Archive for Women
Everybody needs a wife or 2 or 3 and a burger
Posted by: | CommentsI’m talking about a wife as in someone who is there to support you, inspire you and be there for you in sickness and in health.
Women: Don’t you wish you had a wife? Well now you can and you don’t have to be gay to have one! 
(But if you are gay, that’s okay too.)
All you have to do is join the online group called A Band of Wives (ABOW) and you are instantly married to a supportive group of wonderful women. Seriously, it is that easy.
A Band of Wives was founded by the amazing Christine Bronstein.
I joined back in February when I discovered them via the Marin Magazine article about online communities that we were both featured in.
At first I didn’t know if this was the right group for me. I was a little intimidated by all the hip, beautiful and successful women. Then I attended a few of their events and realized they were also friendly, genuine, authentic and caring women. You can’t judge a book by it’s cover.
A few weeks ago, I discovered Bistro Burger in San Francisco. I loved their turkey burgers SO much, I went there 3 times that week. They had one of those fishbowls on the counter where you put your business card in for a chance to win a free lunch. I never put my business cards in those things but for some reason I decided to this time. The next day I got an email saying, “Congratulations you won a free lunch for 4 at Bistro Burger”. I was super happy but was wondering who I was going to invite. I didn’t have 3 friends in the financial district who would be available to lunch. This was about the same time I had the realization that my only real complaint about my job was that I really missed those coffee and lunch dates I used to have in Marin with my Twitter friends when I was self employed.
I remembered super-star wife Leila (@mizbohemia), the Director of Operations at A Band of Wives, lived in the city, so I invited her to join me for the free lunch. She agreed.
Then I got the idea to ask on Twitter who works/lives in downtown San Francisco and I got a response from someone who just happened to also be a member of ABOW! Shasta (@girlfrndcircles), owner of GirlFriendCircles.com and I invited her to join us for lunch. She said yes! We had room for one more at lunch so Shasta invited Jessica (@50womenproject), author the 50 Woman Project and she said Yes!
On Friday, we all met at Bistro Burger (in Trinity Alley) and were greeted by John who congratulated us and took our photo. I’m guessing the photo is going to show up on their Website under the Happy Winner section soon. Bistro Burger sells veggie, turkey, chicken and regular hamburgers along with salads so there is something for everyone. And they’re really, really good! You can order your burger without a bun if you’re doing the Sugar Divorce, like I am. They’re also on Twitter at: @BistroBurgerSF
It was a nice day so we sat outside. Our little lunch turned in to a 3 hour magical, brainstorming session. We ended our lunch full of ideas and inspirations for our own various projects. It’s amazing how the power of group intelligence can get you unstuck from a rut. That’s what A Band of Wives is all about; connecting women, and igniting the spark in all of us.
Thank you Twitter, Bistro Burger and A Band of Wives for connecting us!
Here are the 3 dynamic wives I had the pleasure of dining with:
Jessica Buchleitner, Shasta Nelson, Leila Radan
I told you they were all hip, beautiful and successful!
@TamHolland Art Thing
Posted by: | CommentsLooking for something fun to do this Sunday?
How about stopping by @TamHolland‘s Art Thing? Actually it’s called Under the Sun Flea Market but for some reason I can not remember that name so I keep calling it @TamHolland’s art thing. Tamara (aka @TamHolland on Twitter) makes cool stuff like…
Greeting cards. Luggage tags. Checkbook covers. Magnets. Business card holders. Collage goodie bags so you can make your own cool things.
Bean Up The Nose Art will be selling all sorts of goodies at the August “Under The Sun Flea Market” at Beach House Style on Sunday the 28th. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 779 Center Blvd. in Fairfax, CA.
The Marin Twitter Gang will be meeting up there sometime after 1pm so stop by and say hi. #TweetUp
All are welcome! Hope to see you!
Check it out! This event was even mentioned on the Sunset Magazine site!
Full disclaimer: @TamHolland sent me an absolutely beautiful bouquet of flowers today to thank me for inviting the tweeps to her art thing but I had plans to put this post up BEFORE the flowers came. It was actually on my list of things to do after work today list. It was such a wonderful surprise to come home and find this gorgeous bouquet of flowers waiting for me. Thanks Ms. Tamara! I love my Twitter friends!
Mountain Bike Clinic for Women in Marin
Posted by: | CommentsMountain Biking Marin is holding the last all Women’s cross country mountain bike clinic of the season on August 28th! They’re keeping this clinic small so if you are interested please fill out the assessment form here and contact Celia at Mountain Biking Marin for more information!
This clinic is Women Only – All Levels and LOTS of FUN!
Read about one of their past all women’s mountain bike clinics here: http://mountainbikingmarin.blogspot.com/2010/06/hot-mama-mountain-bike-clinic-was.html
So what are you waiting for? Go for it!
A Band of Wives and a few Wallflowers
Posted by: | CommentsOn Thursday night a large group of women descended upon Mill Valley. There were so many beautiful women arriving, the town couldn’t contain itself and erupted in excitement.
The reason for all the excitement was the A Band of Wives event happening at El Paseo restuarant.
“A Band of Wives is not about being married to men. It is a sisterhood of women who are supportive of other women and are looking to connect with likeminded women. We are helping women bring community back to their communities.”
As I was driving to the event the street literally was erupting in front of my eyes (and my car). I was a little nervous to drive by but ended up getting a great car wash (and photo) at no charge.
When I arrived to El Paseo I knew I was at the right place because I found the patio full of beautiful women.
Photo borrowed from A Band of Wives
I was happy to find familiar faces as soon as I walked in. My Tweeps were there! I said hello to my tweep friends, made my way to the bar, had a glass of complimentary bubbly, then did I little mingling. Ran in to the authors (Sue Warhaftig and Beverly Butler) of the book, Meant to Be that we are currently reading for the Twitter Book Club, chatted it up with them for a bit and then like a magnet was drawn back to the corner where my Tweeps were. Guess what they were doing? They were in a huddle looking down at their phones! I joined them. I SO wish I had a picture! However, I did get a picture of our toes. We were acting like a bunch of 7th grade girl wallflowers with the difference that we were having a blast tweeting it up while chatting with each other.
So… we aren’t that bad, we did actually talk to some non-tweeting wives. How could we not? They were all so friendly.
At one point during the evening Christine Bronstein, the founder, got up to speak and tell us about a sister wife who is going through a very difficult time. Here’s an excerpt* from the ABOW Facebook page with an example of how the wives actually do band together:
After the first El Paseo gathering I wrote “Oh what a night! There are simply no words to describe the high that comes with flittering, fluttering and floating amongst so many amazing wives who came from far and wide and mingled and laughed and ate and drank and were merry all around!”
This feeling, this merriment and excitement and support was still in full effect on this July night but tenfold as wives packed up the venue and enthusiastically reached out to each other in true ABOW spirit… but our gathering was also bittersweet as wives lived up to our ABOW name and indeed banded together for one of our own who needs help, wife Tika Hick.
Thank you Christine for the spur-of-the-moment fundraiser for Tika. If you don’t know the story, our wife Tika has been battling breast cancer with a new baby, is scheduled for a double mastectomy on July 20th and could really use our support in now tragically losing her husband (http://ow.ly/5G4Nn ). Please keep her in your prayers and if you want to help financially:
Attn: Matt Johnson
Bank of Marin
501 Sir Francis Drake Blvd
Suite 100
Greenbrae, CA 94904
Make payable to Hick/Potts Fund, Tika Hick or Bank of Marin and reference Tika*Written by the fabulous Leila Radan who is the Director of Operations for A Band of Wives.
Here is another post about Tika from a fellow wife/Tweep @LisaKiftTherapy who posted Tika’s story on her blog.
After lots of love, tears, laughter, socializing and tasty appetizers (the little cups of Mac-n-Cheese were to die for!) the geeks, I mean Tweeps decided to go out to dinner at Piazza D’Angelos. The 4 of us (@pobutler, @alembic, @tamholland and me) plus one innocent woman we planned to convert (a non-tweeting friend) headed over to Piazza D’Angelos where we sat down at a lovely table and promptly pulled out our phones to check in via FourSquare. We were more interested in our phones than in what the waiter had to say. I think we annoyed him a bit. When we finally got around to looking at the menu we discovered Piazza D’Angelos now has a gluten free menu! However, it seems the waiter isn’t fully sold on this menu yet… when Dolores and I ordered the gluten free gnocchi his response was do you want that one or the REAL one. We wanted the gluten free one and got it! I imagine being a waiter in Marin must be trying on the patience with all the quirkiness in diets that Marinites come up with.
Our plan worked, my friend Dolores converted and is now tweeting! She just had to try it after sitting there with us for awhile watching us tweet and chat about tweets. She grasped the concept of how Twitter works faster than anyone I’ve ever taught! She’s a natural. Follow her here: @mizstarryeyed She and I put our phones down long enough to take this picture.
A special thank you to Leila Radan for being SO active on the social networking sites keeping me informed about the upcoming A Band of Wives events. To Christine Bronstein for creating this wonderful group. Tolan Florence for welcoming us into El Paseo. To my Tweeps for sitting in restaurants with me tweeting. And all the wonderful women who showed up!
Renaissance Woman: Leslie Lakes
Posted by: | CommentsI love Marin County! It’s full of interesting and fun people! For instance, meet Leslie Lakes (formally Hendricks) who is new to Marin and was kind enough to share some of her favorite things about the Bay Area through the eyes of a newbie.
What do you love most about the Bay Area?
Having relocated to the Bay Area from the East Coast (Montclair, NJ), I’m incredibly appreciative of so many things that native Marinites take for granted: like the comparatively warm and moderate weather; the exquisite beauty of the surrounding natural terrain and landscapes; the fact that within a short radius of Mill Valley where I live, I can see and experience the ocean, mountains, marinas, bird sanctuaries, valleys, the magnificent structure of the Golden Gate Bridge; the culture of San Francisco, not to mention the looming and majestic Mount Tamalpais from our front door! I love the fresh, sweet smelling air, as well as the fog that rolls in early in the morning, and burns off in the afternoon. I love the fact that flowers bloom all year round; the characteristically health oriented culture, and that public buses have bike racks. How cool is that!
What is your favorite restaurant in the Bay Area?
While there’s a plethora of excellent and multi-ethnic restaurants in the bay area, for great Deli sandwiches, LOUIE’S DELI on Bridgeway in Sausalito can’t be beat! We also enjoy DISH in Mill Valley, but if I had to choose only ONE restaurant…it would be SARTAJ on Caledonia Street in Sausalito. SARTAJ is a small quaint, Indian ‘Mom and Pop’ operation where every dish is made with love and just the right amount of spices. Portions are ample and the prices are very reasonable. But, mostly because it’s where my husband and I courted before we got married. We even have our own special table for two by the window! (I love Sartaj!!! Their Chai tea is delicious!)
What is your favorite coffee or tea shop?
I love lattes and café au lait “to go” (always “extra hot”) either from PEET’S or STARBUCKS, but to actually sit down to enjoy coffee, I prefer to go to LA BOULANGE (Strawberry Village, Mill Valley) because it’s the closest thing to being in France (where I’m from) as they serve café au lait with lots of frothy hot milk foam, in a bowl.
Where is your favorite place to shop for clothing, books, kids stuff, etc?
For clothes: THE FAMILY THRIFT STORE (Miller Avenue, Mill Valley); GOODWILL (San Rafael); H&M (Terra Linda); MARSHALL’S (Novato) and ROSS stores (throughout).
For books: Without a doubt – BOOK PASSAGE in Corte Madera!
For children’s things: GOOD NITE MOON (where I work on a part-time basis) at the Corte Madera Town Center, and WEE THREADS (E. Blithedale Ave., Mill Valley)
Favorite place to hike or bike? Favorite park? or Favorite outdoor activity?
While my husband is a professional bike mechanic (MIKE’S BIKES) and quite passionate about cycling, I lean more toward getting places – on foot! I love to walk and often do for miles and miles. My most favorite outdoor activity is normally horse-back-riding, but in this current economy, walking is cheaper. I enjoy walking just about anywhere! For exercise, I often take the bike path from Mill Valley to Sausalito town center, and back again.
Can you tell me a little bit more about what you do? What kind of people do you work with? Who do you help?
I’ve often been called a “Renaissance Woman”. My main profession is that of licensed Massage Therapist with over 23 years experience in the field with a private practice in Mill Valley. I’m also a singer/songwriter of children’s fare; a visual artist, as well as voice-over artist.
I love people and animals, and am actively involved in the community and with major fund-raising efforts (i.e., KIDDO, Marin Symphony, The Marin Humane Society, etc.).
Thanks Leslie!
Gather for some good food!
Posted by: | CommentsI keep hearing wonderful things about this restaurant in Berkeley called Gather, but I have yet to try it. I asked my Twitter-friend-turned-real-friend, Cathy Curtis (who seems to be one of Gather’s biggest cheerleaders) to write a review for us. Here is what Cathy has to say about Gather. Now I really want to try it! ~Sally
Gather for some good food in Berkeley!
I realized I was becoming jaded about restaurant dining before Gather arrived on the scene in December of 2009. I wasn’t as excited about eating out as I used to be. But with Gather, I eagerly anticipate the meal and the experience, no matter how many times I dine there. Each time it’s like opening a delightful gift that you didn’t expect. From the happy smiles on fellow diner’s faces, it’s obvious that many feel the same way.
First of all, it’s the creative and inventive menu so artfully put together by the chef, Sean Baker. He has turned once neglected vegetables – like kale, parsnips, escarole and beets into dishes that you actually crave! Instead of over-burdening entrees and consequently our digestive systems with too much rich butter, the sauces and dressings are flavorful, added with a light hand, and are made with healthful ingredients such as nuts, mushrooms, nori and tahini.
Three of my favorite dishes are examples of this artful way of cooking. The kale salad is a mound of blanched kale, roasted winter root vegetables, thin strips of red onion, lemon juice, oil, toasted pine nuts and a generous portion of grated fiscalini cheese floating on the top like snow. The escarole salad includes escarole leaves, toasted nori, garlic lemon tahini dressing and breadcrumbs which add just the right amount of “crunch.” But it’s the vegan charcuterie that really shows off the cuisine that is uniquely Gather’s – a smorgasbord of seasonal vegetables diced and sliced and shaped into little islands of flavors – a burst of citrus, smoked maple, smoked parsnip or dill added to heighten the flavors.
Then there are the pizzas. The edges are puffy like clouds but when you take a bite there is that satisfying crunch. The rest of the pie is thin and layered with ingredients that complement and uplift each other. For example, the fuji apple pizza: fontinella cheese, pancetta, sliced apple, and rosemary all covered in a bounty of fresh arugula. Heaven!
This limited sampling of menu items I’ve described could satisfy me for a long time. But the menu holds so much more. You can eat vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and also enjoy meat, poultry and fish on any visit to Gather, each prepared with the same attention to detail and flavor. Try the Prather Ranch Burger with caramelized shallot-tomato sauce, the marinated Pt. Reyes mussels or the barbecued young chicken.
The staff at Gather are young, friendly and seem really happy about working there.
At times the service can be a little slow but that is most likely due to a back-up in the kitchen as the crush of orders for pizza or vegan charcuterie overwhelms the system from time to time. If you go there regularly, you start to recognize faces which just adds to the fun.
The décor is as refreshing as the food. Almost everything in the restaurant is made from something recycled like the bench surrounding the perimeter of the restaurant fashioned from pre-worn leather belts, the lighting made from sawed-off vodka bottles and the wall-art created from cardboard packaging materials. I wouldn’t call Gather a cozy restaurant. The ceilings are high and the layout is open. It’s not quiet and subdued. So you may not choose Gather for a romantic tete-a-tete. It’s much more of a restaurant to relax, enjoy, and well, gather.
Cathy Curtis is a fee-only independent financial advisor specializing in the finances of women, their families and their businesses. Her website is www.curtisfinancialplanning.com. She also leads a special interest group, Bay Gourmet, at the Commonwealth Club of California planning food and wine programs for the membership and the public. Check out the trip to Burgundy, France that Cathy will host in October of 2011. If you would like to contact Cathy she can be found on twitter @curtisfinancial and Linkedin. Or join in discussion on her Facebook page Women and Money.
Thanks Cathy!
I’m famous!
Posted by: | CommentsI’m famous! Well not exactly… but I was mentioned in the Marin Magazine this month! Marin Magazine is our local magazine highlighting all things happening north of the Golden Gate Bridge (in Marin County).
Marin: have you read your February issue of Marin Magazine yet? Our TweetUps were mentioned in it! By the way, you are all invited to the TweetUp on 2/17 at Pacific Catch to celebrate the article (even if you’re not on Twitter stop by to say hi and meet all my Marin Twitter friends!) More info here: TweetUp
Here’s a photo of the article courtesy of Peggy Butler.
I’ve always been a advocate for goal setting. A few years ago, one of the goals I wrote down was to be in the Marin Magazine. It feels nice to cross this one off my list!
Twitter Dancing
Posted by: | Comments
Thanks to @DrMichelleXO‘s wonderful idea, we brought the Marin TweetUp’s to a whole new level of fun.
Last night was the Girl’s Night Out Twitter Dance. Which basically means if you are a girl on Twitter in the local area you were invited.
Eight fabulous women showed up at George’s Night Club in San Rafael around 7:30pm to have a glass of wine and chat before the concert started. (@DrMichelleXO @CurtisFinancial @RebeccaElia @RuthWetherford @HylaMolander @Pobutler @Sally_K @alembic)
George’s Night Club in San Rafael is awesome! It’s been newly remodeled and is a great spot for dancing in Marin.
We were fortunate enough to see Roy Rogers & The Delta Rhythm Kings at George’s. We chatted and danced the night away. (One woman sitting nearby thought we chatted a little too much and little too loud. I think she thought she was a library instead of a night club.) We closed the place down!
Afterward we took a stroll down 4th street in San Rafael and headed to Yet Wah (Classic Chinese Cuisine). Nothing like a big plate of Chow Mein after dancing all night!
Yet Wah closes at midnight, we arrived at 11:50pm. They were nice enough to stay open for us.
I didn’t get a chance to take many pictures from last night because it was too dark, but I did get this video using my iPhone. The band was amazing!!!
Girls Night Out – Save the Dates
Posted by: | CommentsHave you heard of the new book by Lissa Rankin called What’s Up Down There? Questions You’d Only Ask Your Gynecologist If She Was Your Best Friend
Mark your calendars for 2 fun upcoming events in Marin!
Saturday, October 16, 2010 – 4:00pm (Men are welcome)
Lissa Rankin Talk & Book Signing at the Book Passage in Corte Madera. Come out and hear our very own local author & original Marin TweetUp Co-host Lissa Rankin talk about her new book: What’s Up Down There? Questions You’d Only Ask Your Gynecologist If She Was Your Best Friend #VaginaTweetUp
Thursday, November 4, 2010 – 7:00 – 9:00pm (Women only)
Ask the gynecologist and psychologist anything you want at girlfriends’ night out!
Dr. Lissa Rankin and Dr. Michelle Gannon
Pleasures of the Heart on 4th Street in San Rafael.
Do you prefer to exercise alone or with your partner?
Posted by: | Comments
Dr. Michelle Gannon (aka @DrMichelleXO) is another Twitter friend turned real friend. She’s great! Michelle is very active on Twitter and Facebook, I love meeting professionals that “get” how social media works (ie. tools to build relationships, not just to broadcast yourself). Besides being a successful Psychologist, a wonderful mom & wife, and a super fun person, Michelle is a fitness freak inspiration.
Because of her expertise in relationships and exercise I asked her to share some fun fitness things to do around the Bay Area (with or without your partner). ~Sally
Dr. Michelle Gannon is a Psychologist in private practice in San Francisco working with individuals and couples for the past 20 years. She is also a founder of Marriage Prep 101, Award Winning Couples Workshops for Engaged, Newlywed and Seriously Dating Couples that she has led with her husband, Dr Patrick Gannon for the past ten years. The Gannon’s recently won the SF Bay Guardian Best of the Bay Award for Best Couples Counselor for the 6th year, and are often featured in local and national media. Michelle loves what she does, and she tries to practice what she teaches…
Below Michelle shares some fun ways to exercise in the Bay Area.
Hi Sally, It has been such a treat to meet you. As you know, I am a big believer that all of our relationships benefit from us taking good care of ourselves. For many of us, physical exercise makes a significant difference in our mood, and emotional and physical well being. For those of us who live in the San Francisco Bay Area or Marin, we have some great options for exercise. I am happy to recommend some of my current favorites.
Also, I wonder: If you are in a relationship, are you someone who likes to exercise with your partner? Or would you prefer to exercise on your own? I have tried both options. Since my husband and I both like to be fit, I thought it would be fun to exercise together. However, our different personality styles come up when we exercise. When we run or bike together, he actually wants us to be completely quiet. He likes his exercise routine to be meditative and introspective. No surprise to you that I like to chat if we are together. What’s the point of exercising together if I have to be quiet? Ha! So over the past sixteen years together, we have decided to do our regular exercise independently, and then come together for the occasional hike or bike ride. Also, since we have children, it has worked out well for me to get up early and exercise without him! When I spoke with the coaches at my current favorite gym, Tamalpais Cross Fit, they reported, “Exercise builds camaraderie with their spouses. Working out together gives new dimension to their conversations and how they spend their free time. They even felt closer after they exercised together”.
What about you Sally? Do you and Celia like to mountain bike together? Um, no.
Or do you have better times hiking? Exercise together or apart? I prefer to hike with my dog. She prefers to bike without the dog. We occasionally come together for a hike or a mellow bike ride along the bike path of Mill Valley & Sausalito. ~Sally
What are your favorite running, hiking or biking routes?
I live in Marin, and like to hike with my golden retriever, Max. The loop around Phoenix Lake in Greenbrae is one of our favorites. It only takes an hour to walk around the lake so you can easily squeeze it in no matter how busy you are. You can also make the hike longer by following any of the uphill trails. My office is located in Presidio Heights in San Francisco. One of my favorite running routes starts with a jump over the Presidio Wall, then a twisty run through the Presidio and along the Marina Green and Chrissy Fields. I enjoy passing by the Palace of Fine Arts, beautiful Pacific Height homes, and finishing by running up the Lyon Street Steps. It is indeed a challenging San Francisco route rewarded by breathtaking views of the city.
In terms of biking, we like to bike out to China Camp along San Pedro Road in San Rafael. In San Francisco, one of our favorite routes is to bike from the city, across the Golden Gate Bridge, and up the Marin Headlands. Of course, biking in Sonoma or Napa from winery to winery is another good way to spend an afternoon.
What is your favorite yoga studio?
I have a Sunday morning ritual of yoga and coffee date with girlfriends. We really like the classes taught at Yoga Works. Originally, I went to The Yoga Studio, and was hesitant about the change in ownership. The Yoga Works studios in Larkspur and Mill Valley have both kept their commitment to offer excellent yoga instruction in an inviting setting for all levels.
Any other exercise recommendations?
Every couples of years, I like to try something new for fitness. Two months ago, I began the most challenging workout program ever: CrossFit. Coaches Michael, Corey and Meshelle at Tamalpais Cross Fit encourage, motivate and support us in small group classes. They deliver an hour long high intense, constantly varied workout utilizing weights, gymnastics, plyometrics, running, rowing, kettlebells, pull up bars, and more. My fellow cross-fitters are the kindest, most encouraging fellow exercisers I have ever met. The coaches are also available for personal training, but I like the group support. We can moan and complain out loud here, and not get in trouble for talking!
Please consider making time to exercise as an intentional way to become more physically and emotionally fit. As an intentional way to work on your relationships, please consider Marriage Prep 101 or call Michelle at 415 905- 8830 for therapy, workshop or reading recommendations. You can also follow her at Twitter.com/DrMichellexo, Facebook.com/MarriagePrep101 or read her blog at DrMichelleGannon.com.
Thanks Michelle!
