “If you could be doing anything you wanted to right now, with money being no object, what would it be”? Without even a second of hesitation, she replied, “I’d spend all day in my garden.” Huh? well, I hope she will voluntarily this time, take that much-deserved break and make space to “Realize How Much She’s Accomplished,” not to mention the countless lives she’s enhanced and changed for the better along the way. Word got out that we were featuring Leigh, and so many people have asked if they could comment or share stories; I wish we had room for them all but here are just a few. We also reached out to the three most important people in Leigh’s life, who agreed to share publicly what their mom meant to them. Happy Mother’s Day, Leigh Claxton! Thank you for being such an incredible role model as you continue to “redefine everything.”

Leigh and fellow breast cancer survivor on the summit of Mt Rainer in a storm, raising funds for BCPP

FROM HUNTER CLAXTON, LEIGH’S ELDEST SON.

“Practicing a new sport in cold water was a challenge. Anytime there was an opportunity for us to slalom water ski on a boat with friends, my Mom insisted try it. wouldn’t say I liked it. I rarely could get up on the ski. Coming out of the water in the San Francisco Bay or Tahoe, I was freezing. I’d come out shivering and upset that I was so bad at the sport. Still, she insisted push myself and continue to try for years. Any time friends invited us out; she’d suggest we go. Finally, it clicked. Slalom water skiing is one of my favorite activities.

Thanks to the consistent nudges of my Mom, even with my resistance, I learned to overcome and succeed at an activity.

Throughout my adulthood, in athletics and career, this has helped shape the resilient person have become. am thankful for her guidance and determination in allowing me to be a better version of myself.

She has a knack for interior design. As talented as she is with fitness and teaching, she’s even more skilled with seeing a space and envisioning what could be. We’ve known her to take a condemned building and create a warm, welcoming home that should be featured in every magazine.

I can attribute nearly all of my skills to witnessing my Mom throughout my life. From appreciating the value of a homecooked meal shared with loved ones to learning how to properly tape and paint a room, my Mom has consistently modeled the importance of learning new skills, even when the skills seem daunting.

She wears many hats and achieves in many roles well. And with that, she owns many outfits to fit the job. For instance, we toured my brother’s new property in Grass Valley as a family, and she had a ranch outfit in the back of her car, ready to get to work. She’s always prepared for an experience, especially with family and friends.

FROM GRAY CLAXTON, LEIGH’S MIDDLE SON.

“It’s hard to pick out just one memory of my mom and how she raised us. For me, it’s the combination of so many memories that make her so amazing and unique. She has always worked harder than anyone know, both in her professional life and as a mother. To raise three kids in

Marin as a single mom, she had to work nonstop, yet she somehow managed to make time and opportunity for the three of us to participate in different competitive level sports year-round. Not only would she get us to practice and show up at games, but she was one of the few parents that would travel all over the state regularly to support and give us these opportunities. There is nothing she wouldn’t do. She even found time to coordinate and coach entire teams for us. still don’t understand how she worked harder than any other parent and showed up for us more than any other parent.

On the rare weekends when there wasn’t a sporting event, she would load us up in a VW van and take us to Tahoe, the beach, or any of the many trails in Marin to mountain bike and hike.

She instilled a deep love of nature and the outdoors in me as a kid, and that is something we still enjoy together today. have been fortunate enough to work closely with her, guiding them in Baja California for eight years, and spent countless hours in her garden.

All these memories have stuck with me and shaped who am today. I’ve maintained that ambitious sleep when your dead attitude, going after every opportunity that presents itself. Yet somehow, even today, she has more energy than I do and somehow time to do 1,000 things simultaneously.”

FROM TAYLOUR CLAXTON, HER YOUNGEST AND ONLY DAUGHTER.

“There are so many great traits about my mom that it would be difficult and unfair to write about just one. She is kind, courageous, strong, compassionate, hard-working, and fun.

Since I was little, my mom was there for my brothers and me. We didn’t make it easy, choosing different competitive sports to play. My mom was always on the sideline, pool deck, or in the stands, all while juggling her career. She drove me to and from soccer practice that was an hour and a half away in high school – six days a week. She often traveled with our teams and made us her priority. How she managed to do all of this still amazes me. My mom made sure that my brothers and I had all the opportunities growing up. We each played various sports and participated in countless activities. We have a great love for nature which think was instilled in us by spending hours on Mt. Tam and the surrounding areas. Hiking with my mom is one of my favorite things to do whenever come home to California. When our schedules allowed it, my mom would load us up in the red VW van and take us to Lake Tahoe in the winter and summer. We learned how to ski and do water sports. It is something that we enjoy doing as a family to this day.

One of the things that not many people know about my mom is that she is a 2-time Breast Cancer survivor. During this time, she still managed to be there for my brothers and me. During this time, her strength and perseverance were unmatchable and taught me that I could do anything if put my mind to it. She managed to make it to all my soccer games and continue to be the team manager for multiple of my teams. Treatment was not easy on her, and those on the outside would not know that. She always held her head up high and put a smile on her face.”

When no one else was able to get us insurance due to our past home involved in a landslide, Stephanie was there! She was very professional and courteous. I would highly recommend her as an agent.

is very thorough,

and go

what

OnboardSUP Yoga retreat in the Sea of Cortez

MEET Tulah by Leigh Claxton

Tulah is a Queensland Heeler I adopted 3 years ago. She and her sisters were found in a flooded barn after the Russian River overflowed in 2019. Only 2 of the 4 puppies survived, and I won the lottery with her. She runs behind my mountain bike, snowshoes with me, hikes with me and loves to come along on the paddle board. Her favorite place is the beach and she has spent time (starting at 8 months) hiking sections of the Pacific Crest Trail in Tahoe with me. She loves all dogs and people. She loves my 13 year old cat Bella Grigia too, but the feelings are not mutual haha!”

LOCAL student writers & photographers COLLIDE

by Rebecca Pollack

The following two pieces are a result of a collaboration & exhibit where the writing students at our April Charity Spotlight Marin School of the Arts wrote short pieces inspired by an image from an MSA Photography student.

ONE DAY:

Words by Alexis Weiss (c/o ‘23) | Photo by Erin Callaway (c/o ‘24)

My daughter, my beautiful baby girl. Sometimes, when I hold you and look into those big brown eyes of yours, I imagine the life ahead of you.

I imagine that one day, your small fingers will grip my hand as you wobbly take your first steps; your tiny toes will grip the floor as you look up at me, eyes wide, grinning at this revelation. I imagine that one day, you won’t need to hold my hand anymore, but will still reach for it when crossing the street.

One day, you will run through a field of grass, brimming with wonder, the warm smells of summer wrapping you in a hug. One day, you will ride your bike so fast, your hair will fly in the wind and you will race with it. One day, you will swing so high, your toes will poke holes in the clouds until sunlight pours out to kiss your freckled cheeks.

I imagine that one night, you will look out of an airplane and you will wonder how a city can look so small, yet feel so big.

I imagine that one day, you will lie in a field of dandelions, the weeds singing to each other, and you will feel at home in the world.

One day you will wake up alone and be so overwhelmed with grief, you’ll feel like you are about to burst. One day you’ll boil over with rage. One day you’ll be let down by someone you love and wonder what you could’ve done.

One day you will feel so flooded with joy, as if a dam has broken and the water is free to ripple and rush.

I imagine that one day, my beautiful girl, you will hold onto your own child. You’ll count her toes as you whisper in her ear how much you love her.

And I imagine that one day, you will stand on a balcony looking over the world, wind dancing through your silver hair, and see all that I have imagined.

One day.

PHANTOM LOVE

Sometimes I swear I can see you.

When my feet carry me swiftly down the sidewalk and there to my right is a storefront window, giving me an unobstructed view of myself, and a fleeting view of you.

Only found in that first glance, when my sight has not settled on anything beyond the glass and instead only on my reflection in it, I find you, dancing at the corners of my eyes—a ghost, soft and silk-like stroking my mind.

And then gone.

Whispering away in wisps of wishful thinking.

I see you when I let my focus drift out the window of a car. When the world seems to seep together streaking my sight with color, and for a second I capture you with my thoughts, seize you with hope so strong I give my vision of you life.

And then, so quickly, too quickly, you melt away pulling my eyes into focus.

You are lost, just as you have always been.

My phantom love

Words By Aurora Hallal (c/o ‘23) | Photo By Rex Franus (c/o ‘25)

Sharon Kramlich, MOTHER, REALTOR, COMMUNITY AND WORLD PHILANTHROPIST

by Tami Larson

Our community resident and business spotlight of the month is Sharon Kramlich, who is not just a remarkably successful Realtor, but a mother of three and a deeply committed community supporter.

Sharon and her family have lived in Mill Valley since 2000 and brought up their children in their home on Lovell Ave and in the Mill Valley public schools. Aniela (19) is a Tam grad and currently a freshman at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Bryn (17) is a junior at Tam and Cole (14) is in his final year at MVMS. Her values have always revolved around authentic family time, exposing her kids to the world at large through travel, and making sure they understand

LAWYERS helping local businesses navigate the difficult landscape of California labor law.

Throckmorton Ave Mill Valley, CA 94941 415-326-5015 | IG @shopfez

the importance of hard work and honest relationships.

Sharon also believes in the value of the local community and has been a longtime advocate for our schools & youth. Before moving to Marin, Sharon sat on San Francisco Art Institute’s fundraising board and chaired events that raised millions of dollars for the school. She is an ongoing supporter of SFMOMA and in Mill Valley, she has been a member of the Kiddo! board, was the Old Mill School PTA Treasurer, and more recently sponsored the Mill Valley Film Festival. She is also a founding member of the Marin chapter of the Awesome Foundation

Caledonia Street Sausalito, CA 94965

415-578-6900

a curated selection of found pieces, from around the world

which distributes monthly micro-grants to worthy local causes.

She is also a passionate advocate for the planet and has combined her love for travel with fundraising efforts. She has participated in three fundraising rides with Climate Ride, an organization that raises money for climate action, where she has biked hundreds of miles through Bhutan, Patagonia, and closer to home in West Marin and raised over $50k for climate action organizations. She also recently traveled to Morocco to help raise funds and awareness for the rehabilitation of heritage sites through The Global Heritage Foundation

Sharon has been a top real estate professional for almost 30 years and provides those she serves with the perfect blend of professional service and personal attention. She started her real estate career in San Francisco and shifted focus to Southern Marin in 2000 when she moved to Mill Valley. Since then, Sharon’s hard work and dedication have made her one of Mill Valley’s best agents and as a result, was recruited to

be a founding member of Compass Real Estate’s new Mill Valley office. Compass has since become Marin County’s leading real estate broker. With a truthful and straightforward approach, Sharon Kramlich is a consummate professional whose business is largely built on past clients and referrals. We are very happy to welcome Sharon as a new, valued sponsor and contributor to Mill Valley Living.

FROM HER DAUGHTER ANIELA

Many people don’t know just how hard my mom has worked to arrive in the place she is in today- moving from England in her early 20s, my mom traveled the world, learning and embracing culture, working, making connections to people and places, gaining worldly wisdom that contributes to her empathetic nature, and exploring, all with minimal funds. My mom is completely self-made, her work ethic and drive amaze be and push me to improve my academic work everyday, and the way in which she is able to stay true to herself and full of love is deeply inspiring. My mom doesn’t tend to share her story, or much about herself other than a few things that people may value on the surface- her family, years of experience in real estate, and hard work ethicyet she holds such power and rich emotional and intellectual knowledge.

My mom and I are very connected, and I am grateful to have developed emotional awareness and knowledge, a hard work ethic, intense passion, connection to myself and the world around me/nature, empathy, respect, responsibility, and a plethora of other traits from her. have the utmost respect and admiration for my mom, and I hope this email begins to give some insight into how deeply I feel about her.

RECENTLY SOLD 209 Cascade Drive Mill Valley

Sold for 13% over asking price after being on the market for only 2 days!

“Sharon is incredibly hard working and responsive. We have worked with a lot of brokers over the years and Sharon ranks at the top of the list!

We highly recommend Sharon to serve as your real estate agent.”

Sellers

415.609.4473 sharon.kramlich@compass.com sharonkramlich.com DRE 01184449

EverythingVEGETABLE SOUP

Submitted by Jessica Hurtado-Hansel on behalf of The Good Earth Natural Foods Team

Prep time: 15 mins | Total time: 2 hrs | Serves: 8-10

THIS SOUP HAS TONS OF VEGETABLE OPTIONS!

INGREDIENTS

small head broccoli, chopped

(16 oz) bag frozen mixed vegetables

corn, carrots)

head cabbage, chopped

stalks celery, diced

(16 oz) canned tomatoes, stewed or diced

cups tomato juice

(32 oz) containers vegetable stock

large onion, diced

green bell pepper, diced

DIRECTIONS

Cut all vegetables in bite size pieces; put in 3 quart stock pot.

Add tomatoes, juice and vegetable stock. Turn heat on medium high until liquid boils; turn down on low to simmer for 2 hours. Vegetables should be tender, but not mushy.

CHEF'S TIPS

Make sure all your vegetables are the same size so that they cook evenly.

VARIATIONS

This soup has unlimited combinations. It's a good way to clean out the fridge!

Let Us Do The Shopping For You

From organic produce and local dairy products to pantry staples and supplements, you’ll find all of your favorites from Good Earth Natural Foods in our online store. Contactless curbside pick up available, as well as delivery in select areas.

get started, visit us at

FAIRFAXMILL VALLEY

MAY IS Older Americans Month

by Hunter Moore

May is Older Americans Month, but it is reasonable to ask just who is old, what does it mean - in general, and for Mill Valley in particular? The average life expectancy in the US, as recently as 1900, was 46 for men and 48 for women. By comparison, this year, the average age in Mill Valley is 49 years old. That doesn’t seem old to most of us. Let’s dig further into who and how we should celebrate.

The designation was established in 1963. At that time, there were only 17 million Americans of “retirement age” (i.e., 65 or older), and the average life expectancy in the US had moved up to 70 years. The good news is that the average life expectancy in the US is now slightly over 79 years. The better news is that, in Marin, the average life expectancy is almost five more years, or 84. So the old cliché, “you are as old as you feel,” certainly rings true for many of us. Who is considered old is a moving

target that depends on both how and where you live.

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) leads our nation’s observance of the celebration, and the theme for 2022 is “Age My Way.” The theme emphasizes the opportunity for each of us to explore the many ways older adults can remain in, and be involved with, our communities. While this will be different for each person, the ACL notes that communities benefit when people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds are welcomed, included, and supported.

The ACL says that in this month we should recognize the benefits to our community of providing services that support elders' ability to live independently for as long as possible and to thrive; that older Americans contribute their strength, wisdom, and experience to our

community; and each of us should help ensure that seniors remain involved in our community. So whether you are 49 or 94, older, younger, or somewhere in between, here’s hoping you can make this a year that you thrive by helping others age their way! Mill Valley will be an even better community for it.

Be engaged Be inspired Be connected

We are a creative, a ordable, innovative community that promotes good health, well-being and security for a diverse group of seniors.

The Redwoods o ers independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation and hospice care.

Call now for a tour or come to one of our monthly open houses.

Experience the di erence ! (415) 326-1237

www.theredwoods.org