2018-19 ENJOY MILL VALLEY SUMMER/FALL GUIDE
|
EDITOR'S NOTE
Victoria Mimiaga, whose painting won our Winter Guide cover contest, has had a distinguished, decades-long career in the arts. So what does she credit for the inception of that artistic success? “My kids were good nappers,” she says. With two young children at home in the mid-1980s, Mimiaga had a studio in the family’s home near Boyle Park, and “I was able to paint every day,” she says. “It was the one thing I could do for myself and keep myself sane.”
With a disciplined painting routine and a drive to learn more, Mimiaga was showing her work in galleries within a few years. She’s exhibited all over the Bay Area, and her paintings will grace the walls of the MV Chamber in December. Born in Honolulu, Mimiaga later moved to the Bay Area and took a job at an ad agency, where she negotiated a contract whereby the agency paid her tuition to the Academy of Art University. She met her future husband at the agency, and they moved to Mill Valley after they got married and never left. Mimiaga worked out of Sausalito’s ICB Building for years, and now has a studio in the MV Lumber Yard. |
As much as good nappers laid the foundation for Mimiaga’s art career, this Winter Guide is your launchpad for getting out and doing stuff in Mill Valley this winter. On pages 6-7, we’ve got details on this year’s Winterfest on Dec. 2. On pages 10-11 & 16-18, we look at some of the amazing folks who help people explore their own creativity, from painting and pottery to music and dance. On pages 22-24, we handpicked some great local gift ideas. Our Events Calendar, which kicks off on pg. 28, looks at the lineup of great events to come, from concerts and live theater to film screenings and an amazing array of holiday events. A full digital version of the Guide is available at the bottom of this page. Thanks to the indispensable Susan Lopes and all of the sponsors and advertisers who helped us make this Winter Guide happen. Lastly, tell us what you think – send your thoughts to info@millvalley.org.
–Jim Welte, MV Chamber
–Jim Welte, MV Chamber
If you want to scratch a long-dormant creative itch, learn an artistic medium outside your comfort zone or find inspiration in something new, you don’t need to leave Mill Valley to do so. GO HERE to learn more about the amazing array of local business and organizations that can help you explore your own creativity. FULL STORY.
|
Whether you’re headed overseas or basking in the natural beauty around you with a staycation, we’ve got you covered this summer. GO HERE for the full list of Must Haves, from beachwear and get-around guidance to some of the unbelievably good food in Mill Valley. FULL STORY.
|
Events Calendar
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER
The Wickhams – 11/15-12/9
The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley–companion piece to Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley (both continuations of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice), has the servants in the midst of a holiday scandal with the arrival of Lydia’s incorrigible husband and Mr. Darcy’s nemesis. Marin Theatre Co., 397 Miller, Tix $10-$60. MORE INFO. |
MountainFilm Fest – 11/30-12/2
Outdoor lovers, adrenaline junkies and documentary film buffs have one heck of an event coming with this adventure & environmental doc festival, which “uses the power of film, art and ideas to inspire audiences to create a better world.” Expect dozens of films, shorts and panels. Throckmorton Theatre, 142 Throckmorton. Tix. TBA. MORE INFO. |
Holiday Craft Fair – 12/1
This free event from MV Recreation and MV Seniors’ Club has 55+ artists showcasing their handmade arts and crafts, including woodwork, fiber arts, glasswork, ceramics, decorations, knitwear and more. There’s also holiday music, baked treats and parking. MV Community Center, 180 Camino Alto. 10am-5pm. Free. MORE INFO. |
|
|
|
|
Tam Valley’s Jolly Jingles– 12/1
Back by popular demand, get in the holiday spirit and celebrate the holiday season alongside your neighbors at Jolly Jingles, a night of music, poetry and skits that will warm the hearts of people of all faiths. Hot beverages and cookies will be served. Tam Valley Community Center, 203 Marin Ave. 7pm. Free. MORE INFO. |
PAAM Holiday Spectacular – 12/1-2
Celebrate the holidays with Performing Arts Academy of Marin. Get in the spirit of the season with classic melodies and dynamic choreography in a reimagination of PAAM’s original production, A Scarf in Union Square. Features performers ages 3-16. Marin Center Showcase Theater. 12/1 @ 7pm, 12/2 @ 2pm. Tix $20. MORE INFO. |
First Tuesday Artwalks – 12/4, 1/8, 2/5
The MV Arts Commission’s monthly celebration of local art spans venues around town like the Community Center, O’Hanlon Center, Seager Gray Gallery, Depot Bookstore & Cafe, MV Library, FitWise Pilates and City Hall, including Victoria Mimiaga’s paintings (above) at the Mill Valley Chamber, 85 Throckmorton Ave. Tue., 5:30-7:30pm. MORE INFO. |
Har Mar Superstar’s Heart Bones – 12/5
What Sean Tillman started as a one-man show in 1999 has grown into a full-band revue, and now Har Mar Superstar has teamed with Sabrina Ellis for Heart Bones, a 6-piece band performing the hit songs from Dirty Dancing as well as some originals. Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera Ave., 10:30pm. Tix $29-$34. MORE INFO. |
Mill Valley School District Winter Performances
|
Make It, Take It, Wrap It Makers Fair – 12/8
Nothing warms the holiday heart more than receiving a well-crafted, homemade gift. With that in mind, MV Recreation is back with an event that offers both kids and adults the chance to learn and create during the holiday season by making handmade items. Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto, 10am-2pm. Free. MORE INFO. |
Singers Marin Holiday Concert – 12/16
A Bay Area tradition for more than 20 years, this uplifting “Tis the Season, Sing Joy!” holiday concert is a chance to celebrate the season with family and friends. Youth and adult choral ensembles sing seasonal favorites from around the world. Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium, 10 Ave of the Flags, 4pm. Tix $25-$40. MORE INFO. |
Fath Chamber Players – 12/17
The esteemed ensemble featuring violinists Josepha Fath and Beni Shinohara, Jenny Douglas on viola, Judiyaba on cello, Philip Fath on clarinet and William Harvey on baroque trumpet are set to deliver another holiday concert for the ages. Throckmorton Theatre, 142 Throckmorton Ave. 6pm. Tix. TBA. MORE INFO. |
Christmas Jug Band – 12/17 & 12/20
A small group of pals living in Mill Valley in the 1970s with a penchant for Kentucky bourbon started weekly Appalachian-style jug jams. Decades later, the momentary loss of insanity for the purveyors of the jugabilly mystique remains a holiday tradition. Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera. All ages for 12/17 7pm show. Tix $19-27. MORE INFO. |
Funny Girl the Musical – 12/21-12/30
Funny Girl tells the story of Fanny Brice and her journey from stage-struck teenager in New York’s lower east side to stardom with the Ziegfeld Follies. This musical explores her rollercoaster vaudeville life and rise to super-stardom. 12/21 & 28 @ 7:30pm, 12/23 & 30 @ 2:30pm, Throckmorton Theatre, 142 Throckmorton. Tix. TBA. MORE INFO. |
Monophonics Soulful Social – 12/28-29
Soulful vocals, funky drum breaks, psychedelic guitar licks and fuzzy bass are interwoven effortlessly across this Marin band’s catalog, most effortlessly on Mirrors, their newest EP, a six-song fix to fiending fans and curious new fans in advance of a new full album. Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera Ave., 8pm. Tix $27-$32. MORE INFO. |
NYE / JANUARY
Eric Lindell + Anson Funderburgh – 12/30-31
For the better part of two decades, Lindell has hijacked soul on a cross-country ride that stretches from the Chicago blues and New Orleans’ funky vibe to Detroit R&B and the California sound– sometimes all in one song. He’s joined by blues guitar legend Funderburgh. Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera Ave., 8pm. Tix $25-$65. MORE INFO. |
Green Leaf Rustlers – 1/4-5
Ex-Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson’s latest project features a slew of stalwart musicians, including Barry Sless, Pete Sears, John Molo and Greg Loiacono. Their tagline, “From the sage smoke & mists of Marin come your local purveyors of cosmic Cali country music,” says it all. Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera. 9pm. 21+. Tix $45-$50. MORE INFO. |
‘Dark Money’ Film Screening – 1/7
Regardless of how you view the outcome of the 2018 elections, Kimberly Reed’s political thriller is a must see. The film examines the influence of untraceable corporate money on our elections and elected officials. Reed sits for a Q&A after the screening. MV Library, 375 Throckmorton Ave. 7pm. Free. MORE INFO. |
‘How I Learned What I Learned’ – 1/10-2/3
In this beautifully raw, poignant, and humorous one-man autobiographical play, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson takes us on a journey with a heartfelt theatrical memoir, from his days as a young poet through the completion of his American Century Cycle. Marin Theatre Company, 397 Miller, Tix $10-$60. MORE INFO. |
MVCMS: Nikolay Khozyainov – 1/13
Just 26, this prodigious pianist has sold out some of the world’s top venues like Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, The Louvre and Suntory Hall. Now he performs as part of the MV Chamber Music Society’s 2018-19 season. Mt. Tam United Methodist Church, 410 Sycamore. 5pm. Tix $35. Free for 18 & under. MORE INFO. |
‘Agnes Martin: Before the Grid’ – 1/18
For 40+ years, Agnes Martin created paintings composed of grids and stripes, and her work sold for millions of dollars and exhibited at the world’s greatest museums.This film, part of O’Hanlon’s Art Film Fridays series, captures little known stories from friends, lovers and classmates who knew her well. O’Hanlon Center for the Arts, 616 Throckmorton, 7pm. $10. MORE INFO. |
FEBRUARY
Romeo & Juliet – 2/1-16
A brawl in the street, a grand ball, a peek into the Friar’s private quarters. This immersive, emotional adult production of the greatest love story of all time also features a secondary cast of teen performing apprentices that will perform with their own cast. Shows: 2/1-2, 8-9, 16-17.Throckmorton Theatre, 142 Throckmorton Ave. Tix. TBA. MORE INFO. |
Joan Osborne Covers Bob Dylan – 2/9-10
On 2017’s Songs of Bob Dylan, Osborne, who The New York Times calls “a fiercely intelligent, no- nonsense singer,” winds her supple, soulful voice around Dylan’s poetic, evocative lyrics, etching gleaming new facets in them along the way. Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera. 8pm. Tix $42-47. MORE INFO. |
Marin Wedding Fair – 2/17
The Community Center is once again the center of the Bay Area wedding universe when Mill Valley Recreation hosts a Wedding Fair, helping couples get their wedding planning started by meeting florists, bridal fashion designers, planners, photographers, caterers, makeup artists, entertainers and more. MV Community Center, 180 Camino Alto. 12pm-5pm. Free. MORE INFO. |
MVCMS: St. Lawrence String Quartet – 2/17
Nearly 30 years since their debut, St. Lawrence String Quartet continues to build its reputation for imaginative music-making and commitment to great quartet literature. At this MV Chamber Music Society show, they’re joined by Grammy-winning clarinetist Todd Palmer. Mt. Tam United Methodist Church, 410 Sycamore. 5pm. Tix $35. Free for 18 & under. MORE INFO. |
|
MARCH
MVMS Cabaret: ‘High School Musical’– 3/1-3
Having tackled The Wizard of Oz, Annie and Sound of Music over the past three years, the Middle School’s Cabaret dives into the world of a well-known musical with the usual twists, including talent acts and other surprises. MVMS Gym, 425 Sycamore Ave. Public performances 3/1-2 at 7:30pm, 3/3 @ 1pm. Tix. $10-$35. MORE INFO. |
|
A number of Mill Valley arts and culture organizations host events throughout the summer, including concerts, exhibits, workshops and classes. Here are a few (click logos for more info):
|
|
|
