Archive for the ‘Things to do in Marin’ Category
Sorella Caffe in Fairfax is one of our favorite local places to bring the whole family. The name means “sister” in Italian–appropriate as it’s owned by two sisters–and the food, ambiance and service are top notch. We eat here often and both sisters are always there to greet us. Using fresh, organic ingredients, the pasta and seafood dishes are excellent and you have to try the Mista salad with their homemade salad dressing–a secret recipe.
With a fireplace and live music on the weekends, the ambience is very relaxed and it’s a great place to bring the kids, who especially love the big block of parmesan cheese they bring to your table to start out your dinner and the big bowl of gummy bears and animal cookies they bring out for free after your meal. We’ve eaten here probably thirty times and the service has always been amazing. This is one of our favorite restaurants in Marin. Check it out and let us know what you think!
I snapped this photo on a hike this morning of Mt. Tam from Crown Road in Baltimore Canyon. The colors were amazing after the evening rains. This hike is one of my favorites. You can take Crown Road to the left and down to Dawn Falls. We choose the trail head to the right, which leads you up on the ridge to view all of Marin’s gorgeous hills.
The Crown Road trail is accessible via Kentfield.
Driving directions:
From Sir Francis Drake, take College Avenue into Kentfield. Turn right on Woodland, left on Evergreen. Follow Evergreen up the mountain. Turn left Crown Road and continue to the end of the road. Parking can be difficult on weekends.
My wife and I recently went on a great one-hour hike at Roy’s Redwood Grove in San Geronimo Valley. It’s a super nice 3.5 mile loop that meanders through an old redwood grove and open meadows, with a nice view of the valley. To get there head west out Sir Francis Drake Blvd. from Fairfax and turn right after the golf course. It’s up on the right about a 1/4 mile. It’s great to find a one-hour loop like this for those days when you feel like a hike but don’t have a lot of time. Awesome!
I am a sucker for the holiday season. I really get into the spirit of it and there are no shortage of holiday events in Marin.
TIBURON: The Tiburon Holiday Festival takes place tonight and will feature an ice rink. Ice skate by the Bay? How cool is that?! There will also be a tree lighting ceremony, Christmas carolers, and lots of activities for kids including the holiday standard- gingerbread decorating. The Tiburon festival takes place on Main Street in downtown Tiburon starting at 5:30 pm. More information at shoptiburon.info.
SAN ANSELMO: The Town of San Anselmo will light up on Saturday night, December 4th with the annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony. The event takes place on San Anselmo Avenue at 525 San Anselmo. Santa will arrive in a firetruck! There will be free photos with Santa, music and more.
The event sponsored by the San Anselmo Chamber of Commerce takes place from 5:00-6:30 pm on Saturday. Parking is available in the Creek, Magnolia Street, and Pine Street parking lots. More information: 415-454-2510
SAN RAFAEL: The Marin Symphony will be hosting Holiday Concert by Candlelight with the chamber choir, soloists and instruments (including my favorite- handbells!) on Saturday Sunday. Tickets range from $25-30. More information at www.marinsymphony.org
The seasons classic- The Nutcracker will be performed this weekend by the Stapleton Ballet for the 22nrd year. The performances take place on Saturday and Sunday at 1pm and 5pm at the Marin Veteran’s Auditorium in San Rafael. Tickets are $18-30. More information: www.stapletonschool.org.
NOVATO: Novato will also be lit up like a Christmas tree (so to speak!) on Saturday with the tree lighting ceremony in downtown Novato on Sherman Avenue. The event starts at 4:30 and features special guests of honor- Santa and Mrs. Claus along with a variety of other activities. More information: www.downtownnovato.com.
Hope to see you out and about this holiday weekend.
Looking for something to do this weekend? Film is the ticket this weekend in Marin County as the Sausalito Film Festival rolls in to town. The event takes place this weekend at Cavallo Point at Fort Baker in Sausalito.
If you haven’t been to Cavallo Point, the setting alone is well worth the visit. It has some of the most breathtaking views in all of Marin. Cavallo Point sits at the southern tip of Marin County at Fort Baker. It overlooks the San Francisco skyline and a gaze up reveals the Golden Gate Bridge.
The film festival takes place today and tomorrow. I love the description of the film festival from their website:
In the heart of an artist’s community, with the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco across the water, lies the ideal backdrop for a premiere film festival experience.People around the world are drawn to Sausalito, certainly for its picturesque beauty, but possibly because it is so uniquely different from anywhere else. Creatives, nonconformists, the famous (and infamous) have felt its gravitational pull. Artists, writers, philosophers, rock legends and film stars have made it their home, in the company of boat-builders, bootleggers and ex-madams.
Films that speak to our naturally rebellious nature, our creative soul, our passion for cultural understanding. Films of all lengths and genres are presented – features, shorts, animation, and documentaries from around the globe. Coupled with conversations and presentations that will stimulate, and provoke the senses. Because this is no mere picture show.
The event features 13 exclusive bay area premiers and a total of thirty films, both full length and short film. The centerpiece film is the award winning documentary, Climate Refugees which explains the growing reality of displaced populations due to environmental disasters. Be aware, some of the shows are already sold out.
- What: Sausalito Film Festival
- When: August 13, 14, & 15th
- Where: Cavallo Point, 601 Murray Circle, Fort Baker, Sausalito, CA 94965 at Cavallo Point
- More Information
Enjoy!
If you are up for a good day hike, the Matt Davis/Steep Ravine loop is one of the best in Marin. The half way point is Stinson Beach, where you can relax for the day at the beach or grab lunch at one of the quaint cafes in town. I did this hike over the weekend and had forgotten how beautiful the redwoods and mossy trees can be. The single track trail hugs the creek so that you hear the trickling of water as you walk. There are fallen trees that you’ll need to duck under and a ladder to climb makes it fun, especially if you have kids with you. Although there are many people on the trail, it’s very relaxing and at times you’ll find yourself completely alone. The quiet and tranquility are amazing.
I can’t stress enough the importance of dressing in layers because it can be very cool under the shade of the redwoods (which is 60% of the hike) and then can become very warm once you get into the open and closer to Stinson Beach. You also never know what you will get once you get to Stinson, as the restaurant was sunny when we arrived there but the beach was foggy–only a couple hundred yard difference. The trail to Stinson is mainly downhill so also be prepared for the hike back up. For those who just want to go downhill, you can always take the bus back.
We saw a wide variety of people on the trail, from kids to grandparents, so don’t miss out on an unforgettable hike. It’s a great outing any time of the year and really under any weather conditions. The water level is higher in winter and spring but during the summer the creek is still active.
- Where to start: Park at Pantoll parking area (there is a fee of $8)
- How to get there: From Hwy 101 exit W on Hwy 1 for 3.3 miles, right on Panoramic Hwy for 4.9 miles to the Pantoll parking area. From Mill Valley, go up Miller and take a left on Montford to Molino to Edgewood to Panoramic Hwy then 4.9 miles to the Pantoll parking area.
- Distance: 7.0 round trip (it takes about an hour downhill and hour and half up)
- Difficulty: Steep in some places and one area has a ladder to climb
Peace, sustainability, reggae, and fire dancing will all be in the mix at the Good Festival, happening this Saturday in downtown Fairfax. Sounds like a great opportunity to channel your inner hippie and see a side of Marin that sometimes gets lost amid the Range Rovers these days. It’s on from 11-6 on Saturday, August 7th at Bolinas Park.
To beat the heat this summer try heading out to Heart’s Desire Beach at Tomales Bay State Park, just North of Inverness. It’s about 40 minutes from San Anselmo and well worth the drive, which in itself is quite relaxing and beautiful. Since it’s located on Tomales Bay and sheltered from the ocean the water is usually calm, making it one of the best beaches in Marin for families with small children. We also found that the shallow water in the summer is fairly warm, so swimming is much more pleasant than most beaches in the Bay Area. Bring your buckets and build a sand castle or bring your favorite book and just relax.
We went on a weekend and found a great place to set up our blanket and umbrella and stayed for more than three hours. It’s a good idea to bring a picnic and just make a day of it, with BBQ areas and a nice bathroom facility with showers, perfect to wash off the sand before you leave. The lower parking lot is really close to the beach so you don’t have to trek too far, but if it gets full there’s another overflow lot which is a bit more of a trek.
To get there just head out Sir Francis Drake past the town of Inverness and hang a right on Pierce Point Road until you see the sign for Tomales Bay State Park. Turn right into the park, pay the $6 fee and head down the hill to the parking lot. This is a great place to bring friends or have a playdate for the kids. We brought an extra layer of clothes just in case the fogged rolled in, which turned out to be a good idea.
Did you know that 15 miles west of San Rafael is an awesome place to camp deep in the redwoods and next to a river? Samuel P. Taylor State park is the perfect thing to do on a weekday during the summer. The weekends are usually booked by now but there are campsites available for weekdays.
We parked the car, opened the door and the kids vanished into the wilderness. The many trails throughout the park are absolutely magical. Giant redwood trees standing next to a 3 year old girl is quite a site. We had friends come out and visit for both days and the kids went wild. They made forts in the carved out tree stumps, collected caterpillars, watched for Racoons with flashlights, went swimming in the river, built a small house out of sticks, roasted marshmallows by the fire and just felt free.
I can’t believe Samuel P. Taylor is only 20 minutes from San Anselmo. Our favorite sites are sites 42 and 43 but you have to book those in advanced. They have a 3 mile long paved road perfect for riding bikes or just strolling around. It’s also a great place to go out for the day and have a picnic or BBQ by the river. There are a lot of picnic sites so feel confident you will find a place if you go out at the last minute.
We are so lucky to live in Marin near so much nature and great places for the family to unwind and truly spend quality time together.
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It is not often you get to peek into some of the nation’s most beautiful (and expensive!) gardens. The residents of the Town of Ross will open its arms and gardens next weekend to benefit the Ross School.
Highlights of the tour include:
- a remarkable and resplendent rose garden with over 400 rose bushes
- a European inspired villa with an unparalleled bird’s eye view of the heart of Ross
- a timeless garden that harkens back to an era of elegant garden parties
- a romantic Victorian estate that is steeped in tradition yet updated with chic and sublime garden design.
This is one of my favorite local tours. It is fun to be a voyeur for the day and look into the backyards of stunning Ross residences. The gardens are always splendid and the weather is usually typical Marin bliss. Make it a day and enjoy an alfresco lunch (available from 11am-2:30 pm, order ahead to guarantee availability and afternoon tea from 3-5pm.
An all new Marketplace will be featured this year with vendors and educators coming together to create a delightful outdoor destination. The Marketplace is open from 9am-5pm.
- What: Ross Garden Tour
- When: Saturday, May 8, 2010, 9:00-3:00 pm
- Where: Shuttle service begins at the Marin Art and Garden Center
- FAQs
- Purchase Tickets
- Benefits the Fine Arts Program at Ross School
- More Info
~Ginger