Marin LIKE A CHEF Six Culinary Inspired Dishes
2016 RESTAURANT PROFILES BEHIND THE WHEEL
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Contents
NOVEMB ER 2016
62
Features 48 Feeding the Hungry The nation’s topperforming food bank. 54 Electric Avenue A pedal-assisted revolution comes to the county.
62 Party Like a Chef Entertain your guests with chef-inspired food.
LORI EANES
58 Driving Marin Behind the wheel with Uber and Lyft.
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Contents
36 Q&A MTC’s Jasson Minadakis. 38 On the Job A true Christmas experience. 40 Made by Marin Wine Glass Writer. 42 FYI Behind the gates on death row. 44 Conversation Protecting president John F. Kennedy.
Destinations
Out & About 95 Calendar A roundup of what to do in Marin and beyond. 104 Dine An insider’s guide to restaurants and food in the Bay Area. 108 Flavor Cauliflower steak at Sam’s Social Club.
Lisa McCubbin and Clint Hill
118 On the Scene Snapshots from events in Marin and San Francisco.
95
Marin Home
Beach Blanket Babylon
83 Go Five winter wellness hot spots.
127 Backstory This San Anselmo home is right in tune.
88 Journey Ancient mysteries in Iran.
COLUMNS 16 View From Marin 18 POV 170 Looking Back
This holiday season you can wow your guests with restaurant-quality appetizers that will get the conversation and the good times flowing. On the cover, photographer Lori Eanes captures the Tuna Lily Tartare from Sushi 69.
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TIM PORTER (TOP LEFT, RIGHT); VASSI KOUTSAFTIS (BOTTOM)
34 City Streets Hayes Valley.
127
44
In Marin 29 Currents Bike trail improvements, mushrooms, coffee for the troops and more.
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MARCO BICEGO San Francisco 384 POST ST. 415.986.4300.
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MARINMAGAZINE.COM
PUBLISHER / EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Nikki Wood
Editorial EXECUTIVE EDITOR Mimi Towle MANAGING EDITOR Daniel Jewett SENIOR WRITER Jim Wood ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kasia Pawlowska SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Leela Lindner COPY EDITOR Cynthia Rubin CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Linda Balslev, Laura Hilgers, John F. Ince, Carrie Kirby, Vassi Koutsaftis, Tim Porter, Calin Van Paris
Art ART DIRECTOR Rachel Griffiths PRODUCTION MANAGER Alex French ILLUSTRATORS Peter and Maria Hoey, Shannon May CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Mo DeLong, Lori Eanes, Vassi Koutsaftis Clara Lu, Tim Porter, Debra Tarrant, Jack Wolford
Administration / Web CONTROLLER Maeve Walsh WEB/IT MANAGER Peter Thomas DIGITAL MARKETING ASSOCIATE Max Weinberg OFFICE MANAGER Kirstie Martinelli
Volume 12, Issue 11. Marin Magazine is published in Marin County by Open Sky Media. All rights reserved. Copyright©2016. Reproduction of Marin Magazine content is prohibited without the expressed, written consent of Open Sky Media. Unsolicited materials cannot be returned. Marin Magazine reserves the right to refuse to publish any advertisement deemed detrimental to the best interests of the community or that is in questionable taste. Marin Magazine is mailed monthly to homes and businesses in Marin County. Marin (USPS 024-898) is published monthly by Open Sky Media, One Harbor Drive, Suite 208, Sausalito, CA 94965. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sausalito, CA, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Marin Magazine, One Harbor Drive, Suite 208, Sausalito, CA 94965.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Please send letters to editorial@marinmagazine.com. Be sure to include your full name, city, state and phone number. Marin Magazine reserves the right to edit letters for clarity, length and style. SUBSCRIPTIONS Rates are $12 for gift subscriptions or free for general subscribers. To subscribe, manage your subscription or change your address visit marinmagazine.com/subscribe. BULK ORDERS For information on bulk orders of Marin Magazine, please call 415.332.4800.
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Guiding you home. From Sausalito lofts to Stinson Beach cottages, discover Marin’s ďŹ nest homes and the best agents to guide you there.
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View From Marin
Above, from left: Mimi Towle, Nikki Wood and Dan Jewett
N
OVEMBER SIGNALS THE beginning of the holiday season and the chance to celebrate and dine with friends and family. But for some in Marin, that simple act is a little more challenging when money for food is hard to find. Photographer Clara Lu takes us inside the world of volunteers and staff who work every day at the SF-Marin Food Bank to help alleviate that problem. We also provide some stats on this top-producing food bank and information on how you can lend a hand.
Next up, writer Carrie Kirby puts the pedal to the metal to learn about the growing cargo and electric bike trend that is picking up speed in Marin. Meet Marinites who are getting fit while having fun and staying out of long traffic lines. Another way to ease congestion is to rideshare. If you use Uber or Lyft, you might meet Mill Valley’s John Ince. He writes this month about staying in tune with his clients as both driver and counselor. We wrap up features with a celebration of holiday entertaining. Writer and recipe expert Lynda Balslev presents six local-chef-inspired dishes that will impress your holiday guests. Up front, we look at recent bike trail improvements and introduce you to a theater director, two Christmas tree providers, a wine glass identifier, and a Secret Service agent who had a fateful date with history. And just in time for Election Day, take a trip behind the gates of San Quentin’s death row to see what condemned inmates think of this year’s capital punishment ballot measures. In Destinations we visit five places that will help you kick the winter blues. Also, explore the genuine allure of Iran, the second-largest country in the Middle East, with writer Vassi Koutsaftis. It’s an exciting issue that makes for a great read as those days get shorter and a bit colder. And when your holiday guests arrive, there’s no reason to tell them where those great recipes came from: just sit back and enjoy the company — and the accolades.
Writer and recipe expert Lynda Balslev presents six local-chefinspired dishes that will impress your holiday guests.
Marin Magazine Staff Editors
Here at Marin Magazine, we are used to photographing people, and while doing that can be challenging, it is often more difficult to make good food pictures. That’s why we called on photographer Lori Eanes; she has a way of making tasty dishes actually look that way. Along with art director Rachel Griffiths and recipe developer Lynda Balslev, she produced the photos you’ll see in our “Party Like a Chef” feature on page 62.
JACK WOLFORD (TOP)
FOOD STYLE
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POV
A point of view on the many topics voters will weigh in on this month. BY JIM WOOD
T
We are blessed to have Hillary Clinton as a presidential candidate; she is eminently qualified.
HERE ARE 17 state propositions on the November 8 ballot; here are my descriptions and recommendations. First, though, let’s tackle Measure A: A Strong Start for All Marin Kids. This will provide $12 million annually (replacing an expiring tax) for nine years for underfunded preschool, child care and medical programs. Backing it are Congressman Jared Huffman and the county’s district attorney, sheriff, board of supervisors and superintendent of schools. Vote yes, definitely. Prop 51: K-12 and Community College Funding Authorizes $9 billion for constructing K-12 schools; charter and vocational schools; and community colleges. Yes, defi itely. Prop 52: Medi-Cal Hospital Funding Program Way too complicated, but faces no opposition and has no tax implications. Yes, or abstain. Prop 53: Revenue Bond Approvals Would negatively impact high-speed rail and Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta tunnels. Democrats and unions oppose it. Republicans favor. No, or abstain. Prop 54: Legislature Proceedings Prohibits passing legislation that has not been in print or on the Internet for at least 72 hours. Yes. Prop 55: Extend Education and Health Care Taxes Extends for 12 years tax increases on high incomes; money goes to K-12 education and health care programs. Yes, definitely. Prop 56: Cigarette Tax Would add $2 tax per pack, but is murky regarding where the money goes. No, or abstain. Prop 57: Criminal Sentencing Allows parole consideration for nonviolent crimes once term of primary offense is served. Will save millions of dollars. Yes, definitely. Prop 58: English Proficiency Complex effort to bring back bilingual education in California, should be handled by Legislature. Democrats favor; Republicans oppose. No, or abstain. Prop 59: Corporate Political Spending Instructing our politicians to propose ratifying one or more amendments to the U.S.
Constitution is useless and unenforceable. The U.S. Constitution shouldn’t be amended to overturn Citizens United. No, definitely. Prop 60: Condoms for Adult Films Would cost millions to administer; would incur loss of millions in local/state taxes. No. Prop 61: Prescription Drug Pricing Complex, should be handled by Legislature. Abstain. Prop 62: Death Penalty Repeal Replaces death penalty with life without possible parole. Is retroactive for those on death row. Will save $150 million per year. Yes, definitely. Prop 63: Ammunition Sales Prohibits possession of ammunition magazines and makes it harder to purchase any ammunition. Yes. Prop 64: Legalize Marijuana Legalizes marijuana and hemp; imposes a 15 percent tax on sales; heavier taxes on buds than leaves. Yes. Prop 65: Carryout Bag Sales Requires stores to send proceeds from the sale of paper bags to the Wildlife Conservation Fund Initiative. Yes. Prop 66: Death Penalty Procedures Changes (possibly limits) procedures regarding death sentence appeals. No, definitely not. Prop 67: Ban on Plastic Bags Upholds legislation banning plastic bags. Yes. Regarding U.S. president: we are blessed to have Hillary Clinton as a presidential candidate; she is eminently qualified. As for U.S. Senator, Kamala Harris is smart and Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez is best in her current role — Harris is an easy call. I strongly recommend returning Jared Huffman to the U.S. Congress and Marc Levine to the California State Assembly. I like Dominic Grossi over Dennis Rodini to replace Steve Kinsey as Marin’s 4th District supervisor. He’s considerably younger (can potentially serve longer) and doesn’t hold extreme positions (he’s willing to listen). In the equally close race for Superior Court judge, I’ll take public defender Michael Coffino over county counsel Sheila Lightblau. He has more courtroom experience and is less politically connected. That’s my point of view. What’s yours? Email pov@marinmagazine.com. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of Marin Magazine and its staff.
RICHARD WHEELER
Big Ballot
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THE
UNbeaten path It will find you when you’re ready.
Non-stop flights from SFO to SUN
SUNVALLEY.COM/winter
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P R O MOT I O N
POV Contributors
Bay Area events you’ll want to attend
PRANCING PONIES FOUNDATION FUNDRAISER WHEN
November 17, 6–8 p.m.
WHERE
Room Art Gallery, 86 Throckmorton, Mill Valley
WHY YOU SHOULD GO
Room Art Gallery is proud to host this fundraiser, which sends high school graduating girls abroad to provide them with their first international travel experience. Prancing Ponies’ goal is to open the door for girls who would otherwise not be able to go abroad and have the experience of a lifetime. The organization believes that great leadership starts from having the ability to lead yourself first.
COST FIND OUT MORE
Free, donations accepted supporttheponies@ prancingponies.com, prancingponies.com
Peter Hoey and Maria Hoey Illustrators, “Driving Marin” (p. 58) Though they live on opposite coasts, illustrators Peter and Maria Hoey work closely together. Trading drawings back and forth over the internet from their studios in Northern California and Brooklyn, the brother-andsister team produces drawings for clients like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Magazine. In addition to illustrations, the siblings write, draw and publish Coin-Op comics and flip books. Their comics are available at coinopbooks.com.
John F. Ince Writer, “Driving Marin” (p. 58) A former Fortune reporter, John Ince has been an “undercover” driver for Uber and Lyft for the last two years, primarily operating in Marin. An easy conversationalist by nature, Ince has collected more than 400 passenger stories and put them in a book called Travels With Vanessa: A Rideshare Driver Tries to Make Sense of It All. Ince is a former Wall Street banker, resort developer, homeless advocate, environmentalist, epigrammatist, filmmaker, podcaster and author of 15 books. He graduated from both Harvard College and Harvard Business School and spends much of his free time hiking and biking on Mount Tamalpais.
Clara Lu Photographer, “Feeding the Hungry” (p. 48)
Friend us to share and view RSVP Hot Ticket photos at facebook.com/marinmagazine Want to see all the images from our RSVP Hot Ticket events? marinmagazine.com/hotticket
Clara Lu is a San Francisco–based portrait and lifestyle photographer who received her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and an Applied Science degree from Parsons School of Design. Her work is a blend of fine art and photojournalistic storytelling that aims to reflect the essence of people as well as the bonds between them. She counts photographers Robert Frank, Dorothea Lange, Peter Lindbergh and Annie Leibovitz as influences. See her work at claralu.com.
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POV
Your Letters
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Jim Wood’s POV (“Swimming Upstream,” October) about the group SPAWN is on target. My interaction with the organization several years ago when Spirit Rock was contemplating an upgrade to buildings to meet higher LEED standards was enlightening in a negative way. The reasoning of the group reminded me of the people who are against recycling because they think that reuse is the only correct approach. They take a myopic view of the world that does not allow for progress. Essentially, you must either agree with their perspective or you’re the enemy. GARY TOBIN, SAN RAFAEL Thank you so much for your column in this month’s Marin Magazine. I live in the San Geronimo Valley and, as you note of our community, contribute to and support efforts
to protect the salmon habitat in Lagunitas Creek. I agree with the people interviewed that Todd Steiner’s tactics are often counterproductive. His intent seems often to be to drive all human habitation out of the valley. Consequences of his actions have, at worst, kept folks from seeking improvements to their properties that in many cases would enhance salmon habitat. At best, SPAWN’s tactics have raised anxiety among all residents out here, many of whom have lived here for generations. JANET MYERS, SAN GERONIMO I saw your article in Marin Magazine. You mention SPAWN, the Marin Municipal Water District, the National Park Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. No mention of the North Bay chapter of Trout Unlimited, an organization
with our Fall Into Winter special.
ONLINE, WE ASKED YOU
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Make your Mauna Kea escape now at OnlyMaunaKea.com or by calling 866.977.4589.
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POV Join us for these holiday trunk shows
Tis’ the
season
to sparkle
Gurhan December 1st, 4-8pm
Todd Reed December 16th, 12-5pm December 17th, 12-5pm
Sethi Couture December 22nd, 4-8pm
that worked on bringing back the salmon in West Marin before any of the other organizations showed much interest. NBTU is still working on the project, along with the National Park Service, the Marin Municipal Water District and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. And Roy’s Dam — that was an NBTU project led by Leo Cronin; I was very much involved as one of many Trout Unlimited volunteers. GORDON EHRMAN, VIA EMAIL
Go Native
I found your cover story this month (“The Plant Bug,” October) to be very strange and rather disappointing. Instead a focus on the county’s native plants — a hot topic in Marin right now — would have been better. There are 1,400 acres on Mount Tamalpais that are inundated with either invasive plants or diseased plants, only half of which the water district is making even a small attempt to control. It is estimated that we have lost 50 floral species unique to the mountain over the
While the anti-Roundup folks rail at the supervisors, the invasives grow by leaps and bounds and the endemic species are crowded out.
de s i g ne r r i ng s by
s et h i cou t u r e.
last 50 years. While the anti-Roundup folks rail at the supervisors, the invasives grow by leaps and bounds and the endemic species are crowded out. If you are not interested in inspiring people to use native plants in home gardens, at least cover what is happening to them in the wild so people know we are losing the race against the imported weeds. Or better yet, do both. LAURA LOVETT, MARIN CHAPTER, CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY
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Eds.: Stay tuned for a story on this topic in a future issue. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Your comments may be edited for clarity and brevity. Send letters to Marin Magazine, One Harbor Drive, Suite 208, Sausalito, CA 94965, or email us at letters@marinmagazine.com. Please include the town where you live and a daytime phone number.
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P R O M OT I O N
Connect
WITH US
• online Solage Calistoga Resort and Spa Sweepstakes Enter to win a $2,000 gift card to use for a hotel stay and/or spa services at Solage Calistoga Resort and Spa or to dine at Michelinrated Solbar restaurant. The contest is courtesy of Private Ocean, a San Rafael–based financial planning company. Situated on 22 acres and surrounded by panoramic mountains and sweeping vineyards, Solage is an 89-room design-focused, environmentally conscious resort offering a fresh, comfortably cool experience. Considered a must-visit destination for epicureans and a favorite among wine country locals, the resort’s seven-time Michelin-starred restaurant Solbar serves a dichotomous menu of healthful cuisine alongside more indulgent comfort food in a lively indoor-outdoor setting. The award-winning 20,000-square-foot spa features geothermal soaking pools, a destination-inspired treatment menu, a state-of-the-art gym and yoga and movement studio, and a 130-foot outdoor swimming pool, the largest in Napa Valley. To enter the sweepstakes, go to marinmagazine.com/privateocean.
• in person MVFF Guide Party We are running photos from the Mill Valley Film Festival guide party October 13 at Mill Valley’s Seager Gray Gallery in the events section of our website. We had a great time mingling with our guests and sponsors and chatting with members of the film community. After the party, attendees went to a screening of The Architect, starring Parker Posey, James Frain and Eric McCormack. Be sure to check out all the photos online at marinmagazine.com/mvff39.
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In Marin
CE L E B R AT I N G T H E PEO PL E , PL ACE S A N D C AU S E S O F T H I S U N I Q U E CO U N T Y
IMPROVEMENTS AHEAD
MARK GIBSON
Biking in Marin gets even better.
An early morning Mount Tamalpais ride in September.
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In Marin / CURRENTS
M
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29
ARIN’S CYCLING LEGACY is undeniable. The county is the birthplace of mountain biking, home to many reputable bike shops, and the setting for successful annual racing events like Tour de MALT, Cykelscramble and Biketoberfest. All these facts add up to one truth: if you ride and have a taste for adventure, Marin is your place. And the quality of biking here is continually advancing: various groups are working on a number of bike-related projects seemingly all the time. Here are some recent updates and soon-to-completed upgrades. marinbike.org KASIA PAWLOWSKA
• In San Rafael, the County of Marin painted buffered bike lanes and added new curb returns at each corner on Miller Creek Road between Las Gallinas and Marinwood avenues. The changes shorten crossing distances for pedestrians and the
new striping makes it easier for bikers to access the Pacheco Hill Pathway. • The Marin County Open Space team is rerouting “the Plunge” on Old Railroad Grade trail near White Hill in Fairfax. This work includes a gentler
grade and a bridge to replace the steep and erosive drop. • Farther west in Fairfax, crews are working on the twomile Contour Trail Complex, which includes three trails that will make a good loop option in
Inner Beauty
the Giacomini Open Space Preserve. • In Mill Valley, the multiuse connector near the summit of Camino Alto and a hiker/biker trail from Escalon Fire Road down to Del Casa Road are being improved.
In the United States, 40 percent of food produced goes to waste at some stage in the supply chain: from farm to fork to landfill. The most food — about 1 in 5 items — is squandered on farms just because it’s not pretty enough to be sold in supermarkets. Ben Simon, Ben Chesler and Ron Clark took issue with these alarming figures and founded Imperfect Produce. Imperfect Produce is a service that takes cosmetically challenged fruits and vegetables (wrong shape, size or color or simply surplus) and ships them to homes and offices at a significant discount. “By sourcing the produce straight from farmers we pass on the savings to consumers,” Chesler says. The produce tastes exactly like store-bought, but may merely look a little off. “We have 50 farms we source from, split pretty evenly between organic and conventional,” he adds. Recently, Imperfect Produce began to deliver to the whole Bay Area, including Marin. By 2017 the company plans to be delivering to every address in California and it hopes to expand to every major city U.S. city by 2019. imperfectproduce.com K.P.
CONCUSSION REPERCUSSIONS Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), also known as concussion, has been getting a lot of press recently. Soccer player Mia Hamm, who has had numerous incidents, announced that after her death her brain will be donated for research so doctors can fully assess the damage. President Barack Obama has said that if he had a son he BY THE NUMBERS would not let him play professional football because of the risk. The degenerative disease, which is common among athletes who play contact sports, leads to deterioration in attention and to progressive dementia. Earlier this year the Marin County Civil Grand Jury recommended that schools take extra precautions to protect young athletes. Among the suggestions are using impact sensors to monitor head blows and collecting head injury data to create a centralized database. Already, Marin General Hospital is providing certified athletic trainers to three area high schools. Here are national stats on concussion from the CDC. marincounty.org K.P.
1.6 TO 3.8 MILLION ANNUAL CONCUSSION OCCURRENCES
10% CONTACT SPORT
athletes who suffer oncussions annually
87% PROFESSIONAL BOXERS WHO ENDURE BRAIN INJURIES
90% Concussions that don’t involve a
loss of consciousness
1.5 MILLION Americans have sustained
traumatic brain injuries
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LAKE LAGUNITAS
I’m Bruce, and this is my healing place.
In the 30 years since he was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, businessman and philanthropist Bruce Braden has never let the disease slow him down. He struggled at first, but his endocrinologist and care team helped him learn to carefully manage his condition by taking insulin, watching his diet, and getting vital exercise hiking around the local lakes. Bruce wanted to give back to his community by helping others who suffer from diabetes to have access to comprehensive expertise and services – right here in Marin. So he made a significant donation to create the Braden Diabetes Center (BDC) at Marin General Hospital. The BDC provides convenient outpatient education and resources to help prevent the onset and complications of this potentially debilitating disease. Living well with diabetes is a daily challenge, but as Bruce will attest, expert care makes the path much easier.
To read more healing stories, visit www.maringeneral.org/healing
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In Marin / CURRENTS
CITY STREETS
Hayes Valley
T
HE WESTERN ADDITION neighborhood of Hayes Valley is nestled between the
historic districts of Alamo Square and the Civic Center. The borders are generally defined as north and south of Hayes Street between Webster and Franklin streets, though realtors stretch those boundaries a little to include the desirable moniker in listings. Architecturally, you’ll find large new luxury buildings abutting public housing complexes, with Victorian and Edwardian houses peppered throughout. It’s a unique blend, especially considering the area these days is famous for high-end shopping, fine dining and proximity to concert venues, including the War Memorial Opera House, SFJAZZ Center and Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall. Originally developed in the 1850s, Hayes Valley was named in 1856 after Colonel Thomas Hayes, a wealthy landowner and county clerk. Streets with large houses were named for influential local citizenry; those with smaller homes bear botanical names such as Lily, Ivy, Linden and Hickory. KASIA PAWLOWSKA
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WHERE TO PARK The best bet is the Performing Arts Garage at 360 Grove Street, between Gough and Franklin streets. Neighborhood parking is by permit, allowing guests two hours max. Other parking is metered.
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WELCOME STRANGER This men’s boutique sells camping provisions, heritage brands like Filson and Barbour, and other wares, grooming products and home goods. welcomestranger.com
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BOXING ROOM Open since 2011, Boxing Room offers Cajun and Creole dishes (including alligator) and New Orleans cocktails like the hurricane and the Sazerac. boxingroom.com
MONSIEUR BENJAMIN The Parisian-bistro-style eatery specializes in traditional French cooking, with ingredients like duck confit and bone marrow. monsieurbenjamin.com
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GIMME SHOES This store is known for its well-curated collection and wide variety of Fiorentini + Baker shoes for men and women. gimmeshoes.com
BLUE BOTTLE COFFEE Expect a constant line at this trendy cafe. Operating out of a garage since 2005, it’s the chain’s first location. bluebottlecoffee.com
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ABSINTHE The menu features Frenchand Northern Italian–influenced brasserie fare for lunch and dinner, plus weekend brunch. absinthe.com
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CHANTAL GUILLON Here you’ll find handcrafted French macarons in classic and unique seasonal flavors. Macaron parties and workshops can be arranged. chantalguillon.com
RAND + STATLER This fiveyear-old boutique sells modern designer clothing for men and women and also features a full Aesop body-care product store. randandstatler.com SHANNON MAY (ILLUSTRATION)
WHERE TO EAT Aside from the restaurants mentioned, other popular area eateries include Chez Maman, Corridor, Dobbs Ferry, Domo, the Grove, Jardiniere, Lers Ros Thai, Mazzat, Papito, Petit Crenn, Rich Table, Suppenküche, Souvla, and Straw.
LITTLE GEM All the produce served here is naturally raised and free of additives, preservatives and chemicals. The bar, shelves and ledges are made of reclaimed American elm from a single tree in Marin. littlegem.restaurant
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In Marin / CURRENTS
10 QUESTIONS FOR
Jasson Minadakis Marin Theatre Company artistic director Jasson Minadakis grew up in Virginia and graduated from James Madison University, in Harrisonburg, Va., with a degree in English and theater. He went on to co-found the Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival before being named artistic director of Atlanta’s Actor’s Express theater company and Artistic Director came to the Marin Theatre Company in November 2006. Outside of work, MILL VALLEY he loves spending time with his wife and two sons. KASIA PAWLOWSKA Congratulations on your 10th season as artistic director of MTC and the 50th anniversary of the company — could you share some highlights with us? In November we’re going to be producing the world premiere of Lauren Gunderson’s new play Miss Bennet — we found out recently that Lauren is the most produced living playwright in the country this year. But it’s also not just the work we do onstage; it’s the playwrights we support and the work that we do with the schools in Marin City and in the Canal district.
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What’s your plan for the future? Our focus has become new American plays. That’s the word we’re trying to get out — that we are the fifth largest theater company in the Bay Area, right here in Marin County. When I got here, we were a $2 million theater; now we’re a $3.6 million theater. It’s been a real evolution. And that’s something we’re very proud of and hopefully will focus on for the next 50 years.
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Tell us a bit about your new play program. We want to give new playwrights the opportunity to work on their plays before the reviews start to affect whether they get second or third productions. It would be really hard if our sports teams were given two games and they had to make the most of them and that decided whether they made it into the playoffs.
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How do you get the word out to the playwrights about awards and opportunities? Now we’re lucky because we have the reputation and people know about the play prizes. It’s a massive network all over the country of theaters that are working in new plays.
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How many play submissions do you get? Over 950 per year.
So would you say the current state of American theater is healthy based off of those numbers? Without question there are a lot of playwrights working out there. The problem that we have right now is that it is
very difficult to make a living in play-writing. Most playwrights these days, to really make ends meet, they’re not only playwrights but they’re also writing for TV, writing for film, and most of them teach. So it’s sort of a juggling game. That’s why having a theater in Marin County that is focused on new American writers is so important.
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Is the theater’s new focus what drew you here? In 2006 MTC did a production of Tracy Letts’ play Killer Joe. That production really changed the culture of this organization. The board very much realized that there was an audience in Marin for new, edgier contemporary work. And they decided that in order to have a stronger regional and national presence they wanted to take the company in the direction of new American work. And that’s the kind of artistic director they went to look for, and that’s how they found me.
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What are some common misconceptions you hear about the company? A lot of people who visited back in the early ’90s think we’re a nonprofessional company. The work has really changed. One of the most interesting conversations we have with people right now when they come into the theater is they’re surprised they’re seeing the same actors here as at Berkeley Rep and A.C.T. We are one of the only theater companies in the United States that has a growing subscriber base. We are growing each year.
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What is the best seat in the house? Well that’s the neat thing about having a 230-seat theater. There is no best seat. It depends on what you like. Every seat in the house gets a very personal experience.
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Tell us about your shoes. Yeah, they’re Johnston & Murphy. They’re one of their signature lines. They’re the loudest shoes I own by a mile.
PHOTO CREDIT
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In Marin / CURRENTS
A Cut Above Making Christmas memories, one tree at a time. BY TIM PORTER
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ON THE JOB Less than before. Partly because people buy those plastic trees and a lot of these box stores sell trees. Back in the ’70s and ’80s there were at least a dozen tree farms in the Petaluma area. Now there’s only three left. We have this one and our daughter and son-in-law have the other two. What kind of people come? Bob: Families — and almost all of them from Marin County. Marilyn: I see families who tell me, I came here as a little boy and now I’m bringing my family. In the carport we have a display of pictures that people have given us. One picture is of two little boys about age 2 and recently their grandfather came up with one of the boys and he’s now in college. People always check to see if their picture is still there. When’s your busiest weekend? It used to be the second or third weekend of December, but now it’s the first weekend right after Thanksgiving (when we open). People know if they take care of the tree it will last longer and they want to get the best tree so they come out early. You were married in 1949. What’s your secret? Behaving yourself. We haven’t had much fun, but we’ve behaved ourselves (big laugh). m
TIM PORTER
N THEIR FIVE-ACRE farm in rural Petaluma, Bob and Marilyn Larsen grow and sell Monterey pines and other evergreens destined for Christmas mornings all across Marin. With each sale they throw in an indelible memory — the cut of the handsaw into the fragrant pinesap, the fresh-fallen tree strapped to the roof of the sedan — that draws families back for generations. How did this all start? Bob: My parents bought the place in 1918. It was a chicken farm. We went out of the chicken business in 1960 and started growing Christmas trees in 1963. Why? Our neighbor had a tree farm and I used to Bob and Marilyn help sell the trees and it was such fun. We Larsen, Christmas tree needed some trees for a windbreak — and farmers, Larsen’s Christmas wound up buying about 500 seedlings. Tree Farm, 391 Marshall My neighbor said I should start a tree Avenue, Petaluma, farm. And I thought, “That’s not a bad petalumachristmas.com idea.” We had four kids and we thought it’d be a great family thing. What’s easier, chickens or trees? Trees are easier. Chickens are seven days a week. You had to be there every day. With these, there are only certain times — the pruning and the selling — that are restrictive. How many trees do you sell each year? It varies, 600 to 800. About a third are precut. And how many do you have growing? About 5,000. Wow! Marilyn: Well, they grow slowly. How are sales?
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In Marin / CURRENTS
MADE BY MARIN
Wine Glass Writer
W
ASTE NOT, WANT not was the guiding principle behind Wine Glass Writer. The pens contain special ink that dries smudge-free in a minute and lasts all night, allowing partygoers to easily identify their wine or other beverage. Originated by longtime Marin resident Jeannine Fradelizio, the Wine Glass Writer made its way onto the Bay Area market in 2010 as the first product of its kind and was named Wine Accessory of the Year by the Wall Street Journal in its first year. Momentum has been building ever since: five years later, Wine Glass Writer is carried in thousands of stores across the United States. Jeannine’s daughter Renee has been instrumental in building a global market for it, with a focus on grassroots support through small wine festivals and an online community. PHILOSOPHY Wine Glass Writers improve social functions by preventing accidental glass exchanges or abandonment of drinks. “They’re a perfect hostess gift or party icebreaker,” Fradelizio says. “Guests will show off heir artist skills and remember each other’s names.” Also safe to use on glazed ceramics such as cheese plates and dessert trays, the pens make parties more organized for the host as well. THE SCOOP Certified nontoxic, Wine Glass Writers are sold in packs of three and are available in a variety of colors at wineries, gift shops, Crate and Barrel, Williams-Sonoma, Sur La Table and Paper Source. BEYOND MARIN The writers are the top-selling wine pen in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Chile. “We support emerging wine regions and innovative wine festivals such as Garagiste North in Vancouver, the Crush Brew Festival in Arizona, the Colorado Wine Festival and Martha’s Vineyard wine fest,” the founder says. WHAT THEY SAY “If you love wine like I do, it pains you to see a beautiful glass of wine poured down the drain just because someone forgot if they were the snowman wine charm or the scarecrow wine charm.” wineglasswriter.com KASIA PAWLOWSKA
Jeannine Fradelizio
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In Marin / FYI
Biding Time Prisoners on death row have mixed views when it comes to capital punishment ballot measures. BY DANIEL JEWETT
I
NM ATES ON SA N QUENTIN State Prison’s
East Block, built in 1930, has 520 cells for the condemned on five tiers.
during the upcoming election,” she says, adding that extended mental health care will be available during and after the vote. In August, many of California’s 747 condemned prisoners had a lot to say about life on death row, the long appeals process and the upcoming ballot propositions. Jonathan Jackson was convicted of murder after a robbery he participated in went bad and has been in prison for 20 years. He expressed frustration with what he sees as a broken system. “They are denying us our constitutional rights,” he says, his voice barely audible through an intercom on his solitary confinement cell. “I waited years for an attorney.” Jackson doesn’t think the death penalty is an effective crime deterrent. “An eye for an eye is teaching the wrong lesson,” he says. “I’ve never heard anyone say they won’t do a crime because of the death penalty.
“We all have mothers and fathers,” he adds. “We’ve made mistakes, but nobody deserves to die.” Joey Perez, a 45-year-old who grew up in San Francisco’s Excelsior district and has been in trouble with the law for most of his life, actually tried to get the death penalty after his first-degree murder conviction. “I hit the DA with a metal water pitcher,” he recalls, thinking “ ‘Let’s get it over with if we are going to do it.’ Dying in prison is my only fear,” he adds, “a concrete coffin. Life here is miserable.” Perez, who doesn’t think either ballot measure will succeed this time around, questions the uneven application of the penalty as he speaks from an outdoor cage where he is allowed to get a few hours of recreation time. He claims he didn’t commit the murder he is charged with. “There was no evidence against me other than [the word of] a codefendant who was given a deal to testify.”
TERRY THORNTON, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION
death row undergo very tight security. They must be shackled every time they change locations, and they are confined, one each, to a single cell for the majority of the day. Despite these constraints they are surprisingly aware of what’s going on in the outside world, many getting news from the televisions they are allowed to buy and have in their cells. And during a recent, and rare, tour for the press in August, a big topic of discussion was the upcoming capital punishment measures on the California ballot — two propositions that could decide the prisoners’ fates. Proposition 62 would repeal the death penalty and retroactively convert death sentences to life without parole, thereby also ending the lengthy appeals process for those sentences; supporters argue this measure could save the state nearly $150 million a year. The competing Proposition 66, which also promises a taxpayer savings, would permit reforming of the appeals process, which would also speed up executions. If both measures pass, the one with the most votes would become law. Court challenges have prevented any executions in the state since 2006, and for many inmates the appeals process can span decades as cases are shuttled between state and federal courts. San Quentin’s public information officer, Lt. Samuel Robinson, says prison management is talking a wait-and-see approach to the propositions and their potential impact and “hasn’t put much energy into what will happen” if either one passes. State prison spokeswoman Terry Thornton adds that as in the 2012 election, which also saw a capital punishment proposition, the inmates “have an understandable interest in their future” and some, accordingly, anxiety about how the measures would affect their fate. “The prison’s clinicians have a plan to address the mental health needs of condemned inmates
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James Thompson, who was convicted of murder in Riverside County in 1996, also complains about the slowness of the appeals process as well as the difficulty of getting a good attorney. He says he sat in solitary confinement in county jail for five years after getting arrested in 1991 while on parole for another murder in Texas he did plead guilty to. After brief meetings with an attorney he didn’t think was fighting hard enough for him, Thompson was found guilty in just three hours. “I have been fighting this since 1991 and am no closer to getting a decision,” he says through a fence in a yard for small groups of condemned men. “I’m in limbo and the limbo is indefinite. We need to speed up the appeals process — it’s job security for prison guards.” San Quentin’s death row, where all male condemned are housed, holds infamous criminals like Scott Peterson from Modesto (convicted of murdering his pregnant wife), Douglas Clark (who with an accomplice was one of the Sunset Strip Killers), Richard Allen Davis (whose crimes fueled passage of the
An eye for an eye is teaching the wrong lesson. I’ve never heard anyone say they won’t do a crime because of the death penalty. three strikes law) and David Carpenter (the Trailside Killer). This list also includes Joseph Naso, convicted of serial murder in Marin in 2013. Judge Andrew Sweet called Naso “an evil and disturbed man” who “inflicted abhorrent and repugnant levels of suffering and cruelty” on victims. When asked his thoughts on being executed, Naso says, “I don’t know what to make of it; nobody wants to be executed. But it’s a one-time thing, you can’t reflect on it after it happens.” The 82-year-old confirms that there is a lot of talk among prisoners about the ballot propositions and the death penalty, adding that whatever the result, it’s not likely to have much impact on him at his age. “California is a little behind the times. But whatever happens, it will be too late for me.” m M A R I N N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 43
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In Marin / CONVERSATION
Fifty-three years ago this month, he was witness to history — up close and personal — and ever since then, he’s been working to absolve the memory. BY JIM WOOD 44 N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 M A R I N
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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Clint Hill
TIM PORTER
C
LINT HILL WA S raised in the tiny town of Washburn, North Dakota; he attained fame and saw much of the world while living in Washington, D.C.; and now, at age 84, he’s a contented resident of Tiburon. If you ask him the standard question “Where were you when you heard President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated?” he can honestly answer: “I was there.” No, Hill wasn’t standing excitedly along the Dallas parade route, nor was he perched on the grassy knoll when shots were fired from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository. After hearing the first shot and seeing Kennedy grab at his throat and fall to the left, Hill ran towards the president’s Lincoln convertible. He heard and felt the third shot as he arrived at the back of the car and climbed on as it sped away, the same moment that Jackie Kennedy started climbing on to the back of the vehicle. He saw that a “large piece of the president’s skull attached to his scalp had flipped forward and brain matter, bone fragments and blood came out of there.” So sure was Hill the president was dead that one of his first acts following his gruesome discovery was to signal two thumbs down and shake his head when fellow Secret Service agents looked his way. In the 53 years following that fateful day, life wasn’t easy for Clint Hill. After the assassination, he was assigned to protect the widowed Jackie Kennedy for one year, but 12 years later, at 43, he was induced to retire for health reasons. There followed more than six years of severe depression and serious drinking. A 1990 trip back to Dallas helped
ASSOCIATED PRESS
TIM PORTER
him start to confront the painful events of the past. Then in 2009 came a life-changing phone call from Lisa McCubbin, a writer who was working on a book called The Kennedy Detail along with fellow Secret Service agent Gerald Blaine. Eventually, Hill lowered his guard and agreed to talk, ever so briefly, about the day the president was assassinated. Long story short, Hill and McCubbin are now not only writing partners but life partners. They live in Point Tiburon with a view of the San Francisco skyline and have co-authored three books in recent years: Mrs. Kennedy and Me; Five Days in November; and the 2016 Five Presidents: My Extraordinary Journey with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Ford.
in 1975. Why the early retirement and what happened after that? I didn’t retire; I was retired because I didn’t pass my annual physical when I was 43 years old. I was shocked. I knew I was having problems because I’d been to a number of doctors. I was having gastrointestinal problems, neurological problems; I didn’t think I was having psychiatric prob-
As a child growing up in rural North Dakota, did you ever dream of someday living in a seat of power and seeing the world as you went about your work? I never, ever dreamt of being in the places I’ve been: Paris, New York, Rio de Janeiro, London, Seoul and Athens, none of that. In fact, I didn’t appreciate any of my life until Lisa appeared and I started writing these books. Then I finally realized: damn, I really have had an exciting life. When I was a kid in North Dakota, all I thought about was going to the gym and playing basketball and going to band rehearsal. I was adopted as an infant and had a simple and enjoyable, but very stern, upbringing. My dad died the year I graduated from college, but Mom lived to see me assigned to protect the president, and she came to Washington and toured the White House and I got to show her that part of my life.
lems. But I was told my emotional problems over what had happened on November 22, 1963, and a few days after were causing all these other problems. What you’d call it now is PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder. In those days they didn’t have that terminology and the Secret Service had no debriefing or counseling. We wrote up our reports and that was it. So beginning in 1976, I resorted to cigarettes and alcohol big time. It was the only
Being a Secret Service agent was obviously a major part of your life. But did you have a life outside of the Secret Service — a family, hobbies other interests? I had very little life outside of the Secret Service. I had two boys and they grew up without me; their mother raised them. I was gone 80 to 90 percent of the time. I wasn’t there for my sons’ births or their birthdays. Christmas, gone. Easter, gone. My life was strictly the Secret Service. Following the assassination, you were assigned to protect Jackie Kennedy, a position that lasted four years; then you retired
The Secret Service had no debriefing or counseling. We wrote up our reports and that was it. So beginning in 1976, I resorted to cigarettes and alcohol big time.
way I could get to sleep. I kept Dewars White Label in business. I smoked and drank, smoked and drank. Eventually, I wound up cutting myself off rom family and friends. Thinking back, was the root of it remorse that things somehow went wrong? Or was it guilt? It was guilt, pure and simple guilt. I had not done what I was supposed to do, namely, keep the president of the United States safe. I’d been brought up that way by my mother and father — that if you are given a task to perform, you do it until it is finished and completed in the proper way. I was 31 years old at the time and I had lived that way my entire life. Now, we had failed, both as individuals and as an organization, because the president was dead. And the guilt bore down on me. It was horrible; most of the time I couldn’t sleep and when I did sleep I had nightmares. How long did your depression last? What brought you out of it? Well, my darkest time was from 1976 until 1982. As I said, that was when I cut myself off rom everything and everyone. Then in ’82, a doctor friend came to me and said, ‘Look, you’re going
Clint Hill on the back of the presidential limousine moments after the assassination.
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to die soon if you don’t come out of this.’ So I quit smoking and drinking and started to feel better. Then in 1990, I went back to Dallas, walked through Dealey Plaza and up to the sixth floor of the School Book Depository Building and realized there was little I could have done differently. Then in 2009, I got that call from Lisa and at first I said I did not want to talk to anyone. I finally agreed to meet her in August 2009 in Washington, D.C. She was living in the Middle East and we continued to communicate via the internet and frequent phone calls. The more I talked about all that had happened, the better I felt. Eventually, we wrote our first book together, Mrs. Kennedy and Me, which was very cathartic for me.
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Regarding Jackie Kennedy, in your book you say that as early as 1961, before a presidential trip to Europe that included Greece, you were called into President Kennedy’s office and told not to let Jackie “cross paths with Aristotle Onassis.” Why was that? I had an agent working with me on that trip who was from Greece and his uncle was the chief of police in Athens, so I asked him. He said Onassis had bought some surplus Liberty ships from the U.S. and something went wrong with the transaction and the U.S. was suing him, Onassis, for 7 million dollars. Our opinion was that the president didn’t want Mrs. Kennedy appearing in a photo with Onassis for fear of the damage it would do to Democratic candidates.
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In 1963, just prior to the assassination, Jackie went to Greece with her sister, Lee Radziwill, and without the president. This time, according to your book, she and Onassis did cross paths. What happened there? After baby Patrick Kennedy died in August of 1963, Jackie fell into a deep depression and her sister thought she needed to get away and the president agreed. Onassis was a friend of Lee Radziwill and he put his yacht Christina at their disposal. In addition to Princess Radziwill, there were several people aboard the Christina, including Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Roosevelt Jr. and an Italian princess. At one time, Onassis was skippering the tender from the yacht Christina carrying Mrs. Kennedy and my partner, agent Paul Landis, to the
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UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON COLLECTION
Robert H. Byers, MD Elizabeth A. Dailey, MD Lisa M. Elvin, NP John R. Goff, MD David H. Goltz, MD Marco Jacobi, PA Abbey Kennedy, MD John C. Keohane, MD Paul H. Kim, MD Michael J. Oechsel, MD Ernest H. Sponzilli, MD Kathleen I. Strahm, PA Brian W. Su, MD
In Marin / CONVERSATION
shore, where I was waiting for her. Suddenly, Onassis headed the boat away from me and I had no idea where he was going. Fortunately, an agent from Greece knew where Onassis wanted to put ashore, so we jumped in a car, headed there and outsmarted Onassis. He returned to the normal port and was never alone with Mrs. Kennedy.
Clint Hill with the Kennedys on the morning of November 22, 1963.
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON COLLECTION
After protecting Jackie for four years, you no doubt became close to her. Were you surprised in 1968 when she married Aristotle Onassis? I’d gotten a call from the Secret Service agent assigned to protect her. He said, “Jackie is about to make a big mistake” and wondered if I’d come and talk with her. I asked what was up and he said, “She’s going to marry Onassis.” I’d heard rumblings, but I never thought they’d marry. I told him that wasn’t my place and that she was going to do what she wanted to do and that I had no influence over her. Earlier that year I saw Mrs. Kennedy at Bobby’s funeral, we talked briefly, and that was the last time I saw her. Do you believe Lee Harvey Oswald, acting alone, murdered President Kennedy? I do. He was an individual who, over the preceding years, had desperately sought attention. After defecting to the Soviet Union, he expected to generate attention when he returned to the U.S. But the press ignored him. Then he tried various jobs, but couldn’t hold one for more than a month at a time. And his marriage was falling apart. Lee Harvey Oswald, acting alone, killed President Kennedy. Based on all the information I’ve been exposed to, including the Warren Commission, that’s the conclusion I have reached. m
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PHOTO CREDIT
PHOTOS BY CLARA LU
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RIGHT ORANGE CARROTS, fuzzy ripe peaches and heads of cabbage the size of bowling balls. Not the kind of fare you might expect to see at a typical food bank, but then again, the SF-Marin Food Bank is far from typical. At the forefront of a movement to bring more fresh produce to people in need, the SF-Marin Food Bank was one of the first nonprofits in the nation to venture out into one of the nation’s most fertile landscapes — California’s farming community — and forge real partnerships. Because of that outreach in the 1990s, the California Association of Food Banks’ Farm to Family program was born, and now an astounding 60 percent of the food from the SF-Marin bank is made up of fresh fruits and vegetables. January 1 marked the five-year anniversary of the merger of the Marin and San Francisco food banks, creating a partnership that allowed the new organization to significantly expand and enhance food assistance across Marin County as well as San Francisco, with a warehouse in each city. Prior to 2011, there were 18 Marin pantries, where food was distributed once a month. Now there are 47, and they operate every week. The annual distribution of food in Marin has jumped by 50 percent, from four million pounds five years ago to six million pounds now. And contrary to popular belief, it’s not just homeless people who need assistance. Only about 15 percent of food bank recipients are considered “homeless”; the rest are individuals and families who are either underemployed, unemployed, disabled and/or elderly. All have the simple yet disturbing problem of lacking enough money to adequately feed themselves or their families three square meals a day. WHEN IT’S ALL SAID AND DONE, 50 million pounds of food will make its way through the bank’s Marin and San Francisco network this year. To put that into perspective, picture 50 Boeing 747s lined up wing to wing — that’s a lot of full bellies.
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Prior to 2011, there were 18 Marin pantries, where food was distributed once a month. Now there are 47, and they operate every week.
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THE FOOD BANK SUPPLIES food for a network of 450 partner organizations, including 47 neighborhood pantries in Marin County. Millions of pounds of fresh, seasonal produce come from the California Association of Food Banks’ Farm to Family program, which connects growers with local food banks. Around 30,000 volunteers donate what time they can to help sort and pack food at the warehouses every year — the equivalent time that 71 full-time employees would put in. “We estimate that 30,000 families are fed by the SF-Marin Food Bank each week and 225,000 people are nourished each year,” says Mark Seelig of the food bank. The warehouses are open all year round, with the exception of Christmas and New Year’s Day. Some of the warehouse staff (there are some hired employees including everything from executives and directors to forklift drivers and heavy lifters) come in as early as 3 a.m. to begin loading and unloading the various trucks and vans for morning shipments. Most of the produce enters and leaves a warehouse within five days. “The warehouse floors oftentimes look like a giant Tetris screen, if you will,” says Seelig. “The warehouse team is constantly figuring out which items need to be moved, when they need to be moved, what items can stay, how long an item can last, and how the constant stream of new food coming in on a daily basis can be inventoried and stored properly.”
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We estimate that 30,000 families are fed by the SF-Marin Food Bank each week and 225,000 people are nourished each year.
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LARGE BAGS OF PRODUCE and grains are received on a regular basis. Volunteers work in an extremely sanitary environment, dividing quantities of these bulk food items into family-size portions. There are many ways to participate all year long in order to help end hunger. One way is to donate money to the food bank. People can also offer to volunteer at a warehouse or one of many community food pantries in the area. Some have even donated their cars to the cause. As those who struggle with hunger continue to be identified, the need to assist those people grows every year. Many volunteers have been donating their precious time for many years and some were in need of assistance themselves at one time in their lives. Others just enjoy giving back when they can. It takes countless volunteers to help deliver 50 million pounds of food per year, and more hands to distribute more goods are always appreciated. “Truly, none of what we do is possible without those who give up time from their busy schedules and work tirelessly to help others,� Seelig says. sfmfoodbank.org m
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It takes countless volunteers to help deliver 50 million pounds of food per year.
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S U B C U LT U R E S
ELECTRIC AVENUE A pedal-assisted revolution is coming to Marin. BY CARRIE KIRBY • PHOTOS BY JACK WOLFORD
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A RIN H A S LONG been in the fast lane when it comes to cycling — the sport of mountain biking was born on the slopes of Mount Tam — so it’s no surprise to find denizens of Fairfax, Larkspur and other Marin towns among the U.S. early adopters of electric bicycles. These aren’t mopeds, but bikes you can pedal, with small, silent electric motors that can provide a boost when you’re climbing a hill. Already popular in Europe, e-bikes have faced headwinds from U.S. cyclists who see e-assisted pedaling as cheating. But an environment-and-fitness-minded populace, who would bike to more places if it weren’t for the hilly terrain, makes Marin a fitting front line for an e-bike revolution. More and more Marin residents are joining the e-bike ranks, many choosing electric cargo bikes that help them tote groceries and kids car-free. A recent sign of shifting gears came when San Francisco e-bike specialist The New Wheel chose Larkspur Landing, right next to the Golden Gate ferry terminal, for its second store.
Who rides? A large contingent of e-bike adopters are parents. Film editor and designer Liz Canning, of Fairfax, was an avid cyclist, but when she gave birth to twins, she thought her time on two wheels was over. She was liberated by adding an electric motor to her ShuttleBug, a bright blue cargo bike with a wheelbarrow-like passenger compartment in front. When her kids got bigger, she traded up to an e-assist Bullitt. Before she got her first cargo bike back in 2010, she had never even seen one; now there are at least 20 dropping off at her kids’ school every day, many of them electric. 54 N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 M A R I N
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Opposite: An example of how small an e-bike battery can be (it’s right under the seat.) This image: Sara, Franck and Lucca Costa riding e-bikes.
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Canning is making a documentary about cargo bikes titled Motherload, which she plans to release in 2017. Not all e-bikes are cargo bikes, and not all cargo bikes have electric assist, but the two bike innovations go so well together that enthusiasts are seen as an overlapping group rather than two separate subcultures. “E-assist has certainly popularized cargo bikes by making them more accessible and more useful,” Canning says. Other e-bikers are commuters who want to arrive at work without sweat stains. The New Wheel co-owner Brett Thurber looked fresh as a daisy in his denim apron on a recent warm Saturday, despite having pedaled his Stromer ST2 S e-bike across the Golden Gate Bridge to the Larkspur store. Thurber also didn’t break a sweat while closing a deal with locals Eric and Tina, who were buying a pair of Gazelle Arroyo e-bikes after a few test drives. Neither had ever experienced assisted pedaling before, and both were glowing with delight. Another demographic: longtime mountain or road bikers who don’t want aging or injuries to end their riding days. “I go on recreational rides with people on road bikes, and I carry their lunches and luggage,” says Michael Bock, a longtime e-bike enthusiast who, at 65, sometimes finds himself on long rides with much younger cyclists. Where will you see them? A longtime hub of e-bike culture, San Anselmo’s The Bicycle Works co-op, just closed, but Thurber hopes The
New Wheel can grow into a cultural center in its own right. He plans to host a bash with brand demos, food and music at least once a year and to publish a magazine full of ideas for e-bike adventures. “It’s like the early days of cars — you’d get your Michelin guide and drive around the French countryside to restaurants,” he says. When do they meet up? Unlike members of cycling clubs who ride together on weekends and pose for group photos in matching Lycra shirts, e-bike riders tend to operate alone or in pairs — getting the commute or errands done. That said, cyclists on e-bikes are increasingly spotted at mainstream bike events, from Fairfax’s annual Biketoberfest and Streets for People festivals to Kidical Mass, a family-friendly version of Critical Mass, where families with kids join up for safe group rides. The New Wheel plans to offer guided bike rides starting in early 2017 and will have a few e-bikes to lend out. Why do they do it? For starters, riders feel that they are helping to save the earth. Today’s e-bike motors use a tiny amount of electricity — a 150-mile ride consumes less energy than a five-minute hot shower, according to The New Wheel. Although it may seem counterintuitive, people also ride e-bikes to get more exercise. A recent study showed that commuters who tried electric-assist bikes became measurably fitter after just a few weeks.
This image: An e-mountain bike can handle all the punishment of a regular mountain bike. Opposite from left: New Wheel co-owner Brett Thurber commuting to work; another example of a low battery profile.
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The motor removes obstacles that discourage people from riding a bike, notes Tom Boss, off-road and events director for the Marin County Bicycle Coalition. “Because of Marin’s hilly terrain, most people are not going to choose to ride a bike if they’re going to shop. They’re not going to want to haul that stuff up a hill on a bike without assistance,” says Boss, who got his own e-bike four years ago after noticing one overtake him on the road, its rider sitting straight up as if on a Sunday cruise. “It’s also about getting to your destination in a little faster time frame.” E-bike riders laud the convenience: avoiding traffic, parking and school drop-off lines. One San Anselmo couple, Andrew and Rebecca Popell, turned a 35-minute freeway school commute into a nine-minute bike ride up a (formerly) forbiddingly steep path, thanks to an e-bike with two motors. “For pickup, there’s this huge lineup of cars, and they’re all waiting there for their kids, and there’s nowhere to park. And with the bike, you just zip right by them,” Popell says in a trailer for Canning’s Motherload. San Geronimo’s Michael Bock uses e-bikes for pretty much everything, even getting back up Mount Tamalpais to his van after hang gliding. How do these bikes work? Most e-bikes go up to 20 miles per hour, although a more powerful variety can reach 28. Thanks to a 2015 California law, the slower type of e-bike is allowed on regular bike paths and lanes, while the faster kind faces some restrictions. The growing popularity of electric mountain bikes has raised some controversy, with some parks and open-space areas banning them from trails; check rules before
you go. Most modern e-bike motors are powered by lithium-ion batteries that you detach from the bike and plug into a standard outlet, where they’ll fully charge in a few hours. Battery range varies from 20 to 120 miles per full charge. How can you get started? The first step is to test-drive an e-bicycle, or better yet, a few different models. Customers at The New Wheel in Larkspur can get on the Marin North-South Greenway bike/ped path right outside the front door and in minutes experience the thrill of effortlessly pedaling straight up nearby hills. The New Wheel also has a rent-to-buy program wherein the rental cost can be applied to a purchase. Fairfax Cyclery has a few e-bikes for test riding. Vallejo’s e-bike seller Leonardo Cycles guides a community bike ride on the second Sunday of each month and offers two of its e-bikes for use on these rides; call for more information. If you’re sold on the concept, you can buy from one of the outlets listed below. Or, considering that new e-bikes usually cost between $2,500 and $5,000 (more for souped-up cargo bikes and really high-end models), you can save money by browsing used e-bikes on Craigslist or on The New Wheel’s website. m The New Wheel, Larkspur, newwheel.net; Leonardo Cycles, Vallejo, leonardocycles.com; Blue Heron Bikes, Berkeley, blueheronbikesberkeley. com; Mike’s Bikes, San Rafael/Sausalito, mikesbikes.com; Pedego, Tiburon pedegoelectricbikes.com; Fairfax Cyclery, Fairfax, fairfaxcyclery.com M A R I N N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 57
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CAN WE TALK? The pickup is way up in the back jungles of Ross, but Waze, my GPS of choice, gets me there straightaway. A young guy, well dressed, gets in without a word and goes right for his cellphone. When he comes up for air, I ask the standard question: “What do you do?” “I’m a tech entrepreneur.” “How so?” “My company creates an online experience for people to talk about their problems with complete strangers without fear that it will come back to haunt them.” I’m thinking, Why would anyone go online and pay money to look at a screen image, talk to a complete stranger, and not at least get a fare out of it? He continues his spiel: “Ninety percent of my friends in the tech world are in therapy. Where in today’s world can people get things off their chest — in a bar? I don’t think so. In the office? Nope, huge risk of backlash. At home? Not with all the screens and other distractions. So then where can people talk? So our company gives them someplace to really connect in a safe environment.” I listen to him patiently and then interject, “Just like being an Uber driver.”
★ IS IT SAFE? ★
So it is with being a driver — hundreds of thousands of drivers worldwide, and most of us amateur shrinks. In the car we’ve just got a few moments to establish a rapport. Even so, connections can happen — instantaneously, even with no words exchanged. People instinctively know when they’re in the company of someone who makes them feel comfortable. That’s my goal, to make people feel safe, and I’m not just talking about physical safety; I’m talking about emotional safety, about psychological safety. When people feel safe, they’re willing to take risks, to risk the sharing of what’s most dear to them, to shed the skin — to bring down the walls that separate human beings from each other. When that happens, that’s the magic of being an Uber / Lyft driver … but it ain’t always like that.
★ DRIVER CHURN ★
Driving for Uber and Lyft is a lot more demanding than it seems and a lot less lucrative than Uber and Lyft lead you to believe. After gas, taxes and maintenance, you’re lucky if you make $12 an hour. Uber recognizes this and now offers various bonuses and hourly guarantees, but they come with conditions attached that are designed to get you out on the road more. Why? Uber’s got a huge driver churn problem — half of all drivers go inactive within a year. As a result, they need the drivers they do have to spend a lot of time working — and they need to always keep new ones coming into the pipeline. Why so much driver churn? First, some drivers are deactivated by the company. An undisclosed number of
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these fall below the 4.6 passenger ratings cut and receive the email of death. A much larger percentage of drivers go AWOL simply because they did the math and realized after expenses they weren’t making anywhere near what Uber had suggested they would.
★ UP AGAINST THE APP ★
Uber collects all the data, sends you reports, and deposits the funds in your bank account (as a part-timer, driving mostly on weekends, I typically will make between $100 and $400 a week, before expenses, by the way), and that’s that. It’s you against the system. I’ve never even met somebody from Uber corporate, other than a few stray passengers in my car. If it wasn’t for the passenger interactions, it would be a thoroughly dehumanizing experience. If you’re driving for the money, expect to be disappointed. But if you’ve got a curiosity about people, you can’t beat it. Quite simply, driving for Uber and Lyft gives you an amazing peek into the back crevices of our society. Like all passengers in life, Uber drivers learn to bow down to circumstance. Drivers recognize in each passenger the power to sentence you by tapping one to five stars at the end of the ride. It’s passengers’ power to pass judgment on you — digitally transmitting their feelings through the automated systems — that control your fate. Uber and Lyft’s fully automated rating system is the faceless dictator in a driver’s life. Yes, it’s useful, but it’s not well conceived. To penetrate markets, Uber must ensure that ratings are seen as reliable, because it’s the basis of the “trust and safety” that they use as their calling card with passengers, drivers and regulators. Ratings are anything but fair. They’re doled
out by passengers who all bring their own standards and biases to the transaction. That is the bane of being a driver, because you know that some passengers are so upset about something else that nothing you can do will satisfy them — and you’ll be dinged.
★ BONUS! ★
Bonuses and rate guarantees are the carrot Uber uses to get you out on the road. Sometimes you think you met all the requirements, but you didn’t. It’s usually a waste of time to plead your case to some customer service representative halfway around the world, because “the system” knows all. Case in point from two weeks ago: I’ve been driving six hours on a Saturday evening expecting to make a guaranteed $35 an hour. A few minutes before midnight — after a drop-off in downtown Tiburon — I get a ride request 25 minutes away in Fairfax. No way I’m driving all the way to Fairfax. It’s in the opposite direction from my home. I wait 15 seconds and let the request expire. Oh damn. What did I just do? My passenger acceptance rate just dropped below 90 percent. I just lost more than $100 because I no longer qualify for the hourly guarantee. So it goes.
★ ILLEGAL CARGO ★
About one in five of my ride requests in Marin comes from a teen. I get the most teenage requests from Redwood, Tam and Drake high schools. Just one problem with this: it’s illegal. Yep, this comes as a shock, especially to parents who just assume that giving their kid an Uber account is the responsible thing to do these days. Sorry — it’s expressly against Uber and Lyft terms of service and California Public M A R I N N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 59
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Utilities Commission laws to give a ride to a teen unless an adult is present. I have no idea what the legal ramifications are if something bad does happen, but I have to believe Uber and Lyft have intentionally been lax about education and enforcement. It’s just business. Why turn away paying customers if you don’t have to? Meanwhile, the driver is caught in an awkward situation. Despite it being against Uber’s terms of service, I’ve yet to refuse a ride to a teen, nor have I even mentioned having given one. Why? Simple practicality. Most of my pickups in Marin involve some travel time just to get there — frequently more than 15 minutes. If you get there, discover the PAX (passenger) is underage and refuse to give a ride, you’ve just wasted your time — and the potential passenger’s. Also, there’s this thing about the tyranny of ratings. After that ride, you’re at the mercy of the passenger ratings. It doesn’t take much to set some people off. If a teen thinks you’re dissing him and gives you a one- or two-star rating, it can take a long time to recover. To maintain my 4.8 rating, I need four fives for every four-star rating I get. A one star rating is devastating for a driver — it takes a long time to recover from that. The most compelling reason I drive teens is that by and large, they’re a delight. They’re honest, mostly respectful, and full of great gab. I’m like a sponge up there in the driver’s seat — soaking it all up. The experience gives you a peek into their lives that even their parents don’t have. Some of what I’ve learned is revealing. I’ve had teens so drunk their friends had to stuff them in the backseat. Another teen needed a ride to and from a parked car two miles away to pick up his pot stash. Occasionally you get a hothead. Three guys didn’t like my music selections and ordered me to “just put on the radio.”
I can smell attitude when I hear it, so I demurred. Things quickly got tense. “Do I get a say in this matter?” I ask. “Since this is my car?” There followed a long silence until we reached their home in Tiburon. As they got out, they started banging on my car. One guy opened the back hatch and slammed it shut. He got a one-star rating (passengers get rated, just like drivers). I suspect I got the same.
AMBULANCE DRIVER Monday evening and the sun has just ducked behind Mount Tamalpais in the west. I’m hanging out at the Town Park in Corte Madera as I watch a softball game, while I wait for my next Uber request. The ping comes from Jake and I start walking toward my car when the phone rings. “We’ve got an emergency. My friend’s mother in Mill Valley has just cut her wrist and she needs to get to the hospital — right away,” Jake says. “I’m on it.” The adrenaline kicks in. “Looks like I’m about 12 minutes away from her. I’ll be there — pronto.” “Hurry,” he says. “Her wrist is bleeding profusely.” I race to my car, fire up the Brown Bullet (my trusty 2002 Volvo V70 XC AWD with 250,000 miles) and screech to a halt at the light. I speed down Tamalpais Avenue toward 101. Traffic is light so I make good time. When I arrive a woman comes sprinting down the driveway, holding her right arm up high. It’s soaking red, wrapped in a makeshift tourniquet. She’s out of breath. Trailing behind is her daughter, who is freaking out. “Which hospital?” I ask. “Kaiser in Terra Linda.”
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“Mom, call me when you get there.” The daughter screams as she sprints down the long driveway. “What happened?” I ask. “I was taking on old aquarium out to the trash. The glass broke. Somehow, it sliced my wrist. Blood was spurting out all over.” “That’s not good.” I say. “How long ago?” “About 20 minutes.” “Otherwise, how do you feel?” I’m pretending to do triage. “Dizzy,” she says, “but I always get dizzy at the sight of blood.” She smiles through the obvious pain. We’re out on East Blithedale now. “ W h at do you do w hen you’r e not sl it t i ng you r wrist?” I ask. Slowly the joke registers and she smiles. A breakthrough. She starts to relax — and breathe. “I’m a massage therapist and an assistant to a chiropractor,” she says. “You’ll have to come in for a massage. It’s on me. I have a studio in our house.” “I’ll do that,” I say, deadpanning, “Just one of the many perks of being an Uber driver.” What a gig. Thirty minutes ago I was casually watching a softball game. Now I’m an ambulance driver racing to the hospital with somebody’s life at stake.
THE RESTAURATEUR The pickup was on Magnolia in Larkspur at 9 a.m. Friday. “What do you do?” I ask. “I own restaurants around the Bay Area,” Sam says from the backseat.
“I understand Yelp ratings are key for restaurants? How do you feel about ratings?” I ask. “We live and die by the ratings, but they’re highly imperfect. Some people are chronic complainers,” he says. “And some people give you low ratings because of something completely unrelated to what you did. I remember getting a low rating from a woman just because her boyfriend just ditched her. I happened to be the target for her misdirected anger. How are your restaurants doing on Yelp?” I ask. “Some are 4 on Yelp and they’re doing really well. Some others are 3.5 and they’re struggling. It makes the system unfair because there are different standards applied.” “You’re right about different people applying different standards,” I say. “On Uber a four rating is a failing grade, yet on Yelp it’s great. I wonder how many passengers give drivers a 4 rating and do it using the standards of Yelp.” “Lots,” he answers, as my GPS announces, “You have arrived at your destination.” I rate Sam five stars. I can only hope he reciprocates. m
ABOUT THE AUTHOR John F. Ince is a former Fortune reporter, author, filmmaker and video producer living in Mill Valley. In the last two years, he’s given more than 1,000 rides driving part-time for Uber and Lyft, while working on a book about the experience. This article has been adapted from that book, Travels With Vanessa: An Uber and Lyft Driver Tries to Make Sense of It All.
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Like a Chef
Six local-chef-inspired dishes sure to impress your holiday guests. The holidays are fast approaching, and a casual cocktail party with appetizers is a great way to kick off the season. Invite your friends over to mingle, sip and nosh while you wow them with party-worthy food from a curated menu of stellar appetizers inspired by Marin chefs. We’ve selected some local favorites for you to re-create at home that will help you sail through the festivities. They include simple adaptations for the home cook, including do-ahead tips, easy shortcuts and local sources for unique ingredients. Make one, make several, make the whole menu — and be sure to pour yourself a glass while you entertain like a chef and enjoy your party like a guest.
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BY LYNDA BALSLEV • PHOTOS BY LORI EANES
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Fried Camembert Wedges with Pear and Greens L E C O M P T O I R , S A N R A FA E L CHEF JEREMY BLARENGHEM
As if a ripe Camembert were not decadent enough, chef Jeremy Blarenghem raises the bar by frying wedges of the soft bloomy cheese as an appetizer at Le Comptoir in San Rafael. These wedges are best served immediately after frying, so the oozing cheese can be swiped up with slices of pear and crusty baguette. The cheese is presented as a dressed salad at Le Comptoir; for party purposes we’ve deconstructed the salad and assembled it as a garnish on a cheese board.
To Prepare Divide the Camembert into 6 equal-size wedges. Roll them in the flour to evenly coat and shake off the excess. Dip wedges in the eggs, then roll in the panko to evenly coat. Heat the oil in a large saucepan to 350°F. Fry the Camembert wedges until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove the cheese with tongs or a slotted spoon and blot any excess oil with paper towels. Spread the greens on a serving platter or board. Arrange the wedges over the greens and garnish with pear slices, pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and/or sunflower seeds. Do-ahead: The cheese wedges may be breaded up to 6 hours in advance and refrigerated until fried. Remove from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature while you heat the oil.
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MAKES 6 WEDGES; SERVES 12 AS A SMALL APPETIZER Ingredients 1 to 2 cups mizuna, arugula 1 (250g) Camembert round or dandelion greens ½ cup all-purpose flour 1 Anjou pear, cored and thinly sliced 2 large eggs, beaten 2 tablespoons toasted pepitas and/or 1 cup panko breadcrumbs sunflower seeds Oil for deep frying
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Tuna Lilly Tartare
S U S H I 6 9, S A N A N S E L M O , C H E F H I R O M A K I N O
This tartare is a party pleaser — it’s simple to prepare and always popular, so you might want to make a double batch. Chef Hiro Makino’s Tuna Lilly is sublime — a simple concoction of five ingredients that tastes even better dolloped onto savory shrimp crackers. When you order this appetizer at Sushi 69, it arrives garnished with tobiko or masago, a tiny fish roe, which may be purchased at the Asian Market in San Rafael along with the shrimp crackers. As an alternative to the roe, garnish the tartare with toasted sesame seeds. MAKES ABOUT 24 CHIPS; YIELDS ABOUT 1½ CUPS TARTARE Ingredients 8 ounces sushi-grade tuna, finely diced 3 scallions, white and pale green parts finely chopped L cup finely diced yellow onion 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 teaspoons sesame oil Dash of hot chile oil (not sweet) Shrimp crackers, about 24 Tobiko or toasted sesame seeds for garnish To Prepare Combine the tuna, scallions and onion in a bowl. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil and chile oil. Gently mix to combine, and taste for seasoning. Spoon the tartare on each shrimp cracker. Garnish with tobiko or sesame seeds and serve immediately.
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Do-ahead: Prepare the tartare and refrigerate up to 2 hours before assembling on the shrimp crackers.
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Mini Diver Scallop Tostadas PA N A M A H O T E L A N D R E S TA U R A N T, S A N R A FA E L C H E F DAN M I LLE R
These mini-tostadas are one of the most popular appetizers on the menu at the Panama Hotel and Restaurant, and we understand why. Light, fresh and colorful, they look like a party on a plate, and their flavor does not disappoint, with caramelized sweet scallops nestled between fresh tomato salsa and guacamole. At the restaurant, chef Dan Miller fries fresh tortillas to make the tostadas. You can skip this step and purchase round unsalted tortilla chips. MAKES 20 MINI-TOSTADAS Ingredients Scallops 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon finely minced parsley ½ teaspoon sweet paprika ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 10 large scallops (same size as the chips), cut in half horizontally Cherry Tomato Salsa 8 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes ¼ medium red onion 1 serrano chile pepper, seeds and membrane removed L cup finely chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced Juice of 2 limes ½ tablespoon sugar 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Guacamole 2 ripe avocados ½ serrano pepper, seeds and membrane removed, finely chopped ¼ medium red onion, finely chopped 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro 1 clove garlic, minced Pinch of garlic powder 20 small fresh corn tortillas (or round tortilla chips)
Duck Confit Tacos
M A R I N I TA S , S A N A N S E L M O , C H E F F R A N K V I L L A
Rich, meaty duck is perfect for the holidays, especially when it’s dusted with a heady chile rub and coated in a feisty mole. Marinitas chef Frank Villa serves the duck confit with tacos. We’ve adapted the recipe for appetizer portions to be served on round unsalted tortilla chips. Duck legs and duck fat may be purchased at Belcampo or any well-stocked supermarket butcher. The mole ingredients can be sourced at Mi Pueblo in San Rafael, and many supermarkets carry dried chiles in their international section. If you are short on time, you can purchase premade duck confit at Belcampo in Larkspur and proceed with making the mole (but we encourage you to try the recipe for the confit — it’s delicious). MAKES ABOUT 24 MINI TOSTADAS Ingredients Duck confit 2 dried chiles de arbol, toasted 2 cloves 2 bay leaves 1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick ½ teaspoon black peppercorns 1½ tablespoons kosher salt ½ tablespoon ancho chile powder ½ tablespoon guajillo chile powder 3 duck legs, with skin and bone 1 quart duck fat
1½ tablespoons pumpkin seeds ¼ cup water 1 tablespoon kosher salt Slaw ½ small head green cabbage, finely shredded, about 2 cups 1 medium carrot, peeled, coarsely grated ½ cup cilantro sprigs, chopped, plus extra leaves for garnish 2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeños 2 tablespoons lime juice 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ¼ teaspoon salt V teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Add the scallops and turn to coat. Marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Remove from the marinade and pat dry. Sear or grill the scallops over mediumhigh heat, being careful not to overcook.
Mole 7 dried cascabel chiles 2 to 3 dried ancho chiles 2 cloves garlic ½ ripe plantain ¼ medium yellow onion
FOR SALSA: Finely dice and chop the tomatoes, onion and serrano pepper in uniform pieces. Combine in a bowl with the remaining salsa ingredients and stir to blend.
FOR DUCK CONFIT: In a mortar and pestle, grind the chiles de arbol, cloves, bay
To Prepare FOR SCALLOPS: Whisk the garlic, oil, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper in a bowl.
FOR GUACAMOLE: Combine the guacamole ingredients in a bowl, and mash with
a fork to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. FOR CHIPS: Use 1½-inch biscuit cutter or cookie cutter to cut 20 round tortillas
chips. Fry until crisp, making sure to keep them as flat as possible. (Alternatively, purchase round unsalted tortilla chips.) To Assemble Spread a thin layer of guacamole on a tortilla chip. Place a scallop over the guacamole and top with a spoonful of salsa. Garnish with microgreens or chopped cilantro. Serve immediately. Do-ahead: The salsa and guacamole may be prepared and refrigerated up to 6 hours in advance. Lay a piece of plastic on top of the guacamole to prevent discoloration.
To Prepare leaves, cinnamon stick and black peppercorns. Mix in the salt and chile powders. Dust the duck legs with the spices and refrigerate on a sheet pan for 24 hours. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the duck fat in a Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Submerge the duck legs in the fat, transfer the Dutch oven to the oven and cook for 1½ hours. Remove and cool the duck legs completely. FOR MOLE: Toast the chiles, garlic, plantain, onion and pumpkin seeds in a sauté pan over medium heat for 5 minutes. (Add a teaspoon of vegetable oil if the ingredients begin to stick to the pan.) Transfer to a food processor or blender, add the water and salt, and process until smooth. FOR SLAW: Combine the slaw ingredients in a bowl, stir to blend and taste
for seasoning. To Assemble Shred the duck meat and sear in a saucepan over high heat until crispy. Toss with enough mole to coat, then taste and add more mole if desired (you will not use all of the mole for this recipe — save any remaining mole for another use). Mound the duck on mini tostadas or tortillas and top with the slaw. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve immediately. Do-ahead: The duck confit and mole sauce may be prepared up to 2 days in advance.
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Polpettini with Castelvetrano Olives and Ricotta Salata P O G G I O R E S TA U R A N T, S A U S A L I T O , C H E F B E N B A L E S T E R I
These rich, succulent meatballs are packed with cheese and aromatics, transforming the humble cocktail party staple into a holiday all-star. Chef Ben Balesteri serves the meatballs in a marinara sauce, which does double duty here as a dipping sauce. Veal and pork are a tried-and-true Italian combo, but if you prefer to avoid veal, then lean ground beef may be substituted. MAKES ABOUT 30 (1-INCH) MEATBALLS 1 teaspoon chopped parsley 1 teaspoon salt Pinch of red chile flakes Pinch of freshly ground black pepper ¼ cup canola oil 8 cups marinara sauce, preferably homemade Garnish ¼ cup rinsed Castelvetrano olives ¼ cup grated ricotta salata cheese
Combine all the meatball ingredients in a mixing bowl. Knead the mixture until incorporated without overmixing. Form into 1-inch balls. Place in refrigerator for 1 hour to set. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the oil and the meatballs and brown on all sides. (Do not overcrowd the pan; if necessary brown the meatballs in two batches. Transfer the first browned batch to a plate and repeat with remaining meatballs.) Once all the meatballs have been browned, return them to the pan and add the marinara sauce. Simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Garnish with ricotta salata and Castelvetrano olives. Serve with toothpicks. Tip: For finger food, spear an olive half and a meatball with a toothpick. Garnish with the cheese and serve with the marinara sauce for dipping. Do-ahead: The meatballs may be formed one day in advance of serving.
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Ingredients Meatballs 1 pound ground veal ½ pound ground pork ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs ¼ cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese ¼ cup ricotta ¼ cup minced onion 2 large eggs 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon chopped oregano
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Vietnamese Autumn Rolls
R I C E PA P E R S C I S S O R S , S A N F R A N C I S C O , C H E F K AT I E K WA N
To Prepare
Marin native Katie Kwan, co-owner of the San Francisco pop-up Rice Paper Scissors (with partner Valerie Luu), created this vegetarian-inspired recipe for us per our request. These rolls are a sumptuous nod to autumn, with the addition of sweet potato and apple, while still maintaining the signature freshness of spring. Their unique flavor is enhanced by two sauces: a light peanut butter–hoisin sauce on the inside and a soy-lime dipping sauce on the outside — a perfect balance of nutty, tart and sweet.
FOR COOKED FILLING: Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon oil, the soy sauce and sugar. Add the tofu and marinate for 15 minutes. Spread the tofu on a baking sheet and bake until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove and cool completely on the pan. Toss the sweet potato with 2 teaspoons oil and spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, remove and cool. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat off, add the noodles and let stand for 90 seconds. Drain the noodles, toss with 3 teaspoons oil and cool completely.
MAKES 12 (6-INCH) ROLLS OR 24 (3-INCH) HALVES Ingredients Rolls 6 teaspoons canola oil, divided 1½ tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon sugar 10 ounces extra-firm tofu, thinly cut into 4-inch pieces 1½ pounds sweet potato, peeled, cut into 4-inch matchsticks 1 (17-ounce) package bean vermicelli noodles 1 package rice paper rounds, 10 to 12 inches in diameter (you won’t use the whole package) 2 crisp apples, quartered, cut lengthwise into V-inch thick slices 1 English cucumber, halved and seeded, cut into 4-inch matchsticks 6 ounces arugula
1 bunch cilantro, leaves picked 1 bunch mint, leaves picked Peanut Sauce L cup crunchy peanut butter ¼ cup hoisin sauce Soy-Lime Sauce 7 tablespoons sugar ¼ cup soy sauce ¼ cup fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 clove garlic, minced
FOR SAUCES : Whisk the peanut sauce ingredients in a small
bowl. Add 3 tablespoons water and stir to combine. Add more water as needed to reach the consistency of a thin dressing and set aside. Whisk the soy-lime sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Add 4 tablespoons water and set aside. FOR ROLLS: Fill a wide bowl with warm water. Dip a rice paper in the water, then vigorously shake off the excess water. Lay the rice paper, shiny side down, on a work surface. Starting with the tofu, stack the ingredients in a pile on the lower third area of the paper (the pile should be centered and no wider than about 4 inches). For each rice paper, top the tofu with 4 pieces apple, 1 piece cucumber, 5 pieces sweet potato, a small handful of arugula, 2 sprigs cilantro, 3 leaves mint, 10 to 15 strands of noodles and a drizzle of peanut butter dressing. To roll, fold the outside edges in over the pile (as one would with a burrito). Starting from the bottom end closest to you, roll the rice paper up away from you, pinching and tucking so the roll is firm and tight. Cut the rolls in half and assemble on a serving platter. Serve with the soy-lime dip.
PHOTO CREDIT
Do-ahead: Precook and cut the filling ingredients in advance of rolling. The rolls may be fully prepared and refrigerated for up to 6 hours in advance of serving.
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All Seasons
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LOCAL • SEASONAL • SUSTAINABLE 415-383-9355 201 Seminary Drive, Mill Valley, CA 94941 www.allseasonscatering.com
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PROMOTION
IN THE KITCHEN Marin County is known for its farm-fresh produce and meats as well as its fresh seafood. With such a vibrant food scene and so many award-winning restaurants and inspired takes on food, we are spoiled when it comes to dining. In this section, take a look at some of the talent you will find behind the scenes at your favorite restaurants — the owners, chefs, servers and cooks who are passionate about making sure your dining experience is the best it can be. Here, meet some of the personalities that are driving this food revolution. M A R I N N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 71
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ROBERT L. TAYLOR Executive Chef
Sam’s Anchor Cafe 27 Main Street, Tiburon, CA 415.435.4527, samscafe.com
Sam’s Anchor Cafe has always been a local favorite, and a “must-visit” for tourists. Now under the direction of General Manager Michael Tierney, and new Executive Chef Robert L. Taylor, formerly of Farallon in San Francisco, Sam’s is changing in some very exciting ways. Featuring a true farm-to-table menu, Sam’s Anchor Cafe offers sustainable seafood, house-cured meats and housesmoked fish. The new raw bar introduces select oysters on the half shell, caviar, various crudo and classic shellfish cocktails. Sam’s has created a large selection of artisinal cocktails, an updated wine list and eight craft beers on tap. They also offer daily specials, weekend brunch and a private banquet room.
ALFREDO ANCONA Executive Chef/Owner
Angelino Restaurant
621 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA 415.331.5225, angelinorestaurant.com
Chef Ancona was born in San Francisco and raised in Marin County. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. After working for Don Alfonso in Sorrento, Italy and at Roy’s Bar and Grill on Maui, Hawaii, Chef Ancona returned home to the appeal of Marin County to join his family in Sausalito at Angelino Restaurant. These experiences have helped develop a well-rounded, mature understanding of the possibilities of flavor combinations. Chef Ancona maintains a strong commitment to using local, sustainable, and seasonal ingredients in his kitchen.
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JUSTIN EVERETT Executive Chef
Murray Circle Restaurant at Cavallo Point Lodge 601 Murray Circle, Sausalito, CA 415.339.4750, cavallopoint.com
As the Executive Chef of Murray Circle Restaurant at Cavallo Point Lodge, Justin Everett is as focused on the local community as he is on his food. And while his award-winning menu pays culinary homage to local farmers, wine makers, ranchers, fishermen and other artisan producers, his commitment to serving local youth feeds a different passion. In 2013, this father of three young sons partnered with Turning Green and Good Earth Natural Foods on a mission to reimagine school food and break the cycle of unhealthy, pre-packaged, processed, heat-and-serve meals. The result was The Conscious Kitchen – the first local, organic, seasonal and sustainable food program at Bayside Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy in Marin City. Two years later, The Conscious Kitchen expanded to its second site, Willow Creek Academy in Sausalito, forming the nation’s first 100% organic, non-GMO school district. So, if you want to see a chef’s face light up with pride, say hello to Justin and mention The Conscious Kitchen next time you’re at Murray Circle.
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BENJAMIN BALESTERI Executive Chef
Poggio Trattoria
777 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA 415.332.7771, poggiotrattoria.com
Poggio is a classic Italian trattoria with comfortable neighborhood charm and destination-caliber cuisine. Executive Chef Benjamin Balesteri sources local ingredients from the best purveyors and highlights these quality products in the daily changing menu. Chef Balesteri offers a menu that features soulful classics of Northern Italy including a variety of antipasti, house-made pasta, spit-roasted meats, and woodfired pizzas. Poggio offers a special Tuesday Night Supper menu, a series of family-style meals reminiscent of the ItalianAmerican tradition. The notable wine list emphasizes vintages from Italy and Northern California. Poggio has earned multiple 3-star reviews from the San Francisco Chronicle and placement within the coveted “Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area� rankings each year since 2008.
MICHAEL MORI, MARILYN MORI, LAURA MORI RIELLA AND GIOVANNI RACCANELLO Owners and Chef/Owner
Ristorante La Toscana
3751 Redwood Highway, San Rafael, CA 415.492.9100, ristorantelatoscana.com
Ristorante La Toscana, a family owned and operated Italian restaurant and bar located in San Rafael, was established in 1985. Original owners Marilyn and Paolo Mori, along with Chef Giovanni Raccanello, grew up in Lucca, Italy and immigrated to the U.S. in the late 1950s. They set out to create an atmosphere that reminded them of home, and daughter Laura and son Michael are keeping the tradition going over thirty years later. Ristorante La Toscana is a place for any occasion, where locals gather to eat, meet friends and family and celebrate with great food and wine in the Italian tradition. La Tosacana offers a full bar with flat screen TVs, al-fresco and private dining areas. Buon appetito!
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MICHAEL PIHL, ROBERT PRICE AND JOEL LAMICA Chef de Cuisine, Executive Chef/Owner and Chef de Cuisine
Buckeye Roadhouse
15 Shoreline Highway, Mill Valley, CA 415.331.2600, buckeyeroadhouse.com
Bungalow 44
44 E. Blithedale Ave, Mill Valley, CA 415.381.2500, bungalow44.com
In the capable hands of Executive Chef Robert Price, Marin’s iconic restaurants, Buckeye Roadhouse and Bungalow 44, are local favorites. Price has demonstrated his commitment to supporting neighboring farmers and artisans as well as developing young talent in the kitchen. In his pursuit of expanding culinary horizons, Price welcomed two talented chefs to create depth and foster creativity; Joel Lamica at Buckeye and Michael Pihl at Bungalow 44. Working side-by-side these talented chefs share a passion for innovation. With their ethos to source sustainably, preparing inspired cuisine, they succeed in creating different conceptual cuisines for two distinct restaurants. At Buckeye Roadhouse, the chefs bring a new relevance to American classics, while at Bungalow 44 the contemporary California cuisine is prepared with signature flavor profiles. Come experience the renowned food and hospitality at both Marin mainstays, and you will learn why these two popular establishments consistently make the top-ranked restaurant lists.
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GORDON DRYSDALE, ROLAND GOTTI AND JULIAN SANDOVAL Culinary Director, General Manager and Executive Chef
Scoma’s Sausalito
588 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA 415.332.9551, scomassausalito.com
Family owned for almost fifty years, Scoma’s Sausalito is rich in history, but modern in its approach. Housed in a charming historic building above the water, and opened in 1969 by two of San Francisco’s most famous restaurant families, the Scoma’s and the Gotti’s, the successful partnership continues to this day involving 2nd and 3rd generations. With strong ties to the original Scoma’s in San Francisco, Scoma’s Sausalito General Manager Roland Gotti recently brought on Culinary Director, Gordon Drysdale, and Executive Chef Julian Sandoval. The team collaboration has produced a new twist on fresh seasonal dishes with bright, fresh and bold flavor profiles. They invite you to come experience a taste of the Mediterranean right here in Sausalito.
JOSHUA SEIBERT Executive Chef
Nick’s Cove Restaurant and Oyster Bar 23240 Highway 1, Marshall, CA 415.663.1033, nickscove.com
Nick’s Cove Restaurant and Oyster Bar is a destination restaurant for award-winning cuisine in one of the most beautiful coastal settings in all of California. They recently welcomed Chef Joshua Seibert, who hails from New Market, Maryland where he grew up in a cooking family, savoring East Coast specialties, from blue point oysters to soft shell crab. Chef Seibert is now inspired by the natural beauty and abundant farm produce of the West Marin coast to create seasonal, sustainable and delicious California cuisine, including local oysters harvested from Tomales Bay and nearby Drake’s Bay. Nick’s Cove dining offers the perfect combination of comfort and refinement, the very essence of elegant yet hearty, farm-to-table cuisine.
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JOANNE WEIR AND DANIEL TELLEZ Chef and Executive Chef
Copita Tequileria y Comida 739 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA 415.331.7400, copitarestaurant.com
Copita is the vision of legendary restaurateur Larry Mindel and James Beard award-winning cookbook author and renowned chef, Joanne Weir. Located in downtown Sausalito, Copita’s Executive Chef Daniel Tellez serves contemporary Mexican cuisine in a lively, festive atmosphere. His impressive culinary resume includes time spent at Anona Neobistro, The Westin Santa Fe Hotel in Mexico City, and earlier on in his career, Chef Tellez staged at the renowned three Michelin-starred restaurant, Quinzi e Gabrielli. At Copita, Chef Tellez offers inspiration from his own Mexico City roots to provide an authentic Mexican menu featuring the traditional flavors and spices of Mexico and utilizing modern techniques. The menu is 100% gluten-free. Copita’s bar program features over 120 tequilas and innovative tequila cocktails. Copita has been voted Best Mexican Restaurant in the Bay Area by 7x7 Magazine and featured as one of the best Mexican restaurants in San Francisco Magazine.
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MO L’ESPERANCE Executive Chef
Tiburon Tavern
1651 Tiburon Blvd, Tiburon, CA 415.435.5996, tiburontavern.com
Tiburon Tavern is pleased to introduce new Executive Chef, Mo L’Esperance. Chef Mo looks forward to producing seasonally inspired dishes with a rotating menu of fresh northern California, coastal cuisine. Her culinary expertise, commitment to sustainable sourcing of seafood, passion for supporting local farms and gardens, and knowledge of children’s nutrition will be the perfect complement to the Tavern’s mission of nurturing the community. Tiburon Tavern is the perfect place to share a table with family and friends. From outstanding patio seating, to fireside dining and a lively bar atmosphere, the Tavern brings so much to Tiburon’s vibrant dining scene.
ROGELIO JACINTO Executive Chef
Tomatina
5800 Northgate Mall, San Rafael, CA 415.479.3200, tomatina.com 2323 Sonoma Ave, Santa Rosa, CA 707.583.0035, tomatina.com
Chef Rogelio Jacinto has helped craft an extensive Italian menu that takes a modern approach to traditional recipes. He began his career in 1989 at the legendary Tra Vigne Restaurant in St. Helena and was hand-picked to lead the off-shoot Tomatina effort. Chef Jacinto has been with Tomatina since its inception in 1998. With a passion for food prepared as he would at home, Rogelio is always pushing to provide Tomatina guests with a memorable dining experience. Pastas are prepared with made-fromscratch sauces and housemade pizzas are customer favorites. Tomatina has become best known for Rogelio’s signature piadine—a fresh, hot flatbread topped with crisp salad.
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OLIVIER AND SUSANNAH SOUVESTRE AND BRUNO DENIS Owners
Le Garage Bistro
85 Liberty Ship Way, Ste 109, Sausalito, CA 415.332.5625, legaragebistrosausalito.com
F3/Fast Food Francais
39 Caledonia Street, Sausalito, CA 415.887.9047, eatf3.com
Le Garage is a Michelin-recommended waterfront bistro in Sausalito. Visiting Le Garage is like taking a trip to Southern France, serving French fare with a Californian flare, and open for lunch, brunch and dinner. They also offer waterfront dining and private events. F3/Fast Food Francais is a modern Sausalito restaurant and bar that dreams up French-kissed versions of American classics. It’s fast food the French way – civilized, elegant, and only as fast you want it to be. F3 has a full bar and is open for lunch, brunch and dinner. F3 caters and delivers to Sausalito, Mill Valley, Corte Madera and Tiburon. Owners Olivier Souvestre and Bruno Denis both hail from France, and Susannah Souvestre from Massachusetts. Olivier learned how to bake with his grandmother in their kitchen in Brittany, while Bruno, from Versailles, kicked off is restaurant career in Dublin, Ireland over twenty years ago. Susannah brings the American sensibility to the team, and together they enjoy shaking up the traditional expectations of French food.
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MARIO PAMPIN Executive Chef
RangeCafe Bar and Grill and The Clubhouse at Peacock Gap
333 Biscayne Drive, San Rafael, CA 415.453.4940, peacockgapclubhouse.com, rangecafe.net
Chef Mario Pampin divides his time between two stellar kitchens: RangeCafe Bar and Grill and The Clubhouse at Peacock Gap. His diverse culinary experience includes collaborating with renowned chefs at Frantoio, Buckeye Roadhouse, and Insalata’s, and as Chef at Piatti and Boca. At The Clubhouse, Mario is responsible for a wide array of traditional and imaginative banquet and catering options for new brides and corporate clients. He has transformed RangeCafe into much more than a golf course restaurant. The extensive menu ranges from American bistro fare, to steaks, to Mexican favorites, with monthly and daily specials, served in a relaxing and family-friendly environment.
RAGHBIR DHINDSA AND GANESH GAURSAR Owner and Chef
GLENN, LAURA AND ERIN MIWA Owners
Prabh Indian Kitchen
Comforts
Located in the heart of Mill Valley in a light-filled converted Victorian building, Prabh Indian Kitchen is a cultural experience serving authentic Indian food in a traditional way. Owner Raghbir Dhindsa grew up in Mumbai (Bombay), with a family background of restaurant businesses. Chef Gaursar started cooking at age 15 to help support his family, learning from his mother that cooking is not just putting ingredients together – rather, it offers a sense of the culture’s history and importance. Prabh Indian Kitchen invites you to come explore their family-style menu.
Comforts began 30 years ago as a small family restaurant, catering to a local community. Built on the success of delicious, comfort food, friendly service, and the famous Chinese Chicken Salad, Comforts has grown into a thriving business, offering catering services, a large takeout, a full-service café offering breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch, as well as a retail section. Husband and wife, Glenn and Laura Miwa, will eventually pass on the Comforts’ legacy to daughter, Erin, who hopes to continue creating wonderful dishes, using local and seasonal ingredients, as well as expand the business to the wider Bay Area.
24 Sunnyside Ave, Mill Valley, CA 415.384.8241, prabhindiankitchen.com
335 San Anselmo Ave, San Anselmo, CA 415.454.9840, comfortscafe.com
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Savor the Holiday Season at Chateau St. Jean the quintessential sonoma valley experience
tasting room open daily 10am–5pm Charcuterie at the Chateau seated tasting experience available daily by appointment chateaustjean.com/visit
707-257-5784 • 8555 Sonoma Highway • Kenwood, CA
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Destinations
T H E L AT E ST LO C A L T R AV E L D E A L S A N D G E TAWAYS PLU S J O U R N E YS A RO U N D T H E G LO B E
WINTER WELLNESS
Do the pre-holiday blues have you down? Here are five diverse places you can go to get your groove back.
Sun Valley Lodge
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Destinations / GO This image: Four Seasons Maui. Opposite from top left: The Claremont’s saline pool; spa treatment at the Claremont; Carmel Valley Ranch infinity pool.
• Four Seasons Maui
Maui, Hawaii For some, the mere act of clicking “buy now” for airline tickets to Hawaii is enough to lower the shoulders just a bit, but for those with more specific goals in mind (weight loss, overcoming a sleep issue, hormone imbalance or even a cosmetic lift) the Four Seasons Maui offers a “Wellness Your Way” program. Besides the daily fitness schedule, with meditation at dawn, Pilates, aqua-cardio and other activities, the wellness team here has a personalized program to guide you to your goals in the comfort of this award-wining, newly refurbished resort. Opt for à la carte or commit to a customized package. The “Uber Health & Wellness” package ranges from $1,700 to $6,800 and starts with a pre-arrival consultation to go over dietary needs and review blood work, so you can literally hit the ground running when you arrive. Once goals are set, i-Lipo
treatments, infrared thermal detox wraps, personal training and specialized menus are woven into your itinerary. Newly redesigned rooms and suites with luxurious amenities help the treatment aspect go down easy. You can also take concierge-recommended hikes or tours such as the Taste of Island Life helicopter trip, which includes views of waterfalls, the organic farms near the town of Hana and more. Rates for “Wellness Your Way” programs vary depending on treatments; helicopter tour $16,500; rooms start at $899. fourseasons.com/maui
• The Chopra Center
Carlsbad, California Tucked into the heart of Omni La Costa’s lush acreage, Deepak Chopra’s spiritual and ayurvedic retreat welcomes guests seeking solace, transformation and healing experiences. You can check in year-round to learn to
meditate, do yoga and experience the superlative spa, but it’s the multiday workshops like “Seduction of Spirit” and “Perfect Health” that capture the unique feeling of the Chopra Center experience. Seduction of Spirit includes sunrise meditations, yoga to live music, gourmet vegetarian cuisine, mantra ceremonies and daily lectures by Chopra on everything from quantum physics to divine consciousness. You’ll float back into reality with a lighter heart, having learned how to tap into the gap between thoughts, aka meditating, which science now tells us lengthens our telomeres, lowers blood pressure and extends life. The six-day Perfect Health program combines Eastern healing arts with modern medicine: guests enjoy mind-body consultations with Western doctors trained in ayurvedic healing, cleansing meals, daily ayurvedic spa treatments and classes in primordial sound meditation and the Seven
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Spiritual Laws of Yoga. The 10-day session also includes panchakarma, an ayurvedic cleansing process meant to release toxins and stress from the mind-body system. Programs start at $1,637.50 (Seduction of Spirit) and $2,865 (Perfect Health). Discounted room rates at Omni La Costa start at $189 depending on program and time of year. Chopra Center guests have access to the world-famous Omni La Costa Spa. chopra.com
• Claremont Club & Spa, a Fairmont Hotel Berkeley, California For more than 100 years, the stately white “castle on the hill,” now the Fairmont’s Claremont Club & Spa, has been a beacon of luxury and good living in a city synonymous with progressive-minded health and wellness techniques. After taking over management last year, the Fairmont team brought in both the global design firm Gensler, for the 276 guest rooms and presidential suite, and Kirk Nix of KNA Design in Los Angeles for the public spaces and the three restaurants, including the swanky Limewood, helmed by Michelin-starred chef Joseph Humphrey. And in good news for those of us in Marin, North Bay guests can find themselves checked into the room and at the spa in less than an hour (depending on traffic) after leaving home. The stand-alone spa famous for its expansive saline pool with views of San Francisco offers personalized services delivered by onsite therapists. For athletes, offerings include somatic training and patented muscle activation techniques (starting at $150); for the weary, rejuvenating soaks include an Herbal M A R I N N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 85
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Bask in the warmth of local culture.
Krauter Bath, a Multi-Mineral Soak with magnesium and more than 60 minerals and trace elements, and a splashily colorful Vibrant Sea Salt Bath (starting at $95 each). And for the overfed, staff utritionists and fitness experts give consultations starting at $135. The daily fitness schedule starts at 6 a.m., with classes nearly every hour, including indoor cycling, yoga, Pilates, and cardio on land or in the pool. Pick from à la carte treatments or combine all of the above for a customized wellness weekend. Rooms start at $239; also look for wellness packages such as “Choose Your Spa Moment” (two-night minimum stay) with $100 worth of spa credits and starting at $279 a night, through February 2017. fairmont.com
• Carmel Valley Ranch
A heartfelt gift when you arrive. A special welcome amenity in your room. A locally-inspired memento when you depart. And a host of opportunities to experience our unique local heritage. At Outrigger, we specialize in providing everything the heart requires.
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Carmel Valley, California The 500-acre, gated Carmel Valley Ranch is freckled with California-centric amenities designed to help guests unwind in laid-back luxury, all encapsulating the attractions of the surrounding region. Skyward-snaking hiking trails lead to hilltop horseback riding — it is a ranch, after all — while back in the valley, an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts and multiple pools keep health and fitness fun. Beehives (protective suits provided), onsite lavender fields, an organic garden, a make-your-own salt house and miniature vineyards give an inside glimpse of where the ranch’s salads, cocktails and bath products come from. And for those who love all things organic, treatments at Spa Aiyana are not to be missed: an expansive and unique collection of massages, facials, body therapies and oxygen infusions incorporate seasonal ingredients harvested from the grounds. For an additional charge, treatments are available in the comfort of your suite: indulge in an in-room session before retiring to your private deck or outdoor bathtub for a soak under the stars. Should easy slumber somehow evade you even here, a sleep consultation with Dr. Bee Epstein-Shepherd might help. “HypnoHealth: Wellness for Mind & Spirit” uses an effective hypnotherapy method to instantly reduce stress, leading to more satisfying REM cycles. Sessions are recorded for later listening, and guests leave with techniques to use on sleepless nights at home.
Pool area at Sun Valley Lodge.
Treatments at Spa Aiyana range from $105 (25-minute HydraFacial) to $350 (60-minute Hypno-Health: treatment). Suites start at $475 a night. carmelvalleyranch.com
• Sun Valley Lodge
Sun Valley, Idaho With white expanses as far as the eye can see, flying to Sun Valley feels like traveling to a distant frozen planet on the edge of the universe. The first winter resort in the country, it was built in 1936 and warrants its iconic reputation for many reasons. Bad snow days are nonexistent here — even with climate change — thanks to the 555 “snow guns” that line the runs of Bald Mountain. The exotic locale has even attracted the likes of filmmaker Warren Miller and writer Ernest Hemingway. History and sports-cred aside, the 80-yearold property is relevant and appealing as ever. A recent massive remodel produced a 20,000-square-foot, two-story spa with 15 private treatment rooms, steam and sauna facilities, relaxation lounges, a yoga studio and a large fitness facility with the most modern equipment available. Spa services range from facials and massages to acupuncture, with offerings for kids, teens and brides-to-be. You can also get a haircut here. Ample spa experience packages include the “Cascade,” with a body polish, warming mud cocoon, skin hydration treatment and a 16-head shower; the 80-minute session is $175. For those wanting to seriously indulge, the luxurious “Ultimate” package ($525) begins with a body polish, followed by an 80-minute massage, a 50-minute facial and a manicure and pedicure as well as a healthy spa meal — which you’ll need, as the treatment takes up to four hours. Daily direct flights from the Bay Area arrive at the Friedman Memorial Airport in Hailey, Idaho, a mere 14 miles from the resort. Premier king rooms at the lodge start at $319. sunvalley.com m
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Exploring an ancient Middle Eastern country in the heat of summer.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY VASSI KOUTSAFTIS
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ITH THE MUSIC of Pink Floyd blasting
Opener: Imam Reza Holy Shrine in Mashhad. This page: Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan. Opposite from top left: A village merchant; Isfahan's spice market; Arca restaurant in Isfahan; curious children in Persepolis.
at full volume, my guide Sanaz and my driver Vahid are laughing and joking as we speed down a deserted highway in our Peugeot while the sun begins to set. And so it is in this spirit of camaraderie and adventure that I return to Iran. I have visited the desert country many times and enjoy finding wonderful places to visit and meeting the friendly, incredibly hospitable people. The second-largest country in the Middle East, Iran has a rich, refined culture and of course, an incredible history as one of the world’s oldest civilizations. Americans are allowed to legally travel to Iran as long as they have a visa. Before applying for a visa, visitors need to first apply for a travel authorization number from the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. American citizens must travel with a guide. The purpose of my trip is to scout out potential routes for future tours that might interest adventure seekers. And indeed, Iran is place that should not be quickly ruled out as a travel destination. It is home to 19 UNESCOregistered historical sites and some rugged and beautiful
country. It is also a safe place to visit as long as you respect the culture and customs. When I was in Isfahan, one of my favorite cities in the world, I saw only five other Westerners, all from Europe. Most tourists stay away in the summer due to the heat but I love being there during that time.
Like a Moonscape
And speaking of the heat, it is now 4 p.m., the temperature outside is 122 degrees, the highway ahead is simmering like a mirror from the radiating heat and we have not seen another car for an hour. I am on my way to photograph the Kalout rock formations in the Shahdad Desert and the whole trip out there in the heat is worth it. We arrive just before the sunset; the light is wonderful, turning to gold as the sun sets in the horizon. The landscape reminds me of the American Southwest, only a lot more dramatic. As I climb slowly, drenched in sweat, around the huge rock formations the scene is like a moonscape and I love the solitude. “This is what real travel used to be all about,” I think to myself. What an adventure I am having and, with no one else around, I feel totally free.
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It is regrettable that Americans are so hesitant and misinformed about Iran. After spending time climbing on the rocks taking photos, I head back down to the car. I am surprised to find that Vahid has set up a table in the shade with sliced watermelon, cookies and even espresso. In addition to the huge speakers, he actually has an espresso machine in the trunk. The drive back to the city of Kerman at night is momentous, with more loud music, lots of laughter and a number of stops to look at the stars shimmering above. We also spend a night at a beautiful remote desert caravansary (an inn in Eastern countries where caravans rest at night) where we are the only guests.
Ancient Cities
We head to Shiraz, a regional trade center thought to be one of the oldest cities of ancient Persia. Just an hour out of Shiraz is Persepolis, a splendid palatial complex built in 500 B.C. on an immense half-natural, half-artificial terrace, and one of the world’s most stunning archaeological sites. We also spend a couple of days in Mashhad before heading off o Isfahan, famous for its Persian-Islamic architecture, with many beautiful boulevards, covered bridges, palaces and mosques. I notice some new restaurants and cafes that have opened since my last visit four months ago. Isfahan is a great place to experience music and food, as long as you are not vegetarian — kebab is the main meal here and it is very good. Well rested and fed, I am picked up in Tehran by my friend and mountain guide Ali in his Land Cruiser and we are off o the mountains. But first we must pass through Tehran, which is getting more unbearable every day, with traffic and air pollution becoming serious problems. We make it through the city, pick up our cook and drive north for several hours. Arriving at the trailhead just M A R I N N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 91
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before sunset, we notice that our mule drivers (who will be carrying our supplies and camping equipment) are nowhere to be found. The cook and I make camp while Ali locates the drivers, who it turns out were waiting for us in the wrong spot.
High Peaks
It is just before sunset and I am at 13,800 feet and crouching down close to the ground to take a photo of the valley beyond, where I started my trek. Out of the corner of my eye I catch movement on the ground and realize there is a snake at my feet. I jump up and run a few feet away with my heart racing. “No one has died from a snakebite up here,” Ali says to me with a smile. I reply, “Not yet,” and we both laugh. I am hoping to climb Alam-Kooh, the second-highest peak in Iran at 15,912 feet. I am the only foreigner on the trail. The window of opportunity for exploring this area is very short, from the beginning of July to late August. After that, the passes close due to snow and ice. Trekking in Iran is very different than trekking in the Himalayas, where I usually lead tours — the support staff here is good but minimal; we set up our own tents and eat alfresco; and there are no dining or toilet tents and no Sherpas to set them up. But the Iranians are very helpful, friendly and polite and this makes up for the missing Sherpa support. The food is also very good, but if you like coffee bring your own, because the standard on trek is Nescafe. After we pass two small villages and hot springs we are all alone to enjoy the mountains. It’s an absolutely wonderful experience not seeing other trekkers. I have been on about 50 treks all over the Himalayas, Karakoram, the Hindu Kush, the Pamirs, Africa and South America, and this trek, albeit short, is a treat indeed. The weather is hot during the day and pleasant at night until we reach higher altitudes. 92 N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 M A R I N
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Night and Day
The night before arriving at base camp we make camp by the river, and on the other side is an Afghani man who is taking care of 2,000 sheep with the help of five dogs that bark all night long. Far from being an annoyance, the activity adds a note of adventure. The next morning, we start on the trail very early because we have a difficult, long day ahead. We climb two 12,000-foot passes before finally descending to our base camp. On the second peak I find another Afghani
I am hoping to climb Alam-Kooh, the second-highest peak in Iran at 15,912 feet. I am the only foreigner on the trail. sheepherder taking a rest in the morning sun. When he finds out I am from the United States, he smiles broadly and says how much he admires America. He then asks how can it be that it is morning in Iran and nighttime in the States? I pick up a round rock and do my best to explain it to him as Ali translates. Finally, the Afghani man puts his palm over his heart as a sign of respect and wishes us safe travels. The view from this second pass is gorgeous, with high peaks, lakes and ice. A few hours later we arrive at a beautiful meadow and set up our base camp by a creek and yes, on the other side of the valley is yet another Afghani sheepherder with about 1,500 sheep and four dogs. We wake up to a gorgeous sunrise, golden-colored mountains and crystal-clear air. We set off ery early for the summit of Alam-Kooh. The trail is easy for the first hour, then gets very narrow and steep and is full of loose rock. Halfway up we meet an Iranian group of about 15 men and women (yes, women are free to go trekking in Iran) who had come up the night before. When they hear that I am American everyone shakes my hand and tells me how much they love the USA. We reach the summit around noon, and what a wonderful feeling to stand at the top enjoying the view. The sense of accomplishment is always a natural high.
The Road Home
On the long Turkish Airlines flight home, I look back at my experiences in the desert, the mountains and the country. To me it is regrettable that Americans are so hesitant and misinformed about Iran. We are strategic friends with other countries in the Middle East where women are not allowed to go outside on their own, drive a car or go to a
cafe. In Iran you see young and old women driving cars, walking hand-in-hand with their boyfriends and having lunch with their girlfriends. One thing that impresses me is that even very conservative women dressed all in black are not afraid to share a cup of tea at a cafe with more progressive women wearing makeup and just a scarf over their heads. Women in Iran are also not shy about striking up a conversation with a foreigner like me. I have been to Iran many times and the people there are some of the most welcoming around. The only real danger in Iran is crossing a city street — for that you truly need determination, agility and nerve. m
Opposite from top left: A sheepherder in the mountains; Rayen Citadel, south of Kerman, is a medieval mud brick city that was inhabited until 150 years ago; Naqsh-e Rustam in Persepolis with ancient carved reliefs; a woman from the village of Bavanat. This page from top: Mule drivers at Alam-Kooh base camp; view from the summit of Alam-Kooh.
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One Weekend Only
December 10th December 11th Marin Center 415.473.6800
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Out & About C A L E N DA R / O N T H E S CE N E / D I N E
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Calendar
T H E AT E R / CO M E DY / M U S I C / G A L L E R I E S / M U S E U M S / E V E N T S / F I L M
E D I T E D B Y C A L I N VA N PA R I S
THEATER NOV 2–DEC 31 The Lion King Visit the Serengeti with Disney’s muchacclaimed Broadway musical. Your favorite characters — and their favorite songs — are enlivened by unique and colorful costumes and dramatic sets. Orpheum Theatre (SF). 888.746.1799, shnsf.com THRU NOV 19 Shocktoberfest 17: Pyramid of Freaks Embrace the fright with Thrillpeddlers’ collection of five oneact plays, each more spooky than the last. Hypnodrome (SF). 415.377.4202, hypnodrome.org NOV 4–13 Disney’s High School Musical Throckmorton Youth Performers kicks off ts season with a family-friendly production of Disney’s High School Musical, centering on the oftensung adventures of the students of East High. Throckmorton Theatre (Mill Valley). 415.383.9600, throck mortontheatre.org
THEATER THRU NOV 6 Summer in Sanctuary In this solo show, NPR host Al Letson challenges perceptions about race and class as he struggles to connect with the disadvantaged children of the Sanctuary, a community center in an economically challenged neighborhood in
Jacksonville, Florida, where Letson taught creative writing for one memorable summer. The Marsh (SF). 415.282.3055, themarsh.org
romance in this drama about a psychology graduate who wins a prestigious brain research position. A.C.T. Geary Theater (SF). 415.749.2228, act-sf.org
THRU NOV 13 The Hard Problem Tom Stoppard presents his first new play in nearly a decade. Modern science comes up against religion and
THRU NOV 13 The Red Demon San Francisco’s Theatre of Yugen presents the contemporary drama penned by Hideki Noda. After
a stranger washes up on the shores of a small beach community, locals decide the visitor must be a demon, an assumption he must attempt to overcome despite a communication barrier. NOHSpace (SF). 415.621.0507, theatreofyugen.org
NOV 4–20 Rainbow Logic: Arm in Arm with Remy Charlip A unique, multifaceted performance celebrating the life and legacy of dancer, choreographer, children’s book author and illustrator Remy Charlip. Presented by Eye Zen. CounterPulse (SF). counterpulse.org NOV 15–DEC 11 The King and I The Rodgers and Hammerstein
musical transports audiences to 1860s Bangkok, where the King of Siam and British schoolteacher Anna Leonowens develop an unexpected relationship. Golden Gate Theatre (SF). 888.746.1799, shnsf.com NOV 16–DEC 31 Steve Silver’s Beach Blanket Babylon Holiday Extravaganza San Francisco’s classically quirky evening of pop culture spoofs, spirited songs and enormous hats takes a seasonal turn featuring Christmas carols, a Yuletide hat and more. Club Fugazi (SF). 415.421.4222, beach blanketbabylon.com
DANCE NOV 2–6 Alonzo King Lines Ballet A consolidated season of six performances featuring a world premiere with Israeli mezzo-soprano Maya Lahyani and the reprise of Meyer, King’s collaboration with composer Edgar Meyer. YBCA Theater (SF). 415.978.2787, linesballet.org
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NOV 20 Just Dance Academy Winter Performance Join the academy for its annual winter performance, featuring an abbreviated version of The Nutcracker, followed by a presentation of various other styles. Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.473.6800, marincenter.org NOV 25–DEC 11 The Velveteen Rabbit ODC co-artistic director KT Nelson’s now-classic interpretation of Margery Williams’ beloved children’s book The Velveteen Rabbit returns to Yerba Buena Center for the Arts for its 30th season. YBCA (SF). 415.978.2787, odcdance.org NOV 29 DanceFAR 2016 The Bay Area’s most celebrated dance companies and international guest artists unite for one night only. Following the performance, attend the after-party, with food and drink provided by local restaurants and wineries. YBCA (SF). 415.978.2787, ybca.org
COMEDY TUESDAYS Tuesday Night Comedy Funnies An evening of hilarity. Throckmorton Theatre (Mill Valley). 415.383.9600, throck mortontheatre.org THURSDAYS Mort Sahl, Legendary Social Satirist Join Mort Sahl as he takes the stage to deliver a show filled with his legendary take-no-prisoners wit, through December 29. Throckmorton Theatre (Mill Valley). 415.383.9600, throck mortontheatre.org
NOV 2–4 John Cleese and Eric Idle: Together Again at Last … For the Very First Time Founding Monty Python members John Cleese and Eric Idle come together for a few evenings of improvisation, storytelling, musical numbers and more. Golden Gate Theatre (SF). 888.746.1799, shnsf.com NOV 4 Whose Live Anyway? Enjoy 90 minutes of completely improvised comedy from Greg Proops, Joel Murray, Ryan Stiles and Jeff . of Whose Line Is It Anyway? Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.473.6800, marincenter.org NOV 12 Jim Jeffries: The Unusual Punishment Tour The controversial comedian performs his brand of irreverent, subversive and hilarious standup. The Warfield (SF). thewarfieldtheatre.com
MUSIC THRU NOV 1 Masterworks 1: Bold Beginnings The Marin Symphony opens its new season with celebratory pieces from John Adams, Beethoven and Rachmaninoff. The symphony will be conducted by Alasdair Neale, with piano by Jon Nakamatsu. Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.473.6800, marinsymphony.org NOV 4–5 Serenade and Salute A selection of songs in collaboration with the Throckmorton Chorus. Mt. Tam United Methodist Church (Mill Valley).
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415.383.0930, mill valleyphilharmonic.org NOV 5–DEC 6 Aida Radames, an Egyptian military hero, falls in love with Ethiopian slave Aida in this epic opera by Giuseppe Verdi. War Memorial Opera House (SF). 415.864.3334, sfopera.com NOV 6–DEC 4 Madame Butterfly Giacomo Puccini’s heartbreaking opera set in Nagasaki and centering on wartime, love and betrayal. War Memorial Opera House (SF). 415.864.3334, sfopera.com
Real Life Real Time
Bill Maher comes to Marin on the heels of the 2016 presidential election.
B
ILL MAHER HAS been shocking and
awing television audiences with his insightful political satire for more than 20 years and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. Maher began his career as a stand-up comic before landing Politically Incorrect in 1993. Following that almost decade-long gig came HBO’s Real Time, where he’s racked up 34 Emmy nominations — in 2014 he won his first as the executive producer for HBO’s Vice. In 2008, Maher wrote and starred in Religulous, which has become the eighth-highest-grossing documentary ever. The comedian will be performing on Sunday, November 13, at the Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium in San Rafael. marincenter.org KASIA PAWLOWSKA
NOV 13 Inscape Chamber Orchestra Mill Valley Chamber Music Society continues its concert series with the Grammynominated chamber music group Inscape Chamber Orchestra. Mt. Tam United Methodist Church (Mill Valley). 415.381.4453, chambermusic millvalley.org NOV 13 Musica Pacifica with Ryland Angel The countertenor joins Musica Pacifica in a program highlighting the connections between the sacred and the secular. St. Mark’s Lutheran Church (SF). 510.528.1725, sfems.org NOV 15 Eryka Badu Songwriter, soul singer and activist Eryka Badu comes to San Francisco for an evening of jazzinfused — and always emotive — hip-hop. The Warfield (SF). the warfieldtheatre.com NOV 19 A Girl Called Mary Take a journey through Mary’s life with the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke and
Italian music from the 16th to the 18th century. First Presbyterian Church (San Anselmo). 415.497.6634, marinbaroque.org NOV 19 Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band Everyone’s favorite drummer comes to Marin for an evening of rock ’n’ roll alongside Todd Rundgren, Gregg Rolie, Steve Lukather and Richard Page. Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (San Rafael). 415.473.6800, marincenter.org NOV 26 Jackie Greene The songwriter/singer performs songs off Back to Birth, his first solo album in five years. The Warfield (SF). the warfieldtheatre.com NOV 30 Glide’s Annual Holiday Jam: Walk That Walk Help fund Glide’s many services with an evening of live music, dance, spoken word, and food and drink. The Masonic (SF). 415.674.6060, glide.org
GALLERIES MARIN Art Abloom Studio and Gallery Classes for artists. 751 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, San Anselmo. 415.256.1112, artabloom.com Art Works Downtown 20/20 Vision: Past, Present, Future An exhibition celebrating 20 years of Art Works Downtown, through November 11. 1337 Fourth St, San Rafael. 415.451.8119, artworks downtown.org Bolinas Gallery An eclectic collection of contemporary art. 52 Wharf Road, Bolinas. 415.868.0782, bolinas-gallery.com
Bubble Street Featuring genres of fantastic art, imaginary realism, neo-Victorian and steampunk. 565 Bridgeway, Sausalito. 415.339.0506, bubblestreetgallery.com Claudia Chapline Gallery and Sculpture Garden Works by Claudia Chapline, Jim Garmhausen, Etta Deikman and others. 3445 Shoreline Hwy, Stinson Beach. 415.868.2308, cchapline.com Desta Gallery Visual Poetry, through November 15. 417 San Anselmo Ave, San Anselmo. 415.524.8932, destagallery.com di Rosa Based on a True Story: Highlights from the di Rosa Collection Art and encounters from di Rosa’s own history, through spring 2017. 5200 Carneros Hwy, Napa. 707.226.5991, dirosaart.org Falkirk Cultural Center Fall Open Juried Art Exhibition, through November 4. 1408 Mission Ave, San Rafael. 415.485.3328, falkirk culturalcenter.org Fine Art Etc. Featuring a collection of sculptures and paintings by artists from Northern California and around the world. 686 Bridgeway, Sausalito. 415.332.1107, finear etc.com Gallery Route One Will Thoms: Messing Around Sixteen small paintings by the artist, November 4–December 11. 11101 Hwy One, Point Reyes. 415.663.1347, galleryrouteone.org
Marin Society of Artists Annual Members Show A collection of works by Marin Society of Artists members, back for its 89th year, November 3–December 1. 1515 Third St, San Rafael. 415.454.9561, marinsocietyofartists.org Masterworks Kids’ Art Studio Youth art classes. 305B Montecito Drive, Corte Madera. 415.945.7945, master workskidsart.com Mine Gallery Original contemporary art. 1820 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Fairfax. 415.755.4472, gallerymine.com O’Hanlon Center for the Arts Black & White and Shades of Gray A juried exhibition, through November 17. 616 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley. 415.388.4331, ohanloncenter.org Petri’s Fine Arts Featuring contemporary works in various mediums. 690 Bridgeway, Sausalito. 415.332.2626, petrisfineart .com Robert Allen Fine Art Local Landscapes in Abstraction A group exhibition, through November 25. 301 Caledonia St, Sausalito. 415.331.2800, robert allenfineart.co Robert Beck Gallery Early California and contemporary plein air paintings. 222 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, San Anselmo. 415.456.7898, beckgallery.org Robert Green Fine Arts Works by John Grillo, Paul Jenkins and more. 154 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley. 415.381.8776, rgfineart .com
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Roberta English Art by Cheung Lee, Mayumi Oda, Li Huayi, Ju Ming and Toko Shinoda. 1615 Bridgeway, Sausalito. 415.331.2975, robertaenglish.com Rock Hill Gallery Botanicals Works by Kristin Jakobs, through December 1. 145 Rock Hill Drive, Tiburon. 415.435.9108, ccctiburon.net Room Art Gallery Works by both Bay Area artists and major masters; the largest collection of Picasso, Chagall and others in Marin County. 86 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley. 415.380.7940, roomartgallery.com Seager Gray Gallery Devorah Jacoby: Unearthed A collection
of paintings from the artist, through November 17. 108 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley. 415.384.8288, seagergray.com Smith Andersen North Works by established and emerging artists. 20 Greenfield ve, San Anselmo. 415.455.9733, smithandersen north.com Studio 333 Art and events. 333A Caledonia St, Sausalito. 415.331.8272, studio333.info Studio 4 Art Work by local artists, classes and workshops with materials included. 1133 Grant Ave, Novato. 415.596.5546, studio4art.net
The Blissful Gallery Oils, watercolors and prints by painter Emmeline Craig. 3415 Shoreline Hwy, Stinson Beach, 415.868.2787, emmelinecraig.com Zener Schon Contemporary Art Contemporary works in various mediums by Eric Zener, Paige Smith, JD Wilson and others. 23 Sunnyside Ave, 415.738.8505, zener schongallery.com
SAN FRANCISCO
ArtHaus The Lake Art by John Wood. 411 Brannan St, 415.977.0223, arthaus-sf.com
Caldwell Snyder Gallery Ongoing work. 341 Sutter St, 415-392-2299, caldwellsnyder.com
California Historical Society Native Portraits: Contemporary Tintypes by Ed Drew A series of portraits of members of the Klamath, Modoc and Pit River Paiute tribes, through November 27. 678 Mission Street, SF, 415.357.1848, california historicalsociety.org
Gregory Lind Gallery Works by Danielle Tegeder, through November. 49 Geary St, 415.296.9661, gregorylindgallery.com
Fouladi Projects New paintings by Omar Chacon, November 4–December 17. 1803 Market St, 415.621.2535, fouladiprojects.com
Meyerovich Gallery Alex Katz: New and Recent Works, through November 15. 251 Post St, 415.421.7171, meyerovich.com
George Lawson Gallery I Dreamt Bees Made Sweet Honey From My Past Failures Paintings by various artists, November 2–December 17. 315 Potrero Ave, 415.703.4400, georgelawson gallery.com
Pier 24 Photography Collected Art from the Pilara Foundation collection, through January 31. Pier 24, 415.512.7424, pier24.org
Hackett-Mill Original art. 201 Post St, 415.362.3377, hackettmill.com
Rena Bransten Projects Works by national and international contemporary artists. 1639
Market St, 415.982.3292, renabransten gallery.com San Francisco Art Institute The Proposal Works by Jill Magid, through December 10. 800 Chestnut Street, 415.771.7020, sfai.edu Thomas Reynolds Gallery Pieces by contemporary painters, most addressing the intersection of realism and abstraction. 2291 Pine St, 415.441.4093, thomasreynolds.com
MUSEUMS MARIN Bay Area Discovery Museum Imagine, create and transform while exploring the unique museum’s ongoing exhibits (Sausalito).
Creating Women Leaders One Girl at a Time
PRANCING PONIES FUNDRAISER Room Art Gallery 86 Throckmorton Avenue, Mill Valley, CA 94941
Mill Valley’s largest collection of prints by
Picasso, Matisse, Dali, Chagall & Miro
November 17th, 2016 6:00-8:00pm
Please come, visit & start your collection starting from $1,500. FREE art consultations and deliveries in the Bay Area.
P.O. Box 1942 Mill Valley, CA 94942 www.prancingponies.com email: supporttheponies@prancingponies.com
Room Art Gallery 86 Throckmorton Ave. Mill Valley, CA 94941 415.03 8 0.794 0 w w w.roomar tgaller y.com
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Out & About / CALENDAR 415.339.3900, baykids museum.org Bolinas Museum Bounty: Fine Food Production in Coastal Marin from 1834 to the 21st Century A selection of maps, local photographs and farm equipment celebrating our unique agricultural landscape, through December 31 (Bolinas). 415.868.0330, bolinasmuseum.org Marin Museum of the American Indian Braving Two Worlds Works by contemporary Native American artists, through December 18 (Novato). 415.897.4064, marinindian.com Marin Museum of Contemporary Art Fall National Juried
Exhibition A sampling of contemporary art on a national scale, through December 4 (Novato). 415.506.0137, marinmoca.org
garden aflutter with hundreds of butterflies, November 17–January 7 (SF). 415.831.2090, conservatoryof flo ers.org
Exploratorium Ongoing interactive exhibits exploring science, art and human perception (SF). 415.397.5673, exploratorium.edu
of the Black Panthers, a contemporary view of the party, through February 12 (Oakland). 510.318.8400, museumca.org
BAY AREA
Contemporary Jewish Museum From Generation to Generation: Inherited Memory and Contemporary Art Work by more than 25 artists centering on memories that are not their own, November 25–April 2 (SF). 415.655.7800, thecjm.org
Legion of Honor The Brothers Le Nain: Painters of 17th-Century France Works by Antoice and Louis Le Nain, through January 29 (SF). 415.750.3600, legionofhonor.famsf.org
SFMOMA Japanese Photography from Postwar to Now An exhibition highlighting SFMOMA’s collection of nearly 200 Japanese photographs, through March 12 (SF). 415.357.4000, sfmoma.org
Asian Art Museum Koki Tanaka: Potters and Poets Artist Koki Tanaka explores the art of creative collaborations, November 4–February 14 (SF). 415.581.3711, asianart.org California Academy of Sciences The past, present and future of our solar system, narrated by George Takei. (SF). 415.379.8000, calacademy.org Conservatory of Flowers Butterflies and Blooms A beautiful and intimate cottage
de Young Frank Stella: A Retrospective The first comprehensive U.S. exhibition of Frank Stella’s work since 1970, November 5–February 26 (SF). 415.750.3600, deyoung.famsf.org
Homegrown food and wine
Museum of Craft and Design Reflection Works by Marianne Lettieri, through January 22 (SF). 415.773.0303, sfmcd.org Oakland Museum of California All Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50 In honor of the 50th anniversary of the founding
Sonoma Valley Museum of Art Pairings: 16 Artists Creatively Combined Artworks — like the area’s food and wine — are brought together to create surprising and harmonious combinations, through December 31 (Sonoma). svma.org
The Walt Disney Family Museum Wish Upon a Star: The Art of Pinocchio A neverbefore-seen glimpse of the artistic process of one of Disney’s most influential animated films, through January 9 (SF). 415.345.6800, waltdisney.org Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Space Program: Europa Sculptural works by Tom Sachs and his team of astronauts, through January 15 (SF). 415.978.2787, ybca.org
EVENTS NOV 5 Hospice by the Bay’s Soiree by the Bay Join emcee Doug McConnell as Hospice by the Bay celebrates the expansion of its
Makers.
Lou and Susan Preston, owners Preston Farm and Winery in Dry Creek Valley
A town built by inspired craftspeople and visionaries. The perfect blend of agricultural heritage and trend-setting experiences. Join us in Healdsburg and dig into our roots, enjoy the fruits of our labor, and discover why we’re the tastemaker of Sonoma wine country.
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pediatric programs into the East Bay. Enjoy a gala cocktail reception with silent and live auctions, dinner and dancing to a bayside beat with Dick Bright. Craneway Pavilion (Richmond). 415.526.5500, hbtb.org NOV 5–6 Wine and Food Affair Head to wine country for a full weekend of wine and food pairings. All participating Wine Road wineries will feature a recipe for a favorite dish, which they will prepare both days to be sampled along with the perfect wine. Various locations (Sonoma County). 800.723.6336, wineroad.com Beach Blanket Babylon Holiday Extravaganza at Club Fugazi, S.F.
NOV 17 Lights Out! Head to the Headlands Center for the Arts
for its last celebration before its wintertime hibernation. Bring your flashlight to best experience this unique party, which features food and drink, live music, unexpected performances — and no lights. Headlands Center for the Arts (Sausalito). 415.331.2787, headlands.org NOV 18 The Salvation Army Kettle Kickoff Enjoy food, a silent auction, and a performance by Wonderbread 5. All proceeds from the event go toward helping to provide food for families in need throughout Marin County for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Bay Club (Novato). 415.459.4520, salvationarmy.org
NOV 19–DEC 18 The Great Dickens Christmas Fair and Victorian Holiday Party Step back into Victoria-era London to celebrate the season in true Dickensian fashion. The lively streets are complete with holiday carolers, pleasant aromas, one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts and even Fezziwig’s dance hall. Cow Palace (SF). dickensfair.com NOV 25 San Rafael Parade of Lights and Winter Wonderland The 36th annual parade features a holiday marketplace with unique arts and crafts, live entertainment, children’s activities, the always popular free snow sledding, a tree lighting ceremony, and the celebrated parade
NOV 5, 2016 – FEB 26, 2017
Frank Stella, Gran Cairo, 1962. Alkyd on canvas, 85 5/8 × 85 5/8 in. (217.3 × 217.3 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Purchase, with funds from the Friends of the Whitney Museum of American Art, 63.34. © 2016 Frank Stella / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
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FILM NOV 5 Italian Film Festival: Another South A drama about Stefania, who hails from Sicily and embarks on a humanitarian mission to southern Iraq to help children with cleft lip, where she learns a great deal about life and love. Showcase Theater (San Rafael). 415.473.6800, marincenter.org
The King and I at Golden Gate Theatre, S.F.
NOV 9–13 Napa Valley Film Festival A long weekend of more than 120 film screenings, events, celebrity tributes, filmmaker discussions, and food and wine from 150 wineries. Various locations (Napa
Valley). napavalley fi mfest.org NOV 10–13 The Bright Stream The Bolshoi Ballet comes to your local theater screen. Enjoy an encore production of The Bright Stream, in which a visiting dance troupe reunites a ballerina with her childhood friend. The Lark Theater (Larkspur). 415.924.5111, larktheater.net
NATURE WALKS & TALKS NOV 4–6 Photographing the Natural Wonders of Point Reyes Learn how to capture the varied beauty of Point Reyes National Seashore
through presentations that cover lighting, exposure, composition and processing. Field Institute (Point Reyes). 415.663.1200, ptreyes.org NOV 5 Movement and Mindfulness Take the time to unwind with a naturalist-led, soothing stroll to Rodeo Beach, for a session of gentle movement and meditation. Spread your toes in the sand, breathe in the sea breeze and move with the ocean’s waves. YMCA (Point Bonita). 415.331.9622, ymcasf.org NOV 6 Owls at Mount Burdell Don’t miss the opportunity to check out this unique, oak-strewn preserve under the stars — and listen for owls. Rangers
PAUL KOLNIK
of lights with Santa and his friends. Downtown (San Rafael). sresproductions.com
Party like a rock star with friends and family. Book your private event now! Sweetwater Music Hall is Marin’s premier event location, offering flexible space and pricing for anywhere from 30 to 300 people. We can book your favorite band, host high-end dinner engagements featuring world-renowned chef Gordon Drysdale, or host small pre-show cocktail, anniversary, business or birthday parties. Let us help you plan an unforgettable celebration in a legendary space. Contact madison@swmh.com to book your event now. (415) 388-3850 - www.sweetwatermusichall.com 19 Corte Madera Ave, Mill Valley
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will discuss the habits of these nocturnal birds. Participants should bring dinner and a flashlight. Mount Burdell (Novato). 415.893.9508, marincountyparks.org NOV 6 Still Life Photography: Studio Lighting Techniques This still-life photography workshop offers the chance to slow down and study the ways that light creates dimension, shape and texture. The Image Flow (Mill Valley). 415.388.3569, theimageflo .com NOV 12 Exploring Wind Caves and Wave Caves Gear up for a challenging 10-mile hike exploring two types of caves present on the Point Reyes peninsula. Field Institute (Point
Reyes). 415.663.1200, ptreyes.org NOV 14 Birds of Bolinas Lagoon Observe the waterfowl and shorebirds that call Bolinas Lagoon home. Join this ranger-led excursion, in which participants circle the lagoon in a car, searching for birds in a variety of habitats. Bob Stewart trailhead (Bolinas), marincountyparks.org NOV 15 Pajama-Rama! Throw on your favorite pj’s and slippers, grab your stuffed animal and head to this family-friendly evening of bedtime stories and songs. Public library (Fairfax). marinlibrary.org
NOV 16 Anthony Bourdain: The Hunger Author and television host Anthony Bourdain delivers a monologue reflecting on culture, street cuisine and his own travels to lesserknown parts of the globe, followed by a Q&A. War Memorial Opera House (SF). 888.746.1799, shnsf.com NOV 17 One Tam: Wildlife Picture Index Project Training and Cataloging Join One Tam and become a “community scientist,” learning to maintain wildlife cameras and helping to process photos. Civic Center (San Rafael). onetam.org
NOV 19 Meteor Shower Kayak Adventure Experience the Leonid meteor shower from a unique perspective. Join Blue Waters Kayaking for an under-the-stars excursion on Tomales Bay. Registration required. Field Institute (Point Reyes). 415.663.1200, ptreyes.org NOV 19 Gifts From the Garden UC Marin Master Gardener Anne-Marie Walker demonstrates the simplicity of growing your own herbs and transforming your bounty into flavorful, plant-infused salt rubs and vinegars. Public library (Novato). marinlibrary.org
NOV 20 Bird-Watching at Las Gallinas See hawks soaring over the surrounding fields and songbirds flitting about the bushes along the levees. Las Gallinas (San Rafael). 415.456.7283, wildcarebayarea.org NOV 21 Trevor Noah Recently minted Daily Show host Trevor Noah comes to San Francisco to talk politics and comedy with Laurene Powell Jobs. Nourse Theater (SF). 415.392.4400, cityarts.net NOV 22 Nature for Kids: Cascade Canyon Observe the changing seasons on this ranger-led hike. Keep an eye out for salamanders, and bring a lunch. Cascade Canyon
(Fairfax). 415.893.9508, marincountyparks.org NOV 25–27 Mushroom Camp at Point Reyes National Seashore Instructor David Campbell leads beginning and intermediate enthusiasts on a series of excursions into the local mushroom habitats of Point Reyes. Field Institute (Point Reyes). 415.663.1200, ptreyes.org NOV 28 Frances McDormand and Elizabeth Strout Acclaimed actress Frances McDormand and novelist Elizabeth Strout team up for a conversation with Steven Winn. Nourse Theater (SF). 415.392.4400, cityarts.net
Announcing a special holiday benefit concert for ExtraFood.org Sponsored by BMW San Francisco
Thursday, December 8th at 8pm 142 Throckmorton Theatre Mill Valley, California
Featuring:
Ricky Fataar, George Marinelli, Marc Levine, Michael Spriggs, Lewis & Graham Patzner Advance tickets available at The Box Office at 142 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley or www.142throckmortontheatre.org General Admission (7:30pm): $25 VIP Reception (6:45pm): $100 (includes reception by Heidi Krahling/Insalata’s, special seating & new CD) For more info: www.michelleschmitt.com 100% of event proceeds go to ExtraFood.org
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Dine E DITE D BY MIMI TOWLE
CORTE MADERA BLUE BARN GOURMET American The first Marin outpost of the S.F.-based eatery has proven very popular. The menu includes customizable salads, toasted sandwiches, soups and more, prepared with locally harvested produce and proteins. Try the buffalo milk gelato from Double 8 Dairy of West Marin. Corte Madera Town Ctr, 415.927.1104, bluebarngourmet.com b $$ s ∞ LD º
Mesquite Clams with Sausage and Leeks
• MAYBECK’S American BIX and Fog City alums Erik Lowe and Aaron Toensing serve inventive American standards like St. Louis–style toasted raviolis and green chile-apple pie with a cheddar cheese crust. The chefs explore regional culinary traditions and translate them into a Northern Californian lexicon as evidenced by their playful menu and a Negroni-centered bar. 3213 Scott St, 415.939.2726, maybecks.com s $$ C D
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 $$ s C LD PIG IN A PICKLE American Fresh local ingredients and the highest-quality brisket, pork, ribs and chicken
comprise the menu of this Town Center eatery. Sauces are crafted to represent the best American barbecue regions, from Memphis to South Carolina. House-made pickles, buns and sausages will keep you coming back. 341 Corte Madera Town Ctr, 415.891.3265, pig inapicklebbq.com b $$$ s ∞ BLD
FAIRFAX 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 $$ s ∞ D º BAREFOOT CAFE American Chef Tony Senehi prepares fresh Californian dishes made with local, organic ingredients, from sustainable sources. A popular brunch location, neighbors and tourists come to this quaint restaurant in the heart of Fairfax for everything from their eggs benedict to panna
CHLOE LIST
A N I N S I D E R ’ S G U I D E T O R E S TA U R A N T S A N D G O O D F O O D I N T H E B AY A R E A
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cotta dessert. 1900 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, 415.460.2160, barefootcafe.com b $$ s BLD VILLAGE SAKE 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’ll find maki rolls and skewers, plus sake and craft beers. Closed Tuesdays. 19 Bolinas Road, 415.521.5790, villagesake.com b $$$ ∞ D
LARKSPUR DON ANTONIO Italian Antonio Volpicelli, of Don Antonio in Tiburon, has taken over the old Fabrizio space and filled it with more traditional Italian cuisine. The menu offers an assortment of classic dishes like orgonzola gnocchi, veal parmesan, carbonara and an extensive wine list. Guests are welcome to enjoy any one of these items on the spacious outdoor patio. 455 Magnolia Ave, 415.924.3332, amalfi ristorantelarkspur.com b $$ ∞ LD EL HUARACHE LOCO Mexican The menu has gained quite a following for the authentic Mexico City dishes. From mini huaraches (filled corn masa cakes) to the foot-long huarache with two salsas, crema, queso fresco and two toppings of your choice, you’re sure to get a true taste of a homemade Mexican meal. Marin Country Mart, 1803 Larkspur
Landing Circle, 415.925.1403, huaracheloco.com b $ s ∞ BLD 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 $$$ s ∞ C LD BR LEFT BANK RESTAURANT French Known for award-winning French cuisine and a lively brasserie ambience, this corner spot on Magnolia Avenue rates high with locals. Those with a small appetite (or budget) can opt for happy hour appetizers (4 to 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close, Monday to Friday), most priced under $6. 507 Magnolia Ave, 415.927.3331, leftbank.com s $$$ s ∞ C LD BR MARIN BREWING CO. American Grab a cold beer made on site and pair it with fish ’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 $$ s ∞ LD º PERRY’S American The San Francisco mainstay has opened another new location, this time across the bridge in Larkspur, bringing with it its wide selection of salads, steaks and comfort favorites like French
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BUNGALOW 44 American One of Mill Valley’s neighborhood hot spots, featuring contemporary California comfort food, signature cocktails, fine wine, and one-dollar oysters from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. every day. 44 E. Blithedale Ave, 415.381.2500, bungalow44.com s $$$ s ∞ C D
Cappellacci at Il Davide, San Rafael
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 $$ LD º PICCO California Popular since its inception, Picco has a seasonally driven menu featuring items such as risotto (made every half hour) that keep patrons coming back. Pizzeria Picco next door is famous for its wood-fired pizzas,
wine selection and softserve Straus Family Creamery ice cream. 320 Magnolia Ave, 415.924.0300, restaurantpicco.com s $$$ s ∞ C D RUSTIC BAKERY California This homegrown bakery is known and loved the world over. In fact, Pope Francis famously requested Rustic Bakery flatbread and crostini when he visited the United States in 2015. Bread that’s baked fresh each morning in addition to granola, cookies, muffins and croissants make this a local staple. 1139 Magnolia Ave, 415.925.1556; 2017 Larkspur Landing
Circle, 415.461.9900; rusticbakery.com b $$ s ∞ BLD BR
MILL VALLEY BALBOA CAFE MILL VALLEY California The San Francisco institution has become a place to see and be seen in Mill Valley, especially after 142 Throckmorton comedy nights. Menu includes Niman flatiron steak, braised beef brisket risotto and classic burgers. 38 Miller Ave, 415.381.7321, balboacafe.com s $$$ ∞ LD BR º BUCKEYE ROADHOUSE American Oysters Bingo, baby back ribs and Chili-Lime “Brick” Chicken are a
EL PASEO American This award-wining eatery in the heart of downtown Mill Valley has been voted most romantic restaurant in Northern California. Built from Mount Tam railroad ties and brick in 1947, El Paseo was restored by owner Sammy Hagar in 2009. The menu offers classic Californian cuisine that’s generously influenced by Spain and an extensive wine list. 17 Throckmorton Ave, 415.388.0741, elpaseomillvalley.com b $$$ ∞ C D FRANTOIO RISTORANTE Italian This 6,000-squarefoot eatery is centered around the in-house olive press, which produces a special blend popular with locals. For special occasions and private parties, reserve the olive-press room. The popular weekday happy hour starts at 4:30 p.m. 152 Shoreline
Hwy, 415.289.5777, frantoio.com s $$$ ∞ C LD º HARMONY Chinese Enjoy a lighter take on Chinese at this restaurant, nestled in the Strawberry Village. The barbecue pork bun is filled with housemade roasted meat in a savory sauce, and fresh mussels are accented with red chili and Thai basil. Pair your pick with wine, beer or tea. Be sure to check out the weekday lunch special for an excellent deal. Strawberry Village, 415.381.5300, harmony restaurantgroup.com b $$ s LD INDIA PALACE Indian Known as “that great restaurant in the Travelodge,” India Palace is a favorite with the takeout crowd; eating on site is also a treat. 707 Redwood Hwy, 415.388.3350, india palacemillvalley.com b $$ s LD JOE’S TACO LOUNGE Mexican Joe’s serves up fish tacos, burritos and enchiladas as well as more unusual items like Mexican pizza, tofu tostada and crab tostadas. Colorful interior and quick service make this a fun, easy stop. If there are too many unsupervised kids for a peaceful meal, takeout is easy too. If you stay, grab a selection of hot sauce bottles from the wall and find your perfect match. 382 Miller Ave, 415.383. 8164, joestacolounge.com b $$ s ∞ BLD PIATTI RISTORANTE AND BAR Italian The staff rides itself on capturing the warm and welcoming atmosphere of a traditional Italian trattoria. Get a table by
the window or on the outdoor deck for a truly exceptional view right on the water. Peruse the impressive selection of Italian wines to accompany your rustic seasonal meal. 625 Redwood Hwy, 415.380.2525, piatti.com s $$ s ∞ C LD BR PIAZZA D’ANGELO Italian It’s always a party at this longstanding hot spot. A great place to meet up with friends for a fresh plate of pasta, or make some new friends at the bar. The menu is known for creative, seasonal dishes like the stuffed veal loin with wild mushrooms and house-made mozzarella. 22 Miller Ave, 415.388.2000, piazzadangelo.com s $$ s ∞ C LD BR º PIZZA ANTICA Italian This Italianinspired restaurant in Strawberry Village offers much more than impeccably prepared thin-crust pizzas. The seasonal dishes are created with local ingredients and include chopped salads, housemade pastas, and meat, fish and fowl entrees, such as the Tuscan fried chicken and roasted pork chop. 800 Redwood Hwy, 415.383.0600, pizzaantica.com b $$ s LD BR º PLAYA Mexican Drawing inspiration from travels and the fresh, flavorful cuisine served on the playa, Peter Schumacher and Bill and Vanessa Higgins, have developed a menu that blends locally sourced, organic and sustainable ingredients with a bar highlighting a selection of exceptional tequilas and mezcals.
DEBRA TARRANT
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 $$ C LD BR
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41 Throckmorton Ave, 415.384.8871, playamv.com s $$ ∞ D PRABH INDIAN KITCHEN Indian Owned and operated by the Dhindsa family, this restaurant is dedicated to serving healthy, organic and sustainable food, including gluten-free and vegan options. Dishes include chicken pakora, vegetable biryani and basil garlic nan. Try the thali menu (offered at lunch), a selection of several Indian dishes served at once. 24 Sunnyside Ave, 415.384.8241, prabhindiankitchen.com b $$ s ∞ LD ROBATA GRILL AND SUSHI Japanese Robata translates as “by the fireside”; fittingly, food here can be cooked on an open fire and served in appetizer-size portions to pass around the table. Or simply order your own sushi or entree from the menu. 591 Redwood Hwy, 415.381.8400, robatagrill.com b $$ s LD SWEETWATER MUSIC HALL CAFE American Located at the entrance of Sweetwater Music Hall, the cafe is dedicated to the FLOSS philosophy: Fresh, Local, Organic, Seasonal and Sustainable. Offering breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, the menu includes brown-butter scrambled eggs on avocado toast, crispy chicken sliders with gingery cabbage slaw and vegan Thai spring rolls with sweet-and-sour sauce. 19 Corte Madera Ave, 415.388.3850, sweet watermusichall.com s $$ s ∞ BLD BR º
TAMALPIE Italian Owner Karen Goldberg designed this restaurant with a large group seating area, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, and a small casual bar. The food is Italian home cooking with the daily modern inspiration of locally sourced seasonal ingredients found in the salads, house-made pastas and crispy Neapolitan style pizza, with a selection of beer and wine to match. 477 Miller Ave, 415.388.7437, tamalpiepizza.com s $$ s ∞ C LD
NOVATO CHIANTI CUCINA Italian This cozy eatery features an array of Italian and American choices, including a long list of pastas; try the house-made ravioli cooked up by chef Edgar DeLon. 7416 Redwood Hwy, 415.878.0314, chiantinovato.com b $$$ s ∞ D º HILLTOP 1892 California In a historic country estate in Novato with sweeping views, enjoy classic favorites with a California flair. There’s a private banquet room for special events. 850 Lamont Ave, 415.893.1892, hilltop1892.com s $$$ s ∞ C LD BR º MARVIN’S RESTAURANT American Voted “Best Breakfast in Novato,” this spot is known for serving up generous portions of Americanstyle breakfast and lunch fare at a great value. The corned beef hash, benedicts and superb service attract a consistent crowd all year round. 1112 Grant Ave, 415.892.4482 $s∞
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RECIPE
Cauliflower Steak SERVES 2
Ingredients 1¼ cups cashews 1 bunch scallions 1 jalapeño 3½ whole peeled shallots 1½ cloves garlic ½ cup tahini ¼ cup sherry vinegar 1L cups water S cup fermented chile 1 Meyer lemon, zested and juiced ½ cup canola oil ½ tablespoon salt Cracked black pepper, to taste Handful of chopped oil-cured olives 1 small tomato, diced Handful of chopped parsley Handful of puffed farro ½ head organic cauliflower Espelette chile powder, to taste Kosher salt to taste Handful of fresh dill to taste
Cauliflower is the star on this plate.
AM IS ONE of those names that evokes warmth and familiarity. Sam could be your uncle, a beloved pet, a college dorm mate, or even your sister. The “Sam” of Sam’s Social Club, however, is a far more illustrious person — California’s first millionaire, Sam Brannan. Many things have changed since 1862 when Brannan first opened up what is now Indian Springs Resort in Calistoga, but what hasn’t changed is the luxurious yet approachable vibe the area exudes. Sam’s Social Club continues to live up to this spirit, serving reimagined American food, artisan cocktails and craft beer brewed on site, all at the base of Mount Lincoln. Leading the culinary efforts is chef Shaun McGrath, who began as executive sous chef at Sam’s Social Club in 2015. McGrath received his training at the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont, participating in two notable internships, the first at Le Languedoc Inn in Nantucket and the second at Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley. After completing his studies, McGrath went on to work in the kitchens of several highly regarded San Francisco restaurants, including Scott Howard, Michael Mina, Citizen Cake and Americano. Here he shares a recipe for arguably one of the healthiest steaks around, a cauliflower steak. samssocialclub.com KASIA PAWLOWSKA
DEBRA TARRANT
S
Steak Surprise at Sam’s
To Prepare For Charred Cashew Puree 1 Soak cashews in water overnight. 2 Char scallions, jalapeño, 2 shallots and 1 clove of garlic. 3 Combine cashews, scallions, jalapeño, tahini, sherry vinegar, water, shallots and garlic, and blend until you have a smooth puree. For Hot Pepper Vinaigrette 1 Microplane ½ clove of garlic. 2 Mince 1½ whole shallots. 3 Combine fermented chile, Meyer lemon, canola oil, salt, cracked pepper, microplaned garlic and minced shallots and mix well. For Garnish 1 Combine olives, tomato, parsley and puffed farro and mix well. For Cauliflower 1 Deep-fry cauliflower at 350°F until brown and crunchy. 2 Remove from oil, pat dry with paper towel, and season with Espelette chile powder and kosher salt. To Assemble 1 Warm plate. 2 Add a big smear of warm cashew puree across the plate. 3 Place the half-head of cauliflower in the center of plate. 4 Add a spoonful of the garnish to both sides of the cauliflower. 5 Top cauliflower with a couple spoonfuls of hot pepper vinaigrette and dill.
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Out & About / DINE 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 $$ s ∞ BLD BR TOAST American Toast Novato features outdoor dining and contemporary architecture by Stanley Saitowitz. The spacious restaurant is ideal for large parties and families looking for generous portions of comfort food. 5800 Nave Dr, 415.382.1144, toastnovato.com b $$ s BLD
SAN ANSELMO 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 stuffed pecan-crusted French toast, flavorful scrambles, Chicken Okasan ( nicknamed “Crack Chicken” by fans) and wonton soup. 335 San Anselmo Ave, 415.454.9840, comfortscafe.com b $$ s ∞ BL BR CUCINA SA Italian Formerly Cucina Restaurant and Wine Bar, the ownership team of Donna Seymour and Kevin Hansmeyer
renovated, renamed and reopened the restaurant in December 2015. This cozy space features homemade pastas, wood-fired pizzas and Italian wines. A large part of the menu is vegetarian and gluten-free friendly. 510 San Anselmo Ave, 415.454.2942, cucina-sa.com b $$ ∞ D FLOUR CRAFT BAKERY California The artisan pastries, fresh bread, desserts, specialoccasion cakes and lunch items are all gluten- and peanut-free, with dairy-free and vegan options available. Customer favorites include the cacao nib and walnut coffee cake, flourless hazelnut fudge brownies, and the signature granolas. 702 San Anselmo Ave, 415.453.3100, flourcraftbakery.com $ s ∞ BL INSALATA’S Mediterranean Award-winning chef Heidi Krahling offers Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes prepared with delicious produce and artisan meats.120 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, 415.457.7700, insalatas.com s $$$ s C LD BR L’APPART RESTO French French specialties, local favorites and a $35 three- course prix fixe menu are served up in an energetic yet sophisticated environment. Check out the live music on Thursdays. 636 San Anselmo Ave, 415.256.9884, lappartresto.com b $$ s ∞ LD BR MARINITAS Mexican The sister restaurant of Insalata’s continues
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TAJ OF MARIN Indian Both North and South Indian cuisine is offered here, including the $8.95 lunch special and dinners that include goat curry, spinach, lentils and tandoori. 909 Fourth St, 415.459.9555, tajofmarin.com b $$ s LD
to flourish as a center for creative Latin cuisine in Marin. It may not be as low-priced as most local Mexican restaurants, but this is not your typical southof-the-border spot. 218 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, 415.454.8900, marinitas.net s $$ s LD BR FENIX California An intimate live-music venue in the heart of downtown San Rafael, Fenix features globally inspired California cuisine with a Southern French twist. Dishes like fried green tomatoes or 72-hour sous-vide short ribs, accompanied by a glass from the extensive wine list, define the experience. 919 Fourth St, 415.813.5600, fenixlive.com s $$$ s C BLD BR º IL DAVIDE Italian The large selection of innovative and classic Tuscan dishes and
house-made pasta has kept locals coming back for years. Ingredients are organic and locally sourced where possible, and there’s a vast selection of both Italian and California wines by the glass. A private party dining room accommodates up to 45 people. 901 A St, 415.454.8080, ildavide.net s $$$ s ∞ C LD LA TOSCANA RISTORANTE & BAR Italian Family owned and operated since 1985, La Toscana has completed an extensive interior and exterior renovation, transforming an already popular San Rafael gathering spot into a place for any occasion. The menu features classics like gnocchi and carbonara and an ample selection of wine. 3751 Redwood Hwy, 415.492.9100, ristorantelatoscana.com s $$$ s ∞ C LD º
LOS MOLES Mexican Nestled right in the middle of Lincoln Avenue, Los Moles offers traditional pueblo Mexican cuisine, with — you guessed it — a variety of different moles to enhance your dish. Offering brunch, lunch, dinner and party options, Los Moles’ menu includes enmoladas, tacos, pollo al horno, carne asada, flan and much more. Don’t miss Taco Tuesday night for all you can eat tacos. 912 Lincoln Ave, 415.453.5850, losmoles.com s $$ LD BR º 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 $$ s ∞ C BLD º STATE ROOM BREWERY American Formerly the Broken Drum, State Room Brewery has ditched the pizza house vibe in favor of an elegant 1930s-era stateroom. Many beers are made on-site and all drafts are available in sizes from half pints to takehome growlers; beer flights are also available. The gastropub’s menu, created by Chef Ed Vigil, changes seasonally and includes grass-fed beef short ribs and sashimi grade tuna poke. 1132 Fourth St, 415.295.7929, stateroombrewery.com s $$ LD SUSHI TO DAI FOR Japanese Snagging a seat in this popular Fourth Street sushi spot can be a challenge, but
TERRAPIN CROSSROADS American This waterfront restaurant and music venue presents fresh food and local talent. The menu includes salads, savory dishes and wood-fired pizzas plus a wide selection of beers, wines and cocktails. Come for the food, stay for the music. 100 Yacht Club Dr, 415.524.2773, terrapin crossroads.net s $$ ∞ C D BR º THERESA & JOHNNY’S COMFORT FOOD American A favorite with both the kids and the foodie set, this charming eatery serves food like Mom used to make. Drop by for eggs Benedict, tuna melts, coffee and some of the best milkshakes around. 817 Fourth St, 415.259.0182, theresaand-johnnys.com b $$ s ∞ BL BR TOMATINA Italian Tomatina takes a modern approach to traditional Italian recipes. Offering housemade pasta, pizzas and signature piadine: fresh, hot flatbreads topped with cool salads, ready to fold and eat. 5800 Northgate Mall,
415.479.3200, tomatina.com s $$ s ∞ LD º URBAN REMEDY Juice With delicious juices, snacks and bowls including plenty of gluten-free, grain-free, and low-glycemic-index choices, this is a popular spot. Raw desserts round things out. Try the namesake salad or give the cashew milk with cinnamon and vanilla a shot to see what Urban Remedy is all about. 1904 Fourth St, 415.786.8011, urbanremedy.com $$ ∞ BLD WHIPPER SNAPPER RESTAURANT California/Caribbean Owner/chef Bill Higgins serves tapas, sangria and reasonably priced organic dishes. The California-Caribbean lunch and dinner cuisine blends local farm-fresh ingredients with Latin flavors. Be sure to try the popular fish tacos, Cuban “cigars” and chocolate bread pudding. Available for parties and special gatherings and the restaurant has a back patio for alfresco dining. 1613 Fourth St, 415.256.1818, whipsnap.biz b $$ s ∞ C LD º YET WAH Chinese Named for the founder’s wife (“Yet” refers to the moon, “Wah” to brightness), this beloved mainstay has a traditional Chinese menu and daily dim sum. Expect live music in the Kung Fu Lounge. 1238 Fourth St, 415.460.9883, yetwahsanrafael.com s $$ s ∞ LD DEBRA TARRANTT
patience is rewarded with tasty and fresh sashimi, unique sushi rolls and great prices. 816 Fourth St, 415.721.0392, sushitodaifor.net b $$ s LD
Brick Chicken at Toast, Novato
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SAUSALITO ANGELINO RESTAURANT Italian An authentic Italian restaurant with handmade pastas and seasonal antipasti, showcasing cuisine of the Campania region for over 20 years. 621 Bridgeway, 415.331.5225, angelino restaurant.com s $$$ s BLD
CIBO Cafe Located in a historic brick building on Sausalito’s main drag, this is a great place to a sip a quick cup of coffee outdoors. The menu offers tarts, croissants, cookies, paninis and soups. Every dish is made from scratch with local and seasonal products. 1201 Bridgeway, 415.331.2426, cibosausalito.com $$ s ∞ BL
AURORA RISTORANTE & PIZZERIA Italian Novato’s Aurora finally has a counterpart in southern Marin. Traditional Italian food, a full bar and friendly service make it a great option for families, groups, dates and sports fans, who can keep up-to-date on the game via flatscreen TV. 300 Valley St, 415.339.8930, aurora-sausalito.com b $$ s ∞ LD
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 $$ s ∞ LD BR
BAR BOCCE American Food just tastes better on a bayside patio with fire pits and a bocce ball court. Order one of the sourdough bread pizzas and a glass of wine and you’ll see why this casual eatery, overseen by Robert Price of Buckeye and Bungalow 44, has become a local favorite. 1250 Bridgeway, 415.331.0555, barbocce.com s $$ s ∞ LD
DAVEY JONES DELI American Stationed in the New Bait Shop Market, Davey Jones Deli offers houseroasted sandwich meats, healthy condiments and local, organic vegetables; the deli serves sandwiches, veggie-wiches, wraps and salads with vegetarian, vegan and meat-lover options. Because the sandwiches are so generous, this easy stop is great during a day of boating, biking, hiking, and general adventuring around Marin. Gate 6 Rd, 415.331.2282, daveyjonesdeli.com b $$ s ∞ L
BARREL HOUSE TAVERN California Stop by Barrel House for great local food enhanced by fantastic bay and city views. The relaxed urban setting is a perfect match for the barrel-aged cocktails. 660 Bridgeway, 415.729.9593, barrelhousetavern.com s $$$ s ∞ LD º
F3/FAST FOOD FRANCAIS French Owned and operated by the owners of Le Garage, F3 serves brunch, lunch and dinner featuring “Frenchified” American
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comfort food. A rotating menu includes items like the Luxe burger (Diestel turkey, brie, lettuce and a fried egg topped with truffle aioli). Enjoy with a side of Brussels sprout chips or pommes dauphines (tater tots). 39 Caledonia St, 415.887.9047, eatf3.com s $$ s ∞ LD BR FENG NIAN Chinese This spacious popular hangout has served up wonton soup, pot stickers and daily specials for nearly two decades. For an indulgent treat, order the Szechwan crispy calamari, honeyglazed walnut prawn or lemon chicken. Staying in? Feng Nian delivery available. 2650 Bridgeway, 415.331.5300, fengnian.com b $$ s LD FISH. Seafood The ultimate place for freshly caught fare. Order the fish tacos, ceviche and a bottle of wine and take in the bay views on the open-air deck. Casual; bring cash (lots of it!). 350 Harbor Dr, 415.331.3474, 331fish.com b $$$ s ∞ LD KITTI’S PLACE Thai/ California This homestyle family restaurant has been in Sausalito 20 years and features favorites like lettuce cups, soft spring rolls and weekly specials. 3001 Bridgeway, 415.331.0390, kittisplace.com b $$ s ∞ LD
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LE GARAGE French Escape the tourist crush for an indulgent meal right on the water. The atmosphere is animated with light French music (à la Amélie), and the much-adored
croque-monsieur is under $10. Indoor or outdoor seating. 85 Liberty Ship Way, 415.332.5625, legaragebistro sausalito.com b $$$ s ∞ BLD BR LIGHTHOUSE American A great spot to grab a classic breakfast — the fruit pancakes, omelets and Danish-influenced dishes will make you a return customer. This is a small but popular space, so arrive early or be prepared for a wait. 1311 Bridgeway, 415.331.3034, light house-restaurants.com $$ s BL 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 $$$ s ∞ C BLD BR OSTERIA DIVINO Tuscan Osteria Divino offers authentic florentine cuisine inspired by the finest local, organic, seasonal produce, meat and fish available, along with an extensive artisan pasta selection. Live music Tue-Sun. 37 Caledonia St, 415.331.9355, osteriadivino.com b $$ s ∞ C BLD BR º 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,
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415.332.7771, poggiotratoria.com s $$$ s ∞ C BLD SAYLOR’S RESTAURANT AND BAR California/Mexican Chef/owner Sean Saylor uses fresh local ingredients and seafood to create a distinctively Cabo combination of California and Mexican cuisine. Serving more than 200 varieties of tequilas that are even better when enjoyed in the private Cabo Wabo room named for (and approved by) Mill Valley’s own tequila master, Sammy Hagar. 2009 Bridgeway, 415.332.1512, saylors restaurantandbar.com s $$ s ∞ C LD º SEAFOOD PEDDLER RESTAURANT AND FISH MARKET Seafood The fish is bought daily from local fisherman and recipes are adjusted to incorporate the freshest catch. 303 Johnson St, 415.332.1492, seafoodpeddler.com s $$$ s ∞ LD BR º SEAHORSE Italian The spacious dining area, accompanied by a dance floor and stage, make Seahorse ideal for celebrations large and small. Enjoy a modern twist on classic Tuscan coastal cuisine while grooving to the nightly live music and entertainment. 305 Harbor Dr, 415.331.2899, sausalitoseahorse.com b $$$ ∞ C LD BR 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 $$ C LD SUSHI RAN Japanese Sample innovative small plates just big enough to share before enjoying some of the best sushi the Bay Area has to offer; the prices don’t deter the herd of enthusiasts who line up nightly to partake. Just stopping by? The wine, cocktail and sake lists keep even the pickiest barfly satisfied. Reservations are required in the main room. 107 Caledonia St, 415.332.3620, sushiran.com s $$ ∞ LD TASTE OF THE HIMALAYAS Himalayan Popular for lunch and dinner, enjoy authentic food from a faraway region. 2633 Bridgeway, 415.331.1335, sausalitotasteofthe himalayas.com b $$ s LD TOMMY’S WOK Chinese Fresh ingredients, free-range chicken and traditional dishes fulfill the Chinese food craving with a nice atmosphere for dining in and great takeout for a night at home. 3001 Bridgeway, 415.332.5818, tommyswok.com b $$ s ∞ 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, fisherman and
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Out & About / DINE organic food producers. 558 Bridgeway, 415.331.3232, the tridentsausalito.com s $$$ s ∞ LD BR º
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DON ANTONIO TRATTORIA Italian Located in Tiburon’s Ark Row, this trattoria serves authentic Italian cuisine in a quaint setting. Traditional selections include chicken piccata, organic roasted rack of lamb and house-made pesto. 114 Main St, 415.435.0400, donantoniotrattoria.com b $$ D 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 $$$ s ∞ LD MILANO Italian Located in the Cove Shopping Center, this familyowned neighborhood spot is known for its pasta and friendly service. Favorites like the cheesy garlic bread and pesto keep customers coming back. 1 Blackfield Dr, 415.388.9100 s $$ s ∞ LD NEW MORNING CAFE American Sit outside or in at this casual cafe. On a sunny morning, the place is filled with
locals enjoying the sun and extensive breakfast menu; lunch is served as well. 1696 Tiburon Blvd, 415.435.4315 s ∞ BL RUSTIC BAKERY California The newest location of this 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 $$ s C BLD BR SALT & PEPPER American This sunfilled one-room restaurant, featuring hardwood floors and blue-checkered tablecloths, is an area favorite. Popular items include scallops, ribeye steak, a beef burger and traditional crab cakes with jalapeño dipping sauce. 38 Main St, 415.435.3594 b s ∞ LD SAM’S ANCHOR CAFE American The new menu at this seaside institution features local organic produce and sustainably sourced meats and fish. Chef Robert Taylor, formerly of Farallon, has curated an oyster list for the raw bar menu and a fresh cocktail list to boot. 27 Main St, 415.435.4527, samscafe.com s $$$ s ∞ C LD BR º SERVINO RISTORANTE Italian Chef and owner Angelo Servino highlights organic ingredients in an array of rustic Italian dishes, including house-made pastas, wood oven pizzas, and seasonal specialties. Located on the bay in Tiburon, Servino also prides
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John, Michael and Joey Hoeber, Owners and Brothers, Body Kinetics, LLC itself on itsextensive sustainable seafood program. Savor la dolce vita on the waterfront patio. 9 Main St, 415.435.2676, servino.com s $$$ s ∞ C LD BR º TIBURON TAVERN California The atmosphere here is enhanced by two outdoor patios, two indoor fireplaces and fresh flowers. Happy hour is 4 to 6:30 p.m. every day. 1651 Tiburon Blvd, 415.435.5996, lodgeattiburon.com s $$ s ∞ C BLD BR º
WEST MARIN 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 in the 130seat restaurant provide picturesque views of Tomales Bay and Hog Island. (Marshall). 23240 Hwy 1, 415.663.1033, nickscove.com s $$$ s ∞ C LD BR OSTERIA STELLINA California Whether it’s to cap off a ay of hiking or celebrate a romantic anniversary, Osteria Stellina suits any occasion. The menu is Italian-inspired and features local, organic ingredients. If you’re up for something unusual, try the goat shoulder, a hit with both tourists and locals (Point Reyes). 11285 Hwy 1, 415.663.9988, osteriastellina.com b $$ s LD PARKSIDE CAFE 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-fired dinners make this café a relaxing retreat. If you’re on the go, check out the new 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 $$$ s ∞ C BLD RANCHO NICASIO American Known for live music and an extensive menu featuring everything from Dungeness crab cakes to garlic-rosemary lamb medallions, Rancho Nicasio is open seven days a week. Be sure to stop in for happy hour, 4 to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday. 1 Old Rancheria (Nicasio) Rd, 415.662.2219, ranchonicasio.com s $$$ s ∞ C LD BR º SAND DOLLAR American Originally built from three barges in Tiburon in 1921, the Sand Dollar Restaurant was 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 $$ s ∞ LD STATION HOUSE CAFE American Fresh local foods are showcased for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Stop in on weekends (5 p.m. on Sundays) for live music and wine, beer and cocktails (Point Reyes Station). 11180 Highway 1, 415.663.1515, stationhousecafe.com s $$ s ∞ C BLD BR º
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SMALL SCHOOL, BIG IMPACT “The Marin School offers the extraordinary opportunity to learn in an atmosphere that is warm, individualized and happy. Students here are deeply engaged with both their work and their teachers. This is what education should look like.” -Madeline Levine, Ph.D., Author of The Price of Privilege and Teach Your Children Well
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MICHAEL MINA Japanese/French Michael Mina has clearly mastered the fine line between award-winning art and Alaskan halibut. Each brilliantly crafted dish gives diners a delicate blend of flavors that add up to a distinctive, luxurious dining experience. 252 California St, 415.397.9222, michaelmina.net s $$$ LD NOPA California The easy California menu shows off oasted chicken and pork chops, with a bouquet of appetizers to set the mood. Although this S.F. destination is busy almost every night (a good sign), the wait at the legendary bar is half the fun. 560 Divisadero St, 415.864.8643, nopasf.com s D BR
SAN FRANCISCO /EAST BAY BOXING ROOM Cajun The Southern comfort of Louisiana, updated to fit the polished elegance of the city. Indulge in authentic Cajunstyle eats and fresh California seafood. 399 Grove St, 415.430.6590, boxingroom.com s $$$ s LD BR º BUN MEE Vietnamese A fun and casual lunch spot that puts a flavorful 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 $$ s ∞ LD º CAPO’S CHICAGO Italian If you’re craving classic Chicago-style Italian and a venue to match, the endless pizza
choices and flavorful pasta and meat selections here will more than satisfy your appetite and take you back in time to the mobster days of the 1920s. 641 Vallejo St, 415.986.8998, sfcapos.com s $$$ s ∞ D º CLIFF HOUSE California Great food, beautiful view and lots of history — what else could you want? An awardwinning wine list? They have that too. Not only does Cliff ouse boast a popular Sunday champagne brunch, it also focuses on local, organic, sustainable ingredients and seafood on its everyday menu. 1090 Point Lobos, 415.386.3330, cliffhouse.c s $$ s BLD DABBA Indian Inspired by the Indian-Mexican restaurant Avatar’s in Mill Valley, this
latest twist on the concept comes from tech entrepreneur Andy Mercy and former French Laundry and Spruce chef, Walter Abrams. Applying Abrams’ precision, palate and creativity to global culinary traditions, Dabba offers worldly flavors “wrapped in a California state of mind.” 71 Stevenson St, 415.236.3984, dabba.com b $$ ∞ LD FRANCES California San Francisco elegance meets comfort food. The local, seasonal menu complements any trip to the city. Bar is reserved for walk-ins, but reservations are recommended. 3870 17th St, 415.621.3870, frances-sf.com b $$$ D
HAKKASAN Chinese The rich-flavored slow-braised beef and the crispy duck salad are popular at this San Francisco destination. Private dining rooms are offered: the Jade Room complete with lazy Susan and the larger Dragon Room for cocktail parties or dinners. 1 Kearny St, 415.829.8148, hakkasan.com s $$$ C LD LA FOLIE French Chef Roland Passot serves critically acclaimed fare in this intimate, family-run restaurant located in Russian Hill but the menu highlights ingredients from farms in Marin and Sonoma and all along the Pacific Coast and the greater Northwest. 2316 Polk St, 415.776.5577, lafolie.com s $$$ D
PERRY’S American Perry’s, for over 45 years an institution on Union Street in San Francisco, is known for its classic American food, its warm personable service and its bustling bar. Signature dishes include traditional Cobb salad, prime steaks and, of course, the renowned hamburger. Hotel
SESSIONS AT THE PRESIDIO American Located just across the Golden Gate Bridge, this restaurant has serious ties to Marin. The fruits, vegetables, herbs and olive oil hail from our county thanks in part to the restaurant’s partnership with Skywalker Ranch. Additionally, the 100 craft beer offerings, including 24 draft options, will keep beer lovers more than satisfied. 1 Letterman Drive, 415.655.9413, sessionssf.com s $$ ∞ LD STATE BIRD PROVISIONS American With a wide variety of choices, from fresh local seafood to spicy kimchi yuba to savory pancakes, not to mention a full range of poultry, this uncommon dim sum–style setup features a little bit of everything. 1529 Fillmore St, 415.795.1272, statebirdsf.com b $$ s D
KEY TO SYMBOLS s b $ $$ $$$ s ∞ C BLD BR º
Full bar Wine and beer Inexpensive ($10 or less per entree) Moderate (up to $20) Expensive ($20 and over) Kid-friendly Outdoor seating Private party room Seating: Breakfast, lunch, dinner Brunch Happy hour
For even more local restaurant listings, vistit us online at marinmagazine.com
DEBRA TARRANT
Coconut Cupcakes at Flour Craft, San Anselmo
Griffon, 155 Steuart St, 415.495.6500, perryssf.com s $$ s ∞ C D º
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DINE out
EALS DEALS ON M
Deals on Meals Enjoy local restaurants and save 30 percent on meals. Check out the participating restaurants in our “Deals on Meals” section and experience big
savings. Spend only $35 for a dining certificate worth $50. Simply go to marinmagazine.com/dineout to purchase a dining certificate from a restaurant in this section and we will mail it to you. Try a new restaurant or purchase a certificate for an old favorite. A perfect gift for any occasion. Limited supply each month.
Dine local — save big time!
Consistently rated “Best of Marin”, Comforts offers fine city and homestyle food. Our menus change regularly to reflect what is fresh, local and in season. The holiday season is fast approaching! Let Comforts provide you with an easy and delicious feast for your holiday gatherings. Contact Comforts Catering for more information.
Serving Lunch, Dinner and Weekend Breakfast. RangeCafe Bar and Grill, located on the course at Peacock Gap Golf Club, offers a delicious array of dining options to satisfy the whole family. All items are freshly prepared and served in a relaxed and inviting environment.
Comforts 335 San Anselmo Ave San Anselmo, CA
RangeCafe Bar and Grill 333 Biscayne Drive San Rafael, CA
415.454.9840 comfortscafe.com
415.454.6450 rangecafe.net
bar and grill
Serving Marin County since 1954, Marin Joe’s offers award-winning food, a full bar, live music and a classic ambience. Known for our Italian cuisine, we also serve up fan favorites: steak, cheeseburger and table-side Caesar salad. We have a festive banquet room available for parties.
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 fish and specialties. Seasonal offerings and perennial favorites keep the menu as lively as the daily catch.
Marin Joe’s 1585 Casa Buena Drive Corte Madera, CA
Scoma’s Sausalito 588 Bridgeway Sausalito, CA
415.924.2081 marinjoesrestaurant.com
415.332.9551 scomassausalito.com
GO TO MARINMAGAZINE.COM/DINEOUT AND SAVE 30 PERCENT ON MEALS
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On the Scene
S N A P S H OT S F R O M S P EC I A L E V E N T S I N M A R I N A N D S A N F R A N C I S CO
E D I T E D B Y DA N I E L J E W E T T
Kim Vogee, Nancy Olson-Cuff, Sahar and Joel Barlett and Nita Bruinsslot
Nancy and Dominic Grossi and Kristi and Dan Steadman
Michael Pritchard and Molly Scannell
• HALLECK CREEK FUNDRAISER Halleck Creek Ranch’s signature event at Rancho Nicasio September 16 kept guests in good spirits with wine and cheese, dining under the stars and live music.
Bill and Vanessa Higgins, Bill Hoppin, Debra Schwartz, Helen Russell and Amy Chramosta
• FALL ARTS FESTIVAL GALA A jam band featuring Bill Champlin, Jimmy Dillon, Austin de Lone and special guests kept people entertained at the first-ever gala September 10 at the Throckmorton Theatre.
Aaron Canale, Danielle Louton, Adam Dierkhising and Clare Canale
MO DELONG (HALLECK CREEK); WILL HOPPIN (MV FALL ARTS)
• WILDCARE GALA Wine, a locally sourced dinner and encounters with wildlife ambassadors set the tone for an entertaining gala September 17 at Benziger Winery.
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Heather Tucker, Thomas Ramey and Scott Tucker
Jamie Harris, Kara Ulricksen and Chelsea Mathews
Leo Posillico and Aaron and Michelle Wasserman
• SAUSALITO ART FESTIVAL More than 30,000 patrons enjoyed art, music and food at the 64th festival on the Sausalito waterfront September 3–5.
MO DELONG (SAUSALITO ART FESTIVAL)
• MARIN GENERAL HOSPITAL GROUNDBREAKING Ground was broken in Greenbrae on July 28 for MGH’s $535 million hospital replacement building project schedule to open in 2020.
Brian Su and Andrea Schultz
Joe Pell, Mike Stone, Joe Abrams, Paul Kirincic, Hank Simmonds and Lee Domanico
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• 20/20 VISION — PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE Danny Click headlined the September 24 event at Art Works downtown that also featured food from local eateries, festive cocktails and lots of art.
Mark Kaufman, Anna Minton and Julie Lucero
Garry Lion, Elisabeth Setten, Nini Lion, Ann Langston and Gary Jaffe
• WHISTLESTOCK Guests enjoyed live music, gourmet food, drinks and groovy costumes at the September 25 benefit event at Racho Nicasio.
Damon Connolly, Mike McGuire, Kathleen Woodcock and Jared Huffman
Carol Shirley and Frank and Lois Noonan
MO DELONG (ALL EVENTS THIS PAGE)
• ANGELS BY THE BAY Sen. Mike McGuire emceed this October 1 event at the Meadow Club in Fairfax benefiting the Marin Center for Independent Living.
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• FASHION SHOW It was a celebration of fall fashion featuring many Marin movers and shakers at Zener Schon Contemporary Art September 29.
Deborah Santana and Carl Lumbly
Libby Miga
• WHITE HOUSE VISIT Deborah Santana and Carl Lumbly were among the special guests of the Obamas’ for the opening of the new museum of African American History and Culture.
JOHNNY GRACE (FASHION SHOW), LAURA KUDRITZKI (PACIFIC)
• THE PACIFIC GRAND OPENING Guests enjoyed drinks, oysters and a great view from a penthouse suite at the opening of the Pacific, new S.F. luxury condos.
Tony Bosowski and Jeanie and Michael Maples
Helen Amy Murray, Mark Higgins and Maria di Grande
TO SEE MORE EVENT PHOTOS VISIT MARINMAGAZINE.COM/HOTTICKET M A R I N N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 121
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Pine Street NATURAL INTERIORS
Marin’s Original Reclaimed Wood Company www.blacksfarmwood.com San Rafael Showroom By Appointment 415.454.8312
Non-toxic Furniture • Organic Beds and Bedding Custom Window Coverings • Healthy Home Interior Design Services 415 331 9323 • rowena@pinestreetinteriors.com • 323 Pine Street, Suite A Sausalito
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From our treasure trove, to your collection…
www.lovesticks.com
Autumn Gold 1226 Fourth Street • San Rafael CA • 415-459-5808 • stephanhill.com
© Freeform Faceted Citrine Bead Necklace and 18k Citrine and Diamond Colonna™ Ring By Garfolo
@ your local gourmet grocer
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SPECIALIZING IN HAIR REPL ACEMENT FOR OVER 30 YEARS
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T R I C H OT I L LO M A N I A
Custom Designed Finest Quality Human Hair Call Us To Schedule A Private Consultation Of fices in San Rafael & La Costa, San Diego w w w.c h a r l e.c o m c h d e w i t t @ a o l.c o m ( 76 0 )75 3 - 9 0 6 0
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Willard Dixon, “Still Life with Plywood”, 2015; photo: courtesy the artist
SOCK THE VOTE
771 Bridgeway, Sausalito 415.332.3336 I SOXalito.com I Open Daily 10-6 For sales and art-placement services, visit sfmoma.org/artists-gallery
DESIGNER CONSIGNMENT
Now accepting Fall consignments
Wed-Fri 11-4 & Sat Sun 11-5
Open Mon–Sat 10 –5 | Consignment Hours: Tues –Sat 10 –3 EncoreConsignment.com
11 Mary Street, San Rafael, CA 94901 Next to Whole Foods 415.456.7309
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COMING SOON...
ENGEL & VÖLKERS SAUSALITO
SAUSALITO
•
415-872-7729
SAN FRANCISCO •
•
PA R K C I T Y
SANFRANCISCO@EVUSA.COM
•
NEWPORT BEACH •
•
TRUCKEE
SANFRANCISCO.EVUSA.COM
5 8 2 C A S T R O S T R E E T, S A N F R A N C I S C O , C A 9 4 1 1 4
©2016 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principals of the Fair Housing Act. If your property is currently represented by a real estate broker, this is not an attempt to solicit your listing.
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Marin Home FRO M TO U R S A N D M A K EOV E R S TO D ECO R AT IV E D E TA I L S A N D R E A LTO R I N S I G H T S
BYE-BYE L.A. A former music publicist finds a San Anselmo home that is music to her ears. BY LAURA HILGERS • PHOTOS BY TIM PORTER
The French doors of the living room open out to a new redwood deck and built-in benches.
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Marin Home / BACKSTORY
D
URING HER 15 years as a music
publicist in L.A., Nicole Balin was always clear about her intention to return to San Francisco. She grew up there, attended high school at Branson, and longed to make it back to the city. But when she started looking for a place a few years ago, Balin found the city crowded and expensive. So she switched her focus to Marin, where her cousins had relocated. For months, Balin commuted back and forth from SoCal to NorCal, looking for a house for herself and her two dogs. By the time she spotted this San Anselmo home online, she was so done with travel that she told her realtor, Nick Svenson, to make a bid even though she hadn’t set foot in it. Svenson said no. Balin drove up again. “I was like, ‘ugghhh, I didn’t need to come all the way
up here to see this,’ ” she says, “I knew it was the house for me.” It was. “The house had character, which was really important to Nicole, and it was charming,” says Svenson. “And her cousins lived two blocks away.” After saying adios to L.A., Balin quickly made the 1,100-square-foot home her own, mixing the original windows and wide plank oak floors with touches reflecting her personal creative design sense — one influenced by her antique collector mother, L.A. fashion designer friend Johnson Hartig, and her own work in the music business. In the living room, for example, she painted one wall in a rich Benjamin Moore Van Deusen Blue and installed an Eames chair she found on the street in L.A. and reupholstered in a redand-white ikat fabric, along with an antique marble-top coffee table (a family heirloom)
and a West Elm sectional. Above the couch, she grouped a mishmash of art, including two cat portraits, jackalope antlers, and a dramatic three-by-five-foot black and white painting (painted in 15 minutes by Hartig) vaguely reminiscent of Robert Motherwell. Her music-industry roots reverberate throughout. On the dining room wall Balin hung a painting by Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda, and in the home’s sole bathroom she used a redand-white “Brooklyn Toile” wallpaper inspired by the Beastie Boys’ Mike Diamond. In fact, Balin enjoyed redoing her home so much that she recently became public relations director for Coupar Communications, an interior design business — confirming something she already knew about herself. “When someone walks into my house, I want them to know who I am, what I love,” she adds. “That’s what a home should express.” m
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Marin Home / TKTKTKTK
THE DETAILS WHERE SHE PURCHASED The Brookside neighborhood of San Anselmo WHAT SHE BOUGHT A three-bedroom 1950 bungalow LISTING AGENT Henry Hautau, Bradley Real Estate SELLING AGENT Nick Svenson, Decker Bullock/Sotheby’s International Realty
PHOTO CREDIT
THE STATS Price per square foot for homes in the neighborhood: $829
Opposite page: The home’s living room, with eclectic mix of furniture and art. This page, clockwise from top left: The master bedroom, with West Elm canopy bed and Turkish wooden chair; a view of the entrance from the living room; a dog figurine in Balin’s office; the guest room, with brown walls; Balin’s office, with music-themed art; Balin and one of her dogs.
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Marin Home / STYLE
Flights of Fancy
A flock of duvets for the bedroom.
P
BY PJ BREMIER
EACOCKS, HUMMINGBIRDS A ND songbirds can create
quite the stir in a garden during the day but in your room at night they inspire sweet and peaceful rest. Feather the bedroom nest with duvet covers that bring the color and glamour of nature’s delightful aviators indoors. When your eyes flutter closed for sleep, your dreams will take flight.
4
5 1Chinoiserie Duvet Cover in full/queen or king, shams optional, $199 or $229, dwellstudio.com 2 Birds of Paradise Three-Piece Duvet Cover Set in full/queen or king, pair of shams included, $180 or $210, 415.737.0400, tommybahama.com 3 Tanzania Lemala Duvet Cover Set by Blissliving Home in queen or king, pair of shams included, $275 or $300, 415.927.1690, nordstrom.com 4Printed Peacock Duvet in blue in full/queen or king/California king, shams optional, $119 or $139, 415.924.6799, williamssonomahome.com 5Hummingbird Reversible Duvet Cover in full/queen or king, shams optional, $79 or $103, 415.924.1392, potterybarn.com
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p
T
owman Gro B u he
A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS Grateful for over 30 years of helping Marin families gather around the table.
Building Relationships
TheBowmanGroupMarin.com
415.717.8950 BRE# 1933147
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ONE OF A KIND PROPERTIES FOUND HERE Ready to build your dream home? Close your eyes and dream of this view.
And live the dream when you wake up.
VISTA DORADO
Sausalito 2 Undeveloped lots available
Price Upon Request www.LifeAboveItAll.com
VISTA DOR ADO Experience art everyday. Live in a modern masterpiece.
75 UPLAND ROAD Kentfield
Offered at $3,698,000 www.75Upland.com
Allison Salzer
415.297.2110
allison@vanguardmarin.com BRE# 01354297
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75 UPL AND ROAD
10/7/16 10:56 AM
LIFE BEGINS AT HOME The Costa Group delivers home listing and sales experience with hands-on availability, to elevate your Real Estate sale or purchase and bring you home.
YOUR HOME AWAITS Profit from The Costa Group’s 30+ years combined experience as a top-producing Real Estate team ranked in the Top 1% of San Francisco area Realtors. From Mission Bay to Richardson Bay, experience our extraordinary service; involvement and concern for you and your lifestyle; and commitment to bringing you the best value for your home.
Franck Costa & Sara Werner Costa SAN FRANCISCO & MARIN REAL ESTATE
415.730.2604 www.thecostagroup.com info@thecostagroup.com BRE# 01853603 | BRE# 01772972
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Rare Opportunity for Two Significant Bolinas Properties
80-85-95 OLEMA BOLINAS ROAD,
Bolinas, California
•
STARROUTEBOLINAS.COM
Sited between the Bolinas Lagoon and the Pt Reyes National Seashore where the untouched beauty of nature abounds, this magnificent estate features 3 residences – Druid’s Hall, Farm House, worker housing – an office, greenhouse and other outbuildings that span over 57 acres across 4 parcels of varying terrain and differing microclimates – lagoon, marshland, farmland, hillside, woodlands & meadows.
H
StarRoute Bolinas - $7,800,000
#1 Team in Marin for McGuire Top producers 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 Marin Top Agent • Marin Platinum Group • Luxury Networking Group Top 1% in agent volume county-wide
MARIN
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|
SAN FRANCISCO
• Approx. 3,935 sq ft home on 0.4132 Acre lot • Sited between the Bolinas Lagoon and Point Reyes National Seashore • Breathtaking views • Less than 1 mile to downtown Bolinas • Less than 30 miles to San Francisco • Built as a Druid’s Hall in 1879 • Irrigation pond (32 acre feet) • 2 water meters
• a • • • • • • •
*
|
PENINSULA
|
EAST BAY
W
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yes
100 contiguous acres: 5 parcels, 4 homes, 2 ponds for $10.25M
850 LAUFF RANCH ROAD,
Bolinas, California
•
HORSESHOEHILLBOLINAS.COM
Stunning 43 acre parcel in the heart of Bolinas with views of the Bolinas Lagoon and distant Pacific Ocean, features over a half a mile of perennial Pine Gulch Creek, a pond, 2 wells, cottage, art studio, lemon grove and abundant level land with access off Horseshoe Hill Road.
Horeseshoe Hill Bolinas - $3,500,000 • 3 access points: Horseshoe Hill Road, Gaspers Lane and Lauff Ranch Road • Riparian rights to Pine Gulch Creek • Quintessential Marin County / Northern California • Over half a mile of pristine creek • Equestrian possibilities close to GGNRA trails • Packing shed, Ag worker housing, 1 bedroom cottage • 1 (+/-)acre of green houses • Irrigation pond (10.5 acre feet)
Sarah Kowalczyk 415.464.7484 | skowalczyk@mcguire.com CAL BRE# 01742287
Lotte Moore 415.412.7471 | lmoore@mcguire.com CAL BRE# 01744042
lotteandsarah.com
*Both properties available for $10.25m
WINE COUNTRY
|
GLOBAL
|
MCGUIRE.COM INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATE
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//
Alain Pinel Realtors®
WE’RE LOCAL SAN FRA N C I S C O
$7,850,000
3249 Jackson Street | 6bd/4.5ba John Adlam | 415.515.4779 3249Jackson.com
MILL VA L L EY
$2,850,000
477 Summit Avenue | 5bd/3.5ba Margritha Fliegauf | 415.999.7310 477SummitMillValley.com
MILL VA L L EY
$2,495,000
230 Laverne Avenue | 4bd/3.5ba Beth Brody | 415.987.2384 230Laverne.com
SA N R A FA E L
$3,900,000
40 Fairway Drive | 5bd/6.5ba John Adlam | 415.515.4779 40FairwayDr.com
M ILL VA LLEY
$2,750,000
3 Heron Drive | 3bd/3.5ba Dennis Naranche | 415.496.2927 3HeronDrive.com
M ILL VA LLEY
$2,408,000
848 Lovell Avenue | 4bd/2ba Kristine Tiret | 415.310.0269 848LovellAve.com
M IL L VAL L EY
$2,895,000
13 Daffodil Lane | 4bd/3.5ba JoAnne Berlin | 415.847.0301 13Daffodil.com
SA N GERON I M O
$2,500,000
48 W Nicasio Road | 4bd/3.5ba Donna Goldman | 415.509.2427 48WNicasio.com
M IL L VAL L EY
$1,700,000
61 Monte Cimas Avenue | 4bd/2ba Kathleen Delehanty | 415.755.8300 kdelehanty.apr.com
A
APR.COM
O 6
Over 30 Offices Serving The Bay Area Including 6 Offices in Marin County 415.755.1111
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Alain Pinel Realtors®
WE’RE GLOBAL C O RF U , G RE E C E
G R E E N W IC H, C T, U SA
VAI L VAL L EY, CO, USA
LuxuryPortfolio.com | WEB ID: QIQY $20,206,555
LuxuryPortfolio.com | WEB ID: DJSC $9,150,000
LuxuryPortfolio.com | WEB ID: HTFY $4,400,000
VE RO N A , I TA LY
B RU S S E LS , B E LG IU M
AU CK L AN D , N EW Z EAL AN D
LuxuryPortfolio.com | WEB ID: OBTZ $2,806,466
LuxuryPortfolio.com | WEB ID: NAEU $2,750,336
LuxuryPortfolio.com | WEB ID: KTHU PRICE UPON REQUEST
BISHOPSC O U RT, S O U T H A F RI C A
P O RTO R A FA E L, SA R DIN IA , ITA LY
BERLIN - POTSDAM, GERMANY
LuxuryPortfolio.com | WEB ID: GLTY PRICE UPON REQUEST
LuxuryPortfolio.com | WEB ID: RCDW PRICE UPON REQUEST
LuxuryPortfolio.com | WEB ID: RYUY PRICE UPON REQUEST
APR.COM
Over 30 Offices Serving The Bay Area Including 6 Offices in Marin County 415.755.1111
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JOHN ADLAM License# 00884407
415.515.4779 jadlam@apr.com
Architectural Statement Atop Mill Valley Designed by prominent architect Jared Polsky, this four Bedroom, five Bathroom house is a one-of-a-kind luxury home with modern elegance. Offering inspired living above downtown with magnificent views of Mill Valley and the Bay Bridge. •
4 Bedrooms / 5 Bathrooms
•
2-Car Side-By-Side Garage
•
3,839 Sq.Ft. (per appraisal, June 2016)
•
Built In 2011
•
Elevator With Access to All Levels
•
Radiant Heat / Hardwood Floors
•
Skylights with Remote Control and Rain Sensors
•
Nuvo Sound System Throughout
•
1700-Bottle Wine Cellar w/ Temp Control
•
Media Room / Wine Tasting Room
•
Nana Windows
www.357Rose.com
Offered at $2,950,000
OGGI KASHI 415.690.3792 oggi@oggikashi.com / www.oggikashi.com Lic# 01844627
300 DRAKES LANDING ROAD, SUITE 120
|
415.805.2900
|
GREENBRAE, CA 94904
|
PA R A G O N - R E . C O M
138 N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 M A R I N
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We are growing.
Paragon Real Estate would like to extend a warm welcome to Erin Howard as the newest member of our Greenbrae office! ERIN HOWARD 415.497.5878
ehoward@Paragon-RE.com www.ErinHowardRealEstate.com LIC# 01356252
MARIN
3 0 0 D R A K E S L A N D I N G R D . S T. 1 2 0
GREENBRAE
415.805.2900
PA R A G O N - R E . C O M
Magnificent Victorian Masterpiece Built in 2001, this three-story Victorian includes impressive custom details. Situated in the coveted Forbes Neighborhood of San Rafael on a spacious lot. This premier location is a rare opportunity to own a grand scale Victorian mansion. •
4+ Bedrooms / 4 Bathrooms
•
4 Fireplaces with Custom Mantels
•
Custom Gourmet Chef’s Kitchen
•
3-Level Home with Spacious Floorplan
•
Impressive Master Suite
•
Custom Hardwood Floors
•
Front Patio with Brazilian Walnut Flooring
•
14,000 Sq.Ft. Lot
•
Large 3rd Floor Layout
www.107JStreet.com Offered at $2,995,000 ERIN HOWARD 415.497.5878 ehoward@Paragon-RE.com / www.ErinHowardRealEstate.com LIC# 01356252
300 DRAKES LANDING ROAD, SUITE 120
|
415.805.2900
|
GREENBRAE, CA 94904
|
PA R A G O N - R E . C O M
M A R I N N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 139
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I needed a place that reflects me.
E
C
e
i
t
w
O
3 G P
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91 FERNWOOD DRIVE | SAN RAFAEL
Extraordinary views for exceptional living!
• Gated, Contemporary View Estate
Custom built in 2002 with the focus on
• 4 Bedrooms / 3.5 Bathrooms
expansive Bay views. This unique property is a sun-filled oasis which transports you
• Infinity Pool, Lush Landscape
to a place of serenity. Sip wine while you
• Approximately 4,425 sq.ft. on 1.72 acres
watch the sunset or entertain guests.
• Large Lawn and Garden
Offered at $3,950,000
SHENNA MOE 415.846.9538 moe@agentmoe.com
agentmoe.com Lic# 01854690
www.91FernwoodDr.com
300 DRAKES LANDING RD., SUITE 120 / 415.805.2900 GREENBRAE, CA 94904 PARAGON-RE.COM
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THINK DYNAMIC & TENACIOUS Think Zephyr.
Highly competitive and nuanced, the Bay Area real estate market can be both challenging and rewarding. Zephyr turns local clients into successful home sellers, buyers and investors.
350 Bon Air Center #100 Greenbrae, CA 94904 • 415.496.2600 • ZephyrRE.com
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ZEPHYR REAL ESTATE ALL OVER MARIN
19 Camino De Herrera Drive, San Anselmo Offered for $1,350,000 03 |
BED
03 | BATH
STEPHEN PRINGLE 415.720.7832
8 Pimlott Lane, Mill Valley
22 Moore Road, Novato
Offered for $2,795,000 05 | BED 3.5 | BATH CHRIS DENIKE 415.250.8052
285 Wilson Way, Larkspur Offered for $1,295,000 04 |
BED
Offered for $1,029,000 04 |
MYRIAM MCCARTHY 415.730.4978
02
| BATH
KIM COOPER 415.717.6114 CHRIS BACKER 415.729.4139
42 Laurel Glen Terrace, San Rafael Offered for $949,000 04 | TEAM O’BRIEN 415.342.1968
BED
2.5
| BATH
SPIRO MARIN 415.225.6412
BED
2.5
| BATH
351 Orchid Drive, San Rafael SOLD for $1,315,000 04 |
BED
02
| BATH
NICK SARIBALIS 415.302.0923
Member of
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THE POWER OF EXPERTISE Coldwell Banker Previews International® provides an unparalleled fusion of local expertise and global power. Listing your home with a Coldwell Banker Independent Sales Associate means a superior level of personal attention, discretion and marketing reach, all targeted toward one goal: placing your property in the hands of its next owner. ColdwellBankerPreviews.com ColdwellBankerHomes.com
Greenbrae | 415.461.3000, 415.461.2020 Larkspur | 415.927.3002 Mill Valley | 415.384.0667, 415.388.5060 Novato | 415.897.3000
californiahome.me |
/cbcalifornia |
/cb_california |
/cbcalifornia |
San Anselmo | 415.721.1005 San Rafael | 415.456.3000 Tiburon | 415.435.1000
/coldwellbanker
©2016 Coldwell Banker. Coldwell Banker®, Previews® and Previews International® are registered trademarks licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company and Equal Housing Opportunity. Owned by a Subsidiary of NRT LLC. Real Estate Licensees affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are Independent Contractor Sales Associates and are not employees of NRT LLC., Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC or Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. CalBRE License #01908304.
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Karyn Asfour Kambur, Realtor® 415.516.3221 KKambur@cbnorcal.com KarynKambur.com CalBRE #01785669
Spectacular Waterfront Home
828 POINT SAN PEDRO ROAD SAN RAFAEL PRICE UPON REQUEST
Contemporary, classic and nautical inspired. Light and warm with spectacular views; a rare find! Situated at the waters’ edge along with sweeping views of San Pablo Bay and beyond. Custom and precision built in 1991 with the finest finishes, features and craftsmanship. 3BR/3.5BA, approx. 3400sft. 828PtSanPedroRd.com
©2016 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company and Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Office is Owned by a Subsidiary of NRT LLC. This information was supplied by Seller and/or other sources. Broker has not and will not verify this information and assumes no legal responsibility for its accuracy. Buyers should investigate these issues to their own satisfaction. Real Estate Licensees affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are Independent Contractor Sales Associates and are not employees of NRT LLC., Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC or Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. CalBRE License #01908304.
Angie Maroevich, Realtor
®
415.328.5293 angela.maroevich@cbnorcal.com CalBRE #02001526
Private Eastside Sanctuary
Coldwell Banker Proudly Welcomes Rose Capurro Sales Associate, Coldwell Banker San Rafael
757 OAK LANE, SONOMA $1,995,000 I 757OAKLANE.COM
Beautiful custom remodeled home in desirable Eastside neighborhood, just 3 blocks to historic Sonoma Plaza! Spacious 3BR/3BA single level, 1/4 acre lot and lush gardens.
A top producer, Rose has sold real estate in Dallas, Orlando, and Manhattan, as well as here in Marin and Sonoma. Rose is a Certified Home Marketing Specialist and a Certified Negotiations Expert who skillfully guides clients through the transaction process whether they are upscaling, downsizing, or buying investment property.
Rose Capurro, Realtor, CNE, CHMS 415.690.6762 | rose.capurro@cbnorcal.com marinrose.com | Cal BRE #01911774
©2016 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company and Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Office is Owned by a Subsidiary of NRT LLC. This information was supplied by Seller and/or other sources. Broker has not and will not verify this information and assumes no legal responsibility for its accuracy. Buyers should investigate these issues to their own satisfaction. Real Estate Licensees affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are Independent Contractor Sales Associates and are not employees of NRT LLC., Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC or Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. CalBRE License #01908304.
ed by a ell Banker
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Radhi Ahern Luxury Property Specialist
Scott Kalmbach Luxury Property Specialist
Contact 415.531.2981 Radhi@ahern-kalmbach.com License #01411471
Contact 415.350.7911 Scott@ahern-kalmbach.com License #01795204
10/7/16 1:12 PM
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13400 Anderson Valley Way, Boonville Offered at $1,695,000
Rare 6 acre property with three homes and amazing gardens surrounded by world class wineries!
Connie
&
Fletcher
Luxury Real Estate
StoneyBottomGardens.com
415.341.7878 Fletcherirwin@yahoo.com
FletcherIrwin.com
Christina McNair
Top 1.2% of Marin Agents for Units Sold in 2015 Over $15 Million sales volume to date in 2016
c.mcnair@deckerbullocksir.com
“Christina and Karla were amazing throughout the
HomeInMarin.com
415.613.5563
Karla Farrell 415.828.1584
k.farrell@deckerbullocksir.com
entire process. Both my husband and I were extremely impressed with their attention to detail and follow through. Best experience of our five moves in our lifetime. We don’t think we could ever find better agents.”
Christina&Karla TeamMcNair SELLING SAN FRANCISCO TO SONOMA
150 N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 M A R I N
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STINSON BEACH Within the gated community of Seadrift,
only a handful of properties can offer the coveted view of the tidewater Bolinas Lagoon. 319 Seadrift is one of those rare properties.
Katie Beacock, exclusive agent for this property. 415.868.1791 or katie@seadrift.com
319 Seadrift Road: three plus bedrooms, three baths, Bolinas Lagoon views. Private. Serene. Available. Offered at $4,595,000 www.319seadrift.com
view our properties online at www . seadrift . com
415.868.1791
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SARAH NANCY BUTLER
(415) 868-0717 | DRE #01258888
Captivating and Charming Turn Key Stinson Beach House This is a totally remodeled 1925 Stinson Beach Hill home. The house is on a nice sunny, level lot with Pacific Ocean views. There are 2 bedrooms with a full bath, plus an additional sleeping area/office studio and sitting room on lower level with it’s own full bath. There are lovely out door areas on both levels. This is a coveted and wind protected banana belt location. There is a remodeled 360 square foot detached garage. The property is immaculate and the interior painted recently. This property is turn key and ready for you to enjoy. There is a lovely garden and a new state of the art engineered septic system. 91 Lincoln Avenue, Listed for $1,550,000
TOM WREDBERG
(415) 939-4087 | DRE #01086562
Conveniently Located in Stinson Beach
3470 Shoreline Highway, Stinson Beach, CA 94970, oceanicrealty.com
Specializing in Sales, Vacation Rentals, and Property Management in Stinson Beach.
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Casa Suenos 187 DIPSEA ROAD, SEADRIFT LAGOON
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n the tranquil waters of the Seadrift Lagoon rests a double-wide lagoon house affectionately called “Casa Suenos�. This home is the perfect Seadrift retreat. The home features 120 feet of waterfront decks perfect for preparing for paddle boarding. There is a guest house completely separated from the main house with kitchenette too. Wonderfully beachy and casual, this is the summer house that you get to enjoy year round. OFFERED AT $3,995,000
Sands of Happiness 14 FRANCISCO PATIO, STINSON BEACH
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n a quiet cul-de-sac, just 35 minutes from San Francisco, is one of the most charming and dramatic beach houses. This quintessential beach cottage/compound is a seductive blend of sand, wood, charm and privacy. The elevated master bedroom will provide all the tranquility needed to melt away stress. The home is tastefully decorated to provide relaxed living that only the beach provides. Life is better at the beach! OFFERED AT $2,995,000
Arts and Cr afts Bungalow 7 CALLE DEL RESACA, STINSON BEACH
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lassic Arts and Crafts style beach house and just a few houses back from the sand. The house was built in 1997 on a 4,800 square foot lot. There is mahogany and wainscoting throughout with an airy and open upstairs master suite. There are white water ocean views from the upstairs. This beach house is spacious with 3 bed and 2 bath (2 bed and 2 bath on tax records).There is a gentle transition from inside to outside hot tub retreat and garden. The yard is completely fenced and the property has a great vacation rental history. OFFERED AT $2,400,000
SA R A H NA NCY BU T LER C on v e n i e n t ly L o c at e d i n S t i n s on B e ac h (415) 86 8- 0717 | o c e a n ic r e a lt y.c om c a l br e # 01258 8 8 8 3 470 S ho r e l i n e H igh way S t i n s on B e ac h
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SpECi ALiziNg i N SA L E S , VA C A T i o N R E N T A L S , & p RopERT Y M A NAgE M E N T i N ST i NS oN B E AC H.
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Mid-Century Masterpiece Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright Apprentice Mark Mills 4
BEDS
3
BATHS
$2,395,000
215 Locust Avenue, San Rafael
215Locust.com
Thomas Henthorne
415.847.5584
thomas@thomashenthorne.com thomashenthorne.com
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Stellar Coastal Estate $5,450,000
Cool Country Retreat $2,495,000
Bolinas 5745StateRoute1.com
Nicasio 5675LucasValley.com
Private Parkside Oasis
Inverness 71Dover.com
$1,525,000
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Two Homes on Two Acres $1,795,000
Inverness 135SouthDreamFarm.com
Additional listings Bay View from Old Inverness 10 acres with level land in Nicasio Two new listings under $1 million in Bolinas
More West Marin sales than any other agent over the last 20 years.
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B.G. Bates
415.706.1026
bg.bates@sothebysrealty.com bgbates.com
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BEDS
3
BATHS
$2,250,000
Mill Valley 20BayVistaDrive.com
Completed as ground up new construction in 2004, this 2,650 square foot residence is complete with 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths and a separate 864 square foot 3-car detached garage. Perfectly sited on a 15,870 square foot lot to take advantage of sweeping Bay, Sausalito and downtown San Francisco views. The large, open, light filled spaces define the contemporary style taking advantage of all day sun. A sprawling lawn, mature gardens and plantings complete this quiet and private, gated property located in highly desirable Strawberry, just minutes from the coveted Strawberry Point Elementary School, Strawberry Recreation Center, Parks, shopping, restaurants and ideal commute location.
4
BEDS
4
BATHS
1
1/2 BA
$9,975,000
Belvedere 80Alcatraz.com
Available for the first time in a lifetime, this crown jewel of Corinthian Island is one of Belvedere’s most iconic estates. Historically significant, the home was originally built in 1915. The walk to town location, south-facing orientation for all day sun, gracious Mediterranean architecture, fine period details, and stately presence continue to distinguish this estate as one of Belvedere’s most treasured properties. Perfectly sited atop Corinthian Island, the property boasts unparalleled 270-degree views of San Francisco, the Bay Bridge, Raccoon Straits, Angel Island and Berkeley.
16 Years 185 Transactions Over a Quarter Billion Dollars Sold Proven Expertise
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Alix Fagersten
415.596.6231
alix@teamalix.com teamalix.com
10/5/16 1:19 5:55 PM 10/7/16
Seadrift Oceanfront Coming Soon 3bed | 2bath Stunning Ocean Views Coveted Privacy
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The Sherfey Group Local Agents. Local Office. Global Reach.
Current Listings in Stinson Beach 121 Seadrift 117 Buena Vista
3 bed/2bath 3 bed/ 2bath
$2,599,000 $1,250,000
Recent Sales in Stinson Beach 45 Laurel Avenue 25 Calle del Sierra 215 Belvedere (represented buyer) 355 Belvedere Ave 136 Buena Vista
$1,769,000 List Price $1,595,000 List Price $1,595,000 List Price $1,425,000 List Price $1,395,000 List Price
The Sherfey Group 3605 Shoreline Highway, Stinson Beach, California Cell | 415.203.2648 Office | 415.868.9200
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SherfeyGroup@deckerbullocksir.com
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4+ BEDS
3
BATHS
1
1/2 BA
$3,350,000
257 Buena Vista Avenue Mill Valley
This renovated and wonderfully conceived 3,454 sq. ft. Craftsman family home with tasteful details throughout sits between the Mill Valley Tennis & Golf Clubs. A beautiful, sunny kitchen with limestone counters and custom cabinets opens to family and dining rooms. Upstairs reside the master bedroom and two children’s bedrooms. Downstairs offers a large fourth bedroom, a potential fifth bedroom/office with access to gardens and patio, all adjacent to downstairs entertainment room. A large street-to-street lot grows wonderful gardens with a flat lawn below; stone patios, redwood decks, an outdoor built-in BBQ, and fire pit; easy walking distance to town on Circle Ave. with views across the valley.
4
BEDS
3
BATHS
$1,295,000
This four bedroom family home with bay views is nestled in a hillside surrounded by redwoods and bay trees. A very private home backing to hillside forest and easy access to 101. A functional kitchen with breakfast nook atrium opens to BBQ patio. Above this sits a large, sunny deck with Bay views. A spacious living room with a wall of glass boasts Bay views and flows off kitchen. This home offers three bedrooms, two bathrooms on the main level with a fourth bedroom or family room, a third full bath downstairs, and a large two-car garage.
1067 Meadowsweet Avenue Corte Madera
Dave DuPont 415.867.6611
Dave@TheDuPontGroup.net TheDuPontGroup.net
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An Incredibly rare opportunity to own/develop one of the most incredible and sought-after properties in Kent Woodlands. The current mid-century modern, custom-built home on nearly one acre was designed by the revered Architect William Wurster and there are approved plans (by KWPOA for a 6,332± sq. ft. remodel) included in the sale. The new home plus remodeled studio will offer six bedrooms, seven full bathrooms, and two half baths, as well as an attached three-car garage and pool. The level lot offers the unique combination of views of Mt. Tam, tons of sun, and a wonderful portion that offers a magical park-like setting. Don’t miss this exquisite opportunity!
Offered at $5,900,000
Contact listing agent for further details.
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Chelsea E. Ialeggio 415.300.6881
chelsea@sothebysrealty.com
ChelseaInMarin.com Redefining Service in Real Estate
So Chill. Rare Wharfside Bolinas Home 79 Wharf Road, Bolinas You look for meaning on the coast and there is none. And for that, finally, all at once, you are glad. No metaphor for your life here. Just the hills. Just the lagoon. Just the pure air. Just the water squirting in and out. Just your heart beating. Just the small hand of your child sand-walking as the sun plunges into the sea sizzled
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by its heat. Just the moon rising over the hills. Just the ocean.
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Nothing more. Nothing else needed. So chill.
Offered at $1,595,000 79Wharf.com
Cristina di Grazia 415.710.1048 cristina@cristinadigrazia.com CristinadiGrazia.com
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51 Gold Hill Grade
$2,995,000
Create Your Dream!
51GoldHill.com
• Three-acre Dominican Compound • Approval for 3 one-acre lots • Two homes on grounds • Backs to open space
500 Alameda de la Loma
$1,049,000
Year Around Resort Living! 500AlamedadelaLoma.com • 4 Bd/2.5 Ba Mediterranean split-level • Great room with remodeled kitchen • Three–four-car garage • Marin Country Club Area
78 Rafael Drive
$1,200,000
Garden of Delight!
78Rafael.com
• Remodeled 3 Bd/2.5 Ba charmer • Wine Room/Man Cave • Great room leads to patio, yard, and gardens • Dominican—close to everything!
140 San Marino
$1,495,000
Magical!
140SanMarino.com
Panoramic Bay to Mt. Tamalpais vistas Private courtyard entry Remodeled 4 Bd/2.5 Ba One level in Peacock Gap
Lindy Emrich 415.717.4005
Lindy@sir.com LindyEmrich.com
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Showcase Property 307 Becky Ct, Ignacio. Custom estate home on a tranquil knoll top with majestic views of the hillsides, Mt Burdell and Bay offering a spacious open floor plan with four bedrooms, two and one half baths, first floor master suite, large family room, stylish updating and private, sanctuary setting.
$1,369,000
4 Bedroom | 2.5 Bath Ignacio
Falla Associates 902 Irwin Street at 3rd, San Rafael, CA 94901 alva.falla@sothebysrealty.com | 415.518.1930 jennifer.firkins@sothebysrealty.com | 415.602.5768 janice.guehring@sothebysrealty.com | 415.717.9636
Alva Falla
Jennifer Janice Falla Guehring Firkins
Janice Guehring
3
3
The Triangle—by renowned designer Jon Fernandez. A beautiful modern design, functional, enduring with numerous green built features. The home is sited perfectly on this 3/4 acre upslope balanced with nature and in perfect harmony with the natural surroundings. Enjoy privacy‌no road noise and the convenience to Inverness and the town of Point Reyes Station. 240Vallejo.com
$800,000
1 Bedroom | 2 Bath Inverness Park
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Rick Trono
415.515.1117
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rick.trono@sothebysrealty.com LivingMarin.com
10/5/16 1:20 6:18 PM 10/7/16
Marin-Chris
SOLD IN 8 DAYS WITH MULTIPLE OFFERS!
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35 Spring Road, Kentfield
(Listed $2,495,000)
3 Just Listed: 8 Hillside Avenue, Kentfield $929,000 8Hillside.com
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In Escrow:
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247 Elizabeth Way, San Rafael $1,695,000
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$2,800,000—112% of list
35SpringRoad.com
MustSeeSanRafael.Com
Christine Christiansen, MBA For More Information, Visit ChristineChristiansen.com
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415.259.7133
christine@sothebysrealty.com christinechristiansen.com
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5
BEDS
6
BATHS
1
1/2 BA
Mill Valley
$6,800,000
80CenturyDr.com
There’s buying a home and there’s buying a piece of architecture. This waterfront, modernist residence on Richardson Bay offers the best of both. Strikingly positioned on a half-acre at the southern tip of Mill Valley’s Strawberry Point with ceaseless views of the San Francisco skyline, Bay Bridge, Sausalito and Mount Tamalpais, the ±6,015 square foot home is surrounded by a panoply of nature just minutes from cosmopolitan San Francisco. The residence represents modern California architecture at its finest, featuring exteriors clad in rare, vertical grain tongue and groove western red cedar siding, walls of glass, floor-to-ceiling windows and stepped floorplans on each of the three levels creating multiple limestone-tiled terraces and balconies. Open floorplans are flooded with natural light that defines the home’s interiors which feature five bedrooms, six and one-half baths, a sleek Chef’s kitchen, formal living and dining areas, media room, study, exercise room and grand double-height foyer. One of the many highlights of the home is the master suite, complete with sitting lounge, gas fireplace, two separate dressing areas and dual baths with large Jacuzzi tub. A true architectural gem awaits.
Bill Bullock 415.384.4000
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GLOBALESTATES.COM
Lydia Sarkissian 415.517.7720
10/10/16 9:11 AM
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BEDS
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1
1/2 BA
Tiburon
$6,500,000
63NormanWay.com
Extraordinary fusion of traditional Japanese architecture and 21st century contemporary American luxury and technology surrounded by spectacular gardens, acres of forested open space and panoramic Bay views. Containing the key components of traditional Japanese temples and homes, including nearly invisible mortise and tenon and dovetail wood joinery, massive spanning logs of pine and fir and curved beam of incense cedar, walls of lime plaster with soil from the site applied by plasterers from Japan, raised engawas commanding Bay and garden views, bath with classic soaking tub on tile floor, shoji screens, tatami mat room with tokonoma, and the majestic hipped gable and shed roofs of copper, with their depth and graceful overhanging eaves, all combine to provide a rare and privileged opportunity to experience American life, Japanese style.
Bill Bullock 415.384.4000
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GLOBALESTATES.COM
Lydia Sarkissian 415.517.7720
10/7/16 5:09 10/10/16 9:11 PM AM
Tiburon
$4,585,000
Belvedere
$5,850,000
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Tiburon
$4,495,000
Sausalito
$4,995,000
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Mill Valley
$4,295,000
Kentfield
$4,995,000
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Above and Beyond | 4 BD | 3.5 BA
Gated Waterfront Compound | 4 BD | 6.5 BA
Modern-Day Heritage | 5 BD | 4.5 BA
Bill Bullock 415.384.4000
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Island Hideaway | 4 BD | 4 Full & 2 Half BA
The Entertainer | 4 BD | 4.5 BA
Mountain-side Retreat | 4 BD | 3.5 BA
GLOBALESTATES.COM
Lydia Sarkissian 415.517.7720
10/10/16 2:52 PM
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Belvedere
$7,995,000
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Mill Valley
$6,800,000
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Tiburon
$6,495,000
French Allure | 5 BD | 5 BA
Bayfront Modernist | 5 BD | 6.5 BA
Modern Hillside Retreat | 4 BD | 3 Full & 2 Half BA
Bill Bullock 415.384.4000
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Tiburon
$39,000,000
Nicasio
$15,000,000
Tiburon
$12,900,000
Waterfront Oasis on San Francisco Bay | 14.5± Acres
Equestrian Estate | 62± Acres | 3 Barns | 2 Arenas
Timeless Paradise | 4 BD | 4.5 BA
GLOBALESTATES.COM
Lydia Sarkissian 415.517.7720
10/10/16 2:52 PM
Exquisite Tiburon Estate with Stunning Views Elegance, luxury, sophistication; this exquisite 7BR/8.5 BA gated Tiburon Estate with stunning Bay Views has it all including access to a rare and private sandy beach. The six bedroom main house features stunning design, walls of windows, gourmet kitchen, media room and gorgeous family room that opens to the infinity edge pool and spa and beautifully landscaped grounds. Resort living at its finest. Truly Paradise. Close to town and schools.
Offered At $7,250,000
Kathleen Stranton (415) 497-3410
Amazing Sausalito View Home Hills & bay views; private drive, and cul-de-sac location; minutes to the Golden Gate Bridge & the charming seaport town of Sausalito, this home has been rebuilt from the foundation up; Approx. $1.6M invested in new foundation; use of green sensitive materials, appliances & systems; hi-end, water filtration system; skylights; expansive wraparound decking; spacious guest suite with deck; additional bonus room with 1/2 bath.
Offered At $2,595,000
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Glenn Roberts (415) 516-5782
Enjoy the Views from Point Tiburon Bayside Rarely available three bedrooms and two and one half bath, tastefully remodeled Point Tiburon Bayside Condo with San Francisco, Bay & Golden Gate Bridge views. Just blocks from downtown Tiburon, shops, ferry, restaurants, theater & yacht club. The community features a saltwater pool/spa. This is the finest in Tiburon living.
Offered At $3,495,000
Larg aren bath studd hear
C Jay Key (415) 699-5747
Privacy & Views from Custom Marin Estate One of a kind, home on almost 4 acres, with private road and gate. The main level has a large kitchen, formal dining and living rooms, 3BR/3BA. Downstairs: 2BR/2BA, one with a sauna; + den/office, large family room with fireplace and a large kitchen. The house on both levels is surrounded with beautiful decking; the back yard includes a pool with a gorgeous gazebo, & meandering trails. www.2415LagunaVistaDr.com
Offered At $2,495,000
Katie Wigington (415) 827-3626
10/10/16 3:31 PM
Archi four b acres Coun wond suite
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Amazing Novato Horse Property Large historic barn, stalls, paddocks, fenced pasture, sand arena, large workshop and caretaker unit! 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home with open living area overlooking a bucolic tree studded 2.8± acres. Unbelievable and rare opportunity in the heart of Indian Valley. www.15wildwoodlane.com
Offered At $2,450,000
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Laura Schifrin (415) 515-9988
Fabulous Fairfax View Home
Architecturally designed and built in 2005, this five bedroom, four bathroom, 3500± square foot home sits on almost 2 serene acres, minutes from downtown Fairfax and close to the Meadow Country Club. The home features lovely indoor/outdoor living, wonderful panoramic vistas, chef’s kitchen, luxurious master suite, marble baths, cozy office and Koi pond.
on 3626
Offered At $1,580,000
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Kentfield’s Coveted Murray Park Traditional home with 3BR/3BA+ plus loft/den in Kentfield’s Murray Park. Approximately 3,000 sq.ft. of living space in this expansive home ready for a new owner to inspire with their finishing touches. Indoor/outdoor living with large front deck and great view of Mt. Tam and the surrounding hills. Terraced back yard with hot tub. “Tiny House” outbuilding great for craft, hobby, or guest space.
Offered At $1,499,000
Paul Cingolani (415) 726-9630
Heavenly Sausalito Townhouse with Views
Ray Bakowski (415) 608-7806
Beautifully appointed 2BR/2.5BA + loft, in the perfect commute location. This unit features an updated kitchen with stainless appliances, dining area, living room with fireplace, deck with amazing views. Located in the desirable Headlands complex in Sausalito close to hiking trails, shopping and restaurants. Other features include fresh paint, crown molding, wood floors, extra storage and assigned covered parking.
Offered At $685,000
Jennifer Bowes (415) 717-1632
10/10/16 3:32 PM
WORLD CLASS COMPOUND CORTE MADERA, CA
Web: 0087426 | Offered at $29,000,000 | Marin-EcoLuxe.com About 10 miles from San Francisco, this approx. 11-acre compound with views out to the San Francisco skyline includes guest house, racquetball court, professional music studio, pool with waterslide, & organic urban farm.
GOLD COAST VIEW ESTATE BELVEDERE, CA
Web: 0088107 | Offered at $16,500,000 | 345GoldenGate.com Owned by the late Tom Perkins, Silicon Valley pioneer, this Julia Morgan residence has astounding SF & Bay views. Approx. .86 acres, this nearly 9,000 sq. ft. estate boasts 3-car garage, guesthouse, pool, pool house & amazing grounds.
Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered (or unregistered) service marks used with permission. Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. Real estate agents affiliated with Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. are independent contractor sales associates and are not employees of Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc.
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DA N IE L L E C H AVA N O N
I S O B E L WIE NE R
CALBRE # 01130681 | 415.706.5804
CALBRE # 00707023 | 415.730.5556
SAN FRANCISCO BROKERAGE | 117 GREENWICH STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111 | SOTHEBYSHOMES.COM/SANFRANCISCO
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Looking Back
DATED 1935
B
EFORE CONSTRUCTION STA RTED on the
Golden Gate Bridge, engineers calculated that the two main cables for the suspension bridge, including the cables that would hold up the roadway, would weigh 24.5 tons. “It was (and still is) impossible to fabricate these cables on land and then raise them 746 feet in the air and place them atop each tower,” reports Mill Valley author James W. Schock in his book The Bridge: A Celebration. “So the only answer was to fabricate them in midair.” And fabricate them they did. In this 1935 photo of the San Francisco side of the Golden Gate Bridge, a worker is separating a 1 9/16-inch wire (about the size of a water hose), one of hundreds holding up the catwalk the workers are standing on, from a 3/16-inch (the width of a pencil)
Suspension Story Wires thinner than a pencil hold up the Golden Gate Bridge. BY JIM WOOD
galvanized steel wire that is being “spun” out of the galley wheel at the top of the photo in a process called “cable spinning.” And when that 3/16-inch galvanized steel wire was combined with 27,572 other pencil-size wires, it became one of the two main cables of the Golden Gate Bridge. The two cables each stretch 7,650 feet between San Francisco and Marin County with a graceful sag in the middle, essentially holding up the roadway. According to Schock’s book, Joseph B. Strauss, the bridge’s chief engineer, said 452 of the pencil-thin galvanized steel wires were banded with heavy-duty steel tape into 61 bundles — 452 times 61 equals 27,572 — then packed tightly together to form a main cable with a diameter of slightly more than one yard. In all, the two main cables, thanks to 117,000 splices, hold 80,000 miles of pencil-thin galvanized steel wires — enough to circle the earth three times with a round-trip to New York left over. m
J. K. PIGGOTT
It was (and still is) impossible to fabricate these cables on land and then raise them 746 feet in the air.
170 N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 M A R I N
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Nara chairs, $1399 each; Tyne table $1349; Cowhide rug, $699. 685 Seventh Street, San Francisco roomandboard.com
AMERICAN MADE SINCE 1980
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