Fairfax, California

the sleeping lady

There are literally hundreds of little one-horse towns in California.  They have one main street with a theater, a few restaurants, a coffee shop, maybe a bakery, and perhaps a gift shop for tourists.  The architecture is circa gold-mining days through the 1950s.  I have been to beach towns, historic gold mining towns, northern, central, and southern California towns.  It gets a little monotonous.

Fairfax, in west Marin, is at first glance, just another little California town.  The ubiquitous theater, a bar, and a few eateries line Broadway, the main street,  Take a left turn up Bolinas where you'll see a coffee shop on the corner, a few more small restaurants, a dance studio, and a small park near the police station.  Sounds kind of dull, right?  But when I visited last week, the place was packed! 

So what makes Fairfax so darn popular?  It's hard for me to talk about Fairfax as a tourist destination since I lived there and still am so connected to the people and places.  The Fairfax theater was my entertainment and social mainstay. And for such a small town, they sure have a lot of bars.  The bars and some local eateries provide lots of live musical entertainment, which makes bar-hopping a lively "big-city" experience every night of the week.  The people are, well, its hard to say what the typical Fairfax person is like.  Old-timer ranchers, hippies young and old, yuppies, techies, soccer moms, welfare moms, business people, blue collar let's see, have I left anyone out?  Weirdos, freaks, geeks, young, old and everyone in between.  People-watching at the brew pub, the wine tasting bar, the coffee shop, and Peris and Naves bars is probably what draws so many out of towners to Fairfax. 

Fire road starting in Natalie Coffin Park in Ross leads to Phoenix Lake.

Another big attraction in Fairfax is the perfect starting point for a bike ride up to the lakes: Phoenix, Bon Tempe, and Lagunitas.  The dirt fire road starts at Deer Park, located in a neighborhood off of Bolinas Avenue,   From there the dirt roads take you wherever your legs allow.  You can go to Mt. Tam, but I warn you, the Eldridge Grade trail is a bumpy ride.  You can bike around the lakes, or if you are in the mood, go all the way out to the coast.  You can also stay on the paved road and head west out of town.  But most people prefer to drive that route and take a day trip through Samuel P. Taylor Park, Olema, and either Pt. Reyes Station or Bolinas/Stinsen Beach along Highway 1.

But like I said, my perspective a little different than a casual visitor.  When I drive by the coffee shop, I still see the Corner Bar and re-live some of the drama that went down so many years ago.  Just a few doors up the street used to be tiny Tom's Market, owned by Tom, an elderly Asian man, where you could get your smokes and booze.  He had an intense rivalry with Don's Market, located about a half mile away.  Don was his twin brother.  And next to Tom's used to be the little record store owned by Mr. and Mrs. Morrison.  They settled in Fairfax after following their son from Ireland.  Even though Van left for bigger and better things, the Morrisons stayed behind to run their little record store on Bolinas Avenue.  When I pass the police station, I think of the time Madam, my friend Bonnie's horse, threw her rider and galloped to downtown.  Someone recognized the horse and took her to the police station.  You can imagine Bonnie's surprise getting a call from the police saying they had her horse!

This last visit we went to Fairfax's venerable mainstay, the Deer Park Villa. This is a classic old-style Italian place where you can get prime rib, pasta, and seafood.  Out back on the outdoor patio, under a forest of redwood trees, a singer belted out Sinatra songs.  Inside at the bar, a guy walked in wearing a costume like a shepherd from the Jesus times.  What was weird was nobody gave him a second glance! One time I went into the Koffee Klatch, the greasy spoon breakfast place on Broadway, and saw George Lucas sitting at the counter drinking coffee and reading the Chron.  Again, no one gave him a second glance.  That's Fairfax for you!

Any time is a good time to visit Fairfax because something is always happening.  But the biggest party of the year happens during the Fairfax Festival.  This event takes place the second weekend of June.  It starts out innocently enough on Saturday morning with a parade down Broadway and up Bolinas.  Then everyone migrates to Peris Park for non-stop live music, dancing, partying, food, and a flea market.  As the day wears on, people hit the bars for more drinking, music and, well, that's all I'm going to mention.  At some point they get a little sleep and the party starts up and continues the next day.

I just had to include this video I took at the San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo.  It's spring in Marin and I was feeling it that day.

  Where the bee sucks, there suck I;
In a cowslip's bell I lie;
There I couch when owls do cry.
On the bat's back I do fly
After summer merrily.
Merrily, merrily, I shall live now
Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.

Up at the ranch

My friend Kim will appreciate this post. Don't worry, no pictures of you in here.  But we can hear you talking over the turkeys.

Whenever I go back home to Marin, one of my go-to destinations is the Sky Ranch up in Fairfax.  My good friends Bonnie and Kim have been managing the horsing around up there forever and a day.  I'm sort of a johnny-come-lately as I've only been hanging around for the last 20 or so years.  Yes, it's been that long!

The ranch trails lead out to the open wild lands of Marin Municipal Watershed District. You could literally go to the top of Mount Tam, even out to the Pacific Ocean, from the ranch.  Well, you could but usually they go riding around the lakes.  Or maybe just the arena.

The ranch is privately-owned property, but that doesn't stop the trespassers from hiking through to get to the trails above San Anselmo and Fairfax.   I guess I can't blame them for wanting to go up there, look how beautiful it is.  One of my classmates from long ago, who hailed from La Jolla, called his hometown God's country.  Well, eh hmm, I beg to differ.  I think my hometown has those braggin' rights, fella.

That's yours truly with one of my buddies.  Kim has about 5 chickens that keep laying lots of eggs.  See that round brick thing in the background?  That's where the goldfish live, and it doubles as a watering hole for the horseys after a long trail ride.

Mr. Wil E. Coyote comes around too, and he is as unwelcome as the trespassers.  There's been verified bobcat sightings, and some say a mountain lion was spotted up on the ridge.  Years and years ago, we spotted a turkey at the ranch, and it was big news.  He was also seen in downtown San Anselmo.  We wondered if he would find a mate, and wished it so.  Well, something right must have happened because Tom and the little missus started quite the family, and they are well-settled at this point.

There was a time when I lived just down the road and would hike up to the ranch and points beyond just about every day, and sometimes, at night.  If someone was around, then we'd have a beer and a good laugh, or a good cry, a bad argument (and you two know who I am talking about). Lots of folks have come and gone, and horses too. But when I go back, thankfully it's still the same familiar place.  Thanks everyone for putting up with my sad stories this last visit!

Spring is just around the corner, can you tell? 

Pismo Beach

Finally got the gumption to leave my cozy little pioneer cabin on the hill in Carlsbad and head up north on the 101.  As expected, driving though LA was difficult.  Went up 5, west on 10, north on 405, and two hours later stopped for some gas in Aquora Hills off 101 North.  By the way, even though it looks like you are headed west off the 405 to get to 101, the highway sign are North to Ventura.  Its true what they say about the 405 -- avoid if you can! 

It was rainy and there were pockets of commuter traffic along the way.  But the beautiful ocean was to my left and the rolling green hills were to my right.  Can't beat the scenery in that part of the country.  Santa Barbara combines all of the romance of the Sonoma wine county with the beachy communities that dot the southern California coast.  When I hit the lottery . . . 

Finally pulled into Pismo Beach at 7 o'clock.  It was dark and rainy, so I didn't do any sightseeing.  Had planned on getting a room at Oxford Suites, which is right off the highway.  I could swear they had a deal I saw on the internet for $75 a night.  The receptionist said there was no such deal and too bad for me.  No biggie, there was new Hilton Garden Inn just on the opposite side of the highway.  They offered a pretty decent rate, and besides, I am an honors member so I got the perks.  Later the next day I looked around the little town and saw some very funky motels.  Maybe next time I'll check it out.

 

The next morning my hotel bill was $30 more than the rate they gave me at check-in.  The woman said yes, they have that rate, but no, they don't offer it at that hilton, but sometimes if someone calls someone and gets permission they offer it.  I did not appreciate the lip I got about it, She should have just said okay, our mistake.  I mean, I am a gold tier member and I stay at these hotels all the time!!!  Whatever, I'll never stay there again.

 

Poked around the little one-street town of Pismo Beach the next morning.  This is the classic case of a beach community with growing pains.  It started out as a very modest, very quirky little beach town, and then all the rich folks moved in.  I'm posting a couple pictures of houses on that same street.

 



 



Having tootled around Marin on a Vespa in my formative years, I appreciated this sign in the window of the Taste of the Valley.  For such a short mainstreet, they sure do have a pretty good variety of eateries.  Price Street is the main drag, with casual pizza joints, the CrabShack, fine Italian dining, Honeymoon Cafe, and of course, the Moose Cafe.

 

The actual beach was, meh.  I guess I am spoiled by the beaches all along the coast of San Diego County. 

 

 

Back on the road, it was a pretty quick jaunt up north.  Of course, I did leave at 11 in the morning.  Right outside of San Jose, you can make a choice to get the the North Bay by either taking the 280 going through San Fran and crossing the Golden Gate or taking the 880 through the East Bay and then crossing the Richmond San Rafael Bridge.  What to do??!  I opted for the 880 and wouldn't you know it there was a crash that backed up traffic.  ARRGHHH another traffic jam!  But once I crossed the Richmond San Rafael bridge I started feeling better.

 

The Embassy Suites in San Rafael was the big deal fancy place when it was new.  But now, it does seem a little dingy, the years are starting to show.  But still, can't beat the free booze at the manager's reception and the free made to order breakfast in the morning.

 

Oh, and the rain cleared up.  It's beautiful out there!