Archive for Bay Area People
Sunday Gratitude 3
Posted by: | CommentsAnother Sunday, another week to be grateful for.
Inspired by my Twitter friend Michelle’s (@RiteHereNow) writing prompt:
My taxes being done! Thanks to Celia!
My FitBit and my friend ChefAmy who got me started with it so we could go on virtual walks together.
All the wonderful, creative, energetic and inspiring entrepreneurial women who took the time to walk with me this week.
My mom.
Marilyn – Vision Art Studio
Celia – Graterol Consulting
Betsy – Little Fluffy Clouds
Lissa – Mind Over Medicine
Diane – Diane Fischler
Maria – Small Change Blog
Wildflowers popping up all over Marin County.
What are you grateful for?
Everybody Loves Ricky
Posted by: | CommentsFor over 2 years now I have been taking the Golden Gate Transit bus #4 to work every morning. It is early and usually dark when I get to the bus stop. Strangely enough I look forward to my early morning commute and that is because of Ricky, the bus driver! He was always there on time and always greeted me with enthusiasm and a warm smile.
Awhile back GG Transit changed the schedule and Ricky was no longer the driver on my usual bus route. I missed Ricky. The morning commutes just weren’t as fun without him. A few weeks ago a nice woman named Ali came up to me at the bus stop and asked if I had been one of the regular riders on Ricky’s bus. She told me he was retiring and invited me to take his bus on his retirement day. That is when I figured out where Ricky had gone. He’d been driving the earlier bus! The one I never take. The one that left at 6:39am. I’m more of a 6:49 or 7:04am kind of a bus rider.
Today, December 5, 2012 is Ricky’s last day driving the #4. I am going to miss Ricky’s beautiful smile and contagious positive attitude towards life. I am grateful I had the opportunity to be a rider on Ricky’s bus.
Thank you Ricky!
Seems I am not the only one who loves Ricky:
The bus was full of people on this stormy, dark morning who arrived with thank you gifts and well wishes for Ricky.
PS. In all the excitement I left my umbrella on the bus.
I smiled as I walked 2 blocks in the pouring rain to my office and arrived sopping wet.
Have you ever looked at yourself through the eyes of a homeless person?
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On this dark grey morning at the bus stop, the typical southern Marin white-collar commuters sleepily waited for their bus to pick them up and deliver them safely and comfortably to the financial district of San Francisco.
While we were waiting, a homeless man shuffled up and quietly said “Excuse me may I sit down?” as he made his way through our small crowd to the covered bench.
He sat right next to where I was standing. He smelled like you might imagine a homeless man smells. He opened his can of iced tea and took a sip.
Nobody looked at him, nobody looked up from their phone. I looked at him. He didn’t look back, he just looked down and mumbled to himself. I wanted to say something to him but I didn’t. I wanted to treat him like a fellow human being and ask him if his tea tasted good, but I didn’t. I was scared. I wasn’t sure how he would react. I’ve had some very unpleasant experiences in the past when engaging in conversations with certain homeless people and this has left me with a wall around myself that I do not like but it is a wall of protection. I feel like a jerk but I don’t know how else to take care of myself.
I wonder why he decided to come sit there instead of other chairs nearby away from the crowd. Maybe he was lonely, maybe he wanted some human contact. We weren’t able to or we chose not to give it to him. We just looked down at our phones pretending not to notice him. For a moment I saw myself through his eyes, I put my phone in my pocket and just stood there next to him trying to be fully present and offer love instead of fear. I smiled at him as I walked passed him to get on the bus. He mumbled something.
I wonder where he is going to sleep during the storm tonight…
I am thankful my family of origin decided for Christmas instead of buying gifts for each other we will give the money we would have spent to charity.
Some resources in Marin for homeless people:
San Francisco and Marin Food Bank
Marin Moms
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What is a Marin Mom?
A mom who lives in Marin.
What is the first thing you think of when you hear/read the words “Marin Mom”?
I asked myself this question and here was my honest answer:
Marin Mom is an unofficial term used in the Bay Area to describe a stay at home, hip, good looking, often blonde, fit, yoga going, organic eating, SUV driving, volunteering, soccer mom usually married to a wealthy guy. At least that is the stereotype that conjures in my mind when I hear “Marin Mom”
In researching stereotypes for my book I asked this same question on Facebook and Twitter and got some interesting responses confirming I am not the only one forming stereotypes. Here is what others had to say about Marin Moms:
- Ladies who lunch
- Lululemon and big black SUVs
- Money and multiple yoga classes each day
- SUVs (heard this one multiple times)
- Frequently distracted drivers
- Competition – being a mom seems like a competitive sport around here
- driving too much for their kids, not teaching them manners
- entitled
- Hot
- MILF
- Lululemon
- Sitting around drinking coffee in yoga gear, bit intense, while either their kids are bouncing around or sitting quietly to attention while she explains how to spell croissant in yiddish and mandarin.
- I think about me walking into La Boulange with friends and having a “Marin Mom” stop me and ask if I would bring an addition Latte to her table because a friend was joining her. When I told her I didn’t work there, no apologies.
- athletic, non-working, rich, svu driver, usually blonde mom
- Marin Moms: full time moms whose partners bring home the bacon. Totally dedicated to kid’s health and happiness.
- Run around in lululemon yoga outfits and shop at Whole Foods about 5 x a week. Like wine.
- A mom that lives in Marin.
- Marin Mom…SUV
- A fine bunch of women!
- Crazy suv’s trying to kill you, over protective and ruled by their kids, well off
- First thought was Brooks Bro. shirts, shimmering blondey-silver hair, capable, then jumped to Boho. Flower Show came to mind
- I think of amazing women who make me want to cry when I see how cool and interesting their kids turned out to be and firmly hope I can do as good a job as they did. Of course, I only know two Marin Moms, so I’m probably a statistical outlier.
- Aware, intelligent, active, loving, creative
As we all know, there is a grain of truth in stereotypes so yes these answers probably will give you a good idea of what your first impression of Marin Moms might be if you were to drop in on Marin from somewhere else knowing nothing about Marin. But the longer I live here in Marin the more I love the people of Marin. As you get to know each person on an individual level the stereotypes seem to fade away and Marin is full of some wonderful, caring people.
By the way, if you are a Marin Mom or happen to be visiting Marin, here is a great Website with TONS of fun things to do in Marin County… Marin Mommies!
What is the first thing you think of when you hear the words “Marin Mom”?
30 Words a Day for 30 Days and a Few Thank-Yous
Posted by: | CommentsI am working on a project!
Inspired by my friend Toni Carreiro I gave myself a 30 day challenge. I started my challenge on Mother’s Day. I am committing to writing 30 words a day for 30 days to kick-start my book about other mothers.
Thank you Maria Benet for the 30 days of writing idea that we brainstormed while biking yesterday.
I have gotten such a great response to my blog post about other mothers that I decided to go for it and write the book. I am verklempt with the public and private responses from friends and strangers I have been receiving in response to the post. My feelings about being an other mother seemed to resonate with all sorts of other mothers out there in the world.
Thank you Tamara Holland for this inspiring photo to help keep me focused.
Thank you Marilyn LoRusso for your positive influence in turning this book in to a celebration of other mothers.
Of course, thank you to Celia Graterol for always supporting me in whatever random thing I decide to do.
Thank you to all of my friends who are cheering me on!
From now until June 11, 2012 I will be writing at least 30 words a day. #30Words30Days
Fun, Affordable haircut in Marin
Posted by: | CommentsOne of my most popular blog posts is the one I wrote about cheap haircuts in Marin. It seems affordable haircuts are in high demand around here. Today Celia wanted to get her hair cut but when she called to make an appointment she found out her favorite hair dresser, Tere was no longer working at the usual place.
After a little detective work we found Tere was now working at Tabu Hair Salon in San Rafael.
Tabu Hair Salon is located in the little mall off of Francisco Blvd in San Rafael (behind City Carpets). I cannot believe in all the years I have lived in Marin County I have never been to this mall! It is located right on the water of The Canal and is full of a bunch of treasures like KabaBBQ serving Persian food, a Taqueria, a Vietnamese restaurant and a small Mexican grocery market (that sells Corona beer actually made in Mexico).
Celia was very happy to find Tere and get her hair cut. Tabu Hair Salon is a super fun place owned by Juliana and Omar.
There is an area for kids and adults to play! You can play pool while you wait for your $10 haircut.
Celia was very pleased with her $10 haircut.
I just met Omar and Juliana for the first time but it seems Omar specializes in artistic haircuts (see photo) and Juliana in colors and cuts. They have the coolest kid in town. Check out his hairdo!
Did I mention the standard haircuts are only $10?!
Tabu Hair Salon
415-424-1653
555 Francisco Blvd, E
Suite 11
San Rafael, CA 94901
Very Vintage
Posted by: | CommentsFor the last year, I have been on the hunt for vintage prints to decorate my San Francisco office. Turns out, this whole time the exact type of store I was looking for, was right under my nose, in the financial district. The more time I spend in San Francisco, the more I love it. There is a whole sub-culture of local, independent, women owned businesses co-existing in the fast paced, downtown, financial district area.
I recently happened upon the charming neighborhood of Jackson Square, located in the shadow of the Transamerica Pyramid where I discovered a tiny little store front with a sign reading Prints, Etc. This store just happens to be located in the second oldest commercial building in San Francisco.
I had no idea I was walking in to a piece of San Francisco history.
The small store was filled with vintage prints, historical photos of old San Francisco, concert posters, antique stock certificates, maps, curiosities, collectibles, beautiful frames, mirrors and so much more, hence the Etc… part of the name.
I was immediately greeted by a very friendly woman named Kathleen who took the time to show me around and teach me how the store worked. She even helped me find some cool prints for the office that my boss liked!
You know how sometimes you meet someone and you instantly click? That is how I felt about Kathleen. I felt like we had been best friends forever and I found her stories about the shop fascinating. So yesterday I spent my lunch break inside Prints, Etc chatting with Kathleen about the history of this adorable little store.
Prints, Etc has been here since 1957. Kathleen DiGrande and her sister Elizabeth Cologne are the 4th owners of Prints, Etc and have owned it for the last 6 years. The store has kept the same integrity since the beginning. Kathleen and Elizabeth have one employee, Adriane Brown who is an artist and is currently getting her Masters of Fine Art.
Elizabeth makes these unique and colorful pressed flower framed designs.
Adriane painted this beautiful painting that was hanging up high which explains the angle of the photo. Reminds me of the days working in my parent’s flower shop.
According to Kathleen, Prints, Etc has the largest selection of custom frames in the city, such as ‘closed corner’ frames made in the US, and ‘mitered’ corner frames. Many frame shops outsource their framing, not Prints, Etc! The 3 women do the framing themselves right here in the store and take special care of the art.
Prints, Etc.
494 Jackson Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
415-362-5323
Be sure to “LIKE” Print, Etc on Facebook!
While you are there click “LIKE” on Sally Around The Bay too! 
Thank you!
A Simple Thank You
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I have come to realize the simple words “Thank You” are two very important words to me. I have noticed not all people say thank you. Maybe their mama didn’t teach them to say thank you. It makes me wonder what thank you means to people. Maybe it has different meanings for different people.
What does thank you mean to you? Is it important to you to be thanked when you have done something for someone else? Do you thank people when they do something nice for you?
You really can not go wrong with saying thank you, it doesn’t matter how big or small the gesture is. It’s always worth it to say thank you.
Go ahead, try it!
I challenge you to say thank you a few extra times this week.
If your spouse does the laundry, say thank you, even if they do it every week.
If your child puts the dishes in the dish washer, say thank you, even if it is their chore.
If your mom or dad cooks dinner for you, say thank you.
If someone retweets something you have posted on Twitter or Liked something you put up on Facebook, say thank you.
I personally am going to start sending more handwritten thank you cards. Emails, text messages and phone calls are all appropriate ways to say thank you these days but don’t you appreciate a handwritten card so much more now since they are so uncommon?
When I used to work in the corporate world at the Bath & Body Works office we had something called the WOW card. Anytime someone did something we appreciated, we were supposed to write a little note on the WOW card and give it to them. You could give the card to your boss, the janitor, coworkers, assistants, anyone. It was such a great practice and it was always so nice to give and receive those WOW cards! Wouldn’t it be fun to start up the WOW card tradition on a personal level and send your friends and family a WOW card every time they did something cool?
I started writing this blog post on the bus this morning, then posted a question on Facebook asking people their feelings about Thank Yous. It’s unanimous people love Thank Yous!
One friend posted this:
“If the only prayer you ever said was thank you, that would suffice.” a proverb, posted by -Sarah
Funny, I had thank yous on my mind today. Someone in my life has not been saying thank you at times when I felt they should so I spent today reflecting on thank yous. The more enlightened people tell me, I shouldn’t expect thank yous, I should just do things out of the goodness of my own heart. Well that doesn’t work for me, I’m not enlightened enough I guess, I like thank yous. If I take the time to prepare dinner for you, give you a ride somewhere, or just something generally nice I want a thank you!
After my day of thank you reflection I decided I should start focusing on saying thank you more, rather than focusing on people who don’t say thank you when I think they should. Who am I to decide how people should act anyway?
So thank you for reading this post. Thank you for supporting my blog. If it weren’t for you I’d be talking to myself an awful lot online. I really, really do appreciate that you take the time to read my blog, my tweets, my Facebook updates and to actually come out to events when I coordinate them.
THANK YOU!
I just went out and got the mail a few minutes ago. Guess what was in my mail box?!
Not one, but TWO thank you notes from my good friend Peggy over at the Success and Chocolate blog. She sent me 1 Thank You note for a tiny little gift (purple pens) I gave her and another Thank You for ME agreeing to be interviewed on HER blog. Wow! a Thank You for agreeing to be interviewed! I should be thanking her! Thank you Peggy! A bonus was the 2 thank you notes were written on cards created and designed by my artist friends! The Success & Chocolate card was designed by C. Proppe and the You Rule! card was created by Tamara at Bean Up The Nose Art, who is the queen of thank yous (one of the reasons I admire her so much).
How cool is that?!
While I’m in gratitude mode also want to mention my friend Marilyn’s (who always reminds me to be grateful) brand NEW happy blog: VisionBook365
Thank you!
Fun things to do in Marin Today
Posted by: | CommentsHappy Saturday!
It’s another beautiful winter/summer day here in Marin County and it is almost Valentine’s Day!
Have you thought about what you are going to give your honey, your child, your best friend or your mom for Valentine’s Day yet? Want to give them something new and different? I have an idea for you!
Go to San Anselmo today!
Tamara Holland is having an Art Sale TODAY.
Where: 2 Florence Ave. in San Anselmo, CA.
When: Today, February 4, 2012 from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Last minute gift idea
Posted by: | CommentsI just love this poem/story written by my favorite farmer Tara Smith from Tara Firma Farms.
Thanks Tara for your inspiring newsletter this week (and all that you do)!
Happy Holidays!
To all the Parents, Aunts, Uncles, Sisters and Brothers…What to get for Christmas…
Twas the night before Christmas
And all across the Farm
Not a creature was stirring
All quiet in the Barn
The children were nestled
Scattered about the house (four sons – 21, 22, 23, 14, a girl that is supposedly just a friend and another kid from who knows where)
My husband I were sleeping (hiding)
I awoke to a SNAP…one less mouse (peanut butter in the trap works really well)
Staring at the ceiling
Feeling the dread
Knowing I would soon
Be getting out of bed
Wrapping the presents
And filling the socks
Wondering if they would think it funny
If they were filled with Rocks
We don’t need any thing
We don’t need more stuff
We don’t need to waste
It’s all useless fluff
The packaging and paper
Our landfills are full
Our buying and buying
Needing more is just bull.
It’s never enough
All the junk, all the stuff
It doesn’t make us happy
Myself I rebuff
It’s not about stuff
It’s not about things
It’s not about toys or gas cards or rings
It’s not about spending
Time in the store
It’s not about giving out crap
Anymore.
It has to change
We have to wake up
We have to think long term
The “stuff” we have to give up
So I took out a pen
And paper to write
I made several renditions
Notes to my boys that night
I wrote of how proud
I am of them all
How we laugh together
They are really a ball
I wrote of their wins
And how they show character when they lose
I wrote of honesty
And lack of drug taking and little booze.
I tried to explain
How a mother does feel
To see her children
Engage in a way that is real.
In the wee morning hours
I drank coffee and cried
The paper was stained
And the tear stains shown as they dried.
With so little stuff
Under the tree
I worried they would wake
And be disappointed in me.
I watched as they gathered
Around the lit tree
Each taking out their letters
Reading silently.
I watched them tear up
As the heart embraces
The emotion it feels
It showed in their faces
The love of a parent
So simple to give
It lasts forever
Any stuff it will outlive.
It takes only time
And a paper and pen
Give them a gift
They will remember when…and always…
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Your Farmer, Tara Smith
P.S. If you add a little cash to the envelope they’re really like it. (added by @Sally_K) I want to be Tara when I grow up.
