Next time you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, instead of heading south into Silicon Valley or along the coast, take the Golden Gate bridge north into Marin. Here you’ll discover some hidden treasures, as well as some more known ones, such as wine country.
The French Market Marin
On the second Sunday of the month, you can experience the ambiance of the French flea markets in Paris in San Rafael at the Marin Center. Best of all, attendance and parking are both free. The French Market Marin market brings together over 140 booths of vintage and antique treasures.
Photo credit: French Market Marin
The French Market Marin is a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon, as you stroll through aisles of home and garden décor, vintage and estate jewelry, collectibles, books, vintage shabby chic, farmhouse style, art, pottery, silver rugs and a host of other items. They always have live French music and a creperie food truck. You’ll come across dishes, pots, furniture, native American pieces, art, old relics, Asian rugs and vintage clothes, ranging from designer pieces to antique lace accessories.
Below, my sister and I take a selfie in one of the many booths that make up the Sunday French Market.
In typical French style, you can find antique garden furniture and objects from patio sets to urns and birdhouses. That said, not everything is French or even European influenced. There’s an amazing West African vendor who has incredible masks, jewels from India, carpets from various parts of the East, and Trinidad and Johan, of Atelier de Campagne offer decorative items. My sister came across an incredible Afghan rug and basket she couldn’t resist and they left in her suitcase.
We remain huge fans of the market who was started by Fern Loiacono who used to shopped the famous weekend brocantes or flea markets in Paris—Marché du Biron, Marche Vernaison and Porte de Clignancourt, the largest and oldest one—searching for gems she loved. That inspiration led to her launching the French Market Marin in 2011 and the rest is history. Two thumbs up.
Petaluma Vintage Market
Speaking of markets, just north of the French Market Marin is a monthly market in Petaluma, in Sonoma County. Along North McDowell Boulevard, you’ll find roughly four dozen vendors selling their latest finds. Its official name—Petaluma Vintage—features a curated selection of over forty vintage and antique sellers specializing in all things vintage.
Some of the things you’ll find include video games, toys, clothing, jewelry (costume and antique), hats, fashion accessories, comic books, trading cards, books, movies, posters, art, furniture, decor, dishes, lamps, kitchen gear, instruments, glasses, rugs and more.
We found another great rug but this one was much larger. A bit heavy to carry, but for a gorgeous piece, isn’t it worth it? The added bonus was Sean from Sean’s Antiques & Fine Art, was such a delight. Irish-born and a natural storyteller, it was a such a pleasure to hang out with him.
For more information, including the next dates, visit their website.
Larkspur Wine Stroll
Once a year, the Larkspur Chamber hosts a Larkspur Wine Stroll on the main drag, which is closed down to cars so pedestrians can walk up and down the street tasting wines for the afternoon. Some of the featured wineries include Adobe Road, Alexander Valley Vineyards, Calstar Cellars, Isetta Family Wines, Drew Dowsett Wines, Cazadero Winery, Grgich Hills Estate, Santori Wines, Construct Winery, and quite a few others.
They had live music as well — kids and adults alike played, participated and danced.
Wine tasting anyone?
This was their 12th year hosting the wine stroll and it was once again a success. Luckily the weather cooperated, which is almost a given for Marin in the Fall. If wine isn’t your thing, Larkspur has tons of cute shops to explore as well.
One of our favorite shops (not to be missed) is Citrine along the main drag. Owners Jay and Karyn curate the best clothes, crystals and gift items. We’ve never been in the shop and not discovered a gem. They also have a yoga studio in the back as well as a unique healing salt room. For those new to crystals, citrine is a beautiful crystal, (also Karyn’s birthstone) with healing qualities that are slated to represent all things abundance and manifestation.
Jay and Karyn Holland, owners of Citrine in Larkspur
We also love sitting at the bar and ordering wine and appetizers at Left Bank Brasseries in downtown Larkspur. It’s an outpost of a small local chain offering simple Southern French cuisine in a hip environment with a fireplace. To find out when the next Larkspur wine stroll is, be sure to check out their website.
Below is a short video of our time at the Larkspur Wine Stroll.
Healdsburg
Why Healdsburg? Located roughly an hour or so north of San Francisco, this little wine country town boasts tons of history and culture. It also happens to be a beautiful town surrounded by rising hills and vineyards. Nestled against the Russian River in northern Sonoma County, Healdsburg exudes the charm of a small, agricultural community with the amenities of a world-class wine and food destination.
We used it as our starting point for wine tasting. It’s a great spot for lunch or dinner and the shopping is fabulous. If you’re an art lover, there are some wonderful galleries, one of which was so eclectic that we had a hard time leaving: Aerena Galleries & Gardens. They also have shops in St. Helena, Yountville, Mill Valley and Napa.
Above and below: Aerena Galleries & Gardens in Healdsburg
After you’ve had a stroll through downtown Healdsburg, it’s time to go wine tasting in nearby Dry Creek Valley.
Dry Creek Valley Wine Tasting
We’ve done our fair share of wine tasting in Napa and Sonoma valleys over the years but we were new to tasting wines from Dry Creek Valley, some of which you will likely recognize if you’re a wine lover. I’d recommend no more than four wineries in a day and even three is plenty if you want to truly get to know the vineyard, and spend time talking to the wine maker or get a tour.
We pushed it at four and our trek on a hot September day included Breathless Sparkling Wines, Amista Vineyards, Capo Creek Valley, and DaVero Farms & Winery. Be sure to check out our longer article on the Dry Creek Valley vineyards and our experiences there for more in-depth information on each of them. Below are a few photo highlights from each.
Breathless Sparking Wines
They offer 15 extra brut sparkling wines, and we sampled a few of those. Extra brut translates to less than half the amount of sugar of a regular brut and the extra brut wines boast a lower calorie count as well. Woot woot. Run by three sisters, they only make 2,000 to 2,500 cases a year. Here are a few fun visual highlights from our stop at Breathless Sparkling Wines.
Amista Vineyards
We didn’t have as much time at Amista Vineyards as we had hoped, so missed out on a full-blown experience. That said, we did have a chance to try a few of their wines, starting with their Estate Sparkling Blanc de Blanc (extra brut). They brought chips, caviar and cream to the table to pair with the wines — the Blanc de Blanc was a perfect partner. See below for a few memories from our time in their tasting room and the outside vineyards.
Capo Creek Valley
Capo Creek Valley is a hidden gem who offers a unique food and wine pairing experience outside with views of the vineyards off in the distance. We all loved their Playlist: Estate White Wine Blend, which is made of Clairette Blanc (26%), Grenache Blanc (24%), Roussane (21%), Picpoul (11%), Petit Manseng (10%) and Voignier (8%). What a combination right? Mary Roy, who led us in the food and wine extravaganza, has quite a story to tell. Two thumbs up. Below are a few visual highlights.
DaVero Farms & Winery
DaVero Farms & Winery is all about sustainability and their farm demonstrates that commitment. Through biodynamic farming and mindful, traditional winemaking, they produce Italian varietal wines and olive oil in balance with their climate and the ethos of regenerative agriculture. They act as a hub for an educational and immersive experience, starting with a tour of the farm itself. There were so many varietals of plants, fruit, herbs and flowers that it would take days to explore them all in depth. Have a look at a few highlights from our afternoon.
Again, be sure to visit the longer article on our four wine tasting picks from Dry Creek Valley for more visuals and details.
Mill Valley Art Fair
We’re not always in town for the Mill Valley Art Fair, but love to attend whenever our schedule allows. It is held in Mill Valley amongst Redwood trees and boasts a wide variety of art, from pottery, jewelry and eclectic installations, to traditional painting, mixed media and more. l
This year, the festival dedicated their Special Grove to an exhibition called Art for a Better World. This specially curated exhibition includes work of neurologically diverse artists from Autistry Studios of San Rafael and the group Art Without Boundaries featuring work from Oak Hill School, the Helix School and PAASS. Also exhibiting in the Special Grove were Youth in Arts, which supports youth of every background.
Some of our favorites from the day includes Erin Burch’s pottery — absolutely stunning. She is also a body worker, who designed something called the Burch Method.
Erin Burch in her booth at the Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival
Then there’s this unique mixed media artist, Jamie Pavlich-Walker.
Vibrant colored paintings adorned one wall — I fell in love with David Palmer’s sunflowers.
Mayumix had another unique offering, art on material. Absolutely beautiful work.
There were also these beautiful natural pieces, combining art with nature.
This earthy pottery had me at hello.
They also had a fun puppet show outside for kids accompanied by vintage music. It was such a perfect offering for families with small children. His show even had me mesmerized. Truth be told, I didn’t want to leave.
Not sure what to call this one, but he brought a smile to every face who passed him. It reminded me of the Wiccan Green Man.
Spellcraft Curator
Spellcraft Curator is a Sonoma County family owned business and was designed and operated by a credentialed teacher. Three of us went for a couple hour experience at their facility in Santa Rosa California.
Below, owner Pamela kicks things off in the lobby.
She starts you out in the candle making workshop room, where you can choose your color and create your own to take home with you in a glass jar.
Then she sets you loose and you can wander to the various curated rooms. There are currently five in total with a sixth being added soon, focused in Egypt history and culture.
Each room is truly unique. There’s a Victorian Parlor where you can become a Victorian for a stint. Enjoy the fads of the time, such as the stereoscope and using a metal stamp to make a good luck talisman.
There’s also a Reed Pump Organ, which is a Victorian antique instrument from the 1800’s. And yes, I played it . . . with care of course. Was it haunted? It’s hard to say but it certainly gave us great sound and brought a smile to our faces.
You can also become a Colonial Witch — rewind the clock and create a herbal concoction. This room is an acknowledgment to the women who lost their lives for being midwives and healers.
There’s also the Divining Den, where you can get a flavor of the 1920’s, a time when mediums held seances and spiritualism was on the rise.
My favorite was the Celestial Study, where you become a Renaissance Wizard and make your own magic wand. How cool is that?
And if you’re lucky and get some of the clues right, you can return to Pamela in the Wax Workshop and she’ll give you a Spell Kit goodie bag loaded with tons of fun gems.
Two thumbs up. It was such a fun experience. My only regret was not having enough time in each of the rooms. Check out their website for more information and how to book.
Below is a fun video of our experience.
Fairfax
Fairfax is a an off-the-beaten-path town in Marin. When Anthony and I first visited it, he said “it’s a little witchy.” By that, he meant that it was creative, artsy and nature-driven, all of which are true. Some of the houses are nestled into the hills and surrounded by trees, bird life and you may even spot a deer. It’s a small town (under 10K) and yet, boasts a bustling downtown area with restaurants, cafes and fun shops. There are also murals and art outside on walls and tucked away in places you’d least expect to find blossoming creativity in action.
Below are signs at the Coffee Roastery.
Outside on the same street, there’s a wonderful mosaic bench where you can sit and people watch over a cuppa coffee.
Inside The Eleventh House metaphysical shop, the walls and ceilings are painted. Super fun, right?
There are also a couple of fun vintage clothing stores as well along the main drag. Another fun experience 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 house and Kava bar featuring organic bone broth, house-made healing elixirs & Middle Eastern treats. They also have weekly live music, tarot readings, and performances.
Photo credit: Wei Wu Tea Temple
We hope you have enjoyed some of our fun picks north of the Golden Gate bridge.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
