Mill Valley Recreation and the Mill Valley Arts Commission are ready to celebrate three of Mill Valley’s favorite things: bicycling, art and recycling.

At a ceremony at the Community Center and Friends Field on Tuesday, August 4th at 6pm as part of the Commission’s First Tuesday Artwalk, the City is set to unveil the bike wheel-centric kinetic artwork featured in its inaugural reCYCLE Outdoor Public Art Contest. The artwork will be laid out along the Friends Field fence, adjacent to the cyclist-laden Mill Valley-Sausalito Multi-Use Path.

The contest, inspired by a similar project Arts Commissioner Teresa Rea first spotted at Pioneer Park in Seattle, kicked off in April with artists picking up their recycled bicycle wheels and learning the contest’s parameters. They then set out to create their own distinctive artistic interpretations.

“The concept evokes the enthusiasm of our many local bicyclists, young and old,” Rea says. “It also reflects our socially responsible community’s support for recycling.”

Organizers gathered bike wheels that were headed for scrap metal bins from local bike shops that collected used wheels for the contest, re-purposing them as the core element of the public artwork.

Recreation Director Jenny Rogers says the project has already been a big success in terms of artist and community participation. “We look forward to future partnerships with the Arts Commission, (and our generous local sponsors) in bringing exciting and innovative art events, activities and installations to the local community we love!”

The 411: The artwork from the reCYCLE Outdoor Public Art Contest will be unveiled on Tuesday, August 4 at the Mill Valley Community Center and Friends Field, 180 Camino Alto, at 6pm.

For four Sunday afternoons in August, the Mill Valley Arts Commission's nearly 30-year-old Concerts in the Plaza series provides the perfect summer soundtrack. The events – free and open to the public on the Depot Plaza – feature two bands each on the first four Sunday afternoons in August. Concerts on the Plaza begin at 2 pm Sunday, with each band playing for 45 minutes. 

The series kicks off this Sunday with a lineup featuring the all-female rock group Tik Tax and Todd Morgan & the Emblems, and Todd Morgan & the Emblems, an emerging, multi-faceted rock band out of Sacramento. Short bios for each are below. 

Bring your lawn chairs and dancing shoes!

The Tik Tax – 2–2:45pm                          
Founded in September of 2010 and specializing in 80’s songs made by female musicians – The GoGo's, Pat Benatar, Bangles, Joan Jett etc. – this group features Lena Kyle on bass, Zoe Vavrek on keyboards, Samantha Shapiro on drums and vocals and Hayley Newman on guitar and lead vocals. The Fairfax and San Anselmo area high schoolers have performed at The Sleeping Lady, Cascade Canyon School Variety Show, KickIt Soccer Fest, The Yes Fest, Earth Day Marin, Octoberfest, The Manor Winter Faire, The EcoFest at the Fairfax Festival, the Marin County Fair, Hopmonk, Novato and more.

Todd Morgan & the Emblems – 3–3:45pm
This Sacramento-based band has truly unearthed a new and exciting side to rock, melding every faction and era of American music, from early jazz and blues to present day pop and rock, along with healthy splashes of soul and R&B, complete with exhilarating piano, vocal work and stage performance. The band’s history dates back to 2007, when they emerged, primarily performing and writing songs in the style of 50’s rock. Vocalist, songwriter, pianist and guitarist Todd Morgan felt the need to create and develop his own style and sound, and in 2012, this resulted in the release of the second album, Reality, which far outsold its predecessor. Todd and his band, which consists of guitarist Patrick Owen, bassist Jessica Luna and drummer Cameron Womack, returned to the studio in 2014 to record a new album loaded with 15 original songs, all penned by Morgan. The new album, Sweet Pretender, is set for release in 2015, with an album release party set for August 14.

Go here for the full slate of 2014 Concerts in the Plaza performers.

In its ongoing efforts to develop a sustainable visitor base to Marin County and enhance the visitor experience in Marin, the Marin Convention & Visitors Bureau (MCVB) has launched a new "Visit Marin" mobile app.

MCVB officials say the app was developed via a partnership with Spendsetter, a mobile advocacy marketing platform that allows brands to build their own database of advocates. The Visit Marin app, which is available on Apple and Android mobile phones, is an "in-destination, real time concierge mobile" that allows "access to exclusive promotions, native applications, location-based communication, and a mobile rewards marketplace."

The app rewards visitors to Marin for sharing their love and affinity for the brands they care about most, with a spotlight on Mill Valley at launch. For instance, users can take advantage of the current lunch special at Piazza D'Angelo's in downtown Mill Valley and share that promotion with their friends through the app. In doing to, users are rewarded with points that can then be redeemed for items like the North Bay Farmers Market Cookbook  or a gift card for 1010 Surf Sports in San Rafael.

"We will enhance the visitor experience in Marin by giving fans interactive mapping features, relevant content and the ability to lend their voices to promoting Marin’s attractions, restaurants and vacation packages," says Cliff Corr, vice president of strategic services at Spendsetter.

This new application can be found under “Visit Marin” and is available for free in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Use the code “MarinEmail” when you download the app and immediately get 1,500 points.

The Marin Convention & Visitors Bureau (MCVB) is a private 501-c6 organization that promotes Marin County as an overnight destination through marketing programs, collateral materials, trade missions, and partnership with other industry-related organizations.

From his mid-1990s Peace Corps stint in the Muslim farming communities in southern Kyrgyzstan to his eight-year residence in Israel, Marin native John Romano has some deep, far-reaching experiences from which to draw inspiration.
Few have touched him more deeply than his recent trek to Niger with Mercy Corps, the American aid agency that seeks to help communities regroup after natural disaster, economic collapse, or conflict. That work, the “Akora” series, will be on display at Equator Coffees & Teas (2 Miller Avenue) at the Mill Valley Arts Commission's First Tuesday Artwalk on August 4, 6–8pm.
Romano, who grew up in both Kent Woodlands and Mill Valley and currently lives in Lovell Canyon, joined MercyCorp on a trip to the small village of Akora in western Niger. Near the end of a Mercy Corps project focused on outreach and development, specifically helping residents to learn more about food management, the organization hosted a community meeting to allow residents to share what they’d learned.
That meeting was the genesis of Romano’s “Akora” series.
“I was just floored by the beauty of the people and the congregation and the light – everything was just magical,” Romano says.
A regular at Equator since they opened in November 2014, Romano got to know co-owner Helen Russell and several Equator employees, many of whom are also artists. They eventually asked him to show his work at the downtown community coffee hub.
“I’m really excited about this,” Romano says.
The First Tuesday Artwalk, Mill Valley's monthly celebration of local art features a host of venues, including the O’Hanlon Center for the Arts, Seager Gray Gallery, the Mill Valley Public Library, Zener Schon Contemporary Art, Julie Tuton Boutique, the Depot Bookstore & Café, City Hall, Famous4, the Mill Valley Community Center and the Throckmorton Theatre. Receptions at each venue are Tuesday from 6–8pm. First Tuesday Artwalk Guide with venues and a map.
The 411: John Romano's "Akora" photo series is on display at the Equator Coffees & Teas (2 Miller Avenue) for the First Tuesday Artwalk on August 4, 6–8pm.

Whether it's a spontaneous handstand on a city wall, the vibrant colors of the streets of Havana, Cuba, or the ever-changing light on the ocean, Mill Valley photographer Suzanne Engelberg says her work allows her to pause and reflect on the world around her.
"The camera is my tool for contemplation," she says. "I am interested in the way color, light, and form coalesce to make an image."
Engelberg's latest series of images – dubbed "Reflections" – capture the spirit of this contemplative process. They're on display throughout the month of August at the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center (85 Throckmorton Avenue, Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–4pm), including at the Mill Valley Arts Commission's First Tuesday Artwalk on August 4, 6–8pm.
"I am equally inspired by the mysterious, shifting moods of the ocean as seen in images like “Sky Blue Black,” as by the irony found in “Blue Skies”, where the real blue sky is more brilliant than the one in the advertisement," says Engelberg says, whose work has been shown across the U.S. and has garnered awards from the likes of the New York Center for Photographic Art, the Professional Women Photographers Organization and the Grand Prix de la Couverte.
The First Tuesday Artwalk, Mill Valley's monthly celebration of local art features a host of venues, including the O’Hanlon Center for the Arts, Seager Gray Gallery, the Mill Valley Public Library, Zener Schon Contemporary Art, Julie Tuton Boutique, the Depot Bookstore & Café, City Hall, Famous4, the Mill Valley Community Center and the Throckmorton Theatre. Receptions at each venue are Tuesday from 6–8pm. First Tuesday Artwalk Guide with venues and a map.
The 411: Suzanne Engelberg's "Reflections" photo series is on display throughout the month of August at the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center (85 Throckmorton Avenue, Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–4pm), including at the First Tuesday Artwalk on August 4, 6–8pm.

As the first day of school quickly approaches, the kids are becoming restless, making these last few weeks before normal routine returns seem to drag on. Parents needs some fresh ideas – something that won’t rot their brains.

Just in time, Marin Theatre Company is launching its 2015-2016 Family Series of classic storybook productions. The series kicks off August 8 with Charlotte’s Web, based on the timeless book by E.B. White. Rich with laughter, song, and theatrical magic, Charlotte's Web is a heartwarming tale of friendship between the adorable piglet Wilbur and his wise friend Charlotte the spider. The Children’s Literature Association named the book "the best American children's book of the past two hundred years," and Tony award nominee Joseph Robinette’s stage adaptation captures the beloved story in a thrilling presentation.

While Charlotte's Web runs through August 16, the Family Series also includes Cinderella, The Little Prince, and The Little Mermaid.

"Our nonprofit theatre’s mission is to create the artists and audiences of tomorrow, bringing families from all over Marin together through the laughter and lessons of children’s theatre," MTC Executive Director Michael Barker said. "Our 2015-16 Family Series does just that."

The 411: Marin Theatre Company’s production of Charlotte’s Web runs from August 8–16. Saturday shows are 11am, 1pm, and 3:30pm. Sunday shows are 11am and 1pm. More info and tickets. You can also call Marin Theatre Company’s box office at 415.388.5208. Tickets are $18 for kids under 14 and $22 for adults. Discount tickets for groups of 15 or more are available. The run time of this show is 95 minutes.

Nearly 20 months ago, one of the greatest and most prolific filmmakers of our lifetime – one who's left his own indelible imprint on each of the 44 films he's directed to date – dipped into downtown Mill Valley to serve as just a nonchalant, self-effacing cog in a delightful ensemble performance of New Orleans jazz music at the Throckmorton Theatre.

Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band are back for another pair of gigs at the Throckmorton on August 4-5, and luckily for fans of New Orleans jazz, Woody Allen or both, a few tickets are still available to each show. Allen's New Orleans Jazz Band, which has existed in one form or another for more than 35 years, draw from a repertoire that includes more than 1,200 traditional songs, mostly horn-soaked tunes that would incite a smile and a foot tap from even the most fun-resistant curmudgeons.

That's largely due to the fact that Allen, a self-described terrible clarinet player, surrounds himself with a phenomenal cast of musicians, particularly band leader and banjo player Eddy Davis. The band is inspired by the likes of legends Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, George Lewis, Johnny Dodds and Jimmie Noone, and performs without a set list – Allen or Davis simply call out the next song before they all dive in.

In typical Woody Allen fashion, one his few utterances at the mic at his December 2013 Throckmorton shows featured a ribald joke to describe his frequent surprise that audiences are willing to turn out to hear him and his band perform live. The joke centered on a man who comes home to find his wife in bed with his best friend, at whom he says, "Really, Sam, you? I mean, I have to, but you?"

The line drew a burst of laughter from the sold-out house full, and it was followed by a night of fantastic New Orleans jazz. Here's a taste:

Allen's visits to the Throckmorton bring a dose of comedy history with them as well. Allen has been vocal over the years with his fondness for the brilliance of Mort Sahl, the legendary political comedian who has made Mill Valley – and thus the Throckmorton stage – his home for many years. 
At Sahl's 80th birthday party in 2007, Allen sent a video message, telling of the first time he saw Sahl: "I was 21 … I just thought there was nothing else that could be done in comedy, and he was just the best thing that I had ever seen."
Sahl will do a special introduction for the first of Allen's two shows at the Throckmorton next week.
The 411: Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band perform at the Throckmorton Theatre on August 4 & 5. More info and tickets.

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In our inaugural episode of Meet the Chefs, where we ask a series of not-so-serious questions to the people behind Mill Valley's top restaurants, we sat down with Sol Food owner/chef Sol Hernandez. Over the past 12 years, Hernandez has built Sol Food into a multi-faceted landmark that celebrates Puerto Rican culture and cuisine. In early 2013, she opened a Milll Valley location in the Egger Plaza off of Miller Avenue, and lines have been out the door since its debut.
Though the gracious Hernandez was camera shy herself, she offered to have the various chickens around her restaurant fill in on her behalf. From The Piano and Hector Lavoe to Tokyo and La Ginestra, we covered a lot of ground in just 61 seconds. Thanks Sol!

The Mill Valley Library is hosting an event this month designed for young adult lovers of both kicks and lit.

"Literary Soles" offers high schoolers (both incoming freshman and recent grads) the opportunity to get in touch with their creative sides and express themselves artistically. On Monday, July 27 at 7pm, the library will provide participants with a pair of shoes that they get to design and decorate based on books, graphic novels, poems, or other literary favorites. High schoolers will have access to a variety of art supplies so they can personalize their creations, and at the end of the night they get to keep their pair of shoes to show off their literary pride (and make all of their friends jealous).

No artistic experience is necessary and high schoolers with all levels of skill are invited to participate. Imagination is the limit when designing these shoes: big fans of Harry Potter may want to draw snitches and Deathly Hallows, whereas a poetry lover may want to create an abstract drawing representing her favorite poem. Library nerds (like the author of this article), may even prefer to decorate their shoes to look like library cards, as shown in the photo above.

Click here to register, or visit the Mill Valley Young Adult webpage for more information.