The 38th Mill Valley Film Festival wrapped up Sunday night with multiple screenings of of Suffragette, the story of the women who were foot soldiers in the fight for the right to vote in the early 20th century, ordinary women who risked their jobs, homes, children and even their lives. MVFF38 also concluded with a raucous closing night party featuring music from the Monophonics and the Crackerjack DJs at Terrapin Crossroads, the spacious live music venue and restaurants perched on the canal waterfront in San Rafael.

The evening capped 11 days of sold-out screenings that drew more than 68,000 filmgoers, far surpassing 2014's then-record attendance of 61,000. The festival included myriad acclaimed filmmakers and special guests, including MVFF Audience Award winners and likely Academy Award contenders Spotlight and Room, as well as tributes to actors Sir Ian McKellen, Carey Mulligan, Sarah Silverman and Brie Larson and appearances from directors Tom Hooper, Tom McCarthy, Catherine Hardwicke and Cary Fukunaga with their films the Danish Girl, Spotlight, Miss You Already and Beasts of No Nation, respectively.

Festival organizers said the event drew more than 68,000 attendees to its Marin venues.
 
“This was an amazing eleven days for film lovers, music enthusiasts, and members of the industry,” said Mark Fishkin, Founder/Director of the Mill Valley Film Festival. “We are so proud to be a festival that filmmakers—both local and international—return to year after year to present their films to our sophisticated and influential Bay Area audiences, who love to see and nurture these new works. With the beautiful backdrop of Marin County and a relaxed, non-competitive atmosphere, the Festival gives filmmakers and audiences alike the opportunity to share their work and experiences in a collaborative and convivial setting. It’s gratifying to hear others say ‘It’s a festival second to none’”.

“The response to our women’s initiative, Mind the Gap, has been incredible—with engagement across the Festival," added Director of Programming MVFF Zoë Elton. "MVFF has had a long-term commitment to women in film, but in this year’s program we’ve upped the ante in the conversation about women, work, and film. Our goal was to step up and model what a film festival can do: We celebrated women creators from around the world in films; we produced panels, tributes, an exhibit on Ingrid Bergman, and an installation on female role models. These events and programs galvanized audiences and filmmakers alike to engage in an issue whose time is now. Mill Valley has been a-buzz!”
 
MVFF38 also featured a pair of classic films: a free screening of the The Wizard of Oz in Old Mill Park in Mill Valley, and a sold-out screening of Return of the Jedi_, preceded by a costume contest and two sneak-peek trailers of The Force Awakens, which hits theaters in December.

October is looking to be a banner month for the Mill Valley Chamber Music Society.

On October 18 at the Mill Valley Community Center, the non-profit, all-volunteer organization founded in 1973 to present exceptional classical musicians in Mill Valley at affordable ticket prices is set to be honored with the Vera Schultz Award at the annual Milley Awards ceremony. In addition to its concert series, the organization introduces classical music to children through outreach programs presented in Marin County schools.

One week earlier, the Chamber Music Society kicks off its 42nd season with the internationally acclaimed Cypress Quartet, a group that has recorded more than 15 albums and had its music featured in the original Netflix series House of Cards. The group has been praised for its “artistry of uncommon insight and cohesion,” (Gramophone) and “tender, deeply expressive” interpretations (The New York Times). The Oct. 11 "Cypress Quartet & Friends" program includes Brahms: Sextet No. 1 in Bb, Op. 18; Glazunov: Noveletten; and Schoenberg: “Verklaerte Nacht.”
 
The Chamber Music Society's 2015-16 concert series also features:

Mill Valley Chamber Music Society 2015–16 Season:  
Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015
Cypress Quartet & Friends
Featuring Cecily Ward and Tom Stone, violin; Ethan Filner, viola; Jennifer Kloetzel, cello with James Dunham, viola and Jean-Michel Fonteneau, cello. 
Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015
Jasper String Quartet 
Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016
Telegraph Quartet
Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016
Nicolas Altsaedt, violoncello and Alexander Lonquich, piano
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Morgenstern Trio
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Marin Music Chest Young Artists' Concert

The 411: Mill Valley Chamber Music Society concerts are at 5 p.m. Sundays at the Mt. Tamalpais United Methodist Church at 410 Sycamore Avenue. Single tickets are $18 for youth and full-time students and $35 general. Season subscriptions options include $120 per person for all five concerts or a mini-subscription for $90 for three concerts. All subscribers receive a complimentary ticket to the annual Marin Music Chest Young Artists Concert in May 2016. More info and buy tickets. 

From being named one of America's 20 best small towns by Smithsonian Magazine to more recent love from Conde Nast Traveler, Mill Valley has been on the receiving end of plenty of compliments over the years. But the latest attention to come our way – the Super Bowl 50 Host Committee's "50 Perfect Hours in Mill Valley" – might just make us blush.

Here's the lowdown: The 50th edition of the Super Bowl, the National Football League's championship game and the biggest sporting event in America, is set for February 7, 2016 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. The Super Bowl 50 Host Committee, which is raising the money to put on the Super Bowl and managing all of its planning and production, is celebrating some of the top destination towns and cities in the Bay Area, hoping to get attendees of the big game to spend extra time here before and after.

The committee tasked San Francisco writer Katie Morell with creating digests for a series called "50 Perfect Hours." To date, she's highlighted places like Palo Alto, Pebble Beach, Napa Valley and Walnut Creek. In her story, which has since been picked up 7x7 Magazine, Morell describes Mill Valley as "an idyllic town of 14,000 residents with tons of green spaces and leafy downtown streets filled with one-of-a-kind shops, art galleries and restaurants perfect for strolling at any time of day.... Mill Valley is a magnet for tourists from around the world, many of whom want to move immediately following a visit."

Morell's "perfect way to spend a 50-hour getaway in Mill Valley" begins at the Mill Valley Inn downtown, waking to its delicious complimentary breakfast before heading to the Depot Bookstore & Café before browsing shops like OSKA and and Summer House.

A bike ride around the lower slopes of Mount Tam follows, before a respite and dinner at El Paseo – A Marin Chophouse and some live music at Sweetwater Music Hall. The following day begins with grabbing a picnic lunch at Mill Valley Market and heading off to Muir Woods National Monument and Mount Tam State Park. Morell recommends moving over to the Mountain Home Inn – "a secluded hideaway perched within Mt. Tam" – for the next night. End your Perfect 50 Hours in Mill Valley by rising early to see the sunrise from the balcony before dashing off.

What do you think of "50 Perfect Hours in Mill Valley"? What would you have added? Tell us in the Comments below!

The Mill Valley Public Library’s Centennial Celebration in 2011 had a pair of notable outcomes: recognition for one of Mill Valley’s hallmark institutions and its ability to evolve in the digital age, and a shot of fundraising adrenaline for the once-disparate organizations dedicated to supporting that institution.

At the Mill Valley Library Foundation’s Beyond the Book Bash Saturday night at the Throckmorton Theatre, the celebration continued with a group of star-studded group of talent from literary, comedic and musical arts. And library supporters’ ability to raise money showed no signs of slowing down.

Foundation officials reported Tuesday that the event raised another $124,000 to support Library programs and services, and that the foundation has raised more than $1 million for an endowment and financial support of programs such as First Fridays and After Hours events; children and teen programming and digital entertainment. 

"Programs like these make the library more relevant than ever," City Librarian Anji Brenner said.

“We want to blow your mind about what a library can be in a community,” MVLF board chair Andy Mercy told the crowd of more than 200 people. “Tonight is a celebration of your thirst for knowledge and the library’s ability to quench that thirst.”

That thirst was quenched Saturday night from every angle, with local comedian Mark Pitta keeping the night moving swiftly with joke-laden segues, including light jabs at City Hall: “I almost didn’t make it here tonight on Miller Avenue; man, someday they might give us drivers our own lane!” and book sales in the digital age: “The title of my new book is ‘Add to Cart.’”

The night’s entertainment included:

• Tam High student Emma Weinswig reading her poem “26 Seconds,” which juxtaposed the rate of high school dropouts in the U.S. and the struggles of children in places like Afghanistan, where the Taliban “scare dreamers into silence.”
• A reading by local author Holly Payne from her new book Damascena: The Tale of Roses and Rumi that took the audience to Turkey in 1270. Payne brought the unparalleled poet Mevlana Rumi to life, unraveling the mystery surrounding a legendary orphaned girl who discovers her gift of turning roses into oil.
• Tam Valley actor, author and ubiquitous documentary narrator (including Ken Burns’ The Roosevelts) Peter Coyote gave a wildly entertaining reading about a youthful jaunt through Mexico from his latest book, The Rainman’s Third Cure, a spiritual memoir that will be published by Counterpoint Press in spring 2015. 
• In a hilarious chat with Pitta, legendary comedian and political humor pioneer Mort Sahl spoke about Last Man Standing: The Life and Passion of Mort Sahl, author James Curtis’ impending biopgraphy, with Sahl drawing raucous laughter with lines like: “There are many wives to chase down and they’ll tell him, ‘Every minute with him was pure hell,’” and “It wasn’t a very puritanical life, but it was a whole lot of fun.”
• Joined by piano, drums and Beyond the Book Bash producer Tom Corwin on bass, longtime Santana singer Tony Lindsay gave a spirited performance, while New Tork Times best-selling author Tom Barbash delivered a reading from "The Break," a story about a newly single mother who in interferes in her son's love life over his Christmas vacation from college – part of Stay Up With Me, his 2013 collection of stories that explore the myriad ways we try to connect with one another and with the sometimes cruel world around us. 

But while the readings, the music and the performances were stellar, it was the tributes to the library itself that stood out.

• "Hi I’m Mark and I have a Library Card," Pitta quipped at the evening's outset.
  
• "The Mill Valley Library is showing the way in how to stay relevant in the digital age," Corwin said.
  
• "Our library is a ridiculopusly beautiful place," Barbash said.
  
• "I’m so excited to see all these people out here for this secret leftist institution, the library, paid for by your tax dollars – how discreet," Coyote joked.

"For thousands of years the library has been a vital repository for knowledge and books, a place to explore and touch the physical world," Mercy said. "In Mill Valley, we are blessed also by a place of beauty that nurtures contemplation and collaboration. Tonight's event celebrates that legacy and the innovation that keeps it relevant in today's changing world."

Click here for more information of the 31-year-old Mill Valley Library Foundation.

The Mill Valley Library Foundation has made supporting the Library an increasingly entertaining exercise.

The foundation's annual Beyond the Book Bash, set for Saturday, Sept. 20 at the Throckmorton Theatre, features an entertainment program from some of the most well known and multi-talented people in Marin, with comedian Mark Pitta serving as emcee. They include:

• Mill Valley’s own actor, director and screenwriter Peter Coyote
• Internationally published Discover Great New Writers author Holly Payne
• New York Times bestselling writer Tom Barbash
  
• Legendary comedian Mort Sahl
  
• Grammy-winning musician and Santana frontman Tony Lindsay

"The event, for all involved, isn't just about the library," Foundation board member Lynn Brinton said. "It's about our community and how we seek to connect and support the arts. This event raises money so that we can continue to support the arts at the library, as a place to meet and share not only literary arts but music, theatre, and much more."

The Beyond the Book Bash has consistently provided a unique opportunity to see Marin's most talented artists on one stage, often performing new works for this event exclusively. Participants over the years have included Annie Lamott, Joyce Maynard, Maria Muldaur, Tim Hockenberry, The Kitchen Sisters, Jason Roberts, Liss Fain Dance, teen slam poet Billy Butler, Mac Barnett, Chinaka Hodge, Glen David Gold and James Nash.

Proceeds from the event help ensure that the Mill Valley Library "continues to offer the highest-quality programs, technology, and services and remains one of the most celebrated community treasures in Marin," according to the Foundation. 

Foundation officials said they expect to gross more than $100,000 from this year's event. The Foundation has raised more than $250,000 for the Library over the past four years.

The event kicks off at 7pm with a cocktail buffet featuring local food purveyors and specialty beverage makers, and the show begins at 8pm. 

The 411: Tickets are $150 per person. Go here for more info and to buy tickets.

Hilary Swank, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Jason Reitman, Elle Fanning and Eddie Redmayne are among the stars set to appear, with each of the four members of legendary Bay Area rock band Metallica serving as Artists in Residence.

The California Film Institute unveiled its 37th Mill Valley Film Festival on Tuesday, a lineup loaded with Academy Award winning actors, likely 2015 Oscar contenders, Hollywood luminaries, emerging stars and a slate that is chock-full of far-reaching range of international flair and documentaries, including a robust menu of music docs.

The 11-day event, set for Oct. 2-12, will once again take over venues in downtown Mill Valley and across Marin. The festival has attracted appearances from a number of big name stars, with Hilary Swank, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Jason Reitman, Elle Fanning, Eddie Redmayne all set to appear. In addition, each of the four members of legendary Bay Area rock band Metallica are serving as Artists in Residence, individually selecting a film to screen at MVFF37 and appearing at that event. Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong will appear at the US Premiere of Like Sunday, Like Rain, in which he makes his acting debut alongside Leighton Meester and Debra Messing. Meester will be in attendance with Armstrong and director Frank Whaley.

The festival has become one of the key predictors of Oscar success, as five out of the last six Academy Award winners for Best Picture (Slumdog Millionaire, The King’s Speech, The Artist, Argo and 12 Years A Slave) were screened at MVFF with filmmakers and cast members in attendance.

Opening Night – Oct. 2

The Homesman – Two-time Academy Award-winning actress Hilary Swank stars as the pious, independent-minded Mary Bee Cuddy, tasked with saving three women living on the edge of the American frontier and transporting them by covered wagon to Iowa. Cuddy employs a feisty low-life drifter, George Biggs (director Tommy Lee Jones), to join her. The film screens at CineArts at Sequoia Theatre in downtown Mill Valley, and will be followed by an Opening Night Gala at the Corte Madera Town Center, with Swank expected to appear at both events. Thursday, October 2 at 6:45PM & 7PM at the CinéArts@Sequoia. Click here for more info.

Men, Women & Children – Director Jason Reitman (Juno, Up In The Air) will premiere his latest film, the story of a group of teenagers and their parents as they attempt to navigate the many ways the internet has changed their relationships, their communication, their self-images and their love lives. Reitman and Ansel Elgort, best known for his starring role in hit film The Fault in Our Stars, will be in attendance for a Q&A following the screening. Thursday, October 2 at 7PM at Century Cinema Corte Madera. Click here for more info.

Opening Night Gala – After those screenings, the party moves to the Corte Madera Town Center, with food from Balboa Café, Big Jim’s BBQ, Caribbean Spices, Equator Coffees, Il Fornaio, Johnny Doughnuts, Judy’s Breadsticks, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Pig in a Pickle and Pizza Antica. Lagunitas Brewing Company and local wineries are providing libations, with live music from The Brothers Comatose, hot off their performance at Outside Lands and US tour, and tunes spun by The Crackerjack DJs. Thursday, October 2 from 9PM – Midnight at Town Center Corte Madera. Click here for more info. 
 
Spotlight on Elle Fanning: Low Down – Elle Fanning launched her career at the age of three, and now, at the age of 16, has built an accomplished body of work and is the subject of a Spotlight event. The evening will feature a screening of her latest film, Low Down, and will be followed by a live on-stage conversation. Elle Fanning stars in the film as Amy-Jo, the teenage daughter to the gifted but troubled jazz-pianist Joe Albany (John Hawkes). Saturday, October 4 at 7PM at Smith Rafael Film Center. Click here for more info. 

Soul of a Banquet special screening with Wayne Wang and Cecilia Chiang – The Mill Valley Film Festival is proud to honor the contributions of renowned local filmmaker Wayne Wang and the subject of his new film, legendary culinary artist Cecilia Chiang, with a special screening of Soul Of A Banquet. The film, a moving tribute to Cecilia Chiang, the celebrity chef who changed the face of Chinese food and culture in the Bay Area, will be followed by an on-stage conversation with Wayne Wang and Cecilia Chiang. Sunday, October 5 at 5PM at Smith Rafael Film Center. Click here for more info. 

Centerpiece Film: Black and White – Kevin Costner and Octavia Spencer star in Mike Binder’s latest film, which follows an attorney (Costner) who becomes entangled in a custody battle with his bi-racial granddaughters paternal grandmother (Spencer) following the death of his wife and daughter. Mike Binder will be in attendance for the screening. Wednesday, October 8 at 7:30PM at Smith Rafael Film Center. Click here for more info.

Spotlight on Eddie Redmayne: The Theory of Everything – Having already won an Olivier and Tony Award for his work on John Logan’s acclaimed Red, and garnered recognition for his roles in Les Miserables, and My Week With Marilyn, actor Eddie Redmayne has established himself as one of the most promising actors of his generation. The Spotlight program on Redmayne features a screening of his latest film, The Theory Of Everything in which he plays a young Stephen Hawking. A discussion with Redmayne follows the screening. Thursday, October 9 at 7PM at Smith Rafael Film Center. Click here for more info.

Tribute to Chuck Workman: Magician – In addition to creating short films and openings for 20 Academy Award presentations, Chuck Workman has directed the Oscar-winning short Precious Images, produced several documentaries, and edited main titles and sequences for countless film and television series. With his latest film Magician, Workman pays homage to Orson Welles, and MVFF37 is recognizing his work with a special Tribute. Workman will be in-person for the screening and a post-screening conversation. Friday, October 10 at 7PM at Smith Rafael Film Center. Click here for more info.

Closing Night – Oct. 12 

Wild with a Tribute To Laura Dern – Academy Award-nominated actress Laura Dern will be presented with a special Tribute. Born into the movie business as the daughter of actors Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd, Laura Dern has starred in numerous acclaimed films including Wild At Heart, Rambling Rose, Inland Empire and Blue Velvet. This event will feature an onstage conversation with Dern and a clip reel highlighting her past work including previews of her latest film Wild, in which Reese Witherspoon stars in Jean-Marc Vallée’s (DALLAS BUYERS CLUB) adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s best selling memoir, a striking account of the 1,100-mile Pacific Crest Trail trek she undertook to grieve the death of her mother (Dern) and give closure to her troubled past. Sunday, October 12 at 5PM at CinéArts@Sequoia and Smith Rafael Film Center. Click here for more info.

Closing Night Gala – The festival will wrap following the screenings at the Elks Lodge where film goers will enjoy live music performed by Danny Click and the Hell Yeas and tunes spun by DJ Richard Habib. Food from Sol Food, Teresa & Johnny’s Comfort Food, Big Jim’s BBQ, and West End Café among others. Sunday, October 12 at 7:30PM at Maple Lawn Estate at the Elks Lodge. Click here for more info.

Metallica: MVFF Artists in Residence – Metallica, locals and longtime friends of the festival, are serving as Artists in Residence for MVFF37. Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, and Robert Trujillo have each selected a film to host at the festival and will be present to introduce and discuss their chosen films.

• Kirk Hammett, a noted horror movie aficionado presents an unadulterated, schlock-filled, Z-movie euphoria, late night screening of the 1971 favorite Dracula Vs. Frankenstein.Friday, October 3 at 10PM at Smith Rafael Film Center.
• Robert Trujillo brings MVFF audiences a sneak peek at Jaco, the new documentary that brings the story of legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius to the screen; produced by Trujillo with John Battsek of Passion Pictures.  Monday, October 6 at 6PM at CinéArts@Sequoia.
• Lars Ulrich makes a cutting-edge selection with Whiplash. This indie feature about an aspiring drummer and his ruthless teacher won multiple awards at Sundance this year. Following the screening, director-screenwriter Damien Chazelle will join Lars on stage for a conversation. Tuesday, October 7 at 7PMat Century Cinema Corte Madera.
• James Hetfield’s classic pick The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is in all its restored, big-screen glory. Wednesday, October 8 at 7PM at Century Cinema Corte Madera.

Children’s Film Fest
Music dominates this year’s family films. Whether it’s the hip-shaking beat of Brazil or the lilting of 1940s swing, most of our programs will have you dancing your way out of the theater after the credits roll. The Boy And The World starts with simple washes of color and samba and ends with neon cityscapes, hip-hop, and scarcely a word spoken. In France’s 3D animation Minuscule: Valley Of The Lost Ants, there are no frantic melodies but instead a lovely, upbeat score that complements the action as our ant friends move sugar cubes across perilous landscapes. 

Movies in the Park
In partnership with the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce and the City of Mill Valley's Recreation Department, MVFF37 is presenting a free screening of the 1941 animation by the Fleischer Brothers, Hoppity Goes To Town, a takeoff on Jimmy Stewart films that will have everyone swinging to jazz and crooning love songs. Click here for more info.
 
Live Events 
A Musical Celebration of Jaco honors the pioneering jazz musician Jaco Pastorius and feature a work-in-progress screening of Jaco, a documentary from Stephen Kijak, which captures the story of Jaco Pastorius. The evening will be hosted by Robert Trujillo and will feature MAERIC with Mary Pastorius, David Pastorius and Eric Young, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo of Metallica, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Stephen Perkins of Jane’s Addiction, L. Shankar and other special guests. The event is a benefit for the California Film Institute. Monday, October 6 at 9PM at Sweetwater Music Hall. Click here for more info.
 
Professional comedians and award-winning filmmakers weave together film and live stand-up comedy for a unique storytelling experience in 3 Still Standing – On Stage!. The evening will be part film, and part stand up with the world premiere of 3 Still Standing, a documentary about local comedians Will Durst, Larry “Bubbles” Brown, and Johnny Steele. Following the film, the 3 comedians will take the stage for a live stand-up act. Saturday, October 4 at 8PM at 142 Throckmorton Theatre. Click here for more info.
 
With Robin Williams: A Celebration, MVFF37 hosts an informal celebration of the life of one of the most beloved and brilliant members of the Bay Area film community. The event will feature footage from his appearances at the Mill Valley Film Festival, including a spontaneous routine with his mentor Jonathan Winters, as well as his 1988 MVFF trailer, in which, playing campy film critic Lex Leed, he interviewed himself as five different filmmakers. More details and guests TBA. This is a free event, but will be ticketed. Sunday, October 5 at 1PM at 142 Throckmorton Theatre. Click here for more info. 

Other Major Film Screenings

In addition to the bevy of special events, MVFF37 features screenings of a number of major films, including:

• Director Bennett Miller won the Best Director Award at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival for his latest film Foxcatcher, a dark drama starring Steve Carrel, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo.
  
• Director Morten Tyldum directs Benedict Cumberbatch as the British mathematician Alan Turning in The Imitation Game.
  
• The German drama Beloved Sisters about two aristocratic sisters who find themselves in a love triangle with poet Fredrich Schiller.
  
• Olivier Assayas’ Cannes Film Festival selection Clouds Of Sils Maria starring Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart and Chloë Grace Moretz.
  
• The Israeli drama Gett: The Trial Of Viviane Amsalem which will make its US Premiere at the festival.
  
• David Dobkin’s drama The Judge starring Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall.
  
• Lynn Shelton’s latest film Laggies starring Keira Knightley, Sam Rockwell and Chloë Grace Moretz.
  
• Green Day front man Billie Joe Armstrong will be in attendance for the US Premiere of Like Sunday, Like Rain in which he makes his acting debut alongside Leighton Meester and Debra Messing. Meester will be in attendance with Armstrong and director Frank Whaley.
  
• Xavier Dolan’s Cannes Jury Prize Winning film MOMMY
  
• Timothy Spall won Best Actor honors at the Cannes Film Festival for his role in Mr. Turner; the Dardenne Brothers’ (Jean-Pierre and Luc) latest film Two Days, One Night starring Marion Cotillard.
  
• A special screening of Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back with Skywalker Sound veterans Matthew Wood and David Acord on hand to discuss the sounds of the Star Wars universe.

Click here for more info on the 37th Mill Valley Film Festival.

Only the passing of one of its biggest supporters could halt the institution that is Mark Pitta & Friends Tuesday Night Comedy – and just for one week.

Eight days after the tragic passing of local legend Robin Williams, Tuesday Night Comedy returned to the Throckmorton Theatre this week. Although the night was not a tribute or memorial for Williams – the Throckmorton plans to host one next month – Williams, in all his comic brilliance, was the inescapable presence in the room, according to Julian Kaelon, the Throckmorton’s marketing director.

“There was a very fine line last night with how we wanted to do it,” Kaelon says. “We’ve never missed a day before with this event (since it started in November 2004), so we wanted to bring laughter back to people. It was about, ‘Let’s get started again – that’s what Robin would have wanted.'”

The event, which sold out nearly a week ago, began with host Pitta being joined onstage by eight comics: Dan St. Paul, Larry “Bubbles” Brown, Steven Pearl, Marc Hershon, Del Van Dyke, Johnny Steele, Lisa Gedulig and Michael Meehan.

Each comic knew Williams to varying degrees, and each took about five minutes to share a story or two of a humorous interaction with him over the years, Kaelon said.

“It was a very nice mix of salutes to Robin and reminiscing about how great he was and also bringing laughs to the room,” Kaelon says. “They kept it light – by telling true stories about the hilarious flavor Robin brought to their interactions.”

Local musician Eoin Harrington then performed a cover of “Over the Rainbow” prior to intermission, which was followed by a return to the standard Tuesday Comedy Night format of two comedians doing regular sets – this time Brad Williams and Jimmie “JJ” Walker of “Good Times” fame. Both of them had been booked before Williams passed away.

“They were fantastic – they had crowd laughing in the aisles,” Kaelon says.

“Overall, there was a heavy cloud hanging over the evening but it seemed like everyone was there to have a good time and laugh – that’s what we wanted it to be a heartfelt return to Tuesday Night Comedy.”

A nearly 30-year-old Mill Valley tradition kicks off this Sunday with the first of Arts Commission’s Concerts in the Plaza over the next four weekends.

The event – free and open to the public on the Depot Plaza – features two bands each on the first three Sunday afternoons, with Beso Negro headlining the entire two-hour final show on Sunday, Aug. 24.

Concerts on the Plaza begins at 1 pm Sunday with the T Sisters, a trio of Bay Area sisters whose “subtle throwback aesthetic calls to mind classic trios past, from the Andrews Sisters and 1960′s girl groups to the sirens from the film O Brother, Where Art Thou? Steep Ravine, a folk-bluegrass band that draws its lyrical inspiration from Mount Tamalpais, follows the T Sisters at 2 pm.

Those who loved the soundtrack to the 2007 film Into the Wild should check out the August 10 performance of Jerry Hannan, who wrote one of the songs performed by Eddie Vedder in the film. Hannan, “a storyteller, known for his thought provoking and poignant lyrics and exuberant performances,” hits the stage at 1 pm, with flautist Matt Eakle, best known for his extensive work over the years with the likes of David Grisman and Jerry Garcia.

On August 17, rock n roll fans will get a chance to take a trip in the Wayback Machine and get a look at one of the Bay Area’s emerging, buzzworthy bands, all in the span of two hours. Beatles Flashback, a tribute to the Fab Four, kicks the day off at 1 pm, with local prodigies Matt Jaffe & the Distractions following at 2 pm. Frontman and guitarist Jaffe is joined by Terra Linda resident Alex Coltharp on drums and Novato musician Sammie Fischer on bass. The group plays a sharp brand of smart indie rock, drawing on a range of influences from the Talking Heads and Ted Leo & The Pharmacists to the Decemberists and Django Reinhardt.

Speaking of Reinhardt, Beso Negro, the final group of the Concerts in the Plaza series, has built its reputation by drawing its influence from the famed gypsy jazz guitarist and injecting it with a modern sensibility, transforming the genre “into a vibrant new beats” that is “darker, faster, more danceable, more blues, more Gypsy.” Beso Negro has been burning up stages throughout the Bay Area in recent years and its August 24 performance should serve as a fitting capper to this stretch of fantastic and free live shows  in the Depot Plaza. 

The 411: Concerts in the Plaza begins Sunday, August 3, from 1 pm – 3 pm and runs at the same times through August 24. Bring lawn chairs and your dancing shoes. Click here for more details.

City of Mill Valley's annual Creative Achievement Awards will also highlight the O'Hanlon Center for the Arts, event gurus Murphy Productions, architect and former Mayor Chris Raker and longtime arts supporter Gage Schubert.

From the Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival and the Mill Valley Film Festival to hundreds of events every year in seemingly all artistic media, Mill Valley’s calendar is always chock full of reminders of the vitality of the local arts and entertainment scene.

Perhaps no single event defines that vitality – and the history that continues to inspire it – more than the Milley Awards, the City of Mill Valley’s annual chance to honor creative achievement and distinguished accomplishments in the arts. The 2014 Milley Awards, produced by a volunteer board of directors under the auspices of the Mill Valley Arts Commission, is set for Oct. 19 at the Mill Valley Community Center.

It promises to be another star-studded affair.

The 2014 honorees include legendary comedian Mort Sahl, famed author Joyce Maynard, prolific music producer Scott Mathews, architect and former Mayor Chris Raker and Murphy Productions, the event production and promotion company that has been an engine for the local arts scene for more then a decade. The O’Hanlon Center for the Arts is receiving the Vera Schultz Award for its “lasting contributions to the cultural life of our community.”

In addition, Gage Schubert, longtime local supporter of the arts and the husband of the late, great puppeteer Lettie Schubert, is set to receive the Sali Lieberman Award, a lifetime achievement award for “individuals who embody Marin Theatre Company founder Sali Lieberman's inspiration, courage and determination and who, like him, have contributed significantly to the cultural life of Mill Valley.”

Rita Abrams, best known for recording the song “Mill Valley” with her third grade class at Strawberry Point Elementary School in 1970, along with Milley Awards co-founder Abby Wasserman, will serve as emcees for the event. Abrams garnered a Milley in 1996 while Wasserman won the Sali Lieberman Award in 2009.

The Milley Award itself is a bronze statuette created by John Libberton of Sausalito. Here are brief bios of the 2014 Milley Award recipients:

Scott Mathews - Achievement in the Musical Arts

The list of artists who Mathews has produced at his Tiki Town studio in Mill Valley or elsewhere is staggering: Elvis Costello, Roy Orbison, Roseann Cash, Jerry Garcia, Huey Lewis, John Hiatt, Nick Lowe, Dick Dale and Milley Award winner Sammy Hagar. Mathews has also written songs and/or recorded with Barbra Streisand, John Lee Hooker, Keith Richards, George Harrison, Mick Jagger, The Beach Boys, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, David Bowie, Steve Perry, Johnny Cash, Todd Rungren, Robert Cray, Ry Cooder, The Tubes, Jefferson Starship and Raphael Saadiq. Mathews has tallied sales of more than 35 million records sold as a producer, composer, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist.

Chris Raker - Achievement in the Visual Arts

From the Outdoor Art Club to the Marin Theatre Company, Raker has put his architectural imprint all over the local arts scene for more than 25 years. The former two-term Mill Valley Mayor’s retrofit design “deserves significant recognition as it is under-the-radar kind of preservation work that has fully impacted the community, though not necessarily seen through the naked eye,” according to the Milley Awards committee.

That preservation work is on vivid display in his Raker’s latest project, the restoration of the Mill Valley Lumber Yard in conjunction with Matt and Jan Mathews.

Joyce Maynard - Achievement in the Literary Arts

A household in American literary circles and beyond, Maynard first came to national attention with the publication of her New York Times Magazine cover story “An Eighteen-Year-Old Looks Back on Life” in the April 23, 1972 issue, when she was 19 and a freshman at Yale. In her 1998 memoir, At Home in the World, Maynard revealed the story of the relationship she had with author J. D. Salinger when he was 53 and she was 18. The memoir has since been translated into 15 languages.

Maynard has written nine novels and four non-fiction books, plus a bevy of columns, articles and essays, including a stint as a reporter and columnist for the The New York Times and as a syndicated newspaper columnist whose “Domestic Affairs” column appeared in 65 papers nationwide. 

In 2013, the Times ran Maynard’s paean to the Sleeping Lady in an essay titled, “Echoes of the Savage and Sublime on Mount Tamalpais.” After she moved to Mill Valley in 1996, Maynard frequently led day-long intensive writing workshops at Book Passage. Her novel To Die For was made into a 1995 film directed by Gus Van Sant and starring Nicole Kidman and Joaquin Phoenix, while her novel Labor Day was made into a 2013 film directed by Jason Reitman and starring Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet. Her most recent novel, After Her, is set in Mill Valley. She now lives in the East Bay.

Mort Sahl - Achievement in the Performing Arts

For the past four years, one of the most important comedians of all time has called Mill Valley home. Sahl, widely considered the father of political comedy, was the first comic to appear on the cover of Time magazine. He was the first non-musician to receive a Grammy award and, in fact, he hosted the first-ever Grammy Awards in 1959). He’s poked fun at every president from Eisenhower to Obama, and managed to maintain friendships with quite a few of them, too.

Sahl - a self-described political radical - began as a speechwriter for President Kennedy and later for President Johnson. He began performing at the hungry I music club in San Francisco’s North Beach in the early 1950s, before comedy clubs even existed. Sahl’s 1955 performance with Dave Brubeck, which was recorded and released, without Sahl's permission, and was sold as Mort Sahl At Sunset, was recently recognized by the Library of Congress as the first stand-up comedy record album.  
At the age of 87, Sahl continues to perform regularly, taking the stage at the Throckmorton Theatre every Thursday night during the theater’s year-long 19-year anniversary celebration.

Murphy Productions - Contributions to the Arts Community

Known for their successes at developing unknown venues, Erma Murphy and Daniel Patrick have created a unique and original style of producing musical events that are inclusive of a larger community.
Erma Murphy began as a local impresario in 2000, hosting a monthly musical party called First Friday at her home in Mill Valley. The evenings provided an opportunity for local and aspiring musicians to play together in an ensemble arrangement while sharing potluck, talking and dancing. Daniel Patrick met Erma at First Friday in 2001 and bonded over their love of music and community. Together, they became Murphy Productions in 2002. Over the years, they’ve produced shows all over, including the Larkspur Cafe Theatre, the Falkirk, the Belrose, he Stage Door Dance Studio, the Masonic Hall in downtown Mill Valley and the old Palm Ballroom in San Rafael. 
The company also serves as a publicity firm for the likes of Marin Open Studios, Marin Art Festival, The Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival and The Larkspur Flower and Food Festival.

Sali Leiberman Award – Gage Schubert

The Sali Lieberman Award was created by the Milley Awards Board of Directors to honor lifetime achievements of those individuals who embody Marin Theatre Company founder Sali Lieberman's inspiration, courage and determination and who, like him, have contributed significantly to the cultural life of Mill Valley.

Gage Schubert is receiving this award for his numerous contributions to the community. The list of recipients of Gage's largesse is long: Kiddo, Slide Ranch, Marin Theatre Company, Tamalpais Conservation Club, Mountain Play Association, West Point Inn, The Dipsea Race, Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival, the City of Mill Valley plus numerous other projects as well as the Milley Awards.

Schubert always sought to remain in the background, referring to himself as a "table and chair" man.  He no longer moves the tables, but is still actively involved with the Mountain Play Association. Gage and his late wife Lettie, a puppeteer and early Milley Awardee, started their community volunteering with the Alto School summer fairs and also worked to found the Scott Valley Swim and Tennis Club.  After that the community involvement never stopped.

Vera Schultz Award – O’Hanlon Center for the Arts

In 2002 the Vera Schultz Award was created to honor the achievements of organizations which embody the late Marin County Supervisor’s activism, leadership, courage and vision, and like Vera Schultz, have made lasting contributions to the cultural life of our community.

The O’Hanlon Center for the Arts, located in a sylvan setting in Mill Valley’s Cascade Canyon, offers workshops, performances, classes, discussions and events for people of all ages who desire to express themselves creatively or who simply love the arts. In an accepting and supportive atmosphere, they feel free to discover new ways of seeing and doing.  Continuing the teaching legacy of founders Ann and Richard O’Hanlon, who started the non-profit organization on their property in 1969, facilitators and teachers emphasize process over product, fellowship, and individual growth.  Professional artists and those who want to explore their creativity for the joy of it find O’Hanlon an egalitarian oasis. It is Mill Valley’s art center—where community and creativity meet.

The 411: Tickets for the Milley Awards are $75. They will go on sale in early September. 

Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food

My daughter loves food and will try anything. Part of having such an adventurous palate stems from knowing where her food comes. Which is why we do everything we can to support our local farms. By visiting the farms and getting to personally know the farmers we have learned how precious our organic farms are.

A spring trip to Windrush Farm and last autumn to Skyline Chestnuts gave us a reality check on how the farms we love struggle to keep their operations going. Because of the lack of rain this year, Skyline had no chestnuts and Windrush Farms has to give up half their flock.

So this summer, I‘m urging you to do what you can to support local organic farms. It’s easy to do and is a valuable lesson for us all. Start with the farmers at the market, look into Community Supported Agriculture (or CSA) boxes, venture out to a Pick Your Own farm, visit a local farm and try growing your own. Here are some simple suggestions to help get you started.

Farmers Markets
Buy food “in season” and make a list of what you plan to purchase. Food “in season” is usually less expensive and tastes better. Let your child pick one thing from that list they love to eat and encourage them to try something new. Set an example by picking something new too. Talk directly to the farmer at the stand with your child, let the farmer show you how to pick the best produce, ask for a taste and ask questions.

Pick out something that might not be on your list such as honey from Marshall’s Farm, olive oil from McEvoy Ranch, raw milk from Strauss, yogurt from Saint Benoît Creamery, butter from McClelland’s Dairy, and, in the case of Windrush Farm, Mimi’s gorgeous yarn!

Enquire about visiting their farm and the best time to go. Last year, I gathered our 4H group to visit the Achadinha Cheese Farm and learned all about making goat cheese. We went when they had baby goats to play with, milked the goats, learned all about making goat cheese and had a very memorable time.

You can also take a guided group tour of the farmers markets and let them introduce you to the farmers. Contact your local farmers market for more information.

Check out the full list of local farmers markets.

CSA
CSA stands for Community SupportedAgriculture. CSA gives us direct access to high quality, fresh produce grown locally by regional farmers. When you become a member of a CSA, you’re purchasing a share from a regional farmer. Here in Marin, we have a wide variety to choose from which include meat, produce, flowers, and home products. Just to name a few: Betty’s Organics, Eatwell Farm, Frog Hollow Farm, Full Belly Farm,Bloomfield Farm, Marin Sun Farms and you can meet many of these farmers at our local farmers markets too. When you open the box, expect to see something that you are not familiar with and get excited about it! Most CSA boxes include excellent recipes too.

U-Pick
The Bay Area has access to so many amazing farms that encourage visitors to pick your own food. Another amazing opportunity to teach kids about healthy seasonal eating. Check out the website PickYourOwn for a list of farms nearby. Dress for getting messy and bring your own bags you and your child can carry. Show your child how to look for the ripe produce. Even a 2 year old knows the red strawberries are the ones to pick.

Grow Your Own
And finally, have your child pick out one plant to care for over the summer. Nothing beats the hands on learning experience of caring for your own plant. You don’t need a garden, you can grow a plant in a pot. Sproutbot is a great website to learn what and when to start planting in your neighborhood. Some guidance and reminders are necessary but they will squealed with delight to pick and eat from their own plant.

Support our local organic farms and have a wonderful summer!

Tuesday, July 1, New Moon

Turbo, Century Rowland Plaza, Novato, 10am, 10 shows for $5 or $1 per show.

Little Sprouts: Jump and Dance, 11-11:45am, 5 and under, Jaime Lee Currier of Your Song My Song rocks classic kids’ songs, funky originals, and unique covers on her ukulele. With felt board puppetry and imagination adventures she leads the kids in a magical, interactive exploration, Mill Valley Library.

Julian Sterling Magician, 3:30pm, all ages, Mystery and magic from Julian Sterling, a local (young!) magician, Sausalito Library.

Lego Club, 3:30-4:30pm, Bring your imagination and we will supply you with everything you need to create with LEGOs, San Anselmo Library.