Archive for San Rafael
Friend-date, Food and Foot Massages
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I went on a friend-date last night and it was so fun! A friend-date is what my friend/neighbor calls when you go out with your girlfriends (buddies, girls-night-out) instead of a romantic date. I like friend-dates, I think I’m going to make more happen this year.
My two neighbors (a.k.a. friends) and I went out to Happy Hour at the Whipper Snapper in San Rafael.The Whipper Snapper has the BEST Sangria ever. We ordered a pitcher. We also order our very favorite item on the menu – the Grilled Fish Tacos.
The Whipper Snapper has Happy Hour Tuesdays – Fridays from 5-6 it’s short but very SWEET!.
Happy Hour Menu is $3.00 Fish Tacos, Organic Fingerling Potatoes, Fried Sweet Plantains and Grilled Chicken. A glass of red or white Sangria also $3 or $3 off Half and Full Pitchers. I also just learned they have Half Price Sangria Sundays.
After our tummies were full of delicious food and drinks we decided to stroll down (or is it up) Fourth street to the Foot Massage place. It’s called X & J Foot Massage and they are located at 1099 4th Street (near A Street). It would be easy to walk right by and not even notice the foot massage place because they are located below street level right next to the Mighty Quinn (San Rafael’s own headshop).
When we walked in to X & J Foot Massage I felt like I was stepping in to another country, it’s very calming. Mellow music is playing and we were greeted by friendly staff who invited us to come sit in their very comfy and inviting reclining chairs. They then offered us tea or water as they brought us each a blanket. We looked like 3 preschooler’s at nap time all tucked in. Then they brought a small wooden barrel filled with warm water to soak our feet in. As our feet were soaking they started rubbing our shoulders and heads to get us relaxed for the foot massages. By the time we were finished I was so relaxed I wanted to take a nap in my reclining chair.
Foot massages are $30 for a half hour and $50 for a whole hour.
Beautiful Lotus Flower Photo via Flickr user Shamih
Affordable Haircuts in Marin? Yes.
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*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
Good Beer in San Rafael
Posted by: | CommentsThinking about having a Friday afternoon beer in Marin? Have you tried the Broken Drum located on 4th Street in San Rafael?
The Broken Drum is a nice mellow spot to stop for a Friday afternoon beer to celebrate the beginning of the weekend. If you go between 3:30 – 6:30 it’s Happy Hour time. Celia and I went a few weeks ago. I had a Terrifico beer which is a crisp and light Mexican lager and Celia had the Golden Ale – described as a straw colored light and smooth easy drinking ale. We thought both beers were terrifico. 
The Broken Drum has a front patio for dining. On sunny days this is a great place to people watch in San Rafael. In case you didn’t know, downtown San Rafael has become quite a hot people watching spot. Broken Drum has a full pub style menu. We just went for beers this time so I can’t comment on the food.
Beautiful Tree in Marin
Posted by: | Comments(almost) Wordless Wednesday
Tree at Dominican University.
Chiropractors and Sandwiches in San Rafael
Posted by: | CommentsToday I went to see my chiropractor (who is also a client and formally a colleague). Let’s just say I’ve known them for a very long time. Drs. Norlin and Maria Merritt run Merritt Chiropractic Center in San Rafael. I’ve seen a lot of chiropractors in my time and they are the best! I get regular adjustments from Norlin who is constantly taking post graduate trainings to stay up-to-date on the latest techniques. He’s really good. I had some pretty scary car accidents as a teenager (fyi – I was the passenger, not the driver). These accidents left my neck pretty sore causing all sorts of other problems. Did you know if your neck is out of alignment it can be causing headaches and many other health related issues in your body? Anyway, getting adjusted by the Merritt’s has helped me tremendously. I feel 100 times better and have so much more energy. When you go in to the Merritt’s office you get more than a spinal adjustment, you also get an attitude adjustment – Maria and Norlin are always so upbeat and positive it’s a pleasure to visit with them.
In the next few months I plan to interview them so stay tuned for more info about the Merritt’s.
After my adjustment today I walked across the parking lot to a little deli called LJ’s Deli. I would have never even known this deli existed if Maria had not told me about it. I’ve been there a few times already and every time I’ve had superb, friendly service and delicious food. Today I ordered a turkey sandwich on a sour dough bread with cranberry sauce. Yummy!
LJ’s Delis is located at:
4380 Redwood Hwy, Ste B15
San Rafael, CA 94903
415.479.8081
Merritt Chiropractic Center is across the parking lot at
La Plaza #C414
4340 Redwood Hwy
San Rafael, CA 94903
415.472.2232
www.merrittfamilychiropractic.com
Merritt Facebook Fan Page
Twitter @DrsMerritt
Thai Food Makes Me Smile
Posted by: | CommentsThai Smile is a good name for this restaurant because I smile every time I go here. The people are friendly, the food is delicious, fresh and very reasonably priced.
I went to Thai Smile in San Rafael for lunch today. I started with a Thai Iced Tea. If you have never tried Thai Iced Tea before I highly suggest adding this to your “things to try in life” list. I LOVE Thai Iced Tea.
We had yellow curry with chicken and veggies, stir fried eggplant with tofu and vegetarian Tom Ka soup make with coconut milk and lemon grass. I absolutely love Tom Ka soup and this one was delicious and hit the spot on this cold Bay Area day (about 40 degrees – brrrr).
On this very cold day in the Bay, Thai Smile was warm and cozy inside. It was a pleasure to be able to warm up while enjoying a tasty meal.
Thai Smile
534 4th Street
San Rafael, CA 94901
415.454.2626
www.thaismile-restaurant.com
Photo from Thai Smile Website
Really Good Chinese Food in Marin
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Chrysanthemum Chinese Restaurant in San Rafael is probably the best Chinese food I’ve ever had! I can not believe I haven’t blogged about this restaurant yet. I go here often. It’s one of my family’s favorite places to eat. Chrysanthemum has super fresh, delicious food. We usually order the Honey-Walnut Shrimp, Chow Mein, Lettuce Wraps and various other dishes. They are always yummy! The place is family run and super friendly. They always remember us when we come back in.
I forget to take pictures when I went to Chrysanthemum this past weekend. I was about halfway through inhaling my food when I remember that I wanted to take photos. I think the problem is the food is so amazingly delicious I just dig right in as soon as it hits the table.
I highly recommend this place! If you live in Marin, you’ve most likely driven by here. It’s located on Miracle Mile.
Chrysanthemum
2214 Fourth Street
San Rafael, CA 94901
415.456.6926
www.chrysanthemumfood.com
Photos borrowed from www.chrysanthemumfood.com
Andy’s Local Market in San Rafael
Posted by: | CommentsOne of my favorite Twitter friends (who is now a real friend), Peggy Butler has taught me so much about the importance of local, healthy food. Peggy is the one who introduced me to Tara Firma Farms and is now introducing me to Andy’s Local Market. Peggy is also a social networking expert who teaches Twitter and Facebook to entrepreneurs. She has written a great review about Andy’s Local Market. Thanks Peggy!
When Sally asked me if I’d like to write a guest blog post about one of my favorite local businesses, Andy’s Local Market, my neighborhood grocery store immediately came to mind because Andy’s is a hidden gem. Andy’s Local Market is located in the Loch Lomond neighborhood in San Rafael, along Pt San Pedro Rd, on the way to Peacock Gap and China Camp.
First, before I tell you all about the store, let me tell you the most important thing: Andy’s Market hosts a Wine Tasting the 1st Friday of every month from 5-7 PM. The next one is tomorrow…November 6th. Will I see you there? The store has a nice café area where you can sip your wine (only $3 per glass) and even have dinner, as their deli has great food and pizza!
Andy Bachich, owner, is a Marin native who believes in building community and giving back to that community. He goes out of his way to carry local products, organic products, and specialty food items. In fact, whenever I need a hostess gift for a dinner party, I go to Andy’s to pick up a unique gourmet product. So, Andy’s Market isn’t just a store to run to when you’re out of milk…it’s a full service grocery store with a great deli, large produce section (including organic), meat & fish market, great wine selection, and everything in between. Their prices are competitive, too. In fact, they currently have the best price around on Wild Alaskan Salmon @ $14.99/lb. It’s worth a trip just for that!
Andy’s also has nightly dinner specials, Friday night Eat-In specials, pizza for take-out or to eat in, weekly organic produce specials, and as I mentioned, Wine Tasting on the 1st Friday of the month. They are also taking orders for Thanksgiving dinners.
Andy’s Local Market is located at 688 Point San Pedro Rd. in San Rafael, just 1 mile past Montecito Shopping Center. Turn when you see the Loch Lomond Marina. Plenty of parking. Please make a special trip to check out Andy’s, even if you don’t live in the neighborhood. Hope to see you at the wine tasting!
Slippery Roads in the Bay Area – New Tire Time
Posted by: | CommentsHave you checked your tires lately? After the big storm and hearing that there were over 1800 accidents on the roads in the Bay Area in the last few days, now might be a good time to check your tires. Are your tires in good condition? Or are they bald with the tread showing? Celia Graterol checked her tires this week and realized she better get some new ones right now. She was so happy with her experience at Diamond Tire Center in San Rafael that she offered to do a guest blog post.
Yesterday, in the middle of the storm, I was looking for a place to replace the tires of my company truck. I, like so many that kept leaving it for later to replace almost bald tires, was pushed by the storm to get new tires right away. I stopped by two tire places in the Canal area of San Rafael and I am glad that I decided to check out my friend Bonnie’s referral, Diamond Tires, where I met with Paul after briefly talking over the phone with him. Paul is the owner who is a very nice, honest and knowledgeable guy. I later learned that he used to race at the Laguna Seca Raceway in the open cars category so I know he knows about tires and how important they are. Racing mountain bikes (including one race at Laguna Seca!) and looking for ways to improve my performance made me research and test different tires for different ground conditions since they are the direct contact to the ground!
Anyway, Paul’s prices were the most reasonable of the three places I checked. But beyond that I have to say their service was really good. Think about it, Paul had his shop packed with clients wanting tires right away, the phone was ringing non-stop, the rain storm was blowing air into the entrance and making the power go on and off, but Paul and his crew kept working, changing tires, ordering tires, and answering the many questions we all had about tires. And their customer service was impeccable, always polite, calm, patient, to the point, even though you could tell they were busier than usual.
When I was leaving, as a very happy client with 4 new tires, I asked Paul if they were busier than usual and it was then when he told me that in the last 2 days they had the sales and work of several weeks. He was happy about that but recognized they all were exhausted. I didn’t even notice how tired they were because they were so focused on providing a great service!
Also, Paul didn’t know that I am a geek computer tech that loves gadgets and that I know a little about tires and the process to replace tires because of the maintenance of my several mountain bikes I work on. So I was checking out the digital equipment he has to balance the tires and to do alignment, and it is really cool to see the precision of these machines!
If you need new tires or need alignment, I recommend Diamond Tires!
Thanks Celia!
PS. Paul sent us a wonderful video of his shop with his dog Buck, the Diamond Tire Customer Service dog. Buck is adorable and as soon as I can figure out how to add a video file to this blog I will.
Fun Things For Kids To Do Around The Bay Area
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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.
