A Showcase for Emerging Art in Marin

The San Francisco Bay area is known for its thriving art scene, but it’s not just the museums and galleries—Marin and its surrounding counties are a great place for up-and-coming artists to network with other artists and get their work seen. You don’t need to be an art celebrity to live the artist’s life in San Rafael.

If you or somebody you know is an up-and-coming artist in the area, send this to them! The Marin Museum of Contemporary Art is holding an Emerging Artists of the Bay Area Exhibition—the submission deadline is January 14, so you’ve still got some time.

For this exhibition, “emerging artist” means an artist that is the main creator of a new artistic work, shows significant potential (but is under-recognized) and has some evidence of professional achievement. Here’s some more info on the exhibition, courtesy of the Marin MOCA website:

Open to all San Francisco Bay Area resident artists 18 years and over. You are invited to submit 10 digital images of your original works completed in the past three years, not previously shown in a MarinMOCA Juried Exhibition. The goal of this competition is to choose five "emerging" artists who will be given an opportunity to exhibit either a body of work or a site-specific installation within a portion of the Museum gallery. Age is not a factor.

Only online entries with digitally uploaded images will be accepted. If proposing a site-specific installation please include a brief description of concept with supporting images. A visit to the Museum gallery prior to entry would be advisable. Accepted artists will enter a dialogue with our Executive Director on how to proceed preparing for this exhibition. Digital entries must be RECEIVED via online application on or before midnight PDT TUESDAY, January 14, 2014. Notification will be by online list of accepted artwork and via email.

Click here to read more about the Emerging Artists Exhibition.

Ring in the New Year Your Way, Your Place

It’s almost the New Year! Sure, you’ll probably be attending (or hosting) your fair share of parties this season. But why not end the holiday season with a bang?

Throwing a great New Years party in your apartment can be affordable, fun, and yes, even easy. No matter what time of year it is, there’s no place like home—the best way to have a memorable New Years your way is to throw the party yourself.

If you’re in charge of the party, you get to set the theme, be it elegant, upscale, family friendly, sports-themed, or anything else.

At the Gigmasters blog, they offered a great tip sheet on how to throw a great New Years party yourself.

Start with your décor:

Once you’ve selected the style, you can get started choosing the decor. Black, silver, and gold make for an elegant color scheme, perfect for a dinner or cocktail party. Take a look at these beautiful black and white table settings from The Busy Budgeting Mama. 

If you’re sticking with a more laid-back or family friendly event, go with bright colors! This decor idea from Better Homes and Gardens is great inspiration for a colorful theme. Party City has a variety of tableware for either choice, as well as decorations and fun wearables for all your guests. 

Feeling crafty? Fancy Fancy Day blog has instructions for some great New Year’s Eve DIY projects. Check out the glitter candle, party hat and Tic-Tac label instructions here.

And of course, then there’s the food:

If you’re going the route of a dinner party, you’ll want to check out these recipes from FoodandWine.com, including mouth watering skirt steak and scallops with potato pancakes. For a cocktail party, head over toPunchbowl.com for a ton of great champagne cocktail recipes. Of course, MarthaStewart.com has wonderful recipes for a family-friendly New Year’s Eve dinner, like these brown sugar chicken wings pictures above.

But no matter what kind of party you’re throwing, there’s a kind of food that’s always acceptable: dessert! We love the awesome sugar cookies pictured above, made by Baby Cakes in London, Ontario! Other adorable treats are these ball drop cupcakes from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen, also pictured above.

…And, of course, don’t forget to invite your neighbors! :)

San Rafael’s New Smoking Ban is Now in Effect

Marin County was recently named one of the healthiest counties in California, so it’s no surprise that San Rafael is now home to one of the nation’s strictest smoking bans.

(As always, there is no smoking permitted in or around the 33 North premises.)

San Rafael’s smoking law, passed by the city council unanimously last year, applies to any residence sharing a wall with another residence, regardless of whether or not it is owner-occupied or renter-occupied. After a one-year long grace period and public information campaign, the rule is now being enforced.

“We based it on a county ordinance, but we modified it, and ended up making it the strictest,” Rebecca Woodbury, a policy analyst for the city, told ABC News.

While this particular law is the first of its kind, there are similar laws in the area. Just 40 miles away in Belmont, a smoking ban was passed, but it didn’t apply to all dwellings that share a wall.

Multi-family housing makes up 44 percent of the housing market in San Rafael. There are about 600 properties in the city with three or more units, which translates to 8,000 total multi-family rental units out of 23,636 total housing units.

While this new law is probably not the best news for smokers, its goal is to help make the community as healthy and hospitable as it can get. According to a U.S. Surgeon General report, secondhand smoke kills about 50,000 Americans per year, including 430 infants.

Please pass along this blog post to any 33 North residents you feel might be interested in learning more about the new ordinance.

Click here to read additional coverage of San Rafael’s new smoking ban.

The Nutcracker in Marin County

Holiday season is officially in full swing. So as you start on your holiday shopping, remember to take a break from your winter responsibilities and enjoy some of the best theater that Marin County has to offer.

At the Marin Ballet this year, you can catch Christmas classic The Nutcracker at the Marin Veteran’s Auditorium, at:

Marin Veterans' Memorial Auditorium
10 Avenue of the Flags
San Rafael, CA 94903
Tickets:

It’s a limited time show run—only four shows: Saturday, December 14 at 1 pm and 5 pm; and Sunday, December 15 at 1 pm and 5 pm.

You can buy tickets by calling (415) 499 – 6800 or clicking here.

Adults - $40.00
Seniors and youth 18 and under - $25.00
Candy Cane Party - $10 (immediately following 1pm performance on Sunday)

Why see The Nutcracker? If you’ve never seen it, you’re in for a treat:

Come celebrate the grandeur of one of ballet's most famous stories! Rich in traditions of holiday magic and lavish surprises, Marin Ballet presents a delightful adventure of childhood fantasy and beautiful classical dance. Artfully revitalized by choreographer Julia Adam starting in 2008, Marin Ballet continues to add new elements to this cultural jewel of Marin County. This year, come see new Battle Scene costumes and meet a new Mouse King villain. Herr Drosslemayer will be danced by Travis Bradley, currently with Memphis Ballet, and Robert Dekkers, noted as one the "25 dancers to watch" by Dance Magazine, Artistic Director of Post:Ballet, and currently a company dancer with Diablo Ballet, joins us again as the Nutcracker Prince.

Stunning sets, clever characters, intricate costuming, over 175 dancers, and a sweetly sophisticated story captivate the young-at-heart in this full-length production. Featuring Clara, Fritz, the dazzling Snow Queen, the far away Land of the Sweets, the enchanting Sugar Plum Fairy, and the mysterious Herr Drosslemayer, you need not travel to the city to enjoy this ballet treat.

Helping Those in Need This Holiday Season

If you live at 33 North, you likely have a lot to be thankful for, whether it’s a roof over your head, your family, neighbors, or your job. But the reality is that not everyone in the Bay Area is as fortunate as we are.

So if you happen to have some free time on your hands this holiday season, why not lend those hands for a charitable cause? There are tons of opportunities to give back to the community this holiday season, depending on how you’d like to help.

The San Francisco Citizens Initiative for Technology & Innovation (sf.citi) rounded up some options for those who are willing and able to volunteer for those in need this holiday season:

SF Fire Fighter's Toy Program
Last year, the San Francisco Fire Fighters helped find toys for 40,000 children in the area. Though the Toy Program helps children all year, the holiday season is the neediest time of year, and your company can have a large impact. SFFFD offers a few suggested ways of corporate involvement:

Order a toy barrel for collection at your place of business

Invite the organization to your company holiday event

Host a toy drive.

Individuals can also donate gift cards for families or drop off toys at ANY SF Fire Station in the city.

For more information and to get involved, go to sffirefighterstoys.org

Run Wild San(ta) Francisco
In addition to participating directly in the toy drive, you can also get involved with Run Wild San[ta] Francisco on Sunday December 1st! sf.citi sponsors this event every year to encourage the holiday spirit of giving. Run Wild supports the SF Firefighters Toy Program. Exercise your generous spirit by signing up for the run at RunWildSF.com (and, of course, bring a toy)

Help Seniors Bridge the Digital Divide
SF ConnectedSan Francisco's Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS), the Community Technology Network (CTN) and sf.citi are excited to encourage our membership to volunteer with SF Connected: Providing computer access, training and support for seniors. San Francisco is quickly becoming the tech hub, and volunteers are needed to share their skills with folks trapped on the wrong side of the digital divide. Join us to make a difference in the life of someone isolated from experiencing essential tech tools only accessed online.

Become a Technology Trainer

Help an older adult learn to use a mouse, email or connect with family on Skype or Facebook. Patience and a desire to help others is all that is required. Sign up here.

Help a Family Start a New Home
HamiltonThis holiday season, give back by giving those in need a home. Hamilton Family Center, an organization that breaks the cycle of homelessness, is collecting housing supplies and necessities for local families moving out of the shelter system into their new homes.

Help us collect basic necessities like sheets, blankets, dishes, silverware, towels, pots and pan sets, comforters and other housewares to help this wonderful organization restore the foundation for healthy family lives.

Our goal is to provide supplies for 225 families who have recently moved into permanent housing. Your company can help us make that goal by sponsoring a family and/or hosting a housing supply drive in your office. For more information and to sign up, please contact Kia Kolderup-Lane, kia@sfciti.com.

Keeping a Pet-Friendly Community Clean

33 North welcomes your pet! Our apartment homes accommodate up to two pets per home! We also have a lush community pet park so your pet can play with its neighbors.

Whether you and your pet live in our wonderful community or not, it’s important to the community that all pet owners work together to create a beautiful, healthy environment for us and our animal friends.

That’s why Marin County parks are making a push to clean up the area’s dog waste, hiring “We Scoop Poop,” a Bay Area waste removal firm that will scour 14 county trailheads twice a week through next September. The firm will also restock dispensers with pet waste bags.

In addition, special receptacles will be set up at trailheads with particularly high doggie traffic—parks officials will also launch an educational campaign to persuade people to clean up after their pets.

Believe it or not, We Scoop Poop has been around for several years here in Marin County, offering services to local residents:

Since 2003 Scoops of Marin Pet Waste Removal Service has been picking up what your dogs drop off.

• Regular Service will keep the waste from accumulating, maintaining a healthy yard environment.
  
• Reduce the amount of harmful bacteria that can spread from yard to home, on kids and furniture.
  
• Affordable Rates make this service a "no brainer" when it comes to value, convenience and peace of mind.
  
• Locally Owned you'll be supporting a local business, not a franchise, who answer the phone, look after your yard as if it were our own and promise excellent service for a simple, yet necessary service.

How to Clean Your Dishwasher

Here at 33 North, every apartment comes with state of the art kitchen appliances—and yes, that includes a dishwasher.

While dishwashers are a great convenience that we’re proud to offer our residents, one thing they don’t wash is themselves. Dishwashers perform better and get your dishes cleaner when the appliance itself is squeaky clean.

Home and organization blogger “Ask Anna” Mosley had a great post summarizing the process of cleaning your dishwasher:

[Quoted text]

The process to cleaning your dishwasher is very similar to cleaning your washing machine.
  

Step 1: Wipe out your dishwasher with a washcloth removing any excess food or grime. 

Step 2: Place a glass or mug on the top rack of an empty dishwasher and fill it with white vinegar. 

Step 3: Run your dishwasher through an entire cycle. 

Step 4: When the dishwasher has completed it’s cycle wipe it out again with a clean washcloth.  If there is any grime left that you want to tackle use a sponge and straight white vinegar to scrub off the tough spots.  

Here’s a hint I learned from our repair man: Before running your dishwasher run let the water in your kitchen sink run until it gets to it’s hottest.  This way when the dishwasher starts it’s cycle it’s starting with hot water instead of cold water.  Who wants there dishes to be pre-rinsed with cold water?  Gross!
  

Happy Cleaning! 

Interested in an affordable luxury apartment in Marin County, California? Drop us a line at (855) 671-6163!

The Greatest Fair on Earth

Since its inception back in 1941, the Marin County Fair has been a crowd favorite for both San Rafael residents and area visitors alike.

The 2014 edition of the Marin County Fair will have a new theme: “The Happiest Fair on Earth.” It will feature even more activities than it did last year, solidifying itself as one of the area’s most popular summer attractions.

According to Jim Farley, director of the Department of Cultural and Visitor Services, next year’s fair will feature the creativity of Marin County residents as its showcases, even with a surprise or two to be announced at a later date:

“The Marin County Fair is renowned for presenting affordable family fun, and we plan to offer even more in 2014,” stated Jim Farley, director of the Department of Cultural and Visitor Services. “The 2014 Marin County Fair will offer amusement for all ages – with great concerts and exhibits – contests, healthy foods, 28 free carnival rides, nightly fireworks, shopping, farm animals, and gardens. Our competitive exhibits program – the ‘heart and soul’ of our county fair – will feature new and returning exhibits in fine arts and crafts, photography, flowers, art chairs, dairy cows and lots, lots more - 800 categories in all. We celebrate the creativity and imagination of Marin County and Bay Area residents,” added Farley. “We are also planning a few surprises – so stay tuned!”

According to San Rafael Patch, here are some of the highlights for next year’s fesitivites:

The popular Chinese Circus of Beijing returns with an all-new show of spectacular acrobatics including sensational balancing acts, martial arts, tumbling and circus acts – fun for the entire family! 

Game On! makes its Bay Area debut with 36 fun and interactive games and activities in three zones: Classic Games, Puzzles & Plexers, and the Construction Zone! In Classic Games, fairgoers will find giant-sized versions of games we grew up with: 3' Pick-up Sticks, Checkers, Chutes & Ladders, Scrabble, Twister, and a life-size Operation game. In Puzzles & Plexers, fair guests will challenge their mind with 3D Puzzles, large Tavern Puzzles, wood puzzles, and a World Map jigsaw puzzle. The Construction Zone, geared for toddlers, features the ever popular bubble arena, large foam blocks, wood blocks, magnetos, Lego Wall, and magnetic build-it-yourself Rube Goldberg Wall. Game On! is designed to tease and challenge minds of all ages.

The event will take place over the July 4th weekend – July 2 – 6, 2014. Click here for more information on the Marin County Fair’s website.

“Give Back” to Your Favorite Charity—Vote!

With over 6,000 nominations, Bay Area readers have collectively chosen the top 49 non-profits in the region. This “Favorite Charities” contest was created in partnership with the Pacific Gas and Electric company, offering $2,000 grants to each of the top six winners—and the top winner will receive a $10,000 grant.

So vote for your favorite charities over at San Francisco 7x7. Voting for the Top 49 will continue through 5 p.m. on November 12; voting for the Top 7 begins on November 13.

Here are just some of the nominees for this year’s Favorite Charity Awards:

Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco
Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco is a local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International that partners with hardworking families, community volunteers and donors, to build affordable ownership homes in Marin, San Francisco and on the Peninsula. Through the Habitat for Humanity program, families working in service, manufacturing, retail and other sectors are able to live near their jobs in decent, safe, permanent homes.

Homeless Youth Alliance
HYA exists to meet homeless youth where they are, and to help them build healthier lives. They believe that reducing harm is possible through the provision of accessible, non-judgmental drop-in and outreach sessions, one-on-one counseling, and medical and mental health care, as well as creative and educational workshops, needle exchange, and accurate up-to-date referrals and information. HYA strives to empower homeless youth to protect themselves, educate each other, reduce harm within the community, and transition off the streets.


United Way of the Bay Area

United Way is a Bay Area nonprofit whose mission is to be the catalyst that enables people to strengthen our communities by investing in one another. One in five Bay Area residents lives in poverty. Our goal is to cut that number in half by 2020 by harnessing creativity, expertise, and philanthropy.

Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center is a nonprofit small business development organization dedicated to helping women and men who traditionally lack access to resources and information to achieve financial self-sufficiency through entrepreneurship. They provide training, support services, resources, and networks for business owners at every stage of business development.

Northern California Family Dog Rescue
Family Dog Rescue was started in January of 2010 by a group of dedicated animal rescuers with years of experience in a variety of animal welfare organizations. They are dedicated to the proper care and socialization of our rescued animals and to making a great connection between dogs and humans.

Click here to cast your votes!

Eating for the Greater Good: October 26 at Civic Center Plaza

The Bay Area has long been at the epicenter of the natural food movement—in fact, Star Route Farms in Marin County was the first organic farm in the Bay Area and the region is flooded with farmers markets throughout the year.

Northern California is a center for innovative approaches to virtually everything, including food. A new book is even out, called Inside the California Food Revolution, by Joyce Goldstein, about how the California food revolution transformed culinary philosophy nationwide.

Tomorrow, you can even meet and get to know the people who make the Bay Area’s thriving food scene possible: local retailers, farmers, and industry leaders will all be on hand at the first ever Greater Good Food Fair, at the Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco.

This inaugural event is sponsored by a range of local organizations, including Vital Systems, Slow Food San Francisco, Rainbow Grocery, and Bi-Rite. You can register for the event through its Facebook event or through Eventbrite.

Here’s the official release, from the fair’s website:

This October 26 in Civic Center Plaza, San Francisco will host the first ever Greater Good Food Fair to celebrate real food, free of genetic modification.  Organized by Label GMOs SF, Slow Food, Vital Systems, Rainbow Grocery, and Bi-Rite, the Greater Good Food Fair will celebrate the leaders, retailers, and organic farmers who are cultivating social responsibility with their work and practices. The Fair will be free and open to the public, and will feature speakers, live art, organic and regionally-produced foods from local businesses, workshops and cooking demonstrations, and a farmers’ market. Participants will cultivate an understanding of the impact of their daily food choices and learn what they can do to support organic and non-GMO producers and organizations. The Fair will take place in San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza, which is in front of City Hall and bounded by Polk, McAllister, Hyde, and Grove Streets.  

Visit GGFood.org to learn more about this first-time event and the organizations supporting it.

“Small by Design”—Just Like Marin: America’s Innovation Showcase

What’s great about living in Marin County? Not only do we have easy access to one of the biggest centers for innovation in the world, but we also get the benfit of a small, community atmosphere.

If you’re a fan of this big city-community dynamic, and you’re a entrepreneur (or if you just want to be), definitely check out this year’s America’s Innovation Showcase, on October 16 at the Folson Street Factory in San Franscisco.

The event aims to facilitate relationships and conversations between professionals, relying on one-on-one interaction. This “community” vibe will be tied together with a series of speakers who will talk about topics relating to innovation and entrepreneurship.

According to AmericasInnovationShowcase.com, the top-billed speakers include:

Bill O’Connor is the founder of the Innovation Genome Project at Autodesk and will explore the nature of real innovation via the lens of Autodesk’s groundbreaking and practical genome toolkit. This project is studying the world’s greatest 1,000 innovations over the past 2.6 millions years, which yielded two powerful techniques: The Seven Essential Innovation Questions (SEIQ) and the Impact/Imagination Innovation Prioritization Matrix. We’ll enjoy Bill’s take as he makes fun of the rest of the innovation field, talks about cavewoman, occasionally curses as the spirit moves him, and generally tries to help everyone make their work more better. 

 Jason Johnson is the CEO and co-founder of August, which is trying to crack the code of the connected home. August will soon launch the Yves Behar-designed August Smart Lock door lock, which allows you to send and manage virtual keys from your smartphone to any other smartphone. As founder and chairman of the Internet of Things Consortium. Jason will give us the back story on where design, technology and innovation intersect. 

 Monique Woodard is an Innovation Fellow with the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Civic Innovation. Monique works on projects at the intersection of technology policy and technology product and will kick-off America’s Innovation Showcase.

Tickets for the event are $35—you can reserve your ticket by clicking here.

Discovering Local Science (Without Getting Wet)

The Bay Area is one of the nation’s epicenters for science and innovation, packed with museums, universities, and innovative companies making advancements in their respective fields.

If you’ve never been to San Francisco State University’s Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies, this weekend is the perfect opportunity to do so. The Romberg Tiburon Center is a 36-acre parcel located just outside of Tiburon, California, dedicated to researching natural phenomena in the open ocean.

Although the facility is typically closed to the public, this Sunday, October 12, is the Romberg Center’s Rosenberg Institute Discovery Day. For no cost at all, visitors can experience a vast array of exhibits, talks, and even touch live animals, and see what this great facility is all about.

While the event is free, registration is required:

Discovery Day is Romberg Tiburon Center's annual open house, the one day of the year when the public can visit the marine lab and spend the day behind the scenes, meet our scientists and learn about their research in San Francisco Bay and beyond. 

 

• Listen to engaging talks on current research in the "Bay Science Cafe"! 

• Go on a research "cruise" to collect plankton and view it on a microscope in the lab! 

• Science activities for adults and kids alike! 

• Touch live marine organisms! 

• Listen to underwater sounds off our seawall! 

• Try your hand at "Plankton Races"!

• Art activities for all ages!

• Create with clay with SF State Ceramics students!

• Purchase* a limited-edition Discovery Day t-shirt or other merchandise to support RTC students!

• Food and beverages are available for purchase

• Visitors are welcome to bring picnic lunches to enjoy outside

• Admission and parking for bikes and cars are free!

For more information on the Romberg Center Discovery Day, click here.

Get Hooked On Marin

Here at the 33 North Apartment Homes, there’s no telling who your neighbors are—whether it’s down the hall or throughout the region, Marin County is known for its entrepreneurs and business professionals who are always eager to share their secrets to success and enrich and educate the community as well.

Over the next few months, the Hooked on Marin speaker series will feature Marin county public service representatives and educational districts, with four moderator-led events. Below is the schedule, courtesy of HookedOnMarin.com and the College of Marin: 

Discovering California Native Peopleswith The Miwok Archeological Preserve of Marin (MAPOM) 7pm, Wednesday, Oct 23 Drake Little Theater, Tamalpais Union School District  

 Inside the Star Wars Model Shop 7pm, Wednesday, Nov 20 Drake Little Theater, Tamalpais Union School District 

 Trains in Marin: Past and Future 7pm, Wednesday, Dec 4 Corte Madera Community Center 

 Marin County Rock ‘n’ Roll Music History with Richie Unterberger7pm, Wednesday, Jan 15 Corte Madera Community Center

To reserve your tickets for any of these events, click here.

Stuck in Traffic? That’s a Story Waiting to Be Told

If you’re a working professional, chances are you drive on Highway 101 to get to your job. You may not like it, but it’s part of life here in San Rafael. According to local historian and Marin Independent Journal columnist Barry Spitz, “No aspect of the county's infrastructure plays a bigger role in our daily lives.”

Especially if you’ve lived here for a while, you’ve probably had your fair share of interesting, frustrating, frightening, or even funny experiences on Highway 101.

We know we’ve got lots of talented residents among us—maybe some of you are good writers. If so, then the Marin Independent Journal is looking to publish your stories! The paper is starting a contest where locals can tell their favorite Highway 101 stories, for a chance that it will actually get published:

To acknowledge that, the IJ is asking readers to pen exactly 101 words — no more, no less — that capture a slice of life on Highway
 101. Fiction, nonfiction, prose, poetry — the choice is yours.
Send your submission, along with your name and town (submissions are disqualified if there's no Marin town listed) — by 5 p.m. Oct. 4 to lifestyles@marinij.com. Please put "101 on the 101" in the subject line. We'll run them in the Oct. 22 Plus section and online.
 Vicki Larson can be reached at vlarson@marinij.com; follow her on Twitter at @OMGchronicles, fan her on Facebook at Vicki-Larson-OMG-Chronicles 

Southern Cuisine in Northern California

While Northern California might be known for its burgers and cantina-style Mexican food, be careful not to pigeonhole us! Marin County is evolving, including its local businesses and the palettes of its residents.

San Rafael and its surrounding areas are slowly becoming a culturally diverse center, and in the coming months, the area will have a new addition that feature Southern regional cuisines from around the country.

In October, Arthur Chang and Rachel Hundley will be taking iconic Southern cuisine opening “Drums & Crumbs,” a fried chicken specialty pop-up restaurant in the café at the Renaissance Center Marin in downtown San Rafael. From Inside Scoop SF:

“Due date for the pop-up is October 1, with the food truck coming online (on wheels?) later this fall, secured with funds raised by a just-completed Kickstarter campaign. Currently, Drums & Crumbs is catering and doing events, like at the recent Broadway Under the Stars concert series in Jack London State Park, and this past weekend’s Taste of Sonoma in Healdsburg.”

The diverse cuisine of San Rafael isn’t anything new—West Brooklyn Pizza has been in business since 1985, opened by a native New Yorker. And their East Coast-style pizza has been a big hit in Marin County for years.

Marin is already a great place to do business--probably because all you need to succeed is a fresh idea that embraces the diverse tastes of its residents.

See the Maestros of the Movies this Monday

Think of the movies you love most: does the list include Star Wars? Jurassic Park? Jaws? Or how about any of these other flicks?

John Williams is one of the most prolific cinematic composers ever, even though many people don’t connect his music with his name. Still, someone had to write the iconic theme songs that we all remember today—and with a great local symphony here in the Bay Area, this has the makings of a great event: This coming Monday, September 16, Joh Williams will conduct the San Francisco Symphony as they play the iconic scores that he wrote for films like E.T., Schindler’s List, and Jaws.

And, there’s a special guest! The event will be hosted by Steven Spielberg. Here’s the official release from the San Francisco Symphony: 

As the man responsible for the most recognizable music in film history, John Williams is a Hollywood legend. His iconic scores for Star Wars, Jaws, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, Schindler's List, E.T.,Lincoln, and so many others, have inspired generations of movie fans. His longest and most frequent artistic collaborator, Steven Spielberg is truly one of the most successful and honored directors in the history of motion pictures. For the first time in more than a decade, Maestro Williams returns to conduct the San Francisco Symphony in a thrilling concert of his film music. Mr. Spielberg will join him as a special guest host for the second half of what is sure to be an unforgettable evening.

The event will be held at 8:00 pm on Monday, September 16 at the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. For more information about the event, click here.

Competition Breeds Innovation at ICS 2013

Are you a technology professional? Do you work with some? It’s pretty likely if you live here. However, tech development isn’t just work—some of the best discoveries happen when professionals collaborate together in a fun environment.

On October 16-17, 2013, technology professionals and innovators in the Marin area will gather at the 2013 Institute of Competition Sciences (ICS) Tech Summit at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffet Field, CA. The event will encourage collaboration between technology leaders and innovators to explore how competitions, challenges, and prizes can create cost-effective solutions for their businesses and society.

According the ICS’s event website:

We have curated a content-rich, interactive program for leaders seeking collaborative innovation models. The highest level leaders in Tech Innovation will deliver keynote addresses and skilled facilitators will engage all the talent in the room in dynamic conversations. 

If you are looking to solve a massive technical challenge, build a community of innovators, leverage your R&D budget many times over, or create media buzz this event is a must-attend for you.

The event will also feature speakers like Mason Pecj, Chief Technologist at NASA and Mark Bunger, Research Director at Lux Research.

To learn more about the 2013 ICS Tech Summit, including how to register, click here. 

“Fall” into Local Arts Events in Marin County

As summer starts to wind down, don’t feel blue! Not only do we get great weather here in Marin County all year round, but we also have great events and entertainment throughout the year.

It doesn’t need to be summer for you to have a good time in the community. As fall quickly approaches, we’re taking a look forward at the upcoming arts events happening in the area.

Whether you’re into high class art galleries, music, dance, or just would like to learn some crafts, there’s probably an event in the next few months that you’d love. The Marin Independent Journal has a nice roundup of all the upcoming events. Among them are:

"BayWood Artists On the Bay, A Salute to America's Cup," Oct. 4 to 26; reception Oct. 4Elsewhere GalleryWhere: 1828 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., FairfaxAdmission: FreeInformation: 747-8696; www.elsewhere.com  

ICB Artists' winter open studios, Dec. 7 and 8Los Robles Community CenterWhere: 100 Roblar Drive, NovatoAdmission: FreeInformation: 763-5772; lrnovato.com/craft-fair2013.html; email maureenellis@att.net  

Harvest Crafts Fair and Holiday Arts and Crafts Preview Show, Oct. 11 and 12Margaret Todd Senior CenterWhere: 1560 Hill Road, NovatoAdmission: Free 

"Legends of the Bay Area: Robert Hudson," Oct. 12 to Nov. 17Marin Society of ArtistsWhere: Marin Art & Garden Center, 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., RossAdmission: FreeInformation: 454-9561; www.marinsocietyofartists.org

To read the Marin Independent Journal’s full list of fall arts events in Marin County, click here. And to stay apprised of local events throughout the year, and special announcements for 33 North residents, be sure to follow our Facebook page!

Marin County Entrepreneurship Seminar on Homepage-Building

One of the great things about living in Marin County is its proximity to the technological epicenter that is San Francisco and its surrounding areas. There are lots of local companies doing exciting, innovative things—as well as organizations that provide guidance to businesses and entrepreneurs by exchanging ideas and creating a thriving businesses community in the Bay Area.

One local resource for professionals and entrepreneurs is the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, headquartered in San Francisco with offices right here in San Rafael.

Among the center’s planned events this month at Renaissance Marin is a seminar on building effective website homepages, this coming Tuesday, August 27, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, at their San Rafael location at 1115 Third Street,San Rafael, CA 94901.

According to the Center’s website, the seminar will cover the following topics:

1.     Appropriate design
2.     Branding and personality
3.     Clear value proposition
4.     Obvious pathways for each audience
5.     Typography
6.     Basic search engine optimization
7.     Navigation systems  (and why you need more than one)
8.     Calls to action
9.     Credibility factors
10.  Site speed 

Registration for the event is $30.

Do you know of any other great resources for local entrepreneurs in Marin County? Let us know by sending us a message on our Facebook page!

33 North Apartments: Luxury Living in Marin County

Marin County is beautiful enough on its own, with its spectacular vistas and quiet, quaint communities like San Rafael. So, if you’re looking for comfortable, luxury living in the area, why concede to just another so-so apartment building? At 33 North Apartment Homes, you won’t have to worry about moving into a place that’s missing that one final piece to make it perfect—here in our comfortable corner of San Rafael, we have it all.

Have a pet you’d like to bring in? We’re okay with that! 33 North is a pet friendly community, with lots of space for your furry friend to run and play.

Looking for the convenience and pragmatism of an apartment, with the amenities of a luxurious house? Our property boasts lots of great balcony views, fully equipped kitchens with high end appliances, high ceilings, a washer and dryer in each unit, and more—all within 40 minutes of the San Francisco Bay!

And as comfortable as our apartments are, there’s no need to hole yourself up inside—not only are our residents a friendly, close-knit bunch, but our premises also feature a pet park, a 24-hour fitness center, multiple lounges, and, of course, parking.

We may be new in town, but we’re eager to get to know our community and local residents—so if you’d like to drop in and see some of our units in person, call us at (855) 671-6163, or click here to send us a message.