​UPDATE: Prabh Indian Kitchen is offering 20% off to those mentioning Concerts in the Plaza this Sunday, Aug. 11, and Sweetwater Music Hall & Cafe has stepped up to offer a free ice cream sundae or glass of wine or beer (one per person) for the Concerts in the Plaza on Sunday, Aug. 18. And BŌL, the Mill Valley Lumber Yard shop serving up "made-to-order artfully balanced superfood bowls, nibbles and bevvys," is offering a free "upgrade" with any BŌL or Smoothie for all remaining Concerts in the Plaza. Password: "Plaza Concerts."

Let's face it: Since the Depot Bookstore & Cafe closed on March 31 for its upcoming renovation, the always vibrant Depot Plaza has been quieter than usual, missing the liveliness of the Depot's outdoor patio and overall activity it creates as the central landmark of downtown Mill Valley.

With that in mind, several downtown restaurants are stepping up in August to #ActivateThePlaza, serving up discounts and deals on select items to encourage attendees of the Mill Valley Arts Commission's Concerts in the Plaza series to grab a bite to eat for the performances, which run from 2pm to 5:30pm on Sundays throughout August.

First up are Piazza D'Angelo, which is offering a free dessert with purchase of an entree to people who attend Concerts in the Plaza on Aug, 4 and mention the event. It can apply to dining in or taking out. Urban Remedy two doors down is also offering 10% off any purchase when mentioning Concerts in the Plaza on Aug, 4. The deals can be obtained throughout the concerts (2-5:30pm), as well as immediately before and after.

The Concerts on Aug. 4 feature The Lucky Losers, who perform original music about transcending the dark side of the American dream, and Pacific Standard Time, which draws musical inspiration from the Laurel Canyon and Americana traditions.

More restaurants are on board for subsequent Concerts, including on Aug. 11, when Prabh Indian Kitchen serves up 20 percent off any purchase when mentioning Concerts in the Plaza.

Stay tuned for more details on restaurants offering discounts to #ActivateThePlaza on Sundays in August during the Concerts in the Plaza.

The 411: In an effort to #ActivateThePlaza during the Mill Valley Arts Commission's Concerts in the Plaza series, several local restaurants are offering discounts for attendees who mention Concerts in the Plaza. The deals can be obtained throughout the concerts (2-5:30pm), as well as immediately before and after. MORE CONCERTS IN THE PLAZA INFO.

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The Mill Valley Arts Commission’s annual live music series on Sundays in the Downtown Plaza boasts a diverse lineup of bands in 2019, starting 8/4 with The Lucky Losers, who perform original music about transcending the dark side of the American dream, and Pacific Standard Time, which draws musical inspiration from the Laurel Canyon and Americana traditions.

On Aug. 11, The King Street Giants get things started with some New Orleans jazz, followed by the jazz/R&B sounds of Fourum. Pop-rockers Marble Party open things on Aug. 18, followed by the pop-Americana sound of the Jamie Clark Band. For the final performances on 8/25, Idle Joy, a quartet that came together while working at the Sweetwater, kicks things off for the Tazmanian Devils, a local rock-reggae band that has been performing on Bay Area stages for more than 40 years.

All shows begin with the opener from 2-3:30pm, followed by the headliner at 4pm. MORE INFO.

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Parranga Taqueria & Cerveceria, a "fine casual" Mexican restaurant restaurant from the team behind the popular Colibri in San Francisco, opened one year ago this week in the space adjacent to Pizza Antica in Strawberry Village. To celebrate that one-year anniversary, the Parranga team is throwing a party on Saturday, July 27 (2-5pm) featuring live music face painting for kids and plenty of specials on items throughout their menu.

In opening Parranga, Colibri and Parranga owner Eduardo Rallo and executive chef Jose Miguel Smith Bustos created a menu that includes tacos, ensaladas and tortas "with bold Mexican flavors that combine fresh, slow-cooked rotisserie meats with Northern California ingredients." The menu also boasts "fresh juices, agave wine margaritas and chilled cervezas" and an atmosphere that encourages eating "on communal tables and over board games and ping-pong."

The 411: Parranga Taqueria & Cerveceria in the space adjacent to Pizza Antica in Strawberry Village celebrates its one-year anniversary with a party on Saturday, July 27 (2-5pm) featuring live music, face painting for kids and plenty of specials on items throughout their menu. MORE INFO.

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On the heels of The Redwoods' partnership with with Hospice by the Bay to create a 12-room inpatient hospice center, the organization has hired Christian Mills, a fourth generation Mill Valley resident, as its new director of development. Mills will oversee the capital campaign for the new facility, Marin’s first inpatient hospice center.

He'll also be responsible for major gifts and estate planning, as well as fundraising events that support programs such as transportation services, the rental assistance fund, and revitalization of the residents’ garden. 

“We couldn’t be more pleased to have someone of Christian’s caliber on our senior team,” says The Redwoods' CEO J. Hunter Moore of the hiring. “He not only brings extensive knowledge and experience in fundraising , but he has a deep history in Marin and a life-long association with The Redwoods.”

Mills, who joined The Redwoods in May and most recently served as Associate Director of Major Gifts at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, says that working at The Redwoods “makes me feel like I have finally returned to my roots in Mill Valley. As a fourth generation Mill Valley resident, my family has long known what a special place we have in The Redwoods.”

Mills, who lives in Strawberry, volunteered and performed plays for residents when he was a student at Tamalpais High School; his mother, Debbie Mills, was a long-time member of The Redwood Board of Directors.

“It’s an honor to be part of The Redwoods,” he adds. “The culture and spirit here are truly inspiring. One of my goals is to spread the word about this creative and affordable place – and to make sure that everyone understands that it is a not-for-profit organization that relies on community support.”

For nearly 20 years, the Curtain Theatre has produced free theater in Old Mill Park with an emphasis on Shakespeare.

​Its 2019 edition explores William 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.

He does so by sending nearly identical letters to the women, who are uninterested in the proposition but pretend to reply to his advances for the sake of their own amusement and to gain revenge for his indecent assumptions towards them both.

Directed by Kim Bromley, the play opens in Old Mill Park and runs Aug. 17-Sept. 8 on Saturdays, Sundays & Labor Day. 2pm. Bring a blanket, chair, sweater and picnic. It's free. 

The cast includes Steve Beecroft, Marc Berman, Lisa Bettini, Heather Cherry, Mark Clark, Maureen Coyne, Dan DeGabriele, Paul Gusciora, Hal Hughes, Lily Jackson, Emmet Kalish, Annette Oliveira, Anthony Rummel, Mark Shepard, Marianne Shine,
Phillip Swanson and Grey Wolf. The band features Don Clark, Michele Delattre, Hal Hughes and Linda Smith.

The 411: The Curtain Theatre's production of William Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor in Old Mill Park runs Aug. 17-Sept. 8 on Saturdays, Sundays & Labor Day. 2pm. Free. MORE INFO.
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Since its debut in November 2018, Chris and Lindsey Wanner's West Coast Wine • Cheese shop at 31 Sunnyside Ave. in downtown Mill Valley has developed a burgeoning reputation for its deep ties to vineyards up and down the west coast. The Wanners regularly bring in winemakers from the region for their Winery Tasting Series, whereby owners and winemakers come to town "to share the stories of the people and places behind the juice they are making."

“I see us as not being just a place that sells wine, but a space that builds community around our wine and around those stories,” Chris Wanner says.

Those stories continue this month with Zotovich Vineyards of Lompoc, Calif., whose wines are the subject of a tasting on Wed. July 24, 4-11pm. The walk-in event offers $20 for flight of 4 wines including:
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• OVO, 2018 Rosé of Grenache, Zotovich Vnyd. - Only 56 cases made!
• Zotovich, 2016 Chardonnay, Zotovich Estate Vnyd. Only 150 cases made! 92pts. - Vinous, 90pts. - Wine Spectator
• Zotovich, 2016 Pinot Noir, Zotovich Estate Vnyd. Only 200 cases made! 92pts. - Vinous, 90pts. - Wine Spectator
• Zotovich, 2016 Grenache, Zotovich Estate Vnyd. Only 150 cases made! 94pts. - Vinous

In August, WCW•C turns its attention further north, celebrating Washington State Wine Month with 10 Washington wines by the glass and more than 40 Washington wines on the full bottles list. The month-long event is anchored by a pair of tastings, first with Mark Ryan Winery on Wed., Aug. 7, 4-11pm, and the second with Gramercy Cellars on Wed., Aug. 28, 4-11pm.  ! 10 Washington Wines By-The Glass, over 40 WA Wines on the Full Bottle List! And 2 WA State Winery Tastings: 
Wed. Aug. 7th - Mark Ryan Winery Tasting, 4-11pm.
Wed. Aug. 28th - Gramercy Cellars Tasting, 4-11pm.

The 411: West Coast Wine • Cheese shop at 31 Sunnyside Ave. hosts a Zotovich Vineyards Tasting on Wed., July 24, 4-11pm, and celebrates Washing State Wine Month throughout August, including a Mark Ryan Winery Tasting on Wed., Aug. 7, 4-11pm and a Gramercy Cellars Tasting on Wed., Aug. 28, 4-11pm. MORE INFO.

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Warren Buffett has famously declared, "I wouldn't mind going to jail if I had three cellmates who played bridge." 

For those looking to learn more about how to play the card game that has one of the world's richest men hooked, the Outdoor Art Club has you covered. The longtime nonprofit women's organization at 1 West Blithedale Ave. is serving up a six session beginner bridge course taught by Henry Kingdon, Life Master and bridge instructor.

The classes kick off August 20 and run through October 1 on Tuesdays, 6:30-8:30pm, skipping September 24. Cost is $120 for the six sessions. If interested, mail a check for $120 made out to Henry Kingdon to: Mary Jo Sorensen, 10 Glen Drive, Mill Valley, CA 94941. The class must have a minimum of 10 students. Checks will not be cashed until 10 students have enrolled,

The 411: The Outdoor Art Club his hosting a six session beginner bridge course taught by Henry Kingdon at 1 West Blithedale Ave. $120. Questions? Contact Mary Jo Sorensen at (415) 388-8817 or Jan Spars at (415) 388-2699. MORE INFO.

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When pediatricians Anika Sanda, Uta Kerl and Suzanne Christie learned that Prima Medical Group was closing their practice in Mill Valley earlier this year, they faced a choice: leave Mill Valley but continue on within the comfortable confines of a medical group that was largely adult-focused in its care, or go out completely on their own and be the only pediatric-focused practice in Southern Marin that isn’t a satellite clinic for a larger provider.

With some trepidation but also plenty of excitement, they chose the latter. 

And 80 percent of their patients followed them.

Magnolia Pediatrics of Marin, the new moniker for the post-Prima practice of Christie, Kerl and Sanda at 655 Redwood Highway, has brought both daunting challenges but also thrilling possibilities in terms of their ability to deliver great care to their patients, says Sanda.

“We’re all moms and we all have a lot on our plates, so to turn this practice into its own business is not something we took on lightly at all,” she says. “But this was the best decision for our existing patients and gives us the best opportunity to continue to grow and thrive without losing our focus on what matters most.”

Sanda, who joined Kerl and Christie at the practice in 2012 after moving to the Bay Area from Seattle, says the practice remains well equipped to address a wide range of issues affecting a child’s medical health, wellness and development. “We are committed to provide skilled, high-level and compassionate care from birth through young adulthood,” she says. “We believe in continuity of care that we establish through an ongoing relationship between the doctor and patient-parent duo.”

They couldn’t have done so without a partnership with the UCSF Benioff Children’s Physicians group, which provides administrative and operational support specific to billing, credentialing (i.e., helping patients navigate insurance process) and electronic health records.

“That’s the only way we would be able to establish our own practice,” Sanda says. “And we’re thrilled that so many of our patients followed us, and we’re now excited to be able to offer that same skilled, high-level and compassionate care from birth through young adulthood to even more patients.”

The 411: Magnolia Pediatrics of Marin is the new name of the longtime Mill Valley pediatric practice of doctors Anika Sanda, Uta Kerl and Suzanne Christie. It’s located at 655 Redwood Highway, suite 216. MORE INFO & PHYSICIAN BIOS.

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When Jed 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, he was overjoyed and wanted to contribute to the Chamber's ongoing beautification efforts in the City.

Jed and Sherri Bullard, who now live in Kentucky, donated $5,000 and, coupled with a matching donation from a number of local residents, the City of Mill Valley this week installed a gorgeous redwood bench just outside City Hall. The matching funds will help add additional landscaping over time.

The bench was made by former longtime City parks supervisor Rick Misuraca, one of many benches and structures he created using local milled wood .

The installation of the bench serves as a great reminder of the power of inspiration fueled by the Chamber's Enjoy Mill Valley Fund, says Chamber Co-Director Paula Reynolds. "We're so grateful that Jed and Sherri were inspired by our efforts to support the Downtown Clock repair, and have turned that into a gorgeous new gathering space outside City Hall that will likely influence others in the community to do the same."

The bench installation comes on the heels of a pair of public art benches installed in town in March. The first of the so-called Art Benches in Mill Valley, part of the City's new 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 from the Mill Valley Chamber's Enjoy Mill Valley Fund to the Outdoor Art Club. Oakander's bench has been installed in Old Mill Park, just opposite the Old Mill.

The second bench came in the form of acclaimed Bay Area artist Colin Selig's Asymmetric Art Bench at the corner of Miller and Evergreen Avenues – just across from Whole Foods Miller, on property owned by Mill Valley Refuse principal Jim Iavarone. Selig creates public art from recycled propane tanks, exploring the boundary between sculpture and sustainable design. Iavarone, the Chamber and Whole Foods supported this effort.

Bullard's family played a key role in staving off the clock tower's removal in the 1957. E.W. Bullard Sr. and Jr., his grandfather and father, respectively, stood guard to "save the clock," partly because "Bullard Jr. found true love beneath its battered face and erring hands," according to the Marin Independent Journal. The Bullards did so when then City Public Works Director Robert F. Smith announced that "it would be junked because its four faces keep four different times,"
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The historic timepiece was derided for much of its existence because of the inability of its four faces to stay in time, so to speak, with one another. ​Donated to the community in 1929 by the volunteer firefighters, the clock was later repaired in 1956 after years of debate about whose responsibility it was to maintain the clock, which was subject to frequent stops due to power outages. In recent decades, the running joke was that you simply had to guess which side of the clock was correct, as they hadn't all worked simultaneously for ages. 

That changed with the 2017 restoration.

The Chamber established the Enjoy Mill Valley Fund in July 2016 with the cooperation of the Marin Community Foundation to work with local and county agencies and organizations to identify deserving, "shovel ready" local beautification and infrastructure projects that just need a little funding boost to get to the finish line. All donations to the Enjoy Mill Valley Fund are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.

With the help of contributions from the Outdoor Art Club and an array of generous donors, the EMV Fund has helped repair the Downtown Clock Tower, supported the restoration of the replica Gravity Car, made the free Movies in the Park series sustainable and bigger and better than ever and spearheaded a number of plantings and beautification efforts around town.

MORE INFO.

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Looking to seize on the continued momentum of their announcement in February of a unique public-private partnership with the City of Mill Valley that allowed it to create an endowment to support the library perpetually, board members of the Mill Valley Library Foundation have reprised the popular Beyond the Book Bash. 

The event, set for Saturday, Sept. 7 at the Throckmorton Theatre, "brings together literary luminaries and musical all-stars in a captivating, rollicking, thought-provoking performance to raise funds for the Mill Valley Library."

Over the years, the Beyond the Book Bash garnered a reputation for drawing an eclectic array of performances from writers and musicians against a culinary backdrop of food and drinks from local restaurants, breweries and wineries. 

​In past years, the event has featured the likes of New York Times bestselling writer Tom Barbash, legendary comedian Mort Sahl, Grammy-winning musician and Santana frontman Tony Lindsay, award-winning poet, playwright, teacher and screenwriter Chinaka Hodge  and Michael Krasny, host of KQED's award-winning "Forum" program. Organizers of the 2019 edition of the event will unveil the lineup in the coming weeks.

In years past, the event has raised upwards of $125,000 to support the library's programs and services.

The MVLF board is seeks sponsors for the event at a variety of levels. More info here.

The 411: The Mill Valley Library Foundation is reprising its popular Beyond the Book Bash event, set for Saturday, Sept. 7 at the Throckmorton Theatre. MORE INFO & TIX.

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Organizers of the 63rd Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival are laying the groundwork for the next edition of the landmark local arts event and are on the hunt for dedicated volunteers – a critical component to the event's success. MVFAF is set for Sept. 14-15 in Old Mill Park.

"Just as we need air to breathe, the Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival needs volunteers to make this milestone event a huge success," says Erma Murphy, the festival artist liaison. "The long and rich history of this event is a tribute to the fabulous community of people who are resolved to squeeze every last drop of pleasure and enjoyment out of life in and around this extraordinary place we all call home. This event is all about community and continuity and we hope very much you share our pride in this festival."

​Prospective volunteers can go here to review the jobs, days, times and sign up. Questions? Here's an FAQ on volunteering at MVFAF. "One-stop shopping at its finest!" says MVFAF Volunteer Coordinator Phil Garratt.

Festival organizers say that approximately 90 percent of the slots are filled by repeat volunteers, so new volunteers should sign up soon. If you have any questions about the Festival or the process of volunteering, email Garratt here.

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For the second straight year, the folks at the Sweetwater Music Hall are ready to head outside for some sunshine.

The downtown Mill Valley music venue, one of the most popular music venues in the North Bay, has unveiled the lineup for its second Sweetwater in the Sun, an all-day concert on Sunday, Sept. 21 at Stafford Lake Park in Novato, featuring the renowned Jackie Green, along with Portland rockers Blitzen Trapper as well as Willie Watson, Kelly Finnigan, Kendra McKinley, Element Brass Band and the Rock & Roll Playhouse.

Sweetwater In The Sun will also host a Kids Area with crafts, magic, bubbles and face painting. Tickets for the festival go on sale today, Friday, July 12 here.

The 411: Sweetwater in the Sun is an all-day concert on Sunday, Sept. 28 at Stafford Lake Park in Novato. 12pm-7pm. Tickets are $81 for adults, $33 for children under 12 and $113 for VIPs. Event is held rain or shine. Park is ADA accessible and an ADA viewing area will be provided. Parking is included in the ticket price. MORE INFO & TIX.

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Mill Valley Philharmonic has named San Rafael resident Dana Sadava, the artistic director of Pasadena Opera, among others, as its new artistic director, completing the transition the organization began a year ago after its founder and artistic director Laurie Cohen announced her retirement.

Executive director Richard Aldag announced this week the hiring of Sadava on the heels of a slate of nine performances for its 19th season of bringing free concerts of orchestral music to the community. Those performances featured a trio of guest conductors, with MVP will then selecting one of them as its next permanent artistic director/conductor based on input from the musicians and audience members.

The mission of MVP is "to enrich the cultural life of the Bay Area by offering free orchestral programs to people of all ages and means in their own communities," according to the organization's website. "As an organization, MVP believes that music is a vital part of individual and community life. Whether participating as a player or as a listener, music engages our imaginative powers, awakens our aesthetic sensibilities, and inspires our creative expression."

Mill Valley Philharmonic now enters its 20th season with dedicated executive and artistic directors. Sadava is in her fifth year as music director of the Community Women’s Orchestra in Oakland and artistic director of the Pasadena Opera. She is the conductor of the Santa Rosa Symphony Aspirante Youth Orchestra and director of Chamber Music at The Urban School. She has also worked as a conductor and coach at Opera San Jose, University of California San Diego, Wexford Opera (Ireland), Banff Opera as Theatre (Canada), Island City Opera, Festival Opera, Indianapolis Opera and Pensacola Opera.

"I am very honored to be given this opportunity," Sadava says. "Laurie has built something really wonderful here, and I feel very lucky to perform with these fantastic musicians!"

 An announcement of the 2019-2020 season will be forthcoming in early-August.

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For the past twelve months – to the day – since legendary Mill Valley musician Sammy "the Red Rocker" Hagar closed his El Paseo restaurant at 17 Throckmorton Avenue, citing his need to tend to his array of business interests, popular TV show, a new album, concert tour and "to be able to spend more quality time with my family," the local rumor mill has been abuzz about the next chapter for one of the most revered dining spaces in town.

At last Mill Valley foodies have their answer.

Paseo: A California Bistro, a farm-to-table featuring ingredients sourced within 100 miles, is set to open in the early fall. It’s spearheaded by general manager Kevin Pacotti, a longtime Bay Area marketing consultant and restaurateur on behalf of Cathedral Hill Associates, a hospitality firm owned by longtime Mill Valley resident Ki Yong Choi. 

Pacotti, whose background includes such spots as the Dos Coyotes Border Cafe and the Hotel Mac Restaurant, says the venture will expand El Paseo’s former focus on dinner to include both lunch and dinner 7 days a week, including brunch service on weekends. Pacotti assures the community that the vast majority of the historic exposed brick space – stretching between Throckmorton and Sunnyside avenues and dating back to the original El Paseo opening in 1947 – will remain unchanged, though they plan to update and modernize some of the spaces to accommodate their expanded lunchtime service, offering a brighter interior environment and design.

While these minor renovations take place, Pacotti is in the midst of hiring and training and fine-tuning operations in advance of a hoped-for opening in the early fall. 

Stay tuned for more details.

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Longtime Mill Valley resident Teresa Rea, a former Mill Valley Arts Commissioner and a current member of the Mill Valley Chamber board, played competitive volleyball for 20 years before she decided "it was a time to find something less impactful that I could play for the rest of my life," she says.

She found it in bocce, also known as Italian lawn bowling, one of the most widely played games in the world and one of the oldest lawn or yard games. Best known in Italy, where you may see a group of retired Sicilians gathered in a town square for a daily afternoon game, bocce has been gaining popularity in the United States and other locations.

It's clearly been a great fit, as Rea and her teammate, San Anselmo resident Jolene Kramer, just won the U.S. National Bocce Championship Women’s Doubles Gold Medal in June. They'll be representing the United States in Chicago in December in a Pan American bocce tournament.

Rea specifically plays Punto Raffa Volo, an international version of the game that involves two different types of precision shooting. Rea first joined the Marin Bocce Federation League in 1999, joining the some- 1,000 participants at Albert Park in San Rafael.

Rea says she's thrilled to represent the U.S. in Chicago, and credits the duo's mental fortitude for persevering when they faced a 10-3 deficit in the championship game last month, only to surge to a 15-13 victory.

"It was really exciting," she says.

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