Belvedere-Hawthorne Nursery Schools Kitchen Tour

belvedere-tiburon-kitchen-tourLooking to get a sneak a peak at some of Belvedere and Tiburon’s finest kitchen?  Don’t miss the annual Belvedere-Hawthorne Nursery Schools Kitchen Tour coming up next week.  The tour generally features five to six kitchens, often with gourmet treat along the way.  I am very sad that I will be flying on a plane to Wichita, Kansaas, so I will miss it for the first time in years.  In addition to the tour, there is always a great boutique and a lunch option at the San Francisco Yacht Club.  Transportation is provided between each of the homes.

  • What: Belvedere-Hawthorne Nursery Schools Kitchen Tour
  • When: Tuesday, February 9 , 9:30am – 2pm
  • Tour Tickets: $40 in advance, $45 at the door.
  • Raffle Tickets: $5 each, 6 for $25. Luncheon: $30.
  • More information: www.belvedere-hawthorne.com or (415) 721-3204.

Please go and tell me all about it!

Beauty & the Beast Comes Alive for Bay Area Children

CTSA-Beauty-and-the-beastOne of my favorite annual events is back and I almost missed it!  The Children’s Theatre Association of San Francisco (CTSA) brings Beauty and the Beast to life for bay area children this month and next.  CTSA is a non-profit organization run entirely by volunteers who dedicate their time to bring live performances to school age children.  During the month of December, CTSA performs for school children, many who would not otherwise have the opportunity to see live theater.  The funds raised from the Saturday paid performances in January and February are used to offset production costs.

  • What: The Tale of the Beauty and the Beast performed by the Children’s Theatre Association of San Francisco.
  • When: Saturdays at 10:30 am and 1:00 pm.  The final performance will be on February 13th.
  • Where: California Palace of the Legion of Honor
  • Tickets: Tickets are $12.00 + $1.80 processing fee for online & telephone orders.  Click here for more information about buying tickets.

This has been an annual tradition that I started with my children.  The actresses are adult volunteers. Don’t be surprised- the program doesn’t have children in it!  The volunteers make the costumes and the set.  It is definitely “home grown” in a delightful way.  The performance are always very sweet and tailored specifically for elementary aged children. I hope you enjoy it!

Mill Valley Film Festival October 8-18 2009

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The Mill Valley Film Festival is back for it’s 32nd year October 8–18, 2009.  The internationally acclaimed Mill Valley Film Festival celebrates the best of independent and world cinema with 143 films from 41 countries.  The event is greatly anticipated by cinema fans and film industry veterans and is considered by many to be a launching pad for the Oscar campaign. The 11-day Festival sells over 40,000 tickets and welcomes more than 200 filmmakers from around the world. Festival sections include: Active Cinema, World Cinema, US Cinema, Valley of the Docs, Children’s FilmFest, and 5@5 (daily shorts programs).

Opening Night debuts with two feature films – The Boys Are Back, directed by Scott Hicks at CinéArts at Sequoia in downtown Mill Valley on Thursday, October 8 at 7:00 pm and 7:15 pm.   Director Scott Hicks and actor Clive Owen will be in
attendance. Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire, from director Lee Daniels (Shadowboxer) will be shown at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center in downtown San Rafael on Thursday, October 8 at 7:00 pm. Director Lee Daniels and actresses Gabourey Sibide and Paula Patton are expected to attend. After the screenings the Opening Night Gala will be held at the Mill Valley Community Center starting at 9:30 pm.

Tickets:
$12.50 General Admission
$11 Seniors (65+)
$10 Children’s FilmFest (kids and adults)
$10 Members
$5 5@5 Programs
Purchase Tickets

More Information

Junior League of San Francisco Home Tour- MUST SEE EVENT!

It is that time of year again- The Junior League of San Francisco Home Tour! I look forward to this event all year long. I might be slighly biased- I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to chair the event in 2006 (The Give My Regards to Broadway Tour) but if you haven’t been, you shouldn’t miss this tour. Think stunning homes, great architecture and fabulous interior design.  The tour is features private San Francisco residences most people never have the  opportunity to explore.

Now celebrating its 15th year, the Tour has been recognized by national media such as the Wall Street Journal as one of the nation’s premiere residential tours. This year the event will take place on October 2 and 3 in the Gold Coast of Pacific Heights – an exclusive section of Pacific Avenue between Divisadero and Lyon.
I have put together a slide show with a sneak peak at some of the homes’ interiors. I can’t show you the exteriors because the addresses are not able to be released until you arrive at the tour, but let’s just say- this tour is off the charts!

Photos courtesy of Kira Stackhouse of Nuena Photography. Video features sound. If you are unable to see this video in your reader, click here

The  Evening Home Tour + Preview Party takes place on Friday, October 2 at the Hamlin School from 5:30 – 10:00 pm. This event provides an intimate setting in which guests can view the homes before they open to the public, with door-to-door service and an exclusive cocktail reception. Tickets are $165/person.

The Home Tour takes place on Saturday, October 3 takes place from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., and enables members of the public to walk through some of San Francisco’s most architecturally distinct residences. VIP tickets are $115 and include door-to-door service, viewing of a museum-quality art collection, and tasting of culinary delicacies from Bay Area restaurant chefs. General admission tickets are $65.

Highlights include:

* A 5,000 square foot home built in 1918 with some innovative “green” elements – such as a sustainable garden that naturally recycles water via a hydroponic system to a koi pond, and a garage partly made of recycled milk gallon containers.
* A former three-unit apartment complex built in 1936 that has been transformed into a spectacular, brand new home with 10,000 square feet on four levels, plus a 2,500 square foot roof terrace with city and bay views.
* An Edwardian residence designed in 1910 which has recently undergone a significant renovation, taking great care to keep the integrity of the original home while adding in modern inconveniences.

I have seen a LOT of home tours.  The Junior League of San Francisco’s is NOT to be missed.

About The Junior League of San Francisco

The Junior League of San Francisco, Inc. is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.  Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. Since its inception in 1911, the Junior League of San Francisco, Inc. (JLSF) has provided the community with an estimated 6 million volunteer hours and more than $22 million through direct community grants, advocacy, and membership training and development.

As a problem surfaces within the community, the JLSF is frequently the first organization to recognize and address the issue, providing volunteer energy, financial assistance and public support. Often in collaboration with other community groups and/or the public sector, the JLSF designs and launches a program, then works to achieve community impact and measurable results. For the period 2007-2012, the JLSF focus area is to Support and Strengthen Families in Need. This focus is defined as supporting Bay Area families in need via direct service, advocacy and grantmaking. Volunteers participate in programs that promote comprehensive services focused on meeting life’s basic needs and strengthening all generations within the community with community partners such as:

Ghiradelli Square Chocolate Festival

Picture 31Looking for sweet weekend plans? How about the Ghiradelli Square Chocolate Festival? I am totally bummed I will miss this yet another year. This chocolate lover has never had the opportunity to go, but you should!

The event features chocolate delicacies, wine tastings & family activities. Proceeds benefit Project Open Hand. Since 1985, Project Open Hand has been providing “meals with love” to people living with serious illnesses and to seniors in San Francisco and Alameda County and has served as a model for over 100 organizations all over the world.

Chocolate, wine, and a great cause?? The chocolate tea party sounds fabulous (advance reservations required for the tea party)

Enjoy!

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Marin Eichler Home Tour -Open Hearts, Open Homes 2009

The 2009 Eichler Home Tour, Open Hearts, Open Homes is almost here!  Take a self-guided tour of approximately 10 Eichler homes in the Lucas Valley area of San Rafael in Marin County, California on Saturday, September 19th.  The Home Tour benefits Hospice by the Bay.  Reservation deadline for tickets is September 10.  Remaining tickets will be available at the door.

Eichler homes were designed in California Modern style by Joseph Eichler, famous for his modern architecture and open floorplans.

According to Wikipedia,

One of Eichler’s signature concepts was to “Bring the Outside In,” achieved via skylights and floor-to-ceiling glass windows looking out on protected gardens, patios, and pools. The homes had numerous unorthodox features, including post-and-beam construction, concrete slab floors with integral radiant heating, sliding doors and cabinets, and a standard second bathroom. Later models introduced the famous Eichler atriums, an entrance foyer designed to further advance the Eichler concept of integrating outdoor and indoor spaces.

Open Hearts, Open Home Marin Eicheler Home Tour Details:

  • When: Saturday, September 19th, 11-4pm
  • Where: Lucas Valley, San Rafael, CA.  Registration at 1201 Idylberry Road, San Rafael
  • Tickets: $50 each, includes tour, book signing and entertainment.  Luncheon Buffet $25
  • Benefits: Hospice by the Bay.  Hospice By The Bay provides hospice and palliative care services for patients and their caregivers needing care and support during the final stages of life. Our team of compassionate and expertly trained professionals is dedicated to promoting wellness at the end of life, as well as preventing and treating distressing symptoms or conditions that might otherwise threaten the quality of life for patients and families
  • More Information

Belvedere-Hawthorne Nursery School Kitchen Tour

Belvedere-Tiburon-Kitchen-Tour It is back again- the Belvedere-Tiburon Kitchen Tour benefiting the Belvedere-Hawthorne Nursery School takes place this week. This year, six kitchens are featured on the tour.  

  • What: 31st Annual Belvedere Hawthorne Kitchen Tour
  • When: February 3, 2008, 9:30am -3:30pm. Lunch available from 11am-3pm.
  • Where: Starts at San Francisco Yacht Club, 98 Beach Road in Belvedere
  • How Much: $40 in advance, $45 at the door. Lunch is available for $25. Info: www.belvedere-hawthorne.com
  • Benefits: Belvedere Hawthorne Nursery School

Bring your checkbook -they have a great marketplace with jewelry, purses, children’s things and more. You can also buy raffle tickets ($5 each or $25 for six) for some great prizes including a Dacor kitchen, and some great trips.

With fabulous weather expected and six gorgeous Marin luxury homes, the Belvedere-Tiburon kitchen tour is definitely not to be missed!

Mill Valley Film Festival

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Mill Valley Film Festival Underway!

The Mill Valley Film Festival features independent films from San Francisco Bay Area filmmakers and filmmakers around the world.  One of my co-worker’s high school aged children is fortunate to have his film featured!  The festival takes place in downtown Mill Valley and other theaters around Marin County until October 12th. 

Looking for a great deal?  Try the 5 for $5– five films for five dollars at 5:00 pm on weekdays.  The Mill Valley Film Festival is non-competitive and features shorts, children’s films, documentaries, and international features.

If you are a movie buff, Mill Valley is the place to be this next week!

Baseball Day- A Private Tour of AT&T Park

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Image Courtesy of Jill Clardy

Looking for something fun to do with the kids?  How about a trip to AT&T Park in San Francisco for a behind the scenes look at the ball park.  Tours include:

  • The Field Warning Track
  • The Dugouts
  • Indoor Batting Cages
  • The Visitors’ Clubhouse
  • The Press Box
  • The Luxury Suite
  • Ballpark Features and Views

When:  Tours every day at 10:30 and 12:30 except game days
How Much:  Adults $10.00, Seniors $8.00, Kids under 12:  $6.00, Under 2, Free
More Info:  http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/sf/ballpark/tours.jsp or 415.927.2400

Tours last about 1 hour and fifteen minutes

Marina Style- Junior League of San Francisco Home Tour

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It is home tour time again!! The Junior League of San Francisco’s 14th Annual Home Tour. “A Day by the Bay” will be held on Saturday, September 20, 2008 in several private residences throughout the Marina district and will include an outdoor artisan marketplace and a VIP area with gourmet food and wine pairings.

This event is a must attend for anyone interested in interior design, architecture, luxury homes, or San Francisco real estate. There will also be a special Preview Night Party the night before on Friday, September 19th for those who are interested in seeing the homes at night and attending a gala event afterwards. I was fortunate enough to chair the Junior League Home Tour two years ago (Give My Regards to Broadway Tour). This amount of volunteers and effort put into this tour is astounding, and the results are phenomenal.

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  • Date: Saturday September 20th 2008
  • Where: Marina District – San Francisco, CA
  • Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Cost: General Home Tour tickets are $55 ($65 after 9/01/08). VIP tickets are $100 ($115 after 9/01/08).
  • More info and ticket purchase: www.jlsf.org

The event is well worth the ticket price and benefits Bay Area Community progams such as:

  • La Casa de las Madres-California’s first, and the nation’s second, shelter dedicated to women and children escaping domestic violence.
  • Sequoia Healthy Start – a program that provides educational and family support services at the Sequoia Elementary School in Oakland.
  • Compass Community Services– serves the homeless and extremely low-income families with children in San Francisco.
  • Homeless Prenatal Program– works with families to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty by seizing the motivating opportunity created by pregnancy and parenthood.
  • International Rescue Committee– helps refugees and asylees escaping oppression or violent conflict to rebuild their lives and achieve self-sufficiency in this country.
  • Ronald McDonald House, San Francisco– supports the needs of families of critically ill children who are in the Bay Area receiving medical treatment.
  • Support for Families of Children with Disabilities– helps families of children with any kind of disability or special health care need in San Francisco.