Out of Town Guests: Mill Valley

OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS

Escape out of the City to Marin: Mill Valley and Muir Beach

Jackie has dreams of living in Pacific Heights.

Yes, I know your friends flew all the way out here to visit San Francisco. Yes, I know that they want sourdough bread and views from Coit Tower and shopping on Union Square. But this weekend you are tired of the city. I know, I know, you love SF, you wouldn’t move away—you just need to escape.

So, escape to Mill Valley. Mill Valley always reminds me of Boulder, Colorado, before that entire Jon Benet thing happened. Cozy and as comfortable as your favorite Polartec fleece, Mill Valley aches to make you feel welcome. But don’t be fooled—you can still drop a bundle at some of the quaint little stores that remind you that SF is just a holler away. Wilkes Bashford, Banana Republic and Benefit are all lined up next to each other on the main drag.

One of the nicest features is the Center of Arts, crafted by a well-known local architect. I actually went to an old college friend’s wedding there and fell in love with Mill Valley in the process. It’s easy to do when visiting this historic monument in the middle of town. For a moment you feel like you have entered one of Beatrix Potter’s books and you fancy yourself to be in the middle of the English countryside. See if you can find the alligators…

There is something so lovely and dewy about Mill Valley that makes one want to eat healthy food and hang out in little bookstores, reading local poets’ work. Fortunately, there is a charming place in Mill Valley where you can do both—the Depot. I recommend their oatmeal, and I must admit the bacon, sold by the slice, looks shamefully yummy. They also offers soups and salads and full-on dinners if you happen to stop by later in the day. Sit out on the patio and watch the hacky sack fanatics toss around their footbag. The Depot gets a good selection of author readings, too, so be sure to check their schedule to see who is coming to town. Another bookstore well worth checking out is Thomas F. Schwarz which is located at 30 Sunnyside Ave (this is just off the square). Tom is renown for his expertise in rare and out-of-print books specializing in Arts, Architecture and Design. In his store, you'll find a plethora of book goodies as well as a backroom that houses a graphics and photography collection. A big treat, recently Tom was showing his collection of Vladamir Mayakovsky posters from the Bolshevik era. Very special. Very rare to find in the States.

Across from Thomas F. Schwarz is the Sunnyside Café, a local favorite. Filled with kiddies and couples on Saturday mornings, you can enjoy a healthy bowl of fresh fruit or tuck into a more substantial plate of pancakes.

After you’ve carbed up from breakfast at the Depot, I suggest you take a bit of a hike and check out Muir Beach. Your guests (and maybe you) only think of Muir Woods and didn’t realize that there is a perfect beach with terrific hiking paths around the corner. Muir Beach may not be your guests’ normal idea of "a California beach," but its still stunning, with the large boulders on the edges that are fun to climb. My favorite hike is the one right on the edge of the cliff with a few vertigo-inspiring views. And the light brown sand hides a treasure trove of sea glass, if you look carefully.

On your way home from Muir Beach, if you time your trip right, you might be able to catch some live music at Sweetwater located in downtown Mill Valley. Every Sunday afternoon they have live jazz; during the week, bluegrass, folk music and the such like. Monday evening is open mike and the rest of the week has scheduled appearances from such local names as Vinyl and Shana Morrisson. This is one of the top live music venues in Northern California. Really.

Muir Beach and Mill Valley are under forty minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge and a worthwhile trip that will cure your city angst immediately. And as you drive down 101 heading towards the bridge, looking out over Alcatraz and Coit Tower, maybe you won’t mind waxing on about San Francisco to your sunburnt guests. A bit of local advice: if you're going over to Marin at the weekends, it's always a good thing to get back into the City before 3pm because the traffic on the bridge is sheer hell until after dark. And, if you don't make it in time, stay in the far right lane all the way to the bridge. That's right, stay in the slow lane. Before you know it, you'll be scooting right by the masses. Don't tell.

Reproduction of material from posthoc is prohibited without written permission.