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— COUNTY SUPERVISOR DENNIS RODONI, PAGE 24
The Bungalow Kitchen by Michael Mina’s Chicken Paillard — recipe on the following page.
How to Take the Leap to Love
Innovative Match founder Cassie Zampa-Keim will set you up for dating success.
How can I become a better texter when communicating with new matches?
Texting with new matches should lead to conversations and dates, not endless texts. If you want to become a strategic texter, follow these easy tips: don’t give out your phone number in the first text, personalize your opening message based on the other person’s profile, balance the length of your exchanges with theirs, offer to chat after a few texts, exchange phone numbers, and schedule a convenient time to talk.
What’s the key to planning a fun first date?
The key to planning a fun first date is the planning itself. You should’ve already spoken to each other on the phone before your date, so if you’re the one planning your first outing, you should have a general idea about what the other person likes. Most important is to pick a location that’s easy for your date to get to, in a public place, and make it a relatively short activity.
How can you set the stage for a good first date?
Make a physical and mental change before a date to set the mood. Start by dressing for the venue. Not too fancy, not too casual. Switch from day to date mode, even if the date is during the day. Women can switch their lipstick shade and shoes and put their hair down. Guys can remove their tie, get out of their suit, or change their shirt if short on time.
What should you do if there’s no chemistry on a first date?
Think about every first date as a job interview. Even if there’s no chemistry, the person you just met can lead you to someone you do have chemistry with, maybe your future love. So make a good first impression, be generous with your time and attention by showing your date you value theirs, and stay open to new connections because they can come from where you least expect them.
Wine and Dine
Whether you are cooking for yourself or for a bigger group, this delightfully easy recipe is always a winner. And with a selection of expertly chosen wine pairings this good, it’s enough to make you want to cook this dish again and again so you can try them all. Enjoy! —Casey Gillespie
Cakebread Cellars 2020 Sauvignon Blanc, $29
Cliff Lede Vineyards 2019 Sauvignon Blanc, $28
Conn Creek 2019 Sauvignon Blanc, $36
St. Francis 2017 Old Vines Zinfandel, $52
Montagne Russe 2019 Van der Kamp Pinot Noir, $58
Chicken Paillard Recipe
“Start with a 10-ounce chicken breast, pounded thin to about a quarter inch. Then season with salt and pepper and grill over oak and mesquite. It is served with tangerine segments, a soft goat cheese (we use the cavatina cheese from Andante creamery, but another soft goat would be fine), and a salad of watercress and fennel tossed with lemon juice and olive oil and a little salt. We garnish the plate with our Green Goddess Dressing to add complexity and vibrancy to the dish.” — Chef Joseph Offner, The Bungalow Kitchen by Michael Mina
Chandon Brut, $24.50
Ram’s Gate Estate 2019 Chardonnay, $76
Newton 2017 Single Vineyard Chardonnay, Beckstoffer Carneros Lake, $120
Patz & Hall 2018 Chenoweth Ranch Pinot Noir, $65
Obsidian “Pezsgo” 2021 Sparkling Pinot Noir, $36
Jordan 2019 Russian River Chardonnay, $36 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 2018 FAY Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, $150
Priest Ranch 2019 Sauvignon Blanc, $22
By Jane Vick
Jim Henson and his iconic creation Kermit the Frog, in front of a mural by Coulter Watt
For the Love of Kids and Kermit
The 2022 San Francisco art scene is off to a beautiful start with two new exhibitions that should not be missed. The Contemporary Jewish Museum presents The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited (www.thecjm.org, March 31–August 14), featuring artifacts from the master puppeteer’s legacy, including Kermit the Frog. The exhibition is a walk through Henson’s imagination and a look at his work’s social impact. The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco hosts de Youngsters Day Out (www.famsf.org) on Saturday, March 5. This is a kid-friendly extravaganza of art and activities created by Bay Area contemporary artists including Ranu Mukherjee and Yétúndé Olagbaju. Entertainment provided by Hip Hop for Change. Free to the public.
Ending Food Waste
In an effort to comply with Senate Bill 1383, California’s compost law that went into effect this year, the County of Marin plans to set a target for diverting 75 percent of organic waste from landfills, saving 20 percent of edible food for human consumption by 2025. County Supervisor Dennis Rodoni says about the plan, “Often we have challenges we can’t resolve, but getting our food waste out of our landfills isn’t one of them — promoting systems like ExtraFood and all of us putting food waste into the right bin can substantially reduce methane production.”
Stafford Lake
All’s Well With the Wells
The Sonoma Water agency is bringing three Santa Rosa Plain wells back online to provide another source of water for Marin County. The three wells are being upgraded so that water can be injected into them, a measure taken in response to two years of severe drought conditions. These wells have been activated for every drought since 1977, but this is the first time they will be upgraded to allow water to be put back into them — creating a water banking system. If not for Russian River pumping and an October atmospheric river, the North Marin Water District’s only reservoir at Stafford Lake in Novato would have been practically empty this season.
By Jane Vick
Great Wines for Good Eggs
Good Eggs (www.goodeggs.com) — the Bay Area’s innovative organic online marketplace — has recently partnered with San Francisco–based culinary group Quince & Co, offering a curated selection of sustainably sourced wines from around the world to accompany its assortment of high-end market goods. This is the first time Quince & Co’s stellar wine collection has been available for purchase outside its own S.F. restaurants (Quince and Contogna). Selections will rotate monthly as supplies last and are available in limited quantities by bottle or case on the website or the Good Eggs app. Happy sipping!
Music’s Back in Fairfax
Famous for live music every night of the week, Fairfax during Covid has suffered a tough blow, but the music is once again playing at downtown Fairfax establishments. Joyful returns include Peri’s Bar (www.peristavern. com), now called Peri’s Tavern, fully renovated and with an updated sound system, and 19 Broadway, now known as Mac’s at 19 Broadway (www. macsat19braodway.com), under new ownership and reimagined as a ’20s-style upscale cocktail lounge and piano bar: jazz and drinks, anyone? Fresh on the scene is HenHouse Brewing (www.henhousebrewing. com), opening its first full-service kitchen taproom in the space long held by Iron Springs Pub and Brewery. “Music brings people together and as musicians we thrive on that connection,” says musician and Peri’s new talent buyer, Jonathan Korty. “Fairfax has always been a music town and it just didn’t feel right without live music.”
HenHouse Brewing Chef Jacques Pépin
Watch What You Eat
Sonoma International Film Festival (SIFF, www.sonoma filmfest.org) is celebrating its 25th anniversary and has just announced two headlining — and mouthwatering — culinary events as part of the festivities. First is Plates and Places, a culinary lunch featuring chef, TV personality, international cooking teacher and James Beard award–winning cookbook author Joanne Weir. Lunch will include a wine pairing and sweets from Thomas Adams Chocolates and segments from chef Weir’s PBS show Plates & Places, where she travels to her favorite culinary destinations bringing flavor from around the world to your plate. If you are hungry for seconds, then don’t miss the Chefs and Shorts event that includes a five-course dinner to honor internationally acclaimed Chef Jacques Pépin with the first ever SIFF Culinary Excellence Award. Each of the five courses will be prepared by a notable chef and paired with a short film and wine selection. Get your tickets now! They won’t last.
