High Tech Healthcare in Marin County

We all know that the Bay Area is one of the hottest spots in the country for technology and innovation. So it only makes sense that our healthcare moves forward accordingly.

Here at 33 North, we’re especially proud that our residents by and large live healthy, active lifestyles. If it’s been a while since you’ve been to a hospital, it may surprise you to know how advanced our area’s healthcare institutions really are.

Marin General Hospital is one of the premier community hospitals in our region, and they’ve been increasingly recognized for their clinical services in recent years—including recognition for chest pain, breast cancer, and other specialties.

Now, the hospital is branching out into robotics—specifically, a robot assisted surgery that uses a single incision and greatly reduces recovery time for the patient:

"It was so amazingly brief in terms of the stay in the hospital, a few hours," said one patient. "And basically the next day I was up and about. It goes through a small incision in your navel so there is virtually no visible scar. I'm feeling fantastic."

The da Vinci Si, the robotic surgical system, used to perform the operation is the latest model produced by Sunnyvale-based Intuitive Surgical Inc. Marin General purchased its first da Vinci robot in 2007 for $1.8 million. Last year, it upgraded to the new model, which cost slightly less: about $1.5 million. Among other advantages, the new machine makes it possible to do surgeries through a single incision at the navel.

Click here to read the full Marin Independent Journal article.

Visit Ring Mountain for an Early Spring Getaway

With the weather these days getting ever-so-slightly warmer, you might be thinking about an early getaway this spring. And with so many great attractions—nature in particular—in and around Marin County, your options can often seem overwhelming.

Out near Tiburon is one particularly beautiful locale ripe for a weekend trip: Ring Mountain Open Space Preserve.

Known for its stunning wildflowers and its panoramic views of San Francisco and the Bay Area, the early spring is perhaps the best time of year to visit Ring Mountain.

Pamela over at MarinMommies.com blogged about her family’s trip to Ring Mountain earlier this month—she provided some really helpful information and some really fun facts about this great local attraction:

This preserve on a hill above Tiburon and east Corte Madera was saved from development back in the 1990s, and is home to a number of rare plants like the Tiburon Mariposa Lilly, which is found nowhere else in the world. Large boulders and rocks are scattered throughout the hillside, giving it an otherworldly appearance. You'll even find remnants of Native American settlements here in the way of petroglyphs and a grinding rock.

Numerous trails criss-cross the 367-acre Ring Mountain Preserve. The Phyllis Ellman trail leads from Paradise Drive up to the top of the mountain; you can return to the Paradise Drive trailhead via the loop trail. Most families will want to head for the fire roads on top of Ring Mountain. They're largely smooth and flat (some sections are even paved) and are fine for sturdy jogging strollers, as well as mountain bikes.

Best of all, Ring Mountain is a short distance from almost anywhere in Marin County. It feels like it's a world away, though. From mid-March through April the whole hillside is often carpeted in flowers. I like to think that my photos are pretty good, but they really don't do the view justice—you have to go there and see it for yourself.

Click here to read more about Ring Mountain Open Space Preserve.

Host Trivia Nights in Marin County

It wasn’t too long ago that “geek” was considered a dirty word. But here in Marin, with a wealth of prestigious universities in the area and a hub for the tech industry, it’s not unusual—even accepted—to be a proud geek.

Trivia contests are also becoming a more popular weeknight outing for local brainiacs to show off their chops. But for those of you looking for a little something extra, you can now apply to be a quiz host—you can even get paid for it.

Geeks Who Drink is a fun, new organization that put together quiz nights all over the country—and they’re looking for highly dedicated, fun Quiz Master in the Marin/San Rafael area. Here’s some more information courtesy of their website:

What's in it for you: $50 a night plus a $25 bar tab for three hours of work. You host the quiz, you blog about it, you get paid. 

Performing experience is a plus. 

If you want to co-host with a friend, apply as a team.

If you're applying from a city that has a Geeks Who Drink quiz, or three, and you've never played before, do yourself a favor and play our quiz before you apply. It helps us take you a bit more seriously and you'll be able to see what you're getting yourself into and if it's something you want to get yourself into. For our quiz schedule click here.

Click here for more information on Geeks Who Drink!

Finding A Permanent Home for Our Farmers Market

Currently, the Marin Farmers Market operates at the Marin Veteran’s Auditorium’s parking lot on Thursdays and the Marin Civic Center’s parking lot on Sundays. But under a new proposal, San Rafael residents will be able to vote to give the market a more permanent home in June.

This proposal would turn the Civic Center’s parking lot into a dedicated home for the farmer’s market, which has been a staple of the community for decades in promoting local agriculture and serving up fresh, healthy food to San Rafael and Marin residents—and the plans call for a hefty 4.6 acres, with a building and large canopy. The developer would be the Agricultural Institute of Marin.

In addition, according to the Marin Independent Journal, the proposed permanent farmers market will also be great for the community:

This site has the potential to become a new hub of activity situated near the proposed SMART train station. The institute plans a new “eco-friendly” building that will include a café and market, to be open daily with local produce, meats, cheeses and other products. There also would be space for educational activities, including a kitchen classroom, and for the institute’s offices.

Click here to read more about the proposal for the new Marin Farmer’s Market.