Subsequent time you’re within the San Francisco Bay Space, as an alternative of heading south into Silicon Valley or alongside the coast, take the Golden Gate bridge north into Marin. Right here you’ll uncover some hidden treasures, in addition to some extra identified ones, akin to wine nation.
The French Market Marin
On the second Sunday of the month, you possibly can experience the ambiance of the French flea markets in Paris in San Rafael on the Marin Middle. Better of all, attendance and parking are each free. The French Market Marin market brings collectively over 140 cubicles of classic and vintage treasures.
Picture credit score: French Market Marin
The French Market Marin is a superb strategy to spend a Sunday afternoon, as you stroll by means of aisles of residence and backyard décor, classic and property jewellery, collectibles, books, classic shabby stylish, farmhouse type, artwork, pottery, silver rugs and a number of different gadgets. They all the time have stay French music and a creperie meals truck. You’ll come throughout dishes, pots, furnishings, native American items, artwork, outdated relics, Asian rugs and vintage garments, starting from designer items to vintage lace equipment.
Beneath, my sister and I take a selfie in one of many many cubicles that make up the Sunday French Market.
In typical French type, you will discover vintage backyard furnishings and objects from patio units to urns and birdhouses. That stated, not all the things is French and even European influenced. There’s an incredible West African vendor who has unbelievable masks, jewels from India, carpets from varied components of the East, and Trinidad and Johan, of Atelier de Campagne provide ornamental gadgets. My sister got here throughout an unbelievable Afghan rug and basket she couldn’t resist they usually left in her suitcase.
We stay big followers of the market who was began by Fern Loiacono who used to shopped the well-known weekend brocantes or flea markets in Paris—Marché du Biron, Marche Vernaison and Porte de Clignancourt, the most important and oldest one—looking for gems she liked. That inspiration led to her launching the French Market Marin in 2011 and the remaining is historical past. Two thumbs up.
Petaluma Classic Market
Talking of markets, simply north of the French Market Marin is a month-to-month market in Petaluma, in Sonoma County. Alongside North McDowell Boulevard, you’ll discover roughly 4 dozen distributors promoting their newest finds. Its official title—Petaluma Classic—encompasses a curated collection of over forty classic and vintage sellers specializing in all issues classic.
A number of the belongings you’ll discover embody video video games, toys, clothes, jewellery (costume and vintage), hats, style equipment, comedian books, buying and selling playing cards, books, films, posters, artwork, furnishings, decor, dishes, lamps, kitchen gear, devices, glasses, rugs and extra.
We discovered one other nice rug however this one was a lot bigger. A bit heavy to hold, however for a beautiful piece, isn’t it price it? The added bonus was Sean from Sean’s Antiques & High quality Artwork, was such a delight. Irish-born and a pure storyteller, it was a such a pleasure to hang around with him.
For extra info, together with the subsequent dates, go to their web site.
Larkspur Wine Stroll
Every year, the Larkspur Chamber hosts a Larkspur Wine Stroll on the principle drag, which is closed right down to vehicles so pedestrians can stroll up and down the road tasting wines for the afternoon. A number of the featured wineries embody Adobe Street, Alexander Valley Vineyards, Calstar Cellars, Isetta Household Wines, Drew Dowsett Wines, Cazadero Vineyard, Grgich Hills Property, Santori Wines, Assemble Vineyard, and fairly a number of others.
They’d stay music as nicely — children and adults alike performed, participated and danced.
Wine tasting anybody?
This was their twelfth yr internet hosting the wine stroll and it was as soon as once more a hit. Fortunately the climate cooperated, which is nearly a given for Marin within the Fall. If wine isn’t your factor, Larkspur has tons of cute retailers to discover as nicely.
Certainly one of our favourite retailers (to not be missed) is Citrine alongside the principle drag. Homeowners Jay and Karyn curate the most effective garments, crystals and reward gadgets. We’ve by no means been within the store and never found a gem. Additionally they have a yoga studio within the again in addition to a singular therapeutic salt room. For these new to crystals, citrine is a fantastic crystal, (additionally Karyn’s birthstone) with therapeutic qualities which might be slated to signify all issues abundance and manifestation.
Jay and Karyn Holland, homeowners of Citrine in Larkspur
We additionally love sitting on the bar and ordering wine and appetizers at Left Financial institution Brasseries in downtown Larkspur. It’s an outpost of a small native chain providing easy Southern French delicacies in a hip setting with a hearth. To seek out out when the subsequent Larkspur wine stroll is, remember to take a look at their web site.
Healdsburg
Why Healdsburg? Positioned roughly an hour or so north of San Francisco, this little wine nation city boasts tons of historical past and tradition. It additionally occurs to be a fantastic city surrounded by rising hills and vineyards. Nestled in opposition to the Russian River in northern Sonoma County, Healdsburg exudes the allure of a small, agricultural group with the facilities of a world-class wine and meals vacation spot.
We used it as our start line for wine tasting. It’s an important spot for lunch or dinner and the procuring is fabulous. If you happen to’re an artwork lover, there are some fantastic galleries, one in all which was so eclectic that we had a tough time leaving: Aerena Galleries & Gardens. Additionally they have retailers in St. Helena, Yountville, Mill Valley and Napa.
Above and under: Aerena Galleries & Gardens in Healdsburg
After you’ve had a stroll by means of downtown Healdsburg, it’s time to go wine tasting in close by Dry Creek Valley.
Dry Creek Valley Wine Tasting
We’ve performed our justifiable share of wine tasting in Napa and Sonoma valleys over time however we have been new to tasting wines from Dry Creek Valley, a few of which you’ll probably acknowledge in the event you’re a wine lover. I’d suggest not more than 4 wineries in a day and even three is lots if you wish to actually get to know the winery, and spend time speaking to the wine maker or get a tour.
We pushed it at 4 and our trek on a scorching September day included Breathless Glowing Wines, Amista Vineyards, Capo Creek Valley, and DaVero Farms & Vineyard. You’ll want to take a look at our longer article on the Dry Creek Valley vineyards and our experiences there for extra in-depth info on every of them. Beneath are a number of picture highlights from every.
Breathless Sparking Wines
They provide 15 additional brut glowing wines, and we sampled a number of of these. Additional brut interprets to lower than half the quantity of sugar of a daily brut and the additional brut wines boast a decrease calorie depend as nicely. Woot woot. Run by three sisters, they solely make 2,000 to 2,500 circumstances a yr. Listed here are a number of enjoyable visible highlights from our cease at Breathless Glowing Wines.
Amista Vineyards
We didn’t have as a lot time at Amista Vineyards as we had hoped, so missed out on a full-blown expertise. That stated, we did have an opportunity to attempt a number of of their wines, beginning with their Property Glowing Blanc de Blanc (additional brut). They introduced chips, caviar and cream to the desk to pair with the wines — the Blanc de Blanc was an ideal associate. See under for a number of reminiscences from our time of their tasting room and the surface vineyards.
Capo Creek Valley
Capo Creek Valley is a hidden gem who gives a singular meals and wine pairing expertise outdoors with views of the vineyards off within the distance. All of us liked their Playlist: Property White Wine Mix, which is fabricated from Clairette Blanc (26%), Grenache Blanc (24%), Roussane (21%), Picpoul (11%), Petit Manseng (10%) and Voignier (8%). What a mix proper? Mary Roy, who led us within the meals and wine extravaganza, has fairly a narrative to inform. Two thumbs up. Beneath are a number of visible highlights.
DaVero Farms & Vineyard
DaVero Farms & Vineyard is all about sustainability and their farm demonstrates that dedication. By biodynamic farming and aware, conventional winemaking, they produce Italian varietal wines and olive oil in stability with their local weather and the ethos of regenerative agriculture. They act as a hub for an academic and immersive expertise, beginning with a tour of the farm itself. There have been so many varietals of crops, fruit, herbs and flowers that it could take days to discover all of them in depth. Take a look at a number of highlights from our afternoon.
AGAIN, remember to go to the longer article on our 4 wine tasting picks from Dry Creek Valley for extra visuals and particulars.
Mill Valley Artwork Truthful
We’re not all the time on the town for the Mill Valley Artwork Truthful, however like to attend every time our schedule permits. It’s held in Mill Valley amongst Redwood timber and boasts all kinds of artwork, from pottery, jewellery and eclectic installations, to conventional portray, blended media and extra. l
This yr, the competition devoted their Particular Grove to an exhibition referred to as Artwork for a Higher World. This specifically curated exhibition contains work of neurologically numerous artists from Autistry Studios of San Rafael and the group Artwork With out Boundaries that includes work from Oak Hill Faculty, the Helix Faculty and PAASS. Additionally exhibiting within the Particular Grove have been Youth in Arts, which helps youth of each background.
A few of our favorites from the day contains Erin Burch’s pottery — completely beautiful. She can also be a physique employee, who designed one thing referred to as the Burch Technique.
Erin Burch in her sales space on the Mill Valley Fall Arts Competition
Then there’s this distinctive blended media artist, Jamie Pavlich-Walker.
Vibrant coloured work adorned one wall — I fell in love with David Palmer’s sunflowers.
Mayumix had one other distinctive providing, artwork on materials. Completely lovely work.
There have been additionally these lovely pure items, combining artwork with nature.
Extra earthy pottery that had me at hey.
Additionally they had a enjoyable puppet present outdoors for teenagers accompanied by classic music. It was such an ideal providing for households with young children. His present even had me mesmerized. Fact be advised, I didn’t wish to go away.
Undecided what to name this one, however he introduced a smile to each face who handed him. It jogged my memory of the Wiccan Inexperienced Man.
Spellcraft Curator
Spellcraft Curator is a Sonoma County household owned enterprise and was designed and operated by a credentialed trainer. Three of us went for a pair hour expertise at their facility in Santa Rosa California.
Beneath, proprietor Pamela kicks issues off within the foyer.
She begins you out within the candle making workshop room, the place you possibly can select your coloration and create your individual to take residence with you in a glass jar.
Then she units you free and you’ll wander to the varied curated rooms. There are presently 5 in whole with a sixth being added quickly, targeted in Egypt historical past and tradition.
Every room is really distinctive. There’s a Victorian Parlor the place you possibly can change into a Victorian for a stint. Benefit from the fads of the time, such because the stereoscope and utilizing a steel stamp to make a very good luck talisman.
There’s additionally a Reed Pump Organ, which is a Victorian vintage instrument from the 1800’s. And sure, I performed it . . . with care after all. Was it haunted? It’s arduous to say nevertheless it definitely gave us nice sound and introduced a smile to our faces.
You can too change into a Colonial Witch — rewind the clock and create a natural concoction. This room is an acknowledgment to the ladies who misplaced their lives for being midwives and healers.
There’s additionally the Divining Den, the place you will get a taste of the 1920’s, a time when mediums held seances and spiritualism was on the rise.
My favourite was the Celestial Research, the place you change into a Renaissance Wizard and make your individual magic wand. How cool is that?
And in the event you’re fortunate and get among the clues proper, you possibly can return to Pamela within the Wax Workshop and he or she’ll provide you with a Spell Equipment goodie bag loaded with tons of enjoyable gems.
Two thumbs up. It was such a enjoyable expertise. My solely remorse was not having sufficient time in every of the rooms. Try their web site for extra info and the best way to e-book.
Fairfax
Fairfax is a an off-the-beaten-path city in Marin. When Anthony and I first visited it, he stated “it’s a bit witchy.” By that, he meant that it was inventive, artsy and nature-driven, all of that are true. A number of the homes are nestled into the hills and surrounded by timber, chook life and it’s possible you’ll even spot a deer. It’s a small city (beneath 10K) and but, boasts a bustling downtown space with eating places, cafes and enjoyable retailers. There are additionally murals and artwork outdoors on partitions and tucked away in locations you’d least look forward to finding blossoming creativity in motion.
Beneath are indicators on the Espresso Roastery.
Outdoors on the identical road, there’s a beautiful mosaic bench the place you possibly can sit and folks watch over a cuppa espresso.
Inside The Eleventh Home metaphysical store, the partitions and ceilings are painted. Tremendous enjoyable, proper?
There are additionally a few enjoyable classic outfitters as nicely alongside the principle drag. One other enjoyable expertise is the Wu Wei Tea Temple, which calls themselves as a “gathering place for creatives, wanderers and lovers of life’s little treasures.” It’s a full service tea home and Kava bar that includes natural bone broth, house-made therapeutic elixirs & Center Japanese treats. Additionally they have weekly stay music, tarot readings, and performances.
Picture credit score: Wei Wu Tea TempleWe hope you may have loved a few of our enjoyable picks north of the Golden Gate bridge.
Renee Blodgett is the founding father of We Weblog the World. The location combines the magic of a web based tradition and journey journal with a worldwide weblog community and has contributors from each continent on this planet. Having lived in 10 international locations and explored practically 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural variety.
She can also be the CEO and founding father of Magic Sauce Media, a brand new media providers consultancy targeted on viral advertising and marketing, social media, branding, occasions and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped corporations from 12 international locations get traction out there. Identified for her world and natural method to product and company launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an lively consumer of social media, she helps purchasers navigate digital waters from around the globe. Renee has been running a blog for over 16 years and frequently writes on her private weblog Down the Avenue, Huffington Publish, BlogHer, We Weblog the World and different websites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Journal and is listed as a brand new media influencer and recreation changer on varied websites and books on the brand new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed because the sixth most influential lady in social media by Forbes Journal on a High 20 Checklist.
Her ardour for artwork, storytelling and pictures led to the launch of Magic Sauce Images, which is a visible extension of her writing, the results of which has led to producing six picture books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee can also be the co-founder of Touring Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to different international locations to share and be taught from friends, governments, firms, and most of the people as a way to educate, share, consider, and promote modern applied sciences.
