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These Creators Had a Master Plan: Founders of Loving Cup & Pizza Hacker to Debut 'The Junction' Beer Garden

7/31/2020

4 Comments

 
Loving Cup's Liz and Dez Fiedler and Pizza Hacker's Jeff Krupman launch The Junction, a tap room, beer garden and community gathering space showcasing 30 small batch microbrews on tap, dozens more available to go, as well as Krupman's renowned pizzas, salads and, eventually, bagels. Opens July 29. 
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At top left, Dez and Liz Fiedler and Pizza Hacker's Jeff Krupman at the Junction, along with scenes from throughout the new space.
When Dez and Liz Fiedler sold their hugely successful frozen yogurt business Loving Cup in 2018, their heads were swirling from the eventful journey that had preceded the sale.

Liz Fiedler had launched the business nearly a decade earlier. The couple grew it exponentially over subsequent years, so much so that renowned La Boulangerie partners Pascal Rigo, Nicolas Bernadi and their team bought it. 

But tragedy struck in 2017 when, after living in Santa Rosa for just five months, the couple lost their home in the Tubbs Fire that was, at that time, the most destructive blaze in California history. Upon evacuating, they fled to the Acqua Hotel in Mill Valley, the town where they’d lived for three years before heading northward.

It was in that moment, and in the months that followed, bringing so many highs and lows, that two ideas dominated their thoughts: beer and Mill Valley. 

The latter was simple: after years of living in San Francisco’s Presidio, then the 94941, then Healdsburg and Santa Rosa, “we realized that we just wanted to live here again,” Liz Fiedler says. In a supremely odd twist, the fire “gave us the opportunity to move back here and we realized our commutes had been terrible and that we just really loved it here.” Fast forward two years, and the couple is in the midst of rebuilding a house here in Tam Valley. 

And then there’s the beer: Dez Fiedler, a longtime attorney focused on real estate and financial services litigation before joining his wife to expand Loving Cup in 2013, is beer obsessed. Fiedler’s dream has been to open a beer garden in Tam Junction, a place where he could showcase the small batch microbrews he loves, from Santa Cruz to Half Moon Bay to Sonoma County.
PictureAn aerial view of the area that's been transformed into The Junction.
​They connected with Carter Collins, longtime owner of the Collectible Coins & Jewelry shop at 226 Shoreline Hwy., and learned that Collins, who bought the building in 2013 after 20 years there as a renter, was amenable to leasing the space after longtime Marin Auto Science shut down (NOT, as previously reported, CR Automotive at 220 Shoreline Hwy., which remains very much in business).

​"This has been an odyssey for me," Collins says. "When I bought the building, I needed about 500 square feet of space for my business and now I had 6,000. Collins had minimal intentions for all that extra room – he planned to just park old cars there and fix them up over time. 

When the Fiedlers approached him with the idea, he said, "No, no, no, you want a silk purse and I’ve got a sow’s ear here. I had no business plan, really. They came along and they are, quite honestly, visionaries. They see this whole block and they see a whole new world."

If he needed any additional convincing, Collins' soon-to-be 88-year-old mom Patricia gave him an extra nudge. "She told me, 'What are you waiting for?' It is a now a truly a silk purse. It’s a transformation that I never ever envisioned."

The couple quickly realized that they also needed plenty of outdoor space if they were going to realize their vision for a dog-, kid- and bicyclist-friendly space where families could gather.

That was before outdoor space became the most sought-after real estate in the midst of a terror-inducing pandemic.

They turned their attention to a portion of the massive land behind Martin Brothers Supply, the longtime Tam Junction staple founded by Jack and Judy Martin. Part storage facility, part junkyard, the massive space was everything the Fiedlers had hoped for. But it’s also a completely separate property from that of Collins. That meant finding a workable arrangement involving two neighboring landlords agreeing to lease space to the same business.

So Dez Fiedler simply went and knocked on their door.

Not long after, they had a deal, a move that provided not only nearly 5,000 square feet of outdoor space to complement the 3,000 square feet of inside space, but also the property’s massive parking lot that allowed them to meet the County of Marin’s parking requirements for a business taking that much space.

"We weren't expecting to be approached about it," says Judy Martin, noting that the Martin family sold them the business in 1985, and they sold it to Rob and Gina Tuckey in 2005, but the family continued to own the land. "But we always thought this kind of thing, a more community-oriented business, was what we always wanted to see happen."

The Fiedlers spent the next 12 months clearing out the detritus, and as they drew closer to their vision, they realized it lacked a critically essential element: food.

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A look at some of the interior and exterior space at The Junction. Photo by Jessica Paul.

The Pizza

PicturePhoto by Jessica Paul.
That’s when Pete the Plumber – who else? – came to the rescue.

Peter Romeo is a plumber who has played a major role in residential and commercial buildouts all over the Bay Area for nearly 40 years, including Loving Cup locations for the Fiedlers. He told the couple that Krupman, a former software product manager turned local legend of sorts in the Bay Area food scene for having built a business on making pizzas in the streets and parks of San Francisco’s Mission district in the "FrankenWeber," a modified grill that he turned into a mobile pizza oven, had just moved to Sausalito. Given the continued success of Krupman’s Pizza Hacker brick-and-mortar business in Bernal Heights, Romeo said he might make for the perfect food partner for The Junction.

Having known the Fiedlers for years and as a diehard fan of Krupman’s pizzas, Romeo told them, “You guys would be so great together. It’s a marriage that just sort of had to be.”

Krupman says the timing of it all – his move to Marin and Pizza Hacker’s SF location long since solidified – compelled him to dive in almost right away. “I probably skipped a few steps on the due diligence front,” he jokes.

"But it works so well – I have no interest in beer and wine, and they have no interest in pizza," Krupman adds. "A great fit."


Krupman notes that Pizza Hacker's pizzas at The Junction will be 33 percent larger than those of his shop in Bernal, and he'll also be serving his Internezzo and Kale Caesar salads, as well as Mexican Coca-Cola. He'llalso be selling jars of his tomato sauce, made from tomatoes from Maqiquita Farms in Watsonville. 

MENU HERE.

The Beer

PicturePhoto by Jessica Paul.
​"I have spent a lot of time in breweries," Dez Fiedler says with a laugh.

The Junction's 30 taps are focused on "breweries with super limited distribution," Dez Fiedler says, from Cooperidge Brewing Company in Santa Rosa to Hop Dogma in Half Moon Bay. "We have three craft beer distributors but everything else is direct."

Those relationships have an added beneficial twist in the COVID-19 era, Fiedler says. Because tasting rooms are closed, beers that are rarely if ever available outside of those tasting rooms are now more widely available. For instance, The Junction has HenHouse's Red Overalls, a hard-to-find Vienna lager.  

"It's the fun part of the business," Fiedler says. "With direct relationships, you are meeting the people brewing the beer. A lot of the breweries we're working with are not big yet. You can help them grow. These are all small businesses predominantly within 100 miles of here, and every single beer on our tap list is from California."

The Junction also features a pair of rotating taps of hard kombucha, two taps of wine, and more by the bottle, glass, or to go.

Contactless Everything

​Pizza Hacker’s system allows customers to simply scan a QR code, select their food, order, pay via Google Pay, Apple Pay or via credit card and pizzas are brought to your table. “No unnecessary interaction,” says Krupman, noting that "we're serving only in The Junction's backyard at first, with pickup and delivery to follow soon thereafter via HackerTJ.com." 

"This is truly a place where you can come hang out and bring your kids and everybody can gather, almost a replacement for so many of us in Mill Valley with small and/or sloped backyards," said Liz Fiedler. "It’s really great to put something there that the whole community can enjoy."

“As plumbers, we love restaurants and cafes – we’ve built 40 or 50 of these places and we love have to relationships with them afterwards,” Romeo says. “And when you can put all of that together and bring people together, that’s the magic you need once in a while.”
​
The 411: The Junction and Pizza Hacker are at 226 Shoreline Highway in Tam Junction. Opens Wednesday, July 29. Open 3-9pm weekdays, 1-9pm on weekends. Enter directly through the backyard (not front door for now), and park on the south side of building (parking lot is connected to Dipsea Cafe parking lot). Eventually, long after The Junction's interior space is allowed to open in compliance with County health and safety guidelines, they'll host live music in the space as well. 

Here's the full menu of pizzas and food. (The Meatballer has been renamed Romeo after Pete the Plumber).

On the way: Gluten-free and takeout options.

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

2020-21 EMV Guide: All in the Family

7/30/2020

1 Comment

 
“Customers? We’re family.” That’s Scott Valley resident Carol Lenherr’s explanation of her family’s patronage of Malugani Tire Center for many decades of the shop’s more than 70 years in business. At businesses like Malugani, Piazza D’Angelo, Mill Valley Market, La Ginestra, Sofia Jewelry, Jolly King Liquors, Rocco’s Pizza and others, family and business are inextricably linked.
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La Ginestra
Salvatore and Maria Aversa moved to Mill Valley as a recently married couple after emigrating from Sorrento, Italy, opening La Ginestra in 1964, drawing the name from the Scotch broom vegetation that was prevalent in both the wilderness of Mount Tamalpais and in the hills surrounding their hometown. Your dining experience might find you interacting with the entire Aversa family through the course of a meal. Maria Aversa and her children and family continue to greet customers at the door when they arrive.
Piazza D’Angelo
Although they’ve passed the proverbial baton to their respective children, Felicia Ferguson and Luigi Petrone, Domenico and Paolo Petrone, who opened Piazza D’Angelo in 1981, drawing inspiration from their hometown of Decollatura in Calabria, the “toe” of the Italian peninsula, continue to be mainstays at a downtown hub that exudes authenticity.
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Sofia Jewelry
After growing up in Marin, siblings Sophie and Lucas
Priolo moved out of the Bay Area to pursue their
respective careers in ballet. They charted very different paths back home to the family business Sofia Jewelry, which their parents, Carl and Susan Priolo, founded in 1994. “Lucas always wanted to do it – he designed jewelry,” she says. “Me? I never thought I would be back in the family business. But when they name it after me, I have no choice!” Sophie Priolo says with a laugh. Susan Priolo passed away in 2019. “She is the light of this business and we carry it on in her name.”
Jolly King Liquors
After five years at Wells Fargo Bank in Sausalito, Nidhi Dhir is now carrying the baton and “learning the family business,” says her father Anil. The Dhir family has owned Jolly King Liquors at 393 Miller Ave. for 27 years. The shop emerged out of the literal ashes of a fire in June 1963 on the property. Anil, Sue and Nidhi Dir run the shop with help from Sue’s brother Pardeep Bali.
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Malugani Tire Center
On Miller Avenue, five family members run Malugani, and
their extended next generation of family regularly take summer jobs at a business that Dan Malugani Sr. opened more than 70 years ago. Malugani’s Mill Valley Little League team is called the Lugnuts. “We’re about relationships,” Malugani owner Kendal Savelli says. “Many of our interactions with customers start with simply catching up
about family and friends.”
Prabh Indian Kitchen
That same dynamic, whereby a business transaction often takes a backseat to simply catching up with longtime customers, also rules the day at Prabh Indian Kitchen, says co-owner Tripta Dhillon. She and husband Raghbir Dhindsa opened the restaurant on Sunnyside Ave. in 2013. They live
upstairs from the restaurant, so it’s all hands on deck, all the time, serving customers, and even those just buying gift cards to provide them some cash flow. “That really touched our hearts,” she says.
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Mill Valley Market
Over Mill Valley Market’s 90-plus years in business, the baton has been passed more times than in a 4x100 relay race. The local institution was founded in July 1929 by Frank Canepa, whose eldest son Jim took it over in 1955, handing it off to his sons, Doug and David Canepa, 35 years later. Ryan Canepa and longtime family friend Abner Chinchilla joined as partners, and Eugene Canepa remains
a store manager. The market’s Shop & Give program has donated more than $1M to local community organizations.
Rocco’s Pizza
With all four of their kids and their son-in-law working at the family business, Luciano and Rosilene Faria rarely have to wonder who’s going to be home for dinner. Starting as a teenager, Luciano worked for Stefano’s Pizza owner Bob Valentino for 22 years, officially buying out his partner’s share in Rocco’s in 2014. “It’s such a privilege,” Rosilene says. “We brought up our kids to appreciate the family business. We have the most amazing kids.”
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You'll find this feature and an array of other inspiring, practical content, from bits of wisdom to recipes and more, in our 2020-21 EMV Guide, which appears within the August 2020 issue of Marin Magazine.

Want to know what's happening around town? Click here to subscribe to the Enjoy Mill Valley Blog by Email!
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2020-21 EMV Guide: Calendar

7/30/2020

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We can’t wait to gather again to live, learn, laugh and cut a rug in the 94941. Check enjoymillvalley.com for updates on when these events return.
JULY & AUGUST
Movies in the Park
millvalleyarts.org
Free films at Old Mill Park, beginning just past sunset.
Throckmorton Youth Performers
throckmortontheatre.org
Opportunities for student interns to land
onstage and backstage roles.
Concerts in the Plaza
millvalleyarts.org
Annual live music series on Sundays in the Downtown Plaza.
SEPTEMBER
Curtain Theatre
curtaintheatre.org
Producing 20 years of free theatre in Old Mill Park.
Makers Market
makersmarket.us • 129 Miller Ave, #603
2nd Saturday Outdoor Markets at the Mill Valley Lumber Yard.
Mill Valley Arts Festival
mvfaf.org
Landmark annual event in Old Mill Park. 140+ artists,
live music and children’s entertainers.
Sound Summit
soundsummit.net
Presented by Roots & Branches Conservancy,
a music festival to benefit the mountain.
Zero Breast Cancer’s Dipsea Hike
zerobreastcancer.org
Supports ZBC’s efforts aimed at breast cancer
prevention in the next generation.

​OCTOBER
Halloween at the Center
millvalleyrecreation.org
Trunk or Treat: trick-or-treat from decorated
car trunks at the MV Community Center.
Mill Valley Film Festival
mvff.com
Eleven-days of internationally acclaimed cinema
with new films from around the world.
DECEMBER
Holiday Craft Fair
millvalleyrecreation.org
Held at the MV Community Center, the fair features
handmade arts and crafts from 60+ artists.
Mill Valley School District’s
Winter Musical Performances

mvschools.org
Students show their talents in music, dance and more.
The Christmas Jug Band’s
Holiday Shows at Sweetwater

sweetwatermusichall.com
Family-friendly performances by this
tongue-in-cheek seasonal acoustic folk group.
Winterfest
enjoymillvalley.com
Mill Valley’s landmark annual holiday celebration, featuring
a massive slide, Santa, live entertainment and music,
children’s activities, local food and holiday lighting ceremony.
​MARCH
MV Little League Parade
mvll.org
Homespun parade with hundreds of fledgling
ball players and their coaches.
APRIL
Record Store Day at Mill Valley Music
millvalleymusic.com
Music lover’s mecca with limited edition vinyl
records and non-RSD records.
Volunteer Day
cityofmillvalley.org
Learn about volunteer opportunities with
nonprofit and municipal organizations.


MAY & JUNE
Happy Feet Recitals
happyfeetmillvalley.com
Annual tap, jazz and ballet recitals with
performances by students of all ages.
MV Historical Society’s Walk Into History
mvhistory.org
Annual walks around town to dig deep into the roots of MV.
Memorial Day Weekend
enjoymillvalley.com
Our biggest weekend of the year kicks off with the
four-day Kiddo! Carnival across Memorial Day weekend
and features the Walk Into History, the Pancake
Breakfast, a ceremony honoring fallen heroes
and the Memorial Day Parade, capped off
with the Kiddo! Community Celebration.
Mountain Play
mountainplay.org
Outdoor productions of live Broadway musical theatre
at Cushing Amphitheatre on Mt. Tam.
JUNE, JULY & AUGUST
Creekside Friday
tamcsd.org
Family-friendly free musical series at The Cabin,
Tennessee Valley featuring local music and kids’ activities.
Comedy in the Plaza
millvalleyarts.org
A free night of hilarity on the Downtown Plaza drawing
some of the best standup comedians around.
Dipsea Race
dipsea.org
America’s oldest trail running race,
from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach.
Wine, Beer & Gourmet Food Tasting
enjoymillvalley.com
An iconic annual event sponsored by Mill Valley Market and
Mill Valley Chamber and featuring wine from 65+ premium
wineries, fine craft beers and food from local
purveyors, restaurants and chefs.
Mill Valley Community Campout
millvalleyrecreation.org
A cherished opportunity gather with neighbors
and friends under the stars.
ONGOING
142 Throckmorton Theatre
throckmortontheatre.org
Noon Concerts, every Wednesday, 12-1pm and
Tuesday Night Comedy, every Tuesday, 8pm.
Artists of Mt. Tam
mounttamartists.org
Group and individual exhibits and an annual event
by 18 exciting artists in MV and surrounding areas.
Marin Theatre Company
marintheatre.org • 397 Miller Ave.
World-class theater featuring provocative plays
by passionate playwrights.
MV Chamber Music Society
chambermusicmillvalley.org
Internationally-acclaimed artists presented in five concerts
each year at Mount Tamalpais United Methodist Church.
Mill Valley Chamber Sidewalk Sales
enjoymillvalley.com
Find good deals while shopping outdoors on
some of the busiest days of the year.
June through December
MV Art Commission’s First Tuesday ArtWalk
marinarts.org
On the First Tuesday of most months, see
exciting exhibits featuring local artists.
Mill Valley Library
millvalleylibrary.org • 375 Throckmorton Ave.
Book clubs, After Hours, Storytime and more, providing
opportunities for knowledge and personal enrichment.
Mill Valley Philharmonic
millvalleyphilharmonic.org
Providing affordable accessible concerts by Marin’s
premier volunteer orchestra.
Singers Marin
singersmarin.org
Bringing public concerts to the community to experience
singers of all ages making music together.
You'll find this calendar and an array of other inspiring, practical content, from bits of wisdom to recipes and more, in our 2020-21 EMV Guide, which appears within the August 2020 issue of Marin Magazine.
Want to know what's happening around town? Click here to subscribe to the Enjoy Mill Valley Blog by Email!
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2020-21 EMV Guide: Joyful Cooking

7/30/2020

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We’ve asked eight local food lovers to share their favorite home recipes, inspired by our theme of joy, the four seasons and real foods and products found in Marin. Click the images to see a larger version of the recipe.
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You'll find these recipes and an array of other inspiring, practical content, from bits of wisdom to capsules of joy and events (some day soon, we hope), in our 2020-21 EMV Guide, which appears within the August 2020 issue of Marin Magazine.
Want to know what's happening around town? Click here to subscribe to the Enjoy Mill Valley Blog by Email!
0 Comments

2020-21 EMV Guide: Enjoy Mill Valley Films

7/30/2020

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Our EMV Films highlight some of the myriad creative businesses, organizations and people in Mill Valley. You’ve likely seen our films on some incredible local chefs, businesses with decades-long roots in town, the power of health and wellness, sustainability in the heart of Tam Junction, the spectacular Mill Valley Lumber Yard and the family-centric businesses along Miller Avenue. Photos of some of the amazing people running these businesses are below. We’ve got plenty more on the way! GO HERE to check them out. And then take the time to experience some of the array of restaurants,
shops, experiences and services that Mill Valley has to offer!
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Want to know what's happening around town? Click here to subscribe to the Enjoy Mill Valley Blog by Email!
0 Comments

2020-21 EMV Guide: Bits of Wisdom

7/30/2020

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You'll find these capsules and an array of other inspiring, practical content, from capsules of joy to recipes and events (some day soon, we hope), in our 2020-21 EMV Guide, which appears within the August 2020 issue of Marin Magazine.
Want to know what's happening around town? Click here to subscribe to the Enjoy Mill Valley Blog by Email!
0 Comments

2020-21 EMV Guide: Must Do Experiences

7/30/2020

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Joy is one of the themes of this Guide, so we’re celebrating some joyful experiences and the joyful people who make them happen. Support local organizations and businesses who make these experiences possible.

​By Susan Lopes

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Our beloved Mount Tam
What sparks joy? Organizations and volunteers
devoting their time and resources to the stewardship
and protection of our mountain & trails. Bonus: we
get to live here to enjoy it.
Dipsea Race Foundation | dipseafoundation.org
Supporting the stewardship of the Dipsea Trail and
tradition and legacy of the Dipsea Race.
Friends of Mt. Tam | friendsofmttam.org
Volunteers to help you enjoy Mount Tam – hiking/
astronomy programs, Visitor Center management
and more.
One Tam | onetam.org One Tam is a park
partnership for a healthy Mt. Tam. Join them!
Roots & Branches Conservancy | roots-and-branches.
networkforgood.com
Roots & Branches has raised $200,000 for Mount Tam to date through its Sound Summit music festival.
Nature and exploration camps galore
What sparks joy? The excitement of new adventures
and experiences right here. Bonus: Camps are not
just for kids.
Big Dog Surf Camp | bigdogsurfcamp.com • 254
Shoreline Hwy. For over 12 years we’ve focused on
making the best summer experiences for local groms.
Marin GreenPlay Camp | maringreenplay.com
Since 2009, Julie Hanft’s camps have made exploring
nature a blast for local kids.
Mill Valley Recreation | millvalleyrecreation.org •
180 Camino Alto. Dozens of spectacular camps, for a
wide range of interest and ages.
Shakespearience | shakespearience.net Offering a
safe, nurturing, creative environment with Shakespeare
and swords! For ages 9 and up.
Terra Marin | terramarin.org • 70 Lomita Dr.
Connecting children to the beauty, inspiration &
teachings of nature throughout the year.
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Ebikes to rent or own
What sparks joy? Get exercise and explore the
scenery in our own beautiful backyard. Bonus:
stay fit (by pedaling on the flatlands) with zero gas
emissions.
Mad Dogs & Englishmen | maddogscarmel.com •
Mill Valley Lumber Yard. 129 Miller Ave., #802
Bike store that sells and rents premium quality electric
bicycles and cycling accessories, 2nd shop in Carmel.
Tam Bikes | tambikes.com • 357 Miller Ave.
Independently owned bike shop specializing in Santa
Cruz Bicycles, Specialized Bicycles, Yeti Cycles, and
more!
Art for the soul
What sparks joy? Culture without going to the
city. Bonus? So many opportunities and ways to
experience art locally.
Kim Eagles-Smith Gallery | kesfineart.com • 23
Sunnyside Ave. Represents contemporary painters
and sculptors, buying and selling 20th century works
from major movements of the last fifty years.
Mill Valley Arts Commission | millvalleyarts.org
Stroll through town for First Tuesday ArtWalk to view
exciting exhibits featuring art by local artists.
Mill Valley Arts Festival | mvfaf.org. For over 60
years Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival continues to celebrate
the arts and community.
Seager Gray Gallery | seagergray.com • 108
Throckmorton Ave. Continuing to inspire with virtual
and real-time exhibitions: Art of the Book and Influence
of Nature.
The Image Flow | theimageflow.com • 401 Miller
Ave., Ste. A The Image Flow Photography Center
provides inspiration, guidance and services for aspiring
and professional photographers.
The O’Hanlon Center for Arts | ohanloncenter.org
616 Throckmorton Ave. OHCA provides an environment
and spaces where creativity and community can develop,
expand and flourish.
Victoria Mimiaga Art Studio | victoriamimiaga.com • 129 Miller Ave. #621
Fine Artist Victoria Mimiaga has a studio/gallery
upstairs in the Mill Valley Lumber Yard.
Seasonal blooms
What sparks joy? Year-round color to brighten even
the grayest days. Bonus: Flowers have renowned
health benefits, for us and our planet.
Bloomingayle’s | gaylenicoletti.com • Mill Valley
Lumber Yard, 129 Miller Ave., #402 Evokes your
senses with curated gifts and nature inspired floral
arrangements.
CNL Native Plant Nursery | cnlnatives.com • 254
Shoreline Hwy. Specializing in native plants, organic
veggies and herbs – everything you need for a thriving
garden.
Green Door Design | greendoordesign.net • 219
Flamingo Rd. 13 year local, family run and community
orientated small business specializing in orchids,
succulents and houseplants.
Green Jeans Garden Supply |
greenjeansgardensupply.com • 690 Redwood Hwy.
Offering quality plant material for fine landscapes and
gardens in the Bay Area.
Mill Valley Flowers | millvalleyflowers.com • 54
Throckmorton Ave. A creekside shop in downtown
MV, it’s the go-to florist in Marin for weddings & more.
Sloat Garden Center | sloatgardens.com • 401
Miller Ave. & 627 E. Blithedale Ave. An independently
owned, family-run garden center serving Bay Area
gardeners since 1958.
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Keeping it clean
What sparks joy? Volunteers & other hard workers
making a difference. Bonus: Cleaning our streets,
watersheds and managing waste has benefits that
reach beyond our community.
Ambatalia | ambatalia.com • Mill Valley
Lumber Yard, 129 Miller Ave. Inspiring others by
demonstrating hands-on that reusing, composting and
recycling makes a big difference.
Clean Mill Valley | cleanmv.org Activists who
believe that clean attracts clean, with group cleanups
and the Adopt-a-spot program.
Mill Valley Refuse Service | millvalleyrefuse.com
Working with you to keep our community clean, healthy
and safe.
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Pet love
What sparks joy? The unconditional love we receive
for adopting, bathing, feeding, and treating our furry
friends. Bonus: we get back way more than we give.
​
Critterland Pets | 336 Miller Ave. A classic local
pet shop with a helpful, genuinely caring staff and great
selection.
Hopalong Animal Rescue | hopalong.org • 367
Miller Ave. Committed to eliminating the euthanasia
of adoptable animals in NorCal through adoption and
prevention services.
Woodlands Pet Food & Treats | woodlands.pet •
701 Strawberry Village Your pet deserves the best food,
treats, and supplies, and a fun Self-Service Pet Wash!
Learning is fun
What sparks joy? Nourishing our kids with
knowledge that enriches them as individuals,
whether they’re far behind or way ahead. Bonus:
Learning can be fun!
Mathnasium | mathnasium.com/millvalley • 247
Shoreline Hwy., #A3 Learn how the experts make
math make sense. Mathnasium can help!
MV Code | mvcode.com • 38 Miller Ave. Offering
physical camps in Marin along with virtual camps as
part of our Livestream service.
Sage Educators | sageeducators.com • 333 Miller
Ave., Ste. 1 Sage is a community of students and tutors
—a fun, productive environment where kids thrive.
Tutor Corps | tutorcorps.com Exceptional individualized
education. Private 1:1 online schooling for all subjects
K-12. Dedicated teachers and personalized curriculum.
You'll find these must-do experiences and an array of other inspiring, practical content, from bits of wisdom to recipes and events (some day soon, we hope), in our 2020-21 EMV Guide, which appears within the August 2020 issue of Marin Magazine.
Want to know what's happening around town? Click here to subscribe to the Enjoy Mill Valley Blog by Email!
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2020-21 EMV Guide: Frontline Workers

7/30/2020

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The quintessential workers who keep Mill Valley going.
From world famous musicians to the workers who are the backbone of Mill Valley, the late local photographer Suki Hill documented the famous and the overlooked.
We all got a much-needed, striking reminder of the importance of those in the latter category during the COVID-19 crisis, and we’d be wise not to forget it. We are a community largely immersed in affluence and comfort, and we are richer for the work ethic, diversity and perseverance of the beating heart of Mill Valley.
Hill, a 2007 Milley recipient, took the photos below in the early 2010s as part of her “Mill Valley at Work” series featuring workers at places like Mill Valley Market. Hill made a name for herself in the heyday of the Bay Area’s thriving music scene, snapping classic shots of the likes of the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin and Bob Dylan. She passed away in 2014.
​We honor her commitment to local frontline workers with this photo essay. You’ll recognize many of these fine faces.
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You'll find these photos and an array of other inspiring, practical content, from bits of wisdom to recipes and events (some day soon, we hope), in our 2020-21 EMV Guide, which appears within the August 2020 issue of Marin Magazine.
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EMV Guide 2020-21: Capsules of Joy

7/30/2020

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We all know the feeling: you spot someone walking towards you and you get a little rush, an extra spring in your step that comes from an impending interaction with a person who surely will brighten your day through words, deeds or an all-knowing look that brings that joyful jolt of adrenaline you needed. Here are a few folks who exude joy:
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Anabella Erickson, Mill Valley Flowers
“For the past six years, I’ve watched Anabella work. In business with her beloved husband Lars for nearly 30 years,
Anabella is passionate about working with her brides and hotels, restaurants and venues all over Marin. She loves shopping at the famous SF Flower Market. Anabella and her personal touch is joy at its essence.”

–Blair Phillips, Manager, MV Flowers
Misak Pirinjian, Tony's Shoe Repair
“Kindness, generosity and presence are admirable qualities that Misak has. These virtues bring people into his shop and  account for his work’s high quality. People from all walks of life visit to have him repair shoes and be in his presence. Most consider him a special friend. Why? Because he gives us single-minded attention, about shoes or our lives.”
–David Marks, Director, "In the Cobbler’s Shoes."
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Lewis Usher, Dave Fromer Soccer
“MAGIC.” With 25+ years of coaching, Lewis Usher peppers every moment on the soccer field with references to the game’s magical qualities. “It’s amazing to see him treat kids with love,” says his fellow longtime coach, Marco Campos. “He knows they are seeds. He inspires them. And he brings that musical vibe – we all need that sip of joy.”
Enrique “Rico” Ruiz, Joe's Taco Lounge​
“I’ll help you out there.” That’s what Joe’s Taco Lounge manager Enrique “Rico” Ruiz told a fourth grader attempting to cross Miller Ave. from Montford Ave. on his bike on his way to Edna Maguire Elementary School earlier this year. Tara Ordonez, a longtime local resident, teacher at Edna and the boy’s mom, lauded Ruiz for stepping up as she watched “countless cars going in all directions ignoring my son standing in the crosswalk waiting carefully to cross. I am so immensely grateful to this kind soul.”
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Tony Coyle, Ubiquitous Volunteer
“Tony is one of the most likeable, kind, knowledgeable and funny men I’ve ever met. I can’t imagine ever being annoyed with him, but he’d quickly make you forget whatever incurred the annoyance with that Irish smile and a wink! Once an outstanding rugby player, Tony built a successful career as a contractor. He’s now a seemingly ubiquitous volunteer, delivering groceries for a woman in her 90’s and regularly checking in on people living alone. Life is fuller for his friendship.”
–Phil Garratt, fellow omnipresent volunteer
Chelsea Hutchison, BOL
“Chelsea is committed to bringing wellness, creativity and joy to the community and this shines through in every artful, superfood bowl she serves. You can see it in her lively Instagram feed, one showing her daughter gleefully (and
messily) enjoying a BOL on a sunny day in Mill Valley. Chelsea sees the community as her extended family and delights in serving up these moments of joy.”

–Jan Mathews, co-owner, Mill Valley Lumber Yard
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J’Amy Tarr, Fashion Designer
“J’Amy is a creative force in our community. Her work goes beyond fashion and embodies the deeper layer of creativity
and connection. She sees her clients as they are and uses her fashion and kindness to make them feel beautiful inside and out. I’m honored to be J’Amy’s friend and creative colleague, and so grateful that she shares her talents with our town.”

–Grace Kraaijvanger, founder/CEO, The Hivery
Gabe Burczyk, WrapManager/Assembly
“I first met Gabe a few years ago when he had a full bushy beard like mine. That seemed sufficient to spark a lasting friendship. His joyful demeanor and generosity of spirit were confirmed when I learned later of his purchase and renovation of 319 Miller. The purpose? Relocation of his WrapManager wealth management business, as well as Assembly, a gorgeous gathering place for
community events. Well played, Gabe!”

–Ken Brooks
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Johanna Becker, Moonstruck Fine Jewelry
Technically, Johanna Becker’s Moonstruck Fine Jewelry in downtown is just more than two years old. But a deeper dive reveals a profound lineage in the jewelry industry that spans California and Europe, as well as a long stint at the shop of the late Kathleen Dughi in the same space. Becker’s deep history in town is surpassed only by her persistently cheerful, warm demeanor. “She exudes jubilance.”
–Susan Lopes
You'll find these capsules and an array of other inspiring, practical content, from bits of wisdom to recipes and events (some day soon, we hope), in our 2020-21 EMV Guide, which appears within the August 2020 issue of Marin Magazine.
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A Refreshed Depot Bookstore & Cafe: Mill Valley’s ‘Security Blanket’ Is Almost Ready for Its Closeup

7/30/2020

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You'll find this story and an array of other inspiring, practical content, from bits of wisdom to recipes and events (some day soon, we hope), in our 2020-21 EMV Guide, which appears within the August 2020 issue of Marin Magazine.
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Depot Bookstore & Cafe, circa Feb. 2020.
PictureEldon Beck, author, "Edges: Mountains, Forests and Creeks."
When acclaimed landscape architect Eldon Beck moved to Mill Valley in 1963 with his wife Helen and two children, he took a “monumental step in my quest for the unknown” that “opened my senses to the remarkable partnership of nature and village,” he writes in his 2019 tome, “Edges: Mountains, Forests and Creeks.”
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Beck’s book poetically positions Mill Valley as a place with a deep connection to the nature that envelops it. Since Beck moved from Homestead Valley, where he was surrounded by nature and wildlife, to a house on Sycamore Ave., just a stone’s throw from downtown, he’s loved his walks to the Mill Valley Lumber Yard – “what a wonderful front door to the town,” he says of it – and downtown.

“The setting of Mill Valley has real permanence to it,” Beck says. “It’s an anchor, a kind of security blanket in the midst of all of the illness and tumult we’ve been going through recently.”

When he arrives downtown, Beck’s immediately drawn in by the Depot Plaza, which “functions as a meadow, an ecotonal clearing in a forest” where “parents, grandparents and others retreat to the edges to watch the performers, “mostly kids, adventure into the plaza.”

PictureDepot Bookstore & Cafe Managing Partners Mark Martini and Paul Lazzareschi, above and at left, in the soon-to-be reinvigorated downtown landmark.
​“The flexible, level space in the plaza, free of cars, breeds imagination,” Beck writes. “Above pavement scrawled with kid-powered chalk lines and crooked hopscotch boxes, toddlers exploring the vertical world of scooters and trikes fueled by shrieks and laughter mix with the parade of every size, shape and color of dog. Children board the rebuilt Gravity Car and pretend to guide it down precarious trails.”

The dominant feature of that “meadow” is a building that, as Beck notes, is in the midst of ​“its third life.” The current Depot
Bookstore & Cafe began as a train station, built by the Northwestern Pacific Railroad in 1928. It served as the terminal for trains that ran between Mill Valley and the Sausalito ferry. Shut down in the 1940s, it morphed into a bus depot, used first by Greyhound and later by Golden Gate Transit.

“In a stroke of civil genius, bus stops were relocated, parking was removed and the parking area became the brick-paved plaza,” Beck writes about then-Mayor Dick Jessup’s creation of the plaza in 1982. The Depot assumed its new life as a coffee shop and bookstore, “a center of socializing and village life,” Beck writes.

Though it doesn’t qualify as the fourth life in its history, the Depot has entered a new chapter, a renovation that largely has two ​components: an overhaul of the Depot space, bringing the historic building up to code, upgrades to its infrastructure and spaces to ensure a great customer experience, as well as the construction of a pair of long-sought public restrooms adjacent to the Depot. The Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center remains in the building.

Paul Lazzareschi, who also owns Vasco restaurant, bought the business in 2016 from the family of the late Mary Turnbull, who founded the famed bookstore and cafe with her husband William Turnbull in 1987.

“We are thrilled to show off this revived and renovated Mill Valley institution to the entire community and visitors who come from far and wide to check out a landmark that is integral to this town,” says Mark Martini, a longtime local resident and a managing partner of the Depot.

Beck looks forward to taking one of his walks into town and spotting a just-revealed, gleaming Depot, surrounded by both nature and the din of children and parents.

“I can hardly wait,” he says.

You'll find this story and an array of other inspiring, practical content, from bits of wisdom to recipes and events (some day soon, we hope), in our 2020-21 EMV Guide, which appears within the August 2020 issue of Marin Magazine.
​

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.​

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Should Muir Woods National Monument Be Renamed?

7/27/2020

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Muir Woods photos by Kirke Wrench and Hans Roenau.
Muir Woods National Monument, the 558-acre preserve of towering redwood trees, right in our backyard, is the biggest tourist attraction in Marin and the crown jewel of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, drawing visitors for more than 100 years, including more than 900,000 in 2019.

But does it need a new name?

Set aside for protection in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt, the park is named after naturalist John Muir, who has been called “The Father of our National Parks" and a “Wilderness Prophet." Muir has, by a recent count from the San Francisco Chronicle, more than 50 places in California named after him, including our neighbor Muir Beach, as well as at least one high school, 21 elementary schools, six middle schools and one college named after him, as well as a glacier, a mountain, a woods, a cabin, an inlet, a highway, a library, a motel, a medical center, a tea room and a minor planet, according to Atlas Obscura. 
PictureJohn Muir, circa 1902. Library of Congress.
But Muir's words and actions were racist, harmful and egregiously out of step with modern society, and Michael Brune, the executive director of the Sierra Club, the environmental organization Muir founded in 1892, said as much in a post on the organization's website last week. Saying it was time for some "truth telling" about Muir’s racist views and the white supremacist beliefs of the Sierra Club's original members, Brune noted that Muir “made derogatory comments about Black people and Indigenous peoples that drew on deeply harmful racist stereotypes, though his views evolved later in his life.”

“As the most iconic figure in Sierra Club history, Muir’s words and actions carry an especially heavy weight," Brune continued. "They continue to hurt and alienate Indigenous people and people of color who come into contact with the Sierra Club.”

That hurt and alienation has no shortage of tangible examples. In 1838, the Cherokee Indians were evicted from their homes in the Smokey Mountains in the dead of winter by white settlers’ hungry for their land and gold—even though a U.S. treaty and a U.S. Supreme Court decision guaranteed their land rights—and forced to walk more than a third of the way across the continent to Oklahoma, a march that would kill 4,000 people and come to be known as the Trail of Tears.

Muir described the Cherokee homes he found as, “the uncouth transitionist …wigwams of savages,” according to the Atlas Obscura. "He described the homes of the very settlers who may well have drove them out as, 'decked with flowers and vines, clean within and without, and stamped with the comforts of culture and refinement.' For a man who supposedly walked with eyes wide open, this is a profound moment of blindness."

The Miseducation of John Muir piece continued:

This is the dark side of the Muir mythology, and one that was highlighted on his Southern journey. The man who thought of nature as a cathedral, and regarded, “whales and elephants, dancing, humming gnats,” and even “invisibly small mischievous microbes” as divine, regarded Native Americans as subhuman. Later, in California, he called them: “dirty,” “garrulous as jays,” “superstitious,” “lazy."
Amidst our long overdue national and local reckoning with our nation's history of racism and systemic inequity, Americans have confronted the country’s past with vigor, particularly in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd on May 25. Removal of racist symbols like Confederate flags as well as monuments and street signs dedicated to problematic figures has been happening throughout the country.

But in the aftermath of Brune's post about the Sierra Club, the National Park Service doesn't appear to be interested in renaming the Muir Woods. In a statement issued July 23, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which includes Muir Woods and Muir Beach said that National Park designations must be directed by Congressional legislation or presidential proclamation, but saw no need for a name change, according to the Mercury News.

“Across the country, the National Park Service maintains and interprets monuments and sites that commemorate and memorialize historical figures, including those who represent important, and painful, chapters in our nation’s history,” the agency said in the statement.

In the statement, GGNRA officials pointed out that Muir Woods already notes that the conservationist who proposed the monument’s name, William Kent, had “espoused anti-immigrant ideas.”

“A hallmark of American progress is our ability to discuss and learn from our history,” the agency said, adding that the park service “is committed to continuing to tell these stories throughout our nation, in all of their complexity.”

We want to hear from you: Where do you stand on this issue? Rename our redwood grove, or use this reckoning as a teachable moment about our history? Or both?
​Tell us in the comments below.

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Planning Commission Approves Proposed Paint Color Changes as Part of the Depot Bookstore & Cafe Remodel

7/27/2020

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[Update 7.29.20] In the coming weeks, City Council will also likely consider a proposal to replace the building's roof and fund a fire sprinkler system connection.
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[Update 7.29.20]: The Planning Commission unanimously approved the proposed paint color changes and the removal of the balloon awnings demo the Depot building.
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Since being deemed essential construction in May, the longstanding efforts to renovate the City-owned old train depot that is home to the Depot Bookstore & Cafe, the Mill Valley Chamber and a pair of new public bathrooms has been back on track.

Now owner Paul Lazzareschi, managing partner Mark Martini and their investors are set to go back to the City of Mill Valley on a few items that they hope will bring the project to the finish line in the coming weeks. 

First up, on Tuesday, July 28, they are seeking Planning Commission approval of an Amendment to the Design Review Permit for the Depot Building to allow for revised paint colors and permanent removal of the balloon awning window coverings. The proposal, which is shown on the rendering above, seeks to use the two paint colors as shown above instead of the same "salmon" exterior color, and to not replace the balloon awnings in order to allow the public full view of the historic arched windows and doors.

​The Commission reviews the proposal at its July 28th meeting at 7pm.  July 28, 2020 at 7:00 PM. WATCH IT HERE. For questions or to provide comments on this item, contact Lisa Newman, Senior Planner at (415) 388-4033 or via email here. STAFF REPORT HERE.

City Manager Alan Piombo also told the City Council last week that the they should expect to see a request to replace the existing roof because of "concerns it may not last through another rainy season," as well as the need to address the costs associated with connecting the building's fire sprinkler system.

"I will come back to council when I have some firm numbers," Piombo told the Council.

The project had been halted along with all construction during Marin County's first shelter in place order in mid-March. As weeks of inability to continue the project ground on, City and County officials were able to give the project a go-ahead as essential construction because of its inclusion of the public bathrooms, Acting City Manager Alan Piombo said.
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"Our contractor with Hasz Construction prepared the site and put into place the requisite COVID-19 safeguards, including temperature checks, proper PPE, and social distancing protocols," Martini said. "We are relieved to get the project moving again and are eager to welcome the community to the Depot Café and Bookstore in the coming months."

The Depot first closed for the renovation in March 2019, and the fencing that heralded the beginning of construction went up in late December. Paul Lazzareschi, who owns the bookstore and cafe business that occupies the building, and his team of investors are focused on a project that largely has two components: an overhaul of the Depot space, bringing the historic building, particularly its bathroom and kitchen, up to code, as well as the construction of a long-sought, much-needed public restroom adjacent to the Depot.

The delay was largely triggered by expansive negotiations between the City and Lazzareschi over the financial details of the project, i.e., who was going to pay for each of its specific components, as well as turnover among investors. Lazzareschi, who also owns Vasco restaurant across the street from the Depot, first put forward plans soon after he and then-partner Gary Rulli bought the business in 2016 from the family of the late Mary Turnbull, who founded the famed bookstore and cafe with her husband William Turnbull in 1987 and died in September 2015.

The Depot pays the City a base rent plus a percentage of total sales. The depot building was built by the Northwestern Pacific Railroad in 1928. It served as the terminal for electric and oil trains that between Mill Valley to the Sausalito ferry docks. The railroad shut down in the 1940s and morphed into a bus depot, used first by Greyhound and later by Golden Gate Transit. In the 1970s, the building was re-invented as Ganey’s Bookstore and Cafe, which it remained until the Turnbull family took over the lease in 1987.

In April 2018, the Mill Valley City Council unanimously rejected an effort to stop plans to renovate the space and allow the construction of a long-delayed downtown public bathroom to proceed. City officials and Lazzareschi reached an agreement to incorporate the public bathroom construction into the Depot project to save costs and time. The public bathroom project was regularly discussed in 2014 and was fully budgeted in 2015 and conceptually dates back to 1984, when then-Mayor Richard “Dick” Jessup, who designed the Depot Plaza, first sketched out a downtown bathroom location.

To accommodate the construction, the Mill Valley Chamber, whose Visitor Center and office has also been in the City-owned building for decades, relocated to a temporary mobile office a few hundred feet away, in a pair of parking spaces on Miller Avenue across from Piazza D’Angelo.

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City Installs Black Lives Matter Public Art at Camino Alto & East Blithedale, Quickly Restores It After Defacement

7/27/2020

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City of Mill Valley's public art installation at Camino Alto and East Blithedale states simply: "Black Lives Matter."
Amidst a historic moment when the words Black Lives Matter need to be uttered, repeatedly, out loud, City of Mill Valley officials last week unveiled a new public art installation that declared just that, along with "Mill Valley Against Racism" and an encouragement for residents to learn more about the city's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives.

Commissioned by the Arts Commission "as a response to community interest in showing support for members of the Black community who have experienced discrimination and individual, institutional, and structural racism," the public art piece was installed July 21 on a traffic signal control box at the corner of East Blithedale and Camino Alto near The Cantina and Body Kinetics. 
 
Within two days of the Tuesday, installation, however, someone either ill informed or with ill intent defaced the artwork on Thursday, but city staff repaired and restored it quickly Friday morning.

"The utility box art was designed on a template that each artist paints on and then is printed by a wrap company for the express purpose that if any part were to become damaged, that particular panel could be reprinted ASAP," Mill Valley Arts Commissioner Sharon Valentino wrote in a post on Nextdoor. "We had no idea however that it could be done in this case in the matter of a very few hours (same day), so we were very lucky. Let's hope this doesn't need to be repaired again because it is costly and the Arts Commission budget is small. Thanks for the support and care from everyone."

​"We acknowledge that there is a political organization with the same name – and some have interpreted the art piece as an endorsement of the organization," City officials said in a statement. "This is not the case. The artwork is a simple, yet powerful, statement that Black Lives Matter – and not associated with, nor an endorsement of, the organization in any way. We realize that Mill Valley has historically not fulfilled its stated intent to create a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming community for people of all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. Through this art piece and many other actions to come, we commit to working towards eliminating racial disparities, both inside government and in the community."

Here's the City Council's Resolution Affirming that Black Lives Matter. 

The Arts Commission recently reviewed several art projects in progress or under consideration – see that report here.

Learn more about the City's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives here.

RELATED COVERAGE:
  • Kress Jack, Local Leaders Launch 'Raise the Frequency' to Support BIPOC, Start With Marin City Job Seekers
  • Council Passes Resolution Backing Black Lives Matter Movement, Moves to Create Task Force & Acknowledges That Sustained Effort on Racial Justice Is Necessary
  • Youth Movement: Tam High Students Have Driven the Powerful Local Protests in Support of Black Lives Matter
  • One Week After Mayor's Comment Sparks Furor, City Council Promises to Address Racism and Injustice in MV
  • For 2nd Day in a Row, Residents Flood the Streets of Mill Valley to Protest Racial Violence and Systemic Inequality
  • Hundreds Turn Out to Miller Ave. & Camino Alto in Mill Valley for a Peaceful Protest Against Racial Violence

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Sidelined by COVID-19 Since March, SF Bay Adventures Launches GoFundMe, Set to Return to the Open Seas

7/26/2020

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PictureSF Bay Adventure's Schooner Freda B on the bay. Courtesy image.
For more than a decade, Marina O’Neill has honored the adventurous spirit of grandmother Freda Marie Been in thrilling fashion, naming the flagship boat of her Sausalito-based SF Bay Adventures – an 80-foot, gaff-rigged tall ship available for private tours for up to 49 people and public sails – the Schooner Freda B.

“She was an amazing woman,” O’Neill says.

In recent months, the Freda B has been marooned, forced to sit idle in Sausalito because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols. 


"We have been largely closed since mid-March in response to the pandemic," O'Neill wrote to SF Bay's customers. "Since then, we've been busy re-organizing, strategizing, securing PPE and training our crew to meet the (ever-changing) moment. We're happy to announce that we're ready to re-open our decks! Per the current Marin County guidelines, we are now offering sails with limited capacity."

Marin County guidelines now allow 
charter boats to operate with 12 or fewer passengers email for availability and a quote. They also have several public sails, including the Friday Night Sunset Sail in the coming weeks and a Full Moon Sail on August 3.

O'Neill also launched a Go Fund Me campaign just a few weeks ago in an effort "to stay balanced. 
The pandemic has had a huge impact on friends, family and our thriving little business. We still need to ask for your support. If you can help us in any way, it will go directly to keeping our business afloat so we can pay our employees and slip rents, maintain our boats and support the maritime vendors that we depend on and that rely on us in turn."

​The Schooner Freda B. was built in 1991 and acquired by SF Bay Adventures in 2005, relocating it from Florida via the Panama Canal before sailing it into the San Francisco Bay after an 84-hour transit from Ensenada, Mexico. It’s a replica of a boat that would’ve sailed up and down the Pacific coast in the 1800s.

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County Hosts Free COVID-19 Testing in San Rafael for All Restaurant Workers – August 5, 7am-12pm, 1-4pm

7/26/2020

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As previously reported, many Mill Valley restaurants have chosen transparency in recent weeks when it comes to positive coronavirus cases among their staff. 

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, "these restaurant owners thought they were doing everything right: requiring employees to wear masks, keeping them as far apart as possible, putting hand sanitizer everywhere. Now they are starting to learn that those actions aren’t always enough. The coronavirus doesn’t recognize effort."

But even though businesses are not required to close for an extended period of time following a positive coronavirus case from its staff or to notify the public, business owners say it's critically important to be open and honest during a moment in history without precedent.

A critically important mechanism to stay vigilant is widely available testing, and the County of Marin is making strides toward that goal by offering free COVID-19 testing of all restaurant workers. Next up is free testing for all restaurant workers on Wednesday, August 5 at 1177 E. Francisco Blvd. in San Rafael from 7am-12pm and 1-4pm.

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