“I look back and think, ‘Shoot, I should’ve done this 20 years ago.’” (p. 30)
“After ou r fi rst date I knew I wanted someone like him in my life.” (p. 40)
“Overall, I think we are going to be OK as long as we keep adapting and evolving.” (p. 26)
A sense of place — a true terroir — defines this vineyard estate in Napa Valley, where fine wine, high design and home become one. Experience this property on LIVE VINTAGE, the new brand film on sothebysrealty.com and LiveVintage.video
Take them on the edge of the continent, high above the Pacific.
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The most important steps of your life.
PUBLISHER / EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
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Tucked into a quiet corner of Marin County, The Clubhouse at Peacock Gap provides a beautiful setting to begin your happily ever after.
The natural beauty of the course provides a spectacular backdrop for your outdoor ceremony and our gorgeous, spacious salons and outdoor terrace are the perfect choice for your reception, rehearsal dinner or bridal shower. Intimate or grand, informal or lavish, The Clubhouse at Peacock Gap is the premier destination for creating wedding memories.
Americans tap, type and swipe smartphones more than 2,600 times a day, on average.
From social media to reinvention to naming a whole new mega-city, we kick off 2018 with hope.
FORGIVE ME, FRIENDS, for I have phubbed. A term I just learned after reading Kasia Pawlowska’s article on how social media has changed the way we relate to each other. Phubbing is a word referring to snubbing a real live person to shift focus to our phones. Of course, even though we may phub with no intent to offend, there is no doubt the habit has caught on. According to a recent study by Dscout as reported in USA Today, “Americans tap, type and swipe smartphones more than 2,600 times a day, on average.” High users come in at over 5,000 taps or swipes per day.
Upon reading about this, I fi rst thought, “Those people are so annoying,” then “Uh oh, my kids do this” and then the truth hit: “Oh sh*t that’s me.” Not only is it dangerous (just Google “texting walking deaths”), but our phones have created an entirely new way of being with a group of people. If I dig deeper, phubbing might have had something to do with the demise of my 20-year marriage. “Ding!” Wait, I just got a text and I need to check my phone; this just might be the message that changes my life.
Nope, it’s my daughter asking me to transfer money to her account. Was that a justified phub? In the aforementioned USA Today article Anderson Cooper was tasked with ignoring the noti fications on his phone and even the silver-haired king of cool couldn’t resist those pings and dings without showing signs of anxiety.
According to a PEW researcher, 70 percent of us check our phones even when there isn’t a ding or ping. If Anderson Cooper and 70 percent of us can’t resist the lure of handheld digital devices, who can? Is it possible to reverse this behavior? Pawlowska’s two-part article addresses some of these questions.
This issue has a theme of renewal, and in that spirit, I loved reading Calin Van Paris’ article on new career beginnings, featuring four people in our community. I was especially pleased to read Pete Scott’s journey to becoming a ferryboat captain. I’ve known Scott since we were on the UC Berkeley Sailing team a couple years (or decades) ago. He has been sailing on the San Francisco Bay his entire life and spent some time teaching swimming at the Tiburon Peninsula Club; I can’t imagine a more trustworthy captain on any boat. If you happen to see him on your commute please give him a salute and an “aye aye.” Also described in this story is Allison Quistgard-Scherer’s courageous metamorphosis from high-tech exec to aesthetician. We met Quistgard-Scherer when she came into the office to pitch her wellness blog. She is now part of our online team, writing about all things health and beauty. In fact, we liked her piece on pomegranates so much, we brought it to print in this month’s Flavor department.
Another new development happens in Q&A, where we’ve turned the tables on occasional contributor Marc Hershon to ask about his successful career as a namer. Most recently, he was part of a team that named a new Saudi mega-city, NEOM (neo means new and the M is for Mohammed). Please go online to read the entire interview.
Under new ownership and with New Year’s goals set, we are looking forward to a productive and ful fi lling 2018. But most important, I’d like to take a moment to thank you for your time and attention to our magazine. As always, we love to hear from you; please send any feedback to editorial@marinmagazine. com or share on our social media channels.
Mimi Towle, Editor
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WITH THE NEW year here and in full swing, we decided to dedicate our January issue to all things new. Beyond story topics, be on the lookout for new designs and new departments throughout. And in terms of story, what better tale is there than that of people who have totally reinvented themselves? Calin Van Paris talks with a man who dropped his fi nancial services job to become a sea captain, along with three others who pulled off idlife renewals.
We continue with a story on a newly acknowledged reality: social media and how the related increase in screen time a ffects our relationships and lives. Kasia Pawlowska looks into this thorny issue in the fi rst installment of a two-part series.
Meanwhile, our annual wedding feature profi les four couples happily making a new start in life. Get to know them and see spectacular on-location photos from their celebrations in San Francisco, Stinson Beach, Maui and Ecuador.
What better tale is there than that of people who have totally reinvented themselves?
Up front we sort through what you need to know on the changes coming to marijuana law this month, and we interview the San Rafael administrator overseeing her city’s implementation of the new regulations. We also invite you to check out some exciting resort fashions and get to know naming guru Marc Hershon, whose branding monikers give products and places a new identity of their own.
In Destinations, wine writer Daniel Mangin revisits the wineries he wrote about in October to see how they held up during the fi res. He has good news to report and provides a list of places in Napa and Sonoma that are open for some much-needed business.
It’s a fun issue that hopefully inspires some fresh ideas as 2018 kicks off. We hope you enjoy it — now put down that phone and get outside.
Jewett, Managing Editor
For our reinvention story, photographer Lenny Gonzalez and art director Rachel Griffiths spent two days at Mill Valley’s The Image Flow, shooting two subjects per session. Portraits were done with similar lighting, backgrounds and poses, but each perfectly shows the individual character of the subject.
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Marijuana is now legal, but don’t expect to see a dispensary in every town any time soon.
BY KASIA PAWLOWSKAIF YOU HAVE intentions of fi lling the air with warm, earthy smells and the sound of fl icking lighters this New Year’s Day, get ready to pay a fi ne. While Proposition 64, also known as the the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, allows people over 21 to grow, possess and buy marijuana for recreational use, the law does not equate to a stoner free-for-all. Smoking in public places and within 1,000 feet of schools while children are present is outlawed, as is smoking while driving a car. The future doesn’t look much brighter for local pot enthusiasts on January 1 either, when the state begins accepting applications for business licenses for medical and adult use dispensaries. Throughout California, local jurisdictions have to
approve the license fi rst, and so far the 10 applications submitted to the Marin County Board of Supervisors have all been rejected. In an unexpected turn, once pot-friendly Marin has lately become among the most unwelcoming places for the plant — currently, the only standing dispensary in the county is the Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana in Fairfax, which opened in 1996 as the fi rst medical marijuana dispensary in the state to operate under that year’s Proposition 215. In November the county did, however, approve a delivery-only medicinal cannabis ordinance. Retailers will be able to apply for licenses to deliver marijuana while keeping their storefronts closed to the public. See a list of outlets on the following page.
Ever wish you could time-travel to explore Mill Valley as it was in the past? Marin high school students are helping to make that possible. The M.V. Public Library, in partnership with the nonprofit TimeWalk.org, has launched a new technology internship where students participate in building a virtual version of Mill Valley circa early 1920s. The three-month program encourages students to do hands-on local history research and learn both SketchUp 3-D modeling software and Unity virtual reality technology, through a series of free classes. Supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, the program is guided by TimeWalk.org founder and developer Ted Barnett, 3-D modeling educator Mark Gerhard, and Unity game developer Eric Boise. The library is also partnering with Tam High School’s Applied Technology department to involve additional students. timewalk.org, millvalleylibrary.org/buildinghistory KIER HOLMES
Most Mill Valley residents and local realtors refer to the neighborhood around Sycamore Park as just that, Sycamore Park, but really it is Sycamore Village. The area took form when an enterprising developer named George Goheen purchased portions of land and, at the urging of Bank of America and the War Production Board, built defense-worker housing during World War II. Goheen eventually bought more land (today the area is jokingly called Goheen Gulch) — including the hill where Ryan Street currently is and the marsh lying between his own tract near East Blithedale and Mill Valley’s Corte Madera Creek — then straightened the creek and scraped down the hill to fill in the marsh. All told, Goheen successfully and proudly built about 350 low-cost, compact homes, each costing roughly $4,000. Most were two-bedroom one-bath, and though fireplaces were standard, heating and showerheads were excluded because of the need for metal in the war effort. The result was Sycamore Village, where home prices today average $1.4 million — village vibe included. K.H.
These pot spots can provide all you need for quality marijuana. K.H.
THE APOTHECARIUM At these three San Francisco stores (Marina, SoMa and Castro), the mission is to match the right product to each customer’s needs and provide it in an upscale space. Medical cannabis items include flowers, edibles, topicals and concentrates. All medicine is batch-tested for purity. apothecarium.com
MARIN GARDENS A medical cannabis collective whose goal is to provide clients with a secure and discreet resource for their needs. Marin Gardens also supports local charities and organizations to create positive change in the community. Delivery service available throughout Marin. maringardens.org
DELTA 11 DELIVERY The extensive menu includes many cannabis strains, concentrates, edibles, drinks, tinctures, topicals and vape pens, all thirdparty safety and potency tested. Delivers to Marin, the North Bay and Berkeley area. delta11.org
MARIN ALLIANCE Owner Lynette Shaw, the “godmother of dispensaries,” stocks 30 strains of cannabis and a variety of edibles, oils, bath salts and other products. The Fairfax store provides counseling for medical patients, including military veterans adjusting to civilian life. 415.295.7633, info@marinalliance.com
ONA A boutique collective dedicated to delivering quality, locally harvested medicinal cannabis, edibles, sublinguals, pens and topicals. Serving San Francisco and Marin. ona.life/home
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Waste Management and MCE, formerly known as Marin Clean Energy, has opened a new landfill gas-to-energy plant at Novato’s Redwood Landfill. In other words, Marin’s trash is being turned into electricity — by using the methane gas generated by the landfill’s decomposing organic contents to power two massive reciprocating engines on site. Previously that gas just burned off into the atmosphere, raising greenhouse gas emissions. MCE now has a 20-year agreement with Waste Management to buy the electricity for customers. Here are some relevant numbers. mcecleanenergy.org K.H.
BY THE NUMBERS
With 30 years in the branding business under his belt, Marc Hershon could be considered an authority on how to name things. A graduate of Redwood High School, he also attended College of Marin before getting a job in radio. From there, he sidestepped into the comedy business. He’s used that improvisational spirit to inspire moves into teaching improv, writing TV movie screenplays for the Hallmark Channel, writing comedy for the likes of Dana Carvey, Jay Leno and Bill Maher, and being on the teams that have named products and companies like BlackBerry, Swiffer, Garmin’s nüvi GPS, Sony’s Crackle and the Clash of Clans game. Most recently, he was part of the group that helped to name NEOM, Saudi Arabia’s “city of the future.” MIMI TOWLE
Senior Manager of Naming SAUSALITO
1How did it feel to name a mega-city? I’ve taken to saying that this is the first project I worked on that actually put a name, literally, on the map. I was part of a small team from Landor, an international branding agency, that had this crazy responsibility and nothing about this assignment was like anything I had worked on before.
Swiffer? Was there a close second? I’d be hard-pressed to remember what it might be after all this time — that was more than 20 years ago. I do remember that the clients from Procter & Gamble were pretty insistent that that word “mop” had to be in the name, because they were afraid consumers wouldn’t know what this new device-on-a-stick was supposed to do. David Placek, the founder of Lexicon Branding, the Sausalito company where I learned most of what I know about this business, was pretty sure — after watching videos of people using the prototype and hearing them say things like “This sure is faster than mopping!” — that the name needed to index on speed and ease and stay far away from mentioning the “m” word.
BlackBerry? Is it because the buttons looked like a blackberry? O n the original prototypes of the very first devices, yes, but we knew that if successful, the design would likely change in future generations — this was even before they added phone capabilities. So the name was really meant to sound disarming and friendly in a world that was beginning to swarm with techy, largely meaningless words.
If you had a dog, what would you name him/her? Tough question. I often tell people who ask me to help name either their dogs or their kids that those projects are way too personal. And I charge way too much money for something you can get out of a baby name book for free. If I have to answer that, male or female, I would name my dog Marc, just because I like the idea of both of us turning to look every time someone says my name.
Can you recommend a good local comedy experience? For folks in Marin, there’s no better local comedy show and venue than Tuesday nights at the Throckmorton Theatre in Mill Valley. The shows feature both veteran and newer comedians and I think you always get your money’s worth. Occasionally, you might even see me onstage there. It happens.
Who was the funniest kid at Redwood? What’s he doing now? Sadly, the funniest kid to ever pass through my old alma mater had to have been the late Robin Williams. He was several years ahead of me so our paths never crossed there, but I got to know him once I got into booking comedy shows in the Bay Area. And once I was performing with some of the various improv groups in town, we saw each other fairly ofte n — usually onstage — a nd it was always a treat to be improvising lines in a scene with the master.
What’s your favorite drink and where do you like to drink it? When I’m deep into a naming assignment, I get what I call a “naming headache.” My favorite remedy to cool down the ol’ brainpan is a Tanqueray martini, without a whiff of vermouth, a tad dirty with a couple of olives for nourishment. And no one serves ’em up meaner and drier than Jason at the bar at Frantoio.
Best street name in Marin? I’ll go with Mark Drive in Terra Linda. It’s in that industrial park off the freeway, and they spelled it wrong. But it’s still a pretty cool name. m
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This San Rafael administrator is overseeing her city’s implementation of marijuana legalization.
BY JIM WOOD PHOTO BY LENNY GONZALEZBEYOND DEALING WITH San Rafael’s merchants, residents, consumers and fellow administrators — a job that ranges from business retention to scheduling farmers’ markets — 41-year-old Danielle O’Leary has a new task: helping to implement the legalization of recreational marijuana under Proposition 64.
As Director of Economic Development and Innovation, she will help navigate the county’s largest city through a maze of recently written state requirements, regulations and restrictions regarding the legalization of pot, that mind-altering substance mired in controversy ever since its countercultural resurgence many decades ago. It will also call for O’Leary to assist San Rafael’s civic leadership in drafting its own rules and regulations regarding the growing, selling and consuming of marijuana. In Marin, 70 percent of those voting approved the California Marijuana Legalization Initiative in November.
Prior to joining the City of San Rafael in 2016, O’Leary held a similar economic management position with the City of Santa Rosa for eight years. During her last two years there, she implemented that city’s entry into the intricacies of legal medical marijuana. And from all reports, it was a seamless and successful transition. O’Leary, with a
bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurship and nearly 20 years of municipal management experience, lives in Santa Rosa. She and her husband have two young children and are currently house-hunting in Marin.
What is the scope of Proposition 64 as it relates to California’s nearly 482 incorporated cities and 58 unincorporated county areas?
California became the largest state in the U.S. to have legalized both medical marijuana, with Prop. 215 in 1996, and now recreational cannabis with passage in November 2016 of Prop. 64. Previously, only Colorado, Washington and Oregon had legalized recreational as well as medicinal cannabis. However, at present, 29 states and the District of Columbia have some form of legalized cannabis. The details of Proposition 64 consumed 92 pages of single-spaced legislation before it was placed on the ballot. It is well thought out and designates three agencies to regulate what many project will be a $7-billion-a-year business. Basically, California’s Department of Food and Agriculture will license growers, the Department of Health will regulate manufacturing of the product, and a new agency, the Bureau of Cannabis Control, will oversee licensing of growers, delivery services and retail outlets. Since Prop. 64 passed, all three have been drafting restrictions on such subjects as the size of growing areas and the potency of the product; ways of delivering, packaging and marketing cannabis; and uniformity on where retail outlets can and can’t be located.
Does this mean the state alone will control both the medical and recreational cannabis business in California? No, absolutely not. Every California city and county has been or is working on its own rules — within the state’s restrictions — as to how cannabis will, or will not, be sold within its individual municipal boundaries. It is doubtful any California city or county will disallow the sale of marijuana; the economic enticements are too tempting. Yet you never know: some counties in the south still don’t allow the sale
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of alcohol. As far as the Bay Area goes, only Santa Cruz County and the cities of Berkeley and Oakland appeared ready to begin the sale of recreational marijuana to adults on, or soon after, January 1st.
At present, where does the City of San Rafael seem headed? In 1996, when Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act, authorized the sale of medical marijuana, San Rafael adopted a policy, and now we are basically refining and updating. San Rafael, like the County of Marin, seems headed to licensing delivery services of medical marijuana only, and that requires a doctor’s recommendation or a state-issued Medical Cannabis Card that says a patient must use cannabis as a way of mitigating the effects of an ailment or ailments. It has still not been determined where in San Rafael those delivery services will be allowed to locate; yet as recent state regulation stipulate, there will be no deliveries by drones, bikes or driverless vehicles, only human-controlled cars and trucks. And no, there is no talk whatsoever of shops on Fourth Avenue selling pot.
How do you see it all playing out? Well, there are still many unknowns. The amount of acreage in which growers will be allowed to propagate marijuana is still not clearly defi ned. Presently, there are approximately 7,000 acres in production in California, most of them in Mendocino, Humboldt and Trinity counties, with many in Sonoma County, working fewer tha n five acres of land where the result is primarily craft cannabis, much like we now have craft beers, chocolates and cheeses. With larger or even unlimited acreage, there’s a fear that future growers could be like tobacco corporations where the quality of product could su ffer. Also, the manner in which marijuana is consumed is likely to be heavily regulated and restricted. For this, many municipalities are modeling their marijuana laws after their existing smoking ordinances. In other words, you can’t smoke marijuana in bars or restaurants just like you can’t smoke cigarettes or cigars in these spaces. Also, Prop. 64 disallows ingesting cannabis in public, and of course [stipulates] not while driving. In fact, Proposition 64 stipulated that $15 million of state excise tax
San Rafael, like the County of Marin, seems headed to licensing delivery services of medical marijuana only.
growing and selling of cannabis will go to the California Highway Patrol to fi nd a protocol for determining if a driver is impaired because of ingesting marijuana.
What, if any, is your personal connection to cannabis? Before taking my job with the City of San Rafael, I was the caregiver for my father-in-law as he experienced an extensive and painful period of illnesses involving non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiple sclerosis and cancer. At fi rst the doctors prescribed heavy medications, some of them opioids. However, they not only didn’t ease the pain, they seemed to make him groggy, even depressed. We gave it considerable thought before turning to medical marijuana, and it was intriguing for us to learn how di fferent strains of cannabis perform di fferent medical roles. There are forms of cannabis that don’t have a psychoactive effect, just pain management. My father-in-law eventually passed away, but I am witness to the fact cannabis made the last months of his life at least bearable. He regained much of his appetite, his pain diminished signi ficantly and he was definitely more mobile. As to my husband and I using recreational cannabis, the answer is no.
To date, what are your firsthand impressions of the legalization of cannabis? The immense thoughtfulness and level of scrutiny that this product and business are going through are unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, and it surprises people. I’m lucky I had those two years in Santa Rosa and watched its cannabis economy evolve. And I realize every community has to go at its own pace in coming up with a cannabis program that works for it. This is a rare moment in time; this is a movement, and it’s coming. My job is never dull because there are a lot of unknowns. All the di fferent lenses to look through: social justice, economics, enforcement and public safety. Overall, I think we are going to be OK as long as we keep adapting and evolving. m
How many times have you dreamed of a career do-over? These four Marinites chose to revamp their professional worlds midlife.
BY CALIN VAN PARIS PHOTOS BY LENNY GONZALEZ“I’ve always been on the water and around boats. But never getting paid for it, ” says Peter Scot t — nay, Captain Peter Scot t — who in 2015 sailed away from the career he had cultivated .
“I started sailing out of the San Francisco Yacht Club [in Belvedere] around ag e 9, then racing locally, then nationally and then internationally,” he recalls.
When it came time to chart a professional course, he opted for financial services. Scott
began his path in funds in the mid-1990s at the Pacific Stock Exchange, followed by various financial services positions and culminating in the creation of his own company, Glacier Point Capital LLC, replete with a registered investment adviser and a broker dealer.
I LOOK BACK AND THINK, ‘SHOOT, I SHOULD’VE DONE THIS 20 YEARS AGO.’
EVEN THOUGH I KNEW I WOULD MAKE A FRACTION OF WHAT I WAS EARNING, TECHNOLOGY FELT EMPTY TO ME.
“My partner and I sold our company in 2014,” says Scott . “After that I looked around for another financial services position, and I came to the conclusion that it just wasn’t happening in San Francisco.” Fortunately, onthe-water services certainly do.
“Another captain called and got me thinking about joining [the boating industry], getting my captain’s license and taking that route. It was a growing industry,” Scott says . “You have to have a certain number of hours, a certain number of days on the boat and things like that. I had all of that; it was an easy transition for me to turn it into a professional license.”
Scott got his Merchant Marine Credential (Master, 100 Ton) from th e United States Coast Guar d in 2016, at age 49, and is now a full-time captain, working on a freelance basis wit h S.F. Boat Support and other charter boat services and growing a private ferry service . “The funny thing about this whole thing is, I look back and think, ‘Shoot, I should’ve done this 20 years ago,’ ” he says.
Ten days before the birth of her first son, Allison Quistgard-Scherer woke to discover that half of her face was paralyzed. “I knew what it was, because my cousin had Bell’s palsy before I did,” she says. “It was really a difficult time. We never really realize how much we take our faces, or our looks, for granted.”
As Quistgard-Scherer began to navigate her next steps, she found herself drawn toward the familiarity of her career in tech. After all, this was a field within which she had bounced around for well over a decade, working for companies like Oracle, and ultimately landing the role of vice president of sales for Ethan Lynn Consulting.
But a decade later, at age 47, she gave it all up.
“My paralysis played a huge role in my internal need to make a change,” she says. “Even though I knew I would make a fraction of what I was earning, technology felt empty to me. I needed to be hands-on — literally.” And so the mother of two — now single — went back to school to pursue a career as an esthetician.
“It’s a crazy time to change, you know? Divorced single mom. It’s expensive to live in Marin,” Quistgard-Scherer says. “I would get
myself up early, make a hot breakfast, and say, ‘OK, you guys, Mom’s gotta go to school,’ and I would leave for my school and the two of them would ride their bikes together to theirs.”
Seven years later finds her working as a clinical esthetician and medical assistant at Hayes Valley Medical and Esthetics, a career she balances with time spent on her own company, Sprig and Glow, a website and blog dedicated to wellness, beauty and coaching clients toward healthy skin.
Her advice to those looking to make a change? “Do it now. Life is short. Time flies by. And the one thing we can’t get back is our time.” But we might find surprises: along with a reinvigorated career, Quistgard-Scherer has regained 75 percent of her facial mobility. sprigandglow.com
The Great Recession marked a proverbial — and unwanted — fork in many career paths. But for Edward Gamble, the ensuing roadless-traveled delivered him into a far more ful fi lling reality.
Gamble had been working in money jobs for decades, fi rst as a branch manager and a credit analyst in the banking industry, then moving to mortgage for 17 years with positions at lauded out fits like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In 2008, Gamble was a wholesale rep for JPMorgan Chase & Co. — until he wasn’t.
“I took a job as a sales rep for a company for a little while, but I wasn’t happy there,” he adds. “I was talking to a friend who was a police officer in San Francisco, and he was like, ‘Why don’t you try this?’ ”
And so Gamble applied to the San Francisco Police Department, after which it immediately shut down hiring for three years. But as a means of getting his foot in the door, Gamble opted to work as a police services aide (“Those are the people at the window who take reports about your stolen wallet and that kind of stu ff ”) for the interim.
Finally, in 2012, at age 49, Gamble was accepted into the academy.
“I was doing push-ups and sprints with 21-year-olds,” Gamble says. “From there, I went through field training, probation, got assigned to a station. I went to another station; then I got the opportunity to become a crime scene investigator, and I jumped on it.” Gamble has now been in CSI for more than
two years and is about to be certi fied in that role. “I feel like I make a difference, if not daily, on a weekly basis.”
For Jennifer Chapin, coloring outside the lines has long been a natural way of life — but even she didn’t anticipate a career in cannabis. Chapin is the co-creator of Kikoko, a line of cannabis-infused teas — each bag precision-dosed to pharmaceutical standards — which she founded alongside friend and business partner Amanda Jones.
“We set out with a very audacious goal: to honor Jan and help our girlfriends, and millions of other women, get offtheir pharmaceuticals,” she says. Jan was a mutual friend of the co-founders, and her battle with cancer inspired Kikoko; while her prescribed doses of medical-grade cannabis were effective, they came with a high that was often debilitating. “Jan planted the seed and also got me up a pretty steep learning curve,” Chapin says.
But Chapin’s true professional pivot came in early 2015, when the then-51-year-old set aside a self-funded startup called Mindful Play Media to dive head fi rst into the marijuana industry. MPM was just the latest venture in a winding career path, which included the creation of an events company, a gaming company and Cynthia’s Sisters — an organization with aims to educate female lawyers in the Democratic Republic of Congo — along with providing career consultations for women.
“One life lesson I’ve learned is to be fl exible,” Chapin says. “I had no intention of going into the cannabis industry, but the more I learned, I just realized that we could be part of destigmatizing this plant, helping people recognize it as the powerful medicine that it is.”
Today, Kikoko offers four specialized teas, each crafted to meld herbal remedies with varied dosages of THC and CBD (cannabidiol). The company’s website brims with information, detailed research and answers to just about any relevant question.
“I’m so grateful that I’ve had this opportunity to create this company with Amanda, and to exercise all the things I’ve studied and I’ve tried to teach,” Chapin says. “I feel like it’s all coming together now, and it’s just a magical time. It’s a gift coming true.” kikoko.com m
JENNIFER CHAPIN NAME STARTUP CEO FORMER OCCUPATION CO - CREATOR OF KIKOKO
I HAD NO INTENTION OF GOING INTO THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY, BUT THE MORE I LEARNED, I JUST REALIZED THAT WE COULD BE PART OF DESTIGMATIZING THIS PLANT.
EXHAUSTED AFTER a company holiday party, she slid between her 500-thread-count sheets and eased into a quiet photo-scrolling stupor, incessantly refreshing Facebook in case any undesirable images of her popped up. She glanced over at her husband, but his eyes were trans fi xed, face awash in that familiar blue light as he calmly slid his fi nger over the glossy screen. Suddenly, there was a buzz — he tapped on an incoming message and his eyes widened and lit up with a childlike joy. She was about to ask him what made him so happy, but then the party pics appeared on her phone too. Talking would have to wait When did it become this way for so many couples? More important than our romantic partners, the smartphone has become our number-one bedmate, the last thing we glance at before we fall asleep, the fi rst thing we reach for when we wake up. It serves as the ultimate command center — the place where we bank, buy cleaning products, order food and search for hookups. Plenty of mobile applications tout time-saving benefits, promising to simplify our lives and allowing room for what “really matters,” but it seems that what really matters is often just spending more time swiping and scrolling.
Does social media exert too much control over our lives?
Jean M. Twenge, a psychologist who has authored more than 130 scienti fic publications and six books, details the host of issues brewing as a result of excessive screen time in her book iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy — and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood — and What That Means for the Rest of Us. A researcher of generational di fferences for the past 25 years, Twenge noticed abrupt shifts in teen behaviors and emotional states in 2012. Binge drinking, drug use and pregnancy were all down, yet rates of teen depression and suicide had skyrocketed. The factor tying it all together? It was exactly the moment when the number of Americans who owned a smartphone surpassed 50 percent. According to Twenge, the iGen generation — born between 1995 and 2012 — is on the brink of the worst mental health crisis in decades, and much of this deterioration can be traced to young people’s phones.
“The impact of these devices has not been fully appreciated and goes far beyond the usual concerns about curtailed attention spans,” she says. “The arrival of the smartphone has radically changed every aspect of teenagers’ lives, from the nature of their social interactions to their mental health.”
While jarring, Twenge’s message isn’t novel. Since the ’90s dot-com boom, when AOL and dial-up tones proliferated in households throughout the United States, papers and studies started surfacing, pointing to technology’s possible deleterious effect on our lives. Writer Richard Louv discussed many of these consequences in his pivotal book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-De ficit Disorder. Louv makes the case that reconnecting kids with the outdoor world would help alleviate many ailments like depression, obesity and attention deficit disorder. He also makes an argument that America’s future hangs on it.
“Growing up, many of us were blessed with natural space and the imagination that filled
it,” Louv writes. “America’s genius has been nurtured by nature — by space, both physical and mental. One might argue that the internet has replaced the woods, in terms of inventive space, but no electronic environment stimulates all the senses.”
Nancy Dess, a senior scientist with the American Psychological Association, bolsters this claim. “None of the new communication technologies involve human touch; they all tend to place us one step removed from direct experience,” she says.
Since the advent of the internet, especially after Facebook and Twitter, social media has attempted to fi ll our interpersonal quotas, and most would say it has fallen short. It’s not all grim, of course. These platforms allow us to connect with faraway family members and long-lost friends, learn about new places, hear other perspectives, share and bond over passions and disseminate information. “One of the biggest benefits is the emotional ful fi llment I get when I post about my anxiety and OCD,” says Sarah, 30, who at one point had a social media following of over 100,000, “and get five people messaging me telling me I’m not alone.”
So when does it take a turn for the worse? In the Atlantic article “Is Facebook Making Us Lonely?” writer Stephen Marche contends that social media provides more breadth, but not the depth of relationships that humans require. He goes on to say that users begin to find it difficult to distinguish between the significant relationships we foster in the real world and the casual relationships formed through social media. Meaning, the digital followers we amass don’t amount to friends IRL (in real life).
In addition to this confusion, the various platforms have also given rise to a digital status competition — a massive, never-ending quest for followers and likes. The pressure to project and maintain a FOMO (fear of missing out)-inducing profi le is arguably even more palpable in places laden with high-earning, high-achieving residents, such as the Bay Area. “I wasted so much energy and emotion on a sel fie app,” says Sarah, who presently has about 15,000 Instagram followers. “And really the likes and follows don’t mean anything.”
Meanwhile, the amount of time people spend on social media is constantly increasing. According to analytics firm Flurry, Americans are spending up to five hours per day on mobile devices, and just over half of this time is spent on social media, messaging and media and entertainment applications. Statistics only paint part of the picture, and usage from individual to individual undoubtedly varies, but there do seem to be general trends. Among teens, girls are on social media more often — about an hour and a half a day versus a little under an hour for boys — and 44 percent say they enjoy it “a lot,” versus 29 percent of boys who felt the same, per a 2015 Common Sense Media story.
A quick non-research-based way to see how media-savvy teens have become thanks to social media is to compare how they posed for photos before and after the sel fie phenom — let’s just say the fi rst group was defi nitely not considering their ideal photographic angle. The goal of gaining followers in an effort to achieve or maintain status, and the things we do to achieve that, are chipping away at living in the moment. “The engagement from people was so insane,” Sarah says of her peak-follower days. “I’m a pretty reserved person,
allowed me to pretend to be someone who was way cooler and way more con fident than my actual self.”
Aside from the aforementioned sel fie and FOMO, social media has birthed a whole new batch of terms to describe our mobile activities. “Doing it for the ’gram” — Instagram users going places and taking photos for the sole purpose of posting them on the app — is actually changing the American landscape. In a November 2017 article in The Outline titled “Instagram Is Loving Nature to Death,” travel photographer Brent Knepper asserts that thanks to the photo-sharing app, big crowds are coming to previously little-known remote destinations and, while there, not treating the land with respect.
“There’s definitely a community aspect of it,” he says. “There’s nothing wrong with seeing a cool space on the internet and deciding to go there. It’s just, maybe, don’t start fi res there, and clean up your poop.” More and more often, Instagram feeds are populated with people’s highlight reel, which conveniently omits the messy behindthe-scenes stu ff. The platform serves as a stage for the idealized self and life, inciting feelings of inferiority and jealousy in those who view the content, a dynamic that extends beyond followers and into personal relationships.
Back to our bedtime couple. Dismissing our loved ones in real life in favor of what we see on our phones can harm relationships, and there’s a term for that, too. In a 2015 study aptly headlined “My life has become a major distraction from my cell phone: Partner phubbing and relationship satisfaction among romantic partners,” James Roberts and Meredith David explore the effects of “phubbing,” the practice of snubbing our significant others for our devices. Their study suggests that overuse of our phones in the presence of others can lead to a decline in relationship satisfaction and that even just having the phone out on the table interferes with our ability to connect.
“It is ironic that cellphones, originally designed as a communication tool, may actually hinder rather than foster interpersonal connectedness,” David and Roberts write. Their fi ndings also point to a vicious cycle: a phubbed individual turns to social media, and the resulting compulsive behavior presumably leads that person to phub others — perpetuating and normalizing the practice. And it’s the compulsive aspect that’s especially alarming.
“We’re learning more about the way developing brains are really being sculpted by what they’re exposed to, in permanent ways,” says Marin County Public Health O fficer Matt Willis. “The architecture and wiring of our brains evolves into our mid-20s, and we know substances like alcohol and drugs affect this process and can lead to addiction.” Willis says social media is having the same effect. “The rapid-fire loops of impulse and reward found only in the virtual world can literally condition the brain to expect this as normal. This can lead to craving on a chemical level when the mundane pace of reality is the only option.”
Why do people get into the phubbing habit in the fi rst place? It’s not accidental. There is corporate interest in keeping people engaged with these applications. Throughout Silicon Valley, behavioral scientists and UX (user experience) designers study what’s addictive and utilize struggle-detection software that optimizes user experience
Below are statistics from Deloitte’s 2017 Global Mobile Consumer Survey, which polled more than 51,000 respondents in 32 countries. The U.S. sample size was 2,000 respondents ages 18 to 75.
Smartphone ownership is 82 percent.
89 percent of respondents check phones within an hour of waking up.
81 percent check phones before going to sleep, and 52 percent don’t check phones during the night.
On average, smartphone consumers check their devices 47 times a day. The youngest consumers (ages 18 to 24) check phones 86 times a day.
47 percent of respondents try to cut their smartphone usage by keeping their devices in their pocket, turning off notifications, and powering down at night.
to get you to do what they want on the screens. Notifications, in turn, become intermittent reinforcement, similar to the high a gambler feels when he or she wins, making us return to our devices again and again. Simply put, these apps are designed to keep users scrolling.
Currently, social media addiction is not officially recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a disorder, but mental health experts feel the distinction is inevitable. As a part of a 2010 study from the Harrisburg University of Science and Technology in Pennsylvania, researchers blocked access to social media sites for students who were connected via the university’s IP address. Many acted much like tobacco users who sneak cigarettes, admitting to surreptitiously spending time on social media sites on their smartphones. Meanwhile, internet addiction rehab programs and boot camps have become commonplace in China, and more are appearing in the United States.
So how many likes is enough? What can we do to curtail these damaging habits? More research still needs to be done in this field and ultimately it’s up to the user to figure out his or her point of balance. “I use social media to promote my Etsy store, but it doesn’t rule my life like it once did,” Sarah says “I still have guiltypleasure follows, and I’m not anti-selfie or anti–Instagram model, but I feel like I’ve seen behind the curtain, and [that insight] helps me when I feel bad for losing followers.”
Some coping tools are also available. Moment — which is a mobile app — automatically tracks how much you use your device every day. Users can set limits and can even force themselves off if they’re over. There are also app-free ways of dissuading usage. At a group dinner at a restaurant , a friend asked everyone to put his or her phone in a pile at the center of the table, and the first person who picked up his or her device had to pick up the whole tab. No one reached. m
Plenty of mobile applications promise to simplify our lives and allow room for what ‘really matters,’ but it seems that what really matters is often just spending more time tapping and scrolling.
The Fairmont, San Francisco, May 6, 2017
IT ALL STARTED off right for Cyndi and Adam — as in right swipe. Like so many present-day relationships, the San Francisco–based couple fi rst connected on the popular dating app Tinder. “We had 45 friends in common and had no idea how we hadn’t known each other already,” Cyndi says. Shortly after their mobile match, they both realized they had met “the one.” While they were strolling along the water by the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay, Adam caught Cyndi offguard: he dropped to one knee and proposed. When it came time to select the wedding venue, neither had their heart set on a specific place until they saw the Fairmont. “The Fairmont is quintessential old San Francisco; when we walked into the Gold Room — modeled after Versailles — it took our breath away,” Cyndi says. The couple enlisted planner Duncan Reyes to help create the event, but also had other assistance. “We had an extreme amount of help from Cyndi’s mom and would have been so lost without that amazing woman,” says the groom. For the theme, they went classic but not stu ff y. “While we wanted glamorous and traditional, we tried to incorporate fun aspects of ourselves like full champagne bottles in place of seating cards, an ice sculpture to pour drinks through and latenight It’s-It ice cream,” the bride says. The fete went offwithout a hitch, including the ceremony itself. “The most special moment for both of us was meeting at the altar,” Cyndi says. In keeping with tradition, Cyndi and Adam opted against a “first look”: “The moment the church doors opened and we made eye contact was so emotional for both of us,” she says. Seeing her fairy-tale wedding come to life was a high point in itself: “We peeked into the ballroom before the reception started and it was amazing — the Gold Room looked even more magical than we imagined it would.” Anything they would have done di fferently? Says the groom: “We are happy to say there isn’t anything we would have changed! It was truly the best day of our lives.”
We had 45 friends in common and had no idea how we hadn’t known each other already.
SOME PEOPLE GO looking for love in all the wrong places; others fi nd it by coincidence. Another route is to simply pursue what you love. The latter path is how Kim found her future husband. A working artist and past Marin Magazine cover art contest fi nalist, she was the set designer for the San Anselmo Town Players’ production of Fiddler on the Roof in 2001 when she met Mark, who was acting in the play. But both were in other relationships at the time and remained offeach other’s radar for years, until one night they serendipitously ran into each other in Fairfax — both single this time around. Sparks flew. A long courtship followed, and Mark finally popped the question unexpectedly after a day spent walking around Jack London State Park in Sonoma. “We were sitting on a bench in the lovely cottage garden by the koi fi shpond,” Kim says. “He said he was going to wait to propose on my birthday but the mood took him over.” At fi rst the couple considered eloping, but reconsidered so friends and family could be involved. Being beach lovers, they returned to a familiar place filled with fond memories. “I hosted a small surprise birthday party for Mark at Dipsea Gardens [at Stinson] two years ago — we had such a great experience there, and we go to Stinson so often, that this spot was a perfect choice for us.” Fortunately, the weather obliged and they had a sundrenched wedding. At the reception, the bride and groom’s talents were front and center: Kim came up with the “beachy bohemian” theme and made seven dream catchers that hung from the trees. She also created an oyster shell garland for the wedding venue tables and painted the artwork for the invitations and signage. Mark booked the musicians and even played his guitar and sang a couple songs. With emotions running high, the day passed quickly, but the couple agrees on the highlights: the love, the meaningful ceremony uniting their families, the sunshine, beautiful decor, smiling friends and family, great music and delicious tacos.
He said he was going to wait to propose on my birthday but the mood took him over.
Our location was great for a small group and it had the perfect feeling of being tucked away in our own private paradise.
SOMETIMES YOU JUST have to go with the flow. Even though Megan and Sean knew they wanted a seaside wedding, neither had thought of Hawaii until Nani, their planner from White Orchid Wedding, suggested the White Orchid House on Maui. With that thought, their wish for a coastal celebration transformed into more than imagined. “We celebrated under a full moon and palm trees on a private beachfront residence on Makena Beach on our beloved Maui,” says the bride. The couple both have a special connection to Hawaii; Sean’s great grandmother lived in Hawaii most of her life and he visited her often. Coincidentally, both Megan and Sean’s families took vacations at similar times on Maui (Makena Beach was a favorite for both) before they even knew each other. “Our location was great for a small group and it had the perfect feeling of being tucked away in our own private paradise,” Megan adds. “Nani made it happen without any of the drama or stress that I hear happening too much with wedding planning.” Looking back today, the couple wouldn’t do anything di fferent in the planning — except maybe to “confiscate people’s cellphones,” Sean says: “You can see many of our guests taking pictures or video of us in most of our professional ceremony shots.” Yet the guests may not have been all that easy to corral, because when the bride and her father walked down the aisle to the song “My Girl,” all 34 friends and family members unexpectedly sang along with the solo guitarist. “That was a pretty special memory,” Megan admits. Other highlights: a full oyster bar for the oyster-loving groom, who grew up in Marin, and a nontraditional cupcake bar that included the bride’s favorite: pineapple cake with vanilla buttercream frosting. The couple still jokes about the dreamlike tropical photos: “Sean always says it looks like we Photoshopped ourselves right in,” Megan says.
SKEPTICS ABOUND ON the topic of fate, but it’s hard to argue against it when considering the story of Marita and Signo. Marita, a chef from Ecuador living in Paris, was visiting San Francisco for a three-month culinary course when she met Seattle native Signo at a friend’s barbecue just one week into her stay. The two connected instantly and quickly began exploring the city in search of the perfect meal and sailing around the bay in Signo’s boat, docked at the Sausalito harbor. “After our fi rst date I knew I wanted someone like him in my life,” Marita says. For the groom it was mutual: “I remember she grabbed my hand and said, ‘I knew there were men like you that existed in this world.’ That’s when I knew.” Marita’s plans to return to France were put on hold, then canceled. Two years later, the couple tied the knot against the backdrop of the mountain Imbabura in Otavalo, Ecuador, a spot that held special meaning for the two avid climbers. “We love mountains and wanted the energy of the mountain and nature around us for our wedding,” Marita says. For a celebration connected to her Ecuadorian roots, she and Signo chose the historic Hacienda Cusin as the wedding venue; a local 24-piece band played traditional Ecuadorian music while dancers performed in authentic and whimsical costumes. The event was an international celebration, with 125-plus guests from all over Ecuador as well as France and the United States. Her father’s speech was one of the bride’s favorite moments: “He made it in three languages. It was a bit long with all the translations, but so profound; it made me cry multiple times.” Another great memory: the custom-handcrafted castillo fireworks, with cutouts in the shape of a pineapple, a recurring symbol at the wedding. “We felt so much love from our friends and family, it made us feel like the two luckiest people on earth,” Marita says.
After our first date I knew I wanted someone like him in my life.
Spinnaker
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The Village Corte Madera, CA 415.924.9711 juliannasfinejewelry.com
Julianna’s Fine Jewelry offers an exquisite selection of engagement and wedding rings, fine Swiss watches and sparkling jewelry gifts for any occasion. Choose stunning jewelry from prestigious designers such as Simon G and Roberto Coin. We also have custom jewelry designers that can create your dream ring or browse our selection of the most elegant rings in the industry.
Our entire collection is created to stand the test of time, so shoppers always gain peace of mind. Best of all, our pieces are simply stunning! They also carry the esteemed watch brands, Rolex, Tudor, Omega, Frederique Constant and Raymond Weil; excellent gifts which can be passed down and coveted through generations.
Their selection, design services, superior quality and customer service has resulted in many happy and sustained customers. They strive to satisfy all of your jewelry needs through attentive listening and design expertise. Friendships and trust have been built over the last 32 years that keep families returning to their doors. In 2016, Bil Holehan, longtime friend and colleague with over 40 years of jewelry experience joined their expert staff.
Next time you’re in the Village at Corte Madera, stop by and find Julianna, her daughter Judy, her granddaughter Caitlyn or any of their devoted staff ready and pleased to offer professional advice on all of your jewelry desires.
601 Murray Circle
Fort Baker, Sausalito, CA 855.226.3232
cavallopoint.com
one of Northern California’s most romantic locations, Cavallo Point marries breathtaking beauty in a historic setting with understated luxury, inviting wedding spaces, outstanding food and wine, and gracious accommodations. The awardwinning lodge is ideal for incomparable weddings that are classic, elegant and timeless. Located in the Golden Gate National Parks at the Golden Gate Bridge, the scenic natural setting complements a venue that is sophisticated and serene, historic and contemporary.
A single source for extraordinary weddings, Cavallo Point welcomes 10–180 people in adaptable indoor event spaces including the historic chapel. Outdoor spaces for 20–250 provide bridge, city and bay views. Unique venues like the Cooking School are perfect for bridesmaids’ lunches, rehearsal dinners and receptions. Wedding menus, inspired by Chef Justin Everett’s acclaimed cuisine and enhanced by the stellar wine list, feature fresh, local ingredients. Professional catering and planning support ensure a flawless event. Wedding packages make planning easy.
For overnight guests, the lodge offers 142 Historic and Contemporary rooms and suites. Green and sustainable, the inviting accommodations feature luxury amenities. Most have cozy fireplaces or stunning views. The world-class spa nurtures with soothing treatments and heated outdoor meditation pool. Dining options include Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning Murray Circle, Farley Bar and the Tea Bar. (Photo by Drozian Photoworks)
#5 Top Resort in the U.S. Travel + Leisure / World’s Best Awards Voted #1 Best Wedding Venue ABC7 Bay Area A-List
FOR AN INTIMATE GATHERING OR GRAND CEREMONY
333 Biscayne Drive San Rafael, CA
415.453.4910, x 1 peacockgapclubhouse.com
Tucked into a quiet corner of Marin County, The Clubhouse at Peacock Gap provides a beautiful setting to begin your happily ever after.
The 19,400 square foot Clubhouse sets the standard for modern elegance in North Bay wedding venues. Timeless architecture, unsurpassed amenities, world-class cuisine, and the serene backdrop of beautiful native landscape combine to create the perfect location for your indoor/outdoor wedding ceremony.
The stunning and spacious indoor salons are surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows that boast gorgeous views of Marin County and open to the spectacular trellised deck and event lawn, providing the perfect choice for your reception, rehearsal dinner or bridal shower.
Indoor spaces are customizable for intimate gatherings and groups of more than 1,200, and our rooftop deck holds an additional 1,050 guests. The Clubhouse also features separate, well-appointed bride and groom suites.
Our professional catering and culinary staff are dedicated to guiding you through every planning decision and detail, and are pleased to address any requests you might have to ensure that your special event is both relaxing and memorable.
For more information, please contact the catering department at 415-453-4910 x1 or visit us online at peacockgapclubhouse.com.
Unforgettable celebrations begin with a location that inspires wonder, and Ventana Big Sur blends the ocean, mountains and forest into an astounding backdrop for your special occasion.
Ventana is where memories are made and connections are strengthened, whether you’re marking a major milestone, creating the wedding you’ve always wanted or just embracing the opportunity to reunite your favorite people in one place. Imagine a gathering where the redwoods are your witness. Where the awe-inspiring setting provides a new perspective — and heightened significance. Where no detail is overlooked, so you can relax, rejoice and revel in the moment.
48123 Highway One • Big Sur, CA 800.628.6500 • ventanabigsur.com
Sofia Jewelry offers you a one stop shop for alternative bridal, colored diamonds, classic wedding bands and a stylish mens collection. Whether you choose a ring that is handpicked by the Priolo Family, or you work with one of our custom jewelers, Sofia Jewelry provides an elegant and relaxing space to make your big day shine.
80 Throckmorton Ave • Mill Valley, CA 415.388.8776 • sofiajewelry.com
The Marin Jewelers Guild is a destination gallery led by talented local artisan jewelers. Together they provide a variety of styles for an ever-changing collection of unique handcrafted jewelry. Work directly with an artist to create one-of-a-kind rings, wedding jewelry, and gifts. Visit their warm and welcoming gallery to find exactly what you have been looking for. Unique. Handmade. Local.
1331 Fourth Street • San Rafael, CA 415.454.2711 • marinjewelersguild.com
Step back in time to sun-kissed days, when California belonged to Spain and the center of town held flowing fountains, colonnades, bell towers, gardens and charming baroque facades. Our lovely courtyard is adorned with roses, wisteria and palms for outdoor wedding receptions. The chapel’s charming interior brings in views of the everchanging sky with the ambience further enhanced by an ethereal, half-domed ceiling.
600 Palm Drive, Hamilton Center • Novato, CA 415.475.5000 • unityinmarin.org/space-rental/weddings
Our passion is seamlessly bringing our clients’ personal event visions and fantasies to life utilizing our experience, professionalism, collaborative approach, and attention to detail. We look forward to partnering with you to make your next event a memory that will last a lifetime! Be sure to visit our booth at the Marin Wedding Fair and Sonoma Wedding Show in January!
575 Redwood Highway, Suite 200 • Mill Valley, CA 415.847.1748 • thatsawrapevents.com
Harbor Point is an elegant location whose waterfront setting on Strawberry Point is in perfect harmony with the delectable cuisine of its restaurant, The Lighthouse. The glassand-wood venue sits at the edge of a lagoon in a quiet corner of the bay, where sea birds from a nearby preserve loll offshore.
The main room is intimate and relaxed, yet spacious, with open-beamed architecture and floor-to-ceiling windows. There is an expansive bay view panorama; if you prefer your viewing outside, slip onto one of the decks surrounding the building. For those chilly evenings, two large fireplaces are available to warm your guests.
The Lighthouse’s culinary team will customize your menus, from California cuisine to American classic. Plus, their in-house Event Coordinator will help plan the details of your celebration, while working within budget, whether a wedding and/or reception, or other events such as anniversaries, birthdays, bar and bat mitzvahs, memorials...Photo by Dmitry Fisher
475 E Strawberry Drive • Mill Valley, CA 415.381.4400 • harbor-point.com
Make yours an event to be remembered with hand crafted artisan cocktails and espresso served from our custom made vintage-style teardrop trailer bar. We collaborate with each couple to develop a cocktail menu that reflects their tastes or to recreate their favorites using fresh seasonal ingredients, either grown in our garden or sourced locally whenever possible.
Based in Sonoma County 707.328.2132 • libationsunlimited.com
A glamorous boutique in Northern Larkspur will delight your imagination, offering classic and sophisticated bridal gowns hand made in Marin, as well as a variety of exquisite New York formalwear. Golden drapery, fine handcrafted designer headpieces, stunning jewelry, and tall ornate mirrors invoke the moods of grace and elegance while you find the perfect accessory to adorn your gown.
1108 Magnolia Avenue • Larkspur, CA 415.948.8552 • HelloGorgeousSF.com
SKINCARE AND WAXING
“Here comes the bride” is everything. Let ENCY send you down the aisle with beautiful and radiant skin. Whether your wedding is in two months or twelve, we will perfect your skin and brows. In addition to professional treatments, we offer complimentary check-ins to ensure that you are in tiptop shape for your big day. Don’t forget the entourage and groom too!
328 Pine Street • Sausalito, CA 415.324.7151 • encyesthetics.com
Surrounded by the iconic San Francisco city skyline, ONDINE offers a unique setting to frame your lasting memories. A perfect place for your majestic evening wedding or champagne brunch. We offer the highest standard in full service events. Call our experts today, they will walk you through every detail.
558 Bridgeway, 2nd Floor • Sausalito, CA 415.331.1133 • ondinesausalito.com
Make your wedding or reception one to remember at Dominican University of California. Centrally located in a stunning historical neighborhood in San Rafael, our campus offers unique architecture and tranquil grounds to compliment your special day. Contact our event specialists to start planning your dream wedding.
50 Acacia Avenue • San Rafael, CA 415.485.3228 • dominican.edu/weddings
Classic, Romantic, Modern, Vintage. At her gallery and workshop in downtown Mill Valley, jewelry designer Janet Alix uses recycled gold, platinum, and ethical gemstones to design custom rings from the simple to the sophisticated. High ceilings with slow-moving fans, old wooden floors and beautiful display cases make this romantic showroom a delightful place to find the ring of your dreams.
55 Throckmorton Avenue • Mill Valley, CA 415.380.0880 • alixandcompany.com
The Spinnaker banquet facility is located on the water in historic Sausalito. The banquet room and its outdoor deck boast scenic views of the San Francisco Bay, Angel Island, Belvedere and Sausalito waterfront. The room can accommodate up to 160 people for a seated or buffet meal with dance floor, DJ/band and bar setup. Our banquet staff would be happy to work with you to plan a unique and memorable event.
100 Spinnaker Drive • Sausalito, CA 415.332.1572 • thespinnaker.com
Almond & Co.
Altman Siegel Gallery
Anthony Meier Fine Arts
Berggruen Gallery
Blum & Poe
Casati Gallery
Cristina Grajales Gallery
Crown Point Press
David Gill Gallery
David Kordansky Gallery
David Zwirner
Edward Cella Art+Architecture
Fraenkel Gallery
Friedman Benda Gagosian
Galerie Chantal Crousel
Galerie Chastel Maréchal
Gavin Brown’s enterprise
Gladstone Gallery
Haines Gallery
Hosfelt Gallery
Hostler Burrows
James Cohan
Jason Jacques Gallery
Jessica Silverman Gallery
kurimanzutto
Lebreton
Lévy Gorvy
Luhring Augustine
MACCARONE
Magen H Gallery
Marian Goodman Gallery
Matthew Marks Gallery
Nicholas Kilner
Pace Gallery
Patrick Parrish Gallery
Paul Kasmin Gallery
R & Company
Ratio 3
Reform/The Landing
Sadie Coles HQ
Stuart Shave/Modern Art
Tanya Bonakdar Gallery
Twentieth/THE NEW Gallery
Volume Gallery
THE LATEST LOCAL TRAVEL DEALS AND GETAWAYS PLUS JOURNEYS AROUND THE GLOBE
The Napa and Sonoma wine country region’s shops, restaurants and businesses are ready for your next visit. Read on to discover the latest places to sip and savor.
BY DANIEL MANGIN
This phrase may well evolve into a major Napa Valley theme for 2018 thanks to two popular wine bars with an international focus that opened last year. A gallery tasting room and two spanking new lodgings aim to broaden your visual palette as well
• STREET CRED Two sommeliers with impeccable cred cooked up Compline, a combo wine bar, shop and restaurant (gourmet comfort food) in downtown Napa. Master sommelier Matt Stamp’s globally oriented wine classes draw beginners, collectors and professionals. complinewine.com
•
Sommelier Toby DeVore and wife Lisa opened The Saint wine bar inside the stone-walled 1890 Bank of St. Helena building. Comparative tastings might include a Napa cab or dolcetto alongside its French or Italian equivalent. thesaintnapavalley.com
• BEAUTIFULLY OLD-FASHIONED
Cabernet sauvignons poured at Acumen Wine Gallery in downtown Napa come from Atlas Peak appellation grapes.
These beautifully crafted old-fashioned Napa Valley wines more than live up to the swank gallery/lounge setting. acumenwine.com
• FIT FOR THE KING
The Castellucci family strives to provide the ultimate luxury experience — at $1,000-plus per night — at the Ink House, a lavishly renovated 1885 Italianate in St. Helena. Elvis slept here in 1960, but Graceland this definitely isn’t. inkhousenapavalley.com
• ARBOR LIGHTS The haute-boutique Archer Hotel Napa’s entryway mimics a grape arbor, one among many Napa-centric flourishes throughout the five-story structure. Views of the valley itself unfold from the rooftop restaurant and bar. Chef Charlie Palmer does the food. archerhotel.com/napa
The recent Northern California wildfires affected all five of the Napa and Sonoma wineries profiled in our story “Little Pieces of Paradise” (October issue). Below are brief post-fire updates.
Tom Eddy Winery “Huddling in a truck with 80-mile-an-hour winds and a firestorm around you, you get to know your neighbors really well,” says the Calistoga winery’s namesake owner, who lost a building, infrastructure and several wine lots in the Tubbs Fire. tomeddywinery.com
Tres Sabores Owner Julie Johnson says her St. Helena winery and home “would have been toast” if not for “incessant bombardments” of water and flame retardant to aid firefighters battling the Nuns Fire in wooded, precipitous Mayacamas Mountains terrain. tressabores.com
Zialena The Pocket Fire forced the Geyserville winery to close for a week, but owner Lisa Mazzoni feels con fident the 2017 vintage su ffered no smoke damage. “Business is definitely down,” she says, “but we’re optimistic that tra ffic will be back to normal soon.” zialena.com
Lasseter Family Winery On its swift and capricious path through Glen Ellen the Nuns Fire destroyed all the fences surrounding the property, but vintners Nancy and John Lasseter "feel blessed" their winery and vineyards were spared. lasseterfamilywinery.com
Westwood Estate For more than a week winemaker Ben Cane had no idea whether Westwood’s Annadel Gap Vineyard in Santa Rosa had survived the Nuns Fire. It had. Cane theorizes that high winds preceding the fire coated the unharvested grenache and counoise with heavy dust that protected the grapes from smoke damage. westwoodwine.com
BY THE NUMBERS “I’ll never take clean air for granted again,” posted Kellie Fuller on her Facebook page after a mid-October rainstorm ended a week and a half of fire-induced unhealthy-to-hazardous air-quality ratings. Well before the fires were contained, Fuller and other Napa residents volunteered at what evolved into the Community #NapaStrong pop-up store, which like the Healdsburg Free Store in Sonoma County and others elsewhere distributed free donated clothing, housewares and other items to people displaced by the fires. Two takeaways from the fires, says Stephani Stephenson, the Napa pop-up’s lead volunteer, are that “we need to be better prepared to evacuate quickly” in an emergency, but if tragedy strikes “your community has your back.” By itself the Tubbs Fire, which spanned from Calistoga to Santa Rosa, was the most destructive fire in California history in terms of structures lost (5,643); it was the third deadliest in terms of lives lost (22). Below are a few other fire-related numbers as of early November.
10 days of “unhealthy” to “hazardous” air-quality ratings
44 lives lost (Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino)
1,000-plus animals saved at Santa Rosa’s Safari West wildlife sanctuary
40,000 pounds of clothing donated to Community #NapaStrong pop-up store
$23,490,100 collected by Redwood Credit Union North Bay Relief Fund so far
$2.6 billion Sonoma County insured property losses
TUESDAYS Tuesday Night Comedy Funnies
Asian Art Museum
Philippine Art This unprecedented exhibition is one of the firt in the U.S. to present Philippine art from the precolonial period to the present, through March 11 (SF). 415.581.3711, asianart.org
THRU JAN 7 Aladdin Disney Theatrical Productions and SHN present the acclaimed Broadway adaptation of the beloved tale of genies and magic carpets. Colorful costumes, opulent sets and wellloved songs make this musical a must-see. Orpheum Theatre (SF). 888.746.1799, shnsf.com
THRU JAN 13 A Christmas Story: The Musical The hilarious childhood holiday tale of triple-dog dares, department store Santas, Christmas themes and more. San Francisco Playhouse (SF). sfplayhouse.org
JAN 3–28 In Event of Moon Disaster Mugwumpin presents the world premiere of In
Event of Moon Disaster, an immersive experience centering on space exploration and the watchful nature of the moon. Z Below (SF). 415.626.0453, mugwumpin.org
JAN 10–FEB 4 The Birthday Party In Harold Pinter’s famed play, two strangers arrive in an
undisturbed English seaside town to make a slew of surreal inquiries about the sole tenant of a run-down boardinghouse — piano player Stanley — just in time for his birthday party. A.C.T.’s Geary Theater (SF). 415.749.2228, act-sf.org
An evening of hilarity with comedians who make us laugh and think. Throckmorton Theatre (Mill Valley). 415.383.9600, throck mortontheatre.org
JAN 27 Eddie B Houston native Eddie B brings the Teachers Only Tour to San Francisco. The unique stand-up event spotlights the struggles and hilarious reality of teaching, as relayed by B, who is a teacher himself. The War field (SF). 415.345.0900, the war fieldtheatre.com
JAN 6 Steelin' Dan Steely Dan’s innumerable hits are brought to life by Northern California’s award-winning Steely Dan tribute band, a 10-piece group of seasoned musicians. Sweetwater Music Hall (Mill Valley). 415.388.3850, sweet watermusichall.com
JAN 6 Baroque + Jazz = Sax Fusion Enjoy selections from Bach and Gershwin, along with new arrangements, as performed by this premier jazz quartet. First Presbyterian Church (San Anselmo). 415.497.6634, marin baroque.org
JAN 14 Claremont Trio
The piano trio is joined by special guest Harumi Rhodes for an evening of communicative performances featuring “Four Andean Songs,” by Gabriela Lena Frank. Mount Tamalpais United Methodist Church (Mill Valley). 415.381.4453, chamber musicmillvalley.org
JAN 20 Wild Child
Take a trip back to the 1960s: Dave Brock’s Doors Experience seeks to re-create a live Doors concert onstage. Sweetwater Music Hall (Mill Valley). 415.388.3850, sweet watermusichall.com
JAN 27 Los Pinguos
This Buenos Aires–born band gets its inspiration from the Beatles, using Spanish guitars and harmonizing vocals to create
joyful music. Osher Marin JCC (San Rafael). 415.444.8000, marinjcc.org
JAN 27 Meow Meow
From Piazzolla tangos to Brecht, Radiohead, Patty Gri ffi n and originals, this singer’s repertoire, vocal prowess and emotional depth make for a truly unique performance. Davies Symphony Hall (SF). 415.864.6000, sf symphony.org
JAN 30 Marin Symphony Masterworks 2: Passion Maestro Alasdair Neale and the orchestra perform Pulitzer Prize winner Kevin Puts’ dazzling orchestration, some Mozart with the remarkable young pianist David Fung and Dvořák’s 7th Symphony. Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.473.6800, marinsymphony.org
MARIN Bay Area Discovery Museum Imagine, create and transform while exploring the unique museum’s ongoing exhibits (Sausalito). 415.339.3900, bay kidsmuseum.org
Bolinas Museum Vertigo: People Doing Crazy Things at Great Heights Photographs from the collection of Robert Flynn Johson, January 20–April 1.. (Bolinas). 415.868.0330, bolinasmuseum.org
Marin Museum of Contemporary Art Contemporary Landscape A national juried exhibition featuring works in all mediums, through January 7 (Novato).
415.506.0137, marin moca.org
BAY AREA Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive Miyoko Ito Surrealist and pop-inflected iconography, through January 28 (Berkeley). 510.642.0808, bampfa.org
California Academy of Sciences Twilight Zone: Deep Reefs Revealed Explore the unknown expanses of the coral reefs alongside scientists who show off new and rare species found there; many have never been displayed in a public aquarium (SF). 415.379.8000, calacademy.org
Contemporary Jewish Museum Sabbath: The 2017 Dorothy Saxe Invitational Artists from a variety of backgrounds are given the opportunity to delve into the Jewish tradition with an exploration of the Sabbath. All works are for sale, through February 25 (SF). 415.655.7800, thecjm.org
de Young Teotihuacan: City of Water, City of Fire The de Young presents the firt major exhibition in the U.S. in over 20 years on the ancient metropolis of Teotihuacan — located in Mexico, and one of the largest and most important archaeological sites in the world — featuring more than 200 artifacts and artworks from the site, through February 11 (SF). 415.750.3600, deyoung.famsf.org
to make driving safer, as well as innovative alternative fuel options. McEnery Convention Center (San Jose). 408.437.7557, svautoshow.com
JAN 15–MAR 31 S.F.
Botanical Garden’s Magnificent Magnolia Bloom offers a chance to enjoy a cacophony of pink and white blossoms as they, too, welcome the new year. sfbotanical garden.org
JAN 12–15 Experience one of nature’s favorite delicacies at the Napa Truffle Festival, where the foraged fungus is enhanced through seminars, meals and (of course) mushroom hunts. napatrufflefestival.com
JAN 18 Fresh
Starts Chef Events: Joanne Weir Co-owner of Sausalito’s Copita, Joanne Weir leads students in crafting a delicious midwinter Moroccan menu that will have you thinking of brighter days. cooking schoolsofamerica.com
JAN 25–FEB 18
In Skeleton Crew, audiences are transported to Detroit at the start of the Great Recession, as workers at one of the last auto stamping plants contemplate their next steps should the business go under. marintheatre.org
5JAN 21 Grab the music lovers in your life for An Evening with George Winston — the storied pianist brings his stylings to Mill Valley for one night only. Audiences are invited to provide a donation of canned food in support of local food banks. throckmortontheatre.org
Exploratorium Ongoing interactive exhibits exploring science, art and human perception (SF). 415.397.5673, exploratorium.edu
Legion of Honor Gods in Color: Polychromy Around the World A look at colorful ancient sculptures from all over the world that do not subscribe to the allwhite “classical” ideal, through January 7 (SF). 415.750.3600, legionof honor.famsf.org
Museum of Craft and Design Architectural Pavilions: Experiments and Artifacts Digital and handmade pavilions (freestanding structures) from local, national and international artists, through January 7 (SF). 415.773.0303, sfmcd.org
Oakland Museum of California Question Bridge: Black Males An immersive exhibition of intimate videos — woven together and arranged to simulate face-to-face conversations between participants — among a diverse group of over 160 black men across the United States, through February 25 (Oakland). 510.318.8400, museumca.org
SFMOMA Robert Rauschenberg: Erasing the Rules A major retrospective featuring an array of works from the artist’s six-decade career, through March 25 (SF). 415.357.4000, sfmoma.org
Sonoma Valley Museum of Art Forge and Stone: Works by Contemporary California Women Sculptors, through January 7 (Sonoma). svma.org
The Walt Disney Family Museum Looking Inward: Painting a Journey Artwork from a unique outreach project centered around artmaking activities for underserved seniors, many of whom live with memory disorders, through January 8 (SF). 415.345.6800, waltdisney.org
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Space Brainz –Yerba Buena 3000 An instillation from Damon Rich and Jae Shin, through January 28 (SF). 415.978.2787, ybca.org
JAN 4–7 Silicon Valley Auto Show Hundreds of the latest cars, crossovers, SUVs, trucks and more are available for viewing — and driving. The Silicon Valley Auto Show features the latest innovations designed
JAN 11 Heart of Marin Awards Join the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership for its annual event honoring local leaders and their causes. Marin Center Exhibit Hall (San Rafael). 415.479.5710, cvnl.org
JAN 27–28 Golden Gate Kennel Club Dog Show Dog lovers are invited to get to know hundreds of varieties of dogs at this rare benched show (one of only three in the nation that offers a chance to meet the canines) featuring more than 175 breeds. Cow Palace (SF). golden gatekennelclub.com
JAN 27–31 Tosca Enjoy Puccini’s tale of love, terror and abuse of power, with a spiraling cast of characters including escaped prisoners, artists, secret police and more, as performed by the Metropolitan Opera — all from the comfort of your Larkspur theater seat. Lark Theater (Larkspur). 415.924.5111, lark theater.net
ONGOING First Tuesday ArtWalk Join the Mill Valley Arts Commission’s monthly stroll through town to view exhibits by local artists. Various locations (Mill Valley). cityofmill valley.org
ONGOING Free First Wednesdays Visit the Bay Area Discovery Museum the firt Wednesday of the month for an outing full of exploration and fun. Bay Area Discovery Museum (Sausalito). 415.339.3900, baykids museum.org
ONGOING Sunday Hikes on Mount Tam Cap off your weeend with a three- to fiemile group hike up Mount Tamalpais, led by a Friends of Mount Tam volunteer. Various locations (Mill Valley). 415.258.2410, friends ofmttam.org
THRU JAN 15 Safeway Ice Rink Welcome the holidays with a turn around this city-centric rink, back for its 10th year. The glittering windows of Macy’s and a towering tree make a seasonal skate in San Francisco a can’t-miss activity. Union Square (SF). unionsquareice rink.com
JAN 7 Mushrooms at Indian Valley Head to the lush forests of the Indian Valley preserve to seek out a variety of mushrooms, all the while learning about the important role fungi play in Marin’s ecosystem. College of Marin (Novato). 415.893.9508, marin countyparks.org
JAN 8 Marin Speaker Series: Theresa Payton The fi rst female to serve as White House chief information officer brings her knowledge in the field of internet security, data breaches and fraud mitigation to Marin. Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael).
415.473.6800, speaker series.net
JAN 17 Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project Nursery and Field Operations Manager Christina McWhorter discusses the development of the Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project, along with a bit about the plant and animal life in the wetlands and the numerous opportunities for citizen science. Public Library (Novato). 415.473.2050
JAN 19 Maggie Nelson Renowned non fiction writer, poet and critic Maggie Nelson comes to San Francisco to discuss her works with Julia Bryan-Wilson, a professor in the Department of History of Art at UC Berkeley. Nourse Theater (SF). 415.392.4400, cityarts.net
JAN 25 Dave Eggers and Mokhtar Alkhanshali Bay Area author Dave Eggers heads to the Nourse to discuss his latest book, The Monk of Mokha, a true story that weaves historical threads with the courageous journey of Mokhtar Alkhanshali, a Muslim and a U.S. citizen — with Alkhanshali himself in attendance for the talk. Nourse Theater (SF). 415.392.4400, cityarts.net
As the second-youngest of 11 children, Emmy Award–winning comedian Louie Anderson knows a bit about family dynamics. Now, more than 20 years after publishing his best-selling memoir Dear Dad: Letters from an Adult Child — which chronicles the struggles of growing up with an alcoholic father, through unsent letters written after his death — Anderson is bringing the material to life with a one-man show January 10–14 at A.C.T.’s The Strand. act-sf.org
MM: What was your original goal when you first began writing letters to your dad?
LA: I had no intention for the letters to be a book. I was just writing out my thoughts and emotions to my father, getting them down in letter form because I couldn’t do it in person, as he had died 10 years earlier.
MM: Does translating Dear Dad into a stage format require any shifts in tone?
LA: Well, we will see; this is a true work in progress. I plan on letting it all hang out at The Strand. I have the book to fall back on but I’m a (very large) bird on a wire, hoping to make it across and back on that wire, all without a net.
MM: What did you learn about yourself through this writing process?
LA: What I learned, and am learning, is that I’m at once a 64-year-old and a 10-year-old. And that there’s no such thing as one-sided correspondence if you believe somebody is listening — even if that somebody is yourself.
Station House Cafe owner Sheryl Cahill opened Side Street Kitchen. Inspired by classic French rotisseries and popular fast casual spots, chef Aaron Wright serves wholesome yet light fare with a focus on rotisserie chicken. Other early favorites include a grain and beet salad with radishes, kale and avocado and a BLT made with house-cured Niman Ranch pork belly served on ciabatta bread. The airy space features a diner counter, and is designed for quick service or take out. Another plus? It’s dog friendly.
WHO Sheryl Cahill of Side Street Kitchen
WHAT A new rotisserie in West Marin
WHERE Point Reyes Station 60 Fourth Street, 415.663.0303, sidestreet-prs.com b $$ S Í LD º
MARIN JOE’S Italian
This Marin mainstay has been around for over 50 years. Choose from a menu of soups, salads, seafood, mesquite-grilled or sautéed meats and a plethora of pasta options. For a fun addition to your dining experience, order the Caesar salad — the server will prepare the dressing at your table. Not looking for a meal? Enjoy a drink and hear local musicians at the well-known piano bar. 1585 Casa Buena Dr, 415.924.2081, marin joesrestaurant.com s $$ S C LD
123 BOLINAS California
Created by four friends wanting to showcase seasonal fare in a relaxing, intimate environment, this cozy, one-room eatery offers locally brewed beer, small-production wines and seasonal food along with the view of Bolinas Park through the floorto-ceiling windows. 123 Bolinas St, 415.488.5123, 123bolinas.com b $$ S Í D º
Japanese Lucky for Fairfax, beloved former Sushi Ran chef Scott Whitman and talented Marin-based restaurateur partners have opened an Izakaya — a Japanese style community pub — on Bolinas Street. In this compact space you’l l fi nd maki rolls and skewers, plus sake and craft beers. Closed Tuesdays. 19 Bolinas Road, 415.521.5790, villagesake.com b $$$ Í D
FARMSHOP California
Located in the Marin Country Mart since 2013, Farmshop Marin has quickly become a top spot here in the county. Indoor and outdoor seating available.
Marin Country Mart, 2233 Larkspur Landing Circle, 415.755.6700, farmshopca.com s $$$ S Í C LD BR
FISHER’S CHEESE + WINE
American Marin Country Mart gets a new cheese-inspired restaurant and retail shop by Kiri Fisher. Expect a unique selection of fromage and wine as well as hot dishes like meatballs with creamed kale. 2201 Larkspur Landing Circle, 415.779.2201 fisherscheese.com b $$ Í LD BR
MARIN BREWING CO.
American Grab a cold beer made on site and pair it wit h fi sh ’n’ chips — in this case fresh cod dipped in Mt. Tam pale ale batter, served with steak fries and homemade tartar sauce — or another item from the all-American menu.
Marin Country Mart, 1809 Larkspur Landing Circle, 415.461.4677, marinbrewing.com b $$ S Í LD º
PERRY’S American The San Francisco mainstay has a location across the bridge in Larkspur, bringing with it its wide selection of salads, steaks and comfort favorites like French onion soup. Replacing the Lark Creek Inn, the skylights bring in plenty of natural light and an expanded bar is ideal for sipping the
restaurant’s famed bloody mary’s. Valet parking is offered and brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays. 234 Magnolia Ave, 415.927.1877, perryssf.com s $$ LD º
RUSTIC BAKERY
California This homegrown bakery is known and loved the world over. In fact, Pope Francis famously requested Rustic Baker y fl atbread and crostini when he visited the United States in 2015. Bread that’s baked fresh each morning in addition to granola, cookies, mu ffi ns and croissants make this a local staple. 1139 Magnolia Ave, 415.925.1556; 2017 Larkspur Landing Circle, 415.461.9900, rusticbakery.com b $$ S Í BLD BR
BALBOA CAFE MILL
VALLEY California The San Francisco institution has become a place to see and be seen in Mill Valley, especially after 142 Throckmorton comedy nights. Menu
includes Niman fl atiron steak, braised beef brisket risotto and classic burgers. 38 Miller Ave, 415.381.7321, balboacafe.com s $$$ Í LD BR º
BUCKEYE ROADHOUSE
American Oysters
Bingo, baby back ribs and Chili-Lime “Brick” Chicken are a few of the satisfying, comfort-food menu items that have made this classic roadhouse a favorite since the ’30s. The warm, dark-wood bar with red leather booths is a popular spot for cocktails, conversations or a light meal. 15 Shoreline Hwy, 415.331.2600, buckeyeroadhouse.com s $$ C LD BR
BUNGALOW 44
American One of Mill Valley’s neighborhood hot spots, featuring contemporary California comfort food, signature cocktails, fi ne wine, and one-dollar oysters from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. every day. 44 E. Blithedale Ave, 415.381.2500, bungalow44.com s $$$ S Í C D
• SORELLA CAFFE
Italian Run by sisters Sonia and Soyara, Sorella serves Italian food with a northern influence. Favorites include butternut squash ravioli and Pollo alla Sorella. Stop by for live music every second and fourth Thursday of the month. 107 Bolinas Road, 415.258.4520, sorellacaffe.com b $$$ S D
EL PASEO American
Todd Shoberg is joining the team as executive chef at this awardwinning eatery in the heart of downtown Mill Valley. Built from Mount Tam railroad ties and brick in 1947, El Paseo was restored by owner Sammy Hagar in 2009. Now boasting a full liquor license, the new Passage Bar and a new chef at the helm, this Marin gem is ready to rock. 17 Throckmorton Ave, 415.388.0741, elpaseomillvalley.com s $$$ Í C D
This 6,000-squarefoot eatery is centered around the in-house olive press, which produces a special blend popular with locals. For special occasions and private parties, reserve the olive-press room. The popular weekday happy hour starts at 4:30 p.m. 152 Shoreline Hwy, 415.289.5777, frantoio.com s $$$ Í C LD º
HARMONY Chinese
Enjoy a lighter take on Chinese at this
restaurant, nestled in the Strawberry Village. The barbecue pork bun is fi lled with housemade roasted meat in a savory sauce, and signature prawns are wok seared with scallions. Pair your pick with wine, beer or tea and be sure to check out the weekday takeout lunch special. Strawberry Village, 415.381.5300, harmony restaurantgroup.com b $$ S LD
PIATTI RISTORANTE AND BAR Italian The staff rides itself on capturing the warm and welcoming atmosphere of a traditional Italian trattoria. Get a table by the window or on the outdoor deck for a truly exceptional view right on the water. Peruse the impressive selection of Italian wines to accompany your rustic seasonal meal. 625 Redwood Hwy, 415.380.2525, piatti.com s $$ S Í C LD BR
PIAZZA D’ANGELO Italian Family owned for over 35 years, Piazza D’Angelo evokes a traditional trattoria dining experience. Enjoy a
variety of house made pastas, meat and seafood dishes, wood fi red pizzas, and gluten free offerings with organic and locally sourced ingredients. 22 Miller Ave, 415.388.2000, piazzadangelo.com s $$ S Í C LD BR º
SHORELINE COFFEE SHOP American Tucked away in a parking lot at Tam Junction, this coffee shop is a funky diner with a smalltown feel. Check out the mix of Mexican and traditional breakfast fare. 221 Shoreline Hwy, 415.388.9085 b $$ S Í BL BR
TAMALPIE Italian Owner Karen Goldberg designed this restaurant with a large group seating area, indoor and outdoor fi replaces, and a small casual bar. The food is Italian home cooking with the daily modern inspiration of locally sourced seasonal ingredients found in the salads, house-made pastas and crispy Neapolitan style pizza, with a selection of beer and wine to match. 477 Miller Ave, 415.388.7437, tamalpiepizza.com s $$ S Í C LD
THE WHISK + SKILLET
American This daytime eatery in Strawberry Village serves all-day breakfast and lunch with plenty of egg options to choose from and Equator coffee to boot. Lunch options include soups, sandwiches and salads. 125 Strawberry Village, 415.380.1900, whiskandskillet.com b $$ BL
HOPMONK TAVERN
American The beer
garden–styled outdoor patio and live music is what keeps fans coming back to this Novato brewhouse. Weekly events include country line dancing and open mic nights with an ample selection of beers on tap to wash it all down. 224 Vintage Way, 415.892.6200 hopmonk.com s $$ S Í C LD
RUSTIC BAKERY
California Organic pastries, breads, salads and sandwiches are on the menu here, including daily seasonal specials. Try the Marin Melt — Cowgirl Creamery’s Mt. Tam and Point Reyes Toma cheeses grilled on honey whole wheat, served with dressed baby greens and crisp apple slices. 1407 Grant Ave, 415.878.4952, rusticbakery.com b $$ S Í BLD BR
COMFORTS CAFE
American Established in 1986, Comforts has a cozy sit-down patio and serves breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch. A large take-out section offers fresh bakery items, seasonal salads, soups, sandwiches and even entrees for dinner at home. Besides the famous and popular Chinese chicken salad, other winners are the stu ffed pecan-crusted French toast , fl avorful scrambles, Chicken Okasan ( nicknamed “Crack Chicken” by fans) and wonton soup. 335 San Anselmo Ave, 415.454.9840, comfortscafe.com b $$ S Í BL BR
Italian There’s a new pizza partnership to celebrate in
San Anselmo. Pat Townsley and Chef Janet Abrahamson have reinvented the old True North Restaurant and turned it into a 40-tap draft and pizza slinging saloon with salads, sammies and pies. 638 San Anselmo Ave, 415.785.4450 creeksidesa.com b $$ S D º
SUSHI 69 Japanese Opened in 2001 in San Anselmo, Sushi 69 has been a favorite for locals looking to get thei r fi ll on no frills sushi. The owner hails from Japan and has created an extensive menu featuring traditional tempura and the popular Hiro’s roll (spicy tuna with avocado, salmon and ponzu sauce wrapped in sushi rice). 69 Center Blvd, 415.459.6969, shallwego69.com b $$ Í D
TACO JANE’S Mexican
Taco Jane’s new full bar features a robust tequila and mezcal selection. Its regional
Mexican cuisine includes Oaxacan mole, fi sh tacos and vegetarian options. Black Gold salsa arrives with complimentary chips and is created using charred blackened tomatoes and roasted chilis. Live music Thursdays and enclosed patio seating all year round and happy hour from 4:30 to 6, Monday through Friday. 21 Tamalpais Ave, 415.454.6562, tacojanes.com s $$ S Í LD BR
RISTORANTE
Italian Family owned and operated since 1985, La Toscana has completed an interior and exterior renovation, transforming an already popular San Rafael spot into a place for any occasion. The menu features classics like gnocchi and carbonara. 3751 Redwood Hwy, 415.492.9100, ristorantelatoscana.com s $$$ S Í C LD º
• SCOMA’S OF SAUSALITO Italian The Scoma’s boat fishes seasonally, going out from Pier 47 and is approved for salmon and Dungeness crab resulting in fresh catches year-round. The menu regularly features whole crabs, chowders, grilled fish and house specialties. 588 Bridgeway, 415.332.9551, scomas sausalito.com s $$ C LD
RANGE CAFE American
With floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the grand Peacock Gap lawns, the Range Cafe is the perfect place for comforting American classics with an elegant twist. This inviting lunchtime cafe with its ice-cold lemonade and refreshing chardonnays makes a great dinner spot once the sun sets. 333 Biscayne Dr, 415.454.6450, rangecafe.net s $$ S Í C BLD º
URBAN REMEDY Juice
With delicious juices, snacks and bowls including plenty of gluten-free, grain-free, and low-glycemic-index choices, this is a popular spot. Raw desserts round things out. Try the vegan Caesar salad or give the cashew milk with cinnamon and vanilla a shot to see what Urban Remedy is all about. 1904 Fourth St, 415.786.8011, urbanremedy.com $$ Í BLD
VIN ANTICO American
Vin Antico, “where passion meets the plate,” serves seasonal marketinspired cuisine like stone-oven-baked fl atbreads, handmade pastas and organic salads, all innovatively prepared. The kitchen is open to the dining room and there’s a full bar with artisan cocktails. 881 Fourth St, 415.721.0600, vinantico.com s $$ S C LD º
ANGELINO RESTAURANT Italian
An authentic Italian restaurant with handmade pastas and seasonal antipasti, showcasing cuisine of the Campania region for over 20 years. 621 Bridgeway, 415.331.5225, angelino restaurant.com s $$$ S BLD
COPITA Mexican Chef Joanne Weir serves up fresh Mexican fare in the heart of downtown
Sausalito. The everchanging menu is gluten-free, and the in-house tequila bar offers over 100 varieties and fantastic cocktails. Dine at the bar or on the outdoor patio for great people-watching. 739 Bridgeway, 415.331.7400, copitarestaurant.com s $$ S Í LD BR
MURRAY CIRCLE American Cavallo Point’s acclaimed restaurant features local seasonal fare by executive chef Justin Everett, with pairings from an extensive wine list and tempting desserts. Stop by Farley Bar for cocktails with a view. 601 Murray Circle, 415.339.4750, cavallopoint.com s $$$ S Í C BLD BR
POGGIO Italian Executive chef Benjamin Balesteri creates Northern Italian fare using fresh and local ingredients. Private dining rooms above the restaurant can accommodate larger parties (10 to 150 guests). 777 Bridgeway, 415.332.7771, poggiotratoria.com s $$$ S Í C BLD
SEAFOOD PEDDLER RESTAURANT AND FISH MARKET Seafood The fi sh is bought daily from loca l fi sherman and recipes are adjusted to incorporate the freshest catch. 303 Johnson St, 415.332.1492, seafoodpeddler.com s $$$ S Í LD BR º
street favorites like Sriracha wings, pad Thai and barbecued meats. 1001 Bridgeway, 415.331.8007 thai tanicstreetfood.com $$ S Í LD
THE TRIDENT Seafood Set in a turn-of-thecentury building constructed for the San Francisco Yacht Club, this waterfront restaurant is a shoe-in for date night. The restaurant, a famous 1970s hangout, is now known for supporting local farmers, fi sherman and organic food producers. 558 Bridgeway, 415.331.3232, the tridentsausalito.com s $$$ S Í LD BR º
CAPRICE California Book the private party room for large groups or just relax in this romantic dinner spot. Take advantage of the restaurant’s wellpriced three-course dinners for less than $30, and don’t miss prime rib Mondays. 2000 Paradise Dr, 415.435.3400, thecaprice.com s $$$ D
Located in Tiburon’s Ark Row, this trattoria serves authentic Italian cuisine in a quaint setting. Traditional selections include chicken piccata, veal marsala and housemade pesto. 114 Main St, 415.435.0400, donantoniotrattoria.com b $$ D
THAITANIC STREET FOOD Thai Sausalito gets a new Thai spot from the owners of My Thai in San Rafael and Novato. The nautical-themed restaurant offers Bangkok
LUNA BLU Sicilian
Executive chef Renzo Azzarello and his wife, Crystal, serve English afternoon tea (a special service by reservation only). The
menu changes daily, incorporating seasonal, fresh and organic produce. The restaurant has partnered with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, so all the seafood is sustainable. In 2014 diners voted Luna Blu one of the Top 100 Neighborhood Gem restaurants in America. 35 Main St, 415.789.5844
s $$$ S Í LD
MILANO Italian Located in the Cove Shopping Center, this familyowned neighborhood spot is known for its pasta and friendly service. Favorites like the cheesy garlic bread and pesto keep customers coming back. 1 Blackfield Dr, 415.388.9100
s $$ S Í LD
American Sit outside or in at this casual cafe. On a sunny morning, the place is fi lled with locals enjoying the sun and extensive breakfast menu; lunch is served as well. 1696 Tiburon Blvd, 415.435.4315
S Í BL
RUSTIC BAKERY
California This location of the beloved bakery offers the same menu as the other locations as well as outdoor dining. Enjoy a wide selection of fresh salads, sandwiches and pastries on the boardwalk . 1550 Tiburon Blvd, 415.797.6123, rusticbakery.com
b $$ S C BLD BR
SALT & PEPPER
American This sunfi lled one-room restaurant, featuring hardwood floors and blue-checkered tablecloths, is an area favorite. Popular items include scallops, rib-eye
steak, a beef burger and traditional crab cakes with jalapeño dipping sauce. 38 Main St, 415.435.3594
b S Í LD
SAM’S ANCHOR CAFE
American The updated menu at this seaside institution features local organic produce and sustainably sourced meats and fi sh. Chef Robert Taylor, formerly of Farallon, has curated an oyster list for the raw bar menu and a fresh cocktail list to boot. 27 Main St, 415.435.4527, samscafe.com s $$$ S Í C LD BR º
Italian Chef and owner Angelo Servino highlights organic ingredients in an array of rustic Italian dishes, including house-made pastas, wood oven pizzas, and seasonal specialties. Located on the bay in Tiburon, Servino also prides itself on itsextensive sustainable seafood program. Savor la dolce vita on the waterfront patio. 9 Main St, 415.435.2676, servino.com
s $$$ S Í C LD BR º
TIBURON TAVERN
California The atmosphere here is enhanced by two outdoor patios, two indoor fi replaces and fresh flowers. Happy hour is 3 to 6:30 p.m. every day. 1651 Tiburon Blvd, 415.435.5996, lodgeattiburon.com
s $$ S Í C BLD BR º
NICK’S COVE American Nick’s Cove offers a coastal escape on Tomales Bay, serving famous barbecued local oysters, Dungeness crab mac ’n’ cheese
and cocktails using home-grown ingredients. Large windows restaurant provide picturesque views of Tomales Bay and Hog Island. (Marshall). 23240 Hwy 1, 415.663.1033, nickscove.com s $$$ S Í C LD BR
OSTERIA STELLINA
California Whether it’s to cap off a ay of hiking or celebrate a romantic anniversary, Osteria Stellina suits any occasion. The menu is Italian-inspired and features local, organic ingredients. If you’re up for something unusual, try the goat shoulder, a hit with both tourists and locals (Point Reyes). 11285 Hwy 1, 415.663.9988, osteriastellina.com b $$ S LD
American Perfect for a sit-down alfresco meal or for grabbing a burger to enjoy on the beach. Beautiful patio garden seating, ocean views, and private wood-fi red dinners make this café a relaxing retreat. If you’re on the go, check out the market and bakery. Choose from an array of organic, locally grown produce, artisan meats and wild seafood (Stinson). 43 Arenal Ave, 415.868.1272, parksidecafe.com s $$$ S Í C BLD
American Known for live music and an extensive menu featuring everything from crispy calamari to braised lamb shanks, Rancho Nicasio is open seven days a week. Be sure to
stop in for happy hour, 4 to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday (Nicasio). 1 Old Rancheria Road, 415.662.2219, ranchonicasio.com s $$$ S Í C LD BR º
American Originally built from three barges in Tiburon in 1921, the Sand Dollar Restaurant wa s floated to Stinson that same year. Enjoy live music along with barbecued local oysters and New England clam chowder. The sunny deck is great in the afternoon (Stinson). 3458 Shoreline Hwy, 415.868.0434, stinson beachrestaurant.com s $$ S Í LD
The historic inn has reopened as a
roadhouse-style restaurant featuring rustic decor and a delicious yet a ffordable menu. Try the house-made bread and honey butter, the kale Caesar and the stu ffed quail, then come back and work your way through the entire menu (Olema). 10000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, 415.663.1034, sirandstar.com b $$ S C D
STATION HOUSE
CAFE American Fresh local homegrown foods are showcased for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Stop in on weekends (5 p.m. on Sundays) for live music and wine, beer and cocktails (Point Reyes Station). 11180 Highway 1, 415.663.1515, stationhousecafe.com s $$ S Í C BLD BR º
THE SIREN CANTEEN American/Mexican
Where in Northern California can you enjoy a taco at a restaurant nestled directly under a lifeguard tower? At The Siren Canteen of course. Opened in the summer of 2014, this smart beach shack perched on the sandy shores of Stinson serves up burritos, burgers and creamy Meyer lemon milk shakes. Though the food is solid, we think the BYOW option with a $10 corkage fee and milliondollar views is reason enough to give this shack a shout-out. 3201 Hwy 1, 415.868.1777, thesirencanteen.com b $ Í LD
AQ RESTAURANT & BAR California AQ takes seasonal to the next level, not only adapting the menu but also transforming the decor of the entire venue to match the weather outside. 1085 Mission St, 415.341.9000, aq-sf.com s $$$ Í D
BENU Asian/French Plan on a formal and sophisticated evening. The compositions on the tasting menu provide a full experience of this restaurant’s unique Asian fusion cuisine. 22 Hawthorne St, 415.685.4860, benusf.com b $$$ C D
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BOULIBAR American/ Mediterranean Head to Boulettes Larder’s bar and dining room for the savor y fl avors of spicy lamb, feta and mint or the bittersweetness of salad topped with barberries, bulgur and pomegranate, all in a setting with handsome wood tables and an open kitchen. In the evening, the dining room can readily be reserved for small private parties of up to 24 on request. The views of the Bay Bridge punctuate an unmistakably San Francisco setting. 1 Ferry Building, 415.399.1155, bouletteslarder.com s $$$ S Í C BLD BR
A fun and casual lunch spot that put s a fl avorful twist on classic
Vietnamese. Sit back in this playful space with a salad, bowl or sandwich and enjoy the stylish San Francisco vibes. 2015 Fillmore St, 415.800.7696, bunmee.com b $$ S Í LD º
DUNA Central European
After six months of running Motze, a Japanese-inspired restaurant, Nick Balla and Cortney Burns are turning their attention to tastes closer to home with Duna, a Central European, fast casual eatery. Here diners will find variety of chopped salads, spätzle, flatbreads and dips, plus some sweet endings. 983 Valencia St, 415.484.1206, duna.kitchen $$ Í D
An upscale meat lover’s mecca with a sophisticated atmosphere, Epic Steak’s bayside location delivers on all fronts. Professional service, choice cuts of prime rib and bittersweet chocolate fudge cake are among the things that keep patrons coming back. An upstairs bar is also a happy hour favorite. 369 Embarcadero, 415.369.9955, epicsteak.com s $$$ Í LD º
Brazilian This steakhouse boasts a tasting menu of 14 meat courses grilled in the traditional Brazilian method. Patrons control the pace of the pri x fi xe experience with colored signal
cards. 1686 Market St, 415.552.8792, espetus.com s $$$ S C LD
American/Japanese
An upscale diner in Oakland serving regional American food
with a Japanese in fluence. Popular items include yonsei oyster with sea urchin, salmon roe and citrus, and the First Base burger with grilled beef tongue. No time to dine in? The to-go menu features an eight-piece bucket of
fried chicken. Happy hour 3 to 5 p.m. nightly (Oakland). 1915 San Pablo Ave, 510.788.6217, hopscotchoakland.com s $$ Í LD BR º
The restaurant has opened within the last six months.
A major renovation to the restaurant or menu, or there is a new chef.
These listings are not intended to be a full review of the business, rather a quick guide to some of the most popular restaurants in the county. For more restaurant listings, visit us online at marinmagazine.com/dine
Top five volunteer opportunities this month.
➤ SaveABunny Hop to it and help with a variety of chores at this nonprofit dedicated to rescuing domestic rabbits facing euthanasia at shelters. Great for teens. saveabunny.org
Were you prepared for the tremendous response you received when you put out the call for volunteers and donations? LF: We were unprepared for how generous our community would be. We posted, and within hours we had carloads of donations pulling up. Our warehouse quickly fi lled, and we had many volunteers who sorted and delivered.
Storage graciously allowed us to store a great number of items in their facilities. DG: The next challenge was finding out who needed what, when. Once evacuees were allowed to return to their neighborhoods, their needs began to change.
➤ The Spahr Center Help the LGBTQ community stay strong, healthy and equal by donating your time and supporting Marin’s inclusive vision. thespahrcenter.org
What kind of support were you able to offer the various communities and individuals affected by the firestorms? DG: Our first call was for cots, bedding and supplies for the firefighters who had been out fighting the flames 24/7. Then churches, shelters and police stations began alerting us to the needs of families and individuals. We posted these needs to our community via Facebook, and the donations poured in. LF: We received toiletries, clothing, towels, bedding, diapers, phone chargers, pet food, etc. And most important, we were able to deliver these items quickly.
What has been your greatest challenge so far, and how did you meet it successfully? LF: Our first challenge was lack of space. Our original facility quickly over flowed with supplies, especially mattresses, bedding, etc. Johnson and Daly Moving and
As a result of the fires, the need for food assistance has soared. Help the community affected by donating to the Redwood Empire Food Bank. refb.org
FOOD BANK
You have seen tremendous support from the residents of Marin. What about the businesses — how have they supported recovery efforts? LF: Marin businesses were quick to respond. CMBS.com gave us the building to set up our operation. RAM Printing helped us create our communication pathways, signage and printing. Rustic Bakery, Harmony, Le Garage, Driver’s Market and Safe Catch donated food. Salesforce, Levis, Knoll and Compass organized donation drives. Apple, Pandora, Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant, Sleep City and Congregation Rodef Sholom are just several of many that contributed greatly.
➤ Surfrider Foundation Join the local network of coastal defenders and help protect the oceans and beaches by joining in beach cleanups. surfrider.org
➤ RotaCare Bay Area This volunteerdriven clinic is dedicated to providing free health care services to the uninsured and underinsured of Marin. Help in the clinic or be a member of the advisory council. rotacarebayarea.org
What path do you see for MarinCares in the future? LF: We intend to continue to assess and assist in times of need. MD: I hope that the support we created will motivate and inspire other communities to get involved — people can come together in times of emergency and truly help one another.
By becoming a member, you can make natureinspired solutions a reality and help teach the world to access nature’s wisdom. biomimicry.org
➤ Romberg Tiburon Center Love kids and the bay? Become a Bay Shore Studies docent and learn to lead small groups of third through fifth graders on local environmental field trips. rtc.sfsu.edu/outreach/bss_volunteers
FOUNDATION
It’s all the buzz this year. Help a Bay Area nonprofit heighten awareness and repopulate the struggling honeybee population through education and stewardship. planetbee.org
YMCA Your donation brings a teenager to the ocean who’s never been there, provides a hot meal to seniors and delivers mental health services to schools. ymcasf.org
AGING Start the year right by supporting biomedical research and education aimed at giving people more healthy years of life. buckinstitute.org
Mo DeLong, Larie Flaherty and David Grega created the community-based volunteer organization MarinCares in response to the varying needs of those affected by the North Bay and wine country fires. ROBERTA GRUBMAN
Terese European Skin & Body Care. Offering custom design facial treatments as well as top quality advanced and organic cosmetics for over 30 years. Terese received a 2016 and 2017 Spectrum Award for excellence in skin care, and received a Marin Magazine award for BEST FACIAL of Marin 2017. 415.485.6825, San Rafael, euro.skincaretherapy.net
NEW at The Laser Center of Marin!
Geneveve™ non-surgical feminine rejuvenation: Specifically designed for improving women’s health and satisfaction. Comfortable 30 minute treatment. You can FEEL the difference. 415.945.9314, Corte Madera, marinlaser.com
Megera De Soleil - Organic, Customized Airbrush Tanning. Experience an Organic airbrush tan that is customized with slimming contouring so you will look your very best! Enjoy a luxurious tan that is Paraben, Gluten and Cruelty Free. Find me on YELP and FB. 415.891.8545, Corte Madera
Eva Claiborne is the Best of the County! Skincare expert, specializing in anti-aging treatments, teen facials and postoperative care. Eva is an innovative and experiences master esthetician with over thirty-five years of experience. She provides the highest level of skincare and spa services - designed to achieve and maintain healthy beautiful skin from head to toe. Book an appointment today. 415.435.4326, Tiburon, tiburonskincare.com
Flash a dazzling smile! Receive a FREE Laser Teeth Whitening Treatment with any other service at PowerMD! Ends January 31, 2018. 415.785.7995, Greenbrae, powermd.com
Details about the fruit you just can’t do the new year without.
OH, THE PRETTY pomegranate. January marks the end of its season, and it doesn’t leave the stage until it serves its most important function as a symbol of good luck in the New Year. This exotic fruit, which sports its own distinguished crown, historically symbolizes abundance and prosperity. Here are a few more fun facts to share at your next dinner party. ALLISON QUISTGARD-SCHERER
Pomegranates, which originated in Persia (modern-day Iran), the Mediterranean and North India, have been cultivated since ancient times. The name pomegranate derives from medieval Latin pōmum “apple” and grānātum “seeded.”
Pomegranates can stain your hands, clothes and even countertops, so take care when deseeding. Here are some tips for getting the job done:
1 Score the pomegranate horizontally around the middle. Lightly cut the leathery skin but try not to cut into the fruit.
2 Now score four vertical lines around it.
3 Tear or cut the fruit in half and then along the horizontal lines; break it into quarters.
4 Turn the pomegranate seed side down and gently tap the back of it with a wooden spoon over a large bowl.
5 Another method is to submerge the cut pieces into a bowl of water. While this may prevent the juices from spraying and minimize the potential for stains, you lose the juice that would otherwise be retained in the step above.
The pomegranate has been recognized as nature’s power fruit. Dating back to Biblical times, the tree itself was said to possess remarkable medicinal properties. The fruit’s numbers for antioxidants like flavonoids, tannins and anthocyanins are off he charts, suggesting a benefit three times that of red wine or green tea. Pomegranates also contain noteworthy amounts of potassium and vitamin C.
› Ancient Egyptians buried their dead with pomegranates, which were thought to bring about eternal life.
› Greeks to this day break open pomegranates at weddings and on New Year’s Eve.
› The Chinese eat candied pomegranates as a symbol of good luck.
› Some scholars believe Eve may have indulged in a pomegranate in the Garden of Eden, as opposed to an apple.
› Start counting: folk wisdom says there are exactly 613 seeds in every pomegranate.
Want more? Go online for other info on pomegranates and our blogs on food: marinmagazine.com/pomegranate
Visit the Seafood Peddler for the freshest seafood Marin has to offer, purchased daily from from our local fishermen!Enjoy the view indoors or enjoy our beautiful flwer lined patio. Come enjoy our daily Happy Hour (including weekends) from 4:00 to 7:00PM.
SEAFOOD PEDDLER
303 Johnson Street, Sausalito, CA 415.332.1492 seafoodpeddler.com
bar and grill
RangeCafe Bar and Grill, located on the course at Peacock Gap Golf Club, offers a delicious array of dining options. Enjoy weekend brunch and seasonal specials or stop in for Happy Hour drinks and appetizers. All our dishes are prepared fresh and sourced from local ingredients.
RANGECAFE
333 Biscayne Drive, San Rafael, CA 415.454.6450 rangecafe.net
Taco Jane’s is proud to announce the addition of a full bar and the launch of a new Happy Hour. A neighborhood gem for over 19 years, they are well-known for their red snapper and wild salmon tacos. Their delicious Mexican seafood may now be enjoyed with various single estate tequilas and Mezcal drinks, along with great beer, wine and mixed drinks. Happy Hour is MonFri, from 4:30 to 6:00pm.
TACO JANE’S
21 Tamalpais Avenue, San Anselmo, CA 415.454.6562 tacojanes.com
Spend only $35 for a $50 dining certificte from participating restaurants with this icon. Go to marinmagazine.com/dineout and save 30% on meals.
At the start of the Great Recession, one of the last standing auto plants in Detroit is on shaky ground. Powerful and tense, award-winning Skeleton Crew is the third of Dominique Morisseau’s Detroit cycle trilogy, which includes Detroit ’67 and Paradise Blue
MARIN THEATRE COMPANY
397 Miller Ave, Mill Valley, CA 415.388.5208 marintheatre.org
Enjoy wonderful dim sum delicacies, hand crafted each day using the freshest seasonal selections of local ingredients, paired with premium sakes, imported Asian beers, and superb California wines. Join us in our dining room or visit our takehome store for quick meals or full menu to go. Catering available.
HARMONY RESTAURANT Strawberry Village, Mill Valley, CA 415.381.5300 harmonyrestaurantgroup.com
Sitting atop the Bay with unobstructed views, Scoma’s delights with incredibly fresh, creative food and warm, personal service. We offer steaming whole crabs, hearty chowders, clams, perfectly grilled fishand specialties. Seasonal offerings and perennial favorites keep the menu as lively as the daily catch.
SCOMA’S SAUSALITO
588 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA 415.332.9551 scomassausalito.com
18k white gold 4.44ct fancy yellow halo ring, 18k & diamond band by Aaron Henry ©
1226 Fourth Street • San Rafael, CA • 415.459.5808 • stephanhill.com
Moving to Marin proves to be a good idea after snagging a San Anselmo home full of handmade details.
BY DAWN MARGOLIS DENBERG PHOTOS BY TIM PORTER
CITY DWELLERS MARY Cognat and her husband, Ronny Northrop, spent 16 months planning for an expansion of their 1906 Noe Valley cottage. Unfortunately, the remodeling bids came back three times higher then they’d anticipated. Discouraged by this fi nancial reality, and somewhat on a lark, they decided to cross the bridge and check out two homes that piqued their interest. “We weren’t seriously thinking about moving to Marin,” says Cognat, a holistic wellness coach.
But during the second tour, they struck up a conversation with the homeowner. He regaled them with tales of the home’s rich history. “He told us his family had been there for 41 years, and it was obvious that lots of love had gone into all the various remodels and expansions,” Cognat says. “We came back one more time to do a walk-through and, after that, we just knew it was our home.”
What they didn’t know: dozens of other buyers also felt a connection. All told, the seller
received 11 offers. Fortunately, with the help of a seasoned realtor, the couple put together an attractive bid and beat the competition.
And while the house was defi nitely priced to encourage a bidding war, no one expected it to sell for one-third over asking. However, for buyers who crave charm and architectural details, this house delivers. Many of it s fi nishes, including hand-hewn doors and forged iron door handles, were fabricated by the previous owner, an antique restoration specialist.
Projects the seller couldn’t tackle personally he farmed out to trusted tradespeople, included creating a grand cobblestone fi replace for a living room already blessed with soaring ceilings and oversized sliding glass doors. “They also put in a separate outdoor fi replace,” Cognat says.
Upstairs are custom windows, high openbeam ceilings and thick pine-wood floors secured with square nails, each hand ground to reflect the craftsmanship of a bygone era. One of the two bedrooms on this level also features
a loft area built decades ago as a father-son project. The access ladder is constructed out of driftwood collected on a beach trip to Jenner.
The kitchen, a sun-drenched room, features a Mexican tile floor and expansive Carrara marble countertops. There’s also an arched wall there built from bricks repurposed from the home’s old chimney.
The couple didn’t have to buy much in terms of furnishings because the sellers, who have since become their friends, left behind many cherished pieces, including an extra-high platform bed built to optimize the sunrise view.
To date, the couple has done little in the way of updates, although remodeling the bathroom is defi nitely on the to-do list. “The upstairs one has handmade tiles, which have cracked over time,” Cognat says. “And the downstairs one is cute, but I think recon figuring it will really improve the flow.” But for now they’re just relishing all the positive energy the place exudes — and working on making their own happy memories. m
Opposite: A living room swing is a nice conversation piece and also provides hours of entertainment for Ronny and Mary’s daughter and her friends. This page, clockwise from top: The kitchen is the heart of this meticulously built home; the Cognat-Northrop family; a whimsical loft; a bed with a view; the cozy den.
WHAT THEY BOUGHT A four-bedroom, two-bath English Tudor with a detached studio
WHERE THEY BOUGHT The Sequoia Park neighborhood in San Anselmo
BUYER’S AGENT Butch Haze of Compass
LISTING AGENT Fletcher Irwin of Paci fic Union International
THE STATS Price per square foot for homes in the neighborhood: $800
T’S THE COMBINATION of a fi ve-star hotel , a fi ne university, and a summer camp for adults,” says Rick Newton, a retired neurologist who lives in Ross. He’s talking about The World, a 644-foot-long, 12-deck cruise ship where he owns what could be called a second home. And for many, it could be a third or fourth home — as your net worth must exceed $10 million before you are even allowed to look at properties available on board.
The World is indeed a special place — that floats. Walk on board and you’ll see its lobby and bar areas are akin to, if not even more grandiose than, those of a boutique Ritz-Carlton or Four Seasons. Regarding Newton’s “fi ne university” descriptor, it’s a fact that academicians, along with environmentalists and adventurers, come aboard to give lectures and conduct seminars when the ship is visiting remote locations such as Antarctica’s Ross Sea, the subregion of Melanesia off he islands of New Guinea, or the Great Northwest Passage.
And as for The World being “a summer camp for adults,” Newton is emphatic: “I don’t mean this in a frivolous way; I mean there are all kinds of activities on board. When we’re at sea, people are playing tennis, running laps, using the golf simulator, working out in the gym or swimming in the pool. When we’re in port, people line up to go scuba diving, kayaking, sailing or hiking; they even climb mountains.”
What about prices aboard The World ? A studio the size of a cruise ship cabin sells for $1.5 million, while a three-bedroom three-bath suite, offering in-port views of city skylines or at sea vistas of endless ocean and sky, might cost upward of $10 million. Then come yearly fees — fuel costs, ship maintenance, crew and supplies — that are based on your home’s square footage and generally start in the six-figure range. Keep in mind, there are 165 residences on The World and the manifest usually lists 200 passengers. Match that against a well-trained, high-quality crew that numbers around 230. And while homeowners have a strictly enforced ethic of never scolding or critiquing crew members, they’re also forbidden to tip an obliging pool attendant or ever-smiling waiter.
Newton has owned a two-bedroom two-bath residence aboard The World for well over five years, spending at least half of each year seeing, well, the world, while traveling the open sea. Ask where he’s been, and Africa, the Scandinavian countries, South America, Japan and Alaska come quickly to his mind. Queried about the most memorable destination, he spends a moment in thought. “It’s a tie,” he then exclaims, “between Antarctica, where the remoteness, followed by the sight of thousands of penguins, was unforgettable,” and (a surprise here) “... Pyongyang, North Korea, in 2014.” He smiles at the memory. “We spent four days there after getting a guide in Seoul, South Korea, traveling overland. It was grim, stark and really cold.” m
Alain Pinel Realtors®, our offices, agents, clients, families, friends, and community partners came together to collect more than $50k in donations in less than two weeks, an amount that was matched dollar-for-dollar by APR.
A check of $103,490 was presented to the Redwood Credit Union Community fund on November 21, with the entirety of the donation going to those affected by the devastating North Bay fires.
Thanks to all who gave, helping our neighbors in the North Bay recover from these devastating fires.
Breathtaking estate property with rolling hills, 4+/- acre vineyard, horse trails, pastures, and spectacular 360 degree views to San Pablo Bay, yet just minutes to downtown Santa Rosa, Calistoga, and St. Helena. The main house is a gorgeous Mediterranean-style with rich wood beams, three fireplaces, gourmet kitchen, wine cave, four bedrooms, covered dining patio with outdoor kitchen, and wonderful natural light.
PlumRanchEstate.com
Spectacular California ranch features ocean views and Garcia River frontage. Located 10 minutes east of Point Arena, this unique ranch is 1058+/-acres and includes: 150+/-acres of useable agricultural land; certificates of compliance for six legal parcels; 12+/- million board feet of timber with about 60% redwood; and excellent roads. Enjoy an outdoor recreational adventure with hiking, biking, hunting, fishing, swimming, and kayaking.
PointArenaRanch.com
300 To My Clients & Colleagues—THANK YOU Your Trust and Support Made 2017 Another Successful Year All the Best in the New Year!
This completely private view home is a wonderful spot for intimate dinner parties or large celebrations. Dramatic floor to ceiling windows frame the expansive views in the living room with spectacular far reaching sights of open space, sky, rolling hills and the bay in the distance. Located in the highly desirable Kent Woodlands neighborhood. Offered at $3,495,000 www.360Evergreen.com
360 EVERGREEN DRIVE | KENTFIELD Rick Trono Broker Associate 415.515.1117 Coastal Homes & Ranches r.trono@ggsir.com LivingMarin.com CalBRE# 01045523
BURLINGAME GREENBRAE NOE VALLEY PACIFIC HEIGHTS POTRERO HILL UPPER MARKET WEST PORTAL
Modern farmhouse inspired, nearly oneacre gated estate. With over 4,500± sq.ft., including 5BR/6BA. Featuring a main house with huge centralized kitchen. Sumptuous master suite and a detached guest studio with private entrance & view deck! Backyard with Pebble Tech pool and cabana with kitchen and outdoor shower. 355MargaritaDrive.com
(415) 726-9630
Offered At $3,400,000
Matt Thomas (415) 342-7293
(415) 446-5511
Exceptional remodeled 5BR/3.5BA on one of the most desirable streets in the Country Club neighborhood on 2± acres with stunning views. Spacious 4425± sq. ft. home features a remodeled chef’s kitchen with high-end appliances, in law/au pair & views from every room. Master Suite with fireplace, magnificent private views, luxurious bath & deck. www.376Margarita.com
Offered At $2,495,000
Michelle
(415) 279-5329
This vintage 3BR/2BA, charmer with den features, an open floor plan for indoor/outdoor living and entertaining. Rustic highlights include open beam ceilings and a dramatic stone fireplace to warm up the sleek updates throughout. Enjoy the soothing sounds of Old Mill Creek from your sunny decks and level yards, while the very best of the Mill Valley lifestyle is just blocks away, with the Village, Old Mill Park, the Depot, and more local attractions nearby.
$1,895,000
Arlene Manalo (415) 381-1092
Come experience luxury living at its finest at the prestigious Stonetree Golf Club! Nestled above the 15th fairway, this immaculate, 4,630± sq.ft. 4BR/3.5BA European style contemporary home features high ceilings, an open floor plan, commercial kitchen appliances, three fireplaces, and a large climate controlled wine cellar. Private gated community.
$1,885,000
Jennifer Kuschner (415) 497-7022
Paul Cingolani
McCarthy
Kathleen Murphy Micheal Baronowski
Stunning architecturally designed. Entire home has been updated including top-of-the line appliances, slate floors, granite countertops in kitchen and bathrooms. Unique features throughout the home. The foundation retrofitted for earthquake safety. Home includes sailboat with a deep-water dock. Close to the yacht club. Two bedrooms and two baths. Single level with a two-car garage.
Offered At $1,599,000
Susan Koide (415) 407-1382
Magical 3BR/2BA home with 2,010± sq.ft. is situated on approximately 1/3 of an acre! Though surrounded by towering redwoods, it is bright and airy. Entertain with a sprawling redwood deck that faces Old Mill Park. The recently remodeled kitchen features SS appliances. Both baths have been lovingly updated, the unique floor plan offers a large loft that can be used for office or entertainment room. Steps away from Old Mill School, and downtown shopping. Michele Affronte (415) 798-0236
Offered At $1,530,000
Stunning one-level Ledson home is being offered for the first time in the East Side Estates. This elegant home, which is situated in a cul-de-sac boasts 2,947± square feet and sits on a 0.27± acre lot. It has a large, usable living room with a fireplace, a spacious kitchen with a Wolf cooktop, and a family room with fireplace that opens to a private backyard. There is a large master suite with a fireplace, a separate laundry room, and a three-car garage.
Offered At $1,400,000
Kathleen Seibel (707) 484-9280
Best location on the waterfront with deep water views. Great flow through the spacious light filled rooms with cathedral ceilings. Perfect for entertaining and family activities indoor and out. Brand new roof, updated siding & new paint & carpet throughout. Community pool, spa, clubhouse & tot playground included. Walking distance to Farmer’s Market, Civic Center cultural events and family fun, SMART train, shopping and freeway.
Offered At $999,000
Ida Baugh (415) 910-0380
2
$2,049,000
Tiburon 208Jamaica.com
208 Jamaica Street, Tiburon. Live like you are on vacation all year! This fabulous waterfront home located in Tiburon’s desirable Paradise Cay is on a deep-water channel and offers the ultimate California lifestyle. The moment you enter the enclosed front patio with wonderful trees & landscaping, you won’t want to leave. One-level living is highlighted by spacious living areas, exceptional indoor + outdoor access, and tons of light. The updated kitchen features an eat-in breakfast bar, ample storage, and a built-in desk area. The kitchen flows seamlessly into the open dining area and adjacent living room which features vaulted ceilings and a wood-burning fireplace. Walls of windows and sliding doors welcome in the light and look out onto the spacious flagstone patio and waterfront. The outdoor area offers plenty of room for dining al fresco and entertaining. Enjoy a variety of watersports, all from your own private boat dock. The master suite features a spacious layout, large closets, and doors out to the hot tub and yard. The en suite bathroom features a Jacuzzi tub, separate shower, and double sinks. There are two additional bedrooms and a full bathroom. A spacious family room with built-in shelving is located off the kitchen and has also been used as a fourth bedroom. There is a laundry room and an attached 2-car garage with ample storage. This location is incomparable, with an easy commute to San Francisco by car or ferry and close to top-ranked Tiburon schools, restaurants, shopping, downtown Tiburon and the Tiburon Yacht Club. Don’t miss this exceptional opportunity to live on the water in this magical location.
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Transactions:
204 Buchanan Drive, Sausalito 11 Edwards Avenue, Sausalito 470 Quietwood Drive, San Rafael 685 Atherton Avenue, Novato 3903 Washington Street, San Francisco 10 El Camino Drive, Corte Madera 6 Claire Way, Tiburon 63 Monte Alegre, Ross 16 Parkwood Avenue, Mill Valley 312 Scenic Avenue, San Anselmo 1 Hillcrest Court, San Anselmo 3 Lark Court, Larkspur 5 Vista Real, Mill Valley 47 El Cerrito Avenue, San Anselmo 57 Shell Road, Mill Valley 120 East Strawberry Drive, Mill Valley 46 Oakland Avenue, San Anselmo 1 Trestle Glen Circle, Tiburon 16 Somerset Lane, Mill Valley 3439 Sacramento Street #302, San Francisco 2232 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, Fairfax
San Rafael
Mid-Century Modern with privacy, pool, and views in the hills of the Country Club neighborhood sold off market for $55,000 over the asking price. $2,450,000 (Represented Sellers) Ross
Because of the amazing support of my clients, friends and family, my business was 100% referral based this year. There is no better compliment that you can give me than to refer me to the people that you cherish most. I truly appreciate your trust.
A portion of your sales supported the following charities: Jessica’s Haven Big Dog Rescue Redwood Credit Union Fire Fund Whistlestop 2017 Sales Sausalito 240-242 Woodward Avenue (Buyer) Sausalito 601 Nevada Street (Buyer) Sausalito 202 Cypress Place Buyer) Tiburon 322 Karen Way (Seller) Tiburon 465 Ridge Road (Buyer) Mill Valley 205 Brabo Terrace (Buyer) Larkspur 194 Riviera Circle (Seller) Larkspur 2 Dartmouth Drive (Buyer) Larkspur 74 Meadowood Drive (Seller) San Rafael 11 Edgehill Way (Buyer) San Rafael 111 Terrace Avenue (Seller) San Rafael 45 Octavia Street (Buyer) San Anselmo 126 San Francisco Blvd. (Seller) Fairfax 9 Arcangel Court (Seller)
15 Yew Court, San Rafael 15 Corte Cayuga, Greenbrae 35 Longview Avenue, San Anselmo 343 Calle De La Mesa, Novato 7 Courtney Lane, Mill Valley 2707 Western Avenue, Petaluma 40 Morning Star Court, Novato 9 Thunderbird Drive, Novato 475 Fairway Drive, Novato* 22 Butterfly Lane, Kentfield 58 Calypso Shores, Novato 1103 Simmons Lane, Novato 728 Walnut Court, Novato 98 Humboldt Avenue, San Anselmo
724 Sutro Avenue, Novato 572 Anderson Street, San Francisco 520 Alameda De La Loma, Novato 17 Friendly Lane, Novato 251 C Street, San Rafael 290 Cobblestone Drive, San Rafael 8210 Windmill Farms Drive, Cotati 1105 Mirabella Avenue, Novato
4 Cielo Lane #3D, Novato 28 Brookside Drive, San Anselmo 22 Ferdinand Way, Novato 182 Eliseo Drive, Greenbrae 17 Bret Avenue, San Rafael *Represented Buyer & Seller
Christina McNair
415.613.5563
c.mcnair @ ggsir.com CalBRE# 01183576
Karla Farrell
415.828.1584
k.farrell @ ggsir.com CalBRE# 01372896
HomeInMarin.com
121 Bretano, Greenbrae 10 Bretano, Greenbrae 155 Eliseo, Greenbrae 235 Kent, Kent eld 563 San Pedro Cove, San Rafael 510 Cedar Hill, San Rafael 140 C Street, San Rafael 744 Bradley, Novato 72 Portsmouth, Novato 145 Oak Shade, Novato 119 Oak Grove, Novato 360 Ho , Kenwood
Visit GoMarin.com for more information
Tall buildings are part of San Francisco’s history.
BY JIM WOOD
THIS AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH was taken by Charles Hiller as a way of documenting construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. At that point, in November of 1934, the bridge was two years into its four-and-a-half years of construction, with the north (Marin) tower standing tall in the distant middle of the photo. However, the foreground of Hiller’s image is mostly dominated by buildings, tall buildings — skyscrapers, as they were called at the time. When the photo was taken, San Francisco’s tallest structure was the Russ Building on Montgomery Street, which was topped off t 436 feet (unfortunately, it’s indistinguishable in the photo). And it remained the “tallest in town” through the Great Depression and World War II until 1964, when a high rise at 650 California Street ascended 466 feet into the atmosphere. Since then, 36 more towers have been built in San Francisco that exceed the height of any structure in Hiller’s rather crowded 1934 photo. Any structure, that is, except the Golden Gate Bridge’s north tower, which rose 750 feet into the blue. At present, the city’s undisputed highest structure is the soon-to-becompleted 1,070-foot-tall Salesforce Tower. m
When the photo was taken, San Francisco’s tallest structure was the Russ Building on Montgomery Street.
123 NOLAN CT. | FORESTVILLE, CA Situated amidst soaring trees and lush vineyards in Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley, this 21.85 acre artisan estate holds endless opportunities for any buyer, with zoning that allows everything form Single Family Home, Vacation Rental to a Winery with tasting room and production facility, property already has 3 acres of Pinot Vines With room for more. 8500 total sq.ft feet between three buildings.
3 bedrooms | 3 bathrooms | 21.85 Acres | $5,999,000
Presented by Chris Buck | 707-264-9287 Chris.Buck@evusa.com | ChrisBuck.evusa.com
855 FOLSOM ST. 509 | SAN FRANCISCO, CA
The open concept and high ceilings is warmed by a wall of glass leading to the terrace, perfect for watching fireworks burst in the distance over AT&T Park. The master bedroom features a huge, custom-made closet and flex space. The 2nd bedroom also functions as living space or office. Deeded parking, 24-hour security, in-unit laundry & more! 1 bedrooms + Den | 2 bathrooms | 1,328 Sq.Ft. | $1,299,000
Presented by Michael Belluomini | 415-589-0175 Michael.Belluomini@evusa.com | MichaelBelluomini.evusa.com
2540 BASELINE AVENUE | SOLVANG, CA
The main 3 bedroom, 2 bath updated farmhouse features a first floor master, large bonus room which can be used as formal dining room or sun room, living room with a fireplace and a back deck under the oaks oozing original valley charm. The perfect pied a terre (one bedroom guest cottage) is completely detached for your compound lifestyle, a caretaker or rental guest.
5 bedrooms | 3 bathrooms | 1.26 Acres | $995,000
Presented by Paige Kaye | 805-964-1410
Paige.Kaye@evusa.com | PaigeKaye.evusa.com
phone; Paul Benson 435-640-7441 | email: Paul.Benson@evusa.com | web: sanfrancisco.evusa.com
