Archive for Family
Affordable Haircuts in Marin? Yes.
Posted by: | Comments
*UPDATE* 11/23/10 this place is now called Salon Mirsa but it’s still the same great people.
I got a haircut in the Bay Area for $10! In today’s economy I’m always looking for a good deal. As you might have guessed I spend a big chunk of my income on going out to eat which leaves me to budget the rest of my finances. I’m very careful about how I spend my money and I don’t spend more than I have. In order to have enough money to enjoy all the wonderful restaurants I like to patronize I have to keep my budget in check.
A great way I found to save a little extra cash is on my haircuts. I like to support local independent business so going to that big chain haircut store to get a mediocre haircut doesn’t really fit with my plan. But going to a local independently owned salon and paying $70+ for a haircut doesn’t really fit with my budget. I was thrilled to discover Salon Carlos located in San Rafael in the Canal district. I can get a good quality haircut for only $10! Actually, Celia discovered this place when she worked at the Canal Alliance. It is located right next door. We both go to Salon Carlos regularly to get our hair cut. Celia even went there in November to get her hair dyed purple. Since she keeps her hair so short the purple has already grown out and she is back to her usual salt & pepper look.
Our favorite stylist is Tere; she always does a great job. However, on days when she is not there I’ve tried others and they are also very good. While waiting for Celia to get her hair cut I’ve watched Carlo’s cut hair, he’s great with the small children.
I also get to practice my Spanish while getting my hair cut; this is included with the $10. 
If you are looking for a good, inexpensive hair cut and want to support your local business owners then I highly recommend Salon Carlos. You may want to call first to get an appointment because it is always full of people.
Salon Carlos is open Monday through Saturday from 10am – 8pm and Sunday from 9am -7pm. Drop Ins are welcome.
Happy Hair Cutting!
Salon Carlos Mirsa
87 Larkspur Street
San Rafael, CA 94901
415.453.1762
www.saloncarlos.com
Rainy Day Fun Around The Bay
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s another rainy day in the bay. You could do the usual tourist stuff (if you have a good raincoat, umbrella, rain boots and you don’t mind getting cold and wet) or you could find something fun to do inside. The Yerba Buena Gardens has lots of fun indoor activities such as: ice skating, bowling, restaurants, Zeum (San Francisco’s children’s museum – with lots of hands on art & technology experiences),the historic carousal (built in 1904), the Metreon (entertainment center) including an IMAX theater and much more.
Ice Skating in the Embarcadero
Posted by: | CommentsOne of my favorite things to do in the Bay Area over the Holidays is to go Ice Skating in the Embarcadero in San Francisco.
Photo by Flickr User: thisiskylies
Last year we took the ferry from Larkspur to San Francisco, which drops us off right by the outdoor Ice Skating rink.
This is a fun event for all ages. Even the teenagers enjoyed it.
After Ice Skating, we walked across the way to the Hyatt Regency to check out the amazing holiday display we had heard about. It was amazing! Lights every where, a little miniature town, a huge Christmas tree and very cool elevators you can take up and down to see the whole view. My photos do not do it justice. This is something you need to see in person.
PS. I just learned today (thanks to @PoButler who mentioned it on Twitter) that there is another Holiday Ice Rink in San Francisco in Union Square.
Family Fun on Halloween
Posted by: | CommentsHalloween family fun in the Bay Area.
Looking for something fun and original to do for Halloween?
Tara Firma Farms is hosting a super fun and original Halloween Extravaganza!
Stickers Stickers Stickers!
Posted by: | Comments
Did you know you can visit a sticker factory in the Bay Area? I was delighted to discover Mrs. Grossman‘s on Twitter the other day. Seeing her name sent me spiraling down memory lane.
Those of us that were children in the 70s and 80s were of the generation when stickers become the craze! Did you have a sticker collection? Was the collection in an album? I did! My favorite stickers were Mrs. Grossman’s because hers were the best quality and there were so many choices. I remember saving up my money, going to the mall with my friend and buying the stickers one at a time off the roll, they were .5 – .10 cents each. Then my friend and I would go home add them to our sticker albums and be armed and ready to go to school to show off our new treasures and to do some serious trading.
Since I no longer own my sticker album 
I did a Google search and found this blog about stickers. This woman was a serious sticker collector!
After discovering Mrs. Grossman’s on Twitter I followed her and found out you can visit their factory for a tour and discovered the factory is right here in the Bay Area! Mrs. Grossman lives right here and her stickers are made here in the Bay Area! How cool is that?! I immediately arranged for a tour.
Andrea Grossman started her home-based design business in 1979 from her dining room table in Woodacre, CA. Today Mrs. Grossman’s is housed in an 110,000 square ft. corporate headquarters with it’s own printing plant. The company has designed more than 2,200 different stickers and sells their products throughout the United States, Canada and Japan. -www.mrsgrossmans.com
When I arrived for the tour I was greeted by a friendly woman who gave me some stickers and walked me in to the room with the rest of the tour (I was a few minutes late). I joined the group and sat and watched a video about the history of Mrs. Grossman’s. I learned Mrs. Grossman has a dog named Angus who is the customer service representative of Mrs. Grossman’s. The first sticker ever made for individual sale was the big red heart. Mrs. Grossman’s favorite words are “I love my job” and everyone that worked there seemed to really love their job.
Mr’s Grossman is celebrating her 30th anniversary in the sticker business this year. The first sticker was made in 1979 and sold in a little store in Sausalito (right here in Marin County) called Pine Street Papery. I just checked and they are still selling Mrs. Grossman’s stickers! Their Website says they carry every single Mrs. Grossman’s sticker made. I think I might be stopping by there for a future blog post.
Mrs. Grossman’s recycles their waste paper and were certified green in 2009. She has also donated millions of stickers to childrens hospitals throughout the years. She allows employees to bring their dogs to work. The factory is located on a beautiful piece of land overlooking the water and hills. I almost asked for a job while I was there. 
Mrs. Grossman’s son Jason who is now the president of Mrs. Grossman’s. He launched Pargaon Labels (a division of Mrs. Grossman’s) in 1988, it is one of the most successful wine and food label printing businesses in the County. It was also Jason who began the tour idea. The sticker factory tour attracts more than 30,000 visitors a year. If you live in the Bay Area or are visiting and have small children this is a super fun thing to do. Actually, you don’t even have to have small children, if you are a kid at heart or just want a walk down memory lane I highly recommend going for a sticker factory tour at Mrs. Grossman’s.
On Friday Nov 6 Mrs. Grossman’s heart stickers will star in “How It’s Made” on the Science Channel!
After the tour I met with Barbara Morino, the PR gal at Mrs. Grossman’s. She was delightful and shared many storiesabout Mrs. Grossman’s stickers saying, “Mrs. Grossman’s is like the Tiffany’s of the sticker”. I even found out that Princess Diana bought stickers for William in the 80s. Even the Gosselin kids love Mrs. Grossman’s stickers (you know Jon and Kate’s kids).
As you can see, I’m very excited about my visit to the sticker factory. I could go on and on about how fabulous my experience is but this is something I think you should try for yourself. The tour is free, your kids (and you) will come home with some cool stickers, you will get to see all sorts of neat machines that do amazing things and you will meet lots of happy people who love their job.
I’m off to go play with my new stickers.
I learned that stickers aren’t just for kids and are not just for collection. You can make some very sophisticated things with stickers (cards, gift bags, etc). You can decorate office supplies, drinking glasses and so much more.
I took so many pictures I uploaded them to Flickr so you can see all of them. Mrs. Grossman’s has a wall of fame showing all the stickers ever made from 1979 until now. You can see photos of the wall of fame here.
Mrs. Grossman’s is located in Petaluma. Check their Website for tour dates and times.
You can also follow Mrs. Grossman’s on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.
I’d love to hear about your memories of stickers. I’ve noticed that almost everyone woman I told about my visit to the sticker factory got nostalgic and shared some great stories with me. Do you want some Mrs. Grossman’s stickers? Post a comment below about a memory you have about stickers and I will send you some Mrs. Grossman’s stickers. To get the stickers you must post the comment before 10/31/09 and email me your mailing address (please write stickers in the subject). Be sure to tweet about your sticker comment too!
Fun Things To Do In Tiburon
Posted by: | CommentsIf you are visiting the Bay Area or live here and are looking for a fun thing to do, I suggest spending a morning in Tiburon. Tiburon has one of my favorite views of the Bay. You could start with breakfast in Tiburon at at the New Morning Cafe or stop by Cafe Acri for a light breakfast and coffee or tea. The view from Cafe Acri is pretty amazing. Cafe Acri is located right on the corner of Main St in Tiburon.
After breakfast you could take a stroll along the water front and soak in the amazing views of the Bay. Whether it is sunny, foggy, cloudy or rainy you will still get a beautiful view.
Be sure to check out the fountain at the entrance to Main Street.
Main Street is a lovely little street full of charming shops and restaurants.
Make sure you go all the way to the end of Main Street and turn so you don’t miss Ark Row where you will find even more shops, restaurants, wine tasting and the Tiburon Playhouse.
After perusing the shops, maybe tasting a little wine and having lunch you could catch a film at the Tiburon Playhouse.
Or if you are the more adventuresome type you could take the ferry to Angel Island and do some exploring.
Finally the thing I love most about Tiburon is that it is a dog friendly town. Many of the shops even have bowls of water set outside their doors to keep your furry friend hydrated.
And of course, if I had a Mini I’d totally drive it to Tiburon.
Random Fun Things To Do This Weekend
Posted by: | CommentsCool things to do around the Bay Area this weekend.
Music & Dance
I just discovered the San Francisco LovEvolution which is happening this Saturday, October 3rd, 2009
“America’s biggest dance movement event” www.sflovevolution.org
To find live music in Marin and all around the Bay Area check out www.marinlocalmusic.com
Happy Hour
Cafe Flore in San Francisco (near the Castro) is my favorite place for Happy Hour! I was there last Saturday night and had the 2 for $5 Cosmo special! www.cafeflore.com Molly makes awesome Cosmos! They have different special every night.
Mellow Marin ***Update Feb 2012*** Teapod is no longer in business in San Anselmo but there is a cool new coffee shop in this same location.
If you are looking for a more mellow weekend. How about taking a stroll in San Anselmo and drinking some tea. I just discovered the Teapod this week and loved it! It’s an Organic Tea Bar. I had lunch there with my new friend Marilyn. The salad was delicious and the tea was really good! I had a green chai tea latte. The place is so relaxing. Doesn’t this picture just make you relax?
After you go to the Teapod make sure to stop by Gioia’s and say hi.
Petaluma
Looking for something new and original to do? How about visiting a farm! Tara Firma Farms is a cool place to visit!
Visit a Farm in the Bay Area
Posted by: | Comments
I got to visit a farm! A real live family owned farm right here in the Bay Area. I also got to meet a real live farmer. Her name is Tara Smith. I want to be like Tara when I grow up. She is amazing and so incredibly inspirational. Tara started her farm less than a year ago. Before being a farmer she was working in Long Term Health Care Insurance. Two years ago she read the book The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
Tara’s farm is located in Petaluma. It was a dairy farm until the mid 1950s (which means it had never been sprayed with pesticides or fertilizers so the soil is rich with nutrients and perfect for planting).
I met Tara because of Twitter! Another Twitter friend Peggy (who I met at our Mill Valley TweetUp back in June) always talks about all the yummy food she is eating from Tara Firma Farms and I got curious.
Peggy went with me on the farm visit. When we arrived at Tara’s farm we were immediately greeted by Tara. She invited us in her home, showed us around her home a bit and then began the farm tour. We started with the baby chickens.
Tara explained to me that her chickens come in the mail in a box. Before last week I might have been surprised to hear that her chickens came in a box but I had recently read about that in the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (P.S.)
“Poultry hatchlings don’t need to eat or drink for the first 48 hours of life, as they are born with a margin of safety called the yolk sac – the yolk of the egg absorbed into the chicks belly just before hatching. This adaptation comes in handy for birds like chickens and turkeys that have to get up and walk right way, following mom around to look from something edible… Some animal-rights groups have tried to make an issue of it, but mail-order chicks from reputable hatcheries have virtually a 100% survival rate.”
Tara’s farm is not certified organic yet because she is not sure she wants to do that. Each group of animals and all of the produce need individual sets of paperwork, filled out weekly. Given that the farm is open to the public she feels that her customers can come to see for themselves and will trust that the plants are animals are grown/raised organically, sustainably and humanely.
Tara then brought me to the garden part of the farm. She explained to me that they are practicing bio intensive farming. This sounds like a very complicated practice but in the end saves a TON of water, creates 4 times more produce in the same space and they are able to farm without using any pesticides/fertilizers. She has been learning about bio intensive farming from an expert named Elijah who came from Kenya to work on her farm.
Another cool thing she learned from Elijah was how to get beetles off of her Kale plants without using any pesticides. Her Kale plants had suddenly gotten a bunch of beetles that were happily feasting on her Kale. Elijah paid close attention and noticed that the beetles were not touching the spinach plants right next to the Kale so he cut a bunch of Spinach, liquefied it and put it in a spray bottle and sprayed all the Kale plants with Spinach. Guess what? The beetles went away! How cool is that?!
After the garden tour we moved on to the full grown chickens. She introduced me to the chickens that were going to be used for food and then to the laying chickens. I also got to see her turkeys and one black duck. Notice the happy hens laying eggs coming in and out of their hen house.
I asked Tara how on earth did she figure out how to be a farmer so fast? Did she have past experience? Was she raised on a farm? No she was not raised on a farm. She had about 6 months past experience on a farm when she was in college but it was nothing like this. She learned by reading Joel Salitan’s books!
The night I came home from the farm I invited Amy (my neighbor, the professional cook) to come over and cook the pork I bought. We ended up having a small dinner party, two other friends joined us when they heard we had farm fresh pork and Amy was cooking. I asked everyone to look at my photos from the farm visit before eating. I think it is a good thing to know where your food comes from.
We had great dinner conversations about sustainable eating and my visit to the farm. I personally only ate a few nibbles of the pork off the leftover bone because I wanted to try it but to be honest I have a really hard time eating pork. Not sure if it is because I used to babysit my friend’s pot belly pig or what but eating pork is not easy for me. There is a voice inside of me that I can’t ignore that keeps telling me to be a vegetarian and especially don’t eat pork. I am not a vegetarian (yet…. again… I used to be… long story) however I think I will be again or at least be a 90/10 vegetarian (90% vegetarian). Right now I’d say I’m 80/20. However, after my visit to the farm today and reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (P.S.)
Have you ever thought about eating food that is grown or raised within 100 miles of your home? I have and it is not easy to do. I’m thinking about giving myself that challenge.
Thank you to Tara for sharing all your knowledge with me.
Thank you to Peggy for introducing me to Tara and for going to the farm with me.
To see all my pictures from the farm visit, check out my album on Flickr.
Tara encourages visitors to come by the farm. Bring your children or grab a buddy and contact Tara to schedule a visit. I learned so much from her!
Tara Firma Farms
3796 I Street
Petaluma, CA 94952
707.765.1202
www.tarafirmafarms.com
Fun Things For Kids To Do Around The Bay Area
Posted by: | Comments
Marilyn LoRusso, is the Owner and Funmaster of Kids Fun on the Go. I met Marilyn a few weeks ago at my local Toastmasters Group and was fascinated by what she does. I asked her if she’d be willing to do an interview. She agreed!
Marilyn please tell us a bit about what Kids Fun on the Go is.
Based here in Marin County I bring fun kids classes to homes in Marin, Sonoma and parts of San Francisco. A family provides the space (room in an apartment, house, office or any kid friendly space) and some of their friends. That’s when the FUN begins! There are even ways a host family can receive the entire class series for FREE!
I offer classes in Baby Sign Language, Art, Yoga, Baby & Me and Baby & Me Fitness for children 2 months to 9 years of age and are in sessions of 4-6 weeks. I am a Certified Independent Instructor with the original Baby Signs® Programs, a Certified children’s yoga instructor, an experienced arts and crafts teacher, infant play teacher and all around Funmaster! I have been a Speech and Language Pathologist, teacher and district manager at Gymboree Play and Music Centers, owned my own retail business at the Village at Corte Madera and have entertained thousands of children, as Princess Polka Dot, with magic, face painting, balloon art, songs, games and more!
So, bringing fun and joy to children and their families is my true passion!
I have created Kids Fun on the GO to answer the growing need for fun, safe, creative, interactive and affordable play options for parents and their little ones. And, to support that wonderful growing sense of community here in the Bay Area.
What do you love most about the Bay Area?
I am originally from the east coast and have been in the Bay Area for almost 30 years. This is HOME to me! I love the beauty, weather, diversity, people, wine country, openness to new ideas, quaint towns, mountains, beaches, redwoods, wildlife, abundance of activities and proximity to San Francisco and the coast. And, I met my husband Robert here in Marin County. We live amongst all the beauty in Novato with our amazing cat, Asia.
What is your favorite place to hike in the Bay Area?
I love to hike the Tennessee Valley path to the ocean. I love bringing unsuspecting out of towners on the path and keeping the ocean a surprise! It is so fun as we are winding down the path and all of a sudden a small sparkle of ocean appears on the horizon, then slowly becomes larger and larger. I never tire of that and love finding insets of rock wall to relax in with a picnic lunch or snack once at the beach. What a special place.
The Chimney Rock wildflower walk in Point Reyes during spring is sensational. It’s an easy 2 mile loop displaying amazing wildflower shows. One year I counted 27 different types of wildflowers! It ends overlooking the ocean high on a bluff. You can sometimes see whales, hawks and often see elephant seals down below sunning themselves on the small sandy beaches.
What is your favorite restaurant in the Bay Area?
I’m a big salad lover so I am always looking for tasty and fresh salads. I love the apple/fennel salad at Toast restaurant in Novato. It’s a fun, lively atmosphere and the salads are innovative and fresh. However, when I have to have my dose of Chicken Marsala, which I have tried all over Marin county, my favorite is La Toscana in San Rafael. It is not always on the menu, but you can ask the chef to make it and they are more than happy to.
What is your favorite place to get coffee?
I am a tea drinker and absolutely love Teapod Organic Tea Bar in San Anselmo. They are an innovative tea lounge serving fresh steeped teas and tea concoctions made from all organic loose teas and organic ingredients. They have amazing tea infusers which creates your drink in about a minute or you can choose to have a teapot. It is so comfortable to hang out there with friends or your laptop and hookup to their free wifi. They even have organic take away salads, drinks, desserts and often free live music events! The owners Jaimie and Chris are so warm and inviting. They have really created a modern and fun gathering place. And they just had a baby! You might see Maddox soon hanging out at the lounge greeting customers!
What is your favorite place to bike?
I hope you meant motorcycle! My husband Robert and I love to take our Stratoliner motorcycle for day trips all around the North Bay. Asia likes to stay home and sleep. We ride through Calistoga, wine country (Napa and Sonoma), Lake Sonoma, Healdsburg, Cloverdale, Ukiah, Clearlake, Blue Lakes and more. But our favorite ride is through the Russian River area – Sebastopol, Guerneville, Occidental, Monte Rio, Duncan Mills, down the coast, through Bodega Bay, Tomales and Point Reyes. We love stopping at all the quaint shops, beaches, coffee/tea shops, and parks (we take a lot of picnics!) The joy and freedom we feel is unexplainable! We truly experience the “staycation” 2-3 times a week!
Well, now you know more about me! Thank you Sally Around the Bay for including me in your fun and informative Blog!
Thanks Marilyn! Can you tell us a little bit more about the class you offer. I know with winter coming parents of young children are probably looking for some new and fun things to do with their kids. ~Sally
Of course! Have you ever wondered what babies are thinking?
The Sign, Say and Play classes (6 months – 2 years) teach babies to use simple, easy-to-do gestures for communicating with their parents and caregivers. The Baby Signs® Program helps children develop both language and cognitive skills. Studies show that babies who sign actually develop speech sooner and have larger vocabularies when they do start talking. It can also reduce tears, tantrums and frustration!
Beebo the signing bear appears. He is a 30” plush bear with sleeves I put my arms through to model the signs. The little ones love him! We sing songs, read books, have a parachute time with dancing and bubbles, have activities specialized to the theme signs of the day and more. There are 5-6 signs taught each class. Some of the class themes are mealtime, bedtime, bath time, getting dressed, pets and at the park.
In Baby & Me classes (2 – 7 months) parents and their little ones explore fun activities through sensory, auditory and visual stimulation. Parents sing songs to their infants and many new songs are introduced with accompanying tactile play. There is a tummy fun time which is often the favorite activity! There are musical games, tactile play, parent discussions and a lot of bonding activities. We even have a memorabilia/gift project at the end of each session. It’s fun to discover what all these little ones can teach us!
In Baby & Me Fitness classes (non-mobile babies) moms can relax and have fun with their friends and their newborns during this easy fitness class designed especially for new moms and their babies. We combine gentle core strengthening exercises, yoga and breathing techniques. This class incorporates the non mobile baby into easy and fun exercises.
In the Art classes (2-6 years) we help inspire children’s imaginations and self expression with fun art activities. Through painting, sculpture, drawing, collage and more, classes encourage confidence and support artistic potential. Themed art series include 2 take home projects per class, play dough fun, songs, movement activity and more!
Yoga classes (3-5 years) (5-8 years) are specifically developed and modified appropriately by level, and are taught using the method of the It’s Yoga Vinyasa System. This is a fun and dynamic system of practicing poses joined together by breath and flowing movement. All classes include warm-up, action/play, winding down and relaxation. Busy lifestyles are commonplace for today’s kids and yoga is a wonderful way to tone the body and relax the mind. Beyond the well-known benefits such as increasing strength, flexibility and concentration, yoga is non-competitive, stimulates the imagination and is fun!
Here is a fun video about what Baby Signs® is!
Become a fan of Kids Fun On The Go on Facebook.
