Archive for Parks & Recreation
Stinson Beach: Reading, Relaxing and Rejuvenating
Posted by: | CommentsI spent this past weekend at Stinson Beach. Many thanks to my friend and neighbor, Amy (the amazing caterer) for inviting us to her family’s private beach house. Stinson Beach is about a 30 minute drive from the Golden Gate Bridge but it is a whole ‘nother world. This is what I love so much about the Bay Area: in a very short period of time you can be in San Francisco having a “big city” experience, in Napa surrounded by vineyards sipping wine, in Berkeley having a college experience, on top of Mt. Tamalpais hiking or mountain biking or on the beach enjoying the sounds of the ocean. It’s all here in the Bay Area!
Besides the beautiful beach, I love the town of Stinson. And, I LOVE the french fries of Stinson. The french fries from The Stinson Beach Grill (a.k.a. Fat Auggie’s Beach Shack) are the BEST fries I’ve ever had in my life. They are thin and crispy with just the right amount of salt. These fries are SO good. I would drive to Stinson just for the fries.
Even though I would have been perfectly happy having only fries for dinner I ordered the mixed green salad with salmon. The portion was generous and I probably could have shared it. The salad was fresh and delicious and the salmon was fantastic. It was topped with sweet potato chips.
After dinner we went back to the beach house. Celia and I settled in on the couch with our books. Our friend Jessica (who was also staying at the house) accused us of acting like old ladies because we didn’t want to join her and another friend at the bar. If sitting in a cozy house, on the beach, listening to the sound of waves, while reading is the definition of being an old lady, I’m happy to be an old lady. 
Stinson Beach is a great place for locals and visitors to getaway and relax. Stinson Beach Vacation homes are available to rent.
Stay tuned for my adventures in Bolinas the next night.
Mountain Bike Clinic
Posted by: | CommentsMountain Biking Marin is presenting a special Cross Country (XC) and Downhill (DH) weekend clinic in October.
This special two-day Mountain Bike event is designed for riders that want to improve their XC and DH techniques.
You can sign up for just one day or sign up for both days. There will be a pizza and beer party on Saturday night at Mike’s Bikes in San Rafael.
The clinic is on Saturday, 10/17/09 and Sunday, 10/18/09.
Visit: http://mountainbikingmarin.com/bike-skill-clinic-october-09.htm for more information.
Special guest instructor: Pro DH & XC racer Johanna Weintrager will be co-teaching.
Hiking Around The Bay – Marin
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the most affordable things to do in the Bay Area is to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery. I go for a hike everyday with my dog Poncho, my neighbor Amy and her dog Annie. Today was one of those beautiful Bay Area days so I thought it would be fun to share some photos from our daily hike.
Poncho waiting to go on hike. He can see Amy’s house from this window and waits there every morning. The other day Poncho escaped because someone left the gate open and I found him in Amy’s yard waiting by her door.
Annie at the beginning of hike. She likes to take her time.
Miwok Cutoff trail. Amazing views of Tennessee Valley Beach and Muir Beach.
Here are some of the views we see everyday on our hike. The amazing thing about the Bay Area is that the same view looks different everyday depending upon the weather. It could be totally foggy with no view, crystal clear, cloudy, you just never know what you are going to get.
If you are looking for some more specific information about hiking in Marin County here are a few Websites I found:
www.marintrails.com
www.bahiker.com
MarinIJ: Hike of the Week
Bay Area Dog Parks, Trails and Beaches
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Are you looking for a good park, beach or trail to take your best friend?
The Bay Area has lots of great dog parks and quite a few dog friendly trails.
I’ve never been to the Point Isabel Regional Shoreline dog park in Richmond but I’ve heard it is awesome! I also just read that it is the largest off leash dog park in the nation and has amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
The Marin Humane Society Dog Park in Novato is open to the public for use during select times. The MHS has a list of other Marin Dog parks here.
About.Com has a list of San Francisco Dog Parks.
David Dupont wrote a great article about dog parks and dog friendly trails in Southern Marin.
I just discovered dogs are allowed on the Golden Gate Bridge! One of my goals in life (that I wrote down when I was a senior in high school) was to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge. Can you believe I have not done it yet? I’ve biked across and driven across the bridge thousands of times, but never walked. I think my next excursion with Poncho is a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.
Also, dogs are allowed at Muir Beach, the far end of Stinson Beach and Ocean Beach in San Francisco.
Want to be a better Mountain Biker?
Posted by: | CommentsMountain Biking in Marin is a very popular sport. People come from all over the world to ride the trails of Marin County. Mountain Biking is also a great way to meet people in the Bay Area. It is a very social sport. You will often see many mountain bikers socializing at Iron Springs Pub & Brewery in Fairfax after a day of riding.
My motto this summer is to do something every week to get out of my comfort zone and I challenge my readers to do the same. I will be listing various fun events I hear about to give you some ideas. I’d love to hear what you do to get out of your comfort zone this summer.
Break Out of Comfort Zone Idea #1 – Sign Up for Mountain Bike Skill Clinic
Have you been thinking about becoming a mountain biker? Do you wish you had more technical skills?
Mountain Biking Marin is offering a few Summer Mountain Bike Skill Clinics for people of all levels. Great for locals and visitors.
The clinics are on July 12, July 14 and July 19. Visit Mountain Biking Marin‘s Website to find out more information.
I’m looking for more break out of comfort zone ideas to share with my readers. If you know of any please leave a comment letting us know.
Thanks!
The Pelican Inn, Muir Beach
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One of my favorite things to do on a sunny day is to go to the Pelican Inn in Muir Beach. I love to go with a group of friends and sit on the grass in the sun. You can order food and drinks from the bar and they will bring it out to you on the grass. I usually order a Paulaner Hefeweizen and the Cheese Plate – which comes with various cheeses, crackers and some fruit. Great snack for a sunny day! This is a dog (and kid) friendly lawn. The atmosphere is great. Every time I’ve been there everyone is relaxed and having a good time. I mean what else would you expect from a pub located right next to the beach and not far from Muir Woods?
I’ve only dined here a few times but both times the food was fantastic. I had the Pan Roasted Salmon with Fingerling Potatoes and Roasted Kale.
Actually, on rainy or foggy days around the bay the Pelican Inn is also a fun place to hang out at. The tiny bar has a dart board. We’ve spent some fun evenings at the Pelican Inn meeting tourists who are passing through and staying at the Inn.
The Pelican Inn is located about 20 minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge.
10 Pacific Way
Muir Beach, CA 94965
415-383-6000
www.pelicaninn.com
Dogs are allowed at Muir Beach.
My Favorite Dog Park in Sausalito
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Before I started hiking everyday, I used to take Poncho to the Sausalito Dog Park almost every morning. It’s a great dog park! It’s fenced in and big with lots of room for the dogs to run and play. The park is well maintained, safe and clean. It is also full of tennis balls and old tennis rackets so you can hit the ball really far and make your dog run. There are benches and picnic tables for the humans (and dogs to sit at). Grassy areas, sunny and shady areas.
Nowadays I can’t drive down Bridgeway in Sausalito with Poncho in the car unless I plan to stop at the Dog Park. He goes crazy if we drive by and don’t stop.
Sausalito Dog Park is located at:
100 Ebbtide Ave.
Sausalito, CA 94966
415-846-8323
www.sausalitodogpark.org
Dog Park Tip: If your dog brings a special toy to the park be prepared to share it with other dogs. If you don’t want to share that special toy it’s probably best to leave it in the car. (Same rule goes for small children and playgrounds.) Poncho really likes to play with other dog’s toys… not all the other dogs (or their people) have been taught how to share. 
