Subsequent time you’re within the San Francisco Bay Space, as a substitute 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 may 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.
Photograph credit score: French Market Marin
The French Market Marin is an excellent option to spend a Sunday afternoon, as you stroll via 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 reside French music and a creperie meals truck. You’ll come throughout dishes, pots, furnishings, native American items, artwork, previous relics, Asian rugs and vintage garments, starting from designer items to vintage lace equipment.
Under, 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 the whole lot is French and even European influenced. There’s a tremendous West African vendor who has unbelievable masks, jewels from India, carpets from numerous components of the East, and Trinidad and Johan, of Atelier de Campagne supply 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 enormous 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 beloved. That inspiration led to her launching the French Market Marin in 2011 and the remainder 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 identify—Petaluma Classic—includes 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, motion pictures, 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 value 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 following dates, go to their web site.
Larkspur Wine Stroll
Annually, the Larkspur Chamber hosts a Larkspur Wine Stroll on the principle drag, which is closed all the way down to automobiles 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 couple of others.
That they had reside music as properly — youngsters and adults alike performed, participated and danced.
Wine tasting anybody?
This was their twelfth 12 months internet hosting the wine stroll and it was as soon as once more successful. Fortunately the climate cooperated, which is sort of a given for Marin within the Fall. If wine isn’t your factor, Larkspur has tons of cute outlets to discover as properly.
Considered one of our favourite outlets (to not be missed) is Citrine alongside the principle drag. Homeowners Jay and Karyn curate the very best garments, crystals and reward gadgets. We’ve by no means been within the store and never found a gem. In addition they have a yoga studio within the again in addition to a novel therapeutic salt room. For these new to crystals, citrine is an exquisite crystal, (additionally Karyn’s birthstone) with therapeutic qualities which might be slated to characterize 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 surroundings with a fire. To search out out when the following Larkspur wine stroll is, make sure to try their web site.
Under is a brief video of our time on the Larkspur Wine Stroll.
Healdsburg
Why Healdsburg? Situated 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 an exquisite city surrounded by rising hills and vineyards. Nestled in opposition to the Russian River in northern Sonoma County, Healdsburg exudes the appeal of a small, agricultural neighborhood with the facilities of a world-class wine and meals vacation spot.
We used it as our place to begin for wine tasting. It’s an ideal spot for lunch or dinner and the procuring is fabulous. In the event you’re an artwork lover, there are some fantastic galleries, considered one of which was so eclectic that we had a tough time leaving: Aerena Galleries & Gardens. In addition they have outlets in St. Helena, Yountville, Mill Valley and Napa.
Above and under: Aerena Galleries & Gardens in Healdsburg
After you’ve had a stroll via downtown Healdsburg, it’s time to go wine tasting in close by Dry Creek Valley.
Dry Creek Valley Wine Tasting
We’ve achieved our justifiable share of wine tasting in Napa and Sonoma valleys through the years however we have been new to tasting wines from Dry Creek Valley, a few of which you’ll possible acknowledge for those who’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. Make sure to try our longer article on the Dry Creek Valley vineyards and our experiences there for extra in-depth info on every of them. Under are a couple of photograph highlights from every.
Breathless Sparking Wines
They provide 15 further brut glowing wines, and we sampled a couple of of these. Additional brut interprets to lower than half the quantity of sugar of an everyday brut and the additional brut wines boast a decrease calorie depend as properly. Woot woot. Run by three sisters, they solely make 2,000 to 2,500 circumstances a 12 months. Listed below are a couple 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 couple of of their wines, beginning with their Property Glowing Blanc de Blanc (further brut). They introduced chips, caviar and cream to the desk to pair with the wines — the Blanc de Blanc was an ideal companion. See under for a couple of recollections from our time of their tasting room and the skin vineyards.
Capo Creek Valley
Capo Creek Valley is a hidden gem who presents a novel meals and wine pairing expertise outdoors with views of the vineyards off within the distance. All of us beloved their Playlist: Property White Wine Mix, which is manufactured 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. Under are a couple 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 vegetation, fruit, herbs and flowers that it could take days to discover all of them in depth. Take a look at a couple of highlights from our afternoon.
Once more, make sure to go to the longer article on our 4 wine tasting picks from Dry Creek Valley for extra visuals and particulars.
Mill Valley Artwork Honest
We’re not all the time on the town for the Mill Valley Artwork Honest, 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, combined media and extra. l
This 12 months, the competition devoted their Particular Grove to an exhibition known as Artwork for a Higher World. This specifically curated exhibition consists of 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 consists of Erin Burch’s pottery — completely gorgeous. She can be a physique employee, who designed one thing known as the Burch Methodology.
Erin Burch in her sales space on the Mill Valley Fall Arts Competition
Then there’s this distinctive combined 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.
This earthy pottery had me at good day.
In addition they had a enjoyable puppet present outdoors for youths accompanied by classic music. It was such an ideal providing for households with young children. His present even had me mesmerized. Fact be informed, I didn’t need 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.
Under, proprietor Pamela kicks issues off within the foyer.
She begins you out within the candle making workshop room, the place you may select your colour and create your individual to take residence with you in a glass jar.
Then she units you free and you may wander to the varied curated rooms. There are at present 5 in whole with a sixth being added quickly, centered in Egypt historical past and tradition.
Every room is actually distinctive. There’s a Victorian Parlor the place you may grow to be a Victorian for a stint. Benefit from the fads of the time, such because the stereoscope and utilizing a steel stamp to make a great 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 in fact. Was it haunted? It’s arduous to say nevertheless it actually gave us nice sound and introduced a smile to our faces.
You may as well grow to be 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 may 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 grow to be a Renaissance Wizard and make your individual magic wand. How cool is that?
And for those who’re fortunate and get a few of the clues proper, you may return to Pamela within the Wax Workshop and he or she’ll offer you a Spell Package 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 find out how to e-book.
Under is a enjoyable video of our expertise.
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 artistic, artsy and nature-driven, all of that are true. A number of the homes are nestled into the hills and surrounded by timber, fowl life and chances are you’ll even spot a deer. It’s a small city (underneath 10K) and but, boasts a bustling downtown space with eating places, cafes and enjoyable outlets. There are additionally murals and artwork outdoors on partitions and tucked away in locations you’d least anticipate finding blossoming creativity in motion.
Under are indicators on the Espresso Roastery.
Outdoors on the identical road, there’s a beautiful mosaic bench the place you may sit and other people 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 clothes shops as properly 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 Jap treats. In addition they have weekly reside music, tarot readings, and performances.
Photograph credit score: Wei Wu Tea Temple
We hope you’ve got 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 an internet tradition and journey journal with a world weblog community and has contributors from each continent on the earth. Having lived in 10 international locations and explored almost 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural variety.
She can be the CEO and founding father of Magic Sauce Media, a brand new media providers consultancy centered on viral advertising, social media, branding, occasions and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped corporations from 12 international locations get traction available in the market. Recognized for her world and natural strategy to product and company launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an lively consumer of social media, she helps shoppers navigate digital waters from world wide. Renee has been running a blog for over 16 years and commonly writes on her private weblog Down the Avenue, Huffington Submit, 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 numerous 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 Listing.
Her ardour for artwork, storytelling and images 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 photograph books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee can 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 study from friends, governments, firms, and most people to be able to educate, share, consider, and promote revolutionary applied sciences.