Although the Mill Valley School District ended its 2019-20 year early and abruptly due to the COVID-19 crisis, its students had churned out a ton of artwork before it did so.

In lieu of its traditional art shows around town, Kiddo!, the Mill Valley Schools Community Foundation, which funds art, music, dance, drama, poetry and myriad other programs, unveiled a virtual art show this week, showcasing more than 700 pieces of visual art from MVSD students ranging from kindergarten to eighth grade. 

"As we continue to face the realities of our current world, our art teachers, along with Kiddo! Board members and parent volunteers, put their heads together to figure out a way to document and showcase some of the very special works of art and the amazing creative output they have seen over the past weeks from our wonderful students," Kiddo! Executive Director Bill Lampl says. "This art show represents a very special opportunity to see so many works created during this very unusual time distanced from school."

CHECK OUT THE ENTIRE ART SHOW HERE.

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From First Fridays and Smartgardens to Slam Poetry and incredible national awards, the Mill Valley community has long known that its Public Library is an absolute treasure.

It got another reminder of that fact this week, as Library officials announced that its Poetry Illuminated Project, which projected poems around Mill Valley, garnered the 2020 Innovation of the Year Award from the Public Library Association.

"At times like this, we believe that constant adaptation and innovation is what will allow us to keep serving our community under the most serious of challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic," City Librarian Anji Brenner says in a statement. "It reminds us that innovation – new ways of thinking about how to do something – does not depend on what's been done in the past, traditional approaches, or robust funding. Rest assured, we will continue to be a Library that thinks big under any circumstances."

The award comes with a $2,000 honorarium. The Library intends to use the honorarium to create Poetry Illuminated in a Box, a turnkey kit other libraries can borrow to more easily project poetry in their own communities. 

"We hope Poetry Illuminated can return to downtown Mill Valley and in front of the Library in early 2021," Brenner adds. "The project can be enjoyed with face masks on and social distancing intact if needed."

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Marin Public Health Officer Matt Willis said last week that Marin would be able to open for curbside pickup for retailers, including book stores, clothing stores, sporting goods, toy stores, florists, art/ceramics, housewares, jewelers and gift shops on May 18. The move came 10 days after Gov. Newsom announced that retailers could do so statewide. 

Many retailers are ready to go. Here are the big picture details. In order to open for curbside retail pickup, retailers must:

Follow the plan that all businesses need to complete in order to re-open.
Implement industry specific “best practices” to copy/paste into their Site Specific Protection Plan. 

Here's a working list of who's doing curbside retail pickup, and how to go about placing orders [updated 5/31/20]:
​
Aviator Nation: OPEN FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP. "Please email millvalley@aviatornation.com or call to arrange your order and pickup!" 129 Miller Ave., Ste. 700. MORE INFO.

Bloomingayles: OPEN FOR PICKUP. Bloomingayles will be open for window shopping, picking up orders + looking in the doorway for treasures Wednesday – Saturday 11-5. Call ahead: 415.298.4047. info@gaylenicoletti.com. Wed.-Sat. 11am-5pm or by appointment. Please call Gayle to place orders for pickup or delivery. Gift cards available. 129 B Miller Ave. MORE INFO. 

Famous4: OPEN FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP. 415.388.2550. "Contact us today for curbside shopping details and help us keep our local economy alive during this international downturn! See the clothes online, call 415-388-2550 or email Famous4@comcast.net to order. We’re ALSO offering discount Gift Certificates for future purchases – Good 30 Days from Purchase.” MORE INFO.

FarmhouseUrban: OPEN FOR PICKUP OF ONLINE ORDERS. Serena Armstrong: "We are thrilled to announce the launch of the new FarmHouseUrban website! Along with the amazing Jessica MacLeod @jess__goes, this project has been months in the making. It’s a wonderful feeling to finally be able to share it with you. We hope you will take some time to enjoy perusing our special collections of home products as well as our Studio pages which explain how our design process works and how we can help you transform your home even while sheltering in place. The blog is also back on our Journal page, so please subscribe to receive each new post directly to your inbox. To our local Marin community, an immense thank you for your steadfast commitment to supporting small businesses. We can’t wait to see you all once again!!" MORE INFO.

Green Door Design: OPEN FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP AND DOOR-TO-DOOR DELIVERIES. Susie Turner: “We are able to safely deliver our arrangements door to door, with no person to person contact required.” WAYS TO ORDER: #1. Place and pay for your order ONLINE. View designs available, and if you don’t see what you want, call, email or text us to discuss other options. #2. Coordinate directly with us: If you would like fresh arrangements in your own collection of containers, please coordinate details directly with Susie and the team." GreenDoorDesign.net (place an order online for pick up OR delivery)
415 367-5966 (text the store); 415 381-1886 (call the store); 415 350-1604. Susie@greendoordesign.net. MORE INFO.

J.McLaughlin: OPEN FOR CURBSIDE RETAIL. "For now, we will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays for curbside pickup for about 5 hours a day. We are currently working out the exact hours." Dedicated parking space out front for curbside pickup. 75 Throckmorton Ave. 415.888.9917. MORE INFO.

Makers Market: OPEN FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP. Manager Lythia Angell: "All our products are sourced and in the US." 129 Miller Ave., Ste. 603. Call ahead 415.326.5111 or order online. Gift cards here. MORE INFO. 

Margaret O'Leary: OPEN FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP. 415.388.2390. 10am-6pm, Mon.-Sat. and 11am-5pm Sun. Buy Egift Certificates here. 14 Miller Ave. MORE INFO. 

Mike's Camera: OPEN FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP. "We are currently open Monday thru Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 11-5. We have 3 ways of shopping: 1. Online with free shipping on orders over $50. 2. Curbside pickup. 3. Personalized shopping inside the store with facial coverings required to enter. Customers are let in let in as room permits...usually 2-3 at a time at most. 214 Strawberry Village. 415.383.6477. MORE INFO.
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​Mill Valley Flowers: OPEN FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP OF PHONE & ONLINE ORDERS. 415.388.7781. Annabella Erickson: "Great news today. We are open again for pickups and deliveries. Our website is also ready for your online orders! Hop on over to millvalleyflowers.com or you can always call us at 415-388-7781. #flowersheal. MORE INFO.

Mill Valley Music: OPEN FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP OF EMAIL ORDERS. millvalleymusic@gmail.com. Gary: " We will fill want lists with LPs, CDs and DVDs. The best way to shop is by email and I can hand them off at the store like a to go order. Gift certificates available by email request." MORE INFO.

Poet and/the Bench: OPEN FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP – PHONE & EMAIL. 415.569.2383. Tue.-Sun., 11am-4pm. "We are open for Curbside and Walk Up Pick-up and transactions, outside our doors. Read our Site Specific Protection Plan for more details. Curbside delivery to your car is available if you have pre-paid, found parking in front of the shop and called us at 415-569-4383 to let us know you are arriving. Walk-Up/Pick-Up transactions on Throckmorton and El Paseo Lane will occur outside the shop, in the doorways. You can pre-buy via our Shop section. We can also virtually curate by phone / FaceTime to pre-buy at 415-569-4383; view shop windows, website & Instagram for pretty things. Wear a mask, practice social distancing. We'll be practicing strict cleaning protocols and safe engagement with you." Dedicated parking space out front for curbside pickup. Buy gift cards here!"  MORE INFO.

Pollen + Wool: OPEN FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP AND WINDOW SHOPPING. 415.326.5177. info@pollenandwool.com. 12-4pm, Thurs. through Sun. Buy gift cards here. 21 Throckmorton Ave. MORE INFO. 

Prevalent Projects: OPEN FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP, ONLINE SALES & CONSULTATIONS. 415.888.3257. info@prevalentprojects.com. Our online shop has added over 2000 products. Order online or call with questions! Buy gift cards here. 61 Throckmorton Ave. MORE INFO.

Proof Lab Surf Shop: OPEN FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP. 415.380.8900. Open everyday for phone orders. Will package up for free delivery or ship from any of their stores. Buy gift cards here. 244 Shoreline Hwy. MORE INFO.

Sofia Jewelry: OPEN FOR CURBSIDE SHOPPING, PICKUP AND REPAIRS. 11am-4pm, Thus.-Sat.Sophie Priolo: "We are still offering virtual shopping experiences, free local delivery and free shipping. As always, we are following the county guidelines for a safe re-opening. We look forward to seeing your masked faces soon!" Gift Certificates of any amount are available to purchase. MORE INFO.

Stick & Ball: OPEN FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP. 1pm-5pm. Mon.-Fri. info@stickandball.com. Buy gift cards here. 177 E. Blithedale Ave. MORE INFO.  

Terrestra: OPEN AND WELCOMES CURBSIDE PICKUP ORDERS WITH A DISCOUNT FOR THE COMMUNITY. 888.808.GIFT. 11am-2pm, Mon.-Fri. Anyone who orders for curbside pickup at terrestra.com will receive an automatic 10% off their purchase when they enter the code 94941 and select Pickup during checkout. Phone orders also welcome. 30 Miller Ave. More Info.  

The Edit: OPEN FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP. Call 415.713.6456 to purchase gift cards. MORE INFO.​​

The Store: OPEN FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP. Evan 415.847.4147 or Ronnie 415.686.0011. Mon.-Sat., 11am-5pm. Gift Certificates available for purchase by phone and we will deliver to your doorstep or keep on file until you're ready to shop. Find out what's happening in our store on social media. Dedicated parking space out front for curbside pickup. https://www.instagram.com/thestoremv or https://www.facebook.com/TheStoreMV/. ​MORE INFO.

Toyhouse Mill Valley: OPEN FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP & DELIVERY ORDERS VIA EMAIL. Kristen House: "We are now taking email orders! Birthday gifts, Easter basket goodies, activities great for shelter-in-place: arts & crafts, games, puzzles. Contact us to get your order started." Credit card info taken over the phone. Items available for convenient pick-up or delivery. Dedicated parking space out front for curbside pickup. 515 Miller Ave. 415.381.4869. MORE INFO.

Woodlands Pet Food & Treats: OPEN FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP AND IN-STORE SHOPPING. 415.388.PETS. 2013@woodlandspet.com. 10AM-8PM everyday, with strict social distancing protocols. Our self-service Pet Wash is available to clean your furry family members. We have also launched a new website, where you can browse our store and place your order online, for pickup curbside! 701 Strawberry Village. MORE INFO.

HERE ARE OTHER RETAIL SHOPS THAT ARE OPEN IN VARYING DEGREES:

Alexanders Artisan Rugs: BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. "Limited to one appointment per hour. I will be in my showroom, Tue.-Sat., 12-5pm working via FaceTime and email. I will be offering free pick up and delivery for cleaning and repair. I will be offering free online appraisals via e-mail or FaceTime Rhabib@Alexandersrugs.com or Cell/Text 415-309-3045.  Offering gift certificates at a variety of price points. Call or email. 1 El Paseo Lane. MORE INFO. 

All Wrapped Up: OPEN. 415.381.9727. Mon.-Sat., 9am-6pm, Sun., 12-6pm. Now offering hand delivery for any product bought over the phone. Buy gift cards here. 38 Miller Ave. MORE INFO.​​

Ambatalia: OPEN FOR ONLINE ORDERS, BRICK & MORTAR CLOSED. 415.259.9582. mollydevries@ambatalia.com. Free shipping in US on orders over $50. Buy gift certificates here. 129 Miller Ave., Ste. 410. MORE INFO.

Lulu Designs Jewelry: OPEN FOR ONLINE ORDERS. UPDATE: Offering 20% off the whole site right now. The code is VIP20." Stacy King: "Hope you are all feeling well. As of March 17, our store will be closed until our local leaders have advised that it is safe to open. Your well being is our number one priority. Words do not express the gratitude we feel for you as clients and friends. We will still be making & shipping web orders, so please shop if you feel inclined to get yourself some sparkle to get you through the rough times. All orders will be shipped free of charge. Everything changes and in time these tough times will be behind us. We look forward to seeing your smiling faces when this is all over." Buy gift cards here. 129 Miller Ave. Ste. 200. MORE INFO. 

Moonstruck Fine Jewelry: OPEN BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. Studio: 415.383.0462. Cell: 831.239.3739.  johanna@moostruckfinejewelry.com. Gift certificates available in store. Phone or email to purchase. Can be picked up by appointment or mailed to you. 11 Bernard St. MORE INFO. 

Once Around: OPEN FOR PICKUP AND PURCHASES AT DOORWAY. May 22-25 1-5pm and from May 25 onwards, 11am-5pm everyday. 129 Miller Ave. MORE INFO. ​

EO Exchange: CLOSED. 415.888.8839. Shop online shop online at eoproducts.com. Buy gift cards here. 84 Throckmorton Ave. MORE INFO.

Makeshop: CLOSED. 129 Miller Ave. MORE INFO. www.instagram.com/makeshopmv/
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OSKA: CLOSED. "We are planning on reopening on March 31st conditions permitting." 153 Throckmorton Ave. MORE INFO. 

Paula James: CLOSED. Owner Paula Purcell: "We are not yet open for curb side but will be next week. We just finished sanitizing the shop and it will be very fresh and clean once we can open. We are receiving inventory this week for the spring/summer season and will be posting on our website and  on instagram @paulajamesmillvalley. We will be available for FaceTime shopping (just call my cell at 628-257-4590 - don't call the shop unless you can wait a few days for a response) and as soon as we are permitted to open, for appointment shopping as well, to serve those people that we feel may feel safer shopping on an appointment basis.." 365 Miller Ave. MORE INFO.

The Rug Establishment: OPEN BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. 415.755.0922. Michaelattherugest.com. "We will be open by "Appointment Only" until further notice. Please contact Michael if you'd like to make an appointment or if you wish to purchase gift cards." MORE INFO. 

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PG&E is set to host an online webinar for anyone interested in learning more about its Community Wildfire Safety Program ask questions of and provide feedback to PG&E. 
 
The Marin area webinar is set for Wednesday, June 10 from 5:30-7:00pm. MORE INFO HERE. At the webinar, PG&E officials will share how any needed Public Safety Power Shutoffs in 2020 are expected to be smaller in scope, shorter in duration and smarter for customers.

"With these webinars, even amid the ongoing COVID-19 health impacts, PG&E will keep customers and communities informed about its continuing important safety work to prevent and mitigate the serious risk of catastrophic wildfires while keeping customers and communities healthy and safe," the company said in a statement.

“As we all work to meet the challenge of COVID-19, we also know wildfire season is around the corner,” said Laurie Giammona, Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer for PG&E. “We want to ensure our customers understand the steps that we are taking in their community to prepare and improve for this year.” 

This year, PG&E says it is enhancing and expanding its efforts to reduce wildfire risks and keep customers and communities safe. Changes reflect feedback from customers, elected leaders and other stakeholders. This includes: 

• • Making Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events smaller in size, shorter in length and smarter for customers 
• • Installing new grid technology 
• • Hardening the electric system 
• • Performing enhanced vegetation management 

​MORE INFO & WEBINAR DETAILS.

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Al fresco it is!

More than 10 weeks since the first shelter in place order effectively shut down restaurants for everything except takeout and delivery service, Mill Valley restaurants are on the cusp of having additional outdoor dining options for their customers to enjoy in a safe, measured, socially distanced way.

County of Marin officials said Thursday night that restaurants can open for outdoor dining on June 1, a last minute announcement despite all indications that restaurants would have to wait several more weeks for the opportunity. However, City of Mill Valley and Mill Valley Chamber officials had been working for weeks to lay the groundwork for such a possibility, hoping to give restaurant owners ample time to prepare.

Led by Acting City Manager Alan Piombo, City Councilmembers John McCauley and Urban Carmel, Piazza D'Angelo co-owner and Mill Valley board chair Felicia Ferguson and City and Chamber staff, the group created a framework for restaurants to choose from a range of options to utilize the outdoor space around them. The options were driven by input from dozens of restaurant owners, and fall into three categories:
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• Private use of private space (adding seating in private parking lots like those of Bungalow 44 and Mill Valley Lumber Yard (Watershed, Flour Craft, BOL) and the small Miller Ave shopping center downtown that contains BooKoo, for instance).
• Public use of private space (adding seating and/or parklets in parking spaces, on sidewalks and surrounding areas). 
• Public use of public space (allowing people to consume their takeout in the Depot Plaza, socially distanced), as well as in other similar public spaces. 

Those options will likely be altered or expanded upon as conditions change and in response to the needs of restaurants and their customers. The same framework will be available to other business types like retailers looking to expand onto the sidewalk and fitness gyms looking to hold outdoor classes, once those uses are permitted.

At its June 1st meeting, the City Council is set to consider a resolution and an urgency ordinance that would allow Piombo and his staff to approve applications from restaurants for permits, variances and licenses on a temporary basis for each of the aforementioned uses. The City's staff report and related documents will be available HERE.

"We are extremely grateful to the City for their efforts in expediting the creation of a framework to help our restaurants choose from a variety of outdoor dining opportunities, as well as a clear process to do so," said Ferguson. "The City has shown the requisite sense of urgency for this moment and has been a fantastic partner in doing the heavy lifting around the myriad legal and logistical issues related to these new options."

Given the late arrival of the news on outdoor dining, many local restaurants will continue to focus on takeout/delivery in the coming days as they move towards adding a range of outdoor dining options. Look for news in this space soon on those new outdoor dining options from restaurants around town.

Per the County of Marin's guidelines on outdoor dining, seated tables will be limited to no more than 6 people, all whom must  must be within the same household group. As expected, there are significant requirements related to sanitization.

Indoor dining is expected to get the green light in the coming weeks along with extensive guidelines for both restaurants and their customers to follow to ensure a safe experience for all involved. Stay tuned.

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The Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival committee continued its annual tradition this week of honoring young local artists through its Emerging Artists Scholarship Fund, which was created in 2010 and offer awards every year to two seniors and two juniors who excel in the arts.

$500 awards are given to two senior Advanced Placement Studio Art students and $250 awards are given to two juniors in either 2D Design, Drawing or 3D portfolio. Unlike most scholarships that go to the institution, MVFAF's awards go directly to the student to be used for tuition, art supplies and to encourage them along the path to becoming artists.
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Here are the awardees and their artistic statements:

Juniors 

Daniel Helmer: "Ever since I was 5 years old, I loved to draw. I would draw all the little fantastical creatures and wizards and witches that I would rad about and see on TV. I would imagine what it would be like to have a magical artifact in my possession or go on an amazing adventure to fight a dragon. It was the relief I needed as a five year old from a childhood troubled by a plethora of other issues and familial affairs. To this day, that purpose has not changed. Now, I make art to explore the human figure and the beauties of it. I love to draw people and especially draw people dressed and surrounded by different items and pieces of my Japanese culture. Art has become a way to not only find a relaxing escape but to also further connect with my cultural identity. To explore my ancestral history and the many beauties of it.”

Carmen Shavers: "I enjoy art generally and previously focused on photography and drawing. However, I joined a ceramics class last semester and realized that is where my passion lies. Being the only black artist in my class, I often feel disconnected, but when I focus on my artwork, I always feel connected because we’re all there to do art. I love watching the form take shape in front of me as I guide the clay with my hands. When I discovered ceramics, it allowed me to find an inner sense of calm and security. This has been especially helpful over the past month, while we have been sheltering in place. I am sharing five ceramic pieces that I created during this time. Because of this, I have been unable to glaze or fire them at all."

Seniors 

Grace Cameron: "Through my artwork, I focus on storytelling, creating pieces that draw the viewer in and invite them into another world or narrative different from their own, and creating art that makes the viewer want to look closer, making “snapshots” of various windows into these worlds using watercolor and acrylic. Specifically, I follow the story of two characters, June and Teddy, and their environment. 

Lauren Pyfer: "Art is the language I like best, and it's the language I use to tell my story. And just like a writer, I permit myself to let it change in meaning and develop as I go. I usually begin painting after finding a remnant of my past. Little sketches or photographs act as a catalyst; ideas start to flow, and scenes emerge that are much more descriptive than what I could preserve in writing. And, like a journal, my paintings are also a record of my life.  Layer after layer, I use the canvas to develop my story and shape my past. 

When I paint, I go through a process of remembering, not of the specific event or recreation of a photo, but what was there past the surface, what I sensed, heard, and believed. My pieces take what was captured in that single moment and evolve into a story- the warmth of my mother's loving gaze or the cold wind that bit at my nose as I climbed mountains with my father- buried within each layer of paint.  I take apart the image and try to understand the relationship between depth and color, reconfiguring it to become my own. Through painting, I have been able to take time to reflect on moments that feel so far away.

Some people have journals. I have my canvases. My paintings unravel to represent more than just the 2D image depicting an event from my past. Each creation is a collection of emotions, places, and people and represents a unique memory brought back to life.”

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Organizers of the 2020 Milley Awards, Mill Valley’s annual celebration of the community’s vast amount of creative achievement and distinguished accomplishments in the arts, announced this week that "the difficult decision to cancel this year’s celebration scheduled for October 25. Consideration for the health and comfort of the community and honorees, as well as the uncertainty of fall health guidelines, has led to this decision."

They had previously extended the deadline to submit nominations to May 14 in keeping with the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak and the shelter in place order that runs through at least May 4. The Milley committee accepted nominations in five categories: Literary Arts, Musical Arts, Performing Arts (Film, Theater and Dance), Visual Arts and Contributions to the Arts Community. All nominations currently submitted will be included in the judging for the 2021 Milley Awards.
"This has been a difficult time for every non-profit arts organization in Mill Valley, and their futures will depend on community support," Milley Executive Committee Chair Amy Torrano said. "In the spirit of the Milley Awards – honoring the talents, achievements and contributions of creative artists in our community – the committee would like to encourage you to consider making a donation to your favorite local arts group. A list of suggested non-profit organizations can be found on the Milley’s website."

Questions? Contact Torrano at mvmilleys@gmail.com, or 415-846-9813.

"We look forward to celebrating together again in 2021 at a date to be determined," Torrano added. "Thank you for your continued support of the Arts in Mill Valley."

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Thirteen years ago, William and Jaime Heaps opened their Sage Educators tutoring and test prep business at 333 Miller Avenue, just one month after they’d moved here from the Washington, DC area. In doing so, they leased a seemingly massive, 2,100-square-foot office space, and crossed their fingers.

“We definitely understood the educational side of the business when we started,” Jaime Heaps says. “But we were new to the business side of things, and we definitely rolled the dice a bit.”

The result has undoubtedly been a success, but like every business in Mill Valley and, frankly, around the world, the Heaps are rolling the proverbial dice once again as they look to respond to the demand from local parents for educational camps this summer while managing the social distancing requirements of the COVID-19 crisis.

They've just unveiled a pair of in-person, mostly outdoor camps this summer for stable groups of up to 12 students each. The camps mix grade-level standards with good old fashioned summer camp fun. Sage Academic Summer Camp is an in-person, grade level appropriate summer day camp beginning June 15 for rising 2nd through 8th graders. Jaime Heaps says the camp combines the best parts of school (learning) and camp (fun). Sage is reopening its doors (but staying mostly outside!) for small, stable groups of up to 12 students in each office. Academic Summer Camp will run 9am-3pm (with optional early and after care options) and will have plenty of games, art projects, and movement, while creatively covering California standards from the four core subjects (math, language arts, social studies, and science). 

What: 3 weeks, 4 core classes, plus art, movement, games and more to keep your kid busy learning all summer long.
Who: Rising 2nd-8th graders, separated by grade level
When: M-F 9am-3pm; Section 1 June 15-July 3, Section 2 July 6-July 24, Section 3 July 27-August 14. Early care 8am; After care 3-5:30pm.
Where: Larkspur (Rising 2nd-5th graders); Mill Valley (Rising 6th-8th graders)

Sage is also launching Nature Navigators Day Camp, a hands-on, outdoor science exploration camp with plenty of movement, hiking, and games. In this three week camp, students will become nature scientists while moving through three distinct themes. In week one, they'll hone their naturalists skills by studying various watersheds through water quality testing and different aquatic macro-invertebrates investigations. In week two, they'll focus on California Geography and Natural History through the study and practice of Mapping & GIS, animal tracking, and the life and influence of famous conservationist, John Muir. In week three, students will focus on Art and Language Arts, exploring the art and poetry of Mt Tam enthusiasts Gary Snyder and Tom Killion, practicing their own Andy Goldsworthy style outdoor art, and learning that bird language contains lessons for us all.

What: Three week-long, outdoor, science exploration camp for elementary and middle school students
When: M-F 9am-2pm, ; Section 1 June 15-July 3, Section 2 July 6-July 24, Section 3 July 27-August 14.
Where: Madrone Canyon, Larkspur  ​​

In addition to these new summer camps, Sage will offer its regular summer academic workshops, for-credit classes, test preparation, and one-on-one tutoring online all summer long. "Rest assured that Sage is following every health and safety regulation to keep your families and our staff as safe as possible," Heaps says.

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For the first time in recent memory, the landmark Mill Valley Memorial Day Parade, which regularly draws more than 6,000 spectators each year and more than 60 organizations and businesses as participants, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 crisis.

But City of Mill Valley officials and the I Love a Parade Committee that organizes the parade weren't about to let "those fallen heroes who served our country and protected the American dream."

The parade is set to return in 2021. In the meantime, local filmmakers Ken and Fergus Campbell created a gorgeous video spanning a virtual memorial event held on Friday, May 22 outside Mill Valley City Hall and incorporating classic footage from parades from the past several decades. City of Mill Valley Mayor Sashi McEntee kicked it off with a speech and the poem "We Shall Keep the Faith" from the First World War.

The ceremony is traditionally held on Throckmorton Avenue across from Lytton Square, the tree-laden island that splits the road between Miller and Corte Madera avenues into two. The island, which features a trio of towering redwood trees, a flagpole and a number of places to sit. is named for Lytton Barber, Mill Valley’s first WWI casualty, as memorialized in a plaque on the island.

According to longtime local history buff Tim Amyx, Barber grew up in Mill Valley and was 17 years old in 1917 when the United States entered World War I. He volunteered and was sent for training at Fort Lewis. Shortly after he arrived, he caught the fever of spinal meningitis. Tragically, it claimed his life within two weeks. He died stateside before he ever left the continental U.S., the first casualty from Mill Valley. The following spring, on Memorial Day of 1918, there was a dedication in his honor in Mill Valley, and thus Lytton Square was born.

The Mill Valley Memorial Day Parade was first produced in 1980. It was organized by Paul Moe, who still handles staging for the parade's current iteration. The "I Love a Parade Committee" was formed in 1992 by the late Joe's Taco Lounge owner Joe Leis, followed by local architect Billy Budd and assisted by Famous4 owner Larry "the Hat" Lautzker, who has been the head of the committee since 2002. The committee also includes Moe and former City Council member and Mayor Cliff Waldeck. 
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The 411: The flag-raising ceremony is at 9:45am at Lytton Square. The parade begins at Old Mill Park at 10:30am, turning onto Miller Ave. before heading to Tam High. Parade entry applications.

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Want to know what's happening around town? Click here to subscribe to the Enjoy Mill Valley Blog by Email!

For the first several months of the school year, Sycamore Park resident Amy Torrano, a first grade teacher at Saint Vincent de Paul School in San Francisco's Marina district, was bringing in "mystery readers" to her class – mostly her students' parents.

When schools closed and the shelter in place order went into effect, Torrano needed to find a new way to have readings done by someone other than herself. "I needed to get creative," she says.

"In walks Marcus, my mailman," she says. "Not only did Sycamore Park's very own Mailman Marcus say yes like a promposal, but he rocked his reading of Bruce Lemerise's 'Sheldon's Lunch' from 1980 in my front yard and nailed it."

"It's so important to pass on the good we have right here in Mill Valley."
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Here's the reading:

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[UPDATE 5.28.20]: Our whole family tested negative last Friday. If we all do so again May 29, we will be in the clear. No more isolation from each other – back to regular quarantining!

To one degree or another, we've all been in some form of crisis mode for months now. We long for a return to some degree of normalcy.

For me, that crisis mode has dictated incredibly long hours doing two of the things I love: communicating and problem solving.

The former has meant navigating a bewilderingly fluid flow of information from governments at all levels – a combination of drinking out of a firehose and playing whack-a-mole –  and distilling it for our community of local business owners and our larger 94941 community on this blog and the Mill Valley Chamber's various other digital and social channels. The problem solving – helping business owners plan ahead for a return to normalcy amidst uncertainty – has been a rewarding challenge that I hope will yield some exciting concepts once we get the green light to move into the latter stages of phase 2 of the recovery.

It's been hard work for the good of the community. It's my job. All good, as those who know me have heard me say a million times.

Then my wife was diagnosed with coronavirus late last week, and all of a sudden, an ominous public health crisis and subsequent economic disaster became deeply personal. Her symptoms are relatively mild – sore throat, chills, achy, more tired than usual – and she's in good spirits. I moved into our daughter's room, my wife stays in ours most of the day, wears a mask when she's in the same room as us. I deliver her meals to the door and usually make a bad joke (there may have been a Bubble Boy reference once or twice). It's a weird, absolutely necessary setup, and it's (hopefully) only two weeks.

It's all been a sobering reminder of why we all are doing what we are doing: the social distancing, the masks, the relentless hand washing, the all-Zoom everything. (Side note: my daughter's soccer team has been having practice via Zoom twice a week. We don't have a backyard, so she's in the garage doing drills. We spent many laughter-filled minutes yesterday trying to fish her ball out from being wedged between the dryer and the hot water heater).

My daughter and I tested negative. We'll all get tested again this Friday, per doctor's recommendation. The confusion around testing remains unsettling, with the constant reminders about false positives and false negatives.

What's the point of all this? All of us are taking all these incredibly difficult measures for a reason. As we move toward an emergence from this shelter in place, let's keep taking care of each other. This is not an academic exercise!

Oh, and I wouldn't be me if I didn't urge you to support your local Mill Valley businesses in any way you can! I can't say enough about how rough this has been for businesses in town. The forced closures during the shelter in place coupled with the massive uptick in spending via tech giants who have no vested interest in our community has made for a rough road ahead. Please do your part! Those buttons over there >>>>> are a good place to start.

Much love to you and yours. 

Cheers,

Jim Welte
MV Chamber

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Paint the Void, a San Francisco project to paint murals on boarded-up storefronts during the coronavirus pandemic, is currently featuring the work of Amos Goldbaum, who drew inspiration from a group of mask wearers in Milll Valley during the flu epidemic of 1918.

Goldbaum's mural will be on display on Mission Street near Valencia Street until the boards come off the windows, at which point they will be cleaned up and go to the winners of a charity auction. Goldbaum is also selling prints of the murals, with "100% of the proceeds from the auctioned murals and prints going to the SF-Marin Food Bank to support those in need," he says.

​You can view the original November 1918 photo here courtesy the Mill Valley Library.

MORE INFO ON AMOS GOLDBAUM AND PAINT THE VOID PROJECT HERE.

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Since its launch in April, the Mill Valley Chamber’s COVID-19 MV Business Fund has raised more than $87,000 to support local businesses amidst the COVID-19 crisis. Every $1,000 raised equals a $1,000 direct cash grant issued to local businesses who met a baseline of criteria. The total raised includes $15,000 from the County of Marin and $2,500 from the Bank of Marin, enough to fun 87 grants, more than 60 of which have already been received by local businesses and nonprofits.

All over town, businesses who have received the direct cash grants have put up posters to thank the community for their donations. Look for them around town! Many more will be going up in the coming weeks, as the vast majority of businesses who received the grants remain closed during the shelter in place order. Thank you Mill Valley and sincere gratitude to the UPS Store in Tam Junction for printing these posters and to designer extraordinaire Todd Barbee for making it happen.

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From improv/acting workshops to chamber music concerts and performances by local stalwarts like Kimrea, Joe Neto and Michael Doucet and Tom Rigney to, of course, Tuesday Night Comedy, perusing the Throckmorton Theatre's calendar for March 2020 would leave any lover the arts simply breathless, both in breadth and depth.

Knowing that everything on the second half of that month's docket, and everything ever since, had to be shelved because of the COVID-19 health crisis and resulting shelter in place orders will leave you heartbroken. That's especially true as arts organizations throughout Mill Valley face an 2020 calendar without much visibility about if, and when, we may all be able to gather again to celebrate art in its myriad forms.

Here's a note from Throckmorton founder Lucy Mercer and her team:

"The past few months have been a sobering and challenging time for us all. And yet, we have also been provided with time for deep reflection, appreciation for the community around us, and renewal of the joy of connection. Our time together at the theatre has always been a beautiful equation of magic and heart. When we see each other again, it may be behind masks, but it will also be with our hearts shining brighter than ever, and our curiosity ready to take us on new adventures. As the world re-emerges and redefines itself, we invite you to participate as we reflect on our past and reimagine our future at the Throckmorton Theatre...

You are part of our Throckmorton Theatre 'ensemble!' As an audience member or actor, comedian or musician, student or parent – stories are a great way to connect. Is there a favorite performance that comes to mind? A concert you’ll never forget? Please share your favorite experiences and memories with us by email, facebook, or by using the hashtag #onceuponatime142 in a post on social media. During these difficult times, you can play an important part in the future of our theatre. Please consider making a donation to help keep the magic of the Throckmorton Theatre alive." DONATE HERE.

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