marin living april 2022

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THE FEEL GOOD ISSUE

go where your spirit takes you


Down the block or around the world: expertise matters.

© 2022 Sotheby’s International Realty. All Rights Reserved. Sotheby’s International Realty® is a registered trademark and used with permission. Each Sotheby’s International Realty office is independently owned and operated, except those operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. The Sotheby’s International Realty network fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. *Ranking source: BrokerMetrics via BAREIS, #1 individual agent based on total number of Marin County transactions, 1/1/2018-12/31/2021. Sales volume figures via BAREIS MLS.| Nicholas Svenson DRE: 01918616


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$56 Million Total Sales in Marin, 2021

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Nick Svenson

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Superstars at the Symphony PRESENTING SPONSOR OF THE GREAT PERFORMERS SERIES

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APR 3

PIANO RECITAL: YUJA WANG Yuja Wang, one of today’s most celebrated and beloved pianists, returns to Davies Symphony Hall for a solo recital highlighting the effortless charisma that has made her a force to behold onstage. THIS CONCERT IS SPONSORED BY THE ATHENA T. BLACKBURN ENDOWED FUND FOR RUSSIAN MUSIC.

APR 24

SHEKU & ISATA KANNEH-MASON Cellist Sheku and pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason team up for a duo concert featuring great 20th-century cello sonatas of Karen Khachaturian, Dmitri Shostakovich, Frank Bridge, and Benjamin Britten.

MAY 2

PIANO RECITAL: EVGENY KISSIN Evgeny Kissin returns to Davies Symphony Hall for a piano recital showcasing his technical prowess and musical depth, featuring works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Frédéric Chopin. THIS CONCERT IS SPONSORED BY THE ATHENA T. BLACKBURN ENDOWED FUND FOR RUSSIAN MUSIC.

Choose 3 concerts and save up to 25% over full-priced single tickets! sfsymphony.org


A Legacy of Building Relationships for Generations

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MARIN MATTERS

Providing Marin families more of what they want


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MOST WANTED THE COUPLE EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW

Written by Tyco Montgomery Photography by Blue Spot

Precious few people achieve the

“We pilot the human body’s remarkable willpower for homeostasis.”

successful record of over 100,000 treatments — with clients ranging from pro athletes to dharmacharas — like Dr. Cat and Randy Gibson, L.Ac. They are the creative forces behind 9 Corners Med-Cryo-Spa. Their passion and flair for all things health are showcased in their glamorous, yet cozy, wellness galleria — a crown jewel of Marin County.

I’m excited to interview this bon ton couple who pioneered non-surgical health programs for more than three decades by expertly blending acupuncture, cryo therapies, infrared saunas, fasting mimicking, massage and nutraceuticals. Sitting on the 9 Corners veranda, I ask the couple to talk about their secret to success. “We pilot the human body’s remarkable willpower for homeostasis. We decipher


9corners.com / 415.209.9600

each client’s biochemistry, chi and bio code. Next, we customize their treatment plan. For inflammation it’s cryo for three minutes at -43 degrees, infrared sauna for 30 minutes and fasting mimicking for five days. For permanent fat removal it’s Pagani followed by lymphatic massage or sauna with violet chromo light. For allergies it’s acupuncture, cryo and Allergy Boost. We are successful at alleviating chronic pain,

lowering cancer cell counts and so much more. We love working with the health challenges that make us so vulnerably human,” Randy says with a smile. After my time with Dr. Cat and Randy, three things became clear and paramount: I bask in the exuberance of this couple’s truth and steadiness in a tilted world. I found people I believe in and who believe in me. And... I wanted more.


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CREATING AND DEFINING YOUR IDENTITY IS OUR PASSION.

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five19 | publishing includes Marin Living magazine and five19 | brandstudio Contact Jessica Cline at 707.302.0850 or jessica@marinlivingmagazine.com to get started

D i rec t

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il


Jessica Cline

Casey Gillespie

CEO jessica@marinlivingmagazine.com 707.302.0850

Creative Director casey@marinlivingmagazine.com

Dina Grant

Daniel Jewett

Advertising Director dina@marinlivingmagazine.com 707.238.2030

Executive Editor dan@marinlivingmagazine.com

ADVERTISING

Wine Country Advertising Consultant Chet Klingensmith chet@marinlivingmagazine.com 707.216.1780 Hawaii Region Advertising Consultant Meredith Low meredith@marinlivingmagazine.com 808.388.2644 Advertising Consultant Kim McGinnis kim@marinlivingmagazine.com 415.640.4504

EDITORIAL

Associate Editor Caitlin Hamer Contributing Designers Roberto Avalos, Jamie Bankston, Madeleine Hannes Contributing Writers Joseph Knelman, Tanya Henry, Jane Vick Contributing Photographers Kristin Anderson, Reny Huelskamp

Advertising Consultant Courtney Roberts courtney@marinlivingmagazine.com 415.297.4507

Copy Editor Cynthia Rubin

Client Services Manager Casey Hatfield-Chiotti chatfield@marinlivingmagazine.com 707.400.5661

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Volume 3, Issue 3. Marin Living® magazine is published in Marin County by Five19Publishing, Inc., Mill Valley, CA 94941. All rights reserved. ©2022 Five19Publishing, Inc. Marin Living® is a registered trademark of Five19Publishing, Inc. Reproduction of Marin Living is prohibited without the expressed, written consent of Five19Publishing, Inc. Unsolicited materials cannot be returned. Marin Living is mailed 10 times a year to homes and businesses in Marin County and San Francisco. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Marin Living magazine, PO Box 16895, North Hollywood, CA 91615-6895.

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Since 1989 staging • design • construction • planning • permitting • property management • restoration • legal compliance


table of contents. april 2022

38 going places. 72 land & sea.

One local company’s innovation is helping Wine Country become more sustainable.

spotlight marin. 22 news.

Not to be missed cultural happenings in S.F., turtles get some extra love in Marin and Measure A is on the ballot again.

32 local splurges.

32 38 local getaways.

It’s spring and everything is coming up in florals.

Pack your overnight bag, there are a lot of new things to love in Healdsburg.

34 eat & drink.

42 take note.

ReThink Ice Cream founder George Haymaker is giving back in more ways than one. 14 april 2022 marin living.

Huey Lewis talks music, growing up in Marin and a cause near and dear to his heart.

76 new digs.

Gardening tips from Kier Holmes, local author and resident green thumb.

80 voyager.

Low-impact, community-conscious stays in Baja California Sur.

88 drawn together.

San Rafael’s Next Generation Scholars is helping kids complete college.

from the team.

18 from the ceo. 20 from the creative director.

Clockwise from top left: Colin Ruggiero; courtesy of Jordan Vineyard & Winery; courtesy of Marin Art and Garden Center

80


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features.

44

Creating Change

Felecia Gaston is making giant strides for the people of Marin City and beyond.

48

Water World

Spring is here and it is time to get out on the water. We’ve got six great ways to play on the bay.

56

A new exhibit reflects on the life and artistry of a true Marin original — Edith Heath, founder of Heath Ceramics.

THE FEEL GOOD ISSUE

go where your spirit takes you

On the Cover Photo by Kristin Anderson (IG: @kjristin_ anderson_photography). Taken from Hyde Street Pier in S.F., looking toward Marin. “I’ve lived through a lot — most recently a bout with cancer — and I use photography as way to remind myself and others that, despite everything, there is still incredible beauty all around if you look for it.”

16 april 2022 marin living.

Courtesy of Brian and Edith Heath/Heath Ceramics Collection, Environmental Design Archives, UC Berkeley

An American Classic



from the ceo.

Little Tiny Moments by far the biggest payoff. Our team roots for each other, they share credit and ideas, we get together for dinner and happy hours. I’ve worked with a lot of companies and I know that we’ve created something special here. We also feel a tremendous amount of pride in our Brand Studio and how it helps local business owners. We’ve branded everything from a luxury real estate mogul and a fancy S.F. art gallery to an EpiPen holder and an eco-friendly junk hauler — and everything in between. Our clients and readers feel and know that what we’ve created is different; just ask them.

Jessica Cline, CEO and Co-Founder

Portrait by Becca Teal Batista; www.stock.adobe.com/jon_chica

FEELING GOOD IS A STATE OF MIND. I feel good when the cool wind blows on a hot day or when a friend calls and has a great idea for our next trip. I love walking by the water in Sausalito and having a chocolate croissant and coffee at the local bakery. When my mom and dad danced at a recent wedding, my heart nearly burst. Watching friends find new careers or forging new relationships has given me a sense of pride. Feeling good is a decision and one that’s worth fighting for. Learning to love the little tiny moments has been an unexpected lesson from dealing with Covid. We are approaching our two-year anniversary at Marin Living and it blows my mind that two years ago we were locked down in our homes, wiping down our delivered groceries and terrified to see our loved ones in person. The pandemic isn’t over, but we are getting back to seeing each other and that most certainly feels good. New chapters are being written and it’s inspiring. As a new business owner, I find the one thing that makes me feel the best is our team camaraderie. Watching our group talk about what we are creating and the passion they have for it is

18 april 2022 marin living.


How to Take the Leap to Love

Cassie ZampaKeim is the Bay Area’s top concierge matchmaker. A satisfied client explains why she chose Innovative Match.

Why did you hire Cassie?

Why were you successful with Emily?

EMILY (Cassie’s client): I had tried online dating many

CASSIE: From the moment I started working with

times and never got results. I was on Match and Tinder, but kept seeing the same guys. I also kept picking the wrong guys. The whole thing seemed futile. I knew it had to be something I was doing because other people were still finding love. I never once thought of using

Emily, she was 100 percent in it, dedicating herself to the process by being open and positive. She listened to my advice and experienced a lot of personal growth as a result. We developed a great friendship riding

a matchmaker, but I kept seeing

the ups and the downs together.

Cassie’s ads, was curious, and

The result was I found her Sean.

figured I’d reach out.

What can a client expect

What did you gain in value from working with Cassie?

when working with you? CASSIE: Innovative Match clients

EMILY: Cassie responded immediately. I was nervous, but I knew that I would be hiring a true professional matchmaker and seasoned dating coach. I wanted someone with a fresh set of eyes who could weed out the wrong guys, had a knack for picking not only the right guys but the right guy for me, and who

are a wonderful community of like-minded, kind, professional and dedicated individuals who are open to new thoughts, ideas, and, most of all, the possibility of finding love. My work is my passion, and all of my clients

could offer step-by-step dating advice. Cassie found

get 100 percent of my effort and enthusiasm. I can do

Sean for me, and I’m so happy now.

the same for you.

Innovative Match, Ross | 415.259.8714 | www.innovative-match.com


from the creative director.

Montage Healdsburg

WELCOME TO APRIL AND OUR “FEEL GOOD” ISSUE! The theme this month begs an obvious question — what makes you feel good? For me, it’s things like seeing a friend I’ve been rooting for find success, cooking a meal to be enjoyed with friends and family, and catching up with someone over lunch whom I haven’t seen in a while. But also things like being on a boat, water glistening on a sunny day or not killing my houseplants (this one is a new feat). With all this in mind, we had so much fun brainstorming for this issue and exploring what brings people joy. I have to be honest — at first, the weight of the last two years made it very hard to allow myself to even consider what enjoying life outside our four walls again would look like. But when we finally did emerge it was almost overwhelming. I was finding joy in the tiniest of things (who would have thought bagging one’s own groceries was a simple pleasure?!). Do you remember the moment we started seeing people’s faces in public again? Or maybe the first time you returned to a favorite restaurant? It’s nice to appreciate the small things. And considering all that, I think that this issue has come at exactly the right moment. If you don’t know who Felecia Gaston is it is time you did. She is making some incredible, and measurable, changes in Marin City. She has touched countless lives, young and old, and she doesn’t seem to be stopping any time soon. Talk 20 april 2022 marin living.

Casey Gillespie Creative Director and Co-Founder

Portrait by Becca Teal Batista; Christian Horan (above)

Feeling Good

about feel good. We also spoke to musician Huey Lewis about growing up in Marin as well as his involvement with the San Rafael nonprofit Lifehouse. He’s just as great in person as you would expect. And for all of those itching to travel somewhere far-flung this summer we have found an incredible corner of Mexico where sustainability is a way of life. A luxury stay in the sun that you can feel good about? Yes, please. Recently, I was lucky enough to get an insider’s tour of all the cool things that are happening in Healdsburg and I was blown away. It is changing so quickly with innovative new eateries, tasting rooms, hotels and so much more. I would highly suggest checking it all out — and while you are at it, making a weekend of it (trust me on this one). We certainly hope this issue stirs up some feel-good moments for you, because it is infused with an optimism that only spring can inspire. Enjoy!



spotlight marin.

“Everybody needs beauty ... places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul alike.”

The newly reopened Point Bonita Lighthouse

22 april 2022 marin living.

art credit www.stock.adobe.com/Kevin

— JOHN MUIR


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news. News by Caitlin Hamer

Sarah Cain’s “I Touched a Cactus Flower,” 2019, part of SFMOMA’s Art Bash

It’s a jam-packed month for fine arts aficionados! First up, the seventh annual Kronos Festival (www.kronosquartet.org) returns April 7 to 9 with performances by Kronos Quartet at SFJAZZ Center. And don’t forget to swing by Golden Gate Park to check out Ellen Reid SOUNDWALK (www.ellenreid soundwalk.com), a free, GPS-enabled work of public art, which launched as part of 2021’s Kronos Festival. The breathtaking designs of China’s premier couturier, Guo Pei, have made their way to the Legion of Honor (legionofhonor.famsf.org). Lovers of fashion can view more than 80 ensembles, paired with never-before-seen designs. Guo Pei: Couture Fantasy will be on display from April 16 to September 5. It’s still the first half of the year, but SFMOMA’s (www.sfmoma.org) Art Bash is poised to be the best party of 2022. Kick off the night with cocktails, dinner and a live auction before getting lost in immersive art and live music, including a performance by The Linda Lindas. Festivities last into the night on April 8.

24 april 2022 marin living.

The Linda Lindas

Courtesy of the artist and Anthony Meier Fine Arts (top); Alice Baxley (bottom)

A Feast for the Ears and Eyes


Marin is wide open to possibilities The McArthur Love Team is here to make your dreams a reality. We deliver results that consistently place us among Marin County’s top 5 real estate teams. We’re known as powerful negotiators who can finesse difficult deals, and as hands-on problem solvers devoted to guiding you smoothly through the entire process. Whether finding that off-market property, prevailing in a competitive multiple offer situation or identifying the essence of a home in order to market it in unique and compelling ways, we are with our buyers and sellers at every step.

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news.

“Meditation” by Debra Maddox

Artists Among Us Usher in the warmer weather by making your way through all that Marin Open Studios (www.marinopenstudios.org) has to offer. Back for its 29th year, this free event will showcase 250 artists across 15 Marin County cities and towns. Established and emerging artists alike will open their studio doors to the public for self-guided tours, allowing everyone to soak up the talent and support their local artists. Check it out April 30 to May 1 and May 7 to 8. If you’d like a taste of what you can expect to find, a preview gallery is open from April 20 to May 11 at 325 Corte Madera Town Center.

After years of habitat loss, endangered coho salmon are making a comeback along Lagunitas Creek. Thanks to a nearly $900,000 grant, the Marin Municipal Water District–designed projects are key to recovering the remaining salmon population. “Results were nearly instantaneous,” says Preston Brown, director of watershed conservation for the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN). The first projects were installed in 2020 and 2021 along a 2-mile stretch of the creek and have already led to year-round fish passage, spawning, new habitats and the establishment of native vegetation.

Coho repopulation project

26 april 2022 marin living.

Courtesy of the artist and Marin Open Studios (far left); Todd Steiner (top); SPAWN (bottom)

Salmon Recovery Receives Boost


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news.

HIT THE POLLS

for Your Local Parks

Point Bonita Lighthouse in Sausalito

Lighting the Way Since 1855, Point Bonita Lighthouse (www.nps.gov) has guided ships through the Golden Gate, even helping crafts navigate the region’s infamous fog. Closed from March 2020 to July 2021, with unexpected electrical issues leading to yet another closure shortly after one reopening, the iconic lighthouse is finally ready to welcome visitors. Stop by on Sundays and Mondays, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., or schedule an evening tour once they resume in May. 28 april 2022 marin living.

www.stock.adobe.com/vectorsanta (top); Stephan (bottom)

Since first receiving countywide voter approval in 2012, Measure A has generated millions of dollars per year for parks, open spaces and farmland preservation. Now up for renewal on the June statewide ballot, this quarter-cent Marin County sales tax stands to make an even greater impact. Measure A’s renewal, if approved, will also increase funding for fire fuel reduction work. Be sure to get to the ballot box on June 7.



news.

A view of the library entrance in the Marin County Civic Center

Stars for Marin County Free Library Library Journal has named the Marin County Free Library (marinlibrary.org) a 2021 Three-Star Library. Rankings for the Index of Star Libraries are determined by factors such as circulation and library visits, with the rating system designed to recognize and promote public libraries. “We happily celebrate this success,” says Lana Adlawan, director of county library services. “But it is truly the service that we provide on a daily basis that means the most.”

30 april 2022 marin living.

Thanks to talented biologists, western pond turtles are returning to Muir Beach and Rodeo Lagoon. These turtles have experienced a drastic population decrease over the years, but after assistance from Sonoma State University Professor Nick Geist and the San Francisco Zoo, there’s reason to hope. A repopulation project has been underway, using eggs from the western pond turtle population near Tomales Bay. The eggs are incubated until hatching, and then the turtles are raised at the zoo until they’re large enough to be released. When they are eventually released into the wild they do so with transmitters attached to their backs so scientists can monitor behavior. Fortunately, this yearslong reintroduction effort is already yielding results. “If you look at a native species and they’re doing well, it’s a good indication that it’s a healthy ecosystem,” says Geist.

Casey Gillespie (left); Nick Geist (right)

Slow and Steady


Want to love where you work? We are searching for passionate sales executives like you who value the ability to express their professional opinion and enjoy working in a positive, transparent company culture. At Marin Living you will have boundless room for professional growth and will benefit from an unrivaled commission structure. We function from a place of individual strengths and team support where goals are clearly identified and celebrated. Our CRM system is state-of-the-art and we have an open-territory structure — not to mention our casual work-from-home environment, ability to create your own schedule and unlimited vacation time. And most important, you have a love for creating marketing strategies for clients across multiple platforms and a passion for print. If this sounds like a perfect fit, send your resume to Jessica Cline and tell us how you can contribute to our success. jessica@marinlivingmagazine.com, 707.302.0850

follow us on social @marinlivingmag + subscribe to our newsletter at www.marinlivingmagazine.com/newsletter

www.marinlivingmagazine.com


local splurges.

Coming Into Blossom Spring is finally here and what better way to celebrate the season than with a few new florals? By Casey Gillespie

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1. This Ava Romper screams spring and really, could it be any cuter? It checks all the boxes — from the Peter Pan collar to the button detailing and a classic Liberty print. We are hoping to see these on little ones all over Marin soon. Available at the Poppy Store (Marin Country Mart) or www.poppystores. com, $105

32 april 2022 marin living.

2. If you have not gotten on board with beeswax food wraps, now is the time. Meli Wraps are convenient, sustainable and, in this pattern, completely irresistible. Bonus: the products are made by a small, women-owned company. Get yours at Botanicalife (545 Magnolia Avenue, Larkspur) and www. botanicalife.com, $24

3. When we think of spring we think of Marin Art and Garden Center — and this sweet bud vase is one of the many reasons. It’s the perfect excuse to brighten up your space with garden clippings. Pick up your own Sisken Birds Bud Vase in store (30 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, Ross) and at www.maringarden. org, $22

4. San Francisco’s Gump’s is a timetested favorite among locals and with one visit it is easy to see why. We are obsessed with this handcrafted 22-inch verdant roses wreath. And because it is made of handcrafted fabric, it stays looking flawless until fall and you will be able to enjoy it again year after year. Available at Gump’s (250 Post Street, San Francisco) and www. gumps.com, $395

5. Start your morning off on the right foot with this ceramic Gisela Graham London–designed mug (also great for soothing afternoon cups of tea). The daisy pattern is too girly not to love. Available at Ground (1520 Tiburon Boulevard, Tiburon) and www.groundgoods. com, $15

All images courtesy of the brands

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A New Kind of Craving

George Haymaker turned his addiction into something positive and found a way to help others. By Tanya Henry

34 april 2022 marin living.

www.stock.adobe.com/THP Creative

eat & drink.



36 april 2022 marin living.

and began experimenting with a basic ice cream recipe. He worked with a food scientist who helped him perfect the flavor and texture he wanted, and eventually he started selling his ice cream at local farmers markets in and around Napa (the company started in San Rafael and has since moved operations to Napa). Before long he had eight flavors, and in one short year this healthier indulgence (it is low-glycemic certified) was in 200 stores in the Bay Area. Haymaker points out that addiction to alcohol and to sugary ice cream have an important thing in common — both are about seeking an experience that brings joy and comfort. “There

were things that happened to me earlier in life that made me uncomfortable in my own skin — however, even as a child I could always find comfort and joy in a bowl of decadent ice cream.” Not only does he see his product as a healthier individual choice, he is also committed to improving the health of his community and, in his words, “building resources in the process to help others.” Along with being a sponsor for many in recovery, he has also been a big supporter of local education and has made generous contributions to SPARK, which raises funds to protect valuable school programs, and Sierra Wildlife Rescue over the years.

George Haymaker and Maggie; ReThink Ice Cream

Courtesy of ReThink Ice Cream

WITH PHRASES LIKE “SOBER curious,” “dry January” and “mocktail movement” entering our lexicon, many of us are examining our own relationship with alcohol. To say that Covid exacerbated this relationship is an understatement. And for many who work in the hospitality industry, where an after-work drink is practically a given, there is an added risk of becoming an alcoholic. George Haymaker, founder of ReThink Ice Cream (www.rethinkice cream.us), began his career working in food and beverage at the onetime prestigious (but now defunct) Stouffer Hotel Group. He spent eight years with the company and worked his way up to an assistant manager position. Eventually he moved on and worked for The Counter Custom Burgers for 12 years (initially in Santa Monica), and he is now a partner in the Corte Madera franchise. During this time, he also became an alcoholic. “The thing about addicts is that we don’t do anything halfway — there is no shut-off valve,” says Haymaker, who was drinking two bottles of vodka and taking as many as 50 pain pills a day before going to rehab. “After coming out of rehab at the Alta Mira Recovery Program in Sausalito, I started really focusing on the foundation of my recovery,” adds Haymaker. He discovered that he was substituting his dependence on alcohol with eating ice cream, or, more specifically, with sugar that he was no longer consuming in alcohol. “Addicts just replace one addiction with another — smoking, caffeine, sugar,” he admits. Eventually Haymaker’s love for ice cream caught up with him — he gained weight and his general health began to suffer. He didn’t want to give up his favorite dessert, so he began searching for a lighter alternative that still had the rich and satisfying textures and flavors he enjoyed. He came up emptyhanded so he decided to make his own


MARIN OPEN STUDIOS


local getaways.

A Day Out in Healdsburg

Healdsburg

38 april 2022 marin living.

art credit

By Casey Gillespie


Courtesy of Jordan Vineyard & Winery (this page); www.stock.adobe.com/Kirk (opposite)

Healdsburg sits at the intersection of three of Sonoma’s most renowned wine valleys — Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River — and the relaxed, agricultural nature of the wine industry permeates every aspect of the area. A beloved getaway for Bay Area wine lovers and tourists alike, the town has retained its small-town charm. Family-owned farms pride themselves on being so and small businesses line the streets of the dense downtown area. Healdsburg is currently seeing an explosion of new tasting rooms, dining experiences and places to shop — and while you are guaranteed to find new favorites with every visit, here is a short list of places we have earmarked as must-visits for spring.

A day in the sun at Jordan winery

Alley 6 Distillery

Bacchus Landing

1401 GROVE STREET, STE. D

14210 BACCHUS LANDING WAY

www.alley6.com

www.bacchuslanding.com

In a town known for its wine, Alley 6 makes a great case for small batch spirits. With all production done on-site at the distillery, a visit is more than a tasting; it is a learning experience. A great stop for whiskey, gin and brandy connoisseurs.

This recently opened collection of five boutique wineries is housed in an open, Spanish-style setting flooded with light and boasting plenty of courtyard space, green lawns and picnic tables — so you can stay awhile (trust us, you’ll want to). Don’t miss live music on Saturday afternoons and family-friendly food trucks on Sunday.

Anthem Home 259 CENTER STREET

www.anthemsf.online

Bon Ton Baby 107 PLAZA STREET

This outpost of the San Francisco location is a favorite for chic home wares and unique gifts. From luxe pajamas to agate cheese knives and the guest room luggage rack you have been searching everywhere for — this store has it all.

www.bonton-studio.com Whether you are shopping for your little one or a gift for someone else’s, this store has everything you will ever need. Here you will find adorably hip rompers, knits and two-piece sets in soothing earth tones that mama and baby will both love. marin living. april 2022 39


local getaways.

Ereloom 110 MATHESON STREET

www.ereloom.com This clothing store specializes in luxe basics and curated staples for the modern man. With cotton buttondowns and leather shoes and bags as well as Blind Barber grooming items, this is one store he will look forward to returning to again and again.

Gathered 322 CENTER STREET

www.gatheredwildeflowers.com Situated on a corner off the main square, Gathered is deceptively small from the outside — but once you enter and wind up a walkway you will find a 40 april 2022 marin living.

treasure trove of boho-style women’s clothing, accessories and home wares. The collection of caftans and cookbooks alone is worth the stop.

Jordan Vineyard & Winery 1474 ALEXANDER VALLEY ROAD

www.jordanwinery.com Jordan, which is turning 50 this year, not only makes fantastic wine, but also has a ton of family-friendly activities. This month don’t miss the muchanticipated release day event on April 30. Expect a walk-around tasting, hors d’oeuvres, lawn games and food stations. Nature lovers won’t want to skip the 4-mile Earth Week Nature Hike (April 22–24).

Healdsburg is known for its cool-climate pinot noir.

Christian Horan (above); www.stock.adobe.com/Gretchen (below)

Montage Healdsburg’s olive terrace


Leaven

Marine Layer Wines

Quail and Condor

353 HEALDSBURG AVENUE

308 B CENTER STREET

149 HEALDSBURG AVENUE

www.shopleaven.com

www.marinelayerwines.com

www.quailandcondor.com

This women’s clothing boutique is ideal for shoppers who love the L.A. vibe. Think chunky sweaters, puffy-sleeved crop tops, midi dresses and delicate statement jewelry. It’s nearly impossible to not find something you can’t live without here.

If you love Sonoma Coast chardonnay and pinot noir, then look no further — this is going to be your new favorite label. Recently opened and irresistibly inviting, its the brainchild of winemakers who are young, talented and extremely enthusiastic, which all comes through in these delightful wines. Don’t miss out on the expertly paired nibbles by Little Saint.

This under-the-radar bakery and coffee shop is not directly on the square, but definitely worth a visit (just bring your patience: there is always a line). Loaves, croissants, bagels, cookies, pies, cakes — it’s a gluten-lover’s paradise. For something a little more substantial try their Troubadour Bread & Sandwiches, which is not too far away. You will leave happy!

Little Saint 25 NORTH STREET

www.littlesainthealdsburg.com

Montage Healdsburg 100 MONTAGE WAY

Gretchen Gause

Opening this month, Little Saint is a collaboration between SingleThread owners Kyle and Katina Connaughton, Jeff and Laurie Ubben, Jenny Hess and designer Ken Fulk. The new space will have a plant-based full-service restaurant, quick-service cafe and wine shop as well as retail. Watch out, Healdsburg, something big is coming your way.

www.montagehotels.com/healdsburg

The Matheson 106 MATHESON STREET

www.thematheson.com With all the wine tasting, you’ll want to make a weekend of it and the Montage Healdsburg is the ideal respite: suites with outdoor showers and firepits on the balcony, a delectable restaurant overlooking the estate and a top-notch spa. Wine buffs will want to take the 100 Point Wine Tour (book directly with the hotel). Bringing the kids? No problem — there is a program for them that will make their stay as enjoyable as the adults’.

Chef Dustin Valette (known for his other local favorite, Valette) has just opened what is sure to be the destination-dining experience everyone will be scampering to get a reservation for. The space is scattered across three levels (including a rooftop and an outdoor dining area). Expect a fine dining eatery, sushi kitchen, selfserve wine wall and a cocktail lounge made for watching sunsets.

Marine Layer Wines paired with Little Saint nibbles

marin living. april 2022 41


take note.

The Power of Love

Musician Huey Lewis talks about music and a cause that is dear to his heart. By Daniel Jewett

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MANY KNOW HIM as the charismatic singer, harmonica player and co-songwriter in his eponymous band, Huey Lewis and the News. And if they don’t know that, they have at least heard some of the hit singles that came off of the band’s 1983 smash, Sports (the cover featuring an image of the band hanging out at Mill Valley’s 2am Club) — you couldn’t escape “Heart and Soul,” “I Want a New Drug,” “The Heart of Rock & Roll” and “If This Is It” in the 1980s, or now. But there is another group that appreciates Huey Lewis for something else — the more than 360 clients at San Rafael’s Lifehouse (www.lifehouseagency.org), whose mission it is to improve the quality of life for people with developmental disabilities by giving them the best gift of all: a life lived independently. The musician — who lost most of his hearing in 2018 to Ménière’s disease — has been an honorary chair and frequent emcee at that agency’s annual fundraiser, Great Chefs & Wineries (www.greatchefsandwineries.org, being held this year on April 23), for the past 32 years. We spoke to Lewis about that event, his career, growing up in Marin and his hearing loss.

Deanne Fitzmaurice

Musician Huey Lewis


What inspired you to want to get involved with this fundraising event and how have its clients affected you? These kids seem to be less privileged than the rest of us and yet they’re happier, and that was intriguing to me. But it’s a two-way street — we’re helping them, but believe me, it’s a wonderful interaction. It is a great wake-up call and a great way to realize how lucky we are.

What was it like growing up in Marin? Marin County was the ideal place to grow up in the ’50s and ’60s because the outdoors and Mother Nature were all around. We’d abalone-dive and poke-pole for eels right along Sausalito harbor. My dad would drop me off at Hurricane Gulch and I’d get crab traps and he’d come back five hours later and I’d have 20 to 25 crabs. What a great place to grow up, unbelievable.

What do these independence programs mean to those with developmental disabilities? You can see it in their faces when you go visit them in their homes. They’re elated and are great contributors to society.

What’s next for you? We have a musical called The Heart of Rock & Roll that we put up in San Diego for six weeks and it was a big hit and very well reviewed — we’re trying to get that to a theater on Broadway. I also have an Apple Music show called ’80s Radio With Huey Lewis that I do. I’m about to start another series and Jimmy Kimmel is going to be my first guest.

What do you like about participating in Great Chefs & Wineries? Everybody gets dressed up, which is kind of fun, because nobody does that anymore. And the Marin- and Sonoma-based wine and food is off the charts. It’s become like a family over the years — a family that gets together once a year for a big party.

Lewis speaking at the event

Tell me about the making of 2020’s Weather in your Marin studio. I think the advantage that Weather has that our other records don’t is that we played all of these songs live before and during the recording of them. We really got the hang of them as it were, and I think it’s our best work. But then my hearing collapsed and so we waited a year to see if it was going to get any better and it didn’t, so we decided to release the songs to the fans.

Drew Altizer Photography (top); Richard Wheeler (bottom)

What caused you to suddenly lose your hearing? I have this affliction called Ménière’s disease — it’s a syndrome based on symptoms and really, they know nothing about it. I’ve been everywhere. Nobody knows anything. There’s several characteristics to it, one of which is severe hearing loss like in my case. I can’t hear music. I can’t sing anymore. But I can hear with hearing aids. How did you react to your diagnosis? It’s devastating for me because, I can exist, but the one thing I really can’t do is the thing I most love, which is singing and playing music. I can’t even enjoy music; I just can’t hear it. So that’s devastating at first. But I have to remind myself that there’s lots of people out there way worse off than me. And all in all, I’m a lucky guy. That’s the only way to play it. Did you and the band know Sports was going to be such a huge hit? In 1983 if you wanted to be a professional musician and you wanted to sing and write your own songs you had to have a single, there was no internet, you had to get on MTV and the radio. It was a three-minute-song world. We produced it ourselves because we knew we were going to have to make commercial decisions and we wanted it to be on our terms; we aimed every song at radio. We knew we needed a hit song; we just didn’t know we were going to have four of them!

Lewis hanging out with a Lifehouse client

marin living. april 2022 43


art credit

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Creating Change Felecia Gaston has inspired a generation of prideful, joyful people in Marin City.

art www.stock.adobe.com/melita credit

By Bob Cooper

marin living. april 2022 45


Gaston says. They have now, along with concerts, dance performances and more. “We once took 100 kids snowboarding because that’s what their Sausalito classmates did on ‘ski week,’ which Marin City parents couldn’t afford,” she says. Another time, she took 100 girls to a luncheon with 100 professional women who became their mentors. An aspiring TV meteorologist at the time, Gaston says that when mentors helped her launch Performing Stars, she knew she’d found her calling. For five years, she survived on a parttime meter maid’s salary and savings from former LAPD office jobs. Through charm, data, persuasion and persistence, she eventually secured grant money from the county, the Marin Community Foundation, corporations and individual donors. More than 90 percent of the 3,000 kids participating in Performing Stars over the last 30 years graduated from high school. Most attend college or trade school, and nearly all get jobs, ranging from ballet dancer and banker to pastry chef and plumber. Some, like Jeanette Egenlauf, return to help as adults. She took ballet at age 5 — the same age as Gaston when she walked daily past a ballet class filled with white girls in heavily segregated Georgia knowing that she could never join them. Egenlauf was intrigued that a videographer often filmed the classes, and today she’s doing that as a professional videographer. “It’s come full circle for me, and Felecia has been a great friend and mentor,” she says. “Her heart and soul is Performing Stars.” Gaston launched the Marin Probation Department– funded Phoenix Project in response to a 2009 crime surge in Marin City. “Much of it was rooted in the tensions between Black men and law enforcement,” she says. “It was bad. Young men without jobs were hanging out and being harassed by sheriff’s department officers.” She had former prison inmates talk to these men and more recently organized a roundtable with 20 law enforcement officers and 20 Black men. “It was uncomfortable for everyone, but it opened communications,” she says.

“ It’s all about engaging kids and encouraging them to be participants, not spectators. To instill confidence.” —Felecia Gaston

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Janice Hughes

FELECIA GASTON IS THE QUEEN BEE of Marin City, and her hive is a three-bedroom converted apartment decorated with cheery ornaments suspended from the ceiling. It’s been the headquarters of Performing Stars (www. performingstars.org) for 30 years and the Phoenix Project (www.phoenixprojectmarin.org) for 13 — nonprofits that she founded and still runs — and it swarms with worker bees. Case managers, staff, interns, volunteers and young adults logging community service hours come and go, buzzing off to different parts of Marin not to collect pollen but to deliver smiles to Marin City’s youth. As Gaston is quick to point out, “Most of what we do happens out in the community.” Gaston is a connector and a problem solver. Determined to instill pride and discipline in Marin City’s kids and young adults, she draws on her dual background in law enforcement and community organizing to forge connections and solve problems that bring hope to a community of color where it’s historically been in short supply. And she knows that history well. One room in the office is filled with binders stuffed with news clippings she is distilling into a book about Marin City’s 80-year history. Her role in its transformation deserves at least a chapter. “It’s all about engaging kids and encouraging them to be participants, not spectators. To instill confidence,” she says. “We seize on any opportunity to do that. We also teach social skills and manners and how to be properly dressed and groomed, all of which can help them get jobs.” Performing Stars started with eight Marin City kids attending a Marin Ballet class in 1990. Then came tap, theater and baton twirling (Performing Stars kids have performed at every Marin County Fair since 1990) — and then digital literacy and sailing classes, after-school programs and summer camps, and the newest addition, financial literacy workshops. Instruction, clothing, shoes and supplies are provided. It’s the field trips, though, that leave the biggest impression. “Many of these kids had never even seen Mountain Play,”


Louis Bryant III (top); Felecia Gaston (bottom), courtesy of the Phoenix Project

The Phoenix Project has served 300 men on probation; three case managers, each mentor 10 to 15 men at a time. (Two others work with women in need.) Mentees are given help finding housing, obtaining legal advice, having their records expunged, earning GEDs, getting job training, applying for jobs and even dealing with parking tickets. Longtime Marin City resident Darrell Roary, a three-sport Tamalpais High star, worked with some of the men during the Project’s first six years. “A lot of what we did was simple: get your driver’s license, navigate probation, complete job applications,” he says. “It’s life coaching, really, and it’s about building trust.” Hired as a Marin County Public Defender’s Office caseworker, he still works with Gaston, partly because he feels indebted: his daughter took Performing Stars classes when he was a single parent. “The Project is meant to lift these men up and give them a second chance,” says Gaston. It’s clearly working, as crime has fallen dramatically along with the number of Marin City adults on probation (falling from 140 to 24 in nine years). But tensions remain. “We need to take the negative P’s away from Black men: police, public defender, probation, prison and parole. When I worked in law enforcement, I learned that residents have to be willing to talk to officers. It’s getting better here because dialogue is happening.” “Felecia has one of the most enthusiastic can-do attitudes I’ve seen,” says Sausalito City Manager Chris Zapata. “When I took this job and she introduced herself in her warm, very Felecia way, she made sure I knew she wanted to better connect Sausalito and [unincorporated] Marin City.” Since then, Performing Stars has performed and helped out at Sausalito’s Jazz and Blues by the Bay concerts and Marin City residents have secured Sausalito city jobs. The hum of nearby Highway 101 is often drowned out by the excited buzz, at Gaston’s hive, of Marin City kids eager to sing, dance and act. This is where she is most at home pursuing her mission: “We need to change the public’s perception of low-income people of color.”

Jessie Broomfield receives a “Clean & Sober” award from former Marin County assistant district attorney Pamela Bousquet; at a George Floyd rally in Marin City

marin living. april 2022 47


On theWater The bay is beckoning — here are six ways to get some sun, exercise and have a ton of fun on the water this summer.

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By Jane Vick Photography by Kristin Anderson

48 april 2022 marin living.


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Pedal Power

San Francisco–based Spinout fitness (www. spinoutfitness.com) is the Bay Area’s first water bike and fitness club — yes, you read that correctly. Founded by former fashion photographer Damien McCloud after a serious car accident in Hawaii, Spinout is a unique, on-the-water fitness experience using Sausalito’s Schiller Bikes. “After the accident, I wanted something that required no skill or balance, but would keep me active and joyful. I found water biking and six months later I was in the best shape of my life,” says McCloud. Even if you aren’t a fan of biking on dry land, this one-of-a-kind water-based experience will have you coming back for more.

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Come Sail Away

Captain Zorah Rose describes herself as a social artist — Boston-born with a West Coast heart. After more than 430 days of sailing over the course of eight years — that’s more than a year spent on the water — she became one with her boat and the bay and founded Creative Concierge SF (www.creativeconciergesf.com). She now provides guided sail tours and private charters, including full moon, sunrise and sunset sails. You can be involved with the sailing itself, or kick back and enjoy the views with Rose at the helm. “I do it for the light I see in people’s faces. I’ve always valued people over possessions, and that light I see when we’re out on the water, that’s what I value,” she says.

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Life Illuminated

“The bioluminescence tour is the bucket list item you didn’t know you had,” says Dallas Smith, operations manager at Blue Waters Kayaking. From birding to bioluminescence, Blue Waters Kayaking (www.bluewaterskayaking.com) is a mecca for those looking to explore the great outdoors with a paddle in hand. Owned and operated by John and Pamalah Granatir and located in Point Reyes Station with a secondary location on the beach at Lake Sonoma, Blue Waters can take you on the water for your first lesson, an oyster-catered excursion or a multinight camping and kayaking trip — it’s up to you.

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Join the Club

Once a full-time worker in Bay Area product management Canadian-born Leigh Hunt decided to make a life of sailing, and in 2014 bought Modern Sailing School & Club (www.modernsailing. com) in Sausalito. In operation since 1983, the Modern Sailing Club offers a robust fleet of sailboats and catamarans for renting and giving lessons. “We have a bulk of sailing courses — the goal is really to empower people to grab the boats and go,” says captain Kira Maixner. Get your feet wet with a lesson and you might just find yourself a bona fide club member before long, out for social sails and club drinks — after docking, of course.

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Grab a Paddle

Founded by Bob Licht in 1982, Sea Trek (www. seatrek.com) was the first commercial kayaking business in California. Still in the family, Sea Trek is now run by Licht’s son, Galen, and offers classes, trips and rentals for kayaking and paddleboard adventures. Picture yourself kayaking through the vibrant protected waters of Richardson Bay or paddleboarding underneath the Golden Gate Bridge. Call Sea Trek and make it reality. “Paddleboarding is very therapeutic, especially during these times. community,” says Jules Gismondi, operations, fitness and membership manager at Sea Trek.

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With it you get outside time and also a sense of


Members Only

SailTime San Francisco Bay (www.sailtime.com/san-francisco-bay) offers you a chance to operate a luxury sailing craft without having to buy the boat outright. Structured like a lease, fractional memberships give members access to a specific craft, shared by only a handful of other members. SailTime is American Sailing Association–certified and offers lessons to those still learning or perfecting their skills. Says owner and captain Lisa Chapin, “Most of our members have had previous sailing experience, but we also get new sailors and prudent dreamers and offer custom private lessons aboard our SailTime boat.” Why buy when you can share?

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All images courtesy of Brian and Edith Heath/Heath Ceramics Collection, Environmental Design Archives, UC Berkeley


An American Classic A new exhibit at the Oakland Museum of California reflects on the life and artistry of a true Marin original — designer, entrepreneur and scientist Edith Heath, founder of Heath Ceramics. By Daniel Jewett


“This was all just in a matter of years — a shorter time than it would take anyone to even master ceramics, much less get a show.”


VISITORS TO THE NEW OMCA EXHIBIT (www.museumca. org), which runs through October, will likely be surprised to discover what a true revolutionary and visionary Edith Heath was. She broke established norms of what dinnerware could be and alienated those in her own arts community as she pursued automation, all in pursuit of bringing to life a new, more modern version of the California aesthetic and placing it on dinner tables around the country. “Her work can be appreciated from an artistic point of view, a design point of view and a function point of view,” says OMCA curator of photography and visual culture Drew Johnson, who organized the exhibit with guest curator and Edith Heath expert Jennifer Volland. “I think one of the things that makes her a perfect fit for the Oakland Museum is the way her pieces reflect social trends that are peculiarly Californian such as the postwar focus on indoor-outdoor lifestyle and domestic life in general,” Johnson says, pointing out that Heath Ceramics have been on display at OMCA in one way or another since the museum opened in 1969. But before Edith Heath could accomplish anything she had to learn what she didn’t like — and that started as soon as she began taking ceramics classes at the California School of Fine Arts (now the S.F. Art Institute) after she and her husband, Brian, moved to California.

“They used this gutless white clay; it was just this basic stuff that she didn’t relate to and didn’t feel could be used to accomplish what she hoped to accomplish,” Johnson says, adding that what she did find useful was a ceramics chemistry class taught through UC Berkeley Extension. She and Brian soon began exploring the Sierra foothills, taking buckets with them to gather clay samples, knowing that they would have to find a large source of uniquely Californian clay if they were to one day start mass production. This led them to the Lincoln clay pit where much of the material for Heath Ceramics was eventually sourced. “I think that came naturally to both her and Brian; they loved the landscape,” Johnson says. “And being so familiar with the fundamentals of geology, they loved taking road trips into the mountains.” “She was trying to get away from the formality of white china,” Volland says. “Her dinnerware was more of the earth; it has a more natural feel and was more organic.” Edith’s innovative designs and use of alternate materials eventually landed her a 1944 exhibit at the Legion of Honor, where her handmade pieces were discovered by the retailer Gump’s. “That show was huge, being recognized in that way. Edith got into ceramics later in life and being discovered by Gump’s was life-changing,” Volland says. “It shows this very rapid rise that her career took, because this was all just in a

From left: the Sausalito factory floor in 1965; Edith and Brian. Opposite: Edith at the wheel.

marin living. april 2022 59


matter of years — a shorter time than it would take anyone to even master ceramics, much less get a show.” With an investment by Gump’s and later large orders placed by the N.S. Gustin Co., the couple was able to open Heath Ceramics (www.heathceramics.com) in Sausalito in 1948, shipping some 100,000 pieces by the next year. A factory, designed by Edith and the firm Marquis & Stoller, was completed in 1959. “Heath used to be in all the smaller retail stores in different cities. They had hundreds of accounts all over the country and in Canada, too,” Volland says. “It would be in stores with Eames and other midcentury product designers that were of the same vein and helping to contribute to that lifestyle.” Soon the Heath Ceramics factory was being filled with kilns, jiggers and other equipment to be able to automate the process and produce the quantities that were being requested. Much of the work of automating the factory was done by Brian — who famously converted a sewing machine into a pottery wheel for Edith and became the factory’s de facto engineer. Although the ceramics and pottery community essentially turned its back on Edith when she automated, that didn’t bother the entrepreneur one bit. “Her feeling was that there were plenty of junky things made by hand, and plenty of

beautiful things made by machine production,” Volland says. “To her, it was anachronistic to live in the 20th century and not use the tools that were available.” In a scene that feels like history repeating, the Marinbased husband-and-wife team of Catherine Bailey and Robin Petravic bought Heath Ceramics and the still functioning but aging factory in 2003 with the mission to upgrade it and continue to bring its products to the world. “It was a lot like an archaeological dig, and for years we would find things that were informative, buried treasures in various nooks and crannies in this building. That’s how we got to know Brian and Edith and what drove them,” Bailey says. “They were inventive, passionate, intuitive and did things with purpose — though also with a humility and integrity that belied their modest roots.” Volland says the Edith Heath story can best be summarized by an anecdote about an interaction between Edith, who passed away in 2005, and former New York MoMA curator Edgar Kaufmann. “You’re a classic,” Kaufmann said, to which Edith responded by saying that it was too early in her young career for that phrase to be used. “Mark my word,” Kaufmann replied: “from this day forward all dinnerware will be measured against what you’ve created.”

From left: applying a handle to a mug in the factory in 1960; Edith working on a bowl. Opposite: Heath Buffet Service, 1955.

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“Her dinnerware was more of the earth; it has a more natural feel and was more organic.”


PROMOTION

Community Minded Client Focused. Community Minded. City Carpets is locally owned by Marin native Leigh Bakhtiari and her husband, Hossein. Leigh was born and raised in Mill Valley where the couple raised their five kids and still reside today. Their sales and design team all live in Marin and have worked with City Carpets for more than 20 years, which allows them to understand and anticipate the needs of clients in our area. The owners are very active in the Marin community serving on various boards and committees, sponsoring local schools and charities, and trying to find solutions for people experiencing homelessness. City Carpets | 415.454.4200 | info@city-carpets.com @citycarpetsc1 | /citycarpets 555 E. Francisco Boulevard, CA 94901 www.city-carpets.com

Your Trusted Real Estate Advisors The Werner Group approaches real estate differently. We see ourselves as real estate advisors, not salespeople. We enter our clients’ lives during a monumental moment: the buying or selling of their largest asset, but it doesn’t stop there. We maintain relationships with our clients far beyond the purchase or sale of their home, advising on all matters real estate. From buying and selling your home to standard maintenance and remodeling, we deliver exceptional service to our clients in Marin, San Francisco and Sonoma. The Werner Group | Lei Ann Werner 415.710.0117 l.werner@ggsir.com License #00994572

21st-Century Matchmaking That Humanizes Modern-Day Dating Innovative Match takes a hybrid approach to dating. After more than 30 years in the business, founder Cassie Zampa-Keim stays current with dating trends by incorporating online dating with her exclusive list of pre-vetted, eligible singles. Clients can choose from a host of services that include coaching, writing a unique online dating profile on their behalf, and management of their online dating profiles. The result is an unparalleled dating experience in which clients rediscover what they love about themselves — and the confidence to share their best self with others. Innovative Match, Ross 415.259.8714 www.innovative-match.com


Halfpoint/adobe.stock.com

summer solutions

Summer is here and it is time to start thinking about a fresh look for you and your home. Whether you’re looking for a top

realtor to help you find your dream property or a designer with an eye for home decor, you have come to the right place. These experts can also lead you in the right direction when it comes to the latest summer beauty products, the hottest fashion and the latest in cosmetic procedures. Whatever your summer goals are, these industry leaders have the answers you are looking for.


PROMOTION

Belle Marin Aesthetic Medicine Dr. Faye Jamali With masks coming off, now is the perfect time to refresh your skin and face. With the pandemic easing, why is now the time for people to plan for summer improvements? With restrictions lifting, masks are coming off for the first time in two years. This is a perfect time for a rejuvenation of the face that has been largely hidden and perhaps damaged from consistent maskwearing. Many of our patients are looking to do everything from a skin refresh with Botox, dermal filler and facials, to a complete overhaul using peels and laser treatments. With the weather warming up too, our patients are excited to get ready for swimsuit season. Treating sooner than later is key, as some of our body contouring can take up to three months to see full results. What new services or products are you offering your clients? We are now offering the TruSculpt iD for fat reduction and the TruSculpt Flex+ for muscle toning and building. We are loving the results we are seeing when we combine the two treatments together. The best part is that each treatment only takes 15 minutes. What is it about you or your business that separates you from the pack? At Belle Marin we provide very personalized treatment to every one of our patients. We offer complimentary consultations and we are not pushy when it comes to selling treatments. Belle Marin Aesthetic Medicine 250 E Blithedale Avenue, Ste. B Mill Valley, CA 94941 415.887.8718 hello@bellemarin.com www.bellemarin.com @bellemarinca

Steven J Magner Photography

summer solutions


PROMOTION

summer solutions

Compass Payam Ghafoori Nothing beats a strong connection to community.

Do you have a unique or notable history in the Bay Area? I was born and raised in Marin County. This allows me to have intimate knowledge of the local area and its nuances. I have a strong and long-lasting connection with the community including local businesses, governing entities, schools, families and individuals. It’s beneficial for clients to work with agents such as myself — I know the territories inside and out. What is unique about your approach to taking care of your clients? My clients’ best interests are always my first priority, and they are treated like family. Those who have worked with

me describe me as being fast, friendly, authentic and reliable. I foster a genuine relationship with my clients and offer unparalleled care for their needs. I have a dedicated team comprised of a business development professional, listing coordinator, transaction coordinator, social media director and a plethora of vendors on standby. What are you doing to stay connected with the local community? I have a passion for giving back to the community. I contribute to and promote nonprofit organizations. Specifically, my contribution to these nonprofit initiatives helps make a profound impact on low-income, first-generation scholars.

Payam Ghafoori, Compass | 415.577.5252 | payam@compass.com www.payamghafoori.com | @payam_ghafoori | DRE #01935373


PROMOTION

summer solutions

Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty Beth Sasan & Traci Thiercof This real estate team has deep roots in Marin.

What new services or products are you offering for your clients? We offer a full-service approach when preparing homes for the market. From painters to stagers to contractors, we have a team ready to prep the listing so it shows in the best light to achieve the highest offer. What is it about your business that sets you apart from the pack? We’re both third-generation Marin natives with deep connections to the community and an intimate knowledge of the many unique neighborhoods that make up Marin.

Do you have a notable history in Marin? Traci’s grandparents met in front of the Rafael Theatre on Fourth Street while her grandfather was stationed in Tiburon during World War II. What is unique about your approach to taking care of your clients? Working as a team, we each bring different strengths to the table and have balance in our own lives, which lets us bring our best selves to our clients. We are truly a team and work collaboratively with our clients, whether helping them buy or sell.

Beth Sasan & Traci Thiercof, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty | 415.990.7186 | www.bethsasan.com License #01433542 | 415.793.0111 | www.tracithiercof.com | License #01817886


PROMOTION

summer solutions

Amy Thompson Photography Amy Thompson Photographic branding done right. How can your business help clients have the best summer ever? Just because you’re on vacation or the kids are out of school on summer break doesn’t mean your marketing has to stop. Book your branding session now so that you can have photos ready to go for your summer marketing. As summer rolls around you’ll want to have a variety of on-brand photos ready to go for all your marketing needs. What is it about you that separates you from the pack? I create on-brand photos that go beyond the headshot. Authentic photos that really show who your business and brand are so that you can amplify and grow. Amy Thompson Photography amy@amythompsonphotography.com www.amythompsonbrandphotography.com @amythompsonphotography

KM Herbals Kim Manley KM Herbals provides nourishing botanical skin care and new offerings for summer.

What is it about your products that provides the best summer solution for beauty and wellness? As seasons change, so do our skin care and hair care needs. KM Herbals provides products to address this shift as the days grow longer and we are enjoying more time outside. We want your skin protected, moisturized and fed with nourishing botanicals and replenishing oils that are food for the skin. What new services or products are you offering your clients? This summer will be an exciting time for new products as we will be introducing refreshing body washes, new scents of our nourishing body lotions, an aromatherapy bathroom spray, and returning to our roots with a relaunch of the products that inspired it all — our baby line! KM Herbals | 707.878.2980 | shop@kmherbals.com www.kmherbals.com | @kmherbals


PROMOTION

summer solutions

North Bay Candleworks Doug Coomer These candles are made with all-natural ingredients. What separates your products from the pack? I love a richly scented candle where natural ingredients are used. I don’t like candles that smell like chemicals. That’s why we use the best ingredients we can find. Our candles are made of all-natural soy and coconut wax. What do you want people to know about you? I started out as a paramedic and have been in the medical field for probably 30 years now. I make these candles as a form of relaxation for myself after a stressful day in the ER, and I hope that the consumer will get the same relaxation and enjoyment while burning their candles.

North Bay Candleworks | 767 Lincoln Avenue, Ste. 12, San Rafael, CA 94901 | 615.540.9331 | www.northbaycandleworks.com @northbay_candleworks

Shop the City Sahra Brandt Get to know your stylish new friend. How can your business help clients have the best summer ever? Looking your best means feeling your best, which means having the best summer ever. With pandemic easing, why is now the time for people to plan for summer indulgences? The easing pandemic means family vacations, trips to foreign countries, outings with friends and returns to the office. If you’ve been living in leggings and athleisure for the past two years, now is the perfect time to assess your wardrobe and find some fabulous new pieces to help you re-enter the world with confidence. What new services are you offering your clients? I am pleased to reintroduce my monthly memberships that include styling picks and outfits. Shop the City | 347.778.1582 | info@shopthe.city /shopthecityUS www.shopthe.city | @shop_the_city |


PROMOTION

summer solutions

Golden Gate Lending Group Sofia Nadjibi Building a bridge to your amazing new home. What does Golden Gate Lending Group do? Golden Gate Lending Group specializes in bridge loans. Our bridge loans are designed to bridge equity from a current residence to a new home purchase. How can you and your team optimize the best results? We fully approve our clients in 24 hours from application. This allows them to make a competitive offer as soon as they find the property they love. What is it about your business that separates it from the pack? When writing an offer to purchase a home, our clients will be able to write a cash-like, noncontingent offer with a quick closing time and no appraisal is required. Golden Gate Lending Group | 1680 Tiburon Boulevard, Ste. 9 Tiburon, CA 94920 | 415.706.8465 | sofia@gglendinggroup.com www.gglendinggroup.com | @goldengate_bridgeloans DRE #1405277, NMLS #241012

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Tell Your Story May Issue: Groundbreaking Women Outstanding women like you have proven to be a groundbreaking force in your industry. You break through boundaries and provide dynamic services, products and community connection that sets you apart in your field.

June Issue: Trailblazing Men You and your team are creative, innovative and resourceful. You steer clear of mediocrity and boldly pave your own path when it comes to providing exceptional services, products and connections.

As Groundbreaking Women and Trailblazing Men, you are forging new paths and shaping the future of Marin and beyond. These advertorial features will include a Q&A advertorial profile and imagery that showcases you and your business. Your passion, commitment and love for what you do is what makes you successful — let us spotlight you and your business.

For more information contact Jessica Cline, 707.302.0850 follow us on social @marinlivingmag + subscribe to our newsletter at www.marinlivingmagazine.com/newsletter

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Just Like Our Gardens, Our Community is Growing. New Independent Living Expansion Aldersly is excited to meet the needs of seniors in San Rafael and the surrounding area by adding 35 beautiful, new independent living residences as part of our multimillion-dollar expansion. To learn more or to schedule a personal visit, call us at 415-754-9720.

Cozy, Comfortable, Connected. Aldersly Retirement Community California license #216801686. COA #004 326 Mission Avenue • San Rafael, California 94901 www.aldersly.com California license #216801686. COA #004

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going places.

Deep Dive

Adventure awaits at Camp Cecil de la Isla

72 april 2022 marin living.

art credit

Must-visit Mexican resorts where sustainability is a way of life, a carbon offset project in Wine Country and a new gardening book by a local author.


Colin Ruggiero

marin living. april 2022 73


land & sea.

Oakville bluegrass is being used as a conservation crop by local wineries.

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Courtesy of Vitidore (opposite); Jacey Johnson (this page)

Tackling Big Climate Challenges

Vitidore, an ag-tech startup, is improving soils and sequestering carbon in local vineyards and orchards — and the potential outcome is something we should all get excited about. By Joseph Knelman

marin living. april 2022 75


land & sea.

John Knutson and Alyssa DeVincentis

CONTOURED ROWS OF GRAPEVINES and orchard trees pattern landscapes just north of San Francisco. Along with the picturesque hillsides and valleys, however, comes an agricultural challenge: “In a vineyard and nut orchard, 50 percent of the land that’s planted is not usable. There’s the vine rows and anything between that is just an alleyway,” says John Knutson, vice president of solutions at ag-tech startup Vitidore (www.vitidore.com). Beyond the disuse and lack of generated income from interrow spaces in vineyards and orchards, these soils are also prone to degradation, adds Alyssa DeVincentis, director of science and technology at Vitidore. “Soil is really a living breathing thing, so when it isn’t covered in something it is vulnerable; it’s exposed to the elements.” Vitidore’s mission is based around finding a solution to this land waste — and the key ingredient is Oakville bluegrass. For Knutson and the Vitidore team, cover (or conservation) crops, such as Oakville bluegrass, can help to vegetate the unused land with benefits for soils, crops, climate and farmers. In 2015, after years working with turf grasses for managers of sports fields and city parks, Knutson saw an opportunity to bring certain hybrid cultivars of the grass Poa bulbosa, trademarked by Vitidore as Oakville bluegrass, to the Bay Area. The grass, the product of around 20 years of plant-breeding efforts, was originally intended for golf courses; however, it boasts traits that make it a good cover

The grass, the product of around 20 years of plant-breeding efforts, was originally intended

The cover crop in action during the off-season.

76 april 2022 marin living.

Jacey Johnson (this pageand opposite)

for golf courses.


crop for vineyards and orchards. The cover crop is a perennial (not requiring yearly planting or tilling), does well with limited water, and, most important, grows in seasons opposite to plantings in vineyards and orchards. Given these characteristics, the grass can be advantageous for soils, but then predictably go dormant just as crops start to grow so it is not competing for resources and water. Now, working with local farmers across nearly 150 acres of land and a growing list of wineries such as St. Helena’s Clif Family Winery and Whitehall Lane, Vitidore is observing the benefits of Oakville bluegrass, including positive impacts on weed control, dust reduction and carbon sequestration. Beyond potential improvements to soil health and crops, the product can help move carbon, a greenhouse gas, from the atmosphere to soils. As such, Vitidore is also building technology to rigorously monitor, report and verify carbon offsets that accompany the planting of Oakville bluegrass on agricultural land. Farms that use and plant the cover crop will have a streamlined process via Vitidore’s technology to earn carbon credits that can be sold in the carbon credit market to parties looking to offset their own carbon emissions. Through this process, Vitidore seeks to help farmers generate income from otherwise unused land. While Vitidore’s technology is still in development, Knutson, DeVincentis and team are enthusiastic about the potential for a small grass to change agriculture in California and beyond. Marin County provides motivation for them. “A lot of the things that we do have come from thinking from the Marin Resource Conservation District (a local land-stewardship organization),” says Knutson of the longtime contribution of Marin initiatives to carbon farming. And, of course, the Bay Area’s interest in technological solutions adds to the mix. “Agriculture is this slow, very ancient activity, and then technology is at the other end; it is fast and furious,” says DeVincentis. “It’s really interesting that those two things come together in this area of the world. I think it’s pretty special.” This fall, the 2022 red and rosé wines from Sequum Wines in St. Helena will be the first vintages produced in a 100 percent Oakville bluegrass vineyard. Surely this wine will be put to good use in a Vitidore toast to both a very small grass and the very big aspirations of positive environmental change.

Oakville bluegrass is small but mighty.

marin living. april 2022 77


new digs.

An impressively sized Diego Harris sculpture draws the eye and captures the spirit of this garden.

Giving Your Garden a Refresh Excerpted from The Garden Refresh: How to Give Your Yard Big Impact on a Small Budget (Timber Press) by Kier Holmes

MY LOVE OF GARDENING — AND MY CREATIVITY AND RESOURCEFULNESS — started as a child of hippie parents living in Marin County during the funky 1970s. My craftsman father truly enjoyed bucking the system, and my mother, a home gardener, enjoyed nurturing the ecosystem. We lived in a house my father built almost exclusively from reclaimed, salvaged finds. Featured in Life magazine, this ahead-of-itstime house would go on to win Sunset’s Western Home of the Year award. At our next house, my mother cared for a petite garden where I learned about tending fruit trees, the power of perennials, and how to garden organically. Many years later, my parents built another home, incorporating a much larger garden that once again was guided by ecological responsibility, embracing recycled materials and creative salvaged treasures. With them, I helped grow, maintain, and edit their inventive and resourceful garden, which won Garden Design’s Golden Trowel in 1998. In this aesthetically adventurous garden, I learned the importance 78 april 2022 marin living.

of reusing lumber and stone, dividing plants, pampering pollinators, building healthy compost, and (literally) turning gardening on its side. I consciously and unconsciously absorbed my parents’ sentiment, practices, and ethos like leaves absorbing sunlight. In my 20-plus years of designing and maintaining landscapes, I carry these imaginative ways of creating and caring for a garden, always wondering how to create a beautiful, productive, and healthy garden, or refresh and update a tired one, without spending crazy amounts of cash or using an excess of our earth’s valuable natural resources. The effects of climate change and our recent global pandemic (which has not only restricted our movements but limited our physical contact with others) are creating a mandate for us to take action. We have a growing awareness

Excerpted from The Garden Refresh (Timber Press) © 2022 by Kier Holmes. Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. Photographs by Kier Holmes

Spring is the perfect time to breathe new life into your garden, and with a little help from Kier Holmes, local landscape designer and author, it’s easier and less expensive than you think.


Emily Murphy

of the need to change things up, turn things upside down, and pivot and morph in ways we never imagined. Now is the time to start buying less and enjoying more, spending less but having more. I’m reminded every day of the reasons why we need to connect with nature and the earth. One way to regain that crucial connection is through gardening, which gives us a sense of belonging to a special place while we experience the physicality of digging in soil, the instinctual nurturing of plants, the scientific approach to observing life, and a childlike sense of awe. Historically, we have turned to our gardens in troubling times. Something about soil makes anxiety more manageable and helps us imagine better, happier, even prettier times. For a great example, see the victory gardens of World War II, in which Americans patriotically grew food at home, even in abandoned lots, to feed their families and support the troops. Today, the thing that drives people to garden isn’t so much fear of hunger but hunger for tangible physical work that gives us hope for nature’s (and our own) resilience. As I write this, shelter-in-place orders are beginning to lift, but I continue to witness the ways our gardens have become and continue to provide necessary shelter — today’s gardens are valuable and well-used living spaces, sanctuaries where we can escape from strange stresses and uncertain times. Don’t get me wrong: taking care of a garden can be utterly stressful too, even exhausting, frustrating, and completely baffling. Yet, when we get it right, it is deeply satisfying. This is the nature of gardening and why we love it. Gardens are ever-changing experiments full of surprises. Because the nature of gardening is a bit lawless and “it takes a village,” it’s undeniably useful for beginners and veterans alike to get help and learn tips and insider info. This book is that collection of inspiration and helpful tips. Some of the featured gardens were designed by me and some were created by other talented designers. Peppered throughout you’ll find pro tips, top plant lists, creative suggestions, easy homemade recipes, and reasons why certain actions in the garden save money and make the earth a healthier place to live. This book is a gift for my fellow creative gardeners who conscientiously attempt to work with nature, not against it. We study the environment, look out early for weeds, bugs, disease, flooding, drought, cold, heat, and soil changes, and quickly react to these situations with an inventive approach and natural solutions and ingredients that we already have at home. We also look to resources we have on hand or in place and think of ways to reuse them instead of tossing them out. Cultivating this awareness and responding to the nuances and changes and little dances that our gardens perform saves us money, heartache, back pain, and time, so we can sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor. For me, smart gardening isn’t about rushing or being cheap or cutting corners. Instead, it’s about achieving a rewarding and personalized garden no matter the size of the space or budget. It’s about making informed choices and spending money where it counts without sacrificing design or style. I encourage you to start your wise and aware garden practice wherever you can, maybe even adopt a little buckthe-system attitude, add in some creativity, and see where the gardening journey takes you. Let’s dig in.

Author Kier Holmes in her element.

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voyager.

Baja Refresh

Skip the big resorts in Cabo and check into one of these low-impact, community-conscious stays instead.

art credit

By Casey Hatfield-Chiotti

80 april 2022 marin living.


Colin Ruggiero

WITH NEAR PERFECT WEATHER, miles of virgin beaches and starry skies, it’s easy to understand why many are enchanted with the Baja California Sur region around Cabo San Lucas. It’s an easy three-hour flight from SFO to the Los Cabos airport, but a world away. In a desert with limited resources, environmental stewardship isn’t just a luxury, it’s essential if people want to preserve the fragile ecosystem and livelihoods of local communities. Hoteliers and business owners in towns such as San Jose del Cabo, La Paz and the artsy surfer enclave Todos Santos are meeting the moment, like former Gymboree CEO and Bay Area resident Lisa Harper, who opened the eco-chic Rancho Pescadero (www. ranchopescadero.com) hotel near Todos in 2009. It was “sustainable” before that was trendy. She hired locals with no experience —many who are now in leadership positions — and gave back to local schools and planted indigenous vegetation. Rancho Pescadero is in the midst of a significant environmentally friendly overhaul and will debut its revamp later this summer. “I want to make sure we’re not putting undue pressure on the area. It’s the right thing to do,” says Harper. Here are six other places to feel good about visiting, including hotels and restaurants that range from an easy-on-the-earth treehouse escape for animal lovers to a daring design hotel that preserved important architecture. Camp Cecil de la Isla

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voyager.

Acre

In the San Jose Del Cabo foothills, Acre (from $355 a night; www.acrebaja. com) is an adults-only sanctuary with 12 elegant treehouses tucked between palm trees, mango groves and agave plants. Each accommodation is an open-air haven with a king bed, private terrace and outdoor shower. This is also a working farm: 70 percent of the award-winning hotel restaurant’s ingredients are grown on-site and shine in dishes and cocktails like chocolate clam ceviche with yellow pepper aguachile and the Animas Sour with bourbon, citrus from Acre’s orchard, passion fruit and coconut foam. Adding to the feel-good vibes, Acre is an animal sanctuary. Peacocks wander the property and guests can visit rescued goats, donkeys 82 april 2022 marin living.

and a 25-year-old camel. More than 200 abandoned puppies have been rescued and adopted through the Acre animal rescue program, which you can follow on Instagram @acredogs.

Paradero Todos Santos

Sustainability is woven into every aspect of Paradero Todos Santos (from $550 a night; www.paraderohotels. com) — an indoor/outdoor retreat with 41 suites that opened in 2021. The hotel is in the heart of the La Mesa farming community; all ingredients used in the restaurant are grown in-house or by local family farms. Landscape architects planted 80 endemic species from red sand verbena to Mojave yucca on the grounds, and sand-colored interiors flow into outdoor seating areas; each suite has views of cactus-studded

desert and farmland. Ojo de Agua Spa is inspired by secret watering holes between the Sierra de la Laguna mountains and the Pacific, with hot and cold plunge pools and treatments rooted in ancient Mexican healing traditions. Activities like surfing at Cerritos, guided hiking along the bluffs, farming tutorials and Baja taco tours make this a choice for travelers looking for a cultural retreat rather than a Cabotype pool scene.

Las Ventanas al Paraíso, A Rosewood Resort

While other resorts in Los Cabos have lush tropical environments that require tons of water, Las Ventanas al Paraíso, a Rosewood Resort (from $1,070 a night; www.rosewoodhotels. com) embraced the arid climate when

Courtesy of Las Ventanas al Paraíso

Las Ventanas al Paraíso


it was built in 1997. Desert gardens with indigenous cactus and succulents dot the property. Over the years, the hotel, owned by billionaire Ty Warner, has doubled down on its sustainability initiatives. Candles are used extensively in the evenings to reduce the use of electrical lights and light pollution, and it provides funding and resources for the community. All proceeds from the current sustainable golf pop-up (golfers can hit biodegradable golf balls that turn into fish food when they plop into the sea) go to the Letty Coppel Foundation, which provides the Los Cabos community with mobile medical care. Immersive experiences like exhibitions by Mexican artists and guided excursions to see curious and friendly gray whales showcase the best of Baja.

César Béjar, courtesy of Grupo Habita

Baja Club Hotel

Two hours north of Cabo San Lucas and its busy resorts, the seaside city of La Paz has a café-lined boardwalk, or malecón, and rich history. Grupo Habita’s year-old Baja Club Hotel (from $310 a night; www.bajaclubhotel.com) incorporates a colonial-era mansion that once belonged to a wealthy pearl harvesting family — La Paz was one of the world’s foremost pearl-fishing centers for centuries. Mexico City– based architect Max von Werz believes demolition should be a last resort. His team recovered original timber beams in the high ceilings and took cues from the original materials for the new four-story L-shaped extension: timber cladding, terrazzo floors and amberglass details appear throughout. Thirty-two guest rooms feature Mexican-made materials and furnishings. Epic marine-life encounters are La Paz’s main draw — Jacques Cousteau famously referred to the Sea of Cortez as “the world’s aquarium” — and Baja Club Hotel can arrange boat excursions to UNESCO-protected Isla Espíritu Santo just offshore for visitors to enjoy snorkeling with whale sharks in the bay and land adventures like sand surfing. There’s also a Greek restaurant serving sustainable seafood and a rooftop bar.

Baja Club Hotel

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voyager.

Todos Santos Eco Adventures

Flora Farms, San Jose Del Cabo

Slightly north of San Jose del Cabo, Flora Farms (www.flora-farms.com) is one of Baja’s most famous culinary destinations. The 25-acre organic working farm grows ingredients for Flora’s Field Kitchen, the Farm Bar and Flora Farms Grocery. Visitors can dine on wood-fired pizzas and sip a bright orange heirloom carrot “Farmarita” before finishing it all off with a scoop of homemade mango sorbet. All meats served at Flora’s Field Kitchen come from Flora Farms’ nearby ranch where animals are humanely raised on hormone-free diets. The property is a farm fantasyland with wide green lawns, lush gardens and whimsical greenhouse-style buildings, and visitors can go on a free farm tour, take art and cooking classes or book an herbal soak at The Farm Spa & Salon. If you don’t ever want to leave, Flora Farms’ Lofts, Culinary Cottages and Hillside Haylofts (deeded fractional ownership from $30,000 for a studio) — are available for purchase and make ideal vacation homes for the culinary-inclined. Home owners can pick farm produce whenever they wish and get exclusive access to activities like wine and beer tastings and a private beach club. 84 april 2022 marin living.

More Green Things to Come Rancho Pescadero (www.ranchopescadero.com) will reopen in August as part of Hyatt’s boutique Unbound Collection of hotels with 103 luxury guest rooms including oceanfront villas and suites with outdoor showers, plunge pools and private roof decks. Under the leadership of owner Lisa Harper, the hotel, which closed for renovation in 2018, will set the gold standard for regenerative travel in the area and maybe anywhere; any plants too close to construction were uprooted and raised in a nursery and then replanted when it was safe. In addition to a farm and orchard where guests can source everything from eggs for huevos rancheros to ingredients for spa treatments, Harper has put in a bottling plant — so there are no single-use plastics — and is providing sustainable housing, a technical school and child care for employees. “A representative from the environmental consulate got teary-eyed because she said ‘you’re doing what you said you were going to do,’ ” says Harper. Habitas (www.ourhabitas. com), known for eco-friendly hotels like an off-the-grid property in Namibia, is also opening a resort in Todos Santos this summer. Most of the construction is happening off-site using 3D printing, so there is little environmental impact. Mangement plans to create a microeconomy by purchasing local food and furnishings and providing job training for residents. A location in Los Cabos is also in the works. Sustainably minded Chablé Hotels (chablehotels.com) is opening a property on the Sea of Cortez near La Paz in 2023. Stand-alone villas with green roofs will echo the contours of the landscape. Aman (www.aman.com) is planning to open Amanvari, a luxurious and isolated eco-hotel in Baja’s East Cape in 2024.

Rancho Pescadero

Courtesy of Rancho Pescadero

Todos Santos Eco Adventures hosts two low-impact luxury glamping experiences on the Baja Peninsula. Camp Cecil de la Isla (from $375 per person per night with a two-night minimum; www.tosea.net) is open from October to June on uninhabited Isla Espíritu Santo. Reminiscent of a smaller version of the Galápagos Islands, wildlife viewing is world-class: guests can spot sea lions, blue-footed boobies, manta rays and more. Rates include certified wilderness guides, gourmet meals, a daily happy hour, adventures and equipment. Camp Cecil de la Sierra (from $225 per person per night with a two-night minimum) in the mountains near Todos Santos is wrapping up its season at the end of April. When it reopens in November, guests can unwind by hiking, picnicking by a waterfall and making tortillas and cheese with a local ranching family.


Papapietro Perry Winery specializes in small lots of handcrafted, single-vineyard designate Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Chardonnay. Our mission is to assist you in enjoying one of life’s greatest pleasures, the union of good food, good wine and good friends.

Introducing a familiar place to shop, dine and unwind.

RED HILL Shopping Center

834-916 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, San Anselmo, CA 94960 www.redhillshoppingcenter.com ALL COVID-19 PROTOCOLS FOLLOWED


REAL ESTATE KICKBALL SHOWDOWN SPONSOR REGISTER A TE AM FA N C LU B T I C K E T S DONATE

Spring Gold If you like water, you’ll love this “Waterfall Collection” of wedding bands and bangle bracelets with stippled finish on 14k gold with flush and bead set diamonds.

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1226 Fourth Street • San Rafael • CA 415-459-5808 www.stephanhill.com

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COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL

Announcing the 15th Annual Kickball Showdown Benefiting Next Generation Scholars FRIDAY, MAY 13 11:30 TO 3:30 PIPER PARK, LARKSPUR

TO LEARN MORE kickballshowdown.org or contact rose@nextgenerationscholars.org


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Celebrating the Beauty of Organic


drawn together.

Road to Success San Rafael’s Next Generation Scholars is helping kids get to and graduate from college. By Jane Vick

88 april 2022 marin living.

Jeff Escabar

NGS students participate in The Community Uplift Project, in which they come up with a project, planned in their sophomore year and executed in their junior year. These projects are based on a need they are passionate about in their community and they see it through from ideation to completion. It’s up to them to budget, coordinate and plan and involves roughly 250 hours of community work. “What’s so meaningful about the work we do at NGS,” says executive director Jeff Escabar, “is that we begin working with students when they’re young enough to really see their potential, to feel a sense of their power and ability to make an impact. It gets harder to do, the older we get. We start working with these students as soon as we can, so they can really shine.” On May 13 NGS is hosting its 15th Kickball Showdown at Piper Park in Corte Madera, and on May 20 it is hosting The Read, a dinner at Hopmonk Tavern in Novato where college-bound seniors will share their stories. www.kickballshowdown.org

Reny Huelskamp

FOUNDED IN 2003, Next Generation Scholars (NGS, www. nextgenerationscholars.org) was a direct response to the noticeable gap between first-generation students graduating from four-year universities versus other students. “It literally started as an idea, at co-founder Sally’s Matsuishi’s kitchen table,” says director of philanthropy Rose Jennings-Newhouse, adding that the term “first generation” is used by NGS to refer to the first generation within a family to attend and graduate from college. “We began with just seniors, in 2003, and by 2007 we’d added juniors and expanded the curriculum, and added summer programs to augment the months when kids might have an academic slide.” By 2013 NGS had moved to its current location in San Rafael — which the team lovingly calls the Scholar House — and has only continued to grow. NGS today is a fully fledged powerhouse, addressing the needs of first-generation students from myriad angles. “A few things set us apart,” says Jennings-Newhouse. “We serve kids beginning in sixth grade and see them all the way through to graduation and their first job. We’re boutique, in that way, but we take a deep-delve, longitudinal approach to our work. We don’t cut our students loose after they’ve been accepted to college. And we realize that the kids are as successful as their families, which is where our social services work comes in.” NGS has partnered with a number of organizations and businesses to provide the families of their students with things like food, housing, immigration law assistance and clothing. The organization offers a program called Parent College, specifically designed to empower parents of NGS students to support their child’s academic development, and a program for NGS students’ younger siblings called Little Scholars. “Kids are able to focus more on their schoolwork when their families aren’t in crisis,” says Jennings-Newhouse. “And we saw that while a lot of first-generation kids were getting into college, they weren’t making it all the way through — the separation from and concern for their family just isn’t conducive. When you include family, chances of success really improve.” The teaching staff at NGS consists of primarily people of color and first-generation graduates. They are able to share their success stories with the students in a real and relatable way and to genuinely empathize with their circumstances. Even before the wave of awareness in 2020, NGS has used social justice as a lodestone for its teaching and support structures. Students and their families are not only supported, they are encouraged to support their communities as well. All


LIFEHOUSE PRESENTS

GREAT CHEFS & WINERIES

AWARD WINNING BAY AREA FOOD & WINE EVENT SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL & DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

APRIL 23, 2022 4:30pm-10:00pm Peacock Gap, San Rafael To Purchase Tickets go to:

www.greatchefsandwineries.org


MAJOR SPONSORS

DIAMOND

We are delighted to have Al and Lisa Brayton of Thirty-Seven Wines and Brayton Purcell LLP as Diamond Sponsors this year.

Thirty-Seven Wines debuted as a wine participant at our 2011 Great Chefs and Wineries. We are happy to be collaborating once again with a company whose philosophy is focused on community involvement and harmonious relationships.

Brayton Purcell LLP has supported Lifehouse and Great Chefs and Wineries since 1994. As active community members in Marin for the past thirty years, Brayton Purcell works ceaselessly to support their clients, consumers, staff, and families. Their compassion for and dedication to the community is apparent both in and out of the courtroom.

PLATINUM DOUG & ERIN CLOUGH UESUGI Doug Clough and Erin Uesugi are parents to Sophia who has been supported by Lifehouse since 2017. Doug currently serves on the Lifehouse Board of Directors and Erin is the incredible architect behind making our new headquarters a reality. Their generosity and dedication has had a profound impact on the individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in our community.


MUSIC BID PADDLE

EDITORIAL

PRINT

MEDIA

ALLAN & NANCY HERZOG

STEVE & CHRIS WILSEY

LIVE PERFORMANCE BY JEFFERSON STARSHIP

DECOR

MAGAZINE

PRESCHOOL HELEN BRAME

SPARKLE SPONSOR GOLD

Valued at $4,250

For more information on this stunning diamond pendant necklace, visit: www.greatchefsandwineries.org/sparkle-raffle RAFFLE TICKET PRICES 1 FOR $100 2 FOR $150 5 FOR $300

TO PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS…

Please contact Lifehouse at mail@lifehouseagency.org OR at (415) 526-5300.

The Coyne Family Kaiser Permanente Marin Sanitary Service Wells Fargo Advisors Robert & Mary Wilsey Titus Wealth Management Sharon & Jim Sides in Memory of Al Merriam Mt. Tamalpais Cemetery & Mortuary

SILVER

Law Offices of Sam Kornhauser Mechanics Bank Meylan Construction Anoosh & Kija Mizany In Memory of John and Mary Kast


RESTAURANTS ON THE TERRACE 4:30PM- 7:00PM Copita Tequileria y Comida Il Davide Insalata’s Left Bank Brasserie Marinitas Mersea The Clubhouse at Peacock Gap Peju Province Winery

RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHT Joanne Weir is a celebrity chef whose curiosity and passion for good food combine for a thrilling culinary adventure. She has produced award winning cooking shows and is the author of 17 cookbooks! Joanne is the Maestra de Cocina of Copita Tequlieria y Comida in Sausalito and has been a proud supporter of Lifehouse for 10 years.

David Haydon opened Il Davide, determined to do something different from the classic Toscano style restaurants. He sources locally, creating a unique, flavor-filled menu which he serves unpretentiously with his famous personal service. David has been a generous and dedicated supporter of Lifehouse for over 20 years.

Perkins Catering Co Perry’s Larkspur Piazza D’Angelo Poggio Trattoria Rickey’s Sam’s Anchor Cafe Sushi Ran


RESTAURANTS

CULINARY HOST HEIDI KRAHLING

32 years

“I am honored to be the Culinary Host for the Great Chefs and Wineries event for the past 32 years. It is amazing to have been a part of this event from its small fundraising beginnings to the Premier Bay Area food and wine event it is today. What an amazing evening for all these talented chefs and extraordinary wineries to come together to support Lifehouse.”- Heidi Krahling

LIFEHOUSE PRESIDENT & CEO NANCY DOW MOODY “The best party in town is back! We are grateful to the restaurants and wineries who generously donate their staff time, food and wine; our sponsors; the planning committees who volunteer countless hours and loyal attendees! The support of our community is what has made this event a success for 32 years. Like a fine wine, the event continues to get better.” -Nancy Dow Moody, Lifehouse President and CEO

IN THE DINING ROOM 7:00PM- 10:00PM

Fiorello’s Artisan Gelato ItalFoods Red Whale Coffee Rustic Bakery


WINERIES

WINERIES ON THE TERRACE 4:30PM- 7:00PM

Brooks Note Winery Dutton Goldfield Winery Freeman Vineyard & Winery Grgich Hills Estate HALL, WALT, BACA Wines Kanzler Family Vineyards Keenan Winery Kendric Vineyards Kosta Browne Winery Linked Vineyards Merry Edwards Winery

Papapietro Perry Winery Peju Province Winery Pride Mountain Vineyards Ron Rubin Winery Schweiger Vineyards Silver Oak & Twomey Cellars Thirty-Seven Wines William Harrison Vineyards & Winery Wines That Deliver ZD Wines

WINERY SPOTLIGHT

Family-owned for 50 years, Silver Oak produces Cabernets aged exclusively in American oak. Its exceptional, food-friendly wines are both drinkable upon release and worthy of cellaring for decades to come. Ray Duncan founded Silver Oak with Justin Meyer in 1972, and it’s now owned and operated by Ray’s sons, David and Tim, with a commitment to innovative and sustainable viticulture practices across its vineyard properties, wine-making facilities, tasting rooms and cooperage. In addition to acquiring OVID Napa Valley in 2017, the Duncan family also founded Twomey Cellars in 1999 and Timeless Napa Valley in 2020. Silver Oak and Twomey have been supporting Lifehouse at Great Chefs and Wineries for over 20 years. Their support means so much to Lifehouse and the individuals we serve!


HONORARY CHAIR HUEY LEWIS BUBBLE SPONSOR

32 years

Photo by Richard Wheeler

For over 50 years, Schramsberg Vineyards has been committed to crafting extraordinary sparkling wines. Living and working on the Napa Valley Diamond Mountain property, the Davies family and Schramsberg team have focused on creating wines that reflect the passion and experience of the people behind each bottle of Schramsberg sparkling wine.

MASTER OF CEREMONIES BETTY YU

“I have been involved with Lifehouse as the Honorary Chair of the Great Chefs & Wineries event for 32 years now. Lifehouse is my favorite charity because of the people that Lifehouse supports. It has been my honor to become a part of the Lifehouse family over time, and I am inspired by their unwavering dedication to providing outstanding programs across the entire Bay Area. Please join me in supporting this amazing organization in-person, on April 23rd at Peacock Gap in San Rafael.”- Huey Lewis

LIBATIONS ON THE TERRACE Lifehouse welcomes back KPIX reporter Betty Yu as our gracious and enthusiastic Master of Ceremonies. “Great Chefs & Wineries is a spectacular evening that features exquisite foods and fine wines, but more importantly, it is a reflection of the generous and compassionate spirit of the Lifehouse community.” -Betty Yu

Red Whale Coffee Bar Republic of Tea Stateroom Brewery Martinis by Jeff “The Barfly” Burkhart Alamere Spirits King Floyd Bitters


ABOUT LIFEHOUSE Photo by David Charnack

Photo by David Charnack

FOLLOW US!

For over 65 years Lifehouse has been dedicated to making certain that all individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are accepted and have a place in our community. The need for creative and quality support services continues to grow in our community and across the Bay Area. We believe all individuals deserve the right to live independent lives with integrity, joy and meaning.

@lifehouseagency

VIRTUAL AUCTION Please join Lifehouse in raising funds to ensure that we are able to continue providing vital services to our community.

April 14th- April 22nd (Closes the night before our in-person event)

TO BID GO TO GCW2022.GIVESMART.COM OR TEXT GCW2022 to 76278


They’re not just foster kids. They’re Marin kids. Right now, there are foster kids in Marin County that need temporary homes and some stability in their lives, just until their parents can get back on their feet. If you can help, please visit foster.marinhhs.org


BE A WINEMAKER FOR A DAY The Barrel Blending Experience® at Conn Creek offers a guided tasting and wine blending session showcasing Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Understand the skills needed to be a winemaker and craft your own custom blend to bottle and take home. It’s the ideal experience for any occasion, including a romantic weekend getaway, a group outing, or a private corporate event. Reservations are available Thursday through Monday at 10:30am and 2:00pm

CCK 1840260 ©2022 Conn Creek Winery, St. Helena CA, 94574


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