Any thoughts that a few drops of rain would diminish a wonderful 2019 Enjoy Mill Valley Winterfest on Sunday, Dec. 8 were swiftly swept away by the joy on the faces of children meeting Santa, the gorgeous music performed by the young and the young at heart, the dance moves of the limber-legged tappers, breakers and hip-hoppers and the incredible food served up by some of Mill Valley's best restaurants.

Produced by the Mill Valley Chamber and Team Pro Event with a plethora of help from the City of Mill Valley, Mill Valley Refuse and a legion of volunteers, this free holiday event drew families and friends from throughout Mill Valley and all over Marin to immerse themselves in the holiday spirit, complete with the midday arrival of Santa on a Mill Valley Fire truck.

​In addition to the jaw-droppingly large rainbow slide, a jumpee house and an array of activities and games for children, the event also basked in delicious, free sips and bites from fantastic local restaurants like Piazza D'Angelo, Good Earth Natural Foods, Super Duper Burger, Equator Coffees, Vitality Bowls and Brooklyn!

There was free bike and stroller parking throughout the day from the Marin County Bicycle Coalition with support from Tam Bikes.

The Incredible lineup of live music and dance featured Performing Arts Academy of Marin, the Tam High Holiday Ensemble, Happy Feet Dance School, Rock the Ages, Natalia Betzler & Noah Chann, Roco Dance and Singers Marin, as well as Mayoral Welcome from Mayor Jim Wickham and a Holiday Tree Lighting at the conclusion of the event. 

There was also donation stations for unwrapped toy donations for the Toys for Tots program and the Performing Stars of Marin via the Mill Valley Fire Department and warm coats for One Warm Coat.

Thanks to all of the people, businesses and organizations who helped make this free event possible, including our amazing sponsors Redwood Credit Union, Piazza D'Angelo, Good Earth Natural Foods, Budget Blinds, Dana Williams from Compass, Mathnasium, Upper Cervical of Marin, Redwood Trust, FastSigns, MCE Marin Clean Energy, WrapManager and Chambers + Chambers Architects, along with the amazing contributions of Ken Brooks, Gary Ferber Photography, ​Hamilton Ink and Kiddo!.

MORE INFO.

Here are a few of the performances at the 2019 EMV Winterfest:

Five months after continuing their long-germinating collaboration with Watershed in the old sawmill building of the Mill Valley Lumber Yard, Ged Robertson and chef Kyle Swain are expanding the restaurant's hours to include Tuesday night, in response to continued demand for expanding dinner service beyond Wednesday to Sunday.


Iexpanded last week, as a Mill Valley who’s who posed for glam shots before stepping inside the hottest new foodie haven in town, Ged Robertson rewound his memory to the days before he had a vision for a restaurant insideold sawmill building.This Just In! Watershed is now Open Tuesday Nights!
"Steak, Pizza, Brussels and Mussels," the pair announced in an Instagram post. "Chef @kyle_swain and team are serving up all the goods from our kitchen six nights a week! Also, Watershed will now stay open with a limited menu from 3-5pm."

FULL STORY ON WATERSHED.

The 411: Watershed is open for lunch seven days a week from 11am-3pm and for dinner Tuesday-Thursday (11am-9pm), Friday to Sunday (11:30am-9pm) and Monday (11am-3pm). Reservations for dinner are available online through Resy and watershedmv.com. MORE INFO.

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The ever-growing network of art benches continues to grow in Mill Valley.

Once again fueled by a donation from the Mill Valley Chamber's Enjoy Mill Valley Fund, Bay Area artist Colin Selig installed another one of his Asymmetric Art Benches at 360 Miller Ave., just outside Pilates ProWorks. While the design is similar to Selig's bench on Evergreen and Miller avenues outside Whole Foods Market, this bench looks to be a conversation starter: the two piece art bench invites for face-to-face dialogue.

Selig creates public art from recycled propane tanks, exploring the boundary between sculpture and sustainable design. This latest bench installation comes on the heels of a pair of public art benches installed in town earlier this year. The first of the so-called Art Benches in Mill Valley, part of the City's public art program is called Art in Public Places, was Big Wave Bench, the creation of longtime of Bolinas artist and arborist-turned sculptor Chuck Oakander. The arrival of Big Wave Bench came courtesy a successful grant proposal to the Outdoor Art Club. Oakander's bench was installed in Old Mill Park, just opposite the Old Mill. Another Big Wave Bench is on the way in Old Mill Park. The second bench came from Selig.

Those benches were followed up in July when Jed and Sherry Bullard, whose father and grandfather stood guard in 1957 to "save the downtown clock" in downtown Mill Valley, heard that the clock had been restored in 2017 via the Outdoor Art Club's $11,000 grant to the Mill Valley Chamber's Enjoy Mill Valley Fund and was so overjoyed that they donated $5,000 to the EMV Fund. That led to the installation of a gorgeous redwood bench just outside City Hall.

​MORE INFO ON THE CITY'S PUBLIC ART PROGRAM.

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There is only one true Santa Claus in Mill Valley, and Jolly St. Nick has been ubiquitous in recent weeks as he's ramped up his efforts to bring joy to children of all ages all over town. As you'll see in the video above, Santa had plenty of work to do to get ready for his appearance at the 2019 Enjoy Mill Valley Winterfest on Dec. 8 and, like a truly community-minded Santa, he did his shopping, errands, relaxing and personal grooming locally.

With Winterfest In the rearview mirror, Santa plans to appear at the Mill Valley Lumber Yard for Makers Market's Outdoor Market on Dec. 14 (10am-5pm). After that, he'll head towards the North Pole to get ready for the big day, but not before stopping in Sonoma to brig some holiday cheer to some of the girls and boys whose families were impacted by the Kincaid fire and others in recent weeks.

If you would like Santa to bring some personal, seasonal cheer to your family or business gathering this season, or you would like to contribute in any way to his visit to Sonoma County, please email: MillValleySanta@gmail.com or call 415-686 5707.

Elves are standing by ready to field your calls and emails.

Happy Holiday Everyone!!

George Lawson Gallery, one of a pair of acclaimed galleries that recently moved from San Francisco to Mill Valley, got some incredible news this month as ArtForum, the acclaimed, authoritative international art magazine bestowed the gallery's exhibit on the paintings of Ira Watkins as a Critics' Pick. 

The selected paintings from paintings from Watkins are on display at the gallery, 18 East Blithedale Ave., #12, through December 22. 
"This puts Mill Valley on the international art world map," Lawson says.

Watkins' career spans 40 years and more than 30 gallery and museum shows, including exhibits at the Asian Art Museum, The Tenderloin Museum and the University of California.

Watkins, who moved to San Francisco from Waco, Texas in 1957, initially supported himself playing billiards. After a stint in prison in the 1970s for possession of a firearm, he took up painting, which proved to be a life-changing event. Largely self-taught, Watkins has drawn over a 40-year career on themes of the African-American experience, notably the Bay Area community that migrated from the South during WWII to find work in the shipyards.

Watkins' depiction of the people, places, and events that have touched his life has helped to reshape many of our commonly held narratives of Black America, while his straight-forward paint handling has helped bridge the gap between traditional Eurocentric narrative painting and more current expressive painting modes.

Lawson says Watkins has been described as "flipping the script," both on traditionally held and white social hierarchies and on contemporary painting iconographies. Watkins’ exhibition history also includes a number of mural projects from San Francisco to Waco, where January 17th is officially designated as Ira Watkins Day in honor of his mural of Martin Luther King Jr. delivering his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech.

Watkins is currently artist-in-residence at San Francisco’s Hunter’s Point Shipyard.

The 411: George Lawson Gallery is set to exhibit selections from paintings from Ira Watkins on Thursday, November 21, 5:30-7:30. The exhibit runs through Dec. 22. MORE INFO.

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Looking to get into the holiday spirit? Mt. Tam United Methodist Church has you covered with a number of Christmas season events this month, starting with its annual Peace Pop-Up on Thursday, December 12, from 4-6pm in the Depot Plaza in downtown Mill Valley.

"We'll be singing carols at 4:30 and 5:15, as well as lighting candles in honor of loved ones past or present and writing wishes for peace in the coming year,"

"Peace is needed in our communities and in the world," says Tricia Wiig, the church's director of children, youth and family ministries. "Even for those of us who experience relatively peaceful lives, we often go through this season in a whirlwind of shopping and holiday preparations, not always mindful of the meaning behind the holidays we celebrate."

​On Sunday, December 15, the church hosts its annual children's Christmas pageant during the 10:30am worship. Kids will be performing the story of Christ's birth as well as singing a selection of Christmas carols.

During the 10:30am worship on Sunday, Dec. 22, the Mt. Tam Church Choir will be performing the entire Vivaldi's Gloria with orchestra. The music will be the main message of the service. Nursery care available for kids under 5 and children's activities available to take to their seats for older kids.

And as always, Mt. Tam Church's Christmas Eve service on Tuesday, Dec. 24, 4pm will be geared towards families with young kids, followed by a 7pm Traditional Candlelight Service.

The 411: Mt. Tam United Methodist Church is at 410 Sycamore Ave, Mill Valley. Heavy rains will cancel the event. MORE INFO.

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A Bay Area tradition, Singers Marin's annual holiday concert offers a chance to celebrate the season with family and friends. The organization's 31st Annual Holiday Concert is built around the theme of 'Tis the Season...Sharing Traditions, covers seasonal favorites of Christmas, Hanukkah, winter popular standards, and songs of peace. 

The performance, set for Saturday, Dec. 21 at 4pm at St. Vincent's Chapel in San Rafael, has Singers Marin Artistic Director Jan Pedersen Schiff leading the organization's adult choral ensembles, along with youth conductor Dana Cherry, and the youth choruses of Stapleton School of Performing Arts. It features guest soloists Robert Alan Clink, baritone, and Eleanor Coleman, soprano, with accompaniment from Irene Jacobson on piano, with Paul Eastburn on bass, and Simone Balch on violin. 

The 411: Singers Marin's “Tis the Season...Sharing Traditions” holiday concert hits the stage at St. Vincent's Chapel, 1 St. Vincent Drive, San Rafael on Saturday, Dec, 21 at 4pm. Tix $18-$35. MORE INFO & TIX.

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To close out a year of showcasing the work of independent makers and artists of all stripes, Makers Market is serving up a blockbuster Outdoor Market on Dec. 14 at the Mill Valley Lumber Yard this Saturday, Dec. 14 (10am-5pm).

The event once again spotlights a pair of emerging youth artists Emerging Artists in Kimiko Shiro, a Bay Area artist who is deeply inspired by different forms of visual storytelling, as well as Taylor Kibrick, who will showcase his block prints, all while Tony Hannah, a singer-songwriter who was raised in the churches of Knoxville, Tenn., combining the twangy folk you’d expect of her upbringing with a more mellow side she discovered while living in Berkeley and New York.

The Outdoor Markets also offer first-time MVLY visitors the chance to check out all that the multi-faceted community gathering space and retail and foodie destination has to offer. Its spaces are nearly full, and include Stacy King's Lulu Design Jewelry, Louise Dockstader's Once Around as well as the opening of Watershed Restaurant from Ged Robertson and Kyle Swain and Mad Dogs & Englishman, an innovative, creative bicycle shop from Jennifer Blevins and Martin Watson. That array of businesses joined an ever-burgeoning roster of MVLY tenants that started with Molly de Vries' Ambatalia and Gayle Nicoletti’s Bloomingayles, and later added Serena Armstrong’s FarmHouseUrban, Suzy Ekman’s Makers Market, Amy Lowery’s The Edit, Chelsea Hutchison’s BOL Superfood Cafe, Brit Morin's Makeshop and Paige Mycoskie's Aviator Nation.

The Dec. 14 Outdoor Market features a Felt Christmas Tree kids craft sponsored by Once Around, as well as hair tinsel from Very Fairy Manda, who ties sparkling pieces of silk on to individual strands of hair that stay in until that hair falls out. There will also be a donation station at MVLY accepting unwrapped toy donations for the Toys for Tots program and the Performing Stars of Marin via the Mill Valley Fire Department and warm coats for One Warm Coat.

HERE ARE THE OUTDOOR MARKET VENDORS FOR DEC. 14:

• Little Sky Home – Mary Krawczyk is an art teacher at a local school and enjoys spending her time away from pupils creating things with her hands. She uses a lot of mediums, though one of her favorites is earthenware. She will be displaying ceramics at this month’s event. 
• Black Mountain Beauty – Marnie Jackson is a farmer in West Marin who creates beauty products from the bounty of her farm. Her focus is mainly on limiting pollution through minimizing her own packaging, and eliminating chemicals from her products. We recommend trying Marnie’s waste-free shampoo bars if you are looking to limit your waste. 
• Nordic Pine – Madelene Rasmussen created her company after leaving the corporate world behind to discover her passions for metal smithing. She has been at it for over 2 years now and sources the majority of her stones by hand here in the US. 
• Luke's Naturals – Luke is a native to Marin who found his passion in woodturning. He sources the majority of his woods locally, through creating connections with other local businesses and finding naturally felled trees. His pieces are beautifully crafted, often from invasive woods that can grace any table. 
• Duke & Sons Leather Co. – Founder Matt Taylor is a County native who spotted a niche he could fill in the bag market and took his leap. He designs handcrafted bags with western influences, and has named his company after the nickname his father gave him as a child. 
• Hilary Finck – Designs and creates her jewelry line in a studio in San Francisco, CA. She combines elements of modern art along with art deco to bring a new meaning to modernism. 
• Daisy Chains and Alternate Endings – This company came to fruition after a babysitter desperately tried to entertain her young charge by taking her to a beading store. The hobby grew into a passion and finally a business! Sarah Stein continues to create her jewelry at a studio in SF. 
• ​ArchiTec – Architec is a clothing company that designs and constructs their apparel in California, but is inspired by travels from all over the world. All of their clothing is made ethically and sustainably, with high-performance fabrics that are extremely packable, breathable, and anti-microbial. 
• Topaz & Pearl – Started by two close girl friends, Topaz & Pearl is a jewelry line that celebrates the duality of life and femininity. Fueled by coffee and tacos, these girls create their line at a cabin in the California Redwoods. They believe that dressing beautifully is self-care, and want to help you put your best foot forward. 
• Caryl B – CarlyB specializes in 100% naturally derived personal care that is free of petroleum, detergents, and parabens. She has perfected her recipes through trial and error and brings forth goods that are highly moisturizing and sophisticated. 
• Soicher Ceramics – Heather Soicher is a ceramicist who currently resides in Mill Valley. She was raised in Monterrey by artist parents, and has been especially drawn to ceramics since learning about their importance in human history. Her passion for her work shows through with every piece. 
• Adelyn Designs – Adelyn Designs are created with the modern and effortless woman in mind. Each article is constructed to work seamlessly with other garments, incorporating European styles to provide comfort and functionality. 
• Justine Reese Ceramics – Justine creates mostly stoneware dishes and porcelain sgraffito vases and dishes. Her focus on exaggerating inconsistencies that present themselves in her work keep your eyes trained on each piece.
• ​Reclamation Etchworks – This company strives to resurrect iconic home bar centerpieces with modern technology through laser etching. They will be bringing their etching machine to the outdoor craft market so folks can get their purchases personalized! 

​The 411: Makers Market, continues its slate of monthly Outdoor Markets on Dec. 14 at the Mill Valley Lumber Yard, 129 Miller Ave., 10am-5pm. The rain will be canceled in the event of rain. MORE INFO.
Here's a video of Tony Hannah's "Not Lonely":

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The Curtain Theatre, the nonprofit organization that has been producing free theater in the park's redwood-laden amphitheater since 2000, is hosting a musical celebration to bolster its coffers so it can continuing doing so into the foreseeable future.

The event, "Romantic Fusion: German Lieder & Musical Theatre," is set for Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7pm at the Church of Our Saviour Mill Valley at 10 Old Mill Street.

The event features, from left to right, Stephen Beecroft, Nic Carlin, Gillian Eichenberger and Richard Helmer performing musical fusion with pieces from German Lieder and Musical Theater. 

Curtain Theatre is coming off a 2019 season that saw it explore Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor, in which Sir John Falstaff, described as a "fat, vain, boastful, and cowardly knight," tries to restore his financial fortunes by seducing the wives of two wealthy citizens.

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A plethora of people in Mill Valley and beyond know Tina Marie Humphrey as the ultimate builder girl, as she's been a designer for 36 years and a licensed general contractor for three decade on an array of projects.

Now Humphrey has launched a line of products intended to inspire and empower other women and girls to build. The Buildergirl-branded products include hats, t-shirts and multi-tools.

"I really wanted to share a statement of empowerment with other women and girls... from all walks of life!" Humphrey says. 

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We've spotlighted the gorgeous, award-winning architectural work of Dorman Associates and their neighbor and oft-collaborator, Michael Erskine's landscape architectural firm Integrated Design Studio (IDS), in the past.

But we couldn't pass on the chance to highlight even more of their great work, particularly since this one is Chris Dorman's own Tam Valley home. Spaces Magazine featured Chris Dorman's home in its latest issue:

"The crisp, white-walled, wide-plank oak-floored house, completed about a year ago, essentially has four levels, with rooms on successively higher levels, linked either by doors or large windows to stepped south-facing courtyards, planned in collaboration with Erskine, writes Spaces Editor-in-chief Zahid Sardar.

CHECK OUT THE STORY & ACCOMPANYING GORGEOUS PHOTOS HERE.

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Have an oldie-but-goodie car that you'd like to replace with something more environmentally friendly clean air vehicles?

You're in luck. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has expanded its Clean Cars for All grant program, which provides incentives to retire older vehicles and replace them with a clean air vehicle or Clipper Card for public transit, had previously been limited to designated communities. Now it's open to residents living in all areas under the Air District’s nine-county jurisdiction.

The average Clean Cars for All incentive is $7,500 but up to $9,500 is available for eligible applicants. Applicants must live in the Bay Area and their household income must fall under a specified limit based on their household size. Furthermore, the vehicle to be scrapped must be model year 2004 or earlier and registered in California. Bay Area residents may check the program website or complete an application to verify their eligibility.

Residents may choose one of the following clean air transportation options to replace their scrapped vehicle:

• Battery Electric Vehicles operate solely on their electric motor. Electric vehicle batteries recharge by plugging into an outlet or charging station.
• Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles combine an electric motor with a gasoline engine. Plug-In Hybrid batteries are recharged by the gasoline-powered motor during braking and by plugging into an outlet or charging station.
• Hybrid Electric Vehicles combine an electric motor with a gasoline engine. These vehicles cannot be "plugged-in" to be "recharged.” The gasoline-powered motor also acts as a generator to recharge batteries on hybrids.
• Clipper Cards can be used for public transportation on all major Bay Area transit systems. 

MORE INFO ON THE CLEAN CARS FOR ALL PROGRAM.

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Kelly Slater​ has spent the bulk of the past 30 years at the forefront of the surfing scene, all while sporting Quiksilver brand clothing.

But In 2014, Slater left his sponsorship to launch his own brand, Outerknown, which is rooted in sustainability and transparency. He partnered with designer John Moore to make this idea a reality.

"We're surfers who grew up with surf brands, but we grew out of logos," Moore tells Business Insider. "And we want to wear clothing that's made better and looks better." 

Tam Junction powerhouse Proof Lab has invited Moore to appear at the shop on Thursday, Dec. 5, 5-8pm in its new Beer Garden, which shares space with the new Hook Fish Co. sustainable fish restaurant. Moore will sit for a Q&A at 7pm about Outerknown's commitment to sustainability.

Proof Lab will have extra stock of its favorite fall Outerknown goods on hand. Every Outerknown clothing purchase at the event comes with:

• Free Beanie (while supplies last)
• Free custom Chainstitch Embroidery. Get a flannel or jacket initialized for a great gift. 

There will also be live music from Magic West Music School founder Alexi Glickman, and a full menu up and running as always from Hook Fish Co. 

The 411: Proof Lab has invited John Moore, co-founder of sustainable clothing brand Outerknown, to appear at the shop on Thursday, Dec. 5, 5-8pm in its new Beer Garden. MORE INFO.

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A bit more than a year ago, Mill Valley resident Paula Purcell dove headlong into opening the Paula James clothing, art and accessories retail shop at 365 Miller Avenue, the space formerly occupied by Anne Taylor’s Sienna Rose store.

In doing so, Purcell made a leap of faith that she could balance her career as an asset manager for TDA Investment in San Mateo with a more creative but equally demanding role of owning her own retail shop. 

“I have a fun, quirky side to me," says Purcell, who lives in Blithedale Canyon. "People think I’m sophisticated but I also have a part of me that’s out there. It's been fun showing off that side of me with this shop.”

Purcell will be doing just that with a trio of holiday events this month designed to showcase some of the artisans and creators she's worked with over the past year. Those events are:

​Saturday, December 7: Local artist Amy Schmidt makes "endearing pouches and pillows with all your favorite dog and kitty faces," Purcell says, and Paula James will be showcasing those pouches and pillows at the same time next-door neighbor Hopalong Animal Rescue holds its own pet adoption event. “I enjoy using a variety of color and textures in my work, mostly up-cycled designer fabric samples," Schmidt says. "As I have moved into my animal lines, I especially love the challenge of trying to capture a bit of each animal’s personality with the bits of fabric.”    We will have a few examples of Amy’s pieces in the shop prior to the event for a sneak preview.  

Monday, December 9 (12-5:30pm): The ever-popular Very Fairy Manda will be at Paula James to festoon your hair with holiday sparkles. Call the shop soon (415-384-8903) during business hours to book this relaxing treatment, as appointments are going fast.

Saturday, December 14 (12-4pm): Adorn and Mayumix Trunk Show. Becky Houha, local purveyor of antique, vintage and estate jewelry will be at the shop with cases of gorgeous and unique jewelry that are destined to become your favorite family heirlooms. Also, Mayumi from Mayumix Botanical Designs will join Becky with her hand-dyed scarves. Each are one-of-a-kind designs using fresh leaves and flowers printed on the fabric using minerals and tanins to transfer the natural colors and shapes onto fibers. 

The 411: Paula James shop hosts holiday events on Dec. 7, Dec. and Dec. 14. MORE INFO.

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